108 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
May 0. 
I 
once provided for them of a suitable character, and they | 
were well attended by their youthful owner, but, spite of nil 
efforts, only one survived, and, from its extraordinary 
docility, soon became “ the pet of the family." It was 
allowed constantly to associate with the canaries ; indeed, 
they were its only bird-companions. Very few words 
will now complete its history. It proved a male, and is, 
at this present hour, in even superior plumage to a wild ] 
bird; ils tameness is perfectly astonishing, for, on the cage 
door being opened, it will instantly fly upon the forefinger 
of its owner, and after giving a natural sparrow’s chirp or 
two, by way of prelude, suddenly bursts into full canary’s 
song, and whistles the whole through without fault or 
omission. It still, however, preserves the stooping, attitude 
natural to its kind, and never assumes the upright position i 
peculiar to its present companions when singing. The | 
above circumstance seems to me so strange, that I fancy the 
detail may prove interesting to some of those of your 
readers whose taste may rather incline to singing birds 
than poultry.— Edward Hewitt, Eclen Cottage, Sparkbrook, 
Birmingham. 
Extraordinary Produce of Eggs — During the j 
severe weather at the latter part of February and 
beginning of March, six fowls, of the Corsican breed, , 
belonging to Mr. Samuel Pass, of King’s Newton, near 
Melbourne, Derbyshire, laid an egg each for twenty 
successive days, makiug the extraordinary number of 
120 eggs in 20 days. 
Diary for Poultry-yard. — What are the Poultry 
Breeders about that they have not answered the queries 
sent to them by the Editor of this very useful work ? 
We direct their attention to the advertisement relating 
to it which appeared in our last week’s number. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Brahma Pootra Hens Dying (F.).— The old story— over-feeding. 1 
This is told by one sentence in your letter—“The last one that died I 
opened, and found it healthy, to all appearance, in every respect, except j 
she had an unusual quantity of fat. You, probably, did not open her 
head; in that would have been found a ruptured blood-vessel, the j 
apopletic result of plethora. Give your fowls two-thirds le?s of “ Indian 
corn, barley, and oats,” and give them daily some “ bran,” but no “ oat¬ 
meal.” Give them, also, plenty of green food. 
Age of Eggs for Sitting (G. C.). —We should not hesitate to place 
very desirable eggs under a hen though they were four or five weeks old ; 
for, although the fresher the eggs the better chance of obtaining strong i 
chickens, yet vitality is not unarouseable in eggs even seven weeks old. j 
Prolific Aylesbury Ducks.—“ I beg to inform you, that last I 
November our ladies had presented to them, by Mr. Geo. Mac Cann, of 
Graham House, Great Malvern, two white Aylesbury Ducks and a Drake. 
They began to lay on the 17 th of February, and they laid 124 eggs, and 
never missed a day. One morning after there was but one egg, the 
next morning there were two in the nest, and one laid in the yard; all 
three were laid between nine at night and seven in the morning. They 
laid alternately for a day or two ; but they have now laid every morning, 
and have, up to the present date (April 28tlO, laid 139 eggs. Perhaps 
it would be proper to mention that the third egg laid was a very large 
one, but not quite so hard in the shell as the others were. —James 
Wicketts, Butler to the Misses Dorville, Highcrojt, Great Malvern* 
Preventing Hens Sitting (T. S-). — Shut them up for a week, and 
theu turn them down in a yard strange to them. 
LONDON MARKETS.— May 5th. 
COVENT GARDEN. 
There is an abundant supply of everything in season, and the prices 
continue much the same as in our last quotations. The display ot early j 
Grapes is very fine, and the Asparagus from France is large, and remark- | 
ably well grown. Cornish Brocoli is now nearly over, and is replaced by 
Asparagus and Ash-leaned Kidney Potatoes from the same county, and 
all from the open ground. The late severe morning frosts have very 
much retarded and even checked the Aspurugus in the neighbourhood of 
the Metropolis. 
FRUIT. 
. Seville Oranges, do... 
6s. 
„ 12s. 
Apples, kitchen, per 
Lemons. 
6s. 
it 12s. 
bushel. 
6s. to 10s. Almonds, per lb. 
2s. 
,, dessert .... 
6s. ,, 10s. Nuts, Filberts, per 
Pears, per dozen .... 
Is. ,, 3s. 100 lbs. .. 
50s. 
,, 60s. 
Pine-apples, per lb... 
8s. ,, 12s. ,, Cobs, ditto .. 
60 s. 
„ 70 s. 
Foreign Grapes, per lb. 
3s. ,, 4s. 1 ,, Barcelona,per 
Hothouse ditto, ditto 
12s. ,, 20s. bushel. 
20s. 
,, 22s. 
Strawberries, per oz.. 
Is. ,, 2s. Nuts, Brazil, ditto.. 
12s. 
it 14s. 
Foreign Melons, each 
Os. ,, 05. Walnuts, per 1000 .. 
98. 
,, 12s. 
Oranges, per 100 ,. 
4s. ,, 10s. 1 Chestnuts, per bushel 
15s. 
„ 24s 
VEGETABLES. 
Cabbages, per doz. Is. to Is. 6d. 
,, lied, per doz. 2s. ,, 4s. 
Cauliflowers, per doz. 4s. ,, 6s. 
Brocoli per bdle . Is. ,, 2s. 
Savoys. Is. ,, 2s. 
Greens, per doz. bnch. 4s. ,, 6s. 
Spinach, per sieve.... — ,, 4s. 
French Beans, per 
hundred.Is. 6d. ,, 2s. 
Carrots, per bunch .. 4d. ,, 6d. 
Parsnips, per doz. 6d. to 9d. 
Beet, per doz. Is. to Is. fid. 
Potatoes, per cwt. .. 3s. ,, 6s. 
Onions, young, ditto.. Id. ,, 2d. 
Turnips, per bunch .. ,, 3d. 
Leeks, per bunch .... 2d. ,, 3d. 
Garlic, per lb. 6d. ,, 8d. 
Horseradish, per 
bundle. Is. 6d. to 2s. 6d. 
Shallots, per lb. 6d. ,, Is. 
Lettuce, Cos, each .... 6d. to 8d. 
,, Cabbageperdoz. 2d. ,, 3d. 
Endive, per score .. Is. 6d. ,, 2s. 
Celery, per bunch.. 9d. ,, Is. 6d. 
Radishes, Turnip, per 
dozen bunches . 6d. 
Water Cresses, ditto .. 6d. ,, 9d. 
Small Salad, per 
punnet. 2d.,, 3d. 
Artichokes, per lb.2d. 
Asparagus, perbundlc 4*. ,, 8s. 
Sea-kale,per punnet Is. 6d. ,, 2s. 
Rhubarb, per bundle 3d. to 6d. 
Cucumbers, each. Is. ,, 3s. 
Mushrooms, per pot Is. fid. ,, 2s. 
HERBS. 
Basil, per bunch .... 
Marjoram, per bunch 
Fennel, per bunch .. 
Savory, per bunch .. 
Thyme, per bunch .. 
Parsley, per bunch .. 
Mint, per bunch .... 
Green Mint . 
4d. ,, 6d. 
4d. ,, 6d. 
2d. ,, 3d. 
2d. ,, 3d. 
2d. ,, 3d. 
2d. ,, 3d. 
2d. ,, 4d. 
fid. ,, Sd. 
I 
POULTRY. 
The supply of chickens increase, but fowls are dear, and will remain 
so for some time. Every thing seems to indicate a good average supply 
during the season. There have been the largest arrivals of Dottrell 
ever known. 
Large Fowls .. 7s. 6d. to 9s. each. | Quails.... 2s. 6d. to 3s. Od. each. 
Smaller do .... 6s. to 6s. 6d. 
Chickens .. 3s. 6d. to 4*. fid 
Goslings.7s. to 7»- 6d. 
Ducklings .... 3s. fid. to 4s. 
Guinea Fowl 4s- fid. to Os. Od. 
Leverets .. 3s. 6d. to 5s. 6d. 
Pigeons.8d. to lOd. 
Rabbit.. .. Is. 5d. to Is. 7d. 
Wild Ditto .. lOd. to Is. Od. 
Dottrell .. Is. 6d. to 2s. Od. 
Plover’s Eggs, in bulk. 2s. to 3s. 
London: Printed by Hugh Barclai, Winchester High-street, m 
the Parish of Saint Mary Kalcndar ; and Published for the Proprietors 
at Tiie Cottage Gardener Office, No. 20, Paternoster Row, in 
the Parish of Christ Church, City of London.—May 6 , 1856 . 
BY SPENCER THOMSON, M.D. 
Second Edition, Just published, price 5 s., elegantly bound in cloth . 
"Wanderings among the Wild Flowers: 
* * How to S<*e and How to gather them. With Two Chapters on the 
Economical and Medicinal Uses of our Native Plants. Illustrated with 
170 Engravings. 
“ A pretty volume devoted to botany. The author has evidently a love 
of plants, and throws a sufficient amount of feeling into his descriptions 
of the parts of plants to render them less dry and tedious than such arc 
usually found. As an introduction to botany for young people in this 
country, we can recommend Dr. Thomson’s Wandering among the 
Wild Flowers.” — Athenceum. 
“ It is a very amusing guide to systematic Botany, and to the plants 
especially to be sought for in each month. We know of no book that 
we would in preference place in the hands of a young person in whom 
we wisliod to excite a taste for studying plants.”— Cottage Gardener . 
WILLIAM WESLEY, Office of the Family Economist, 32 , Pater¬ 
noster Row. 
NEW SERIES OF 
CHEAP AND USEFUL MANUALS, 
Conducted by the Editors of “ The Cottage Gardener J* 
MANUALS FOR THE MANY. 
Under this title it is intended to issue a series which shall form a 
complete course of instruction in productive and profitable rural pursuits. 
The object of the series will be to impart, in few words and at a small 
cost, the results of the practice and observations of known professors in 
every branch of rural economy, written so familiarly as to be easily under¬ 
stood, even by those not previously acquainted with the subjects treated 
on. It is hoped that the merit of the series, as well as the low price at 
which it will be issued, will render it alike acceptable to the Amateur, and 
to those who take an interest in the well-being and social improvement of 
the cottager. The undermentioned are now ready : — 
No. I.—Gardening for the Many: being Practical Monthly 
Directions for the Cultivation, step by step, of each crop in the Garden 
of the Amateur and Cottager. Price Threepence. 
No. II.—Allotment Farming: for the Many: being Prac¬ 
tical Monthly Directions for the Cultivation and Use of such Crops as 
are most serviceable to the Cottager and Allotment Holder. Price 
Threepence. 4 
J"To. III.—Bee-keeping for the Many: being Plain Instruc¬ 
tions for the economical and successful Management of the Honey¬ 
bee, with a Calendar of Operations required in each Month. Price 
Fourpence. 
No. IV.—Greenhouses for the Many: giving Practical Di¬ 
rections for the Construction and for the Heating and Management of 
Greenhouses of the smallest and largest dimensions, with a Monthly 
Calendar of Operations. Illustrated with Plans, Sections, aud Eleva¬ 
tions. Price Sixpence. 
TO BE FOLLOWED BY OTHER PRACTICAL 
MANUALS ON KINDRED SUBJECTS. 
An allowance will be made to Gentlemen and Clergymen requiring 
a number of copies for distribution. 
London : Cottage Gardened Office, 20, Paternoster Row. 
