October 20. THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
CULTURE OF BRITISH ORCHISES. 
( Continued from Vol. x. page 487.) 
In my last letter, I gave a short account of seven different 
kinds of Orchises, which generally bloom between the 
second week in May and the beginning of June; the other 
seven flower rather later than that. The first is 
8. Orchis maculata. —This is a well-known Orchis, and 
may he found in almost any soil. It is, perhaps, most 
frequently found in chalk, hut it is never so fine there as it 
is in swampy meadows, growing with U. latifulia. It may 
be taken up and cultivated in a garden without any difficulty, 
and will multiply fast, especially if it is planted in hog-earth. 
9. Oymnadf.nia conopsea. —One of the most beautiful, 
and most sweetly-scented of the whole class. It appears to 
be nearly as easily cultivated as O. maculata, though it 
would prefer a chalk hank in the sun, with a little thin 
herbage growing on it. A rose-coloured variety of this may 
he found occasionally. 
10. Ophrys apifera. —The “ Bee Orchis,” a most singular 
flower, having a brown body, with pink wings, very like a 
real bee, especially when it blooms pale. As to position, 
this requires what G. conopsea prefers; and I should think 
that with a little trouble it might be easily grown. There 
are three varieties of it, “ Ophrys aranifera," “ Ophrys 
arachnites," and “ Ophrys fucifera ,” which have green wings 
instead of pink, besides other small differences. 
• 11. Herminiuh monorchis.— -The Green Musk Orchis, a 
small, uninteresting, green flower, which grows on a chalk 
slope, and flowers in July. 
12. Orchis ustulata. —A pale, pretty-looking dwarf 
Orchis, growing on chalky downs, and said to be tolerably 
abundant. Singularly enough, it is not to be found in this 
neighbourhood, so that I do not know much about it. 
13. Orchis hercina. —The “ Lizard Orchis,” which is 
now very rarely found in England. It is the tallest of the 
tribe, “ attaining a height of three feet, and producing above 
sixty flowers on a spike.” (Sir J. Smith.! The colour of 
the flower is a pale purple, and its hues are said to be 
brighter in hot, and duller in cold seasons. This is a chalk 
Orchis, and from its size and singular appearance could 
not, if seen, be mistaken. 
14. Orchis pyramidalis. —The flowers of this are of a 
bright rose-colour, and from their forming into the shape of 
a pyramid it derives its name. It requires the same culture 
as O. apifera, and blooms in July, being the latest of the 
tribe. 
I have now gone through all the plants that can fairly be- 
called Orchises of British growth; and I hope that your 
readers will not be deterred, by the fear of failure, from 
trying to grow them as they should be grown. Let them 
choose out a warm, sunny hank, and after having dug out 
the earth to the depth of a foot or so, fill it in with chalky 
soil. If the Orchises are put in as soon as they are out of 
bloom, many of them will appear above ground by the 
January or February following; and I am persuaded that 
they will live, bloom, and thrive there, as well as in their own 
haunts. If the top of the bank has any shrubs growing on 
it, Orchis J'usca may be grown amongst them, and that very 
beautiful thing, Epipactis grandijlora. This last, however, 
seems to like to have a good deal of rotten mould in the 
soil, which should, therefore, be given it, and it may require 
a deeper shade than O.fusca. I shall be glad to hear, if 
any of your readers should try it, how they succeed; and I 
wish them all success in the undertaking. IV. P. 
POULTRY PENS. 
I am induced to offer some observations to that class of 
your readers who take an interest in poultry breeding and 
exhibitions, relative to the best mode of transit of choice 
fowls, and to the introduction of a scheme which may hot 
only serve the purpose of removing them from place to place 
with safety, but of holding them securely, and displaying 
them to advantage when they arrive at their destined place 
of exhibition. To this end, I would suggest the introduction 
of a cage, the sides, back, and a part of the top of which 
should be made of wood, and the other portions of strong 
galvanized wire. The lower part of the wire-work, in front, 
should be made to lift up, for the admission of the poultry, 
cleaning out of the cage &c, but which could he so fastened 
down with a running wire, that none could gain access to 
the interior without the knowledge of the exhibitor. In a 
cage so constructed, the food could be placed in convenient 
fixed troughs on either side; and, where necessary, a roost 
might be fixed, which could be easily removed during the 
day. 
Considering the importance which attaches to anything 
connected with the breeding of poultry, and having seen 
very fine plumaged birds seriously injured for the want of a 
proper mode of conveyance, I have thought a suggestion of 
this kind worthy of mention, if only as tending to a more 
practical and efficient method. 
Another advantage attending this plan, would be the 
saving of expense to the promoters of Poultry Associations ; 
the pens all being made of one size—say two feet six inches 
by two feet, for Dorking, Hamburgh, Spanish, and Bantam 
fowls; and three feet by two feet six,for Cochins and Malays; 
by being placed side by side, according to their respective 
numbers, on a simple stand, they would of themselves form 
an admirable display without the aid of carpenters; the 
poultry need not he handled, nor removed; and that confusion 
and frequently-expressed dissatisfaction of exhibitors, which 
is well known to exist by all who have taken an active 
interest in exhibitions of this kind, would be entirely super¬ 
seded. 
I have had a cage made upon the plan suggested (to 
which I invite the attention of gentlemen, amateurs, and 
breeders),which,in the opinion of several competent author¬ 
ities to whom I have submitted it, and in its first cost 
(which is comparatively small), has proved perfectly satis¬ 
factory.—W. Dray, Swan Lane, City. 
POULTRY SALES. 
About two hundred and twenty lots of different varieties, 
the property of J. Fairlie, Esq., of Cheveley Park, were 
otiered for sale by Mr. Stevens on the 11th instant, and 
about two hundred of the lots sold. The attendance was 
very numerous, and many really buyers. The Cochins,good, 
sold pretty well, but the inferior of which, though many 
were offered, did not find buyers. Remarkable features in 
this sale were, that Lot 189, an Andalusian Cock , fetched the 
enormous price of £13 10s.; that the Dorkings fetched such 
high prices, the bidders being Rev. James Boys, one or two 
strangers, and Mr. Catling; but the buyer of nearly all was 
the Rev. T. Thursby, of Avington Rectory, near Northamp¬ 
ton. Dorkings are much sought after. The highest prices 
for Shanghaes were Lot 09. Buff hen (Andrews and Stur¬ 
geon), clear hackle, £5 5s. Lot 100, Lemon Cockerel, prize 
bird at Surrey and Bury Shows, £7 10s. Lot 124, Buff 
Pullet, “ Ida,” purchased at Lord Ducie’s sale, £7 17s. Od. 
Lot 140, Silver Cinnamon Pullet, £7 10. The highest price 
for a White S hang ha e was for a hen, Lot 92, £3 15s.; and 
for a Black Shangliae hen, Lot 105, £111. In Dorkings, 
Lot 199, “Two hens, very fine,” £0. Bantams, black and 
white, about 12s. each. The Chamois Polands were bought 
in, not more than £2 5s. each being bid for them; and the 
Dumpies were bought in at an average of £4 10s. each. The 
best Turkey, a cock, Lot 204, sold for £3 3s.; the best Gos¬ 
ling, Lot 210, for £1 8s.; and the best Guinea Fowls, Lot 
210, for £2 the pair. 
On the following day, Mrs. E. George’s Shanghaes were 
sold by Mr. Strafford. They were beautiful birds, and in 
first-rate condition. The highest prices were for a pullet, 
Lot 10, which took first prize at West Kent Show, £0; and 
cockerel, Lot 17, her companion there, £5 10s.; and their 
sisters, Lots 40 and 58, sold respectively for £10 and £15 10s. 
There were 120 lots, and the gross sum they fetched was 
about £235. 
GOLD FISH. 
In reply to “ G. W.’s ” enquiry in The Cottage Gar j 
dener of the the 29th ultimo, I beg to inform you, that the 
eggs which are said to be given, on certain occasions, to Gold j 
Fish, in China, are those of a species of Grasshopper, called I 
Cicada or Tetlix, which insects, according to Aristotle, were ; 
