88 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, November 8, 1850. 
cattle, that I purpose nest year sowing a much larger piece, and 
putting the seeds in two months earlier, as the second sprouts 
would have produced a much heavier crop if the first had been 
up and cut earlier. I purpose then sending you more accurate 
particulars as to weight, height, &c., as the space will allow of a 
fairer average being taken. 
I should strongly advise the seed being drilled in, as it will 
ensure a heavier crop and be cut much easier.—G eo. Gower 
Woodwabd. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Crossing Tulips (J. K).—Next April will be the right time to answer 
your question about crossing Tulips when they are coming into bloom. 
In one sense, that of fertilising, every flower must he crossed before it 
will seed. The male or female parts of a flower, or different flowers, must 
come in contact. 
Planting Vines and Peaches for Forcing IZ.A.B.).- —For early j 
forcing, we quite approve of the trees being planted inside, whether Vines j 
or Peaches. Drainage, however, must be well attended to. We do not j 
see the propriety or use of your three-feet-deep pigeon-holed wall either at 
the front or the back of your house. The Vine-stems would bo all right 
if they were eighteen inches or less from the pipes, without a wall to : 
separate them. At the hack it seems still more unnecessary, as the centre 
of the house is all prepared soils. There are two ideas that these longi- j 
tudinal walls suggest. First, the pipes may either be below or above the ' 
ground level of your border ; and by openings in the wall at your disposal 
the space over the pipes may he made into a bed for growing and striking 
plants requiring bottom heat. The second idea is peculiarly applicable to 
early forcing. Supposing that the pipes 'were as low, or nearly so, as the 
bottom of the border, that that bottom was either hollow all through, being 
chambered, or open drains every three feet or so went across it, one end 
terminating in the chamber where the pipes were, and the other in a cavity 
■—say, a foot wide all along the back. Then, as soon as the pipes were 
heated, the air above them would expand and rise to the top of the house, 
sucking cold air out of the drains to supply its place, so that the heated 
air would, ere long, get to the cavity at the back, pass through the drains, 
and over the pipes again ; and thus the circulation of the air in the house 
would become perfect, and the soil in which the roots grew would be 
gently heated. If pipes are used for such cross drains, they must be water¬ 
tight and root-proof. As to watering, that must depend entirely on the 
season, and on the fact that no liquid gets to the roots except what you 
give. This is a great advantage iu early forcing, as you can use heated 
water. 
Frosted Geraniums (M. L. TV.).—It is best to have a young stock, and, 
therefore, not dependent altogether, or greatly, on old plants. People do 
not like to destroy the appearance of tine beds. Our own were very fine 
on the forenoon of the 21st of October, and we had disturbed the outline 
of the bed scarcely any ; but in the afternoon the signs of a cold night were 
unmistakcable, and a number «f favourite plants were hastily removed 
under sheds, &c., and thus escaped all injury. The whole of the flue plants 
left would not, in general, he half so good as young cuttings ; but if these 
were not taken off, the only thing to do now with old plants of Geraniums 
would he to cut them down closely to the collar, and pack the roots in 
sandy loam, leaving just the tops exposed. These cut parts should be 
daubed with quicklime and charcoal. If our correspondent’s are not worse 
than ours, the most of them will make fair plants next season, hut not so 
good as young ones. It is advisable to have a few old old plants, to make 
centres where the pyramidal style is at all adoped. When the beds are 
level, nothing answers better than young plants struck in August and 
September. You will have seen what Mr. Beaton says to-day and in 
previous numbers on the same subject. Something will be said next week 
about the management of fires. 
Construction of a Greenhouse (H. B .).—We have nothing to find 
fault with in your anticipated arrangements ; but having taken your flue 
twenty feet, we would urge you to move your chimney, and take it along 
the other twenty feet. The latter part will be much the cooler, and for 
hardening purposes you can give.plenty of air. It 1 your present flue 
r. turns, however, you will not do it so easily, and vou may let it remain 
as it is. You may have dwarf Peach trees, or Figs in pots, in the depart¬ 
ment set apart to Peach trees on the back ; hut you can use it for nothing 
during winter that will not stand a little frost; and, we suspect, after the 
middle of March, or, at farthest, the end of it, you will have it full with 
bedding plants. When the vinery part is thinned, you might introduce 
some Strawberry plants, or a few Kidney Bean pots, to precede by a month 
or two those in the open air. If we knew what you were most attached 
to. we might say more, or what uses you could turn such a house to. 
Wild Flowers (A Reader). —We know of no work upon their culture. 
If you send us a stamped letter for the Ross gentleman, we will endeavour 
to send it to him. 
Cucumber Plants (TF. C.). —The leaves turning brown at the edges is 
evidence that there is a deficiency of sap supplied to them. If the roots are 
healthy, give some tepid weak liquid manure. 
Scale and Thrips (A Novice). —Dipping the plants into water heated 
to 140°, will destroy the scale without injuring the plants. Keep them 
under water two or three minutes. Then paint them over with a creamy 
mixture of clay, water, flowers of sulphur, and size, in the proportion 
of forty pints of water, 2 lbs. flowers of sulphur, and 1 lb. size. The thrips 
may he destroyed by dusting the plants with a mixture of equal parts 
Seoteh snuff and flowers of sulphur. More free admission of air, and more j 
moisture in the air, would keep away both scale and thrips. 
Gardening Book (A. M. (?.).—Buy “The Gardener’s Manual,” pub¬ 
lished at our office. 
Flowering Shrubs for a Small Garden (Nottingham,).—I Lauris- 
tinus ; 2 Rhododendrons, hardy varieties; 1 Herberts JJarwinii; 1 Co- 
toneaster microphylla; 1 Berberis Bcallii; 1 Sedurn angusii'folium ; 
1 Mahonia Fortnnii ; 1 Erica eamea; 1 Ceanothus rigidus ; 1 Andromeda 
floribunda; 1 Kalmia latifolia; 1 Daphne cneorum. These are ever¬ 
green, and will grow in sandy soil, free from chalk. The Scdums, Andro¬ 
meda, Kalmia, and Rhododendrons w ould not find fault with a little peat. 
Cottage Architecture (An Amateur).— There is a very goodlittle volume, 
entitled “Rural Architecture,” in “ Richardson’s Rural Handbooks.” 
POULTRY AND BEE-KEEPER’S CHRONICLE. 
POULTRY SHOWS. 
November 18th and 19lh. West of Scotland Ornithological Asso¬ 
ciation (Pigeons and Canary Birds). Sec.. Mr. T. Buchanan, 74, Argyle 
Street, Glasgow. Entries close the 7th of November. 
November 19th to 23rd. Crystal Palace. (Canaries and British and 
Foreign Cage Birds). Sec., Mr. W. Houghton. 
November 28th, 29th, and 30th, and December 1st. Birmingham. See., 
Mr. J. Morgan, Bingley Hall, Birmingham. 
December 28th and 29th. Sheffield and Hallamsiiirf, (Fancy 
Pigeons). Sec., Mr. Inman New, Sheffield. Entries close December 12th. 
December 28th and 29th. Poulton-le-Eylde. See., Mr. J. S. Butler. 
January 7th, 1SG0. Bradford. (Single Cock Show.) Secs., Mr. Hardy, 
Prince of Wales Inn, Bowling Old Lane, and Mr. E. Blackbrough. 
Black Bull Inn, Ive Gate, Bradford. 
January 31st and February 1st and 2nd. Chesterfield and Scarsdale. 
Hon. Secs , Mr. J. Charlesworth, and Mr. T. P. Wood, jun. 
February 11th to 15th, I860. Crystal Palace (Poultry and Pigeons). 
Sec., Mr. W. Houghton. Entriesclosc Jan. 14th. 
MANUFACTURED BREEDS — SEBRIGHT 
BANTAMS. 
Our columns have proved of late that difference has existed in 
the opinion of poultry breeders as to the points of excellence 
that may be attained, or the degree of merit that is possible. 
While some consider all breeds pure, others think, with rare 
exceptions, all are manufactured. The question is something 
akin to a tangled ball of string, and the end is difficult to find. 
We will leave all abstruse and scientific points for the labour of 
those who delight in difficulties, and who can give the time 
necessary for the pursuit. 
We know only one fabricated fowl, and that is the Sebright 
Bantam. Its production was the work of years and a love of 
the pursuit, joined to a knowledge of breeds which has seldom 
fallen to the lot of one amateur. Sir John Sebright was an 
amateur and connoisseur in poultry when both were scarce. Our 
knowledge is practical, and our experiments are those which are 
daily carried out by ourselves. Our conviction is that any 
manufactured breed wears itself out, unless the original com¬ 
ponent parts are regularly supplied to maintain its excellence. 
Thus this Bantam, bred for a few years from the same stock 
without introduction of fresh blood, loses the double comb, the 
hen-tail, and the lacing. This latter disappears first; the colours 
become run and patchy; and common birds of every breed are 
the descendants of the beautiful Sebright Bantam. But in every 
other breed, although the points may be less developed—though 
some beauties or peculiarities may be more faintly represented— 
still the breed remains unquestionable. If a good judge sees 
fowls in this state, lie can at once point out what is wanted, and 
supply it. Ho will do away with long legs, faulty combs, or 
offending plumage, by using specimens of the same breed, but 
possessing that which the others lack. If this is true in remedy- 
i ing defects, it is not less so in perpetuating beauties. However 
! good a yard of fowls may be, t-lie perfect birds will be the excep¬ 
tions ; a practised eye wili at once choose these, and breeding from 
them will succeed in making them almost the rule. It will 
require time and painstaking, and a retrograde movement at 
times. Even an indifferent bird will sometimes have one merit 
so well developed that it is advisable to use him for one season, 
for the sake of it, and the faults transmitted with the virtue must 
be afterwards got rid of. We offer these suggestions to those 
who are disposed to try for perfection, and we 6ay that any 
reasonable point in poultry is attainable.—B. 
GLASGOW EXHIBITION OF FANCY PIGEONS 
AND CANARY BIRDS. 
The first annual exhibition of the AVest of Scotland Ornitho¬ 
logical Association for fancy Pigeons and Canaries is to be held 
in the Trades’ Hall, Glassford Street, Glasgow, on Friday and 
Saturday, the 18th and 19th of November, 1859. The classes 
are:—for Powter Pigeons, five for cocks and five for hens—two 
prizes each of £1 and 10 a. For Carriers, two classes for cocks 
and two for hens—two prizes eaeli of £1 and 10a. For Short- 
faced Tumblers, a pair of Almonds, two prizes of £1 and 10a. 
And for any other colour or marking, two prizes of 15a. and 
7a. 6d. The other varieties are classes for Fantails, Jacobins, 
Trumpeters, Barbs, Tin-hits, Owls, and any other distinct breeds 
or varieties. Two prizes each of 15a. and 7a. Gd. respectively. 
The extra prizes for Pigeons arc;— A silver cup or piece of 
