THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
431 
March 2. 
Berberis Asiatica (K.). —This is the name by which you must ask 
for the Kushmul Berbery. It is just the plant to keep people to the 
path across the field. You will probably have to advertise for it. We 
have not the slightest idea where it is to be sold, but every nursery in 
; which Thorns, or Quick for hedges are grown, ought to have it on sale. 
I Polands eating each others’ Crests ( T.K .).—Fowls of several 
1 varieties are occasionally addicted to the habit of plucking out, and also 
eating their companion’s feathers. We have noticed it in Shanghaes, 
I where the birds having been kept without a proper supply of animal 
' food, the young feathers immediately after moulting are taken as a 
| substitute, and the practice thus acquired is rarely extinguished. But 
j Polands seem to be specially given to this vexatious trick, particularly 
in the exhibition pen, as if it were a mere divertisement to while away 
their time. The top-knot, however, being here the favourite point of 
| attack, some disfigurement ensues, for which, when the practice has 
become habitual, we know of no effectual remedy. In the cases before 
alluded to, the provision of the proper diet would have, probably, ob¬ 
viated the mischief, but the habit, we believe, is rarely given over.—W. 
Buff Shanghaes (C. P.). —“Which bird would be the most profit¬ 
able to breed from, either for sale or exhibition, a pullet, with its exterior 
feathers of a beautiful buff colour, but the under part of the feathers of a 
1 dark or slaty colour; but the other bird equally good externally, and 
also free from slatiness underneath? ” We are of opinion that probabi- 
! lities are in favour of the latter, grounding our opinion upon the fact 
i that the less dark colouring matter there is in the plumage of the 
! parents, the less is there, usually, in the plumage of their chickens. 
I This increases the value of the latter, there being a taste for pure bulfs. 
I In our opinion, however, a slight and regular necklace adds greatly to 
the beauty of a buff bird ; and let it never be forgotten, that all good 
judges of poultry give the palm to beauty of form and high condition, in 
preference to mere purity of colour. We have known first-rate pure 
buff birds bred from slaty fluffed buff Shanghaes; and we have known 
dark birds come from the purest buffs, This arises, probably, from a 
dark cross in a previous generation of their ancestors. 
Flower-Garden ( E. H. C.). —Your geometric flower-garden is on a 
I capital plan, and you cannot go wrong in planting it. Keep the strongest 
colours, as scarlet, purple, or yellow, in the corner beds, and the rest 
will do with plain or mixed colours, or with borders as you propose. We 
never saw these exact figures for corners, but they are exactly to our 
liking, and we think original. 
Flower-Garden (A Young Gardener ).—Your plan is very good 
indeed, and most easy to plant, and if we did but know 7 the entrance to 
it, or the side next the windows, or that from which it is most seen, we 
could help you a little, although we do not profess to plant a single bed 
for anyone. Supposing we enter by the centre walk, between 1 and 2, 
then the first two beds, 4 and 5, should be with the same plants, in mixed 
and subdued colours, as Heleotrope, and some grey Verbena, or Mangle’s 
variegated Geranium, or any other variegated Geranium, with or without 
other mixture ; recollect, the two must be exactly alike, and they must I 
neither be scarlet, nor yellow, nor strong purple. 11 and 12 must be alike, 
and so must 17 and 18, also 24 and 25, and anything you please may be 
in all these, except scarlet, yellow 7 , and reddish-purple. Emma Verbena, 
and any grey or light Verbena would be very proper for any of these 
pairs. Then the circles 8 and 21 to be of a different colour from any of 
the pairs or match-beds along this centre; white, yellow, scarlet, 
blue, or even green, will do for these two circles, and each of them must 
be of one colour, but the two need not be of the same colour. 3, 10, 16, 
and 23 should have scarlet, yellow, and bright purple, with or without 
borders of an opposite colour; and if you could manage the same colours, 
but with different plants, for 6, 13, 19, and 26, you would be perfect as 
far as it is possible for that figure. 14 and 15 depend on the colours in 8 
and 21. There ought to be four distinct colours in these four circles—1 
and 2 to be the same colour, 7 and 20 ditto, 9 and 22 ditto, and 2 7 with 
28 ditto also. Each of these pairs ought to be of a different colour from 
that in each of the two large beds next to them; but, as we do not know 
what those large beds may be, all we can do is to say, plant all the pairs 
with neutrals, or dark blue, dark purple, or pure white; but recollect, all 
this depends on entering at between 1 and 2, or between 2 7 and 28. Your 
plan will be engraved some day. 
Poultry Judges ( George Crocker, Plymouth). —It has been wisely 
determined that Judges at Poultry Exhibitions are not bound to give the 
reasons for their decisions, excepting only in such cases as an exhibitor, 
feeling himself aggrieved by the awards, appeals to the committee or 
managers, who, if there appear just cause, would then refer to the 
Judges. We cannot doubt but that in any instance of this kind the 
required information would be immediately afforded, but the application 
should be made at once. The Rev. G. Hodson was the Judge at the 
Plymouth Exhibition in January last.—W. 
Cramp in Chickens ( Miss C.). —Nothing causes this more com¬ 
monly than allowing them to be at night or during the day on a brick 
floor. When under cover nothing is better than a floor covered with dry 
sand and a very little hay scattered over, and a little green food daily. 
Removing the chicken attacked into a warm place, and giving it half-a- 
teaspoonful of brandy is the best remedy. 
Firs (M.). —Those you mention are raised from seed, sown when ripe. 
They are too cheap to be worth your while to propagate them. 
Pomological Society (G. T. S .).—Write to Mr. Hogg, 13, Gilston 
Road, Brompton. 
Lucerne (J. S .).—Where this has failed you had better mix a little 
super-phosphate of lime with the soil, and sow afresh early in April. 
Randles’ Price Currents (F. H .).—You can obtain both the Hor¬ 
ticultural and Agricultural Price Currents by remitting twelve postage 
stamps to Messrs. Randle, Nurserymen, Plymouth. We quite agree with 
you in thinking they contain a large amount of information. Embracing as 
they do cultural directions, an almanack, and advertisements, they 
differ essentially from a common catalogue of plants. 
Gapes (Fuller). —When Mr. Tegetmeier directs for the cure of this 
disease that the fowl be made to inhale the fumes of spirit of turpentine 
“as long as it can withstand its influence,” he means until it gasps for 
breath, which you can perceive by raising the lid of the box in which it 
is being exposed to the fumes. 
Various (Ibid). —You must write to Capt. Hornby for prices. The 
most economical feeder is a trough placed behind a palisade, so that the 
fowls can reach it with their beaks but not with their feet. We have no 
experience of wicker nests. It is quite immaterial what wood false nest 
eggs are made of, because they must be painted white. 
Sturgeon’s Shanghaes (Helen). —We believe Mr. Sturgeon was 
dissatisfied at some decisions where he exhibited, and, as he had abun¬ 
dance of laurels, he could afford to withhold from exhibiting. We hope 
he will determine otherwise this year, for his birds, as a whole, have 
never been surpassed. 
Beck’s Gem (A Subscriber, Tavistock). —You will have seen what a 
correspondent said last week as to the restricted supply of this Pea. 
Artificial Manure for Potatoes (Cantab). —You ask “which is 
the best for them ? ” Yet you do not say a word as to the nature of the 
soil. You might as well ask a physician what is the best medicine for 
you, without giving him the slightest further information. We never 
manure for Potatoes, but grow them on plots rendered sufficiently fertile 
by the manuring for previous crops. If we were obliged to manure for 
Potatoes, we should select a light, poorish soil, and apply at the rate of 
forty bushels of soot, twenty bushels of common salt, and two cwt. of 
Epsom salt per acre. 
Plan of Melon and Cucumber House (John Came). —“The use 
of this, in No. 259, is frustrated,” you say, “ as we are left totally in the 
dark as to the expense of such a building.” We have given, several 
times, the general price of articles—beyond this we do not feel it to be 
our province to go. Several times we have calculated, for ourselves and 
others, what such and such buildings should cost, and have been fre¬ 
quently put out by the structure costing more or less than we bargained 
for ; these being greatly influenced by the locality, and changes introduced 
by the owners. Tradesmen would do better to state what such and such 
sized houses could be put up for. Meanwhile, if the obliging subscriber 
who sent the plan, No. 2, 259, would also send an account of the expense 
the house as it stands cost, he will confer a great favour on many 
readers. 
Muscat and Barbarossa Grape for a late House (E. M.) — 
You are quite right—the Muscat will require more heat than the Barba¬ 
rossa, but still we would plant one house of equal parts of both, in pre¬ 
ference to one alone. We have set Muscats very well, though on the 
next rafter were Hamburghs. You may keep the Muscats at the warm¬ 
est end, and just give a little less air there when the fruit is setting. 
Orange Tree ( W. M. S.). —We are rather doubtful whether you have 
raised it from seed or from a cutting, as these are called pipings by some 
florists. If the former, you will not easily fruit it in a window, and had 
better have it inarched or grafted with the Otaheite, the Lemon, or any 
free-flowering variety. If you wish to try it as it is, give it all the light 
you can, sponge its leaves frequently, water with manure-water, or give 
a rich top-dressing, inure to air, and by the middle or the beginning of 
June set it out-of-doors, in a warm place, against a fence ; give it plenty 
of water there, and house again by the beginning of October; and very 
likely, next spring, you will get blossoms, to be followed by fruit. The 
first will be delightful, the second of little use. 
Glauber Salt for Potatoes (A Reader). —The ashes of the 
tubers of Potatoes contain about 56 per cent, of Soda and Potash, com¬ 
bined with Sulphuric and other acids. We know of no experiments upon 
Potatoes with Glauber Salt (Sulphate of Soda). If you employ it, sow it 
by the sides of the rows when the Potatoes are well up in the spring. Do 
not use more than 2 lbs. for every thirty square yards. 
Scale on Apple and Pear Trees (A. B. W.). —Yours is the 
Muscle Scale. Try applying spirit of turpentine by means of a hard 
brush. 
Cancer (E.).— It is quite impossible we can publish the information 
you require, but if you will enclose your address in a stamped envelope 
directed to “The Authoress of My Flowers,” it shall be forwarded to 
her unopened. 
Canaries’ Nests (E. G.).— Wool, dry moss, and horse-hair are best 
for them. We knew Canaries loose in a room that built their nest on a 
cornice from the thread, &c., in a lady’s work-box. 
Brahma Pootra Cock (H. S .).—We cannot give you any “ marks ” 
whereby you may distinguish him from “Cochins or Shanghaes,” because 
we are more and more convinced that the so-called Brahma Pootras are 
nothing more nor less than “Cochins or Shanghaes,” with white plumage, 
and sprinkled more or less with black feathers. The good points of the 
Shanghae are also the good points of the Brahma Pootra. Chickens 
should have very slightly moistened Indian and barley meal, mixed with 
chopped egg, for the first three or four weeks. After that they may have 
varied food like the full-grown fowls. 
Work on Farming (A. W. W.). —Morton’s Cyclopaedia of Agricul¬ 
ture will best suit you. 
Gas Tar, or Asphalt (S. H.).— Flooring, or paths, made of this are 
not injurious to fowls. 
Intentions (A Cottager).— All your purposes are most excellent, and 
ought to succeed, but we do not see how we can advise you. We are 
ready to answer any specific question. 
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.—March 2nd, 1854. 
