JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ March 24, 1870. 



pouring boiling water over the walls and sides of the beds in tho morn- 

 ing; of course this cannot in ail cases be done, but where practicable it 

 is an excellent plan. The boiling water will kill all it touches, and, it 

 mast also be stated, all tbe 6pawn or mycelium of the Mushroom with 

 ■which it comes in contact. Another good plan is to place a boiled 

 potato wrapped up in a little hay in a small flower pot, and lay tho pot on 

 its side near tbo haunts of the woodlico. A number of such baits put 

 down at nicht, and the contents emptied in the morning into a bucket of 

 boiling water, will considerably thin the woodlicc. 



Biononia vencsta not Flowering IX, Si,lmn„th).—Vre think that 

 the plant must have too much liberty at tho roots, and consequently the 

 growth is excessive. We advise you to prune it in rather closely now, 

 and to keep its roots confined. Train the shoots at a moderate di'stanco 

 apart, and so that tho whole of them may be fully exposed to light and 

 air. Water freely when it is growing ; but when the growth is complete, 

 and after August, give the plant no "more water than enough to keep tho 

 foliage from flagging. In winter give only water enough to preserve the 

 vitality of the plant. This treatment will, no doubt, result in flowers 

 either in the present year or the next. If the plant grow very luxuriantly 

 and make very long shoots, stop them at the sixth joint, taking care not 

 to allow them to become so crowded as to shade each other. 



Cyclamen Treatment (A. O. P.).— The blooming of Cyclamens in 

 twelve months is nothing remarkable, but it would be well in writing of 

 Cyclamens to say of what species they are. So far as we know, none but 

 tho varieties of Cyclamen persicum have been flowered in twelve months 

 from the time of sowing the seed. To bloom in twelve months the plants 

 should not be placed out of doors at all, but be grown in gentle heat, 

 the seedlings being pricked-off in pans when large enough to handle ; 

 then keep them moist, close, and shaded until established, afterwards 

 admit air, but still continue them in a moist growing heat without ad- 

 mitting air too abundantly. Tho seedlings are, in tho first place, to be 

 raised in a hotbed, and continued there until they have been pricked off 

 and become established. In snmmer they will afterwards succeed in a 

 cold pit or frame placd in a slightly shaded position. They should be 

 potted-off singly in pots 3 inches in diameter by the beginning of August, 

 and the frame should be kept moist and shaded for a time, then admit 

 air. In September they will require to be shifted into larger pots, and 

 mast be removed to a house with a night temperature of 5(P, and be 

 placed near the glass. In November they will need a shift into pots a 

 size larger, and again in Jannary, the plants being kept growing from the 

 time of sowing up to that of flowering. To grow them in an ordinary 

 greenhouse with one hundred blooms in twelve months is more than we 

 think you can accomplish. The cormB, in potting, should be covered 

 abont half an inch. They will not do better in a cold frame eariy in 

 winter than in a greenhouse. It is too cold and damp. We are referring 

 to the varieties of C. persicum. 



Ventilating (Sanguina).— If we understand your plan, we have no 

 doubt it would answer if yon yourself carried it out, but we are doubtful 

 if it would do so in the hands of a stranger, as wo do not see how every 

 square, being made a ventilator, is to bo thoroughly under control. A 

 very simple modification of your plan is that in Sir Joseph Paxton's 

 houses for the million, where a ventilator thoroughly under control is 

 fixed between each two rafters. A more intricate and ingenious plan is 

 that patented by Mr. Cranston, where the roof is formed of so many 

 planes of glass, and each of these opens less or more at pleasure. Wo 

 know no better plan of giving air equally, or in any desired proportion, all 

 over a bouse. We think that, before adopting your own plan, yon should 

 make yourself acquainted with the principles of the houses of Mr. 

 Cranston, of 1, Temple Row West, Birmingham. 



Hot-water Piping (A Young Beginner).— For moderate forcing, three 

 4-inch pipes tho length of the house would do. For early forcing yon 

 would need four pipes. Two pipes would do in the greenhouse part if 

 you merely wished to exclude frost ; more would be wanted if you wished 

 much bloom in winter. We presume the house is a lean-to. We would 

 rather not give the average quantity of fuel required. 



Tea Leaves as a Manure (M. K.).— We have no faith in tea leaves 

 dried after beinc used for tea, mixed-up with soil for pot plants, instead 

 of leaf mould; there is too much acid, &o. Used as a slight top-dressing 

 on the surface they will be useful rather than otherwise, though we would 

 prefer a little hotbed dung for that purpose. If that, too, is absent, better 

 nee pure sandy loam, and a pinch of dissolved bones for each pot — say 

 as much as you can hold between the thnmb and finger, for a 6-inch pot — 

 placed on tho surface. We would plant your clump in bands as suggested, 

 beginning with Cerastinm, No. 1. A line of Madame Yaucher Pelargo- 

 nium, a white, would improve No. 4, Purple Terbena. 



Oak-fed Silkworms (P. TV. P.).— They are from Japan, and are known 

 as the larva; of the Bombyx Yama-Mai. Apply to Dr. Wallace, Colchester. 



Names of Fruits {N. M.).—l, Chanmontel ; 2, Verulam. 



Names of Plants (E. A. E., Nottinghamshire).— We cannot name 

 plants from their leaves only. (A D.).— Aubrietia deltoidea. (Lanca- 

 shire Subscriber). — Chamreranthemum verbenacenm. (D. S.). — Sequoia 

 sempervirens. (B. Oodbold).— 1, Adiantum trapeziforme ; 2, A. brasi- 

 liense; 8, Gymnogramma ochracea ; 4, G. tartarea. (M.B. M.).— Galan- 

 thus plicatus, the Crimean Snowdrop. Any nurseryman would supply 

 you with bulbs in the autumn. (E. L. J.).— Alsophila australis. 



PQTTLTRY, BEE, AND PIGEON CHRONICLE. 



TRIMMING. 

 Heartily glad am I to Bee that the subject of trimming is 

 again brought before our notice by our friend Mr. Hewitt ; and 

 I do indeed hope that this time the matter may not drop until 

 something real be done, not, as heretofore, a few weeks' corre- 

 spondence, and all of no avail; for Mr. Hewitt says there is 

 even now a great deal of trimming. And yet this season hardly 

 a Committee have taken the trouble to insert such a paragraph 

 as he names in their schedule, which would at once show the 



public that they at least would back up the judges in any cases 

 of disqualification. 



Unless something can be done all respectable exhibitors will 

 simply give up exhibiting, and leave the field open to the black- 

 legs of the poultry fancy, who may then try their skill in 

 cheating each other ; for what chance has an honest exhibitor 

 against such professional trimmers as we have lately had 

 brought under our notice — one splicing a feather in a cock's 

 tail, another dyeing his Pigeons, and, I am sorry to say, many 

 such cases — or what honest man will care to exhibit in such 

 company? Why cannot Committees adopt, as Mr. Hewitt 

 suggests, some such clauses as the following in their schedules ? 



" The judges are instructed to disqualify any pen which they 

 may find to have been tampered with, or in any way fraudu- 

 lently dealt by. Any person who has one pea so disqualified 

 will forfeit any prize or prizes which may have been awarded 

 him in any class at the exhibition, and will not be allowed to 

 exhibit again at the Society's exhibition during the following 

 two years, and his name and address will be published with 

 the report of the phow." 



" If any case of birds being fraudulently dressed shall be 

 proved to the satisfaction of the Cornruittee, even though it 

 may have escaped the notice of the judge, the owner may be 

 disqualified as above at the discretion of the Committee." 



I should also like the following clause : — 



"Every exhibitor will be required to sign a declaration that 

 the birds exhibited have been in his or her possession two 

 months prior to the Bhow. In the event of any fraud in this 

 respect being detected, the exhibitor shall be subject to the 

 same conditions as in the previous clause." 



I suppose it would be of no use to ask Game breeders to 

 allow dubbing Game cocks to be called trimming, but I, for 

 one, would much prefer to see Game exhibited with their 

 combs complete as intended by nature; but if this amount of 

 trimming must be allowed as regards Game, surely we can 

 stop the plucking and face-trimming in the Spanish classes. 

 A skilful performer can make a very inferior Spanish cock 

 appear a very good one by the aid of a pair of forceps, a sharp 

 knife, and a little white paint, but that bird is no better bred 

 in consequence, as many a poor fellow who has purchased at 

 shows has found out to his cost. 



I am aware much diSerence of opinion exists as to whether 

 it is fraudulent trimming to remove just a faulty or broken 

 feather or two from the body of a bird. I, for one, hold that 

 it iB, for if allowed to draw a feather from the body of a 

 Brahma, why not one also from the hock? The line must be 

 drawn somewhere, let it be on the side of honesty and straight- 

 forwardness. — Philip Ckowlf.y, Waddon House, Croydon. 



GAME FOWLS. 



Like " Coenish Ddckwing," I am a breeder of Game fowl, 

 and have been so for upwards of forty years. During my early 

 time I had the assistance of an experienced breeder of fifty 

 years' standing, who pointed out to me the necessary qualities 

 a good Game cock should possess for the pit, and from my 

 own experience as a breeder, both for the pit and exhibition, 

 I must differ from "Coenish Ddckwing" on several of his 

 remarks. 



He says a Game cock should have a ehort hawk-like bill, 

 which I am of opinion shows a decided Malay cross. My idea 

 of a good Elack Red Game cock is realised by those that have 

 been exhibited this year by Messrs. O'Grady, Matthews, 

 Chaloner, Fletcher, and a few others. What, I ask, can look 

 better than these birds with their bright and hair-like hackles, 

 long keen heads, and brilliant eyes ? How anyone who pro- 

 fesses to be a judge can think birds possessing these points 

 have any cross of the Malay in them. I am at a loss to 



exceptions I did not see any birds in the Game class showing the 

 Malay cross, and they were in most cases passed over by the 

 judges. I trust we Bhall not go back to the old strains named 

 by " Coenish Ddckwing ;" they were, doubtless, pretty good 

 in the pit, lut several of them very unsightly, such, for in- 

 stance, as the Tawny Duckwings, Orange Gingers, and several 

 other Muffs too numeroua to mention, for they will bear no 

 comparison with our beautiful Black Reds, Brown Reds, Duck- 

 wings, and White and Piles of tbe present day. 



I would have " Coenish Ddckwing " bear in mind, that in 

 breeding Game fowls of the present day we are aiming at two 

 things, beauty of plumage and a form which is pleasing to the 



