THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, June 20, 1800. 
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sent po«t free. Rivers’ Rose Amateur's Guide, is si different work from 
that you name. You can have both that and the Orchard-house from our 
office. Sinclair’s Hortus Gramincus IVoburnensis can only be bought 
second-hand, and varies in price. There is only one work on Orchid 
culture. It is a very useful little work, and is known as Williams’s 
Orchid-grower’s Manual. 
Clematis Montana (,/. C.).— The flower of this is white. We cannot tell 
what your plant is from the description. Send us a flower and a leaf. 
Seedling Verbena ( Verbena Redder).— Cut flowers of Verbenas can 
only determine the shade or colour. This belongs to the new section of 
mauve colour, and, like ladg Middleton, to the lighter degree of mauve. 
It seems a very good style of flower. 
Names op Ferns (Miss Shiffner). —No. 1. Lastrcea pallida of South 
F.uropeon botanists; a variety of L. rigida. 2. Ncphrolepis, and ap¬ 
parently W. tuberosa ; but this is not known as a European plant. Is 
there not some mistake about its coming from Naples, if by this is meant 
wild at Naples ? 3. Cgstopteris fragilis, var. dentata. 
Name or Plant ( A Subscriber). —The plant sent by your friend is a 
Habrothamnus, but which species we cannot tell from such a specimen ; 
however, they are all evergreen greenhouse plants, natives of Mexico. 
POULTRY AND BEE-KEEPER’S CHRONICLE. 
POULTRY SHOWS. 
June 29th. Driffield. Sec., 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 18th and 19th. Merthyr Tydvil. Sec., Mr. W. H. Harris, 142, 
High Street, Merthyr. 
July 19th. Prescot. See., Mr. J. Beesley. Entries close July 7. 
August 22nd and 23rd. Settle (Yorkshire). Hon. Secs., 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. 
September 19th, 20th, and 21st. Portsmouth. Hon. Sec., Mr. E. Clarke, 
20, Wish Street, Southsea, nants. Entries close August 11 
September 25th. Bridgnorth. Sec., Mr. Richard Taylor, Bridgnorth. 
October 9th, 10th, and 11th. Worcester, lion. See.., Mr. G. Griffiths. 
N.B.— Secretaries will oblige us by sending early copies of their lists. 
THE EGG TRADE. 
There is yet no diminution in the number of eggs imported 
into this country. In the last detail of the Peninsular and 
Oriental boats, the cargo winds up with boxes of eggs. The 
supply, then, is no longer confined to France, Belgium, Holland, 
or even Sardinia; but it now moves on, and we shall not be sur¬ 
pris'd to find, ere long, we get eggs from Algeria. The poultry 
question is long malting its way in England, and people arc slow 
to identify themselves with it, save as a hobby or a pastime. 
With the conviction it may be made a help to many a poor 
household, we have lately given some details of the way in which 
the fowls are raised avid treated that form the supply of the 
I London market. As we explained that it was not by vast 
establishments, but by numerous small ones, that the quantity 
wa9 bred and fattened, and that the only share taken by the men 
who sent these vast consignments was to employ proper people 
to go round collecting; so we may say the same of eggs. They 
are either bought at the farmhouses, or at the market where 
t hey are sent for sale. 
But a few years ago Hertfordshire was noted for its supply of 
eggs, and numerous higglers lived by this trade. It was their 
business to collect and bring eggs to London. They came in 
every Friday, and supplied the large confectioners and the cheese¬ 
mongers. Many of them amassed considerable sums of money. 
They drove up, and thus became carriers as well as higglers. 
The trade was remunerative to all parties during the autumn, 
winter, and early spring months. When steam-boats first, rail¬ 
ways and free trade afterwards, facilitated the introduction of 
foreign eggs, all those concerned in this trade took fright. Horses 
and carts were sold ; the owners took beer-shops, or public 
houses, or starved on a few acres of land, and the trade was lost. 
| In most families there are traditions and recollections of some 
one or other having given up something, when something else 
came out which was likely to interfere with it. Waggons were got 
rid of because a canal was projected; and how many valuable 
pursuits were abandoned when railways first became familiar and 
threatened to become general. Well, it was found after a year 
or two, there was still a good market for eggs, but the machinery 
was no longer in working order. The men who understood it 
had taken to other pursuits, and the trade died away. There 
are yet some who follow it, but not on the same scale their pre¬ 
decessors did. A great part of last-winter eggs were not to be 
had for money, and really new-laid ones made from 3d. to 4 d. 
each. If it be admitted, for argument’s sake, such prices are not 
always to be realised, we answer, without fear of contradiction, it 
is seldom they are not. New-laid eggs will always be in request 
in the winter. If there is no market nearer than London, send 
them there; thanks to railways and van parcels trains, they may 
be there within twenty-four hours of being laid. We repeat, as 
the result of many years of observation and experience, that 
wherever an unusually good thing is produced, there will be a 
demand for it; and the production of the article will cause the 
demand. We are speaking of poultry now as food only, and of 
eggs as contributing their quota in furnishing the supply of the 
kingdom. Some will smile, and others will shake their heads 
and say, This is not the style of English living. Granted, but is 
there not constant change in these things ? Where is the corned- 
beef breakfast of Elizabeth’s days ? The huge pasty of Henry 
Till. ? Where are even the heavy dinners of our immediate 
forefathers ? Where are the broken-mouthed sheep of our own 
days ? Where is the five-year-old down mutton ? It has passed 
away. The country cannot afford to wait so long lor its food ; 
i and the requirements of hungry mouths make it moro desirable 
the acres should fatten a larger number of young but good sheep, 
than the small number of choice, perfect, old mutton. Every 
sort of food that can be made useful or available is valuable, 
especially that which is akin to, if not positively, animal food, as 
eggs. We will return to this next week if we have space. 
THORNE CATTLE, IMPLEMENT, and POULTRY 
ASSOCIATION.-June 20th. 
Poultry was, of course, to the majority of visitors, the chief 
feature. The respective classes drew together exhibitors from 
all parts of the West Biding and Lincolnshire. Some idea of 
the extent of the Show iu this department alone may be formed 
from the number of pens—there being no less than 198. Spanish, 
Cocliin-China, Dorking, Duckwings, Black-breasted and other 
Bed Game, Poland, Silver and Gold-pencilled Hamburghs, Black 
and AYhite Bantams, cocks and hens of any cross or breed, were 
all entered, and gave rise to a spirited competition. In no class 
did the gentlemen officiating as Judges find more difficulty to 
make their selection than for the best Dorking cock and two 
hens. Only two prizes were awarded—the first to Mr. John 
Sledmore, of Epworth, and the second to Mr. Pelham Barnard, 
of Bigby Brigg. Three others were Commended. In class 53, 
for the “ Best Cock of any Breed or Cross," three unsuccessful 
competitors were Commended out of twenty-seven. The Guinea 
Fowls were good specimens of their kind; and the Turkeys 
were equal to any that have been exhibited in former years. 
Ducks brought thirteen entries; and in the “ Extra Stock ” for 
poultry the Judges did not find anything worthy of mote than a 
Commendation. 
Rabbits were an admirable class, and twenty-eight pens were 
no inconsiderable display. Bucks (twelve), and does (nine), 
single specimens, required some care from which to make a 
judicious award. 
Pigeons. No Commendations were made, but this does not 
deteriorate from the general quality; for, besides those that 
were fortunate to obtain the notice of the Judges, there were 
others little inferior in symmetry and breed. 
The Show altogether was of a most satisfactory description, 
and, but for the unfavourable weather, we have no hesitation in 
saying that it would have been the best ever held at Thorne. 
Mr. T. B. Stead and Mr. Jos. Conyers, of Leeds, officiated as 
Judges for poultry. They made their awards as follows :—• 
Spanish.— First, \V. Cannan, Bradford. Second, J. Moss, Goole. 
Cochin-China. — First, AY. Harvey, Sheffield. Second, AY. Cannan, 
Bradford. Commended, AV. Harvey, Sheffield. 
Dorkings.— First, J. Sledmore. Second, P. Barnard, Bigby Brigg. 
Commended, W. E. Easten, Hull; AY. Brown, Crowle; AY. Cannan, 
Bradford. 
Game (AVhite and Piles).—First, G. Low, Branton. Second, H. Adams, 
Beverley. 
Game (Black-breasted and other Reds).—First, H. Adams, Beverley. 
Second, J. Crossland, AVakefield. Commended, J. Proctor, Doncaster. 
Game (Duckwings, and other Greys and Blues).—First, F. Sales, Crowle. 
Second, R. Tate, Driffield. 
Polands (any variety).—First and Second, J. Dixon, Bradford. Com¬ 
mended, AY. Cannan, Bradford. 
Hamburghs (Silver-spangled).—First, J. Dixon, Bradford. Second, AY. 
Cannan, Bradford. 
Hamburghs (Golden-spangled).—First, H. Adams, Beverley. Second, 
AY. Cannan, Bradford. 
