212 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
December 15. 
not a bid for any of the prize fowls in those classes. There I 
were twenty-two lots in the Poland classes, not one of them 
bicl for—and out of fifty-nine lots in the Dorking classes, 
only two in classes 20 and 21 were sold, the reserve prices 
having been withdrawn—one lot of chickens at 30s., and 
another exceeding one year at 25s. In class 22 of coloured 
Dorkings, four lots were sold. The Hon. Mrs. .Astley’s 
prize Dorkings were knocked down to Mr. Fairlie, of 
Cheveley Park, at six guineas. 
There were forty-nine lots of Game birds catalogued, and 
not a bid for any one of them. The Hamburgh classes 
comprised sixty-seven lots, and only two were bid for. One 
lot of Gold-pencilled chickens sold for 10s., and another ot 
Silver-pencilled for 15s. The classes of distinct breeds 
comprised forty-seven lots, and only one bid for and sold 
for 10s. There were fifty lots in the Bantam classes, and 
only two were sold without reserve, at 15s each. About 
seven lots of Geese were without a single bidder, pen 2, 
which gained the first prize, sold for £20. These Geese 
were the prize fowls belonging to Mr. Fairlie, the purchaser 
being Lord William Powlett. Three lots of White Aylesbury 
Ducks were sold without reserve, at 12s. each. In the class 
of Rouen , nine lots had not a bidder, and in class of any 
colour, one lot was sold without reserve for 8s., and another 
at the reserve bid of 30s. 
In the classes of Turkeys , comprising twenty-two lots, 
only four were sold at 42s., £3 3s., .£3 9s., and £3 13s. 
One lot of Guinea Fowls went for 6s., and another for 10s. 
The Pigeons, comprising fifty-six lots, attracted no bids, and 
all the iots in the extra stock were left unsold. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Spanish Fowls. —Exception has been taken to a sentence in our 
report of the late Winchester Poultry Show, where we expressed an 
opinion that “ a dark line of feather between the face and comb” is 
a fatal objection to the Spanish fowl. Now, had we said ‘ the presence 
of black feathers” we should unquestionably have thus referred to a 
standard to which not one bird in ten thousand can attain, since occa¬ 
sional short bristly feathers are usually, indeed, we might almost say, 
always, visible above the eye of even the best birds. But, widely different 
from this is the continuous “ black line of feather ,” of which we 
expressed such strong disapprobation, and which, we still venture to 
think, will meet with as little favour from those to whom the task of arbi¬ 
tration at our different Poultry Shows may be confided, as we ourselves 
are inclined to bestow. A correspondent has intimated to us his belief 
that the best “ white faces” in this family, have been subjected to various 
operations, such as “shaving and plucking” for the removal of such in¬ 
trusive feathers. In answer to this, we would observe, that beyond all 
doubt, instances may be found where persons have been willing to hazard 
the disqualification of their birds, justly consequent on the discovery of 
such trickery; but when it is asserted that the success of the most cele¬ 
brated strains, during the last two years, has been thus achieved, our un¬ 
qualified and emphatic denial of the imputation must be at once pro¬ 
nounced. It has been also stated, that disappointment need not be felt 
at Spanish Chickens failing to realize the expectations of breeders whose 
stock has been the most carefully selected, since a very advanced age, it 
is asserted, is requisite for the full development of their principal 
characteristic, the white face. Until after the first moult, an opinion on 
the merit of Spanish fowls in this respect is, to a certain extent, specu¬ 
lative; and, we further believe, that progressive improvement may extend 
into the third year ; but beyond this last period, we imagine that there are 
but very few instances where the biid, in subsequent seasons, ever 
appeared to greater advantage in respect of face. An alleged case of a 
Spanish hen not showing the white over the eye till nearly tour years old 
must be a most unusual occurrence, and calculated, we fear, to disappoint 
those whose patience in reliance on this theory might carry them on to 
a fourth year which should produce so satisfactory, yet marvellous, a 
metamorphosis in their previously imperfect specimens. But more on 
this head when Birmingham has summoned the chosen of this race to 
the arena of Bingley Hall.—W. 
Weight of Geese.— Mr. Trotter says, “ When I gave you the weights 
of my Ganders of this year’s hatching, I had no other motive than to 
induce others to do the same. Some breeders of Geese make weight 
their leading aim ; and if they state the weights of their old or young 
birds, I am under the impression that the information would be appre¬ 
ciated by many of your readers. But I might add, that I do not consider 
the large breeds of Gesse are so profitable as the smaller, unless it can 
be proved that the latter consume more food in proportion, as the dif¬ 
ference in market price is not equal to the difference in their weights.” 
Crysantiia magnifloka {W. X. W.). —There is a genus of New 
Holland plants, nearly allied to Epacris, which Dr. Brown named Cry- 
sunthc, many years since; but we are not aware that Brown ever used 
the term mugniflora as a specific name— magniflora is more commonly 
used by florists; and, unless you had some collateral proof to show that 
the word was used rather by a botanist, we would believe crysantha 
originated with some provincial florist, and that he meant Chrysanthemum 
mugnifiorum. We see worse spelling of names very]often from a higher 
grade of writers in our own correspondence. 
Flower Beds (Anserculus). —We never object to any fancy design 
for flower-beds, and, in some situations and spare places about a large 
garden, we like to see them, if they do not seem to intrude on better 
things too much. When we see a room papered with a pattern in which 
Dahlias grow out of Roses, and Gilliflowers out of Thistles, we pretend 
to be in a great hurry, for we cannot long endure the torture of so much 
outrage. It is just the same when we see an attempt made to imitate 
anything from nature or art in a fancy flower-garden, if the thing in 
question is not done to a nicety after the model. Your plan is to be the 
stem of a Vine, run along the ground in a slight serpentine fashion ; this 
stem is made of dwarf Box a foot wide ; the leaves arc to come out right 
and left, as in the Vine; the footstalk to be of Box, and the outline of 
the leaf in Box, like a common edging, and the blade of each leaf is to 
be a flower-bed ; but you have a peach leaf and a maple leaf alternately 
on each side—what plant in this world grows that way ? Let all the 
leaves be those of some certain plant, in the name of Linn«eus, if for 
nothing else ; and, depend upon it, they cannot find fault with your 
design, though they might not like it. The right scent is needed in 
more wealthy places than yours. 
Various (X. Y. Z.).—Seepages 128 and 129. At the third paragraph 
from the bottom of the second column of the last page, th® words moist 
heat should be much heat. It is always very pleasing to find that we are 
giving satisfaction. We now see clearly how you can manage so many 
sashes, seven feet by four feet, as you intend them to be for a hothouse, 
some other day. By looking to an article a short time ago, you would 
see, that by merely confining your Vines to the rafters, four feet apart, 
you might have good crops of Peaches, where they stand on what then 
would be the back-wall, provided you did not force much. We now 
thoroughly comprehend how your sashes are fixed, and though we do 
not know exactly the patent ventilator of which you speak, it matters 
little how it is done, provided the heated air is prevented accumulating 
at the centre of the enclosed space at the top, even though open at the 
bottom and at both ends. But the mode of preventing this may be done 
very simply, such as by having some moveable panes there, such as you 
describe for enabling you to introduce the syringe to wash the trees. 
Now, in a length of four yards, open at the both ends, we should think 
one large square in the central light of the three would be sufficient to 
prevent any danger. In a length of six yards, two would be requisite, 
or even three; and in that of eight yards, four, at least, would be re¬ 
quired. There would be no necessity for putting one in either of the end 
sashes, as the open sides would prevent all danger there. We, ourselves, 
should like these ventilating mediums as safety valves. When we spoke 
of allowing glass to stand before the trees in winter, and making it 
opaque then, our object was not to ripen the wood ; we presumed that to 
be done before the glass was clouded, to shut out the sun’s rays, and 
thus retard the tree in its blooming. You might let down the blind that 
protects your riders on standards on sunny days, in winter and very 
early spring, for a similar purpose, as the longer such fruits can be kept 
from blooming, the more safety there will be for a crop, as the blossoms 
will not be forced to expand by a sun-heated wall when there is little 
warmth in the ground to keep up a flow of juices. You are quite right 
in applying fires to your walls in autumn, and putting them out as 
soon as the wood is ripened. The less excitement after that from 
sun, or otherwise, the better, until genial weather comes in spring. 
Your laying bare the roots for a short time can do no harm; it will 
stop growth. Neither light, nor much air, is of any consequence to Figs 
after the leaves are fallen, until growth commences the following spring. 
A little straw twisted among the branches, and then all covered with mats, 
or cloth, would be much safer than your glass sheets open at the ends. 
We have seen Figs killed in houses under glass without heat. Your 
sashes so fixed would be valuable for accelerating the Figs when placed 
on after growth had commenced, until July, and then, perhaps, the Figs 
would be as well without them; but in September, they would help 
again to ripen the crop and harden the wood. In these cases, ventilators 
would be required in all the sashes except the outside ones, and in them, 
likewise, if you shut up the ends. Figs like plenty of water when grow¬ 
ing and fruiting, and little when in a state of rest; but the quantity, even 
in the former case, must be greatly regulated by the depth the trees are 
planted, and the open or close character of the soil. So long as your 
trees make short stubby shoots, well stored with fruit, you need scarcely 
ever water them in the growing season; but if the reverse, act accordingly. 
We are very sorry you should have suffered so much from Wasps in your 
Bee department. Perhaps some of our friends will turn their attention 
to this subject. Your using the syringe is not new. We have cleared 
trees of them by the garden syringe, having boy s ready to catch every 
wasp as he tumbled down. With two engines we could manage pretty 
well to knock them off the fruit, and bring down those that were flying 
away. We have seen few nests this season, but they were monsters in 
size. The hot-water is a good thing, but it is advisable to stupify the 
rogues previously, by firing a fusee of powder and sulphur into their 
holes, and then covering the holes for a few minutes before digging them 
out. When this is done, the ground should be smoothed, after burying 
a bottle half filled with water, with its mouth open, and just level with 
the surface of the ground. Every wanderer that has escaped will fly in 
there and be done for. In strong nests we have emptied a bottle several 
times. An excellent trap is formed of two handlights, and bees hardly 
ever try it. Some rotting fruit, sour beer, with a little sugar, &c., is 
put into a saucer; a handlight is placed over it, supported on four bricks 
at the corners, or any other material more convenient. A few small 
holes are broken at the very apex of this glass. Another sound handlight 
is placed over the first, and the place where the one joins the other is 
secured with a strip of wood, or putty, or clay. As *oon as Mr. Wasp 
gluts himself in the saucer, he flies aloft, gets through the hole in the top, 
and into the upper glass, where he hums and flies until he dies. I have 
seen a peck taken out of one of such places.—R. F. 
Gapes (J. Hollins). —If this disease arises from worms in the wind¬ 
pipe, and the inflammation they produce, we think oil poured down the 
throat, greasy water for their drink, &c., can have little effect in curing 
it, for the oil and grease go into their crops. 
London: Printed by Harry Wooldridge, Winchester High-street, 
in the Parish of Saint Mary Kalendar; and Published by William 
Somerville Orr, of Church Hill, Walthamstow, in the County of 
Essex, at the Office, No. 2, Amen Corner, in the Parish of Christ 
Church, City of London.—December 15th, 1853. 
