261 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, January 29, 1861. 
tapering towards the point, and very much curved. They 
contain from nine to twelve Peas, which are very closely com¬ 
pressed, and are of the size of Early Frames. Even the small 
pods contain seven to nine Peas in each. Ripe seed white. 
•Sown February 19th; bloomed June lltli; slatted June 23rd, 
•and the pods were ready July 10th. 
1J- Shilling’s Grotto .Noble Cooper & Bolton. 
The plant is of a strong habit of growth, always with a single 
stem, to 5 feet high. The pods are generally single, but 
frequently in pairs, 3£ inches long, and about half an inch wide, 
and containing on an average about seven large Peas. The ripe 
seed is white. 
Sown February 19tli; the plants wore in bloom June 9th. 
The slats appeared on the 20th of June, and the pods were ready 
to gather July 10th. 
It is nearly twenty years since this Pea was introduced, and 
at that time it was a decided acquisition, being a great improve¬ 
ment on the second early varieties then in cultivation. Sinoe 
the introduction of Champion of England, Champion of Paris, 
Prize-taker, and several others to which it is certainly inferior, 
and which ripen at the same time, it may very well be dispensed 
|with. (To be continued.) 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Gazania splend'ens [J. H.). —It is raised from cuttings. Its parentage 
md alt we know about it were fully detailed in our columns a few weeks 
since. 
Cucumbers (A very Old Subscriber',. —For abundance of produce and 
moderate length, we should select Sion House Improved, Manchester Prize 
Improved, and Mills’ Jewess. 
Atmospheric Moisture ( Young Beginner). —Mr. Fish’s remarks on this 
subject are in our No. 587. 
Annual to Match Saponaria calahrica rosea {Amateur ).—There is 
ro annual, or, indeed, any bedding plant that will exactly match any 
of the varieties of Saponaria calabrica, of which rosea is our own peculiar 
favourite. Sanvitalia procumbeus comes the nearest to what you want, 
md the same treatment you give to Saponaria will do for the Sanvitalia, 
which is a yellow flower. By sowing both these hardy annuals at the end 
sf March, in a slight heat, and treating the seedlings exactly as the little 
blue Lobelias, you could have them in bloom a month earlier than if they 
were sown in the open air like Mignonette—that is, you would have them 
in early in June. The Saponaria calabrica rosea is excessively pretty, and 
there is a rosy variety of Eucharidium grandiflorum quite as gay, anil they 
;ome true from seeds. But the Eucharidiums, like Six-week Stocks, bloom 
inly for six or seven weeks according to the season. 
Lauiiustinus Branches Killed by the Frost {O. V .).—Do not cut 
them down until they begin to break again in the coming spring ; then cut 
ihem down quite to the surviving part. The offensive smell arising from 
Laurustinuses we think must be the usual consequence of vegetable matter 
-endered putrescent by being frost-bitten. The feetid smell from a bed of 
thawed Cabbageworts is a familiar example. 
British Grasses (IF. D. Paine). — You had better write to the 
Dublishers ; we do not know anything about the'r intentions. 
Name of Plant (Tivyside).— It is the Pileamuscosa. (If. C. B.).—' The 
eaf is that of Eryngium maritimum. Of this there seems no reason to 
inter tain any doubt; and therefore the description of the flowers must be 
m error. The flowers of E. maritimum are blue. 
POULTRY AND BEE-KEEPER’S CHRONICLE. 
POULTRY SHOWS. 
Ianuary 30th and 31st. Ulyerston. Secs., Mr. T. Robinson and Mr. J. 
Kitchen. Entries close January 19th. 
Iebruary 13th and 14th. Liverpool. (Poultry and Pigeons). Sec., Mr. 
A. Edmondson, 4, Dale Street. Entries close January 26. 
March 6th and 7th. Preston. Sec., Mr. II. P. Watson, Glover Street, 
Preston. 
March 13th and 14th. Plymouth. Sec., Mr. W. R. Elliott, 5, Windsor 
Villas. Entries close March 1. 
' Iune 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th. Bath and West of England. 
N.B.— Secretaries will oblige us by sending early copies of their lists. 
SPANISH FOWLS. 
Although much has been said and written about the points 
ind combs of Spanish fowls, yet the numerous queries we receive 
j isking for information on the latter point prove there is still 
oom for some remarks on them. 
Many years since (about twenty) most of the cocks had combs 
’ vhich fell over as much as those of the liens ; but it is a mis- 
ake to suppose they all did. There were then cocks with upright 
ombs, and so much was this point prized by the Dutch, from 
vhom they were all imported at that time, that many of the 
■i >irds had all the serrations of their combs removed, and the 
i iperation was so freely performed that not more than one-third 
k >f them was left, and that was trimmed in the shape of the horn 
lj J the Cassowary. 
j, There were then, as now, two sorts of falling combs—one, and 
bj far the oldest, was very thick at the base, and very large 
ajove. While the bird was almost a chicken, this became sore 
about half an inch from the base, the disease ate into the flesh 
tnl the comb fell over by its own weight. It then healed, and 
became firmly fixed down on the head. The other comb has in 
front what is called a thumb mark, being much such an indenta¬ 
tion as would be made by the thumb if pressed into any sub¬ 
stance that would retain the mark and form. This comb be¬ 
comes oblique, turns away from the front of the head, twists 
just over the beak, and turns over behind. There is no limit to 
the eccentricities of shape these last assume, and no bird having 
the thumb mark should be bred from, unless the same rules and 
precautions be adopted that are followed by some Spangled 
Hamburgh amateurs, who breed pullets from one strain and 
cocks from another. These thumb-marked birds throw beauti¬ 
ful pullets. The almost-universal prevalence of upright combs 
now proves that it is just as easy to breed them as it was to 
produce the awkward-looking birds we had formerly; and now 
while many are in doubt which of perhaps several excellent birds 
to take for stock, wo advise a moderate-sized comb, thick at 
bottom, well over the nostril, and perfectly upright. The serra¬ 
tions not too deep, and the points blunt instead of sharp. A 
comb cannot be too red, but we warn our readers against being 
led away by that which is called a “fine texture” being a per¬ 
fectly smooth and even skin. This is sure to fall in a greater or 
less degree; while the good, strong, but not coarse one, will not 
only keep upright itself, but will hand down the merit to its 
offspring. 
Lest, however, it should be thought that none but perfect 
combs will be bred from those we recommend, we must give 
our readers notice that some cock chickens will be hatched, spite 
of every precaution and painstaking, that will show defective 
combs—some crooked, some plainly lying flat on the head when 
they ai’e ten weeks old. We can only advise you to kill such at 
once. No more delicate chicken comes to tabic than a youmr 
Spanish. 
THE CHANGE IN THE WEATHER. 
If we in London find the luxury of a change in the weather, 
who have had but cold atmosphere and frozen pipes to complain 
of, what must be the rapture of those who have been snowed 
and frozen up in the country ? Gardeners growling, poultry- 
men complaining, grooms ill-tempered, and the master of the 
house, if he happens to be a hunting man, a caged lion, and 
wanting to sell all his horses. Just as each succeeding frost 
makes matters worse, so the first genial thaw begins putting all 
to rights. Our pets, those with which we have most to do—the 
poultry—are behind. In many yards there are not only no 
chickens, but there are few layers, and no broody hens. 
During the frost there has been no animal or insect life on 
the surface of the earth for them. Scratching has been im¬ 
possible, and they have had no natural and self-found food. 
It will be long before the earth affords all they require, and, 
therefore, they must have every possible advantage. In garden 
operations there is often a barrowload of earth or mould that 
has never been frozen, this will be a boon. All the places that 
could not be cleaned out while frozen are now rummaged, and 
the sweepings of all these should go to the fowls. The food 
should for the next fortnight be as generous as it has been 
during the frost. Do not wait for large nests, but sit your hens 
as soon as you have nine eggs. 
EFFECT OE FEEDING, ON THE COMB OF 
THE SPANISH COCK. 
Will you inform me if you think good feeding to Spanish 
fowls has* a tendency to cause the comb in the cocks to fall, or 
will low diet cause the comb to become weaker, and, con¬ 
sequently, to fall over ?— Cheshire. 
[Over-feeding has a tendency to make the comb of a Spanish 
fowl grow to an inordinate size, hut not to make it fall over. 
We this day publish a short paper on Spanish fowls, which may, 
perhaps, throw light on the subject. We should observe our 
opinion is, that feeding on meat is likely to cause a most undue 
development of comb, and although it may not fall over, yet it 
will be flaccid, and the points of the serrations will not be upright 
and firm.] 
