Acgust IT). 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
385 
O. spectabit.is is a small-growing variety with very thick 
leaves and bright pink flowers ; has been much sought after 
on account of its name, but is not worth growing, except it 
he for variety’s sake. 
0. speciosa. is a pretty four-leafleted variety ; the leaves are 
marked with dark brown, which gives the growth a richness 
of style ; the flowers are not produced until August, and are 
of a claret-red colour with pale yellow centre, produced in 
trusses of from eight to fifteen florets. The roots should 
not he planted until February, but must he kept in sand, or 
dry soil, to prevent them from perishing. I question 
whether I’ have this variety correctly named. I have some¬ 
times thought it was either Darwalliana, flava or Deppei. 
O. elegans is a pretty rosy-purple variety with black and 
yellow centre, of much the same growth and requires the 
same treatment as the last. 
O. ceenata, or the Mexican Potato, is grown and esteemed 
by some persons as a culinary vegetable as well as a 
flowering plant. It grows much stronger than any of the 
other varieties I have enumerated in this paper ; the foliage 
is four-leafleted and the flowers are small and yellow. Some- 
epicures say that the tuberous roots this country produces 
eat somewhat like a boiled chesnut when subjected to the 
same culinary process, and are a good substitute for potatoes; 
that the stems are equal to rhubarb in tarts, and are 
produced in autumn when the rhubarb season is past ; and 
that the leaves are excellent with salading. I do not think 
as they do; but any person wishing to prove the correctness 
of these ideas might easily procure a few of the roots and 
try for themselves. They are easily procured, and may be 
readily recognized by their resemblance to the tubers of 
Tropceolum tuberosum, barring the stripes of red. 
These are the names and descriptions of some of the 
varieties of Oxalis which have come under my notice, but 
there are scores of others. The list of Oxalis given in 
Loudon’s “ Hortus Brittanicus ’’ is a long one. None of the 
varieties I have seen are to be compared to Bowiei, which 
may be safely recommended by “ Qui Que Ce Soit” to the 
readers of The Cottage Gardeneu; and as this is the 
season of the year to apply for them, and the season for 
planting them will soon arrive, I thought it might be useful 
for them to know it.— C. B. S., Jersey. 
WELLINGTON POULTRY EXHIBITION. 
The very recent exhibition of Poultry held at W elling- 
ton, Somerset, on the 3rd and 4th inst., adds still another 
proof of the danger ever attendant on out-door amusements 
of this kind, where visitors are exposed to all the sudden 
changes of our variable climate; for, perhaps, very rarely, 
if ever, has weather “ so truly unpropitious ” been endured 
at any Poultry Show throughout the kingdom. The rain 
fell constantly, and in torrents. It was from this cause 
many visitors chose rather to “ go back home, as speedily as 
possible, by the first return train,” than venture from the 
protection of the Wellington railway station to the grounds 
of the Rev. R. W. Pulman, where the Show was held, and 
which- were situated at some distance; a circumstance very 
much to be regretted, as the proceeds were designed for the 
erection of National Schools, in Wellington, and this praise¬ 
worthy effort had received the extended sanction and active 
co-operation of almost every family of distinction in the 
neighbourhood. We are happy to say, that even under 
these adverse circumstances, a liberal balance will be added 
I to the funds of this charity; and it is scarcely to be con¬ 
ceived the difference in amount that would have ensued had 
the weather been favourable, as a fancy fair, the band of the 
Royal Marines, and a most magnificent display of fire-works, 
were each, and all, to add to the general attractions of the 
day. By common consent, almostall the shops were closed; 
each of the principal streets resembling an impromptu 
Boulevard. Many hundreds of well-grown fir-trees lined the 
pathways; whilst triumphal arches of laurels, flowers, &c., 
abounded everywhere ; entailing an expense that must have 
been very considerable. Every care was taken by the 
maunging committee of the valuable fowls entrusted to 
them; and, from the tops of the coops being arranged as 
pent houses, they were but little wet or injured. This Show 
proves, however, how much more advisable a plan it is, for a 
committee to obtain certain and efficient protection for ad¬ 
miring visitors, as well as poultry, from the sudden caprices 
of our summer storms. Mr. Edward Hewitt, of Sparkbrook, 
Birmingham, at the request of the committee, kindly gave 
his services as the judge for the poultry on this occasion. 
At this season of the year, the adult classes were 
shown in bad feather, as a natural consequence from moult- 
i ing. Many of the chickens in the Dorking, and also the 
Hamburgh and Cochin classes, were, contrariwise, in first- 
rate condition. We give a short summary, and the list of 
prizes. 
In the adult Spanish (prize one), Mrs. Lydia Stowe ex¬ 
hibited a most creditable pen of birds, that called forth uni¬ 
versal admiration, and fully maintained her high repute as 
to this variety. Of chickens, in this class, only one pen was 
exhibited, and the prize was “ withheld.” The Dorkings 
were very superior, both as to the chickens and old birds; 
in the latter class, the principal winners were much better 
than those usually exhibited, and the chickens, as a whole 
class, proved that care and attention had not been misplaced. 
The grey, and white Dorkings, however, should compete in 
different classes. 
In the Grouse, or Partridge-coloured Cochins, only two of 
j the cocks matched the hens, and these were, consequently, 
successful. The aged Buffs were (except the prize birds') 
j very indifferent; the chickens were, however, very excellent, 
as a whole class. The Whites, and Blacks w'ere not so good. 
I Most of the Malays were quite destitute of condition, if we 
I except the first-prize fowls, that were in capital feather, and 
matched exactly. The prize Game were excellent, but com- 
; mencing moult; in these classes many exhibitors lost all 
chance of success from neglecting the colour of their 
fowls’ legs; white, willow, and yellow, being mated in the 
same group ; whilst others forwarded either one too many, 
| or a fowl too few, to be in accordance with “the rules,” and j 
were, consequently, at once “ disqualified.” Owners, them¬ 
selves, cannot be too guarded in these simple matters ; and 
their neglect, as we have before frequently stated, will ever 
1 cause grievous disappointment. Some of the pens thus 
beaten, by inattention to numbers, were admittedly the 
best fowls in the whole classes. All the Hamburglis were 
i exceedingly good, either of the four classes being superior 
I to those at the generality of our exhibitions. The Golden, 
! and also the Silver Polands, were very good ; the Black 
Polands but ill-represented. In the class for “ any other 
pure breed,” the While Spanish, and the Black Hamburglis, 
took precedence of the Brahma Pootras ; the latter, though ! 
very beautiful birds, being only ‘ commended.” The Ban- 
turns were numerous, but in very indifferent feather. The 
Geese, and Aylesbury Ducks, were of extraordinary merit; the , 
Rouen Ducks, inferior, and moulting. In the extra varieties 
were good specimens of both the Call Ducks and also the 
Labradors, both of which took prizes. In the Pigeon 
classes all were of better character than usual, and the j 
commendations, therefore, numerous; only a single prize 
being allotted to each variety. All the fowls were despatched 
homewards directly the exhibition closed. 
Class 1.— Spanish.— Cock and two Hens.—4. First prize, Mrs. L. C. 
Stow. Bredon, near Tewkesbury. Age, one year. 8. Second prize, W. 
W. Rowe, Milton Abbot, Tavistock. Age, cock thirteen month, hens 
two years. 
Class 2.—Spanish.— Pen of four Chickens, 1854.— Prize withheld. 
Class 3.— Dorking. —Cock and two Hens.—13. First prize, Charles 
Harward, Hayne House, Plymtree, Devon. (Grey Dorkings.) Age, fourteen 
months. 12. Second, extra prize, J. S. Bowden, Marland Cottage, near 
Wellington, Somerset. (White Dorkings.) Age, cock two years, hens 
one year. 20. Second prize, Mrs. Lydia C. Stow, Bredon, near Tewkes¬ 
bury. (Grey Dorkings.) Age, one year. Commended.— 17- Dr. Ropers, 
Honiton, Devon. Age, one-and-a-lialf years. 21. William W. Rowe, 
Milton Abbot, Tavistock, Devon. Age, cock eleven months, hens two 
years. 
Class 4. — Dorking.— Pen of four Chickens, 1854.—27. First prize, 
Charles Harward, Hayne House, Plymtree, Devon. (Grey Dorkings.) 
Age, four months. Commended.— 23. Francis J. Coleridge, The Cottage, 
Ottery St. Mary, near Honiton. (White.) Age, three months on day 
of Exhibition. The whole class meritorious. 
Class 5.—Cochin-China (Brown or Partridge).—Cock and two Hens. 
—40. First prize, Rev. G. F. Hudson, Ban well, Somerset. Age, fourteen 
months. 41. Second prize, Rev. G. F. Hodson, Banwell, Somerset. 
Age, fourteen months. 
Class 6.— Cochin-China (Buff, Lemon, or Cinnamon).—Cock and 
two Hens.—48. First prize, William L. Channing, Heavitrep, Exeter. 
