November 11. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
vicleJ into three compartments, each ventilated hy a kind of 
wooden chimney, whicli admits air, hut excludes the rain, and 
the inside is furnished with nests and low jjerches. Ou the 
soutli side, a small slide, closed at night, allows ingress and 
egress to the fowls, and on this side ai’c three enclosures, 
corresponding to tlie three compartments of the huilding. 
'I’liese are formed of light, hut strong wire, well painted, and 
may he twelve or fourt(!en feet long, hy eight or nine wide, 
an alley, or passage, of two feet in width, or thereabouts, 
]>ermitting visitors to look at the birds, while it prevents 
them from fighting through the interstices of the net-work. 
A daily supply of sand, whicli is obtained close by, keeps all 
healthy and sweet, and the cleanly apiiearanco of the whole 
does much creilit to tlio handy little girl wlio has the care 
of the poultry located hero. Three lots of Cochin-China 
fowls at present occupy the enclosures wo have described. 
They are lired, we believe entirely, from the stocks of 
Mr. Sturgeon and Mr. Andrews, and do credit to the races 
from which tiny are sprung. They are let out, alternately, 
for a few hours each day, to roam over the yard and a field 
adjoining; and thus, while intermixture is prevented, have 
tlie full benefit of au extensive walk. To those wdiose 
space is small -we strongly recommend such an aiTangemcnt 
as that which for tliese reasons we have described; for it is 
obvious that three or more varieties of poultry may, by these 
nu'ans, bo kept iierfeetly distinct in a locality somewhat 
confined. T'he building is by no means an expensive one, 
and we anticipate that many young fanciers -will bo indebte(l 
to tl)e Captain for enabling them, by building ujion his plan, 
to extend the varieties of their feathered favourites. 
Accompanying our friendly host in a short walk across 
the beautiful park, wdiich aflbrds, by the way, a view of the 
noble mansion of Knowsley, we reacli some of the enclosures 
of the quondam nianagerie. Here is the splendid col¬ 
lection of Spanish fowls which Captain Hornby, almost 
regardless of exigence, has formed; and we do not hesitate 
to say that, good as are the specimens of his other varieties, 
these are, beyond doubt, young and old, the flower of his 
flock. Whoever beats him at Birmingham must have first- 
rate bu’ds, and shown in lii-st-rate form too. At another 
place, in that which was once the pheasantry, are his young 
Cochins, a promising lot, inhabiting splendid quarters. 
Another walk, equally pleasant and diversified, brings us to 
a farm-house where one of the game-keepers resides. Here 
are the Dorkings, turkeys, geese, and Aylesbury ducks, and 
it is difficult to award the palm where all are of great merit. 
The speckled Dorkings would do credit to any exhibition, 
and udll be difficult to beat wherever they may' he shown. 
Some other enclosures, at convenient distances, are appro¬ 
priated to other varieties, all of which must, with the care 
devoted to them, flourish in walks so healthy and extensive. 
Few amateurs can hope, as this imperfect description will 
show, to iiossess the facihties wliich Captain Hornby enjoys 
for the keeping, each in its purity, of so many varieties of 
poultry. The arrangements made at his own residence 
show', however, how easy it is, in a space comparatively con¬ 
fined, to keep two or three distinct breeds. With these, 
the jirudent fancier w ill be content, preferring excellence in 
one or two to mere variety of mediocre races, and thank¬ 
ing those few wdio possess extended means for enriching 
our exhibitions with the greater number. 
Th.at the taste for the pure breeds of domestic poidtry is 
extending itself, we have had repeated occasion to state, 
and our assertions are more than proved by the increasing 
numbers of exhibitions and of the varieties shown, as well 
as by the large prices which first-rate speounens, oven of the 
oldest varieties, still command. Many of our most enthu¬ 
siastic amatem-s are compelled, by space and circura.stances, 
to confine themselves to one variety; and in proportion as 
their judgment and care are concentrateil on a single point, 
is oftentimes to their success in the production of excellence 
in that particular breed. To .such be all honour, for they 
do all that thei)' means admit, and even more than, at first 
sight, such means w'ould appear capable of etfecting. But 
while w'e give full credit to him who, with slender means, 
does all that his limited opportunities are capable of ])er- 
forming, it is but fair to accord a larger meed of praise to 
the fancier who, more fortunate, it may be, i]i the possession 
of extended means, yet with increased trouble, anxiety, and 
toil, effects proportionably greater results. We know' of no 
I 
100 1 
one who, on the whole, is better entitled to the credit of 
having done his utmost, with much judgment, and regard- ' 
less of trouble or expense, to promote the excellence, and 
extenil the benefits of our best breeds of domestic poultry 
than Captain Hornby. Thanking him for the urbanity and 
kindness experienced by ourselves, w'e anticipate an agree¬ 
able and instructive visit tor any one who is equally for- 
tun.ate in obtaining an inspection of the poultry yards 
at Knowsley, “ and so wo say most hcoi’tily farewell.” B. , 
EATABLE FUNGI. 
{Conlinued Jrrmi iiage IT.) 
PROEAr.T.Y as an article of diet none of the fungi have j 
been so generally and higbly esteemed on the Continent as 
the MotcUk, There ai'e several species of them, and the 
w'hole genus is considered free from poisonous properties ; 
some, however, ai’O insipid, and barely eatable ; wbilc others, 
to which our attrition will be more especially drawn, as 
Morchellii esculenla, M. palula, :md M. (Idiciosti, are truly 
excellent. 
In Germany they are largely used, and are considered 
the most delicate and valuable of the fungi; they are 
seldom eaten alone, or cooked when fresh, but are dried, 
and in this w'ay may be kept for months or ynai'S, and are 
largely employed in soups, sauces, or gravies, to which they 
gi\e a high and rich flavour. There are a ^•nriety of ways 
of dressing these most delicious fungi. I’aulet gives 
directions for stuffing Morells witli savoury meats, such us 
pickled pilchards, cray-fisli, the flesh of fowls, A'c., and 
says, after they are boiled they ai’e to be served up with 
chomjjaigu, lemon-juice, and bread-crumbs ! Bersoon, also, 
gives the follow'ing receipts:— 
Stuffep Morells. —1. Choose the whitest MoreUs, wash 
and wipe them w'oll; when quite, fresh-gathered, open the 
stalk at the bottom and fill it with veal stuffing, anchovy, or 
any rich sauce you please, securing the ends, and dressing 
between thin slices of bacon. They may bo served with a | 
sauce of rich gravy, Ac., according to the palate. j 
2. Having washed and wiped the Morells as directed in 
the last receipt, stew them for an hour with a piece of ham, 
and a little parsly, pepper, and s.alt, adding occasionally a' 
little broth to prevent burning, and w'hen sutficiently done, 
bind with the yolks of two or three eggs, and serve on 
buttered toast. 
The Lycoperdons (ITiff Balls) form another genus, 
affording abundance of delicious food in many countries, 
where they abound and spring up after showers with in¬ 
credible rapidity, some of them attaining enormous 
dimensions. In Italy and India they are esteemed as 
great luxuries. The smaller ones may be stewed in a rich 
l)eef gi’uvy, either by themselves, or with other esculent 
fungi, where they are scarce, and may be flavoured with 
lemon-juice, Ac., according to taste. The best method of 
dressing the large sorts, as Lycoperdon bovista, is to cut it 
in slices, and fry it in fresh butter, with eggs and bread¬ 
crumbs. So prepared, it has the flavour of a rich, light 
omelette; or, as others consider, the flavour of sweetliread. 
No fungus, says Dr. Badham, requires cooking so speedily 
as the L. bovista, which grows to an immense size, and as it 
has the power of quickly repairing injuries (being one of 
the most rapid of the fungi in its growth). Dr. Badham has 
recommended, where it is found near our domestic dwellings, 
that a fresh slice should be taken, from time to time, from 
each fungus, as we require it foi' the table; for if allowed f.o 
remain undressed it soon decomposes, and becomes in¬ 
sipid and unwholesome. When perfectly fresh it is one of 
the lightest and easiest of digestion. 
The TjtuFEi.ES form another genus equally sought after 
•and esteemed. They vary much in size and colour, being 
found from nearly white to a dark blown or black. They 
have a peculiar odour when fresh from the gi’ouud, soon 
making a room, to most pi'ople, unbearable, and they will 
even scent a house for weeks, if allowed to remain exposed 
in their fresh state, as 1 experienced when collecting the 
(Uitable fungi for the table, while residing at Basingstoke. 
They are found abundant on the Continent, especially in 
the south of France and Italy, from whence it is supposed 
