March 9. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
451 
latter end of last year I purchased some rice in the grain 
(slightly damaged), and which, with the addition of a little 
Indian meal all boiled together, I fed a pig for home use, 
and 1 must say I never saw one thrive better; for in about 
seven weeks he increased in weight from about ICO lbs. to 
285 lbs. With regard to the quality of the bacon, I must 
state, that I do not think it equal to some which I had pre¬ 
viously from pigs fed upon oatmeal. It is, however, sweet, 
aud of good colour, but rather overdone with fat. 
You have occasionally requested Correspondents to furnish 
information respecting the keep, <fcc., of Poultry; and as I 
have taken some pains to ascertain the cost of mine, I must 
state, that I think young poultry, especially cockerels, eat 
more than full-grown birds; whilst of the latter, laying hens 
eat considerably more than either cocks or hens which are 
not at the time producing eggs. 
I have, at present, twenty one hens and pullets (Shang- 
haes) with the exception of two black Spanish andtwoShang- 
hae cockerels, and tlioir consumption weekly is as nearly as 
possible— s - d. 
iSlbs. of Barley Meal, at ljd. per lb. 0 10 
41bs. of Bran, at id. per lb.0 2 
171bs. of Grain*, at Id. per lb. 1 5 
Averaged, ljd. per week each. 
They have, also, the peelings of Potatoes boiled and mixed 
with the meal. They are kept in a yard about fourteen 
yards by eight, and have also the run of a grass plot. They 
are in good condition (in fact, I lost two hens a couple of 
months ago from over-feeding, and was obliged to lessen 
the amount of food given them), and I have had from forty 
to fifty eggs weekly since the beginning of the year, although 
some of my pullets have not yet commenced laying. I 
quite agree with the remarks you made a short time ago, as 
to the superiority of Shangliaes, on the whole, over our 
other kinds of fowls. 
I last year had Game, Dorking, Black Spanish, and 
Shangliaes. The two former I have given up, as the Game 
I found to be poor layers, and there was no keeping the 
Dorking within moderate bounds. My Black Spanish 
lay large eggs, and about five in a week each, but for about 
two months during moulting time I had not a single egg 
from them, whilst some of my Shanghaes were laying when 
they were almost destitute of feathers.—T. S. 
* Consisting of Indian Corn, Barley, Oats, and Wheat sweepings. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
*** We request that no one will write to the departmental writers of 
The 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 Roto, London." 
The Pip in Poultry (H . ilL). —As I have stated elsewhere, there is 
no such disease as Pip in fowls; the dry scaly tongue is always caused 
by febrile disturbance, arising from over-feeding, stimulating food, or 
some other cause. It constantly occurs in any inflammatory disease ot 
the respiratory organs, as the irritation caused by the worms in gapes, 
in catarrh, roup, tkc .; it should always be regarded as a symptom, never 
as the disease itself; the dry tongue occurring in human patients is 
precisely similar. If the scale of membrane is loose, it should lie removed, 
and a little borax may be dissolved and poured into the mouth. Should 
there be no evident cause, a dose of alterative medicine may he given, as 
a teaspoonful of castor oil, or one grain of grey powder.—W. B. 1 eget- 
i meier, Willesden. 
j Pig-Fatting (T. L.).—The best mode of fattening pigs is to combine 
I mots, meal, and any milk slops attainable. We think the value of the 
j roots, comparatively, stand thus :—1st, Parsnips ; 2nd, Mangold ; 3rd, 
I Swedes; 4th, Carrots. The comparative value of the meals, thus1st, 
Bariev; 2nd, Oats; 3rd, Indian Corn; in addition, the various dressings 
from Wheat, such as Pollard. &c. Some use damaged Rice. As a 
I general principle, it is well to mix these things. The roots boiled, 
mixed up with meal, and given warm. Feed three times a day, give as 
\ much as they can eat. 
Indian Game Fowl (J. T., Cirencester). —The Indian Game Fowl 
1 is a bird of greater weight and more compact figure than our English 
breed, but inferior in symmetry and carriage. They vary in respect of 
colour. The Golden Spangled Hamburgh Cock must have a lull but 
firm rose comb, tapering back to a point, which is slightly curved 
I upwards.—W, 
Weeping Thorns (Excelsior). —You can obtain them of any nursery¬ 
man who advertises in our columns. Filberts the same, and you may 
i plant them now, if they are moved carefully, but this should have been 
done in November. If you refer to previous volumes you will find 
several essays on their culture. It is quite impossible to give such essays 
in answers to questions. 
Cuttings (Easton Court ).—You will have seen that we have adopted 
your suggestion. We are always obliged by any hints. 
Cucumbers ( W. 11'.).—The bed on the flue will be a failure; it will 
bake the soil, and scald the roots of the plants. 
Heracleum giganteum (IK. E.). —Messrs. Hardy and Son, Florists, 
Maldon, Essex, always keep a stock of this plant; but we should think 
you might obtain it of any extensive florist. 
Hamilton’s Catalogue ( Effie ).—You will be as sure of getting 
good Balsam Seed from Mr. Hamilton, Margaret Street, as you would 
from any other equally respectable seedsman. As far as we have noticed, 
his arrangement of the Roses, both as to colours and classes, is quite 
correct, and the selection very good. 
A Hill and its Base (A Reader ).—The hill is of this shape— 
and you ask, if “ this hill of one acre in surface will grow more than if 
the land under it in a horizontal line were sown ? The soil in both cases 
being equally fertile.” Of trees, or corn, which can only grow perpen¬ 
dicularly, the horizontal line forming the base of the hill would grow as 
much as the semi-circular outline ; but of grass, or other plants that creep 
over the surface, the semi-circuler would bear the largest quantity. 
Introduction to Botany (IF. Johnston).— We prefer Henfrey’s 
Rudiments of Botany to any other to begin with. It is very cheap. 
SnELL-LKSs Eggs (Penelope). — Do not feed your hen so stimu- 
latingly. Leave off the meat entirely ; mix bran with the ground corn, 
half-and-half, and give her, at intervals of two days, three pills, each 
pill containing one grain of calomel, and one-twelfth of a grain of tartar 
emetic. Give her Cabbage-leaves, and any other green food you can 
obtain. 
William Adams (C.).—' The ten shillings has been gratefully re¬ 
ceived. 
Rice-meal for Poultry (A Regular Subscriber).— It is very good 
given alternately with corn or other more stimulating food. We should 
mix it half-and-half with barley-meal. We know of no mode whereby 
broody hens can be prevented going into nests where they are not 
welcome, except the effective mode of shutting them up in a place by 
themselves. 
Golden-pencilled Hamburgh Eggs (IF. Dyer).— Some such as 
you require have recently been advertised in our columns. 
Gourd ( G. P. H.). —This shedding its fruit, is either grown in an 
unsuitable soil, or is a tender variety, and is not grown in sufficient heat. 
We cannot say more without further particulars. 
White on CocniN Cock’s Comb (A Constant Render).—This is 
called “ the White Comb.” It is easily removed by rubbing it with an 
ointment of cocoa-nut oil, with a little turmeric powder added. If you 
cannot get cocoa-nut oil, use citrine ointment, rendered very soft by 
adding a little sweet oil, and then mixing a little turmeric powder. Two 
or three applications will effect a cure. 
Autumn Bkocoli (E. Faux).— Sow Early Purple Cape, Walcheren, 
and Green Cape, the first week in April. The plants will not require a 
hotbed. Sow on a warm border, and keep them well watered. 
Pears (Omicron).— Both the Jersey Gladioli and the Jean dc Witte 
will do well in the situation you refer to. Van Mon’s Leon le Clerc is a 
Pear in use during November and December.—H. 
Androsace lanuginosa (M. C., Dublin), It is very pretty; a 
native of the Himalaya ; grow it in a pot; soil, peat and sandy loam ; 
water it carefully; and keep it in a cold frame during the winter. For a 
Pencilled Hamburgh Cock, apply for particulars to some of the adver¬ 
tisers in our columns. List of Verbenas next week. Silver Pencilled 
Humburghs and Bolton Greys me the same race of Poultry. 
Sparrows (S. S. S.).—Traps and a gun are your best remedies. 
Grapes (Snowdrop). — We should prefer the Barbarossa to the 
Charlesworlh Tokay for your late vinery. They are both excellent 
grapes. Your “ flowering Gooseberry ” is one of the ornamental Bibes, 
but, unless we saw a cutting of it we could not tell its specific name. 
Swollen Face of a Fowl.- “B. H. E. has in her possession ablack 
Spanish hen, which has not laid for some time ; she has an enormous 
swelling on one side of her face, and the eye on that side has been water¬ 
ing and is still partially closed ; otherwise she appears perfectly well, is 
lively and eats and drinks as usual. Her face has been frequently 
fomented with warm milk and water, and warm camonule-tea. She has 
been given one Plummer’s pills, and pills of Cayenne pepper, ginger, 
barley-meal and flour, and plenty of warm, nourishing food; the swell- 
inc has been twice opened, without improvement.”— 1 lie swelling, in 
this case probably arises from an accumulation of solid secretion in the 
cavity of’the nose on the affected side. I have seen it occur iu Spanish 
fowls more than once. If this view of the case is correct, the only 
remedy is a free opening below the eye, and the extraction of the secre¬ 
tion • but to accomplish this successfully requires some knowledge of the 
anatomy of the parts.—W. B. Tegetmeier. 
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 
March, City of London.—March 9th, 1854. 
