
176 
KIDD'S OWN 
to occur than later. Nevertheless, there is 
but little to fear if the operation be taken into 
November, provided the green spear be not too 
elongated. The task of planting is one of no 
difficulty, providing due attention has been paid 
to the previous simple and progressive instruc- 
tious, the bed marked out, the soil after re- 
peated turnings, refreshings and additions, 
replaced and well settled. Proceed to place 
the bulbs in the bed in the order as noted down 
in your book, bulb by bulb, and row by row. 
There are several methods adopted by growers; 
an easy and effective one is, that your side- 
boards being six inches high above the sur- 
rounding paths, may be filled up to their upper 
edges, and the soil made smooth and even. 
Then, by marking the entire bed with the 
places for the bulbs, deposit the same on the 
surface, and cover each with a silver sand. 
This done, it is necessary to have boards three 
inches broad to place on those already fixed, 
and then fill up with soil to their upper edge— 
elevating the centre of the bed at least one 
inch above the sides. Another method is to 
plant with a trowel, the bed being first made 
its proper depth. Regularity is scarcely so 
readily secured by this method. 
Verbenas.—Gradually reduce the quantity of 
water to all the stock. Place them in winter 
quarters, close to the glass; giving air on all 
occasions, except in frost. umigate to prevent 
green-fly, and dust the foliage with powdered 
sulphur to prevent mildew. Collect seed. 

WINTER FOOD FOR POULTRY. 

WE have let our own pen be so eloquent 
on the subject of the hideous unsightly Cochin 
China fowl ; and we have pointed out so fre- 
quently the rabid insanity that rules the 
worshippers of their race—that we are glad to 
register the opinions of another laborer in the 
same field. 
It is said, remarks the Editor of the ‘“ Gar- 
deners’ Journal,” and we think with some truth, 
that John Bull cannot get on without his hobby ; 
and this hobby seems for the present to be the 
multiplication, feeding, and rearing of Cochin- 
China fowls. This mania has seized upon and as 
it were carried off by main force some of our leading 
patrons of horticulture, and made them in spite of 
themselves patrons and purchasers of these ignoble 
bipeds. At such prices, too, have many of these 
purchases been made, as would have bought up 
the entire stock-in-trade of some of the metropolitan 
fancy who dub themselves “nurserymen and 
florists.” Seeing, therefore, that the current of 
public opinion has set in in this direction, and that 
the stream is at present so irresistible, no folly 
could well surpass that which, under present 
circumstances, should venture to oppose itself to 
such a headlong torrent. We therefore conform 
for the present ; and make space for the following 
communication, in the hope of guiding, to some 
extent at least, the impetuous course of those 
whose enthusiasm has forced them into the middle 
of the torrent, where, it would seem, anything like 
calm reflection and calculation becomes an impossi- 

JOURNAL. 
bility. The article is from the pen of a gentleman 
who, from experience, is fully able to speak upon 
the subject, and whose opinions and remarks are 
worthy of every attention :— 
The extraordinary influx of fowls into yards, 
pens, gardens, and fields—in short, into every 
unoccupied spot about everybody’s premises—be- 
gins to wear a serious aspect, now that corn is dear 
and potatoes failing. ‘‘ Pets are never in the way,” 
“never give any trouble,” “make no mess,” 
“cost little or nothing to keep;” in short, are 
quite economical, picking up what would other- 
wise be wasted. There is, indeed, a time for all 
things ; and this state of things may exist in sum- 
mer, when insects abound in every rubbish-heap, 
and large corn-fields are as yet ungleaned. 
But there is an evil day not far off, and we may 
as well warn the inexperienced poultry-keeper in 
time, that he may lay up such store as may stand 
him in good stead when his pet fowls have to seek 
their food from frozen clods (where all the grubs 
and earth-worms are safely entrenched, beyond 
the powers of beak or spur to reach them,) and the 
field has become strawless that erewhile seemed a 
sea of standing corn. Now, there isa class of 
very ornamental birds, named wild-fowl, that are 
daily fed by Nature, and thrive very well on their 
fare ; and it is to their exchequer that we must 
now turn for a supply, before our ways and means 
get exhausted. We read of certain miners that 
had a dozen figs doled out to each man for his 
breakfast (not a word about the coffee and the 
bacon); and, owing to the climate (South 
America), they did heavy work on this light fare. 
We eat fruits for luxury, but we seldom think of 
making a meal from the gooseberry-bush or the 
apple tree; although dried apples formerly were © 
important articles of food in monasteries and 
sere houses, and Norfolk is famous for them 
still. 
As we do not eat fruit ourselves, to any extent, 
we do not appreciate its importance to domestic 
animals, and consequently amazing quantities of 
the very healthiest food for fowls are annually 
wasted. The mountain-ash produces a berry 
which, when preserved like currant-jelly, is eaten 
with venison at the tables of the rich. Birds are 
very fond of these berries, and they are easily 
preserved all the winter by gathering them when 
ripe, and building them up into a stack with 
straw; or rather, I should say, by putting them 
into a corn-stack or straw-rick, as the building 
goes on, which I have done often, and found the 
bunches rosy red, and quite fresh, at Candlemas, 
when the rick was taken in to be threshed. 
Here, then, is one of the ways and means of 
getting a treat for your pets, on a frosty morning, 
at no great expense; and as shell snails abound in 
many localities, and are easily kept through the 
winter in a few faggots, a good stock can now be 
laid in, thus securing another article of food at 
a cheap rate, and these, to fowls, are the greatest 
luxuries you can give them—shells and all. 
Disease among fowls would be almost unknown, 
if such natural articles of food were given them as 
fruits and insects; but heaps of grain, hard- 
boiled eggs, and fermented flour-bread soaked in 
strong ale, are articles that strongly savor of 
‘‘jockeyism”’ such as is practised to get horses up 
to the selling point. AWE, 


