277 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, February 5, 1861. 
break your Vines nicely, and also furnish you -with a little bottom heat for 
Beans, &c. A stage would be the best for Geraniums and plants of that 
sort. You might combine the advantages of both by having a pit for 
fermenting matter when desired, and a sparred table to set across it when 
you wished the plants to stand clear and on a dry bottom. 
Name of Fern (Alethea). —It is Lastrrea spinulosa. 
Names of Plants (D. Davies ).—Yours is Pultensea sub-umbellata. 
Neither of the parties you mention will undertake to plant flower-beds 
they never saw, nor will any one who has any regard for his gardening 
reputation. (An Old Subscriber ).—Your everlasting flower is Astelma 
eximium, formerly called Gnaphalium eximium. 
POULTRY AMD BEE-KEEPER’S CHRGMICLE. 
SITTINGS AT THIS SEASON. 
Although we have long advocated that not more than seven 
eggs be put under hens at this season of the year, yet seeing that al¬ 
most every yard is in arrear, and that in many places where at this 
season there are ordinarily chickens by the score there are none 
now, it is well to vary a little in order to make up for lost time, 
and to use such care as shall counterbalance adverse seasons. 
It is abo encouraging to know that of late years February has 
been more favourable to chickens than April. 
Instead of seven put eleven eggs under each of four hens ; 
failing four broody at the same time under two hens. Eggs 
never have been, and never will be, as productive in January as in 
May, and you may then fairly expect that half, or little more 
than half, will produce chickens. By sitting them at the same 
time, if four, from them you will have two full nests. If two, 
you will have one. As the chickens will be coming off at the 
same time, it is probable the four hens, from forty-four eggs, will 
not bring more than twenty-four chickens. Then give eight to each 
of three hens; if only sixteen or seventeen, divide them between 
two ; and so on in proportion, supplying the one that has lost her 
nest, in making up the others, with fresh eggs. 
It is easy on a bright sunny day, by holding the eggs against 
the light, and looking at them through the hand, held telescope 
fashion, to see whether they contain chickens or are addled. 
This may he safely practised at the end of ten days or a fortnight; 
and it is valuable inasmuch as it saves time—four or two nests 
being tested in this manner to complete three, two, or one, ac¬ 
cording to the fecundity of the eggs, and one of the hens thus 
deprived of her original eggs being put on fresh ones : thus, all 
the eggs may be fairly supposed to be productive, and three or 
four sitting hens do the work of five or six. Although these 
chickens will have to contend with long nights and chilly weather, 
yet this much is cheering—every day they live the weather gets 
warmer, and every night gets shorter. Nights must be shortened 
by feeding by candlelight twice, or it may be three times, after 
the hen is at roost in her rip ; and above all, reject that poor 
economy which denies to the hen her portion of the night meals. 
The chickens must be kept warm by nourishing food, but their 
growth will also depend much on the warmth and comfort of the 
hen. If her crop be full, she will settle quietly down, and emit 
warmth enough to nourish and comfort her brood; but if she is 
huugry and restless, she will allow no rest to her chickens, nor 
can she give them the heat they require. These precautions are 
the more necessary, because the chickens, if cared for as we have 
described, will grow fat, and it will be as much as the hen can do 
to cover them well through the night. 
MANAGEMENT OF POULTRY FOR USE. 
"We have twenty-five hens and four cocks. Three or four of the 
hens are old ones, and the remainder were hatched between the 
middle of April and middle of June last year; they are fed twice 
a-day on barley, and have the run of a small meadow, about one 
acre, which has been enclosed with wire to keep them within 
bounds. Some of the hens have very red combs, but as yet we 
have not had more than six eggs. 
We propose shutting up six of the finest pullets and a cock in 
a small run that we have, so as to breed from them for stock; 
and breed from the outsiders for table. The whole of the fowls 
are Grey Dorkings, and are very fine birds ; they were hatched 
from eggs supplied by Captain Hornby, at £2 2s. the sitting; 
| they are all in excellent health, have a clean comfortable hen¬ 
house, the run of the farmyard and meadow, and yet they will not 
lay. We do not intend exhibiting, but merely wish to supply the 
table, and have some nice birds to look at.—I gnroamus. 
[You may much improve your feeding by substituting three 
meals for two, and giving for the first and last ground food. If 
you wish to fatten a fowl, you must keep it constantly in a state of 
repletion, to induce sleep, warmth, comfort and thriving ; but if 
health and fertility be your object, three moderate meals will 
attain it better than two copious ones, and these should be 
just enough to satisfy hunger—no more is required. Tempera¬ 
ture will always have much to do in making fowls lay, but no 
warmth will make an old hen lay till the proper time of year, 
which is in February and March. Pullets lay earlier, but the 
first half of their laying should never be depended upon for stock. 
You may easily keep and breed from the number of fowls you 
mention on the space you have. If you shut up your best 
fowls, be careful to give them as much room as you can. We are 
not sure, if all your birds are, as you say, well-bred, that you 
will not do as well by letting all run together, by noting where 
the hens lay from which you particularly wish to breed, and 
sitting their eggs as nearly as you can—thus giving every chance 
to your stock. As you will never breed all good, even from 
good ones, and as it is necessary to have a large number to 
select perfect birds from, we would rather advise you to hatch 
i all together, to eat the faulty and indifferent, and to keep the 
best. Few things are more difficult than to breed all good fowls 
even from perfect parents, and nothing is easier than to please 
the eye where there is a large number to choose from. From 
your description, yours is just the place where the last may be 
easily done.] 
ULVERSTON POULTRY SHOW. 
The fifth annual Exhibition of poultry was held in the Yictoria 
Concert Hall, Ulverston, on Wednesday and Thursday last, and, 
we are glad to say, was an improvement on the four preceding 
it. When we take the late severe season into consideration, we 
think the management cannot be otherwise than highly gratified 
at having a more numerous entry than hitherto. That this 
Show, which is probably now second to no local show in the 
kingdom, is worthy encouragement there cannot be a doubt; 
and we are glad to find that the untiring exertionB of the Secre¬ 
taries and Committee have been crowned with success. To 
attain success and keep gaining ground in poultry exhibitions 
has been found a difficult matter to overcome. In some there 
has been a great falling off and others have been discontinued, 
whilst many can just exist, and few are in the ascendant. Amongst 
the last-named we are glad in being able to place Ulverston; 
and we have no fear of its continuing to gain ground whilst the 
same unanimity of feeling and the gratuitous services of an 
active working Committee, which are at present laying their 
shoulders to the wheel, continue together. As to the attention 
paid to the birds committed to their care, we can this year only 
endorse what we have said on former occasions—that it was all 
that could be desired, the birds were well led, kept in a cleanly 
state, and in a lofty and airy room. 
As regards the different classes, we can only say that in each 
very few inferior birds could be found; indeed, looking over the 
prize list, we think, will be a sufficient guarantee as to quality : 
and in which will be found the names of Messrs. Dixon, Moss, 
Archer, Ballance, Berwick, Brown, Teebay, Dawson, J. and J. 
Robinson, Fletcher, Grimshaw, Mrs. Seamons, Herr, Munn, 
Hindson, Miss Musgrove, Sainsbury, &c. 
I We think we ought not to omit to mention that the Secretaries 
l have not been unmindful of the call made by exhibitors to try 
to induce railway companies to convey the birds carriage free 
one way, the same as is done with cattle to agricultural (shows ; 
but, we regret, without effect. Wc trust, however, that others 
will do the same, and agitate the matter until we find this an 
accomplished fact. 
In several classes we noticed the marked effect the severe 
season has had upon many of the fowls, especially hens, which 
have not yet regained their wonted bloom, looking pale and 
somewhat sickly, and which marred considerably the appearance 
of some splendid pens. _ 
There were three pens of hybrids in the room, which attracted 
a good deal of attention. One a cross between the red Grouse 
and black Spanish, another between the wild Pheasant and 
Game Bantam, and the other between the wild Pheasant and 
laced Bantam. , . ,. ,, 
In concluding our remarks, we must not omit to notice tne 
neat embossed cards given as third prizes, and which have been 
advocated in The Cottage Gardeneb for some time. 
