THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION.— October 21, 1856. 49 
be too highly recommended. Nothing exceeds barley-meal 
for pigs at the comparative price of the various substances 
on which they ai'e usually fed. Linseed, indeed, should 
only be given them when, after weaning, they require greater 
nourishment than the ordinary food would supply, as its 
effect on a feeding animal would be to render the pork 
soft and deficient in the requisite firmness.—W.” 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Fi.ower-gakden ( Kate ). — No. 1 very well planted indeed; the 
edging of Variegated Alyssum round Mangles’ Variegated is new, and 
would only do for a centre bed ; mixed with Flower of the Day spoils 
both. Convolnulus minor will be unmanageable there; the Lobelia is 
best. In S and 4 very young Calceolaria plants must be used ; Amplexi- 
caulis will not do in either. No. 2 is on the cross-corner style of 
planting beds, and the beds are very well planted on that principle, the 
centre across the ground coming in for suiting both ends alike. Our 
correspondent has got a clear head on these points. 
Tomato Cook cry (A Six-year Subscriber). — There are all the 
recipes we have in our 14th and 15th Vols. Consult especially No. 302. 
Gardener's Calendar {Suburban). —There is no such publication 
as you suggest. 
Celery Plants ( Trentham ).—Early-raised Celery, such as yours in 
May, invariably runs to seed in autumn. Old mortar mixed with turf 
would be a compost rich enough for Gooseberries and Currants without 
any dung. 
Flueless Stoves (J17. E. M. and J. T.).—These are always more or 
less injurious to plants in a greenhouse. 
Various {Vincent L.). —Apple No. 1 is Manlts Codlin, and No. 2 
Dumelow’s Seedling. J.cave the Anemone seedlings unmoved. They 
are quite hardy. Mr. West, Ironmonger, Kingston-on-Thames, makes 
the Waltonian Case. Plant the Vine in turfy loam as if in the open 
ground. We shall be glad to see a drawing of your heating-by-gas 
apparatus. 
Tobacco (Carrig Cathol). —Cut the plants close to the ground, and 
dry them gradually. Then put them into a tub or box, press them 
down firmly, and keep in a dry place. There is a Tree Onion bearing 
bulbs on the top of the stem. It is also called the Canada Onion, and 
by botanists Allium proliferum. It is" often cultivated for pickling. 
Orchard-house eor .•£:!() {Florist). —No mistake was made in this 
statement. It is built against a wall, and the whole of the woodwork 
was obtained, ready cut, at the Winchester Steam Saw Mills. Mr. 
Clarke, the proprietor of those mills, will supply any one at the same 
rates. Doilecatheon next week. 
Names of Plants {A Kentish Subscriber).— Your autumn Crocus, 
we think, is the purple variety of Colchicum autumnale. It may be C. 
Byxantinum, or C, urenurium, but vve cannot be certain from the 
specimen. Other questions next week. (/I Subscriber). —Yours is the 
common Juniper, Juniperus communis. Honeysuckles are twiners, and 
will rise up a pole to any standard height. They are never grafted. 
(IK. T. Telby). —Your plant is the Rhus cotinus, or Venetian Sumach. 
This is a hardy shrub, and very ornamental upon the lawn. It flowers 
freely, and what with its singular-coloured, feathery bractes, which ac¬ 
company its numerous, tiny flowers, and its peculiar leaves, the whole 
plant becomes a very interesting object during many months in the year. 
Elements of Botany (A Scottish Reader). — For the Linnavm 
System, Sir J. E. Smith’s Introduction to Botany. For the Natural 
System, Lindley’s School Botany. 
POULTRY SHOWS. 
Birmingham. December 2 nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th. Sec., J. Morgan, 
jun., Esq. Entries close November 1 st. 
Collingham, near Newark. Oct. 21 st. Hon. Sec., E. Turton, Esq., 
South Collingham. Entries close Oct. 14th. 
Essex. At Colchester. 8 th, 9 th, and 10 th of January, 185". Secs., 
G. E. Attwood, and W. A. Warwick. 
Gloucestershire. Nov. 26 th and 27 th. Sec., E. Trinder, Esq., 
Cirencester. Entries close Nov. 1 st. 
Nottinghamshire. At Southwell, December 17th and 18th, 1856. 
Sec., Richard Hawksley, jun. Entries close November 19 th. 
Nottingham Central Poultry Association. January 13, 14, and 
15. Hon. Sec. Frank Bottom. Secretary to the Canary Department, 
Jno. Hetherington, jun., Sneinton. 
Preston and North Lancashire. January 21 st and 22 nd, 1857. 
Sec., Ralph Leigh, Esq., 125, Church Street, Preston. Entries close 
December 13th. 
N.B.— Secretarieswill oblige us by sending early copies of their lists. 
JUDGMENTS ON POULTRY. 
Amidst till the discussions that have arisen respecting 
excellence in poultry, those on whom has usually devolved 
the responsibility of publicly deciding on their several merits 
are certainly justified in believing that the standard acted on 
has been generally acquiesced in. This remark, however, 
presupposes two points; first, that during the last five or 
six years the same main characteristics have been commonly 
required; and secondly’, that although dissentients have 
frequently protested, yet they have been fairly overruled by 
the other side. A few words on each of these matters may 
not he uninteresting to the readers of The Cottage 
Gardener. 
It may well be asked whether any marked deviation from 
the standard l>y r which the first Birmingham Show was 
judged can he now alleged, beyond the natural and reason- j 
able rise which an increased knowledge and interest in the j 
pursuit required and effected. I certainly believe that an 
answer in the negative would he correct; nor can I recall to 
my recollection any breed of fowls where an important 
characteristic of excellence has undergone alteration during 
the period alluded to. What satisfied a Poultry Judge in 
1850 certainly and properly fails to do so now, as has, 
likewise, happened with regard to other descriptions of 
agricultural live stock; but the leading requirements were 
originally correct, aud, consequently, the right course has 
been throughout pursued. 
It is assuredly of importance, both to the breeder and the 
exhibitor of poultry, that this should he admitted ; nor is it, 
indeed, a matter of less significance that a very general 
assent appears to have been accorded to the individual acts 
by which this standard lias been since applied. That dis¬ 
appointed exhibitors will object, ever lias and ever will be 
the case so long as human nature retains the same disposi¬ 
tions as now influence it. But has there been just ground 
for assigning incompetency or partiality to those on whom 
the thankless task of arbitration has devolved ? Have they 
been found to err either in the assumed standard or its 
particular application ? I speak, of course, of those whose 
names have commonly appeared in this capacity at our larger 
Exhibitions, since, at meetings of a less important character, 
it lias frequently occurred, from one cause or another, that 
persons have unwillingly been induced to assume the post 
without the experience that should qualify them for it. 
Committees are not blameless on such occasions, and often¬ 
times have they subsequently found themselves in troubled 
waters from this very cause. 
It is not to he inferred from these remarks that no error 
can he discovered in such decisions; hut even where such 
may be proved, and the case is of rare, very rare occurrence, 
it is seldom that some good plea may not he adduced in 
defence. The hours for adjudication have been too limited, 
or the amount of work too great, so that mere bodily fatigue 
and the darkening shades of evening have caused greater 
haste than accuracy demanded; these and other equally 
valid excuses may be given, hut happily they are hut seldom 
required. 
The written law (lex scripta) by which the merits of poultry t 
should he determined on has been objected to, and the j 
exact concurrence in some minor details of a sufficiently j 
numerous body of competent persons has been regarded 
as difficult to be obtained. Well, this might have been the 1 
case, or, on the contrary, we might have sooner reached the 
goal we have been aiming at had such a body been called 
into existence. But what I would urge is this—the points 
on which assent is required have been now determined by 
a steady and continued acquiescence in the rules by which , 
judgments were delivered six years ago, and which, even ; 
then, were, in most instances, based on the experience of 
many a former year. If we have not attained to the 
undeviating rigidity of a law of the Medes and Persians, 
tlio relaxation is only tolerated where a still higher standard 
may seem attainable through the increasing skill, applica¬ 
tion, and experience of the present and the future. 
This is no slight achievement when we recollect the warm 
discussions that have arisen and been settled, and the 
charges, moreover, that were once levelled at every poultry 
fancier, of his being influenced by the most wayward freaks 
of prejudice or of fancy, and utterly disinclined to regulate 
his proceedings by any definite rule. 
There is one gentleman, indeed, to whom all who are 
interested in poultry matters are deeply indebted; not less, 
indeed, for his constant assiduity on behalf of that pursuit 
than for his ready compliance with every wish for explana¬ 
tion or instruction. I need hardly say that I refer to Mr. 
Hewitt, whose unremitting labours and acknowledged 
capacity have, probably, done more to establish present 
uniformity than the united labours of all those who have 
written or spoken on that subject. 
Nor let it he forgotten what is justly owed to the Bir¬ 
mingham Society on the same score. The labour, it may 
