December 2. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
173 
POLAND FOWL. (SILVER.) 
Cocli and itvo hens, —1st. W. J. Vivian, Esq., Singleton, Glamorgan¬ 
shire. 
('nek and three pullets, —2nd. IMr. C. Stephenson, 2 Loudoun-place, 
Brixton, Surrey. 3rd. Mr. Youell, Yarmouth. 
POLAND FOWL. (OF ANY OTHER COLOUR OR VARIETY.) 
Cock and two hens. —1st. Mr. G. C. Adkins, Edgbaston, Birmingham. 
2nd. W. J. Vivian, Esq., Singleton, Glamorganshire. 
Cock and three pullets, —No entry. 
MIXED BREED. 
3rd, Mr. Hainworth, Hitchen, and Mr. Bennell, Kitchen. 
(The Judges disapprove of this class.) 
FOWLS. (DISTINCT VARIETY, NOT NAMED IN THE 
ABOVE CLASSES.) 
Ist. Mr. John Taylor, jun., Cresey House, Shepherd’s Bush, London. 
2nd. Mr. E. Hughes, Yarmouth. 3rd. W. J. Vivian, Esq., 
Singleton, Glamorganshire. 
BANTAMS. (GOLD LACED.) 
Cock and two hens. — 1st. Mrs. Elizabeth Roper, Croxton, Thetford, 
Norfolk. 2nd. Mr. U. Span,% Markyate-street, Herts. 
BANTAMS. (SILVER.) 
Cock and two hens. — Ist. Mr. H. J. Jones, Bedford. 2nd. John Fairlic, 
Esq., Cheveley Park, Newmarket. 
BANTAMS. (WHITE). 
Cock and two hens. —1st. Mr. M. Leno, jun., Hemel Hempstead. 
BANTAMS. (ANY OTHER COLOUR OR VARIETY). 
Cock and two hens. —1st. Mr. James Monsey, St. Miles, Thorne Lane, 
Norwich. 2nd. Mr. Wheeler, Hexton House, Herts. 3rd, Mr. M. 
Ridgway, Dewsbury, Yorkshire. 
GUINEA FOWL. 
Cock and two hens. —Mr. Joseph Whiting, Hitchin, 
TURKEYS. 
Cock and two hens. —1st. John Fairlie, Esq., Chevely Park, Newmarket. 
2n<l. Mr. W. Harrison, Bagworth Park, Leicestershire; Mr. A. Cannel, 
Cringleford, Norfolk; and Mr. G. Roberts, Kingswalden, Herts. 
3rd. Mr. Charles Thurnall, Whittlesford, near Cambridge; and Mr. 
John Steed, Baldock. 
GEESE. 
Gander and two geese, — 1st. Mr. J. Taylor, jun., Cresey House, Shep¬ 
herd’s Bush, London. 
DUCKS. (WHITE AYLESBURY). 
Drake and two ducks. —1st. Mr. Arch, Clifton, Beds. 2nd. Mr. C. 
Thurnall, Whittlesford, near Cambridge. 3rd. Mr. Robert Tingey, 
Henlow Beds. 
DUCKS. (COLOURED VARIETIES). 
Drake and two ducks.—\%t. Mr. Youell, Yarmouth. 2nd. C. Punchard, 
Esq., Blunt’s Hall, Haverhill, Suffolk. 
MUSCOVY. 
Drake and two ducks. —1st. Mr. John Steed, Baldock, Herts. 
Pigeons. —Twelve prizes were awarded to Mr. G. C. Adkins, Edgbaston, 
Birmingham; and Mr. Beazor, Yarmouth; Mr. O. Steed, Baldock; 
and Mr. J. Playford, Yarmouth, had each a prize, 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Bee-keeping. — “The three questions asked me by your corres¬ 
pondent, B. B., at page 210,1 will answer in this communication. First, 
I must ask B. B. to remember that the word * enormous* w.is not 
I applied by me to swarms, but to one swarm; and B. B. must also under- 
! stand that both that term, as well as the expression ‘ amazing quantity,* 
I See., were only incidentally used in acquainting you, at your request, with 
I my experience of the ‘Country Curate’s ’ system, and not with a view to 
I publication. Before alluding to the subject of H. B.’s questions. I have to 
' inform you that five hives w’ere tried by me on that plan, though I said j 
I nothing of the fifth in ray last to you, and for this reason ; —It was my in- 
j tention greatly to alter this hive (though not destroy it), which would, of i 
I course, prevent it being a fair subject for experiment. When I did alter ' 
I it I found it very full of bees, and containing nineteen pounds of honey— ! 
I in fact, full; but the plan of the hive (a wood and glass toy affair) is i 
! miserable, as you may well imagine when that is all it will contain. 1 
Three of the four others I consider the best I have in all respects, but | 
regret now to report badly of the remaining one, This failure was a 
swarm of June 2Ith. and an earlier one than one of the last three 
I alluded to. The hive that threw off two sivarms in one swarmed June 
! 20th, and is as strong as any I have, weighing now 21 lbs. contents, and 
I full of x^ery savage bees, which I like, On looking over my apiary on 
Wednesday last, for a good hive, to give a friend in exchange for a Cochin- 
: China cock, I pitched on the failure, w-eighed it, found it contained at 
i 21 lbs. of honey, and thought all ‘ couleur de rose.’ My gardener 
(a great hand at bees) remarked, ‘They seem very quiet, Sir; ’ and so 
they might, for on turning it up there appeared a very very few in it. 
To-day I smoked it down with Racodium cellare, and it did contain a 
queen, though her majesty was small and poor looking; and the bees, 
about 311>*» filled a dinner tumbler of the ordinary size. I have just most 
carefully weighed the honey, and find it 224lbs.; so my Wednesday’s 
, calculation was 14 lbs. under. Of these five hives the wood and glass 
toy hive was not shut up at all; the rest only until the evening of their 
swarming days. Three were moved to new stands, one hundred yards 
from the old place; and two to new stands, forty yards from the old 
place. The failure (?) was moved one hundred yards, so was that w'hich 
threw off the two swarms in one; the good old hive forty yards. While 
I was a month at Scarborough, my heaviest straw hive went xvrong, 
and was of course emptied by the other bees; and whether the uproar 
injured the ‘failure,’ which stood next it, you must judge—that is the 
opinion of my gardener. Question 1.—I use ^/iree-sized hives of straw ; 
one weighs, empty, 3lhs., another 7ll5S., the third 9 lbs. All three have 
straw tops, with 34-inch holes in them. The first has a perfectly flat 
top, and measures (inside measure) 124 in. 94 in. The second is 
shaped like the old bell-hive, but a portion of the top flat, and measures 
1 14 in. by 10in. deep. The third, which I alluded to as “a very large 
hive,” measures 144 in. 134 in. deep. The shape of this last is, I 
know, against all rule; but they do very well with us. Question 2nd.—I 
never did weigh a swarm, though I have seen and hived a great many, 
and know a large one, when I see it, even on a hot day. Question 3rd.— 
I broke up, August ist, three hives, each weighing (contents of course— 
honey and comh) as follows :—First, 36 lbs.; second, 32 lbs. ; third, 30 lbs. 
Same day I broke up two old hives of wood, to convert into Taylor’s— 
first, 34 lbs.; second, 27 lbs. You will be interested in knowing that the 
bees driven out of two of the first three mentioned were joined and put 
into an empty hive, and sent the same day to the moors, with the cap in 
its top full of honey, which the good old hive made, to start them with. 1 
This hive returned containing 18 lbs. of moor honey, and the cap as full \ 
as it went. At the same time I sent to the moors two late swarms ; one j 
returned containing33 lbs., the other 35 lbs. The above is the ‘amazing | 
quantity,’ with the addition of 224 lbs. from the failure (?) an hour ' 
j ago. My plan of dealing with Taylor’s hives is exactly similar to 
Investigator’s plan of dealing with Golding’s; and our success seems 
I pretty much the same, excejit that, perhaps, his top would not hold more j 
; than 28lbs., whereas mine hold about 33lbs./w//. We all here think ! 
I that if I had had twelve Taylor’s, instead of three, this season, exwry top 
\ would have been full. 12 times 33=396, supposing each hive, of course, 
to be reasonably strong to start with. If I live to another season my 
plan will be, seven ‘Taylor’s,* five * Country Curate’s.’ ‘Investigator* 
says July {all July) was very productive; so I found it. I cannot account 1 
I for the wonderful quantity of honey gathered so late this last season ; I 
I never before found it so. We had no rain during the month of July in 
' the day-time, and fearful heat, but splendid showers at night. Pray 
excuse the length of this, and believe me yours truly. P. S. October 27 . 
—This should have been posted a fortnight ago. My bee-keeping, / 
admit, is neither for pecuniary profit nor scientific enquiry. I am 
tempted to add, that if they shut up their old hives for such long periods, 
it is not to be wondered at that when they are let out, and fly back to 
their old stands, they are not recognised, if scent has anything to do 
with it.—C. R. R.” I 
Cyclamen Leaves Rotting-off (F/om).—This has probably received | 
rather too much wet, out-of-doors, but do not despair; take away every I 
leaf carefully, that shows the least trace of decay. Put the plant in any 
window where you can give it air in this mild weather. Do not give j 
much water until the weather changes, or the plant seems to want it, by | 
the first symptoms of drooping.; prevent frost from hurting it; top-dress | 
with a little rich, light soil; strew some powdered charcoal over the top 
of the tuber, whence you remove the fading leaves, and unless there is 
something radically wrong, such as having been shaded when the leaves 
were growing, we think you will yet be rewarded with bloom. 
Gloxinia (P .).— You ask how to shade in a light forcing-house, glass j 
allround. We do not think shading will be required nouj. When the | 
sun gets strong it will. Any usual mode will do. We generally place 
them in the front of such a house, and paint the glass a little higher than ; 
their tops, with hot, double size, and we find this effectually saves the t 
bloom. I 
Viola arborea {Subscribers). —See an article to-day by Mr. Fish. ! 
Climbers {An Old Subscribex'). —In addition to those you have for ] 
stove, Passiflora princeps, Passiflora kermensina, Allamanda cathartica, 1 
Hoya carnosa. We presume there is plenty of light. For the middle house, ' 
Mandevilla suaveolens, Kennedya Marryattffi, Tacsonia pinnatistipula, ' 
I Tecoma jasminoides, or Cherere ; for greenhouse, Dolichos lignosus, 
j Jasminum gracile, Hardenbergia''raacrophylla, Lists of climbers for 
different purpo.ses have been given lately. 
Flower-garden {Turquoise). —Your planting is perfect, on the prin¬ 
ciple of contrasts; we cannot alter a leaf, unless it were 15 (Unique 
Geranium) to Saponaria calabrica, for this reason, that young plants of 
Unique do not flower freely, and that old ones will make the bed too 
high for 16 and 17 > without constant attendance to pegging and training. 
Again, 15 is your match for 20, and it will get higlier than 20 ; if you 
change 15 for 20 , perhaps it will suit better than in Saponaria. Then, 
20, 21, and 22, would be higher than their opposites, 15, l 6 , and I 7 , and 
that is, no doubt, what you intended. You are certainly not “ A 
Novice.” There is not one out of ten, of old practicals, who could do it 
half so well. The shapes of 10 , 11 , 12 , and 13, are very unusual, but we 
shall engrave the whole some day or other. 
Indian Seeds {W. C.). —One-hundred-and-forty-five Indian seeds, 
correctly named, 120 of them are the very pick of the Indian Flora, and 
I the rest not at all so common as we often see from India, and great 
I judgment exercised in the selection, but without a particle of practical 
knowledge of what we want, and what we can manage in England. We 
uestion if there is a nurseryman, or botanic gardener in the three king- I 
oms, who would give the value of the paper in which they are packed, 1 
for all the seeds. If you imagine a line drawn across our Indian territories, ' 
from Bombay to Sylhet, you may lay it down as an axiom, that there are 
not ten kinds of seeds on the south side of that line that are worth the 
carriage from India; and not twenty seeds from the first fifty or sixty 
miles to the north of that line. ' 
^ I 
Noisette LAMARaoE (Some One). — You did wrong by treating this 
Rose like a Banksian Rose, and so kept it from flowering in the autumn ; 
you cut in the small wood, and cut out the strong shoots. Do exactly 
the contrary, and you will be rewarded with autumn flowers; but if it 
comes too strong after the first fiow’ering, you had better give a slight 
root-pruning, say early in June. 
Bulbs and Beds {An old Subscriber). —In the first place, are you 
willing to lay out j 6''20 or iC25 on bulbs for your seventeen beds, if that 
would plant them, which we much doubt ? Be content with about 500 
mixed Hyacinths, 600 mixed Early Txilips, 1000 mixed Narcissus. 5000 
mixed Crocus, uio double Tulips, 500 SpaxiUh Iris, 500 English Iris, in 
mixtures, 600 or 700 double, single, and star-flowered Anemoxies, about 
300 Turbaxi Ranunculus in three colouis, 60 Fritillarias, 100 Crown 
Imperials in four colours, 50 Martaeon Lilies in four colours, 600 Co/- 
' chicum autumnalis, 50 Dogstooth Violets in two colours, 60 Feathex'ed 
I Hyacinths, 60 Grape Hyacinths, 60 Musk Hyacinths, 1000 Winter Aco^ 
