April 2.2. 
COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION. 
7-2 
the others away, or plant them in borders under shrubberries. The best 
may either be transplanted into a rich, shaded border, or potted and grown 
in frames during winter, and behind a low wall, or hedge, facing the north, 
after the blooming season is over. The other method is generally used 
by florists for very carefully impregnated and selected seeds saved from 
the best named varieties. It is not likely you will get any of such 
saved seed from the seedsman, but you may, hereafter, save some your- 
| self; then make, or cause to be made, a sufficient number of boxes, of 
, about eighteen inches long, fourteen inches wide, and six inches deep, 
j At the bottom of the boxes bore some holes, to allow the superfluous 
water to escape. To preserve them, char the inside, and paint the out¬ 
side. Prepare a compost of two-parts loam (turf decayed from an up. 
, land pasture), and one-part leaf-mould, or rotten dung. Then, at the 
latter end of March, or the beginning of April, prepare to sow the Poly. 
, anthus seed, by placing a layer of broken pots, or oyster shells, all over 
the bottom of each box. Upon that lay some pieces of decayed turf, 
and then fill them with the compost, pressing it down gently, leaving 
about half-an-inch from the top to hold the seeds, the covering of soil, 
and sufficient water to wet the soil thoroughly when dry. These points 
having been attended to, then sow the seeds, covering them with fine- 
sifted soil very thinly. Plane the boxes (if convenient) under a cold 
frame, and keep the soil moderately moist. Shade from bright sun, and 
1 give plenty of air on all favourable occasions. The seed will then soon 
sprout and come up ; after that, the seedlings may be set out-of-doors, 
and, when strong enough, transplanted into a prepared border in a 
rather shady place, and managed afterwards as described above for those 
sown in the open air. 
Six good Pelargoniums, and Six good Fancy Pelargoniums 
(P. H.). —The following six are good show' flowers: — 
1 . Colonel of the Ruffs (Hoyle).—Bright orange ; large trusses; a free 
, bloomer, and very attractive. 
2. Cloth of Gold (Foster).—A bright flower, with dark maroon top ; 
petals margined with scarlet. 
3. Fair Ellen (Story).—A very desirable white variety of first-rate 
quality ; lower petals white ; dark blotch on the top petals ; tinged with 
carmine, with the margin white and well-defined; very smooth on the 
edges ; of a dwarf habit, and a free bloomer. 
4. Governor General (Hoyle).—A good shaped flower, with a white 
centre, and glowing scarlet-rose petals ; a free bloomer, and strong habit. 
5. Petruc/iio (Fouquett).—A large, showy, free-blooming variety; 
' lower petals crimson ; upper petals dark maroon, edged with crimson. 
A variety that can be strongly recommended. 
6 . Virginia (Hoyle).—A great improvement on Virgin Queen; lower 
petals very round and broad, and of a pure white; upper petals very 
dark, shaded with purple, and evenly edged with white. 
The following are six good Fancy Pelargoniums: — 
]. Advancer (Ayres).—Purple-mulberry, sufFuscd with rose; a good 
show flower, of fine form. 
2 . Cloth of Silver (Henderson).—Silvery-white, with delicate rose 
blotch ; under petals pure white ; a fine variety. 
3. Dundy (Ambrose).—Fine form ; upper petals rich crimson-maroon 
suffused with carmine; lower petals broadly margined with white. 
4. Formosissimum (Ayres).—Fine dwarf variety, with rosy-crimson 
flowers ; free bloomer. 
5. Gipsy Queen (Ayres).—Very attractive ; good shape, with a free and 
distinct separation of colours, nearly black and pure white. 
6 . Madame Sontag (Ambrose).—A flower of fine form and substance, 
good habit, and a free bloomer; upper petals of a rich crimson-purple, 
with light margin ; lower petals pencilled with lilac; centre pure white ; 
a fine show flower. 
Culture of Pampas Grass (T. Shack ell), — The Pampas Grass will 
grow well in any kind of soil that would do for Barley, or Oats, e-r Italian 
Rye-grass, or Beet, or Turnips; but it does not like strong Bean land, nor 
any land that is at all wet at the bottom. It would look best, and do best, 
on the south side of a hill, or bank, or rising ground. The soil should 
not be less than eighteen inches deep for it. About the end of April, and 
from that to the end of May, is the best time to plant it out “ for good ; ” 
and one plant of it, at least, ought to be in every garden in the three 
kingdoms. 
Rhubarb Wine (L. T.).—You will find an excellent recipe in our 
99th number. 
Agricultural Society (Royal). At Chelmsford, July 1 4th to 19 th. 
Sec. J. Hudson, Esq., 12, Hanover Square, London. Entries close 
June 1st. 
Anerley. July 29th, 30th, 31st, and Aug. 1st. 
Batii and West of England. June 4th, 6 th, and 6 tli. Sec . Mr. J. 
Kingsbury, 10 , Hammct Street, Taunton. Entries close April 30th. 
! Bristol. June 25th and 26 th. Sec. Robert Hillhouse Bush, Litficld 
j House, Clifton, Bristol. Entries close 26th of May. 
I Essex. At Colchester, 8 th, 9th, and 10th of January, 185/. Secs. 
G. E. Attwood, and W. A. Warwick. 
| Exeter. At Exeter, May 29 th and 30th. Sec. Mr. T. William Gray. 
! Hull and East Riding. At Hull, June 25th. Sec., B. L. Wells, 
| Esq , 23, Bishop Lane, Hull. Entries close June 18th, 
Norwich. June 20th. (Norfolk Agricultural, for Subscribers only.) 
Sec., Mr. E. C. Bailey, Little Oxford Street, Norwich. Entries close 
May 31st. 
Nottinghamshire. At Southwell, December 17 th and ) 8 th, 1856. 
Scc.y Richard Hawksley, jun. Entries close November 19 th. 
Paris. May 23rd to June 7th. Sec., M. M. E. Rouber, Division dc 
l’Agriculturc, rue de Varcnncs, No. 78 bis, Paris. 
Prescot. July 3rd. See., Mr. J. F. Ollard, Prescot. Entries close 
June 21st. 
Windsor Poultry Exhibition. At Windsor, 4th, 5th, and 6 th of 
June. Secs. Thos. Chamberlain, and Henry Thompson. Entries 
will close May 10th. 
N.B .—Secretaries mill oblige us by sending early copies of their lists. 
REARING CHICKENS. 
It is most useful, at this time of year, to moisten eggs a 
few days, say two or three, before they should hatch. If the 
hen, when she leaves her nest, goes on the grass when the 
dew is on it, there is little necessity, as her feathers will 
thereby become wet, and moisten the eggs. But lacking it, 
the eggs in the nest should he sprinkled; if the fingers are 
dipped in water and then shaken over them it is enough. 
Those who desire to rear strong chickens, and birds likely 
to figure in the prize lists hereafter, should hear in mind 
that they must he fed at day-break till they arc at least six 
weeks old. They must also continue to cover the lips in 
which they are with the hen at night, as, although the days 
get warm, the nights will be cold for some time. 
When a piece of grass is devoted to hens and chickens, 
the rip should be moved every day. It is healthier for the 
hens and chickens; the ground does not become tainted, and, 
by moving them systematically and regularly, the ground 
first used is fit to be re-occupied when its turn comes. 
Where space admits of it, it is very beneficial to have a 
walk for chickens quite separate from that for adult fowls; 
they have more liberty and fresher ground, and it is easier 
to feed them well. 
Nothing is more beneficial in a poultry-yard than a long 
shed, sheltered from cold winds, open to the sun, and covered 
with dry dust at the bottom; chickens can bask and clean 
themselves in it in all weathers, and where they have this 
opportunity they are always free from vermin. Each end 
of the shed should be closed, to prevent draughts. 
Every faulty chicken among the early-hatched should now 
bo removed. It is the season when such will pay to sell for 
consumption, and their removal will make it easier to give 
increased attention to the pickings of the brood, while, at 
the same time, it gives them more space and opportunity to' 
do well. That which would become a serious outlay for a 
large number is a small expense for a few chickens. 
WATER FOR THE FATTING COOP. 
In the prize essay on Fattening Poultry, No. 380, p. 380, ! 
of The Cottage Gardener, a fatting coop with its feeding- i 
trough are illustrated and described. At sectioniv. we read, 
“ a supply of fresh clean water must be constantly present 
but no contrivance is mentioned in which to administer the 
water. For some years we have used a fattening coop very 
nearly representing the one illustrated, the feeding-trough 
exactly so, and very excellent they are for the purpose. 
But the water, ah ! that was a difficulty. How many pots 
and pans became broken through standing them on the 
“ ledge," for the fowls to drink out of, I cannot tell; and 
how soon the water became soiled, by placing it witli the 
fowls in the coop, anybody may judge. But all that can he 
changed, by merely fitting a j;we«Wr, right-angled,zinc water- 
trough into one end of the feeding-trough.— Upwards and 
Onwards. 
BUFFETING INTO FRIENDSHIP. 
Ai.l sorts of expedients are adopted to prevent fighting 
when a fresh cock is turned down in a yard. We can suggest 
a very simple plan, which has the prime merit of being very 
successful. 
Tie an empty bag to the end of a long stick, and when 
the birds are intent on their encounter, butfet them with the 
hag one after the other. If they are watched for a short 
time, and this is done whenever they attempt to fight, they 
will give up their pugilism really from “ fear of the sack.” 
PIGEONS KEPT FROM SALT KILLED BY 
EATING IT TO EXCESS. 
The following cases appear to me so interesting, that I 
think no apology necessary for their publication. They 
were communicated to me by one of the most distinguished 
naturalists of the day, whom I am most proud to number 
on my list of friends. He writes tome:—“I have had a 
most unfortunate, and, in a medical point of view, curious 
accident this morning, viz., three of my best old pigeons 
