JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ July 4, 1867. 



Atpi^ Tree in Piggerv-tard (A. ^.).— It is not unlikely that tbe 

 Apple tree will be destroyed in time by tbe saturation of tbe soil with the 

 uiiue and waRhinps of the dung; but it will not suffer so long us tbe 

 ground is not excessively charged with those matters. 



Apter-usks of Pit employed fob CnTTiNos tFred). — You may put a 

 barrowful of hot dung under each hpbt, and cover it with 9 iuche'i of fresh 

 loam ; pUnt under each licht a stronR Cucumber plant. You may, therefore, 

 grow Cucumhtrs. and bad it been tbouRbt of sooner you mifiht have had 

 a crop of aiilona. Tbe frame may also bo employed for strikinc cuttinf,':* 

 of such plants as Verbennt; for furnishing other cuttings in spring, which 

 should be put in early in August. 



Removikg Balsam Bods {J. Bowlby).—To have the plants in lull 

 flower at the beginning of Aucjust tbe buds should not be pinched off 

 after this, but they may be thinned, which will increase the size of the 

 blooms left. 



Melons not Setting (J County Cork Gardener). — We f- nr you have 

 neplecied to thin out tLie bhoots. so that they are much too close tofjetber, 

 and being thus deprived of light and air the blossoms do not open freely. 

 The watering should be in proportion to tbe growth, and excessive 

 vigour It seened by reducing the watering and giving abundance of air. 



We presume yon have stopped the shoots and laterals, and also thinned 

 them. l>o it now if you have not, and tike out tbe point of each lateral 

 at ono joint above tlio fruit. If you do this and give air early in the 

 morning we thiuktbe fruit will set. 



Early Peas Sown in August (Idem).— It you sow early Peas early In 

 August they may. if tbe season ba mild, come into beai-ing in November ; 

 but their produce would be better insured were they sown in the second 

 week in July, which we think quite late enough. 



Names op Plants {B D i.— I. \diiiitum m icrophyllnm ; 2, Pteris cre^ 

 tica ?l; 3, Adiantum capillu^-Venoris; 4, Aspidium f^leatum; 5, Aaple* 

 nium fliccidiim ; 6 Pteris; 7. Scolopendriun vulgnre ; 8 Lastrea dilatftta; 

 9, Atbyi'ium Filix-foemina ; 10, Lastrea Filis-maa ; ll.PolypodiauiTulgare; 

 12, Pteris s^rrulita; the sbiub is Leycesteria formosa. (W. F. R. and 

 J. D. D.).— Stflchya Ima+a. [B, T7.) — Cystopteris fragilis. {A Constant 

 Header, H.). — 1, Rhus cotinus ; 2, Colutea arborescen:* ; 3, Pjtus inter- 

 medii (?| ; 4- SpirjBi filipeudula ; 5, Symphytum officinale. Ji. Q.).— 

 1, Philadelpbus cnnmarias; 2, Lonicera invulucrata; 3, Pergularia odo- 

 ratissima (A Constant Rea-ie.r). — i, Erigeron epecioaum; 5, Spiraea 

 chamn3drifo]ia; 1, Tradescaatia virginict ; we cannot name the garden 

 hyb id Rose^ {A Subscriber). — Boib the Willows are forms of Sallx 

 nigriuans, and t'le Peru is Cystppleris fragilis. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS in the Suburbs of London for the Week ending July 2nd. 



POULTSY, BEE, and HOUSEHOLD CHROBriCLE. 



GAME FOWLS. 



In breeding in-SDcl-in much depfnds upon the constitntion 

 of the brood stock, and putting youth to youth. There should 

 be no hidden taint of disease in the birds selected for breeding- 

 purposes. They should have every feature of good health ; 

 indeed, success is mainly attriLulable to the health and vigour 

 of the brood slock. By strict attention to these rules one may 

 breed for years with success from the same stock : and when 

 a cross is introduced let one that is equally healthy and good 

 be chosen ; but once let the seeds of disease be sown, and it 

 will be found they will not be easily eradicated. 



We are all more or less prejudiced in oni tastes and opinions ; 

 and although I have every respect for "Newmarket's" views 

 as to the foim of the Game cock's tail, I still strictly adhere 

 to previously expressed remarks. 



I believe that, as a rule, old cock-fighters preferred the 

 Bpnrred hen ; but, as I have stated before, I can perceive no 

 real merit iu the aipendage. I have seen several spurred 

 black hens. The tw^» I ;illuded to in my previous letter were 

 both equally good, pciljaps the spangled hfn was the hastier 

 and quicker fighter. I have often teen when alad young Ijroods 

 from these hens, hatched in the early months of February and 

 March, skitting and running about during the frost and 

 snow, indifferent to the inclemency of the weather. Naturally 

 healthy and vigorous, they were not so susceptible to the 

 changes of tempeiatuie as the young broods of the present 

 day. How mortifying it is, after nil our hopes and care, to 

 have to witness the defective and shattered constitution of our 

 brood, in a few days after their releaKO from the shell drooping 

 and dying without apparent cause. These are great drawbacks 

 in breeding, and deprive the pursuit of one-half of its interest. 

 I fear that a great portion of our exhiliition stock is tainted 

 with disease, and the birds thus hand itdown to their offspring. 



In regard to the colour of the "Slincbags" opinions vary. 

 Some parties assert that they were a Black-breasted Bed with 

 wheat-colnuied or Partridge hens ; others say they were Black- 

 breasted Yellow Dackwings. Mr. lliehardson in his book on 

 domestic fowls, page 23, states that the " Sbakehag," or 

 " Shackbag," would appear, from the description of rixon and 

 other writers, to have lieen an offshoot from the great Paduan 

 or St. lago fowl, and the immediate descendant of the Gall us 

 giganteus. This Padnan fowl was described by Ulysses Aldro- 

 vand as having five colours — viz , black, white, green, red, and 

 yellow; the body black tiugedwithgreen.and the tailof the same 



colour, with the base of the feathers white. I have seen several 

 in Yorkshire which were pointed out to me as " Shacbags." 

 They were Black breasted Beds with Partridge hens, and had 

 small double combs. Several of these were fought, and thej 

 were deep Game. 



If I am not mistaken, Mr. Aykroyd, of Bradford, bred both 

 the birds that were exhibited by Mr. Brierley at Accrington, 

 and I believe they are descended from Messrs. Scrimminger 

 and Williams's stock. I thought the Black-breasted Red at 

 the Accrington Show the best I ever saw, being particularly 

 neat in all his points, and devoid of that coarseness and leggi- 

 ness which we should at all times discard. The Brown-breasted 

 Red is equally good, but was much out of condition — indeed, 

 he ought not to have been shown. He has splendid feet, with 

 a good back claw, and is rich iu colour. The birds I hav« 

 seen belonging to Mr. Statter were good, but I fancy they are 

 partially from Mr. Scrimminger's stock. 



I believe Mr. Brierley's Black-breasted Reds have had a cro^ 

 of Brown Bed at some period ; indeed, I have a Partridge hen 

 which came from Mr. Williams's yard, and she has dark eyes, 

 and occasionally throws the cockerels blotch-breasted Reds. I 

 do not know Mr. Scrimmiuger personally, but believe he breedfi 

 excellent birds both for exhibition and the pit. 



I have seen some of Mr. Shield's Black- breasted Reds with 

 yellow legs, and splendid short-feathered birds they were, very 

 showy, and good lighters. Few breeders in Yorkshire formerly 

 were so cautious in crossing so as to produce birds regular in 

 feather and attributes. Whatever may be the courage and 

 soundness of constitution of the birds bred for exhibition pur- 

 poses at the present time, every one must admit that at no 

 period were they ever bred more uniform in colour and feather. 



Some thirty or forty years ago there was a favourite breed in 

 Yorkshire, but which is now rarely seen. It was a Black- 

 breasted Bed with a very deep red hackle, back, and saddle, dark 

 beak, and legs; the ends (,f the wings, instead of being of a 

 clear bay, were black. Tbe birds were also very black beneath 

 the hackle when clipped f.ir fighting, and from this colour they 

 established the name of Black Hackles. 



In Craven, Yurk.shire, a favourite breed of White Game fowl 

 with white beak and legs was much appreciated; the owner 

 bred these fowls with great care, and was very successful. Ho 

 had also a favourite breed of Black-breasted Beds from wheat- 

 O'lloured hens; and amongst other kinds which are now, as 

 formerly, in great favour, are Gingers with yellow and willow 

 legs, Park Reds with clear brown breasts, Black-breasted Duck- 

 wings with yellow and willow legs. Spangles, and a few Piles, 

 Blacks and Furnaces. Tbe streaky-breasted Brown Reds which 

 are now exhibited by York.->hire breeders, I imagine were in- 



