268 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
January 5 
| animal, A'c.—may bo swallowed, with entire impunity. The 
repeated experiments of physiologists have shown that they 
j may be swallowed and introduced into the stomach without 
their producing any effect whatever! So, also, is it with 
the matter from the plague sore, and with other vitiated or 
specific animal secretions of an infecting nature. 
These facts are highly interesting in themselves, and 
must be especially so to those who are impressed with the 
notion that Pump in fowls is contagious, and that it is com¬ 
municated from one to another in the manner which Mr. 
Tegetmeier points out, viz., by swallowing the nasal dis¬ 
charge of diseased birds, for thus observes this excellent 
writer:—“ I imagine that the fcetid, purulent discharge 
from the nostrils of affected birds running into the water, 
or mixing with soft food, is the usual mode of propagation; 
and in other cases, it may spread from one fowl picking the 
incrusted discharge off the beak or feathers of another.” 
The experiments of physiologists with animal poisons and 
diseased secretions proving that they are swallowed with 
impunity, at once scatter abroad Mr. Tegetmeier’s theory 
respecting the communication of Roup. Nay, he himself 
most unhappily does so a week or two before he promul¬ 
gates it! for, in the very preceding letter, he recounts how 
of two of his fowls that became affected with Roup, the one, 
“into the nostrils of which he rubbed the discharge from 
a dead fowl,” and “ endeavoured to inoculate,” did not show 
any signs of the disease until a week and some days after 
the other! Does not the matter of Roup, then, really 
possess preservative (instead of contagious) powers against 
the disease ? or, at least, defers the attack, or renders it 
milder, as inoculation for the small pox? For Mr. Teget¬ 
meier tells us, that the chicken not inoculated very soon 
died ; but he does not tell us of the death of the other, but 
simply that the attack of Roup was long delayed. Surely, 
surely, then, swallowing the discharge, or pecking it, com¬ 
municated not the disease, when, in the case of “ rubbing 
in,” its approach was delayed! AVhy, there may be a great 
discovery here; something more than is dreamt of in the 
philosophy of contagionists. In all soberness, we cannot 
but see what tacking about, what saying to-day and unsay¬ 
ing to-morrow is required to bolster up a theory so very 
questionable—and something more—as that Roup is propa¬ 
gated by contagion. 
I, too, have had four cases communicated tome (and I 
protest against all experiments made by one person as 
being so liable to error) similar to those of Mr. Teget- ! 
meier’s correspondents. On dissecting their accounts, I 
showed to the writers evident sources of doubt, fallacy, and j 
error. I have not, however, gone to the fountain head; | 
and I think it will, at least, be felt that I have completely 
turned Mr. Tegetmeier’s own position, and that by directing j 
his own artillery against it. And his “monster” case, where j 
his own yard of fowls were decimated by Roup (40 having ' 
died), and his neighbour’s extensive collection escaped, j 
though separated only by “open lath work,” still stands , 
forth in testimony against his hypothesis of contagion, as 
do numberless similar, though minor examples, when fowls 1 
refuse to be infected. 
I trust you will do me the favour to find room for the | 
above remarks, which, I assure you, shall be my last on 
the subject. My chief object was to show that poisonous . 
and vitiated animal secretions are wholly inoccuous when j 
I introduced by the mouth into the stomach. I conclude 
with repeating some sentiments of my first letter, viz., 
there is great danger in the doctrine of contagion, as ama¬ 
teurs will rest satisfied with only removing the diseased 
fowl; but what produced Roup in that bird, may produce it 
1 in all the rest. Seek out the cause, and be strict in your 
attentions to warmth, pure air, dryness, clean water, and to 
variety of healthy food. F. R. Horner. 
HARDY BORDER PLANTS. 
(Continued from page 240.) 
ACONITUM VARIEGATUM. 
VARIEGATED WOLFSBANE OR MONKSHOOD. 
The Aconitnm versicolor, before mentioned, and this, the 
variegatum , are a great deal alike; but in this, the blossoms 
are pink and white, and very much more loose and spread¬ 
ing than the blossoms of the versicolor, which are of a deep 
blue and white colour, and larger, and much more com¬ 
pactly formed. 
This, also, is naturally a taller grower; its stems more 
slender and straggling in its branches; and its leaves deeper 
cut, or more rliomboidly cut. The whole plant is quite 
smooth. 
This very desirable species is a native of the South of 
Europe, and was introduced into this country in the year 
1597. It rises from four to five-and-a-half feet high, which 
makes it a desirable plant for the back or centre rows. It 
flourishes in any good, common soil, and is readily in¬ 
creased by division of its roots after it puts up its first 
leaves in the spring. If no increase is required, the old 
plants may remain in the same spots for almost any number 
of years, for, should its crown become a little too spreading, 
it is readily reduced with a fork rather than a spade. 
This is one of the tuberous-rooted kinds, supported by an 
immense mass of root fibres; and when such plants are to 
remain to flower in the same spots, and expected to do 
well, the less they are chopped about at the roots the better. 
I prefer comforting them over the roots, and round their 
crowns, with a spadeful or two of fresh soil. T. At. 
KENDAL POULTRY EXHIBITION. 
The best proof that the taste for poultry-keeping is ex¬ 
tending itself throughout the length and breadth of the 
land is the increasing numbers of shows. Determined not 
j to be behind their neighbours, the fanciers of AVestmore- 
land last year got up a very creditable Exhibition at 
Kendal. The second meeting was held on the 22nd, 23rd, 
and 24th of December last, at the National School-room, 
in Kendal, and it is admitted on all hands that a very great 
improvement, due, no doubt, in a great measure, to the 
spirit of emulation engendered by the previous Exhibition, 
had taken place in the quality of the stock shown. The 
number of pens entered were 377. The school-room, in 
which the Exhibition was held, was rather too small for the 
purpose, and the consequence was, that part of the pens 
had to be placed in three tiers, so that the birds in the 
upper tier were too high to be inspected with advantage, 
and the height of the pens took away the light in front 
from those below. This was the only drawback that we 
could perceive in the management, and we are bound to add 
that it was one that the committee had not the means of 
preventing. In one respect, an example was set which the 
managers of other shows ivould do well to follow. Three 
days only were allowed to the show. The birds were 
received at the doors up to nine, A. bi., on the Thursday. 
By ten o’clock all were in their pens, ready for the judge 
(Mr. Bond, of Leeds) to commence his labours. These 
he was able to complete soon after two o’clock, so that the 
doors were opened to the public by three, and an oppor¬ 
tunity was thus allowed to all to inspect the birds the 
same evening. Now, if one judge can inspect and decide 
upon the merits of nearly 400 pens of birds, comprised in 
sixty classes, in four or five hours, there can be no reason 
why a longer number should not be adjudicated upon in the 
same space of time by increasing the number of judges. 
By such means a private view, at least, to subscribers, might 
be afforded in the evening of the first day, and all excuse 
for running the show beyond a third day removed. The 
birds would thus leave their homes so as to be received at 
the place of exhibition on the morning of one day; they 
would remain there during that and the two succeeding 
days; and, by the employment of a sufficient force, they 
might all be easily put upon the rail on the third night, so 
as to reach their own walks on the day following. The only 
attention required in this respect, at Kendal, is that the first 
day should be Tuesday or AA'ednesday, instead of Thursday, 
so that the fowls should not have to be dispatched on the 
Saturday night. The managers, and their indefatigable 
honorary secretary, Mr. James Gillard, will, we feel assured, 
excuse us for giving this hint for improvement where there 
was so much to commend.' 
In noticing the various classes according to their order 
