

. 



\7 



. rine* respective^. Ab to respective merits, 



^CTcSSr; b«t the things themselves are ex- 



, 'like The town birds are mostly too luscious 



••f*Lv JS^n ami barn-door fowls are always too 



"** 1 l^ndoners. Still many country people 



kr 



dry ft* 



.r tne LondoiK- — - w - - 



■ .j v iJTto brio* their fouls up to the metropolitan 

 *** Uk ? ^d aMhis crisis, Mr. Haily offers his asMst- 



of the 



1X1 



littb 



Uie shape 



pamphlet 



very sensible and practical 

 us. " I believe," he says, 



gden.mn to these trifling details will remedy one of: 



matter of indifference to them. This is, however, far . as the president for this year, in the room of the late 

 from being the case ; fowls actually do prefer and thrive lamented baronet ; and we understand that his lordship 

 best on the purest water. Prom the v Known inju- ; has courteously expressed his willingness to accept the 

 rious effects of salt, then is great reason to eii ect that | office. The Prize Lists, which have again undergone a 

 main of the obscure and unknown diseases of poultry ! very careful revision, were adopt 1, and will be imme- 

 mav be attributed to the saline ingredients contained in diately issued. The changes in some departments of 

 the water of a dung-heap. They do not partake of this these lists are designed to carry out still further the 

 water unless they have no other ; and when there is no principle of classification adopted with so much advantage 

 watering-trough, it must be brought to them, and the in the Birmingham Shows ; and at the same time the 



to 





be 



e£npUintt urged against country poultry, viz., u» 



Ion ** 



'^1 not be fair to transfer" the essential portion of 

 work to these columns, and therefore give, as a 

 - pn his instructions on the subject of feeding. 

 It is too often presumed that little care is require 

 .1 th*ir feeding from the time they leave the coop 

 Jfthe time they°are put up for fattening. Thev are 

 SiS the run of the yard, without considering wb*t a 

 JEfous subsistence this affords; there may 

 S^nce of food at some periods, and little or none 

 iTZZrz. They should be fed regularly, and care 

 SoulJ be taken that *ach of them (for they are a 

 Ser to be brought up for the table or for stock) shall 



hrtTfi * fair share. 

 \ 1 i vise ttom the first, to feed the lien and her 



rhickens well, in the following manner :— Instead of 

 hion-ii/" down handsful of whole corn, let it be ground 

 and r d with lukewarm milk, to such consistence that 

 \mvi\* hail Of it is thrown on the ground it will break 

 and scatter about in particles ; if there be green-meat, 

 such as Onion-tops, chopped fine and mixed with it, so 

 much the better. The chickens should be fed in this 

 manner three or four times per day, and the little extra 

 iambi will be amply repaid by their growth and 

 health As they get older this may be gradually dis- 

 continued, and they may feed with the old fowls on 

 wh< corn. But even with old birds a change of food 

 is not only advantageous, but necessary ; and I would, 

 t refore, advise that once a fortnight the food be 

 changed for a day or two, and boiled or crushed corn 

 substituted for whole. They must also have constant 

 op; miiities of pecking among Grass and other herbs. 

 ! Is in confinement will starve and pine to death, with 

 heaps of Barley around them, unless they have these 



opportunities. 99 — Pp. 14, 15. 



An observance of these rules would save us the task 



of answering many an inquiry in the " Notices to Corre- 

 spondents." Mr. Baily's treatise is particularly well- 

 timed, as he has the courage to patronise the Dorkings 

 at the very height of the Cochin China mania. "I 

 propose limiting my observations to one particular 

 breed, and for this reason, that there is none to be com- 

 pared with it. It is the Dorking, and it unites in itself, 

 more than any other, all the properties requisite for sup- 

 plying the table."— Preface. We should like to say a 

 word for the race of Cochins, which are not exhibition 

 birds, but will gladly second any effort to restore the 

 Dorkings to their rightful position. The public ought 

 to know what is the actual intensity of the cock and hen 

 fever at the present date. Good Cochin Chinas, likely 

 to be, or to produce show birds, readily sell for two 

 guineas each, and upwards. Four pullets sold to a per- 

 sonage of very high rank, were charged at ten pounds. 

 * Nice birds, but dear /" observes a gentleman who had 

 the pleasure of contemplating their beauties. An am- 

 bitious friend of ours longingly admires a lot of six hens 

 and a cock, for which he would gladly have given 20/., 

 and taken off his hat to their owner, for accepting the 

 offer. To be sure, one of the hens weighed 9| lbs. Of 

 course, the dealers are making money in cart-loads, by 

 the [means of this epidemic passion for the Cochins. 

 Anything like one is worth almost its weight in gold. 

 The weedings and thinnings from stocks of good repute, 

 are eagerly bought up, to be re- vended in no time. The 

 Cochin China penny is being turned with amazing ra- 

 pidity. Hens' eggs at 30*. the dozen — 'tis a fact, gentle 

 reader— will pay for a liberal supply of Barley at pre- 

 sent prices ; in one case we have heard that the eggs 

 from a certain wonderful pair of fowls realised five shil- 

 lings each ! Therefore, Mr. Baily, or any other gentle- 

 man, is to be encouraged in his endeavour to bring us 

 back to Dorkings and common sense. 



The American work is really a nice little book, worth 

 the perusal of poultry amateurs. It only professes to 

 have originated in an attempt to collect and embody in 

 a methodical form the notices respecting the treatment 

 of poultry in America, scattered through the various 

 periodical publications of that country. It reveals, too, 

 the unexpected information, that the ladies about New 

 York take but little interest in poultry matters. 



"In many parts of Europe, the care of the poultry and 

 the rearing of chickens are intrusted exclusively to 

 women; and this seems, indeed, peculiarly within the 

 province of that sex, who are so pre-eminent for their 

 kindness towards the brute creation, and their solicitude 

 for helpless infancy. The writer would fain hope to 

 induce his countrywomen to assume the charge of this 

 department. Their husbands, fathers, or brothers, 

 would soon be shamed out of their present careless and 

 wasteful practices." — Introduction, xiv. 



One or two little mistakes require to be corrected, 

 such as that the dove-house pigeon sits fifteen days ; but 

 there still remains much that is good, and well 

 pressed. Take as follows 



vessel kept constantly full. I have lately adopted a con- 

 trivance which I have seen recommended in an agricul- 

 tural paper, and during the summer I find it to work 



very well. 



« Take a perfectly air-tight barrel, such as has been 



used for cider or wine, and set it up on end on any suit- 

 able platform, or a three-legged stool, about 24 feet 

 from the ground. A small hole is bored in the bottom 

 just large enough to admit a small wooden or leaden 

 tube ; even a long pipe-stem might be employed for this 

 purpose. The tube should ascend 3 or 4 inches through 

 the bottom, in order to prevent its upper aperture from 

 being choked up by any substances accidentally intro- 

 duced with the water. The tube descends into any 

 shallow basin or bowl, or trough of wood, earthen, or 

 iron ware. At the top of the barrel there is a hole to 

 pour in the water, and it should be large enough to 

 admit a funnel. The lower opening should be closed 

 while filling, and when filled the upper opening should 

 be carefully closed. Then withdraw the plug from the 

 tube, and the water will gradually trickle down, and 

 last as a reservoir for many weeks. This water-tank 

 can only be used in summer ; it would probably burst 

 asunder in a severe frost. The same contrivance on a 

 smaller scale may be found more economical, and quite 

 as useful. It will last more than a fortnight. Take a 

 common glass demijohn, and, having stripped off the 

 wicker covering, fill it with water. Let this be sus- 

 pended on a suitable frame, with its mouth downw.-frd, 

 and immersed in a basin of water beneath. To prevent 

 the fowls from scratching up the dirt around it and 

 soiling the water, the basin or trough should rest on a 

 platform of boards. The object in taking off the wicker 

 covering is to enable us to ascertain when the water is 

 nearly exhausted." Pp. 51 — 3. 



This homely contrivance is exceedingly useful for the 

 yard of the mere commercial poulterer ; but a more 

 elegant adaptation of the same principle is the fountain 

 advertised by Mr. Baily. It is neat, occupies little 

 room, can hardly get out of order, and affords a con- 

 siderable supply of fresh water; and therefoie is 

 capitally adapted either to the pheasantry, the ladies' 

 basse-cour, or to stand in the entrance hall for the use 

 of the pet lap-dog. The best compliment we can pay 

 these two little books is to state the belief that had 



prizes for cattle and sheep have been considerably in- 

 creased. Midland Counties Herald. 



they appeared some years ago, they would have been 

 largely drawn upon by the compilers of poultry litera- 

 ture. Mr. Baily would probably have been incased, in 

 his full stature, in some section on the Dorkings, and 

 Micaiah R. Cock would have had the pleasure of seeing 

 half his chapters at least stare out from the pages of 

 more than one rival publication. 



Notices to Correspondents. 



Chos* Bred Sheep: L S. The cross between the southdown 

 ram and black-faced ewe has been rr peatediy tried in this 

 dis-rict, and given up as a total failure. They are the 

 ugliest animals of the sheep kind I ever saw, and are in 

 every respect inferior to the cross between the Leicester ram 

 and black-faced ewe. This latter cross makes a very valu- 

 ab'e sheep, while the other, except in the value of the wool, 

 is not equal to the pure black-faced breed. A. T. W. 

 Draining Tiles : An Inquirer. " The balance of public opinion" 

 is decidedly in favour of pipes in preference to tiles and 

 soles. We do not yet know the average duration of 

 "perfect drains laid in the best manner," as none such 

 have yet failed. 

 Land Agency : PupiU Low on Landed Property is a good 

 work, on the principles of the subject. Layton Cooke's work 

 on land valuing is valuable. The value of fat stock by 

 measurement is stated well in a paper in a periodical work 

 of which ou!y 12 monthly parts appeared, entitled "The 

 Plough" (Lon^tnau). Strachan's ready reckoners will pro- 

 bably serve your purpose. The first two works are costly. 

 Paint : Brush a»ks for the experience of any of our readers 



regarding Carson's anti-c rrosion paint for inside work. 

 Paralysis : Northwood. There is no doubt organic disease, 

 and the poor animal may as well be killed. The fle*h will 

 not be unwholesome. W. C. 8. 

 Phosphates : J Jeph»on Rowley. The annual sal* of 100 sheep 

 and 10 cows is equal to the export of about 1800 or '2000 lbs. 

 of bone-dust. 

 Pigeons : Columbarian. I imagine you did quite wrong in 

 feeding wiih Indian corn ; nor should you give them Wheat. 

 If the malady continues, and it appears likely to dc» *o, get 

 rid of the old stock altogether, and breed from an entirely 

 new stock. This is the only true way of effecting a radical 

 and speedy cure. \V. K. 

 Pocltrt : O B. The be»-t food for young ducks is boiled Rice, 

 mixed with a little Barley-meal and fine pollard, to such a 

 consistency that it is neither sloppy nor sticky— crumbly, in 

 short. A constant supply of water, and slugs and worms at 

 discretion, with good attention and shelter at night, are 

 matters of course. — Worcestershire Lady. Your correspondent 

 is a wag, but there is evidence that hens have occasionally 

 laid two eggs a day. You must use your own discretion In 

 ordering a stock of these double-layers from any dealers; 

 some <>t them might endeavour to suit you.— Bantams : 

 E F. We cannot account for the hen's laying soft eggs under 

 the circumstances. The evil will, perhaps, cease of itself. 

 Many farmers' wives say that the laying of soft eggs is 

 caused by the hens' being too fat. It is possible ttiat an 

 over-nouiisbed fowl may have a tendency to inflammation, 

 irritability of system, and consequently to abortion. 

 Wild Onion : X YZ. We had a good many in a field, but they 

 have disappeared under the ordinary tillage, and occasional 

 fallow crop. Turnip husbandry will destroy them. 

 Erratum. For "SuO" square yards, the difference between 

 the English and Irish acre— in page 268, c .1. e, read 4 * 3000.' 



iiiarftetsf 



METEOROLOGICAL REPORT. 



{Continued from page 269. 



April. 



Date. 





Apr. 21 

 22 



Time. 



11.15 a.m. 

 10 45 p.m. 



7.15 a.m. 



9 a.m. 



23 



t 



24 



2.10 p.m. 

 10.20 p.m. 



7 30 a.m 

 10.30 p.m. 





7.35 a.m. 



5.15 p.m. 



10.20 p.m. 



20 a.m. 



10.15 p.m 



Wind.— Weather. 



S. Genial day, with warm 

 driving rain. 



Between 6 and 10 a.m. the 

 wind veered rapidly from 

 south to west to north, and 

 to north by east, blowing 



gentlv all day. 

 p.m. WNW. Light; fine day. 

 WSW. Gentle breeze and 



beautiful day. 



CO VENT GARDE*, Mat 3. 

 Hothouse Grapes are plentiful and cheap, considering the 

 season. The same remaik applies to Strawberries. Good 

 Pine-apples are scarce, as are also dessert Apples. Oranges 

 and Lemons are plentiful. Nuts remain nearly the same as 

 last week. Vegetables of all kinds are abundant and good. 

 French Beans are very plentiful. Some good Green Peas 

 have just made their appearance from Cornwall. Carrots and 

 Turnips are dearer. New Potatoes may be obtained at 4 d. to 

 Is per lb • old kinds realise better prices. Lettuces and other 

 salading' are sufficient for the den and. The best Mushrooms 

 fetch Is 6d. per pottle. Cut flowers consist of Heaths, Pelar- 

 goniums, Camellias, Mignonette, Double Primroses, Stepha- 

 notis floribunda, Cinerarias, Moss and Provms Roses. 



FRUIT, 



33 W. Gentle breeze ; raining. 

 S->W. Fine afternoon. 

 W. Calm tine ni^ht. 

 Brisk northerly breeze, and 



fine day. 



* This storm came from the west and passed to the eastwara. 



t This storm came from south-west, and passed away to 

 north and eastward, and I watched its progress during Thurs- 

 day forenoon, the rise of the barometer being suspended during 



its passage. j. 



Dorchester, May 1st. *• ?> *>• M * 



( To be continued,) 



Pine-apples, per lb., 8s to 12s 

 Grapes,hotbouse,p.lb.,6s to 12s 



— Portugal, p.lb. ( ls to 2s6d 



Strawberries per oz., 6d to Is 

 Pears, per doz., 2s to 5s 



— per half sieve, 6s to 15s 

 Apples,dessert,p.bu?h.,68tol0s 



— kitchen do., 5s to 8s 

 Almonds, per peck, 6s 



sweet, per lb., 2s to 3s 



VEGETABLES. 



Oranges, per dox., 9d to 2s 



— per 100, 6s to 14 s 



— Seville, p. 100, 7s to 14s 



— — p. doz., Is to 2s 6d 

 Lemons, per do*.. Is to 2s 

 Chestnuts, per peck, 2s to 5s 



— per loO, 9d to Is 6d 

 Nuts, Barcelona, p. bsh,20sto22s 



— Brazil, p, bah., 12s to Ha 

 Cobs, per 100 lbs., 70b to 75s 





ex- 



▼» e come now io uie consideration oi water, wnicn 

 should be pW m illy supplied, and of the best quality. 

 ~~iy persons think, because they see fowls helping 



Miscellaneous. 



Farm Buildings.— A bill has been brought in by Mr. 

 Cochrane and Mr. Forbes, to extend the provisions of 

 "The Drainage of Lands Act, 1849," to the advance of 

 private money for the erection and repair of farm 

 buildings on lands in Great Britain and Ireland. It 

 proposes to give landlords the power to borrow money 

 for this purpose, provided the sum borrowed under the 

 Act does not exceed 18 months' value of the land in 

 respect of which it is borrowed. Every rent-charge to 

 be granted in respect of money thus borrowed may be 

 made payable for any period exceeding 22 years, but 

 not exceeding 30 years. All buildings erected or 

 improved under the Act must be insured against fire. 

 From the Builder, April 19. 



The Birmingham Cattle Show. — A meeting of the 

 Committee of the Birmingham Cattle Show was held in 

 the committee room of the Town Hall, on Thursday 



A resolution 



Cabbages, per doz., Is to Is 6d 

 Greens, p. doz. bunches,4s to 6s 

 Cauliflower*, p. doz., Is 6d to 4s 

 Broccoli, p.doz.bundl.,7s to 12s 



French Beans, p. 100, 9d to 2s 

 Seakale, per punnet, 6d to 2s 

 Asparagus, per 100, 4s to 10s 

 Rhubarb, p. bundl., 6d to Is 2d 

 Potatoes, per ton, 90* to 150 



— per cwt., 4s to 7s 



— per bush.,ls6d to 3s 

 Turnips, p. doz. bundl., Is to 2s 

 Cucumbers, each, Is to 3s 

 Radishes, per doz., 6d to 9d 

 Celery, p. bundle, 6d to Is 6d 

 Carrots, per doz., 4d to 7d 

 Spinach, per sieve, Is to Is 6d 

 Onions, p. bunch, 3d to 4d 



— Spanish, p. doz., Is6d to 4s 

 Leeks, per doz., 9d to Is 

 Shallots, per lb., 6d to Is 



Garlic, per lb.. 4d to 8d 

 Artichokes, Jerusalem, p.hali 



sieve, Is to Is Gd 

 Lettuce, Cab., p. score, 6d to 9d 

 — Cos, per score, Is to ls6d 

 Endive, per score, Is to Is 6d 

 Small Salads, p. puon.,2d to 3d 

 Horse Radish, p.bundl.,U to 4s 

 Red Beet, per doz., 6d to Is 

 Mushrooms, p. pot., 9d to Is 6d 

 Sorrel, per hf. sieve, 6d to 9d 

 Fennel, per bunch, 2d to 3d 

 Savory, per bunch, 2d to 3d 

 Thyme, per bunch, 2d to 3d 

 Parsley, per doz. bun., 2s to 3s 

 — Roots, p. bundl. 9d to Is 

 Marjoram, per bunch, 2d to 4 d 

 Mint, green, per bunch, 4d to6d 

 Watercress,p.l2bunch.,6dto9d 

 Corn Salad,p,h£sieve,lstols6d 



Man 



" We come now to the consideration of water, which last, the Earl of Aylesford in the chair. 



- - 'was passed, expressive of the deep regret of the com- 



mittee for the death of Sir Francis Lawley, and of the 

 loss which the society and the agricultural body had 

 thereby experienced. Lord Lyttelton was nominated I 



» A MV**U milling ILT^X-MMU-W VllVff fc_7V^\-» lUfTIO «1\ 



themselves to dirty water, and that from the Stagnant 



pools in a barn-vard. that the oualitv of the water is n. 



ENGLISH TIMBER AND BARK. 

 Round Timbeb. 



Per Load. 



Oak £5 10 0to£7 10 



Ash 4 10 0—6 



Elm 3 15 0— 4 15 



Beech ... 2 10 0—3 5 

 Lime ... 3 5 - 4 10 



I Plank. 

 Per Foot Cube. 



Mat 3. 



Inch Boa*i>. 

 Per Foot Super. 



3«. Qd. to 5*. 0d. Qs. 4jd.to0i. &f. 



02 6 — 3 6 8 — 4 



3 n 2 -0 8J 



3 

 6 





 







I 



I 



2 



9 —2 

 6 — 2 

 —2 











s 



2 

 2 

 3 





 







24 

 44 



ENGLISH AND FOREIGN BARK. 

 The transactions are 183 Flemish tree, at5i. 10*. to U. im. 

 per ton. In English hut little has been done, and prices con- 

 tinue unaltered. 



English Coppice, £ s. £ s. 



p. ld.of45cwt. 13 0tol5 10 



Do. timber, do. 13 0—15 



per ton. 



Antwerp Coppice 6 — 6 10 

 — si»ar ... 6 — 6 5 



♦ • f 



Per ton— £ s 

 Antwerpyoaogtree5 10 



— timber ... 5 u 



Dutch] - 5 



German 



* t « 



£ * 



-6 5 



-5 10 



o — 6 a 



0— C 0- 



* • . 



