JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



January G, 1870. 



often done it, and let us have it on Tuesday ; there, good-bye, 

 and a happy New Year to all at home." "Ditto," said the 

 other laconically. I at once departed, and soon found myself 

 at home to hear about that lying Bill, " the village nuisance ;" 

 old Mother Smith's rheumatics ; how Mrs. Jones had got, in 

 juvenile phrase, " A new baby," and sundry other bits of 

 village news. 



ET CETERA. 



HILLTOP RECTORY, 



Monday, January 3, 1870 

 "EtCfctera" "and other things," but let me take them in 

 order. Let me glance first at gardening. There seemB to be 

 a revival of orangeries. I say revival, for although differing by 

 having modern appliances, yet the growth of the Orange in 

 houses called orangeries has been carried on in England since 

 the reign of Charles II., and many a noble mansion in Britain 

 has an ornamental wing still called " The Orangery." Thus it 

 is like the farthingale, then the hoop, then the crinoline — the 

 same idea only carried out differently. May orangeries be as 

 general as orchard houses. 



Then we have had earnest efforts to extend the growth of 

 Grapes in the open air ; this is also a return to the old ways, 

 and a good return. I wish we could make the cottager a Grape- 

 grower, and growing something better than the old Black 

 Cluster. I with we could get him to enjoy the watching and un- 

 derstand the cultivation of his Vine, and then mayhap he would 

 enjoy his drop of home-made wine at Christmas-tide and Whit- 

 suntide, when the grown-up boys and girls come and tarry a 

 few hours with the old folks in the old home. To the Rav. 

 George Kemp be all thanks given (I should like to write his 

 name all in capitals), for his encouragement by prizes for 

 Grapes grown in the open air without any protection whatever. 

 I do not know Mr. Kemp, or where he dwells, but his is a 

 hand I should like to shake. Then there is that Lincolnshire 

 Parson (a complimentary word this, persona, the person of the 

 parish), " C. C. E.," of whom " the plain working gardener," 

 as he humbly calls himself, gave his interesting account from 

 the well-cultured garden up to the Sunday's text, and made me 

 hink of the poet's words — 



" Say, ye far-travelled clouds, fir-seeing hills, 

 Among the happiest-looking homes of men 

 Scatter'd all Britain over, through deep glen, 

 On airy upland, and by forest rills, 

 And o'er wide plains cheered by the lark that trills 



His sky-born warblings — does aught meet your ken, 

 Anght that more surely by its aspect fills 



Pure minds with sinless envv, than the abode 

 Of the good priest : who faithful through all hours 



To his high charge, ami truly serving God, 

 Has yet a heart/oi Ireet andflowen !" 



Such a one, I am sure, is " C. C. E.," and such hundreds of 

 readers of " our Journal." 



But on to others of the " cetera." "Few men," says a 

 recent writer, "are so stupified that they cannot by a little 

 care select some more or less satisfactory hobby — a selection 

 in which the whole secret of a judicious holiday-making may 

 be said to consist. It is best to take up some amusement for 

 which yon have a natural taste, but devotion to any hobby 

 whatsoever is preferable to a cold-blooded dawdling, in obe- 

 dience to general fashion, after nothing in particular. The 

 happy man who has selected his hobby always excites my 

 admiration, for he is at least able to boast of a genuine enjoy- 

 'ment." This Journal of ours, I humbly think, guides men to 

 suitable and harmless hobbies, and instructs them when they 

 have taken to a hobby. A garden stands first, and ever will 

 in general esteem, as a health-giving innocent hobby. And see 

 the efforts men make to have a garden. Some years ago I 

 called on a gentleman who kept a large school at a seaside 

 watering-place. His house was on a rock by the sea, and built 

 of the very stone quarried from the rock on which it stood. 

 A small playground had been made for the boys, but garden 

 there could be none; yet the gentleman pined for a garden, 

 so he built a small orchard house overlooking the deep sea, and 

 there he, a happy host, took me, a happy visitor. And oh ! the 

 pleasure that little orchard house gave him, and there he 

 escaped from the noise and worry of the boys. 



But besides a garden, we have to do with other hobbies. 

 The man, aye ! the woman too, whose home boasts space 

 enough, often takes, and rightly, to poultry : while he who has 

 les3 room takes to fancy pigeons ; and you hear grave men 

 saying of some elderly gentleman, " Now he is given up to 

 Toys." " Fie upon you ! you old donkey," an outsider would 

 say ; but we know better. Or again, a long six-feet-two man, 

 with a yard of face, tells you "he is now in the Short- faced 



fancy," and I think of the " Spectator." Or of a wee little man, 

 that would go down a gas-pipe with room to spare, it is said 

 " he is a Stout bird-fancier." Ah! we know the pleasure these 

 Toys, Short-faces, and Stout birds give — Pigeons all, and beau- 

 tiful too. 



But if there is no room for fowl or Pigeon, not even for those 

 darling fairy-like Pigeons African Owls, with their sweet little 

 chubby faces — faces which that Scotch old bachelor said " were 

 just like things made for kissing." Of course, the things 

 (tbingB indeed !) alluded to being young ladies. N.B. — There 

 is hope of that old bachelor yet. Well, if there is no room for 

 even these Pigeons, there is a hobby to be found in cage birds, 

 the townman's hobby, the invalid's hobby, yea, even a pleasure- 

 giving hobby (I have known it to be so), to those whose only 

 room was their bedroom, and their bed their abode for all the 

 days, as well as all the nights, of many a long year. 



As to poultry shows, 1 want to see a little more variety. 

 Take, for instance, the Game classes. I grant that one of the 

 most beautiful is the Black-breasted Red, but I would rather 

 see many varieties than dozens of one variety, and yet, save 

 at the very largest shows, or only at Birmineham, do we see 

 more than two or three varieties — the Black Reds, a few of the 

 beautiful Duckwings, and one pen or so of Brown Reds. Yet 

 think of the splendid hues of the Black Game cock, the pied 

 beauty of the Piles, then Blues, Duns, the BraBsy-wings, and 

 Birchin Yellows. Then, how very rarely we see the Golden 

 Polands ; the beautiful Sebrights are getting scarce, while 

 Black Red Game Bantams are exhibited by hundreds and 

 bred by thousands. The popularity of one breed — a very 

 changeable thing is popularity — is likely to be the ruin of 

 other breeds. Let committees look to this, and strive to get 

 many varieties, then there would be more visitors ; for to a 

 general eye a hundred Black Reds are all alike. Thus I was 

 very glad to hear of more money this year given to Malays at 

 Birmingham, although they are not my fancy. It would be 

 well if committees offered more and smaller prizes. Extend 

 the classes, but lower the prizes. The honour of winning a cup 

 is everything, it matters not whether its money value be five 

 guineas or three. If something of this sort be not done, many 

 most striking varieties of fowls will die out, as the few who 

 gallantly keep on with an unpopular breed get wearied out at 

 last, receiving no encouragement from committees. Variety 

 attracts, sameness repels. Strangers want to see the French 

 fowls, and would go to shows, but on a second visit they 

 say, " Oh ! poultry shows are all alike. See one you see 

 all." 



Then, as to Pigeons, something in a lesser degree is applica- 

 ble. Also, why will not skilled fanciers write more about them '? 

 The last year they for the first time have seen " Pigeon Chro- 

 nicle" added to our titles. Never were such good birds shown, 

 and happily now they meet one's eye at almost every poultry 

 show. The fancy has advanced, and shows have helped the 

 advance ; more wiiting would help it further. 



Then, also, a word about cage birds. This is a fancy more 

 universal, owing to circumstances, than either poultry or 

 Pigeons. I am sure lovers of the Canary, especially, will have 

 been gratified by the articles from Mr. Blakston's and Mr. 

 Howarth Ashton's pens. I believe in the words of a letter 

 lying before me, that "the Canary is a civilising and humanis- 

 ing little fellow, so long as he does not hold his court in a 

 publichouse, and where his friends are of the beery stamp. 

 From such associations let us raise him, and let him occupy 

 his proper place as a most interesting ornithological study, and 

 a beautiful object for exhibition. It should not be infra din. 

 to be a Canary man." Some years ago I pleaded that Pigeons 

 should always be shown with poultry, and the thing is done. 

 Now I further plead that, where it is possible (if the show be 

 held in a tent of course it could not be), that a show of cage 

 birds should always be added to poultry and Pigeons. There 

 would be many entries, and a great many, especially ladies, 

 would attend, who otherwise would not be present. 



Thus I have ventured to advocate a few improvements, which 

 I trust will be carried out. Flaws I would rather not notice. 

 I would rather forget the painters and stainers — the colourmen 

 I like not. I hope we shall all be spared to go on together 

 through this new year — Editors, writers, and readers. What 

 a variety class we are ! — scienced and non-scienced, profes- 

 sionals and amateurs. To the scienced I would say, Be sure 

 and never misapply science, as a good woman did who brought 

 her husland, with a bandage over his eye, to a surgeon of my 

 acquaintance. " What's the matter with your husband, my 

 good woman?" "Why, sir, my huaband got a piece of iron 



