May 23.] 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
117 
EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE. 
Cochtn-Chtxa Fowls. —When your notice of the Cochin- 
China Fowl appeared, many were the inquiries after this 
wonderful bird, and from the single answer given to those 
inquiries, it seemed as if Mr. Nolan, of Dublin, were the only 
person in the United Kingdom who had them to dispose of. 
I accordingly sent to him for some eggs, most of which 
proved rotten. This might probably be attributed to the 
distance they had to travel. Two of them, however, proved 
productive ; but the chickens were, and are, blacky with black 
lri/s. Probably there may he a cross of the Coch in-China in 
them, but from all i have learnt, they are not true. I have 
since obtained accurate information on the subject. The 
prices, too, of the London dealers are considerably less than 
Mr. Nolan’s; indeed, a neighbour of mine bought a Parking 
cock of a celebrated London poulterer, for 12s. Mr. Nolan’s 
price is 25s. I told Mr. Nolan of my disappointment, and 
he has ottered to make me reparation.—1>. T. K. 
[Regret that our correspondent has been disappointed, is 
all, unfortunately, we can offer him. Our columns are open 
to any dealer wlio chooses to advertise in them. When we 
wish for any particular breed of fowl, we. buy full grown 
specimens, because we know how impossible it is for any 
dealer to be certain that no cross-breeding has impregnated 
the egg.—E d. C. G.] 
Calendatuat, Index. —From circumstances, I have had 
leisure to study The Cottage Gardener more thoroughly 
than most of your readers are likely to have done, and I 
have found it almost essential to the using it as a manual, 
to combine the index and the monthly calendar; at least, in 
the case of all those plants in which I was particularly in¬ 
terested. I enclose a specimen sheet of the memorandum 
book that has been the result. Do you think the publication 
of such a companion to your three first volumes, with space 
left for continuing it for future volume's, or for adding manu¬ 
script references at the discretion of the user, would be suffi¬ 
ciently profitable to entail no risk of loss at any rate ? The 
volume might he used also as a reference to other works, by 
adding a column for miscellaneous references. Of course 
my book does not profess to be a complete index; indeed, it 
would lose some of its portable value were it ho ; the object 
being that each individual should select those portions of 
the work best suited to his taste or needs, without losing- 
time in referring to the whole mass of information on any 
given subject, 
OCTOBER. 
Vol. 1. 
Vol. 2. 
Vol. 3. Vol. 4. 
Vol. 5. 
Vol. 6. 
Geraniums. 
152 
288 
Scarlet ditto .... 
234 
80 
Bulbs planting.. 
34 
1/ 
A Lover of Flowers from Childhood. 
[This is an exceedingly useful suggestion, and we recom¬ 
mend its adoption by our readers. A book, with a page tor 
each month, and ruled as above, would enable them easily 
to make a calendarial index for such plants as they especially 
regard. To publish such an index we fear would not meet 
with a demand sufficiently extensive to cover the expense, 
but we will not lose sight of the suggestion,— Ed. C. G.] 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
*** We request that no one will write to the departmental writers of 
ruE Cottage Gaedener. It gives them unjustifiable trouble and 
vpense ; and we also request our coadjutors under no circumstances to 
■eply to such private communications. 
Toe Cottage Gardeners’ Dictionary (Kensal Green ).—Our 
rorrespondent after stating his disappointments owing to his having no 
pride, adds: 
“ I see a remedy, if the proposed Cottage Gardeners’ Dictionary is 
carried out properly. The name of every plant should be given ; 
its height and colour ; its mode of propagation ; if transplantable, and 
the best mode of doing so j nature of soil, &c.; for, in fact, editors should 
remember that they have ignorance to inform. You would smile at the 
odd mistakes 1 have made. To he sure knowledge is gained by errors, 
hut then time is lost.” 
We can assure our correspondent that the work in question is intended 
to meet eases similar to his, and we think it will contain information on 
all the points he mentions. 
Decayed Cow-dung (E. L. T.). —This desirable ingredient for many 
potted plants, must be prepared by yourself—though for immediate use 
you might obtain a little from some florist near to you. To prepare cow- 
dung properly, it should he gathered from a pasture piled into a heap 
under a shed, and be allowed to remain there undisturbed for two years, 
by which time it will be reduced in appearance to the state of a rich 
crumbly peat. 
Sand (Ibid). —Next to silver sand, the fine drift sand in rivers is the 
best for potting purposes. Do you require Cyclamens for your borders, 
or for greenhouse culture ? 
Cape Jasmine Cuttings (B ———k - B.).— Now, and in June, is 
a good time for planting these. Select young shoots for the purpose that 
have no bloom upon them. Though this shrub ( Gardenia rudicuns ) may 
grow in the open air against a wall without any other protection, as you 
say it does, in the south west of Ireland, we are of opinion that it will not 
bear similar treatment in any part of Lincolnshire. 
Exchange of Eggs. —Mr. Henry Carter, Carleton-road, near Attle- 
burgh, Norfolk, wishes to exchange a sitting of fifteen Dorking fowl’s eggs 
for a few eggs of the Cochin-China fowl. 
Lime and Stable Manure ( C. B. C.).— These should not be ap¬ 
plied at the same time as a dressing to your kitchen-garden. The lime 
decomposes the ammoniacai salts of the manure, and sets free their 
ammonia. Gypsum in combination with the manure would be better, for 
the gypsum combines with, or ‘-fixes, ” the ammonia. 
Strawberry Forcing (John Roberts). —It is quite impossible for us 
to say why you fail, unless we knew how you manage the plants. Read 
Mr. Errington’s rules at pages 138 and 306 of our last volume, and if you 
follow them strictly you will not fail. We cannot write private letters. 
Anemones done Flowering ( Isabella , Tottenham). —V ou have a nice 
bed of anemones just gone out of flower. As some of them are double, 
we advise you by all means to take up the roots and gently dry them ; 
that is, dry them in a cool room where the sunshine will not reach them. 
Prepare a bed of fresh, rich, light sandy soil sometime between now and 
August; about the middle of that month replant them. And with this 
treatment we think they must succeed. Sow seed, too, for fear of a 
failure, 
JEschynantiius Parasiticus (A. B., Camden Town). —You ask for 
the treatment necessary for this plant. It thrives best in a stove, but will 
do tolerably well in a warm greenhouse. It will grow in a pot trained to 
a trellis. The soil it requires is rather light and coarse, and should he 
well drained. It will also do well tied with wire to a long round block of 
wood covered with moss. See Mr. Appleby’s remarks on the tribe in this 
week’s paper. 
Creepers for North W-all (Clericus) .—A north wall is a bad aspect 
for any creeper except ivy. You may try the following, hut first drain 
the border well with brick rubbish. It is the cold wet earth that injures 
any plants on the north side of a wall, especially if shaded with shrubs : 
Ampelopsis hederaceu (Virginian creeper). Clematis vitalba (Traveller’s 
Joy), C. Montana (Mountain Virgin’s Bower), Rubus alba pleno (Double- 
flowered Bramble). If you are not near a smoky atmosphere, you might 
plant some camellias in your drained border. Behind a north wall is the 
only place where camellias will flourish in this country. 
Softening Water (X. X.).-~For use with tea, &c., we know of no¬ 
thing better than as much of powdered carbonate of potash as can be 
taken up with the point of a penknife, put into the tea-pot before pouring 
the water upon the tea. 
Liquid Manure (A Young Beginner ).—Why do you not refer to our 
indexes. Guano is better for the purpose than sulphate of ammonia 
made by adding oil of vitriol to gas ammoniacai liquor, though both are 
good fertilisers. If the guano is very strong, two ounces to a gallon of 
water is enough; of ordinary guano three or four ounces will not be too 
much. The London Manure Company, 41, Bridge-street, Blackfriars. 
Weight of Duck’s Eggs (Elizabeth).—One correspondent says that 
the Aylesbury duck’s eggs usually weigh three ounces. She says that she 
finds this duck a good sitter and a good mother. They are pure white, 
without a single coloured feather. You will find drawings and descrip¬ 
tions of it, and of the Spanish fowl, in our last volume. Eggs not hatch¬ 
ing, but having half-formed chickens in them, were chilled probably at 
the time when the formation ceased. The exhibition of domestic poultry 
at the Zoological Gardens is not annual we think. 
Apples in Tarts (Begcolium). —The best of baking apples still retain 
after baking the shape of the slices, but are so soft as to unite into a pulp 
with the least pressure. The shavings for bonnet making are made from 
the Lime or Linden tree. 
Himalayah Pumpkin Seed (J. Hampson). — We have not enough 
to send even one seed to all applicants. We cannot do as you wish. 
Insects on Roses (Rosa). —The caterpillars curled up in your rose- 
tree leaves can only he destroyed by hand-picking; and ‘ the small green 
insect, about the size of a pin’s head,” is the green fly, or Rose aphis, of 
which see more in our first page to-day; tobacco-smoke is the best 
