126 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ February 8, im. 
There are undoubtedly certain characteristic qualities which 
belong to particular types of fowls ; thus, as a rule, white-legged 
birds are meaty and juicy on the table, plump, and full-breasted : 
red fowls have high courage : blue-legged ones are excellent 
layers. It seems to us that the peculiarity, and a very valuable 
one too, of Cuckoo fowls is their hardihood. Whether this is 
traceable to the fact that the present races of them are all 
descended from one or two very old and hardy breeds, or whether 
it is because all Cuckoo families have at some time or other been 
produced by crossing, we are unwilling to decide dogmatically. 
Probably both causes may have something to do with it, and a 
race or races originally hardy have been made still more vigorous 
by judicious crosses. We have always found it a fact that Cuckoo 
breeds when kept, as is supposed, pure and to themselves throw 
many chickens which are not Cuckoo ; and, on the other hand, 
that if a Cuckoo bird be crossed with a black or a white many of 
the progeny will still come Cuckoo. For these reasons—viz., the 
facility with which crosses can be made in these breeds without 
easy detection, and that they do not breed true to colour, they are 
suited rather to the farmer or breeder of useful poultry than to 
the mere fancier. 
Cuckoo fowls were by no means unknown forty years ago. 
Writing in 1850 the Rev. E. S. Dixon speaks of them as an old 
strain. “We here give,” he says, “by the name by which it is 
usually designated in the Norfolk farmyards, a variety which 
there is good reason to believe to be something old and distinct, 
though they are generally looked upon as mere barndoor fowls— 
i.e., the mere accidental result of promiscuous crossing. But 
there are several forms among the barndoor fowls, so called, that 
are to be seen repeated generation after generation, the counter¬ 
parts of which are to be met with scattered here and there over 
the country. The Cuckoo fowl, it may be supposed, was so called 
from its barred plumage, resembling the breast of the Cuckoo. 
The prevailing colour is a slaty blue undulated and softly shaded 
with white all over the body, forming bands of various width. 
The comb is very small, irides bright orange, feet and legs light 
flesh colour. The hens are of a good size. The cocks are large, 
approaching the heaviest breeds in weight. The chickens at two 
or three months old exhibit the barred plumage even more per¬ 
fectly than the full-grown birds. The eggs average about 2 ozs. 
each, are white and of porcelain smoothness. The newly hatched 
chickens are grey, much resembling those of Silver Polands 
except in the colour of the feet and legs. This breed supplies an 
unfailing troop of good layers, good sitters, good mothers, and 
good feeders, and is well worth promotion in the poultry yard.” 
Such were the observations more than thirty years ago of an 
intelligent poultry fancier. In all probability there then were in 
the British Isles at least two distinct varieties of Cuckoo fowls— 
viz., the five-toed Dorking in Surrey, and the ancient Scotch Grey 
in the Highlands of Scotland. Of the former variety Mr. Dixon 
seems to have had some knowledge, for he proceeds to say, “ In 
any closer grouping of the breeds of poultry the Cuckoo fowl 
might perhaps be safely referred to the Surrey fowl, and so to the 
Dorkings. Some of the grey-barred Dorkings are scarcely to be 
distinguished from them, except by the fifth toe. Still there is 
something very remarkable and permanent in the peculiar style 
of plumage that ought not to be lost sight of. It is with difficulty 
got rid of by crossing. Half-bred Spanish and Dorking fowls 
have quite retained the barred and shaded feathers of the one 
parent, displaying the comb, earlobe, and stature of the other. 
And this curious and decided plumage is quite confined to one or 
two breeds, never appearing in others, such as the Game, the 
Malays, and Hamburghs—a circumstance which makes us believe 
it to indicate an ancient descent from some peculiar and original 
parentage.” There is much in these remarks made in the very 
early days of the poultry “ fancy ” which confirms the experience 
of later fanciers. Since 1850 much progress has been made in 
collecting and perfecting pure breeds. Some, doubtless, have 
been imported from abroad, some have been manufactured by 
series of careful crosses, others have merely been made more dis¬ 
tinct and characteristic by selections from various stocks. In¬ 
stead of one or two Cuckoo breeds we can enumerate at least five 
different and distinctive ones, besides two or three others which 
are very rare, yet still we believe established races. 
1. There is the five-toed well-known Cuckoo Dorking, or 
“ Blue ” Dorking, as they call it in Surrey, a hardy and good 
layer and excellent table bird. They are now almost invariably 
rose-combed, though we have seen beautiful specimens with single 
combs. 
2. The four-toed Scotch Grey, a very hardy and old Scotch 
breed, though we fear of late much crossed to gain additional size. 
Few breeds are more admirably fitted for a farmyard in an 
exposed situation. 
3. The Cuckoo Cochin, not a common breed indeed, but still 
extant, and very haudsome and well-feathered pens we have seen, 
which proves that it is no mere cross of yesterday. 
4. The Plymouth Rock, four-clawed, rather long on leg but fine 
and robust, somewhat lighter in plumage than the older Cuckoo 
breeds. No fowl is more in favour just now for useful purposes. 
Doubtless it is a production of the New World. 
5. Dominiques, shorter, rose-combed, yellow-legged ; another 
American breed. Excellent layers in winter and early sitters. 
All these breeds have their merits, and either as table poultry or 
layers are to be recommended. Those who must have something 
rare may search for 
6. The old “ Hennies,” or Cuckoo Game, now nearly extinct. Or 
7. Cuckoo Leghorns, seen now and then both in Italian streets 
and English poultry shows. Of the ordinary Leghorn form and 
Cuckoo plumage. Or 
8. Cuckoo Polish, a lovely breed. We are the proud possessors 
of four or five, which we fancy (perhaps erroneously) are the only 
ones in England. There are still a few in France. Here is choice 
enough for anyone—not to mention the exquisite little Cuckoo 
Bantams shown to perfection by two or three ardent fanciers. 
Cuckoos of any breed to be appreciated must be seen in numbers. 
A prettier sight than a dozen of them, each one exactly like the 
rest, is hardly to be seen even in the poultry yard ; and here no one 
can accuse us of an aesthetic fancy, for they are even more useful 
than ornamental.—C. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Management of Hedges (L. C ).—Let your young hedge grow as it 
will for four or five years, and do not top or buckhead it, but have it laid or, as 
is termed in Lincolnshire, plashed, and this should be neatly done. The fence 
or quick is planted in double rows, cut down one row close to the ground, not 
allowing any of the stools to be more than 2 inches above the ground ; the other 
row will, if the plants are good, require half of them to be cut out, the other half 
to be laid down and neatly staked, placing a light biuder on the top. After 
plashing do not top or trim any of the growth before the following autumn or 
winter, and after that trim once a year and no more, as experience has proved 
that frequently trimming hedges is quite a mistake. We are acquainted with a 
district where great pride is taken with the hedges, and these were trimmed 
twice every summer, and to the astonishment of all these hedges became covered 
with white moss, and after a few years began to decay and die in patches. 
These hedges were then allowed to grow for three years, and after that they 
were plashed and trimmed once a year only ; but the herbage was cut clean 
from the roots, which is of the greatest advantage to get what is termed a good 
bottom. In some districts all young hedges are trimmed from the first year 
they are planted, and where this practice prevails there are scarcely any good 
hedges to be seen—that is, they all have open bottoms, whereas had they been 
plashed or laid they would have made as good fences as any in the north. Those 
who have young hedges to plant should trench the ground 2 feet deep and plant 
on the level without any mound or high bank, which is not only unnecessary 
but disadvantageous to the growth and well-being of the hedge. 
Asthma in Canaries (IF. It. Meyer ).—Put some tar in the water from 
which they drink, and before the lungs become seriously affected. Bread and 
milk and plenty of duckweed and Groundsel are also beneficial. The use of rice 
water has been strongly recommended by some. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
Camden Square, London. 
Lat. 51° 32 10 ' N.; Long. 0° 8 0" W.: Altitude, 111 feet. 
DATE. 
9 A.M. 
IN THE Day. 
Rain. 
1883. 
J anuary. 
February. 
Barome¬ 
ter at 32« 
and Sea 
Level 
Hygrome¬ 
ter. 
Direction 
of Wind. 
| rein n. of 
| Soil at 
1 1 foot. 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature. 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
sun. 
On 
grass. 
Inches. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg 
deg. 
deg 
deg. 
D . 
Sun. 28 
30.140 
36.5 
S4.2 
S.W. 
39.0 
47.8 
34.6 
61.9 
29.5 
0.091 
Mon. 29 
29.0,54 
51.1 
50.0 
S.W. 
4H.2 
52.7 
36.2 
54.3 
33.3 
0.3; 8 
Tnes. 39 
29.634 
36.8 
85.0 
s. w. 
4 i 7 
44.3 
34.3 
69.3 
29.7 
0.042 
Wed. 31 
29.543 
30.8 
30.7 
E. 
.'•59.8 
40.5 
29.4 
50 7 
26.1 
Tliurs. 1 
29.545 
33.0 
32.7 
N.W. 
40.0 
30.4 
567 
28.3 
0.094 
Friday 2 
28 981 
43.9 
44.5 
s. 
.-<8 9 
49.3 
82.2 
52X 
29.2 
0.493 
Satur. 3 
29.730 
40.4 
38.0 
S.W. 
4 ■.<» 
46.2 
36.0 
76.1 
33.2 
— 
29.593 
39.2 
37.9 
39 8 
45.3 
83.3 
60 2 
29.9 
1.058 
REMARKS. 
28th.—Pine bright and cold ; solar halo at 1 P.M.; rain at night. 
29th.—Very mild and squally with almost constant rain ; calm in evening. 
30th.—Bright, cold, sunny morning ; showery afternoon; hailstorm at 4.55 p.\r. ; 
fine cleat evening. 
31st.—Foggy morning ; thick white frost; day fair and cold. 
1st—Fine and dry ; foggy about 5 P.M. 
2nd.—Dull, with heavy showers ; strong gale with rain in evening. 
3rd.— Fine, with bright sunshine. 
Rapid changes of barometer ; frequent white frosts ; nearly average tempera¬ 
ture throughout the week ; very heavy gale on 2nd.—G. J. Symons. 
