December 15. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
197 
advantages in this respect greater than has been sup¬ 
posed. Draining the soil increases its absorbent powers 
and capacity for appropriating manures; and whole 
tracts of country, once drained, become more favourable 
to animal and vegetable life from this circumstance, 
as well as because they are less damp than before. 
Quick-lime, which becomes more porous and absorbent 
when newly slaked with water, is of singular value in 
tillage. Spread over the surface of old pastures, it 
takes up and brings into use much injurious or inert 
matter lying on the surface. Mixed-up even in a small 
proportion with old garden soils, or crude subsoils, it 
effects a doubly beneficial change; mellowing them by 
taking up their superabundant moisture, and becoming 
itself bulkier and lighter at the same time. 
What simple means has not a beneficent Providence 
placed within our reach for rendering not only powerless 
for evil, but—actually conducive to our well-being—those 
dread elements of disease which we hear so much of 
now-a-days. So that we do not altogether miss of the 
due proportion between end and means, we shall see 
things compensating each other in a wonderful way 
even in this world. We cannot resist quoting again 
from our favourite author, Bishop Butler:—“Men are 
impatient, and for precipitating things, but the Author 
of Nature appears deliberate throughout his operations, 
accomplishing his natural ends by slow successive steps. 
And there is a plan of things beforehand laid out, 
which, from the nature of it, requires various systems of 
means, as well as length of time, in order to the carrying 
on its several parts into operation—making one thing 
subservient to another; this to somewhat further, and 
even through a progressive series of means which 
extend both backward and forward beyond our utmost 
view. Of this manner of operation, everything we see in 
the course of nature is as much an example as the 
Christian dispensations.” J. J. 
In all that has of late been spoken or written on the 
position to be occupied in our poultry lists by the 
“ Brahma Pootra Fowl,” we are not aware of a single 
fact having been brought forward with reference to its 
j alleged Asiatic habitat beyond what was known to us 
many months since. In by far the majority of cases, 
the importations have been from America; but whence 
that continent received the original stock is a question 
that still receives contradictory answers. Could it have 
been satisfactorily ascertained that in any district of 
Assam, or elsewhere, through which the Brahma Pootra 
flows, these birds were generally found in such numbers 
as to constitute them the usual fowl of the country, we 
should have good reason to regard them, at any rate, as 
a “permanent variety" of the Shanghae family, how¬ 
ever we might dispute their title to be considered as a 
“distinct species.” But such evidence having not yet 
reached us, our opinions must be based on our own 
recent observations, and the recorded experience of 
American breeders. 
As the general record of all that may interest the 
poultry-keeper, The Cottage Gardener has need of 
the utmost caution in sanctioning the application of 
the term “new and distinct species” to any novel intro¬ 
duction whatever; while it should always stand forward 
as the advocate of a fair and unprejudiced trial for all 
that may claim that designation. Now, the discussion 
with respect to the subject of our present inquiries has 
been a wordy one, and enthusiastic support and con¬ 
temptuous rejection have here come in contact. But 
that the public may be placed in a position to form 
their own opinion, requires the arguments on either 
side to be impartially stated. 
Two distinct questions seem to be involved in this 
controversy— 
1st. Is the so-oalled Brahma Pootra fowl a distinct 
breed ? 
2nd. Is it possessed of superior merits and good pro¬ 
perties to the Shanghae or other breeds? 
In reference to the first query, the opponents of these 
fowls would say, “There are manifest symptoms of an 
illegitimate descent; they are cross-bred fowls, in which 
the Shanghae, Malay, and sometimes the Dorking race, 
have had their part.” It is perfectly true that such 
irregular alliances have, during the present year, pro¬ 
duced many birds closely assimilating to the Brahma 
Pootra form and plumage. But this is but inconclusive 
evidence, and goes but a little way to sustain the argu¬ 
ment, if it be true, that, although such resemblances 
have been thus produced, there are other specimens, 
which, in several generations, have been bred true to 
the required form. We are here especially cautious in 
our words, for though we have no reasons to doubt that 
what have been considered as the purest strains of the 
Brahma Pootras have thrown pure chickens only, we 
know, on good authority, that the produce of imported 
birds, of equally high pretensions, have produced buff 
chickens with black hackle, not to bo distinguished 
from Shanghaes of the same colour. 
The most suspicious point, to our minds, is the occa¬ 
sional presence of the warted semi-Malay pea-comb. 
If, indeed, we found this feature indefinitely varied in 
these fowls, our suspicions would increase; but it would 
now seem, that in comparatively few instances does it 
appear; probably, indeed, in no more than where, in 
Shanghaes, a semi-double comb presents its unwelcome 
form. 
So far, the admirers of Brahma Pootras sustain 
their case; since, beyond any question, the birds have 
now, in some instances, been bred true to colour and 
form in more than one generation, so that if this testi¬ 
mony can be continued, “ permanency of variety" may 
safely be predicted of them. But will their friends be 
satisfied with this concession ? We fear not; for “ dis¬ 
tinctness of breed," in other words, “ specific difference," 
is often claimed for them. But here we must part 
company with those who hold this latter opinion, and 
our reasons for so doing are, to our mind, conclusive; 
since the most careful inspection holds out no ground 
for the belief that either in form, characteristics, or 
properties, there exist any specific distinction whatever 
