THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, July 19, 1859. 
233 
you 3houlil gather for your frieiul in New Zealand, for we do not know hi* 
object. Grass seeds, tree seeds, or flower seeds t 
Oxygen in Aquarium Water.—“ A Subscriber to The Cottage Gar¬ 
dener would be glad to know, why in a salt-water aquarium the air, which 
the sea-weeds give out, comes up to the top in bubbles, while in a fresh¬ 
water aquarium it appears to be absorbed in the water?” [Water always 
is capable of absorbing oxygen in proportion to its purity. The more 
saline the water, the less oxygen can it absorb.] 
Ff.rn Stores (A Beginner). —We do not know of any one from whom 
you can purchase these. 
Names op Plants (/, P., Boroiighbrictge).—The plant, from which you 
have sent us leaves and bits of shoots, is the Mock Orange, or the Cucum¬ 
ber tree, as the people call it in Wiltshire, on account of its leaves smelling 
something like a Cucumber. We cannot be quite certain which of the 
species it is from the specimen sent, but we have very little doubt that it 
is the common one, Philadelphus coronarius, which" is commonly called 
Syringa. (H. S.). —We believe your Pink to be Dianthus dettoides, or the 
Maiden Pink. This, like all other Pinks, can be readily increased by 
cuttings at the present time, or by division of its stems at any season. 
Little rooted side-shoots are always to be found in these kinds of plants, 
and may be taken off at any time.' These pretty little Pinks are very suit¬ 
able plants for a rockery ; but every two or three years should be taken up, 
replanted, and divided. There is a white variety of this which is very 
pretty, and is called Glauca. (Jt. F. S .).—We cannot make out the name 
from the single flower and two leaves. Send another specimen in damp 
moss. 
POULTRY AND BEE-KEEPER’S CHRONICLE. 
POULTRY SHOWS. 
■fuLT 21st. Prescot. Sec., Mr. James Beesley, Prescot. 
August 10th. Ormskirk and Southport. Sec., Mr. James Spencer, 
Ormskirk. Entries close the 22nd of July. 
August 19th and 20th. Bradford. Secs., Mr. A. Ilardy, Bowling Old 
Lane, Bradford, and Mr. F.. Blackbrough, Black Bull Inn, Ive Gate, 
Bradford. Entries close August 12th. 
August 25th, 26th, and 27th. Macclesfield. Sec., Mr. W. Eoe. Entries 
close August 10th. 
August 27th. Halifax. Sec., William Irvine, Holmfleld, Ovenden, near 
Halifax. 
August 29th, 30th,31st, and September 1st. Crystal Palace. Poultry, 
Pigeons, and Babbits. Sec., William Houghton. Entries close Saturday, 
July 30th. 
September 22nd. Bridgnorth. Sec., Richard Taylor, Bridgnorth. 
October 11th, 12th, and 13th. Worcestershire. Sec., Geo. Griffiths, 
7, St. Switliin Street, Worcester. 
November 28th, 29th, and 30th, and December 1st. Birmingham. Sec., 
Mr. J. Morgan, BingleyHall, Birmingham. 
N.B.— Secretaries will oblige us by sending early copies of their lists. 
APPROACHING POULTRY SHOWS. 
If any opinion may be formed from tlie shows that have 
already taken place, it is fair to believe that these popular 
meetings are likely to be very well supported during the present 
year. All, hitherto, have been successful, and the entries have 
been numerous. The quality of the birds has left nothing to 
desire; and exhibitors have shown they fully understand how to 
match and send them. But, as from some cause or other, in¬ 
tending exhibitors are very often too late in making their entries, 
we believe we are only doing our duty in reminding our readers 
that the entries for the Crystal Palace and Worcester should 
now he made. There is ample time for the latter; but the 
entries for tlie Crystal Palace close on the 30th of the present 
month. There are many reasons why this Exhibition should 
he well supported. It offers a liberal prize list. The birds are 
always punctually returned, and all payments are made at once. 
This is the Metropolitan Show; and Londoners can invite their 
friends into Fairy Land to enter into competition with them, 
and to enjoy whatever their tastes may lead them to. Flowers, 
music, statues, antiquities, and a Poultry Show ! We fancy on, 
this subject we could be as eloquent as cheap John at a fair ’ 
and after getting out of breath in enumerating all the delights 
and charms of a day, wind up by saying, “ and all this for a 
shilling 1” We always think this is the Show for Paterfamilias. 
There is not a family without one lover of animals in it, and 
there is no other Poultry Show where a day can be spent as a 
holiday by children. The season has been favourable for early 
chickens, and we hope that many breeders will test the merits 
of their chickens at the Crystal Palace. 
We have also much to say for Worcester. There tlie Com¬ 
mittee are punctual in all things, and neither during nor after 
Lhe Show is there ever any “ hitch.” Such shows deserve all 
the support amateurs can. give them. These summer and 
rutumn competitions are very valuable to the public, inasmuch 
as they enable owners to form a just estimate of the merits of 
;beir birds. Every one knows that no real opinion can be 
formed except by comparison; and this can never he so well 
practised as at a show, where many of the same breed are side 
by side, and where the decisions are those of known Judges. 
As it is well to view a question in every aspect, we may also add 
these shows afford a good opportunity for disposing of stock. 
A good pen of chickens, even at a moderate price, will go far 
to pay the expenses of some weeks; and if the operation he 
repeated now and then, the poultry-yard will be not only a 
pleasure hut a profit. AYe knew a gentleman, and he is known 
to many of our readers, who exhibited for years. He attended 
all the principal shows, sent three or four pens, and he said 
that, independent of the treat, he always brought away £b 
beyond his expenses. This may he done by many. One great 
art is, to select the birds so that they shall be worthy of notice, 
in the way of commendation, by the Judges; and another, to 
put such birds together as shall be worth the price put upon 
them. 
If the instructions we have been giving, and the advice we 
have offered with regard to the weeding of the yard by killing 
worthless birds, have been followed, there will he none now 
that are not perfect in shape and colour, although, perhaps, not 
first-class birds. The knowledge that the strain is good and 
pure, that tlie birds are worth the money put on them, will 
always induce buyers; and a little attention to these things will 
cause certain strains to be looked for at Shows. There is no 
reason why a hobby should not he self-supporting, nor do we 
know why a profit should he refused or neglected. Vie hope 
the day is passed when poultry was thought beneath notice ; 
and we know that many amateurs, men of affluence, derive 
profit from it. It is the result and guerdon of attention. 
Whether it he in a pursuit or a hobby, a mind imbued with .a 
spirit of order cannot help making business of everything— 
that is, the rules of business are carried out, whether it be in 
the farm, the clothing club, cottager’s relief fund, or poultry- 
yard, all admit that poultry is indispensable to a country life 
and residence; and there are, perhaps, as many pleasures con¬ 
nected with it as with any of tlie numerous pursuits of a rural 
life. It is no small merit that we can add, without fear of con¬ 
tradiction from any one, that it is so innocent none can say a 
word to its prejudice: 
BRAHMA POOTRAS. 
The controversy in your columns on Brahmas interested me 
much; and acting on the advice “J. K. F.” gave “Alpha,” I 
obtained eggs from a good stock, and the result, as throwing a 
little light on the subject, I beg to hand you. 
One dozen eggs from Mr. Botham, Slough. Eleven chickens, 
one with single comb died tlie seventh week; reared the re¬ 
mainder. 
Four Pullets.— Two grey; fairish match. One inclining to 
a brown shade, and rather mottled. One very light plumage, 
slightly speckled legs, very few feathers, single comb. 
Six Cocks. —Three very light, slightly speckled; one with 
single comb. Three darker, mixed colours, much red on wing. 
You will observe by this that I had only two match birds, 
the plumage of the remainder being of a very unsettled character, 
and, I may add, very difficult to describe. Facts are stubborn 
things.— Henry Allen, Tottenham. 
ANOTHER WORD FOR MALAYS. 
I hate just re-commenced taking in your valuable weekly 
paper ; and in No. 561 was glad to find a communication from 
Mr. Hewitt, calling the attention of committees and amateurs to 
the comparatively disregarded merits of the “ Malays.” Time 
was when this valuable breed was amongst the foremost in the 
estimation of poultry fanciers ; but the introduction of the Cochin 
diverted public attention from them, and many who had pre¬ 
viously excelled in the former breed went eagerly and fully into 
the latter ; the result being that a decline took place in the number 
of persons who reared Malays, and, consequently, in the entries 
at exhibitions, and this has led some committees to decline giving 
them a separate class in their shows. Some, however, of the 
principal Societies, recognising the distinctive merits of this breed, 
have continued to place them on an equal footing with others; 
and wherever this has been done (though the prizes offered have 
been less in amount), a first-rate collection has been drawn 
together. I may allude to the Crystal Palace, Birmingham, Bath 
