November 9, 1876. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAKDENEB. 



413 



Lime water is made with a peck of lime to forty gallons of water. It will 

 not Mil wireworms, nor would gas lime, nor would paraffin unless applied in 

 quantities that would kill the plants also. Stirring the soil and picking-out 

 the vermin is the only mode of conquering them. 



Placing Flagstones Under Fruit Trees (St. Brigit).— There is no- 

 thing gained by this practice. When the roots reach the outer edge of the 

 Btones they will work downwards. 



Bbst Twelve Dark Crimson Roses (Idem). — Abbe BramereT, Baron 

 Chaurand, Black Priiloe, Charles Lefebvre, Duke of Edinburgh, Ferdinand de 

 Lesseps, Firebrand, Fisher Holmes, Horace Vernet, Louis Van Houtte,Pierre 

 Nottiog, and Prince Canaille do Eohan. 



Celery Imperfect (C. B.).— If you sow the seed early and grow the 

 plants well they will form good hearts. We suspeot that your Celery is small 

 and imperfect. 



Insects (I. W,). — The caterpillar which on beiDg handled has raised 

 lumps between the fingers is the hairy larva of the Fox Moth (Gaatropacha 

 rubi). Several other similar caterpillars have the same injurious property. — 

 L O. W. 



Names of Fruits (A Novice).— We cannot name your Grape from such a 

 specimen. (J. W.).—l t Baronne de Mello ; 2, Figue d'Alen<;on ; 3, Comte de 

 Flandres ; 4, Huyshe's Prince of Wales j 5, Doyenne du Cornice ; 6, Triomphe 

 de Jodoigne. 



Names of Plants (J. H.}.— Lunaria biennis, Honesty. (W. Denman). — 

 We cannot identify plants without seeing their flowers. 



POULTRY, BEE, AND PIGEON 0HE0NI0LE. 



LES BASSES-COURS D'ANGLETERRE. 



Chapter X— STOKE PARK, IPSWICH. 



In our twenty-second volume, on pages 225 and 264, we find 

 an account of the above yards with two illustrations. The 

 account of them there is bo graphic, and the hints, many of 

 them, so valuable, that we are quite unable to improve upon 

 them. Still ourohapters on the poultry yards of England would 

 never be complete unless we had a few lines about so famous an 

 establishment as that at Stoke Park. 



Since we were last there the yards have been greatly extended, 

 and many new sheds and houses built, and really the new build-" 

 ings are splendid for the purpose, being large and well built, 

 looking as capable of housing a flock of cattle as a flock of fowls. 

 The breeds which Lady Gwydyr now exhibits are Cochins of 

 all colours and Dark and Light Brahmas. Mr. F. Wragg, who 

 is still managing this large establishment with as much success 

 as ever, seems peculiarly at home with the Asiatics. In the 

 illustration of the egg-room, which is to be found on page 264 

 in the twenty-second volume, we find labels with Black and 

 other coloured H&mburghs, Ducks, Silkies, &c, upon them, but 

 we saw none of these breeds upon the premises in October last. 

 "We much regret that the breeding of Silkies has been discon- 

 tinued, for Lady Gwydyr had for many years been a snceessfal 

 exhibitor of this quaint little breed. In other respects the 

 arrangements seemed identical with the former description. 

 One thing is peculiarly observable at Stoke Park — namely, the 

 perfect cleanliness and order of everything. One might imagine 

 that with so many houses, so many runs, and bo much to look 

 after, some things would be neglected ; but it is not so, and cleanly 

 raked yards, well-filled dust baths, and pure water are to be 

 found in every compartment. 



When we paid our la6t viBit the stock birds and adults were, 

 from the season, naturally much out of feather, but the immense 

 size and wonderful healthiness of all the Bpecimens was very 

 conspicuous. Among the adults one Partridge cock especially 

 took our attention. He was in good feather and simply gigantic. 

 Perhaps he was a littie too dark for some judgeB' taste, but no 

 one could but observe his beautiful symmetry and wonderful 

 size. An adult Dark Brahma cock or two we thought very 

 highly of, for they were just such birds as we should like to 

 breed from. Others there were quite as good, but a little too 

 full in hocks for our taste ; but the number was so great, and 

 many had such diversity of feathering, that the most fasti- 

 dious could but select one to his liking. As we passed from pen 

 to pen and yard to yard we could but again and again notice the 

 great cleanliness, and consequently were not surprised to find 

 no birds in the hospital or on the Bick list. 



The manager has bred an immense number of chickenB this 

 year, and a very fine lot many of them are. They seemed quite 

 innumerable, and flocked about in the fields and under the shade 

 of the hedges and cover in perfect troops. Of them all we 

 thought the Black Cochins and Buff pullets were the most 

 Buperior, though we saw a Dark Brahma cockerel or two of great 

 promise. The new runs which have been made are not so much 

 wired-in enclosures, but are good-Bized sheds erected in corners 

 of the park; where the inmates can have perfect liberty and go 

 in for shelter from the heat or rain at pleasure. We oan well 

 believe chickens from this yard turn out good Btock birds, for in 

 their youth while growing they have perfect liberty over an un- 

 limited range of grass land and a constant supply of wholesome 

 food always at hand. HoneBtly fed and honestly grown do these 

 chickens appear to be without the use of spices and condiments 

 and other ingenious compounds. We noticed in most of the 



chicken runs long wooden troughs filled with well-mixed soft 

 food, bo that the birds could always have a supply by them. 

 With birds enjoying such unrestricted liberty this may doubt- 

 less answer, but we would not recommend those with but limited 

 space to try it, or the birds would probably get dainty and lose 

 their appetites. 



The Buff pullets were in the shrubbery run just above the 

 great Bhed used as a chicken nursery. There were about forty 

 of them, and we doubt if we ever saw a more beautiful sight 

 conneoted with poultry as this flock of birds exhibited. Perfeot 

 in colour, neat in heads, well-fluffed and leg-feathered, large, 

 grandly shaped and symmetrical, each one seemed the counter- 

 part of the other ; and whether Lady Gwydyr exhibits them 

 herself or disposes of them to her numerous applicants, we 

 venture to feel sure that they will make their mark at the top 

 of many good prize lists. The old hens were in suoh a deep 

 state of moult that we could not criticise them, and we can only 

 say here, as we did there, they must have the quality some- 

 where about them, as their offspring show it. We did not think 

 so much of the Buff cockerels, though one or two were very 

 promising ; but they were, we were told, own brothers to the 

 pullets we have described. We hope separate pens for breeding 

 cockerels and pullets are not going to be made requisite in this 

 breed. Certainly the cockerels were then very raw and unfur- 

 nished, and may have by now become more worthy of accom- 

 panying their handBome Bisters. The Partridge and White 

 Cochin chickens seemed later ; but we remarked one or two 

 White cockerels of much promise, and we shall welcome their 

 arrival in the show pens, for they are badly wanted this year. 

 The Blacks had splendid bloom, their plumage was like Mr. 

 Serjeantson's Black Hamburghs for metallio lustre, and we can 

 full well believe the wide grass runs under the large trees help 

 to keep them in such fine condition. 



This, then, is a brief outline of what we found at Stoke Park 

 in October, 1876. As we said, we have not attempted to describe 

 the runs and yards, for it haB been well done only five years ago. 

 We have consequently but tried to describe faintly a few of the 

 treasures which we found under Mr. Wragg'a protection upon 

 this occasion. We would recommend all to go and Bee this 

 great establishment when in the vicinity, for they will be amply 

 repaid for any trouble, and will find the manager ready to show 

 them his stock and turn them into Brahma or Cochin fanciers. 

 — W. 



KEEPING POULTRY. 



If they are confined to house and run they must be supplied 

 with every requisite inside the enclosure. A box of broken 

 oyster shells must be always acceptable. I have often noticed 

 fowls, when confined during the forepart of the day and let out 

 towards evening, run first for the broken shells lying on the 

 road, and afterwards for green and other dainties. 



A box of fine gravel to each run is required as well aB oyster 

 shells. It helps to grind up the shell for lime to make eggBhell, 

 besides helps to digest the food. No fowl remains long in health 

 without it, aB its digestion would not be in its natural working 

 order. 



Another thing, the dust box must be always at hand and dry, 

 or parasites will always overrun any house and fowls that are 

 not thoroughly cleansed. Many a fancier calms his conscience 

 on this matter by not making a good use oi hia eyes, there being 

 a greater number of these pests than most people have any idea 

 of, and a wide field awaits the patient obBerver to discover and 

 bring them out. The several varieties differ very much in habit 

 and appearance. Some live on the feathers, others on the body, 

 others on chicks' heads, while some keep in the perches, nests, 

 and woodwork of the house. 



When confined, their food must be more varied than that of 

 fowls running at large. Ground beef scraps are very good, they 

 contain many small patches of bone. They will keep through 

 the hottest weather, if they are kept dry. Poultry are very fond 

 of this kind of food, and I prefer it to pork scraps. When this 

 is not furnished, give them some ground bone at times, or what 

 is better, hang up a small hopper on the wall, a little distance 

 from the floor, that they may take what they like. 



Always keep on hand sulphur, disinfectant powder, or carbo- 

 late of lime, and such things as will be likely to be used at any 

 time, so that when occasion requires, or you have a little time 

 to spare, you may not have to wait for them. 



The test that calls for the use of disinfectants, more ventila- 

 tion, or cleansing, is to go into the house any night after it is 

 closed up, and if you observe an offensive odour you may depend 

 that something more is requisite to keep the fowls in healthy 

 condition. It is good to fumigate once or twice a month during 

 winter. Now and then dust a little carbolate of lime about the 

 walls and floor of the house while the birds are penned in it. 



In wet weather see that your fowls do not get too much 

 drenched. If a cold rain continues till night, do not let the birds 

 roost on the treeB that night (if they are in the habit of doing 

 bo), but drive them into the house, even if it be at the expense 

 of getting a little wet yourself. 



