228 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
in your paper not to advance money, which made me begin 
to fear mine was vanished. My own man posted the stamps, 
and I, myself, the letter sent after, to enquire of them.— 
Elizabeth Hollistf.k, Hamstead, near Birmingham." 
[We can only say, in reply to this letter, that we have had 
several to a similar effect; and from enquiries which have 
been made of us, we advise Mr. Knight, of Battle, in the 
same county, to state if he has any connection with the 
Eastbourne firm.] 
POULTRY. 
BLINDNESS IN DUCKLINGS. 
I “ Last year a great many of my young Ducks, when 
about three weeks old, became blind, and ultimately died. 
I have now a brood, most of which are losing their sight in 
a similar manner, and are sickly. Can you give me any 
I advice ?—R. P.’’ 
[We never knew a case at all resembling this of your 
* Ducklings, and we are strongly of opinion that it is 
occasioned by some great defect in tbe feeding or treatment. 
What the error is we cannot imagine, and you have given 
us no information. We consulted Mr. Tegetmeier, and this 
is his reply :— 
“ I have always found Ducks remarkably free from any 
tendency to disease, provided their food, water, and lodging 
were unobjectionable. I am inclined to think that when 
attacked, it is owing, usually, to some unwholesome food 
having been taken ; it is possible, for example, that one of 
the numerous poisoners, wild water plants, may have been 
eaten. And I have known Ducklings, in July, pursue flies 
and grubs on the water to such an extent as to refuse to 
come for other food, and exhaust themselves so much, as 
literally to die shortly after coming to the shore. I have 
never seeu much benefit from giving young chicken 
medicine, and would expect les3 from doctoring Ducklings, 
but would rather recommend a diligent search for the cause 
of the disease.”] 
THE PRINCE ALBERT FOWL. 
“ I have to thank you for the insertion of my remarks on 
what I termed ‘the merits of some cross bred fowls,’ in 
your number 297, and in reply to your assertion, that 
the ‘ Prince Alberts are Shanghaes,’ I would, with all due 
deference, call your attention to page 78 of ‘ Richardson 
on Fowls,' where he says :—‘ The so-called Prince Albert’s I 
breed are Bolton Grays, said to be crossed with Game | 
blood.’ I must also add, that I bought my two hens under 
the name of ‘ Prince Albert’s,’ and that from their so nearly 
resembling Richardson’s account of tbe Prince Albert breed, 
with the exception only of being in plumage more like the 
Pencilled than the Spangled Hamburgh, I was induced to 
adopt the name. At any rate, whether Richardson is right or 
wrong in what he says of this breed, and whether my hens 
are veritable Prince Alberts or not, I think you will allow 
that they are not 1 Shanghaes,’ and that the breed from 
them, with the Punchard cock, is a ‘ cross breed.’ In further 
illustration of the great laying powers of my * cross-bred 
lien,’ I may add, that since May 30th, she has laid nine 
eggs more, making, in all, nineteen eggs in nineteen days, and 
I has, up to this, continued the care of her chickens.—R. O., 
1 Edinburgh ." 
[It is very certain that the variation of the Silver-Spangled 
Hamburghs, called by Richardson “Prince Alberts,” are 
not the variety of Shanghaes we have heard called “ Prince 
Alberts,” and affords one more instance, among many others, 
of the errors arising from imperfect nomenclature.] 
BEES. 
“ I bought a book on bees a few days since (‘ Milton.’). 
Where are his hives to be procured? I had an unusual 
large swarm of bees on the 26th, from a hive of King’s, 
and to-day the new swarm has sent out another swarm. 
Can you account for this ? The first swarm was put into 
one of Marriott’s Cottage Hives, and to all appearance the 
hive is quite full enough, and at the same time, the new 
swarm is the size of ordinary swarms. King’s hive, I fear, 
will send out a cast, as the bees do not take to the drawers, 
j I think they are too close in warm weather.— Honey Bee.” 
June 22. 1 
[Milton’s hives may be had in London at his honey- i 
warehouse. The reason of your swarm sending out another i 
a few days after being hived, was from two queens accom- ■ 
panying it from the parent stock.—J. B. P.] 
HOUSEHOLD AFFAIRS. 
BLACK BEETLE TRAP. 
“ Can any of your numerous readers inform me of a good 
bait for a Beetle trap ? I mean the common house Beetle. 
I have a good trap formed by a common preserve-pot sunk 
in the kitchen-floor, into which the vermin tumble in con¬ 
siderable numbers, and are there drowned in some beer and 
water, which I find the most attractive liquid for these pests. 
But I seem to need a more powerfully attractive bait for 
them. The plan I have adopted, is to have the preserve- 
pot (which holds about a pint) sunk into the kitchen-floor, | 
till its upper lip is about half-an-inch below the level of the | 
floor; to this a lid is closely fitted, level with the floor, and 
thus the trap is only open during the night, when the lid is j 
removed, and all is close and level during the day-time.— 
C. W. J.” 
[We are told that “ as seasons change, tastes vary,” even 
with Black Beetles. Sometimes they swarm to where treacle 
or similar sugary matters are come-at-able; whilst at other 
times nothing seems so attractive as cooked meat. On 
j board-ship biscuit crumbs are their forage. Why not put 
some of all these foods into the trap ? Any of our readers 
: knowing any specially attractive bait for these black pests 
will oblige us by commuuicatiug the information.] 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
*** We request that no one will write to the departmental writers of 
The Cottage Gardener. It gives them unjustifiable trouble and 
expense. All communications should be addressed “ To the Editor of 
The Cottage Gardener, 2, Amen Corner, Paternoster Row, London.” 
William Adams (C.). —We will ascertain all about his widow. The 
Postage Stamps came safe, and we are sure will be acknowledged most 
gratefully. 
Mr. Cutiiill (J. Husband). —His address is “Nurseryman, Camber¬ 
well, Surrey.” 
Ants (Linda), —You will have seen what we have stated recently, and 
we have nothing fresh to add. 
Rhubarb Wine (W. A. L.). —The recipe is in our 99th number. 
Passiflora ccerulea Seedlings ( C . IV.).— We think the speci¬ 
men sent is correct. 
Hogg’s Edging Tiles. —We have had so many applications from cor¬ 
respondents respecting these tiles, that we have written to Mr. Hogg on 
the subject, and this is his reply:—“The manufactory of the Edging 
Tiles is confined to one place only, where I can depend on getting clay 
which will stand the frost, and am, therefore, at the mercy of one person. 
It is well known that tile works are closed during winter ; and in spring, 
particularly of late years, since there has been such a demand for bricks, that 
the maker does not care to neglect his legitimate trade to make the tiles, 
and, consequently, I am obliged to wait his convenience, and thereby 
disappoint those who have sent orders for them. Rut if attention had 
been paid to the request I made in my prospectus, that all orders should 
be sent in early, as the tiles could only be made in summer, these dis¬ 
appointments would not have occurred. All the orders I have, were 
received late in the autumn, after the works were stopped, and, conse¬ 
quently, there were none on hand to supply them. I am not a tile 
maker, nor in any way connected with the trade, and cannot run the risk 
of having a large quantity of tiles made which may never be wanted. If 
parties, intending to lay down tiles in autumn, will send their orders in 
the summer, they will be supplied ; but if not, they must abide any 
inconvenience that may arise from delay, as it is not a matter on which I 
am disposed to speculate.” 
Names of Plants (T. W. Morgan). —No. 1 is Eriophorum angusti - 
folium. No. 2. Hesperis matronalis, or Dame’s Violet. (F. W. S.). — 
Your plant is the Garden Valerian, Valeriana Phu. (Amy). —Your plants 
ar e Lantana crocea. Calceolaria Sultana, and Salvia Grahamii. (Wil¬ 
liam Byrne). —Plant your Plums and Pears at least fourteen feet apart 
against your wall. Your flower is Hesperis matronalis purpureo plena, 
or Double Purple Rocket. (J. W.). — Ranunculus Asiaticus badly 
bloomed. 
London: Printed by Harry Wooldridge, Winchester High-street, 
in the Parish of Saint Mary Kalendar; and Published by William 
Somerville Orr, of Church Hill, Walthamstow, in the County of 
Essex, at the Office, No. 2, Amen Corner, in the Parish of Christ 
Church, City of London.—June 22nd, 1854. 
