353 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
February 3. 
Ills legs, and with a hap]iy absence of tail, but being a very 
late bird of last season he lias not yet attained his full size. 
Under the guardianship of two Punchard hens, nineteen 
Cochin-Cliina chickens were desporting themselves, tlie two 
mothers sinning their niatei-nal duties, and attending indis¬ 
criminately to their wants. AVe were informed that these 
birds, pullets of last year, laid their fii'st egg on the same 
day; and having sat twice during the present season, also 
commenced that process both on the same day, and were 
alike legular in the production of their chicks in due course 
of time. 
AVhen the various members of the poultry-yard were 
called togetlier for theu' dinner, certain queer, little, round, 
white balls, lilie animated powder-putfs, eagerly answered 
the summons. Our attention was at once rivetted, and so 
unlike were they to anything that had as yet passed in 
review before us, that we had at once to confess our igno¬ 
rance, and ask for information. Sil/c fowls from Calcutta 
were these ; and at once their white, woolly coat, and black 
skin, pictured to our minds the well-got-up Hindoo mendi¬ 
cant, who swept the crossing in Fleet-street, with clothing 
and complexion both of corresponding hue to what was 
now before us. 
Ducks, also, of various kinds, hero met our view', the 
progeny of those who, in IHol, were successful in their 
resi)ective classes at Bii'mingham. Tlie bulky Rouen, with 
its rich grey tints, came side-by-side with its chattering 
companion, the Call Duck, the beauty of whose plumage in 
a mature state is rarely exceeded. The black Labrador 
and white Aylesburj' are also fitly represented. 
Among the Pigeons, our attention w'as specially given to 
a pair of very large copper-coloured Italian Runts ; they are 
still young, but their parents attained the unusual size, 
together, of 3^-lbs. Mr. AVingfield seems sanguine as to 
the profitable substitution of such birds for the present 
inferior pigeons which are reared as occupants for our pies, 
or to be transfixed by our spits. 
A pair of Tnnnpeters, which were thought worthy of 
sitting for their portraits to illustrate the '■^Dovecote and 
Aviary," the pure bred Blue-rock {Columbia liria), and the 
white Fantails or Shakers, are also visible; these all inhabit 
little apartments contrived for them at the top of the dif¬ 
ferent fowl houses. 
At Peudrea, J. Bedford, Esq. has not only a large col¬ 
lection of fowls, but on his ponds below the shrubbery are 
to Ije found many, both of the useful as well as ornamental, 
specimens of the duck tribe. First, however, let us describe 
the fowls. On entering the lodge, we find ourselves in the 
presence of a tiny white Bantam cock, in piroud possession 
of ten chickens of his race, who, being in early days deprived 
of their mother’s care, are now on the point of attaining 
maturity under the sole charge and responsibility of their 
well-pleased father. Although the present taste has declared 
in favour of the fawn and hufif-coloured Cochin-Chinas, one 
cannot fail of admiring the rich tints of our old Punchai’ds 
(a race-once well described as of a Bloomerish character), 
who appear here to great advantage; the run of the lawn 
and the shelter of its beautiful evergreens being liberally 
allowed them. 
Speckled Dorkings of high cast and pretention, silver 
Ilamburghs, and white Silkies swell our list; while of Ban¬ 
tams, Chinese, Siberian, black, white, and yellow, gratify 
the spectator whose taste may run in their direction. Mr. 
Bedford has some young chicken bred between the Cochin- 
China and Dorking, the result wiU, at any rate, be cmlous; 
for the Cochin-Chinas that were in vogue some three or 
four years since were probably indebted to such a union for 
the fifth claw that so often made its unwelcome appearance 
in birds that would otherwise have rewarded our experiments. 
By passing through the fiower garden, which seems to 
defy the ravages of the late inclement weather, we stand by 
the ponds, overhung by lofty elms, and bounded by the 
dark smooth foliage of masses of Rhododendron. Arau¬ 
carias, Deodars, wth a remarkably fine specimen of Crypto- 
meria japonica, and the genus pinus in great diversity, 
would silently delay us for their inspection. But noisily do 
the Call 1 lucks summon us in their direction—with them 
are the pale-billed Aylesbury of most satisfactory bulk and 
consistency, and the black Labrador with its resplendent 
tissue of yolden-black, if painters will allow us such a word. 
But a word on these Buenos Ayrcan strangers, for by various i 
names are they designated; and their common one, the , 
Labrador duck, is the name of a country which probably has j 
the very worst claim to them. They are magnificent alive; ; 
excellent, too, when roasted ; and in charity, let us strongly 1 
advise any of our readers who may possess a suitable piece j 
of water, to gratify their eye and palate at the same time, liy 
selecting them as its occupant; remembering, however, to 
kill them from the pond, as the tenn goes, never shutting 
them up, but supplying them liberally with food at large. 
But these are ja/aMihi'that our colmnns have no space for, 
so let us proceed with our catalogue, which brings some 
Wild Ducks next to our notice. According to many writers 
on Natural History, these would claim honourable mention 
at our hands, as the original parent of that most respectable 
individual, “the farm-yard duck;” hut this may well be 
dotibted, and, strange as it may sound to some, we are pro¬ 
bably indebted to eastern coiuitries for this popular com¬ 
panion to sage and onions. 
Dun-birds, Golden-eyed-divers, and a bereaved widgeon, 
are tlie remaining members of this happily-located family, 
whose peaceful retreat, however, has been at times disturbed 
by the presence of a most unwelcome visitor, an otter; who, 
finding an exclusive fish diet did not agree with him, took 
the unusual course of varying it with wild-fowl. The leai'iied 
in such matters tell us, that it is a verj' rare occurrence to 
find an otter under any circumstances preferring fiesh to 
fish, but here trout with eels, their favourite food, ivere both 
abundant. However it may he elsewhere, we find that 
instances of such forays of otters are by no means uncom¬ 
mon in this part of Cornwall; there are those who remem¬ 
ber an otter being killed in the middle of Chapel-street, 
Penzance. The individual, however, or one of those, who 
perpetrated these atrocities at Peudrea, at length fell a 
victim to his appetite, and was found to weigh no less than 
fourteen pounds. 
Imperfect, however, would he any description of these 
feathered inhabitants of Gulval, which did not specify some 
very handsome Pea-fowl belonging toWiUiam Bolitho, Esq., 
at Chyandour; we miss, however, a fine white bird, which 
we remember to have seen there some time since. These 
Pea-fowl, old and young, formed a very attractive pen at the 
Penzance Exhibition, where their companions, the Guinea- 
fowl, were also present. Mr. Bolitho has some golden 
Ilamburghs, and a numerous family of Silk-fowls. 
There are several others, however, in this parish, who are 
desirous of achieving a triumph; of these, Mr. Branwell 
has some good Cochin-China chickens, also Mr. Charles 
Richards, jun., while Mr. White has given his attention 
principally to the gold and silver Polands. There are, also, 
other neighbouring districts where similai' endeavours have 
been made towards improving their poultry, but to enter 
into any particulars at present would demand space far 
beyond our present limits. 
CROSS-BREEDING. 
I WAS one of the very first of your coiTespondents to call 
attention to poultry as a chief delight and help of the cot¬ 
tage gardener, and I feel great pleasure in coming in again 
now with my little contribution when the subject has 
attracted so much notice. 
The system which I have invariably pursued is one whieli 
holds, I believe, in the case of all the improving breeds of 
domestic animals. It is a remarkably cheap and plain sys¬ 
tem. I have adopted it ever since I commenced, and the 
gradual improvement of my stock has been a yearly source 
of pleasure and interest to me. 
I began with the best fowls I could easily procure in the 
neighbourhood; these were mostly silver jAwasunts, so called. 
By procuring every year a good Dorking cock, I liave gra- i 
dually had half-bred, three-fourths, seven-eigliths, fifteen- | 
sixteenths Dorkings; but I have been so satisfied wth my ! 
system, that every year two or three known good country 
hens have been among the suh-introducUe of the establish¬ 
ment. 
But not to be behind the fashion, I have begun to trans¬ 
mute my Dorkings, as they now are, into Cochins, by the 
help of a fresh Cocliin every year. I find my stock to have , 
