290 THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, January 27, 1807. 
and, in all probability, after being kept a short time, will make a very 
pleasant drink. Its price, according to Mr. Wilkins, will be astonish¬ 
ingly low (6d. a quart), and a wine manufacturer who was present ex¬ 
pressed himself much pleased with it. It is stated that a company is in 
the course of formation, for the purpose of applying the advantages of 
the new system of culture to the country at large, as it is almost im¬ 
possible, unless there is a vast increase in the yield of Mangold Wurtzel, 
that it can be grown in sufficient quantities to meet the demand which it 
is anticipated will be made for it for the manufacture of wine and 
bread.” 
Vinu Forcing (J. H .).—With a temperature in the morning at 55°, 
and that of the border 62°, your Vines ought to do well so far as heat is 
concerned. If the stems are outside they ought to be covered with hay- 
bands, or otherwise protected from cold. 
OncHARD in the Fens (2l Voice from t/ieFens ).—We suspect, from 
the nature of your soil and subsoil, yours is not a situation for an orchard. 
13y orchard we mean standard trees. You say the soil is not much more 
than a foot deep, and the subsoil a hot, burning gravel. The fact is, the 
trees having been planted for fifteen years, the roots have penetrated into 
the gravel, and the trees have become cankered and gnarled. Your only 
remedy is to lay the roots bare, without disturbing them more than is 
necessary, cut off all that have penetrated into the gravel, and supply 
those that are left with a few barrow-loads of fine, mellow soil from the 
top spit of an old pasture, mixed with decomposed vegetable matter and 
well-rotted farm-yard manure, that of cows or oxen being the best. 
Keep the roots as near the surface as you can, prune off all the cankered 
shoots, and plaster up the cankered spots on the bark of the branches 
with a tough paste made of cowdung, lime rubbish sifted, and loam, 
and we have no doubt another year’s growth will amply repay you the 
trouble you have been at. 
Peae Tkbe ( Vincent Litchfield). —Your tree has too much vigour at 
the roots. Possibly you were too kind to it when you planted it; for 
you must remember young fruit trees are like young children, and must 
not be too richly fed. The best thing you can do is to uncover the roots, 
without disturbing them any more than you can help, cut off the long, 
strong, and very vigorous of them, and make a bed of lime rubbish and 
brickbats below them, keeping those that are left as near the surface 
as you can. Your intention to point and grey wash the old wall are good, 
and should be carried out. The small labiate flower growing in the 
wall joints is Linaria cytnbalaria, and ought to be removed. 
Names of Ferns (T.T.). —Your Lycopods and Ferns are as follow: — 
1 1 6. Asplenium adiantum nigrum 
7. Polypodium vulgare 
8. Asplenium trichomanes 
9. Polystichum aculeatum 
10. Scolopendrium vulgare 
1. Lycopodium caesium 
2. ,, denticulatum 
3. Pteris serrulata 
4. Adiantum capillus Veneris 
5. „ cuneatum 
THE POULTRY CHBOWiSLi. 
POULTRY SHOWS. 
Crewe. February 3rd and 4th, 1857. Secs. S. Sheppard and D. 
Margelts, Esqs. Entries close January 15th. 
Kendal. At Kendal, February 6th and 7th, 1857. Sec. Mr. T. 
Atkinson. 
Liverpool. January 28th, 29th, and 30th, 1857. Secs. Gilbert W. 
Moss. Esq., and William C. Worrall, Esq., 6, Lower Castle-street. 
Entries close on the loth of January. 
South East Hants. At Fareham, January 26th and 27th, 1857. Sec. 
Mr. James James. Entries close January 14th. 
N.B. Secreturiesuiill oblige us by sending early copies of their lists. 
CRYSTAL RALACE POULTRY EXHIBITION. 
(From another Reporter.) 
The Crystal Palace, notorious as it has ever been for the 
variety of its attractions, has just offered another featui'e to 
public favour, in the shape of a Poultry Show, that has 
scarcely ever been exceeded throughout the United King¬ 
dom. The policy of this additional charm will he best 
attested by the simple fact that, on Saturday (the first day 
the Exhibition was opened to the public), the attendance, 
although “ the half-crown day,” amounted in the aggregate 
to 4,944 visitors. It is needless to comment at length on 
this matter, but certainly it gives the most cogent refutation 
possible to the impression current among some parties, that 
the national taste for first-rate poultry was declining. Much, 
and the greatest credit, is undoubtedly due to the Committee 
who superintended this unprecedented department in Crystal 
Palace novelties. Everything was done efficiently and re¬ 
gardless of outlay, whilst the most liberal of prize-lists 
called together the competition of all the principal breeders 
and amateurs of poultry throughout the land. It is really 
a most interesting subject to peruse the list of the com¬ 
petitors, and to thus ascertain the immense distances some 
ot the specimens had travelled to enter the lists against more 
conveniently located rivals. A reference to the names of the 
successful ones will likewise fully repay the personal trouble 
ot our readers, and, at the same time, fully convince them 
that at no former show have the premiums been so widely 
and diversely spread throughout the country. It would be 
useless to detail minutely the peculiar aptitude of the Palace 
for the purposes to which on this occasion it was appro¬ 
priated. On this point it stands unrivalled, possessing alike 
perfection of daylight, and the most entire freedom from 
draughts of any kind; the poultry, consequently, appeared far 
more happy and comfortable than is usual on such occasions. 
In the pens themselves two very novel improvements were 
apparent, even at a glance, to all visitors. They are all 
much higher at the front than at the back part, whilst being 
coloured throughout internally a light neutral grey tint, and 
the front edges white, by way of relief, the poultry appeared 
to unprecedented advantage ; besides, the comparatively re¬ 
stricted accommodation of the rear portion of each pen 
caused the poultry voluntarily to present themselves con¬ 
tinuously towards the spectators. This really easily-attained 
desideratum is certainly well worthy of the careful attention 
of our poultry associations generally. Nothing could aid 
general appearances in producing “ first impressions,” and 
favourable ones too, more than the changes alluded to. De¬ 
termined that nothing should be wanting to secure the success 
and satisfaction of both the visiting public and competitors 
generally, the managers retained the services of those long- 
practised arbitrators,Messrs. Andrews,Baily, andHewitt; and 
no doubt exists that these gentlemen have but rarely if ever 
found a more universal and keen competition awaiting their 
final decisions. We have heard that daylight had long de¬ 
clined before the ultimate completion of their arduous duties. 
This may, at least, be partially accounted for from the fact 
that the uniformity of light, combined with the peculiar con¬ 
struction of the pens themselves, developed equally the good 
and the unfavourable qualities of the opponent birds with 
extreme intensity before the Judges. Thus faults hitherto 
hidden, and good features beforetimes unseen, were can- ] 
vassed and exposed with an accuracy that, were it attainable, j 
would be most desirable on all like occasions. Mr. William 
Houghton certainly well deserves the credit so generally 
awarded him for the untiring industry and truly indefati- | 
gable perseverance he displayed in catering both for the j 
comforts of the birds themselves, and the multitudes of 
visitors who have been induced to visit the Crystal Palace 
through the introduction of this novel attraction. 
The attendance of the nobility was very numerous indeed, 
and their expressions of gratification were general, whilst, by 
referring to the catalogue, the names of many among them 
will be found as competitors. We will now briefly refer to 
the poultry itself. The Spanish fowls were very good, and 
the chickens of this highly-prized variety were even some¬ 
what superior to the adult specimens; still it undoubtedly 
occurred to ourselves that the majority of these groups 
scarcely displayed so perfect an amount of condition as 
when exhibited at Birmingham. The Grey Dorkings were 
certainly not equal to our preconceived impressions; the 
White Dorkings, on the contrary, were decidedly above 
mediocrity. The Game fowls presented long ranges of per¬ 
fection and general excellence; they were a very decided 
feature in the Exhibition. The Malays were superior, and 
all four of the varieties of Hamburghs were well represented. 
The Polands were a combination of the very best specimens 
for plumage in the land; but, as is at the present day too 
frequently the case, many decidedly deformed birds marred 
the pretensions to success of their owners. The Turkeys 
evidenced how very greatly they have been improved of late 
years by the inducements held out by societies like the one 
we are speaking of; and the like holds good, with equal force, 
in regard to each separate description of aquatic poultry. 
They were, as a whole, especially good. Considering the 
exceedingly limited space of time the Crystal Palace “ ar¬ 
rangements ” have been placed before the public, it is 
absolutely astounding the immense and valuable collection 
that has been called into competition. We are informed 
that other meetings of like character will ensue, and we 
heartily wish them all the success their originators could 
themselves desire. 
RULES FOR SALES AT POULTRY SHOWS. 
The statement of your Colchester reporter, that the plan 
of sales adopted by the Essex Association at their Exhibi- 
