24(1 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
December 29. 
and one-quarter-pound of honey, simmered together over | 
a slow fire until the sugar is melted, and when cold given 
to the bees, and at the top of the hive if possible; but 
where they have a little richer store, barley-sugar may be 
given instead of syrup. 
POULTRY-YARD REPORT. 
The “ Poultry-yard Reports,” in your very useful perio¬ 
dical, from various parties, have been very interesting to me, 
and no doubt to all who arc desirous to know what the true 
cost of keeping Poultry is. That of “ H. G.” in your number 
for October 20th, makes the expense much less than I have 
been able to do with; but most of his 136 Cochins being 
“ chickens ” (many of them perhaps small), and particu¬ 
larly the circumstance of his always feeding them himself, 
will go to account for it. I have kept Poultry, and indeed 
felt interested in the pursuit for the last fifteen years, but 
have not given attention to the exact quantity of food re¬ 
quired to support a certain number of fowls until the last 
year. My stock comprises Cochins, Spanish, and Bantams, 
Turkeys, Ducks, and Guinea Fowls, kept in different yards, 
for the feeding of the whole of which I have weekly given 
the allowance. The quantity required is somewhat more 
than it would be for fowls alone, but not much, as it will be 
seen that I have only eight Turkeys. The quantity con¬ 
sumed, and calculation founded on it, will, I believe, how¬ 
ever, be useful to some of your readers. That the allowance 
has been ample, the condition of the whole of my Poultry 
proves; my Cochin cockerels, weighing 9 and 10 lbs. 
and upwards, and not very early birds; and the condition 
and beauty of the plumage of my Poultry has attracted 
observation. My stock, when last taken, was, 
182 Cochins, and Spanish, mostly chickens of April, 
May, and June; 
5 Bantams; 
5 Guinea Fowl; 
8 Turkeys; 
9 Ducks. 
209 head of Poultry. 
Weekly allowance of food for them, besides vegetables : 
3 bushels of barley, at 4s. 6d. . ... TO 13 0 
2§ „ barley meal, at 4s. 6d. .0113 
2 „ bran, at Is. 3d. ... 0 2 6 
ii r 3 
The 209 head of Poultry, at l£d. . . £1 fi 1§ 
and, allowing a trifle for turnips, as stated below, the cost is 
something over l£d. per head, per week; but this must vary 
with the price of the food. As to quantity of food per head, 
per week, I take one quart of barley as sufficient for a fowl, 
as the ground of my calculation. There are thirty-two quarts 
in a bushel; so that a bushel will feed thirty-two full-grown 
fowls for a week. Whatever part is given in the form of 
barley-meal for soft food, 11 lbs. will be about equal to one 
quart, which makes 48 lbs. of ground meal to the bushel. 
By taking these measures and weights as a standard, the 
I quantity of food required for any given number of Poultry 
can be immediately determined. If part of the stock are 
chickens, two, or even three, if small, can he reckoned for a 
full-grown fowl. If Poultry have been regularly well fed, 
they will consume much less than lean, hungry things. 
My Poultry are fed as follows:—The first thing in the morn¬ 
ing, when let out, they have barley thrown them ; at. eleven 
o’clock, they have soft meat in troughs, a little being thrown 
on the ground, that all may feed at once. It is composed 
of one-third barley-meal, one-third, bran, and one-third Swede 
turnips, boiled and pressed through a mashing machine: 
these are well mixed together. The fowls are very fond of 
it, and it is a very filling and economical food. In the 
evening, they again have a little barley thrown them. 
Having fixed the quantity per head, as above stated, it is 
easy to calculate the daily allowance, or the allowance for 
each meal. Never give animal food; but all my Poultry 
having a run on grass, doubtless find insects and worms, of 
I which they are very fond. 
Before finishing this paper, which, I fear, is already too j 
long, I beg to remark on a statement in your number of the 
17th of November, on the colour of Shanghae’s legs. I beg 
to inquire, Is the yellow leg a “ specific feature ? ” Several 
of tho best formed and coloured birds that I have seen 
have pink-white, or fiesh-coloured legs, (not a dead white); 
and, as far as my observation has gone, the pink-white leg 
is ' generally associated with a better-coloured skin, and a 
whiter fluff, and with the under or downy part of the 
feathers all over the bird of a purer white. There, pro¬ 
bably, are some pale yellow-legged Shangliaes of equal 
colour; but if there is anything in my observation, together 
with the known prejudice of all the old writers on domestic 
poultry, as well as of epicures and cooks, against yellow 
legs, as indicating coarseness of flesh, surely pink-white or 
flesh-coloured legs, which have been considered best for a 
| table fowl, (except it can be shown that they are not an 
essential property of the Shanghae fowl,) should not be 
condemned. If there is such a variety or sub-variety, or if 
pure bred yellow-legged birds are apt to produce chickens 
with pink-white legs, then surely they should he cultivated 
in preference to an inferior coloured legged bird; for when 
the Shanghae fowl comes to stand entirely on its merits for 
use, I cannot but think its yellow legs, and frequently yellow 
skin, will be its chief drawbacks. I think highly of the 
Shanghae, or, improperly, the Cochin-China; and have 
been at considerable trouble and expense to get the best. 
Mr. John Baily, of Mount Street, says, in his little but 
excellent work, of the Cochin-China, “flesh-coloured legs 
are inadmissible.” Mr. Trotter, in his essay, speaking of 
the colour of their legs, says a “ pinky - white is most 
admired.” The Rev. S. Dixon is to the same effect. 
My only object in making these observations is the wish, 
that if the Shanghae. fowl with flesh-coloured legs is legiti¬ 
mate, it should be cultivated, and, perhaps, in preference to 
the yellow-legged bird. I believe, that by careful breeding, 
the Shanghae may be produced a short-legged, compact 
fowl that will vie with the Dorking for the table; and its 
properties as a layer and nurse, together with its hardihood 
of constitution, size, and docility, will constitute it, perhaps, 
the most desirable of fowls for general keeping. J. B. 
POTATOES FOR EVER! 
To be “useful” is my highest ambition, but to gain 
approbation through anything I may have been enabled to 
say, or do, for the benefit of others, is, indeed, encouraging, 
and nerves one on one's way. Mr. Tasker’s “cheer” is 
genuine, and comes very “ refreshing to the traveller." Of 
this I beg him to remain assured; for cheers to me are 
“ angels visits, few and far between.” 
In regard to Mr. T.’s questions, as to “how I manage to 
grow more than one hundred sacks of Potatoes to the acre? ” 
I simply answer, by the sweat of the brow, which brings me 
at once to a bump distinguishable upon my forehead, 
though whether this bump betokens system, or order, I am 
not phrenologist sufficient to discover; but of this I am 
certain, that without system, and without order, no man j 
can raise a production sufficiently remunerative (or grow 
rich either), work he ever so hard. To render my answers 
clear and orderly, I must enter somewhat into particulars, 
and state, in the first place, that the extent of my Potato 
culture is confined to a garden which I have under a three- 
course system of cropping, where no similar species is 
allowed to occupy the same ground oftener than once in 
three years —part of the secret of the one hundred and 
forty sacks. My compartmental arrangements of crops 1 
will endeavour to convey by pointing out their occupation 
this year, and their situation for the next, and so on. 
First division—Potatoes, main crop ; second earlier sorts, 
such as the Fortyfolds, Martin's Seedling. Looker's Oxonian, 
Bylol’s Flour Ball, and Prince of Wales, (if I should be spared, 
I intend to secure seed of the latter for next year, and send 
it outin earnest, if our Editor, upon his trial of it, pronounces 
it worthy). These varieties are ripe and ready for lifting 
quite by the beginning of August. Their site is then 
trenched and well manured to receive strong plants of the 
winter and spring families of Cabbage-worts. 
