62 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



sumption of food consequently large. It is calculated that not less 

 than five million bushels of corn are consumed by them in the year 

 in Great Britain ; and at seed-time they are particularly destructive, 

 denuding whole patches of ground unless a strict watch is kept. 



A person having no corn-land maintaining a dovecote, the in- 

 habitants of which forage upon his neighbours, can be looked upon 

 in no other respect than a public robber ; and there are statutes 

 still existing the provisions of which enact heavy fines and punish- 

 ment for destroying these birds, which are considered private pro- 

 perty, these laws being doubtless made at the instance of landlords, 

 who supported dovecotes at the expense of their tenants. 



The duration of a pigeon's life is reckoned to extend to twenty 

 years, or thereabouts, and it is deemed full-aged when the wings are 

 full of the quill-feathers. In order to attach pigeons to their home, 

 it is usual to place some odoriferous drug about their holes ; asa- 

 fcetida appears extremely agreeable to them, and the strong scent of 

 cummin and coriander seeds has an alluring effect. When a bird 

 loses its mate, it is very often the case that it lures another from a 

 distance, and this may often account for the loss of a particular 

 pigeon. To prevent their tearing lime and mortar walls, some 

 rubbish should be incorporated with lime and salt, or what is called 

 a cat, made as follows : — Gravel or drift sand, unctuous loam, or 

 rubbish of an old wall, or lime, a gallon of each ; one pound of 

 cummin seed, one handful of bay salt ; mix with stale wine. Enclose 

 this in jars corked or stopped, holes being punched in the side to 

 admit the beaks of the pigeon. Rats and other vermin are apt to be 

 troublesome if the birds are kept in a room or loft. To guard 

 against this, a cat should be trained for the purpose of watching, 

 which may easily be done. The entrance hole should also be so con- 

 trived as to prevent the intrusion of strange cats. 



Cleanliness is essential to success in the management of pigeons, 

 and every opportunity should be taken to whitewash the walls after 

 each term of rearing, which will destroy fleas and other vermin. If 

 confined, pans of water should be laid on the floor for the birds to 

 wash, and also heaps of sand for them to wallow in. The most 

 common disease is the scab on the back and breast, and this is con- 

 tagious, and often fatal to the young birds. To cure it, make a 

 paste of the following mixture, knead it into rolls, and when baked 

 lay the pieces where the pigeons can peck at them : — A quarter of a 

 pound of bay and the same of common salt, a pound of fennel seed, 

 the same of cummin and also deb seed, and two ounces of asa- 

 foetida ; mix up with some wheat flour and finely-worked clay. 



REMINDERS FOR GARDEN WORK IN FEBRUARY. 



PERENNIALS of all kinds intended for removal to places where they 

 are to bloom should now be planted out. 



Box Edgings should be planted ; trees, bushes, shrubs and plants 

 for the borders or shrubbery, should be put in their places without 

 delay ; gravel walks should be formed, and all contemplated altera- 

 tions should be made, for although this work can be done from November to 





