190 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, June 19, 1SG0. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Hose Underground (R. A.L .).—For underground piping we should 
prefer cast iron or earthenware pipes, according to circumstances. Gutta 
percha is not calculated for such an employment, and must be liable to 
decay. If you require the hose for supplying the water from the under¬ 
ground-pipes, then we recommend vulcanised Indian-rubber. It is much 
more flexible and manageable than Gutta percha. 
Red-leg Weed [Inquirer). —The plant you call Red-leg , is Polygonum 
bistort a, or Distort, a noisome weed in most meadows and pastures’. There 
is no effectual mode of eradicating it, except by breaking up the pasture 
and thoroughly cleaning the ground of its perennial roots, which are large 
and tortuous. Wherever it occurs the land should be pared and burned 
and thoroughly drained. 
“J. V.,” relative to Marvel of Peru, and “An Irish Subscriber,” 
relative to Anseetochili, will be answered next week. 
Cottage Gardener by Post (Inquirer). —Thf. Cottage Gardener is 
posted from the office to all subscribers on the day of publication. The 
annual subscription, 17s. id. Half-yearly and quarterly at proportional 
rates. 
Worms in Tots of Ferns (F. C. F. O.). —You may water the soil with 
lime water. Half a peck of freshly slacked lime is enough for twenty 
gallons of water. Stir the lime into tire water some hours before using 
the water, and only use this when quite clear. The papers you refer to 
have not been published in a separate form. 
Wardian Cask (L. J. L.).— At what temperature it should be kept 
depends upon the plants within it. If greenhouse plants, 45° at night, and 
from 53° to G5° by day, will be about a proper range. Take off the glass 
daily. 
Names of Plants (IP. C.).— Your plant is the Sempcrrirmn riliatum, 
the Ciliated Houseleek. You would have prevented much trouble if you 
hud sent a lower leaf of this plant. The hairs round the edges of the leaves 
would have determined the species at once. (Keele Hall Gardens). —The 
plant from Ireland is Andromeda polifolia. ( J. Aston).— It is impossible 
to be certain from such sprigs, but we believe No. 1. is Lantana strieta, 
and No. 2. Spine a Japoniea. 
POULTRY AND BEE-KEEPER’S CHRONICLE. 
POULTRY SHOWS. 
Junk 20th. Thorne. Sec., Mr. Joseph Richardson. 
June 29th. Driffield. See., Mr. R. Davison. Entries close June 23rd. 
June 29th and 30th, July 2nd and 3rd. Sheffield. Sec., Mr. W. II. 
Dawson, Sheffield. Entries close June 14th. 
July ISth and 19th. Merthyr Tydvil. See., Mr. W. II. Harris, 142. 
High Street, Merthyr. 
July 19th. Prescot. Sec., Mr. J. P.ecsley, Entries close July 7. 
August 22nd and 23rd. Settle (Yorkshire). lion. Sees., Revs. J. R. 
Blakiston and J. Robinson, Settle. Entries close August 1st. 
August 25th, 27th, 28th, and 29th. Crystal Palace. Summer Show of 
Poultry, Pigeons, and Rabbits. Sec., Mr. William Houghton. Entries 
close July 28th. 
Sei'tf.mbrr 19th, 20th, and 21st. Portsmouth. Hon. Sec., Mr. E. Clarke, 
20, Wish Street, Soutlisea, Hants. Entries dose August 11, 
September 25th. Bridgnorth. Sec., Mr. Richard Taylor, Bridgnorth. 
October 9th, 10th, and 11th. Worcester. Hon. Sec., Mr. G. Griffiths. 
N.B.— Secretaries will oblige us by sending early copies of their lists. 
HIGH FEEDING FOR FOWLS AND ITS 
CONSEQUENCES. 
I thank you very truly for your good ndvice regarding my 
fowls. When I wrote to you I was not aware of the cause of 
their loss of feathers, although observing that one or two of 
them occasionally deprived a neighbour of a few; but since, ac¬ 
cording to your suggestion, they have been denied my plate of 
table scraps and the coolt’s contributions, they have shown me 
how truly you described their case, by the most cruel conduct 
towards each other. We are constantly distressed by the cries 
of the sufferers, and one fight might have proved fatal but for 
our interference. 
Their process of plucking usually makes no wound, hut the 
feathers extracted are eagerly devoured. 
Perhaps you will lie so good as to inform me how long I ought 
to persevere in the low diet; or whether (as the fowls look far 
worse than before) I should rather take “ (E’s” melancholy 
view of the case, and give up my pets as incurable. Some must 
he executed next week in pity to the rest. Others in solitary 
confinement will await your opinion, should you favour me witli 
a reply. 
The health of the fowls seems not so good since the change 
of diet, and they have almost given tip laying. This latter is 
not material, if you think there is still hope of improvement in 
their behaviour. 
If I should obtain other and better-mannered birds next 
spring, should they bo kept invariably without animal food of 
any kind ? or ought worms and garden insects to be supplied as 
far as practicable ? 
My young chickens have always been particularly delighted 
with the table scraps, or a bone occasionally. Is this fare to be 
avoided as dangerous in their case also ?—Mns. Dorking. 
[To Mrs. Dorking. 
Madam, — Some time since we took a sickly child to an 
eminent medical man. “ I can see,” he said; “ general disor¬ 
ganisation ; loss of appetite, yet craving. No desire for proper 
or wholesome food ; picks up scraps of paper, sealing-wax, string, 
thread, rice, and so on.” “Yes, sir.” “Child has been impro¬ 
perly fed.” “ Think not, sir.” Obliged to admit she had been 
allowed to eat freely of pastry, occasionally to have a glass of 
wine, and to have constant access to cake and biscuit. He not 
only prescribed medicine, but ordered a “regime” he laid down 
to be strictly followed. “But, sir,” asked we, “is the poor 
child always to be subject to this?” “ Only till she is cured,” 
was the answer. “ And is she always to be debarred a glass of 
wine and a piece of cake?” “ By no means; but let her have 
them in moderation, and at proper times.” The child is well. 
We assure you we think the ease was worse than your fowls. 
It is as true of fowls as of Pheasants, that they nre carnivorous, 
and the extraordinary foot that one will stand quite still while 
the other eats it is perfectly true. Whether it arises from morbid 
appetite or from anger, the result is the same as soon as one has 
tasted the other. The victim will choose a corner, and having 
thrust its head into it will stand still while the stronger eats all 
the skin off the head; then the back of the neck ; then, oh! 
strange epicure ! the oyster pieces of the back, and perhaps the 
tail as a bonne louche. It is not, however, their nature to eat 
each other ; but the appearance of a little raw spot, or of two or 
three young feathers, is too tempting to be resisted in certain 
conditions of health or body. Overfeeding and improper food 
have done the mischief. 
All pampered animals are affected the same way. Many years 
ago wo undertook for a very valued old lady friend to cure her 
pet dog. It was exceedingly fat, very short-breathed, had no 
appetite for anything but food that was previously repugnant to 
it. Boor Bijou would sniff at, and then turn away from a small 
piece of lamb-cutlet; a portion of the wing of a boiled chicken, 
with its accompanying butter, &c., was sniffed at, perhaps turned 
over, or drawn out of the plate, and left. The medical friend of 
the family declared it must die, and we undertook the cure. Be 
it known we like dogs as well as poultry, and we keep them. We 
laughed heartily at the very sorry figure poor Bijou presented when 
put down with ours. We think ours was first frightened. It 
then looked to see what was the animal we had brought, and when 
it found that it was a dog, it played all sorts of pranks, and turned 
it over and over again. If ever a dog cried Bijou did. We laugh 
at the recollection of it even now. As the poor obese tried to 
walk away our dog ran round and over him—we need senredy 
add, he frequently knocked him down. Every time lie was rolled 
over he gave a short snappish bark that said “ don’t ” as plainly 
as it could ; and when that was found of no avail, Bijou sat 
down in despair, and cried as well as he could. We calied our 
dog away, and then this pampered animal, which often ltad 
chicken roasted expressly for its dinner, sought out and ate all 
scraps it could find of raw meat, Ac., on which Greyhounds and 
Pointers had been fed. From the same cause and in the samo 
way your fowls eat each other. Now for the cure. 
Bijou was not fit for the kennel. He was put in a loose box. 
He looked for his accustomed velvet cushion, failing that, he laid 
down on straw. He had water at his discretion, but no food. 
Next morning he did what he had not done for weeks, lie wagged 
His tail; we were delighted to see he was going on well. During 
that day he several times noisily asked for food. We thought 
he would live for some time as bears are said to do during the 
winter, and, therefore, gave him nothing. The third day he 
jumped and gambolled to the length of his chain, moved thereto 
by the sight of a crust we held in our hand. In a fortnight he was 
lively and well. He played about with our dogs, and his coat 
that was beginning to bare in patches, was again growing all over 
his body. Cooked and delicate meat was bad food for this dog, 
it caused humours and surfeits. Meat of any kind, as a rule, is 
bad for your fowls, causing also humours and surfeit. In one 
the hairs, in the other the feathers suffer. 
Bijou was treated as a dog should be, and ho had no relapse. 
Neither will your fowls, unless you treat them as dogs. They 
are not provided with the means of mastication necessary for 
meat eaters. We will not, however, tell you either to kill your 
fowls, or to condemn them to solitary confinement. Still, feed 
sparingly and with cooling things. Be sure they have plenty of 
