50(5 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
September 29. 
colour; and I suppose that those mentioned by Mr. Saunders 
are the most permanent. We had long been aware, however, 
that the scarlet and higher tints in Gladioli are but too apt 
to disappear in cross seedlings; and that our climate is less 
favourable to produce the higher colours; and that tallies 
with Mr. Saunders’ experience in Sparaxis; hut versicolor 
and bulbifera are certainly not the parents of tricolor , which 
is a Cape plant, which I have often received from thence; 
and I could always point it out from any other, in the dry 
state, from the white silky coats. All this breed are very 
liable to rot in pots unless they are well-covered in white 
sand, and shaken out of the soil the moment the leaves die 
down. I never could manage them well but in sandy peat 
when I had them in pots; but if they are grown in a frame, 
a light rich compost of sandy loam one-half or more, the 
rest peat and very rotten dung, or leaf-mould, suits them 
better, but the rotten dung must he at the bottom where the 
roots do not reach until the leaves are full-grown ; the bed 
for them, and for all the smaller Ixias and allied bulbs, 
ought to be at least ten inches deep, and the bulbs to be 
covered no more than half-an-inch. The bulbs ought to be 
left in the bed during the rest of the season, though not in 
pots, and not to be disturbed as long as they flower well; 
the glass should be left over them while at rest with a little 
air at back and front; and every autumn, say early in 
September, the surface of the bod ought to be carefully 
scraped off down to the sand over the bulbs, and a fresh 
compost put on, then a good drenching of water that would 
saturate the bed through and through, which is not easily 
done without three or four applications. From the time of 
this watering, early in September, until the frost comes, the 
glass should be left off day and night that the bulbs may 
sprout without stimulus. It is of great consequence to get 
Irids in general, as well as Amaryllids, to move as early in 
the autumn as we can manage to do so ; but we must not 
resort to any kind of forcing beyond soft warm water from a 
shallow pond. 
There is no plant that requires to have the roots in 
advance of the top so much as a bulb, or suffers more from 
encouraging a leafy top to be in advance of the roots. When 
the world is wise enough to understand the benefits of a 
mild, uniform, bottom-heat of from five to ten degrees 
above the heat of the air at the same time, a system of 
underground pipes will be devised for the starting and 
steady autumnal growth of all the best winter growing 
bulbs.—D. B.] 
GOLD FISH. 
Observing a communication in a late number of The 
Cottage Gardener on the subject of Gold Fish, I beg to 
state, for the benefit of those who may be desirous of 
keeping these pretty creatures, that they will live for months 
in a glass bowl, if regularly supplied with water, in which 
I suppose they find numerous animalcula;, invisible to us, 
but sufficient for their subsistence. They will, however, 
grow to a much larger size if in a pond or tank, and fed 
with bread crumbs, and small worms ; indeed, they will eat 
almost anything, and will become exceedingly tame, so much 
so as to take their food from your hand quite fearlessly. 
Some years since, when in the India Service, I travelled 
over that interesting ridge of hills, like your correspondent, 
but was equally unfortunate with himself in being able to 
reach the Lake from which these fish were originally pro¬ 
cured. Though now very plentiful in China, and sometimes 
of a large size, they are never used as an article of food. 
It is considered, indeed, quite sacrilegious to do so, as they 
are supposed to be the favourite food of their God Bhudda 
Bhudda, and any person selling them for that purpose in 
the street would be severely bastinadoed by their Tom fou, 
of Chinese police. T. R., Dover Road. 
BURY ST. EDMUND’S AND WEST SUFFOLK 
POULTRY SHOW. 
The first show of this Society, in connection with the 
Bury Horticultural Society, was held in the Abbey Grounds 
and Botanic Garden, on the 13th, 14th, and loth, when 
upwards of six hundred pens were occupied by choice speci¬ 
mens of poultry and pigeons. The weather was fine, and 
the attendance very large. The accommodations, both for 
visitors and poultry, were remarkably good, and much credit 
is due to the committee for their indefatigable exertions, 
and for which they received the individual thanks of many 
of the principal exhibitors. 
The birds shown were fine. The Shanghaes, selected from 
the yards of some of the first amateur breeders in the king- j 
dom, occupied 193 pens. The Geese and Ducks were also 1 
remarkably fine, and attracted great attention; perhaps their 
accommodation was not equal to that of their gallinaceous , 
competitors, but this the committee will obviate another year. | 
Every bird ivas put into the basket of its owner on the even¬ 
ing of the dag the Show closed, and those going bg rail all sent 
off. 
Judges: —John W. Nutt, Esq., London, late of York; 
J. H. Catling, Esq., King Street, Portman Square, London. 
Class I.—SHANGHAE, CINNAMON AND BUFF. 
6. First prize, Fairlie, J., Chevelcy Park, Newmarket. Age, two-and- 1 
a-half years. 7- Second prize, Fairlie, J., Chevelcy. Age, two-and-a- 
half years. 
Class II.—SHANGHAE CHICKENS, CINNAMON AND BUFF. 
104. First prize, Eason, John, 14, Lowtlier Arcade. Age, seven months. 
108. Second prizes, Gilbert, H., 17, Upper Philliinore Place, Ken¬ 
sington. Age six months. 45. Fairlie, J., Chevelcy Park. Age, six months. 
Highly Commended— 54. Punchard, C. Age, six months. 82. Fairlie, 
J. Age, six months. 105. Eason, John. 109. Gilbert, H., Kensington. 
Age, six months. 38. Sutton, F., Bury. Age, six-and-a-half to seven 
months. Highly commended for hens; cock deformed. 
(This class highly meritorious.) 
Class III.—SHANGHAE, BROWN & PARTRIDGE-FEATI-IERED. 
3. First prize, Fairlie, J. Age, two-and-a-half years. 5. Second prize, 
Punchard, C. Exceeding one year. 
Class IV.—SHANGHAE CHICKENS, BROWN AND PARTRIDGE- 
FEATHERED. 
8. First prize, Fairlie, J. Age, five months. 7. Second prize, Fairlie, 
J. Age, six months. 17. Highly commended, Hall, J., Haverhill. Age, 
four months. 
Class V.—SHANGHAE—WHITE. 
1. First prize, Fairlie, J. Age twenty months. 2. Second prize, 
Reynolds, W. C., Yarmouth. Above one year. 
Class VI.—SHANGHAE CHICKENS—WHITE. 
13. First prize, Fairhead, T. B., Cressing. Age, six months. 1, Second 
prize, Rawson, C. Hatched April 30, 1853. 
Class VII.—SHANGHAE—BLACK. 
1. First prize, Fox, P. II., London. Ages various. 2. Second prize, 
Fairlie, J. Age twenty months. 
Class VIII.—SHANGHAE CHICKENS—BLACK. 
3. First prize, Fairlie, J. Age, six months. 7. Second prize, Preston, 
E. H. L., Yarmouth. Hatched April 26 . 
Class IX,—DORKING-COLOURED. 
5. First prize, Astlcy, Hon. Mrs. Age, two years. 8. Second prize, 
Fairlie, J. Age, two years. 
Class X.—DORKING CHICKENS-COLOURED. 
13. First prize, Potts, T., Kingswood Lodge, Croydon. Age, three 
weeks. 11. Second prize, Gurdon, Rev. P., Cranworth Rectory, Sliip- 
dham. Age, six months. 
Class XII.—DORKING CHICKENS—WHITE. 
2. First prize, Benyon, Rev. E. R., Culford Hall. Age, four months. 
Class XIII.—SPANISH. 
2. First prize, Fox, T. II., 44, Skinner-street, London. Age, various. 
3. Second prize, Fox, T. II., 44, Skiuuer-strect, London. Age, various. 
Class XIV.—SPANISH CHICKENS. 
2. First prize, Cooke, C., Rushford, Thetford. Age, eighteen weeks. 
1. Second prize, Rawson, C. Hatched April, 1853. 
Class XV.—MALAY. 
5. First prize, Olle, F., Bury St. Edmund’s. Age, sixteen months. 
6. Second prize, Crick, W., 23, Warner-place, South Hackney-road, 
London. Age, eighteen months. 
Class XVI.—MALAY CHICKENS. 
1. First prize, Crick, W., 23, Warner-place, South Hackney-road, 
London. Age, fourteen months. 
Class XVII.—GAME FOWL. 
2. First prize, Monsey, J., Norwich. Age, twelve months. 4. Second 
prize, Ellis, G., Bury St. Edmund’s. 
Class XVIII.—GAME CHICKENS. 
3. First prize, Ellis, G., Bury. Hatched April, 1853. 2. Second 
prize, Ellis, G., Bury St. Edmund’s. Hatched April, 1853. 
