THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
July 22. 
262 
They have always been kept by myself in somewhat | 
limited space, and although not possessing any superior j 
advantages of situation, I have found them much better j 
layers than any other variety with which I am acquainted I 
i (not even excepting the Cochin-China, of which I have long 
! kept a very superior strain). The eggs are equal in size 
to those of ordinary poultry, and though not so large as the 
Spanish, are certainly of far higher flavour; and the state¬ 
ment in your number, for June 10, of “ five hens laying 
503 eggs, in eleven months,” has been far exceeded by the 
Polands in my ow r n stock. In respect of the llavour of the 
flesh, certainly none can be superior to the black Polands; 
whilst being roundly-built birds, having the merry-thought, 
wings, and breast fully developed, they outshine most of the 
1 larger varieties in which the coarser parts are most pro- 
I minent; the latter being what is generally termed “ leggy.” 
Your correspondent, Anster Bonn, asks—“ Whether it is i 
i as difficult to rear perfect Polands, as liglit-buff Cochins, with- j 
| out speck, spangle, or pencilling of any other or darker j 
j colour ? ” I reply, certainly not; if you commence breeding j 
I with perfectly-plum ay eel stock. 
I have always selected the best feathered to breed from ; \ 
, and now find it a very unusual occurrence to meet with an 
| imperfect chicken, and their crests very far surpass in size 
those of former years, whilst, though breeding Cochins 
from perfectly buff birds (themselves being bred from light 
buffs), I have buff, pencilled, and even dark chickens. 
The Poland chickens are not more difficult to raise than 
others (even v r hen enclosed in aviaries ; and I may here 
add, they may bear confinement well), and are certainly not 
so tender as the Spanish, Cochins, or the Hamburglis. It 
will be found, too, that the eggs of the Tolands are almost 
universally productive, but after the fifth year, the cocks 
become quite useless for stock birds, though still very 
svpterior for “ exhibition fowls.” 
The only drawback to Polands, is their non-sitting, which 
certainly causes extra trouble, but for profit, as laying birds 
and readiness of sale, I should be most happy to hear of 
any that can rival them; and though “miserable-enough¬ 
looking, in wet weather,” after the first fine day, what other 
variety can be so unique and ornamental. 
I enclose you my card, by which you will perceive how 
very successful my strain of fowls have proved themselves 
at the various local shows of poultry.—A Subscriber. 
ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY’S SHOW. 
The poultry exhibited at Lewes on the 14th, 15th, 
and 10th instant, were, with very few exceptions, not 
first-rate; but we must reserve a fuller notice of the 
show, and of the horticultural exhibition at the same 
place and time, until our next issue. The unavoidable 
absence of the Editor must be our apology for this, .and 
for our correspondents’ numerous questions remaining 
unanswered. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
*** We request that no one will write to the departmental writers of 
The Cottage Gardener. It gives them unjustifiable trouble and 
expense. All communications should be addressed “ To the Editor of 
the Cottage Gardener , 2, Amen Corner, Paternoster Row, London.’* 
Roses (Simplex). —Long ago there was a class of roses called Damask 
Roses, and some of them produced flowers in the autumn, of which one, 
called Lee’s Perpetual , was the best, and there is hardly a better one 
now. Roses, like dogs and horses, are distinguished by “ breeds ; ” some 
of these “ breeds ” were crossed with Lee’s Perpetual , and other per¬ 
petuals of the old Damask; and the offsprings from these crosses are 
now called cross perpetuals, or Hybrid perpetuals. Any one who knows 
the difference between a house-dog and an Arabian pony (donkey) may 
understand this section of the rose ; but we should fail in the effort to 
make any one understand the “ breeds ” of roses from our descriptions. 
Hybrid perpetuals are hardy roses which bloom from May to October, 
according to the season, soil, and situation ; among them are some of 
the best roses in the world, and some of the worst, and some of all 
degrees between. Of the best kinds we gave lists last winter, and also 
the best in every “ breed ; ” for particular purposes and situations we 
must always repeat more or less from these lists, and add to them as new 
roses arc proved. We should think the following Hybrid Perpetuals 
su ^ ^°. u ver y we ffi either as dwarfs or standards :— Mrs. Elliot , 
Madame Laffay, William Jesse , Duchess of Sutherland. Barron Prevost, 
Gaunt des Batailles, Marquis Buulla , La Bcinc, Soliel d’ Austerlitz , 
and Standard of Marengo. The following Hybrid Bourbons are 
among the very finest roses, but will not bloom beyond July :— Charles 
Duval , Coupe d’Hebe, Paul Perras , Paul Ricaut, and Las Casas. 
Hybrid Chinas— Chenedolle , Brennus , Beauty of Billiere y Fulgens, 
Margined Hip, and Triomphe d’Angus. 
Ranunculuses from Rome.— Ladybird informs us that she has 
“ brought some ranunculus roots from Rome, and wishes to know if it 
is too late to put them in the ground ?” “Ranunculuses,” she adds, 
“ are beautiful at Rome ; and these brought over were all marked plants, 
and it would be a great pity to lose them. Marigolds are finer at Rome 
and larger than they ever are in England. In the Pope’s garden they 
are magnificent, and quite dazzle the eye to look at them. They cultivate 
them with great care, and manure them highly, mulching them as we do 
dahlias. Treated in this way, they would make a very showy bed to match 
Escholtzia. An English gardener would soon make his fortune at Rome, 
if he could stand a little sun. Everything is in his favour,—soil, climate, 
and, from October till May, abundant custom from the English and other 
foreigners, for bouquets, aud, in fact, all flowers cut or uncut, of which, as 
far as Camellias, Lilies of the Valley, Violets, Roses, Ranunculuses, &c., 
they have an abundant growing in the open ground nearly all winter. With 
glass what wonders might be achieved.” The roots which “ Ladybird ” 
brought home from Rome, were those of “ marked plants ; ” hence we ! 
understand that “ Ladybird ” had her choice flowers in a bed marked for 
removal as soon as the leaves were ripe and withered. The very same 
roots, in all likelihood, were just marked in Plngland, or in Holland, and 
sent to Rome ; but if they were quite ripe before leaving Rome, they can 
take no harm to the end of October, when they may be planted. If they 
were planted now they would be in full leaf before winter, and if it 
should be a hard one, it might injure them much. 
Pruning Rides sanguineum (H. A. D.).— Just after flowering is a 
good time to prune this Ribes, and again at this season some of the 
shoots ought to be thinned out where the plant grows too crowdcdly. 
Flower-beds (Inquirer). —Except what is interspersed in Mr. Lou¬ 
don’s different works, we do not know where to direct you for plans of 
flower-beds. 
Hybridizing.—J. H. H. wishes to know if a marriage can be con¬ 
tracted between a double red wallflower and a single red stock ? If it 
can, what would be the produce ? The union is not lawful, at least on 
this side of Gretna Green ; but why not try it? More strange unions 
have been spoken of, if not suggested, by legal practitioners. The pro¬ 
duce could not fail to please. 
Cantu a depen dens (X. Y. Z.). —This will not flower without a 
decided rest. It ought to be treated exactly like a fuchsia that is grown 
freely through spring and summer, and then kept dry and cool through 
winter. It should be almost without water during that season. The 
original plant at Messrs. Veitch’s, of Exeter, is planted out against a 
south or north-east aspect, and is now covered with bloom-buds, and 
would no doubt do well in a similar situation in any part of Devon, or 
Cornwall, or even in the Isle of Wight. 
Preserving Orchid Flowers (Coryanthes Macrantha).— There 
are no flowers that travel more safely when cut, than many of the 
blooms of the orchids ; but such as are naturally short lived on the 
plant are exceptions to the rule. Sobralia, Coryanthes , and Stanhopea, 
are examples of this exception. There is no means of overcoming this 
difficulty, excepting that of sending them in spirits, and then they lose 
their colours. 
Paulownia imperialis (Queen Mab). —By all means dress off the 
youug shoots that have appeared on the stem. Your other question 
shall be answered as soon as we arc in possession of the price of the 
plant you mention. 
Killing Caterpillars, See. (/I Constant Reader). —We are sorry 
that any one so generally correct as the writer you name should iusert 
such nonsense in his work, as the alleged mode of killing caterpillars by 
boring a hole into the tree and filling it with sulphur ! 
Candying Strawberries (Julia). —Will some of our readers inform 
us, for our correspondent, how these are done and dried ? 
Land over-limed ( A Subscriber from the Beginning). —If a case of 
over-liming were ours, we should give the ground a slight dressing with j 
Epsom salt before planting or sowing any crop, but after the digging, j 
But we cannot think that the failure of your crops arises from the lime j 
applied four years ago. Were they good before ? Is the land heavy or j 
light? Where was the soil to make your ground brought from ? What 
is the depth of the soil you complain of; and what is its subsoil ? 
Cantua dependens. —I. H. W. wishes to know where the Cantua 
dependens can be procured at the low rate mentioned by A. D., page j 
231 of the present volume of The Cottage Gardener. She has also 
observed the remarks in the same number on the Tropaiolurn spcciosinn , 
and begs to say she has a fine plant in full bloom against a south wall, 
planted there in May, 1851. It is many feet high, and festoons itself on 
the roses near, like the one described by E. M. The soil and situation 
are very different, being fibrous and boggy, admirably suited for American 
plants, in a cold part of Devonshire, not far from Dartmoor.—Perhaps 
some florist will send us an advertisement of cheap Cantua dependens. 
Books (A Subscriber). —Buy “Abercrombie’s Pocket Journal,” and 
“ The Cottage Gardeners’ Dictionary.” The two together will cost you 
about ten shillings. 
Names of Plants (Quidam). —The single leaf Campanula garga- 
nica; the purplish flower, probably Malva fra grans ; and the white one, 
Pyrethrum Parthenium plenum. (Rev. R. M. Evans). — Gazania 
rigens, or Large-flowered Gr.zania, a beautiful old greenhouse plant, 
deserving a place in every collection. The nettle-leaved plant (only one 
leaf!) is, we think, Campanula all iarirefolia , var. macrophylla. (A 
Lady ).— Orobunche elatior. (E. 5.).— Deutzia scabra , or ltough-leaved 
Deutzia. (S. S.). —No. 1, Arum dracunculus, or Carrion plant. No. 2, 
Saxifraga sarmentosa, or Thread-of-life plant; it is not quite hardy. 
London: Printed by Harry Wooldridge, Winchester High-street, 
in the Parish of Saint Mary Kalcndar; and Published by William 
Somerville Orr, at the Office, No. 2 , Amen Corner, in the Parish of 
Christ Church, City of London.—July 22nd, 1852# 
