418 
THE COTTAGE GAEDENER. 
IMaiich 10. 
rehiis at qiiihuxdam allls"), anil, perhaps, two or three 
cucumber ami melon-lights, the course prescribed amounts 
to a iiositivo prohibition, so far as Geranium seedling 
growing is concerned, of a pursuit, so dear, for reasons well 
stated by Mr. Appleby, to all ardent ilorists. 
My plan, however, enables me, with only the limited con¬ 
venience siioken of, to grow between one and two hundred 
i seedlings each year; and though I have not yet astonished 
! the world with my success, so far as the production of 
! novelty goes, I have found all the pleasures our friend so 
I well describes, even in ray disappointments. It is said, 
I that Ih’uce, taught by the indomitable perseverance of a 
I spitlcr, was encouraged, after losing eleven, to figlit and win 
his twelfth battle, and the crown he fought for. My defeats 
have been about as numerous; perhap.s in this, my twelfth 
attempt, victory awaits me. But to my plan. 
As soon as the seed is all ripe, which witli me is seldom 
before the beginning of August, I sow, and place the seed- 
pans in my latest-made, and, consequently, warmest cucum¬ 
ber-bod. By the time the plants show their second pair of 
rough leaves, I pot into small OO’s. 'i'his will be aboirt the 
middle of September, and by that time there is a light or 
two of cucumber.s ready for sacrifice, and there, having 
raised the soil to about a foot from the glass, and put two or 
three inches of coal-ashes on the top, I place the jrlants, 
and keep tliem growing as fast as possible by frequent 
syringings, anil shuttings-up of an afternoon, but with 
plenty of air at all otlier times, till about the middle of 
Gotober, when tho pots will be well filled with roots. 
During this lime, indeed, if the weatlier is, as it frequently 
is, very warm and dry, I syringe and shut-up for two or three 
hours every a‘'ternuon. 
Where the pots a -e well filled with roots I repot into 
large (iO's—just a shift. The soil for this last shift is simple 
loam two quarts, and sand one part; but I pot them from the 
seed-pans into soil, such, jmetty much, as we would bloom 
Geraniums in. After the plants have got well hold in their 
second pots, the object, of course, is to harden and get them 
well to rest for the winter. 
In December, according to the weather (this year it was 
not till the latter end of last month, when I wanted to be 
preparing my pits for spring work), I get the plants into my 
little greenhouse, putting them in any odd corner or shelf 
wherever they can be crammed. It is here, by this un- 
gardener-like treatment, they get a little drawn, but I find 
this is not of importance to seedling Geraniums. xVbout 
the latter end of February, or beginning of March, when 
severe frosts seem to be apprehended, and when I begin to 
want to spread out the legitimate tenants of my greenhouse, 
I repot with good Geranium soil, not forgetting plenty of 
charcoal, into d-'S’s or fid’s, according to the size of the plants, 
and then pop them about at every window of my dwelling- 
house, in cold - pits, or anywhere where they can have 
plenty of air in the day, ami the protection of glass at 
night, till the beginning of June, when all that are not 
showing bloom are qfiaced in the open air, in a situation 
sheltered from the north and east, and as these, one after 
another, throw up their bloom-truss, I bring them into the 
greenhouse that they may have a fair chance of developiing 
the beauties that are to “ astonish the Browns.” 
By these means I bloom all my qfiants the first season ; 
and any of my brother amateurs who may adopt my plan, 
will find that a very consiilerable number of seedlings may 
thus be grown in a comparatively small space, and tliat 
without encroaching on what to most of us is so much in 
request in the spring—space in our dung-heated pits.—J. S. 
LACED versus SPANGLED POLANDS. 
As tho remarks of “ Scrutator,” in a recent number of 
The Cottage G.vhdenei{, are calculated to mislead the 
uninitiated (and, indeed, have misled a young friend of my 
own here, and set him alt agog after Polands that are 
laced), I think it right to correct them. 
“ Scrutator ” takes his cue from the Piev. Mr. Dixon’s 
work ; but does this learned author injustice, by misquoting 
him; for Mr. Dixon nowhere says, that the Gold or Silver 
“ are not, or oiu/lit nut to be, Spanyled." On the contrary, 
speaking of the Oorl: Golden Poland, ho writes, “ tho breast 
and wings are richly spotted with ochre and dark brown;” 
sjrotted being but another term for sqjangled. In alluding 
to the Poland hen he certainly does indiscreetly use the ; 
word laced. ; 
Though “ Scrutator ” kept Polands, now twenty years ago, ' 
so far from this giving authority to his opinions, I judge it ' 
rather detracts from them; for these are days of iioultry 
progress, of selection, of improvement, and of exhibition : j 
what would do very well in those good, old, isolated days, i 
might prove very inferior in these times of competition, and ^ 
comparison with others. 
The Birmingham Judges are condemned by him, because 
they would not confess to the super-excellence of Laced 
Polands. .Vlthough he goes too far, I do heartily concur 
with liim in the sentiment, that very few Judges, indeed, are 
acquainted with the points of all the varieties of poultry 
they decide upon ; it is a sore evil, and one which demands 
and mast receive alteration. 
De facto, and in truth, the Gold and Silver Polands are 
spani/Ied fowls ; as much so as are the Sqiangled llamburghs 
(properly called), and as such, they ever have been, and 
ever should be recognized. It is probable that, by careful 
and persevering selection in breeding, a laced variety may 
be established, or induced; I would protest, however, 
against the capricious change and metamorphosis of a 
natural and distinct variety of fowl to an artificial state; 
and the more so, when, in frittering away its characteristics, 
}'ou in the same degree lessen its beauty. The slightest 
observation must convince any one that a spangled fowl 
not only presents more distinctness, and more clearness of 
contrast, but that it is, also, more effective in the richness 
and brilliancy of its colours. Nor is this mere opinion ; it 
is so, and of necessity : a moment’s consideration will qn'ove 
it to us. Let us look at a spangled feather ; whether it lie 
Silver or Golden, the ground colour is clear and unclouded ; . 
the spangle is a mark of considerable size, well and dis¬ 
tinctly defined on the edges—it is a concentrated mass or 
body of colour—qilaced, or extending, let us not forget, upon 
the more substantial part of the feather, where the texture 
is firmer and closer. “ Of necessity,” then, the spangle, 
being a large and concentrated body, it becomes lustrous 
and brilliant, from its jjresenting a greater surface for the 
reflection of radiant colour. In the laced feather all is con¬ 
trary : the distinctive character is lessened, the ground 
colour appearing less apart, as it is surrounded by the 
marking; that marking, or lacing, is but a narrow strip or 
line, placed on the edge of the feather, where the texture is 
attenuated, thin, and often the reverse of smooth. Need I 
draw the comparison and conclusion? Can a mere line, 
with little depth or body of colour, placed on such a texture 
and surface, and alike in all parts, can this produce the 
distinctness, the brilliancy, and the contrast of a spangled 
feather ? 
Tliat it really does not, we have abundant jiroof. Let us 
take, as a perfect example of a laced fowl, the Golden j 
Sebright Bantam. There is no brilliancy of colour here, 
yet the lacing is correct—trim and exact as may be; whilst 
another B,antam that is degenerating, as it is called—that j 
is, becoming spangled—is confessedly both rich and bril¬ 
liant in its marking, though incorrect in manner. But there j 
is nothing like jiractical ocular jiroof; I, therefore, enclose I 
a breast feather from a very dark-coloured cock Golden ' 
Spangled Boland. It is spangled, but laced also. Can 
anything be more different in effect than the brilliancy of 
the spangled, and the comparative dullness of the laced 
portion ?* 
Laced Bolands, especially in the Silver class, occasionally 
appear; in every hatch of chickens some are less perfect 
than others, being too light, or too dark. lYhen too dark, 
or “ full of colomV’ as it is termed, this state will be found 
to depend on the. lacing of the feathers, as evinced in two 
pullets now in my possession, and which w'ere shown at the 
Baker-street exhibition. They were passed over, while some 
spangled birds were awarded a prize, and sold for six 
guineas. 
I am curious to know, in a spirit of good-humoured 
pleasantry, — I pray tell me, Mr. Editor — if the laced 
feathers sent you by “ Scrutator ” were large, or portions of 
large, feathers ? Because the young friend of mine here 
The contrast is very strikbig.— Ed. C. G. 
