500 
Every now and then we find a new variety 
of fowl being made the fashion. Amongst pro¬ 
fessional poultry breeders it is pushed for all 
it is worth. The journals, devoted to “ h ancy 
matters sing its praises week in and week 
out, and even the general Press of the country 
is made the medium oft-times of helping on 
the boom. One variety which a few years ago 
was run very hard in this manner was the 
Ancona. It ‘did not matter where one went 
amongst poultry breeders, it was Ancona this 
and Ancona that, until one was fairly sick ot 
the very name of the breed. The Ancona was 
cmiim to be the saviour of the country, it was 
going to out-distance every other breed 
known, and was to bring profit not only to the 
professional poultry man but to the farmer 
and cottage poultry-keeper as well. It, was 
to charm the one by its beauty and the others 
by its prolificness. It was not claimed tor 
it that it would lay two eggs in a day, but its 
average was to be close upon one per day 
throughout the 365 in the year. After a while 
the boom died down, and one seldom hears 
the breed mentioned now. 
It is at times of excitement like this that 
the ordinary poultry lover who keeps a few 
hens just to supply his or her own house, 
and maybe to make a little profit as well bv 
sellin<r a few eggs or chickens to the neigh¬ 
bours,” is apt to" be led astray. “ For some 
years the particular breed which lias been 
kept has done well. It has provided plenty of 
eg^s and young chickens. Last year it did not- 
do° so well, this year it has done worse. I 
must have a new breed.” Thus reasons the 
poultry owner. He has become dissatisfied. 
He has heard rumours of some new strange 
breed, which, as our American cousins would 
say, is “ going to lick creation.” He buys one 
or two poultry papers to see what they say 
about the matter. He reads, and is con¬ 
vinced that the millennium is at hand, and 
that by investing in a pen of these new fowls 
he is going to beat all his past records and 
make astounding profits. 
Foolish man ! He should have remembered 
the words of the good old song, which speaks 
of new friends as silver, but says old ones are 
as gold. He buys at a big price a pen of 
these new much-vaunted fowls, but they do 
not come up to the promise held out. He 
becomes disgusted, and from being am 
admirer of the new breed becomes an 
opponent of it. 
Now let us examine closely the reasons for 
this disappointment. The wonderful new 
breed has done no better than the old. 
Why ? To answer this satisfactorily we must 
go back some way. The old breed did well 
enough for a time. Why 1 Because the ground 
in the run where they lived was fresh. After 
a while this became sour through being over¬ 
charged with the excreta from the fowls. 
This caused the ground to give forth 
vapours of a poisonous nature ; these were 
inhaled by the fowls day after day, till their 
blood became thoroughly vitiated, the system 
weakened, and as a natural result the egg- 
laying properties of the birds became en¬ 
feebled. 
The new birds were put on this foul ground. 
For a while they did better than the old ones, 
but only so long as the strong, robust blood 
in their veins remained pure- After a short 
THE GARDENING WORLD , 
time the poisonous fumes arising from the 
ground had their effects on the new birds, and 
they, too, become non-paying and non-pro- 
lific, like the old ones. The owner, never 
thinking about the cause, condemned first 
the old breed then the new, yet neither was 
to blame. Only his own foolish carelessness. 
Given proper conditions, the old and the new 
would both have given him satisfaction. 
Under the bad, insanitary conditions both 
were failures. I hope to return to this sub¬ 
ject next week. 
Plants Certificated 
AT THE TEMPLE SHOW 
By the Royal Horticultural Society. 
(Continued from last week.) 
Floral Committee. 
Begonia Mme. A. Patti 
In this tuberous Begonia we have a huge 
bloom of soft salmon-orange, with broad petals 
slightly wavy and rather loosely arranged 
round the single centre. It is a splendid 
bloom of the first class order. Award of 
Merit to Messrs. Blaekmore and Langdon, 
Twerton Hill Nursery, Bath. 
Sarracenia flava gigantea. 
The fully-developed pitchers of this remark¬ 
able variety stand about 2g ft. high, and are 
green and funnel-shaped, with a large tri¬ 
angular lid netted and veined with rich 
brownish-crimson.- Award of Merit to Mr. 
A. J. A. Bruce, Ghorlton-cum-Hardy, Lancs. 
Pelargonium The Hon. Mrs. Boyle. 
This represents one of the most advanced 
types of Ivy-leaved Pelargoniums, with large, 
double, flat, rich rose flowers with paler edges. 
Some of the pips measure lg in. to 2 in. across 
or more. Award of Merit to Mr. Charles 
Turner, Slough. 
Azalea Julius Roehrs. 
The blooms of this handsome new variety 
measured 3^ in. to 4^ in. across, and are of 
an intense rose, with a few small petals in 
the centre. The leaves are large, leathery, 
and dark green. Award of Merit to Messrs. 
F. Sander and Sons, St. Albans. 
Verbena The King. 
This is a sport or seedling from Miss 
Willmott, with rather larger, rich scarlet 
flowers, with a pale but small centre. Award 
of Merit to Messrs. William Cutbush and 
Son, Higligate, N. 
Rhododendron Smithii aureum. 
Thisi is one of the deciduous types of 
Azalea, with oblong wrinkled leaves. The 
flowers are produced in large trusses rather 
widely expanded, slightly wavy, and clear 
light yellow, with a group of green spots at 
the base of the upper segments. Award of 
Merit to Messrs. William Cutbush and Son. 
Wahlenbergia Pumilio. 
The leaves of this Bellwort are linear, very 
slender, and form little tufts close to the 
ground. Each little stem produces a solitary 
erect, bell-shaped, purple flower. It is an 
interesting subject for the rockery, and often 
named Edraianthus. Award of Merit to 
Messrs. William Cutbush and Son. 
Primula Arendsi. 
This bold and striking Primula has been 
produced by crossing P. obconica with the 
more recently introduced megaseaefolia. The 
leaves are roundly heart shaped, toothed 
about the edges, leathery in character, 6 in. 
to 7 in. long, and 4 in. to 6 in. wide. The 
June 17, 1905. 
flowers are produced in umbels similar 
those of the parents, and are slightly fringe 
soft pink with a greenish eye, and each p 
often measures 1^ in. to 2 in. across. T1 
plant appears to be of very robust constit 
tion. Award of Merit to Mr. George Arend 
Ronsdorf, Germany. 
H. T. Rose David Harum. 
The blooms of this new Rose are of lar 
size, cup-shaped, sliell-pink in the centr 
with all the outer petals much reflexed at tl 
edges and of a paler pink. It is evidently 
highly meritorious variety. The leaves ai 
large, deep green, and paler beneath. Awai 
of Merit to Messrs. Paul and Son, The 01 
Nurseries, Cheshunt. 
(To be concluded .) 
-♦-—— 
Trade Notes. 
Polypodium Fibre. 
We are in receipt of a very fine sample ( 
Polypodium fibre, suitable for potting Orchid.- 
In this country we frequently speak of the us 
of Bracken roots for the potting of Orchid- 
but when it comes to Polypodium fibre we ai 
afraid the material is too scanty for fibre t 
be obtainable in sufficient quantity to make 
a commercial commodity for the purpose < 
potting Orchids, nor should we care to er 
courage the uprooting of Polypodies on such a 
extensive scale. 
The sample box of Polypodium fibre wa 
sent us by Herr F. Borowski, Bonn-on-tln 
Rhine, Germany, where Polypodies mils 
surely be plentiful to make a commercir 
article of the fibrous roots. The sample sen 
us consisted of pure Polypody fibre wit-hon 
any admixture of earth or apparently th 
roots of any other subjects. It was of a ric-1 
brown colour, and smelled very much of nio'¬ 
er Fern roots as pulled up in the wild state 
Considering the value of the material fo 
Orchid potting it seems very cheap, the pai 
ticulars of which may be found in our aclvei 
rising columns. 
Dissolution of Partnership. 
We are given to understand that the paid 
nership which has existed for some time pas 
between Charles Greenfield Pace and Thoma 
Smith, under the title of Messrs. Pace am 
Smith, and in the trade - or business of nui 
serymen, seedsmen, and florists, has been dis 
solved by mutual consent. The debts owin 
from or due to the firm will be discharged c 
received by Mr. Charles Greenfield Pace, wh 
will carry on the business under the name c 
Messrs. Pace and Smith on his own accoun, 
at 79, Midland Road and Bromham Roac 
Bedford. This dissolution of partner sir 
was dated May 6th, 1905. 
Floriculture in Lincolnshire. — Tl 
growers in the neighbourhood of Spalding aj 
now busy with the Pyrethrums, but the blooi 
season is now far advanced. Last year 3( 
tons of various flowers were despatched fro 
this district. This year it is expected tl 
figure will approximate to 400 tons. 
The Weather in West Lothian. —For tl 
week ending May 26th it was still very dr 
Slight showers on Wednesday and Thursday 
in all 0.14 in., which brings up the rainfa 
for May to 0.60 in. On Sunday morning 
severe frost was experienced. In some par 
of the county 9 deg. were registered, but oi 
own glass only fell to 31 deg. Potatos ha 
suffered considerably, and early Strawberrie 
too. Highest temperature during week 1 
deg,— C. Blair. 
