430 THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY 
OUR LETTER BOX 
Fowls fob Confined Space ( A Novice).— Cochin-Chinas are the 
best, and we would select either the Buff or the Partridge-coloured. 
They are also the best winter layers. Wc think the Pencilled Ham- 
burghs (Gold and Silver) are much alike in their habits. Pullets hatched 
in February will lay during the winter. 
Rabbits with Black Extremities.— A Novice says that he knows 
some imported from Bavaria, and which the owner calls Bavarian 
Rabbits. 
Fowls trespassing {K .).—Give your neighbour notice that you will 
sue him for damages in the County Court. The amount of damages is 
immaterial—it is to prevent the trespass. To whom does the paling 
belong over or through which they come ? Cannot you arrange with 
your neighbour to apply some wire fencing, so that you may both enjoy 
your several amusements ? Gentle means and good neighbourship are 
best. 
Separate Classes for Bearded and Unbearded Polands.— 
“ I observe there is to be a Summer Exhibition of Poultry at the Crystal 
Palace in August next. I therefore would beg to suggest, before the 
prize-list is arranged, that there should be a distinct class, as in the 
Cochins, for ‘bearded ’ and ‘unbearded’ Golden and Silver Polands. 
Since it has been found that the former always—irrespective of merit, 
as I well know—carried off all the prizes when the two varieties have 
been brought into competition, owners of the latter have discontinued 
sending their birds to the shows. Of the wisdom, or otherwise, of the 
Judges always giving the ‘ bearded’ birds the preference I do not wish 
to speak, as. if it answers the purpose of the ‘ getter up ’ of the Show 
so to instruct the Judges, and it is clearly understood by the exhibitors, 
of course no one can reasonably grumble, although they may lament 
the loss of the scientific character of the exhibition, and how much at 
variance it is with the original shows established for the ‘ improvement 
of the various breeds of poultry.’ I can quite understand persons who 
are not acquainted with the 'points’ in the ‘Golden’ and ‘Silver’ 
Polands, passing by, almost without a notice, a pen of beautifully 
‘ laced birds,’ whilst they would be attracted by those who were orna¬ 
mented (?) with a beard. There are persons to be found who will 
maintain that the ‘ true bred ’ Polands should have a beard, although 
they are unable to answer the fact that persons in breeding with a pair 
of ‘ bearded birds ’ not unfrcquently obtain a beardless chick, which 
points out as plainly as possible that Nature is here making one of those 
efforts, which it is w ell known she always will make, to recur to the 
original state, which in the case before us would be brought about by 
the production of the beardless variety. I have bred with great attention 
for the last seven years Silver Polands without beards, and I have never 
had produced out of the numerous broods I have reared a chicken with 
a beard ; and, in fact, I believe there is no person who will pretend to 
say that he ever heard of a case.”—C. S. 
[The classes at Poultry Shows are already so numerous that Com¬ 
mittees are not justified in increasing them, nor do we think they would 
be justified in doing so in this instance. There has never been any dis¬ 
qualification for non-bearded Polands, and we have seen them prize- 
takers at large shows, where the classes have been numerous and good. 
The truth is, that the admirers and breeders of these birds made a very 
bad fight when the bearded first invaded their territory. They retired 
without resisting enough to make a dignified retreat. The unbearded 
were never disqualified, nor is there anything in the rules of any society 
to shut them out. Four years ago there were distinct classes for bearded 
and unbearded, but the latter died of inanition. We think it is sound 
judgment in a Committee to discontinue classes that are not self sup¬ 
porting ; we mean those that will not afford sufficient entries to help 
the prize-sheet and expenses. We believe we may say, speaking with 
authority, that no instructions are ever given to Judges. Just as it was 
proposed the emigrant should be lar ded on the desired shore, with a 
spade, a blanket, and a hard biscuit, to do his best, so Judges are 
turned into a show, with their hooks and prize-sheets, to exercise all the 
knowledge they possess. If ‘‘C. S.” will show a better pen of un¬ 
bearded chickens than those that rejoice in the appendage we have no 
doubt it will get the prize. It has never been ruled that Polands must 
be bearded ; but it is well wc should warn him that “laced” birds will 
not doit. The prize is for “spangled” birds. The fact of plain or 
beardless chickens coming at times is easy to believe, because twenty 
years ago all the Polands were unbearded, and if one was found thus 
ornamented it was drafted as a “faulty” bird. At that time, then, 
they were making an effort in favour of beards, which they now make to 
get rid of them. The truth is that some breeders try experiments, and 
when their birds, apparently pure, are scattered abroad, the ignorance 
of their pedigree causes anomalies.] 
Cross-breed of Bantams. —“ Having in my possession one White 
Game Bantam hen , and wishing to try an experiment, provided it be 
at all practicable, will you kindly inform me if such a bird matched with 
a Black-breasted Red Game Bantam cock would be likely to produce 
good Duckwings? Also, if it is advisable to have late broods, in order 
to keep them small; and which is the best month for Bantams to hatch ?” 
—An Admirer of Bantams. 
[Your cross will produce a Pile, but nothing akin to a Duckwing. It 
will probably be a handsome bird. It is always advisable to hatch late 
Bantams if you want them small. The bc^t.month for sitting them is 
August, because then there is fine weather'ehough to take them out of 
their early troubles, and the cold nights come soon enough to check their 
growth. They are very troublesome to rear if they are hatched later in 
the year.] 
London: Printed by Hugh Barclay, 'Winchester High-street, in 
the Parish of Saint Mary Kalendar; and Published for the Proprietors 
at The Cottage Gardener Office, No. 20, Paternoster Row, in 
the Parish of Christ Church City of London.—March 24, 1857. 
GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, March 2-4,1857. 
Bee3! Bees!! Bees!!! 
Fifth Edition, price is., in doth, Illustrated with a Hundred En¬ 
gravings, 
The Bee-Keepers’ Manual ; or,Practical 
Hints on the Management and Complete Preservation of the 
Honey Bee ; with a description of the most approved Hives, and modes 
of constructing them, and other appurtenances of the Apiary. 
By HENRY TAYLOR. 
GROOMBRIDGE and SONS, Publishers, 5, Paternoster Row. 
SEED CATALOGUE. 
TWENTY-SIXTH ANNUAL EDITION. 
IJass and Brown’s New Descriptive 
SEED CATALOGUE contains the finest new Vegetables in cul¬ 
tivation, with the choicest novelties among the Flower Seeds. Also, 
a selection from their BULB CATALOGUE of choice sorts for spring 
planting. 
Copies free on application. 
Sudbury, Suffolk. 
Flower and Vegetable Seeds. 
James Carter and Co., Seedsmen, 238, 
High Holborn, London, W. C., beg to announce the publication ol 
the twentv-second annual series of their ENCYCLOPAEDIC CATA¬ 
LOGUE OF FLORICULTURAL, VEGETABLE, AND AGRICUL¬ 
TURAL SEEDS, in which is given a complete description of nearly two 
thousand species and varieties of Flower Seeds, and a comprehensive 
List of Vegetable Seeds, §•<?., forwarded free of charge and post paid to 
ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD upon application. 
JAMES CARTER AND CO., Seedsmen, 238, High Holborn, Lon¬ 
don, W. C. 
DEBILITY AND NERVOUSNESS. 
Just published, post free for six stamps (entered at Stationers’-hall). 
’’he Invalid’sPocket Book, or Guide— 
On Debility, Indigestion, Nervous and Mental Diseases, with 
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Seed Establishment, Highgate, Middlesex, N. 
Cutbush & Son’s Seed Cata- 
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On the 1st of April, 1857, will be Published, to be continued Monthly, 
Part I., Royal 8 vo., Price Is., containing Four Coloured Plates, 
A Natural History of British 
GRASSES. Dedicated by Permission to Joseph Dalton 
Hooker, Esq.. M.D., F.R.S., F.L.S., of the Royal Gardens, Kew. 
By E. J. LOWE, Esq., F.R.A.S., F.G.S., F.L.S., &-c. 
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No. 1 teas published on Ike Of/i, and No. 2 on the 13 th instant. 
