85 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY 
inches deep, with soil composed of marl, loam, clay, and 
light earth, well incorporated together, with holes by the 
sides and at the bottom of each pot, and a proper drainage; 
then to transplant one young Melon plant into each pot, on 
well-ripened, fermenting dung, with a proper quantity of 
light earth around and at the bottom of each pot. I should 
then be able to take up each pot, change the fermenting 
dung, and renew the heat as often as requisite, without 
much disturbance to the Melons in the several pots. I 
should also be able to apply a proper quantity of water 
around each pot, so as not to damp off any of the Melon 
plants.—K. B. G.” 
[If you could manage, the plan would answer well. We 
think Melons are never better than when grown in pots. 
We doubt the feasibility of moving the pots, and turning 
and renewing the dung, without very great care and trouble; 
Could you not contrive to place your pots on a platform of 
boards, Sec., so that they would not need to be moved, and 
supply your dung-heat from a chamber below? Had you 
hot water you would have no trouble. We like nice fibry 
loam for such pot-culture, and manure waterings when the 
fruit is swelling, and a dry atmosphere when they are 
ripening. If you had a platform you could easily contrive 
to keep the roots moist enough when, at the ripening period, 
the atmosphere was as dry as possible.] 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Planting Fruit-trees ( James Shield). — Plant the narrowest part 
adjoining the house with Gooseberry and Currant-trees six feet apart, 
and the rest with dwarf standard Pears and Apples twelve feet apart. A 
row of Raspberries may be planted along the side next to the brook. Lay 
the whole down with grass, inclose it with a galvanized iron trellis, and 
then it will make an excellent run for your fowls. 
Stone Fruit from Seed ( B .).—When raised from seed the progeny 
is rarely as good as the parent, and never exactly like it. Out of 
hundreds of seedlings raised by careful cross-breeders an improved 
variety rarely is obtained. 
Thrips on Cucumbers ( J. Wilson).— Dust the plants with a 
mixture of flowers of sulphur and Scotch snuff. Whether the plants 
will shoot afresh if cut hack depends upon their vigour. Ventilation 
and moisture in the air would prevent the thrips appearing. 
Names of Plants (E. Johnson). —No. 1 appears to he a small frond 
taken from a plant of Lastrcea dilatata. No. 2 appears to be the 
Lastrcea spinulosa. There arc five varieties of the Scolopendrium 
vulgare, namely, 1. Polyschides. 2. Crispum. 3. Lobatum. 4. MttUi- 
fidum. 5. Lnceratum. (Lucius Hutton). —Your Fern is Lastrcea 
dilatata, and the poor soil on high ground accounts for its fruiting 
in so small a state. The Lycopod with the stem creeping is the 
common Club Moss, Lycopodium clavatum, and the other is called the 
Fir Club Moss, Lycopodium selago. (A Cottage Gardener). —Your 
plant is correct, the Gaura Lindheimera, and we have the same good 
opinion of it as the writer who speaks of it at page 26, Vol. IX. It is a 
very interesting plant for the flower-borders in any form. A broad stage 
inside your pit, about a foot from the glass, upon which to place the 
Verbenas, &c., would be an improvement, with plenty of air in all 
favourable weather, and well Secured from frosts at night. Too much 
care is better than too little. 
GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION.— November 4, lfe'-'k 
H may at first appear an anomaly, that when birds made 
easily from fifteen to thirty guineas the pen, competit jrs were 
well content with a Silver Medal, value two guineas, for the 
first prize; while, now that such prices form the excr plion, the 
first prize is nothing less than a Silver Cup, ofter valued at 
I ten pounds. The truth is, the high prices made, some time 
since were not beneficial to the poultry pursuit. It was 
i believed that there was no prospect of success unless with an 
! outlay amounting to half a small income. This kept back the 
best exhibitors, while the Shows were filled with speculation 
pens, sent only for the purpose of sale. Every contrivance 
was resorted to to keep up the price, or to take advantage of 
it while it lasted. When prices diminished most of these 
exhibitors withdrew, and lienee a change and apparent full¬ 
ing off ; but we are sure we are right when we say, that at 
no time lias the poultry pursuit been in so healthy or en¬ 
couraging a state as now. With the former class of ex¬ 
hibitors the possession of a Silver Cup was of little moment, 
as the prize was not sought- for itself, but was intended to 
help a sale. Now, we have exhibitors chosen from the 
nobility and gentry, who show for the prize itself, and the 
honour of gaining it. Now, too, the number of pens to 
be shown by each is restricted, whereas we can all recollect 
the time when one person showed fifty pens at Birmingham, 
and at Norwich one man showed fourteen pens of Dorkings 
in one class. It was not at all uncommon to see ten or 
twelve pens “all of a row,” and all the property of one 
person. This was discouraging to many who are now among 
our best exhibitors, as they felt they showed at a dis¬ 
advantage, and they did not feel disposed to give forty or 
fifty pounds for the chance of winning. 
We should like to know, but we do not, bow many Silver 
Cups are advertised during the present season for com¬ 
petition. We have seen some sideboards that made a great 
display of silver, all won by a few fowls, and we have been 
delighted with the real pleasure afforded to worthy people 
by their success. For Poultry Shows to be lasting they 
must improve every year, and we think they have done so. 
Nothing is more important than a class of good exhibitors, 
and the.y are now numerous. 
The sales are freely made when the prices are moderate, 
a certain attendance may be depended upon, pens may be 
hired at a fixed sum, the localities fit for Exhibitions are 
well understood, and everything may be calculated witli 
certainty. Another element may be depended upon, viz., 
subscriptions. We do not believe that small Exhibitions will 
increase; but we think the time is not far distant when 
every Agricultural Society will have its poultry; we had 
almost said, will be obliged, by the pressure from without, to 
add it to the programme. But another argument in favour 
of the continuation of Shows, even apart from agriculture, 
will be found in the fact, that it opens a pleasing and harm¬ 
lessly-exciting pursuit to many classes who may legitimately 
ask for such change. Ladies, clergymen, and many gentle¬ 
men have a right to such a pursuit, and will always form a 
valuable class. The approach of the principal Shows, and 
the value of the prizes offered for competition, led us to the 
train of thought which we have here published. 
POULTRY SHOWS. 
Birmingham. December 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th. Sec., J. Morgan, 
jun., Esq. Entries close November 1st. 
Essex. At Colchester, 8th, 9th, and 10th of January, 1857. Secs., 
G. E. Attwood, and W. A. Warwick. 
Gloucestershire. Nov. 26th and 27th. Sec., E. Trinder, Esq., 
Cirencester. Entries close Nov. 1st. 
Nottinghamshire. At Southwell, December 17th and 18th, 1856. 
Sec., Richard Hawlisley, jun. Entries close November 19th. 
Nottingham Central Poultry Association. January 13, 14, and 
15. Hon. Sec. Frank Bottom. Seoretary to the Canary Department, 
Jno. Hetherington, jun., Sneinton. 
Preston and North Lancashire. January 21st and 22nd, 1857- 
Sec., Ralph Leigh, Esq., 125, Church Street, Preston. Entries close 
December 13th. 
N.B .—Secretariesvtill oblige us by sending early copies of their lists. 
POULTRY SHOWS, PAST AND PRESENT. 
No doubt, at some future time, poultry will have its 
chronicler like anything else. It will then be shown how 
prizes increased, while the general value of the competing 
birds decreased, and clever inferences will be drawn there¬ 
from. 
THE PLATE PRIZES AT POULTRY SHOWS. 
I am somewhat tardy in infringing on the valuable space 
allotted to poultry in your instructive periodical, but trust my 
present suggestion may find some little corner or other appro¬ 
priated to it, as it seems a subject that continuously becomes 
more and more urgent. Still more confidently do I hope 
for this concession, as I present the earnest plea of most of 
the ladies themselves among our poultry amateurs. To 
such, I am fully sure 1 need not insist, we are all of us 
most deeply indebted, not only for the continued welfare 
and general success of our feathered favourites at home, 
but likewise for their personal support and sanction of out- 
various Poultry Exhibitions ; the latter feature most parti¬ 
cularly, as we all know, adding very significantly both to 
the pecuniary success, vitality, and general importance of 
every such meeting. Without farther prelude, then, the 
suggestion I wish to offer is simply this:—Many of the “ fair 
sex ” complain that Silver “ Drinking ” Cups may be very 
appropriate as Plate Prizes for gentlemen, but are at the 
