74 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
April 22 
dying, and two or three others ill, from over eating bay salt. 
What makes it more strange, is, that they have been 
accustomed to it, but have not had any for two or three 
weeks. 1 noticed that they ate very much, but. I never 
dreamed of its making them ill, but in three or four hours 
I had half-a-dozen very ill, and three are now dead. This 
seems to me very surprising, but I cannot doubt in the least 
that it was the salt, and nothing else, as the deaths hap¬ 
pened in two distinct houses.” 
These eases seem to me instructive, and would show that 
it is necessary to limit the quantity of salt given to birds, 
| after they have been deprived of it for any time. I believe 
! salt to be necessary for pigeons. Many wild varieties fre¬ 
quent the sea coast, and drink the salt water, and the 
j natural appetite may be taken as an unfailing guide.—W. 
- 15. Tegetmexer. 
UNION BETWEEN THE DOMESTIC COCK 
AND DUCK. 
Tn your number for March 18th, a correspondent signing 
I himself “ Harry Green,’’ asks if this will in any way effect 
the eggs? I, therefore, send you the following, as it may, 
l in some measure, reply to his question. 
| My father had a single Musk or Muscovy duck, with 
j which the Game cock had frequent unions. Thei'e was no 
other duck of any kind in the yard, nor was my father aware 
i of any in the neighbourhood. The duck made her nest 
near the water, and laid and sat, but, unfortunately, one 
night the nest was swamped, and the eggs destroyed. When 
lie broke the eggs, each had a partly-formed young bird in 
| it, satisfying him that the union had been successful. Dr. 
llechstein, in his “Natural History of Germany,” mentions 
a case where six creatures were produced from the alliance 
of a cock and a common duck. They were hatched under 
a hen—four of them were drowned.—B. P. B. 
PILE GAME FOWLS. 
Your correspondent, “ W. 0.,” March 25th, asks how 
Pile Game fowls are bred ? In answer to which, I can 
inform him, that Pile means pied with white, and they may 
be bred from a white Game fowl, and one of any other 
colour. Thus, a red and a white produce red piles ; a black 
and a white, black piles ; a dun and a white, dun piles; a 
red dun and a white, red dun piles; and so on, according to 
the colour of which they partake. Piles may be again pro¬ 
duced by coupling two piles. The pile cock is usually white, 
with hackle and hack coloured; the hen white, with a 
coloured tinge on the breast, and also sometimes on (lie 
hackle and wing-coverts. Game fowls that on a dark 
ground are spotted with white, are called spangled. Thus, a 
red cock with white spots is called a “ red "spangled,” or 
a black with white spots, a “ black-spangled.” Although 
Pile Game fowls have produced many good birds, and in 
some parts of the country they have been favourites, yet, as 
a general rule, tlie cock-fighters objected to a Game fowl 
having any white in its plumage, which at once shows the 
impropriety of so many of our poultry show committees 
placing White and Pile Game fowls first on their prize lists, 
while that station should be occupied by the Reds, and 
seconded by the Duckwings, which are the chief of the 
Game breeds. — B. P. Brent. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Difficulty of Breathing in a Poland Fowl (W. H. S .).—The 
Poland suffering from a difficulty of breathing, attended with much 
noise, but otherwise well, is affected with inflammation of the windpipe, 
or croup. One-twelfth of a grain of tartar emetic at night, and warm 
shelter for a few days will soon relieve him. 
Chickens Gaping {Sarah ).—If your chickens are frequently thus 
affected there must be some cause in the locality, food, or drink. If the 
disease arises from a small worm in the windpipe the most effectual 
remedy is shutting them up in a box with some shavings moistened with 
spirits of tuper.tine. 
Properties of Food [Flora ).—We use fine middlings, oatmeal, and 
crushed hurley alternately, for our youngest chickens—a variation in 
diet leading to an increased appetitp. A table of the vajpe pf different 
grain, such as you require, is contained in the Prize Essay on Feeding 
Poultry, now being republished by Mr. Tegetmeicr. Your previous 
inquiry did not come to hand. 
IIkns Dying suddenly (An Old Subscriber in the Country). —The 
cases, four in number, are so unusual, and so similar in symptoms, that , 
we suspect the birds were poisoned. 
Dorking Fowl (Rev. 11. M.). —None of our numbers contain an 
essay on the subject. The kind of book you suggest is preparing. 
Bref.ding Budgarke-gars. —“In answer to the enquiry of “A 
Subscriber from the Commencement” about the breeding of the 
Budgaree-gar ( Melopsittucus undulatus) in confinement, I can inform him 
that Mr. Sayer, a bird preserver at Norwich, succeeded in breeding a 
pair of them last year, and is trying it again; but that, I understand, 
this was the first time it had been done. The birds were kept in a large 1 
cage, with a small hollow stump as nesting-box, and fed, old and young, I 
entirely on canary-seed. The sexes are to be distinguished by the colour ! 
of the cere, which is bluish in the cock; brown in the hen.— Duck¬ 
wing.** 
“ Your Subscriber, wishing to know' how to manage the small Parrot | 
called Budgerigars, will get all the information he requires, by calling on 
Mr. Jamrah, foreign bird dealer, Ratcliffe Highway. He has always a j 
quantity of them breeding in a room heated by a gas-stove. I saw a , 
dozen, or more, sitting in small holes in the wall and boxes ; they breed 
in the autumn, and are fed on canary seed. The old birds turn the 
young ones out of the nest before they are fledged, but they can feed j 
themselves at a very early age.— An Old Subscriber.** 
Fowl with Tumour (O. H.). —The case is not sufficiently described 
to enable a correct decision to be arrived at. Most possibly the tumour 
is a kind of abscess, which, as it becomes soft, had better be opened with 
a sharp knife, and the matter formed allowed to escape. 
LONDON MARKETS.— April 21st. 
COVENT GARDEN. 
Supply moderate, and a trifling improvement in the demand. The 
late boisterous weather has somew hat interfered with the importations 
from the Continent, which now' comprises New Potatoes, French Beans , 
Asparagus, and the usual description of Salading; also, Green Peas and 
Globe Artichokes. We have also received some excellent frame Potatoes 
and Asjtaragus from Jersey, with a good sample of forced Grupes in 
excellent condition. New Spanish Potatoes 3s. to 4s. per dozen pounds. 
FRUIT. 
Apples, kitchen, per 
bushel. 
6a. 
to 10 s. 
,, dessert .... 
fis. 
.. 10 s- 
Pears, per dozen .... 
Is. 
,, 3s. 
Pine-apples, per lb... 
8 s. 
lO- 
Foreign Grapes, per lb 
. 3s. 
,, 4S. 
Hothouse ditto, ditto 
15s. 
,, 25s. 
Strawberries, per oz.. 
is. 
,, 2 s. 
Foreign Melons, each 
0 s. 
„ 0 s. 
Oranges, per 100 .... 
4s. 
,, 10S. 
Seville Oranges, do... 
6 s. 
,, 12 s. 
Lemons. 
fis. 
,, 12 s. 
Almonds, per lb. 
2 s. 
Nuts, Filberts, per 
lOOlhs. 
50s. 
,, 60 s. 
,, Cobs, ditto .. 
60 s. 
,, 70 s. 
,, Barcelona,per 
bushel. 
20 s. 
,, 22 s. 
Nuts, Brazil, ditto.. 
12 s. 
>» 14s. 
Walnuts, per 1000 .. 
9s. 
ii 12 s. 
Chestnuts, per bushel 
16s. 
ii 24s. 
VEGETABLES. 
Cabbages, per doz. Is. to Is. 6 d’ 
,, Red.perdoz. 2s. ,, 4s. 
Cauliflowers, per doz. 4s. ,, 6 s. 
Brocoli per bdle . Is. ,, 2s. 
Savoys. Is. ,, 2 s. 
Greens, per doz. bncli. 4s. ,, 6 s. 
Spinach, per sieve.... — ,, 4s. 
French Beans, per 
hundred. Is. 6 d. ,, 2 s. 
Carrots, per bunch .. 4d. ,, fid. 
Parsnips, per doz. fid. to 9d. 
Beet, per doz. Is. to Is. 6 d. 
Potatoes, per cwt. .. 3s. ,, 6 s. 
Onions, young, ditto.. Id. ,, 2d. 
Turnips, per bunch .. ,, 3d. 
Leeks, per bunch .... 2 d. ,, 3d. 
I Garlic, per lb. 6 d. ,, 8 d. 
Horseradish, per 
bundle. Is. fid. to 2 s. 6 d. 
Shallots, per lb. 6 d. ,, Is. 
Lettuce, Cos, each .... 6 d. to 8 d- 
,, Cabbageper doz. 2d. ,, 3d. 
Endive, per score .. Is. fid. ,, 2s. 
Celery, per bunch. . 9d. ,, is. 6 d. 
Radishes, Turnip, per 
dozen bunches . 6 d. 
Water Cresses, ditto .. 6 d. ,, 9d. 
Small Salad, per 
punnet. 2d. ,, 3d. 
Artichokes, per lb.2d. 
Asparagus, perbundle 5s. ,, 12s. 
Sea-kale,per punnet Is. 6 d. ,, 2s. 
Rhubarb, per bundle 3d. to 6 d. 
Cucumbers, each. Is. ,, 3s. 
Mushrooms, per pot Is. 6 d. ,, 2s. 
HERBS. 
Basil, per bunch .... 4d. ,, 6 d. 
Marjoram, per bunch 4d. ,, fid. 
Fennel, per bunch .. 2 d. ,, 3d. 
Savory, per bunch .. 2 d. ,, 3d. 
Thyme, per bunch .. 2d. ,, 3d. 
Parsley, per bunch .. 2d. ,, 3d. 
Mint, per bunch .... 2d. ,, 4d. 
Green Mint . fid. ,, Sd. 
POULTRY. 
The season is giving evidence that it has been more favourable, by the 
influx of small spring chickens. A comparison with last year wiW also 
show ducklings and goslings are more plentiful. 
Large Fowls .. 7s. to 7s. 6 d. each, i Teal.Os. od. to Os. Od. each. 
Smaller do. 5s. 6 d. to 6 s. Od. ,, 1 Leverets.. 4 s. od. to 5s. fid. „ 
Chickens .... 3s. 6 d. to 5s. ,, i Pigeons. 10d. to Is. fy 
Goslings. 7s. Od. to 8 s. ,, , Rabbit.... Is. fid. to Os. Od. ,, 
Ducklings- 4 s. to 4s. fid. ,, Wild Ditto.. lOd. to Is. Od. ,, 
Guinea Fowl 4s 6 d. to Os. Od. ,, I Wild Ducks Os. Od. to Os. Od. ,, 
Plover*s Eggs, in bulk. 3s. 6 d. 
London : Printed by Hugh Barclay, Winchester High-street, in 
the Parish of Saint Mary Kalendar; and Published for the Proprietors 
at The Cottage Gardenkr Office, No. 20, Paternoster Row, in 
the Parish of Christ Church, City of Londop.—April 22 , 1856. 
