408 



JOUENAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAKDENEE. 



[ November 23, 1871. 



sorry we cannot give you an idea of the cost. It should not be much 

 For partitions of roosting honses we always have brickwork 3 feet or 

 42 Lnch'=s high, and the rest wire netting stretched on a frame to fit the 

 roof. We prefer the common-shaped roof to the plain pent yon propose, 

 and we cover with slates and Bridgewater tiles. "SVe have fotind the latter 

 cheap and durable. The houses a will do only for sitting hens ; they are 

 useless for chickens after the hen has left, and they will not do for 

 cockerels. Chickens deserted by their mother are old enough and strong 

 enough, unless she be a very bad mother, to forage for themselves. Both 

 they and the young cockerels require all the food they can have, as they 

 have to make'growth, and the natural meal they often get by prowling 

 about is essential to them. As a rule, by the time you have cockerels 

 old enough to want a place to themselves you have few sitting hens or 

 small chickens. Let the young cocks have one space b, the sitting hens 

 another, or two, and the orphan chickens the remainder. Your plan shows 

 vou are capable of being your own architect; if, then, you have bricks, 

 lime, and timber at hand, you may build them very cheaply. 



Cockerel for Stock (E. H. I?.).— The cock hatched in March or 

 April of one year is fit to breed from any time in the following year. He is 

 an adult bird. When the opportunity exists for choosing, such a bird 

 should be put to run with hens, and an older bird with pullets. It is 

 always considered advisable to reverse the ages of the parents in such 

 manner, taking care on neither side to use worn-out birds. As to your 

 second question, a pullet is called by that name during the year she was 

 hatched. As soon as she has seen ber first New Year's- day she is a hen ac- 

 cordingto time computation ; but in reality the January pullet that has laid 

 her eggs in June and July, hatched them in August, and reared her 

 chickens, is as much a hen in October as she ever will be. She is, never- 

 theless, after having enjoyed tne honours of maternity, competent to 

 exhibit her mature charms as a "chicken" of 1S7— during the whole 

 year. It would not be remarkable if a Cochin or Brahma pullet laid at 

 six months, but Spanish are not so early. What was she crossed with ? 

 Chickens of the year change their feathers, but do not laoult. 



Malvern Pocltby Show (L. H. R.).—Yon have no other course to 

 nnrsue than to sue in the County Court. No committee should hold a 

 poultry show unless they are prepared, under any circumstances, to pay 

 the prizes they ofier. 



Chickens for Table {F. C. H.) —Have Brahma hens to consort with 

 the Dorking cock. 



Ajiierican Hens at BiEsriNGHA^r. — "I am happy to be able to afford 

 *OuTis'the information he seeks respecting the third-prize American 

 hens at Birmingbam. They were purchased by John Beach, Esq., of 

 Standeford, Brewood, and are now in h's possession. They weigh to- 

 gether 22J lbs. They have been mated during the last summer withthe 

 second-prize Birmingham cockerel belonging to me. — Wai. Thos.. Stoker, 

 Breivood." 



Pigeon's Wing Disease (J. Walton and Constant Beader). — Draw out 

 the flight feathers of the diseased wing, and by the time they have grown 

 again your birds will most probably be quite well. 



German HERunT Pigeons (TT. Watson). — Look to each schedule of a 

 show, that must be your guide. If there is a prize for " Any other 

 variety " enter your birds in that, or " Any new variety ;" but the former 

 is most likely to be, and that will be, the place for your birds. 



Canary Show-Cage (R. J. H.). — The most useful ctige for all ordinary 

 purposes, except showing off " position" birds, is the ordinary wooden 

 show-cage. DifiF>-rent exhibitors affect different styles of cages, and any- 

 one conversont with the matter can name, almost at a glance, the '• school" 

 to which any particular class of cage belongs. A whole chapter might be 

 written about show cages, and perhaps at the proper time and in the 

 proper place the chapter will appear. 'J'hey are for the most p'rt all con- 

 structed on the same principle — top (sloping to reflect the light), bottom, 

 back, and sides of wool, with wire front. I will just give the dimensions 

 of one before me, an old one of Mr. Walter's, of Winchester, who knows 

 about as well as any exhibitor in England what is a telling cage in which 

 to sbow a bird. It formed one of a large cratefal which usually precedes 

 him by goods train when he means business at any show ; and the very 

 look of its old familiar face brings him before me with his wit. his 

 humour, his pathos, and his umbrella, as I last saw him caging-off and 

 making ready to do battle- for one of our cups. It was from this cage that 

 a clear Jonque which had just received the finishing stroke to its toilet 

 escaped, and got in behind the dirty kettle. But the chapter of stories 

 will appear with the chapter on cages. On this occasion the dimensions 

 of the cage must suffice. Material, common deal, five-sixteenths of an 

 inch thick, and No. 1 6 wire. Height of front, 14 inches; height of back, 

 lOMnches; length, 13.^ inches: width, 6^ inches. The top slopes from 

 front to back. The top cross-piece in the front into which the wires are 

 inserted is three-quarters of an inch deep, and the bottom piece 2 inches. 

 The wires are half an inch from centre to centre, with a water-hole at 

 either end. Seed is thrown into the cage bottom, which is raised to 

 within half an inch of the edge of the front cro3S-piece, causing the cage 

 not to look SO dcAp, and giving more light. This second bottom is not a 

 necessity, but Walter's cages have it; it is a fixed false bottom. The 

 bottom front piece must be 2 inches deep to make the cage look well ; but 

 I suppose Mr- Walter thinks 2 inches interior depth will swallow up too 

 much light. The back or the front can be made to screw on and ofi" to 

 allow of colouring the inside with a mixture of (vhiting and size (milk or 

 thin paste will do instead of size), with just enough of ultramarine blue 

 and rose pink to give it a warm tint. Make the mixture about the con- 

 sistency of cream, and lay it on smoothly. The wires can be tied by 

 either one or two cross wires; if by one, let it be opposite the middle of 

 the buck, and on it the perch or perches must rest, giving a fair view of 

 the bird. A door at the side, with a secure fastening, large enough to 

 admit the hand, and a wire handle at the top, I think, complete the cage. 

 Paint the wires black and the front of the cage either black or green. 

 The rest may remain unpainted, for it is never seen. — W. A. Blakston. 



Bees near London (H. L.). — We have no doubt that bees may be kept 

 at Hampstead, and with proper care in supplying them with artificial 

 food during and after poor seasons, they may occasionally yield a toler- 

 able supply of honey. We cannot say that we think they would prove 

 very remunerative, but sufficiently so to become a source of very grent 

 pleasure. The noted Wildman kept bees at the top of his hous's in Hol- 

 born, and many persons now have apiaries in the outskirts of the great 

 city. There is no hive invented that will certainly prevent swarming, 

 bat a good frame hive approaches nearest to the desideratum so much 



required by some apiarians. By the use of these you can make what 

 swarms you may require artificially, and be at the same time relieved 

 from all anx-ety respecting the issue of natural swirms. 



Ants in Hives (H. IF. C.).— To stop ants from getting into bee hives, 

 scatter guano from time to time rouiid the pedestals. Another remedy 

 which has been found effectual is ammoniacal liquid from the gasworks 

 sprinkled underneath, and applied with a brush to the hive stances. It 

 has been recommended also to use petroleum of the strongest scent in 

 the same manner. Try these one after the other tiU you succeed. Bear 

 in mind, however, that ants are very quick-witted, and if there be but a 

 leaf or twig from any tree or bu&h touching the hives, they will make a 

 long circuit and think nothing of a distant pilgrimage to get at their 

 favourite food. 



Gold Fiss (Goddess). —'Let the water be clean from a pond, changed 

 once a-week ; a layer of small pebbles and sand at the bottom of the 

 vase ; feed with raw meat shredded fine. 



meteokological: observations. 



Camden Square, LoNnoN. 

 Lat. Sr 32' 40" N. ; Long. 0' S' 0" W. ; Altitude 111 feet. 



Date. 



9 A.M. 



In the Day. 





1871. 





Hy^ome- 

 tcr. 



Direc- 

 tion of 

 Wind. 



Temp, 

 of Soil 

 at 1 ft. 



Shade Tem- 

 peratur- , 



Radiation 



Tempera- 



tnre. 



a 



Nov. 



Dry. 



Wet. 



Max. 



Min. 



In 1 On 

 Enn. grass 



PS 



We. 15 

 Th. 16 

 Fii. 17 

 Sat. 18 

 Snn.W 

 Mo. 20 

 Ta. 21 



Inches. 



io'.ou 



29.S47 

 30.286 

 S0.445 

 29.102 

 30.165 



dpg. 

 46.2 

 S7.7 

 31.8 

 31.1 

 25.0 

 37.3 

 33.7 



deg. 

 45.S 

 35 3 

 30.8 

 23.9 

 24.3 

 36.3 

 81.8 



W. 



N. 



N.W. 



W. 



s.w. 



S.E. 

 S.E. 



deg. 

 40.8 

 42.5 

 41.2 

 40.4 

 39-5 

 3S.4 

 37.8 



aeg. 

 52.5 

 45.0 

 38.5 

 48.8 

 31.9 

 43.2 

 37.6 



teg. 

 428 

 36.1 

 sl.O 

 25.8 

 21.0 

 23.4 

 27.9 



deg. deg. 

 78.0 89.2 

 7C.8 S1.8 

 73.0 38.1 

 65.3 21.2 



39.2 17.5 



56.3 20.8 

 61.2 22 8 



In. 

 0.140 



Means 



SO.ISS 



Si.7 



33.3 





40.1 



41.4 



29.7 



63.5 25.9 



0.140 



REMARKS. 



15th. — Yeiy fine in early morning; sharp hail shower at 11.30 a.3i. ; after- 

 wards fair, fine night. 



16th. — Lovely morning and fine day, rather damp at night. 



17th. — Hail and anow in the night and sharp frost ; beautifully fine day : 

 moon and stars very bright at night. 



18th. — A very fine day ; frosty morning and night, and not visibly thawing 

 in the day. 



19th.— Very cold and rather foggy all day, but especially so at night. 



20th.— Strong white frost in morning; fine day, and warmer towards the 

 evening. 



21st.— Fine, bright, and frosty all day. Lunar halo from 6-30 p.ur. to S p.3i. 

 Another week of unusually cold weather for November, Sunday the 



19th being one of the coldest days in November for many years past. — 



G. J. Syhons. 



COVENT GiRDEN MARKET.— Novehbep. 22. 

 We are without improvement from last week, and have nothing ma- 

 terial to report as conveying any fresh information. Some heavy cargoes 

 of foreign produce have changed hands at the auctions during the last 

 few days. 



FEiriT. 



5. d. B. d 



Apples i sieve 2 Oto 4 



Apricots doz. 



Cherries lb. 



Chestnuts bushel 10 20 



Currants 4 sieve 



Black do. 



Fi"-3 doz. 



Filberts lb. 6 1 



Cobs lb. 6 1 



Grape3, Hothouse.... lb. 2 6 



Gooseberries quart 



Lemons ¥^100 8 12 



Melons each 2 5 



Mulberries lb. 



Nectarines doz. 



Oranges ^100 



Peaches doz. 



Pears, kitchen doz. 



dessert doz. 



Pine Apples lb. 



Pluma i sieve 



Raspberries '..,.lb. 



Strawberries lb. 



Quinces doz. _ 



Walnuts bHshel 10 



ditto ^100 



VEGETABLES. 



Artichokes doz. 



Asparagus ^100. 



Beans, Kidney i sieve 



Broad bushel 



Beet, Red doz. 



Broccoli bundle 



Brussels Sprouts.. i- sieve 



Cabbage doz. 



Capsicums ^lOO 



Carrots bunch 



Cauliflower doz. 



Celery bundle 



Coleworts.. doz. bunches 

 Cucumbers each 



pickling doz. 



Endive doz. 



Fennel bunch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horseradish hxmdle 



s. d. s. d 

 4 too 6 

 



Leeks bunch 



Lettuce doz. 



Mushrooms pottle 



Mustard & Cress, .punnet 

 Onions bushel 



pickling quart 



Parsley sieve 



Parsnips doz. 



Peas quart 



Potatoes bushel 



Kidoey do. 



Radishes., doz. bunches 



Rhubarb bJ ndle 



Savoys doz. 



Sea-sale basket 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 



Tomatoes doz. 



Turnips bunch 



Vegetable Marrows. .doz. 



s. d. 



B. a 



Ot 



30 







C 











6 



12 



2 



4 



a 



6 



8 



6 



6 



8 



C 















2 



S 



10 



25 



1 



3 



s. d. 



s. d 



3 too 6 



3 



1 



1 



2 



2 



9 



2 



4 



6 



8 



3 



4 



9 



1 











1 6 



» n 



S 



.'; 



6 



1 











1 



1 



2 6 



3 6 



6 







2 



S 9 



2 







3 



() » 











POULTRY M.4EKET.— NoTEMBEE 22. 

 We have still an averase trade, and a good supply, 

 very plentiful, and Plieasants are more so. 

 3. d. s. d. 



LarscFowla 8 to 3 6 



Smallerditto 2 2 6 



Chickens 19 2 



Geese GO 7 



Ducks 2 2 3 



I Pheasants 2 2 6 



Grouse remain 



Piceons 



Babbits 1 



Wildditto 



Hares 2 



I'artridges 1 



Grouse 1 



s. d 



to 9 



1 6 

 10 



2 G 

 2 

 2 



