25-i 



JOUENAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ Maich 20, 1873. 



deBideratum, as the results I have invariably found to be the 

 storing of honey in the old box, which becomes liracticallj* a 

 super, and the spoiling of the combs in the nadir, which are apt 

 to be filled with drone comb and to be choked with pollen. 

 — B. & W. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Kent AND ScRBEY Rabbit Show (IF. H.^W.).— It seems to have baen a 

 local show, not being advertised. 



PouLTUY Account {J. H. D.).—You Ihave Bucceeded exceedingly well, for 

 you have paid for all your stock and their keep the first year, with a email 

 profit over. Go on without change. 



Ground Oats— Slaking (J(7noramu8).— Ground oats are not oatmeal, but 

 oats gi-ound and not dressed. Slaking is mixing with hot water. 



Hen Food. — " A Dozen Hciis " wish " Oyster Shell " would reveal the food 

 he employs. 



DisTiNGUisHiKG PuLLETS FEOM Hens (Breeder of Cochins).— You pro- 

 pound a question difficult to answer. It is easy to distinguish between a 

 pullet and a hen, but a fowl twelve months old is not a pullet. She has, if of 

 a sitting breed, laid, sat, and reared her chickens. This much is certain — no 

 pullet has large coarse scales on her lege, unless she is suffermg from ele- 

 phantiasis. We have never 1-ad a spurred Cochin hen; the breed is not sub- 

 ject to such an appendage. Dorkings, Game, Houdans all have it at times, 

 even when young, but we have not met with it in Cochins. We should not 

 like to buy such. 



Dark and Light Erahmas {BristoUan). — There is no difference in the 

 useful properties of the two breeds. It is a mere distinction of colour. We 

 cannot as readily answer your next question. "What are the breeds that are 

 best to make the croas-breds ? and what is your object, eggs or fowls ? If 

 you want only eggs, put down a Spanish ; if fowls, put down a Dorking, lu 

 neither case would it be necessary to put an expensive bird. We are enemies 

 to all crosses, and advise you to get some good pure eggs to put under some 

 of our broody hens. Save the produce for your nest yeai-'s stock, and get rid 

 of your croBS-breds. 



Rats in rowi.-HoFSE (7. H. S.).— They are a great plague in afowl-house. 

 We keep the floor round the wall and foundation of large loose gravel stonon; 

 but besides; that, there must be contiuuaJ attention. We also keep a cat in 

 our fowi-house locked in every night. If she does nothing else, she keeps the 

 rats away. We lose no eggs. You must not imagine oui- immunity arises 

 from the'absence of rats. We swarm with them, and five hundred were killed 

 from one rick within a quarter of a mile. 



Ar.RANGEMENT OF POULTRY RuN (Jii^'wi).— Fowls should havea placo apart 

 to sit in. We put all ours in close baskets covered at top with wire netting. 

 Thus they are never disturbed. The age at which chicksnscan bs left without 

 their mother depends much on the time of year. Between May and Septem- 

 ber they will shift for themselves at six or seven weeks, If the rip in which 

 they have roosted with the hen be left for them to use every night, and be 

 left in the same place. During such trying weather from rain, snow, and 

 cutting winds as we have had of late chickens are better under cover, but at 

 the end of this month we shall put all out of doors. The grass is never too 

 damp unless it is slushy, and if it is you should choose another place for the 

 rip. They always do best on grass. The front of the rip should be closed 

 every night for some weeks to come. It must bo opened as soon as the sun is 

 up. Till the weather is more favoiu-able put the hens with their rips at the 

 door of your house, so that the chickens can run out. If they have no grass 

 give some large growing sods. Let them have road grit. Do the same for 

 your hens. If many shell-less eggs are laid, increase the quantity of whole 

 com for a day or two, and see that the brick rubbish contains plenty of mortal- 

 and old ceilings. It is very often only a temporary dei-angement of the se- 

 cretions. 



FERTiLirY OF Ducks' Eggs (M. JET.).— The fertility of the eggs will depend 

 on the depth of the tank. The size is immaterial, but it should not be less 

 than 18 inches deep; 2 feet will bo bettor. A bread-pan or a washing-tub 

 sunk to the level of the ground willl answer every purpose; hut failing the 

 depth we have named, the gardener is right. 



Brahma Hen Tumoured. (J7i5uir(rr).— The probabihty is it is a cheesy 

 tumour, aud the longer it remaius the hai-der it will get. It is more thau 

 likely it prevents the hen from laying, and that would cause her to walk with 

 tail on I he ground. Take a pair of scissors, and cut off the feathers all 

 round; rub the naked spot with oil. Put your thumb and finger at the 

 bottom of the swelling; it will .sometimes burst through the skiu. If it will 

 not, take a nharp knife and cut it across, squeeze it at the bottom at tlie same 

 time, and it will come out clean. Wash the wound out with alum and water. 

 Sew up the cut with two distinct stitches or mure if necessary, and rub siifli- 

 cient giease on it to prevent the entrance of air. She will soon get rid of her 

 torments, but it will bean assistance to her if you rub some oil under her 

 wing close to the body, at the back of her head, and along her backbone. 



Dorking Cock's Comb Wounded {J. M.).— If the comb was an upright 

 one before, was only outwardly damaged, and is properly and thoruugbly 

 healed, it is probable it lops for want of condition. If it be flaccid there is 

 no doubt that is the cause. He was probably shut up during treatment, and 

 has lost health. Give h im a run to himself, or if that be inconvenient get 

 Bome cottager who has no fowls of his own, and who has a good run, to walk 

 him. He will doubtless come round. 



Hamburghs in Limited Space (Hamburgh Breeder). — You may keep 

 two cocks and eight hens, but you must let them all run together. You must 

 do it, because by your proposed ai-rangement you will keep on at a see-aaw. 

 Improved on Monday by the 41-fuet run, deteriorated on Tuesday by beitig 

 restricted to 8 feet, you will make no progress. If you find you cannot keep 

 two cocks together, let all the heuti run, but the cocks only ou alternate days. 

 Close confinement is very trying to Hamburghs. 



Jacobin wt:th Swollen Breast and Vent (A Subscriber). — Most likely 

 it is a gathering, and before you read these lines, matter has formed and the 

 place has been opened by you. Possibly it arose from a braise in the long 

 journey you mention. If a bad case your bird will die. 



Rearing Pheasants (J. B.). — Your letter would be a good advertisement 

 ior the firm. 



HniES (M. J.). — It is quite impossible for ua to undertake the commission. 

 If you showed a drawing of any wooden hive you prefer to a carpenter, he 

 onght to maJie you one. 



Ligurian Bees (N. S. S.). — Italian and Ligurian bees are the same. All 

 things being equal, we consider Ligurian to be superior to the black bees. It 

 would be of little advantage to you to obtain a stock of them in a common 

 straw hive unless you use loose-frame or bar hives, ,and could luise queens 

 artilicially. For particulai's as to price, &c. ,apply eitlier to Mr. A. Neighbour, 

 1-lil, Regent Street, London, or to Mr. Pettitt. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS , 



Camden Square, London. 

 Lat. 51° 32' 40" N. ; Long. 0^ 8' 0" W. ; Altitude 111 feet. 



REMARKS. 

 12th. — Some showers, but nearly all the early part of the day fine and bright. 

 13th. — Snow iu the early morning ; fine day ; rather thick in the evening; sun 



very bright in the middle of the day. 

 14th. — "UTiite frost in morning ; fine, and occasionally very bright till between 



2 and 3 p.m., when it clouded over, but no rain. 



15th. — Lunar halo at 1.45 a.m., fair but cold, and not quite as hright as on the 



previous day, though very fine in the early moi-ning. 

 IGth. — Koin in morning ; fine in the middle of the ^y ; rain at intervals after 



3 p.H. ; rather heavj' in the evening. 



17th. — Fan- all day, and occasionally bright, though rather coldj a whistling 



wind commencing about 9 A.M. 

 18th. — Rather dull early, and not particularly bright at any time, bat taken as 



a whole a pleasant day. 

 Temperature nearly 5° colder than last week; the sun occasionally very 

 bright, but not for a sufficient time to warm the air, counteract the cooling 

 influence of the easterly winds, or dissipate the cloud-curtain which has so 

 long rested over these islands. — G. J. Svmons. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET. -March 19. 

 Imports and home-gi-own produce are just about sufficient for present re- 

 quirements. Good Apples of all sorts are now becoming very scarce, and the 

 American varieties aie decaying rapiiUy. A quantity has lately been offered 

 in very bad condition. Cornish BroccoUs are still coming vei'y good,; and 

 remain at former prices. 



FRUIT, 

 8. d. B. d. ; e. d. s. d 



Apples i sieve 3 oto5 ; Mulberries ^Ib. UtoO 



Apricots doz. 



Cherries perlb. 



Chestnuts bushel 12 20 



Currants ^ siuve 



Black do. 



Figs doz. 



FUberta lb. 



Cobs lb. 2 2 6 



Gooseberries quart 



Grapes, hothouse lb. 8 14 



Lemons ^100 6 10 



Melons each 



Nectarint-a., 



doz. 



Oranges ^* loa 4 10 



Peaches doz. 



Pears, kitchen doz. 10 8 



dessert doz. 8 12 



PineApples lb. 6 10 o 



Plums i&ieve 



Quinces doz. 



Raspberries lb. 



Strawberries ^oz. 10 2 



Walnuts bushel 15 80 



ditto %>>1U0 2 2 6 



Artichokes doz. 



Asparagus %>- 100 



French 



Beans. Kidney =^100 



Beet, Red doz. 



Broceofi bundle 



Cabbage doz. 



Capsicums ^ 100 



Carrots bunch 



CauUflower ■. doz. 



Celery bundle 



Coleworts.. doz. bunthes 

 Cuoumbers each 



pickimg doz. 



Endive doz. 



Fennel bunch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horseradish bundle 



Leeks bunch 



Lettuce doz 



VEGETABLES, 



. d. B. d. 



J Oto(j 



i 10 



5 80 



a 8 



8 



1 6 



1 6 

 

 

 4 



2 

 4 

 8 

 

 

 

 

 

 4 

 



Mashroomg pottle 



Mustard i Cresa.. punnet 



Onions ^bushel 



pickUng quart 



Parsley per doz. bunches 



Parsnips doz. 



Peas quart 



Potatoes bushel 



ludney do. 



Round do. 



Radishes., doz. boncheB 



Rhubarb bundle 



Salsafy ^^-bundie 



Savoys doz, 



Scorzonera..,. %^ bundle 



Sea-kale basket 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 



Tomatoes doz. 



Turnips bunch 



Veget^ible Marrows 



I. d, s. d 



U to 2 C 



2 



POULTRY MARKET.— March 19. 

 We have a very short supply, and prices are in consequence above the 

 average. Doubtless from the unfavouiablo weather good poultry will lie 

 scarce for a time. 



B. d. s. d. 



Large Fowls 5 to 5 6 



Smallorditto 4 6 6 



Chickens 8 6 4 



Geese 7 8 



Guinea Fowls 8 8 « 



Ducklings 4 ^ -1 G 



8. d. S. d. 



Pheasants to 



Partridges 



Hares 



Rabbits 15 16 



Wild ditto 9 10 



Pigeons 10 10 



