December 39. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
219 
every man of intelligence will desire to know more about 
them than can be conveyed in these pages, and will willingly 
invest some, portion of his profits in works relating to them. 
We can safely recommend “ Taylor’s Bee-keeper’s Manual," 
as almost exhausting the subject. “ The English Bee- 
j keeper,” by a Country Curate, may come next, as containing 
| a vast number of useful hints. B. 
I 
(To he continued.) 
MISCELLANEOUS POULTRY MEMORANDA. 
Out-door Perches. —Those poultry-keepers who follow 
the plan of giving their fowls an unlimited supply of food 
must be well aware, that after having fed to satiety the birds 
seek repose, and that if any convenient perches or raised 
objects are at hand they are usually chosen for resting 
places in preference to the ground. Living 011 a cold clayey 
soil, it occurred to me that the fowls would be much less 
liable to those diseases induced by dampness, if a few low, 
broad perches were placed in a convenient, warm, sunny, 
and sheltered corner which they were in the habit of fre¬ 
quenting ; and I iind they fully appreciate my attention, in¬ 
variably selecting the perches in preference to resting on 
the wet grass, and the advantage resulting from the use is 
that the dung being dropped in one place is more readily 
cleared away, and thus the run, if a confined one, is kept in 
a more wholesome condition.—W. B. Tegetjieier. 
HARDY BORDER PLANTS. 
(Continued from page 2.‘30.J 
ACONITUM VERSICOLOR. 
THE MANV-COLOURED WOLFSBANE OR MONKSHOOD. 
Thf. Aconites are a very long family, and a great number 
of which are very showy, desirable plants in beds, borders, 
or in plantations. The very best of the whole family is the 
above-mentioned species, being truly a showy plant. Its 
roots are tuberous, supported by an immense mass of fibre. 
It dies quite down in the winter months, and starts up 
rather early in the spring, which is the very best time to 
increase it by division of its roots if required. 
This kind grows pretty compact, therefore does very well 
in the same spots in the borders for many years, when 
tidily dealt with at the border-dressing times. It is very 
hardy, being a native of Siberia, and was introduced to this 
country in the year 1820. The whole plant is of a pale 
green colour, and smooth; its leaves roundish, but cut; its 
flower-stems panicled; a very free bloomer, producing 
flowers large, blue and white. They are extremely pretty, 
and continue from the end of June to September. 
In dry, open situations, this plant rises three feet to three 
feet-and-a-lialf high, whilst in low, moist, rich soils, or in 
! plantations near trees, the same plant will reach from four 
! to five feet in height, and flower beautifully. Indeed, the 
1 whole family are delightful plants for plantations, for they 
exist among an abundance of fallen leaves, where a vast 
I number of slugs are often found. Now, slugs, I am aware, 
are not very nice in their diet, but never have I known 
them to injure a Wolf’s-bane of any kind. 
Though these plants are all poisonous they are eagerly 
sought for bouquets. 
The height of the plant already stated shows that it 
should be planted in the back or centre rows in the beds 
or borders. 
It often happens that a good plant is a miffy one; but 
such is not the case with this Aconite, for it will flourish in 
any soil or situation. T. W. 
THE TUMBLER PIGEON. 
With regard to the Tumbler, should your views of the 
Tumbler be carried out, viz., that their extraordinary agility 
in the air, the facility with which they tumble, or, what, 
in the Circus is termed the “ back-spring,” is performed by 
them, is the property that would have first brought the birds 
possessing it into favour, and which should ever since have 
been borne in view by their subsequent admirers; it will : 
follow at Metropolitan, Birmingham, and all the Shows in j 
Her Majesty’s dominions, it must be said how many miles | 
they have executed, how many times they tumble, or roll, for ' 
the Roller-Tumblers, as they are known by this name among 
Fanciers, roll over many times. Now, if birds are to be awarded 
prizes by such a standard, most assuredly it ought to be placed 
on their pen for Judges to see it. Did you ever witness it? J 
if you have, I never did; and there would be great evil in i 
it, as I observed before on the Carriers. It would open the 
door to falsehood, which is already too open in some regu¬ 
lations. The Judges, whoever they are, if competent, will 
award the prizes by the standard as laid down by the five 
properties, or, “Woe betide them!” I am sensible, it is 
different -where prizes are held out for the best “ Feathered 
Flying Birds;” birds better feathered than others, under 
this rule, are, in some measure, entitled to the prize. But 
the Judge has the power to withhold the prize if he does 
not discover sufficient merit in the bird. On the contrary, 
if the two birds are equal in feather, then they must be 
awarded by tbe five properties. 
I will call your attention to a remark in The Cottage 
Gardener, &c., 29th September, 1852, Signed, Sidney 
Foster, Secretary, among the advertisements, in returning 
thanks to a liberal public, the advertisement commencing 
“ Surrey Zoological Gardens." The sentence I allude to reads 
thus: He had but one feeling, which was, that the best 
specimens might succeed without any favoritism to a 
“ clique " or individual. Something or other, I think, is 
meant here. Only one thing I do know, they have wisely 
refrained from offering prizes to good feathered flying birds, 
which disgrace all Pigeon Shows. Birmingham offered two 
prizes for the different varieties; 1st prize to the best 
Pigeon ; 2nd prize to the second-best Pigeon through all the 
varieties ; but there was not any prize held out to common 
good feathered flying birds ; consequently, these, birds must 
be tested by the standards as laid down, or else great dis¬ 
satisfaction is given to the gentlemen of the fancy ; for it is 
quite immaterial to them who takes the prize, their only 
desire being that the best birds shall be awarded the prizes. 
And if the Judges would only act up to those remarks in 
The Cottage Gardener, &c., September 15th, 1853, pages 
457 and 458. It commences thus, “ A rule that heads every 
prize list, is to this effect:—That the judges are empowered 
to withhold prizes should they consider that the specimens 
are of inferior quality. No regulations, we believe, can be 
more necessary, and none, we feel convinced, can be 
neglected with greater injury to any Society, its exhibitors, 
and the public.” This is equally applicable to Pigeons, and 
at every Show' ought to be enforced. 
With regard to flying “ Short-Faced Tumblers;" it is not 
so much that I object to flying on account of their being 
timid, weak, and going down chimney-pots (which is bad 
enough), thus losing birds of great value ; besides, washing 
would not be of any use to them, as it tends to make them 
more coarse, which is the reverse of what is wished to be 
obtained in these birds, viz., delicacy. 
With regard to shortness of face in a Tumbler; it is 
utterly impossible to produce a “ Little Wonder, or Non- 
pariel,” without it, for whatever properties a Tumbler pos¬ 
sesses, and however near perfection it approached, to the 
end of the beak, or, more properly speaking, to the end of 
the quick of the beak, if from the iris, or inner circle of the 
eye, measured three-quarters-of-an-inch, it could not be 
pronounced a “Little Wonder, or Nonpareil." But, on 
the contrary, if the distance did not exceed balf-an-inch, 
and possessing the other properties, it would be pro¬ 
nounced a “ Little Wonder,” and fanciers would go hundreds 
of miles to see it. It is true, these “ Little Wonders” 
do perish in the shell, with those keepers of Tigeons 
who do not know how to manage them. Not so, however, 
with experienced fanciers, who act the part of midwife, and 
free the prisoner; having released the little captive, it 
1 is another thing how to get it fed. It often happens that 
the soft food, or “ pigeon’s milk,” as by some called, is not 
up for some days after the Pigeons are hatched by their 
