JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, [ July a, i88o. 
very good aviary birds in company with the Goldfinch, Bullfinch, 
Mountain Finch, Linnet, Greenfinch, Siskin, and Redpole. The 
offspring of the Siskin and the Canary is very prettily feathered 
and sometimes nicely variegated, and they make sweet songsters 
brought up within the hearing of a good Canary tutor.—G. J. 
Barnesby. ____ 
VARIETIES. 
Great Auk Eggs.—Two genuine eggs not previously recorded 
were lately discovered in an old private collection in Edinbuigh, 
and some of the leading naturalists being of opinion they may be 
the last unrecorded specimens that will be found, were sold on the 
2nd inst. by Mr. J. C. Stevens, 38, Iving Street, Covent Garden, 
London. One specimen for £100, and the other for 102 guineas. 
-Buttercups in Pastures. —A correspondent, “North 
Woolton,” writes in reference to our advice given on page 20 
“ There is no need to burn the turf. Geese will take out all the bulb 
roots of the buttercup ; when there is a great many to root out time 
must be allowed.” To this we reply there are two species of Ranun¬ 
culus in pastures which are known by the name of buttercups— 
R. bulbosus and R. repens. It is the former that geese devour 
with avidity ; the latter must be eradicated by weeding. The tall 
R. acris is also a buttercup, and is abundant in some pastures. 
_ Pedigree Corn. —An experienced correspondent writes to us 
as follows :—“ Farmers, although growing full pedigree corn, have 
made serious mistakes in consequence of expecting to obtain large 
ears of corn—either of wheat, barley, or oats—when the land has not 
been rich enough to produce a full crop ; but it will be found that 
pedigree corn will require the land to be properly tilled and manured, 
and will then yield a more valuable produce than ordinary grain. It 
is also necessary to have the land deeeply tilled for pedigree grain, 
but especially for wheat, because it will root very deeply, say several 
feet, if the roots can penetrate the soil; and we draw a comparison 
in the rooting of grain to that of timber trees, the wheat rooting deep 
like the oak, whereas oats and barley, but particularly the latter, root 
near the surface, more like the ash and the elm. The change of seed 
from different soils has always been recognised as advantageous, 
especially when taken from the poorer soil to the better. There will 
be, however, some difficulty in the change of seed of pedigree grain 
unless pains are taken to obtain for a surety seed selected by the 
grower, or otherwise the home farmer may by his own intelligence 
and care provide seed of his own growth, particularly where the 
necessary variations of soil occur upon the estate or occupation in 
hand. In conclusion, we feel that whatever views farmers in general 
may entertain as to the merits of Major Hallett’s system of growing 
pedigree corn, the principles upon which he has acted are correct— 
that in Nature like produces like ; and that he has bestowed greater 
attention upon the subject than any other man, and that his exer¬ 
tions are worthy of our high commendation.” 
- “The Mark Lane Express.”—T his important agricultural 
paper has appeared this week in a new form, and not only new, but 
decidedly much improved. The pages are much smaller than before 
and proportionally more numerous, and the paper is more handy for 
reading and convenient for binding. We say nothing about the im¬ 
provement relative to the quality and variety of the matter, for in 
these respects i£ was good enough before : but the most welcome 
change of all is the change of price, which is reduced to 3 cl. 
- Oleomargarine. —Last Saturday’s issue of the Irish Farmers' 
Gazette gives full details, with illustrations, of the manufacture 
of this article in America from beef fat, and remarks that as it is the 
producers of second-class and inferior qualities of natural butter who 
suffer most from the competition caused by the introduction of oleo¬ 
margarine, it is evident that the only way in which that competition 
can be met is by improving the quality of pure butter. In this, as in 
the case of cattle, the home-made and home-produced article will 
maintain its ground against foreign competition, provided it is of 
superior quality. Producers of inferior articles, whether meat, butter, 
or cheese, have now no chance in the market. At the same time we 
are of opinion that there should be some legislative action taken with 
regard to the sale of oleomargarine, so as to protect consumers who 
may purchase it under an impression that it is genuine natural butter. 
of the country is very good, and promises a rich harvest m all pro¬ 
ducts. Grain could not be better ; the harvest has already begun in 
the southern provinces, and is equal to expectation. Maize is also in 
fine condition. The vines, except in some places where they were 
damaged by the frost, promise a copious harvest, and so do the 
olives. The harvest of cocoons is most abundant, except in a few 
places such as Belluno, Como, and Modena, but prices are unsatisfac¬ 
tory. Other products, such as oranges and lemons, fodder, &c., are in 
excellent condition, with the exception of hemp, beans, and a little 
fruit in some localities.” 
-Pekin Ducks in America.— A correspondent of the Prairie 
Farmer writes as follows in reference to this breed :—“ I speak from 
several years’ experience, and I say that so far as my knowledge 
extends the Pekins are decidedly the best breed of Ducks that we 
have in this country—best for laying, best for feathers, best for the 
table, and best for market, and I shall raise them as long as I keep 
Ducks, or until I find a breed that suits me better. I don’t raise 
Ducks for the fun of the thing, or to look at, or to brag about, but 
for profit, and I can get more profit from the Pekins than from any 
other breed that I know anything about; and just so soon as I find a 
more profitable breed of Ducks I shall acknowledge the fact, invest 
in the Ducks, and advise others to go and do likewise. I don’t want 
to keep all the good things to myself. I raise poultry for market 
almost exclusively, and have sold dozens of pairs of these Ducks that 
weighed from 20 to 22 lbs. per pair fattened for market; 22 lbs. is 
considerably above the average weight of the best breeding stock ; 
15 lbs. per pair probably comes nearer the average. The first pair of 
Pekins that I ever owned weighed 16 lbs. when the Duck commenced 
laying in February, and I now have a pair that weighed 18 lbs. the 
1st of March. There is no secret about this gain above the average 
weight; anyone can attain the same results by proper selection of 
breeding stock, and by care and abundant feed. I never allow an 
inferior or undersized Duck in my breeding yards ; I always breed 
from the largest, most vigorous, and fully developed birds that are at 
least two years old ; and from the time the ducklings are out of the 
shell until they are sent to market I give particular personal attention 
to their care and food.” 
--Early Progress of Cheese Factories in England.— 
The quantity of cheese sold at the Derby factory in its third season 
was over 49 tons, and the average price realised 74s. 7 d. per cwt. ; 
the total cost of manufacture 7s. lJcZ. per cwt. of the cheese ; and 
the dividend paid on the milk within a fraction of 6fc7. per gallon. 
Notwithstanding various drawbacks, the year 1872, the third season 
of the two factories, was one which added credit to the factory 
system ; for, after paying all expenses, a higher price per gallon of 
milk was paid than when the guarantee fund was in force, and this 
in spite of the price of cheese having declined several shillings per 
cwt. This result was highly creditable to the skill, the industry, 
and the perseverance of the respective committees, as it was an 
encouragement for the future. In the fourth season the milk-sup¬ 
pliers purchased the plant fiom the guarantors, taking full pos¬ 
session as well as entire management, and doing away wholly with 
the connection which till then had been maintained with the guaran¬ 
tee fund. Meanwhile the price of cheese had been advancing, and 
the results of the fourth season at Longford were more favourable 
than any of the preceding ones ; the management and the manu¬ 
facturers were alike thoroughly successful, and the business was a 
pronounced success.—(From “ Dairy Farming ” hj Professor Sheldon, 
for June.) 
DEATH OF MR. JOHN HUNTER. 
We last week announ red the death of Mr. John Hunter, the 
distinguished apiarian, and we row give the following notice of 
him extracted from th; British Bee Journal :— 
“ Mr. Hunter was born in London December 10, 1831. He was 
the second son of Mr. James Hunter of Bloomsbury, who was 
the founder, and for thirty-eight years the secretary, of the Royal 
Standard, one of the largest and most successful benefit societies 
in the kingdom. Mr. John Hunter was one of the originators of 
the British Bee-keepers’ Association, and his interest in its welfare 
- The Harvest in Italy. —The Italian Minister for Agricul¬ 
ture and Commerce, in his monthly report for June, says, “ The state 
