270 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ September 21, 1876. 



may readily overcome by patting the wick higher or lower. It is likely to be 

 very costly, as the consumption of oil is not likely to be less than 3d. per 

 twenty-four hours. Those having experience in heating Bmall frames by 

 means of a lamp would oblige us by a statement of their experience. 



Stove Heated by Petboletjm (N. C.}.— We have no experience with 

 such a stove. Any of our readers who have used one will oblige by sending 

 us the information, maker's name, &c. 



Insect on Fern (Sussex).— It is the thrips. Dust the fronds with Scotch 

 snuff, or spoDge them with soft soap and water. If the specimen you sent 

 was without spores, the same as the present, no one could identify it. 



Names of Plants (C B.). — We cannot name plants from such dried 

 flowerless specimens. They should he sent in a box with damped moss. 

 [Hampshire!. — Specimen insufficient. (S. H.). — A species of Eucomis, per- 

 haps punctata. (Constcnit Reader). — 1, Leycesteria formosa ; 2, Solidago, 

 probably canadensis. (W. G. C). — a, Nephrolepis cordifolia; B, Athyrium 

 Filix-fcemina, var. (F. C. B.). — 1, Cymbidium elegans ; 2, C. giganteum. 

 (F. B.). — All forms of Lastrea dilatata. 



POULTKY, BEE, AED PICrECW 0HEONIOLE. 



LES BASSES-COURS D'ANGLETERRE. 

 Chapter VIII.— THE CEDARS, BATH. 



We had long promised to pay Mr. and Mrs. Holmea a visit, 

 but somehow the spring melted into summer, and the summer 

 iato autumn, and we had never found the right day. A fortnight 

 ago, however, we determined to throw aside all other engage- 

 ments and kill two birds with one Btone — see the poultry show 

 in the Sidney Gardens and the aviary birds and poultry at The 

 CedarB. Perhaps many will think we could not have chosen 

 a worse day in the year, as Mr. and Mrs. Holmes had close on 

 fourscore pens of birds away at the Show, but we can assure 

 them we found plenty left to criticise, and we could only marvel 

 where the eighty pans lived and lodged when they were at 

 home, for every run and house seemed to have its full stock of 

 inmates. Flower culture has been abandoned at The Cedars, 

 not because the fowls were found to be bad gardeners, but 

 because the trees form such deep masses of shade that flowers 

 will not grow under them. So we found White Cochin hens 

 walking up and down upon the grass, looking at their husbands, 

 which were penned in small separate wire runs on one side of 

 the lawn. These hens seemed very good, one especially took 

 our fancy. They were own sisters to "Blunder," as Mrs. Holmes 

 jocosely terms the beautiful pullet which was passed at the last 

 Bristol Show for being too like a hen. White Cochins should 

 be white at The Cedars, for they have a closely-cut lawn and 

 luxuriant shade over it. The pens where the gentlemen were 

 enclosed, on whom we found the ladies gazing, were planted 

 wiih laurels and shrubbery bushes, but they gave us the idea 

 of being rather damp. They contained a good lot of birds, and 

 though now in very ragged plumage, they have much breadth 

 and thickness of build, so with care and judicious feeding they 

 should make useful competitors for the winter Cochin prizes. • 



At the end of this lawn, which is on a sloping hill, we found 

 an old summer-house, not one of those little arbours which we 

 find in suburban gardens, useful only for harbouring flies and 

 beetles and such-like odious insects, but a genuine summer- 

 house, a house with rooms and fire-places, and stained glass 

 windows. In one room we found Pigeons — capital Pouters, a 

 good pair of Pans, a Black Turbit or two, and some very fair 

 RuntB, for Mr. Holmes has been desperately bitten with the 

 Pigeon fancy, and is getting up a goodly stud. 



In another room we found birds, some of those little feathered 

 wonders with which Mrs. Holmes is so successful. "We would 

 not pretend to give their names, for we confess we do not know 

 them. We know we made out Love Birds, and Wydahs, and 

 Bishops, and Pekin Nightingales, and many more. They live 

 together as happy as possible, and Beemed very tame. One 

 Bnow-white Dove, which had eggs, would allow us to touch her 

 and Btroke her without ruffling a feather. The next room was 

 the basket room, and was full of all sorts of odds and ends in 

 the way of cages and baskets, and bottles and canisters, which 

 are indispensable in a large poultry establishment. Underneath 

 these rooms was the sitting apartment, and one or two obstinate 

 old ladies were even then patiently trying to produce some- 

 thing from empty nests. Near here we found, too, a perfect 

 drove of Light Brahma hens of all sorts and ages and sizes. 

 We could easily spot one or two firBt-rate birds, but they were 

 mostly very much out of feather, and it seemed unfair to criticise 

 them. 



Lower on down this Bloping garden we found Bonie Bantam 

 houses, charming little tenements, with tiny enclosed runs. 

 One was empty, for here live when at home the Black Booteds 

 which won the Bantam cup at Weymouth the week before 

 last, and which were on exhibition at ihe Bath Show with a 

 prize card on their pen. These little houses were built on a 

 plan of Mr. Holmes's own idea, and they seemed very good. 

 They are built in pairs, with a little passage between each 

 house, and have a dry run as well. The whole top lifts up in 

 pieces for ventilation, on the same principle as the roof of a 



greenhouse, so the houses are always weathertight, and can be 

 made airy or close entirely at pleasure. 



After we had done the garden part we passed through a gate 

 in the garden wall into a sloping paddock, a good slice of which 

 had been cut up into enclosed runs for the birds. The first 

 thing, however, which caught our eye was a cock of peculiar 

 colouring and shape, and we at once aBked for its history. We 

 were told it was several years old, and was a croES between a 

 Duckwing Bantam and a Silky. We know we had seen a 

 fac-simile somewhere, and then suddenly remembered it was in 

 the "Illustrated Book of Poultry," by Mr. Lewis Wright. Had 

 it not a tiny crest and a reddish-purple comb we are sure it 

 must be the image of the cock in the illustration on page 296 

 of the above-named work, and there called " Ayam Jallak, a 

 Malay Game cock, drawn from life by a native Chinese artist." 



In the runs in this field we found White Cochins, Light Brah- 

 mas, White Japanese, Silkies, Indian Bantams, and Mottled 

 booted Bantams. They were of ail sizes and ages, and had to 

 run in the very greenest grass runs without exception we ever 

 saw. The Silkies were mostly wonderfully good, especially in 

 creBts and leg feathers ; but we saw traces of vulture hocks in 

 many birds, and consider them not only an eyesore but a dis- 

 qualification. We noticed some very promising White Cochin 

 and Light Brahma cockerels, but we thought the cream of 

 the young stock was in a score of fully matured Light Brahma 

 pullets. They were in a barn-like shed littered down with 

 straw, and they appeared to be as good and as even a lot as well 

 can be imagined. Good they were in combs, pencillings, feather- 

 ing, and shape. We did not wonder at their quality, for we 

 found their male parent in the next run, and a noble-looking 

 bird he was, heavy, massive, and of upright carriage. He had 

 a triangular run, and up in the top angle waB his house; and 

 the run being on a steep incline he had to approach his resi- 

 dence by steps. It seemed to have three storeys, and when we 

 saw him first he was looking out of the window of the second 

 floor contemplating the scene below. It was quite ludicrous to 

 see him descend and walk down his flight of stone steps to the 

 run below after Eome choice morsel. We saw here, too, a very 

 tame common hen Pheasant, which walked about paying calls" 

 from run to run. Mrs. Holmes told us she had laid all through 

 the summer with surprising regularity. We found also near 

 here another house full of Pouters, and Runts for feeders; and 

 the chicken nursery, which was a very low shed, apparently very 

 warm, with a glazed front. 



After we had exhausted the poultry runs there were long- 

 haired cats to see, aud a family of dogs, and many more rare 

 foreign birds indoors. It was altogether a most enjoyable little 

 visit, and we felt quite sorry to leave the stock here, even though 

 it was to see the cream of the establishment in their pens in 

 the Show, but we look forward to spending another long day at 

 The Cedars, and are certain we shall find many treaBures which 

 had to be passed over unnoticed on this occasion. A glance at 

 the prize list of the bird department of the Bath Exhibition 

 will show the quality of Mrs. HolmeB's stock, and we congratulate 

 her warmly on her success, and hope Mr. Holmes (who, by-the- 

 by, himself won the Pouter cup with a bird of his own breeding) 

 will do as great things in his Pigeons, for no two kinder-hearted 

 or more enthusiastic fanciers are to be found in our ranks. — W. 



MIDDLETON-IN-TEESDALE SHOW OF 

 POULTRY, &c. 



This Show was hold at Middleton-in-Teesdale on the 15th 

 inst., and for a first attempt in such an out-of-the-way place 

 the result was excellent, and the capital way in which the Show 

 was managed was such as to be well worthy of being copied by 

 other societies. Everything being in readiness for judging at 

 nine o'clock, ample time was given for the awards, and all was 

 completed before the visitors were admitted. Mr. Gibson, the 

 Secretary, not competing, placed some very good Aylesbury 

 Ducks in the Show for inspection. 



The open division in poultry was for all ages, but a great 

 number were birds of this year. Brahmas were but a moderate 

 cla6s, and moBt of these of the Dark variety; but Cochins were 

 much better, and the winners all Buffs, first and third old, and 

 Becond young. Dorkings were a very good lot, and the cup for 

 the section was given to the first pen. Leghorns had a class, 

 but most of these W6re very shabby in feather, but otherwise 

 good; BrownB first, and Whites Sfcoud. Spanish were good, 

 the cup going to an adult pen. Polish also a good class, most of 

 the winners Golden, with one pen of Blacks. Game, Beds were 

 well represented, adult Brown Reds first, cup, and second, and 

 Black Red chickens third. In single cocks the first was the 

 Otley cup Duckwing, still looking well, and well worthy of his 

 position. Hamburghs a good lot, and the cup given to a pen 

 of Gold-epangles, the cock in prime order still, after a whole 

 year's hard work. Bantams, Game, firBt-and-cup Black Red 

 chickens, very smart and gamey; second barely losing, were 

 also of that variety. In Any other variety first were Blaoks, 

 but the cockerel is too light on leg ; Silver-lnced were second, 



