February 20. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
397 
still, and might be commenced with at once, “ a slight 
hotbed” might be made, on which a little seed might be 
sown, sufficient to produce a few plants to come into 
bloom before those sown in the open air can do so. 
These slight hotbeds require much less attention than is 
generally supposed—a quantity of dung, or leaves, or both 
mixed, is made up into a low bed in some open, fully- 
exposed place—I mean fully exposed to the sun—around 
the top of this bed set up slabs, or boards, which secure 
at the corners, and the middle being filled with the 
requisite quantity of suitable soil, the seed maybe sown, 
and if any odd lights be at liberty they will be of great 
service in protecting the seed-bed from the cold and 
heavy rains which may be expected, if not, mats, or 
some other covering, may be substituted for a time; but 
when the seed begins to vegetate, let it be fully exposed 
on all occasions when the weather is not very severe. 
Such rough hotbeds as those described do very well to 
rear early Radishes, young Cauliflower plants, or, in fact, 
anything wanted before it can be had in the ordinary 
out-door routine. Potatoes are often planted on such 
places, and with care in covering up at nights, come in 
very serviceably. But as the present purpose is confined 
to Lettuce, I may add, the kinds proper to sow now are 
the Brown and White Cos, and a few of the Cabbage 
kinds; while, later in the spring, the Cabbaging varieties 
must be more extensively sowed, as they are, in a general 
way, less prone to run to seed, the Cos varieties being 
difficult to preserve from that in a dry season, and on hot, 
gravelly soil. 
Lettuces that have stood the winter must be looked to 
when the severe weather abates, and all decayed ones 
removed, and when the ground is sufficiently dry, let it 
be stirred a little, not that much growth may be ex¬ 
pected yet, but in order to expose any slug or vermin 
to the action of the cold that may be lurking in the 
ground ; and if any remain in the seed-bed yet, let them 
be planted out as soon as the weather shows sufficiently 
settled as to imply that all severe frosts are gone, which 
may be expected by the second week in March ; not but 
that frosts will occur later, but they seldom last during 
the day ; nevertheless, the operator will at the time 
know best by certain indications in the weather, which 
everybody assumes to be a judge of. Of course, in late, 
or cold districts, such duties must be deferred later 
than in an earlier one, but the same thing has to be 
done everywhere. 
Whoover has seen the beautiful plots of Lettuces that 
are growu by the sides of the Thames, both above and 
below the Metropolis, will have an idea of what kind of 
soil they delight in, aud will, consequently, be able to 
see how far he can imitate them, But as Lettuces are 
expected to form a portion of every garden, the best 
plot must be selected for them, for few things are more 
deserving of attention, and as the quality of the produce 
depends, in a great measure, on the quality of the food it 
has to live upon, aud as dry gardens and dry seasons are 
not favourable to its obtaining such food, a copious 
watering now and then will be of service, adding, at the 
same time, some guano or other soluble substance, so 
that an enriching matter may enter into the composition 
of the soil as well as moisture; even when Nature sup¬ 
plies the latter, much good will arise by giving the 
ground a dressing with something that may be carried 
into it by the rains, and dry, gravelly soils are, 
perhaps, best dealt with in that way; a thin, porous, 
hungry substratum preventing their holding much in 
solution, consequently, their manurial wants must be 
supplied in small quantities and often ; and Lettuce, 
being hut a short-lived plant, is the creature of the 
moment, and cannot wait for those changes of weather 
which other plants are content to do, but hasten on to a 
premature end ; hence the necessity of supplying them 
with suitable food while they are in a condition to derive 
benefit by it, and by judiciously sowing, early and late, 
a succession may be had all the year. J. Robson. 
HOW TO KEEP POULTRY PROFITABLY. 
I have been a good deal interested by reading in your 
paper reports of country gardening and poultry-keeping, and 
I send you my experiences in the latter department, that 
you may print them, if you think they will be of any service 
to your other readers. 
I was one of the many persons who bad their attention 
first turned to poultry during the Cochin mania of 1852 and 
1853. About two years ago, I bought my first fowls, then 
knowing nothing about their habits and requirements, nor 
about the peculiarities of the different varieties. 1 was 
certainly not prejudiced in favour of any variety, for 1 
hardly knew that there was more than one. I say this to 
show, that in my testimony, such as it is, I have no bias 
one way or another, except in so far as two years close, 
personal attendance on my poultry has taught me the ad¬ 
vantages of one variety over its rivals. 
The first birds I had were Cochins. I kept them ex¬ 
clusively for six months, and liked their quiet habits with 
each other, and their docile manner to their keeper. I 
found, that not having any opportunity of selling birds for 
stock, the produce of my fowls barely paid their expenses, 
and hearing, or rather reading, that Cochins were con¬ 
sidered extravagant eaters, too frequent sitters, and of 
inferior quality for the table, I got some Spanish, and some 
Dorkings, to see whether a greater return was to be ob¬ 
tained from these. In each case the birds were of the 
purest strains. The Cochins came from Messrs. Andrews 
and Sturgeon. The Dorkings and Spanish from Capt. 
Hornby. 
I have now, for eighteen months, kept these three breeds 
side by side, and I have no hesitation in saying that the 
Cochins have paid me the best; and I believe that I can 
show that Cochin hens will pay any amateur to keep during 
the winter months. While I will not assert as much of 
either Spanish or Dorkings at any time. 
I am now thinking of the large class of persons, in mid¬ 
dling circumstances, living near a town, with only a yard 
and small garden, and with everything to buy for their 
poultry. To these people I say, I do not believe it ever 
pays to rear chicken merely for home consumption, but 1 
am sure it will pay to buy every autumn half-a dozen 
Cochin pullets, to keep them well during the winter, until 
eggs grow cheap in the spring, then to kill them off for the 
table, and buy in a new stock the following Michaelmas. 
These pullets will be in very good condition for the table 
if they have been liberally fed throughout, and if they are 
not condemned to death when broody or moulting, and the 
owner will have the dead fowls to repay the cost of purchase, 
while the eggs they have laid will have paid for their board, 
and have left a small profit besides. 
I will tell you what profit I have had from three pens of 
fowls, each containing a cock and three hens, during the 
last four months, from October to January, both inclusive. 
One pen Cochins, the other Spanish, and one Dorking. In 
these four months, the three Cochin hens laid 172 eggs; 
the three Dorkings 45 eggs; the three Spanish 50 eggs. 
Besides this, one Cochin lien was set and hatched a brood 
on the 6th of January. 
I have calculated, two or three times, the cost of feeding ; 
I find the Cochins eat rather the most, but not to any very 
great extent, the Dorkings the next, and the Spanish least. 
I found, on each trial, that 2d. per week was sufficient to 
cover the expense of each Cochin, while the cost of each 
Spanish and Dorking was not less than ljd. per week. 
Now, reckoning each Cochin to cost 2d. per week, the 
pen of four, in seventeen weeks, will have been an expense 
of 136 pence, while they have returned 172 eggs and a 
brood of chicken. The 172 eggs could not have been 
bought at a shop, even in this country place, at less than 
one penny an egg, on au average, during the time of ex¬ 
periment. Taking 130 from 172 pence, the Cochins left 
thirty-six pence, and a brood of newly-batched chicken in 
their favour. The Dorkings at l^d. per week cost 102 
