317 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Eebecjaey 16, 1858. 
to strong rambling Verbenas ; that is, to be trained down to the surface 
of the bed, and when the shoots reach the sides, to train them back 
over themselves, and to keep the bed thin of leaves. There are many 
more varieties of this breed tit for beds, and many other varieties which 
are not fit for bedding: therefore, unless the elegans you buy can be 
warranted to be the same as the elegans at the Crystal Palace, you may 
be deceived. Elegans is a favourite name with florists: and if ten 
florists had, each of them, named one of his seedlings elegans in one 
season, who should have the priority ? And what if only one kind out 
of the ten kinds was a bedder ? Why, that the bedding elegans should 
only be bedded, of course ; and the nine other elegans must go to the 
walls and to pillars for support. Last summer we had two Brilliants 
in the seedlings of the former season—one from Dalmeney Park, near 
Edinburgh; ajid one from Mr. Salter, of the Versailles Nursery, near 
London. The latter was catalogued in the London Nurseries before 
the Scotch seedling reached England : therefore Salter’s Brilliant 
is the lawful possessor of our admiration. It is a most beautiful 
thing in the autumn ; but it is a great “ runner,” and would need to 
be cramped in pots and in half sand to make a bedder of it. 
Camellias in a Drawing-boom (Alice). — A drawing-room is about 
the worst room in her Majesty’s dominions for a Camellia to be in 
when it is in blossom, or in blossom bud. The Camellia is an “ ever¬ 
green,” and the roots of evergreens are not so active, or so excitable, 
as the roots of other plants; therefore, when an evergreen is kept in 
a warm, comfortable room, the dry, warm air in the room excites 
the plant, or the leaves, flowers, and buds of the plant, faster than is 
natural for the roots. The roots might, therefore, be immersed in 
water, and yet the plant w r ant for water at the same tune. It is, conse¬ 
quently, essential that bloomingVamellias, in warm living rooms, should 
be constantly and abundantly supplied with water all the time ; and 
they stand in need of rest and refreshment as much and as often as the 
other inhabitants of drawing-rooms, who may be exercised beyond 
their powers at routs, balls, and all the rest of gaieties. The way to 
rest a Camellia in bloom is to put it for so many hours in a much 
cooler room than a drawing-room; and the way to refresh it is to allow 
it to breathe the cool night air as long as it is above the freezing point, 
and not in a “draught.” Not that frosty air in motion is hurtful to 
the Camellia itself, but that the delicacy of the flowers cannot hold up 
against it with impunity. The Queen goes early to bed all the year 
round, and all the best of our families do the same ; but those who 
cannot sleep “awink” if they retire early to rest, and who keep 
blooming Camellias in the drawing-room, ought to ring every night 
about half-past ten to have the Camellias taken to “ their own room,” 
where they should rest, and be refreshed till the drawing-room w T as 
“ dusted, and put to rights,” the next day. With that attention, no 
inmate of the drawing-room will look more fair, or free and cheerful, 
than the Camellia. As to the growth or keeping green of the Verbenas 
without roots, w T hy, there was nothing to hinder them from keeping 
alive, and in good looks, for so many weeks. Any green thing from a 
hedge, or road side, would have kept green under the circumstances. 
The Christmas Holly is still quite green in some parts of our church. 
Hollyhock anb Auricula Seeds (A Lover of Flowers).— Sow them 
early in March. The seedlings will not bloom until next year. 
Insects (Mount Heaton ).—It is a Coccus, or Scale Insect. A brush¬ 
ing over with soft soap, sulphur, and water, will kill it. Ants are the 
great friends of the plant grower. They kill aphides, &c. 
POULTRY SHOWS. 
February 16th, 17th, and 18tli. Wellington, Salop. Sec., Mr. T. W. 
Jones, Church Street, Wellington, Salop. Entries close Feb. 8th. 
February 22nd and 23rd. South-East Hants. Sec., Mr. James 
James, Fareham. Entries close February 10th. 
February 25th, 26th, and 27th. Hereford. Sec,, Mr. Thomas Birch, 
Hereford. 
June 2nd, 3rd, and 4tli. Bath and West of England. Sec., Mr. 
John Kingsbury, Hammet Street, Taunton. 
N.B.— Secretaries will oblige us by sending early copies of their lists. 
POULTRY EXHIBITION AT PRESTON, 
LANCASHIRE. 
(From another Reporter.) 
We have great pleasure in recording the complete success of 
this, the third Meeting, of the Preston Society. The exertions 
of the Committee have been of the most painstaking and un¬ 
wearied description; and the arrangements generally were far 
superior to those of the two previous years. 
The interior improvements of the Corn Exchange would 
now very readily accommodate (with a full participation of 
good light) at least two thousand pens; and, perhaps, there 
is not another building in the kingdom where so few dark 
positions militate against the equal success of all competitors. 
A gallery, each side of which is about fifty yards long, has 
been recently opened around the building ; affording not only 
additional accommodation to the poultry, but the advantages 
of quite an extensive promenade to the visitors likewise. The 
general appearance of the Exlnbition was, therefore, of the 
highest character; and the only improvement that imme¬ 
diately suggested itself to our minds was to place (for the 
future) all the pens of each particular class on the same level, 
as conducive to general satisfaction to exhibitors ; and, cer¬ 
tainly, offering by far the best opportunity for relative in¬ 
spection of closely-competing specimens. 
Preston, notorious as it has been hitherto for its plate 
premiums, has this year adopted a suggestion which appeared 
in our columns some time since, from the pen of Mr. Hewitt, 
of Birmingham, that now proved itself entirely satisfactory, 
viz., to leave the selection of the article obtained to the 
pleasure of the whiner entitled to receive it. It is likewise but 
common justice to the member of the Committee providing 
the plate (Mr. Wm. Taite) to say, that for variety and really 
intrinsic value, the plate offered for selection left nothing 
to be desired. Teapots, fish-knives, salts, cream-ewers, sugar- 
basons, toast-racks, sugar-tongs, and a great variety of other 
equally useful articles, being here offered to suit the wants of 
the successful, in lieu of the old conventional “ silver cups j” 
that, to a frequent winner, offered but a very limited amount 
of actual utility. 
We will now take a very cursory glance through the respec¬ 
tive classes, as they appeared on the prize list. Game Cocks 
stand first; and if first-rate quality throughout entitles any 
particular variety to this proud pre-eminence, they richly 
deserved their position. Any casual observer would, in walk¬ 
ing along this tier of pens, be quite bewildered if asked to say, 
“which was the best.” All colours, all ages, in continuous 
“ tip-top condition ” met the eye on every side; and, no doubt 
can possibly exist, that this class, at Preston, very far exceeded 
any such at previous Exhibitions elsewhere; in proof, even 
the Single Game Cock, lately exultant at Liverpool in the 
attainment of a £40 first premium, here had to bow the head 
to a trio of his betters, and was thus compelled to take a fourth 
position. It will be long before the public can meet with so 
perfect a treat of symmetry and general excellence; and 
decidedly the first prize cock on this occasion, left very little 
else to desire in the beau ideal of a Game Cock. It was 
frequently remarked by visitors, whose interest and practice 
led them to the Game fancy, that the bulk of the unsuccessful 
ones would have maintained position at the generality of 
Poultry Exhibitions. The principal prize fell to the lot of 
Gilbert Moss, Esq., of Liverpool, and deservedly*. 
In single Spanish Cocks, the majority were excellent; but 
“lop-combs” totally, or in part, told fearfully to the disad¬ 
vantage of many an expectant one. We have rarely seen so 
good a collection as to whiteness and extent of “faces.” The 
Dorking Cocks were weighty specimens; the general condi¬ 
tion, however, not especially commendable. The Cockin' China 
Cocks were good, and most colours were well represented. 
The Brahma Cocks were also superior. In Pencilled Ham ■ 
burghs , the cock exhibited by Mr. Wm. Worrall, proved not 
only successful, but (from remembrance) one of the most 
perfect specimens we have hitherto met with. The “ con¬ 
dition” of most of the birds here left nothing desirable. In 
Spangled Hamburghs, the latter trait of character was sadly 
wanting; and no doubt exists on our minds, that too fre¬ 
quently repeated Exhibition tells most unfavourably on the 
Hamburghs generally, perhaps even more so than on most 
varieties. The Polands were a good class. A case of “ dyeing 
the tails ” occurred here ; and, on detection, lost the owner a 
premium. 
Spanish (in trios) were a glory to the Preston Exhibition 
all through these extensive classes, few indifferent birds were 
present; but, of the winners, both chickens and old birds, it 
is almost impossible to speak too highly. Had not the pro¬ 
hibitory figure of £100 each pen been placed, as a retainer, on 
these birds, the probability is, they never would have again 
graced the yard of W. Brundrit, Esq., of Runcorn. They 
were one of the most interesting classes in the Show. 
In Coloured Dorkings, the time-proved excellence of Capt. 
Hornby’s stock led the way in both the old and the chickens : 
never were fowls shown in better condition in all respects than 
they. The White Dorkings , on the contrary, were not deserv¬ 
ing of praise, being generally faulty. The Cochin classes held 
many wonderfully good specimens; but the matching as to 
colour of many of them was open to much exception. The 
Brahma classes, both dark and also fight buds, were unusually 
good, and elicited the warm approval of their admirers. In 
Hamburghs , the Golden-pencilled, and Golden-spangled, were 
