476 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTtJBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ November 30, 1876. 



Kitchen Apples (L. T. K.).—It is always advisable to note the sorts 

 ■which flourish and yield best in a given district, for Apples seem to have 

 local proclivities ; for instance, ia some districts the Hawthornden 'will not 

 thrive, while in others it is one of the most profitable. Eeswick Codlin is one 

 of the most prodoctive of cnlina-y AppleB. Beauty of Kent is valuable, as also 

 are Dumelowa Seedling aud the Gooseberry Apple. Blenheim Pippin forms 

 a fine orchard tree, but is somewhat slow in arriving at a free bearing state. 

 You may plant any or all of these named as standards. 



IiTtTES (Brixton). — The arrangement has not been published. 



Muscat Vise is Stove IT. L. B.). — It would sncceed, the cane being 

 trained 15 to 16 inches from the glass. From January to March would be a 

 gocd time to introduce the Tine. Venn's Black Moscat and Muscat of Alex- 

 andria are suitable, the latter being the finest of all Grapes. Any time from 

 November to March in dry weather is a proper time to enlarge a Vine border, 

 but November and March are prefer±ble periods. 



Wiring Camellia Blooits (litem 1 . — Ton will need fine bouquet " stem " 

 wire, which may be had of most- florists, &c. Th« wire is carefully pushed 

 through the flower tinder the petals about half aa inch above its base, and 

 another wire is pushed through on the opposite side, and both so as to have 

 equal lengths of wire projecticg on each side of the flower, forming a cross. 

 The wires are then brought together downward, and a spray or two of Adi- 

 antum is placed around tne flower, the wires are twisted, grasping the sterna 

 of the Adiantom, and form an artificial stem. The flowers require to be 

 carefully handled, for if bruised they will in a short time become discoloured. 

 Except for placing in water when it i3 necessary to have natural stems, we do 

 all our3 in the above way, and eo preserve the wood (that would otherwise be 

 removed) for future growth. 



Applytng Liquid Makuee [William J. Jervis). — Weak liquid manure 

 applied to Rose trees, Sweet Williams, and Stocks, also Cabbages and Greens 

 of all kinds when the ground is saturated with moisture, is calculated to 

 make the soil too wet, sodden and sour. 



Salsafy (Idem). — You are under a mistake as to the use of Silsafy. It is 

 the roots that are edible, and not the tops or sprouts. The roots should be 

 freed frcm fibres, washed, clean, and boiled until tender, then have the outer 

 Ekin peeled off, serving with melted butter. 



Late Pluh (Idem). — The Plum you describe is a kind of Bullace, we 

 think the Eoyal Bullace, valuable for its lateness. There are other late 

 culinary Plums very much better, as Coe's Late Rei and Wyedale, a late form 

 of Winesour, and grown extensively in the north, 



Geubs (C. S.,Batk).— They are not the Phylloxera, but the larva of some 

 Saw-fiy. A little gas lime mixed with the soil ia the best remedy. 



Violets (AT. Hamilton). — The leaves indicate excess of warmth and de- 

 ficient light aud ventilation. They are weak and spindly. 



Kelp as Masube (E. £., Whitby). — It is an excellent manure for Aspara- 

 gus, Scakale, and Beet. Kelp is only burnt seaweed, and we alwavs applied 

 this unburned. 



Gas-heating (E. B.).— In our number 341 are drawings and directions 

 relative to various stoves. 



GL42IKG. — If "D. P. B." will send his name and address to Mr. Thomas 

 Hardcastle, valuer, Borough bridge, Yorks, he can be furnished with par- 

 ticulars from practical experience of glazing with lapless squares and no 

 putty. 



Silk Cocoon Liquor <D. P. Bell).—Ji it has the beneficial properties you 

 mention, the manufacturers should advertise it. 



NAiTE of Grass (W. W. E. 171).— It is the Soft brown Sedge, or Carex 

 intermedia, and is, as you say, very ornamental on the margin of water. 



Navies op Plants (iris). — No one can name Conifers from sprigs j cone3 

 should accompany the leaves. (W. F.).— Florists' varieties, and from mere 

 leaves, we cannot name plants. 



POULTEY, BEE, AKD PIGEOIf OKROMOLE. 



LES BASSES-COUE3 D'ANGLETEBKE. 

 Chapteb XX.— FALKONERS, EDEXBRID&E. 



We knew, of course, that Mrs. Christy was a most enthusiastic 

 fancier, and has spared no sum to procure a yard of Buff 

 Cochins as good as possible, but we were not prepared for any 

 building so elaborate as we found upon her premises. We can 

 only say, that all other establishments which we have had the 

 pleasure of seeing are mere trifles to this iu minute and elaborate 

 arrangements. It is not a large place, but at every step we took 

 we saw something new and out-of-the-way. At the back of the 

 house are an orchard and a paddock enclosed with wire fencing, 

 and on the left-hand side is a long row of houses with grass rans 

 in front of them ; beyond this are some portable houses in en- 

 closed yards, and then further on still are some good open fields. 

 It was, however, with the range of houses that we were so taken, 

 for nothing possibly could be more perfect or more suitable for 

 prize birds. "We will endeavour to describe them. 



They are a long range of red brick houses under one roof. At 

 the back of them there is a passage from which every bird in 

 each run can be inspected, and in front of each house is a gravel 

 and a grass ran, from which a door can be opened at pleasure to 

 let the inmates walk into the orchard or paddock bevond. This 

 may seem all commonplace enough, and to much resemble many 

 yards formed on the same principle; but it was the unique 

 arrangement, the wonderful brightness of everything, and the 

 perfect cleanliness which made the houses so very noticeable. 

 The first partition in the long raDge of buildings was the poultry 

 room, where were staged on shelves a set of japanned canisters, 

 on which were painted the names of the various contents — hemp 

 seed, grits, spice, Dear's food, roup pills, condition powders, and 

 many more such condiments ; below them were the corn bins, in 



which we found every conceivable variety of grain, dari, buck- 

 wheat, &c. On the floor were rugs and mats, and there were 

 two chairs and tables, so that Mrs. Christy could have a 

 "kettledrum" there on any winter afternoon as well as she 

 could in her own boudoir. In the passage behind the pens we 

 saw stores with polished fireirons, and the grates blackleaded 

 to a perfect pitch. This corridor was lit with gas-burners, 

 which had cutglass globes. The pens were littered with clean 

 wheaten straw, and had the names of their inmates painted on 

 plates over the top like we should expect to find in model stables. 

 The feeding pans and drinking vessels were as clean as n6w, and 

 the grass outside closely mown and planted with ornamental 

 shrubs. This is but a faint description of th6 wonderful order and 

 cleanliness we found, and we have only t o add that neither Mrs. 

 Christy nor her poultry-man had the smallest idea we were in 

 the neighbourhood, so the place had not been furbished and 

 polished up unnaturally for the sake of the '•Basse-Cour." 



Now a few words as to the inmates. Buff Cochins every- 

 where — in the runs, orchard, paddock ; flocks of pullets, droves 

 of cockerels, hens, adult cocks, and cockerels penned in numbers 

 of four or five. When we passed from the gardes door and first 

 saw the pullets basking in the Eun they looked like a long buff 

 bank of flowers. We could hardly realise they were a mas3 of 

 Cochins, but so they were, and a good lot too ; of course some 

 were a little ticked in neck hackle or black in tail, but those 

 were being rapidly sent to the higglers at 3s. or is. each, and 

 only the elites would soon remain. The cockerels seemed many 

 of them more backward, but we saw some good birds, and are 

 pleased to have seen them since in the prize lists. Of the old 

 hens one we were quite taken with, immense and well feathered, 

 a " Tomlicson" we were told; if she only gets over the moult 

 well she will be very valuable. And then among the adult cocks 

 we saw " Kaiser II.," son of Mr. W. A. Burnell's champion ; 

 and there was too "Canterbury," which we believe we saw 

 second at the Palace among the old Buff cocks, a little hocked 

 he was, but so honestly shown ; and then there were in those 

 polished wood loose boxes other celebrities and other cockerels 

 of 1875, which only wanted a few weeks more to get them over 

 the moult. We were much struck by everything, and congratu- 

 late Mrs. Christy on her manager who, single-handed, does 

 everything down to keeping the turf edgings trim, and picking 

 off the buds of the " golden feather," which edged the path to 

 the poultry-room door. 



We saw, too, some good Sultans and a Cuckoo Sultan, which is 

 a bird we had never seen before, bred too as it was from the 

 Whites ; but these are only looked upon as playthings and not 

 as the real fancy. We could but think it a pity that Mrs. 

 Christy did not keep another breed, she has such ample space, 

 and the 6hade is so adapted for light or white-coloured birds. 

 We hardly think that so far Mrs. Christy has had the success her 

 birds deserve, but 6he has now thoroughly mastered the subject, 

 and we would as soon allow ber to select Buff Cochins for ns as 

 any other fancier ; so those who are foolish enough to try and 

 palm off bad stock upon her will find themselves worsted, but 

 her birds are now so good and numerous that we should imagine 

 that she will not need fresh blood for a long time to come. 



Falkoners is about a mile from Edenbridge station on the 

 South-Eastern Railway, and those who want to see a model 

 establishment perfect in itself and scientifically managed cannot 

 do better than obtain permission from Mrs. Christy to see her 

 yards and runs, for they are places to be remembered and even 

 to be marvelled at. — W. 



A Meeting of the Potjltby and Pigeon Fanciebs of Nobth- 

 ojesebland axt> Dubhaji will be held on Friday, December 1st, 

 at two o'clock p.n., in the Cloak room, Town Hall, Newcastle- 

 on-Tyne (entrance the door below the show), to form an 

 Association for the furtherance of their mutual interests. 



THE BIBillNGHAU CATTLE AND POULTRY 

 SHOW. 



We have great pleasure in stating that the Exhibition of fat 

 cattle, sheep, pigs, roots, corn, aud poaltry in Bingley Hall on 

 the 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, and 18th of December next, will be 

 by far the largest ever held in that building. The principal in- 

 crease will be in cattle, poultry, and Pigeons, and this must be 

 very gratifying to the Council, as it shows they were guided by 

 a wise policy in the changes which were made in the regulations 

 for the current year. We refer especially to the fixing of the 

 Show later than that of the Smithfield" Club, and receiving 

 stock which had been exhibited there ; and also to the alterations 

 in the poultry and Pigeon department, whereby non-members 

 can exhibit upon payment of 8s. per pen. So far the innovations 

 have been crowned with complete success, but it remains to be 

 seen whether the days fixed upon will be as advantageous a3 

 those of former years. The ingenuity of the Council and the 

 Secretary (Mr. J. B. Lythall) have been taxed to the utmost to 

 find accommodation for the large increase in the entries, and 



