May 18. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
123 
these Muscovites, but the best of this so-called variety have 
appeared to us to be simply muffed Dorldngs, as the 
j “ Cuckoo ” fowls are iu same way usually Dorkings of- that 
plumage, which is also seen in the Malay, Game, and 
Shanghae families. 
The “ Columbian ” fowl, in colour, gait, and form, suggests 
an alliance between the Spanish and Malay, to which latter 
blood we are also inclined to assign an important share in 
the parentage of the “Jerusalem,” “Breda,” “Brazilian,” 
and other fowls of the like stamp. 
If specific distinctions fail to separate them from the 
common herd of mongrelism, we fear that their chances 
will be little improved by any enquiry as to their com¬ 
parative excellence in point of economy. 
Various crosses of the Bengal Jungle fowl and that of 
Sonnerat, with the domesticated breeds, have been carried 
out, and are useful, from any amount of information that 
may be thence deduced, as to the probable derivation of the 
whole race. Loss of size, however, and usually increased 
ferocity of character, have checked such experiments. 
Other names beyond those here alluded to may have ap- j 
peared in catalogues, and possibly, too, may continue so to 
appear; for nothing offers a more difficult task than the 
persuasion of individuals as to the merits and character of 
petted favourites, whom they had watched over with positive 
convictions of the correctness of their own estimates, and 
disregard of the arguments of those who may chance differ 
from them. 
If we find little to praise in the component members of 
this class, our censure must not be considered as extending 
to the class itself. So far from this, indeed, that we always 
regret the omission of the class “ For any other distinct hreeil,” 
as a serious blot in the schedule of any society, affording, as 
it does, the only channel by which any new variety may be 
fairly tested. After what we have of late years gained in 
Shanghaes, it is not too much to expect that the extension 
of our intercourse with distant regions, and the zeal with 
which possible acquisitions to our poultry-list are now sought 
for, may add other names of equal interest and value. We 
| may, and doubtless shall, have much rubbish in this part of 
our exhibitions, but may be well content to endure these, 
I if but a single prize eventually rewards ora patience. Room, 
however, must be saved, and error checked by a rigid exclu¬ 
sion from this class of all varieties that have been previously 
mentioned; and there are few societies where the strict en- 
| forcement of this rule would not have a beneficial effect. 
AUSTRALASIAN BOTANIC AND HORTICUL¬ 
TURAL SOCIETY. 
[We have inserted the following report, from the Sydney 
Morning Herald, chiefly to show intending emigrants what 
j is doing in the land of their adoption.] 
The autumn show of 18-')3 took place Dec. 27th, in the 
Botanic Gardens, at Sidney, and although the day was in- 
1 conveniently intermingled with the passing Christmas festi- 
1 vities, as a whole it passed off well, and successfully as 
i regards the pecuniary interests of the Society. 
The past year has been distinguished by an effort, some¬ 
what faint and languid, indeed, but which, if persevered in, - 
will still, we believe, succeed to resuscitate the Society from I 
the inertia into which it had fallen, and to place it in a posi- i 
' tion to carry out some of tho objects for which it was j 
designed. The breathless excitement consequent on the j 
announcement of the gold discovery is passing by, and 
people are beginning to find that they may grow rich with- 
I out ceasing to botanize. There is, no doubt, an active and ! 
stirring desire very considerably diffused throughout the 1 
community to obtain eminence in botanic and horticultural 
pursuits, and with the soil and climate of New South Wales 
l it would be a wonder if this were not the case. The monthly 
| shows, the more cordial activity of a portion of the commit- 
| tee, are favourable symptoms of a recovery from the atrophy 
I into which twelve months ago the society seemed to have' 
fallen ; but it is necessary to urge on those who have stimu¬ 
lated the reformatory movement to proceed in their efforts, 
as there is much of the old leaven remaining, anxious to 
neutralise their efforts for good. Since the last flower show 
a paid secretary, Mr. Catlett, has been added to the institu¬ 
tion, a post wliich he holds in conjunction with other duties 
connected with the Botanic Gardens. There is now no ex¬ 
cuse for all the rules and formula; of the society not being 
carried out, and it is to be hoped monthly and general meet¬ 
ings will in future be regularly called and duly advertised ; 
something like secretarial regularity has been long foremost 
among the wants of the institution. 
Tho day fixed for the Exhibition was most inopportunely 
chosen. It neither consulted the advantages of the culti¬ 
vators of flowers, nor the growers of fruit; but its main 
defect was, that occurring in the very heart of the 
Christmas holidays many who would have been willing ex¬ 
hibitors were, from the circumstance of those employed by 
them being absent, unable to send their specimens to the 
gardens. The arrangement was a bad one, but it was made 
with good intentions. It was hoped that it would afford the 
Christmas visitors to the city an opportunity of seeing one 
of these very popular fetes, and if it failed in seeming a 
good botanic exhibition, which we always maintain is the 
chief object, it was successful in securing a very gay attend¬ 
ance, and a handsome return to the treasury. 
The weather, which in the early part of the morning had 
a very gloomy aspect, about noon cleared up, and the rest of 
the day was as bright and glowing as could be desired. 
The Gardens were in excellent order, the trees, partertes, 
and lawns looking brilliantly out on the assemblage of 
beauty and fashion congregated together. 
The band of the Eleventh was present, or at least was 
heard at intervals, to play some snatches of well selected 
music. Is there no way of getting these musical gentry to 
enter more spiritedly into the enthusiasm of these galas ? 
The flowers and fruit shown were decidedly below medio¬ 
crity, though in both there were many exhibits which de¬ 
served attention and rewarded it. 
Among the flowers and flowering plants, the first place 
must be assigned to Mr. Thomas Woolley (Creswiek, gar¬ 
dener). The prize for the twelve best miscellaneous plants 
was closely contested between him and Mr. Smart, (Way, 
gardener), and although we have followed the Secretary’s 
entry, we are yet uncertain to whom the prize was awarded— 
Mr. Woolley’s collection appears, however, to us to be superior. 
Amongst its chief attractions were a beautiful Jnstici'a coc- 
cinea, a Cyrtoceras refltxa, and a Combretum —misnamed, we 
think— purpureum. Mr. Sm art’s collection possessed a very 
beautifull Streptocarpus Rexii, Indiyofera decora, and Cerope- 
gia elegant. Mr. Woolley had also a collection of eight Fuch¬ 
sias, six Balsams, a splendid Clerodendronfragrans,a\>ea.vtti- 
ful Gloxinia ( Napoleon ) quite new, a Clerodendron fallax, 
and a fine plant out in flower, to which a prize was awarded 
(Combretum grandiflontm). Mr. Smart (Way, gardener) had 
a very nice collection of Gloxinias, and a sweet plant, 
Cuphea miniala, which commanded much admiration; an 
Eucumis punctata, from the same garden, was also one of 
the gems of the Exhibition. 
We were glad to welcome the contributions from the 
Darling Nursery to this Exhibition. The collection of 
coniferous plants sent by Mr. Shepherd was, perhaps, the 
most attractive and interesting feature of the Exhibition. 
It comprised the following varieties : Cryptomeria Japonica, 
Cupressits fun “hr is, Citpressus Goveniana, Citpressus macro - 
carpa, Tuxodium distichum, Taxodium virens, Taxodium pinna- 
turn, Juniperus oxycedrus, Taxtts baccata, Eutassa Gookii, 
Sequoia gigantea, Garyotaxus Japonica, Araucaria imbricata, 
Biota disticlia, Ccdrus deodara, Cedrus Lebani, Cunninghamia 
lanceolata, and Leichhardlia Macleayana. This last species 
was first classed by some botanists as an Araucaria, young 
plants of it only having been seen, but Mr. Shepherd, having 
doubts on the subject, went to Port Macquarie, where it grows 
freely, and by examination of the seed determined it to be 
a distinct genus, and named it as above. 
A collection of eight pot plants, cqnsisting of Ceropegia 
elegans, Pentas Oarnea, Erica Bowiana, Clerodendron frag¬ 
rant, Begonia Tnyrhamii, Gloxinia tubiflora rosea, and a 
Pelargonium. Mr. Shepherd had also a veiy beautiful 
collection of flowering shrubs, consisting of Magnolia grandi- 
flora, Magnolia conspicua, Erythrina hybrida, Hybiscus 
(hybrid), Iochroma tubulosa, and Duubentoria punicea, 
Also a collection of thirteen very beautiful climbing plants 
