368 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 20, 1881. 
Apples—1, Stamford Pippin ; 2, Court Pendu Plat. Pears—1, not known, and 
quite worthless; 2, Red Doyennd, small. (A JIT.).—Beauty of Kent. (IF. //. 
Bannister). —Huyshe’s Prince of Wales. 
Names of Plants (M. II. /?.). —1, Crataegus coccinea. 2, Specimen quite 
withered, but resembling Rudbeckia fulgida. (O. P). —1, Nephrolepis tuberosa, 
which may be increased by placing the tubers in similar soil and temperature 
to those provided for the plants ; 2, Saxifraga ceratophylla; 3, not sufficient 
for identification ; 5, Selaginella Martensii; 6, Saxifraga hypnoides. (A.A.M.). 
—The yellow flower is Chrysanthemum frutescens Etoile d’Or, the other is 
Sericographis Ghiesbreghtiana. (R. 0. D). —1, Lonicera sempervirens; 2, A 
variety of Lantana, but the fragment was insufficient for determination ; 
3, Euphorbia splendens ; 4, Habrothamnus fasciculatus; 5, Amaranthus cau- 
datus ; 6, Apparently a weak shoot of Kalosanthes coccinea. 
Bees not Sealing Syrup Given as Food (H. M .).—Store can no 
more be sealed without the secretion and elaboration of wax than can comb be 
built. A high temperature is needful for this secretion, and hence in the chilly 
weather we always get at the very close of the season bees are disinclined to seal 
the syrup they receive as food. In very strong stocks, in hives contracted until 
the bees are crowded, comb-building and sealing may be carried on with adverse 
external conditions; but as a rule all feeding should be completed in time to 
secure the sealing of the greater portion. Bees never seal quite all their store ; 
that set apart for present use is left uncapped, and in the depth of winter they 
always in the midst of the cluster retain a certain limited supply of open honey. 
That the syrup is unsealed in large amount is unfavourable for wintering and 
may be a cause of failure, but thick-walled hives well contracted will make up 
often for disadvantages of this nature. 
CO VENT GARDEN MARKET.— October 19. 
Trade steady. Prices, with the exception of Apples, generally better. 
FRUIT. 
9. 
d. 
9. 
d. 
9. 
d. 
9. 
d. 
Apples. 
i sieve 
i 
0to4 
6 
Lemons. 
0to30 
0 
Apricots. 
doz. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Melons . 
l 
0 
2 
0 
Cherries. 
n* tb. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Nectarines^ 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Chestnuts. 
bushel 16 
0 
0 
0 
Oranges .... 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Currants, Black.. 
£ sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Peaches .... 
6 
0 
15 
0 
„ Red.... 
i sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Pears .kitchen .. dozen 
1 
0 
1 
6 
Figs. 
dozen 
0 
6 
1 
f) 
dessert .... 
X 
0 
2 
0 
Filberts. 
IP lb. 
0 
0 
0 
9 
Pine Apples 
IP tb 
3 
0 
5 
0 
Cobs. 
IP tb 
0 
0 
0 
9 
Strawberries 
.... per lb. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Gooseberries .... 
i sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Walnuts ... 
7 
0 
8 
0 
Grapes . 
IP lb 
0 
6 
4 
e 
VEGETABLES. 
s 
d. 
9. 
d. 
9. 
d. 
9. 
d. 
Artichokes. 
dozen 
2 
0to4 
0 
Mushrooms 
1 
Otol 
6 
Asparagus. 
bundle 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Mustard* Cress .. punnet 
0 
2 
0 
3 
Beans, Kidney .... 
IP lb. 
0 
3 
0 
6 
Onions. 
3 
6 
5 
6 
Beet, Red. 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
pickling .. 
0 
0 
0 
5 
Broccoli. 
bundle 
0 
9 
i 
6 
Parsley. 
doz.bunches 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Brussels Sprouts.. 
i sieve 
3 
0 
3 
6 
Parsnips .... 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Cabbage. 
dozen 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Potatoes _ 
2 
6 
4 
0 
Carrots. 
bunch 
0 
4 
0 
6 
Kidney.... 
3 
0 
4 
6 
Capsicums. 
IP 100 
X 
6 
2 
0 
Radishes.... 
doz .bunches 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Cauliflowers. 
dozen 
0 
0 
3 
6 
Rhubarb .... 
0 
4 
0 
6 
Celery . 
bundle 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Salsafy. 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Coleworts_doz. bunches 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Scorzonera 
1 
6 
0 
0 
Cucumbers. 
each 
0 
4 
0 
6 
2 
0 
2 
8 
Endive. 
dozen 
i 
0 
2 
0 
Shallots .... 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Fennel. 
bunch 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Spinach .... 
3 
0 
0 
0 
Garlic . 
IP tb. 
0 
G 
0 
0 
Tomatoes .. 
» tb. 
0 
8 
0 
9 
Herbs. 
bunch 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Turnips. 
4 
0 
0 
Leeks. 
bunch 
0 
3 
0 
4 
Vegetable Marrows each 
e 
0 
0 
i 
POULTRY AND PIGEON CHRONICLE. 
IMPROVEMENT OF THE; HAMPSHIRE AND WEST 
COUNTRY DOWN SHEEP. 
In concluding our observations upon the subject of “ Cross¬ 
breeding of Sheep ” in this Journal on the 2nd of September, 
1880, we alluded incidentally to the means at our disposal for the 
improvement of the Hampshire and West-country Down sheep, 
but intending on a future occasion to return to the subject, and 
by stating in detail the manner in which we would proceed to 
work out so desirable an object based upon our experience as weT 
as that of other flock-masters ; we therefore now return to the 
consideration of the subject in extcnso. 
Within the last few years a strong opinion has prevailed that 
the breeding flocks of this kind of sheep are becoming deteriorated, 
notwithstanding the efforts to maintain the style and character. 
We are by no - mea ns su rprised that such is the case, for as a rule 
Nature never stands still, and that those flocks which are not 
improving in quality and value are therefore receding. This is 
a matter not to be lightly spoken of, particularly when we find 
really practical and intelligent men of great experience are 
amongst those who complain. It is, in fact, our only object in 
introducing the subject, in order that an improved type and 
style of sheep may be established and made available, not only 
for improving and renovating the present race, but also for main¬ 
taining the most approved character of the Hampshire and West- 
country Downs. Deterioration in the future is sure to happen 
unless the most practical and experienced breeders and flock- 
masters take up the matter in earnest, and bring out an improved 
type of animal adapted for rearing upon the exposed hill farms of 
the south-western and southern counties. It is well known that 
certain breeders are perfectly satisfied with their present flocks, 
and say that they are unrivalled. If we were to admit this we 
certainly could not go so far as to say that they cannot be 
improved. Let us now consider what are the points and 
character of these sheep which should be retained and those 
which may be improved upon. 
In looking back for forty years and upwards we find that at 
various periods alterations of the style and character of these 
sheep were effected by experienced breeders, but that they had 
no object in common in introducing their changes or modifica¬ 
tions. Mr. J. T. Twynam of Winchester, a Hampshire farmer 
who is still living, about the year 1830 used the improved Cots- 
wold ram with his Hampshire Down ewes, and this cross had the 
effect of increasing the number of lambs, adding to the weight of 
the carcase, and yielding more wool, with a greater disposition to 
fatten, which at that time were considered valuable improve¬ 
ments. The flock-masters who possessed at the succeeding period 
the best style and type of sheep to be obtained at that time were 
Mr. F. Budd, of Hatch Warren, Hants; Mr. Thos. Saunders, of 
Watercombe ; and Mr. John Fookes, of Cerne, in Dorset. The 
character of the sheep bred by these gentlemen was what we may 
term the most approved type of the period—namely, a large size 
with short wool, of great length, breadth, and depth of carcase ; 
and although not early in lambing they were well suited for their 
districts, and were very hardy, and adapted for the consuming of 
root crops in exposed positions in rough and bad weather. The 
next improver of these sheep was Mr. Wm. Humphrey of Oak 
Ash, Chaddleworth, Berks, whose sheep were certainly the best 
style and character we have seen as the representative of the 
West-country Down, for we noticed the great success of his flock 
in taking the best prizes at the meetings of the Royal Agricul¬ 
tural Society of England at their meetings held at Salisbury, 
Chester, and Warwick in the years 1857-58-59, and again at the 
Battersea International Meeting held in 1862. On each of these 
occasions the sheep were considered by the Judges to be superior 
to all other short-woolled sheep, especially on the points of early 
maturity or weight for age, quality of mutton, and wool of fine 
and short staple. These animals having been obtained by the 
use of South Down rams of Mr. Jonas Webb’s celebrated flock 
with the largest and choicest Hampshire ewes, such as Mr. F. 
Budd’s, may be considered to be an enlarged type of Sussex 
Downs, with all the hardihood and strength of constitution for 
which the Hampshires have always been famous. 
To make our list of breeders complete in the west-country dis¬ 
tricts we must name Mr. James Rawlence, of Wilton, Wilts, who 
sagaciously observed the value of Mr. Humphrey’s stock, and 
availed himself of the opportunity of improving the size and 
character of his flock. Although at the time they were enlarged 
specimens of the Sussex Down he obtained a valuable improve¬ 
ment by an alliance between his strongest and selected ewes and 
rams from Mr. Humphrey’s, and eventually possessed a flock of 
west-country sheep second to none, and was often a prizewinner 
at the Royal and Smitbfield Stock Exhibitions. The most un- 
