114 



journmj of horticulture and cottage gardener. 



I January 29, 1874. 



kept apart. You will be too late for this year, bat yon whonlil bay or borrow 

 the best cock yoa can find and put liim to your own puUetn. Save all the eggs 

 for sittinR, and next season you will have froBh blood thi'oughout the ran. 

 Wherever it is wanted to breed the best of anything there should always be a 

 reserve yard or pen. 



The Poultry Harem (W. D.). — Your average of eggs is far above oar 

 experience, and we are sure far above that of most of oar readers and cor- 

 respondents. Oar theory is, four hens to a cock in January, six in February, 

 eight in March, and no rule afterwards. We speak of the runs where the 

 eggs are laid that we intend to set. 



Eggs ELonD-sTAiNED (Soldier). — Have yon been using stimulating food to 

 promote laying ? If yon have, that is tlio cause. Whether you have or not, 

 sometliing the hens eat causes the appearance of which you complain. 

 Whether by accident or design you leave the beaten track, you are sure to go 

 astray. If yon will feed on ground oats or harleymeal morning and evening, 

 on some maize or table scraps at mid-day, and avoid all things that are said to 

 be so good for fowls, you will have proper eggs. If youi- fowls are kept iu 

 confinement you must supply them with fresh earth and growing grass. 



Hens' Nests (E. H.). — A basket will make a sitting place for a hen, so will 

 a butter-tub sawn in half. The sooner you set Dorkings the better. We 

 prefer the Rouen to the Aylesbury Duck, unless you wish to eat very early 

 duckliuga. It is essential for egi^s that they should be damped before hatch- 

 ing. Failing that, some die iu the shell, Komo come out weak. In the case 

 you mention the hen left her eggH every morning in all weathers to feed, and, 

 unless your climate has differed from all we know, she could not do that 

 without returning to her nest wet through. 



Varieties to PnEFER [Young Fancier). — You may keepSpanieh, Hondan, 

 Crt've-Cceur, or Brahma, wo think the latter. If the run he not grass you 

 must provide them with it. Let the door of the house be in one comer and 

 not in the middle. 



Various (Jack). — You may give all your scraps. We give no artificial foods. 

 Feed your Creve-Coeurs on ground oats, harleymeal, scraps, and a little 

 maize, and if they have a grass tun they will do well. Some say the hybrid 

 Pheasants you mention breed, wa do not think they do. 



Brahma Characteristics (Brahma). — The Brahma hen has no tail as 

 the word is understood in other l»reeds. save the Cochins ; there is merely a 

 rise from the ramp terminating in a point, instead of getting wider towards 

 the end as in other breeds. The cock's tail should be carried neither hori- 

 zontally nor erect, hut midway. An erect tail is a defect. 



Bone Dust for Fowls (Idem). — We do not believe in feeding on bones. 

 It is a mistake. Fowls are not different from other things. The natural food 

 of a fowl supplies all that is necessary for growth and the formation of bones. 

 Doctors do not prescribe bones for infants, and birds in a state of nature 

 cannot get them. If you will supply good ground oats and harleymeal or 

 other corn in which the hull is ground with the flour, you have all you want. 

 All the material of bone and sinew is especially found in the hull of oats. 



Maize for Fowls (L. A. B.). — Maize is an adjunct. It is not good food 

 by itself, as its property is to make fat. It may be given as one In three 

 meals, but not more. It should be given raw, and its merit as winter food is, 

 that the small birds cannot pick it up. Ground oats and harleymeal mixed 

 with a small portion, say a twelfth, of peameal served slack in a trough, is the 

 best food for fattening Tui-keys. The largest Geese are the Toulouse ; they 

 commonly attain the weight of 20 lbs., and are of undeniable quality. They 

 lay large numbers of eggs, but do not sit. 



A Non-loving Cockerel f-Bm'tmn).— Such dishkes are rare, but they 

 occur sometimes. In the experience of forty years we have only met with it 

 once. We should try the gentleman longer. 



Numerous Deaths (Boijnton). — Wholesale and speedy death can only he 

 accounted for by poison, and we believe this is your case. Many animals ai'e 

 strangely affected by disinfectants. 



Houean's Hock Broken (Sam).— Your Houdan cock is useless. If the 

 bird is cured (?) he will have a stiff leg. We answered your question as 

 plainly as we could. A bird hatched in 1873 is uot a cockerel in February, 

 1874. The mistake is with those who made the list. A bird hatched in 

 January, 1S73, is. in February, 1H74, thirteen months old and an adult. No 

 judge in the world can tell the difference between a hen of thirteen months 

 and one of two years. They may guess at the cocks, but they cannot be sure. 

 If at a show in February there is a class for chickens they must, of necessity, 

 be birds of the previous year. It opens a door for false entries. 



Cocks Fighting (Rm in Urhe).—Tho only cure is to let them fight it out. 

 If they are only in fair proportion to the opposite sex there will be no fighting. 

 We have a hundred Brahma hens running with twenty cocks — we have not 

 had a fight. If you are disposed to overcome the pugnacity of your birds, 

 employ a boy, furnished with a long rod to which an empty pillow-case should 

 be tied at the end ; when two begin fighting, let him buffet both alternately 

 with the pillow-case — they will soon leave off. 



Points in a Show Dragoon (IT. T. C.).— Dragoons should not he large 

 birds, hut of moderate size, neat and compact in form, tight in feather, 

 have sharp-pointed wings, bo broad in shoulder, with butts well displayed, 

 and narrow-rumped. The head should belong and straight; skull narrow, 

 well-developed at the back. The eye should be largo and prominent; the 

 lash, cera, or flesh-wattle uniform, equal, white, and circular, with but little 

 of it. The wart upon the beak should be small, and not overhanging. The 

 neck should be long, slender, and graceful; the carriage erect; the legs long, 

 clean, and angular; the feet largo. The general bearing of these birds is of a 

 timid, tremulous kind, invariably displaying a shEiking and nervous tempera- 

 ment. Blue Dragoons should be of a good sound colour upon the sides of the 

 wings, head, belly, thigh, back, and tail. The head is generally of rather a 

 darker hue ; the neck also dark, and gorgeously illuminated with bright 

 iridescent colours, and terminating in a distinct and circular line upon the 

 Bhouliers, breast, and back, thereby producing a pleasing contrast with the 

 lighter and less brilliant parts of the body; the lower extremity of the wing 

 coverts has two nan'ow and jet-black bars nmning obliquely, and terminat- 

 ing just above the thigh ; the tail also has a band of black about an inch 

 wide, and within a quarter of an inch of its end ; the flight feathers are dark. 

 The beak also must be dark ; the eye of a bright red colour; and the legs and 

 feet red, and with dark nails. 



Matin-c. Ked Cock Jacorin or Turbit (Amateur).^ As you want a solid 

 dee 1-red colour, failing obtaining mates of that colour, we would advise your 

 mating your birds to good blacks. 



Pigeon's Beak Broken (Constant Readrr).^The bird suffers from the 

 broken beak ; and although he may appear to feed well, it is evident he does 



not. We use for the destruction of all parasites carbolic acid and water — one 

 part in fifty. It requires to be carefully used, but it is infallible as a destroyer 

 of all parasites. 



Transferring Bees (C. H. E.). — We thorouglily understand your questions, 

 but cannot advise you to follow the "Old Man's" plan of getting bees to 

 leave their hive. We have never found a queen to leave its hive when treated 

 as the "Old Man" suggests. Many of the bees go back to the old place, 

 but will not stay in an empty hive. They molest the other hives standing 

 near in seeking a home. We think the " Old Man's " plan carried into 

 practice would be ruinous to nine hives out of ten. The other way of driving 

 or shaking the bees out is more certain of success, and easy of accom- 

 plishment. 



Parrot Self-plucked (K. T1^).— Your Indian PaiTot has contracted a very 

 bad habit which is common among such birds when kept long in confinement. 

 All the varieties of Parrots are fond of gna^ving, and when not able to gratify 

 this natural propensity they bite-off their feathers. To pravent your bird de- 

 stroying its plumage, fasten a piece of wood inside its cage with wire, with 

 which you wiU fiud it will amuse itself. Change its food as often as possible 

 by giving it fruit, boiled rice, nuts, &c., and a little magnesia might bo occa- 

 sionally put into its drinking trough. By no means let it have any fat with 

 its food, and discontinue its bath, or the bird may take cold at this season. 

 If this treatment has no effect see sketch in Journal of Horticulture for 

 another remedy, date July 8rd, 1873. No. 640. 



Glazing an Aquarium (An Amateur). — If the putty is put only between 

 the glass and the frame, and the glass fits closely, not the shghtest injuiy to 

 the fish, &c., will occur. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, 



Camden Square, London. 



Lat. 5V 32' 40" N. ; Long. 0^ 8' 0" W. ; Altifcude 111 feet. 



REMARKS. 

 2lBt. — Fine morning, bright noon, and beautiful weather all day. 

 22nd.— Very dark and foggy all day except for a short time between 1 and 2 p.m. ; 



rather less foggy at night. 

 23rd — Rain and slight fog at 9 a.m. and during most of the morning ; bright 



between 1 and 2 p.m., but dull afterwards. 

 24th. — Rainy morning, becoming finer towards noon ; fine evening. 

 25th. — Fine frosty morning; very bright in the middle of the day, and con- 

 tinuing fair all day. 

 26th. — Bright morning, but rather dull and overcast in the after part of the 



day. 

 27th. — A most beautiful day thronghout, and splendid moonlit night. 



Although not quite so warm as some previous weeks it has been more 

 pleasant, with bright sun on several days. — G. J. Symons. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— January 23. 

 Both the London and provincial markets are comparatively inactive at 

 present. Prices remain nearly unaltered from last quotations, and imports: 

 have been somewhat lighter during the past week. Kentish Cob Nuts are 

 still offered in considerable quantities, and a shght reduction has had to b© 

 submitted to in the trade, prices varying from 75s. to 80s. 



FRUIT. 



Apples 1 sieve 1 



Apricots doz. 



Cherries ^ lb. 



Chestnuts bushel 10 



d. s. d. 

 Otol 6 

 



Currants i Bieve 



Black do, 



Figs doz. 



FUberts In. 1 



Cobs lb. 1 



Gooseberries quart 



Grapes, hothouse.... lb. 2 



Lemons <!»■ 100 4 12 



Melons each 1 



Mulberries ¥^lb. 



Nectarines doz. 



Oranges ^100 



Peaches doz. 



Pears, kitchen doz. 



dessert doz. 



Pine Apples lb. 



Plums i sieve 



Quinces doz. 



Raspberries lb. 



Strawberries ^ lb. 



Walnuts bushel 10 



ditto ^100 2 



OtoO 

 

 12 

 





 n 



VEGETABLES. 



Artichokes doz. 8 



AsparaRus ^> 100 i 



French 25 



Beans, Kidney.... ^ lOD 2 



Beet, Red doz 1 



Broccoli bundle 



Cabbage doz. 1 



Capsicums t* If^O 1 



Carrots bunch 



Caulillower doz. 3 



Celery bundle 1 



Coiewnrts. . doz. bunches 2 

 CucumberB each 1 



pickling doz. 



Endive doz. 2 



Fennel bunch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horseradish bundle 8 



Leeks bunch 



Lettuce doz. 1 



0to6 

 8 

 

 

 8 

 9 1 

 1 

 6 

 6 

 6 

 C 2 

 6 4 

 2 

 

 



5 



6 

 8 

 4 

 8 

 4 



Mushrooms pottle 



Mustard & Cress. .punnet 

 Onions bushel 



pickling quart 



Parsley per doz. bunches 



Parsnips doz. 



Peas quart 



Potatoes bushel 



Kidney do. 



Round do. 



Radishes., doz. bunches 



Rliubarb bundle 



3 ilsaf y bundle 



Savoys doz. 



Scorzonera bundle 



Sea-kale basket 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushe 



Tomatoes doz. 



Turnips bunch 



Vegetable Marrows 



. d. B. 



0to2 





 

 3 

 

 



1 







1 

 1 

 1 



1 







a 



2 

 8 

 



6 



5 







6 



1 

 6 

 4 G 

 



6 



1 



