January 15, 1874. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE A.ND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



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JQ winter or early in spring, and are suitable ; but the moat satisfactory sub- 

 jects would bo CamoUias, than which no llowors aro finer. Monarch, scarlet ; 

 Matbotiaua alba, white ; and Rubens, doep rose, are suitable varieties. 



Ansuaxs to Flower in Spring (B.).— To flower at the cml of Marcher 

 bej,'innini,' of April the seed ougbt to have been sown in pots during October, 

 and wintered in a hgbt airy position in the greenhouse. If sown now they 

 may flower in April or May. Aspcrula azurea sotosa, Calandrinia umbellata, 

 Campanula pentagonia, Colhnsia voruo, Eucharidium t,'randiiloriim, G.vpso- 

 phila muralis, LeptosipUon donaifloras, Limnanthes giauditlora, Linum 

 graudifloram coccineam, Nemophila iusi^nis, N. atomaria, Sileno peudula 

 ruberrima, and Whitlavia graaditlora. 



Hkating a Greenhouse (rorfrs/jfrc).— Your house being of only moderate 

 dimensions, and yom- not being able to attend to it for several hours, it would 

 be best to heat it by gas— that is, if you can command it with certainty. One 

 of the hot- water stoves with pipes would answer well. The Zigzaj^ Gas Boiler, 

 which you will see advertised, is probably the best of that description; or if 

 you have not gas at command, a Deards's International or Read's Slow-com- 

 bustion Boiler would suit you ; but for prices, &z., write to the manufacturers, 

 stating what you require, and askiug for an estimate of complete material for 

 elliciuntly heatiug the house. 



Staulk Dung wrru Sawdust for Hotreds (E. F. C).— We have expe- 

 rience of this, as wo have it to use from horses standing on sawdust in loose 

 boxes. It answers well, but does not requii-o to be so deep us when dung with 

 its litter is used. A bed about ;-! feet high will give you sutliciout heat, but it 

 needs to bo moist, and has only two faults — viz., it heats violently, and so is 

 apt to become dr;\', and therefore c<ild Could you not get some leaves or 

 spent litter to mix with it ? We use it in about equal proportions, and it 

 then answers admirably, giving a lastmg heat. 



Paraffin Oil for Thrips on Vines {Subscriber).— Mlor stripping off 

 jhc loose bark from the stems of the Vines, taking care not to damage the 

 living bark and eyes, you may dress them with paraOin oil mixed with an 

 equal quantity of water, and if you have mealy bug or scale it may be applied 

 in its pure state. Used wliilst the eyes are dormant, the parallin will not 

 injure the Vines, but if it drip or fall on the Pino Apple leaves it may cause 

 them to spot; it ought, therefore, to be used some tune before the Vines are 

 introduced into the house. 



Manuring Lawn {F. E. T.). — The only thing we can advise you to do, aa 

 you have no rotten manure, is to procure some good compost from your 

 iubbish-heap, or all kinds of vegetable refuse from a heap that has been 

 turned over a few times until reduced to mould. This put on in March 

 would improve your lawn immensely, raking it well in with au iron riike. 

 Bowing some Suckling Clover on it at the rate of 12 lbs. to the acre, and 

 rolUng well. We could not till you where to procure the compost ; probably 

 you might, as a favour, obtain it of some farmer in your locality, or he might 

 allow you the requisite quantity of well-rotted manure. Twenty loads of 

 compost, or twelve loads or tons of well-decomposed manure, arc a good 

 dressing for an acre. 



POULTRY, BEE, AND PIGEON OHRONIOLE. 



DEVIZES POULTRY SHOW. 



The third annual Exhibition took place on the (ifch and 7th 

 inet., clashing unfortunately with the Portsmouth Show. 

 Though lackiug quantity, in quality many classes were very 

 good. The Cora Market is a lirst-rate place for an exhibition, 

 having the light equally distributed, so that the birds can be 

 well examined. For such liberal prizes the entries in several 

 classes were very small. This Exhibition ought to be better 

 supported by exhibitors and the public. 



Dorkings. — Few in numbers, but eight entries in the first 

 class, which contained Coloured, excluding Silver-Grey. First 

 large and heavy dark-coloured birds, worthy their position, but 

 we should fancy pressed rather hardly for the cup by the first- 

 prize Whites. Second-prize poor birds. Third Rose-combed 

 chickens — very promising. Mr. E. Hooper v.h.c; very large, 

 but appeared out of condition. No. 5, c. ; why, we could not 

 understand. 



Class 2. — Dorkings (Any other variety). Five entries. — First 

 a grand pen, as we have remarked ; we fancied they run the cup 

 pen closely for premier honours. Second Silver-Cirey ; large, 

 good-bodied birds, but silver not sufficiently distinct. Third 

 chickens (Whites) of good colour ; cock's tail somewhat too 

 squirrel-fashion. 9, h.c. ; very coarse comb. 



Class y. — Cochins (Cinnamon and Buff). Six entries. — First- 

 prize and cup a most splendid-coloured bird, the colour being 

 good down to the very hock — below this we did not like him so 

 well ; feathering but i^oor, and the hen not a worthy companion. 

 Second very mealy-winged. Third very good pen, although 

 perhaps rather too hocked ; the feathering was the tiest in the 

 class, and we should have placed this pen second. Pen IG, 

 Miss Milward's, contained a very good hen. 



Class -I. — Cochins (Partridge). Sis entries. — The leg-feather- 

 ing in the class generally was weak. First-prize, if we do not 

 err, the hen's tall was twisted; it certainly was so for some time 

 while we examined her. Second-prize — cock leggy, and defi- 

 cient in feather to our taste. No. 22, h.c. ; cock had a twisted 

 comb. 



Class 5. — Cochins (White). Nine entries. — The Whites at any 

 rate asserted their fall right to a class by having half as many 

 entries again as the two other classes of Cochins. First-prize 

 good-coloured birds, and the hen we liked much, but we cannot 

 say as much for the cock, especially in the comb, which went 

 far b.ick— so far back as to twist to one side and lie flat ou the 



back of the head ; it struck us as a great defect. Second-prize 

 a very good pen ; we preferred it to the first, and should liave 

 so placed them, ourselves. 32a, h.c. ; good-bodied birds. 2(J, c. ; 

 yellowish. 27, c. ; good, but too small. The feathering in this 

 clas.s was the best of the Cochins. 



Class (). — Brahnias (Dark). Seventeen entries. — Here again 

 our ideas would have placed the .second-prize lirst. The first- 

 aud-cup cock's comb was coarse and rather confused, and the 

 secondaries not to our liking as to carriage ; this was also some- 

 wh.at noticeable in the second-prize pen, but in colour, leg- 

 feathering, and comb we thought it superior to the cup. The 

 hen, too, was a beauty. Third-prize good, l)ut strawy iu colour ; 

 hen's wings not to our tasto as to carriage. Pen :J7, c. ; cock'a 

 tail very much awry. 41, c. ; why, wo could not imagine. 



Class 7. — Brahraas (Light). Twenty-seven entries. — The class 

 for numbers in the whole Exhibition, and the best birds. close 

 together. Many of the combs in this class were confused and 

 irregular, and nothing adds much more to the beauty of these 

 two classes than a small, neat, regular comb. First-and-cup, 

 comb coarse, hackle-marking very good. Second same fault iu 

 comb, good colour, and good hackle, bat the hen out of con- 

 dition, small, and all of a heap. Third, very large good-bodied 

 pen, but not sufficient leg feathering to our taste. We think 

 the judging hero was diffifult, and the birds near together. 

 Some would have placed third in the place of honour. 71, v.ii.c, 

 good well-feathered birds, but far too much white in the cock's 

 tail. 74, H.c, yellowish-coloured cock, but for shape we thought 

 him best iu the class. The Light birds have greatly improved, 

 still the leg-feathering is poor as compared with their darker 

 brethren, and the combs are more generally faulty. 



Spanish. Six entrias. — First-and-cup cock good quality, but 

 must have yielded the pride of place to No. 2 had not the face 

 of the latter been scabby and discoloured. This disfigurement 

 was a sad pity, as the amount of eariobe and its (piality where 

 not discoloured was remarkable. The other noticed birds were 

 very good, but it is sad to see such a poverty of entries. 



Class 9. — Game cocks (Black-breasted and other Reds). 

 Eighteen entries. — First-and-cup Brown Red, good shape and 

 colour, but though an old bird, apparently raw, standing badly, 

 and not showing himself to advantage ; for this reason we fancy 

 we should have given the cup to the first-prize Duckwing, also 

 belonging to the same owner. Second-prize a Black Red, which 

 we should have thought too large. Third a close-feathered 

 bird, of good style. 



Game hen (Reds). Thirteen entries. — Cup a good close hen, 

 but to our fancy No. 112 was vastly her superior. This was a 

 grand bird, unnoticed ; we should consider it an oversight. 

 Here again, as in the Duckwing hens, the carriage of the wings 

 was not close enough for our notions. 



Class 11. — Game cock (Any other variety). Eight entries. — 

 First a very grand bird ; as we have already said, we fancied the 

 cup should have rested here. Second a very good Pile. 



Class 12. — Hens. Nine entries. — All Dackwing but one, 

 several very good birds. 122, h.c, very red on breast, and very 

 loose in wing secondaries. 



Class l.ii. — Pencilled Hamhurghs. Nine entries. — First Gold, 

 second Silver ; we liked the second best, but both belonged to 

 Mr. Beldon ; they were both very good. Pen Vi'i, u.c, immense 

 earlobes — far too large and coarse for our taste ; indeed, we 

 fancied many of the Hamburghs showed i tendency this way. 



Class 11. — Spangled Hamburghs. Fourteen entries. — First- 

 and-cup cock a very good bird ; hen out of condition, eariobe 

 stained, and feathers not lying smooth. Second also good ; both 

 these pens were Golden. Pen 11(3, ii.c, hen, very crooked back. 

 152, c. Silver, a glorious tail, deficient in bar and wing- markings, 

 but we think this cock will much improve. 



Class 15. — Black Hamburghs. Ten entries. — First-prize very 

 small, and particularly neat and close birds of true Hamburgh 

 shape ; we liked them much. 



Class 16. — Polanih. Eight entries. — A very good class, save 

 one unnoticed pen, which spoiled the beauty of the class, and 

 might with almost equal propriety liave been entered in one of 

 the Hamburgh classes. First Golden; hen very poor, cock not 

 the grandest. Second Silver, a good hen, topknot very large, 

 but bad in shape. Thii'd White-crested Black hen, a miserably 

 small crest. Pen 1G9, v. h.c, we liked much better than third- 

 prize ; they also were Blacks. 17U, h.c, a grand-crested cock, 

 the crest being remarkably fine in quality, and the colour and 

 marking of the bird very good, the hen perhaps scarcely his 

 equal ; but we should have placed this pen first. If different 

 colours must take the other prizes, we would have given the 

 second to pen 109, although the cock's crest was pecked out, 

 and third to the Golden. The Silvers generally were far superior 

 birds to the other varieties. This class was one of the gems of 

 the Show, every pen, except the nondescript before mentioned, 

 being noticed. 



Class n .^Houdans. Seventeen entries. — This and the next 

 class were very good — specially so. First-prize very large, in 

 beautiful plumage, but having straw-coloured saddle feathers. 



Class 13. — French (Any other variety). Eleven entries. 



