248 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ Harcli 30, 1871. 



necessary to choose birds tliat have nnmlstakeably erect combs for 

 breeders, and to discard all others, in order to banish faulty ones from a 

 yard. Ton may find the greatest encouragement and inducement to try, 

 in the fact that formerly all the Spanish had falling combs, but as soon as 

 such were discarded by the judges they disappeared, and are now never 

 seen. 



Flavoue of Eggs (A. C). — You do not state the breed of the fowls ; 

 some eggs are unquestionably richer than others. Spanish have always 

 been considered the best, having the largest proportion of yolk. Cochins 

 are often so full of flavour that they are called strong. Creve-Coeur and 

 Houdan eggs are both good. Hamburghs are sometimes thought poor. 

 Weather affects eggs ; they are thought to have more flavour in mild and 

 hot, than in chilly weather. We have no doubt that a liberal supply of 

 grass, in the shape of large sodsjcut with plenty of earth and given daily, 

 will improve the eggs. Your food is good. 



Fattening- Hens (Idem.).— We think a hen too old to fatten after sis 

 months. When a hen has done laying she wants to sit. unless she is of a 

 non-pitting breed. If you are bent on fattening your hens, the best plan 

 13 to do so in the winter. They will want keeping to make them tolerably 

 tender, and you will only be able to do it in cold weather. We have no 

 doubt the mixture will keep eggs, but we have always foand salt com- 

 municated its flavour to the eggs. We keep them in plain wetted lime. It 

 is slaked, so as to admit of its being poured over the eggs, and of its 

 hardening in a few hours. 



DUCKWING AND BlACK ReD GAME FoWLS TOGETHER {E P.).— The 



best way to introduce Duckwing blood into your yard, is to turn down 

 one hen. The cross then is so small you can easily get rid of it at any 

 time, whereas, if you put a cock, the strain may run through the whole 

 yard, Duckwings, if trae-feathered, are great favourites on account of 

 their beauty, and generally distinguished in the prize sheet, but they are 

 not always preferred to the Black or Brown Reds. 



White Dokeikgs' Eggs (J. H". C). — You should buy Bome eggs of the 

 prizetakers at the large shows. 



Early Dorking Chickens iA Monthh/ Eeader).—'ThG reason of the 

 failing of vour Dorkings is that you do not keep supplying your yard with 

 pullets. We have at the present time Dorkings with chickens eight weeks 

 old. Hens will not sit early, pullets will, but only for the first season. 

 They are hens afterwards. Chickens hatched now should lay in October, 

 and be broody in January, such will sit well. The only advantage in 

 Brahmas will be, they Ifiy at an earlier age. We know no better mother 

 than a Dorking. These have been much mistaken as to the climate 

 necessary for them. They are hardy, but will not bear confinement. We 

 have seen as good birds bred in Lancashire and Scotland, as in Surrey 

 and Sussex. The outer skins cannot be removed without injury to the 

 bird. You should not breed from him. 



Brahbia Cock {Clericus). — If he continues "bullying" the hens, buy 

 some others, pullets preferably. If he is not more courteous to them, 

 you had better sell him, though he has taken two first prizes. Buck- 

 wheat is sown in April. If you refer to page 187, you will see notes on its 

 culture. 



Cost of a Poultry Show (T. Jlf.).— Our correspondent wishes for a 

 balance-sheet of the receipts and expenditure in connection with holding 

 a show ; being desirous to know whether there are any shows which are 

 self-supporting, if not, how the deficiencvis made up, and what is the 

 mo^t popular amount of entry fee ; also the cost of fitting-up, advertising, 

 management, and prize money, the fee given to judges, &c. 



Shanghae Eggs (H.). — Shanghae is synonymous with Cochin-China* 

 If you refer to our advertising columns you will see many vendors to 

 whom you can apply. 



Small Egg (A. Enowles).~Snch miscarriages are very common. We 

 have seen eggs not much bigger than a pea. 



Hen Cock (IF. J". TF.). — It is not uncommon for a hen to acquire the 

 plumage of a cock, and even to crow. Such a bird is worthless, we have 

 seen more than one. It was formerly said, 



" A whittling woman and a crowing hen. 

 Foretell evil to the men." 

 Poultry- KEEPING in a Li^iited Space (A. D.). — You have not had the 

 Hamburgh long enough to say whether or no it will prove a good layer. 

 Although laying when you bought it, the change of home, food, and habits 

 would account for its ceasing to do so. We think Brahmas, Cochins, 

 or Creve-Coeurs would suit you, or Spanish. Perhaps the last two will be 

 best, as they do not sit, and' broody hens are nuisances in small spaces. 



SilVjIR-pencilled Hameuegh Chickens — Chitteprats (Chitteprat). 

 — The chickens hatch out darker, and moult lighter and more correctly 

 as to markings as they grow older. The Pencilled Hamburgh was and is 

 known in many parts of the north as a Chitteprat. 



Various (G. If.).— You may keep twenty-four hens and two cocks with- 

 out trouble in your run 63 feet by 15 feet, with one- quarter of an acre of 

 grass. By painstaking you might increflse the number, but it is in every 

 way better to be understocked than overstocked. In such a space as you 

 name the dust need not be under cover. At this time of year, during the 

 cutting easterly winds, it is better that the chickens should be sheltered 

 for three or four days, but in fine sunshiny weather they should be put 

 out after a few hours. Change the food by substituting meal for whole 

 corn, and sometimes maize instead of barley. Scraps of any kind are 

 also good. 



Sore on Cock's Comb (H. W.). — The hens in all probability first made 

 the sore by picking the comb. Separate him from any others, and rub 

 the sore with citron ointment. When houses are kept clean no powders 

 are required. We have never tried that you mention. Most of them 

 affect the nostrils and eyes of the birds. 



WooDBRiDGE POULTRY Show. — " Plcase note the following printer's 

 errors in the catalogue. R. F. Nalder, Croydon, first prize Jacobins; 

 J. W. CoUinson, first prize for Antwerps.— C. Drake, Hon. Sec." " My 

 attentionhasbeencalled to the remarks of your reporter on pen 82 (Ooldeu- 

 pencilled Hamburghs). The birds alluded to have been exhibited six 

 times, and have been awarded the undermentioned prizes — 2nd at South- 

 ampton, Ist and cup at Ipswich, 1st at Lowestoft, 2nd at Oakham, 2nd at 

 Colchester, and highly commended at Portsmouth. —The Owner of 

 Pen 82." 



Aylesbury Ducks {J. W. S.).— We believe the early oggs will belong to 

 the old drake. 



Bee Hives (A Subscriber). — Write to the dealers in hives who advertise 

 in our columns and tell them what you need. Write to them aU. 



Bees Dead in the Coars {W. Steward).~'Ihe bit of comb sent was 

 old, but we could detect no evidence of disease, and can therefore only 

 surmise that in those cases wherein the bees have died, leaving a store 

 of honey, the hives were either insufBciently protected from cold and 

 wet, or that their inhabitants dwindled away owing to the deaths of their 

 queens duriog winter. Where no honey was left the inference would, of 

 course, be that the bees perished from starvation. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, 



CA2IDEN, Square, London. 



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



Date. 



9 A.H. 



In the Day 



ition 

 pera- 

 re. 





1871. 



■ ^ 03 



Hygrome- 

 ter. 



Direc- 

 tion of 

 Wind. 



Temp, 

 of Soil 

 at 1 ft. 



Shade Tem- 

 perature. 



Hadi 



Tern 



tn 



i 



March. 







In 



On 





H^»" 



Dry. Wet. 







Max. 



Mm. 



Bun. 



grass 







Inches. 



deg. 



des. 





deg. 



dec. 



deg. 



deg. 



deg. 



In. 



We. 22 



30.116 



44 2 



42.1 



E. 



41.6 



55.2 



318 



86.6 



28.8 





Th. 23 



31.(106 



47.1 



5.8 



K. 



42.0 



65.5 



34.4 



94 8 



82.8 





Fri. 24 



29.840 



61.5 



47.6 



E. 



42.6 



68.4 



38.2 



100.1 



33.2 



— 



Sat. 25 



29.859 



52.0 



47 9 



S.W. 



43.8 



66.6 



S9.2 



107.6 



34.S 



0.04S 



Suii.26 



29.952 



55.1 



49.6 



S.E. 



44.2 



e8.7 



43.5 



110.0 



4'!.0 



0.03S 



Mo. 27 



S0.059 



47.0 



45.0 



N. 



44.8 



51.2 



45.5 



87.1 



41.4 



— 



Tu. 28 



30.386 



40.8 



85.1 



N.E. 



44.8 



46.8 



30.3 



93.0 



27.8 



— 



Means 



80.031 



48.2 j 44.7 





43.4 



G0.3 



37.5 



97.7 



34.5 



0.078 



REMARKS. 

 22nd. — Fine spring-like day, but misty in the evening. 

 23rd.— Fine morning, rather dull about noon, but very fine afternoon and 



evening. 

 24th. — Cloudless nearly all day. and extremely hot for the time of year, 

 25th. — Very fine warm day, cooler in the evening, rain after midnight. 

 26th. — Rather dull morning, fine afternoon, rain during the night. 

 27th. — Much cooler, though fine. 



28th. — Very cold all day, though fine and occaiionally sunny, and very 

 bright at night. 

 The period from 23rd to 26th inclusive one of extreme warmth. Higher 

 temperatures have been recorded, but I do not know of an instance of four 

 consecutive days in March with maxima exceeding 65°. — G. J. Symons. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— MARCH 29. 



A steady demand, with the supply about equal to it, has enabled the 

 dealers to obtain the same rates during this week as in the previous one. 

 Winter fruits, however, now begin to assume a very perishing character, 

 and considerable quantities of ordinary Apples are offered at very low 

 rates. Dessert Pears are nearly over. The Potato trade is heavy, and 

 large arrivals are to hand. Importations of French salading and Aspara- 

 gus are tolerably regular. 



FRUIT. 



Apples 



Apricots 



4 sleye 

 . .. doz. 

 .... lb. 



s. a. B. 



1 6 to3 

 

 



10 18 

 

 

 

 2 



2 2 

 



10 20 



6 10 

 



TEC 

 B. d. B. 

 4 Oto 6 



7 10 

 2 3 

 



2 S 

 9 1 



3 4 

 10 2 

 

 4 



2 5 

 16 2 



3 6 

 6 1 

 



2 

 3 

 8 

 3 



3 5 



d 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 6 

 

 

 

 



►EI 



d 

 

 

 

 

 

 6 

 

 

 

 8 

 

 

 

 6 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Mulberries 



Nectarines 



Oranges 



lb. 



. . . doz. 

 ..¥** 100 



B. 





 

 6 

 

 2 

 3 

 6 

 

 

 

 2 

 10 

 1 



8. 

 

 1 

 1 

 

 5 

 

 3 

 

 

 2 

 S 

 

 

 1 

 2 



e 



3 

 

 

 



d. a. 

 too 

 

 10 

 

 6 

 8 

 D 10 

 

 

 

 3 

 16 

 2 



a. s. 



4 too 

 2 

 2 



a 



6 8 

 

 6 

 9 1 

 

 4 

 4 

 6 1 

 9 1 

 6 2 

 3 

 6 

 5 

 

 B 

 



i 

 

 

 B 





bushel 

 .i sieve 

 .... do. 

 ... doz. 

 .... lb. 

 .... lb. 

 .. quart 

 s....lb. 

 .. VIOO 



II 



Currants 



Black 



FiKS 



Filberts 



Cobs 



Pears, kitchen .. 

 dessert 



... doz. 

 .. . doz. 

 lb. 





 







Plums 



Quinces 



i sieve 

 . .. doz. 

 lb. 





 

 



Grapes, Hothous 



Strawberries ., 

 Walnuts 



oz. 



. bushel 

 ... ViOO 





 







do 







Artichokes 



Asparagus 



Beans, Kidney .. 



Broad 



Beet, Red 



... doz. 

 .. 3*100 

 ..¥►100 

 bushel 

 ....doz. 



ABLES. 



Leeks 



. bunch 



d 

 6 



n 



Mushrooms 



Mustard & Cress 

 Onions 



pickUng 



Parsley 



Parsnips 



Peas 



Potatoes 



Kidney 



Radishes .. doz 

 Rhubarb 



. pottle 

 .pnnnet 

 . bushel 

 . . . quart 

 .. Bieve 

 — doz. 

 .. quart 

 . bushel 



do. 



bunches 

 ..bundle 



6 

 

 



Broccoli 



Brussels Sprouts 



Cabbage 



Capsicums 



bundle 

 .i Bieve 

 ... doz. 

 ..1*100 

 . .bunch 

 doz. 





 

 

 



n 





n 



Celery bundle 



Coleworts. .doz. bunches 



Cucun hers each 



piciling doz. 





 6 



n 



Sea-kale 



..basket 

 lb. 















Spinach bushel 



Tomatoes doz. 



Turnips bunch 



Vegetable Marrows . . doz. 



Q 





lb. 



n 





. bunch 

 . bundle 



1 



Horseradish ... 







POULTRY MARKET.— March 29. 



We have a very small supply of young poultry, and are not without 



indications of scarcity. Not only has it been an unfavourable winter for 



breeding, but the absence of a regular supply from abroad has caused a 



diminution of our usual stock. Prices are high. 



Large Fowls 



Smaller ditto .... 



a. 

 .... 4 

 .... S 



g 



d. 8. 

 to 4 

 6 4 

 8 

 6 

 9 

 



d 

 6 

 

 6 

 6 

 

 



Pigeons 



Rabbits 



Wild ditto 



s. 

 .... 

 .... 1 

 



d. s. d 

 to 10 



5 1 e 



9 10 





6 



Hares 













8 



(luinett Fowl 



.... s 



3 G 



Pheasants 



.... 



Groaso 



.... 







