THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION.— September 23, 185C. 403 
and, if you keep duplicates similarly numbered, then you can easily apply 
the labels. 
Gooseberries (/. B. Murdoch) .—If you wish for the largest buy of 
reds , Wonderful and London ; of greens , Thumper and Overhall; of 
yellows, Gunner; and of whites , Lady Leicester. If you wish for good 
dessert fruit, buy Rough Red, Red Champagne, Pitmaston Greengage, 
Roaring Lion, Rifleman, and Red Warrington. The last-named is the 
best for preserving.—The thirty-pound Orchard House is at Winchester, 
and was constructed by workmen residing there. 
Garden Plan (Rev. O. Cotton ).— We never furnish plans, nor would 
a professed landscape gardener unless he had seen the place. If you 
refer to our back volumes you will find many plans, and you may from 
them select one you consider suitable. 
Artificial Manures for Strawberries (A Constant Reader).— 
This is not the time for manuring them. Wait until the spring, about 
the end of March ; then sprinkle a little guano (a dessert-spoonful) round 
each plant, covering the guano with a little earth. We know nothing of 
the artificial manure you mention. 
Eugenia Ugni (Mary C.). —It is a native of South Chili, abounding 
at Chiloe and the Islands in the Hay of Valdivia. It has the habit of 
the Myrtle, and is quite hardy at Exeter. It was introduced by Messrs. 
Veitch about the year 1850. It strikes freely from cuttings. 
Garden Plan (if«fc).-We did not receive plan No. 2; four and 
one would not do, for this reason—that three beds of the same size 
in a row do not look well, and cannot be balanced in the planting when 
they form part of a whole. No. 3 is very good indeed, and we shall be 
pleased to bear how you settle about the planting of it. We shall beep 
it in hand for that purpose. We do not understand you about “ mixed 
beds ” being better than the “present bedding system.*' There never 
was a time when “ mixed beds '* were more in the lashion than just now. 
Mixed planting is a very different thing. 
Fuchsia Seedling (A Subscriber, Ashford , Kent ).— Your Fuchsia 
blooms came safe and in good condition. The variety, as you say, is 
pretty, and, no doubt, the habit is good; but the flowers are so small 
that it is no improvement on varieties raised years ago. For instance, it 
is not handsomer than the old F. globosa , and the flowers are much 
smaller. If, however, it is very hardy, it may he useful as a bedding-out 
variety. We fear you will be disappointed with our opinion, but we 
must be candid in all such cases. Have you tried it planted in the 
flower-border or in a bed ? 
Apricot and Peacii, Mode op Bearing (i?.).— The Apricot bears 
fruit both on spurs and on the young wood ; the Peach and Nectarine 
on the young wood. The specimen is Pyrus intermedia. 
Peaches and Nectarines Falling (A Young Gardener). —Want 
of moisture at the root is the probable cause. Open a trench about 
three feet from the stem, put in a little decayed stable-dung, and fill the 
trench daily with water. When the crop is all off look to the roots of 
your trees, and see if they have not got down into some cold, stilf, re¬ 
tentive subsoil. If they have, cut off all those which have thus pene¬ 
trated, and bring the others as near the surface as possible, and let them 
have a few barrow-loads of good, turfy, sandy loam. 
Vines for Uniieatbd Greenhouses ( Birmingham ). — In your 
cold, thirteen-feet•'.ong greenhouse you may have two Vines, and we 
should plant two Black IJamburghs; or, if you prefer one white, sub¬ 
stitute a White Muscadine for one of the Hamburghs. Plant them at 
the end of next month ; they arc sold in pots ready for the purpose. 
Names of Geraniums (J. H. 71/.).— This is Cerise Unique, which 
some prefer to Lady Middleton or Trentham Rose. It is put in the 
“ place of honour ” this season by Lady Middleton herself at $hruhland 
Park, as you will see in Mr. Beaton’s report. The other you sent is the 
“Balm-leaf Geranium” of the flower-girls in Covent Garden Market; 
but it is a Plectranthus or a Teucrium. 
Double Columbines (Doctor's Boy). —The seeds you sent arc highly 
valued by the receiver, who is very much obliged to you. 
Apples. —The Apples which were left at our office in a small paper 
parcel arc the fruit of Pyrus prunifoUu, an ornamental tree nearly allied 
to the Apple. 
POULTRY SHOWS. 
CoLLiNGnAM, near New ark. Oct. 21st. Hon. Sec., E. Turtou, Esq., 
South Collirgham. Entries close Oct. 14th. 
Essex. At Colchester, 8 th, 0 th, and 10th of January, 1857* Secs., 
G. E. Attwood, and W. A. Warwick. 
Gloucestershire. Nov. 26th and 27th. Sec., E. Trinder, Esq., 
Cirencester. Entries close Nov. 1 st. 
Leominster. Thursday, October 16. 
Nottinghamshire. At Southwell, December 17 th and 18th, 1856. 
Sec.j Richard Hawkslcy, jun. Entries close November 19 th. 
Nottingham Central Poultry Association. January 13, 14, and 
15. Hon. Sec. Frank Bottom. Secretary to the Canary Department, 
Jno. Hetherington, jun., Sneinton. 
South West Middlesex. Sept. 30th, At Hampton. Sec., Mr. J. 
Gotelee, Hounslow. 
N.B .—Secretaries vnll oblige us by sending curly copies of their lists. 
BIRMINGHAM POULTRY SHOW. 
We understand that the Prize Lists and Regulations for 
the Eighth Annual Exhibition in this town of Stock, Roots, 
qnd Domestic Poultry, will he issued in the course of the 
ensuing week. A meeting of the Council was held at the 
Hen and Chickens Hotel, New Street, on Thursday last, the 
Earl of Lichfield, the President, in the chair; and there 
were also present the Earl of Aylesford; Richard Spooner, 
Esq., M.P.; C. M. Caldecott, Esq.; Willoughby Wood, Esq.; 
William James, Esq.; How ard Luekcock, Esq.; Mr. Jeremiah 
Matthews; Mr. Henry Chamberlain; Mr. T. B. Wright; 
Mr. G. C. Adkins; Mr. John Lowe; Mr. Joseph Jenneus; 
Mr. Edward Glover; Mr. John Harlow; and Mr. Thomas 
Burbidge. Some changes were proposed and adopted in 
the prize lists, the general regulations of the Show, and 
with regard to the privileges of the subscribers and ex¬ 
hibitors, to which we shall more fully refer when the lists 
appear. The Exhibition was' fixed to be held in the week 
commencing on the 1st of December next—one week before 
that of the Smithticld Club ; the Council, in this respect, 
adopting the recommendation of the general meeting held 
in the Show week of last year. It was determined that the 
Council should meet weekly, on Thursday, during the present 
and two ensuing months, for the transaction of general busi¬ 
ness—mi arrangement which can hardly fail to prove satis¬ 
factory. The financial state of the Society was also brought 
under the consideration of the Council, and a Committee 
appointed to organise a complete canvass of Birmingham 
and its neighbourhood for subscriptions. The accounts 
for the past year show a considerable deficiency in the 
receipts as compared with the expenditure, the unfavourable 
balance having, indeed, been accumulating for two or three 
years past. This has arisen principally from the. circum¬ 
stance that Bingley Hall has not been so much used as 
might have been fairly anticipated, and, consequently, the 
rent falling upon the Cattle Show for an Exhibition of only 
four days is too great for the Society to bear. The cost of 
fittings, especially in the new Poultry Bay, has also been 
very large, while the amount offered in prizes and medals 
last year exceeded one thousand pounds. At the same 
time, it must be stated that hitherto no sufficient efforts 
have been made to obtain that support from the inhabitants 
of Birmingham to which the Society, from the importance 
of its operations, is fully entitled .—(Midland Cuunties 
Humid.) 
BRAHMA BOOTRAS. 
I have frequently remarked of late in Tiif. Cottage 
Gardener that Brahma Bootras have been much cried 
down. Having kept a considerable number for three years, 
I ought to know something about their qualifications, and 
I have no hesitation in saying they are quite equal to any 
other Cochins in laying qualities, hardihood, ami gentleness 
of disposition, and I am sure in colour the light Brahmas 
are far more attractive. People who see mine are always 
much struck with their elegance and beauty. As for their 
being a distinct breed, that I do not pretend to assert; but 
they certainly arc a distinct colour from other Cochins when 
true bred. I find no difficulty in breeding them as I wish, 
either with regard to comb or colour. 
As to Mr. Burnham’s lettA, copied into your paper of 
September 10th, 1 consider it simply ridiculous. 1 happen 
to know something of American poultry-dealing, and can 
easily imagine why such a letter was written by him. 
I forgot to say I have eaten many of these despised 
Brahmas, and prefer them to Dorkings. When dressed 
like a Turkey at six months old, I venture to say a better 
dish can be put on no man’s table.— Experientia. 
CASTOR-OIL A GOOD MF.DTCINE FOR FOWLS. 
—MERITS OF SPANISH FOWLS. 
I notice your correspondent’s complaint respecting 
“ mortality among chickens.” 
I have also lost several chickens this year, though I have 
succeeded in raising about forty, most of them hatched in 
March and April. Several 1 have, I believe, saved from 
dying by the simple use of castor-oil, which I have found 
effective in several instances where the chickens have been 
very ailing; and with old hens, also, I have found castor-oil a 
most useful remedy for several diseases. 
