October 11, 1877. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



295 



making arches in the front wall for the roots to pass outwards when an ex- 

 tension becomes necessary. 



Planting Frtjit Trees {Ploughboy). — An article on the Bubject will 

 appear nest week. 



Raising Fuchsias from Seed (A Young Gardener).— When the seed- 

 pods are black and juicy the seed is ripe. Press them with finger and thumb, 

 wash away the palp, and spread the Eeed upon paper to dry. Sow in rich 

 soil early in spring, placing the seed-pans in gentle heat, such as is found in 

 a Cucumber bed or propagating pit, pricking the seedlings into pots so soon 

 as they are large enough to handle. 



Winter Shelter for Plants (Thomas Watson).— Sednm variegafcum, 

 Vallota purpurea, and the Daphne might be kept plunged in ashes in a cold 

 frame as you propose, but Phoenix dactylifera and Dracaena australis require 

 a greenhouFe. Picu; elastica may he kept in tolerable condition in a green- 

 house, where also may be placed Oxalis rosea. You are quite right about the 

 name of the Palm. 



Propagation of Phloxes (Idem). — All the hardy perennial varieties are 

 propagated by cuttiDgs made early in spring and placed in heat, or later on 

 throughout summer in cold frames or under hand-lights, and also by division 

 of the stools. Phlox Drummondi is raised annually from seed sown in March 

 or April. 



Planting Roses (Sambo).— It they are planted at this period of the year, 

 and if the weather is dry, they require watering at the roots and syringing at 

 the tops, also the soil covering with manure as a top-dressing. Decayed 

 manure mixed with the soil would be beneficial. Tour other questions will 

 be answered nest week. 



Planting Rose Beds (Flora).— Roses which are grown for exhibition 

 purposes or for the excellence of individual blooms should not have any other 

 flowers mixed with them. If the Roses are grown for ordinary garden 

 decoration, and fine blooms are not required, other low-growing flowers, 

 especially bulbs in springy and Stocks, Mignonette, &c.,in summer, are per- 

 missible in the beds. Violets would not do any serious injury if not planted 

 close to the stems of tho Roses, and if an abundance of liquid manure was 

 applied to the bed* throughout the summer months. 



"Watson's Lawn Sand (C. M. Buckden).— Mr. A. D.Earhour, 3, Park Row, 

 Leeds, is the principal agent. 



Strong Glass for a Conservatory Roof (R. J. S.). — Ribbed glass 

 answers perfectly for a conservatory roof, proving no hindrance to freelom of 

 growth and flowering, but clear glass is preferable for the sidea. 



Heating a Conservatory (Idem). — Hot-water pipes are altogether pre- 

 ferable for a conservatory, no other method being so cleanly and none more 

 efficient. 



Sowing Grass Seed tjfon a Lawn (G. S.).— It is too late to sow grass 

 seed, and you must wait till the end of next March; then stir the soil of the 

 patches a foot deep, removing any of it in which may be found the spawn of 

 fungi (a white thread-like substance), replacing it with fresh and tolerably 

 rich soil, renovating the old soil with a little well-decayed manure and Bowing 

 the seed immediately. The condition of the entire lawn may be much im- 

 proved by a liberal eurface-dresaing of soot thrown about during February or 

 March in a showery tiaje, so a3 to be washed downwards to tho roots quickly. 



Asparagus Culture (Old Subscriber). — There are five conditions essen- j 

 tial for obtaining an abundance of fine Asparagus. 1, Beds well drained. | 

 2, Abundance of rich dung in the autumn. 3, Weekly sprinklings of salt 

 and strong liquid manure during the whole period of growth. 4, Leaving off 

 cutting by the middle of June. 5, Not cutting down the seed stems until 

 they are quite yellow. Making the Bed. — This is best done at the end of 

 March or early in April, this being the best time also for planting. If the 

 ground is common loam and well drained, or having a subsoil of gravel or 

 chalk, nothiug more is neeied than to trench the space intended for the 

 bed, and to mix with the soil as much rich thoroughly decayed dung as can 

 be worked in. The trenchiDg should be done now. Two-year-old plants 

 should be chosen when they have started into growth 2 or 3 inches; they 

 should be forked out carefully, and their roots not allowed to get dry after 

 being taken up. No heads should be cut the first year after planting, and 

 very few the second. 



Sawdust as Manure (F. C. H.). — All vegetable matters are promotive of 

 fertility when mixed with the soil. Sawdust decomposes slowly and becomes 

 soluble in the moisture of the soil. It is especially useful in rendering the 

 staple of a heavy soil nnre open. 



White Scale on Camellias (I. J.).— Sponge the plants thoroughly with 

 soap and water. 



Names of Plants (J. G. Gardner).— 1, Begonia fuchsioides ; 2, B. Ingramii; 

 S 3 Begonia Weltoniensis; 6, Pteris serrulata ; others not recognised. 



POULTEY, BEE, AND PIGEON 0HE0NI0LE. 



agricultural hall poultry show. 



The entries were small in proportion to the prize money 

 offered. The birds were ranged on three sides of the galleries, 

 where in most places the light was good. The Judges were 

 Messrs. Hewitt, Teebay, Nieholls, Smith, Martin, and Leno. 

 The days of the Show were far too many, and we are afraid 

 many birds will be the worse for their long incarceration. 



The Dorkings came first on the list, an& the two first birds in 

 the catalogue were Mr. Barnell's cocks which won Beeond and 

 fourth prizes. The 6eoond was a good-framed square bird. The 

 condition and size of the first pullet was capital, but the whitest- 

 footed bird in the class was the third, and perhaps should con- 

 sequently have been higher. The next class had some very 

 good Silver -Greys, and an excellent pen of Whites which came 

 in third, and neat Silvers fourth. The first Spanish were 

 good and won easily. We placed them first long before the 

 cards came round. Minorcas and Andalusians met in the next 

 class and made eleven entries. First and second went to the 

 first-named breed. The Cochins were on the whole extremely 



praiseworthy. The winning Bnff cockerel was a very pretty 

 bird, Hb neck hackles are not out, but his colour is sound, and 

 had he more leg-feathering would make himself a good name. 

 The second, however, had far too much in this respect, and his 

 heavy hooks and coarse leg-feathering made him look ungainly. 

 The fourth was a pretty chicken, his wings a little poor in 

 colour, or else he should certainly have had a higher place. In 

 pullets the winner was large and shapely, but had not an at- 

 tractive head ; the second was very pretty in colour but very 

 small. Mrs. Allsopp and Lady Gwydyr both sent good pullets. 

 In Partridges the first chickens had the cup, and both were 

 good. The second was also a good pen, the cockerel shapely 

 and bright in colour. The pullet in the fourth pen was the 

 Aylesbury winner, a pretty bird but small, and not equal to the 

 lovely pullets of Mrs. Acton Tindal. In Whites we liked the 

 Judge's choice for first and second ; the pullet in the latter pen 

 was perhaps the best, but the first cockerel was whiter, and 

 both were really shapely pens of chickens. For third place wo 

 should have gone to pen 95 (Breeze), which contains both the 

 Aquarium first-prize winners, but the cockerel wants more 

 breadth and chest. In Blacks the first were easily winners, 

 broad and in wonderful bloom, the cockerel very young but of 

 much promise. Tho second were also good and bright. The 

 third we did not like at all ; they had long tails, and the pullet's 

 comb was hideouB. Mr. Darby showed good pullets, but we are 

 told his pens came too late for competition. 



In Dark Brahmas the first cockerel took the champion sweep- 

 stakes. He is a good-looking bird, well feathered, and broad. The 

 second was showy and good, but had some brown in his wings. 

 The Bhaoe of the third was capital, but he was too heavily 

 feathered ; his colour, however, was beautiful. The first pullet 

 had also full enough hock-feathering, and was large and well 

 marked. The pencilling of the second, too, was good, and so 

 was the fourth. In Light cockerels we thought the winner won 

 well ; he is a good bird all round. The condition of the second 

 was fair, but his comb was ugly, and the same applies almost 

 to the third. In pullets we liked the winner. She is good in 

 colour, well marked, and neatly feathered. The other winners 

 were good and well chosen. We were sorry to see Mr. Breeze's 

 best pullet in so bad a plight, and on inquiry learnt that the 

 basket in which she was drying caught fire, and before it could 

 be extinguished she was dreadfully scorched, and her face and 

 comb presented a very woe-begone appearance. 



In Game the oup went to a Black Bed cockerel, a bird good 

 for colour, but his wings were untidy, and we imagine the second 

 ran him close. In Black Bed hens the colour of the second was 

 good, but her comb was poor. In Brown Red cocks the winner 

 was a fair bird, the second, however, running him closely. In 

 hens of this colour the winner was a pullet in good bloom. la 

 Duckwings the winners were very stylish; the third cockerel, 

 too, was good, and perhaps had he had a matured pullet would 

 have stood higher. The first Pile cockerel was rich in colour, 

 undubbed, and with much style ; the second was also undubbed ; 

 the fourth were smart chickens and in hard feather. 



In Hamburghs the cup went to Blacks; they were a lovely 

 pen, in fine condition and very glossy. The rest of the winners 

 were good, and we especially admired the first Silver-pencils, 

 first and second Golden-pencilled, and the first Silver-spangled 

 cockerel, aB also second pullet. The Golden spangles, too, were 

 of great merit, the hens and pullets especially; their moons 

 were large and colour rich. In French the HoudanB and Creves 

 were both splendid collections, and though the firBt Creves were 

 rather out of plumage their size and points were admirable. 

 The second, too, were wonderfully large and good, as were Mr. 

 Stephen's two pens. Of Hondans there were a score of entries, 

 and the first chickens were very large and good in comb. Se- 

 cond and third were old birds with but little difference between 

 them. The fourth were very large and excellent in shape. 



The Leghorns in two classes made fifteen entries. The win- 

 ners were well chosen, and the Judge, who was, we believe, Mr. 

 Nieholls, seemed to know just what to select. The Poland* had 

 two classes and only made eleven pens, but the quality was all 

 that could be deBired. The cup went to Black chickens, a very 

 beautiful pen. The cockerel in the second had lost hiB tail, but 

 his crest was huge and very white. The third were old birds, 

 the hen lovely but the cock in moult, and his pen was full 

 of feathers. Fourth were chickens again, but the pullet hers 

 had an ugly division in her crest behind. In the Spangled Golds 

 were second and fourth, while Silvers had the other two places 

 and were well marked and good, the third being old birds which 

 want more time. Malays made but five pens, and the Judge 

 had no difficulty to place his four prize pens in the proper order. 

 The Variety class was truly excellent, there being twenty pens 

 of admirable quality ; first went to La Fleche, second to Sultans, 

 third to Cuckoo Cochins, and fourth to Japanese ; Silkies, good 

 Scotch Greys, Cuckoo CochinB, Plymouth Bocks, &c, coming 

 in for other cards of notice. 



In Waterfowl the cup Aylesburies were very large and white, 

 and the first Bouens were large and good; but we cannot com- 

 ment on the winners for there seemed to have been some little 



