JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ April 28, 187a 



and Azalea sect us are infested with taring. The insect has been oom- 

 municated to the Vines by the Aztleas. The atmosphere is too dry both 

 for Vines and Azaleas, and we advise you to syringe them two or three 

 times a-day, unless they are in flower, sprinkling all suitable 6uriac«s with 

 water two or th^ee times a-day. The house should be fumigated with 

 tobacco two or three times — say on alternate evenings fir a week, choos- 

 ing a calm evening, and filling the bouse with smoke. The house should 

 be shut up closely, and the foliage must be dry when fumigation is 

 practised, but tbe floors may be wet. Repeat the fumigation whenever 

 you see any thrips. 



Hlack Fungus on Pelargonium Lba7 (E. D. S.). — The black on the 

 leaf sent us is occasioned by tbe plant standing near or under some plant 

 infested with aphides, or scale, being a secretion of these insects which 

 in time produces a black fungus, and does no injury to the leaves beyond 

 closing their pores and disfiguring them. It may be washed off with a 

 sponge, the leaves being well wetted previously. The remedy is to place 

 the plant among others free from insects. The worst leaves should be 

 picked off. — G. A. 



Calceolaria Grower (A Constant Reader).— We do not know to whom 

 you refer. 



Strawberry Culture (H.).— See No. 413, page 140 ; but we think the 

 article you refor to was that by Mr. Luckhurst, in No. 437. 



Flower Beds (Inexperienced Amateur Gardener). — The figure given, 

 planted with Pelargonium Stella and centred to about one-third with Cal- 

 ceolaria, will do well. With such a fierce hot French Bun and such a light 

 soil, we would scarcely raise tbe beds at all, but have the most of them an 

 inch or so below the grass level, using larger plants for the centre. Even 

 raised beds, if deeply trenched and mulched on the surface, will do well 

 in general ; but in such light soil we would rather have them level. 



Watercress Culture (IP. B.).— The trenches in which they are grown 

 are so prepared, that nearly a regular depth of 3 or 4 inches can be kept 

 up. These trenches are 3 yards broad, and whenever one is to be planted 

 the bottom is made quite firm and slightly sloping, so that the water 

 which flows in at one end may run out at the other. If the bottom of the 

 trench is not sufficiently moist, a small body of water is allowed to enter 

 to soften it. The Cresses are then divided into small cuttings, with roots 

 attached to them ; and theBe are placed at the distance of 3 or 4 inches 

 from each other. At tbe end of five or six days a slight dressing of well-de- 

 composed cow dung is spread over all the plants, and this is pressed down 

 by means of a heavy board, to which a long handle is obliquely fixed. The 

 water is then raised to the depth of 2 or 3 inches, and never higher. Each 

 trench is thus replanted annually, and furnishes twelve crops during the 

 season. After even* cutting, a little decayed cow dung is spread over the 

 naked plants, and this beaten down by means of the rammer above men- 

 tioned. After the Watercresses have been thus treated for a twelve- 

 month, the manure forms a tolerably thick layer at the bottom of tbe 

 trench, and tends to raise its level. To restore it to its original level, 

 all the refuse should be thrown out upon the borders which separate the 

 trenches from each other. The borders may be planted with Artichokes, 

 CabbageB, or Cauliflowers. 



Destroying Ants (Suf ton).— Ants may be driven away by sprinkling 

 Kuano in their runs and over their nests, and ammoniacal liquor from 

 the gas works will destroy them. Clarke's compound, at the rate of 2 ozs. 

 to the gallon, Byringcd over the plants and house at intervals, will do the 

 same. 



Insect— Gas Lime (B. I. a. P.).— We are as grateful as we ought to be 

 lor your sympathising with us for being so much questioned, but we 

 should have considered it a greater compliment if you had respectfully 

 mentioned our heads as " wiser," not as " older," than vour own. The 

 insects yon enclosed were not wireworms, but snake millipedes (Julus 

 terre6tris). They may injure the roots of some plants, and the germi- 

 nated Pea whirl] you enclosed, but the latter was more probably injured 

 by the gas lime with which you covered the Beeds. It is far too strong 

 ever to be placed in quantity about germinating seeds. Tbeinjured seed 

 would be then food for the millipede. The onlv "wholesale cure " is to 

 sift the Boil and destroy the insects retained in the sieve. 



Names of Plants (H. E., Ombenley).— Acer rnbrum. (C. P., Wincan- 

 ton).— Sophora (or Edwardsia) tetraptera. It may be the variety micro- 

 phylla, which is more generally cullivated, but your specimen is insuffi- 

 cient. (C. W. W.).— Luzula pilosa. (E. W. Norton).— 1, Pteris felosma ; 



2, Selaginella robusta ; 8, S. Martensii ; 4, An Asplenium, but too young 

 to determine ; 5, Polystichum aculeatum ; 0. Lastrea Filix-mas. ( Wett 

 Cornwall Reader).— ,1, Boronia polvgal-eflora ; 2, Acacia Drummondi. 

 IS. J , Foto Island).— 1, Forsythia viridissima ; 2, Saxifraga oppositifolia ; 



3, Orobns vernus; 4, Pulmonaria officinalis. ( A. i\, Kendal).— 3, Platv- 

 cerium alcicorne: 4, Polystichum angulare ; 5, Selaginella Martensii; 

 7, Platyloma rotundifolia ; 8, Franciscea eximiu; !l, PeUrra adiantifolia; 

 10, Passiflora kermesina ; 11, Lomaria gibba ; 1, 2. 6, Leaves only were re- 

 ceived and these we cannot undertake to name. {Ignoramus).— 1, Petasites 

 vulgaris ; 2, Anemone hortensis ; 3, Cardamine hirsuta ; 5, Heracleum 

 Sphondylium. The remainder next week. {Apt, Dublin).— Forsythia 

 viridissima; Linaria Cymbalarla. The Composite and Crucifer next 

 week, {Marten Cat).— Corydalis tuberosa. 



POULTRY, BEE, AND PIGEON CHRONICLE. 



STIMULATING POULTRY FOODS. 



I have had during the last few months— indeed, ever since 

 the discussion on the subject last autumn— to answer so many 

 letters privately asking my opinion on giving stimulating or 

 condimental foods to chickens and poultry, that I would be 

 glad to say a few words on the subject through " our Journal," 

 especially as at the present season the question is of peculiar 

 importauce. I do not propose to say anything for or against 

 any particular nostrum, for my experience and belief is, that 

 after all, the various compounds advertised are in their active 

 principles and effects very much alike ; but I shall endeavour 



simply to state what experience in my own and other yards 

 has taught me regarding the use ef stimulating oondiments of 

 any kind. 



And, first of all, I am bound to say that the glowing pane- 

 gyrics of some makers are inconsistent with themselves. If a 

 man tells me his food will produce great size, I do not dispute 

 this ; if he tells me it causes quiok maturity, so that the 

 pullets will often lay at four months old, I do not dispute 

 this either ; but if he tells me it will do both, I am bound to 

 say that the two are incompatible. In all large breeds of 

 fowls the size attained depends very materially on tho degree 

 in which maturity can be postponed ; and, no matter what may 

 be said by interested parties, the same feeding which causes 

 forced and rapid growth during the very early period of ohicken- 

 hood, will of neceBBity, if continued beyond this, result in 

 stunted, because precocious, adults. It may be thought this 

 is mere theory ; if anyone will try, he will find it is practice 

 also ; you cannot have eggs at four months, and at the same 

 time large birds. I think it will almost always be found that 

 the strongest advocates for tbe constant use of these stimulants 

 are those fanciers who keep the smaller breeds, and with whom 

 red combs and handsome appearance are of greater importance 

 than large frame. 



Not much more can be said respecting mixtures of " the 

 finest kinds of meal." No meal is better than, or so good as, 

 oatmeal, and this can be obtained from Scotland at a far cheaper 

 rate than many imagine. Its only fault is that chickens are 

 apt to tire of it ; but in a mixture of sharps and barleymeal 

 we have a change of food which is nearly as good. I like to 

 mix some barleymeal even with the Scotch staple, whioh is 

 rather too dry a food unmixed for fledging birds ; but any 

 fancier who goes beyond these three meals (in which I include 

 the ground oats of Sussex) will go further only to fare worse. 



These things having been stated, however, I can say without 

 hesitation that condiments are of the greatest value when 

 lightly and reasonably used. They will often save chickens 

 which would otherwise perish, they will often recover drooping 

 fowls, they will often add that indescribable " condition " which 

 makes a winning pen. In trying weather I always give oondi- 

 ment to young chickens so long as the cold or the wet lasts, 

 and the same if they droop while fledging, or lose health or 

 condition from any other cauBe. The effect is often most 

 marked on such occasions. I also give stimulating food to old 

 birds in very bad weather, or while moulting, or if the hens 

 do not lay at the due time in early spring ; but in any case, 

 whether with young chickens or old birds, as soon as the 

 desired effect is produced the spice should be discontinued ; 

 with the return of fine weather, or the recovery of the bird, 

 the usual plain diet should be restored, or tbe result will be 

 prejudicial both to old and young. In the former, inflamma- 

 tion of the egg organs is a frequent result of the continuance 

 of stimulating food, and has in my own knowledge often oc- 

 curred in birds which have had it for too long a time in order 

 to prepare them for exhibition. A fortnight for Bnch a purpose 

 iB ample, and should not be exceeded ; indeed, I am myself 

 convinced that few healthy birds can be fed on spiced diet to 

 any extent for a longer period without evil effects of some kind 

 being caused thereby. 



When thus used with judgment and moderation, Dear's well- 

 known food will often produce wonderful effects, and so will 

 several of the compounds known and advertised as " cattle 

 food." For many purposes, however, it is well to have a con- 

 centrated seasoning at hand, with which the meal can at a 

 moment's notice be seasoned at pleasure ; indeed, I am con- 

 vinced that if the various advertisers would sell their seasoning 

 alone, unmixed with any meal at all, it would not only save 

 much carriage on the bulk, but insure a large sale, and be of 

 far greater benefit. In default of this, I will give a prescription 

 of my own, which, if added to the usual food in sufficient 

 quantity to cause a slightly sweet and hot taste, and used as 

 above recommended only, will, I believe, be found equal to 

 most other compounds. 



Powdered allspice or pimento 2 ozs. 



„ black pepper 2 „ 



g^g 



Malt dust i lb. 



Brown sugar 1 ,, 



This or any other similar mixture should be kept dry in a 

 well-stoppered bottle. Other spices may be added, and in some 

 cases a little sulphate of quinine i8 of marked effect in cold or 

 wet weather. In nearly all cases where condiments are re- 

 quired, sulphate of iron added to the drinking water is of the 



