Fobruary 26, 1S74. ] 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



191 



cessful in its cultivation. It would be mach better to exchange it with some 

 o( your ut'iylibours who possess a stove. Tlie plant in qneation bIiouIlI bo 

 fastcneii np<m a block of wood with just a liUle spbngimra mofis, aud until it 

 begins to root ami yrnw a little it should be hun^^-up head downwards ; this 

 will prevuDt water lod^'ing about the eyes and rottiny thorn, wliich of k:u occurs 

 when nowly-introJuoi-d Orchids arc subjected to the samo treatment as those 

 already established. In answer to your querj' reapoctinfj thL^ iufrodnciug of 

 Orchids, wo may pay that good, new, or rare species would pay to import ; but 

 it generally happtna that those persona wiio send homo Orchids to their 

 amateur friends havo no knowledge of what kinds wo havo in cultivation in 

 Europt;, and, in addition, generally send those easiest to obtain ; and the 

 result is, that amateurs' cousi^-nments seldom realise the cost of thu freight. 

 On the otiicr hand, if your fi-ieuds have a good knowledge nf these plants and 

 can send you home now or rare kinds, we should advise you to moke the 

 venture. 



PoiNciANA, REOiA CuLTiTRE (Idem). — It certftinly must be kept in strong 

 moist heat, aud cannot be Buccessfully grown out of stove heat. When 

 growth is completed these plants require a good dry seaaon, or season of rest ; 

 but amateurs, and indeed professional gardeners, too often forgot their plants 

 are in pots, and when they treat them to a thorough drying-off as it is 

 termed, they destroy every particle of roots the plants have. This, however, 

 does not occur in a state of nature; the roots are not exposed all round to 

 the dryness of the atmosphere, and although the surface soil may bo well 

 parched and baked, there are sure to be some roots deep down in the soil 

 where moisture is to be found. The above error, we are lirmly convinced, is 

 the reason we usually fail in the cultivation of many beautiful p"lantt; from 

 what ore termed di'y countries. 



Grafting Weeping Ash {M. S.).— Take off the scions now, keep with the 

 ends in moist clay, and graft at the end of March, or if then cold during the 

 first mild weather in April. 



Daphne indica Ccjltpre (Idem). — Use a compost of equal parts of peat 

 and loam, with oue-sisth of silver sand. The peat and loam should bo fibrous 

 and tom-up rather fine, and afford good draifiage. Repot when the plant 

 commences gro^vth. and keep rather moist and shaded when making fresh 

 growth, otherwise alTonl a light airy position. It is not unusual for the plant 

 to have yellow leaves at this season, but if last year's leaves arc so affected 

 we should place the plant in gentle moist heat aud encom-age growth. The 

 roots are probably in a wet sotu- soil ; remedy it at once. 



Hydrangea JAPOsicA (Jdt'wi).— Cut down now, but leave sufficient of the 

 ripened shoots for flowering, which they will do in a greenhouse in July, or 

 earUer according to the temperature. The plants should bo potted when they 

 commence growth, or now ; in doing so remove as much of the old soil as can 

 be taken away without injuring the roots, repot in the same or alargor eize of 

 pot, aud when this is full of roots shift into a size larger. Water abundantly, 

 affording a light airy position. Beyond pegging-down and tying-out the 

 shoots no other treatment is requhed. 



Lawn Mowers (E. R. P.).— Yon will obtain all particulars if you write to 

 the makers, Blackfhors Road, London. 



Names of Fruits (T. F.).— The Apple is the Winter Codlin, and the Pear 

 March Bergamot. 



Names of Plants (TT. A J?.}.— We are sorry that thol flower between the 

 leaves escaped our notice, it must have been smashed flat. Tha shoots had 

 only leaves on them, and we cannot undertake to name plants unless their 

 flowers are sent. Specimens should be In a bos. 



POULTEY, BEE, AND PIGEON OHEONIOLE. 



CONDITION. 



Some weeks ago a correspondent expressed the opinion that 

 both myself and the judges laid far too much stress on the con- 

 dition of fowls at shows, adding the curious assertion that nothing 

 was 30 easy of attainment ! That does not seem to be the gene- 

 ral experience, however; and I can call to mind many occasions 

 when I have seen pens of really sterling merit compelled to 

 occupy an inferior position because they were not in good show 

 trim. Such birds are not unfrequently "claimed" by knowing 

 judges, aud the former owners feel a little natural vexation to 

 find them score a succession of triumphs in more skilful hands. 

 I propose to say a few words upon this subject, in the hope that 

 they may bear fruit before the next show season. 



First of all, of course, good condition implies good health. 

 There may be health without good condition ; but without health 

 really good condition is impossible. And when fowls have a 

 good open grass run in clear country air which has no smoke 

 to dirty the plumage, if they are even decently fed and cared for, 

 they attain, without any trouble at all, a condition which leaves 

 nothing to be desired. Their combs are bright, their plumage 

 clean aud close, their carriage sprightly and vigorous. And it is 

 only fair to say that some of our "leviathan" exhibitors owe 

 most of the bloom in which they show their birds very much to 

 these great natural advantas^es. Mrs. Arkwright, Lady Gwydyr, 

 Mr. Lingwood, Mr. Maynard, Mr. Beldon, and many others — 

 all have clear country air and country grass to aid them ; and 

 all who have these need very little more. I might go further, 

 and say they need notlung more beyond seeing that the arrange- 

 ments in the houses, &c., are such that the plumage never gets 

 damaged, and especially that there is nothing to catch and in- 

 jure the tails of the cocks. In such circumstances I would not 

 advise iron, or tonics, or any artificial treatment whatever. 



Even a limited grass run, such as can sometimes be had near 

 a town, will do much towards success. Such I now myself enjoy, 

 and I get with hardly any trouble much better condition than I 

 could at Bristol, where I had none, and had not time for the 

 necessary treatment in lieu of it. All needed even here will be 



to give such feeding as shall result in vigorous health, and then 

 wash the fowls as required, on which we shall have a word or 

 two by-and-by. 



In strict confinement it is that the difficultieB begin ; and hera 

 it is that, in my opinion, and according to my experience, the 

 replies often given to corre8X>ondents are somewhat at fault, 

 various things being again and again denounced as " quackery " 

 which are really valuable aids. To take certain tonics, for in- 

 stance. Fowls in a state of nature do not need them. But there 

 is in a Hare or a Pheasant, as everyone knows, an aromatic 

 flavour, which shows that they get naturally something very 

 analogous to such spices as we are considering ; and we know also 

 by personal experience that we cannot live healthily upon the 

 same diet when following sedentary occupations as if engaged 

 in an out-door life. Nay, the very " ground oats " or any other 

 soft food, as BO constantly recommended, is so far quite " un- 

 natural " to a fowl ; it is simply found better adapted to the 

 domesticated animal. Even to fowls thus confined, however, I 

 do not advise tonics to be given regularly — only in cold, or wet, 

 or moulting seasons, or when " getting into condition," which 

 brings me back to my immediate subject. 



The object as regards diet must still be the same — viz., to 

 maintain the most perfect health ; and I assert fearlessly, that as 

 regards all breeds adapted for confinement this consists in giving 

 rather less than most people give of soft food and grain— keeping 

 the fowls rather spare, in fact— but giving a little cooked meat re- 

 gularly, and plenty of green food every day. If worms or insects 

 can be obtained instead of meat all the better, and a very little 

 is sufScient, while much is actually injurious. Health can be 

 maintained without any meat at all ; but aU who remember how 

 constantly a fowl is seeking for insect food when at liberty, and 

 how much it obtains, will readily believe me when I say that a 

 little is needed for that highest degree of health and spirits 

 which we are considering. In most cases table scraps helped out 

 with pot liquor will give all that is needed. As to green food, 

 of any that can be got they can hardly have too much ; and if 

 none can be procured, minced turnips may be substituted, and 

 when the birds tire of this the turnips can be boiled and mixed 

 with meal. But really green food is much the best ; and as the 

 result of all, the birds should be kept just a shade thin ; hungry, 

 healthy, happy, with bright red combs, and a sUghtly sharp 

 breastbone, but with good hard flesh on each side of it. Such 

 a bird, if ios house has been arranged with the same precautions 

 as to damaging its plumage, however small that house and ruu 

 may be, can be shown in the very height of condition. 



I may be contradicted her*. I have again and again heard if; 

 said that birds " have to be " fattened-up to an unhealthy state 

 in order to stand a chance of winning. I reply without tha 

 least hesitation that this is not now the case, whatever it may 

 have been ; and that this mistake is one of the reasons why so 

 many people fail. They have heard people must so fatten, and 

 they try to do it, and spoil their birds. I see even noted ex- 

 hibitors do it, and I grant they often win ; but it is in spite of 

 it, and a very large proportion of the very best birds each season 

 are shown in thoroughly hard feather, and are bred from with 

 perfect success after. I never fattened a bird for show in my 

 life, and for one who exhibits so little I have had fair success. 

 No ! feed your birds only as much aa wiU keep them healthy — 

 no more. So fed, the meat and the green food will keep the 

 plumage close and the combs red, which cannot be got in con- 

 finement without these items of diet. 



Then, some four, or even only three weeks before the show 

 season commences, you may, if you desire, give a little prepara- 

 tion. Feed a very little more, adding to the soft food a very 

 little of any aromatic tonics in powder— say a mixture of gentian, 

 ginger, and aniseed— beginning with a very httle indeed, and 

 ending with only enough to give a slight flavour. And every 

 three days mix the meat with linseed stewed iuto a jelly instead 

 of mere hot water, which wiU add greatly to the gloss on the 

 plumage. But still, never overfeed the appetite ; I say only " a 

 little " more, remember, not much. 



Then a week before the show examine your birds. B.arring 

 misfortune, they should and will be sound in feather, healthy, 

 hearty, with a rich gloss on the feathers, but very likely dirty. 

 And it is here that perhaps most amateurs fail, by omitting to 

 provide what is an absolute necessity for showing birds m con- 

 finement with credit— namely, some place where they can be 

 kept clean. If a spare room littered with soft straw can be given, 

 that will do ; but on the whole I prefer either a pen, some 6 feet 

 square, floored with perfectly clean sand, or pens like show pens, 

 only 3 feet square. These last are most convenient, and get the 

 fowls used to confinement, which is important ; for most young 

 birds are very wild when first confined, and if then sent to a 

 show almost always destroy their tails, and so lose their chance ; 

 whereas about three days in a larger pen about a yard square, 

 and with no one to frighten them till they have calmed down a 

 bit (after which they should be visited and petted as much as 

 possible), will make them perfectly quiet and save their beautiful 

 plumes. ,, , „ 3 



If the birds are dark iu colour they will not usually need 



