June 2. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
“ Lot ‘22. Anachasle sanguinea (Lindley), a new genus, ap¬ 
parently related to Cochlioda, with rich blood-red flowers, 
like that of a Comparcltia falcala in size—one line plant. 
£4. 
“ Lot 20. Epidendrum giganteum (Lindley), a magnificent 
new species, with enormous panicles of crimson flowers, 
forming, in its native habitat, masses of a foot-and-a-half in 
diameter, one splendid specimen. £8. 
“Lot 32. Catasetum secundum (Lindley), a new species, 
with curious.violet-coloured flowers, all turned towards one 
side of a drooping raceme, one fine plant, coming into 
flower. £2 2s. 
“ Lot 3d. Brassia vil/osa (Lindley), a new species, near It. 
cinnamomea , bears two to three flower stems, and richly 
scented, one fine plant. £2 17s. (id. 
“Lot 37. Pcristeria fuscata (Lindley), a fine new species, 
with flowers as large as P. cerina, of a pale cinnamon, 
spotted with brown in the inside, dull pink on the outside, 
in pendulous racemes, from twelve to twenty flowers in a 
raceme, richly perfumed, magnificent mass. £2 lbs. 
“ Lot -10. Eriopsis altissima (Lindley), a new species, with 
the middle lobe of the lip oblong, entire, white, spotted with 
dark green, one good plant. £2 (is. 
“ Lot 52. Gougora cymbiformis (Lindley), a beautiful new 
species, with cinnamon coloured flowers, spotted with brown, 
very distinct. Mr. W. says this plant generally has from four 
to five flower stems from each bulb, of two to three feet 
long; he counted as many as 140 flowers, and a delicious 
perfume was distinguishable 500 feet off, one very fine 
plant. £2 10s. 
“Lot 108. Maxillaria cinnabarina (Lindley), anew species, 
with pale yellowish-green flowers, and a rich apricot-coloured 
lip ; the number being off this plant, it is supposed to be 
this Maxillaria , from the resemblance of the plant to the 
drawing, being the nearest corresponding to it, one fine 
plant. .£4.” 
There were, altogether, 170 lots, and these were 
followed by 124 lots of Guatemala Orchids, which sold 
at prices varying from £1 to £7 15s., this highest sum 
being given for a very fine plant of Barkeria spectakilis. 
It is proved, by every year’s experience, that a collection 
of anything that can be systematically arranged, or that 
may illustrate any branch of either science or literature, 
is certain to attain a value far above the intrinsic value 
of the things so collected. One example is within our 
memory, of a lady who collected impressions of the 
seals of the nobles and gentry of the British dominions, 
arranging them in counties. She obtained some thou¬ 
sands of the impressions, and her collection sold for 
more than one hundred pounds. Another collection, 
but of Birds Eggs, has just been sold at auction, by 
Mr. Stevens, and is another illustration of the value 
that may be thus created. This collection was formed 
by T. II. Potts, Esq , of Kingswood Lodge, Croydon, 
and amounted, we should think, to about seven hundred 
eggs. The price these fetched was nearly £120. Our 
readers have been astonished that those egg-layers, the 
Shanghae fowls, have realised as much as £42 for one 
bird ; but this is as nothing, as compared to two results 
at this sale, for two egg-shells were sold, the one for £30, 
and the other £29 ! These gold producing egg-shells 
were the produce of the Great Auk, better known 
as the Penguin (Alca impennis). As a. British bird, 
it is of extreme rarity; “not more than ten indi¬ 
viduals having occurred in our seas. One was seen off 
Fair Isle, in June 1798, and a pair, bred in Papa Westra, 
for several years. Various authors state that the egg is 
1 about five inches long, and nearly three in breadth; 
pear-shaped, like that of the common Guillemot; i 
yellowish white, with numerous irregular lines and 
blotches of brownish black.” (MacgilUtray's British 
Birds, v. 3(51.) 
We are informed by Mr. Ivirkconel, bookseller, Work¬ 
ington, that a Shanghae pullet’in that neighbourhood 
laid a double-yolked egg, which has given birth to two 
chickens. Writing to us on the 20th of May, he says: 
—“ They are yet healthy and live-like. From present 
appearances I fancy them to be a male and female; one 
being larger and of a darker shade than the other.” We 
never heard before of two chicks living when produced 
from one egg; and if they attain to cock and hen-hood, 
we should like to know if the hen proves fertile. 
GLEANINGS. 
Chemistry of Agriculture. —Many of our readers 
will remember the ridicule with which the late Earl of 
Dundonald was assailed for the opinions he entertained, 
and which he so ably maintained in his pamphlet, “ On 
the connection of Chemistry with Agriculture.” It is 
true that he was sustained by such authorities as La¬ 
voisier, Kirwan, and Henry, who pointed out, that “ a 
perfect state of the cidtivation of the soil would require 
a minute acquaintance with the nature and effects of 
the great variety of the external agents, that contribute 
to the nourishment of plants, or influence their state of 
health,” but then, Peter Pindar raised roars of laughter 
by ridicule such as that in which he argued, that if 
chemistry could achieve such wonders, 
“ Soon, very soon, may’st thou proclaim aloud, 
(Rare news for farmers) traps to catch a cloud— 
Quick on his prisoner Hob will lay his hands, 
And tap its watery belly for the lands.” 
Yet, if such contemners of science had lived until now 
they would have had to confess their own short-sighted¬ 
ness. They might have eluded such a confession, if 
Societies only and Colleges had retained the services of 
Professors of Agricultural Chemistry, for they would 
have argued that such Visionaries were well associated, 
but they could not have thus wriggled from such a fact 
as this:— 
“A society has been formed at Tamworth, comprising 
some of the most influential landed proprietors and leading 
agriculturists of the neighbourhood, for the purpose of en¬ 
gaging the services of an analytical chemist, who will be 
required to analyse manures, food for stock, and other 
produce grown upon the land, give lectures to the members, 
and render such other professional assistance as may be 
deemed advisable, with a view to a more regular and 
scientific application of the principles of chemistry to the 
cultivation of the soil.” 
Sale of Fat Cattle at the Marquis of London¬ 
derry’s Farm. —We learn, from the Durham Advertiser, 
that on Monday, May 2, this sale took place at the 
Pensher Colliery Farm, in the county of Durham. Mr. 
W. Wetlierell, the celebrated stock salesman, acted on ’ 
