264 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION.— July 8 , 1856. 
i 
it is sure to draw towards the top, and obliges you to dis¬ 
turb it to keep it low. When you have got the whole in 
good working order, commence to dig out your drains, and 
pitch what you take out on the fire also. After your tiles 
1 are placed in, fill up the space as far as the clay reaches 
with rough, hard-burnt clay. When the whole is burnt out, 
! and your drains completed, commence turning over and 
mixing the soil with the burnt earth, as you will have a 
i good open trench at the end where you left off. 
If the above system has heen adhered to, you can, with 
little trouble, when turning it over, make an artificial sub¬ 
soil of burnt clay above the original clay, and if the drains 
are filled up with burnt clay in connection with it, it will give 
you a nice dry foundation. 
Need I say that vegetables will luxuriate in a mixture of 
this description, particularly if a good dressing of manure 
is mixed with it, or a good soaking from the drainings of the 
farm-yard ? Nor need I tell those who are about to make 
new Vine borders that a lesson may be taken from the 
above, and that it is much better to burn the clay on the 
spot than wheel it out as 1 have seen done, and replaced by 
ditch-banks, &c., that in a few years become nearly as bad 
as the original, as coals arc out of the question in most 
places, and few gardeners can boast of having nothing to do 
for half of their men. It must, therefore, in many places, 
be done betimes ; but if there is a will, I am mistaken 
if there are many places but can produce rubbish enough 
to put the above in practice without adding to the accounts, 
though certain, if tried, it will add to the produce.—D. Fer¬ 
guson, Stowe , Buckingham. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Locating Rooks. — P. P. inquires “if there is any plan to induce 
young rooks, brought up on the grounds, to remain after attaining their 
full growth ? At present they are tame, with their wings cut, to prevent 
their flying far.”—[Can any reader give us information on this subject?] 
Climbers for a Greeniioose ( Roseberry Villas).— For the trellises 
in the greenhouse connected with your drawing-room, for immediate 
effect, procure Lophospermum Hcndersonii , Maurandya Burcluyana 
alba, Trojneolum peregrinum , or T. majus/lore pleno ; and for the better 
things you might be growing a Kennedy a Marryattae, Jasminum grandi - 
forum or gracile , and Podolobium scandens. 
Canvass for Shading Orchids (Nepenthes).—We sent your query 
to Mr. Appleby, and he states in reply that the canvass is of sufficient 
thickness to shade Orchids, Pitcher-plants, and any other plants from 
the tropics requiring shade from bright sunshine. He advises you to 
have it nailed to a roller, and a flat piece of wood at the top, so that you 
could easily wind it up round the roller when the sun does not shine on 
the roof of your house, and let it down when there is a prospect of a 
sunny day. Orchids love the light, but not the glare of the sunbeams 
through glass, which is often defective, forming focuses which net only 
turn the leaves yellow, but actually burn the leaves in spots, which greatly 
injures and disfigures them. When the sun is low in the west it will not 
injure the plants ; so every afternoon you may roll up your shade from 
four to five o’clock. 
Distorted Cauliflower (W. W. H.)— It is a Cauliflower running 
to bloom without forming itself into the usual white head; in fact, a 
green Cauliflower, just as there are green and purple Brocolis. It is not 
very unusual. 
Club-ended Cucumber (Japhet). —From some unexplained cause 
! the seed is perfected, and increases in size at the club end only. This 
i end, therefore, swells the fastest. 
Weeding Implement (W. Moore). —We are much obliged by your 
I sketch, but the semi-circular blade is far less effective than the double- 
' edged right-angled blade of “ Gidney’s Prussian Hoe.” 
Rivers’ “ Miniature Fruit-garden ” (D. Dick).— You can obtain 
this book through any bookseller. Its price is two shillings. 
Weeping Roses (A Constant Reader).—La Biche and Felicite' Per - 
j petuelle (in your list 22 amd 29 ) are the only two Roses which can be 
| worked for Weeping Roses. The best Weeping Roses are the Ayrshires, 
Multifloras, and Evergreen Roses, as Ruga , Bonnet's Seedling , Queen of 
the Belgians , Splendens, Dundee Rambler , and Ayrshire Queen— all 
these are Ayrshire Roses. The Multifloras are Alba, Rubra, and Elegans. 
The Evergreens are the best of all— Princess Maria, My riant hus, 
Ranuncule , Rampunte, Donna Maria, and Spectabi/e. This is a good 
time to make layers of Moss Roses and all other Roses ; but the laying 
ought to be done at once. 
Pink 3room (Goddess). —It is not Broom, but the common sport into 
which the purple Laburnum so frequently runs. 
Names of Plants (A Constant Subscriber ).—1. Spiraa bell a . 2. 
Robinia hispida , 3. Dictamnus fraxinella alba, 
THE POULTRY 0HR9SUCLJ 
POULTRY SHOWS. 
Agricultural Society (Royal). At Chelmsford, July 14th to 19th. 
Sec. J. Hudson, Esq., 12 , Hanover Square, London. Entries closed 
June 1 st. 
Anerley. July 29th, 30tli, 31st, and August 1st. Sec., C. Lawson, 
Esq., Anerley. Entries close July 9th. 
Bridlington. August 27 th. Sec. Mr. T. Cape, Bridlington. 
Essex. At Colchester, 8 th, pth, and 10th of January, 1857* Secs. 
G. E. Attwood, and W. A. Warwick. 
Gloucestershire. Nov. 26 th and 27 th. Sec., E. Trinder, Esq., 
Cirencester. Entries close Nov. 1st. 
Leominster. Thursday, October 16 . 
Manchester and Liverpool Agricultural Society. At Wigan, 
Thursday, August 7th. Secs, for poultry, J. H. Peck, and J. S, 
Marshall, Esqrs. Entries close July 24th. 
Nottinghamshire. At Southwell, December 17 th and 18th, 1856. 
Sec., Richard Hawksley, jun. Entries close November 19 th. 
Nottingham Central Poultry Association. January 14th 
and 15th, 1857* Sec., John Spencer, Nottingham. 
Prescot. July 8 th. Sec., Mr. J. F. Ollard, Prcscot. Entries close 
June 21st. 
Whitby. July 16 th and 17 th. Sec. S. Burn, Esq., 1 , East Terrace, 
Whitby. Entries close June 30th. 
Yorkshire Agricultural Society. At Rotherham, Wednesday 
and Thursday, August 6 th and 7 th. Sec., J. Hannara, Esq., Kirk 
Deighton, Wetherby. 
N.B .—Secretaries viill oblige 21 s by sending early copies of their lists. 
HAVE MERCY ON COMMITTEES. 
“ I congratulate you on your birthday, Madam,” said 
Dr. Johnson to a lady. “ What is your age ? ” 
“ Fifty-three, Doctor.” 
“ I believe it,” said he; “you have told me so these ten 
years.” 
We may infer, then, that an assertion is at last believed 
if it he constantly repeated, and acting upon such inference, 
we would again impress on some exhibitors that they inflict 
wrong on a pleasing pursuit in which they themselves are 
interested, and on self-denying men who incur much labour 
for their sole good, when they give unnecessary trouble to 
the gentlemen acting as Committees to Poultry Shows. 
We do not speak of any one in particular, hut we know 
that it is becoming difficult to find acting Committee-men. 
They are mostly men of standing in their localities; they 
have no view of profit in what they undertake; and those 
who have served the office know it involves great labour. 
It should, then, he the aim of exhibitors to lessen their 
work, and to give them all the assistance in their power. 
Their aim is identical, inasmuch as both love the pursuit; 
hut there is one wide distinction. The profit is to the ex¬ 
hibitor; the loss, if any, becomes the portion of the 
Committee. 
If the Show is a matter of speculation let its promoters 
be treated accordingly. It is a thing of trade—a compact 
entered into, whereby one undertakes to provide a proper 
building and offer certain prizes for competition, and another 
to send birds of the proper quality and beauty, to secure, if 
possible, the prize; hut, at all events, to attract the public. 
It is fair to argue, threaten, and protest, in fact, to drive a 
good bargain and make safe conditions; the secretary be¬ 
comes the paid servant of everybody who has to do with it. 
Out, where no profit is contemplated, every possible assistance 
should he given to those who undertake so much labour for 
the pleasure of others. All should endeavour to lessen that 
labour, and to co-operate efficiently at all times for the suc¬ 
cess and comfort of the Exhibition, and they should not he. 
backward in acknowledging the obligations they dive to the 
promoters. If Poultry Shows ceased all interested would 
lose a great pleasure ; many would miss a profitable pur¬ 
suit. Poultry Shows are entirely dependent on voluntary 
Committee-men. 
NOTES ON rOULTRY BREEDING. 
I Ait sure that I express the opinion of many of your 
subscribers when I admire your correspondents, “Pencilled 
Hamburgh,” and tlic gentleman who signs himself, with 
