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KIDD'S OWN JOUENAL. 



the garden of the Horticultural Society at Go- 

 thenburg, in Sweden, Mr. Liepe, curator; in the 

 garden of Mr. C. Kommer, nurseryman, in 

 Bremen; at the country-seat of Herr Kammerrath 

 Frege, near Leipzig; in the Royal Botanic Garden 

 at Berlin. Dr. Heise, at Grevenhof, Steinwcerder, 

 near Hamburgh, had a Victoria Rcgia planted in 

 a basin which is formed by a side branch of the 

 River Elbe; the experiment was made for the 

 purpose of trying to grow it out of doors. In a 

 piece of water in the garden of Herr Kom- 

 merzienrath Bossig, at Moabifc, near Berlin, there 

 has b3en planted a Victoria Regia, which has 

 attained a vigorous growth ; and it is found to 

 agree well with the climate. It was planted on 

 the 2nd of January, and up to the 24th of July 

 it developed nine leaves, the youngest of which 

 measured two feet eight inches in diameter. In 

 the same garden, there is also a fine structure 

 built over a tank, in which, on the 9th of May, 

 last, a Victoria was planted. The largest leaf of 

 this was, at the time, seven inches in diameter ; 

 but up to the 19th of July it produced nineteen 

 leaves, and its first flower, the diameter of which 

 was one foot, when quite open. On the 22nd of 

 July, the second flower expanded, emitting a 

 delicious fragrance through the whole house. — 

 Gartenzeitung. 



The Gapes in Poultry. — I trouble you with a 

 few lines, which I shall feel obliged by your in- 

 serting in your paper, as they may be useful to 

 some of your readers, who are fond of poultry, 

 and have been unfortunate in losing their chickens 

 by a disease called the gapes, which I believe is 

 generally very fatal. I heard a neighbor of mine 

 had lost 100 by it this summer. The disease, 

 when violent, prevents them eating ; if they 

 manage to pick up a corn, they gape, and before 

 they are able to swallow, the grain has fallen out 

 of their mouths, so that they are literally starved 

 to death. Medicine is useless ; and the only cure 

 I have found, is to cram them three or four times 

 a day, which keeps up their strength, and enables 

 them, in a short time, to overcome the disease. 

 This is the second summer I have tried the ex- 

 periment, and with complete success. The per- 

 son who feeds the chickens will soon find out, 

 with a little attention, those that do not eat, as 

 they generally creep away, and are frightened at 

 their more sturdy companions, when the - food is 

 thrown them. — M. A. F., Winchester. 



[This is very sensible advice. Chickens thus 

 attacked by "gapes," seldom recover unless care- 

 fully tended. They are helplessness itself, and 

 pine quickly away. Give them the run of a 

 garden, or field, when you can. Confinement is 

 against them, because they are ill-treated by their 

 stronger companions,] 



The Water Ermine, or Arctia Urticce. — The 

 caterpillars of this moth should never be placed 

 with those of another species. They will attack 

 and devour even the larvae of Sphinxes, leaving 

 no traces behind to account for their disappear- 

 ance. As an instance of this, a friend of mine 

 having a number, placed them, as they fed on 

 the same plant, with those of the Large Elephant. 

 Day by day, these latter disappeared in a most 

 unaccountable manner. The mystery was at last 



solved, by one of these voracious gentlemen being 

 caught in the fact. In this manner, many a good 

 insect may be lost, if the carnivorous propensity 

 of the caterpillar of the Wa e er Ermine, &c, be not 

 known to the rearer. — C. Miller. 



The Ailing Bullfinch. — I am delighted to tell 

 you, Mr. Editor, that the inflamed leg of my 

 darling bullfinch is very much better ; and 1 do 

 hope I shall be able to save his life. Thanks, many 

 thanks, for writing to me so very promptly. I 

 have followed your advice to the letter; and the 

 result is most satisfactory. I wish some of your 

 readers, who ask " how to tame birds," could 

 see this " pet" of mine. I had him from the 

 nest, and I let him fly about the room as he 

 pleases. A single hemp-seed or a morsel of 

 groundsel, when shown, bring him on my finger 

 instantly. He never omits his note of grateful 

 welcome, and shows his love for me whenever I 

 enter the room, I give him, as a rule, not more 

 than one hempseed a day. [You are quite to be 

 commended for this. Never infringe upon the 

 rule laid down.] He is uncommonly fond of 

 maw-seed ; and to this I sometimes treat him. 

 Is this correct? [Quite so. A bonne-bouche of 

 the kind cannot hurt him.] He rejects Jlax al- 

 together. Between ourselves, however, he gets 

 many a little occasional treat, that is not " de- 

 fined in the bill ;" hence, perhaps, his amiable 

 love for his mistress. Oh, Mr. Editor, how I do 

 love my " pet !" Fanny A. 



[Continue, kind Fanny, to cultivate all these 

 harmless fancies; and never hesitate to con- 

 sult us when anything goes wrong with your 

 " pets." We are quite as delighted to listen 

 to your little sorrows, as you can be to pour them 

 into our ear; aye, and we can sympathise with 

 you. Try us often.] 



The Cuckoo. — Will you be so kind as to tell 

 me, Mr. Editor, whether the cuckoo can be 

 kept for any length of time in a cage? A friend 

 of mine reared one from the nest, but he died 

 early in the Autumn. This she imagines may 

 have resulted from her not perfectly understand- 

 ing the nature and habits of the bird. The 

 weather, too, was unusually severe. My friend 

 is of a disposition to tame readily any bird. The 

 cuckoo was very fond of her, and had his liberty 

 in the house; ranging from room to room. He 

 was seldom in his cage. He would follow 

 mistress about everywhere; but was shy 

 making any other acquaintances, even in 

 same family. — Arabella T. 



[Tell your friend, fair maiden, for her consola- 

 tion, that these birds seldom, if ever, live in 

 confinement beyond the month of January. They 

 pine away when the winter sets in; and all the 

 love that a fond mistress could lavish on them 

 would avail nothing. The cuckoo is a singular 

 bird truly ; very affectionate where his heart is 

 given — but shy of the world generally. He is 

 quite right. No doubt he has good reason for 

 what he does !] 



his 



of 



the 



Nightingale for Scde. — I thank you for making 

 known my wishes, with respect to the disposal of 

 my nightingale — but how can I divide my bird 

 among so many aspirants for the honor of pos- 



