202 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICDLTUEE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



( March 18, 1869. 



on the floor partly-formed young chicks, and the slaughterer 

 was the GoldfiDch. 



Breeding in a room is advantageous with Canaries (for the 

 cock birds are not so wicked, although there are exceptions), 

 when they are of the came kind — for instance. Lizards or 

 Norwich ; the birds become stronger, harder in feather, and 

 after drying from a wash you may hear their wings in flight as 

 it were crack like a whip. They can also be better supplied 

 with the requisites for keeping up their condition during the 

 breeding time. The advantage of the bath, too, is very great 

 at this particular period, especially whilst the hens are sitting ; 

 for even though the hen may return to the nest with a damp 

 breast, it will do more good than harm. 



Hens vary very much in disposition. Some will let you 

 examine their eggs, nests, and young ones as often as you like, 

 and will even allow you to lift them cfi the nests. Still this 

 is a bad practice, for there is evident fear about a hen when 

 you do this, that you are going to rob her of either eggs or 

 birds. Other hens will not be interfered with. I say the less 

 meddling the better, as long as all is going on right, having 

 clean nests, free from the worst of all plagues, the canary bug 

 or red mite. 



In breeding young stock for a future Tear from your muling 

 hens, or the hens you intend breeding Mules fri»m, be careful 

 not to commence breeding before the weather has become 

 somewhat genial, for most probably the hens, through the cold, 

 may be egg-bound, which is a most distressing complaint, with 

 but little chance of their recovering from it. With a practical 

 breeder — one who knows something more than the easy rou- 

 tine of affairs — the danger or chance of losing egg-bound hens 

 is not so great as with one who is only beginning to gain ex- 

 perience in the practice. 



When hens are egg-bound, which may be told by the swelled 

 state of the abdomen, and their distressed and paralysed ap- 

 pearance, immediate means must be used. Do not break 

 the egg if possible, although I have found that necessary i 

 in a very extreme case, but endeavour to get it with nature's I 

 help from the hen by using a little oil (a drop), on the vent ; I 

 and if you have not oil at hand, a little lard or butter will i 

 answer, because the inflamed state of the bird will soon soften 

 it. Then, as a medicine, give the hen, with the aid of a thin ] 

 skewer or a piece of quill, a drop of castor oil, applying it as 

 far down the tongue or throat as possible without hurting the 

 bird. The assistance of a second person will be desirable, but 

 be careful the beak is not opened too wide. When you have 

 done this put the hen in a warm bath, holding for aLiout five 

 minutes the lower portion of her in water of a blood-heat, 

 and after that place the hen in some flannel before the fire. 

 This will cause a gentle glow or perspiration to ensue, give an | 

 action to the bird, and enable her soon to lay her egg. If you 

 only succeed in getting the egg from her life to a certainty 

 will be preserved, but if the hen is too weak to lay shewiil ; 

 soon die. In a large sleeping-room of my house I had fixed 

 in a corner near the window, the sunny side of the room, 

 some breeding partitions, and in one of these I placed a pair 

 of Lizards, which went on well until the morning on which I 

 expected the first egg. On awaking and not seeing the hen 

 upon the nest, and receiving no reply to the imitating chirp 

 a fancier soon acquires when keeping Canaries, I passed my 

 fingers quickly across the wires, and to my surprise the hen 

 did not rise. I found her in a corner with partly-extended 

 wings, and to all appearance in the agonies of death. I quickly 

 took her with me into my bed, and after breathing upon her 

 about twenty minutes an egg was laid in my hand. A chick was 

 reared from this identical egg. Five minutes after the laying 

 of the egg the Lizard was as lively as ever, and refreshed her- 

 self with a bath. 



An unfavourable change in the weather will often cause 

 much disappointment to the fancier, especially if a dry, search- 

 ing north-easter should set in. A south wind with a humid 

 atmosphere is advantageous both for hens laying and for the 

 chipping of birds. 



Give your Goldfinches and hens, whilst breeding, plenty of 

 green food — lettuce, groundsel, or dandelion. 



In my next paper I will treat more upon the kind of hen 

 for muling with the Goldfinch. — G. J. Barnesby, Derby. 



The Swarming Season in Geemant. — The Baroness von 

 Berlepsch in a letter which 1 have received from her, says, 

 " There were comparatively but few swarms also in Germany. 

 This is generally the case if summers are very dry, as in 

 1842, 1846, and 1865." — A Devonshire Bee-keeper. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Chickens on a Brick Floor ;,'-.'. Lloyih. — You must not put your 

 chickens on a brick floor. Put tbeui in the garden in a sheltered spot, so 

 far as wind is concerned, but not hidden from the sun. Let them be 

 covered up at niRlit with a sacli or matting, or something of the Bort. 

 Feed them well, and give them only good beer to drink. 



Keeping Fowls Profitably iGanifn€T'.i Tf'//V).— We are glad to hail 

 the beginning of better things. Fowls are not injurious in a kitchen 

 garden tn the extent you name, and the number of insects and vermin 

 they.devour would always make compensation if they were. You may 

 keep from twenty to thirty fowls in your gardeu. and at times more. 

 For ordinary purposes, such ns eggs and useful poultry, you cannot do 

 better than accept the eggs offc-red you between Brahma and Dorking. 

 It is impossible to say what quantity of fuod is reijuired by fowls in a 

 garden. We can, however, help you to begin your calculation; the ex- 

 pense of each should not exceed Sd. per week." 



Food Kequired for Poultry [C. L. M.).—li is always impossible to 

 answer such a query as yours. The food ground into meal is more pro- 

 fitable than when given whole. We hold inferior corn, if that mean 

 shortness nf weight, to be most extravagant food. It will also be found 

 better feeding if the food is varied daily, or twice or three times per 

 week, instead of feeding the whole week on the same. Start fairly on a 

 Monday morning, weigh or measure all that is given during the week, let 

 there be no waste by allowing food to lie about, and at the end of the 

 week calculate the consumption. This will be better iniormation than 

 any we can give. 



Wooden-floored Poultry House {J.K, C. P.).— We have had bitter 

 experience of wooden flooring. We have, as in duty bound, tried that 

 as well as other experiments. The result has always been swellings at 

 the knee joints, paralysis, and death. If it is very inconvenient to re- 

 move the flooring, you may cover it with road grit and gravel 6 inches 

 deep. Your perches must be within 24 inches of the gi'ouud. 



Food for Chickens {Lrmon B-iff). — Indian meal is not food for 

 chickens, and beer is, at this time of year. 



Golden Poland Hen {A. B.).— The only disadvantage in the white 

 feathers in the crest of the Poland hen. is the proof it affords that she is 

 not a young one. If two birds could be shown of equal merit in every 

 other particular, but one had white feathers in the crest, whereas the 

 other was entirely coloured, no real judge could hesitate for an instant 

 between them. The coloured crest mu*4l be preferred ; but it is almost 

 impossible to And a bird over eighteen months old that has not some 

 white. 



Buff Cochin Cock {Hampton TTicfc).— What fowl do you purpose 

 making? Do you want spangled Cochins? If so. you will do well to 

 inquire for some Cuckoo Cocliins with red and yellow feathers, that we 

 sometimes see at shows. The probability is that a dark Buff" cock would 

 make the barring heavier. That would be the first step, and it would be 

 important, as the produce would be pure Cochins. You would have to 

 induce real spangling from a spangled fowl. This must be selected as 

 like to a Cochin as possible, and you must be careful to choose the exact 

 shade of golden or silver, also to avoid topknots, and, if possible, double 

 combs. 



HouDAN Cock's Tail [B. B.I.— Yellow feathers are not desirable in the 

 Houdau's tail, but they are not blemishes. Red feathers are a disquali- 

 fication : they are positively forbidden. 



Hens Nesting without Laying (Ivanh'jc).—\\e do not believe the bene 

 go to the nest every day for other purposes than to lay. Y'ou must watch 

 them still more closely. \*ou must ascertain how long they remain on 

 the nest. If only the usual time for laying, we believe they lay; if a 

 much longer period, they merely go there to rest, or for a refuge from 

 the cold wind. They must have laid more eggs since the b*iginning in 

 January, and if they had done tbey would be broody. If they were broody 

 they would remain on instead ol leaving the nest. In our Brahma house, 

 where we keep a large number, we have a row of laying-boxes. These 

 are always full in the morning of hens and pullets, but when we drive 

 them away there are few eggs. During the day they constantly return. 

 Do your hens cackle when they leave the nest ".' We advise you to watch 

 them closely, and to drive them from the nest the moment they look 

 about and make any sound. You will find eggs, we believe. 



Pullet Dying after Laying a Soft Egg (A Tiro-i/cars Sulscriber). 

 From the few facts you mention, we think the pullet died from inflamma- 

 tion of her egg organs. She was probably too fat. for the food you give is 

 very nourishing. Ground oats instead of Indian corn, and potatoes 

 mashed up with the meal, would be better diet, especially in mild and hot 

 weather. 



Antwerp Pigeons. — " H. T. K. ' has pent us an extract from Mr. Brent's 

 book on Pigeons, but as it is published at our office it is well known to 

 our readers. Oar correspondent says that unless purchased when very 

 young, Antwerps are apt to abscond. Older birds will not stay unices 

 shut up until they have bred once. 



Sending Canaries by Railway {J.H.). — They will Btand a twenty-four- 

 hours journey very well, aud are daily sent to ail parts of England. We 

 know of some sent to Dublin a short time ago, and they arrived in good 

 condition. A man who understands his business will pack them care- 

 fully and send them by night mail. All birds for exhibition travel in 

 this way. If you want a first-class lird. write to Mr. Hawkins, 6, Bear 

 Street, Leicester Square ; but, remember that you will have to pay a high 

 price for a good one. and in no class of birds are there such gradations 

 of excellence as in the Belgian. 



Preserving Eggs. — An old l^ubscriber recommends the following:^ 

 " To half a peck of new lime add four gallons of boiling water, keep it 

 stirring some time, then cleanse it through a sieve to remove all lumps. 

 When quite cold add three ounces of cream of tartar and ten ounces of 

 coarse salt, let it ttaud a fortnight before dropping the eggs in— cover all 

 up." 



Influence of Hen (A. A'.).— The hen sitting on the eggs will have no 

 influence beyond hatching them. 



Parrot not Talking (E. C). — The tongue does not require to be cut. 

 Frequently repeat to the bird any word you wish it to utter. 



Cheap and Good Hive {fi. P.).— Payne's Improved Cottage Hive, made 

 somewhat larger than described in "Bee-keeping for the Many,** say 

 16 inches in diameter, by 8 or 9 inches deep — is a cheap and useful hive. 

 We know of no mode of management which can be relie on to prevent 

 bees swarming out of common straw hives. 



