JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ March 31, 1870. 



Brahma Pootha'r Wino Feathers (T.).— Nothinct is more common 

 than for a Brahma Pootra cock to have on the side of the wins feathers 

 like that enclosed. They are consistent with perfect purity, but not 

 desirable. They are not always hereditary. 



Fowls for a Limited Space (E. J.).— For laying, you cannot do better 

 than keep Hoadans. Spanish, or Creve-Cceurs, as they do not sit. You 

 are right in supposing that only pallets will lay through the winter. 

 As you cannot rear, you mnst buy early pullets every year. Those 

 hatched in April or May will do well, and if you keep them well, the 

 pallets bought in September should, when they have ceased laying in 

 March, sell well enough to make the difference between buying and 

 selling trifling when the eggs ore taken into consideration. 



Fowls for Laying and Table (An Old Subscriber).— Cochins or 

 Brahmas will suit you. They will lay and do very well in the space you 

 mention ; but if you think of rearing chickens f'jr the table, you will want 

 more space ihnn you mention, and must allow the hens with chickens to 

 be in the garden itself. They will do no harm. 



Diahrihea in Fowxs (A Hamburgh Breeder),— "Leave off giving them 

 the seasoning or spice yon mention. Give lettuce leaves, and a diet 

 of oatmeal made into a paste with ale. 



Hamburch Fowls (J. SI.). — There is no book relative to them ex- 

 clusively. In the " Poultry Book for the Many." you will find what you 

 require. You can have it post free from our otace, if you enclose seven 

 postage stumps with yonr address. 



Lime Water for Egg-preserving (Bubo).— A pint of lime to a gallon 

 of water will he ample. The water will dissolve very little of it. Any 

 lime fresh from the kiln will answer. 



Substance in an Egg (H. 0. J.). — That which yon enclosed is oneof 

 the albuminous cords connecting the yolk with the white. It is preter- 

 naturally enlarged and hardened. 



Egg-eating Hens (ff. J. H.).— Yon must watch yonr hens, and race 

 with them for the eggs. It is difficult to cure the evil habit. The best 

 remedy we know is to put numbers <>f very hard imitation •■L.'gs in their 

 nests and about their haunts. The birds perk at them till they are tired 

 and their beaks are sere. It is generally supposed they eat them for the 

 shell, because they lack the material for forming it. Smnll heaps of 

 bricklayers' rubbish scattered about their haunts, and a liberal supply of 

 ground oats and lettuces, are the best cures we know. 



Japanese Bantams [Idem). — The Japanese Bantams are small, with 

 ample tails and combs. They are nearly white, having only the tails, 

 flights, and Bonn times the hackles black. They have very "short legs, 

 and as they cany their wiDgs drooping, none are visible. They are 

 marvellously tame, are good layers, find said to sit well. Their cheerful 

 habits make them favourites everywhere. 



Spanish with Rose Combs (G. M. H.).— The rose comb is never bred 

 from pure Spanish, but the law of sympathy is very strong in all poultry. 

 It is in our opinion more so in Spanish than nny other. They willalmoBt 

 always show traces of any strange bird that has been in the yard with 

 them during the breeding time. We once bad a run of Spanish spoiled by 

 allowing a yellow hen to run with thtm. Every bird had yellow feathers. 

 Tumours on Fowl's Heads (W. W. W.).— We have often seen the 

 swelling ycu mention on the face of a Cochin, but seldom on a Dorking. 

 These tumours are of two kinds. If, when opened, they are full of blood 

 they are curable, if of a cheosy substance they are not. There is no 

 necessity to have a separate run for your Bantams. Thev mavbe allowed 

 with impunity to consort either with Cochins or Dorkings. They will be 

 as Btrictly separate as if divided by stone walls. 



Ducks ffi. M. W.).— The cross you mention wonld succeed. Both yonr 

 communications are too discursive for publication. 



High-flying Tumblers (E. P., Penzance).— " Yonr Tumblers may be 

 inherently sluggards, or may have acquired habits of slate sitting, from 

 feeding, pecking, &c., in the brewery yard, after the manner of common 

 dovecote Pigeons. In either case they are hopelessly worthless for fly- 

 ing as Sky Tumblers. If constitutionally slothful (bred from mere slate 

 birds) they cannot be trained to fly. and if habits of roof-perching have 

 been acq u red, they would be more likely to contaminate any other stock 

 introduced to improve them, than to follow the suit of any such stock in 

 flying properties. Your birds, too, may be too close-bred, like the Short- 

 faced show Tumblers, to have strength for high flying, thouch they may 

 fly low and tumhle well ; or they may have dovehouso (laggard) blood in 

 them, if drafted from a mixed colony of Pigeons, and still tumble freely. 

 Both such sorts are called 'duffers,' ' boHters,' 'sailers,' and * skaters,' 

 meaning luw soft skimming flyers ; and when they tumble and lower at 

 each tumble, they are called ' shutterers/— i.e., to shutter or fall out of 

 their flight. All such birds are worth nothing, save as Blate and yard 

 stock, for brood and table use, along wi'h the common dovecote Pigeons. 

 Yon must have flying blood from flying stock in practice, begin anew, 

 and eradicate any bad companionship in your loft. You should buy a few 

 pairs (three or four pairB), of good last season's birds, that have never 

 paired and nested, and confine them until they do pair and nest, and incu- 

 bate, the pairing and nesting being a natural means of staying them. 

 But a cage, some ii feet square, affixed in front of the loft entrance is 

 advisable ; from this the birds, during their confinement, can survey the 

 roof and neighbourhood of their new home on all sides, and thus know 

 the place before they are trusted on the wing. When so trusted it is 

 necessary for safety uot to fly them if avoidai le, but let them find their 

 own way out (the cuar left off) and in again perfectly undisturbed. They 

 Bhould not be flown until settled by nests, young birds, and intimacy v, ith 

 home, for two or three months at least. Never let them loose in fuggy or 

 windy weather, otherwise they will bo lost. When permanently settled, 

 supply their feed-h.pper every night after their roosting, that they may 

 have their breakfast by daylight; it will he digested before letting-out 

 and fl_\ing, at any hour from 8 to 12 a.m. (the best hours), giving them, 

 however, some vetches sparingly, for support, just hefore they are let 

 out to fly. This done daily will induce the habit of flying, the birds 

 returning to tbo loft nfter a fly (but of course lime roof-pecking awhile, 

 which is essential to health) for their mid-day or evening feed; the 

 former in breeding time at mid-day, the latter in the evening, and not in 

 breeding time, this feed towards evening only. Feed alwayB inside, topre- 

 vent outside lazy habits (dovecote style), using small grey peas and wheat 

 two parts) and vetches one part, mixed. Place clean water and gravel 

 inside, and a bath of shallow depth on the roof, for bathing occasion- 

 ally. Green food, as pea stalks, broccoli, clover, or any harmless greens, 



given inside, now and then are heaUhful— needful, indeed. Pair never 

 akin, and succors will follow. Apply to Mr. H. Yardloy, Pigeon-dealer, Ac, 

 Market Hall. Birmingham, for a few Birmingham high-flying Roller 

 Tumblers, at 6*. to 7s. 6rf., or 10*. per pair for your new stock. The 

 high-flyers (not Roller pure) are a crosaod Roller and Tumbler class. 

 — Reader." 



Pigeons Dying (A Subscriber).— We quite agree with the judge who 

 has seen your birds, " that t l iey ought not to die in such caDital accom- 

 modation" If they had their liberty we should suspect poison. Let a 

 skilled chemist examine the crop of the next that dies. This three 

 months of oast wind is responsible for adding to the deaths of man, 

 beast, and bird. 



Propolis Fortification (O. Wilson).— Although certainly remarkable, 

 there is nothing very uncommon in the occurrence of propoli3 fortifica- 

 tions, of which, indeed, we have ourselves witnessed many instances. 

 As Dr. Bevan states, " The term propolis is derived from the Greek, and 

 signifies ' before the city,' bees having been observed to make use of it in 

 strengthening the outworks of their city." 



Ligurian Qukens (An Irish Subscriber)^- Write direct to Mr. Wood- 

 bury, at Mouot Radford, Exeter, for information respecting Ligurian 

 queens. Got " Bee-keeping for the Many" which may be had direct from 

 this office post free for five stamps, also " Profitable Bee-keeping," pub- 

 lished by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, which, in 

 describing w bucket hives," will afford a hint as to making cheap hives 

 out of the halves of Irish butter-tirkius. Bell-glaBses are usually the 

 cheapest when obtained direct from the glass houses where they are 

 made. Black-breasted Red Game fowls 



Cheap Hives (S. B.).— From 15s. to 20s 

 meaning of our correspondents who ioqu 



Address [Inquirer).— T. W. Woodbury, Esq., Mount Radford, Exeter. 



Preserving Peas Grees (William).— They may be preserved until the 

 next spring if some of the summer crop are treated as follows:— Pick 

 them when full grown, shell them, dry them gentlv but thoroughly, and 

 then store them in canvas bags in a dry place. When required for use 

 soak them in water for a few hour* until plumped up, and then boil 

 them. The following mode has beon reported to us by a p3rson well 

 qualified to judge of such matters as beiug vary successful : —Carefully 

 shell the peas, then put them in tin canisters, not too large ones ; put in a 

 small piece of alum, about the size of ahorsebean, to a pint of peas. When 

 the canister is full of peas fill up the interstices with watev, and solder on 

 the lid perfectly air-tight, and boil the canister for ah^ut twenty minutes; 

 then remove them to a cool place, and they will bo found in Jaumry but 

 little inferior to fresh, newly-gathered peas. Bottling is not so good— at 

 least, we have not found it so ; the air gets in, the liquid turns sour, and 

 the peas acquire a bad taste. 



ety we prefei 



not prices coming within the 



r a " cheap " depriving hive. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— March 30. 



The advance in last week's prices has been barely maintained, and to 

 effect sales some reduction has had to be submitted to in such articles 

 as Kidney Beans and Cucumbers, which are in excess of the demand. 

 The sale of the latter has been much influenced by the prevailing cold 

 weather. The Potato trade remiius much in the sirae condition as in 

 previous weeks. Broccoli from Cornwall, the Channel Islands, and the 

 Continent, continues very good. 



FRUIT. 



. d. 



s. d 



6 to6 



Cherries., 



Chestnuts bushel 10 



Currants J sieve 



Black do. 



Figs doz. 



Filberts lb. 



Cobs lb. 



Gooseberries quart 



Grapes, Hothouse lb. 8 



Lemons ^-100 6 



Melons each 



Mulberries 



Nectarines doz. 



Oranges #-100 



Peaches doz. 



Pears, kitchen doz. 



dessert doz. 



Pine Apples lb. 



B. 4 



quart to 







Kasiiberries lb. 



Strawberries oz. 2 



Walnuts bushel 10 



do %*100 1 



VEGETABLES. 



.Kidney do. 



Broad bushel 



Beet, Red doz. 



Broccoli bundle 



Brussels Sprouts. . j sieve 



Cabbage doz. 



Capsicums ^100 



Carrots bunch 



Cauliflower doz. 



Celery bundle 



Ooleworts..doz. bunches 

 Cucumbers each 



pickling doz. 



Endive doz. 



Fennel bunch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horseradish ....bundle 



Leeks bunch 4 to 



Lettuce doz. 10 1 



Mushrooms pottle 2 



Mu-Urd & Cress.. pannot 2 



Onious bushel 3 6 5 



pickling quart 4 



Partdey sioTe 3 6 5 



Parsnips doz. 9 1 



Peas quart 



Potatoes bushel 2 4 



Kidney do. 3 6 4 



Radishes .. doz. bunches 10 



Rhubarb bundle l o l 



Savoys doz. 16 2 



S.-;i-l..ik> basket 2 3 



^hiilltits lb. 6 



Bpinaoh bushel 3 



Tomatoes doz. 



Turnips bunch 4 



Vegetable Harrows., doz, 



POULTRY MARKET.— March 30. 



We have but a short supply of young and good poultry. There is, 

 however, little trade, and, consequently, prices arc not so high as they 

 would be after the loDg trying winter we have had. 



s. d. s. 



Large Fowls 4 to 4 



Smaller ditto 3 6 4 



Chickens 2 6 3 



Goslings 7 8 



Turkeys 



Ducklings 3 6 4 



s. d. s. d. 



Partridges to 



Guinea Fowls 8 3 6 



Pigeons 9 10 



