288 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
July Hi. 
“ I think you will excuse me for informing you, that my 
plants, one of which I informed you, last year, was nine feet 
high, are now, June :30 th, from ten feet to eleven feet six inches 
in height, and in full bloom ; one of them is full eleven feet 
six inches in height, and they measure in circumference, at 
the base of the stems, from thirteen inches to not less than 
ten inches. They ore called biennials; but this is their 
third and most flourishing year. 
“ I am indebted to Dr. Gwynne, of Sandbach, for the seeds; 
and, barring accidents, I shall have enough to supply the 
whole parish or the county this autumn.—T. M. W."J 
POULTRY. 
HASTENING THE GROWTH OF FEATHERS.— 
BONE POWDER FOR CHICKENS. 
“I have a Cock and some Pullets of the White-faced 
Spanish breed. The latter have lost some of their feathers. 
Will you be kind enough to inform me, through the medium 
of your paper, if it be possible by any treatment to bring 
them into proper plumage by the middle of September; 
or must I wait till the moulting season ?—And how I am to 
bring on a Cock bird of the same breed for a Poultry Show 
in about two months time; he is a fine bird, not eleven 
months old ? And also, if pulverised bone is a good 
strengthening thing for Cochin-China Chicken ?—J. S.” 
[In the case of Spanish Fowls now out of condition, 
through the loss of a portion of their feaLhers, whether 
accidentally or by very early moulting, we can hold out no 
prospect of their being brought into a fit state for exhibition 
by the middle of September. Your second question we 
would answer thus ; that no Poultry Society that advertises 
its meeting for the end of August can expect to have the 
adult birds in fit condition for exhibition. Your third query 
asks if pulverised bone is a good thing for strengthening 
Shanghao chickens ? For our own part, we have never 
found it necessary to resort to any such remedies. Good 
food and a healthy run being always sufficient to preserve 
our stock, old and young alike, free from maladies, such as 
those for which bone, and other substances containing a 
portion of lime, should be administered. In confined yards, 
calcined oyster-shells would, probably, provide this substance 
in as good a form as any other.—W.J 
CURL IN THE DRAKE'S TAIL. 
“ Your paper being the chief organ for all poultry matters, 
I trust that you will allow me a small space, to state a few 
facts relative to a late poultry exhibition, which I think 
ought in justice to be made public, in order to prevent such 
mistakes in future. I dare say I shall be accused of parti¬ 
ality, but I state facts. I exhibited six Aylesbury ducklings 
under eight weeks of age, in the class especially set apart 
for the best brood of five or more ducklings, not exceeding 
eight weeks old. Well, I was unable to go to the show my¬ 
self, but naturally feeling anxious about the success of my 
six ducklings, (which weighed twenty-six pounds), I asked 
a friend, also an amateur poultry-breeder, to see how they 
looked: and in case they were beaten, to observe and des¬ 
cribe to me the superiority of their more fortunate competi¬ 
tors, that I might judge how to improve my breed for 
another season. He tells me that one Drake in the prize 
pen had the curl in the tail, which usually does not make 
its appearance till quite the end of the second month, i.c., 
when the bird is about fifteen weeks old, at the earliest! 
The imposition (for I can call it nothing else) as to age 
was so palpable, that on the prize card, nailed on the pen, 
i was pencilled after the words, ‘ under eight weeks of age,' 
i ‘very doubtful!!!’ Surely, the judge could never have 
; overlooked such a misstatement; and I take it for granted, 
that being selected as judge, he knows something about 
Ducks. I have trespassed already too far on your valuable 
space, but, perhaps, in conclusion, you will allow me to put 
, a question to you and your readers in general,—Is there any 
breed of white Ducks closely resembling the Aylesbury, the 
drakes of which are hatched with a curl in their tails ? I 
hear there are several other complaints relative to the 
show, some of which, perhaps, may reach you. Such as 
pens, although priced in the catalogue, not allowed to be 
claimed at the specified price, &c.— Weston Jonx Gowers, 
Chadwell, near Grays, Essex." 
[We have struck out all names, because all such com¬ 
plaints should be made to the Committee at the time of 
the show. In reply to your query, we certainly have no 
recollection of any drake of any breed exhibiting a develop¬ 
ment of the curled feather in the tail under eight weeks old, 
nor should we consider it probable that any such case 
coukl be authenticated.—W.] 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
*'** We request that no one will write to the departmental writers of 
Tiik 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.” j 
Dibbling Wheat (J. B. H.) .—The rows should be five inches apart, \ 
and the holes four inches apart in the rows. The holes should be two 
inches deep. Three grains should be put into each hole, which allowance 
requires about one bushel and a half of seed Wheat per acre. A good 
dibbler, with three active droppers to attend him, will plant about half 
an acre per day. 
Pines deficient in Flavour ( A Worcestershire Man). —The answer j 
was in before your second communication. If Pines are cut very unripe, 
of course they will wither without ever thoroughly ripening, or attaining 
a full flavour. 
Roup in Fowls (Stentor).—' The causes of Roup are probably many 
and uncertain, but we believe that most commonly it is brought on by 
confining them at night in a hot, ill-ventilated roost-house, and letting 
them out into the cold and wet during the day. Barley steeped in spirit 
of turpentine would he injurious rather than beneficial to roupy fowls. 
Globules on Leaf (F. W. S.).—' They are the eggs of a moth, but 
they were all crushed, or from the larva: we could have found out the 
species. 
White Comb ( J. R.). —We have never failed to cure this by rubbing 
with turmeric and cocoa-nut oil the parts affected. Was your cocoa-nut 
oil almost a solid ? If not, it was not genuine. 
Vine Leaves and Grapes Diseased (.4 Young Grape Grower ).— 
The whole are very badly attacked by mildew. The only chance of 
saving them when in such a state is to have one person hold a plate full 
of flowers of sulphur under the leaves and bunches, whilst a second 
person rubs them gently all over with the sulphur. Your other question 
shall be answered next week. 
Melons Falling from their Stalk ( A Subscriber). —When they 
do this it is a sign they are quite fit for gathering. If you wish to prevent 
their falling, you must put some support under them. 
Pinching off Blooms ( A Constant Reader). —You do not say what I 
are the names of your plants. The green leaf of your Mangold’s Varie- ; 
gated Scarlet Geranium is only a sport, we think. What sort of plants 
do you wish to grow under Vines, and in what kind of structure ? We 
have not the gift of clair-voyance, so cannot answer a correspondent 
unless he gives us full particulars. 
Laying out a Garden (S. Styles). —Neither Mr. Beaton, nor any 
one else who is honest, will undertake to lay out a garden which he has 
never seen. 
Names of Plants (T. M. IK.).—1. Epipactisgrandiflora. 2. Orchis 
bifolia. 3. Hetiunthemum vulgure. 4. Poterium sanguisorba. S. 
Poly gala vulgaris. (J. Wilson).—1. Chelidonium majus. 2. Symphy¬ 
tum asperimutn. You can have the back numbers by applying to 
Messrs. W. S. Orr and Co. (A. S. B.). — Epitobium ungustifolium. 
\ London: Printed by Harry Wooldridge, Winchester High-street, 
in the Parish of Saint Mary Kalendar; and Published by William 
Somerville Ore, 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.—July 13th, 1851. 
