420 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ May 22, 1873. 



fibrous loam and fibrons sandy peat, half a part of leaf soil, and a free ad- 

 mixture of silver sand, with good draina^'e. Water freely wheu growing, and 

 keep moist by sprinkling overhead ; the growth complete, keep the plants 

 rather dry but not so as to affect the foliaj^'o. Daphnes may be propagated by 

 cuttings of the shoots when a Uttle firm in sumiut-r, inserted in saud under a 

 bell-glass in a close frame, but are much better grafted on young plants of the 

 Spm'ge Laurel from seed. Graft in March or April with ripe wood, and place 

 the grafts in a close pit, shatling until the union is complete. Rhododendrons 

 are Countess of Haddington, formosum, fragra'-tissimum, jasminitlorum, 

 javanicum, Princess Alexandra, Princess Helena, Priucoof Wales, retusum, 

 Veitchiauum, ciliatum. Edgworthii, and Nuttallii. They require fibrous sandy 

 peat, and a third of light very fibrous loam, with free drainage. Kepot in 

 spring after floweriug. Water abundantly when gi-owing, sprinkle overhead 

 twice daily, ailmit plenty of air. and keep moist in winter but incline to dry- 

 ness. Propagation is effected by layers in spring or autumn, and by cuttings 

 of the young shoots when their base is rather firm, inserted in sand over 

 sandy peat, and placed in a close cold frame for about six weeks, afterwards in 

 a gentle bottom heat, also by grafting on stocks of similar habit of growth. 



Markchal Niel Kose in Greenhouse {A Reader). — It would be advis- 

 able to extend the root space for the Rose, draining it well, and using the 

 compost you name; but we should not take off the loam with its turf more 

 than 4 inches deep. We would not cut back many of the lateral shouts, but 

 you may do so if they ai'e very much crowded. Take out the very weak, old, 

 worn-out shoots. 



Syringing Rose Trees during East W'inds {Rathrjar).— It is not de- 

 sirable to syringe them in cold cutting weather, with eant winds in May; but 

 it may be practised in the early part of the day without injury to the shoots. 



Daphne Injured — ^Ferns for Case — Clematises Out-doors (R. A. P.). 

 — The leaf sent shows that the plant has suffered from cold; with warm 

 weather it will probably recover. Daphnes do not stand cutting winds, but 

 ehould have sheltered positions. We do not know what you can do to it. For 

 the case we should have in the centre a plant of Ncphrodium molle coi-ymbife- 

 rum, and round it Adiantuin assimile, Acrophorus hispidus, Adiantum hispi- 

 dum (pubescens), Pteris serrulata cristata, Adiantum Capillus- Veneris magni- 

 ficum, and Davallia dissecta at the angles of the hexagon. These will be 

 sufficient. We should surface with Selaginella denticulata variegata. We do 

 not think the dxip from the suspended cork would injure the plants. Have 

 on it Niphobolus rupestria. Clematises — Fortune!, double white; Lady 

 JBovill, greyish, suffused mauve; Kubro-violacea, maroon, shaded reddish 

 Tiolet ; and Sophia fiore-pleuo, mauve, outer petals yellowish white. 



Treatment op Crocus (Firle). — Cutting the leaves off in a green state 

 ■will certainly weaken the corms. We do not like to see the leaves plaited, so 

 WJ9 leave them alone until they change to yellow, when they are pulled o2. 



Leaves of Pear Tree Blistered {A. D.). — We fancy it must have been 

 caused by frost, with the sun acting early in the morning. The roots may 

 also be in stagnant eoil. If they were in a healthy state the tree would 

 scarcely be so bad. 



Preserving Grapes in Bottles of Water {J. Mackenzie). — Your attic 

 would be a very good place to keep them in ; indeed, if a place had to be made 

 ior them it could not be better. Trentham Black Grape does not bear freely 

 pruned on the short-spur system for a length of time ; the rod shuuld be 

 renewed every third year. Royal Ascot produces veiy small bunches, and the 

 berries are liable to crack. It is not so good as Trentham Black, though 

 neither is first-rate. 



Myosotis dissitiflora FLOWERrNG AT CHRISTMAS (M. D.). — You -will 

 need to have the plants well established in pots by the middle of September, 

 .and all flower-buds should be picked off up to October, when they should be 

 placed on a light airy shelf in the greenhouse, watering as required to keep 

 the soil moist. Early in November they wUl need to bo placed in a house 

 with a temperature of 45" to 50^ by day from fii'e heat, and they will flower 

 at the time you wish, or earlier. They will, as a rule, flower more or less 

 during the winter from November, if seedling plants two years old ai-e potted 

 in September in 5 or 6-inch pots according to size, placed in a cold frame 

 ■with plenty of air, and early in October removed to a shelf in the greenhouse. 

 The situation cannot be too airy and well exposed to the light. 



Names of Plants iJ. Q.). — 1, Cupreasus Lawsoniana; 2, Alonsoa; 3, 

 Lamium purpureum. The other specimens were too withered and imperfect 

 to be identified. The insects were millipedes, Jiilus complanatus. They are 

 said to eat holes into the tubers of potatoes, but we think that they only 

 attack ulcerated tubers. (W. F. R.). — Cheiranthus ochroleucus. {'!'. Brad- 

 shawl. — The leaf sent is that of Osraanthus ilicifolius variegatus. The 

 flower belongs to a species of Cietus. (A. M. Z.). — The Plilox sent is P. fron- 

 dosa. We do not know where seed can be obtained, but if it is in the trade 

 your own seedsman can obtain it. From a small plant bought for a shilling 

 you could obtain scores in a season, it grows so freely. (B. H.). — lleuchera 

 pubescens. {Pi-ter). — 1, Acer sp. ; 2, Sparmannia africana. {R. D. 2\). — 

 Veronica serpyUifolia. (F. G.). — 1, Pimelea longifolia; 2, Some Begonia, but 

 quite imdeterminable. (T. S.). — 1, Rosa Banksire, var. lutea; 2, Omphalodes 

 vema; 3, Anemone nemorosa flore-pleno. Yes, certainly. (jD. C. M.). — It 

 may be some Euphorbia, but the specimen is quite insuflicient. [A. B. Pode). 

 BhamnuB Alaternus. (A, R.). — Asplenium (Darea) flaccidum. 



POULTRY, BEE, AND PIGEON OHEONIOLE. 



AIDING CHICKENS' BIRTH. 



Eyiiryone interested in the breeding of poultry must be 

 obliged to our clerical friend at Childerditch Vicarage for the 

 information of slipping a chipped egg into a second shell. I have 

 often gummed them, but never took it into my head to put on a 

 new shell. During the part of this season, now past, I among 

 many others have been most imfortunateas to success in getting 

 chicks hatched ; but during the past week I had some eiperience 

 which might be of use to the readers of our Journal. I set a 

 Brahma hen upon twelve Brahma eggs ; they were due to hatch 

 last Friday. On the morning of that day I observed the hen 

 restless in her nest, making a noise, and pecking at something 

 among the eggs. On examination I found that she was attack- 

 ing a chick which was half out of the shell, shaking it as a dog 



does a rat. I immediately lifted the chick, which died a few 

 minutes after. Thinking that a mouse had disturbed the hen, I 

 allowed the eggs to remain, and kept a strict watch upon her 

 movements. It was not long till another little prisoner broke 

 its shell, and was letting its voice be heard. I observed the hen 

 rise aud immediately commence an attack upon the egg, break- 

 ing the shell and taking hold of the chick by the beak. I took 

 off the hen and put the eggs into hot water a little above blood 

 heat. After keeping them there for some time, six out of the ten 

 eggs left began to move about iu the water ; the other four I shook 

 and found to be rotten. Keeping the temperature of the water 

 up to the pitch, in half an hour live of the six chipped. I then 

 lemoved the eggs into the oven of the kitchen stove, rolling 

 them in flannel. I took one egg, and, carefully removing part of 

 the shell, found that blood was in the veins of the inner skin 

 which envelopes the chick. I replaced the egg in the oven; I 

 took another, and removing the shell found the blood had been 

 all absorbed. I then put the egg with the chick in warm water, 

 blood heat; lifting the head of the chick from under its wing, I 

 gradually removed the shell, taking care to leave the small part 

 of the yolk left and a small piece of the shell attached. I put the 

 chick in the oven to dry. 1 performed the operation on the six. 

 eggs and was successful with five. The chicks I put the same 

 evening under a hen, which had a batch of seven that had been 

 hatched on the Thursday previous. All the brood is now doing 

 well, and as healthy as if hatched in the usual way. 



Anyone who attempts the operation, which is easily per- 

 formed, and which I have successfully done for the past two 

 seasons, must be careful not to di-aw any blood, as this generally 

 proves fatal. — C. B. T., Montrose. 



EXHIBITION EEFORMS NEEDED. 



In respect to the losses of valuable exhibition birds from 

 exposure in open-air shows, as stated by Mr. Hewitt a few weeks 

 back, my own experience confirms what that gentleman states 

 to the very letter. From this cause alone I have repeatedly met 

 with very heavy losses, ha\ing lost several very valuable Car- 

 riers, B.irbs, Almond Tumblers, Satinettes, &c. My own opinion 

 is no show should be held in the open air ; in fact, in future I 

 have made up my mind not knowingly to show at an open-air 

 exhibition. I think it would be better that secretaries of shows 

 should state whether they are open or not. 



There is another matter connected with some of our northern 

 shows that also requires amendment. It repeatedly happens at 

 the Lancashire and Yorkshire one-day shows in the open field 

 that not only are the birds exhibited without shelter, but also 

 without food or water being supplied to them by the committee. 

 In these local shows, where the bulk of the owners are present, 

 no doubt the majority of the exhibitors will care for the preser- 

 vation of their own interest; but I need not say more than that 

 where birds are sent from a long distance, aud away, perhaps, 

 three days from their owner, such compulsory abstinence is 

 most disadvantageous to the distant exhibitor, and that food and 

 water should always be provided. 



Another great evil is, at some of the shows exhibitors are 

 allowed to pen their own birds, and at the close of the show to 

 repack them. I was at a show a few days ago where this was 

 done, and I think it very fortunate there were no dishonest par- 

 ties about, or they might certainly have helped themselves, 

 probably without being detected. I consider no party ought to 

 be allowed to pen the birds except the committee. We also 

 want reform in our Pigeon judges, as the other day the two best 

 Carriers were entirely left out in the cold. I could say more, but 

 fear to trespass too much on your valuable space. — H. Yaudlet. 



BRAHMAS. 



In answer to ** J. K. L.," respecting Brahma pullets, I have a 

 Light one which commenced laying last August, and con- 

 tinued to do so daily until the end of March, with the exception 

 of three sitting bouts, averaging one week each time. She has 

 now brought oif a batch of chickens. I have had twenty years* 

 experience as a poultry-breeder, and have during that time kept 

 several different sorts. My opinion of Brahmas is, that for laying 

 they are first-rate ; and were it not for their sitting propensities, 

 their abundance of leg, and deficiency of breast, they would stand 

 first in my estimation. But fowls are wanted for the table as 

 well as for the production of eggs. For the former use Brahmas 

 are nowhere. To have the two properties combined no fowl 

 equals the Houdan; the legs, unlike the Brahma, are short and 

 small ; the breasts aud other parts equal to those of the Dorking 

 both in quantity and flavour ; and as for laying qualities, it is 

 first-rate. I have a Houdan hen which commenced laying last 

 September, and has continued to do so up to tlie present time. 

 No matter about frost or snow in winter, it is all the same to her ; 

 she goes on contributing to her keeper a large white delicious 

 egg day-by-day. No time is lost with Houdans in sitting bouts, 

 nor do they entirely cease laying during the exhausting process 

 of moulting ; they ^ill, if kept clean, which all fowls ought to be. 



