80 



JOUENili OF HOETICULTUHE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ July 27, 1871. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



BooES (P. J. J".}.— We think you must mean the "Poultry-keepers 

 Manual," price 5s.. free by post 5s. M. 



Dase BRAH3IA Cock CEOP-BOU^-I> (C. G.).— Tour fowl must have had a 

 ■wonderful constitution to live through your treatment. We cannot 

 imagine much worse feeding than yours. It is far more fitted for a pig 

 than for a fowl. It is said that certain Indians, when unable to procure 

 food, eat earth to stay the cravings of an empty stomach. Tour fowl 

 must have faced his '*olla podrida" in the same spirit. For some time 

 after each operation the food should have been plain thick gruel, ad- 

 ministered frequently, and very little at a time, not such a hotch-potch 

 as he had. Till you alter your feeding you will always have crop-bouiid 

 birds. Give up your thirds, cabbage, potatoes, and maizemeal. Give 

 ground oats, barleymeal, or even whole com. Be careful in giving small 

 quantities at a time, and your bird wiU do better, but he will be long in 

 recovering the double operation. If you. have another as good we do not 

 advise you to keep the patient. 



Fowxs TO Supply Chicee^ts and Eggs (jEC. JB. B.), — Ton cannot do 

 better than keep the Brahma Pootra if you mean to eat the eggs and 

 chickens yourself. If you mean to send to market, we advise you to 

 keep DorMngg, piovided they can always have the run you speak of. 



Hajiburghs CATAP.EHED (W. H.). — TouT HambuTghs have a cold; all 

 the breed are subject to it. Ton say they seem weU, and lay weU. All 

 they want is a stimulant. Nothing is better than some bread and ale, 

 and a little camphor in their water. If the cold be treated in this way it 

 mil pass. If the weather change for real stunmer weather, dry and hot, 

 we shaU bear no complaints of the sort ; bat with lessening days, cool 

 mornings and evenings, and tropical showers {six hours sooner or six 

 hours later, vide Francis Moore Physician, in his learned treatise, " Vox 

 SteUamm"), we have little hope o'f perfect health and ease for man or 

 other bipeds. 



Peeventts-g Fowxs Sitting {E. T7.).~We are tired of remonstrating 

 ■with those who, hke you, complain fowls are always sitting. The act.or 

 propensitv, or nuisance as you tgrm it, is one strictly in accordance with 

 all the attributes of fowls. As to their being always sitting, it is a ques- 

 tion of lapse of time. If you chose twenty children, all bom Feb- 

 ruary 13th, 1871, you will not be surprised if on the 13th of February, 

 1872, they are twe'lve months, if in 1892 they are all of age, and looking 

 on you as " an old fogey.'' It may be, the burden of twenty coming of 

 age the same day may be hard to bear. If you had chosen them in four 

 divisions, ■with one year's interval, they would not all come of age at 

 once. If yo^ur chickens are all of the same age, they will all lay and 

 ■want to be broody the same day ; if you choose them at one_ or two 

 months' interval, there -wiU be the same interval in their laying and 

 broodiness, and you will have nothing to complain of. Broodinees in a 

 pullet is a question of age : in a hen, it is a question of season. If you 

 keep pullets, yon may depend on their laying, but if you keep hens they 

 will only lay 'in the spring. We suppose your only objection is, that the 

 hens do not lay when they are sitting. 



DiSTiNGUiSHisG THE Sex IN THE Egg- (E. E. F.). — We thank you for 

 your letter, and your exjerienees. We do not believe in the sexes of 

 eggs, and have little faith in the eggs of pullets. They are generally sup- 

 posed to be the worst eggs they will lay. We have tried aU the modes 

 suggested, and have come to only one conclusion — that the earliest 

 chickens have a tendency to the male sex. It is curious that a Creve- . 

 Cceur should sit, and as you put her on Duck's eggs, thus showing her 

 the sweets of maternity in their sourest sense; it is probable she may ; 

 rejoice it was only the exception, caused by some disarrangement of the 

 organs, and she may avoid such ■visitations, and such gentle cares in : 

 future. 



Maeing Hens RECoiniENCE Lating (CTessy). — We can only recom- 

 mend you patience. Feed your fowls moderately but well. Do not have 

 recourse to any cabbage, potato, or patent foods. No stimulants. Every 

 hen if she meet with no accident, lays her stipulated number of eggs, and 

 whether she does it in four years or in one, she will lay no more. Every- 

 thing that is done in the wj.y of forcing to lay. tends to produce disease 

 ©f an incurable character. Meat feeding forces laying. 



Ceoseing Dobkings (C. M. S.).— We had not thought there was a pure 

 Eed Dorking cock left. We never see one now. The late Prince Consort 

 had them, also Sir John Caihcart, and Mr. Fisher Hobbs. You may safely 

 keep the produce, and the chickens wOl show the Red blood next year. 

 It will be no Disadvantage to them. It cannot be too generally known 

 and und erstood, that no colour should be allowed to influence the chances 

 of success of a pen of Dorkings in general competition. All can compete 

 except White. They have classes apart. Siiver-Greys can compete in 

 the general class. 



Dubbing Game Chiceens {E. W. S,). — The age of five months is full 

 early for dubbing, but if vout chickens are shown with full heads they 

 will have no chance against those that are dubbed- The best food for a 

 journey is bread sopped with water, and put in a vessel fastened to the 

 side of the basket in which the bird is packed. 



Keeping Hambueghs {J. C, Miversdale). — They do not thrive in con- 

 finement; they mu t have a good run. Brahroas, Cochins, or Spanish 

 ■will suit you much better. We should choose the first-named. 



Double Egg {</. N.). — We are much, obliged by your communication. 

 It was for many years declared that these double eggs were not fruitful, 

 but experience has proved the contrary. We have many instances re- 

 corded in which, as in your case, twins have been produced, not always 

 joined together. The weight, 5^ ozs., is very great. Hens sometimes 

 lay such for a week and then discontinue. It does seem an anomaly and 

 a difficulty that fourteen eggs should produce fifteen chickens, but it is 

 not he less true, and we thank you for the authentication of it. 



WooDBBTDGE Show.— "Iwish to kuow if any exhibitor at this Show 

 lias received any prize money. I have not, and although the Secretary 

 promised to send it at a certain date I have seen uothiDg of it. I am 

 waiting until another exhibitor is ready, and then we are going to try 

 and get it in the County Court, and I advise all others to do likewise. — 

 Howaeth Ashton, FoUJield, Prestwich.^' 



Antwerp Pigeons, &c. (Reader}.— ^e think that no more need be 

 published. The qae^tion has been already asked, replied to, and re- 

 joindered. Birmincham boys have as good a right to maintain their 

 opinions as Lancashire lads. They each claim truth, and it may be, 

 "truth disclaims them both.'' 



Second Swaem Deseeting their Hive. — The errant swarm may have 

 returned to the old hive, although it seems more probable that they have 

 gone off altogether. We cannot account for their deserting their hive, 

 although discouragement owing to unfavourable weather may possibly 

 have been the cause, and in this case a timely supply of food sufficient 

 to enable them to proceed with comb-building, might, perhaps, have 

 saved them. 



METEOROLOGICAIi OBSERVATIONS. 



CAiEDEN SqUAEE, LoNDON. 



Lat. 51° 32' 40" N. ; Long. 0=^ 8' 0" W. ; Altitude 111 feet. 



Date. 



9 AJI. 



Is THE DAT. 





1871. 





Hygrome- 

 ter. 



Direc- 1 Temp, 

 tion of of Soil 

 Wind, at 1ft. 



Shade Tem- 

 peraturfe. 



Eadlation 



Tempera- 



tnje. 





July. 



Dry. 



Wet. 



Max. 



Mm. 



In On 



snn. grass 



We. 19 

 Til. 20 

 Fri. 91 

 Sat. »2 

 Snn.23 

 Mo. 24 

 TU.25 



Inches. 

 29.S23 

 29.928 

 29.967 

 29.659 

 29.665 

 29.690 

 29.393 



deg. 

 69.3 

 61.7 

 61.4 

 59.1 

 61.2 

 62.1 

 61.8 



deg. 

 61.1 

 56.7 

 57.0 

 56.6 

 56.7 

 57.8 

 56.2 



S.W. 

 N.W. 

 S.E. 

 S.E. 

 S.W. 

 S.W. 

 N.W. 



deg. 

 61.3 

 64.5 

 61.0 

 68.6 

 62.5 

 62.2 

 61.8 



deg. 



80.0 

 77.2 

 78.5 

 72.7 



7ia 



70.2 

 67.8 



deg. 

 56.3 

 66.9 

 67.1 

 56.9 

 52.8 

 53.7 

 51.0 



deg. 1 deg. 



121.1 I 56.3 



121.2 54.8 

 120.0 56.8 

 113.0 65.5 

 121.2 51.6 



122.0 54.1 



117.1 51.S 



In. 



0.08O 

 0.010 

 0.170 

 0.250 

 0.12O 



Means 



29.732 



63.3 



57.1 





63.8 



73.2 1 65.4 



119.4, 54.9 



1 



0.5SO 



RE il ARKS. 

 19th. — Hazy in early morning, fine but occasionally cloudy, storm-likej. 



with a few drops of rain at 7 P.rii. 

 20th.— Fine morning, cool air and bright sun all day, but cloudy at 



night. 

 21st. — Hazy and cloudy till noon, so of couree cooler, very fine after- 

 wards. 

 22nd. — Hazy morning, slight shower at noon, and a short heavy one 



between 5 and 6 p.ii. ; all else fine. 

 23rd. — Fine early, thunder at 11.55 A,:ir., slight shower at 1 p.ii., and two- 



or three afterwards. 

 24th.— Rainy morning, sunshine and showers during the day, but wet 



evening and night. 

 2oth. — Fine, early ; strong wind and frequent heavy showers, vivid flash 



of lightning, and very long, though rather distant, peel of thunder 



at 3.2 p.ui. 



Barometer rather lowerthan last week, temperature slightly higher, the 



difi'erence between the dry and wet being precisely the same, 5". 9. The 



latter part of the week alternating splendid sunshine andheavy showers- 



G. J. SnroNS. 



Ebrat A.— Barometer, April 20tb, should be 29.3S8, and July 14tli, 30.0D2. 



COYENT GARDEN irARE:ET.— July 26. 

 We are now better supplied with general produce than for some time 

 past, and a fair attendance of buyers has kept the stands clearer in con- 

 sequence. Pines and Grapes are" very plentiful; Peaches and Nectarines 

 quite sufficient for the demand. 



FETJIT, 



Apples i sieve 



B, d- s. 



1 6 to4 

 10 8 

 6 2 

 

 3 1 

 10 6 



3 6 

 10 



2 2 

 6 

 2 6 

 6 10 

 2 5 



TEC 



B. d, B. 



4 Oto 6 

 

 6 1 

 2 S 



2 8 

 

 

 10 2 

 



6 



3 6 



1 6 2 



2 4 

 6 1 

 



2 

 3 

 8 

 3 



3 6 



d 





 

 

 

 

 

 

 



i 





 

 



rEI 



d 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





.... lb. 



B. 

 



1 



6 

 6 

 

 

 8 

 

 

 

 

 10 

 I 



8 

 

 



1 





 4 





 3 

 

 

 3 

 3 

 

 

 

 

 

 3 

 2 

 

 2 



d. s. 

 too 

 12 

 10 

 15 

 

 

 5 

 

 

 6 1 

 6 1 

 16 

 S 



d. B. 

 4 too 

 3 1 

 2 

 2 

 e 6 

 

 6 

 9 1 

 6 1 

 6 



8 

 6 1 



1 

 

 

 6 

 4 

 S 

 i 

 s 



a 











n 



Cherries lb. 



Chestnuts bnahel 



Cnrrants i sieve 



Oranges 



Peaches 



Pears, kitchen .. 



..V 100 

 .. doz. 

 .... doz. 





 

 



Figs doz. 





lb. 







Plums 



Quinces. ._ 



i sieve 

 .. doz. 

 lb. 



n 



Cobs lb. 



Gooseberries qnart 



Grapes, Hothouse.... lb. 

 Lemons %^100 







n 



Strawberries ... 



Walnuts 



ditto 



lb. 



. bushel 

 ..,^100 



6 

 



n 





ABLES. 

 Leeks 



. bunch 



i 



Asparagus » 100 



Beans, Kidney ....^100 

 Broad bnshel 





Mushrooms 



Mustard i Cress 

 Onions per doz. 



pickling 



Parsley 



Parsnips 



Peas 



. pottle 

 .punnet 

 bunches 

 . . . quart 

 .. sieve 

 — doz. 

 .. quart 

 . bushel 



do. 



bunches 

 ..bundle 



doz. 



. . basket 



6 

 



(1 



Broccoli bnndle 



Emssels Sprouts. . i sieve 



Cabbage doz. 



Capsicums ^100 





 

 

 



a 



Canlifiower doz. 



Celery bnndle 



Colewort3..doz. bunches 



Cucumbers each 



pictling doz. 



Kidney 



Radishes .. doz 



Rhubarb 



Savova . .- 



Sea-kale 





 

 6 

 



n 



Shallots 



lb. 



q 





Spinach 



Tomatoes 



Turnips 



Vegetable Marro 



..bushel 



doz. 



.. bunch 

 ws..doz. 



n 





n 



Herbs bunch 



Horseradish ....bundle 



8 

 



POULTRY MARKET.— July 26. 

 Theee is a good supply and a good demand. As usual, increased con- 

 sumption follows on diminished prices. 

 s. 



Large Fowls 2 



Smaller ditto 2 



Chiclcens 1 



Ducklings 2 



Goslings 6 



Pheasants.. •■ 



a. 8. 



6 to 3 



d. 







6 







6 



6 









B. 







d. s. a 



9 to 10 



8 2 



Kabbi^s 



.... 1 



5 16 







.... 



9 10 



2 





.... 8 







6 





.... 











Grouse 



.... 







