April 14, 1>70. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



283 



in potting dniu well, snd cover the cirms from one-h iH to three- quarters 

 of an inch with SoiL Use acorapnstof twoparts sandy loam. one part left! 

 soil or sandv peat, one part old cow dang, and one part of silver sand and 

 charcoal in pieces from tho size of a pea to a haz*l nnt. K-ep the plants 

 in the frame, with the soil moist, and in November remove thera to a shelf 

 near the gla=s in the grc.-uhiuse. If the plants are in small pots they 

 may have a shift in November. The soil should be kept moist in winter, 

 but do not wat^r until it is r<>quir?d. then give a good supply. We think 

 your plants will prow and flower next year. Any further information we 

 shall be glad to jive. 



What are Greenhouse Plants ? (Secretary).— It is usually con- 

 sidered that greenho.i^ plants do not. in the schedule of a horticultural 

 society, include anv 3 .lists' flower, as rdarg-miums— Show, Fancy, and 

 French— Fuchsias, Cineraria", C'.'.ceolarhs, Verbenas, Petunias, or other 

 plants known as such ; but nil other greenhouse plants are admissible. It 

 is difficult to name six greenhmse plants for blooming in August, as 

 mnch is needed in the way of forwarding or retarding as may be re- 

 quired, so as to have t l io plants in bloom at the proper time. We 

 have known exhibited at the time you name, Plcroma elegans, Cassia 

 corymbosa, Crow*?* s :ligna major, Erythrinas, Indigofera decora, Kalo- 

 santhes coccine t -up -^<\ ',.■ ■< .-iir>sea. Plumbago eapensis, ?t'itiro 

 Holfordi, Witsenia forvial'n^ ', Tremandra v-frticillata, Swainsonia gale- 

 gifolia, and Erica C -vcodishii. ventricosa Eothwelliana, globosa, and 

 grandiflora. It is well to grow more than yon require for exhibitirc ; 

 but if you can only accommodate six. then the third, fourth, second, 

 seventh, eighth, and eleventh, or twelfth named, would be most likely to 

 meet your requirements. 



Temperature for Vh-ts- Fumigating (A. O. F.).— We think 10CP too 

 high a temperature to Bui ject Vines in Dots to for any length of time. 

 If you cannot give more air, you hid better shade a little for a couple of 

 hours or so. Much may bo done by having no fire heat in hot days. You 

 may smoke wita tobacco to destroy the green fly, but do not give too 

 strong a dose. Make sn^e that the leaves of the plants are dry, the 

 house cool, and th at the smoke reaches the plants cold, not hot. 



Fowls' Deng (J. B.).— It is one of the most powerful of manures, is a 

 kind of English guano, and may be used for all crops and plants th^t 

 require a rich manure. Double the quantity that is used of guano for 

 any purpose may be used of fowls' dung. 



Guano as a SIanttre for Strawbereees fXorice).— Guano is a good 

 manure for Strawberries ; indeed, there are few crops that are not bene- 

 fited by its application. Ion mav apnlv it now, sprinkling it over the 

 ground, but not over the foliage, at the rate of 2 ozs. per square yard. 

 We think it better, howev. r, to qiv-i a dressing at the rate of 1 oz. per 

 square yard at the end of April or beginning of May, and again at the 

 end of May or beginning of Juse. and always in moist weather. We 

 consider manure, except for pot plants, is best supplied in a solid state, 

 and that watering with clear'water is preferable to watering with liquid 

 manures that arj very uncertain in strength, and on that account, in 

 inexperienced hands, more injurious than beneficial. 



Cape Gooseberry Culture Reader). — This (Physalis edulis), is not 

 worth growing for Covent Garden, and though, it may sell there it 

 certainly will not pay the grower; The fruit resembles a Cherry, and is 

 candied for de=sert." In the natural state it has no value except as 

 being little known, and in an ornamental point of view is inferior to 

 the fruit of P. Alkekengi, which i3 hardy. Physalis edulis is a green- 

 house perennial, but will flower and fruit the first year. The plants you 

 have raised from seed in gentle beat should be potted singly in small 

 pots, and be forwarded in a gentle hotbed, shifting them into larger pots 

 as those they are in till with roots. When they are a foot high give them 

 their final shift into vots 9 inches indiameter. and place the plants where 

 they can be trained to a trellis, or put in sticks 6 feet long and train the 

 shoots to them. Five sticks in a 9-inch pot will be sufficient. The plants 

 ought to have their points pinched out when they are a foot high, and 

 will need to be stopped until enough of shoots are produced for training. 

 The further treatment consists in stopping any shoots that grow too 

 rampant. When the plants have made a foot of growth, if they do not 

 show fruit, gtop them, and stop again as required; but after they com- 

 mence to bloom it will not be ntcess^rv to stop. Cut out unfruitful shoots 

 and those likely to cause overcrowding. The fruit usually ripens at the 

 end of summer and in autumn, but the crop comes in successionally, all 

 of it not being ripe at one time. The plant will grow to a height of 12 or 

 more feet, but usually fruit-i whea about 2 feet high. It fruits much 

 more freely in the second than io th.3 first year, ita growth being then 

 not so free. A c impost of li-ht loam and one-third well-decomposed 

 manure or lea' - 'well. A greenhouse temperature suits it, 



but it does best in a vinery. 



Insect in Forcing House {A Constant Reader).— It is the red spider 

 (Acarus tellarius). The fume3 of sulphur (not by burning it), raised by 

 sprinkling fl >wers of sulphur on the hot-water pipes are fatal to this 

 insect. A "lady cow" was in your packet. Remember that insect is 

 one of the gardener'., best friends, sd ling the green fly and other insects^ 



Names of Plants [J. T., Thornhill Rectory). — Streptocarpus Rcxii. 

 It is a native of the Cape of Good Hope. (J. S. S.).— 1, Moium undu- 

 latum ; 2, Hypnum tamarisciuum ; 8, Peltidea canina. < A. JbT-).— 1, Ha- 

 brothamnus elegans ; 2, Hardjnbergia monophylla ; 3, Selaginella Mar- 

 tensii ; 4, A composite ; send a^orther specimen when in bloom ; 5, Pteris 

 longifolia; 6. Centradonia rosea; 7, Polypodium Dryopteris. (T. N. t 

 Ebbw Vale. Newport).— Arrhostoxylon formosum, once known as Jtuellia 

 formosa. It is the nature of the plant to produce but few flowers, having 

 only a single pedicel from an axil, and only the upper axils are florif^r.nc. 

 We know of no cultural means to overcome such a defect, or render the 

 plant more attractive. 



POULTRY, BEE, AND PIGEON CHRONICLE. 



FOWLS FOR LIMITED SPACES. 



How frequently do we find those living in and around 



London and other large towns anxious to keep some kind of 



poultry, especially after having paid a visit to the suburban 



or country residence of some friend who may have a fancy for 



fowls, and accordingly shows his birds, and with a little par- 

 donable pride discourses over the beauties of some hen, or 

 grows eloquent when speaking of the superiority of a bird (the 

 winner, perhaps, of so many cups) over those of all other 

 exhibitors, concluding with the many benefits to be derived 

 from new-laid egg3 for breakfast. Many people believe large 

 grass runs, plenty of pure country air, and no confinement are 

 necessary to keep fowls in health. I shall endeavour to show 

 that these advantages — for such they are— are nnt always 

 required for all kinds of poultry. Others feel inclined to keep 

 poultry, only they have no room, or should they possess a 

 garden they fancy it is too confined, even if the whole of it 

 were made into a run, but this they care not to do, as they are 

 too fond of their few flowers, and quite naturally so, to give up 

 the whole garden to poultry. 1 shall show there is even no 

 necessity to do this, and that some variety of fowls may be 

 kept in confinement very successfully, either for exhibition, 

 ornament, amusement, or for their eggs. 



The variety 1 have found best suited for small places is the 

 Spatish, and of the many breeds of poultry none is so beauti- 

 ful or thrives so well in confinement. The shape is hand- 

 some, the actions graceful ; and the erect, finely serrated comb, 

 snowy-white face, and bright glossy black plumage make the 

 cock one of the handsomest of our domestic poultry for the 

 exhibition pen, or yard. Then notice how gentle are his 

 attentions to the ladies of his harem ; how he calls them around 

 him when he finds any extra delicacy, and yet set see how 

 quickly he allows them to take the dainty morsel from him. 

 What courage he displays on your attempting to touch any of 

 his wives ! His whole heaving, manner, and appearance stamp 

 him, to my mind, as " a perfect gentleman." And the hens, 

 how the comb, face, plumage, and shape blend in making one 

 beautiful picture ! As for eggs, I know of no other breed 

 which lays so many or such large eggs. Then the hens never 

 want to sit — a great advantage where there is only room for 

 one or two nest-boxes. Yet these birds can be kept in perfect 

 health, and will lay plentifully, and, if of a pure breed, arefit 

 for exhibition at almost any time with a fair chance of win- 

 ning. I have never exhibited but at one show without my 

 birds being noticed, and they are kept in places 4 feet by 4, 

 with a Bleeping place of half that size. 



To do this successfully their houses must be kept perfectly 

 clean, and should be about half a foot above the ordinary level. 

 The bottom should consist of sand, cinder ash, and old mortar 

 mixed together ; the top of the house should be covered with 

 roofing felt, two of the sides boarded, and the rest wire. Some 

 old window-saehes, glazed, should be kept for covering the 

 wire in cold or wet weather, as the fowls require- to be kept 

 warm and dry. In one corner place a box containing coarse 

 sand, and this will answer for their bath, and keep them free 

 from insects ; they will also be able to obtain small sharp 

 stones, which are necessary to digest their food. Some oyster 

 shells, crushed, to supply materials for the eggshell, and straw, 

 should be scattered at the bottom, and amoDgst this their com 

 should be thrown ; they will then have to scratch for it, and 

 consequently will get exercise. 



In my next I will describe the way to feed them, and their 

 general treatment. — N. 



ANNALS OF MY POULTRY- YARD.— No. 1. 



I am now just entering on the tenth year of my amateur 

 poultry-keeping, and shall be very happy to think that my 

 varied experiences of success, not unclouded with many 

 failures, may induce some to adopt this most interesting and 

 profitable hobby, may encourage others to persevere in their 

 adoption, and may avert some of the disappointments to which 

 I was subject. 



I began with a very small stock, consisting of four Golden- 

 pencilled Hamburgh hens, one White Cochin hen, two White 

 Bantam hens, and one Silver- spangled Hamburgh cock ; in all, 

 seven hens and one cock. My strange mixture of breeds was 

 the result of selecting a few special favourites from a larger 

 yard when we moved to smaller premises. Thus, practically 

 speaking, my working staff, to which I looked for support of 

 my statement, " that the ordinary keeping of poultry for the 

 supply of a gentleman's house was no loss," consisted solely 

 of four layers, one sitter, and three passengers, as we should 

 say of a boat. My old Cochin hen hatched twice, and my 

 Bantams each once, producing twenty -nine chickens. Of these 

 Dine died immaturely, and twenty were reared, of which eleven 

 came to table, and nine were kept as stock. At the beginning 



