Januaby 20. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
297 
of such objects as trees, sudden acclivities of ground, 
or other important interruptions; the whole line should 
appear, in fact, a common-sense ali’air, no departure 
without an obvious reason. We do not dispute the 
beauty of a bold course in preference to one so very 
tame that it looks like a would-be-straight liiie, at¬ 
tempted by a bungler; but all attempts this way should 
be made with extreme caution. 
After entering the demesne, at, as near as can be 
obtained, a right angle, it may, generally, with the 
exception of a necessitous sweep or two, bend gradually 
towards the mansion, and should, by all means, if it 
can be contrived, ascend from the lodge: this gives an 
air of importance to the mansion, which a secondary 
line cannot impart. In its progress it should by no 
means pass any offices; this detracts sadly from the 
dignity of the whole. A well-conceived plan of mansion 
and approach, taken conjointly, will place the lodge 
entrance on the north side, or some point ranging 
between it and east or west; and, by this arrangement, 
the visitors obtain altogether fresh views of picked 
scenery from the drawing-room, and other principal 
windows, which are generally in the southern side. 
Good, bold vistas are, of course, not only admissable 
but desirable in the atDproach; but care must be taken 
that the first view of the mansion is at an imposing 
point, and that the approach is obviously tending 
towards it. 
Such, in the main, are the principles applied to the 
ajiproach; but it is evident that, since no two ap¬ 
proaches can be exactly alike as to local circumstances, 
much modification of these principles must ever take 
place. There is nothing like being ruled by the natural 
impress of the place in these matters, at least, so far as 
not to infringe on leading principles. It is a common 
practice to throw the lodge gate into a deep recess; a 
plan that cannot be too highly commended, as imparting 
anmr of dignity and freedom to the entrance, and thus 
giving it a degree of importance the more suburban 
villa cannot at all times command. One great fault we 
have frequently noticed—at least, such it appears to 
us—and that is, the want of a little more massiveness 
in the gates and appendages. It is certainly not a 
general fault, but one which deserves pointing to. Of 
course, such massiveness must bear a due relation to 
the bulk and style of the lodge, with its appendages, 
and the two jointly to the capacity of the interior, 
together with the mansion style. It need hardly be 
repeated here, that no portion of the dress grounds 
should be exhibited from the approach; such should be 
studiously concealed, for, could they be seen, it would at 
once lessen the interest that is ever felt by the stranger 
in guessing at what the hidden portions of the domain 
might be. Besides, the picture would be contradictory 
in itself—a jumble. 
In speaking here of a considerable amount of what 
may be termed simplicity in the line of approach (or 
that feeling which is averse to affectation and laboured 
attempts at display, by means of manoeuvres too arti¬ 
ficial to be relished by persons of any pretensions to 
taste), let it be observed, that where gi’ound is of an 
undulated character, it is far better occasionally to bend 
to such natural features than pertinaciously to fight 
against them. To follow tlie latter whim expensive 
cuttings become necessary; nor is expense the whole of 
the evil, for, when accomplished, it may one day be 
discovered that higher principles and less expensive 
proceedings have been set aside by works, costly, yet 
defective. 
It is almost needless to add, that a liberal breadth of 
turning road must be allowed at the entrance door of 
the mansion. 
Avenues are imposing arrangements when the ap¬ 
proach is flat, and the general toue of the place bears 
the stamp of art; they are dignified approaches, but 
should be attempted with some consideration. It has 
been well stated, by some of our great landscape writers, 
that they divide the landscape ; or, in other words, 
however agreeable or dignified in themselves, they 
destroy unity of design. E. 
It no longer admits of any doubt that the days of exhi¬ 
bition at our Poultry Shows must be reduced in number, 
and we think in no instance should those days exceed 
two. We say must, because we are quite sure that no 
Committees composed of gentlemen anxious for the 
continued prosperity of their Society, and stiU more so 
for safety of the valuable birds entrusted to their care, 
can, in defiance of the past year’s experience, persist in 
the course they have pursued hitherto. 
We have letters from many of the exhibitors, even 
from some of the most successful in taking prizes tliis 
year at Birmingham, all mourning over the condition of 
their birds which were there exhibited. One of those 
exhibitors, writing even as late as the 8th instant, more 
than three weeks since the termination of the Birming¬ 
ham Show, says, “My birds went up last night to the 
Metropolitan Show, but my two Birmingham Spanish 
Cocks are both ill, never having recovered that tveeh." 
The Rev. T. Prater, writing from the neighbourhood of 
Bicester, says, “ I am heartily glad to see your remarks 
respecting the time which specimens are kept confined 
at the various Poultry Shows. My birds sent to Bir¬ 
mingham, were, on the whole, confined ten days; and 
in one pen, purchased by me on the first day of the show, 
one pullet died. I hope you will not let the subject 
rest, as it is undoubted cruelty to the birds.’’ 
E. George, Esq., of the Rookery, Chaldon, Surrey, 
writes to rrs as follows;— 
“ In The Cottage Gaedener of December 30, you 
state the highest price you know to have been given for 
Shanghae’s, at the Birmingham Show, to be £25 for 
Mr. Punchard’s pair, and £30 for four of Captain 
Hornby’s. These would have been regarded as ex- 
horbitant prices a few months since, but a chicken, 
bred in March last, sold for a still higher price. A 
cockerel (in pen 381), entered as Miss George’s, of 
Chaldon, Surrey, (it should have been Mrs. George) 
was purchased by Mr. T. H. Fox, of Snow Hill, Lon- 
