September 9. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
365 
nosum, on those of the Orange River, having spines, 
leaves, and Mallow-like dowers growing from the un- 
! branched stems. 
The nest letter we shall quote from is dated “ Camp, 
near Coimbatore, 21st December, 1783.” 
I.IEUT. W. PATEltSON TO MR. FORSYTH. 
The day I received your letter we commenced the siege 
of a very strong fort called Bligoteherry, which was attempted 
1 by Colonel Humberston last year. We invested it on the 
: !)th of November, and it surrendered to us on the 13tli. 
The caption of that place was about £200 to me. After 
everything was again in marching order, we proceeded to 
Coimbatore, and took that fort on the 25th ult., and on the 
1 27th the colonel received orders from the Board of Madras 
j to cease hostilities, or by this time we should have been 
j very near the capital of Seringapatam. 
The Company are now treating with Tippo Sail), and I 
think it is very probable that matters will be made up, if it 
is not countermanded from Europe; and, upon this sug¬ 
gestion, I am settling my small matters in this country, to 
be in readiness to march home with my friend the colonel, 
who will go by land. I hope that I shall be able to muster 
about £190 or £200 per annum, which will make a shift ou 
half-pay should the regiment be reduced. I am very sorry 
that the campaign has rendered it impossible for me to 
make any collection but drawings ; in that I have succeeded 
very well indeed, and I ilatter myself, if no accident hap¬ 
pens, that they will astonish you when you see them. This, 
I hope, will plead an excuse for me; you may be assured 
that no line of life in the world will lead me oft Natural 
History—it is, and ever will be, my favourite study, when it 
does not immediately interfere with my duty. 
The hammer oyster you mention, I assure you is not to 
be found where you mention; but ill the Gulf of Manaar the 
pearl oyster and large shark (?) are found, some of which I 
shall send home. 
GOSSIP. 
We are glad to find Cottagers' Poultry Shows have 
begun. Mr. Trotter, of Healey Mill, Hexham, writes 
to us as follows:— 
“ Having been called in on Saturday, along with J. S. 
Challoner, Esq., to act as judges at a poultry show, held in 
the adjoining parish, I beg to give you some particulars 
connected with the show. 
“ It took place at Slaley, one of the bleakest situations in 
Northumberland, at which place, and on the same day, a 
tlower and vegetable show was held. The most remarkable 
circumstance connected therewith, is that the productions 
exhibited are mostly from cottage gardeners, and are of 
such a quality, that they cope with those exhibited at the 
leading exhibitions by gentlemens’ gardeners. The nature 
and value of the soil of the parish may be inferred from 
the fact, that the produce of wheat generally averages not 
more than from one to two quarters per acre, thus showing 
with what energy the cottagers must cultivate their gardens 
to enable them to compete successfully, at the leading shows, 
with those who labour in infinitely better situations. Would 
that a similar energy would display itself in the cultivation 
of the fields. 
“ Although the two Societies to which 1 have adverted 
are managed by separate committees, yet I hail such a com¬ 
bination, as it were, (their show’s being held in adjoining 
j buildings) as a happy omen. Is it not better for the cottager 
i to have such ambitious pursuits as the cultivation of flowers 
and vegetables, and of poultry, in which to spend his spare 
i hours, knowing as we do, ‘ that the devil always finds work 
j for idle hands ? ’ 
“Judging by the success which has attended the flower 
i show (this being its fourth year), and by the zeal with 
j which some of the cottagers have commenced to keep pure 
: breeds of fowls, 1 anticipate that the village of Slaley will 
j have a poultry show of considerable local importance. 
; Although in this year’s show the number of birds was 
small, yet there were some very fine specimens of both Gold 
and Silver-pencilled Hamburghs. I exhibited a pen of 
Cochin-China chickens, and one of Spanish ditto, a pair 
of Dorkings, and a pair of Golden-spangled Polish, and 
some Aylesbury ducks, all of which were greatly admired. 
“ The attendance of visitors was large, and so augmented 
the funds of the Society, that, after meeting all demands, a 
large surplus remains.” 
Wo recently saw, at Clapliam Rise, Mr. H. Groom’s 
collection of the varieties of Lilium laiicifolum, and a 
very nice groups they were. Although there are several 
other varieties, yet if a purchaser secures specimens of 
album (white), punctattm (white, spotted with pale 
pink), and spedosum or rubrum (white, with very dark 
crimson spots softening off to pink), he will have all 
that lie requires. Tt is now quite certain that Lilium 
lanci/olium is hardy, for Mr. Groom has grown it 
for three years in the open ground, without protection 
even in winter. He grows it beneath a north wall, 
about live feet high, so that the plants are exposed to 
the sun only at its first rising and at its setting, but 
Mr. Groom thinks this Lily would bear a more sunny 
exposure. It reaches to the height of five feet in the 
open ground. It is sweet-scented, and so are all the 
varieties, so as to perfume a greenhouse when grown 
in it. 
A practical man (T. Hill) has suggested a form of nail 
for training trees to a wall, of which No. 2 is a r epresent¬ 
ation. It is not so liable to break in driving as is 
No. L (which, made of cast iron, may be had at some 
horticultural ironmongers in London), and has other 
advantages. 
The suggester calls it “ The Permanent Tie Nail,” as 
it is intended to remain where driven, and the branches 
are to be tied to it; “ which is to be greatly preferred to 
the nail and strip system, as drawing the nail makes 
bad work with a wall.” This is true, but unless a broad 
string of some kind can be employed for tying, the con¬ 
stant friction caused by the wind “ makes bad work ” 
with the branches where the tie goes round them. 
The following is a list of the Horticultural and 
Poultry Shows of which we are at present aware. We 
shall be obliged by any of our readers sending us ad¬ 
ditions to the list, and giving the address of the Se¬ 
cretaries. 
HORTICULTURAL SHOWS. 
Aberdeenshire, Sept. 17. (Sec. G. Reid.) 
Allendale, Sept. 11th. (Secs., G. Dickinson and G. J. 
French.) 
Bath, Sept. 10th. (Sec. H. T. St. John Maule, Esq.) 
Bridgewater, Sept. 22. (Secs., Mr. J. Leaker and Mr. 
J. Hayward.) 
Buigg, Sept. 15th. (See. Mr. D. Nainby, Jun.) 
Bury St. Edmunds, Sept. 10 (Abbey); Nov. 20 (Chry¬ 
santhemums). (Sec. G. P. Clay, Esq ) 
Caledonian (Inverleith Row), Edinburgh, Dec. 2. 
Chepstow, Sept. 14. (Sec. J. F. Hartland.) 
