THE COT1AGE GABDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, August 2, 
1839. 
2(35 
the Arrowroot is produced, by pounding them in water and 
drying the precipitated farina in the sun. There are several 
beautiful varieties of orchidaceous plants upon the mountains; 
among others, several specie 3 of the Dendrobium. Its rich yellow 
flowers hang in clusters from a withered tree, the only sign of 
life upon a giant trunk decayed, like a wreath upon a grave. 
The scent of this flower is well known as most delicious ; one plant 
will perfume a large room. There is one variety of this tribe in 
the neighbourhood of Nevvera Elba, which is certainly unknown 
in English collections. It blossoms in April; the flowers are a 
bright lilac, and I could lay my hand upon it at any time, as I 
have never seen it but in one spot, where it flourishes in profusion. 
This is about fourteen miles from Newera Ellia ; and I have never 
yet collected a specimen, as I have invariably been out hunting 
whenever I have met with.it.— {Baker's Ceylon.) 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Asparagus Seedlings (£. R .).—Do not let them remain on the pro¬ 
ductive beds. Much better practice would be to remove them, it you 
require them, to a bed by themselves as soon as their stems fade, other¬ 
wise pull them up at once. They are robbers of the soil. Guano sprinkled 
on the haunts of the ants will drive them away. Want of water, or too 
much heat in the tan, or the roots of the Melon plants having penetrated 
the tan, may, one and all, be the causes of their shrivelling. 
Diseased Vine Leaves [B .).—They are mildewed. Dust them both 
above and below thickly with flowers of sulphur, and do not syringe them. 
Let the sulphur remain on. Give plenty of air, and water the roots of 
the Vines liberally. We should give them liquid manure once a-week. 
Aloe Leap Diseased {Sicect William).—It is ulcerated ; and this, pro¬ 
bably, originated in tbe leaf being scorched by the sun’s rays concentrated 
by a'knot in the glass. If this were not the case, then the roots do not 
supply sufficient sap to the leaves. Remove the old soil from the surface, 
and put in some fresh and more fertile soil. 
Mimulus [Annie ).—Wo do not know what kind of Mimulus you mean. 
There are many varieties of the M. luteus and the M. cardinalis, both of 
which are all but hardy herbaceous plants, and tbs luteus, and some of its 
varieties we have had self-sown in our cool borders, and flowering like 
common weeds. From these any number of pots might have been filled 
in the autumn, for winter protection either in a frame or greenhouse, 
where some of the better varietie; would produce an imposing effect. 
Seeds should be sown in pans or boxes ; anil as the seeds are so small, no 
eai til-covering should be given, but the soil kept properly moist, though not 
stagnant. The seeds soon vegetate ; and when tbe seedlings are sufficiently 
large enough, they should be transplanted into other pots or boxes, or 
out in tbe open cool borders. Young tops of any of the varieties will root 
freely at any time during the spring or summer months; or the plants 
may be divided at any time or season of the year. The plants sent were 
Rue and Rosemary. 
Name op Orciiid ( W. C.).—It is a variety of Catasetmn tridentatmn. 
Names op Plants (K. Wiltshire).—!. Funhia cmrulea. 2. Bieracium 
aurantiacum. 3. Bctonica incana. t. Tradescantia Virginica. 5. Vera- 
trum nigrum. G. Fhalaris arundinaeea, var. variegata, var. picta of 
Babbington, the Painted Grass, Ribbon Grass, or Gardener’s Garters. 
7. Lychnis chalcedonies. 8. Veronica Virginica. 9. Budbeckia digitata (?) 
10. Veronica, sp. uncertain. 11. Veronica media (?)_ 12. Spiraea lobata. 
13. Veronica incana. One of tbe best. 1-1. Cercis siliquastrum, the 
Judas tree. All good things. The Ituitbeckia is one of the tall growers, 
and the most worthless among them. 
POULTRY AND BEE-KEEPER’S CHRONICLE. 
POULTRY SHOWS. 
August 10th. Ormskirk and Southport. Sec., Mr. James Spencer, 
Ormskirk. Entries close the 22nd of July. 
August 19th and 20th. Bradford. Secs., Mr. A. Hardy, Bowling Old 
Lane, Bradford, and Mr. E. Blackbrough, Black Bull Inn, Ive Gate, 
Bradford. Entries close August 12th. 
August 23rd and 2-lth. Whitby. Sec., S. Burn, Esq., 1, East Teirace, 
Whitby. Entries close August 13th. 
August 25tli, 26th, and 27th. MaCclesfif.ld. Sec., Mr. W, Roe. Entries 
close August 10th. , , , 
August 27th. Halifax. Sec., William Irvine, Holmfield, Ovenden, near 
Halifax. „ _ _ 
Ac gust 29th, 30th, 31st, and September 1st. Crvstal Palace. Poultry, 
Pigeons, and Rabbits. 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. Swithin Street, Worcester. 
November 28th, 29th’, and 30th, and December l3t. Birmingham. Sec., 
Mr. J. Morgan, BingleyHaU, Birmingham. 
JUDGES. 
The office of Judge at a Poultry Show is hardly a desirable 
one. Sam Slick would say, “ human natur ” would not allow it 
to be. Losers cannot be as well contented as winners ; at least, 
many of them cannot. Put it is seldom there is the general 
dissatisfaction we sometimes hear mentioned. "We are not about 
to draw any fanciful picture; but we will sketch the truth, and 
many of our readers will, we think, agree with us. 
Say two or three gentlemen of unquestioned ability and honour 
undertake the office at a largo Show ; let the first class be what it 
will, Spanish or Dorking ; there are twenty-five entries, and the 
first prize is a noble one, worth fifteen guineas ;—so much tho 
worse for the Judges. Well, the prizes, four in number, are 
awarded. Eor some hours every one is satisfied. There has not 
been a doubt expressed. The feeling has been rather admiration 
at the knowledge that could decide where the merit was so nicely 
balanced than any desire to question. At last, there comes one 
of the unsuccessful winners—the taker of one of the lower 
prizes. He is met at the entrance by friends who chafe him 
somewhat by telling him how nearly he won the first prize, and 
how valuable it is. Not one of them expresses any doubt as to 
the merit of the decisions. But “ human natur ” is riled. The 
smile with which he met his friends is gone, his teeth are set, and 
discontent is plainly written on his face. Of course, he makes 
straight to the class in which he is an exhibitor. A man never 
can avoid looking at that which is unpleasant. He gazes fixedly 
at the birds that have beaten him, and then at the cards, “ First 
Prize, and Silver Cup.” Slowly he goes to his own. He forgets 
that he is envied by the twenty other exhibitors who have won 
nothing. He forgets he has accomplished more than lie ever did 
before, and knows only he has failed in winning the silver cup. 
As he looks at his birds, he is fixed on their merits, and that 
point in which they excel becomes the most important of all. It 
hides every defect and deficiency ; and then, after all things have 
been harmonious during the hours that have elapsed since the 
Show was opened, a new commander appears, and, according to 
our exhibitor, general Dissatisfaction takes the command. Like 
a skilful tactician, he takes his post opposite that which he be¬ 
lieves to be the weakest point of the enemy. He will break his 
line. He will get in the thin end of the wedge. But he will 
seek for allies. Friends first. Many of them care nothing for 
the matter, and side with him at once. Others urge him on for 
fun, and advise all sorts of-extreme measures. Then he gets a 
little knot around him. This attracts passers-by, and then he 
explains that he thinks he ought to have had the great prize ; 
but, at all events, he can point out.two or three pens that should 
have had it, if he did not. Then lie calls up three or four friends, 
and they agree it is a great shame. It thus becomes spread 
through the building. Every one has heard it, and the papers are 
full of remarks about general Dissatisfaction. 
What is the truth P That out of fifty classes, and some hun¬ 
dreds of exhibitors, one dissatisfied person can succeed in causing 
it to be believed there w T as general dissatisfaction. Letters have 
appeared in other publications, stating, first, that Judges should 
be requested to be in attendance the first day to explain their 
awards to exhibitors. Who, is it thought, would undertake the 
office on those terms? Fancy such an unfortunate at Birming¬ 
ham or the Crystal Palace! As there are few classes without 
dissatisfied or disappointed, and none in which the unsuccessful 
would not like to know why they were so, and as all would have 
an equal claim on the Judge’s time, it would be necessary to post 
some such notice as the following :— 
“ The Committee beg to inform exhibitors the Judges will be 
in attendance to explain their awards. At Doikings from 9 till 
10. Spanish, 10 to 11. Game, 11 to 12. Hamburghs, 12 to 1, 
and so on. At one o’clock they will be allowed half an hour for 
refreshments. No exhibitor may detain them more than five 
minutes in one class.” 
Then it is proposed that Judges be ballotted for. There is no 
objection to this, except, as has happened sometimes, that those 
elected may decline the office. The mistake is, that an erroneous 
idea seems to be abroad that it is an enviable post, and so lucra- 
! tive or so desirable that the gentlemen who act at most of the 
principal Shows will submit to any terms rather than forego the 
office. This is altogether a mistaken notion. There is no profit 
to it; and were it not for the love of the pursuit, or, perhaps, for 
the pleasure of meeting old friends, many of those who now act 
frequently would relinquish a pursuit in which they are exposed 
to unjust attacks. 
Those who are so ready to cavil, are, of course, better judges 
than those they find fault with. Why do not they try their 
hand ? 
CLASSIFICATION OF FOWLS. 
{Continued from page 250.) 
Following the order of classification laid down in my last, 
we now arrive at the division, or group, of Non-sitteks. These 
