TPIE COTTAGE GAKDENER. 
March 11. 
4nG 
Geese, under a hen, who was kept waiting two days for a 
! sufficient numher of eggs. When they were given her one 
I had just been laid, and was quite hot; it was dated, and 
j hatched an the same day (Teh. ^1) witli the others, some of 
, wliich were a week old. The brood came out on the '^Sth 
I day of sitting; but when sat on by the Goose they are usually 
; not hatched until the dTth or .‘loth day. 
j PROPORTION or JIEAL AND HUSK IN I.IGIIT AND HEAVY OATS. 
Oats weighing dOlbs. per bushel contain IClbs of meal 
and ITlbs. of husk. Those at TOlbs. per busliel contain 
upwards of gOllis. of meal and less than Kilbs. of husk, 
and as the weight increases the proportion of the meal to 
tlie husk is often greater, t^uery—Is not the best always 
the clieapest?—W. II. Tegetmeier. 
i 
HAMBURG H rOT.ANDS. 
I AJi glad to find, in the number of 12th of February, that 
Mr. Baker lias doffed his incognito in reply to my query, as 
I can now understand with whom I communicate. By iMr. 
Baker’s lettei-, he ...hiiits lie can give no proof of birds being 
brought from I’oland, but positively states the breed came 
from Hamburgh, although he thinks the birds now' to be 
had superior. From this opinion I must beg to differ, 
having bad the breed for a longer time tlian twenty-five 
years. In the valuable qualities of the breed I entirely agree. 
JMr. Baker says, “ That twenty-five years ago, as our books 
will prove, they were called Bolands.” I’erhaps Mr. Baker 
will be good enough to inform us in which of our books tlie 
statement is to be found. I am not aware of any, but can 
give reference to the contrary. Two of our oldest works, 
viz., Moahray and Jticksoa, call the Boland the White- 
crested Black, by which name that biecd was generally 
known. Mr. Baker mistakes my motives if he think's me 
an advocate for change of names. In common with Dr. 
Horner, I merely seek to rcsiure the nomenclature to what 
it was for a century before that ])UL forward by Rev. F. S. 
Dixon in 18-t8. If Mr. Baker will refer to his books twenty- 
five years ago, he will find my name largely thcie as a jmr- 
chaser of water-fowl, but not of Boultry; for the reason, that 
Boultry fancy was not then prominent in London ; and I 
had, in consequence, to get the birds I wanted from France 
and Holland, even so late as 1812, as the eighth edition of 
Muatnay certifies of the Bolton Greys, that they were, “ap¬ 
parently, the crack breed of their vicinity, but entirely un¬ 
known in the metropolis.” 
I feel obliged by Mr. Baker’s concluding remarks on the 
j the I'ldes for .ludging Boultry juit I'orward by me, as it was 
precisely with that view they were framed.—It. B. Williams. 
I WHERE IS FASHION NOT' A DESROT? 
! “ IMary, my dear,” said a staid looking man to a rnei ry 
girl, “ why do you wear such a ridiculously small bonnet?” 
“ It is the fashion. Father.” 
“ I wish you would nut think so mmdi of that; show more 
strength of mind and character; judge what is right, and 
adhere to it.” 
“ But, Father, I am not sure singularity is to be desired.” 
] “ I’erhaps not; but having once arrived at a sound con¬ 
clusion, as to coiufort and respectable appcarp.nce, you may 
safely confine yourself to them.” 
The girl paused a minute, as if in thought, and then said, 
I “ Father, may I ask you a few questions?” 
j “ Yes,” was the rejily. 
“ And you will not be angry ? ” 
“ Not if they are pnqier ones.’’ 
“ Do you ipean to exhibit your Boland Fowls?” 
“ No,” said the Father. 
“ Do you think the bearded are better layers tlnm the 
i others?” 
i “ I do not think they are,” said he, 
j “You know. Father,” continued Iho laughing girl, “you 
i said you thought tlm old dock perfect, and that you would 
j never gi’/j Idffi up i k’R yopy fiiepd said', (l(iy M’ter 
day, that no one now kept birds without beards, altbougli 
you resisted for some time, you at last said, you thought you i 
mast give way, and the old favourite was given up for a i 
bearded successor. Now, I call that fashion. You were well j 
suited with the others ; they were as good layers as these, I 
and, speaking with all respect-” \ 
“ Which you might forget in the heat of your argument,” 
interrupted the father, “ tlierefore we will drop it.” 
POULTRY EXHIBITION AT W'ELLINGTON, 
SHROPSHIRE. 
This meeting took place in the new Town Hall, on 
Fehruary 2Cth and 27th ; and although various rumours 
were afloat that scarcely any of our principal amateurs 
declined competing, we certainly did not anticipate so 
perfect and well-arranged an exhibition. It is equally 
certain, that never before, in Slu'opsliire (noted os it has 
been for its poultry shows), was there any previous exhibition 
in which all poultry (tbrouglumt crery class) could vie with 
tlie one just concluded. Indeed, the task would have been 
fruitless to find a j-ea//y hidijf'ennt pen, tlie generality of 
the birds being those that bad recently been successful at 
different meetings; and we were credibly informed, that not 
less than sixteen iiens of poultry were entered on the lists 
that liad, during tlie year 1855, secured for tlieir fortunate 
owners prizes, in the sliapo of silver cups, at one exhibition 
or another. At tlie onset, the prizes proposed were ex¬ 
ceedingly libend in amount, but from the extraordinary 
excellence of the entries, and the well-known repute of the 
competitors, the numificeiicc of the advertised prize-list 
reel ived a most well-advised ADDITION in seven large Silver 
Cups, to lie awarded to the most successful pens in the 
jirincipal L ading varieties. Of tlicse cups we will say but 
little, though tliorougbly deserving of our highest com¬ 
mendation. 'J’liey were intrinsically worth about six pounds 
each, besides being ijuite modern, and were placed in an i 
empty pen for public inspection ; the general opinion being, i 
they were far superior to those usually ottered. i 
Of the indefatigable secretary, ]\lr. T. AV. Jones, we must ' 
admit it is only very rarely we have met with his eipial— 
always at hi.-, jiost, courteous and affable to every one, the 
filial success of the undertaking was entirely attributable to | 
bis uncompromising perseverance. It must also not be 
forgotten, that the responsibility of the wlmle iiroeeeding j 
naturally entails an amount of both mental and bodily ; 
personal exertion that few weiild dare to eneounter. It is i 
somewhat remarkable, that only iliree pens were unoccupied 
out of the whole number entered, viz., 222 pens. T’he con¬ 
dition id' the birds, as a whole, was most .superior; but we 
easily recognised, on the contrary, by reference to the 
catalogue, various jieiis that were sutt'ering from (be most 
extreme debility, the never-varying conseipience of too 
freipieiit exhibition, and the inevitable oxcitement and injury 
of over exertion. AATieu it is considered, that even fatal 
consequences so frequently ensue from this cause atone, and 
that the coiistitution of the fowls, however well-attended, 
must suffer irreparably, it naturally becomes a matter of 
surprise, that any exhibitor should subject himself not only 
to the probable pecuniary loss of valuable specimens, but 
still more certain disapiiointnient of obtaining liealtby pro¬ 
geny, it this merciless practice is continually persisted in. 
The Spanish class were both extensively and well repre¬ 
sented ; Captain Hornby’s cup birds being shown in very 
superior condition, whilst v.irious others were well worthy of 
the high cuinmendations bestowed iqion them. In (drey 
Dorl.inys, the liigbly reputed stock of W. AVrigbt, Fsq., of 
AYednes, secured “ ai.l the bononrs.” The cap birds were j 
especially deserving of notice. ' 
A gentleman, who “ had parpasely travelled from London 
with the intention of claiminji the hest pen,” ott'ered one 
hundred pounds for the first prize pen, bnf bis offer 
(though repeatedly made) was not accepted ; the bidder 
was, therefore, compelled to content himself with the pur- 
cliase of several other pens, and the successful ones still 
roniaiii tlte property of Mr. AAT’igUt, It will be seen, by 
roferenoe to tiie prize list, that the sucoess was at- 
iQiidotj witli f) ifiosl sevejie oofitpetition. The r:Qndition ip 
