352 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
February 2. 
To look at the neglect of planting ky the landed gentry of 
j this country, and the neglect of their plantations and 
■ timber, generally, you would think them a set of mortgagees 
in possession, rather than the proud owners of English 
| estates. A Worcestershire Man. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
*** We request that no one will write to the departmental writers of 
Tnn Cottage Gardener. It gives them unjustifiable trouble and 
expense. All communications should be addressed ** To the Editor of 
The Cottage Gardener, 2, Amen Corner, Paternoster Row, London .” 
Cociiin-Ctiina Fowls ( A Norfolk Rector). —We know of a few very 
j good cockerels and pullets, of Sturgeon’s breed, which will be parted with 
for ten shillings each ; and, as in your case, they offer a good opportunity 
for improving the poultry in any neighbourhood. 
Clotted Cream.— Fillingliam says, “I think I can supply your 
i readers with a far more simple and practicable mode of making Devon- 
| shire, or clotted cream, than that mentioned in The Cottage Gardener. 
j Keep the milk in block tin pans, which arc far more cleanly and sweet 
than earthenware or wood. Place yesterday’s milk over the top of a 
i kitchen boiler, removing the iron opening; when the pan sounds dead 
by striking it with your finger take it off, and skim the cream the next 
morning. The heat will naturally force all the rich and creamy qualities 
of the milk to the surface.” 
Sowing Calendrinia speciosa {An Ardent Amateur). —The first 
week in March, or the first half of March, is the best time to sow the 
seed of Calendrinia speciosa ; and the best soil for it is equal quantities 
of loam, peat, and sand; it likes good drainage, and does not require 
to be kept so moist as most plants. The seed pan should be in a hot 
frame till the seedlings are well up, after that the seedlings require more 
air and less heat than a frame gives. Sow the seeds thin, as the young 
seedlings are liable to damp if they stand crowded. 
Dried Specimens {Ibid). —No one ever discovered a plan for drying 
specimens by which the colour of the flowers could be retained. After 
all, what is it but botanical haymaking, and we all know that hay does 
not show us the colour of the fresh material. 
Number of British Ferns {Ibid). —No one can tell how many species 
of British Ferns there are, because it is so difficult to make out a species 
from a variety. We must rest contented with knowing how many kinds 
of Ferns belong to Great Britain, which are 197* 
Umbrella Roses {Christopher). —We take it you mean Standard 
Roses with the heads trained on an umbrella-like trellis, and we do not 
hesitate to say, that of all ways of training Roses that is the very worst. For 
constant bloomers, take Bourbon and Hybrid Perpetuals—Bouquet de 
Flora, Pierre de St. Cyr, Imperatrice Josephine, Barron Prevost, Mrs. 
Elliot, Madame Laffay, William Jesse, Pius the Ninth, Duchess of Suther¬ 
land, Compte de Montalivet, and Standard of Marengo. 
Flower-garden Plan ( Yorkshire). —We do not, and never did, 
pretend to select plants for a whole flower-garden. The plan is very 
good, however, except the four nearly triangular beds, embracing the 
central group; we shall change these to circles, and add four smaller 
circles in the centre, between the four half-moons, and four outside beds, 
then engrave it, when we shall say something about how the colours 
ought to stand, but we cannot select the plants. 
Epidendrum {A. G ., Liverpool.). —Your Epidendrum is one of the 
commonest weeds in all parts of the east coast of South America, from 
the Equator to the Mexican Gulf, and in the West India islands it is 
the smallest variety of Cochleatum , and is named, no doubt, in some 
botanical system, but gardeners take no account of any of these useless 
varieties. Your other plant cannot be determined from the specimen 
sent, which was crushed by the post-office. 
Cuttings {J. S. M.). —We shall give an essay on making cuttings 
shortly that will meet your wishes. 
Newington’s Hand Dibble (A Subscriber from the beginning.). — 
, This is an ingenious and useful implement for putting in small quantities 
of grain per acre. We have used it with good effect; but hand-dibbling 
is a tedious process, and it is difficult to get ordinary labourers to use it 
with care and skill; and as it is often a matter of importance to seize the 
most favourable opportunity when the weather above and the land 
beneath are in the most favourable condition, the slow action of the 
dibble is objectionable ; and we prefer the drill, which ought to deposit 
a moderate quantity of seed at an uniform depth. The great fault in the 
use of the drill is in putting in too much seed so as to crowd the plants. 
We cannot speak practically as to the benefits of the hand-row cultivator, 
but the greater scarcity of labour which now prevails, in consequence of 
recent changes, points to the necessity of machinery calculated to dis¬ 
pense with a portion of manual labour.—W. C. S. 
Preparing Feathers {A Parson’s Sister). —The chief requisite is to 
dry them thoroughly. This may be done by exposing them to the sun 
in a room, or by having them kiln-dried in bags. When perfectly dried, 
they should be put loosely into a bag and well beaten, to separate the 
dust from them. They are in the best state for pillows and beds after 
they have had the stump of each cut off, as they then do not force their 
way through the ticking. 
White Bantams {Several Correspondents). —We shall observe upon 
the decision in question next week. 
i Glass (Hortus).— We have seen the ribbed glass used with perfect 
success for Cucumbers and other forcing. 
Rusticus and A Constant Subscriber. —We cannot insert your 
notes but as advertisements. 
Mildew {Mary). —Nothing but being kept in a drier air will prevent 
the mildew of which you complain. Your house, or room, must be 
damp. 
Baker-street Poultry Show.— “ I sent two pens of my Ptarmigans 
in the highest possible condition and cleanliness to the above show. I 
received them back on Tuesday morning, three whole days after the 
Show closed, and ten from the time they left home! They returned in 
so disgustingly filthy a state, that had they been kept the whole time in 
a pig-stye they could not have looked worse; both the cockerels had 
lost everyone of their beautiful long sickle tail feathers! Now, Mr. 
Editor, have I not a right to complain of this?— Frederick Bernal.” 
Diseased Ear in Rabbits. —Mr. Allsop, the Rabbit fancier, says— j 
“ The cause is damp without good ventilation, and not being kept clean, i 
and with good bedding. The cure is a little sweet oil put in the ear, and ! 
the lump then loosened with the thumb and finger until it will come | 
out. If it should return, repeat the same, giving the Rabbit some sul¬ 
phur in shorts, or barley-meal, moist.” 
Orchard Planting {Troublesome). —The best trees for your purpose 
will be either pyramids or dwarfs on the Paradise stock. If you under¬ 
stand how to manage pyramids, we would recommend them ; if not, then 
choose dwarfs, to be grown in the form of a hollow basin. Plant them in 
rows running from north to south, with four trees in each row, and those 
at the extremities being each six feet from the walls, and the trees six 
feet distant from each other. The rows should be ten feet apart, and the 
distance between the extreme rows and the walls will be five feet—in this 
way you will have five rows. The Currants and Raspberries can be grown 
between the rows in the spaces of ten feet. In this way you will have a 
very pretty little orchard, and make the most of the room. The Morello 
Cherry you will, of course, plant against the walls.—H. 
Liverpool Poultry Show {Liverpudlian). —It is quite impossible 
for us to sit in judgment upon birds we have not seen. Be assured, 
however, that with all competent judges, a well-matched pen of good 
form and in high condition will always be more considered than a pen 
deficient in those requisites, though superior in minor points. 
Laburnum Tree {I. B. H .).—As nothing thrives in the bed around, 
try some plants in pots, or tubs, plunged in the bed. 
Irish Moss {Ibid). —Can any of our readers say “ what quantity of 
Irish Moss ought to be boiled per day for a calf; and whether it is better 
mixed with either Linseed or Indian Meal.” 
Buff Siiangiiaes (Argus). —To breed chickens of these with clear 
hackle you must select parents similarly gifted, and even then, for a genera¬ 
tion or two, the hackle will not be immaculate. It is not, at present, 
possible to be sure of breeding such chickens. Your buff hen and 
golden hackled cinnamon cock will probably give some. 
Cooking Beet-Root (H.). —There is as much reason in this as in 
roasting an egg. Enclose it in a paste of flour and water, and then 
either bake or boil it. There will be no earthy flavour in it then, and it 
is one of the most delicious and nutritious of vegetables. 
Spanish Cockerel (An Old Subscriber). —The spasmodic affection 
of his legs has been caused, probably, by cold and damp. Let him be 
in a dry place, in a shed with ashes, or other dry, dusty materials for the 
floor, and with straw to sleep upon instead of a perch. 
Names of Plants (Anne S.). —Yours is Epacris purpurascens. 
(A Young One). —1. Abies canadensis. 2. Cryptomeria japonica. 3. 
Pinus insignis. 4. Abies cephalonica. 5. Not known. 6. Pinus 
cembra. 7- Thuja Weareana. 8. Some species of Savin. 0. Escalonia 
rubra. 13. Helleborus niger. 
Properties of Rouen Ducks (A Subscriber.). — Hardihood of 
constitution ; early maturity; and excellence of flavour. The Drake only 
should have the white collar. The colour, in both sexes, should approach 
as nearly as possible to that of the wild Mallard and Duck respectively. 
An average of good specimens of either sort would give the advantage in 
point of weight to the Rouen over the Aylesbury.—W. 
Golden-pencilled Hamburgiis (A Poultry Woman.). — White 
down at the base of the tail of a Golden-Pencilled Hamburgh cock is 
certainly objectionable. Your pullets of this breed, now nearly a year 
old, should have laid some eggs in the later autumn months, but the 
severe weather we have recently experienced may account for their present 
non-productiveness ; and these fowls do not greatly distinguish them¬ 
selves as winter layers. Good food and shelter is all we can advise, for 
whatever is calculated to force on the production of eggs must be ulti¬ 
mately detrimental to the bird. If you have a good run, the spring 
months will soon fill your egg-basket, but, if you cannot give your birds 
this indulgence, the sooner you cease to keep Hamburghs the better.—W. 
Torquay Show. —“Allow me to correct an error in your report of the 
Torquay Poultry Show, with reference to the buff Shanghaes with which 
1 took first prize there. They are stated to have been the same birds 
with which I gained the victory at Honiton. This is not altogether 
correct, one of the pullets having been different. At Honiton, the two 
shown were Light of the Harem and Daisy; at Torquay, Light of the 
Harem and Wildfower. —W. H. Snell.” 
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.—February 2nd, 1854. 
