September 20, 1864. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



243 



Distorted Saltx Shoot (F. W.).— Thra flattened stem, or branch, is not 

 uncommon, and is called by botanists fasciculated, or clustered. The cause, 

 like the cause of most abnormal formations, is unexplained. Sir J. E. 

 Smith says it arises from disease or accident, and is frequently observed in 

 the Ash, the Tamus communis, several species of Daphne, Asparagus, &c. 

 In one variety of Pisum, called the Top-knot Pea, this deformity is perma- 

 ■ nent, and propagated by seed. 



Celery, &c. {Guernsey Blue). — Jji recent Numbers of this Journal full 

 .directions have been given relative to Celery culture and Mushroom-bed- 

 making. "The Garden Manual," -which you can have free by post from 

 our office for twenty postage stamps, contains information on these subjects, 

 and all ordinary cultivation required in the kitchen, fruit, and flower 

 garden . 



Propagating Centaurea argextea (A New Subscriber).— Take up the 

 plants and pot them in a light turfy loam with a quantity of sand inter- 

 mixed. Provide perfect drainage, be rather sparing of water, and place 

 them near the glass in a light airy part of a dry greenhouse. ' Do not reduce 

 the head at all, but retain it and all side shoots. In February place the 

 plants in a house having a temperature of from 55° to 60°. which will 

 encourage the production of side-shoots, and when these have three joints 

 they should be slipped off, or cut off with a sharp knife near the stem, 

 which will leave a kind of heel on the cutting. Insert them in moist 

 sand in a pot or pan, and place in a mild hotbed of from 75° to 80 Q , 

 putting a bell-glass over them if the atmosphere of the house is dry ; but 

 if it is calm and moist the bell-glass may be dispensed with. Keep the 

 sand moist, but avoid moistening the foliage, and be careful not to drown 

 the soil, otherwise the cuttings will damp off. They will root in a fort- 

 night or three weeks and may then be potted ; continue them in heat 

 until tbey become established, then remove them to the greenhouse and 

 gradually harden off prior to planting out, which may be done in June. 



Perpetual Carnations— "Wintering Golpen Chain and Cloth of 

 Gold Geraniums (Agnes). — The Perpetual Carnations are similar to Per- 

 petual Roses. They bloom more or less continuously, especially when 

 grown in pots. It is not usual for them when kept in a greenhouse to con- 

 tinue doing so through the winter. They flower most profusely in summer 

 .and autumn. The Geraniums you name should be taken up on the approach 

 of frost, potted, and wintered in a greenhouse. A rather warm, dry, airy, 

 light situation is best. They should have but little water— only sufficient 

 to maintain their vitality. By the faggot-plan we presume is meant tying 

 the plants in bundles like faggots, and that you appear to understand, 

 which is all the information we can give in reference to it. 



Self-instruction (A Young Gardener).— Loudon's " Self-Instruction for 

 Toung Gardeners" will teach you how to draw simple geometrical figures. 

 If you wish to learn perspective and oolouring elevations you must receive 

 a few lessons from some local drawing-master. 



Names of Fruit (A. Middhton).—\ y 2, Keswick Codlin ; 3, not dis- 

 tinguishable from the specimen sent; 4, Easter Pippin ; 5, Blenheim Pippin. 

 Pear too far gone. (J. F. Lambert, Dublin) Apples.— 1, 2, Whorle Pippin ; 



3, Newtown Pippin; 4, Royal Russet. (An Old Subscriber, Peckham) 

 S?ears.— 1, Gansel's Bergamot; 2, Beurre" Deil ; 3. Glou Morceau, small; 



4, Beurre" de Ranee. (New Subscriber) Apples.— I, Bedfordshire Foundling; 

 2, Loan's Pearmain ; 3, Birmingham Pippin ; 4, Lemon Pippin ; 5, Robinson's 

 Pippin; 6, Sack and Sugar; 7, unknown. (Amicus). — Your Peaches are 

 certainly most extraordinary. They are evidently the produce of two dis- 

 tinct ovaries in the same flower, which have become united by close con- 

 tiguity, forming a curious junction. (E. B.) Apples.— I, Gravenstein ; 

 2, Blenheim Pippin; 3, Cellini; 4, Duches3 of Oldenburg; 5, Christie's 

 Pippin. (J. W. J.).—l, St. Germain Pear. Apples.— 2, Haw thorn den ; 

 4, Dutch Mignonne, 5, Reinette du Canada. (T. H. R.).—\, Syke House 

 Russet; 2, Blenheim Pippin ; 4, Hoary Morning; 5, Dumelow's* Seedling; 

 7, Nonsuch; 8, Spice Apple; 10, Devonshire Quarrenden; 11, a sort of 

 Crab, Pear.— B, "Williams's Bon Chretien, 



Names of Plants (P. W. A.).— Your deciduous shrub is Rhus cotinus, 

 or Venice Sumach. (B. S.).— Your plant belongs to neither of the genera 

 you mention, but is Arenaria serpyllifolia. (S. A. K).— Myrica Gale. 

 (Marple).— 5, Scabiosa succisa; 6, Caucalis infesta ; 7, Impatiens noli-me- 

 tangere; S, Sedum telephium. (&. A'.).— Your Fern is too young and 

 imperfect to be named. The yellow flower is a species of Helianthus, but 

 it is impossible to say which from such a mangled scrap. The other plant 

 is Origanum virens. The Pear is Summer Franc Real*; the Plum, Pond's 

 Seedling. (F. C,).~- "We cannot tell the name of your Leper plant. It 

 Appears to us to be one of the CompositaB. 



POULTRY, BEE, and HOUSEHOLD CHRONICLE. 



POULTRY IN A SMALL ENCLOSURE. 

 In reply to "A Countey Vicae," we will begin with the 

 old quotation — 



" Choose not alone a proper mate, 

 But proper time to marry." 



There are fowls evidently intended by nature for such a 

 place (8 feet by 20) and such purposes as you describe — viz., 

 to live in such a small place, and to produce eggs. Wo one 

 would try to rear chickens without more run; and no 

 amount of food will make the fibre and muscle, and produce 

 •the growth that can only result from exercise. Therefore 

 some breeds are layers only : the hens never sit. Pullets, 

 the first time of laying, will produce their number of eggs, 

 but when they become hens they will not. Tort may choose 

 Spanish, or Creve Coeurs, or La Heche ; they are non-sitters. 

 Tou may have Cochins or Brahmas ; they are very hardy. 

 We would advise you to have Spanish, Brahmas, or Cochins. 

 You must every year save some eggs, and put them under 

 other fowls, to produce April or May chickens. These will 



lay in the winter. "When they are hens they may be kept a3 

 breeders, or sold. If care be taken of all the scraps in a 

 house, and certain waste from the garden, the laying hens 

 should cost little, and cottagers will always rear chickens at 

 a low price. Where everything is bought, and fowls are 

 luxuriously kept all the year, eggs cost one penny each. 

 Where fowls are tended and cared for carefully, eggs should 

 be cheap food. 



LEIGH (LANCASHIRE) POULTUY SHOW. 



This Show took place on Wednesday, the 13th inst., on 

 very suitable grounds adjacent to Leigh, Lancashire ; but it 

 is now made evident, that should the Leigh Show progress 

 during the ensuing five years as it has during the same 

 number of years just past, a far mere extensive appoint- 

 ment will be compulsory. The fact may be very briefly told. 

 In the northern counties the emulation of the numerous 

 agricultural societies held in those districts has scarcely 

 any bound assigned to it, each exerting itself in the most 

 friendly rivalry to excel its neighbours ; consequently, the 

 northern counties have progressed in about the same pro- 

 portion as those of the southern and eastern districts have, 

 on the contrary, retrograded. The reasons are obvious : in 

 the north the hopes of committees of agricultural societies 

 are the determination to establish a show as good, or even 

 better, than those held around them. All try their best, yet, 

 barring a little customary banter, the most friendly feelings 

 prevail. Necessarily from this cause alone, good well- 

 attended meetings are the almost universal order of the 

 day, the exhibitions being, as a whole, of first-rate character. 

 The people of -these districts seem most thoroughly to enjoy 

 them, and we rarely hear, therefore, of non-success. The 

 southern districts of the kingdom unfortunately seem far 

 more supine ; committees do not appear to labour as im- 

 pulsively and willingly together. " The work " — this always 

 may be regarded as a sure test of sincerity or otherwise — at 

 the last devolves exclusively on, perhaps, a tithe of the 

 original projectors; and thus fairly borne down by the excess 

 of responsibilities falling on one, or at best a very few, 

 pairs of shoulders, the attempt is finally abandoned, and 

 thus shows that might have redounded to the credit of a 

 district peculiarly adapted to poultry culture, are of neces- 

 sity numbered among the bygones. Why these things 

 should be we feel ourselves at a loss to account, but certain 

 it now is the generality of our best shows are held exclusively 

 in the northern districts. The Committee at Leigh are, 

 beyond dispute, a worthy example of a number of gentle- 

 men bound each by one firm resolve to use the extreme of 

 personal exertions, and never to rest contented save with 

 the undoubted progress of their special undertaking. Here 

 is the great secret of success — -they make it " a long pull, a 

 strong pull, and a pull altogether," there are no divisions 

 among them ; they thus obtain public favour, and are of 

 necessity well supported. 



The weather, of course, has much to do as regards the' 

 receipts at the doors, and this year very unfortunately the 

 day was of the most miserable character — one positive cold 

 and drenching rain. That the receipts were seriously lessened 

 by this mishap is beyond doubt; but that the Show far sur- 

 passed in general quality those previously held here is 

 equally certain. 



Most of the poultry were of high character, though the 

 adult portion of the classes are as yet far from restored to 

 plumage. Cochins were shown in force, and as a whole 

 were very good. The same may be said of the Spanish, 

 Hamlurghs, and Game fowls. It was a matter of congratu- 

 lation, that those classes most esteemed for table purposes 

 were the best represented; and beyond question, we do not 

 expect to meet with either Geese, Turkeys, Rouen or Ayles- 

 bury Thicks of better worth at any of our coming shows. 

 The Grey Call Ducks (several pens being shown), were of 

 decidedly first-rate excellence, and some " domesticated 

 Wild Ducks," were also most commendable. 



The wants of the poultry during exhibition were well con- 

 sidered, and had the weather been fine the greatest success 

 must have ensued, besides adding many score pounds of ad- 

 mission money to the finances of the Leigh Committee. 



Game (Black Red). — First, C. W.Brierley, Rhodes House, Middleton, near 

 Manchester. Second, W. Nunnerley, Market Hall, "Warrington. Chickens, 



