December 5. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
173 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
D 
W 
Weather near London in 
1853. 
Sun 
Rises. 
Moon 
R. & S. 
Moon's 
Age. 
Clock 
af. Sun. 
Day of 
Year. 
M 
DECEMBER 5—11, 1854. 
Barometer. 
Thermo. Wind. 
Rain in 
Inches. 
sun 
Sets. 
5 
To 
Bembidium properans. 
29 . 907 — 29.892 
46—34 E. 
01 
51 a 7 
50 a 3 
4 a 15 
15 
9 12 
339 
6 
\V 
Black-throated Diver comes. 
30.060—29 930 
4 5—36 N.E. 
— 
52 
50 
6 1 
16 
8 47 
340 
7 
Th 
Polyanthus flowers again. 
30.099—30.088 
44—28 N.E. 
— 
54 
60 
5 57 
17 
8 21 
341 
8 
F 
Skylarks flock. 
30.236 — 30. l6l 
43—29 N. 
01 
55 
49 
7 3 
18 
7 55 
342 
9 
s 
Red-throated Diver comes. 
30.336—30.328 
51—31 N.E. 
02 
50 
49 
8 12 
'9 
7 29 
343 
10 
Son 
2 Sunday in Advent. 
30.283—30.119 
41—30 N.E. 
— 
5 7 
49 
9 22 
20 
7 1 
344 
11 
M 
Bembidium poecillum. 
30.070—29.995 
34—29 S.E. 
— 
58 
49 
10 34 
21 
6 34 
345 
Meteorology of the Week. —At Chiswick, from observations during the last twenty-seven years, the average highest and lowest tern- 
peratures of these days are 46.8°, and 35.2°, respectively. The greatest heat, 60° 
the 6th, in 1844. During the period 97 days were fine, and on 92 rain fell. 
occurred on the 10th, in 1848 ; and the lowest cold, 14°, on 
Postponing tlie consideration of “ Game Eowls” until 
our next, we will now confine our attention to what we 
consider the points of excellence in the various breeds 
of Hamburghs. 
GoLDEN-rExciLLEB.— Plumage. — Code’s hackle, hack, 
and saddle, bright orange-red ; breast, and under part of 
the body shades of light brown; tail ample, black, and 
well bronzed. Hen, regularly pencilled throughout on 
a yellow-bay ground—the hackle and under part of the 
body alone excepted, of which the former should be 
perfectly clear and of the same light yellow-bay; while 
the latter is of a still lighter shade. 
Form. —The comb of the cock to be a full and firm 
rose, well-piked, and with the face and wattles bright 
crimson; ear-lobes white; legs clean and blue; carriage 
erect and symmetrical, the breast being carried pro¬ 
minently forward. 
Silver-pencilled. — Plumage, generally, as in the 
above, substituting a silvery-white for the yellow-bay of 
the hen, and the orange-red and brown tints of 'the 
cock, whose tail must bo well-silvered, but by no means 
splashed with white; his lesser wing-coverts are also 
occasionally marked with yellow or chesnut. 
Ti eight, it is true, does not enter into the consideration 
of Hamburgh merits; but still the cock should not be 
less than 4£fbs, nor the hen than 3-|tbs. 
Golden-spangled. — Plumage, deep bay, frequently 
inclining to a brilliant copper. Cock's hackle and 
saddle to be preferred if spangled; but this is rarely 
seen, and they are then best striped with black longi¬ 
tudinally, the edge being clear. Red hackle and saddle 
very objectionable. Breast and back with well-defined, 
round spangles—the horse-shoe form being less effective; 
greater wing-coverts laced very heavily on the extremi¬ 
ties, so as to form two parallel bars across the wing; 
tail black and ample. Tho more accurate spangling 
often seen in the hen-tailed cock, does not compensate 
for the defect in his plumage. Hen, spangled through¬ 
out, except the hackle, which, in its markings, resembles 
the cock’s, and tho lower part of the body, which is of a 
dusky black. 
Form. —Comb, rose and very largely developed, as 
also the wattles, and with them and the face of an in¬ 
tense crimson; ear-lobe very full and white; general 
robustness of figure and bold carriage; legs blue and 
' clean. 
Weight, in excess of the pencilled birds, say not under 
5fbs for the cock, or 4tt)3 for the hen. 
Silver-spangled. — Plumage, generally, as in the 
above, sustituting a silvery-white for the ground-colour; 
white also appears in the tail, though black should 
decidedly preponderate. 
Form of somewhat slighter proportions than in the 
Gold-spangled. 
Black. — Plumage, uniform glossy black; other features 
as before; size about those of the pencilled birds. 
The white ear-lube being so characteristic a feature in 
' all the Hamburghs, becomes a most important feature 
for influencing the decision of the Judge.—W. 
FRUIT-TREE PLANTING. 
The readers of this work will remember that I have, 
since the commencement of The Cottage Gardener, 
and, indeed, long before, advocated what I had taken 
the liberty of terming “ platform planting.” After an 
experience of many years, I not only see no reason to 
retract my views, as to this practice, but every reason 
both to continue and recommend it by all means in my 
power. I was first induced to adopt it as a stepping- 
stone to a dwarfing system in fruits; as I fully anti 
cipated the public desire, in this respect, more than 
twenty years since. From that period, a few years after 
the cessation of the protracted war—when, in con¬ 
sequence of tho enormous expansion in trade—villas 
and suburban gardens multiplied at an extraordinary 
rate near all our best towns, began in earnest what 
has been termed gardening for the million; or, in other 
words, a growing desire amongst the masses, to expand 
their taste, as well as to further gratify their palate. 
But in proceeding with this practice, I, of course, 
could not but perceive that I had also in the “ station ” 
a most useful auxiliary against a bad subsoil. In the 
latter idea there is nothing which is new. I have seen 
old orchard Apple, and other fruit-trees, pulled up in this 
county — trees of nearly a century old — which had 
pavements of stone or other impervious material be¬ 
neath them, evidently intended as a bar against a bad 
subsoil. The platform, or station, however, has abearing j 
of a more special character; it is not only a bar against 
the descent of the roots, but a great economiser of what 
gardeners term composts. Of course, it will take no 
pains to convince our readers that there is an infinite 
difference, as to expense, between making whole borders j 
with the rich, turfy material of the paddock, and i 
making stations ; by the latter practice, the trees over a ! 
whole garden may be planted for less expense than the ! 
making of one border ; this “ border-making,” however, j 
is nearly at an end, unless for Vineries, where it will, j 
in all probability, continue to be necessary. 
I have always found six barrows of a sound loam 
sufficient for any fruit-tree, on any soil; indeed, in most 
cases, under a dwarfing system, half that quantity will 
suffice. Now, this is confined to tho limits indicated 
No. CCCXXIIL, Vol. XIII. 
