200 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
June 24. 
That is, three dozen plants to each person, or at the rate of 
3Jd. per plant. 
Thus far the plan, which 1 trust will receive your sanc¬ 
tion ; and, if so, I beg to name it The Cottage Gardener’s 
Plant Club. Let not the dealer suppose that such a union 
would spoil their trade; on the contrary, they would ably 
tend to increase the taste for good flowers, and so increase 
the number of purchasers. I, for one, could never give 7s. 
for one pelargonium ; but could, and would, be one in such a 
society.—A Cottage Gardener. 
THE MALAY FOWL. 
As this breed of poultry is quite eclipsed by the Cochin 
China, and it is broadly and carelessly hinted, that, like the 
red man before the lace of the white man, it is likely to be 
consigned to oblivion, perhaps it would be well, before it 
shares this fate, to enquire if it could not be made to answer 
some useful purpose. True, it is not so prolific as the 
Cochin, nor so epicurean a dainty at table as that fowl or 
the Dorking ; but much that is false as well as that which 
is true has been said and written pro and con. Truth, how¬ 
ever, is best, and perhaps only, elicited by discussion, I 
propose, therefore, to add my mite to the general stock. 
About twenty years ago I first saw the Malay breed of 
fowls, at which time 1 was kindly initiated into all the 
mystery of points necessary to constitute a perfect specimen 
by old Mr. P. Castang, a good tutor, all will allow who knew 
him. Whether or not I have profited as I ought is not for 
me to say. 
The cock is in general very tall, some specimens in 
my possession having measured, from toe to beak, when 
stretched upon a table, 38-J inches, and most of them 35 to 
30 inches. The limbs are very stout, and the legs, which 
are yellow, free from feathers. The body, owing to the 
great length of leg, and the closeness of the body feathers, ; 
apparently small, though, in reality, they are very heavy 
birds, some cocks being as heavy as the finest Cochins, and 
the hens lOlbs., but the general weight with me has been 
DJlbs. the cocks, up to 11 lbs., and the hens bibs, to tfj-lbs. 
During the years 1850 and 1851 the remnant of my stock 
was sold, to make room for an increasing stock of Cochins ; 
these weighed, hens !)§lbs., cocks 11 lbs., but it is right to 
say they were birds selected from many. I am aware that 
these weights are strangely at variance with those named by 
Mr. Dixon, but not otherwise than warranted by facts, as 
many fanciei's can testify; indeed, Mr. D. could never have 
possessed or seen first-rate specimens. 
The comb of the cock is somewhat singular, or, as some 
say, misshapen, though this term can scarcely be applied 
with propriety to that which is the true characteristic of the 
breed. It may be compared to the half of a strawberry 
placed upon the head with the flat side downward, or, some¬ 
times, to the half of a walnut similarly placed, for in some 
cases it rises less than the height of the half strawberry, and 
in other specimens more than the height of half a walnut. 
The comb of the hen is similar, but very slightly elevated, 
so much so, that in many of them there is so very slight a 
rising that they may be said to have almost none at all. It 
must not be omitted, however, that many have single, erect, 
thick combs, a characteristic rather of the Chittagong, 
though in other particulars they are perfect specimens; tile 
peculiar comb before described is, however, the correct one, 
and every fancier would do well to cull out all that have not 
that property. The head should bo broad and shortish, 
the beak parrot like, or, as some writers have it, they are 
serpent-headed. They are remarkably pugnacious, the hens 
having often been known to fight till they have destroyed 
each other, and the cocks to dispatch at a blow a favourite 
Cochin. As I hinted before, they are not such good layers 
as the China fowls; but those with which I commenced, 
hatched from eggs procured by Mr. Castang for me, com¬ 
menced laying at twenty weeks old, laid through the entire 
autumn, and nearly the whole winter, and throughout the 
two following seasons proved equally prolific. At six months 
old the cockerels weighed Tibs, each, the pullets (i and 
6^lbs., and the former measured 30 and 37 inches. The 
flesh is certainly not so delicate as that of some bi'eeds, but 
the body and wings are by no means despicable, though the 
legs are dark and coarse. 
I have had crosses between them and the Cochin, some ; 
of which were very handsome, and continued perfectly dis¬ 
tinct for a long time, and were perhaps worth perpetuating ; 
others, and most of them, varied as greatly as can be con¬ 
ceived from each other, and were as objectionable as could 
be in every point of view. The most curious, and the 
prettiest, cross 1 ever saw was an accidental one, between a 
white Malay cock and two small Rautams, one yellow the 
other black. From the very assiduous attentions paid by 
this gigantic bird to these diminutive creatures, it was 
supposed the eggs might bo fruitful: one from each was 
tried, and both succeeded; the one from the black hen 
proving a pullet, being very dark, the one from the yellow a 
beautiful speckled, or cuckoo-coloured, cock, with golden 
hackles. The following season the hens were crossed with 
a Sebright Bantam ; these, again, with the cuckoo-coloured 
cock, and the produce was a race of grey, cuckoo-coloured, 
birds, which were perpetuated for a long period without 
varying, a few of which were presented to the Surrey 
Gardens, but shortly after died. In size they did not much 
exceed that of a common Bantam, and in shape were like a 
partridge, with full breast and splendid tail; they had the 
comb and head of a Malay, yellow beak, and yellow legs of 
very moderate length. I have also seen crosses with the 
Spanish, resulting in a race of magnificent birds, better 
layers, and fitter for table, than the Malay. 
From these remarks it will probably be conceded that, ere 
they are quite discarded, it would be desirable to attempt 
some crosses with them, as their size would improve many 
of our common breeds, particularly if those of greatest 
weight, shortest legs and neck, and general good shape were 
chosen for the purpose.—(j in a Corner. 
POULTRY EXHIBITIONS. 
“ Honour to whom honour is due.” 
At all cattle show's, over each animal there is placed an 
account of its breed, breeder, feeder, mode of feeding, 
age, Sets'. 
Now, let this be done at all future poultry exhibitions, 
and then all entitled will receive their share of credit, or, to 
recur to my motto, honour will be given to whom it is due. 
And lot this be strictly enforced, expulsion from all future 
shows following every transgression of the rule. 
To make my meaning clear, suppose the birds exhibited 
to be Cochin Chinas, the female parent being of Mr. Bun- 
chard’s breed, the male of Mr. Moody’s, let the label run 
thus :—“ Bred from a ‘ Punchard ’ hen, and ‘ Moody ’ cock, 
by Mr.-, and reared by him on groats and barley-meal. 
Ago six months.” 
Besides the due award to merit, there would be the public 
benefit, that we should then see the effect of certain crosses 
and modes of feeding; know which would produce the 
I greatest weight, with greatest beauty of form and plumage, 
and give to every man his full share of credit. 
1 I think it would not be difficult to prove, that had some 
| such rule been laid down at first, some, and no small credit, 
1 would have fallen to the share of those who at present are 
; kept in tbe back ground, though many have availed them- 
j selves of their breed to improve their own. Speculators, 
too, would have found their proper level, and the judges 
[ themselves would have been greatly aided, and prevented 
from falling into some blunders ; for it is a fact almost 
patent, that prizes were awarded to birds of a particular 
breed, which privately had met with wholesale condemnation. 
As “Amateur” is affixed to so many communications, allow 
me for the future to subscribe myself.—Q in a corner. 
PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE 
MANAGEMENT OF BEES. 
By Henry Wenman Newman, Esq. 
(Continued from page 183.) 
THE HONEY HARVEST. 
“ Aut pressa puris mella condit amphoris.”— Hor., Ode 2. 
(The out-pressed honey stored in pure vessels.) 
The best practical mode of collecting fine honey without 
killing the bees, is to keep as many stocks as the country 
