602 



JOUENAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ December 31, 1874. 



of the whistle. Generally reward the quiokeat with a grain of 

 corn or a chestnut. We will now suppose that yon have the 

 squirrels perfectly subjected to your will ; that they will come 

 when you whistle, and obey your commands with dispatch. 

 The remaining parts of their education should be taught to each 

 separately. Place one upon a table, and gently force him into 

 a reclining position. If he attempts to rise again gently force 

 him back into his former state, crying " Down ! " as you do eo. 

 He will soon learn the meaning of " Down ! " and on the 

 utterance of the word will instantly sink upon his belly. 

 By a similar method he should be taught to sit erect upon his 

 haunches. 



The rope trick is quite amusing when well done. To teach a 

 squirrel this, fasten a rope to a ceiling so that the end of the rope 

 will reach the floor. String a few chestnuts, show them to the 

 squirrel, and then tie them to the rope (near the top). Now place 

 bushy at the foot of the rope ; in a trice he will be up after the 

 chestnuts. Repeat the lesson, saying " Mount ! " as you place 

 him at the foot of the rope. He will soon associate the command, 

 " Mount ! " with the rope-climbing, and on seeing the rope and 

 hearing the word will rapidly ascend. Reward him with a 

 chestnut whenever he performs the feat to suit you. 



Another pleasing trick is jumping from a table to your 

 shoulder. Place the squirrel on a table, and cry, " Down." Put 

 a nut on your shoulder, and give the signal for him to come to 

 you. If he jumps on the floor and attempts to reach the nut by 

 crawling up on your leg replace him, and cry " Down ! " Make 

 a bridge from the table to your shoulder with your arm, and 

 whistle for him to come to you. This time he will ascend to 

 your shoulder by the way of your arm. Repeat the lesson, and 

 increase the distance from the table, till he will jump to your 

 shoulders from a table even if the distance is so far as across a 

 email room. 



Now, he must be taught to jump upon the table. This can be 

 done in the same manner as he was taught on hearing a peculiar 

 whistle to come to you. Without further hints you ought to be 

 able to devise any number of amusing tricks to teach your 

 squirrels. Bear in mind two rules — Never overfeed your pets, or 

 allow them to be handled by strangers. — {American Fanciers' 

 Journal.) 



PEODUcxn-E Bantam. — I wrote to you in August, stating the 

 fact of a Game Duckwing Bantam hen having laid at that time 

 135 eggs. I now write to inform you that she has laid in the 

 space of twelve mouths two hundred eggs. — J. Stokes, Ipawich. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Gbeat Tabmottth Show.— Mr. P. Haines, Diss, informs ns that he was 

 awarded the second pri^e in the class lor Light Brahma hens. 



Cahterbukt Show.— Mr. W. Jacobs, Shepherdswell, informs ns, that 

 thoagh not Inserted in the official prize list, that his Aylesbory Ducks were 

 awarded the five-guinea cap. 



Tbedeoar Show.— The second prize for Torkeys we see is stated to have 

 been awarded to Miss J. MiJward, but it was omitted by onr reporter. 



Daek BR.4H5IAS AT Cakmarthen.— We are informed that the first prize 

 was taken by H. Feast, Swansea, second by J. H. Watkins, Hereford, with 

 adults ; D. E. Williams's Chester third-prize pen, and F. L. Green's, Oaklands, 

 Carmarthen, highly commended, being this year's birds. The medal in 

 Class 2'2 was awarded to a Bark Brahma cockerel belonging to A. T. Watera, 

 The Phcenis, Kidwelly. 



Ejteb (T. is.).- Remarks on the merits and drawings of hives, whether of 

 wood or straw, we shall readUy insert. We only closed the controversy 

 because every letter we received was either disfigured by personalities, or 

 written as if the writer thought no one had a right to difier from him iu 

 opinion. 



Canaries AUn How they are Kept.- "M. G." need not be surprised if 

 his Canaries occasionally cast some of their feathers throagh being kept in 

 a room with a fire during the daytime, and enduring the cold at night 2= 

 below freezing-point as stated. The covering over the cages at night would 

 not be of much advantage unless the room is draughty. It will not make 

 up for the difference between the artificial heat during the day and the ther- 

 mometer at about 32" or more during the night. Of two evils, the fire would 

 be more esse'ntial at night; but to suddenly abolish it would be detrimental 

 to the birds. The continual changes will certainly tend to weiiken the con- 

 gtitution of the birds, and bring about asthma and premature deaths. 

 Canaries will endure much cold weather, and enjoy tolerable good health 

 beneath a roof free from draughts of cold air. Cur own birds fly in a 

 large room, the topmost one of the house, are hardy, robust, and in good 

 f- ather, and sport in a cold bath as free as Ducks, even during the present 

 inclement season. We can back-up our experience with that of others; one 

 fancier in particular we will refer to. who, for upwards of a dozen years, has 

 kept his birds in a detached brick building during summer aud winter, the 

 only drawback during frosty weather being that he has had occasionally to 

 break the ice for the birds to obtain water, or the ice itself has cracked the 

 fountains. His birds always enjoy good health. This is a prettv (air test as 

 to the amount of coid weather Canaries will stand. The birds above referred 

 to are of the Norwich and Lizard breeds. If " M. G." could keep up an even 

 temperattiro during day and night his Canaries would not be hable to so 

 much risk, jiirds rarely do so well, or continue breeding so long during the 

 summer, if they have been lifipt ia an artificial heat during winter and 

 spring. 



Seed for Canahtes, BtJij.rnJcirES, Liunets, &c. {W.F.,Bclftut).—^e 

 have examined the three kinds of wild seeds forwarded. One of the three 



sorts is understood amongst bird-fanciers in many parts of England a£> 

 "redlock," a kind of wild rape found in com fields. During the winter 

 months especially many fanciers make a practice of occasionally throwing a 

 handful or so into the cages for the birds to eat, which plan is considered 

 better than supplying it either in a fountain or seed-hopper, owing to the 

 amount of rubbish mixed with it. It is a somewhat stimulating kind of 

 seed, andis suitable either for Canaries, Goldfinches, Bullfinches, Siskins, or 

 Linnets. One of your samples resembles the abovenamed " redlock " more 

 than anything we know of. As to the bright, black, flat, heart-shaped seed 

 (the second kind), we have before seen it mLxed among the "redlock" seed 

 when given to the birds, and this fact leads us to think that it is not of an 

 injurious tendency. With respect to the smaller or third kind forwarded, 

 which is of a brown colour, triongnlar-shaped, and sharply pointed at 

 each end, we must confess we are somewhat doubtful whether it would be 

 wisdom to give it to Canaries. Possibly some of the Finch tribe may par- 

 take of it in their wild and natural state; still, like yourself, we are anxious 

 to know whether the seed would be suitable. The experiment is worth atrial; 

 and if you do not try it yourself, be at the expense of forwarding a quart of 

 the three kinds to our office, and we will cause them to be tested and let you 

 know the result. Canary seed at the present time is enormously high in. 

 price, and if other food can be found fit for cage birds so much the better for 

 fanciers, who now-a-days have to put their hands deeper down into their 

 pockets for eggs and cayenne pepper. 



METEOEOLOOICAL 0BSEEVATI0N3, 



Camden Sqoare, London. 



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



BEfilARKS. 



23rd.— Fine frosty moming— very sharp; fair all day; foggy in evening; and 



raiu at midnight. 

 24th. — Overcast, a little eleet early ; dnll all day, and slight thaw. 

 25th. — Fair all 4ay ; odder in evening. 

 26th.— Fine frosty morning ; foggy abont 2 p.m. ; rather wanner at 



night. 

 27th. — Fine frosty day. 

 28th. — Very dark moming ; sleet, and afterwards slight snow, thronghout the 



day. 

 29th.— Sharp frost, and although the son was bright and warm (42.8^) the 



roads remained hard and the ground covered with snow. Very oold 



in the evening. 

 A fine sharp winter's week.— G. J. Symohs. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— Decembeb 80. 

 The market has been well supplied with both frait and vegetables this 

 Christmas, prices being generally lower than usual. Grapes and Pines eu:& 

 plentiful for the time of year, but the supply of dessert Pears is nearly over. 



I. d. a. d. 

 Apples i sieve 1 Oto 1 6 



Apricots doz. 



Cherries ^Ib. 





 



Chestnuts bushel 10 20 



Cufranta i sieve 



Black do. 



Figs doz. 



FUberta lb. 1 



Cobs lb. 1 



Gooseberries quart 



Grapes, hothouse.... lb. 4 



Lemons *♦- 100 



Melons . 



8 













 1 



6 

 

 

 12 



each 1 S 



Mulberries ¥^ lb. 



Nectarines doz. 



Orangeti ^100 4 



Peaches doz. 



Pears, kitchen doz. 2 



deasert doz. 2 



Pine Apples lb. 2 



Pluma i sieve 



Qnincea doZ. 



Raspberries lb. 



Strawberries ^ lb. 



Walnuts bQflhel 10 



ditto ^100 1 



e. d, 8. 



OtoO 

 

 4 

 

 2 

 2 

 2 

 

 

 















Artichokes doz. 



Asparagas »■ 100 



French.. ..per bundle 

 Beans, Kidney.... I sieve 



Broad bushel 



Beet. Red doa 



Broccoli bundle 



Brussels Sprouts i sieve 



Cabbase doz. 



Carrots bunch 



Capsicums ^ 100 



Caiilillower doz. 



Celery bundle 



Coleworts.. doz.bnnches 

 Cucumbers each 



pickling doz. 



Endive doz. 



Fennel. bunch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horseradish bundle 



V£ OS TABLES. 



d. B.d. 



0to6 



Leeks 



LettQoe doz. 1 



Mashrooms pottlo 



Mustard & Cress. .punnet 



Onions bushel S 



pickling quart 



Parsley per doz. bunches 4 



Parsnips doz. 



Peas quart 



Potatoes bushel 2 



Kidney do. 8 



Radishes., doz. bunobea 1 



Rhubarb bundle 1 



Salsafy . . bundle 1 



Scorzonera bundle 1 



Sea-kale basket 2 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 



Tomatoes doz. 



Turnips bunch 



Vegetable Marrows ., doz. 



3 too 

 a 

 9 a 



B 



s 



6 





 9 

 

 

 

 

 

 6 

 

 

 8 

 

 



