I 
December 2G. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
235 
properties, this is scarcely to be wondered at. Their 
breeder has little encouragement, however strongly his 
own opinions may run in favour of this ungainly race. 
Their numbers, consequently, are few, and the time is 
not yet come that a high degree of general excellence 
can be safely predicted of a fowl thus circumstanced. 
The Malay breeder, we apprehend, has the current of 
public opinion running adverse to his favourites, and 
strong exertions must bo had recourse to, even to stem 
the tide, even if their course be not already downwards. 
^ One word in respect of Geese, for which we have long 
asked separate classes in respect of colour. If white, 
mottled, and grey be thought too much, at any rate, the 
two former might be ranked together, while the latter 
formed a distinct division. Our reasons for requiring 
the latter would especially refer to the fact, that the 
prizes for these valuable birds are, very properly, decided 
mainly by weight; and to attain this, cross-bred birds, 
between the Tolouse and other breeds, are found most 
useful. Now, continued exclusion from the prize-list 
must, generally, depreciate the character of any bird; 
and the Tolouse Goose, in respect of these considerations, 
size and weight, is seldom able to occupy a high position 
when the competition happens to be severe. It remains, 
therefore, often unnoticed, and the great bulk of breeders, 
very properly influenced by the result of such an exhibi¬ 
tion as Birmingham, are thus induced to discard the 
variety without enquiring as to the reasons that'have 
acted unfavourably on the bird, and in forgetfulness of 
its many other good qualities that might be fairly 
regarded as at least partial equivalents. Some of the 
heaviest Geese we know of have been produced from a 
Toulouse parent on one side; and in analogy to what is 
experienced with respect to other fowls and animals, a 
return to the original strain will be, sooner or later, re¬ 
quisite to maintain the excellence thus originally obtained. 
On this ground alone we should argue for all encourage¬ 
ment to the Toulouse race, such as it is not likely to 
receive while distanced in mere bulk by its own illegiti¬ 
mate offspring. Besides which, their extreme prolificacy 
in regard of eggs—thirty-five to forty, and even upwards, 
being constantly the produce of a single season—should 
tell somewhat in their favour. They are also remarkably 
handsome birds, both in plumage and form, and do not 
appear to disadvantage even among aquatic birds of a 
strictly ornamental character; while their figure is 
eminently qualified to fulfil all the requirements of the 
kitchen, for which they fat rapidly. Whatever other 
grey Geese may find admission, let us at least hope that 
another season may find our Toulouse proteges in a 
class for grey Geese, distinct from the white and mottled 
birds. 
Bantams must have a place in our reminiscences of 
Bingley Hall; but space is now wanting for these, as 
for somo other matters in connection with its last 
exhibition. 
Wo cannot, however, conclude these discursive obser¬ 
vations without again impressing on Poultry-keepers of 
every degree, whether exhibitors or not, the debt of 
obligation under which they labour with respect to the I 
Society whose exertions, now continued for soweral 
years, have so successfully fixed public attention on tho 
different members of the Poultry-yard. One great 
national exhibition, such as may now be safely antici¬ 
pated at Birmingham, has, we believe, more real influ¬ 
ence in furthering the Poultry movement, and in carrying 
out the views of those who support it on the disinterested 
grounds of its being a branch of agricultural economy, 
hitherto most miserably disregarded, than all the minor 
shows collectively. We do not say that this one arena 
should alone suffice for the competition of the Poultry- 
keepers of England: far from it, indeed; but we cer¬ 
tainly are strongly impressed with the belief, that its 
leading character is a most valuable feature, and that 
the limited number of provincial societies that may be 
elsewhere called for, will do well to reorganize it as their 
Metropolitan guide. 
GARDEN GLASSES.—CLOCHES. 
Some time since, I endeavoured to call attention to 
this subject, hoping to set other minds at work; but I 
am not aware that any one has since attempted to throw 
further light on the matter. Is it because it is under¬ 
stood that no advance is possible ; or, is it mere apathy? 
If hand-glasses, or cloches, have arrived at a stand-still- 
perfection, I verily believe that they occupy the proudest 
position of any gardening instrument. 
We all know what a stir w r as made, a few years since, 
about the cloche of our spirited neighbours the French ; 
and many grey-headed practicals know, also, that they were 
neither more nor less than the old “ bell-glass ” of some 
fifty or sixty years since ; at least, there is no difference 
in principle ; but there is, it would appear, a difference 
in the application of them to practical purposes; for the 
French, we have been told, use them, to this day, ex¬ 
tensively in the culture of winter salads, especially 
Lettuces; and carry the matter so far as to be in a 
position, as we are told, to export many valuable things 
in this way to the British metropolis,—besides sup¬ 
plying an enormous home consumption. 
Now, I believe the French cloche is not particularly 
clear; and here is a point to be noticed in the question. 
When we come to consider the dullness of the atmos¬ 
phere in England, as compared with that of France, w r e 
may fairly imagine that the character of glass that is 
well-adapted for France is not obliged to be equally 
well-adapted for England. These things, surely, will be 
admitted as fair argument; and then it follows, that if 
the French gardeners are successful in the way of their 
cloches, why may not John Bull try his hand once 
more this way ? These things taken into consideration, 
is it not probable that the venerable bell-glasses of 
nearly a century ago may have fallen into disuse merely 
through inaptitude for our dull climate? 
These bell-glasses were very green, and as thick as a 
tile; they were counted old-fashioned things fifty years 
since, and, somehow, considered too Frenchified for 
Englishmen. Happily, these ignorant antipathies, the 
offspring of certain peculiar positions, no longer exist. 
Sir J. Paxton assisted in dealing out their death-blow 
when he planned the celebrated Crystal Palace in Hyde 
Park. However, they did not come into every-day 
competition with the ordinary hand-glass, even in those 
days; albeit the latter was not by any means a very 
philosophical affair. Such, in the main, were com¬ 
posed of numerous small panes of glass—scarcely fit to 
glaze a shed-window in these times—imbedded in lead ; 
and, like spinning-wheels, they are not yet entirely lost 
sight of. 
