THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, FmWKT 22, 1859. 
than Count, rind to be different from all other Cyclamens. The difference 
bring, that neither the leaves nor the flowers come directly from the 
tuber; but from short, thick, flat, fleshy processes, which rise from the 
tuber. Unless anyone can send us one of those gouty stems, with the 
leaves on it, and also the flowers, if any, it is only “ love’s labour lost.” 
Anyone can tell if the leaves come, or do not come, directly from the tubers, 
and that is the best sign to distinguish vcrnum from Count. 
Tacsonia mollissima (George Meadows). —As you cannot get command 
over the roots, renew the plant once in five or six years by strong-rooted 
layers made from the plant the preceding year. Cutting it down will do 
neither good nor harm ; but try it, and make sure of a layer or two from 
the first shoots. Muke your stable drainage of the strength of one gallon 
of it to six gallons from the pump, and pour it on the meadow. 
Eleven Climbers for a South-west Verandah (Guildford).— On the 
pillar next the door or windows, plant Aristolichia, for its large leaves and 
its agreeable shade all summer, and it is never infested by insects. Plant 
the next pillar with a climbing Rose, for temporary use. All old climbing 
Roses are constantly being grubbed up, where near the door, on account of 
the fly—and the worse than the fly, the bad smell of some quack stuff to 
stifle the pest. Third pillar, the most delicious, and the most bearable 
smelling flower we have in climbers, the Japan Honeysuckle, Lonieera 
Japonica, alias flexitosa, and alias Chinensis. The fourth, another climb¬ 
ing Rose. The fifth, Jasminum ntidtflorttm. Sixth, a climbing Rose. 
Seventh, the common white Jasmine. Eighth, a climbing Rose. Ninth, 
Clematis Sieboldi, and the common blue Passion-flower on the same 
pillar. Tenth, a climbing Rose. Eleventh, Ch into nan thus fragratts, a 
true pillar plant, though not a climber, and supplies the place of the 
Japan Honeysuckle in winter, by blooming profusely, the next sweetest of 
such kinds. Some people plant it near the windows, when there is no 
verandah, or when the verandah is full; but as we cannot enjoy the sweet 
perfume of flowers with frost and blustering winds, we should not lay our¬ 
selves, or our windows open to the temptation : much better to be content 
with the perfumed breezes of a whole summer by the Japonicum. The 
Roses should bo Ayrshircs and Sempcrnirens, Iluga and Dundee Rambler, 
for the former ; and Princess Marie, Myrianthus , Fclicitc Perpetiielle, and 
Rampant, for evergreen Roses. 
Geranium tricolor (Rosc \—After this gets into bad health, there is not 
a plant in cultivation more difficult to restore. It is by far the cheapest 
plan to begin with a young healthy plant in a very small pot, and growing 
in nothing else but sandy peat. It requires exactly the same kind of soil, 
the quantity of drainage, air, and cold, as the average of Cape Heaths. 
Many kinds of loams and mixtures are certain but slow poisons to it; but, 
like Rhododendrons, there are kinds of loam, of which one-third with the 
rest of peat, would do it good ; but there is no way of knowing the loams 
but by trials. All the double Primroses of the China breed are propagated 
by cuttings, and grown in very light, and very rich sandy Boil; and in the 
winter they arc watered from below by a feeder or saucer. 
Hooo’s Vegetable Kinodom (D. 6'.j. —If you have this work only as far 
as the Grasses (page 832), you require one more part to complete the 
volume, which extends to 882 pages. Your bookseller will procure it for you. 
Kiddean System of Propagation (C, C. Hopkins). —This is placing 
cuttings in a vial half full of water, and half with sand, so as to keep the 
cuttings upright, for rooting Oleanders, and such like. If you fill any¬ 
thing with water, and as much sand as will keep up the cuttings, and give 
them 70° of heat, they will all root, and astonish you with the ease with 
which they will do it in so short a time, and with hardly any trouble. 
Names of Plants (IP. Cater, Tcignmouth). —Your plants are as follows : 
—1. Polystichum an gut arc, the soft Prickly Shield Fern. 2. Polystichum 
aculcatum, f.hc common Prickly Shield Fern. 3. Ptrris Cretica, an ever¬ 
green, greenhouse, or stove Fern. 4. Lycopodium ccesium. .5. Lycopodium 
Stolouiferum, wc believe, from the very small bit sent. {R. L .).—Your 
No. 1. is Contra rentricosa. 2. Clianthus puniceus. (An Amateur and 
Lorcr of Flowers). —Your plants are:—1. Mentha roiundifolia ; variety, 
variegata. This plant, though hardy, is often nursed now-a-days, and 
made from cuttings, like Tom Thumbs, and other things for bedding pur¬ 
poses ; and from the appearance of your tiny specimen, your plants have 
been coddled up in your greenhouse among other things that have, pro¬ 
bably been covered with red spider, which the syringe could soon put 
an end to. 2. Cyanotis vittatus. 3. Ayathosma citiata. 4, is of the 
Kcnnetlya or Hardcnbergia family. Wc are uncertain what species, 
without seeing it in flower. Pretty greenhouse climbers; they are apt 
to be subject to the red spider. Lay the plants on their sides, and well 
syringe them a few times; taking them out of the house to do so. 
The Kennedyas and Hardenbergias are hardy greenhouse climbers. [A. 
Robertson). —The specimen sent is from one of the serrated broad-leaved 
varieties of the evergreen Oak, Qurrcus lies, or Holly-leaved Oak. They 
are increased from seed by the thousand by our nurserymen. We could 
have raised tens of thousands this season from our own trees. The jack¬ 
daws have been living upon the acorns all this winter, and still we may 
have hundreds come up all over the garden. 
THE POULTRY OHRMiiLE, 
POULTRY SHOWS. 
February 23rd and 24tfi. Bolton Poultry, Pigeon, and Canary Show. 
Secs., William Chester and Robert Greenhalgh, Bolton. Entries close 
February 17th. 
March 15th, lfith, and 17th. Shropshire. Sec., T. W. Jones, Church 
.Street, Wellington, Salop. 
May 25th and 2Gth. Beverley. Sec., Francis Calvert, Surgeon, &c. 
Junk 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, 1859. Bath anp West of England. At Barnstaple, 
Devon. Director, S. Pitman, Esq. 
N.B .—Secretaries will oblige us by sending early copies of their lists. 
TRIMMING SPANISH FOWLS. 
We admired fclie little discussions tliat took place some time 
ago, about Spanish fowls. Although parties differed, everything 
connected with the differences was carried on in such an amicable 
and kindly spirit, that good only could result from it. If all 
points are discussed in the same way, a proper understanding 
will soon be arrived at. This time, the recess between the winter 
and summer Shows, is, perhaps, the best time for us to revert to 
the subject. There was no question as to the real merits of the 
birds. All those points were settled long since; and the most 
essential was, a perfectly white, large face. The greater the 
amount of white over the eye, the more meritorious the bird. 
All highly-bred birds have white skin to the root of the comb ; 
but it is only the very best of them that have it sufficiently de¬ 
veloped to displace the feathers, and make the white apparent. 
To accomplish this, many were shown trimmed,—entirely de¬ 
nuded of feathers between the eye and the comb, save a little 
black line. This led to disqualification;. and then some said 
that all were trimmed; while others contended it was a fair 
practice. We abstained from any notice, beyond comment in. 
reports ; but now, in our leisure, we revert to it. 
Those who breed Spanish fowls largely, from really first-rate 
stock, know the difficulty of breeding these birds that show a 
round face over the eye, without trimming ; but they also know 
it can be done, and many exhibitors prove it. Now, if the 
object of competition be to encourage great purity, excellence, 
and beauty of breed, then—whether the pursuit be the hobby off 
a rich man, careless of anything but t lie honour of the prize ; or 
of the amateur, whoso means make it necessary his penchant 
should be self-supporting; or of the pure lover of exhibitions— 
it must be evident, that the question must be decided against 
trimming. It is no new subject. In the early days of Shows, 
Cochins’ tails were pulled out, and black hackles disappeared. Since 
then, we have, in some classes, had painted legs and coloured 
beaks. These have, however, disappeared before the expressed 
determination of Judges, and most exhibitors, to disqualify, or 
pass over, all birds similarly prepared. We do not accuse those 
who have shown trimmed birds of any dishonest intention. We 
know that many have done it openly, have never attempted to 
conceal it, and have at once admitted it. They have been per¬ 
suaded by others that it was right and fair to do so ; and thus 
birds that should have been easy winners have been passed over. 
Some, with a candour worthy of imitation, have expressed them¬ 
selves satisfied to be losers now, by the pleasure it afforded them 
to know that in future birds must he naturally shown. We 
cannot help expressing our sympathy with some who have pur¬ 
chased trimmed or plucked birds at large prices, and liavo found 
them useless for exhibition. Some such were seen at the Crystal 
Palace Show'—one lien in particular had a broad white lima 
between the eye and the comb. It had been pulled some timet 
before ; but either the owner had repented, or they had not long 
been his property, for three perfect rows of young feathers were 
seen, straight and correct, as if the skin had been drilled with 
feather-seed, which were coming up well. One well-known and 
ingenious exhibitor, so far from denying the plucking of his birds, 
justified the process, and took some merit to himself for bringing 
more prominently into sight that which was admitted to be a 
beauty, lie, however, objected to removing his lips, in order that 
his teeth (which are really good) should be better seen. 
Before Spanish fowls are again wanted for exhibition, they will 
have moulted; or, at any rate, if they have to go to summer 
Shows, the feathers that have been removed will have grown 
again. We have been at some pains to ascertain the opinions of 
our principal Judges. They unanimously condemn the practice, 
and will not award prizes to trimmed birds. Wc have also beon 
in communication with many of our best breeders and exhibitors 
in this class, and they cordially agree with the Judges. We 
believe uncertainty on this point, together with disinclination to 
trim while it appeared hopeless to compete without that process, 
interfered much with Spanish entries at many recent Shows. 
These causes will now be removed, and the classes will increase ; 
because no(io but birds )i;Uura]ly shown will be allowed to take 
prizes. We rejoice at ft ; bep&use we believe it is for the good of 
the breed quite as much as for the satisfaction of the amateur. 
ULVEHSTON POULTRY EXHIBITION. 
Although the number of entries at this Show was somewhat 
smaller than that of last year, there cannot be a spepnd opinion 
but that the superiority of the Show just closed over the two 
preceding ones was unusually great; scarcely a pen of indifferent 
poultry being to be met with throughout the whole exhibition. 
