THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, March 15, 185“. 
to bloom in August, we would prune back its shoots when it began to show 
flower-buds—say in March, encourage to make fresh growth, and give it a 
check by plenty of light and less water in June and the beginning of July, 
giving more water again to swell the flower-buds, which we should expect 
to be thus formed. If once got to bloom at that period, it would be easier 
afterwards. 
Heatixo a Stove fou Ferns (71'. II". It .).—-You do not say the height 
of your house (tweuty-flve feet long, bv twelve feet wide), or whether 
the sides have much dr any glass, or if the walls are all exposed, or ptlttly 
sunk beneath the level. If ilt all lofty, all exposed, and much side glass, 
your two four-inch pipes all round will scarcely suffice. If half of j out¬ 
side walls are sunk below the ground level, and you have little or no side 
glass, your heating power trill be ample. 
Calathea zeurixa ( Valcedlas ).—This blooms frequently; but there is 
nothing very enticing about it, except, perhaps, in a botanical point of 
view, for noticing the difference between the position of the stamens and 
pistils in Maranta , and Gingerworts—such as Cumins. The plant is chiefly 
valued for its fine, shaded foliage, which, iu a high temperature, and a 
medium degree of shade from sutishiue, is truly beautiful. It is best 
known as J la rant a zebrina. 
Diseased Vine Leaves ( W. Jf -, Loner Tooting ).—As far as wc could 
make out from the very small leaf enclosed, it is infected with mildew, and 
you have done quite right in dusting the leaves with flowers of sulphur. Do j 
iiot syringe Ihem. Faint the stems of the Vine, and the sides of the flue, 1 
or hot-water pipes, with the sulphur mixture we have so often particu¬ 
larised. The leaf, however, tells another tale, intimating that the roots 
are deep in cold, clayey, poor soil. They ought to be brought nearer the 
surface. At present you can do no more than remove the soil until you 
come down to them, and replace it with a light rich compost. Give liquid 
manure once a-week. 
Various (Amg Flower). —lie suspect the Passion-flower has too much 
root room, and has been allowed to grow freely without pruning. The 
roots might bo the bettor for being pruned; but, on the whole, we think 
want of proper pruning tlxe shoots may be the chief cause. Even now 
wc would prune back most of the last year’s shoots to wi.liin two or three 
buds, or joints, of their base. These will push and grow vigorously, and 
if the wood were at all well-ripened last autumn, will bloom profusely ou 
the young shouts of the present summer. If they shonld not bloom, give 
all the sun possible, lessen water, and shorten the points ot these shoots in 
autumn, and then, when you cut back in winter, or spring, the shoots of 
the foliowing summer will be sure to bloom. The Acacia should be exposed 
to all the suu possible ; aud, if planted out, little water given after October 
until spring. We are not sure of the specimen. We are not sure of No. 3, 
from a leaf, but suppose it to be a B anksia, or something ofthat kind ; and 1 
if so, it had better be kept in a cool greenhouse, merely secure from frost, 
from October to May. Your Camellias may have been injured from over¬ 
watering,- though, when the drainage is good, that is not very c-asy when . 
flowering, unless the plants are in rather large pots, containing earth iu 
which the roots have not yet worked. We should almost be inclined to 
believe that the roots had got too much cooled before housing. If the soil 
is wet, and the night temperature low, a great degree of coldis experienced ( 
in tile soil of a porous pot. 'Ju this account, it is often better not to take ' 
such plants out of the house at all, especially in the case of beginners. If 
you want your Banksian Roses to occupy a large space, on a wall, we would j 
advise cutting them down to within a foot of the ground, and selecting the j 
shoots next season. They will do admirably, planted out, or in a large | 
pot; but if out of doors, in Lancashire, the place must be sheltered. If 
you mean them for your conservatory, and to bloom from the root, then we 
would advise training the shoot as high as desirable. Ileuiove all the buds 
below the height at which you wish floweiing-shoots to come. Let all the 
buds abov e break into shoots; thin these out, so that those left to dangle, 
will be freely exposed to light. If very strong, these long, well-ripened 
shoots will he covered with short shoots, covered with bloom next spring, 
or tire following one. Secure long, well-ripened shoots every year, and 
you will have pendant wreaths of bloom. On this system, the flowering- 
shoots tire cut out when the flowering is over, and strength given to their 
successors. The Sweet Daphnes are propagated by cuttings and graftings, 
as Daphne hatreola, Donlica, &c. 
Sorghum saccuaratoi (C . E . 27.).— This, the Chinese Sugar Cane, called, 
also, Ilulcirs saccharatus , is an excellent food for cows. Sown at the end 
of May, the plants will up ill a week, and three crops cut during til# 
summer mid autumn. The soil should be in good tilth, and moist 
rather than dry. Guano and superphosphate of lime, ate good manures 
for it. Eight or nine pounds of seed per acre are sufficient. It is too 
coarse, we should think, to make into hay. It is very fattening and much 
relished by pigs, as well as by horses, and all horned cattle. 
— ■ — ... — —. . . — — ■—■ ■■ - - - - -■ — - iniwtf tpi—r-*r— 
the poultry 
POULTRY SHOWS. 
March 13th, lGth, and 17th. Shropshire. Sec., T. \V. Jones, Church 
Street, Wellington, Salop. 
May 25th and 20th. Beveih,ey. See., Francis Calvert, Surgeon, &e. 
June 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, 1859. Bath and West of E.noi.axd. At Barnstaple, 
Devon. Director, S. Pitman, Esq. 
June Gth, 7tli, and 8th, 1859. Glasgow. Sec., Robert M'Cowan, 17, Gordon 
Street, Glasgow. 
July 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th. Sheffield. Wilson Ovcrend, Chairman. 
Entries close the 15th of June. 
N.B .—Secretaries will oblige vs by sending early copies of their lists. 
ABUSE THE JUDGES. 
“Naughty human nature l”—Decks a iff. 
When Sir Robert Peel introduced bis celebrated tarifl', that 
eminent statesman was harassed with deputations. The soap¬ 
boilers begged to express their admiration of all but the alteration 
with regard to soap ; that was a nils take, and they would explain 
why. The Spitalfields weavers could not sufficiently praise the 
statesmanship displayed in everything but the change as regarded 
silk. The men of Coventry had always been advocates for pro-- 
gress and reform ; they hailed the measure of the Right Hon. 
.Baronet witli joy ; hut would suggest that he was mistaken as 
regarded ribbons. Birmingham was so delighted with tho change, 
she would forgive the Premier his currency ideas; she would 
give him her most strenuous support in all hut those points that 
regarded hardware and metals : he was altogether wrong there. 
Sydney Smith cheered Lord John’s reforms till he talked of 
touching (lie prebendal stalls. The prebend could not submit 
to that. Many years ago, Cochin cocks had their tails trimmed. 
Then Polands, with white topknots, had tho inevitable black 
feathers in front skilfully shaved off. Then Game fowls had their 
legs dyed. They were detected by the Judges ; and all applauded, 
except, first, the Cochin exhibitors, then the Polands, and then 
the Game. You recollect the triangular duel in Captain Marryat t’s 
novel. Well, so it was with exhibitors. Tho Polands said it was 
too bad of the Cochins. The Game said it served the Polands 
right to he disqualified. Aud the Cochins were glad the Game 
were exposed. And the Spanish stood by and said “Naughty 
human nature! ” And then, when these peccant classes hail 
abandoned their wicked ways, the Spanish were detected trim¬ 
ming. Now, none of the classes were ever made up of prepared 
birds; but there were some in each. The exposure was great, 
and so was the indignation. 
Some years ago, a man submitted very tamely to an insult, 
and said it was unnecessary lie should give any proof of his 
courage, as ho belonged to the militia—proof in itself! So some 
said they could not bo accused of trimming, because they had 
always set their faces against anything of the sort; but they ad¬ 
mitted they had removed a few feathers, or rather hairs, from 
their fowls’ faces. Others openly said they had merely developed 
those beauties that bungling Nature allowed to bo concealed. 
Some had done it because others did. All were, however, agreed 
on one point. “If,” said the solicitor to his barrister, “you 
find the evidence weak, abuse the plaintiff.” So all decided on 
one thing,—viz., to abuse the Judges! Poor men ! Tlieir task 
is something like the drummer flogging the soldier. “ Don’t hit 
just on my bladeboucs,” and the boy l-.it lower. “Not there,” 
said the soldier, and tho boy lilt him in the middle. “That’s 
worse than all.” “Drat you,” said the drummer, “there’s no 
pleasing you,” and he threw down the cat in despair. After all, 
arc they not public property l Do not their awards belong to 
the public ? No one denies it. You need not be afraid of their 
giving tip tlie office; therefore, rate them soundly. It is too good 
a thing to ho easily given up. Only' fancy, a nice three-days’ holi¬ 
day ; getting clean away from tlic monotony and duties ot home; 
spending two cool winter days in seeing the country through 
a railway carriage window. The luxury of early rising, and break¬ 
fasting by candle light the next morning. The importance felt 
at being lord of the Show all the day, and awarding all the prizes. 
The consciousness of having done a.hard day’s work—probably 
nine or ten hours on foot ; and then, when they return, to find, 
after paying expenses, they have at least thirty shillings over and 
above the pleasure. They cannot expect to earn all this without 
some responsibility, and without being found fault with ; there¬ 
fore, forget your own peccadillos of tiimming, &c., and abuse tlio 
Judges. 
TIIE HOUSE OR GROUND TUMBLER PIGEON. 
Through the kindness of Mr. Patou, I have become possessed 
of one of these very curious Pigeons ; and, as a description of 
it may interest your Pigeon-fancying readers, I forward the 
following:—■ 
I have procured for her a yellow-bearded cock Tumbler ot 
the London flying variety. He weighs 12.1 ozs., and measures 
one inch from' tho outer edge of the pupil of the eye to the end 
of the beak. 
The hen House Tumbler weighs 10} ozs., and measures in face 
an inch all but one-sixteenth. She is in colour a yellow,-with 
white flights; tail white, with one or two foul feathers; a few 
small white feathers about the beak. Her head is rather angular, 
and her eye a beautifully clear pearly white. 
I have remarked it as curious, that in all tlwe numerous varieties 
of Tumbler Pigeons I have met with, there is a tendency, in some 
individuals of each variety, to the bearded marking; and I have 
not noticed this marking in any pther kind. 
