4f3 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, March 31, J857. 
and tliiglis must lie unspotted white, while the rest of the 
body is coloured ; and they are, accordingly, named Black, 
Red, or Yellow Magpie Tumblers, as the colour may be. 
The scapular or epaulet feathers on the back being dark 
and overlaying the wing give the white wing rather a 
narrow appearance when closed. 
Of the German (Kuppen Burzel Tauben) Helmeted 
Tumbler Pigeon I have only seen one pair of good birds in 
this country; but, like the Magpies, a lot of coarse birds 
introduced to take the place of our toy Helmets, which, 
however, they do not represent, wanting the dark flights. 
The plumage of the Helmeted Tumblers is white, except 
the top of the head and the tail, which are coloured, either 
red, yellow, black, or blue, but red and yellow predominate. 
The helmet, or colouring of the head, from which they 
derive their name, reaches down to the corners of the 
mouth, crosses the line of the eyes, going evenly round the 
head. The upper mandible should be coloured, the lower 
white, the eyes pearl. Occasionally they have feathers on 
the feet: when that is the case those from the hock or heel 
downwards should be coloured like the head and tail. 
White-shouldered Tumblers. I know not the fancy name 
for these, unless it be “ Handkerchief,” from their having, 
as it were, a white handkerchief dropped on their back. The 
whole of the wing shoulders, including the scapular feathers, 
are white, the rest of the plumage red or yellow. I do not 
remember seeing any other colour. 
Saddle-backed Tumblers are the exact reverse of the last 
mentioned, the shoulders of the wings and scapular feathers 
being the only coloured parts, the rest of the bird being 
white. I do not think much of them, as I suspect them to 
be a cross with a Turbit; but, supposing that all the twelve 
colours were produced on the ten different markings, it 
would make 120 sub-varieties of this one variety.—B. P. 
Brent. 
consequent on pecking these will sometimes cause them to give it up for 
a bad job.] 
Ducks Paralysed (W. D. P .).—The unnatural circumstances in 
which the ducks are kept, without access to water, and in a confined 
space, where they are debarred from natural insect food, have evidently 
produced a degree of paralysis which may be regarded as incurable. 
Bupf Polish Fowls (W. C.).—We have no connection at all with 
the second edition of “The Poultry Book.” What was stated in the 
first edition we abide by. 
Poultry Feeding. —“Will you or any of your correspondents give 
me advice as to the best way of feeding poultry, the kind of food, and 
the quantity they should get ? This may also aid others in a similar 
position as myself. I may say that I only keep Spanish and Dorkings. 
During winter they have a good large run, with plenty of grass, &c. ; but 
now, as the gardeners are busy putting things to rights, they have to be 
confined in a space about ten yards by thirty yards. I give them oats 
twice a day, and potatoes andbarleymeal once. Of these I give them as 
much as they can eat; indeed, they have always some of either of the 
two kinds of food lying beside them : this I am pretty sure is too much. 
I also give them occasionally a little whole Indian corn, which they are 
very fond of; also some raw liver once or twice a week, and have always 
a turnip lying or hung up for them to peck at. This they are also fond 
of.—L. 
“ P.S.—One of my best Spanish hens with which I am breeding has 
begun to cough or chirp as if she had got a cold, although she is kept 
in A capital dry, warm house. Should I remove her from the others, 
and lose her for breeding, or what should I do ? ” 
[Your Spanish and Dorkings will not thrive in a space so confined. 
You will see what was said last week about poultry feeding. It is quite 
applicable to your case. Do not rest satisfied with hanging up a turnip 
for the fowls to peck, but give them green ood daily. A hen “ kept in 
a dry, warm house ” is on a system promotive of disease. Shelter 
fowls, but let them have abundance of air and exercise. Let the hen 
out, and put her upon low diet, with as much green food as she can eat. 
Separate her from the others.] 
Blue Fantail Pigeons. —“I have a pair of blue Fantail Pigeons 
promised me. I keep no other Pigeons. They will be placed in a 
pigeon-box attached to the gable end of a stable looking north-west. Is 
this position likely to suit them ? Will they fly away if I do not confine • 
them ? and if so, for how long must I keep them in ? What should thei i 
food be, and what quantity should be allowed for a pair ? I shall be 
much obliged if some of your correspondents can afford me any in¬ 
formation on the subject. 1 should also like to know the usual price of a 
pair.”— Hawthorn. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Mu. Hewitt and his Calumniators. — We have had various 
letters from very numerous well-known exhibitors all condemning Mr. 
Worrall. We have heard from good authority that Mr. Hewitt has had 
seventy letters all to the same effect, and all from parties connected 
with the breeding and exhibiting of poultry. They all coincide in hoping 
that Mr. Hewitt will continue to act as a Judge. We join in that hope, 
for we know that exhibitors have confidence wherever he helps to ad¬ 
judicate. 
Large Eggs. —“ In the beginning of the present month (March) one 
of my Dorking hens laid an egg weighing three ounces and three 
quarters, and another three ounces and a half, and last year I had one 
weighing four ounces, all avoirdupois. I might also add that one of 
my Aylesbury duck eggs of last year weighed five ounces and a half. 
Might I ask, through your pages, if eggs of the above size are common '! 
and if so, what is the weight of the largest perfect egg on record?”—A n 
Amateur. 
[We should advise a southerly aspect. If, however, no better place 
can be provided we fear you will lose most of the early and late broods. 
The nests should be roomy, say one cubic foot in size, so that their tails 
may not be rubbed or cramped, which would spoil their appearance and 
carriage. As you have no other Pigeons we should advise you to put a net 
over their cove, and keep them therein for at least a week, that they may 
know the place. Old tares, small beans, or wheat, are the best food for 
confined Pigeons, but when they have their liberty almost any corn or 
grain will do. A moderate handful to each bird is about a fair allowance 
daily. Blue Fantails are rather scarce, and they would be worth from 
10s. per pair and upwards, according to their merits in respect to the car¬ 
riage of the head and tail, the number of tail feathers, length of neck, 
the trembling at the same, and clearness of colour.] 
LONDON MARKETS.— March 30th. 
COVENT GARDEN 
Plumage of Brahmas.—Making Hens Broody.— “ Will you 
kindly tell me what the plumage of light Brahmas should be, and 
whether there is any food that will really make a hen broody ? ”—A 
Wiltshire Poultry-keefer. 
[Correct light Brahma Pootras should have white plumaze with blaclc- 
striped hackle, dark tail, and black flights. A hen can only be broody 
by having laid her eggs, and that can only be accomplished by stimu¬ 
lating food, which is a great evil to the bird. In the dark ages they 
used to pluck the breast feathers and sting the flesh with nettles. The 
itching made the hen sit close to the eggs, but her broodiness often 
ceased when the itching was allayed.] 
Raising Black-breasted Game Bantams. —“I have a great 
desire to raise some Black-breasted Red Game Bantams. What do 
you say to a cross between a Red Game cock and a Bantam hen to cor¬ 
respond in colour?”— Dicky Sam. 
[Take the smallest Black-breasted Red Game cock you can find, and 
put him to a properly-coloured Bantam hen. Select the smallest cock 
you can find among the produce, and next year put him to the mother. 
After this put father to daughter, and mother to son, and you will have 
made your Bantams, choosing them for the qualities you require. Your 
first produce will probably this year be good, but by doing as advised 
you will have them better every year.] 
Egg- eatingHens. —“ I shall feel much indebted if you will inform 
me of a preventive to fowls eating their eggs. Having a small lot of 
Cochin-China hens, I am unwilling to kill them, and they all, un¬ 
fortunately, appear to have this propensity.”— Baylis. 
[Hens learn to eat their eggs from seeing another do it. If there is 
no lime to be had in their haunts, then they eat them for the sake of the 
shell. Provide them with some bricklayer’s rubbish, old ccilingB, &c. 
It is a very difficult propensity to cure. One way is to watch them, and 
take the egg directly it is laid, and after a few days they leave off eating 
them. Another is to supply their nests with some hard artificial eggs 
having the exact appearance of natural ones. The discouragement 
We have not so good a supply this week, the change in the weather 
having much to do with it; there is, however, quite sufficient for the 
demand, notwithstanding a considerable quantity of the produce raised 
by market gardeners round London finds its way to the provincial 
markets in the north by railway, at least twice a week, in consignments 
from our salesmen to their agents. Hothouse productions comprise 
Pines, Strawberries, and new and retarded Grapes. Asparagus, Sea-kale, 
Cucumbers, and French Beans are all abundantly supplied. Florists’ 
flowers have much improved, and their presence already begins to impart 
that cheerful and lively appearance for which this locality has obtained 
such a world-wide celebrity. Continental produce is now confined to 
the usual description of salading, and Globe Artichokes. Potato trade 
heavy. 
POULTRY. 
The dissolution of Parliament, and the consequent falling off in trade, 
is not without its effect on the market. As usual, good poultry is very 
scarce, and our quotations being for the best only, it does not appear as 
it would, if we spoke of the inferior sorts. 
Large fowls.. 6s. Od. to 7s. Od. each. 
Smaller do.4s. to 5s. Od. ,, 
Chickens.4s. to 4s. 3d. ,, 
Goslings .. 8s. (id. to 8s. 6d. ,, 
Ducklings.. 5s. Od. to 5s. 6d. ,, 
Guinea Fowls 3s. Od. to 3s. 3d. ,, 
Wild Ducks 2s. 3d. to 2s. 6d. ,, 
Widgeons.. Is. 6d. to Is. 9d. each, 
Teal. Is. Od. to Is. 3d. ,, 
Pigeons .<ld. to lOd. ,, 
Rabbits.... Is. 5d. to Is. 6d. ,, 
Wild ditto.lOd.to lid. ,, 
Leverets.... 3s. Od. to 4s. Od. ,, 
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 31, 1857. 
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