December 10. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
211 
lliiring 11 le present year the amount stands thus:— 
Number of eggs sold. 071 
Ditto hatched at home. 31!) 
Chickens sold to this time. 138 
Pre.sent stock . 117 
The eggs were sold at prices varying from 21s. to 30s. per 
dozen. The chickens at from 21s. to 12s. each, excepting 
some few objectionable birds which realized from 10s. to 
lOs. each. 
But let it not be supposed that such returns are attainable 
by every one, who, seeing the prices here realized, rushes 
into poultry-keeping without that practical knowledge of its 
various details which has occupied Mr. Bowman’s attention 
for so long a period. If, however, in defiance of our 
warnings, he is rash enough to do so, the chances of failure 
and disappointment are indeed great. 
Many are of opinion that eggs are greatly injured for ^ 
sitting by having to travel any considerable distance, and | 
doubtless it would be better to set them without incurring 
the least risk from being shaken; but the result of the 
chickens pi-oduced from 371 eggs sent away this year by 
Mr. Bowman, has been highly satisfactory to those who 
obtained them from liim. One curious instance, bearing on 
this point, was mentioned by him. “ Six eggs, of buff 
Cochin-Chinas, were sent by omnibus to Hayle, thence by 
steamer to Bristol, on by rail to Oxford, and there forwarded 
about 20 miles by coach; after so long and so varied a 
journey as this, six chickens were, nevertheless, produced 
from the six eggs.” 
No less than 11 English counties, as well as various places 
in Scotland and Wales, have received eggs and chickens , 
from Mr. Bowman during the present season. While ! 
speaking of eggs, he remarked, that much had been said 
about their not hatching well this year, but that, in his own 
case, he considered himself to have been very fortunate 
with his very early broods—eight nests, of 11 eggs each, : 
haring produced 80 chickens, aU of which, but two, which ' 
were crushed by the hen when a day or two old, lived ' 
and did well; but, he added, “ 1 did not do so well later in ; 
the season.” Besides what has gone into other pails of ' 
England from ]Mi'. Bowman’.s stock, iMr. Blee has also sent | 
away as far nortli as Halifax, and beyond London in an 
eastward direction, more than 1.'30 worth of Cochin-China 
eggs, beside many young birds averaging from 21s. to 30s. 
each. His correspondents having given him in most 
instances an account of the chickens hatched from their 
eggs—he places the average at 8 eggs out of 11.—i\'. 
{To he continued.) 
POTATO GROWING. 
Permit us to offer, for the puhlic (jood, the extract I'rom 
our Treatise on I'otato Culture, liereafter described, which 
we trust needs but the thirteenth word, early, to be strength¬ 
ened by an additional syllable, est, to make it complete. On 
the former, much stress should be laid, and a still greater 
emphasis on the latter, on which all success depends, | 
j whether they are cultivated, or planted by our method i 
therein explained, or not. By a strict adherence to this 
part of our treatise, and especially the identical word above ' 
alluded to, no one need fear diseased Potatoes, and we ’ 
vouch for good results, beliering that Potato disease, by the i 
Divine interposition of Almighty God, will yet prove a 
blessing rather than a curse, inasmuch as the main crops of 
1 wheat or baidey in double rows, at wide distances, live feet 
apart, may be combined wth Potatoes with perfect success, 
and after-crops of many descriptions may also be introduced 
amongst them with equal profit, such as mangold wurtzel, 
turnips, and most other garden productions, or, where neces- 
I sary, whole clean fallows may be made ; whereas, formerly 
I it was often with difficulty that land, after potatoes, could 
be got ready, except in a bad condition, and late in the 
season, for sowing wheat upon. 
We cultivate several varieties of tlio curliEST dwarf se¬ 
lected kinds, and have none diseased, simply for two reasons, 
namely, phtniing early, and planting the e«r/jEST varieties, 
which ripen their tubers about the time of the summer 
equinox, or at the end of June, before wliich time but few 
fears need be entertained of disease in Ihe Potato, as it has 
not hitlierto manifested itself before this time, except in a 
small degree. We have no objection to other kinds of manure 
being applied besides what is recommended in our pamphlet, 
nor do wo see any reason why early Potatoes should not be 
highly manured, in order to forward their growth before 
and after they appear above ground, and when devoid of 
moisture, so often experienced in the month of .Tune, as well 
as in providing for after-crops. The evil of using manure is 
confined to late planting, which practice (without arrogance 
to ourselves) it is found necessary, under present circum¬ 
stances, to denounce altogether, for, whatever the kinds 
may be, all are thus attended with bad results. 
Some part of our treatise, not hereafter inserted, not 
being adapted to the present seasons, as we find from 
experience, requires revising, and is under our immediate 
attention and correction. 
The use of small Potatoes for planting is only recom- 
mendable in cases of emergency like the present time, and 
for those who cannot afford to buy larger ones, and the 
guidance of the puhlic good, we freely subjoin the following 
communication:—To plant one acre of land with large 
earlmsT Potatoes, 4 ozs. each, at one yard apart, requires 
21 i bushels of per DO lbs.; present value about A'D. To 
plant it with sets half the size, at the same distance, of 
cour.se requires lOJ bushels ; value about £'.i. And to plant 
it with sets 1 oz. each, of the common size, now in use, at 
half the distance, viz., half-a-yard apart (ample space), takes 
about 10 bushels per acre, equal to a quarter-of-a-peck per 
rod; present value, say AT lOs., of early selected varieties. 
Experience has taught us, repeatedly, that large sets pro¬ 
duce the most lucrative crops; but it is to be regretted that 
so few persons can now avail themselves of this oppor- 
ttmity.— Abraham Hardy and Son, Seedgrowers and Seeds¬ 
men, Maldon, Essex. 
An Extract from “ Culture of the Potato." 
“ Tlie first point of importance is the selecting or procur¬ 
ing the best early dwarf kinds, and such as have escaped 
disease ; and, secondly, the time and manner of planting, so 
as to improve their early habits. 
“ .:Vny time from September to the end of April may be 
chosen for planting any kind of Potatoes, provided the 
weather is mild and dry, the latter being most essential. 
I The land, too, should be in a dry and pulverized state 
previous to planting, which object should be effected and 
I persisted in, by forking it over and over, as may appear 
necessary, in diy weather. 
I “ If it is desired to plant previous to March (which we 
I highly recommend), the land being brought into proper 
tilth, as above prescribed, should be marked into drills four or 
; five inches deep, and twenty-seven inches apart, and the sets 
; or whole potatoes of a middling size, say as large as walnuts, 
I should be planted nine inches distant, with about a teacupful 
I of coal-ashes and soot heaped over each set, to prevent the 
I attacks of intruding insects and frost. Then, with a hoe, 
I cover them with the light dry mould, forming a slight ridge; 
I and lastly,let the whole be completed with the spade or plough, 
raising the said ridge as high as possible, so that the drill 
forms exactly the centre. The sets thus secured from wet, 
frost, and insects, no further care is necessary till the end 
of ilarcli, when the whole may be forked down level, and 
treated in the ordinary way.” 
GROWTH OE SHANGHAE FOWLS. 
.4s you have considered the facts contained in my last 
worthy of insertion in your journal, I beg to continue to 
report progress. The increase in weight during the fourteen 
days has been from iljoz. to 22 oz. each bird; a greater 
average than on the previous occasion; but it will be per¬ 
ceived, by the annexed table, that some of the pullets have 
increased far more than others. None had laid before last 
week; three then commenced, and laid twelve eggs ; which 
were the three, I am not sure, but think them to have been 
Nos. 2, 4, and D. I should add, that three of them were, 
during six days out of the fourteen, either travelling or shut 
up and in a pen at the Hitchin poultry show ; and I have no 
doubt they lost weight during those six days, otherwise the 
total average would have been greater. We will suppose 
