December 5. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
185 
3rd circle White Heaths, in spikes. 
4th „ Red Pinks. 
5th „ Blue Violets (Neapolitan). 
Gtli „ Crimson Roses, in bud. 
7th „ White Heaths, as intermedium, or Bowiana. 
The Roses are slightly raised so as to balance the spikes 
of the Heaths, and they are always supported with one or 
| two leaflets. Lilac Primroses sometimes take the place of 
Heliotropes, or Violets, and Veronica Andersonii is frequently 
used at the circumference ; but it must be used sparingly, 
so as not to neutralise the effect of the Heaths. 
Polianthus tnberosa (Italian tuberose), is a very popular 
plant here, and several flowers are sometimes employed 
instead of Camellias or Dahlias, as the centre of a bouquet. 
JEchmea fulgens, and one or two others of the same kind, 
are also selected for this purpose. Young Orange-trees, 
both In fruit and flower, are also much used in the decora¬ 
tion of shop-windows, and particularly salons and balcony- 
coUservatories; but then they are as plentiful and as cheap 
here as Indian Azaleas are in England; and there are several 
nurseries in which they form the chief product. They are 
generally propagated by grafting, and they flower and fruit 
when but little more than twelve inches high. Neat plants, 
about twenty inches high, and with one or two large 
Oranges, may be had from thirty to forty sous, that is, from 
Is. 3d. to Is. 8d. It is no ordinary treat, at the present 
season, to see many) thousands of these plants. They are 
propagated in pits,ih the usual way; but bell-glasses are not 
much used, except for a few days after the grafts have been 
inserted. When fully established, they are potted off, and 
removed to a species of greenhouse sunk in the ground, 
and having a passage from one end to the other, just wide 
enough to admit of walking sideways. 
Of other plants, in very common cultivation here for the 
flower-markets and shops, one or two may be mentioned. 
These are Erythrina crislata, Leschenaultia formosa, Brug- 
mansia suaveolens, Echeveria falcata, Gardenia Stanleyana, 
Myoporum parvifolium. All these, and many more of the 
same kind, may be had on the Boulvards for ten sous and 
upwards ; but, with the exception of Echeveria and Myopo¬ 
rum , they have now given place to the Camellia, winter 
Heaths, and forced Roses. But there is no lack of variety, 
for many of the autumn flowers are still in season ; and we 
. shall have Hyacinths and Jonquils in great profusion by- 
and-by. 
P.S.—Before closing my dispatch I wish to thank Mr. 
Beaton for the handsome manner in which he has noticed 
my article on French bouquets; and, in accordance with his 
suggestion, I shall, on a future occasion, add a few 
particulars as to their construction. 
November 14.—-We have been somewhat •-urprised, this 
morning, by a fall of snow, which continued till about noon. 
It is, however, nearly all melted, and there has been a little 
sunshine.— P. F. Keir.* 
GLOUCESTER POULTRY EXHIBITION. 
This Exhibition of Poultry took place at Gloucester, on 
AVednesday and Thursday, the 22nd and 23rd of November, 
in conjunction with the Annual Agricultural Show, that has 
now been established for twenty-one years; as, however, 
the present was the first occasion on which the committee 
had offered premiums for the different varieties of Domestic 
Poultry, they very prudently entrusted the whole management 
to the Messrs. Jessop Brothers, of Cheltenham, and it gives 
us great pleasure to announce, that the arrangements were 
such as called forth encomiums from every visitor. System, 
order, quietude, and regularity, existed in every department, 
so that our meed of praise is richly deserved by the gentle¬ 
men who superintended this really onerous official duty. 
The fowls were well attended, the exhibition-room kept 
scrupulously clean, and was also tastefully adorned with 
laurels and other evergreens. The light was unusually 
good, being admitted through large skylights placed alter¬ 
nately along the whole of the roof; the building itself was 
a temporary structure, well-erected, and weather-proof, and 
placed near the Wellington Hotel, in close proximity to the 
* The first fall of snow at Winchester occurred on the 22nd of 
November.—E d. C. G. 
Railway Station, consequently, visitors were, on their arrival, 
almost at the very doors of the exhibition; and many thus 
took advantage of remaining spectators till within a few 
minutes of the departure of their respective trains. The 
attendance was very good; the attraction of poultry, as an 
additional feature to the general agricultural display, was 
manifest, from the greatly increased numbers of visitors, 
particularly ladies. The scale of prizes being liberal, most 
of our highly reputed breeders competed, and, consequently, 
birds of first-rate character abounded in the generality of 
the classes. AVe shall now proceed with a short summary, 
and then add the list of prizes, from which the reader 
himself may easily apprehend the competition was far closer 
than is usual on such occasions. 
The Grey Dorkings, both old and young, were very excel- , 
lent; indeed, in the class for chicken, the competition was 
so extreme, that many fowls, here only “ highly commended," 
would have been successful in taking first prizes at most 
local exhibitions. The Spanish fowls, too, were most excel- i 
lent: the first prize pen, belonging to Mrs. Lydia Stowe, I 
of Bredon, contained one of the most purely white-faced j 
Spanish cocks we have seen for some time; this pen 
attracted much attention among the numerous visitors. 
The Cochins also presented many strong evidences of careful 
breeding; the successful pen of chicken, belonging to 
Mrs. Herbert, of Powick, were, undoubtedly, the very best 
pen of “ dark Cinnamons,” that have yet publicly competed; 
and, from their peculiarly excellent condition and conforma¬ 
tion, easily wrested the laurels from their “ buff-coloured ” 
rivals. There were several pens of good AVhite Cochins, 
but by no means equal to some that have been exhibited in 
the neighbourhood during the past years. In the Partridge- 
coloured variety, those of Captain Snell, and the Rev. Gran¬ 
ville Hodson, far exceeded their rivals, they were much 
admired, and will, doubtless, tend considerably to raise this 
really beautiful, though somewhat neglected, variety, in 
public estimation. The Game classes were, however, 
perhaps, the very gems of the exhibition ; most of the birds 
were exceedingly well-matched, and pen after pen closely 
pressed on the honours of the successful ones. Scarcely a 
single coop was exhibited in this class that were not in the 
highest possible condition. The Hamburghs were indifferent; 
but there were several excellent pens of Polands, both white, 
black, golden, and silver. The extra class did not produce 
any hitherto unknown variety; the prize pen of Indian 
Game were, however, especially superior, and much noticed 
by the company assembled. Many of the Bantams were 
very good, but in bad condition, from moulting; the Sebrights, 
however, did not fail to draw groups of admirers during 
the whole time the exhibition was open to the public. 
Almost every pen of Turkeys was excellent; and the first 
prize p&n (birds of 1854), of the Cambridgeshire breed, 
were most especially deserving of notice, as being of un¬ 
usual size, and perfection in colour and general appearance. 
The Geese, Aylesbury Ducks, and the Labradors, were well 
represented; and among the Ducks were to be found birds 
of a great weight; they were, consequently, a generally 
approved class. AVe feel great pleasure in congratulating 
the committee on the success of their undertaking; and, 
also, on the careful attention paid to the poultry during 
their confinement. 
The judges were E. Hewitt, Esq., of Birmingham, and 
another gentleman. 
Class 1. — Dorking.— Cock and two Hens, hatched before 1854.—6- 
First prize, It. Branwell, Holsworthy, Devon. Age, one hen hatched 
1858, others not known. 4 . Second prize, Miss Steele Perkins, Sutton 
Coldfield, Birmingham. Age, cock about one-and-a-half years, hens one 
year and five months. 10. Third prize, John Thompson, \Voolvers, 
Itcigate, Surrey. Age, hatched 1853. Highly Commended. — 7- Charles 
Edwards, Brisiington, Bristol. Age, over one year. 9- John Thompson, 
Woolvers, Reigate, Surrey. Age, hatched 1853. Commended.— 3. Col. 
Clowes, Froxmer Court, Worcester. Age, cock one year five months and 
three weeks, hens one year five months and one week. 
Class 2.—Dorking.— Cockerel and two Pullets, hatched in 1854. — 
17. First prize, George McCann, Graham House, Malvern. Age, eight 
months. 14. Second prize, Colonel Clowes, Froxmer Court, Worcester. 
Age, cockerel ten months, pullets seven months. 16 . Third prize, R. 
Branwell, Holsworthy, Devon. Age, cockerel hatched the 17 th April, 
pullets 17 th February, 1854. Highly Commended. —18. G. McCann, 
Graham House, Malvern. Age, about eight months, 19. Rev. Henry 
G. Baily, Swindon, Wilts. Age, eight months. Commended. —15. 
Thomas Morris, Maisemore, near Gloucester. Age, cockerel thirty-two 
weeks, pullets twenty-two weeks. 
Class 3. — Spanish.— Cock and two Hens, hatched before 1854 .— 27 . | 
