June 29. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
vegetable, aiul the way is this :—The man who goes to 
plant takes with him a bucket of water and some soot; of 
course his basket for plants, and his dibble, also a spade. 
When arrived at the seed-bed, he digs a hole in the soil, 
pours therein some water, and pops in about two quarts of 
soot. lie then stirs the hole well with his spade until the 
bottom and sides being rocked about and disturbed, the 
hole becomes nearly full of a regular slush or mud, com¬ 
posed of about two parts soil, one part soot, the rest, of 
course, water. As he draws the plants in hand bunches, 
they are successively dipped in this, and transferred to the 
basket, where, being covered with a wet rag, they travel to 
the planting plot fresh as a Daisy. 
This is not only an excellent preventive of the “ club ” in 
the Cabbage-worts, but a manure; when the plants make 
more growth, they will speed with more vigour. The soot 
should, however, not be too fresh and crude, it is rather 
caustic in this way, and apt to prove too keen to the young 
fibres. Let, then, I say this be made a maxim with all 
planting From March to September, 
A.s to cleaning processes in general, I may repeat former 
advice, that during dry weather, and whilst the soil is dusty 
on the surface, the hoe, during the height of summer, is a 
most efficient instrument, especially the broad hoe, as this 
cultivates deeper than the Dutch hoe. However, there are 
some crops which produce their fibres close to the surface 
of the soil, and for such the Dutch hoe will be best. It is 
always best to let the rake follow the hoe, for no one can 
tell how soon a change of weather may occur, and weeds 
soon take root again; in this respect, the hoeing of many 
is only transplanting. During showery weather, the hoe is 
ol little use; and it is ever my practice to dig in weeds 
wherever a narrow spade can be introduced. Thus it becomes 
best policy to push on cleaning processes by hoe at all dry 
intervals, reserving hand-weeding, digging, Ac., for damp 
weather. Thus much as to cleaning processes ; as to cultural 
ones, they will mostly have been carried out before this. I 
must now chat over the crops present and prospective. 
Onions.— I strongly advise the occasional application of 
soot to keep down the fly. Wo mix soot and sawdust in 
about equal quantities ; it handles better. The soot is, of 
course, a good manure, and is carried down by the rains. 
Carrots.— We use the soot application here, also, as with 
the Onions, and mean to continue its use. Late-sown Car¬ 
rots will, perhaps, require a little more thinning, and those 
who failed through the grub may still sow a few Horn Car¬ 
rots in the first week if required ; the soil should he good. 
Root Grots, in general, should now be looked through 
occasionally, in order to draw out some for use where too 
thick, and to remove what are termed “ bolters.” Quantities 
of Carrots, Parsnips, Mangold, Ac., may thus be obtained to 
help out the family diet; and the pig, or cow, will also come 
in for much refuse. 
Blank Filling.— Few things are more eligible for this 
purpose than the Swede Turnip, and every one holding land 
should provide a good seed-bed. They may be filled in 
amongst any existing root or other crop, or, indeed, in any 
spare piece. Mangold will transplant very well if not too 
old, but it requires careful taking up, being very tender. 
Swedes may be planted when the bulbs are as large as hen’s 
eggs; indeed, we prefer them so; some plant them much 
larger. It is of littlo use planting later than the middle of 
August; indeed, they should be got in before July is out. 
Selection oe Crops. —In selecting crops for an allot¬ 
ment, the cultivator should, of course, be ruled by the kind 
of produce most desirable. If near a good market, he will 
frequently find it much more profitable to grow things to 
sell than to use up himself. But he must look the manure 
question full in the face beforehand. To push high cultiva¬ 
tion with vegetables for sale requires a rather liberal use of 
it, for they are esteemed in proportion to their succulence. 
However, in all such cases, I advise that every man have his 
fi’g) it possible; for under proper management there should 
be, at least, three parts keep for it from refuse of the garden 
and the swill of the house, taking the year through; and 
such materials may by no means be wasted. 
And now I may direct attention to the peculiar sowing or 
planting of tho month. More Coleworts may bo sown libe¬ 
rally in the first week ; these, if a good dwarf kind, may be 
crammed into every spare piece not required for any larger 
2119 
vegetable ; they will make nice little Cabbages by the end of 
October, and may be bunched and made into cash in some 
good market. A good sowing of Lettuces, also, in the very 
beginning, on rich soil, will produce from the beginning of 
September until nearly Christmas. Endive is sown in the 
early part of July, and again in the middle. This comes in 
from the end of August until the end of November. A row 
or two of Celery may he planted in the first week, and a little 
curled Cress for the cottager’s wife. I do not, however, say 
that all these things must be aimed at; I merely point to 
the proper season. Again, let me urge every attention to 
muck making for the ensuing year. R. Errington. 
CHELTENHAM POULTRY SHOW. 
I iie third Annual Exhibition of the Cheltenham and 
County of Gloucester Society for Improving the Breed of 
Domestic Poultry took place on Wednesday and Thursday, 
the 14th and 15th of June. The gardens of the Old Wells, 
where the previous exhibitions had been held, being 
occupied by the Cheltenham Crystal Palace Exhibition, the 
Poultry Show was held on this occasion at the Pittville 
Gardens, and, in our opinion it lost nothing by the change. 
The meeting was held under the patronage of the Lord- 
Lieutenant of the county, of the Duke of Beaufort, of a 
long list of noblemen and influential gentlemen of the 
county and neighbourhood; and it was also well supported 
by tho visitors and inhabitants of tho town. Upwards of 
500 pens were entered for competition ; and although the 
names of Captain Hornby, Mr. Sturgeon, and one or two 
others who had formerly contributed to tho list of entries, 
were wanting this year, a most attractive and excellent 
assemblage of poultry was brought together. The same 
gentlemen who upon previous occasions had the manage¬ 
ment oi affairs again rendered their services; and too much 
cannot be said for the way in which the Messrs. Jessop, the 
Secretaries, performed their part. The fowls were shown 
iu the concert room and in two tents erected at each end of 
it, so that it had almost the appearance of one continuous 
apartment. As a whole, we think tho exhibition quite 
equalled in quality, while in quantity it surpassed, those of 
the two preceding years. The company was numerous as 
well as select, comprising, as usual, a large proportion of 
elegantly-dressed ladies ; and two bands of music, stationed 
in the gardens, contributed to the pleasures of the day. 
Those who say the taste for poultry has had its day, and 
that the interest taken in these shows is declining, are ccr 
tainly not borne out in their opinion by the result of the 
Cheltenham Exhibition. It may be true, that transactions, 
which will not bear a very strict scrutiny, may have made 
amateurs somewhat more cautious in making purchases; 
but neither the numbers and value of the birds shown, nor 
the attendance of exhibitors and visitors (many of them 
from a great distance), would tend to the belief that there 
is any falling off in the interest which those shows have 
excited, and still less in the pains taken to produce good 
specimens of the different varieties of poultry. 
Having expressed an opinion of the show in general, 
we now purpose briefly to notice the different classes. The 
Buff Cochins (adult) comprised 44 pens, which, as a whole, 
were, we thought, of more than average merit, while several 
of them, and particularly the hens in the first prize pen, 
belonging to Mr. Devenish, of Weymouth, were quite first- 
class specimens. The chickens numbered 46 pens, among 
which were some very forward ones, and many as good, 
whether in point of form or colour, as have ever been 
shown. The Partridge, or Dark, class was the very best of 
that variety which we have ever yet seen brought together, ' 
and show, we hope, that the taste for these beautiful birds 
is reviving. We cannot omit to notice especially Mr. 
Fairlie’s first-prize pen, which did credit to the Clieveley 
stock. In the White class, Mrs. Herbert was again success¬ 
ful ; but the chickens of this variety did not appear to us to 
be first-rate, and the judges withheld the first prize. The 
Blacks were of full average quality, Mr. Fairlie again carry¬ 
ing off the first prize, as did Mr. Cattell, in third class, for a 
very nice pen of Black chickens. 
The Dorkini/s, as a class, were not first-rate. The first ! 
prize fell to the lot of Mr. Davies; but neither the birds j 
