18 



JOTJENAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ July 6, 1871. 



about tbem, and in this I can also enlighten them. This breed 

 was produced by the late Mr. Matthew "Wicking and myself 

 many years ago (at least neither of us ever saw any until we 

 bred them), and they were got from a light blue and a mealy 

 and selected, and bred on. We called them powdered blues 

 because the necks of the birds being of a bright blue, and the 

 tips of the hackle feathers nearly white, it gave them a powdered 

 look ; hence the term powdered blue. 



As to the quality of the birds I kept, I may mention that I 

 refused twelve guineas for a pair in those times, long before 

 Pigeons were selling at the absurd prices that they are now 

 realising, and which to my thinking they are not worth, some 

 of the breeds not now being so good as they used to be. Take 



the Fantail for instance, whii;h is far too large and coarse in 

 neck and body for what it ought to be and was. Then, again, 

 one scarcely ever sees a good Jacobin now — I mean like those 

 we used to have with the frill hiding the eye of the bird as 

 they stood. 



But to return to my subject, the Owl. The question of gullet 

 or no gullet, frill or rose, was discussed at the last Pigeon Show 

 at the Crystal Palace, when all the old fanciers were of one 

 opinion, and that was — no gullet, no frill, but a rose on ths 

 breast. 



With regard to black not having been obtained, I can only 

 say that I have seen Owls of the deepest jet black, and good ia 

 other respects. — Haeeison Weie, WHrleigh, Kent. 



BANTxiMS IN CONFINEMENT. 



Me. Blaebton some time ago was chiefly the cause of my 

 having Canary fever ; before that I was smitten with Bee fever, 

 which is chronic, through reading your Journal ; and now 

 " WiLTSHiEE Eeciok " has been the cause of a severe attack of 



Bantf.ms on the brain. I have never recovered from the eiJects 

 of the former two, although this trying season tests my patience 

 sorely, and now I write seeking your advice under the last- 

 named malady. 



a, a, Park palinfrg. 



6, Galvanised Tvire netting, sparrow-proof. 



, Feed-flap. 



Height, about i feet 6 inches. 

 Aspect, facing SJUth-wei'i 



V. idth, i fee'. Leagtli, 15 feet. 



I enclose a plan of a small house and run in which I purpose 

 keeping not more than a dozen Bantams, probably half that 

 number at present. I should be very glad to make them both 

 of shorter dimensions if possible, as I am extremely fond of 

 my garden, which is but 60 feet by 25 feet. Would you also 

 kindly tell me what kind of Bantams are most suitable to my 

 case (I may mention, also, that my purse resembles my garden 

 in smallnesf), and what kind and quantity of food to give my 

 proposed new pets ? My garden is enclosed by what are called, 

 I believe, " park palings." Must the house be lined inside 

 with anything to exclude draught ? I wish to avoid expense as 

 much as possible, for, being no carpenter myself, I must employ 

 one to make the house. I givo no dimensions of the length of 

 the house and run separately, as I want you to tell me how 

 much smaller they each may be. I would allow the fowls a 

 run on the lawn now and then, but am afraid to give them 

 complete liberty, as I have chiefly to depend upon annuals for 

 the borders. Is it necessary to clip one wing of esch bird, as 

 my palings are only 5 feet high, or had I better enclose them 

 in a wire run when on the lawn ? I am fairly successful with 

 bees and Canaries, so may I hope to make my new pets pay 

 their expenses by proper attention ? Does the house require 

 any other ventilation than that afforded by the palings ? The 

 spaces are not large enough to see through when facing the 

 palings. It is simply the space between where these overlap 

 each other that I inquire about. Would a window be requitite 

 for the house ? if bo, under the eaves of the roof would be the 

 best place, I imagine. 



Kindly give me also some hints about nettboxes — of what 

 materials they should be composed, how situated, &a. I wish 

 I knew where to obtain the American nest-box, of which perhaps 

 you may not have heard. I only know that it is said to consist 



of a box with a false bottom flxed by a delicate spririg,^which, 

 when the hen lays an egg, gives way by the weight of the egg, 

 and, depositing the egg gently in a nest of hay underneath, the 

 spring, relieved of the egg's weight, closes up the box again. 

 All this is done very quickly, and the poor hen getting up to 

 have a fond look at her egg sees nothing there, so she sorrow- 

 fully sits down again and lays another, only to be again disap- 

 pointed, and so on ad infiniimn. Perhaps the editor of one of 

 the American journals will say where to obtain these nests, 

 and, I may add, the fowls as well, which are so accommodating^ 

 as, of course, they must be an American invention (I mean 

 breed) as well ! 



An early reply to the above queries will greatly relieve my 

 feelings, and at the same time much oblige — C. A. J. 



[I am very glad that I have given you an attack of " Bantams- 

 on the brain," but to benefit you thoroughly the ccmplaint 

 must develope itself well ; it is just like measles, the more it 

 comes out the better for the patient. I advise you to obtain a 

 sitting, of Black Bantams' eggs; it is well to begin frcm the 

 egg; then the birds become thoroughly your own, tame, and 

 used to their home. The Blacks are more patient of confine- 

 ment than the Game, also less fond of roving and fljing. Your 

 sketch is very good, but capable of slight improvements — thus, 

 have the opening from the roosting place to the wired enclosure 

 at the front of the partition, not at the back. It will be moie 

 handy for you to enclose with a sliding door when cleaning the 

 larger part out, or in winter, or when wanting to catch a bird. 

 Have a similar opening, as marked, in the door at the end for 

 letting the birds out into your garden, or this might be in the 

 door of the roosting place. The nests should be just to the 

 left of the door in the roosting place, and on the floor. Any 

 little odd boxes a foot square or less, and 5 or 6 inches high, 



