Decejiber 23. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
233 
^Ve arc not aware that the other classes require any special 
notice, but we cannot conclude witiiout adding a hope that 
the success of the Exhibition, as a whole, and the interest 
which it evidently excited, will induce the Committee to 
repeat it in subsequent years, and that they will (as, indeed, 
they begun this year by doing) take care to avoid the very 
objectionable practice of appointing dealers to be judges. 
Upon this occasion, that not very enviable office was fllled 
by Mr. Eissell, of Birmingham, and Mr. Bond, of Leeds. 
The prize list was as follows ;— 
Class 1 .—SPANISH. 
First Prize to Joseph Rake, Esq. No other prize awarded. 
Class 2 .—DORKINGS. 
First Prize to Mrs. Anne Wileox. Seeond, Mrs. Neville. 
Class 3.—COCHINS. 
First Prize, Mr. .Tames Pond. Seeond and Third, T. H, Potts, Esq. 
The jude:es highly eommended pens belonging to Joseph Rake, Esq, ; 
John il. Rodhard, Esq.; William Plummer, Esq. ; Mr. C. Punchard, 
and John Abraham, Esq. ; and commended pens shown by Henry L. 
Bean Esq.; T. H. Potts, Esq., and Mr. James Pond. 
Class 5,—GAhlE, 
First Prize, P. W. S. Miles, Esq. Second, Mr, Thomas Smith. 
Class 6 .—PENCILLED HAMBURGH. 
We omitted to note the prizes in this class. 
Class 7 .—SPANGLED HAMBURGH. 
First Prize, Charles Greig, Esq. Second, Mr. Charles Edwards. 
Class S.—POLANDS. 
First Prize, R. L. Bush, Esq. Second, Mr. C. J. Kenning. 
Class 9 .—CROSS BREED. 
First Prize, Mr. James Pond. Second, Mr. John Brackenridge. Third, 
Mr. Henry S. Pigott. 
Class 10 .—CUCKOO. 
No First Prize. Second, John Bumble. 
Class 11 .—GOLD AND SILVER BANTAMS. 
First Prize, Mr. John R. Rodband. Seeond, Sir. Thomas Canning. 
Class 12 .—WHITE BANTAMS. 
First Prize, Mr. G. T. Ilodson. Second, Mr. Henry L. Bean. Highly 
commended, Mr. G. T. Hodson. Commended, Mr. John R. Rodband. 
Class 14.—COCHIN CHICKENS. 
First and Second Prizes, Mr. Charles Punchard. Third, Mr. James 
Pond. Commended, Brooke Smith, Esq. (two pens). Highly com¬ 
mended, G. C. Atkins, Esq. 
Class 15.—ANY BREED. 
First Prize, Mr, Thomas Potts. Second, Mr. Joseph Rake. 
Class t(i.—TURKEYS. 
st Prize, Mr. John Hill. Second, J. R. Rodbard, Esq. 
»Va.sbrough. 
Class 17 .—GEESE. 
Third, Dr. 
First Prize, Henry Orum. 
Class 13.—DUCKS. 
First Prize, Miss Wilcox, (Aylesbury). Second, John Miles, Esq., 
(Aylesbury). Third, Mr. C. Punchard (Rouen). 
Class 19 .-GUINEA FOWL. 
First Prize, John R. Rodbard, Esq. Second, Daniel Burgess, jun.. Esq. 
Class 20 .—PIGEONS. 
Carriers, Mr. William Martin (the whole class commended). Classes, 
21 ,Antwerps; 22, Barbs; 23, Croppers; 24, Runts; 25, Fantails; 
2li, Jacobins ; 27 , Turbets ; 28, Nuns ; 29, Archangels ; 30, Trum¬ 
peters; 31, Almond Tumblers, all to G. C. Atkins, Esq., whose birds 
were beautiful, and shown in excellent condition. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
HiTcniN POULTEY Siiow.—When we first glanced over a letter 
addressed to us by One of the Committee of the Hitohin Poultry Show, 
replying to our comment on such shows being held for the benefit of 
inn-keepers, we did not observe this postscript ‘ Is it possible you are 
a di.sappointed exhibitor?” We pass over the impertinence of this to 
reply, though scarcely necessary, that we did not exhibit directly or indi¬ 
rectly at Hitchin. Let us add, for the improvement of our correspond¬ 
ent’s self-knowledge, that he who is hasty in attributing an ill-motive to 
another, should examine closely whether he himself would he actuated 
by the evil he suspects. The other portions of the letter, written tem¬ 
perately enough, leave our opinion unaltered that no Poultry Show, 
should, if avoidable, be held in connection with an inn. The reasons 
against it are too numerous, and too apparent, to need detailing ; and 
we are too anxious for the success of all Poultry Shows not to point out 
whatever we consider prejudicial to them. 
Preventing a Hen Sitting.—r breeder of Cochin-Chinas, I have 
been jilagued ))y their propensity to sit; and I have found the following 
very good plans for breaking them of that propensity, which, as at this time 
of the year parties do not want sitting-hens, may be useful to some of your 
readers. The first way is, when you notice them at all getting broody, 
which is easily told by their staying longer than usual on the nest when 
laying, and the quarrelsome disposition they acquire just at that time, 
to remove them to another walk, or put them in a coop, and, if possible, 
let them be removed before they have laid their last egg, or got fond of 
the nest, and in a few days they will have settled down, and the incli¬ 
nation to sit have gone off. The other plan is, instead of letting them 
sit on an empty nest for three weeks, and in two cases out of three finding 
them as bad to break of sitting as they were the first day, if not worse, 
let them have two or three good eggs to sit upon j they then hatch a 
chick or two, and they will naturally, in a day or two after hatching, 
leave the nest with the chickens; let them have them a day or two to 
roam about with, then take them away. The hen, in a few hours, will 
forget her offspring, and with them her inclination to sit. The chickens, 
if three or four lots, may be given to one hen, or disposed of in any other 
way parties may think proper.**—T. 13. Stead. 
Orchid-culture (W. S.). —All orchids should go to rest when they 
have completed their growth. Your Oncidium pupilio may continue 
blooming. Do not, at any time, cut down the flowering-stem till it dies 
naturally. Your Aerides odorata^ a foot high, will most likely bloom 
next year ; it is evergreen. Zygopetnlum Mackayi, just blooming, must 
have a little water, and be kept growing. It is a winter-blooming species. 
Dendrobium nobilei two feet high, if the shoots are strong and well- 
ripened, should flower next year; let it now go to rest. It partially 
loses its leaves; let it remain in the present pot till it begins to grow. 
The Aerides would do best in a rough basket, filled with sphagnum moss 
only, and hung up to the rafter, about three feet from the glass. The 
heat you give them is quite right. Your Cattleya mossiat is evergreen, 
and should be grown at the coldest end of your house; let it remain in 
its present pot till spring. Orchids will do in a mixed plant stove, but 
should be placed at one end, where they can have the proper treatment. 
See The Cottage Gardener for 1850 and 1851, for full information on 
Orchid-culture. 
Specimen Plants for a Green Bank {Mrs. C,). —We think we 
have seen the very banks you mention, and the waters also, but it was 
“ long, long ago.’* More recently, we had some delightful rambles along 
these rivers with the late Sir Thomas Dick Lauder, in his last efforts at 
painting the beautiful scenery in those ])arts. On the highest part of 
the banks we would plant a group of three or four Venetian Sumachs 
{Rhus cotinvs)i about four feet apart each way; and in four years they 
w ill look as one, and “ make one grand specimen,** as the gardener says. 
The flowers are charming, and they hold on a long time ; but this is not 
an evergreen. The trees you mention— Finns inaigniSy Abies Douglassiiy 
and Cupressus funebriSy or Chinese Cypress, as you call it—you will, 
probably, have to send to Edinburgh for. For such sized plants as would 
suit you, about 5s. each would be a fair price. The Sumachs at Is. 
would do. If you have room enough, you ought to have a Deodnr at 58.; 
an Auracaria imbriratay about the same; and Cnpressus murrocarpa 
and C. GovenianUy for 5s. or Os. the two ; and see you allow them as 
much room as you can spare, and do not plant them too near to 
the house. 
Wheat Dibbler. —We have been favoured wdth the following re¬ 
plies “ In answer to ‘ T. R. N.,’ the best dibbles for making the holes 
and delivering the seed at the sowing-time is Newberry’s (Newington’s?). 
The construction of this machine is perfectly beautiful, and wonderfully 
effective. It may be had for one, two, three, four, or five rows, and will 
sow a proportionate number of acres in the day. It delivers from one to 
three, and sometimes five, grains in each hole, at the rate, the abundant 
ratey of one bushel to the acre. The crop looks in March like a field of 
green shaving-brushes: such beautiful tufts of plants so equally distri¬ 
buted. Upon land well-drained, fallowed, and enriched, six ijuarters 
per acre may be calculated upon. The sowing should take place on the 
furrow-slice, just mellow, but not too free, or at all harrowed, lest the 
holes be stopped by the adhesion of the soil. We speak of that we know; 
for we have not only heard ofy or l)ut possessed, used, and felt the 
benefit of this dibble. The seed time should be rather early, as this deep 
depository does not admit of the plant coming up so rapidly as in shallow 
sowing. The pressed nidus for the seed gives admirable ground-hold 
to the plants. It has been objected, that the seed-hole forms a dan¬ 
gerous cup for the detention of water. We can only hope that land 
will be generally drained, when this objection will not lie, or be men¬ 
tioned. It is a wonderful invention which can render undrained land 
worse than it is, especially for wheat.—T. Beta.” A Florist says: 
“ I see your correspondent, ‘ J. R. N.,* wishes to know which is the best 
‘wheat-dibbling machine.’ I believe the one invented hy Mr. Gillam, 
of the Bear Hotel, Woodstock, Oxon, is the best. \ou will find it in 
the Exhibition catalogue; and I believe it is there recommended, and I 
know it to be used by many ])ersons around here (Oxford) ; but by 
writing to Mr. Gillam, I have no doubt he W'ill send him every 
information.” 
Grapk-growing.— il/r. W. says” I_ have frequently been 
asked where the be.st forced grapes grew, that is, within three or four 
miles of any large town in England ? I have been at niost of the places 
round the largest towns in England. My opinion is, that the best 
grapes arc near the town of Jjeeds, in liorkshire, where I am staying at 
the present time. The best near Leeds, last autumn, were in tlie follow- 
ing gentlemen’s gardens, which, I think, could not be beaten near an)’ 
other town—Sir G. Goodman, M P., Mrs. Benyon, G. O. March, Esq., 
— Donesthorp, Esq., .lohn Wilkinson, Esq. These are all near Leeds, 
and nearly all single-handed places, but far too much work for one man. 
If Mr. March’s gardener w'ould send you a few’ lines stating how he 
manages to grow both Peaches and Grapes together, it \youId be uselnl 
to the readers of The Cottage Gardener, for those fruits arc managed 
in a first-rate manner.” It is very difficult to grow Grapes and Peaches 
in the same house ; and if Mr. March’s gardener will favour us with his 
mode of treatment, he will oblige us and many ol our readers. 
Works on Peach and Strawberry (C. Jones).— You will find 
these in “The Gardeners’ Monthly Volume,” and they may be had of 
Mr. Bohn, Bookseller, London. 
Whose Siianghae Fowls are Unrelated? (//.).—You are quite 
rif^ht in being anxious to breed from birds not of the same strain ; and 
YOU are equally correct in saving it is difficult to know wliich are not so. 
All that you can do is to inquire of the sellers what is the parentage ot 
their birds, and regulate your purchases accordingly. It is quite true, 
as you state, that Mr. Punchard had his stock originally from Mr. Stur¬ 
geon, but they are quite a distinct strain, and both of them have added 
