^■^ -^i^- ^-Si '-■f. sx'^- mi. ^^^ >%^^ P^ ?v^l^^ fl^ ^^^^ a^Uj; -^ ^. .>i ^X^ m ^2>- ¥m :> % M :^3*^: £^" 4-^?* ^ ? :'3.:'"«v )3i^. y^ .^p -I^^UJ^^' ^.vl^i^'c/'C^V'-^' 'W^§^^ \.,M-: - "^^"^J IT. %Ki^^U^ XT . 09/^ '.jy^.- Vnm*9 ', V fe^^ ?wt^. c^.cyil?,-:^'':^**^ '^^!^^^\ ea-i^w^' ■■■:1§-^ V-. V^Vi, /•/ yir^' #i^f WWi W^^C/^ "mmmrn 'tJUV;.^_.,.^A-ivi^i^i ^uii^u^wHE^^Wt L July 15, 1875. titE JOUKNAL OF HORTICULTURE, COTTAGE GAEDENEE, COUNTRY GEKTLEMA.N. 1 CHRONICLE OF THE HOMESTEAIi, POULTllY-YARD. APIARY, it DOVECOTE. CONDUCTED BY GEORGE W. JOHNSON, F.U.H.S., and ROBERT HOGG, LL.D. IME FRtJIT AND KITCHEN GARDENS, by Mr. J. Eobson, Gardener to Vipcount Holmesdale, M.P., Linton Park; and Sir. J. Taylob, The Gardens, Longleat. THE FLOWER GARDEN, by Mr.T. Kecoed, Vinters Pari, Maidstone; and Mr. E. Luckhurst, Old Lauds, Buxted. • STOMi, GREENHOUSE, and WINDOW GARDEN, bj Mr. G. Abbbt, Grinkle Park. VILLA AND SUBURBAN GARDENING, by Mr. THOSliS Recoed. GABDENING CALENDAR, by Mr. J, DocuLiS, Loxford Hall. FLORISTS' FLOWERS AND FLORICULTURE, by the Rev. H. H. DoaiBRAIN, POULTRY-KEEPING, by Mr. J. B.4ILY ; and E. Hewitt, Esq. PIGEONS, AVIARY BIRDS, &c., by " Wiltshire Rector ;" Mr. Babnesby, and others. BEE-KEEPING, by "B. &W.;" and 5h-. A. Pettiorew. HOUSEHOLD ARTS, by the Authoress of "My Flowers," and others. LIBRARY NEW YORK BOTANICAL (iAKDEN. VOLUnVIB XXVIII., NEW SERIES. VOL. LIII., OLD SEBIES. LONDON: PUBLISHED FOR THE PROPRIETORS, 171, FLEET STREET. 1876. Ai LONDON : PRINTED AT THE JOURNAL OF UORTICULTDRE OFFICE, 171, FLEET STREET. July 15, 1875. ) JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUBE AND COTl'AGE GARDENER. TO OUE READERS, When Charles Knight was told of an intended journal, he advised that it should contain " things new and old;" and one of his concluding observations was, "If you find it is useful, that will be almost as pleasing as its being profitable." Experience has confirmed to us the truth of that veteran publisher's utterances. We have sought successfully for the best of things new and old, and no 'pleasanter narrative has reached us than that which told of a farm labourer, whose library, besides his bible, prayer and hymn books, comprised no more than two of our old volumes. His garden was always mentioned by the village parson as a model, and that parson glowed with pleasure as he told how the labourer acknowledged that his flower beds were from Donald Beaton's teachings, his roof Vine was prolific from Robert Fish's, and his kitchen garden productive from James Barnes's. Those teachings were in the two old volumes of our Journal ; but in that cottage our newer name was not admitted, for, as its tenant said, " I calls ii ' The Cott;ige Gardener ' — the name comes more home." Gladdened are we by such testimony to our useful- ness, but further gladdened are we by the knowledge that we are useful to the amateur and the gardener; for them, for all who delight in home surroundings, we obtain the best of "things new and old" — we say emphatically " the best," because they are rendered to us by those known to bo well skilled. We have no new thing to say in conclusion, for it is an old thing for us to have to thank our helpmates and our readers for enabling us still to say that we rejoice in being THE EDITOES. July 15, 1875. ] JOUBNAL OF HOUTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GAKDENEB. INDEX. Aberdeen Poultry Show, H Aoaoia afflnia hardy, 53 Acacias ia conservatory, 21C Acanthus culture, 3 Aoarus gallinre, Bu4 Acerington Poultry Show, 333 Acbiiieaes, select. I'^iS Aconite, culture of Winter, 93 Acres of orchards, &c., 158 Adelaid'3 Botanic Garden. !47 Adeuaudri uuiflora and culture, 387 Adiantums, Farloyenae not thriving, 243 ; potting, 81 Adonis-flowers, our border, 52 .^thi'ineaia ooridifolium, 431 Aeeratums, sowinfr. Ill Ajuijas. reptaua, US; hardy, and cul- ture, 121 Albert, Prince Consort, a cardener.Sll Alexandra Park Horticultural Show, Alisma plaotago and culture, 452 Alloa Poultry Show, «8 Aloe perfo'iata. 2 7 AUophila Leicbardtiana, 495 Alternanthera culture, 81 American, blight, 170. dressing, 171; Aloe, flowering, 478, rapid growth, 390 Amsterdam International Show, 221 Anderson testimonial, 198 Andrusace imbricata, S6S Andryala lanata culture. 354 Anemones and culture, 291 Annuals, culture of half-hardy. 3(9; lor 3'TioVv ga'-dens, 1.17; hardy for any garden, 211 Antbunum Scherzerianum culture, 4ta Antwerp Great Horticultural Show, 23 271 293 Antsrin' hotbeds, 357 ; and green flies. Apiarv. sheltering. 59 Applea-cankered, 80; late cooking, 81 ; from cuttings. 127 ; diseases. 127 ; keeping late, 14S; late, 461 ; sweat- ing, 81 ; trpes. culture of old, 175, heading maiden, 13, for light soil, 59. pruning nUl, 60; American, 73; Aahmead's Kernel. 181; Blenheim Pipp'n. 318; Lady Henniker. 236; Golden Knob, 121; Frenen Paradi-'e, 891; Quarreiideti, 102; Reinette du Canada and Northern Spy, 499 Apricot, pruning, 60 ; sucker, gra'ting, 185 Aquarium and flower-stand, 273 Atiuile2ia glandnlosa. 328 Arbor day in Nebi'aaka. 210 Arbor- Vitje, from outtingj, 127 ; dying, 170 Archerfield, 8, 29 ArecaP.i!m,fil Artichokes, 95 Ash, a celebrated, 139 ; tree, weepmg, 476 ,. .^ Asparagua, 05: forcing, 53; liquid ma- nure for, 357; culture, 413; trans- planting old. 170 Aspatria Poultry Show, 87 Asp''n. 351 Asphult, drive, 396; walk, tar needed, 128 AsDlenium fronds injured, 318 Aste'fl, for July, 143; sowing. 334 Astrantia'^.'ilS Asw.irby Park flowi^r garden. 310 Aucuf^a. berries. 283 ; monfficious, 863; sowing. 318 AuricuHa — abnormal, 201 ; the late Mr. Downing's, 166: long-ateramed, 240; with north aspect, 24:!; and culture, 291; growinir tall, 957; *" Alpine, 315; at Ma-^ohester. 34C ; at 'Royal Botanic, 347; at Turner's ' Nursery. 319; showing, 364, 875. 487. and Krowiner, 403; seedlings, 395; sticks for, 418 Austin. W., 279 Aviary, the, 10 Ayres,W. P.,76 Azaleas, culture, 136, 478; linearifoUa, 431; management, 356; repotting, 357 Baildon Pigeon and Bibd Show, 66 Balbisia venicillata, 496 Bananas, 256 Bantams, Silver-laced, feathers, 802; size and management, 320; what to keep. 46; for Scotland, 63 Bark of trees rabbit-eaten, 127 Barrenworts, 2j4 Bath and West of England Society's meeting, 263, 359, 393 ; Show, 433. 437 Bay, outtinga, 319; propagation, 37 Beak diseased, Idi Beans, Broad and Kidney, 95; Mont d'Or Runner, 3 Bedding, arrangements in small gar- dens, 417; p'ants, propagating, 221, from seed, 103, 111, for spring, 378, white, 170 Eedlington Poultry Show, 421 Reech, 219: Burutiam, 2J0 Bee-keeping in 1874, 45 ; in Russia, 48 Bees -do they sleep? 23; how to dis- pose of honey, 67 ; economical hiving, removing stocks, 68; in 1875. onwards, metheglin, 89; sale of honey, combs black, 90; depression of frames, the slinger, 1:9; drones, 13i; swarmj and bar-frame hives, depression of frames, 133; Petti- grew's hives, moving hives, 134; Lieurian, 153; dving after cold weather, 151; Ligurian, 210, 174 : feeding stocks, 210; Ligurian versus commun, at Hanwell, 227; driving, 228; honey candying. 247; Billing on, 213; PettigreWa book, 248; swarm from two hives, S43; look out for, exhibitions; Ligurians versus Black, 267; eanlyine of honey, honey cakes, 268: unfavour- able weather, 286: our native, h3w to make a hive, 287 ; best hive, com- mencing keeping, 238; Ligurian v, common, 304; chilled brood, bar- framed hives, wax from old comb, 306; rules for Manchester Show, Liffuriau r. common, 3i3 ; killed by cold, bar-framed hives, in common hivea, 324 ; in Somer3et,338 ; cuttinsr out, 341; Keepers' Association, 842; feeding trough, 361; Ligurians, 861 ; swarming and Ruppring. 361; Cali- fornian honey, artifical sw-tnuing, 332; Keepers' Association, 383; win- ter exneriimce amon?, English and Li^unan, feeding, artifloial swarm- ine. 884; early swarms, 397; aale- aole honey, renif-viu'^^ eggs, 400; managing small apiaries, "Manual of Bee-keeping," 401; straw super, 403; swarm in May, their profit, cement for guide combs, driving from supers, 423 ; carr-Stewarton hive, postponing hiving, feeble hive. 424; weak stooki. Hi; stock of driven. 44?; clustered, 412: chpap hive, 412; feeding, 453: transferring eggs, 463 ; " Book for Keepers," 461 ; driving, 4fit ; swarm. 464, first or second, 464, in a chimney, 483; intrusive letters, 433; swarming, 43?: driven, 431; hives, 484; pre- venting swarming, 43t : feeding, 503 ; taking honev, 504: not swarming, 504; clusti'ring, 501; claiming a swarm. 5i'4 ; drone traps. 5)1 Beet, 96; Chilian, for winter deco- ration, 333; woody, 183 Bell. Mr. J, 124 Berberidopsis eorallina for wall, 6-3 Birds, and fruit buds, 47; exported to \ New Zf'aland, 51; protecting buds from, 102. ISO Birmingham, Horticultural Exhibi- ' tions, 4: ("olumbarian Show, 20; ; forthcoming Show, 469 I Blackberries, cultivated, 123 Blackthorn spring, 379 Blumenbachiachuquitensia, 52 Boiler, 219 ; heating houses from one, 36 Bone dust for chickens, 263, meal, 484 Borage decorative, 293 Borde-- flowers, h, 6, 98, 160, 199,215, 233. 2i4, 274, 333. 354, 36?, 410, 452. 471 ; our, li Border plants, 487 Borecole, 96 Boston Poultry Show. 503 Botanic (Royal) Society's Show, 253, 828. 407, 469 Bouquet, how made, 275; making, 294 Bouvardia culture, 186 Boxwood, 123 Rra^'g. Mr. T., 118 Brahmas— charaoteri3tic8.22; for egg- producing, 62; as egg-produoers, 129; pullet, crippled, 306, moping, 151; feet swollen, 464 Bravoa geminiflora and culture, 309 Briar, shoots, heading-down, 81 ; stocks, seedling. 244 Brick-kilns versu>i plants, 163 Bristol Poultry Show, 39 Broccoli^, ilj; Cooling's 4^0; the L^a- miugton, 310; insects on root, 337; varieties and sowms. 243; select, 263; Snow's Winter White, 120, 142 ; sorts and succession, 139 Brownea grandiceps, 368 Brussels Centenarv Show, 277 Brussels Sprouts, 95 ; sowing, 156 Budding, 53, 73; treatment of ahield, UL Bads, destroyed by birds, 333; maggot- eaten, 420 Bulb-forcinL', 58; in greenhouse. 60 Bulbocodium vernum culture. 183 Bullfinches, mana'^iug piping, ?10; rearing neithng, 412; seed for, 421 Button-hole flowers, 'iSh Cabbages, 96; CLUBBisa, 396; Keh- QUELEN, 276 Cages, Crystal Palace prize, 247, 305; and red mite. 191 Caladiums, culture, 81, 251 : select, 128 Calanthes at Dmmlanrig, 213 Calceolarias, forbedding, 293 ; culture, 281; dving, 357; failures, 375; sud- denly failing, 59 ; sowing, 458 Caiifornian tries. 241 Calochortus albua and culture, 98 Camellias, 215; culture, 186;! not flowering, 318; to obtain early, 80; leavea browned, 102. variegated, 186 Camphor, effijcts on plants and seeds, ■^77 Canaries, 359; breeding, 402; breed- ing cages, ',i66: breeding manage- mfing, 192; non-sit- ting. 504; legs Bcaly, 5 4; with Ducks, 46 Frame lights, economising, 221 Francoas and culture, 274 Fret, do not, 417 P'ritillary and culture, 73 Froaterley Poultrv ^how. 2C5 "Fruit Manual," 348 Fruits— blossoms, 320: forcing, 12; growing for gale. Hi: prospects, 331, in Scotland, 292: protecting, 477; selection of, 3, 50; thinnintr, 894; trees, cordon and pyramid, 477, Bummer pinching, 419, on walls, pruning. 205 Fuchsias for miliars, Ac, 478 Fuel for stove. 401 Funkia albo-marginafa and culture, 6 Furze, propagating double, 127 Galanthus Elwefii, 367 Galeandra Baueri and culture, 314 Galef a' and their culture, 411 Gamboge, 5 Game and poultry foreign trade. 860 Gardenia, culture, 223; Stanleyana culture, 254 Garden, mv. in 1874, 48; notes fmm my, 92. 137. 215. 29iJ. 334; of Herbs. 82; prospects, northern, 874; men required for, 396 Gardi-ners' Benevolent Institution, 51 Gardener's dress of old, 79 Gardener's wages five centuries ago, 353 Garland flower, 4S7 Gas-heated boiler, 178,262,283 Gecee ibis spring. 824 Geraniums-bedling, 231 , 251. 2&9, 328 ; for bouquets, 38; easy growing for beds 313; fancy drawn, 81 ; leaves, browned, 206, curled, 262. doited, spotted, 337; lpggy,82; overpolting, 120; potting, 81, and cuttings, 14S; fnr exposed site. 43t>; sowing, 83^; stopping spedling. 148; Lucius, 387 ; culture of Tricoliir, 460; White- eagpd little Tn>t,y2 Gerarde, John, 145 Gib3ou,Mr. J.. 28 Gineer, wild, 37.81 Gladiolus planting, 261 Gladioluses, culture, l!90; select, 81 Glasgow Winter Gard.^ns, 876 Glasnevin Garden-*, fliiwers at, 216 Glass, drilling botes iu, 287; frosted, 851 Gloxinias, from seed, 176 ; Van Houtte's, 232 ; select. 128 Gold fish in greenhouse, 478 Gooseberries, select, 26'2 Gooseberry, borer. 471; caterpillar, 436,472; sawflv,435 Gorse, double, propngating, 43(1 Grafting, 817; heading trees for, 17^; wax,6J Grapes— for south wall. 12 ; Golden Champion, 52, 78: packing, 77; of the past, 123; Muscat Hamburgh, 136; three approved, 158; Mra. Pince and Lady Downfc'H,198; Mrs Pince, 215; thinning, 262, i;69 ; shanking, 292; forcing, 303; large bunches, 808; ru&ted. 337; spotted. 357, S95 ; exhibiting and packing, 893; pack- ing, 410; for market, 435; Grog QuiHaume, 4GG; late-keepinij, 865, 416.49^: diseased Muscat 499 *' Grape Vine, Treatise on," 42U Graasee, ornamental, 13 Gravel swetp, draining. 170 Grave, plants for, 396, 455, 476 Greenfly, preventing, 88S; and ants, S9S Gi ^enhouse— constructing, 206. 498 ; fumigating, 185: heating, 102,103, 1--7 ; heating with Cucumber house, 206; management, 855; plants un- healthy, 81; removeable, 186 Gr<-ya Sutherland!. 418 Grievances and correspondence, 47P, 50 J Grouse, ruffed, 191, 285 ; pinnated, 191, 805 Guareas. 262 Guinea fowls, rearing young, 424 Guinea pigs' food, 268 Gumming, its cause and prevention, 193 Gusta\ia gracillima, 2SS Halls and corbidobb, plants fob 385 HamburghB, feathers of Pencilled, 130; Silver-spangled, 1 Hants and Berks Poultry Show, 500 Hardwicke House, 54, 74 Harlaxton.25S Haricots, White, 76 Harwood Poultry Show, 320 Haslmgden Poultry Show, 481 Hatching, protracted, 402; season, the present, 421,480 Heating, 243; a ranpc of houses, 300; houses. 149, several, lOi Hedges, 37; for hollow, 243; Thorn and Privet, 223 Helleborus fcetidus, 410 Henderson'^. E. G , nurBcriea, 867 Hen house mites. 504 Hens, broody. 241,379 Herhaceous plants for forcing, 420 Hexham Poultry Show. 16 Hieracium verbascifolium culture, 854 Hitchin Poultry Show, 18 Hoeing, 876 Hollies, unfruitful, 436 Holly, berries for Christmas. 886; hedge, cutting, 127; leaves falling, Hollyhocks, 184; diseased, 223 Home Plot. My, 273 Horseradifih culture, 43' Horticultural Club. 256,449 HoriieuUnral International Shows, 184 Horticultural sbowe, influence of, 97 Horticultural {RovaM Societv. 2H5. 251. 904. 1-97. 3fi8, 39", 429. 491. 492; Meeting. 444; Annual Mpetin?, 112; A dJMurned Mp etin g. 191; Spf cial Meeting, 4 '4, 409; Carter's Cup,, 54 ; Committees. 51, 138 177, 272, 469, 4^6; Council, 4'^! ; crisis, 177; Fellows elected, 277; notes on, 218; restoration of Shows, 198; resig- nations, 184: Great S-how, 4i6: Shows. 160, 214, 309, 327, 366; of Tr<>lnnd, 1S9 Hr.udans, 101, 2?5 ; characteristics, 22; an layers. 214; laying. 261. 801; Mr. tjuibell's 451; suddenly white, 128; w-ii/ht, 248 House decoration, miniature atan- (l«rda fur, 49 Hnddert^fieid Poultry Show, 14 Hull Pigeon Show, 245 Huni'a eleg'ns culture, 223 Hyacinths, 282 ; in glasses. 179 ; grow- ing in moss. 156; in warm house, 205: futbush'8 and Veiich's. 236; planting, 81; removing leaves, 435; select, 12 Hyde Park, spring bulbs in, 351 Indiarubbeh tree.o Tnsec'-eaters. vegetable, 148 luarets. beautiful and useful, 99. 201 ; chapters on for gardeners. 407; in greenhouse, 357: in stovps, &c., 418 Iris germanica varieties, 496 Irises, and their culture, 2.17 ; ger- manica, 2:8 ; for wet soil, 478 Ivies, 180 Ixia culture, 283 Ixoras and ants, 5 jAOE-B'tTS, 43'} Jamesia americana, 51 .lava Sparrows, S'34 Jersey Poultry Show, IVQ .Terusalem Artichokes hard, ' Joints of hot-watfr pipes, 20i Jonesia asoca culture, 94 Judges of poultry, 207 Kalk, variegated, for bedding, 467 Kales, variegated, for decoration, 121 Keighlpy, consequence of email pox at, 393 Kendal Poultry Show, 150 Kaw Gardens, novelties in, P2, 94, 141, 216, '.i54, 274, 847. 863, 481; new Asftistaut Director, 430 Kiduey Beano, forcing. 37. 222 Kilmarnock Poultry Sliuw, 21 Kitchtn-earden cropping, 241 Kniphntia Macowani, 496 Kohl Rabi, 117 Lares marat^dino, 6 Laurel hedge, cutting, 127 T.aurels, prunine, 4^5 Lavender culture, 4^6 Lawn, patchy, 170 ; plauta in tubs for, 17 : trees for, lii Laving, intermittent. 110 Leaves, devices in, 16; healing wound- .d,2i7 Leeds Gardenera' Bencflt Society, 94 Leeks, 117 Lee's testimonial, 853 Lettuces, 117 ; our, 188; sowing early, 156; Stanstead Park Cabbage, 311 Lewisia hra'-hycalyx. SOS L'bonia floribunda, 149 Lilium, Brownii,S57; canadense rnr. parvum,161; for wet soil. 478 Lily of the Valley, culture, 130, 214, 228 ; not flowering, 420 Lilies, 4 Lime, for clayey soil, 170 ; or Linden Tree, 143 : water for worms. 59 Lindley's, Dr., son a Judge, 878 Linnean Society, 257 Linnets plucking Canaries, .' 4 Linum trigynum for winter, lii3 Lithospermum fruticosum, 868 Liquid manure, of fowls*' duLg, 460; for greenhouse plants, 337 lithospermumprostratuinculture.SSl Lobelias, sowing, 111 London parks and gardens flower beds, 454, 488 Lonicera. aureo-reticulata, IHG; tata- rica, 879 Loxford Hall, 472 Lowestoft Poultry Show, 85 Lunaria biennis, its use and culture 119 Magnolia grafting, 262 Maidstone Poultrv Show, 64, 83 Mallow, Curled, 118 Manchester, Bird Show, 20 ; Horticul- tural Show, 389; market-gardening, 431 Man, early season in Isle of, 470 Manurp, art-ficial, 6u Manuring, mode of, 184 Maranta, Baraquini culture, 357; ro'.tb, insects on. 207 Market garden and nurseries, old London, 412 Markham, Gervase, 370 Mascall, Leonard, 78 I Maftdtvallia, ehimaera, 236; EstradBB, 496 ; peristeria, 277 Maaterworts, 215 Meadow, manuring, 170; Saffron in pasture, 318 Mealy bug, 179; remedies, 217 Meloeactus communis and culture, 52 Melon, house, fruit trees for, 127; seeds, old fertile, 223 Melons, for frame, 123; in frames, 170. SOO : prolonging cutting, 451; in small house. 8i8; in greenhouse, 185, ti37 ; not setting, 4i-5; sowing, 169; swelling irrirgularly, 396, 46j; stems oauhering,478; Little heath, 160, 1H3: Head's. 498 Meninia turcida, 368 Meredith's Vineyard, 257 Me«i mhryanthemuni cordifoliom va- riegatuiii culture, 5 Metporolngy nf 1874, 53, TicehuTst. 76 Middlesbornugh f igeun Show, 19 Midbummer-day, 499 Mignonet'e, Tree, culture, £81; Par- s.jns' White, 814 Mildew 7 Orchids— in baskets, 459; for cool house, 318; easily grown, 101 ; for Kern housf, 149; for stove, 367; at Meners. Veilch's, Sl2 ; for winter, 12 Orchis, The Flv, 215 Jnly 15, 1875. 1 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. vii Ornithological (National) Association, •265 Otmunda rcf^alis, 408 Oxford Poaitry tihow, cups, 173, 210 P,r;oNU MooTAN failing, IS Paisley Poultry Show, 65 Palma-ChriBti, 5 Palms rtowcri- ix out of doors, 420 PaDitam capitlare. 24i Parkinson, John, 493 Parrot BeU-pluckintr, 2GS,342, 3S4 Parsley, 118; Buperstition, 430 ; White, 419 Parsnip. 118 : wine, 306 Passifloraa, ednlifi, and culture, 258; in prreenhouae, 244; pruning, 1'27 ; in vinery, 2*-S Past and future, 1 Paul's, W., Rnses in pot?, itc.,8; Sprintr Exhibition, 2o3 Pea trellises, 420 Peach orchard, the larpest, 472 Peaches— aphis on. 89r); the Condor, 470; Exquisite. 499; Flat, of ('hina, B95 : forcing. 37, 69. 280. 832, 350 ; not fraiting. 478; house, manafjement. JOl, routine, 185; leaves, decayed and hliatered, 4i9. diseased. 478; trees, pummintr. 170. injured, 818, not tliriving, 13, training, SO Pcachery, management, 418; mois- ture in, 317 Peaciick. white, 110 Pears— blossom buds, 2SS ; diaensed, J27; estimates of, 328; gathering, 170; leaves blo'L-hed, 436; insects on. 436; price, 81; good sort?. 290; list of in Rutland, 183; varieties, 140; last vear, 187; Easter Beune, 294; KniRht'a Monarch. 121, 20ll ; Ne Plus Meuria and Betgnmotte d'Esperen. 199; Lucy Grieve, 277; Souvenir du Congress, 161; Winer Nelis, 259 Peas, 118; Laxton's Connoisseur, 50, 94; late crops, 486; Culverwell's Prolific. 72; early, 87; obtaining early. 15,1 ; sowing early. 58; pre- serving green, 402; protecting fmm Bparrows, 146; for September, 478; Bowing, 26'); trench sowing. 128; Bucceseion of, 497 ; watering, 458 Peaty soil, fruit trees for, 38 Pelargoniums, new type, 2; oblon- gatum, vellow, 314; potting, 120; bhnw.215: Zonal, dying, 283 Pourith Poultry Show. 88 Pcntbtemons, 233 ; antirrhinoides, 276 ; culture, 160 Perches, 324 Peristeronic Society's Show. 67, lOS Pheasants. Golden, hybrid, 288 Philadelphia International Exhibi- tion. 297,345 Philydrum glaberrimum. 431 Phryniuni sanguineum, 251 Pbyiloeactus biformis, 270 Picea's leader renewii a, 478 Pigeons — Barhs, 60, 129: selecliun in breeding, 898, 480 ; Carriers' instinct, 502; Club at Lteds. 302; common, Sil; Drsiionns, 131, 265, I'Crms Horseman, t>8; standard, 81/: state* mentof Fancy, 173 ; featberincaBed, 174 ; homing. 110; Jacobin. 339 ; Mahomet, 303; Mr. Yacder Meersch's, 262; nes.t fur, 440; OwIh. 129, 152, 225. 246. 265. 3iJ, 341. English, 173, 303. S83, 399; Mealy Pouter, 21, 90, 130. 173. 209, clastes of, 225 ; Pou- ters, 265, Mr. Bullen's, 897; Toys, S04; foreign Truuipeters. 302; Russian Trumpeters, 285, 3".9, 3fi3 ; Tuibit and Ba'dhead sick. 306 Pine-Apple Nursery. 331 Pioe Apples, in the Bahamas, 314; culture, 'ti; leaves shrivelled, 244; management, 147 Pines, culture, 418 ; not fruiting, 300 Pinery, management, 101 , 336 ; routine, 185 ' Pineries, temperatures. 12 Pinus p'nsapo, insects ^n, 43S Pipes, for bottom heat, 13; depress- ing hotrwater, 186: of earthenware, 17U; joining hot-water, 95 ; jointing liot-wa'er, 60 Pitcher, 300 Pitcher-plnnt, a hardy, 141 Pit. constructing propagating, 81; heating from kituheu boiler, ^99; use of heated. 337 Plant-growing, 7 Plants, lists ut new, 223 Plait, Sir Hugh. 252 Plalyceriuma Wallichii andWiUinckii. 813 Plum trees, pruning, 60; Eummer- pTuning. 46 ) Podalyria calvptrata,25l Poinaet'ia, cutting?, 149; for table decoration, 6 ; pulcherrima culture, 387 Poplar. Black, 351 Poitsmouth Poultry Show, lOS; awards, 1^9 Potatoes— American. 198, prizes for, 468 : choice kinds, 92; diseased. Potatoes— Continued. 262; the disease, 28); new disease, 469. affecting American, 490. 497; >oung at Christmas. 396; Colorado Beetle, 171.240; for mnin crop, 223 ; early. 37. l&G, lt4. 277, 430 ; late field, ?>^f): for forcing. 103; enconragiug improvement, 240; in 1874.23; lime for, 300: notes on. 234, 2rin; relalivrt nolea, 1.57, 179, 216; planting. 277; protecting, 851; great prnduce, 97; wize of sets and spaces. 50; prepar- ing for sets. 101; cutting seed, 170; Royal Ashleaf, 14J Potato "The Disease." 493 Pots, desirable size, 17 ; economising, 285; painting. IS: porous garden, 410, porous, 451.492 Potting, appropriate, 415; soil, mix- ing, 234, preparing, 155; stove plants, 59 Poultry account book, 173 Poultrv- basket, 39; keeper, the, 4; in 1874.00; run, grass for. 81; food, 90; keeping account, 128; and the season. 191 ; trespassing, 192 ; show expenses. 261; shows, coming, 285 ; fancier's dreams, sm ; housps, build- ing, 819; profits from exhibition. 337; keeping arrangements, 842; breeding pure. 421; at railway stations, 460; show schedules, 461; vard, 504 Primulas, 262; acaulis and its va- rieties, 532; hardiness, 283; sinen- pis sowing. 316 ; cortuwnides amnena culture, 221. hardy, 890; culture of Chinese, ir.8; japonica sowing, 357 ; sowing, 458 Pringlea antiscorbutica, 276 _ Prizes, lawsuit to recover, 247 PropaijatiniT pit. heating. 127 Proteci ing fruit blossoms, 317 " Pruning, Grafting. &c ," 353 Pruning, neslected, 128 ; wall plants, 8 Pteris tricolor, culture. 81 ; from spores. 170 Pumn, 206 Puitv, soft. 127 ^ ^^ Pyramidal fruit tree management, 35 pyramids pruning. 186 Pvrethrums, double. 471 Pvrus. prunifoUa, 276; japonica cut- 'tingB, 319 QaFKcua Ilex, 431 RaUCIT —FATING HER YOUNG, 210; hutches. 67; management, 154; Mr. Firth's, 287; proof plants, 4'9 Rabbits. 46; green cards for, 48f>, .501; Silver-Grev, 502 ; eye inflamed, 504 ; at Northampton, 2i6; shrubs they do not bark. 378; deterring, 837; York Show. 305 Radishes in hot weather, 460 Railway liability for delaying fowls, 172 Rainfall at Weymouth, 96 Rain deficient, 25 Ransome, T. A., 376 Raspberries, eulture, 168, £00; last year, 137; unfruitful, 13 Rea, 391 ; in- Bectain,2f;7 ; routine, 169. 205, 242; spare space in 12; plants for wall 32S Vines— removing bark, 4: bleeding, 222; breaking irregularly, 1(2; canes EpUtlinff, 456; Canon Hall as a stock, 81 ; coiling in pots. 38; cul- ture. 282. in NewSouth Wales, 394; cntiing down, 141; desideratum, 12 ; dressing. 77 ; from eyes, 127 ; forcing late, 37; to fruit late. 102: grafting, 5. 318; for greenhouse, 127; Groa Guillaume, ^91 ; Black Hamburgh on open wall, 478; in cool house, 318; training in house, P8 ; inarch- ing, 170, after, 376; injured, 318; leaves. Mistered and scalde'l, 376, rough. 478, spotted and stained, 499; mildewed, 337; painting. 97; plant- ing. 435; in pot-^, 169: pruning, 59 ; removing tendrils, 499; rods break jngirregularly,337 ; roots grub-eaten, 819; scalded, 436; slopping, 837; training, 357; transplanting, 38, 72, 120, 144; in low temperature, 292; treatment^ 394; on open walla, 431 weevil on, 283 Vineyard at Caroiff, 297 Viola montana, 378 Violets, 270; culture, 378; Neapolitan culture, 283; double white, 262 ; va- rieties and culture. 293 ; a new, 295 ; Neapolitan become single, 337 ; for spring bedding, 3U7 Wages at mabket gardens, 185 Wahlenbergia tuberosa. v36 Walks, making gravel, ^81 Wall, evergi-een for, 1(79; fruit for N.E.. 207 ; tree protection, 170 Wallflowers, double yellow, 830 Wasps, queen, 233 Water-cresses, 390 Water, pure for animals, 153 Watering, 458; plants, 354 Waverley Poultry Show, 107 Weather, work and means, 25 Weaver. Mr. T. 74, lot Weedy lawn, 357 Weeks, d 'ings of last and present, 11, 86. 58, 79. 101. 126, 147. 168.184,205, 222, 242, 260. 281, 298, 817, 3i5, 355, 376, 391,418,434,458.477,497 WeUingtonia gigantea. 123, 891 Wharfedale Poultry Show, ISi Williams's, Mr. B. S., nurseries, 255 Willow grubs in shoots. 207 Window-boxes, plants for, 478 Window gardening, 298, 364 ; lectures on, 221 Winter Aconite culture, 159 Wistaria sinensis, 410 Wolstenholme, Mr. D.. 883 Wolverhampton Poultry Show, 62 Woodlice. destroying, 857 ; in green house, 420 Worms Jn lawn, 127 Wright.Mr. J., 277 Xtlopoda fabriciana. YE»r'S (i*Rr^ENINO, NOTES ON LAST, 27,95. 117,166 York bird Show. 502 Yucca's flowering age, 88 Zinc lahelb, ink for, ' 81 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. [ July 15, 1870. WOODCUTS. PAGE. Alisuia plantapo 4ai Aleophila Leichardtiana 495 Aquririum a.nti flnwer-ftand i7i) Archeifield— Dirleton Garden IP, SO, 81 Areca Palm 85 Aspen's inflorescence 853 Aswarby Park flower beds 310, 811 Aviary, an 11 Bantam— silver-laced feathers 802 Barb Pigeon 61 Basket for fowls 89 Beeches, Burnham 220 Bee-feedinp trough 861 Blackberry— Aughinbaugh 12R Blenheim Pippin S48 Bravua y:eminiflora 369 Cages— prize bird 247, f 05 „ moulting' 399 Canary— London Fancy 286 „ Crested Norwich E60, 381 „ Yo7kshire 441 „ Belgian 481 Carter's cnp 472 Castor-ril plant ... 278 Catasetum maculatom 373 Cerambyx herns 2' 2 ChesnuL tree, Mount Etna 122 Convolvulus major 320 Coop for hen 100 PAGE. Coop for exhibition lOG Coekoo fowl's feather 17*2 Cucumb SEKna JOURNAL OF HORTICUIiTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ Janaai7 7, 1875. And if the greatest loved their gardens, so down the scale do the tired citizen, the busy cnuntry doctor, the tied-at-home tradesman (yet making home happy with flowers and pets), the mother with her group of little ones around her, and, too, those "unappropriated blessings" single ladies, in former years so jeered at by shallow-brained men, but now highly esteemed by all the good. It is pleasant to see, after the long reign of small bedding plants, that a taste for the old border plants has revived — happily before they have all died-out of knowledge ; and such papers as Mr. J. Wright's on Wallflowers and Stocks cannot fail to help on this revival. All knowledge is power, and more, all proper knowledge — i.e., knowledge of good, brings pleasure ; so that the man who first turns our attention to what is beautiful in Nature, or re-directs further attention to some half-forgotten flower, is doing good. " Sweet is the lore which Nature brings : Our meddliDg intellect Mis-shapes the beauteous forms of things — We murder to dissect. " Enough of science and of art : Close up these barren leaves ; Come forth, and bring with you a. heart That watches and receives." I have often thought of the above beautiful lines during the past summer, which, beginning in April, at least to us in the west, was prolonged far, very far, into the autumn, as even late in November I counted above a hundred blooms of the Lamarque Rose on the south front of my house, perfect in form and equally as beautiful in foliage to those which July showed. It has been a rare season, this past one, for enjoying the foliage of trees, from the first green bud to the last golden leaves, as they stood and would stand week after week un- touched by frost. So, too, has the past year, as far as I could judge, been favourable to flowers — a fine out-of-door summer, when week after week I have lived and read and even written out in the open air, listening to the soft summer breeze gently stirring among the leaves of the park trees as they stood knee- deep in the grass, and I felt the power of Tennyson's expres- sion, " There is no joy but calm." Such of the past season. And will not the future year be as joy-giving ? I trust so. No doubt the pleasure derived from our gardens will be as ever a perennial one. This is well expressed in a small poem of Goethe's, which, though our little children learn it, has the mark of a great genius — " Through the forest idJy, as my steps I bent, "With a free and happy heart, singing as I went ; Cowering in the shade, I a floweret did e.spy, Bright as any star in heaven, sweet as any eye. Down to pluck it stooping, thns to me it said — ' "Wherefore plack me only to wither and to fade ?' Up with its roots I dug it ; I bore it as it grew, And in my garden-plot at home I planted it anew, All in a still and shady place beside my home so dear; And now it thanks me for my pains, and blossoms eveiy year." Here in little we have the gain of a garden — the wild flower placed there, and always to be seen, and in its season to meet us with its bright flowers. There is cheerfulness in a garden. How opposite this to the picture drawn by Goldsmith of the deserted garden, the garden gone back to a wilderness — " Near yonder copse, where once the garden smiled. And still where many a garden flower gi-owa wild." I love to see the wild reclaimed ; but the once-civilised, as here described, to become again wild is sad indeed. In that department of " our Journal " in which I personally take a small share with my pen, I may congratulate all exhi- bitors of poultry and Pigeons in the advance made by their fancy, evidenced by shows so attracting public attention that reports appear in the daily London papers of many shows, and which reports show some slight knowledge of the subject ; which was not the case formerly, for no notice was taken of shows save in comic journals by way of ridicule, and the general writer knew not the difference of one variety from another. It is so no longer. These fancies have become gene- ral, and knowledge of them has become general too. Novelists reflect very accurately the feelings and tastes of the generation in which they live. Fielding, by far the greatest writer of fiction in the last century (would that he had been a pure as well as a great writer), describes in one of the opening chapters of " Tom Jones," Prior Park House near Bath, the residence of Ralph Allen, who, under the nom de plunic of Squire Allworthy, figures as an almost perfect English gentle- man in its pages, yet mentions nothing about Allen's feathered pets; but we learn from Wood, the architect of Prior Park, that AUen instructed him to provide good accommodation for all his live stock, from his horses down, or rather up, to his Pigeons. " Within this superstructure," says Wood, after describing its architectural details, " the Pigeons are magni- ficently housed , and their particular cells are made with wrought freestone ; so that if a beautiful habitation is really an allure- ment to this species of birds as some pretend, Mr. Allen's Pigeons will in all probability never desert their present place of abode. The tamer poultry," it is added, " are not less beautifully housed than the Pigeons." Of all this the novelist takes no notice whatever, although he accurately describes the house and park. Allen's Pigeons were also, evidently, only common birds kept for pies, not fancy Pigeons. Now to show how the fancy has increased, we notice in modern days the lady who writes under the name of George Elliot, and is the greatest novelist living, makes a lady of rank say in " Middlemarch," one of her most recent works, " Take a pair of Tumblers for them. Little beauties ! You must come and see them. Yon have no Tumblers among your Pigeons." And the good dame, a humble person, makes answer, " Well, madam, Fitchett shall go and see them after work. He's very hot on new sorts." The Pigeons meant were no doubt high- class Tumblers. Here the novelist exactly reflects the age, for turn to the catalogue of our Crystal Palace Show, yon will find exhibitors of every rank from dukes and lords and ladies downwards. I would wish in regard to poultry that utility should be more kept in view and more honoured in our schedules. Fancy is ruining some breeds of dogs ; for instance, the fox terrier, who is actually not unfrequentlyno terrier at all, but a bastard-bred beagle. The judges demanding length of nose, and they have got it, but the earth-going terrier is gone, being no more a terrier than our show Dragoon is a Dragoon. The latter matters less, because a fancy Pigeon is not a bird of utihty, though Pigeons should always be shown under their correct names, and a Horseman be called a Horseman. I hope, too, we shall not americanise our Game fowls by calling them " Games." Let our cousins do as they will across the water, let us keep to English names. Lastly, I say, and say fully assured of its truth, that not only the subjects of our pages will give their admirers as much pleasure in the future year as the past, but this Journal will be in the future year, as in each past year, advancing in interest, position, and influence. It wiU go on as always calmly, steadily, and successfully, having " No fears to beat away, no strife to heal ; The past tmsighed for, and the future sure." — Wiltshire Rector. A NEW TYPE OF PELARGONIUM. All horticulturists engaged with the cultivation of Pelar- goniums, all amateurs of this beautiful genus, and especially those who are occupied in hybridising, know the hybrids of P. hederaafolium and zonale obtained in England by Wills and Peter Grieve by artificial fecundation. They know also that these hybrids seem to corroborate the theory of certain botan- ists, seeing that those that we know, and particularly WUIsii, Willsu rosea, Emperor, and Dolly Varden are sterile ; and that which is much more to be regretted is that they are superior to P. peltatum and lateripes by their great vigour and abun- dant blooming. The horticultural world will therefore learn with pleasure that a plant of this strain, which produces an abundance of seed, has been found in the environs of Nice. According to a communication I have received it has been found in a bed planted with Pelargonium hederajfolium, having lilac white flowers, and P. zonale with red, white, rose, and buff. So far as I can judge by the branches and flowers which I have re- ceived it is a good hybrid between the two species, but tending by its habit more to hederfefolinm than zonale, as it is decum- bent. Nevertheless, the foliage is more in the way of zonale than that of the hybrids obtained in England : the flowers are red brilliant, and fifteen to twenty in a truss. The zonale has therefore exercised great influence in the fecundation. Which is the plant which has produced the seed whence this remarkable and curious plant has come? We do not know, and perhaps never shall know. This interesting plant is in the hands of M. Ch. Huber, florist, of Nice, who has propagated and will send it out next March under the name (an erroneous one I think) of Geranium pseudo-zonale ; but the name matters little. This is a plant that ought to attract the attention of all January 7, 1875. ] JOUBNAL OF HOBTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. those who are occupied with hybridisation, for who knows what may arise from this gpccics '. (No ol'fence to certain botanists.) By judicions crossing a new section in the numer- ous family of Geraniaceie may be created. All amateurs know that with the old peltatums and lateripes the charming edgings round shrubberies, the hanging baskets of rooms, and the pillars of conservatories are decorated. I therefore advise all amateurs to make early application to M. Charles Iluber, as the number he has propagated cannot be large. — Je.\n Sisley, Lyons. SELECTION OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. " What shall I do to be for ever known, And make the at^es yet to come my own ? " I WILL write an article on the selection of fruits and vege- tables. FETJITS. Peaches.— I will begin with old sorts : Early York, Grosse Miguonne, Eoyal George, Violette Hative, Noblesse, Belle- garde, Frogmore Golden, Barrington. Non sorts : Early Louise, Early Victoria, Early Alfred, Dr. Hogg, Early Ascot, Nectarine Peach, Princess of Wales, Lord Palmerston and Lady Palmerston. The next are under glass, late and very good — Albatross and Golden Eagle. The Early Ascot was raised by Mr. Standish, and all the other new ones were raised by Mr. Rivers. Nectarines. — Old sorts ; Downton, Elrnge, Violette Hative. New sorts : Lord Napier, Rivers's Orange, Pine Apple, Rivers's White, Eromerton's White, commonly called the New White. I cannot leave these two classes of fruit without saying how much we owe to Mr. Rivers for prolonging the season. Pears. — Beurre BacheUer, Beurrc Clairgeau, BeurrC d'Aman- lis, Beurre Superfin (the best), Beurre Hardy, Beurru Diel, Williams's Bon Chretien, Conseiller de la Cour, Doyenne du Comiee, Duchesse d'Angouleme, Louise Bonne, Gratioli, Josephine de Malines (one of the best), Marie Louise (ditto), Marie Louise d'Uccle, Thompson's. On trial, not yet proven — Souvenir du Congres, Olivier de Serres, Pitmaston Duchess, General Todtleben, Madame Bonnefoud, and Beurrf de I'As- somption. Except Marie Louise they are all on the Quince stock. Affles.— Dessert : Cos's Orange Pippin, Ribston Pippin (the two best), Kerry Pippin, Court of Wick, Blenheim Orange, King of the Pippins, Golden Pippin, Lord Burghley, Caraway Pippin (delicious), Boston Russet. Culinary : White Lion, Hawthornden, Blenheim Orange. Cherries.— They are all on the Mahaleb stock. Early Lyons, Napoleon Bigarreau, Governor Wood, Empress Eugenie, Bedford ProUfic, May Duke, Large Late Black Bigarreau. I have the Early Purple Guigne, but it requires glass. Plums. — Dessert : De Montfort, Violette de Galopin, Green Gage, Transparent Gage. Culinary : Mitchelson's, Dove Bank, Belle de Septembre, Diamond. Apricots. — Royal, Peach Apricot, St. Ambroise. Fios. — White Marseilles, Brown Turkey, Early Violet. The first is the best. I have been obliged to give up Apricots and Figs, my gardens being too cold and exposed for them. Grapes. — For a cold vinery. — Black Hamburgh, and the following delicious Frontignans — Early Smyrna, Primavis, Chasselas Musque de Sillery, Early Golden, Early Auvergne, Early Silver. Strawberries. — Black Prince, Duke of Edinburgh (Dr. Roden), handsome, well coloured, and fine flavour; Sir Joseph Paxton, Rivers's Eliza, Dr. Hogg, Mr. Radclyffe, Napoleon Itl. (Gloede), not sufficiently known; Cockscomb, Wonderful, Galande, Red Alpine, Royal Hautbois. Currants. — Black : Black Naples, Ogden's Black. Eed and White : The old Red and White Dutch. Raspberries. — Fillbasket, Red Antwerp, Fastolf. Gooseberries. — Walnut Green, the best flavoured of all; Whitesmith, admirable; Red Warrington, a good finisher. For culinary purposes. Ironmonger. I have many culinary Pears here, but I know only the names of two, and they are good — Catillac and Uvedale's St. Ger- main. Of this latter sort Mr. Brehaut exhibited in London six Pears weighing 19 lbs. 14 ozs. One of them weighed 4 lbs. 4 ozs. I do but little in vegetables. Potatoes. — Royal Ashleaf, Veitch's Ashleaf , Yorkshire Hero, Lapstone, Taylor's Yorkshire Hybrid, and Bountiful (Fenn), a red kidney, rich and excellent. It is a good cropper, and it is the best-flavoured novelty that 1 have tasted for some years. Potatoes for poor people. — Early Rose, Gryffe Castle, and Rad- skinned Flourball. Cabbages. — Green's Early, Enfield Market. Peas.— Ringleader, Veitch's Perfection, King of the Marrows. Beetroot. — Henderson's Pine Apple. Lettuces. — .\11 the Year Round, or Sutton's Tom Thumb. Celery. — Ivery's Pink Nonsuch, Veitch's Silver, and San- dringham. Onions. — White Spanish. Carrots. — The Long Horn. Parsnips. — The Hollow-crowned. Turnips. — Early Stone, not yet beaten. The reader will not be disappointed if he selects out of the above Usts. — W. F. Radclyffe, Okeford Fitzpalne, Dorset. OUR BORDER FLOWERS-ACANTHUS. Among our beautiful border flowers there is a family that appears to be quite neglected (or shall I say unknown ?) to many of the cultivators of the present day. The family I aUude to is the Acanthus. We have not many species ; we have only five enumerated as hardy herbaceous, and I am not aware that w& have a native of this family. Spain and Portugal are the places chiefly they inhabit. They are plants of easy cultivation, and, when once esta- bUshed, last for a long time. They should have plenty of room. When crowded together they have no chance of develop- ing themselves. I find them succeed best as single plants. They require liberal treatment ; a compost of good sound loam and leaf mould mixed with siftings of old lime rubble ; a border broken up to the depth of 2 or 3 feet well incorporated with the above compost, and efficient drainage. They must be snppUed with water when required, and they may have liquid manure water now and again when they are making their growth, for they are gross feeders. A sunny situation is desirable for their well doing. When fully developed their beautiful holly-green spinous foliage renders them very attractive. They may be increased by division, but that sometimes in- jures the plants, for, wounded by the operation, they sometimes rot off. I find the easiest way to increase them is by seed. The seed may be sown during the summer, the plants pricked out when large enough, and in the autumn or foUovring spring they may be planted where they are to remain. When planted they should be made firm in their new situation. I prefer potting the young plants and plunging them in a cold pit or reserve ground, and planting as above. They are late-summer and autumn-blooming plants, from 2 to 3 feet high. They require staking to prevent the wind from twisting them about. Acanthus mollis is, I believe, the commonest of the genus. A. spinosus is very desirable too, and the whole family are in- teresting. They are effective for centres of large beds, but more especially for shrubbery borders, and are all worthy of the cultivator's attention. I have not seen them suffer from insects as some of our border plants do. The seeds may be obtained from most of our large seedsmen. We are told by some authors that the leaf of Acanthus mollis suggested the idea of Corinthian architecture ; if so, it gave birth to the most beautiful. — Veritas. MONT D'OR RUNNER BEAN. The Bean referred to by Mr. Bester is, I presume, the Mont d'Or Butter Bean, which I have grown for the last twenty years. It is quite true what Mr. Bester says — when cooked it ie only " a dirty yellowish green, neither yellow enough to look like marmalade, nor green enough to please the eye," but I have yet to learn that all our vegetables must necessarily be green, and that pleasure to the eye is preferable to pleasure to the palate. I can testify to the excellent flavour of the Butter- Bean after many years' experience ; and what is of much impor- tance is, that unlike Dwarf French Beans and Scarlet Runners, it matters not how old the Butter Bean may be, it can be eaten pods and all, without stringiness and without parchment lining, the latter of which it does not possess. — P. B. Mr. Willlam Paul's Show of Eoses in Pots, Pictorial Trees, Geraniums, &a., will this year be held in the Royal Botanic JOURNAL OF HOETIODLTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENEK. [ January 7, 1875. Society's Gardens, Regent's Park, from the 3rd to the 10th May inolnsive. LILIES. I PBETEND to not One atom of scientific knowledge on this beautiful tribe of plants. I could not allocate any new species to its true position in either the Isolirion or Eulirion group, but I do pretend to a great love for the whole family. From my very earliest floral days 1 have delighted in them, and it rejoices me now that they are once more coming to the front. Collectors are adding to our lists, or re-introdueing species that have either gone out of cultivation or become scarce ; and although exhibitors have not brought them forward liberally (and they are not easy plants to send any distance), yet we may rest assured that it the taste for their culture progresses, and some of our metropolitan growers take them in hand, we shall see them in greater numbers than we have hitherto done. Amongst those who are busily engaged in adding to our stores are Mr. Bull of Chelsea, and The New Bulb and Seed Company (late Teutschel & Co.) of Colchester, while Lily sales at Stevens's are a regular feature of the season. In these sales Auratum still holds the prominent place, and is undoubtedly the most popular of the tribe, although personally I do not give it that position. Amongst the Lilies which have been lately introduced by the Colchester firm it may be well to mention LUium dalmaticum, belonging to the Martagon group, a large quantity of it having been coUected by Herr Max Leitchlin of Carlsruhe, and forwarded to them. It is of an intense deep pnrpUsh colour, and until the present time has been com- paratively rare in our gardens ; and L. neilgherricum, a fine plant of the longiflorum type, and gathered near Ootacamund, in the Neilgherries, at an elevation of about 8000 feet. It is, undoubtedly, for the form of its flowers, one of the very finest species of this widely distributed genus, and is well deserving of the notice of all lovers of the tribe. It was exhibited, I believe, some twelve years ago by the Messrs. Veitch, but has not been seen since. Mr. Bull has also a very scarce Lily from Santa Eosa Island (Bloomerianum oseellatum), of which I know nothing, but hope to make its acquaintance this season. Lilium Humboldtii is a grand species. I was greatly charmed with a fine plant of it I had last year. There is some- thing peculiar in the shade of orange yellow, it is very clear, and the claret-coloured spots add greatly to its beauty ; it varies very much in the markings. Already we have maculatum and punctatum, and doubtless other varieties will be found. It is a robust-growing form, and bears from fifteen to twenty blooms. I dare not, in the presence of such a grower of Lilies as my friend Mr. Wilson, say anything of culture, in which he is a master, and I only give these few observations, as they are indications of the favour into which the tribe is coming. — D., Deal. KEMOVING THE OUTER BARK OP VINES. I CAN endorse the opinion of your correspondent, Mr. J. Wright, respecting the peeling of Vines. I do not approve of the practice. In my younger days, by the order of others, I have spent weeks in peeling and painting with the abominable admixture of sulphur, soft soap, clay, &o. At the time I remember, too, that I could not come near a tire without causing a most dis- agreeable odour to all present. I determined that, shouldit fall to my lot to have Vines in care, I would, if possible, dispense with that obnoxious practice. It appears to me to be an unnatural process to strip off what was intended for a protection. A gentle rub with the hand is sufBcient to remove the loose bark, and beyond that point I attempt not to go. I have known Vine buds injured by the process of scraping, as it used to be termed. For more than twenty years I have dispensed with that practice. Years ago I was asked for the best destroyer of red spider. " Do not have to deal with it," was the reply. But how to manage? inquired the man of sixty years of paring, painting, &a. By giving pure air, pure water, and a judicious use of the syringe, for I believe in syringing, and have a good soil for the roots, with careful attention to the same. I remember when the first bunches of the far-famed Lady Downe's White and Black Seedling Grapes were cut from Vines growing in an outside border, the rods in a nursing Pine pit. The border outside was concreted, and had not a drop of water for three years. A gentle heat was kept up by fermenting material on the concrete during February, March, and April, and longer if found to be needed. The soil of the neighbour- hood was of a strong retentive nature ; being in close proximity to the river, on that account less water was wanted. I mention this circumstance that others may have an idea what is being done by others ; we cannot all be guided by one and the same rule.— H. BIRMINGHAM HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS. Mb. QniLTER, proprietor of the Lower Grounds at Aaton, has made a generous offer to some of the public institutions of Birmingham. Last year he began a series of horticultural exhibitions on a scale equalled only by those of the Royal Horticultural Society, and conducted with the same complete- ness as the Show of that Society held at Aston when Prince Arthur visited Birmingham. Mr. Quilter proposes to continue these exhibitions for the benefit of public institutions, in which he feels a strong interest. He proposes to take upon himself the whole cost and risk of the exhibitions, and then to share the profits with the selected institutions, after the expenses are paid. The exhibition of this year will be for the benefit of the Birmingham Institute, that next year for the Sanatorium, that of 1S77 for the School of Art — leave being reserved for the Queen's Hospital to take 1878 ; or otherwise, if the move- ment proves successful, the rotation above mentioned wUl be repeated. In return for his offer Mr. Quilter stipulates for the formation of a General Committee from the Committees of the institutions named, with the addition of other gentlemen who may be disposed to assist. We do not believe in the possibility of failure if the scheme is properly supported. There is a growing demand for horticultural exhibitions on a really important scale, the Lower Grounds afford unusual op- portunities for holding them, Mr. Quilter himself has acquired great experience in their management, and with these advan- tages, combined with hearty work on the part of the Commit- tee, there is no reason why a large profit should not be realised for the institutions which have consented to accept Mr. Quil- ter's proposal. That the proposal itself is very generous re- quires no proof ; and we hope the pubUo will by liberal support enable Mr. Quilter to realise his liberal design. The first exhibition will be held on Thursday, July 1st, and on the fol- lowing Friday, Saturday, and Monday for the benefit of the Midland Institute Building fund ; and the details of the ar- rangement will be shortly announced. COLLETIA HORRIDA. I WAS much pleased with the article in your Journal (page 562) relative to CoUetia cruciata, as I am quite sure the Col- letias are not half so widely known or cultivated as they should be. It may be interesting to your correspondent Mr. Robson and others to know that C. horrida, when well established, flowers much more profusely than cruciata; and as it also flowers much earlier in the season than that species, it is less liable to be injured by frost. Besides, it has time to mature its seeds, which it does here by thousands in favourable seasons like that just past. On referring to Loudon's " Encyclopa;dia of Trees and Shrubs," the berry is there described as whitish ; here the seed vessel is three-celled with small black seeds, seedlings from which come up in a few days if sown in pots and placed in a little bottom heat. Cuttings of C. cruciata strike readily in a little sandy loam and peat, and placed on a little bottom heat ; but I have failed in striking C. horrida under the same circum- stances. Many trade plant catalogues mention four varieties of this curious plant — Bictonensis, cruciata, horrida, and ferox. In justice to the public who may be desirous of getting these plants, these names should be reduced to two — viz.,C. cruciata and C. horrida, as the first and second named are undoubtedly the same, and the difference of the third and fourth, if any, is so little that it is not worth retaining the two names. There is a large bush of cruciata here about HO feet in cir- cumference and 8 feet high, and also one large bush of horrida about the same dimensions. Janaary 7, 1875. ] JOURNAL OP H0KTICULTUB3 AND OOTTAGE GARDKNEB. The Colletias are not particular as to situation, but no doubt would prefer a dry one, although we have some growing re- markably well in swampy places, and where they have been deluged for days with sea water uninjured. — W. Osbokne, Co. Cork. VINE GRAFTING. The following facts may be interesting to Mr. Grieve. I in- arched a Muscadine on a Madresfield Court, the former being in a pot, the latter in a large tub. I am not referring to an experiment I related in this Journal some few months back — i.e., " the causing of oval Grapes to become spherical." After two years I cut away the Muscadine. The year after the Madresfield Court produced spherical berries, and although very sweet and luscious, there was no Muscat flavour. I am now trying an experiment with the Muscadine which was cut away. The Madresfield Court graft has grown a long rod. The Mus- cadine has thrown-up a rod below this graft. I have now in- arched these two rods. It will be interesting to watch what Nature will now do. The Golden Champion grafted on the Black Hamburgh has done remarkably well with me this year ; the berries and bunches very fine, and no spot. I had intended cutting this Grape down, but Lord Calthorpe, who has also been very suc- cessful with it, advised me not to do so. A Black Alicante grafted on this Grape has for two years borne berries and bunches precisely the same as when on its own roots. — Obsebvek. MESEMBRYANTHEMUM COEDIFOLIDM VAEIEGATUM. I have found this to do well under the following treatment : — In the autumn I take as many 6-inch pots as may be re- quired, fill them nearly half full of drainage, covering the drainage with charcoal, and the charcoal with moss. Then, putting a little sandy soil in the pots, and 1 or IJ inch of fine river sand, I plant the cuttings round the edges of the pots, and a few in the middle ; after a good watering, I set them in a cool vinery, partly shaded, kept moderately dry. They root Boon and do well, and, potted-off early, they afford plenty of cuttings in the spring. They should be kept free from drip and damp, for both are fatal to their well-doing. — H. ANTS AND IXOEAS. Permit me to express a doubt as to the ants having attacked and barked the Ixoras of " S. J. A." May he not be mis- taken ? This morning I was in one of my stoves, and having just read " S. J. A.'s " letter, I watched with some curiosity some ants upon a young Ixora. In the fork of one branch I saw a small mealy bug and a scale close together. I killed them both, but left them there to see whether the ants would touch them. I was not kept long waiting. One of them raised the dead bug, and carried it off down the plant on to the soil of the pot, and then disappeared, I assumed, to its nest. Another ant grasped the scale several times, but ultimately left it, from which I concluded that its flavour did not meet with approval. Now in the same house I have several fine specimen Ixoras, on which I often notice ants creeping, but no damage is done to the bark, or indeed of any kind ; though I am bound to add the ants are not numerous. The woodlice, I suspect, are your correspondent's foes. The Rev. J. G. Wood, in his " Illustrated Natural History," says that ants are easily destroyed by pouring boiling water or naptha into their tunnels. I need hardly warn your cor- respondent to be careful how he applies this remedy to a plant in a pot. — T. M. Shuttlewokth, F.B.H.S." CUCUMBERS. Eecent articles on Cucumbers have been very interesting, but they do not explain why I have not been successful with a temperature under 60 \ I have always found them thrive better over than under that temperature. For the last three years I have had great trouble with what I suppose is the ambury. They grow and flourish very well for about three months, when by degrees the roots all get knotted, the foliage cannot stand any sun, and the plants soon wither away and ultimately die. My Cucumber bed is tank-heated, and covered with ridge tiles, over which are laid slabs. The drainage is good. I have tried all kinds of soils — turfy loam, loam and peat, brick earth, leaf mould, and rotten dung, with and without the addition of lime, soot, and charred material. The soil I have had from different places on the estate five miles apart. I have had the house washed with clean water, and all kinds of nostrums mixed with the whitewash, but all seem to suit the disease much better than some of them have the plants. I usually grow Telegraph, and have bought seeds from long distances, and hkewise obtained them from friends, to see if a change would do any good. I usually have grown two crops in a year, and used never to be without a Cucumber, but this year my winter crop went off sooner than ever. If anyone can give me advice I shall be very pleased. We ought to chronicle our failures as well as our Buccesses, and for the present this is my failure. I may mention that club-root is not at all prevalent here in the garden. — John Pl.\it, Norfolk. [We sent the specimens of the roots which you enclosed to a well-known naturalist, and the following are his notes :— " They are a diseased condition of the cellular tissue, caused by the presence of minute worm-like infusoria called vibrios, creatures common in decomposing infusions, &c. We have carefully examined your roots with the microscope, and the vibrios as originally described by the Rev. M. J. Berkeley are present in abundance from the egg state upwards. The correctness of Mr. Berkeley's observations has been questioned, but we are fully able to confirm their positive accuracy, borne out not only in this instance, but on former examinations of these singular nodosities on Cucumber roots. It is much easier to examine and describe a disease than effect its cure. The recommendation generally is to utterly destroy all the diseased roots and the surrounding soil. — W. G. S."] SOME OF THE VEGETABLE PRODUCTS OF CEYLON.— No. 6. Gamboge of exceUent quality has been produced, and has been pronounced by competent authorities equal to the finest (Pipe) Gamboge of Siam. The tree from which it is produced m Ceylon is called the Gokotbo Gamboge. Dr. Christian of Edinburgh wrote to General Walker (at that time Deputy Adjutant- General in Ceylon), to the effect that the Ceylon Gamboge might be made to compete in the European markets with the finest qualities from Siam if more care be taken in collecting it and making it up. The Ficus elastica, or the Indianrubber Tree, grows luxu- riantly throughout the central province. It is propagated by cuttings. The juice is collected from incisions made in the tree, and is placed in an earthen glazed vessel some time ; water is then added to it, and both ate allowed to remain for forty-eight hours. The latter is then drawn off, and a small quantity of arrack (about one-sixth), is added, and the vessel is well corked and covered over with canvas painted with the juice as it exuded from the tree. The extension of the culti- vation of this valuable tree in Ceylon, it would appear, would be highly desirable, and Dr. Thwaites is instituting experi- ments with the Assam caoutchouc-producing tree. The Palma Chrisii is found over the greater portion of Ceylon. Mens. Bois, a French chemist, has made some im- portant discoveries in Algiers, and has found that a piece of ground there will yield three times as much oil* as olive oil, and twice as much as palm oil. By distilling castor oil upon concentrated potash the sebacic and caprylic alcohol are ex- tracted as separate products, which may be turned to good account. Sebacic acid can be employed in the manufacture of candles,! and caprylic alcohol can be used in illumination and in the composition of varnishes. Dr. Thwaites reports that the printing for distribution of some simple instructions for the planting of this valuable plant and the preparation of the seeds for the market has had an excellent effect. He further reports that amongst both European and native gentlemen possessing land at low eleva- ^ There are numerous other valuable vegetable oils In Ceylon. \ If the Tallow Tree of China (the Stellingia sebifera), which forme a very large trade in the southern parts of China, were introduced into Ceylon, it might probably prove of ^Teat importance to the colony. At Shanghai a large sum is realised annually by the cultivators. For burning the tallow is excel- lent; it gives a clear, bright, and inodorous flame, and is without smoke. The timber is white and close-grained, and well fitted for printing-blocks. The leaves, too, are valuable as a dye. The tree is raised from seed, and grows with f^reat rapidity. Its properties as a lubricator for railway machinery have been tested, I have not leai-ned with what succes?. JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ January 7, 1875. tioDS a disposition is being shown to take up Chocolate culti- vation. All the seeds produced this last season from the chocolate trees growing in the PtradeBiya garden have either been disposed of to purchasers, or plants have been raised from them for increasing our own plantations. There is so little difficulty attending the cultivation after the young plants are once established, and the fruit would soon be found to furnish so agreeable a beverage to the native cultivator himself, that it may be fully expected that in a few years this plant will in very many of the Cingalese village gardens take the place of Coffee — that is, in situations too low for the healthy growth of the latter. Fodder Grass. — Dr. Thwaites mentions that he is distribut- ing the seeds of the Paspalum conjogatnm, which is likely to prove valuable feeding for horses and cattle. I think I have now touched upon all the principal vegetable productions of Ceylon. The colony has been singularly fortu- nate in having had a succession of able governors, an energetic body of planters, ever prepared with their brains and money to develope its productions, and last, but by no means least, has had the inestimable advantage of a free press, without which the prosperity of a colony cannot, in my humble judgment, be legitimately insured. — E. Bawdon Powek, F.B.G.S., Ceylon 'Civil Service (Retired), Tenby, South Wales. POINSETTIA PULCHEERIMA FOR TABLE DECORATION. Plants for the purpose of table decoration, like many other things, must not be presented too often, or they lose their power of pleasing, and, of course, of giving satisfaction. Now, where two or three plants are required each evening, it becomes a matter of much importance to the gardener to have always on hand a good variety in a presentable condition for this purpose. With this object in mind it has occurred to me that a few remarks on this subject would not be unacceptable to many of those gardeners who have to keep up a constant sapply of such plants. I would put in a special plea for a plant which is seldom seen on the table, I mean the Poinsettia pulcherrima, which, when carefully and judiciously trained, is one of our finest and most attractive plants for table decoration. The following method has been practised here for some time, and the result has always given entire satisfaction to all concerned ; — When the wood is sufficiently ripe select the required quantity of the best pieces, cut them into lengths of about 2 inches, stick them into thumb pots filled with loam, leaf mould, and silver sand, one part of each ; water well through a fine rose. Plunge the pots into a gentle bottom heat, where they soon strike root and burst into leaf : not more than two shoots are allowed to grow on one plant ; if more be allowed they cannot, of course, be expected to mature such fine heads. When well rooted turn them out of the cutting pots, shaking off a little of the soil : select three of equal growth, and place them in a triangular form in a pot sufficiently large to contain the three halls comfortably. The compost used is made up of fibry turf, leaf mould, sand, and sheep manure. The pots are then returned to their old quarters and shaded for a few days, where they remain until another shift is necessary, when they are finally moved into 8-inch pots — this being a convenient size for the vases generally used. Towards the latter end of May is a good time to give the last shift. They are then placed in a cool frame, and a little balloon-shaped trellis about 14 inches high and the same in diameter is placed on each pot; the shoots are then carefully trained on the trellis. The shoots should not be allowed to grow more than 3 inches without being tied, otherwise they are apt to crack and bleed, to the great injury of the plant. The only further care required is a liberal supply of liquid manure. About the latter end of September they are taken into the stove, where they develope their great scarlet heads, each measuring from 10 to 14 inches across. Six of these flowers, along with the rich green foliage of the plant — none of the treUis being discernible without close scrutiny — make a magnificent show on a table, with one of those noble-looking Ferns, Adiantum farleyense, placed at a distance on each side. — R. C. (from The Gardener). Larks Garden-marauding. — During the late sharp weather tihe larks have attacked the Broccolis and spring Cabbages with a severity I have never before witnessed. Sprouting Broccoli have been literally stripped, and a bed of some seven thousand promising spring Cabbages have been nearly or quite spoiled. I hope other parts of the country have not suffered in like manner from the ravages of these birds. — J. A., Netley, Hants. FLOWERS FOR OUR BORDERS.-No. 46. FtlNKIA ALBO-MAROINATA.— White-edged-leaved Fonkia. The genus Funkia, separated from Hemerocallis by Sprengel, comprises four species and several varieties, all of which are well deserving of cultivation, especially those forms possessing variegated foliage, of which .Japan, the country par excellence of variegated plants, has furnished us with a notable con- tingent. Fig. \. — Funkia lancifoUa a!bo-maiginata. Of these the variety here illustrated maybe taken as a type, though not perhaps the most striking one. We preserve the name under which it was originally published, but it has been reduced by Mr. J. G. Baker, a very competent authority, to the rank of a variety of F. lancifoUa ; and the various hand- some forms of the so-called F. nndulata, so valuable for de- corative purposes, are also regarded as mere varieties of the lancifolia. The Funkia albo-marginata is a hardy herbaceous perennial, producing numerous radical lance-shaped leaves in a tuft ; each leaf is from '2| to4 inches long, with a channelled petiole of about the same length ; while young, the margin is slightly tinged with yellow, but it ultimately becomes pure white, in- creasing considerably the attractions of the plant. The scape, or flower stem, is about 18 inches high, and bears from ten to fifteen blossoms of a pale violet blue, and about 2 inches in length, including the short peduncle. Each blossom arises from a pointed bract one-third longer than the peduncle. Although the bracts are arranged spirally round the stem, the flowers face only in one direction ; whilst in bud the flower is inflated in its upper half, and when expanded displays six spreading lobes. Both stamens and style are what is termed declinate — that is, instead of occupying the centre of the flower as in most plants, they all incline to one side, which in this case is the lower one ; whilst in bud they are quite straight, but after expansion the extremities both of stamens and style curve inwards, as in the Alstriimerias. It blooms in August, continuing in flower three or four weeks, several spikes being produced in succession. It grows freely in ordinary garden soil, and is quite hardy. In most seasons it ripens plenty of seed. January 7, 1S75. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. f from which it may be increased ; but the readiest method of propagating it, is by dividing the roots in October. — (ir. Thomp- son's English Flower Garden, Revifed by the Author.) PLANT-GROWING— SIZE OF POTS. Gkowino plants in pots to a state of the highest possible perfection, requires an amount of attention and care which is not requisite to the same degrpe for any other of the duties devolving on the gardener. Where high-class plant-growing is attempted, an uninterrupted watchfulness is necessary as regards watering, shifting into other pots, and exterminating, or, better still, preventing, of infesting insects ; and even with these indispensable wants fulfilled to the letter, such seem- ingly unimportant items as feeding, pinching, tying and stak- ing, position of plants whilst growing, and such like, may render entirely null all the previous care and work spent upon them. That some members of the profession have a natural aptitude for plant-growing there is no reason to doubt; at the game time, it is an aptitude that may be acquired by a patient study of the habits and observance of the treatment most suit- able for the different subjects coming under the plant-grower's care. This aptitude for plant-growing, which is synonymous with a knowledge of the wants of plants when confined at root to the limits of the flower pot, applies to all the varied genera cultivated in pots, whether these be soft or hard -wooded, fruits or flowers. The idea that, compared with others, some classes of plants are more easily grown, such as Chrysanthemums or Cinerarias, as compared with hardwooded Heaths, Lesche- naultias, or such-like, is to some extent correct, but to a great degree erroneous and misleading. The Chrysanthemum any- body can grow, or get to exist, as it happens in too many oases, but it is not everyone who can " do " it to perfection ; and though the amount of skill and care required to grow it well is not such as an Erica requires, yet, to a great extent, it differs only ia degree. Tlio slightest knowledge of plants will enable anyone to flower the Hyacinth ; but it requires some- thing more to extract all the flower possible out of the bulb. Again, Orchids will exist under the worst treatment ; but com- parativelyf ow understand them thoroughly. To tui'u to fruits — Strawberries, Grapes, Peaches, Pines may be grown in pots by the merest tyro ; but the best results are only attainable by those conversant with these subjects. So we might go on to enumerate examples ad infinitum; but enough. It will be more profitable to call attention to a few general principles appUcable to plant-growing iu pots, and without which satis- factory results are very doubtful, if not impracticable. One of the main principles of successful plant-growing centres in the size of pot, for by far the great majority of plants do best in comparatively small pots. It is quite possible, for example, to cram sufficient soil into a pot not exceeding 8A inches in diameter at the widest part, by 8 in depth, to grow many Boft-wooded plants to the greatest possible perfection. Last summer we saw some specimens of Show Pelargoniums perfect iu every respect, and from 2^ to upwards of 3 feet through, with the roots confined in li and 7-inch pots ; it requu'es one to be no novice who can attain to results Uke these. At this time we wish to draw attention more particularly to growing pot plants for home use without trenching on those for exhibi- tion, and would respectfully ask those who havf been used to giving liberal shifts to small plants to treat t]um to less iu quantity, though the quality may be more lookti! to; but even if the quality of the potting material may be poor, it is bettor to feed when the pots are getting filled with roots than to givu them such a quantity of soil as they never appropriate. Commonly-grown plants, which do better in small pots than laige ones, are Primula sinensis, P. ama;ua (Sieboldii), P. ja- ponica, P. denticulata ; all the species of the Pelargoniums, Show, Fancy, Zonal, Double or Variegated ; Cinerarias, Pom- pon Chrysanthemums, Petunias, Phloxes, Carnations, Picotees, Pinks, Cyclamens, double Wallflowers, Salvias, Stocks, Migno- nette, Bouvardias, Calceolarias, Hyacinths. Of plants requir- ing a stove temperature (such as Aphelandras) , Euphorbia jacquiniieflora, Justicias, Eranthemum pulchellum, Poinsettias, Thyrsacanthus rutilans, Clerodendron fallax, may be all grown into nice serviceable plants in 6 and 7-inch pots. Amongst hard-wooded plants. Ericas of the Hyemalis type, melanthera, hybrida, Epacrises, Azaleas, Cytisus racemosus ; Acacias, such as grandis, armata, and Drummondii, make nice plants when properly treated in these sized pots. Orchids, Tillandsias, and plants of this class, and Nepenthes, should always have small pots or baskets for the size of the plants. But there are plants which require liberal treatment at root as regards size of pot, in order to attain perfection iu their cultivation. Plants of this class are Lapageria rosea and L. alba, Bougainvillea glabra, Clerodendrons, AUamandas, and climbing plants generally. Ferns, such as Gymnogrammas, Adiantums of the trapeziform type, Davallia Mooreana and pentaphylla — Tree Ferns. Many stove foliage plants, as Dra- caenas, Crotons, but more especially Alocasias, Marantas, Anthurium Scherzerianum, and others of this genus. Palms also, though they do well, many of them, in comparatively small pots it well fed, are very fond of liberal shifts. I'uchsiaa are fond of a large pot to the size of plant, though it is quite possible to grow neat plants in small pots. W^ith regard to fruit culture in pots, as good results are obtainable with small pots as with large ones. Strawberries grown iu 7-inoh pots will be no better than those grown in G-inoh, and for early work 5-inch pots. In the case of the Pine Apple, it has been demonstrated in many instances that as good fruit may be grown in pots 10 and 12 inches in diameter as in those of 11 or 1(5 inches. With pot-Vines, 10-inch pots are found as useful as those 3 or 1 inches wider ; and it is doubtful whether the many failures in growing Peaches in pots may not be attributable to growing them in those of too large size. These are merely hints thrown out to be appropriated by those who see anything worth noting iu them. There are, of course, many things omitted which may be filled up in practice, as in the case of plants like the Draciena and Croton, which, iu some of their sorts, are indispensable grown in small pots for decorative purposes ; but for these plants, as they increase iu size the liberal treatment here recommended must be resorted to. For the great majority of cnllivated pot-plants a restricted space at root is one of the tLial conditions neces- sary to their successful cultivation. It seems scarcely neces- sary, so often has it been insisted on, to say that all plants lifted from flower bed or border, to be wintered in pots, should absolutely have their roots crammed into as small pots as possible. Space will not at this time permit a glance at any other of the essentials to be observed in plant-growing. — R. P. B. (from The Gardener). ME. CHARLES NORVAL THOMPSON. Amongst those who administer to the necessities of the horticultural world are men of very difl'eriug stamp — some who are well known to tame either by their practical efforts in advancing the culture of the many objects that interest, or by their pens wielded on its behalf; while there are some who unobtrusively do their work and, save a few persons, no one knows of the value of their labours. One of the latter class is the subject of this brief notice, one to whom the readers of the Journal are more indebted than they are aware of, for to his careful and painstaking labours they owe those reports of our metropolitan shows which have certainly not been exceeded by any gardening journal published. More, perhaps, than any- one, save the Editors themselves, I have been thrown into contact with him, and have ever admired the quiet, modest, and thorough way in which he did his work. His attainments were of no ordinary character, and he knew a great deal-more than more pretentious men ; but he never obtruded his know- ledge ; it was only by conversing with him that it came out. He has died young, and, like many others, had not time to make provision for his young family. He had, I believe, in- sured his life for a small sum, but beyond that he left nothing. Am I wrong in supposing that there are many readers of the Journal who would be willing to aid in anything that might be suggested on his behalf ? An effort must be made to get some of his children into an orphanage, and this cannot be done without money, as I know from experience ; and if the Editors would consent to receive subscriptions I feel sure something could be done, and it would be to me a melancholy pleasure to aid it in my small way. He was a Christian man, and therefore he has still stronger claims on many of us.— D., Deal. [We have now before us the testimonials of our horticul- tural contemporaries, and of one who well observed him, to the worthiness of our late sub-editor. Not one word in those testimonials is an exaggeration. Mr. Thompson was a well- educated man, quiet, unobtrusive, indefatigable, and ever mindful of the interests of this Journal. We have lost by his death a staunch friend and able assistant. Mr. Thompson came of a family of gardeners who held the highest positions in their day. His maternal grandfather, Mr. Nerval, was long gardener at Raith, in Fifeshire ; his paternal granduucle was jOURls[A.Ii OF HOKTICULTDRE AND COtrAGE GARDENER. I Januai-y 7, 1875. gardener to Mr. Skene, of Skene, in Aberdeenshire ; and his father was the well-known and much respected pomologist, Mr. Robert Thompson, who superintended for so many years the frnit department of the Royal Hortienltural Society at Chiswick. He died on the 23rd December last, aged forty. — The Editoks.] NOTES oy VILLA and SDBUBBAN GARDENING. A srDDEN, and to all appearance a general, thaw having set in with the glass standiug high, giving a promise of open weather for a time, and as operations have been suspended for a time through the snow, which has pretty well all disappeared, this op- portunity must be taken to proceed with all work yet unfinished, such as pruning and nailing, not only fruit trees but also plants growing on walls and houses for ornament. I allude to such things as Jasminum nudiflorum, Lonicera or Honeysuckle, Magnolias, Clematis, Chimonanthus fragrans, Biguonias, Vir- ginian Creepers, Corchorus japonicus, and the Pyrus japonica, and several sorts of Roses. All the above are deciduous, and are commonly met with and used for adorning walls or houses in the suburbs of towns and elsewhere. The principal idea to bear in mind iu pruning is to extend the medium-sized and well-ripened shoots over the space to be covered, but not lay them in at their full length, or unless they are exceedingly vigorous and the shoots not numerous, the eyes will only break into growth here and there, leaving blank places to be filled-up on a future time, which is not the most satisfactory. Prune the shoots back to half their length, or what is better, is to be guided by their strength, leaving the strong well-ripened wood longer than that of the weak. This will induce the one to break strong and the other weaker, so as to bring an equal balancing of the growth throughout the tree. As I say, see to this first, and then turn to the thinning of wood in the thickest places. This operation is not needed every year, but it is well known that where such things grow fast they are liable to become matted, or so much entangled in their shoots here and there as to make them look remarkably unsightly, especially as by allow- ing this freedom of rambling they become thick as a bush at one place, and the other parts of the plants are comparatively bare. This shows a want of attention and bad management. In thinning-out the shoots in the thick places they should be cut entirely out and not spurred, or there is a chance of their becoming thicker still ; but iu the thin places where more wood is needed the shoots should be spurred. They then break into growth, and in time the plant is well and evenly furnished with medium-sized shoots, which enhances its appearance very much. The Bignonia radicans, being a coarse-growing plant, and pro- ducing its clusters of bloom at the extremity of the current year's growth, must be spurred-in all over except where shoots are wanted, and then they ought to be shortened. Then there is the Jasminum nudiflorum in flower at this time, therefore the pruning or thinning must be deferred. There are several others which produce numerous fine shoots, such as the Chimonanthus, Elicagnus, and Virginan Creepers, which it is necessary to leave, not only for the flowers but for the principal object of clothing the wall more effectually. The deciduous kinds of Magnolias too, which throw out such beautiful large flowers, are also generally vigorous growers ; but at this time of the year the flower buds may be seen at the extremity of the shoot, so that in pruning this will be an advantage. We now come to a few plants that are evergreen, such as Crataegus pyracantha, Jasminum officinale or the white Jas- mine, Elajajjnus, Escallonia macrantha, Ceanothus of sorts, and the many different and very pretty sorts of Ivy, as well as Coto- neasters Simondsii and microphylla, aud the Banksian Koses, and several other plants of similar habits, where the system of pruning should be to e.xteud if necessary and thin out, always bearing in mind that a proper qualification is to have them neat and evenly grown over the whole tree. With regard to Ivy, more especially the coarse-leaved green sorts that have esta- blished themselves, a very proper plan is to let them alone till tie beginning of April, and then clip the whole of the leaves and shoots off close to the wall with a pair of shears. The plants, no doubt, will look bare for a week or two till they break into growth again ; after that, the benefit of this close crop- ping will be seen, as it will result in producing a very neat closely-grown plant of no mean ornament. Most of the varie- gated kmds are too delicate in growth, and it will be some time, if ever it does come, for them to be subjected to this manner of treatment. No matter what plant is grown against a house, u should be neatly trimmed, instead of being allowed to ramble at will, of course having due regard to its habits of growth ; and as to the time of pruning, I prefer and feel safe if it is done on the first opportunity after the new year comes in, but no prun- ing whatever should be done in hard frosty weather. I may also say that whatever planting remains unfinished, get it done as soon as the soil is fit to work upon. It often happens that matters of planting come to a push in the spring, especially in the suburbs of a town, where it arises through the unfinished state of the many residences yearly built in such neighbourhoods, but every preparation should be made, so that the work may done as well and expeditiously as possible. At such times when there is always a certain risk to rtm through its being late in the season, the work had better be passed off till autumn than to do it in anything but a proper manner. Late planting might be more practised than it is if there was a security that the plants would receive the treatment they re- quire, particularly in the matter of watering, which I hold to be the principal recovering agent if applied frequently and plenti- fully ; but where there is not the means or convenience for this being attended to, and the other wants of the plants looked after, it would be much better and a saving of time and money, as well as after-satisfaction to those concerned, if the planting on such places as I have stated were put off till a more season- able time. — Thomas Recokd. AECHERFIELD.— No. 1, THE SEAT OF THE KIGHT HON. E. A NISBEI HAMILTON. My northern visit was a flying one. After rattling away in the wee small hours of the morning I found myself over the border at Berwick-on-Tweed at 5 a.m. on a smart, chill, Sep- tember dawn. Dirty, drowsy, shivering, and perhaps just a trifle testy, I was not in the best condition to appreciate the beauties of the land of poetry and chivalry. Beauties have I said? Drop down as I did, and ask for a waiting room, and be told in what was to me grim wit, " No waiting room open, but plenty of room for waiting," with a gentle reminder, which was hardly necessary, of " Hech, man, ye're no i' England the noo," and appreciate beauty if you can. Yet under the cordu- roy was a kindly feeling, and I was given the post of honour on a greasy bench, by a cosy fire, in a grimy but warm porters' cabin. In an hour was a train for Drem, the junction for Dirleton two miles from Drem, and from Dirleton station it is about two miles by road to Archerfield. A coast run of two to three hours, with a bright sun and brisk sea breeze, with walls of rugged rocks, hills, and fertile vales alternating, worked a steady improvement, and I began to think there might be something worth seeing in Scotland after all. In the distance, leaving Dirleton station, was a towering pile surmounted by a fluttering flag ; aud in answer to a passer-by, " Is that Archer- field?" was favoured with, " Archerfield, man ! That's Dirle- ton Castle. Ye mun gang awa across the green, aud ye'll ken the gate where braw folk enter, an that'll tak ye to Archer- field." And sure enough it did. At the gate of the " braw folk " is a neat lodge with a garden of shrubs aud cheery with flowers, the first little foretaste of the treat to follow. Through an undulated park the broad drive sweeps, and the cleanliness and perfect order of this ap- proach shadows forth the high keeping of the entire home- surroundings. The situation is both charming and salubrious. On the left is rising ground lightly wooded, through which the distant hills peep and where the village nestles. On the right is a steady, clean, and almost unbroken yet partially wooded slope to the sea, distant about two miles, which is the boundary to Mr. Hamilton's demesne, aud where he has a marine villa. Straight ahead is a more heavily timbered site, and within the skirts of these fine old trees is the spacious mansion of Archer- field. The edifice is plain and substantial, and savours of what it is — the quiet comfortable home of a Scottish laird with a predilection for rural pursuits and unobtrusive retire- ment, rather than an ornate structure of a newly-made mil- lionaire, who would attract by the magnet points of architecture of a highly embellished exterior. As there is nothing further to note here we wUl go to the garden. This is distant from tho house about half a mile through a straight avenue of fine trees. But there are two distinct gardens a mile apart, and each a long stretch from, and quite out of view of, the residence. It may be here men- tioned that a characteristic of many places in Scotland is the separation of the garden from the mansion, and it is quite common to find gardening of the very first order, yet unasso- ciated with mere scenic effect, and as a consequence the pencil of the artist, which is in some places so potent, can be of no real use to the pen of the litterateur in his duties of descrip- tion. Of this type is Archerfield. There is no such thing as getting an attractive and ornamental view of grounds and residence, and no chance indeed of doing justice to the best separated examples of gardening by a colourless impression. Yet gardening is good, and has been good for a long time. In flower gardening Archerfield is almost a household word. It is the scene of the best accomplishments of that accomplished Jamwry 7, 1875. ] JOUBNAIi OP HOBTIOULTURB AND COTTAGE GABDBNESB. master of the art, Mr. D. Thomson. It is perhaps the main praotioe ground from which was evolved the matter of that excellent book of modest title — a work which all should read — the " Handy Book of the Flower Garden." Gardening here was assuredly good then, and it is assuredly good now. The mantle of Mr. Thomson has evidently fallen on an able suc- cessor in Mr. Kettles, the present superintendent. Let us look at his work. We are in tlie Archortield, or kitchen and glass garden, in contradistinction to the Dirleton enclosure. But even the kitchen garden at this place would make many a flower garden blush for its fame and envious of the etiect created by its borders. On entering this walled garden in the centre of the south walk one must perforce stand still. With the telling ribbon borders in the direct line of vision, and a sea of flowers to the right hand and to the left, and a fine range of glass behind, the strange visitor if alone is compelled to halt between two or three opinions : he is, as it were, spell- bound by an overpowering sense of flowers, and knows not which way to turn for the best. It is not so much the arrange- ment or mere quantity that is so striking as the surprise in entering what is expected to be (and in fact is) a garden of vegetables, and see nothing but flowers. Yet the area of colour and its order of disposition is not to be passed by without a note of examination. The extent of the ribbon borders is about 120 yards, and are in their finish perfect. Their tone is quiet, chaste, and pleasing rather than brilliant and gorgeous. Be- ginning at the margin of the walk, the lines are planted as follows; — 1, Cerastium ; 2, Dwarf Ageratnm ; 3, Dactylis ; 4, Iresine Lindeni ; .5, Silver- foliaged Pelargonium; C, Purple Lothian Stocks ; 7, Scarlet Gladioli, bounded by closely pinched and planted pyramid Pears, and beyond these rows of Sweet Peas and Scarlet Bunners as a divisional fence between the flower borders and general vegetable ground. I am sure Mr. Luokhurst, who so worthily advocates quiet and repose in floral arrangement, would have appreciated these borders, as that is their prevailing tone, with just sufficient streaks of colour to prevent him being hushed to a point just beyond I'epose — sweet sleep. But no fear of tliat, or here is an awakening. Running parallel with the south walk is a close and rather tall fence of espalier Pears. Between these and the walk is a border, with a rather sharp slope, about 0 yards wide and IJO yards long. This border is in three divisions ; it is a mass of colour, planted as follows : — Take an end division ; the back row next to the hedge of Pears is Tritoma, next maroon and white dwarf Dahlias, then a strong silver Pelar- gonium. Fronting these rows is a mass, 5 feet wide, of Wal- tham Seedling Pelargonium, dotted down the centre at in- tervals of 5 yards with large plants of Centaurea ragusina. In front of this mass again is a line of Dactylis, another of dwarf Ageratnm, finishing next the walk with a row of Lobelia and Polemonium iu alternation. That is a fine and telling border, the 150 feet by 5 of Waltham Seedling showing to great ad- vantage. For a mass like this it is a question if a better Pelargonium could be found, its free, bold, upstanding trusses and good colour marking it as still one of the best for large masses. The other end division of the border ia similarly planted, except as to the Pelargonium, where Excellent is substituted for Waltham Seedling, and with a less telling effect. The central division of the border is differently planted. It is more quiet, and certainly more beautiful than the ends. In front of the Dahlias at the back is a fine row of yellow Calceolaria, the row next following being of Dell's Crimson Beet. Now comes the 5-feet mass, which is a mixture of Beaton's Silver Nose- gay Pelargonium and Purple King Verbena, both in perfect trim as to growth and bloom ; the flatness of the mass being relieved by graceful specimens of Yucca oleifolia variegata plunged at wide intervals along the centre. In the front of this fine mixture is a row of Iresine Lindeni, followed by Christine Pelargonium, Cineraria maritima, broad row of Crimson King Verbena, with a margin of Cerastium. This centre border is, if I recollect rightly, wider than the ends, but taking the whole expanse of bloom from end to end of the three divisions the just balance of high colours with neutral tints, the lines relieved by masses, and the flatness broken by the distinct Y'ucoas, and the picture disarms criti- cism by its powerful appeal to one's whole capacity of ad- miration. There is nothing complex, intricate, or dainty about it. It is just grand in its light yet massive, simplicity — in a word, it is worthy of Archerfield, and with this remark I leave it. On the opposite side of the walk are the Vine and Peach borders, but they are narrow — only .3 or 4 feet wide. These are also planted with flowers, principally with Tricolor and Bicolor Pelargoniums in variety, relieved by fine plunged standard plants of Solanums laden with fruit, eventually to be attractive objects for winter indoor 'decoration. Such is the south and principal walk of the kitchen garden of Archer- field. It surely savours little of culinary produce. For this we must go behind the scenes— the espaliers and bush fruit trees which line the walks. Here we find just as much atten- tion given as to floral matters. A few varieties of vegetables, and of these the best-suited to particular wants, appears to be the guiding principle in cropping. Not a weed is to be seen, or hardly a decayed leaf visible. Every bit of ground is cropped, and every crop well tended, the whole doing credit to the departmental overseer. The soil is a good sound loam, rich and deep, of a fine staple for fruit and vegetables, except the upper portion, which is rather light, and, as a consequence, the Pears on the east wall lack stamina. The walls are mostly covered with Pears and Plums carrying fair crops. On the north aspect are Morello Cherries, with Currants and Gooseberries trained vertically from horizontal mains, and in this cool aspect the season of these fruits is usefully prolonged, and is easy to protect from birds. Outside the square is a spacious and useful skirting for fruit and coarse vegetables. Within this skirt on the south aspect of the wall are fine Plum and Pear trees, which bear produce of the first quality. Peaches aru grown under glass. The kitchen-garden ground may be about four acres. Apples not a full crop, but whenever we came to a tree of the useful Blenheim Orange it was laden with fine fruit. Wo now look at the glass department, which is rather ex- tensive, comprising eleven spacious houses and a considerable extent of pits and frames. The principal range is in the walled kitchen garden, and comprises a central staged house for flowering plants, with four houses on either hand planted with Peaches and Vines. The plant house, as a conservatory, is hardly worthy of Archerfield; the stages, by their elevation, do not show the plants to advantage, which were good. The lean-to's are capital houses, and carry capital crops of fruit. The end ones for late Grapes have a steep pitch, and are well adapted for keeping purposes. Early Grapes and Peaches were gathered, but the late vineries were carrying excellent fruit. Muscats were very good, but the Barbarossa, which is largely grown, was the most striking by its numerous and massive bunches. This variety, which is in many places shy, is free enough here, Mr. Kettles having no difiiculty in getting a houseful of bunches. His plan is the very sensible one of training-up young rods, and shortening them at pruning time according to judgment, insuring thereby a choice of spurs and young wood, and what is better, insuring also a crop, guarding against overcrowding. This is a safe plan of getting Grapes, and the Vines are furthermore in a constant and steady state of renewal. Lady Dowue's is also fine in the berry, but, of course, not so big as Gros Colman. This latter Grape is not well coloured, one Vine especially being curious in always pro- ducing colourless fruit, yet the berries are of large size, and equal in fiavour to the black ones on the next Vine. This range of houses is heated by one pipe running along the front. It is flat, 1 foot wide by 4 inches deep, and troughed its whole length three-quarters of an inch deep, which, Mr. Kettles says, gives off too much moisture, and he uses portable evaporators of less superficial area. The front wall is on arches, and the best roots are probably in the inside borders, the outside ones being only 3 to 4 feet wide, and cropped with flowers, although the soil under the walk is made good ; but for the matter of that all the soil is good in the garden, and would of itself grow Grapes well with the otherwise good culture here given. 'There is also another fruit house in the south wall of the out- skirt garden about 150 feet long. This is a very light and excellent structure. It is principally planted with Plums, and wired about 4 feet up the roof, so that the back wall has light over this Plum trellis to the very bottom. Besides, from the trellis a branch is carried from the Plums up each rafter Vine fashion. The rafters are 6 feet apart. 'The back wall ia covered with Peaches, having splendid fruit. There are also in this house Figs, Guavas, &c. This useful house is heated, and gives an immense quantity of fruit. It was, moreover, particularly gay, the floor being covered from end to end with healthy and well-bloomed plants of Mr. Pearson's and other good Pelargoniums, than which, in their now varied colours, nothing can give a finer summer display, and what is of first- rate moment, they carry no filth into a fruit house. In what may be called the forcing ground is another block 10 JOURNAL OF HOBTIOULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. ( Jamiaiy 7, 1875. of glass. Here Pines are grown in considerable quantity, the plauts being remarkable for tbeir dwarf stocky habit of growth. They are grown on what may be called the coal-saving-and- frtiit-getting system, Mr. Kettles being no advoeato for an ex- treme high temperature in culture, and of this prefers as much as possible from fermenting material to the calorie of the coal pit. His suckers are raised on dung beds without any linings, removed, of course, in late autumn to the houses. Under this cool treatment fine fruit is produced from plants much dwarfer than is often seen in Pine-growing. All the Pines are grown in pots. It is not necessary to enumerate the contents of the plant houses ; suffice it to say their occupants are in the first order of health. Large specimens are not attempted, hardy stuff for decorative purposes being the point aimed at. Relays of plants for successive seasons are grown in cool pits, and in these plunged in a gentle fermenting material. Such stove plants as Gesneras and Poiusettias were flourishing to per- fection, although the bottom heat had long since departed. The use of one very old hardy plant may be noted — Sedum Fabaria. It is grown in pots for balcony decoration, and serves its purpose admirably. No sort of weather seems to affect it ; and as grown here, with heads as large as Hydrangeas, it is ornamental indeed. To see the plant as one generally sees it in undisturbed clumps in the herbaceous border, or settled lor life and seemingly immoveable on the rockery, with its little tufts of rosy bloom, one could hardly credit what it is capable of doing under high generous cultivation in or out of pots. It is a hardy, everybody's plant. Let those who have it grow it better, and those who have it not get it and -DiEI.ETON* GAKPEN9, grow it well. But there is the Dirleton garden yet to be looked at — that is, the flower garden proper. It must be deferred. Areherfield is a fine place without it, but with it its interest and beauty is immensely enhanced. — J. Wright. THE AVIARY. We have much pleasure in this, the first number of another volume, in presentiuf; nur subscribers with an engraving of an elegautly-desigued aviary, acpompanied with a few remarks as to the necessary fittings. In furnishing an d currving out the interior the aid of n clever wireworker and other skilful artificers will be required. The following remarks will, no doubt, be acceptable to those desiring to fully enjoy the pleasures of an aviary. "An Eyewitn-ess" says— I will first 'remark upon the perches, which should not be arranged or fixed immediately over each other, neither should tliey run in a transverse direc- tion. One advantage will be not to have the perches long or continuous ; for by having numerous small perches and others of various lengths here and there jutting out from the sides of the aviary, the birds will be more advantageously distributed over the same. Sets of perches can be made so as to be fixed in almost any part of the aviary, constructed as to open out in a similar mauner as a pair of steps ; or three long strips of wood secured with a piece of wire at the top can be opened out in a triaugular form, and circular perches or hoops of various size (three or four) can be slipped over the triangular framework and the whole so extended as to prevent the birds upon the upper perches soiling those upon the perches beneath. Some aviary-keepers adopt the plan of procuring suitable branches of trees, the butt ends of which they either have fixed in large garden pots or small firkins filled with mould. If firkins are used they can be dressed up with cork or bark to make them more ornamental. For aviaries seed-hoppers are preferable, for the birds cannot waste or soil the seed as when it is supplied in open troughs. The hoppers can be placed in various parts of the aviary. They are better when constructed with sliding glass fronts than entirely of wood, for it may be better ascertaijed when the hoppers require replenishing with seed. Pnttervware is better than either wood, tin, or zinc to give soft-billed birds their food in, for they Cfin be the more readily cleaned. The birds kept mainly upon soft food would be better kept apart from those living almost entirely upon seeds. In an aviary this could easily be eflected by a wired partition. The floor of the aviary should always be abundantly supplied with coarse grit sand or very fine gravel (red looks best, and plenty of it can be obtained from the London bird-dealers) ; and snug retreats or recluses are particularly acceptable to the Tit tribes, the cork bark here again being used, besides small branches fixed up in the corners for the birds to occasionally retire to or roost in. January 7, 1873. ] JOURNAL OP HOKTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 11 Aviaries can be thoroughly ventilated by the aid of perforated zinc fixed at the topmost part of the structure, without any fear of draughts of cold air. The windows should all be pro- tected with wirework. A very essential matter in an aviary is a good supply of water daily and the free use of the bath. Where some of the birds are partitioned-off from the others they cannot equally eujoy the free use of the bath, therefore they must now and then be supplied with a bath on a smaller scale than the one I refer to below. I will give an instance how the water supply was managed in an extensive aviary. A detached aviary bouse (which was well sheltered from the north by a copse of trees), not so spacious or elegant in design as the illustration given, had an entrance-door in the centre, with the aviaries situated light and left. Inside, about a yard from the outer door, were also a pair of folding doors, through which I had to pass before fully enjojirg a good view of the aviaries. One side was appropriated Iti the larger kinds of birds, and the other to the smaller Finch tribes, Cauaries and Mules. Upon the floor, in the centre of each, a tmall grotto or rocky pile was constructed, and through the centre of each ran a very thin tube as a fountain. Surrounding this tube, about 4 inches from the top, ran a piece of zinc spouted around, off of which the water ran on to the rock or grotto below, the water being Fig. 3. received in a bath surrounding the grotto. The baths (the sides of which were about 0 inches high) contained about 3 inches of water, never more, the bed being formed of loose shingle, and small sea shells and rock. The fountains were each supplied through pipes inserted into the bottom of a deep cistern fixed at the back part of the building, into which the rain water from the roof was conveyed. At other times the cistern was supplied by hand. Not having the advantage of waterworks in the vicinity, the fountains in very dry weather did not play so well, lu the pipes leading from the cistern taps were fixed to turn on the water, which when more than 3 inches deep in the baths was conveyed through other pipes into a well or covered cistern outside, and afterwards made available for the flower borders surrounding the aviary. There was another provision made, that when the outer cistern filled beyond a certain mark the water ran off into a drain. Inside the building, skirting each side of the aviary, were fixed rustic-looking chairs or seats, and numerous pots of choice greenhouse and other plants were arranged. The whole had a pleasing effect, and was interesting. Similar plans could be carried out in the aviary of which we furnish an iUustration taken from the American " Fanciers' .Tournal." DOINGS OP THE LA.ST AND PRESENT WEEKS. The lowest temperature at Loxford was 16' Fahr. ; on the same night the mercury at Bury St. Edmunds dropped to 4°, or 28° of frost. Bedding Calceolarias require a thick covering of straw over the usual protection afforded by mats. When the frost was severe, even in the daytime the covering wag not removed at all, but on Saturday morning about half an inch of rain fell, and the temperature got higher until daybreak, when it again fell to the freezing point, leaving the roads and paths sheets of ice. At mid- day the glass rose to 41°, and all coverings were removed and the plants overhauled, everything being in as good condition as they were before the frost. In the Auricula frame were a number of decaying leaves on all the plants, but more so on the Alpines. These were picked off, and not a plant injured in the least. The Carnation frame did not'require any attention, ex- 12 JOURNAL OF HOETICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ .Tannary 7, 1875. cept to draw the lights off for a few hours ; this was done to all the frames, to the great benefit of the plants. FORCISr, HOUSES. Pineries. — Iq the friiitiug house are a few plants swelling their fruit ; and if the house was full of such, it would be desirable to maintain a minimum temperature of 65°, risinc; to 70° or 75° by day; and all fruiting pineries ought to be sufficiently supplied with hot-water pipes, so that this temperature may be kept up even in severe frosty weather if necoasai-y. A house 15 feet wide, and sufficiently high for fruiting Pines, and of the consti- tution of what is called half or three-quarter-span, should not have less than six rows of 4-inch pipe. The best succession houses are half-span, and may be from 10 to 12 feet wide with four rows of -l-inch pipe. But to return to the fruiting pinery. Oar temperature in very cold nights is sometimes as low as 55°, but 00° is the most usual. We have had fruit swelling and others in the flowering stage about the new year in previous seasons ; and although the temperature was but little increased until March, the Pines swelled and ripeued-oii well, and not ftnfrequentlv gained first prizes at the early summer shows in London. We merely mention this, as many growers think a much higher temperature absolutely necessary. On the other hand, we have found out that a great mistake may be made if the minimum is 5° lowerthroughthe winter months. We had charge of a house of early fruiters many years ago, and owing to the house destined for them being required for eirly Vines, the Pines were placed in a house and plunged in a good bottom heat, but through insufficient piping the night temperature could not be kept up to 55°, but fell to 50°, and sometimes even lower. During this time the fruit began to throw up, and though the plants were all that could be desired, the fruit when ripened- off were miserably poor and badly shaped. Succession houses are also kept quiet as yet, very little moisture in the atmosphere and no water at the roots. In none of the houses is moisture supplied from the evaporating troughs over the hot- water pipes. VINERIES. The Lady Downe's in the late house have shrivelled rather more than usual this year. Where it is necessary to keep up a high degree of warmth in the hot-water pipes to keep out the frost for many weeks together, it is to be expected that some berries will shrink a little; but they had done so previous to much firing, and in our peregrinations round the country we have seen other people's very much worse than our own. No doubt the ripening of the fruit in August has a good deal to do with it. In Essex Lady Downe's will ripen without artificial heat after the fruit is set and thinned, but it is better with, and probably if we had been more lavish with fuel in August the fruit would have been much firmer and have kept better. Gros Guillaume has kept well, and not a single berry was shrunk when the bunches were cut with the branch attached for bottling. Muscat of Alexandria had not kept quite so well, but only a very few berries had shrunk, and a few mouldy ones had been cut out. The only other white Grape kept up to this time is Royal Vineyard, but it does not keep any better than the Muscats — indeed, they did not keep so well this year. Mrs. Pince also kept badly; it cannot at all be compared to Lady Downe's for keeping, nor with Gros Guillaume. The great desideratum is still a Grape that will keep with Lady Downe's, black aud white, with a flavour equal to Mrs. Pince. In the room where the Grapes have been suspended the frost is just kept out by a small stove; all ! fruit decays quickly after having been frozen. Pruned the Vines immediately that the fruit was cut, and had the woodwork of the house washed, the Vines washed with soapy water and dressed with the mixture that had been used in the early houses. CUCOMEEB HOUSE. The plants which were put out in October for winter-fruiting failed to a large extent ; why, we have not yet discovered. Seeds sown about the second week in December vegetated freely, and the plants are now making vigorous growth. They are close to the glass, the pots being placed on a shelf rather than having them plunged in bottom heat, where a quicker gi-owth would result from it, but not a healthy one. The greatest care is necessary to see that no insect pests attack the plants ; thrips and green fly do the most mischief. We would rather that the night temperature in this house does not fall below 05° at night. Where the trellis is covered with the growing vines of the Cucumbers it will be necessary to look over the plants once in a week or ten days, and remove all superfluous growths and leaves that show some signs of decay, nor ought the leaves to be too thickly crowded together. Strawberries.— The earliest batch of Black Prince have been removed from a house where the temperature was 60° to one of from 5° to 10' higher. The flower trusses were not showing, but the new leaves were pushing out of the centre of the plants. The next lot, composed partly of Black Prince and Keens' Seed- ling, were taken from a cold frame to fill the place ol those that were removed higher up. Alternate watering with weak ma- nure water is of much service to the plants, and should be ap- plied as soon as the centre leaves show themselves. If any of the pots are not far removed from hot-water pipes the mould may become dry between the times of watering, and should such be neglected for a day the plants may suffer, when red spider will be sure to attack them. Orange trees that had been at rest in a cool house have been removed into heat. They were starting into growth before removal, and in one instance the flower-buds were visible. St. Michael's and Maltese Blood varieties ought to have the flowers expanded early in February; even then the fruit will not ripen much before Christmas. Tangierine will ripen fully a month before the above varieties. Figs in pots have been started in an early vinery with the Vines. We have always been most successful with Figs in pots when a little bottom heat could be applied to them, either by plunging in some fermenting material or by placing the pots over hot-water pipes ; either way the plants should not be far removed from the glass, and fuUy exposed to the light. PLANT STOVE. Thanks to the aristocratic Orchid family, there need be no lack of flowers during the whole of the winter months, and most of them are comparatively of easy culture. Lrelia anceps and varieties of it are the showiest and best of that genus in flower now. Phalaenopsis grandiflora, the Moth Orchid, is most useful at this season; but those who are fortunate enough to possess a dozen plants of it may have it in flower nearly all the year. Eucbaris amazonica, this snow-white beauty, is now a mass of flower; and as soon as one set of flowers are over, in a month or so another set is thrown-up, so that with three good- sized plants we are seldom without flowers of it. All the treat- ment that it requires is good turfy loam with a little leaf mould for the plant to grow in ; it also requires plenty of pot-room, liberal supplies of water at the roots, aud a temperature of from 60° to 65°. We have been enabled to do nothing in the stove department, except to clean and train plants. Thrips next to mealy bug is the most difficult pest to deal with. Fumigating, if persistently foUowed-np, will destroy them, but then tender plants are often injured also. Washing them off with a sponge and soapy water is the safest, and now that little other work can be done this should be seen to. — J. Douglas. TRA.de CATALOaUES RECEIVED. B. S. Williams, Victoria Nurseries, Upper HoUoway, London. — Descriptive Catalogue of Seeds, li-c. Carter & Co., High Holborn, London. — Garter's Vade-Merum. Royal Exotic Nursery, King's Road, Chelsea. — Veitch's Cata- logue of Garden and Floioer Seeds. TO CORRESPONDENTS. *,' AU oorrespondence should be directed either to " The Editors," or to " The Publisher." Letters addressed to Mr. Johnson or Dr. Hogg often remain unopened unavoid- ably. We request that no one will write privately to any of our correspondents, as doing so subjeots them to un- justifiable trouble and expense. Correspondents should not mix up on the same sheet questions relating to Gardening and those on Poultry and Bee sub- jects, aud should never send more than two or three questions at ouoe. All articles intended for insertion should be written on one side of the paper only. We cannot reply to questions through the post. Books (A. B., Knowlr). — Our '' Garden Manual," which you can have for twenty poatajie Bttimps by post from our office. W. Paul's shilling *' Book About Roses." Kent & Co., Paternoster Row. White Grape for South "Wall (IFaji^ap*').— The Royal Muscadine. ROVAL HORTICULTORAL SOCIETY'S PROVINCIAL MEETING iR'glirgam ).— The place and time for 1875 is not yet decided. Twelve Select Hvacinths (H. W. S. C). — The list we published in our No. 717 was furnished by ;a grower from a foreign list, and thpy are not ob- tainable in England. ^Ve have applied to Messrs. Cutbusb, fluiists, High- gate, so well known as Hyacinth exhibitors, and they have obliged us with the following; — "The following! are easily procurable, which will please any cultivator — ilacaulay, deep rose, striped crimson; Florence Nightingale or Fttbiola, very pale pink, with li;^ht carmine stripes ; Von Schiller, deep salmon pink; Robert Steiger, bright crimson; Gigantea, deep bluah ; Queen of the Netherlands, pure white ; Moot Blanc, pure white; Graudeur ik MervelUe, pale blosb ; Baron Von Tuyll, deep blue; Charles Dickens, greyish blue; Grand Lilas, azure blue; Prince Albert, purplish black. We couU, of course, add plenty of other first-class varieties, but do not think there are many better than the above." Utilising Space in Unheated Vinery (J. C). — It is folly to seek any great advantage from a growing of many things in a honse that is only suit- able for few. Cucumbers, also Melons, would do (airly, but Tomatoes better than either. Small salading might give you some return ; and tiea-kale. Rhubarb, and Asparagus gently forced, commencing, pay, the beginning of February, would answer, the vapour of the fermenting materials not injuring the Vines in a dormant state. The fermenting materials if placed upon the Vine border must be removed ere the Vine have rooted much into them; better if it be done before. January 7, 1875. ] JOURNAL OF HORTIODLTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. i:^ Surrounding Pipes vor Bottom Heat to Cucujiberh IBfginnrr). — Tho soil ought not to be placed npon the pipes, but be surrounded by rubble, briclibats, or clinkers, and brought over the pipes about 6 inches, and over these a layer of eods or tho rough parta of the cotupout, and upon thin tho soil. The soil should be bruken up rather fine, but not tiifted. Mille's treatise on Cucumber culture is probably tho best, but we think it is out of print. Cuthill's is also good. He.vding Maiden Apple Trees (J. if.).— Being planted the paet autumn they will be best headed-back in February, or bo aoon afterwards as the weather is mild, but doing it at the first mild weather after the middle of the month. Erkcting a Vinery (H-S.).— Arrange by all means to have the Viuea planted inside, 13 inohea to la inches from the front wall. It \\ill be well, if the subsoil is clay or wet, to pave the bottom either with bricks or pebbles, and run the joints with cement. This base should have an incline to a drain, or rather to a certain part where should be a drain, and laid upon tho cemented floor, and this drain must have proper fall and outlet. You will need a drain for the outside as well as inside boi'der, and lengthwise of the border, having the inside one about 3 feet from the front wall, and the other about 4 feet from the outside of the border. The front wall ought to be ai'ched, ha\'iug 1-i-inch pillai's, with 2-feet to 2-feet-S-inch openings between each. Tlie top of the arches should be flattish,so as to raise the top and allow the roots to have freer access, nearer the surface, to the outside border than were the arches semicircles. Kaspberries Unfruiitul (B. L. E.), — The situation is unquestionably the cause of faihu-e, the shade being unfavourable to the perfection of the growths. If they are a good kiud you may safely make a new plantation from them, but choose an open though sheltered situation. Manuring would help, and so would wateriiig, the fruit to swell, but the Lime roots would appropriate a good deal of both. Peach and Nectarine Trees not Thriving {Idem), — Your eoil Ib against the healthful growth of the trees. We should lift the whole of the trees, and manuring liberally and adding some fresh soil— rather strong turfy loam is best, and making the soil of the border very firm. The " wash " will not cure the cancerous development, but is ^ood against insects. The leaves "blister" owing to cold and sudden changes of temperature, which maybe obviated or lessened by copings and canvas protection. Scale on Peach Trees and Myrtles {Q. M.).— The sprigs of Myrtle and the shoots of Peach trees are infested with brown scale, which causes the leaves and everything under and around the infested plants to be covered with a gummy exudation or secretion called huneydew, and this drying affords a medium for the development of black fungus. If you remove the scale the other appearances will disappear. A solution uf soft soap, half a pound to a quai't of water, adding to it half a wineglasstul of spirits of turpentine, and thoroughly mixing and applying with a brush will destroy it, applying it at a temperature of ISiO- to l40", taking care not to allow it to run down to the roots, but to apply it to every part infested with the insects, both sides of the leaves, and all round the shoots. Painting Flower Pots (I".). — It is injurious to paint the outside of flower pots, as it takps away their porosity,' shutting the roots out of atmo- spheric influences. The pots ought to be kept clean washed, free of mossy accumulations. Trees for Lawn (C. J. W.). — The following are fine evergreen trees for a lawn, but we should advise you to employ them at the margins or boundary, leaving the centre comparatively open. Many lawns are spoiled by trees upon them, as if the object were to cover it with trees without any regard to effect : — Abies escelsa alba ; Cryptomeria elegans ; Cupressus Lawsoniana and vars. gracilis, glauca nana, andstricta; Juniperus chiueusis, J. virginiana; Picea grandis, P. nobilis, P. Xordmaoniana, P. pinsapo ; Pinus excelsa, P. cembra ; Ketinospora pisifera, Tasus adpressa stricta, T. pyramidalis, T. elegantissima, T. fastigiata; Thujopais borealis; Thuja Lobbi, T. orieutalis, and vars. aurea and elegantissima ; Cedrus Deodara, C. atlantica, aud Araucaria imbricata, with Wellintjtonia gigantea, which you name. Those are all evergreen and Conifer*. Have a few (.iold and Hilver-variegated Hollies, and a Portugal Laurel or two, and some lUiododendrons as specimens. We should also have a few weeping trees, as Betula laciniata pondula, Fagus pondula, Fraxinus excelsior pendula, Salix americaua pendula, S. caprea pendula, and Camper- down Elm. A few flowering standard trees, as Cerasus japonica multiplex, Double Pink, White, and Scarlet Thorn, Cytisua peudulum, Liriodendron Tulipifera, Magnolia conspicua, Pyrus communis Bollwylleriana, and Pyrus pi'EBCOX. Everlasting and Ornamental Grasses (C. jf.).— Acroclinium roseum and var. album, Ammobium alatum, a small white Everlasting ; it and the two preceding being half-hardy annuals. Heliclirysum bracteatum and var. alba, H. moustrosum album llure-plono, aud the following double varieties of, U. monstrosum llore-pleno— atro-uoccineum, luteum, purpiu'eum, and roseum; Rhodanthe maculata, its white variety (alba), and atrosanguinea, R. Manglesi. The lihodanthes are half-hardy annuals. For iiuautity. the best plan is to procure a " collection of double Helichrysums in ten varieties," they being the best, adding the Acrocliniuiu, Ammobium, and lihodanthe if you wish, but they are not nearly so profitable. Grasses are — Agrostis nebu- losa, A. argentea; Bnza gracilis, B. maxima; Eragrostis elegans, Lasia- gi'OBtis argentea, Paspalum elegans, Piptatherum Thomasi, and Stipa elegant- issima. P.KONIA MouTAN FAILING [H. B. H.).— The tree Pirouies require no par- ticulai' treatment, but require a rather light aud moderately rich soil, enrich- ing it with leaf soil, vegetable refuse, or well-rotted manure, and planting high rather than low, and about the same depth as, before, tUshuji-; around the plant for watering, which should be done in di-y weather copioualy, tor want uf which we think your plants have died. They require a sunny sheltered situation. The plants, if they show for flower the year of planting, ought nut to be allowed to do so, but take away the bud when it is clear of the leaves. CoNsERVATOiiv Construction (^ Constanl Reader).— The size ^f the squares will depend upon the description and thickness of glass. If you use ordinary 21-oz. sheet glass, the squares should not be more than 12 to 15 inches in width, and about three times the length of the width. When 26-oz. or 32-oz. glass ia used the squares may bo 15 to 18 inches in width, and 3 to 4 feet in length. We have these sizes, and with an eighth to three-sixteenths of an inch lap, there has not been any breakage of glass from frost in four years. We should have in each house a slate tank of (j feet length, and 3 feet width and depth, which will give you about three hundred gallons of water, and will be sufficiently large for a house of the dimensions you name. Have it I'aised so that you can water your plants with a hose-pipe. It is desirable to have rain water, which is the best of all for tho plants, and in tho tank it would be heated to the same temperature as that in which the plauts are growing. Roller for Blind (/'. T., Duhliii).—1hQ diameter of the roller should be 3 inches, and the wheel twice the diameter of the pole or roller, and have an indent of about 6 inches width and 2 or 3 iuchcs deep to receive the cord. The roller only rests upon the rafters, and the wheels are clear, running along- side of tbc outside, and by having a wheel at the other end it will movo up and down straight, about half an inch of play being left at each end. Tho shading must, of course, be pressed each time the roller is run up or down, but it does not injure the matenal any more than a mangle does linen. Elliot Copings (J. £.).— We have a letter for you, but have mislaid your address. Arbor- ViT.K Planting (-4. B.).— Four feet apart is not too close for the purpose you have in view, but the roots -will extend into the Asparagus bed and injure the plants. Garden Labels. —Mr. J. Smith, Royal Label Factory, Stratford-on-Avon, writes to us to t^ay that it might be inferred from what; has appeared incur columns that he has discontinued making "imperibhable metallic labels." That this is not the case, we may refer to BIr. Smith's advertisement now in our columns. Names of Fruits (H. TT.).— The Pear is Thompson's, and the Apple Royal Somerset. (D. M. P.).— Apples— 1, Braddick's Nonpareil; 2, Old Non- pareil. Pears— I, Gilogil ; 2, Not known. (James Ducker tt; Son). — Devon- shire Buckland. POULTRY, BEE, AND PIGEON OHEONIOLE. MILLOM (CUMBEBLAND) SHOW of POULTRY, &c. {From our own Correspondent.) Fob several years, owing to the closing of the Ulverstou Poultry Show, the extensive district of Lonsdale North of the Sands, Lancashire, containing as it does many keen breeders of poultry, was unrepresented. To remedy this, three years ago a committee of gentlemen in the adjacent county of Cumberland, connected with the Millom and Broughton Agricultural Society, conceived the idea of holding a Show of poultry on New Year's Day. Seeing that the Society has a wide radius, there being no exhibition within a circle of some thirty miles, no astonish- ment will be felt when we say that at the Show this year there were no less than 272 entries. The Exhibition was held in the new Town Hall, Millom, and was numerously attended. The various classes were all well represented, nine silver cups, a silver cream jug, and a silver cruet stand, in addition to the money prizes, being offered for competition. " Oannie Cumberland " has an eye, it will be deduced from the above, to the substantial as well as the beautiful. Before the laws made it actionable for cock-fighting, few districts were more noted for the breed of Game birds than was this, and the pursuit has not been relinquished, a splendid class facing the Judge on Friday. Mr, Teebay, one of the most experienced of judges, said it was a long time since he had handled a better bird than the one he awarded first cup honours to in Class 2, belonging to Mr. John Wilson, of St. Bees, an exhibitor known favourably at all the principal shows in the kingdom. The Game Bantams were also a large class and much admired. Bralunas, Cochins, aud Dorklnr/s showed to advantage, and as table birds almost put Turkeys to the blush, some of the birds being of great size aud extraordinary weight, whilst their eggs shown on a table in the centre of the Hall, gave the lie direct to Mrs. Partington's recently uttered libel on eggs generally. Ducks were also a capital class, and the prize pens belonging to Mr. J. W. Brockbank, The Croft, Kirksanton, an exhibitor of wide note, led the uninitiated to ask whether they were not looking at G-eese, so large were they in their proportions. The Pigeon Show this year was a new feature, yet many very nice birds were shown. Game — .i/ij/ f'(fr(('(y.— rtttfc.— 1, r. il: W. Sumpton, Bother, Aspatria (Browu Red), 'i, J. Tremble, Aapatria. 3, S. Kilev, Sunbreak. Itc. W. boulton. Park bouse (Brown Red). Black-breasted and otiier iitd.s.— Cup, J WiUon, St, Bees. 2, E. Swaiuaon, Higb Nibthwaite. 3, K. B. Hudson, Dalton-in-Furnesa. /ic,S. Kiley ; W. Grice, Bootle. Ann othcrvariety. —l.W. iii^^in,\J\verston (Duek- Avini^). 2, J. Maekereth, Cumberland (Duckmng). 3, J. \V. Brockbank, Ku-k- aanton. Braiimas.— Cup, C. J. Myers, Brougbton-m-Fumeaa. 2 and 3, J. W. Broek- bauk. ;«!, T. Bellman, Backbarrow(i); W, Birkett, Bootle. c, T. M. Swain- son; G. Sandera, Bootle. Carnfortb. Cucui.NS.— ZjH.ir and l^artrid'je. — 1, J. O. Rigg. Ulverstou. 2, C. J. Myera. S, E. Fearon, Wtiitehaven. c, iVIrs. Brockbank, Gartblani. Any other variety. —1, T. M. Swainson, Millom (White). 2 aud 3, J. & T. Weeks, Bootle, Carnforth (White). DoRKiNus.—l, E. Fearon. 2, J, Wilson. 3, Miss Knowlea. St. Bees. Spanihh.— Cup, J. Wilson. -2, .1. W Brockbauk. 3. J. Tremble. Game Bantams.— Biacfc-'jrc«.s(t(i and other Ittds.—Cai^ aud 2, W. Grice. 3, H. A. Clark, Aapatria. }ic, H. .\. Clark; J. Burrow, Low Wood. Any other varitty.~\, 3. and he, J. W. Brockbank (Duckwinga). 2, T. Bellman (Piles). c, W. Higgiu (Piles). Hamburoiis.— Cup, J. Jackson, Drigg Station. 2, T. Bellman. 3, H. A. Clark. Any other Variety.— 1, C. J. Myers (Houdans). 2, J. Allinsou (Houdana . 3, H.A.Clark (Golden Polands) (if, R.J. Robinson, Ulverstou (Houdans); Miss H. Robinaou, Wigtou (Houdana). Ducks.— ilouLii.—l aud 3, J. W. Brockbank. 2, S. Thornton, Millom. he, R. J. Robinson. White Aylesbnry.—C\Hi. 2, and 3, J. W. Brockbank. Selling Class.- C'ocfc or Drafce.~Cup, L. Casson. Ulveraton (DuckwiiiE; Game). 2, J. Taylor, Bootle (Bull' Cochin). 3, J. Wlute, Ulveraton ( Wluta Cochin), /ic, E. Fearon (Cochin); J. Jackson (Golden-spangled Hamburgh) 1-1 JODENAL OP HOBIUCULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENEK. [ Jauuary 7, lS75. C. J. Mvers (Hou(Idn) ; J. Rolnnson (Brahma) ; J. Mackereth (Duckwing Game) ; W. Higgin (Pile) ; J. & T. Weeks (White Cochin); J. Leech. Ulverstnn (Pile Game); J. W. Brockbank (Dark Brahma and Drake); W. (irice (Game Bantam); L. Casson (Duckwing Game), c, R. J. Kobinson (Houdau); J. Robinson (Brahma); R. B. Hudson (Ayleabury). Selling Cl^ss.— fff ii3 or Ducks.— I, H. J. Nicholson. Millom. 2,W. Higgin (Game). 8, J. & T. Weeks (White Cochins), /ic, E. Fearonl2); H.J. Nicholson; J. 0. Rigg; W. Grice (Game); W. Hell. Cumberland (Golden-spangled Ham- burghs), c. E. Fearon ; J. Mackereth (Black Red Game). L0C4L Class.— C/i('<:A:(;;w.— Cup and 2, J. W. Brockbank. a. T. M. Swainson. (ic, VV . Birkett ; J. W. Brockbank. PIGRO.VS. CiKlliSRS.— 1, J. & W. Towerson. 2, J. Cook. Pouter.— 1 and 2, J. & W. Towerson, Egi-emant. TailBLERS — 1. J. Cook, Egremont. Jacobins.— 1,.T. Cook. 2, J. & W. Townr.son. he, Mrs. Brockbank. Any other Variety.— 1 and 3, J. i W. Towerson. ,'..2, C. J. Myers (Magpies). he, J. Cook. Judge. — Mr. R. Teebay, Fulwood, near Preston. THE POULTRY-KEEPEB.— No. 29. HAMBURGHS. Of the Hamburgh are several varieties. The principal are the Silver-spangled and pencilled Hambm-gh, and the Golden- spangled and pencilled. This name Spangled alludes to the spots like spangles with which a great part ot their plumage is covered, and the Pencilled to irregular Unea on the feathers. Besides these there is the Black Hamburgh. SILVEB-SPANOLED HAMBUBOHS. — HEN. General CharacteristUs. — Plumage white, black-spangled ; rose comb ; gait extremely lively and graceful ; form rounded. A little below middle size. Head. — Strong, flattened at the top. Eije. — Very large, of a dark colour and brilliant ; iris dark brown, pupil black. Clieeks. — Red and bare round the eyes, sprinkled with little line white feathers in the other parts. Comb. — Rose, with httle long regular points, forming an almost flattened surface, oblong, rounded in front, pointed behind, covering the base of the beak, diminishing in size at the side, 'and finely pointed at the back of the head. Wattles. — Placed well under the beak, perfectly round and concave. iJacs.— White, like mother of pearl, placed flat on the cheek, very small. r«./i!s.— White. Beak. — White, light blue at the base. iei/!.'.— Ashy-blue colour. Laying. — Excellent, eggs very delicate and of middle size. Non-aitters. formly. The feathers of the loins, the shoulders, the covert of the tail, the thighs, and the legs should be as much as possible like those of the back and breast. The large wing feathers (fig. 6 , white, edged by a thin black border wider at the ends. Large wing feathers quite white ; large tail feathers (fig. 7), white with I'ia. 1. !»,;■ ■• Feathers of the head, on the borders of the comb, and on the upper part behind the neck, white. Hackle feathers (fig. 4), white, marked with a deep black spot at the end. The upper feathers of the hackle near the head are very small, increasing in size as they get to the base of the neck. The size of each spot is in proportion to that of each feather, only the spots are longer. The breast feathers (fig. 5), have a great resemblance to those of the hackle, and are marked more regularly and uni- the exception of the ends, regularly marked with a black bsAid. The feathers of the aides and abdomen are of a dark grey. J. he white of the plumage is pure, like ivory. The black is iri- descent with deep violety green. HDDDERSFIELD POULTRY SHOW. TuE first Show for a great many years was held on the 'iOth And aoth of December, in the Armoury, or Volunteer Hall. The entries were very large, there being upwards of eight huridred, 120 of which were dogs, and, unfortunately, they occupied the best portion of the hall— viz., the aide of the room where the best light was. In respect of Ught the building was not one of the beat places, and this, together with the fact that the weather was vei7 heavy and the pens being in double tier, the bottom ones were rather dismally placed, and yet the most was made of the room at command. These remarks refer to poultry and Rabbits, for the Pigeons being round the gallery were in aplen- did light and position. On our arrival at about ten o clock on the morning of the Show all things were in a very backward state, said to have been caused by the pens not being set up, and this caused the judging of tue specimens to commence late ; and the public beiug admitted soon after, it was a great impedi- ment ti) the Judges' progress. The awards were not completed till near four in the afternoon, and yet, though the Committee was quite a new one, all was well carried out, Mr. Hudson of HuU rendering the utmost assistance in the management. The Show- was in one sense a double one, as in all sectioBS there were locaJ classes, some of which, notably the Cochins and Rabbits, showed up uncommonly well ; the specimens, if not quite equal, being close upon the general classes iu quality. January 7, 1875. ] JOUBNAL OF HORTICOLTURB AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 15 To start with the general classes. Dorkings had but two entries, but the Cochins were numerous and grand in quality, Mr. Walker's model pen of Buff.4 securing the section cup; second were twogood pens of Partridge, and third White. Ban- hnus were numerous and good, the first a grand old pen, and second and third chickens. There were but five pens of Light, but these of fair quality. Spanish were moderate, and the winners old birds. In the Hamhurghsy which were mixed classes as regards colour, only the winners were good; the first in both classes being Grold, aod second Silver. Game were a capital class — scarcely a pen but that deserved a mention, and the awards were made to first Blacks, and second and third Brown Red"*, but the light was so bad here that it was with the greatest difiiculty the awards were arrived at. The Variety was a great feature, almost every pen being good, and the winners champions of their order. First-and-cup for the section a fault- less pen of Silver Polands, second an equally good pen of La FJC'che, and third Black Hamburghs. Pen 2:i() (HarveyJ, Gold Polands, contaiued a marvellous hen. Game Bantams were a grand class, first were Piles, second and third Black Reds. Bantams^ any other, were first Whites, second Blacks, and third Blacks. In the Selling class, Partridge Cochins, Bralimas, and Pile Game won. Rouen Ducks were an even lot except as regards the first, which, however, stood clear of the rest. Aylesburys were but a moderate lot, the second no doubt one of the best pans living, but altogether too dirty and overshown. Pigeons. — Pouters first, the cup going to a grand Blue Pouter cock in the best possible order, the second a hen also Blue, and third a cock. In Carriers, a Black cock well known iu the fancy stood clear of the rest; second being a Dun quite young and good in all points; third a Black of extraordinary length and style. Of Almond Tumblers there were but four pens. Any other colour were a good class, the first a Black Mottle of exquisite quality, colour, and marking ; second a Light Red Mottle of good head properties ; and third a very sound-coloured Red. Ayitiverps were good, the Bradford cup-winner, a Silver Dun cock, first ; second a grand Long-faced Blue Chequer, and third a short-faced Blue Chequer; the whole of these in ad- dition to the head properties having short, clean-cut, Antwerp wings and tails, and not the long, slouching, Barb-like appear- ance and carriage. Many others were noticed. Jacobins a good lot, a Red cock first, and immediately claimed; second Red, and third White. Trumpeters only three, but very good. Turbits a grand class, the first a Black of rare excellence, second Yellow, and third Blue, all spike-headed. Fantaih all noticed, which fact speaks much for the quality. Barbs contained four of the best birds in the kingdom, shown by Messrs. Firth and Harvey; in fact, it is a treat to see such birds. Dragoons a good class, the flat-skulled birds left out: first a capital Blue of the good old stamp ; second a grand-skulled bird, but a little too down- faced and somewhat thin at beak-end, and third a young Yellow. In the Variety class, first was a real good JEnglish Owl, second a Spangled Ice, third a White Owl, an extra second and third being awarded ; but the SelUug class contained nothing of note, and in point of quality the local classes did not show the spirit of the poultry section. There were 153 Raiibits, and they were a grand lot, but the Lops were badly placed as regards light, being on the lower level and under the Silver-Greys and Himalayans. Cold as the weather was they measured well and that without undue pulling. The first went to a Black-and-white full-propertied doe 2'1\ by A'i inches ; second to a very large Fawn doe with immense dew- lap, 21i by 4^ inches; and third to a Black-and-white doe 2'2i by 5 inches, but low in condition, many others measuring well; bat we are sorry to say there was one doe, a Black-and- white, 23 by 4; inches, which would no doubt have won the first, had its eyes badly hurt, by what cause it did not seem to be known. Silver-Greys were a very heavy class, and all were noticed ; the first winner, Miss Mortimer's buck, won also the cup for the best Rabbit in the Show, and two extra prizes were awarded, the winners running very close in quality. Only those noticed were good in Himalayan, but the first was a massive doe very good in her points, second a smaller young Rabbit but very good, as also the third. Angoras were also good; Mr. Swetnam coming first and third. Most were noticed. The first in the Variety class was a young Black-and-white Dutch good in all points, second a very large Patagonian, not so good on its pins, and third a Black-and-white Dutch. The first in the Selling class was a real good Silver-Grey. There was a good show of Cats, and rare interest was mani- fested, by the ladies especially. In the first a real good Tortoise- shell stood well, the others being Tortoiseahell and White. Persian were but moderate, but Any other variety a grand class. The first in these, a young Grey Tabby, was a beauty ; the second a grand Black, alao a Tabby. DoRKiNr.9.— 1, J. Walker, Rochdale. 2, W. Harvey. Sheffield. CocHiNB.— Cup and 1, J. Walker. 2. A. Bamford, Middleton. 3, W. G. Urwin. Whitby, vhc, J. White ; H. Beldon. Goitstock. Bingley. he, H. Dean. Keiyhley ; W. H. Crewe, Etwell. c, D. & J. Ibeston, Whitby ; A. Spencer, Liverpool. BRAHMiB.— Z)arfc.— 1, W. Whiteley, Sheffield. 2, J. W. Stanstield, Halifax. I 3. Dr. J. Holmes, Whitecoata, Chesterfield, vhc, E. Ryder, H\de. }ic. Dr. J. Holmes; Bridgewater & Yoxhall, Wednesburv: E. Sharratt, Rageley. C, Dr. J. Holmes : W. Whitaker. Woodley ; W. T. MiUett, Fairfield ; A. Bamford ; .1 . Walker; F. Stee'e. Halifax. BR\nM\s —Light —1 II. Keldon. 2, H. Chawner, jun., Hoandhill. 3, J. Fox. Huddersfield. c, ,1. Steele, Luk; H, »;ha\vner. juii. Spanish. — I. U Beldon. -3, J. Thresh, Bradford, a, J. F. Walton. Rawtetistal'. HaUBUHiiiis.—Gy^ci or Silverni>iinoled.—\, J. H. Buntii, Hartholea. 'I. H Beldon. 3. M. H. Broadhend, Holmfirth 'ir, G.Haish. Rnhufirlh; H. Beldon ; A. Wilman, Dewsbary Mnor ; W. McMellon, Glossop; W. .lohnson. Hightown. HAMBUKiiiis— Ro/tror Silver-j)cncilled.—l and i', H. Beldon. 3, W. Johusun. he. J. Anderton, GiUtead ; J. Roberts, Holmfirth. Game —I. E. Avkroyd. F.cclcshill. Leeds. 2. A. Sagden. 3. W. Ormerod. /(.rr. W. JagRer, Wukifleld: J. F. Watteo ; H. Walker; R. Walker, Gomersai : \V. Tillotson, L-'eda; F. Sales ; D Clayton. c.Q White. Any other Vahiety f;xcEPr Bantams. — Cup and J, H. Beldon. 2, E. Walton 3, W Bentlev. vhc, H. Bildon; W. Harvey; A. « VV. H.Silvester, Sheffield hc,.T. F. Waltnn ; W. H. Crewe; H. Grant. Bradford. Bantams. -Gaine.~l, B. Taylor, Heckmondwike 2, A. Hugden, Cleckheaton, 3, F Unit. Dewabury. vhc, E. Walton, Rawtenstall ; B. Firth, Ileckmondwike. he, A Smith, Halifax; H. H. Thompson, Sunderland; W. Backerville, Man- cheater, c, J. Cro^Und. jun ; A. Smitb ; K. Farriagton : J. Forayth. BisTA^i^ ~ Any other varieti/.—], H. BeMon. &. R. H. Ashton, Manchester. S. A. Smith, he, A. Smith ; C. 4: J. lUingworth, Hightown ; J. Walker, c, A, F. Umplebv Selling Class.— 1, J. White, Wakefield. 2. H. J. Storer, Penkridge. 3. R. Walker, vhc, J. Heeiey, Hudderafield. /ic. W. Wright, Holmfirth ; W. Bentley ; G. Carter, Bedalp ; W. H. Crewe; J. Stalev, Newark; S. Lord; A. & W. H. Silvester, c, H Digby. Lmdley ; W. Heace ; W. Wright, Holmfirth ; W. Whit- taker; H. Beldon : H. Walker ; J. Walker; W. Harvey. Ducks.— fioi/c«.— 1, J. Walker. 2 and 3, F. G. S. Kawaon, Halifax, he, G. Watkinson, Liverponl; J. White; J R. FoUard, Wibaey; B. Carkinson ; G, Marshall, Earlaheaton. c, J. Roberta. AylPsbury.—l, C. Holt. 2 and 3, J. Walker, c, G. Watkinson. LOCAL CLASSES. Cochins. -Cup a"d 1, J. Brooke. 2 and c. North & Wood. S, J. Fox. he, C. Rhodes ; North & Woof^. BRAHiiAS.-Darfr.— 1, North & Wood. 2 and vhe. J. Fox. 3 and he, H. Digby. f. J. W. Rhodes; J. iR. Broadhead. L?3/i(.-l, G. Heap. 2, U. Digby. 8, A. H. Haijih. HAMBUK(;as.-(7oirf or Silverni>angled —\, G. S. Jarmain. 2, S. Arnold. 3, G. Blackburn, c. H. Digby ; T. btrmger ; J. Lancaster. Gold or Silver-pencilled. ~1 and 3, H. Digby. 2. G. Blackburn. Game.— 1, W Sugden. 2. J. Brooke. S.G.Nicholson. Amy othke Varikty except Bantams. — 1, North & Wood. 2, B. Boothrovd. 3, S. Arnold, e. H. Digby ; G. Blackr.um. B*NT4MH.— (r'nHi".— 1, J, Rushworth. 2, North & Wood. 3, J, Popplewell. hf, A. L Jordan; J. Brooke, c, J. & R. Broadhead. Any other variety.— 1, J. Brooke. 2, s. W. Anderson. 3 and he. North &, Wood. Selling Cliss,— 1, G. Blackburn. 2, G. Heuthwaite. he, S. Arnold; H. Dieby (2). e, J. Brook*> ; C. O. Harling. DccKS.— Rouen.— 2. W. V Wilkmaon. 3,J.Fairley. /iC, S.Wilson; H. Digby. Aylesbury.— 1, North & Wood, Hudderslield. 2 and he, H. Digby. 3, J. Hey. c, T. Mood v. PIGEONS. Pouters.- (7ocfc or Hen —Cup, \, and 2, W. Harvey. 3, A. Spencer. hc,S. Dronatield, Oldham; W. Nottage ; J. Hawley; G. J. Taylor, Fartown. C, G. J. Taj lor. Cabrifr3.~1, Miga F. Seanor, Leeds. 2, W. Sefton, Blackburn. 3, J. Hawley. he, .T. Smithers, &htfBeId ; Mi^a F. Seanor ; J. C. Ainsworlh, Bury ; W. Sefton ; W H. A. Miller, c. H. Simpson, jun. (2). Tumblers —Almond.— Cock or Hen.— I and 3. A. & W. H. Silvester, 2, S. Lawson, Preston. Any other variety —Cock or Hen.—l, J. Hawley. 2, A. & W. H. Silvester. :^. J. Walker, he, J. Waiker ; W. Brydone, Demae ; A. & W. H. Silvester, c, W. Moore. Antwerps.— Cocfc or Hen.—^, R. Brierley. 2, J. Crosland, Jan. 3, Wadding- ton & Booth, r/ic. J. Croala'jd. jun.; f Steel. hc.K. Brierley ; J. Holden ; S. Lawson ; J. C. Ainsworth. e, C. Sntcliffe ; J. Smithers. Jacobins.— Cocfc or Hen.—l, T. Smith 'i, W. Brydone. 3, G. J. Taylor, he, J. Smit*i; S. Lawton (2); W.Harvey; F. Steel ; G.J.Taylor (3). Trdmpkters. Cock or Hen —I and 2, W. Harvey. S, J. Earnahaw. TuBEiiTS. — CocA; or Hen. — l. J. Walker. 2 and 8, A. & W. H. Silvpater. hc, H. G.Poole; W.Moore; J. Walker; R. Woods; W. Brydone; G.J.Taylor, c, R. Woods. Fantails — Coc/i* or Hf7i— I, J. Walker. 2. F. Steel 3, J, F. Loveraidge. vlic, W. Lumb. he. J. F. Loversidge ; J Walker ; F. Steel, c. W. Harvey. Bakbs.- Cocfc or i/fH.— 1. 3. and I'hc, J. Firth. Leeds. 2, W. Harvey, hc, S. Dronsfield ; J. Thresh ; W. Harvey, c, J. Ttireali ; W. Brydone DR4GOONS.— Cocfc or Hen.—l, W. Sefton. 2. A. Boote, Crewe- 3. J. G. Dunn, Ryton. hc, W. Marchant, Halifax; S. Dronsfield (2); R. Woods (2); Miss Seanor; W. Sefton; Waddington & Booth, Burnley, c, R. Woods; W. Sefton. Any other Vahiety. -Cock or Hen.—l, J. Thresh. 2, G. J.Taylor. Extra 2, S. Dronsfield. 3. F. Steel. Extra 3, W. Harvey he, S. Dronsfield; W. Harvey ; A & W. H. Silvester (2| ; F. Steel ; G. J. Taylor. Selling Class.— Coc A: or i/cn.— I, W. Brydone. 2, W.Harvey. 3,A.&W.H Silvester, hc. W. H. A. MiUer, Walsall. LOCAL CLASSES. PouTEBS.— Cocfc or Hen.—l and 9, J. H. Sykes. Hudderafield. Carriees. — Cock or Hen.— 1,2, and 3, J. H. Sykea. TnMBLEBB-—C'orfc or Hen.—l and 2, J. H. Sykes. S, J. B. Hogley. Trumpeters.- Cocfc or Hen.—l, J. H. Jordan. 2 and 3, J. H, Sykes. Fantails.— Cocfc or HeJi.—l and 2, J. H. Sykes. 3, J. W. Rhodes. Barb-s —Cock or Hen. — 1 and 2, J. H. Jordan. 3. J. H. Sykes. c, A. Broughton ; J. H. Sykea. Dragoons or Antwebpa.— CouA; or Hen. — I, A. Broughton. 2, T. Iredale. Any other VAitiETY.— t^ocfc or iff n.— I, G. Fewsdale. 2, J. H. Sykea. 3, T. Milnes. Selling Class.- Cocfc or Hen.—l, S. W. Anderson. 2, T. Iredale. 3, J. Blackbarn. RABBITS. Lop-EABED.— ZJHcfc or Doc —1, J. Boyle, Blackburn. 2, T. Mvton, York. S, T Schofield, juu hc, T. Schofield, jun. (4); J. Quick, London (3); T. Davia Southwell; J. Irving, Blackburn (Z). c, J. Irving; W. B. Mapplebeek, jun., Birmingham (2). Sll.\ rr-Grky.— Euek or Doc. — Cap and 1, Miss Mortimer, Ross. 2 and Extra 3, A. Hudson, Hull. Extra 2, J. Hallas, Hudderslield. 3. J. Firth. Himalayas.— JSifcfc or Doe— 1, S. Ball, Bradford. 2, Dr. J. D. Eamea, Great Driffield. 3, G. Wilaon. Hudderslield. /ic, J. T. H. ChappeU, Rochdale (2); J. Haliaa; .J. H. Hedley. Hexham. Angora.- Diic/c or Doe.—l and 3, H. Swetnam, York. 2, Hutton & Gelder. Bradford, hc, L. Turner; E. Walton: •*. Ball; J. T. H. ChappeU. c, L. Turner; W. Russell, Hull; J. Blakey ; S. Buckley Any other Vahiety.- Biicfc or Doe.— 1 and vhc, J. Hallas. 2, M. Mareland. 3, A. Lund, York he, T. Schofield, Jan.; J. T. Billett. jun.: H. E. Gilbert, Rugby; W. RusaeU; J. Hallas; J. T. H. ChappeU. e,J. Tebbutt; A. Hudson (2); J. Hallas. Selling Class. — LA. W. Whitehouae, Northampton. 2, C. King, London. 3, J. Roberts, Deighton. hc,S. Hiuchclifl'e. Budderbfleld; T. Schofield, jun. : J. Quick (3) ; C. King ; A. Hudson ; S. BaU ; F. Sabbage. Northampton ; J. Hallas. c, J. Hallas. LocAi Ci^aa.— Any variety.— Buck or Doc.— 1 and 3, J. Hallas. 2, A. Atkio- Qon, Hudderafield. 16 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ January 7, 1875. CATS. TORTOISESHELL OR TORTOISESHELL-AND-WHITE.— 1, B. CharleSWOrth, LODB- wood. 1, R. Redsliaw. Hudderslield. 3, W. Greeowood, Hudderstield. he, D. Woffenden. Persian or Angora.— 1, W. Simg, Moldgreen. 2, Mrs. Morrison. 3, Miss Aruiita^e, Hnddersiield. Any other Vauiety. — 1, Miss Learoyd. Huddersfleld. 2. J. C. Sykes, Hudderstield. 3, J. H. Cro^\Hher, Huddersfield. vhc. Miss T. Cheesbrough, Leeds, he. Miss E. Spivey, Hudderatield ; D. Bottomley : H. Wigney, Hadders- field ; Miss Caygill ; A. 0.\ley ; \V. B. Mapplebeck, jun. ; J. Cowgill, Hudders- fleld. e, J. HeUewell. The Judges were Messrs. Wm. Cannan, Bradford; and E. Hqnton, Pudaey, Leeds. FORFAR POULTRY SHOW. This Show was held on January 1st and 2nd iu the Reid Hall, Forfar, and was an excellent display, more especially of Game fowls, which muster strongly there. The schedule opened with Black Red Game cocks, of which twenty-one entered. We did not at all like the first-prize bird, it was short in neck and leg, and not at all equal to pen 15, un- noticed ; second and third were good, as also IG, highly com- mended. Black Red Game hens were a grand lot, but the pens they were shown in too narrow. Every bird was good, but the ■winners were all there. Brown Red Game cocks were headed by a fine bird, as were the Brown Red hens, the latter taking the cup for the best Game bird. Second was a fine hen, fully better in some respects than first ; but no one could quarrel with the judgment. Game cocks, Any other colour, first a splendid Pile; second ditto ; third Duck wing. Hens of the same reversed this order, Duckwiug being first (a beauty) ; ditto third ; Pile second. Black Red Game Bantam cocks came next. Here we could not agree with the Judge; the second was much more stylish and smaller, the latter a point too often forgotten in judging this variety ; third was not a nice bird. Cocks, Any other colour, an easy win for one of Mr. Brownlie's little Piles. In Any other variety Bantams, first were Blacks, but we much preferred a pen of really first-rate Silver Sebrights, which were unnoticed. Hamburghs were numerous and good in all classes, ■which may also be said of Dorkings and Spanish. Brahmas were very good ; the first three cooks had little white. Hens were extra fine. Gocii in cocks saw a large Partridge first and cup, shown iu bad light, or the Judge must have seen his red breast and fluff; second was a fine Buff. Hens were good ; first a nice bird, as were the other prize-winners. Pigeons were not very numerous. In Pouters a pair of fair Blacks first. Carriers only one good pair. Fantails were better, all being good, but the winners much the best. Tumblers contained some good birds, first going to good-headed Black Mottles; second and third Almonds. There were some good Jacobins shown, while first in the Variety class went to good Yellow Barbs; second a nice pair of Ice. The Show was well conducted, except that the Hall was excessively cold, no effort being made to heat it. Some of the water dishes were frozen to ihe bottom. By the way, why don't the Committee have a Pigeon Judge, and thus induce more entiies ? Game.— iS/ncfc Red,—Coclc.—\, S. Riach. 2, J. Mnllison. 3, J. NicoU. lie, W- Baillie;J Masuu. iTpn.— 1, C. Jamieson. 2, J. Mason. 8. W, Ferguson, he, C. Jamiesun (S) ; Boath & Tosh ; J. Morrison, c. J. Richard. Game.— Broii'n Red.—Cock.-l, T. Mason. 2, G. i A. Blair. 3, 'W. Nicol, jun. He/i.— 1 and Cup, C. Jamieson. 2. J. Salinond. 3, D. Harley. lie, ■W. Nicol : J. Clark ; T. W. MiteheU ; G, i A. Blair. Game.— .4Hy other colour.-~Cock—\, D. Harley. 2, J. Welch. 3, G. & A. Blair. Ben.— 1. D. Harley. 2, C. Jamieson. S, J. Morrison, ftc, J. Welch ; D. Gibson ; A, Dawson. Game Bantams.- BZac/j Red.— Cock.~l and Cup. Mrs. J. Wilkinson. 2, E. Brownlie. 3, J. Ferry, /ic, D, Teviotdalo: J. Greive; A. Spence. Game Bantams -.-Iny o/Acr fo/owr.-c'ocfc.—l.R. Brownlie. 2, T. Barker. 3, D. Teviotdale. Hen.— I and 3. T. Barker. 2, W. C. Baxler. he, E. Brownlie. c, G. Bell ; T. Ritchie ; Mrs. Abel. Bantams.— JjiK otkcr variety.— I, J. Taylor. 2, R. H. Ashton. 3, R. Frew, e, P. Symon. HAMBnRGHs.— Spaiiffierf — Cocfc. -1 and Cup, R. M'Donald. 2, G. Campbell. S. T. Thomson, iic, G. Stalker; D. Draper, jun.; W. FerRuson ; J. Stewatt; J. M. Campbell (2). c, E. Robinson, i/f/i -1, J. M. Campbell. 2, G. Campbell. 8, H. Wilkinson, he, J. M. Campbell ; G. Campbell, c, U. Gibson. Hamburohs.- Pcncif/irf.- Cocfc.— I, J. Taylor. 2. W. Milne. 3. G. Caithness. Hen.— 1 and 2, E Dickson. 3, G. Caithness, /ir, A. Pratt, c, J. Taylor. DoRKlNGS.-Darff.-Cocfe— 1 and Cup, Mrs. W. Chalmera. 2, J. Clark. 3. J. Tombull. he, A. Bruce ; D. Draper, jun. ; G. CnthiU ; J.Turnbull ; P. Lesslie ; D. Gellatly. Sfn.- 1, 2. and 3, D. Gellatly. he, Mrs. M. Chalmers; A.Bruce; D. Draper, jun. ; J. Crawford ; W. M'Intosh ; J. Tumbull ; P. Lesslie. c, P. Symon. Dorkings.- .4ni/ other eolour.—Cock.—l, W. Hendry. 2. J. Fothringham. 3, Mrs. J. Laird, jun. ftc, D. Annan. Wen.— 1 and /ic, Mrs. J. Laird, jun. 2, Mrs. G. Amiitstead. 3, J. TurnbuU. c, W. Hendry ; D. Oracle. Brahma Pootra.— Cocfc.— 1 . J. A. Dempster. 2. J. Tumbull. 3, J. Smart, /ic, A. Burnett. Ben.—l, H.'Wyso. 2, J. Sandeman. 3, J. A. Dempster, he, B. Browni. • ^' Burnett; H. Wilkinson, c, A. C. Russell; A. Fullick; W. FalknON. 'c CocHi China.— r'ocfc.—l and Cup, Mrs. G. Armitstead. 2. G. H. Procter. 3, Mrs. W. Steven, he. A. C. Russell; E. Blyth ; .Mrs. W. Carnngy; W. M. J. Paton : Mrs. C. B. Taylor. Hcii.—l, Mrs. W. Steven. 2. Mrs. W. Camegy. 3. W. M. J. Paton. (ic, W.M.J. Paton; G. E. CartmeU; D.Welch; J. Wyse. c, C. Jarvls. Spanish.— Cocfc.—l, W. C. Hardic. 2, Mrs. W. Steven. 3. G. Stewart, e. H. Wilkinson. Sen.— 1 and Cup, W. C. Hardic. 2, J. Crawford. 8, H. Wilkinson. he, Mrs. W. Steven ; D. Kidd ; H. L. Home. Ant other Varietv.-Coi:^.— 1, G. Caithness. 2, J. Taylor. 3, W. Linton (Crive-Coeur). e, J Smart. Hen.~l, D. Draper, jun. 2, Mrs. C. B. Taylor. 8, J. M. Wilson, he, Mrs. W. Steven ; J. Taylor ; W. Linton (Cr.ve). Sellino Class.- Coc*:.— 1, J. Morrison. 2. J. .Macintosh. 3, W. Robertson. he, J. Soatar; w. Falknor; A. Bruce; D. Morrison; Mrs. A. Duncan; J. Morrison ; G. Cuthill ; Mrs. J. Laird, c, P. Symon ; G. Cuthill. Hen.— 1, D. Gellatly. 2, A. Bruce. 8, D, Shepherd, /w, W. Stewart ; J. Crawford. PIGEONS. PoDTEEB.— 1, J. .Mullion. 2 and 3, F. M'Crae. he, J. Mullion ; F. M'Crae. Carkiebs.— I, J. K. Spence. 2, R. J. Wilson. S, J. E. Abel. Fantails.— 1, J. E. Spence. 2, W. Hendry. 3, J. Smart. Tumblers. — 1, J. Smart. 2 and 3, D. Kennedy. JACOBIN3.—1 and 3, W.Jt E. Davidson. 2, W. Hendry, lie, J , Boath ; J. E . Spence. Any OTHER "VAHiETy.- 1, J. E. Spence. 2, J. Cowe (Ices). 3, J. Baxter (Dragoons), c, J. Boath (Archangels) ; I. M. Abel (Archangels) ; M. A. Frew. CANARIES. Scottish FANCv.—renow.— Coc&.—l, W. & R. Davidson. 2, W.Wood. 3, A. Lowson. i, W. Ferguson. Hen.— I, W. Wood. 2, A. Morris. 3, J. Shanks. 4, A. W. M'Kendrick. SooTiisH Fancy.— Bu#. — Cock. — 1, F. Batchelor. 2, A. Morris. 8, G. Stewart. 4, A. Stewart. Judge. — Mr. J. Martin. HEXHAM POULTRY SHOW. The third Show of the Hexham Ornithological Society was held on the 31st itlt. and Ist inst. in the magnificent Corn Ex- change. This Society is most flourishing, having by judicious management secured the confidence of the fancy, and the entries were extremely good. The pens were FothergiU's of Sunder- land, and were well placed ; but for the future we would cer- tainly advise that the Hamburgh varieties and Selling classes be placed on the top tier in place of the Game and Game Bantams, for no judge can feel thoroughly satisfied after adjudicating upon these classes when placed at such a height ; and these, being two of the leading ones, ought by all means to occupy a better position. All the specimens were well attended to ; in fact the attendance was such as is rarely seen, large basketfuls of meal balls being in readiness on the arrival of the birds. An arrange- ment had been made to get all the birds that were entered at Huddersfield, but, the mail having missed at York, a large number did not arrive till one o'clock, and yet the Committee were so kind as to wait for them ; but this threw the judging till very late, and the consequence was that it was far past daylight when the arbitrations were completed in the Pigeons. In poultry, Cochins came first, and these were a capital lot. First and cup for the section a massive pair of Buffs, second Whites, third Buffs, and very highly commended Whites. Brahmas were also a goot lot ; the first adult well developed and good in colour; second chickens, as also the third. Dorkings were but poor. Spanish good, but not numerous. Hamburghs were mixed classes, and only good as regards the prizewinners. The first Gold-pencils were very good. Polish, all noticed, were first and third Gold, and second White-crested Black. French were a fair class. The section cup pen, a grand pair of La Fleche, won the first here ; second a very good pair of Houdans. Malays were a fair lot and all Reds. Game were next. Reds being a heavy class. First a handsome pair of Brown Red chickens ; second also Brown Reds, and third Black Reds ; the pullet in this pen spoiling their chance with colour, being too red. In the following class was one of the best pens of Duck- wing chickens we have seen this season, and the cup for Game was awarded here. Red Game Bantams were a large class, and, as before stated, were very difficult to handle, being placed too high. The winners were all Black Reds, the first and second chickens, and third old birds, most of the birds being full of style and quality ; the first very smart and stylish. In the fol- lowing class the whole of the prizes were won by the same exhibitors, the first to Piles, and second and third to Duckwings ; but the latter were not well matched, one pen containing a grand cockerel, and the other a capital pullet. In the next class Silver Sebrights were first, and Blacks second and third. Single Bantam cocks were a capital lot, the first and cup for Bantams going to one of the best Black Reds we have ever seen — a bird, in fact, that compels us to ask. Where can the next improve- ment be made ? The second and third, also Black Reds, were very good. In the Variety class the first were a fine pen of Turkeys, second Black Hamburghs, and third Guinea Fowls. Ducks were very good throughout, and the cup awarded to a massive pair of .'Vylesburys. 'The Selling classes were very large, and many very good birds competed, eighty-nine pens in all. Pigeons had an excellent room, the light being equal and good in all points, the Pouters placed in a grand position for showing themselves. Black Red and Yellow cocks were a capital lot, but the cup was won by a large Yellow hen. In Any other colour were thirteen good Blue cocks, but the first went to a capital White. Both classes of Carriers were very good ; the cup was won by a good Dun cock. In young birds several were unnoticed by the Judge as looking too old. Almonds were a wonderful class, while in the other colours were some capital headed birds, first going to a splendid Yellow Whole-feather, second to Black Mottle, and third to Yellow Agate. Barbs were good. Dun first, Black second, and Yellow third. Foreign Owls were a capital lot ; the first and third White, and second Blue. Jacobins were both good classes ; as also the Dragoons, and birds of the right stamp being placed in all cases. In Short- faced Antwerps Mr. Gamon cleared the deck with some good birds, hia old Red Chequer being placed first; but we must Jannuy 7, 1875 ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 17 confeaa a preference for that gentleman's Silver Dan. Long- faced were very good and well placed; and English Owls a grand clasa. After this point the birds were judged under great disadvantage, it being dark, and the hall had to be lighted. There were three classes for Turbits, and these well filled, and some exquisite birds were shown. Long-faced Tumblers were also provided with three classes, and these were very good, especially the Mottles in the Variety clasa. Frillbacks had also a class, and here Mr. Ord waa to the front with some grand birds ; we think and hope with those that were lost in transit from the Washington Show. Nuns were all Black ; but in Magpies the first was Yellow, second Ked, and third Black. In the next class Mr. Yardley won the cup with his Satinette, the second going to an Ice, and third to Turbiteens. There were some good birds in the Selling classes ; but these were not pro- portionately large with the poultry classes. The show of Cage Birds was large and good. Lop-eared Babbits were but moderate, but the variety good, but many pens were empty in this section, no doubt on account of the intense cold. Cats were provided with two classes, and the entries very good ; but the Long-haired were but moderate in quality. In the Variety class were some handsome Cats; the first a Silver- Grey Tabby; second Tortoiseshell of fair quality; and third Black, many others being noticed, and an extra prize awarded. These were mostly by local exhibitors, and they were certainly a great credit to the exhibitors. CocBiNS.— 1, Cap. and 2. G. H. Procter, Durham. S. G. E. Cartmcl, Kendal. vhc, J. Benn, Matfen. ftc, W. Stephenson, Dudley: Mrs. Lowrey, Corbridge. c, I. Baty. Jan., Hexbam. Brahua Pootras.— 1, J. Watts, King's Heath, Birmingham. 2, R. Maxwell, Dumfries. 3. H. Wilkinson, Earbv. vhc, W. Swann, Bedlington. he. T. Allan ; W. Nattrass, Alston ; T. Webb, Sutton Coldfield. c, J. H. Davison ; Mrs. Ellison. Dorkings.— 1, G. Pounder, Kirbv Moorside. 2. J. CoulBon, Shotley Bridge. 3. J. Watts, he, Simpson & Dodd, Bedale; R. Reed, Hollinhurst. c, E. Reed. Spanish. — 1, H. Wilkinson. 2, Willoughby &, Purvis, Hexham. 3, W. Jaggs. BIyth. Hambukohs (Gold or Silver-spangled).— I, J. Stewart, Dudley. 2. R. Keenley- side, Aycliffe. 3, G. Dodd, Clowsgillhouse. he, G. Aldcrson, Hartlepool ; D. 0. Cheyne, Cowpen. Hambdrohs (Gold or Silver-pencilled) —1. D. C. Cheyne. 2. W. Dixon, jun.. Shipley. 3, R. Biackbom, New Choppington. vhc. Parsons Si Wilson, Bedling- ton. he, A. S. Stephenson, Dudley : G. Alderson ; Robson & Linton, Crook ; B. Myers, birtswith c. Robertshaw & Dean, Ovenden ; W. Wilson. Polish.— l.T. Dean, Keighley. 2, T. Webb. 3, J. T. Proud, Biuchester. he. Parsons & Wilson, e, J . Jackson. French— 1 and Cup, E. Walton, Hornoliffe. 2, J. G. Milner, Hamsterley. S, H. Robinson, Wigton. vhc, G. A. Tate, South Shields, he, M. Lamb; J. Benn. Malays.— 1, J. F. Walton, RawtenstaU. 2, R. Hawkins, Soaham. 3, E. Syraons, Hebburn New Town. Game (Black or Brown Reds).- 1, W. Ormerod, Walsden. 2, H. Leighton, Milnthorpe. s, Miss M. J. Nelson, Cookshaw. vhc, T. Dodd. Seaton Bum. he, J. Stark; Mrs. M. Young. Bebside; J. Darning; Webster & Adams; R. White : Miss M. J. Nelson, c, T. Young. Game (Any other colour).— 1 and Gup. Miss M. J. Nelson. 2, J. F. Walton. S, T. Young, Morpeth, he, Webster & Adams, Beverley ; R. White, Cockshaw. c W. Teasdale. 'game Bantams (Black or Brown Reds)— 1, E. Walton. 2, W. Atkinson, Kendal. 3, W. Wardle. South Gosforth. t./K:,G.BeU. North Seaton ; Miss M.J. Nelson, he, J. Short; T. Hedlcv. Hexham ; R. Smith; Webster i Adams; Miss M. J. Nelson, c, W. Atkinson ; E- White. Game Bantams (Any other colour).- 1, 2. and 3. Miss M.J. Nelson, he, E. Walton ; J. Cook ; E. White ; Mrs. J. Dye, Hexham, c, G. F. Hedley. Bantams (Any variety except Game).— 1. T. P. Carver, Langthorpe. 2, J. Watts. 3, R. H. Ashton, Mottram. vhc. J. G. Milner. he. J. Durniug. Bamtams (Any variety) —Coek.—l and Cup, Miss ,M. J. Nelson. 2. M. Young, f 'ic, J. Short, he, H.H.Thompson; W. Wardle; J. Cooke, c, R.Hope; H. H. Thompson; W.Atkinson; E. Walton. Babn-ooor Fowls.— 1, G. Robinson, North Frodingham. 2, G. Pounder, Blackburn. 3, H. Cotes, Darlington, he, G. Robinson ; J. Gales. Anv other Vabietv.— 1, J. T. Proud. 2. T. P. Carver. 3, W. H. Young, Driffield, c/ic, T. Marplea. he, E. Walker ; W. Wilson, c. Miss G. B.Elliott ; H. A. Cave. Ducks (Aylesbury).- 1 and Cap, W. Stonehouse, Whitby. 2. T. P. Carver. 3, G. Surtees, Healey. he. Eobson & Linton ; C. Holt, c, F. E. Gibson. Ducks (Any other variety).— 1. Miss M. J. Nelson. 2, R. White. 3, W. Swann. t^he, T. Wakefield. hc.'Mrs. Lowrey ; Miss M. J. Nelson, c. Miss J. Walker. Selling Class.— Cocfc or Drafce.- 1, Mrs. W. Ridley. Hexham. 2, J. S. Rooth, Chesterfield. 3, G. E. Cartmel. i. D. & J. Ibetson, Whitby. 5. E. G. Eeay, Birmingham. I'/tc. Webster tt Adams. /ic.T. Dobson ; J. Watts ; G. H Procter; C. Venables, Castle Eden; H.Dale; G. Dodd; W. Ormerod; J. T. Proud ; K. Smith; J. H, Davison; B. Myers; J. Pattison ; G. F. Hedley; J. Barkes, Stanhope ; R. Reed ; Gutbrie & Hope, Hexham, c, G. Pounder ; T. Wakefield ; T. Young ; G. A. Tate ; G. H. Procter ; Mrs. Lowrey ; Miss M. J. Nelson. Selling Class.— Hem or Ducks.— i. Webster & Adams. 2, J. Short, Bedling- ton. 3, E. G. Reay, Birmingham. 4, Willoughby & Purvis, Hexham. 5, J. S. Rooth. vhc, a. H. Procter, he, J. T. Proud ; H. Civil, Hexham, e, T. Webb; T. A. Tate ; J. Ridley, Tanfield Lea. „ , Local Class. -CMcftejM.—LM.WUson.Aniek. 2, 1. Baty, jun. 3,'MisaM.J. Nelson, htf, W. Murray, Hexham; T. Newbegin. PIGEONS. Pouters (Black. Red. or Y'ellow).— Cocte.— 1. H. Pratt, Hampton-in-Arden. 2, E. Beckwith, Monkwearmouth. 3, E. Fulton, New Cross. London, vhc, Ridley & Dye, Hexham, he, Ridley & Dye. c, J. M'CuUocL, Moss Bank, Glasgow; R.H.BIaoklock. Pouters (Black. Red or Y'ellow).— HeTW.— 1 and Cup, H. Pratt. 2, Ridley and Dye. 3, E, Beckwith. he, J. M'Cuiloch ; J. Baker, Kew Bridge, London, c, R. H. Blacklock. Sunderland; R.White, PouTEKs (Any other colour).— Coc/M.—l, Guthrie & Hope. 2, Ridley & Dye. 3, R. H. Blacklock. rhc, H.Simpson, Cramlington. he, J. M'CuUoch ; J.Baker. c, R. H. Blacklock : H. Pratt. , „ , Pouters (Any other colour).— Hciw.—l, R. Fulton. 2. H. Simpson. 3, J. Baker. !!he, Ridley i Dye. he, H. Pratt, c. J. M'CuUoch; Eidley & Dye. „ ^ ,. Carriers (Any colour).— Coefcs.—l and vIlc, Ridley & Dje. 2 and 3, R. r ulton. he, G. F. & A. T. Umpleby, Boronghbridge ; E. Beckwith. c, J. & W. Towerson, Egremont. ^ t, ,. Carriers (Any colour).- Hens.- 1 and vhc, Ridley 4 Dye 2 and 8, R. Fulton. he, H. Yardley ; W. H. A. Miller, c, E. Beckwith. Carriers (Any colour).- rouiir;.-!. G. F. & A. T. Umplehy. 2. J. Baker. 8, A. B. Massoy. Spalding, vhc. J. Stanley, Saltord. he, H. Cockton, Middles- borough, e. A. N. Dodda, North Shields. Tdmblebs (Short-faced Almonds).-! and Cup, Webster & Adams. 2, R. Fulton. 3, W. R. Pratt, vhc, Webster S Adams, he, R. Fulton, c, T. Rule ; E. Beckwith. ^ „ „ Tumblebs (Short-faceil, anv other colour) —1, Webster & Adams. 2. K. Fulton. 8. H. Yardley. rhe, R. Fulton, he, E. Beckivith. c, J. Baker ; W. B. Mapplebeck. jun. BARBS.-landS, R.Fulton. 2. J. Baker, he, H. B. Massey. c, J. Stanley. Owls (Foreign).— 1, J. J. Sparrow, Berkley Square, London. 2, T. Rule, Durham. 3, W. H. A. Miller, Walsall, iihc, W. Brydone, Langton Mams, he, G. Alderson. c, J. J. Sparrow. _ Trumpeters.- 1 and 3, R. Falton. 2, J. Lederer, Bootle. he, T. Rule, c, J. and W. Towerson. „ „ ,„ . , ^ Jacobins (Red or Yellow).— 1 and 2, R. Fulton. S, H. W. Wehb, Lower Sydenham. I'he, W. Brydone. he, W. Beckwith. c, G. Sadler ; R.W. Richard- sou, Beverley ; J.Baker. Jacobins (Any other colour).—!, R. Falton. 2, J. Baker. 8, J. Tliompaon, Bingley. he, T. Rule. , , ^ , Fantails — 1, A. Smith. 2 and e, E. Beckwith. 3, T. Rule, iihe, J. F. Love r- sidgc. he. T. Rule. „ „ „, , Dragoons (Blue or Silver).-!, Ward & Rhodes, Otlov. 2, W. Sefton, Black- burn. 3, W. Smith. Liverpool, vhc. W. Selton. he, W. Gamon ; H. Yardley ; W. Sefton. c, A. MoKenzie, Liverpool ; R.Fulton; Gnthrie & Hope. Dragoons (Any other colour).— 1, F. Graham, South Birkenhead. a,R. Woods, Mansfield. 3, J. Watts. ??lic, J. G.Dunn, Ryton. he, F. Graham; J. G. Dunn, c, R. Eubson, jun., Newcastle. „ . „ , „i , Antwerps ( short-faced).-!, 2, and 3, W. Gamon. he, H. Yardley ; J. Stanley, c, J. Lister. Keighley ; J. Stanley. , „ l _, i, Antwerps (Lone-faced) —1, J. Lister. 2. W. Gamon. S, J. Itobertshaw, Thornton, vhc. W. R Pratt, he. T. H. Stretch; W. Gamon. c, W. Gamon ; R.J. Smith; Miss M. A. Clemilson, Hexham. , , .. „ ,.■„ Owls (English).—!. Ward & Rhodes. 2, J. Young. Bishop Auckland. S, Mi3a M. A. Clemitson. iihc. J. W. Edge. Nuhills. Birmingham; Miss M. A. Clemltson. he. W. H. A. Miller; MissM. A. Clcmitson(2). .„.„ „,„, ot Tuebits (Blue or Silver, Point-headed).-!, W. H. A. Miller. 2, J. Baker. 8, T. Gallon. Felling, rhe, M. J. Green, Hexham, he, W. Croft, KillinghaU, Eiplcy. 'turbits (Anv other colour. Point-headed) —! and 2, W. Croft. S, J. Lister. vhc, T. Gallon.' he, T. S. Stephenson ; H. Simpson, c, J. H. Hedley ; J. G. orr, Beith; M. Green, Hexham. _ , „ „ „ „ i>..ii„„ Tuebits (Any colour. Shell-crowned).- 1, T. Gallon. 2. T. P. Carver. 3, Ridley and Dye. f he. J. Baker, he, W. Croft, c, W. Brydone ; W. Croft. TUMBLEBS (Long-faced Almonds).-!, J. H. Hope, Hexham. 2, J. J. Rnnci- man, Newcastle. 3 and vhe, E. Walker, Hexham, he, T. C. Taylor, c, n,. Tumblers (Long-faced Balds).-! and vhc. W. HUl. Manchester. 2, A. Jackson , Chequerbent. 3. A. J. Sticks, Newcastle, he, J. Watts; T. E. Stephenson; W. J. Donkin. Newcastle, e, A. Jackson (<). „ -- „ ,...^.1, Tumblers (Long-faced Beards).-!, he, and e, Ridley i Dye. 2, E. Beckwith. 3, W. Hill. vhc. J. Murray. Ousebnrn. ,„j, , orot! Tumblers (Long-faced, any other colour).— 1, J. Ford, London. A *V; °- Mapplebeck. jun. 3,J. Waits, i.hc, J. G. Orr. )ic, W. Hill (2); Ridley 4Dye. c. W. A. Hyde ; Miss M. A. Clemitson. , „ , , tt Frillbacks.-!, 3, and c, M. Ord, Sedgfield. 2, J. & W. Towerson. he, H. W Webb Nuns — i, W. Croft. 2, T. P. Carver. 3, J. Watts, f he, R. W. Richardson, he, J. Baker, e, W. Croft. , „ , ^ t t»t *. u.. -c Magpies.— 1 and 2, P. Wilson, Pegswood. 3, J. Baker. Dhc,J. Watts, ft<;,i!.. Beckwith. c, M. Ord. , .,,.,. u ^ Titr..+*n Any OTHER Vaeiet?.-1,H. Yardley. 2, M. Ord. 3. R. Falton. iihc, J. Watts. he. J. Watts ; T. Gallon, e, J. & W. Towerson ; H. W ^yebb. SELLING CLAS8.-P.Tir.-l, G. F. S A. T. Umnleby. 2, J- Murray. 3, H. Simpson. 4, W. F. Clark, Newcastle. 6. J. F. Loveraidge. iihc, J. Thompson; J.bmart. he, J. Watts ; E. Beckwith. e, W. Nottage ; J. Smart. „„,,__ ,„,,, Selling CLASs.-.'J.wIe Birrf.-l. A. B. Massey. 2. G^ F. & A T Umpleby. 5, J. Young. 4, W. Moore. Pickering. 0, T. Fixton. Hexham. t)hc. Ridley and Dye ; Guthrie & Hope, he, J. Robertshaw ; Ward Si Rhodes, c, Ridley & Dye ; E. Beckwith; J. Young. „,„„. CAGE BIRDS. Belgians.— 1,2. and 8. J. Ruttcr, Sunderland. j v, ^t a»i,io™ Norwich.-! J. Stephens, Middlesborough 2, T. Tenniawood, North Acklam. 3, Cleminson & Ellerton, Darlington, vke. W. Smith, Birmmgham, c, M. P. Potts. Leadgate (2) ; J. Bexson, Derby ; A. Armstrong, Newcastle (2) ; W. bmitn (2); Cleminson 4 Ellerton ; Baxter & Percival. Newcastle. a.„i™„rfi, CREST (Any variety).-! and he, W.J. Hampton, Darhngton. 2, B. Hackworth, Newcastle. 3, Baxter & Percival. „ „, . , cii«rf™ Lizard -1 and 2. R. Ritchie, Darlington. 3, Cleminson & EUerton. Even-marked (Any breed).-!, T. Clemitson 2. J. Ratter. 3, J. G'lDlsPie- lihe, W. Henderson. Whitby ; J. Gilhespie. he, W. C. Burnieton, MiddlcB- *C°NN'A''i^0N:-?!'aud'2f Cleminson & Ellerton. 8, W.Smith, c, E. Hawman; \?Sgow DoNs.-l. T. Smith, Newcastle. 2. W. Clark. 8, J. Davison, Seaton Burn, iihc, W. Clark; C. Hobkirk, Newcastle, he, H. Armstrong c, W. Redhead; J.Davison; W. Clark; R Gilhespie. ,„-,,■,,„ „i,. -tv Green Canary.-!. H. Armstrong. Newcastle. 2 and 3. J. AlUaon. vhc. W. Redhead, he. J. Stephens ; T. Tenniswood. c, Eobson i Lmton. Mule (Clear or Marked).-!, R. Hawman. 2, J. Stevens. 3, G. Stephenson. "MniE^fDlrki.-l, E. Simpson, Whitby. 2, E. Hawman, Middleshorongh. ^'GoLD^fNm (Moulted).-!, W. & C.Burniaton. 2, W. Eogers. 3, Rohson and Linton, c. G. Stewart. , „ ™ „ 3, t. trr r,»„;M- LINNET (MouUed).-l. G. Stephenson, Gateshead. 2,T. Hedley. S,W.Camck, Middlesborough. he. J. Maddison. „ ,. n ■a^.^t^^r.-r.^ riRiTisH Birds (Any other variety).- 1, J. J. Jameaon, Hexham. 2, Baxter ana ^'r^SL%'^k^'rAn%^^e^,l-l and Medal. T. Barrow Monkwearmouth. 2, W. HaxweU, Newcastle. 3, Baxter & Percival. '«,-,E. Hutchinson. Collection OF Six Cage Birds. -1, Cleminson 4 Ellerton. 2, W. J. Hampton. '^'IeYli'ng'^C^lTs's'-LE. Simpson. 2, J. Bexson. 3, T. Clemitaon. he, W. 4 C. Burniston ; J. Stevens ; T. Clemitaon ; R. Pearson, e, W. Smitn. RABBITS. „ T I., T Lop.-l, J. Murray, Ousebum. 2, E. J. Tell. 3. J, Jackson Tow Law. h^. T. Northorpe. Monkwearmouth; J. S. Robinson, Dariington ; J. Lumsden, Gates- *■ Any oi Je? vIweTy!-! and Medal, E. Walton, Homcliffe. 2, 8, vhe. and he. J. H. Hedley, Hexham. Long-haired.-!. 3, and ho, Mrs. E. Charlton, Hexham. 2, Mrs. F. J. Shields, "^AnyTther vlmET^- -LMrs. F. J. Shields. 2, J- H- Hedley Hexham. 3, J. Sargioson 4, J. Robson. i,he. A. Scott, Hexham ;W. Taylor. Hexham he D. Nichol, Monleth; M. Welch, Hexham: J. H""'?': Hexham ; M.S Temple. Hexham, e. Miss H. F. Young, Hexham ; J. Fenwick, Hexham; H.Lishman, Eyton-on-Tyne : R. White, Cockshaw. The Judges were oi— Poultry, Babbits, and Cats: Mr. E. Hutton, Pndsey, Leeds. Pigeotis : Mr. H. A llsop, Spencer 18 JODENAIi OF HOBTICIJLTDKE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ Jannary 7, 1875. Street, Birmiagham. Cage Birds: Mr. W. A. Blakston, Sunderland. CUPAB ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY'S SHOW. The first Show of poultry, Pigeons, and Canaries was held in the Com Exchange, Cupar, on the Slst of December and Ist of .January. There was a fair assemblage in most of the classes, as a pretty liberal schedule deserved. With some exceptions the quality was good throughout. Silver- Grey Dorkings^ cock and hen, were a fair lot and well judged, which may be also said of the Dark Dorkings, which came next. The latter were not so good nor so numerous. Spanish were a capital class, first and second being specially notable ; but the second we thought fully better than the first. Brahmas-were very poor; the first-prize pen was one of the worst of them, the cock especially we conld not see a single good point in. The next class was rather a mixture of nationalities, being for the best pen of Scotch Greys or Folands. First went to the former deservedly ; second Golden Polands of small merit, seemingly introduced merely to counte- nance the foreign element in the class. Cochins were headed by a pen of Whites of no great merit, the cock being fully more yellow than white, and looking as if he had been overdone with washing-blue. Second were the best pen in the class, and should have been easily first. Hamhurghs were divided into Spangled and Pencilled, and were the two best classes in the Show. In Spangled, first were good Silvers well placed; second and third Golden, all good. Pencilled were a fine lot, and must have troubled the Judge a good deal. First went to Golden, the hen in which was a beauty ; but the cock, though otherwise good, had an ugly twisted neck-hacUe. Second were Silvers : here again the hen was very good and the cock faulty. We liked the highly commended pen as well as any. Game were well judged, amonest them nothing noticeable. GslUi& Bantams (Reds) — first one of the nicest pens we ever saw, only excelled by the same owner's well-known Pile in the next class, also an easy winner. Any other variety Bantams — first Silver Sebright, second Black, third Golden Sebright, all fairish birds. Any other variety contained some first-class birds, the pick of them being Mrs. Frew's very highly commended pen of Graves. First were a pen of Hondans, fair birds, but not so good of their breed as pen 135, commended, also Houdans. Second were a pair of Silkies ; third a pair of we don't know what — apparently meant for Leghorns, very ugly. BiicA-s, for which there were three classes, were both numerous and good, as were also Tin keys. Pigeons were a small show. Pouters were fair; first and second Whites, third Reds. Fantails, first and second first-rate, others not worth taking home. Carriers had only three entries and the prizes withheld, Mr. Smith's pair of fine birds apparently frightening away all comers. Tumblers, no competition. Any other variety, a large class ; first fine Dun Barbs, second and third Jacobins. DohKisGS.Silver-Grey.—l and he, D. Amjan. Cnpar. 9, Admiral Dougall ScotBcraiK. S, D. Sime. Letham. c,R. Blyth, Kettle. Coloured.— 1, R. Boyle Camonstje. 2 and 3, D. Annan. ' SpiMSH.— 1, w. Smith. Copar. S, J. Norval, Alloa. S, W. M'Beath, Tilli- coultry, c, J. Wright. Tillicoultry. Brahmas.— 1, Miss G. Morrison, Kirkcaldy. 2 and /iff, W. G. Duncan, Dundee, 3, D. Annan, r, W. Bruce, St Andrew's. Scotch Grey and Poles.— 1, D. Annan. 2, J. Laird, JohnBtone. 3, R. Scott, Longrigg. c, D. Waldie, Edinburgh. Cochin-China.-I.R. Blyth. 2, J. Ireland, Tayport. 3, J. Williamson, Edin- burgh, c, G- Wilson. HAiiBCRGiis.-A'pnnpitfrf.— l.Mrs Keddie, Cowdenbeath. 2. D. Jackson, jun.! Newburgh. 3, R. Clark, Newburgh. /tff, J. Ireland ; J. M'Andrew, Carnoustie ' K. Clarke. Pencilled.— 1. A. Prua, Ceres. 2, R. Clarke. 3. A. Wallace, jun.' Cupar, /w:, J. Pratt, c, J. Miller. Falkland; A. Wallace, jun.; P. Campbell' Markinch. Gaaie.— BZacfc or Broicn Betii.—l and 2, R. Stewart, Blairadam. 3. R. Clark, c, A. W. Penman, Leslie. Any other colour.—], R. Stewart, 2. J. Hall, Leslie. ;^, Master A. Frew, Sinclairtown. Bantams.— Beds.— 1, R. Brownlie, Kirkcaldy, 2, D. Nairn, Cupar. 3, D. S. Edmond, Copar. /tc, Miss B, P. Frew, c, J, T. Cathcart, Pitcairlie. Any other colour.— I, R. brownlie. 2, Miss R. C. Frew. 3, R, Anderson, Anu other variety.— I. Miss R. Frew. 2, Mies B. P. Frew. 3, W. Phillips. Montrose. Any OTHER PuEE Breed.— 1, R. Blyth. 2, Miss J. M. Frew, riinclairtown, 3, A.Angus. Kettle, vhe, Mrs. R. Frew, Sinclairtown, /iff. J, Sandeman. c,J. Smart; Mrs. Dykes, Capar, Dx:f:KB.—Ayle>ibury.—l, W. Bogie, Cnpar. 2. R. Sorley, Lathrisk. 3 and c. J. Tod, Cupar. Itouen.—! and 2, Admiral M, Dougall. 3, D. B. Meldrum, St, Andrews. Any other pure breed.— he. J. Tod. c, J, T. Catbcart. TrRKEYS.— .4ni/ I'aritry,— 1, Mrs. Cathcart, Pitcairlie. 2 andr/ic, D.Annan. 3 and he, Admiral M, Dougall, SELLING CI.AS8.— Cocfc— 1,J. Curr, Newburah. 2, R. Stewart. 3, T. William- Bon, Falkland, he. J, Curr, Newburgh ; A. Pratt, c, J. Denmilne; R. Ander- aon ; D.Annan. Hens.—l.A. Ridpath, Edinburgh, 2 and 3, D. Annan, vlic, A, Pratt, Kirkcaldy, he, R. Anderson ; T, Williamson, c, MisB A. B. Paul; G. Wallace ; Misa R. Frew. PIGEONS. PoDTEES.- .4ny colour,— 1, 2, and 3, G. Henderson, Pitlessie. c, J, E. Spence. Fantailb.— vinj/ colour,— 1, A, Smith, Broughty Ferry, 2, J. E. Spence, Bronghty Ferry. 3, D. L, Russell, Cupar. CAHfiiEBs.-lie. A. Smith. ANY OTHER Variety.— 1, J. E. Spence. 2, A. M'Conachie, Kirkcaldy. 3. J, T. Cathcart, e, R. J. Wilson. Selling Class.- 1, J. E. Spence, 2, G. Grieve, Cupar. 3, MisB R. Frew, Kirkcaldy. CANARIES. Scotch Fancy,— re!!ow,—Coc*r.—l. ,1. Pratt, 2, G, Paul, Glasgow. 8, W. Paton. /ic, D. Stewart. Hen,— 1 and 3, W. Paton. 2, J. Pratt, lie, J, Wright. Bu.^.— Coefc.— 1 and 2, W. Paton. 3, J, Cnlbert, Cupar. Hen.— 1, D. Stewart, Cupar. 2, B, CurreuB, Cowdenbeath, 3, J. Culbert, Piebald Fancy.— rcUou>.—Cocfe.—l, R. Dalrymple, Dundee, 2, J, Pratt. 3, J. Culbert. Hen.— I, R. Dalrymple. 2. W. Palon. 3, J. Pratt, huff.— Cock.— 1 and 3. W. Paton. 2, B, Currens, Hen,— 1, T. Curran, Cowdenbeath. 2, J. Thomson, Markinch. 3, G. Spence, Coalgate. Dysart. Mules •— 1, Mrs. W, Walker. Cupar, 'i and c, W. Kirk, Dunfermline. 3, T. WotherspooD, Trenlawa, Lealie, he. D. Black, Ceres. Selling Class.— 1,0. htewart, Cupar. 2, J, Ramsay, Ferrybank, Cupar, 3, lie, and c, W, Paton. Rabbits.— ^ny treed,— 1, 2, and 3, D. L. Russell. Judges. — Poultry : Mr. Brown, Perth. Pigeons and Cana- ries : Mr. McGiU, Elie. HITCHIN POULTEY SHOW. TaE second annual Show of the Herts and Beds Agricultural Society was held on December Slst and January 1st, at Hitchin. The Committee are to be congratulated on its great success both as to the number and quality ef the birds, which far exceeded that of their Show last year. We only wish the Show-room had been better filled with visitors than it was on the first day. The management seemed excellent and orderly to the minutest detail. The cold was intense, and everything was done that could possibly contribute to the comfort of the birds. Little gas stoves were kept burning, and Spratt's food was given mixed hot with barleymeal and beer. One or two birds were cramped from their long cold journeys, but these were taken to a fire. If such care were only taken at all shows we should be much more willing to trust our best birds on long expeditions. Dorkings were divided into two classes. The cup pair of Coloured birds were admirable, short on the leg and deep- breasted, and of the true Dorking type. Second were large and fine birds, but far longer on the leg. The third pen contained a beautiful cockerel with a fair pullet. Mr. Darby showed a nice Rose-combed pair, but the cock's comb apparently pre- vented their winning. In the class for Any other variety Dork- ings a lovely White pair took the cup. We were sorry to see the cock's grand sickles broken from that common omission, a bit of canvas behind the open pens. Silvers were second, a- large and handsome pair, but the hen somewhat red in wing. The third pen contained a spendid cockerel, but the hen seemed pinched with cold. Cochins. — The Buff class was poor. The first-prize pair were good, but the cock in the second pen had a bad comb, and the hen was poor and uneven in colour. We should have placedMr. Burnell's highly-commended pen second, the only fault in it being that the hen was too pale to match the cock. The third-prize was the only patent error we saw in judging. They were in bad condition, and the hen had a darkly- striped neck-hackle. In the other Cochin class a noble pair of Partridge chickens were first. Second were Mr. Woodgate's Whites in excellent feather and trim, the cock singularly pure in colour. Third also went to Whites. Pen 42 (Fowler) con- tained beautifully-shown Whites, but the hen insufficiently feathered on the legs. In pen 41 (Shrimpton) was a very young and promising Partridge cockerel. Capt. Talbot's pens both appeared over-shown ; the cock from one was obliged to be removed. Brahmas. — The cup pen for Darks contained an ex- quisitely-pencilled and now well-known pullet, the cock poorly feathered on leg and unequal to her. Mr. Lingwood took both second and third. We cannot say that we admire the style of tail of the second-prize cockerel. The hen in the third pen was a beautifully-pencilled bird, and the cock, though not large, a finely-shaped bird, and well feathered. 'The fourth pair were out of condition, and the hen coarse in pencilling. We liked pen 61 (Percival). In Lights the cup cock was a noble bird, slightly tinged with yellow, but otherwise good in every point ; the hen perhaps hardly his equal. The second cock was decidedly small, but unexceptionable in points save white in his tail ; the hen magnificently hackled, but she showed a little brown on the back, 'Third an excellent cock with beautifully-edged sickle; the hen poorly feathered, but very white. Crtves. — The cup cock was deficient in crest, but short-legged, and our ideal of a Creve in shape. Second cock magnificent in crest, but both he and the hen coarse in comb, and not in first-rate condition. Third was a grand cockerel, too long in the leg, stiU we should have put the pen second. Mr. Knight showed a nice pair. Soudans. — Here we did not entirely agree with the awards. In the first-prize pen the cock was very dark, with straw colour in his saddle hackle, and the hen small. Second a fine cock, to our idea somewhat too dark ; the hen nicely mixed in colour, but not large, llrs. Vallance's third-prize pen had fine tufts, and were excellent in colour ; we should have placed them first. Mr. Quibell's very-highly-commended pen were decidedly good. Game had two classes. In that for Reds Mr. Matthew took the cup with a splendid pair of Brown Reds, entered as Black Reds. Mr. Pope's second-prize pen contained a perfect Black Red pullet. Brown Beds were third. In the other class Mr. Win- wood was first with small Duckwings good in colour. Second were Piles. Pen 141 (Mason) contained a noble Duckwing cock, though too full in tail. Spanish were few, but good. The first pair excellent all round, young birds, and in beautiful condition. The face of the second cock singularly large and smooth. Ham- burg)isha,i five classes, and were a most remarkable lot for the south of England. The awards in these clasBes were not January 7, 1876. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 19 finished when the doors were opened, and the Judge appeared to take imtnense pains in siftia^; their merits. Golden-spanglea came first. The first-prize birds in faultless condition and good. Third coarse in comb. A nice pen of Mr. Tickner's would have won but for poor condition. The cup for the best pen of Ham- burghs went to Mr. Eeldon's Silver-spangles, a superb pair, with spangles beautifully round without being too dense. Third were neater birds than the second, but with less round spangling. In Golden-pencils there were seventeen entries, and the com- petition very close. Mr. CressweU'a first-prize cock was a beau- tiful bird, and the pullet wonderfully barred on the tail. Second also an excellent pair. The third cock by no means equal in comb to the first and second, but the hen well and evenly barred. Pen 173 (Long) were prevented by condition from winning. Silver-pencils were by no means equal to the Golden. The first cock had a nice tail, but his comb-peak was crooked. In Blacks the prize birds were good, the rest of the class not remarkable. Anij other variety. — This claas was not well filled, but the first (Golden) and the second (Silver) Polands were grand and valu- able pens. The Local class was large and well filled. Cochins seem special favourites in these counties. Bantams had four classes. In that for Red Game the winners were all Black Reds. First very small ; second a well-shaped cockerel ; third very stylish. The Black Rose-combed were fair, but not remarkable. A rich-coloured, though somewhat large, pair of Gold-laced were first in the Variety class, and well-shown White-booted second, DiicA;s had four classes and one cup, which was awarded to Mrs. Acton Tindal'a Aylesburys. They were apparently hard pressed by a gigantic pair of Mr. Fowler's. Pigeons had nineteen classes and four cups between them. Days are now too short to examine every pen in a show minutely. Pouters and Carriers^ each with two classes, contended for the first cup, which went to Mt. Yardley's gi-and Black Carrier cock, a marvellous bird in wattle. We admired the form of the third Dun Carrier cock. Pouters were not specially good. In cocks a Black was first, in hens a Red. Bartjs, Tumblers^ Owls (Eoglish and foreign), and Tiirl)its contended for the second cup, which was awarded to an exquisite black-shouldered Turbit, perfect in form and very rich in colour. The English Owls and Turbits were both remarkable classes. In the third group the cup was taken by a very pretty White Jacobin. The Jacobin class was generally good. Two neat Reds were equal second, and a Black third. Mr. Serjeantson's Fantails were very per- fect, especially the first-prize bird ; they were large birds. Third was a little Scotch bird with beautiful carriage. Dragoons had three classes and a cup between them. The class for Blue or Silvers was an extraordinary one, though the cup was awarded to the first bird in the Red and Yellow class. An Archangel was first in the Variety class, and a Magpie second. The Pigeons were shown singly throughout. From an unfortunate mistake in one of our contemporaries pairs were sent in many instances, and of course disqualified. The Show promises to be a leading one, and deserves all sup- port. Hitchin is so easily reached from London that we cannot but think there would have been many more visitors but for the intense severity of the weather. DoRKiSGS (Coloured).—!, F. Parlett, Great Baddow. 2, Rev. E. Bartrura, Berkhampsteal. 3, C. Turner, Abbotts Ripton. he, 3. Gee, Oxford ; J. James, Fen Ditton ; Mrs. J. E. Allerton, Leighton Buzzard. DoKKiNQs { Any other variety) — 1 aud 3, O. E. CreBawell, Early Wood. Bagshot. 2. L. Wren, Lowestoft, /ic, Rev. T. E. Cato, Wye Vicarage. c,3. Stiles, jun., RuahtoD. Cochin-Chinas (BoEf).— 1 and 2, Mrs. A. Tindal, Aylesbary. 3, D. Young, Leamington, he. M Leno, Markyate Street, Dunstable ; W. A. Barnell, South- well ; E Winwood, Worcester. Cochin-Chinas (Any other variety).— I and 3, Mrs. A. Tindal. 2, R. S. S. Wjoilnate, Perabury, Tunbridge Wells, he, T. M. Derry, tiedney; J. K. Fowler, Aylesbury; G. Shrimpton, Leighton Buzzard; Capt. G. L. Talbot, Mapletrease, Edenbridge. Bkah.\ias (Dark).— Cup, M. Leno. 2 and 3. Horace Lingwood, Greeting, Need- ham Market. 4, J. Watts. King's Heath, Birmingham, he, Horace Lingwood ; K. P. Percival. Northenden ; J. K. Fowler. BiiAUMAS (Light) —Cup, P. Haines, P.ilgrave. Diss. 2, T. A. Dean, Marden, Hereford. S, Horace Lingwood. 4, G. Walters, Worcester, h^', R. P. Percival ; Mrs. F. Cheshire, Acton ; Capt. W. Saville, Wye ; J. T. Hincks. Humberstoue ; Mrs. A. Tindal. c, H. M. Maynard, Holmwood, Ryde; P. Haines; M. Leno; Capt. W. Saville. Crbve-C»eors.— Cup, W. Dring, Faversham. 2. W. Cutlack, Littleport. S, R. B. Wood. Uttoxeter. he. Rev. J. G. B. Knight, Birstwith Vicarage; H. Feast. Swansea. HuUDAN9.-Cup, W. Dring. 2, R. B. Wood. 3, Mra. R. K. Vallance, Sitting- bourne, vhc, W. 0. Quibell, Newark, he, W. O. Qnibell ; W. H. Copplestone, Lostwithiel (1) Game ( Black-breasted and other Reds).- Cup, S. Mathew, Stowmarket. 2, W. J. Pope. Biggleswade. 3, H. E. Martin. Sculihorpe. he, C. Henfrey. Mapple- beck ; H. E. Martin ; F. Sales, Crowle ; Miaa S. M. Osborn, Yamton ; W. Foster, Deal, c, V. Sandford. Game (Dackwing and Pile).— Cup, E. Winwood. 2. G. H. Fitzherbert, Sevenoaka. 3, S. Mathew. he, F. Sales ; D, W. J. Thomas, Brecon ; J. Mason, Worcester; G. Mann, Cambridge. Spanish. — 1, P. F. Le Seuer, Grand Vaux. Jersey. 2, D. M. Mills, Newport Pagnell. 3 and he, R. Wright, HoUoway Road, London. HAMBrROHS (Gold-spangled).— 1, T. Blakeman, Tetteuhall. Wolverhampton. 2. H. Beldon, Goitatock, Bingley. 3, S. W. Hallam, Whitwick. he, W. W. Tickner, Ip3wicb. Hamborghs (Silver-spangled).— 1, H. Beldon. 2, J. Robinaon, Garatang. 3. Mrs. T. Ponsonbv. Goidmgtonhury. /ic, J. Ackerman, Whitby ; S. W. Hallam; Ashton & Boeth, Broadbottom, Mottram. Hamburqhs (Gold-pencilled).—!. O. E. Creaawell. 2, J. Robinaon. 8, W. W. Tickner. he, J. Smith, Sincill Banks ; S. W. Hallam ; H. Beldon (2). Hambueohs ( Silver- p en cilled).-! and 2, H. Beldon. 3, J. Robinaon. he, B. Norton, Town Mailing. Ha.mburohs (Black).— 1 and 2, Rev. W. Serjeantson, Acton Burnell Rectory. 3 and he, H. Beldon. Anv otiif.r Vakietv.— 1 and 2, H. Beldon. 3, R. B Day, RickmanswortU. Rev. N. J. Ridley, Newbury ; Mrs A. Tindal. Local. Class, — 1, G. Shrimpton (Partri'ltie Cochins). 2, Mra. E. Pryor, Welwyn (Partrid'^e Cochina). .1, S. Lucas, Hituhin (Light Brahmas). vhc, Mrs. J. E. Allerton (White Cochin). /(-:■, W. W. Maymird (Dark Brahmasl; Rev. J. Richardson. Sandy Rectory (Dark Brahmas) : A, Bentlcy, Rickraansworth ; W. Foot, Hitchin (Dorkinen). c, G. B. Breeze. Easney (Light Brahmaa); E. Lautour, Hexton (Dark Brahmaa); E. S. Foriiham, Ashwell Bury (Houdans); R. B. Day (Cr.vp-Ccears) ; T. Woodbridge, Luton (Black Red Game); C. S. Marsh, Little Oftley, Hitchin (Gold-laced Bantams); W. Sander, Doustable (Light Brtihmas). Selling Class (Brahraas, Dorkings, French, and Cochins)—!, P. Pasamore. Northampton. ?, D. Young (Buff Cochin). 3. R. Cheesman, Westwell (Coloured Dorldngs). vhe, R. Coney. Alford (Houdans). hc,S. Lucas (Light Brahmas) ; Rev. J. Richardson (Dark Brahmas); A.Ransom, Hitchin (Creve-Cceura) ; M. Leno; G. Shrimpton (Cochins); Mrs. .J. E. Allerton (Cochin), e, S.Lucas (Light Brahmas): Mra. E. Pryur (Buff Cochins); W. Morns, Roas (Buff Cochins); M. Leno (Brahmas); A, Ransom (Cnve-CiEura) ; J. K. Fowler, Aylesbury (Cochina) ; G. Oakley, Luton ( Partridge Cochins) ; Mrs. J. E. Allerton (Cochin). Selling Class (.iuy other variety).— 1. D. W. J. Thomas (Black Red Game). 2. W. Boutcher, Notting Hill, London (Game Bantams). 3, Mrs. Newton, Epworth (Gold-pencilled Hamburghs). /ic, S. Lucas (Booted Bantams) ; S. W. Freemantle, Goaberton (Silver-spangled Hamburghs); F. Sales (Game); J. K, Fowler (White Leghorns), c, Capt. Wetherall, Loddington (Black Red Ban- tams); D. M. Mills (Black Spanish); S. Field, Ambrosden (Game) ; H. Powers, Bigirteswade (Gold pencilled Hamburghs). Bantams (Black and other Red Game).— 1, W. Boutcher. 2, T. Randall, Jan., Guildford. ;^, Capt. Wetherall. he, Capt. WetheraU; N. Hill, Ealing; V. Sandford ; G. Lucas. Bantams (Black or White, Rose-combed).-!, H. Beldon. 2, Mrs. A. Tindal. 3, G. P. Ladd, Canterbury, he, G. Reed, Cambridge. Bantams (Any other variety except Game).— I, E. Pritchard, Tettenhall» Wolverhampton. 2, M. Lenn 3, R. S. S. Woodgate. /tc, M. Leno; Mrs. T. Wootten. Mapptrley U) ; J. Rouse, Southall. Bantams ( Uuckwing and Pile).— 1, W. Goodbody, Ely. 2, R. Brownlie, Towns- end, Kirkcaldy. 3, E. W. Sonthwood, Fakenham. Ducks (Aylesbury).- 1 and Cup, Mrs. A. Tiodal. 2, J. K. Fowler. 3, Miaa M. E, Campain, Deeping, Spalding, he, J. K. Fowler ; S. Turner, Arlesey. Docks (Rouen),— 1, J. Gee. 2, F. Parlett. 3, Mrs. A. TindaL he, W. W. Maynard; .f. K. F-twler. Ducks (Black East Indian).— 1,G. S. Sainsbury. Devizes. 2. Rev. J. Richard- son. 3, J. J. Maiden, Biggleswade, he, J. W. Kellaway ; S. Burn, Whitby; G. S. Sainsbury. Ducks (Any other variety).- 1 and 2, W. Boutcher (Mandarins and Carolina), Extra 2. M. L'eno. 3, J. K. Fowler (Cayugas). he, M. Leno; Capt. G.F.Talbot (Muscovy), PIGEONS. Podters.— Cocfc.— 1, J. Hairsine, Hull. 2, W. Nottage, Northampton. 3, Mrs. J. E. Allerton. Hen.~l, W. Nottage. 2, J. Stiles, jun. 3, J. E. Palmer, Peterborough. Carriers —Coek.~l and Cap. H. Yardley. 2 and 3. H. M. Maynard. vhr, E. Walker, Leicester, he. K. Pavze. jun. e, J. C Ord, Lupus Street, Pimlico. Hen.—l, H. Yardley. 2, J. C. Ord. 3, E. Walker, vfic, T. Chambers, North- ampton, he. H. M. Maynard. c. J. E. Palmer. Barbs.— 1, H. M. Maynard. 2, H. Yardley, Birmingham. 3, H. B. Maaaey, Spalding. Thmblers.—I, H. Yardley. 2 and he, J. Ford, Monkwell Street, London. 3, G. HoUoway, j un., Stroud. 0\vi.a.— English.— 1, T. G. Sprunt. 2, A. T. Barnes, Gloucester. 3, E. W. Vausenden, Gold Hawk Road, London, vhc. J. W^atts. he, T. G. Sprunt, Boundary Road, London, c, L. Allen, London Road, Southwark Foreign.— I and he, L. Allen. 2, J. J. Sparrow, Grosvenor Mews, London. 3, T. Chambers, TuRBiTS.— I and Cup, O. E. Creaswell. 2 and 9, G. Hardy, Gold Hawk Road, London, t'/^c, he. and c, S. Salter, Egrove. AHvwR&Pi —ihjrt-faced. — \, A. Carrathera. Lon(f-faeed —1, W. Tomlin. Oxford. 2 and e, W. R- Pratt, Oxford. 3, W. B. Tegetmeier, Finchley, London. he, F. Lubbock, Northaw (2); F. E Skelton, Tooting. Jacobins.- 1, Cup, and c, G. Hardy. Equal 2, L. Allen ; O. E. Creaawell. 3, H. W. Webb, Lower Sydenham, u/w*. L Allen. Fantails.— 1 and 2. Rev. W. Serjeantson. 3, O. E. Creaswell. he, J. F. Loversidge, Newark (2). c. H. M. Maynard. Any uteier Variety.- 1, 2, and r'ic, G. Hardy (Archangels, Magpies, and Swallows). 3, S. Salter (Runt). Extra 3 and he, L. Alleii (o,ed Prieat and Mane), e, W. B.Tegetmeier (Pigmy Pouters) (2). DRAQoosa.— Blue or Silver.— 1, W. Bishop, Dorchester. 2. W. Smith, Walton, Liverpool. 3, W. B. Tegetmeier. i^he, R. Woods; W. Bishop, iic, E. J. Rowlev, Buralem; R. Wooda, MausQeld; W. B. Tegetmeier; W. Bishop; F. Graham ; W. Hill. Manchester, c, R. Woods; W. B. Tegetmeier; W. Hill. Dragoons.- ii(^'i or Yelloic.— l and Cup, W. HiU. 2 and 3, F. Graham, v/ur, R. Woods (2). he. J. Watts ; S. Salter, e. R. Wood ; F. Graham, Dragoons.— White.— I and vhc, W. Bishop. 2, A. A. Vander Meerach, Tooting. 3, R. Wooda. he, W. Bishop; T. Crisp, Southall. c, D. Young. Local Class.— 1 and 2, W. Larkios, Henlow. 3, Rev. C. C. Ewbank, Lang- ford (Pouter), he, G. Lucas. Hitchin (Tumbler); A. Eeniley (C«rner); W. Foot (Carrier); A. Carruthers (White African Own. e. A. Bentley (Dragoon). Selling Class,- 1, W. Larkins (Carrier). 2, W. R. Pratt (Dragoon) 3, S. Salter (Carrier), t'/ic, J. E. Palmer (Carrier); J.Ford, /ic, A. Carruthers (Yellow Barb): W. Nottage (Pouter); J. Watts; '^. Salter (Carrier), c, Rev. C. Ewbank (Pouter); W. Gamon (Dragoon) (2); J.Ford. JvDG-E.s.—PoiiItri/ : Mr. W. H. Nichols. Pigeotis : Mr. P. H. Jones, and Mr, F. Gresham. MIDDLESBOROUGH PIGEON SHOW. This was held in the Odd-Fellows Hall on the 29th and 30th of December. The following is a list of the awards : — Pouters -Jicii or Yellow.— Coeka.-l, A. Shaw, Middlesborongh. 2, T. Wood, /ic, E. Horner. Harewood. Leeds, c, E. Beckwitb. Monkwearmouth. Rens.—\, R. Blacklock, Sunderland. 2, E. Horner- he, J. Hairsine, Hull. Pouters.— Bi»c.—Cocfc.s—l. E. Beckwitb. -i, E. Homer, vhc. J. P. Faw- cett. Flowergate, Whitby. Hens.— I, E. Beckwith. 2, J. Harrison. York, /^c, E. Homer. Pouters.- vlny other colour —Cocks.— \. H, Severs, Middlesborongh. 2, R. Blacklock. vhc. G. H. Lambert, Whitby. Hens.~\. E. Horner. 2, G. Deatner, Driffield, vhc, H. Severs, he, H. Mapplebeck, Birmingham. CkRRiF.RS.—BUick.—Cocks.—l, T. H. Stretch, Ormskirk. 2. E. Homer, he. E. Beckwith: E. Horner. Hen^i.-l and 2, E. Horner, he, H. Yardley, Market Hall, Birmingham. Carriers.— J»y othfrcolour.—Coeks.—l, E, Homer 2, H. Yardley. Hens.— 1, E Horner. 2 and vhe. E. Beokwith. c, H. Severs ; H. Yardley. Tumblers.- S^or^/(XCfd Almond.— Cock or Hen.— I, E. Beckwith. 2, H. Yardley. vhc, E. Homer. a u -c Tv:aBh-ERB.— Short-faced any other colour.— Cock or Hen.—i, vhc, and ftc, £. Beckwith. 2, H. Yardley. , .,„,,,•*.. Tv^TBh-ERa.— Long-faced, any colour.— Cock or if^-n.— 1 and rtC, E. Beckwitn 2, T. C. Taylor, Middlesborough. c, E. Horner. 20 JOUENAL OP HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. [ Januai-y 7, 1875. OwhS. — ETighsh. — Cock or Ben— 1, J. \otme, Bishop Auckland. 2. A. Macbenae, Liverpool, vlic. W. H. Miller, Walsall, ht, J. Richmond, Oswald- wisue. c, a. Alderaon, West Hartlepool. Foreign.-Cock or Hen.-l. S. Law- T^^^^i S^-^-'A; ■'■ S''J"' l^eston. vhc, J. J. Sparrow, Grosvenor Mews, London, he, G. Alderson. c, E. Homer. TnBBiTs.--Red or Yellou- -Cock or Hen.-l, T. S. Stephenson, Newbegin, f^i._ '^'- ^' E- Horier. vlic, H. Mapplebeck. c, E. A. Thornton, HuU. Any other colour.-Cock or Hen.-l, W. Moore, Pickering. 2, G. Alderson. vhc, J. ioung. Ac, E. A. Thornton, g J™JJETEB8.-CocA: or Hen.-l, J. Lederer. 2, E. Homer, he, H. A. Ayrton, T DaAoooNs.-Cocfr or Hen.-l, A. Boote. 2, R. Woods, vhc, A. Boote, Crewe ; J. G. Dunn Kjton-on-Tyno. Ac, R. Woods, Mansfield ; W. Smith, Liverpool. ..■.:^ ,1,^ —Black.-Cock or Hen.— I and vhc, E. Horner. 2 and fcc, E. Beckwith. Any other colour-Cock or Hen,-1, E. Beckwith. 2. W. Bolmer, Stocktonon- lees. vhc, H. Yardiey. Fantaiis.-CocA: or Hen.—l and /ic, E. Beckwith. 2, J. F. Loversidge, Newark, vhc. E. Homer. JACOBINS.-Jjed or SV//ou\— Cocfc or Hen.—l, J. Smith, Walkley, Sheffleld. 2, MijHi l'"^' y?™'»"'- 2,M.0rd,Sedgtteld,Dnrham. he, E. Beckwith ; R. H. Scott. York ; E. Homer. .^'^'^i-Short-.faced.-Cock or Hen.-l, J, Watts, King's Heath, Birming- r^iJ'v ="'"'„ ;;'*•>'• J- Stott. he, W. EUis. Idle, Leeds. Long-faced- Cocl or H«n.-1 R. Blacklock. 2, R. Homer, fee. W. ElUs. c, J. J. Sparrow. vhc M OrT" VABiETy.-Coc* or Hen.-l, [H. Mapplebeck. 2, J. Richmond. Seluno Class.— Price not to exceed £2.— Cocks or Hem.—l, J. Young. 2. J. K. lorbock. Middlesborongh. jilic, H. A. Ayrton. )ic, J. E. Torbock. Price not to exceed ll.-Cocks or Bens.-l and vhc, J. K. Torbock. 2, F. Hodgson, C,E. Beckwith; J. Watts. is. BIEMINGHAM COLUMBARIAN SOCIETY'S EXHIBITION. Tms was held in the Athenaeum Rooms, Temple Street, Bir- mingham, on December 31st, 1874. There were fifty-six exhi- bitors and 559 pens. YOUNG SINGLE BIRDS, EITHER SEX. Caeeiees.— B;aci-.— Cup and 3. H. Hallam, Birmingham. 1, G. Gordin Bir- mingham. 2, T. Hallam. he, G. E. Sawdon, Leeds ; F. Smith, Selly Oak ■ H AUsopp Bimnngham; G. F. Whitehouae, lung's Heath; Capt- De Winton. Uerelord: T. Halliim. Birmingham. Diui.—l, A. Billvcald, Nottingham. 2 and 3. Capt. De Winton. he, W. Cartwright, Birmingham; E. T. Dew, Weston-auper.Mare ; G. Gordin. Aiiy oilier colour.— 1, E. T. Dew. 2 and 3. J. Watts, hang's Heath, Birmingham. PociEES-£(uf,-l, H.Pratt, Hampton-in-Arden. Cup and 2, G. Holloway, inn., Stroud. 8, J. Guthne, Hexham, he, R. Barratt. Stroud ; G. Holloway, ^S^'„^!?'''i;:^^tF-^'^^^ i(ffi.-l,2, and3. H. Pratt. 5'e/;oir.-Cnp, 1,2, and 3, a. Pratt IT7i!(c.-Cup, I, and 2, U. Pratt. 3, H. Simpson, c, H. Simpson, Spalding ; J. E. Spence, Broughty Ferry. ,„'^'?'??''i?V^',""'"''-~i™'' -' T- Hallam. 3, R, Barratt. Muffed.-Cnv.l. and 3 E. D. Careless. 2, F. Bowker, Edgbaston. he, J. Watts, e E. D. Care- 1 iSS (2). TimBLEsa^.Shorl-faced.-Baldheads.-l and 2, W. Woodhouse, King's Lynn, c J Watts' S'-^°Hal°am ■ ^"'' °"^"-~^' '''• HaUam. 2 and 3, E. D. Careless. yTJMl > . FANTAII.S.-CUP. 1. and 2, J. E. Spenje. S, J. F. Loversidge, Newark-on- irent. he, J. F. Loversidge ; H. Simpson ; F.. A. Scale. Dublin (21. T -Si^n^-~/'"' '"■ l<'"oii'.-Cup, 1, and 2, W. E. Fasten. Hull. 3, A. Riddell, Lichheld /iTij/ ofher coioiir.-Cup and 1,W. Ridley. 2 and S, E. T. Dew. e, R. W. Richardson, Beverley ; E. T. Dew. Tedmpetees.- 1, A. A. Vander Meerseh. Baebs.— Cup, 1, and 3, F. Smith. 2, R. W. Richardson. Archangels.— 1, G. E Sawdon. NuNs.-Cup, 1, and '2, A. A. Vander Meerseh. 3, J. Watts, c. G. Packham, Exeter, Owi,s.--Enj!;sJi.— Cup and I, G. E. Sawdon. 2, W. Ridley. S and fcc, .1. W. Lndlow, Birmingham, c, W. Ridley; G. E. Sawdon. Foreign.— 2, G. HoUo- way, jun. ^ ' DEAGOONS.-Biue.-Cup and 1, F. Graham. 2, W. Smith. 3, W. Gamon, Chester, he, G. Packham ; W. Smith ; W. Gamon. c, J. Watts. Silver —1, T^h ^^-.h''- Gnthfic. 3 and he, F. Graham. I'ciioic and Bed.- Cup and V,^-. ■ 'yJu'eoouse 2 and 3, F. Graham, he, J. Watts, c, R. W. Richardson. HTii(c.— 1 and c, F. Graham. 2. G. Packham. 3, G. F. Whitehouse. Any other colour.— Cap, 1, and 2, J. G. Dunn. 3. F. Graham. ANTwEEPS.—Xlun— Cup and 1, J. W. Ludlow. 2, W. Gamon. 3, H. Gongh, Wolverhampton, he, W. Gamon; T. Clulee ; J. Forrest, c, S. Foster Bir- mingham; T. Clulee, Birmingham ; C. F. Copeman, SoUhuU; J. Forrest; J. W.Ludlow. Biuf.-Cup and 1, H. Gongh. 2, J. Wilkinson, Birmingham. 3, J. W. Ludlow, c, J. Wilkinson ; J. W. Ludlow ; H. Gough Antwehps.— BiuM^cvucrrrt.-Cnp, 1, 2, and 3, J. W. Ludlow, c, C. F. Cope- man ; G.Phelps, Handsworlh; J. W. Ludlow. I!ed-chequered.—Cap audi, S. ioster. 2 and 3. W. Gamon. c. E. Thompson, Selly Oak ; W. Gamon. Maopies.- Cup, 1. and 2, J. Watts. 3, J. W. Ludlow. Swallows.— 1 and c, J. W. Ludlow. 2 and 3, J. Watts. Ant OTHER Vaeietv —Cup, 1, 2, and 3, J. W. Ludlow, c, J. Watts ; G. HoUo- way, jun. ; G. Packham ; J. W. Ludlow ; J. WUkinson. BIRDS OF ANY AGE. CAEEiERS.-B!acfc-rocJ:jl.-Cup and 1, H. AUssp. 2, G. F. Whilehonae. S, W. Cartwright. lie, F. Smith; J. James; G. IF. -Whitehouse; R, Barrett; T. Hallam; P. K. Spencer, Hereford. Hem.-l, G. F. Whitehouse. 2, H. Alison. 8, G. Gordin. Jic, P. R. Spencer ; T. Hallam : H. Hallam. CAEBlEES-Dun.-focts.-l, G. F. Whitehouse. 2, E. Booth, Birmingham. S, J. James. )!<;, E. T. Dew. H«7i«.— 1, H. HaUam. 2, G. Gordin. 3, H. Alison. he, G. Packham. OiEBiEBs.— 4»!/ other colour.— Cock.— 1, E. T. Dew. 2, J. Watts. Hens — 1, E. T. Dew. 2, J. Watts. PocTEES.— ITfcife.— CocAm — I, H. Pratt. 2, G. Crookes, Owlerlon. 3 P E Spencer, he, R. Barratt. Hens —1 and 2, H. Pratt. 3, K. Barratt PoDTERB.— .4ny otiier colour — Cocks.— Cup, 1, 2, and 3. H. Pratt, c G. Crookes E. Barratt ; H. Pratt. Ueni —I and 2, H. Pratt. 3, R. Barratt. TcMBLZBS.— .,l!momi —Cup, 1, Extra, and 2, T. Hallam. Hhort-faced.—! and 2, T. HaUam. S. K. Barratt. Tdmblers.- ions-muiTfii.— 1 and 3, F. Bowker. 2, W. T. Breeden. c, G Phelps. Clean-legged Lang-faced.— 1 and 3, J. M. Bott. 2, J. Watts. Babbs.— 1, F. Smith, a, G. E. Sawdon. Owls.— En«!!arfc.— 1, G. Cox. 2, Moore and Wynne. 3, R. Hawman. I'/tc, S. Bunting. )ic, G. & J. Mackley. Goldfinch and Canary or Linnet and C&stRY.-Unevenly-marked.—l, Evans & Smethurst. 2, J. Moore, Boston. 3, S. Bunting, vhc, W. Grantham, c, J. Fielding. Linnet and Canary.— 1 and 8, J. Spence. 2 and vhc, Evans & Smethurst, he. Brown & Gor'on, Northampton. Any other Variety.— 1 and 3, Evana 4 Smethurst (Bullfinch, Goldflnoh, and Grey). 2 and c. G. 4 J. Macklev (Linnet, Siakin. and Canary), vhe, Evans and Smethurst (Bnll&nch and Goldfinch); G, & J. Mackley (Linoet). BRITISH BIRDS. Goldfinch. — House-moulted.— \, G. Cox. 2. S. Bunting. 3, R, Hawman. vhc, Evans & Smethurst. lie, J. C. Bamber, Preston, c, J. Meakin. IjissT-T.— House-moulted Brown.— 1, R. Hawman. 2. S. Bunting. 3, Sinmet and Ward, Derby, vhc, F.vans & Smethurst. he, J. Page. SKYUiRK.— House-moulted.— 1, 2, and 8, Evans 4 Smethurst. vhe, 3. Fielding.' hCj J. Royie, Prestwich. Any other Variety.- 1, 2, and 3, G. 4 J, Mackley (Song Thrash, BolMnoll January 7, 1875. J JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 21 and Blackbiid). vhc, Evans & Smolhurst. he, O. A. Watts, Brixton, S.W. (Black Cap), c, J. C. Bamber. FOREIGN BIRDS. Any VARrBTV.— 1, S. Bnntine; (Kiiip Parrot). 2 and vhc, G. & J. lilacliley (Botta-Botta and Parroquet). 8, J. Mills, Rochdale. Tbe Society's Gold Medal was won by Messrs. G. & J. Maokley, of Norwich. Mr. J. Fie'ding, Uochdale, won Mrs. Bleakin'a Silver Cup lor most points in Lancashire Coppy Classes. KIKKCALDY POULTRY SHOW. The above okl-established Exhibition held its annual Show on Monday and Tuesday, the Ith and .5th of January, and was as usual well got up and managed. There was a large entry of stock in every department, and the quality was iirst-rate in many instances. Game take the lead here both in the prize list and in actual numbers, and the catalogue will show that almost all the lead- ing spirits of the variety iu Scotland, and not a few from Eng- land, attended. The birds which struck us most were the second and third Black Red cocks, both of which we considered better than the first, tbe second-prize Black Red hen, and a fine Duckwing cook which stood first in his class. The Duckwings are always well represented at Kirkcaldy, and the quality good ; while in Sjjaiiish the winners were very good, and Mr. Teebay was not the person to err iu that class. CocJiins were few iu number, though what was of them was good. BraJinia cocks brought out a grand bird of Mr. Raines', the best we have seen this season. We have seen Hamhii^rghs much more numerous at this Show. Pencilled hens were best. The first-prize birds were well matched and pencilled. The second not so good in comb. We liked a pen of pullets shown by Mr. Lockhart in this class about aa well as any. The Variety class, first went to good Cruves, second Houdans. Bantams were not so nu- merous as usual, for which we suspect the fortunate owner of the lot of little Piles, which have done so much execution this season, is accountable. However, what was there was first-rate, and while the Pile cocks were all good, one of the hens in the first-prize pen was, as a hen, better. Pigeons were in greater numbers than for some years, and a good lot of Pouters were shown, the best bird in the whole lot Being the third-prize White cock. Carriers were, with a few notable exceptions, of no great quality. Fantails were all good, and Tumblers the same. There were a good few Jacobins of fair quality, Turbits and Owls the same ; while first in the Variety class were good Dun Barbs, very middling Black second. Canaries were in great force as regards numbers, and the quality we were told, as we know nothing of them, first-rate. The Committee was very unfortunate in the weather, still a good number of visitors turned out to this well-conducted and agreeable Exhibition. Mr. Teebay judged the poultry, and Mr. A. Frame, Larkhall, the Pigeons, and their awards were gene- rally well received. Game (Black Bed).— Cocfc— 1, W. Beveridge, Kirkcaldy. 2, J. Mason, Worcester. S, J. H. Herriot, Kirkcaldy, /ic, J. Beveridge ; -J. Allan, Dunferm- line; J. Wishart, Kirkcaldy; J. Niooll, Forfar. Here.— 1, J. Nickoll. 2, B. Stewart. 3, J. Mason. /(C, A. Watson, Kirkcaldy ; D. Harley ; C. Jamieaon ; J. Wishart (2); J. A. Mather (2); Boath & Tosh. Gajie (Brown Bed).— Cocfc.— 1. D. Harley. 2, J. Brough. 3, B. Stewart. Local Cup and iiJic, W. Webster, fti', P. Speedio ; H.W.Hutchison, c, H. L. Home. Hen.— 1, E. Stewart. 2 and Local Cup, W. Webster. 3 and c, D. Harley. Game (Any other colour).— Cocfc.— 1, J. A. Mather. 2, D. Harley. 3, S. Sonng. c, 3. Young. Hen.— I, C. Jarvis. 2, J. Lyall. 3, E. Stewart, he, A. Watson. DOEKINQS (Silver).— Cocfc.— 1, D. Annan. 2, W. Hughson. 3, T. Balnea. he, R. Blyth; D.Annan. Hens, — 1, W. Hughson. 2 and 3, D. Annan, he T. Eaines. DoBKiNGS (Dark).— Cocfc.— 1, T. Baines. 2, .T. Tumbull. 3, D. Annan| he, E. Lockhart; D. Gellatly. Hens.- 1, G. S. Bobb. 2, T. Baines. 3, D. GeUatly. he, G. S. Bobb ; B. Lockhart. c, E. Blyth. Cochin-chinas.- Cocfc.— 1, Mrs. W. Steven. 2, W. J. Paton. 3, E. Blyth. Hens.— 1, W. J. Paton. 2, R. Blyth. 3, Earl of Eosslyn. Bbahma Pootras.— Cocfc.— 1 and 2, T. Eaines. B, A. M'Donald. he, E. Blyth; W. Henderson. Hens, — 1, Miss G. Morisou. 2 aud 3, T. Baines. he H. Brownlie ; Miss G. Morison ; Mi-a. W. Stephen, Montrose ; J. A. Dempster, Stirling. Spanish.— Coct.—l and 8, W. Hughson. 2, A. Grieve, c, A. Bidpath. Bem.—l, A. Somervile. 2, W. Hughson. 8, A. Bidpath, Edinburgh, he, E. Blyth, Kingskettle. HAsmnRGHS (Pencilled).— Cocfc.— 1, D. Cheyne. 2, E. Dickson. S.A.Pratt. he, W. Cook ; R. Paton ; E. Thomson ; H. Euasell ; J. Lockhart. Hens.— 1, E. Dickson. 2, A. Pratt, Kirkcaldy. 3, T. Hanson, he, R. Paton ; J. Lock- hart, NewbuTgh. Hajibdkghs (Spangled).— Cocfc-.-l, J. Pollock. 2, W. R. Park. 3, O. Stalker, he, J. Morrison : Mrs. W. Keddle ; J. Stewart ; J. M' Andrew. Hens.— 1, J. Stewart. 2, W. E. Park. 3, Mrs. Brown, he, E. Clark; J. PoUock ; Mrs. Keddie. Ddcks (Any variety).— 1, J. A. Mather. 3 and ftc, Mrs. Dickie. 3,E. Torley. tf, G. Thompson. Any other Vabiety except Bantams. — 1, Mrs. W. Steven. 2, R. Blyth. 3, Miss E. Frew. hc,}.M. Wilson ; J. Crawford, c, D. Hendry. Game Bantams (Beds).— Cocfc.— 1, P. Henderson. 2, H. Brownlie. 3, Master D. Laing. lie. Master D. Laing ; H. Brownlie ; Miss B. P. Frew. Hens.— 1 and 2, H. Brownlie. 3, T. Eaines. Gams Bantams (Any other colour). — Cock. — 1 and 2, H. Brownlie. 3, A. Kilgonr, Hens. — 1 and 3, H. Browiilie. 2, Master A. Frew. Bantams (Any other variety).- 1, Mrs. E. '.Fiew. 2, E. Prow. 3, Miss J M. Frew. Selling Class.— Cocfc.— 1 and c, Miss M. Morison. 2, T. Raines. 8, W. Patersoc. he, Lieut-Col. C. Eice; A. Pratt; T. Baines; D. Annan. Hens.— 1, A. Bidpatli. 2, D. Gellatly. 3, T. Eaines. he. Miss Morison; P. Eobett- Bon; E. Somerville; A.Pratt; W.Webster, c, Lieut-Col. C. Rice. PIGEONS. Pouters (White).— Cocfc.— 1 and 3, J. M'Gill. 2, A. Anderson, he, J. MuUion. Hen.- 1, 2, and 8, A. Anderson, fic, W. S. M'AlUster. Pouters (Any other colour). — Cocfc-.-l, M'Gill Skinner. 2, R. W. Bryce. 8, A. Anderson, vhe, T. Mullion. Hen.— 1 and 2, M'Gill Skinner. 8, T. Mullion. /(C.A.Anderson. Carriers.- Cocfc.— 1, A. Smith. 2, J. E. Spence. 3, T. Eaines. Hen.— 1, A. Smith. 2, T. Raines. 3, J. E. Spence. he, J. Lanjont, jun. Fantails —1, A. Smith. 2, J. E. Spence. 3, A. Lockhart. lie, A. Crosbie. Tumblers.- 1, D. Brash. 2 and 3, J. M. Kidd. Nuns. — I, J. Lament, jun. 2, E. Laurie. 3, A. Duthie. Jacobins.-I, R. W. Bryce. 3, T. Baines. 3, J. E. Spence. fcc, T. Nicol, Forfar. Turbits or Owls. — 1 and 3, A. Anderson. 2, B. Laurie, lie, A. Crosbie ; J. E. Spence. Any other Variety.- 1, J. E. Speiioe. 2, B. W. Bryce. 3, A. Crosbie. CANARIES. Scotch Fancy (YeUow).— Coefc.— 1, T. Scott, Carjuke. 2, R. Hunter. S, H. M'Dougal, jun. 4, B. Aird. 5, J. Kerr. Zfen.- Special and 1, E. Jackson, Carluke. 2, H. Hoggau. 3, E. Chalmers. 4, T. Scott, Carluke. 5, D. Black, Dunfermline. Scotch Fancy (Buff).— Cocfc.— l.H.Hoggan. 2, E. Hunter. 3, W. Innes. i, A. Baird, Leith. 6, H. M'Dougall, jun. Hen.— 1, M'Ewan Downie, Kirk- caldy. 2, J. Tweedie. 3, T. Scott. 4, G. Greig. 5, J. Kerr. Flecked (Yellow).- Cocfc.— 1, E. Aird. 2, E. Hunter. 3, G. Greig. 4, E. Chalmers. 4, G. Spence, Dysart. Hen,— 1, G. Spence. 2, E. Chalmers. 3, D. Kilgour. 4, J. Meildejohn. 5, B. Hunter. Flecked (Buff).— Cocfc-.- Special and 1, T. Scott. 2, H. M'Dougall, jun. 3 and 4, E. Chalmers. 5, W. Innes. Hen.— 1, T.Scott. 2, E. Hunter. 3, B. CuiTens. 4, J. Elliott. 5, M'Ewan Downie. GHEEN.—Cocfc or Hen.— 1, C. Cairns. 2, G. Greig. 3, G. Spence. 4, H. Hoggan. 5, J. Bobertson, Edinburgh. Foul-feathered.— Cocfc or Hen.— 1, G. Cooper. 2, G. Greig. 3, P. Gray, Dunfei-mliue. 4, J. Kerr. 5, T. Brown, Oakley. MABiiED Goldfinch Mules (Buff).— Cocfc.— 1, 4, and 6, J. Robertson. 2 and 3, D. Young. Marked Goldfinch Mules (Yellow). — Cock. — 1 and 3, J. Cowan, Dun- fermline. 2, W. Kirk. 4, J. Bobertson. 5, W. Bonthron, THE MEALY POUTER. Many thanks to Mr. Huie for the straightforward and manly course he has taken to bring the Pouter controversy to a prac- tical issue. In the Journal of December 24th he has made it known to the fancy that, so far as he is concerned, the long- despised and badly-treated Mealy is to be raised to a position of equality with other standard-coloured birds, and treated as such, giving your readers very cogent reasons for so doing. It now behoves other fanciers to strengthen his hands and do what they can iu the same direction, and the issue is certain. With Mr. Huie on this side aud the "Rector" on the other, with more to foUow, we have the wedge well nigh driven home. If fanciers generally would accept Mr. Huie'a resolve as a com- promise, and agree to shake hands and be friends at this be- fitting season, the fancy will have no cause to regret that the controversy had been engaged in with, at times, a trifle more acerbity than the subject demanded. The prize for the best Red, Yellow, or Mealy at the Kilmarnock Show was the gift of Mr. Gibson, a great friend of the Mealy, and was given with the view of raising it to its proper place, and he meant that it should be judged as a standard colour; but unfortunately the Committee overlooked this, and Mr. Huie, left without instructions, could not well do anything else than he did. Had the Committee acquainted Mr. Huie before he began his work as Judge what their object was in classifying the Mealy with Reds and Yellows, Mr. Mitchell's hen, which was left out in the cold, would have occupied a high position in the class, as she was certainly a splendid bird. I do not know why it is, but somehow or other the Mealy has never found favour with fanciers in England. From my short experience I find that Mealies not only are more perfect in marking and superior in style, but they are more robust in con- stitution. I do not think any of those who set forth their claim ever made reference to this, whether intentional or not I do not know. We find that fanciers have always a wrinkle which they keep to themselves. Even Mr. Fulton, in his article on the Carrier — although he promised to tell all he knew — takes care to conceal from the novices the devices resorted to by the know- ing ones in preparing their birds for exhibition. But this ia a digression. I was saying that they were of a hardier constitu- tion, and so are their young. My friend Mr. Ruthven facetiously described the disappointed fancier when a grand, vigorous, pro- mising young bird declared itself a despised Mealy. "Three chances to one, had it not been a Mealy it would not have sur- vived to tell the tale. Young fanciers know full well the difficulty they have in getting evenly-marked birds, even while breeding from evenly- marked parents. Let them try a Mealy, and report their suo- cess, that others may be encouraged. 'The first four years ia the Pouter-fancier's Slough of Despond ; the Mealy will help 22 JOURNAL OF HORTIODIiTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDENER. [ January 7i 1875. them over that trying period, and the way to success after is clear. — David Lawbie, Kihnarnock. DO BEES SLEEP-.' It has not, we think, been proven that bees ever sleep. We have never seen one either in winter or summer asleep. Analogy and their very ar;tive industrious habits would lead to the belief that they do sleep. When, where, and how they do sleep, we have hitherto being unable to discover. In summer they work both night and day, and never seem to tire. In early life we thought they worked harder after a day of rest— that is to say, if weather kept all at home for twenty-four hours they were recruited in strength and vigour, and worked better on the day following. In later years we have considered, that in the absence of outdoor labour more work was done in the hive. When weather is favourable and honey abundant we know that frequently honey is gathered into hives faster than the indoor labourers can manage — it accumulates too fast on their hands. The cessation of outdoor work for a time enables the bees to remove the accu- mulations of honey from the centre combs, and store it up in their outer and upper edges. Thus the domestic arrangements are advanced, and room made for more honey, and more labourers are set at liberty to gather it. When bees have no domestic work to attend to, as is the case when a swarm is put into a hive of empty combs, they work prodigiously fast. By- and-by the brood and honey of such a hive require much atten- tion. Hence, outdoor-work activity seems to abate. But when no bees leave their hives we have never been fortunate enough to find one asleep or anything like it. Young queens on coming to perfection sometimes pipe or call for seven days without cessation. During that time they can get no sleep. And if it be true that pregnant queens deposit in cells two thousand eggs a-day — that is, eighty eggs every hour, throughout the summer months, when, pray, can they find time to sleep 1 In winter bees have few domestic duties to perform, and there is no honey to gather. But the question of bees sleeping or hybernating in winter is just as difficult to answer as that of sleeping in summer. I know what others say on this question, but I like to read nature through my own eyes ; and I trust the readers of this Journal will ever be guided in great measure by their own observation and intelligence. I have examined hives at all seasons, even when there was 20' degrees of frost, and I never found a bee asleep. Still I do not say that they never sleep. Can any of our readers give evidence ou the question ? Bees rest in winter, and crowd together for mutual warmth. To-day (2ud of January), the wind being south, and the mercury 2' above freezing, my bees attempted to come out for an airing, hut were prevented owing to the snow being still on the ground. Tip to the present time bees have been healthy this winter, and if prevented from leaving their hives while snow is on the ground, will likely be in good condition when spring comes. But absolute confinement is hurtful to bees. When weather permits they prefer to go abroad to evacuate, and if they do this when snow is on the ground they fall into it in hundreds and perish. Hence their doors should be shut when snow is on the ground. The question as to whether a north or south site is the better for bees in winter, has often been put and discussed. Mr. Nutt who had a hive of his own was rather an impulsive bee-keeper, and came to hasty conclusions. " In November, 1834, Mr. Nutt placed three hives on the north side of his house and three remained on the south side. No. 4 weighed 42 „ D , S2 » B ,. 37 Ua 111 On the 26th of the following March they weighed as follows :- i^T , . V . ""• I "IS- ^o. 1 weighed 15 No. 4 weighed S7 ..a 16 I „ 5 , 27 .•3 19 „ 6 82 SOUTH. No. 1 weighed lbs. „ 2 „ 38 „ 3 40 50 96 The first three — those on the south side — lost 63 Iba., on an aver- age 21 lbs. each ; those on the north only 1.5 lbs., average 5 lbs. each. The three last — those on the north — swarmed in May, the three first not till July." Some apiarians may consider the experiment conclusive that a north aspect is better for bees in winter than a south one. The results of the experiment have no weight with us, believing that if any unbiased man had been on the spot he would have been able to trace the difference of results to something else than position of hives. At present we are not going to attempt an analysis of Mr. Nutt's experiment. In our experience we find that hives do as well in one position as another — that on the north side of a house the bees are abroad at the same time as those ou the south aide— and that neither the consumption of honey nor the times of swarming are much affected by the position of an apiary. We have hives looking east, north, west, and south, and have invariably failed to find any advantage that one may have over the other. The strength of the hives in autumn is of far more importance than their position or aspect. Strong hives eat more honey, are less affected by severe winters, and swarm earlier than weaker ones. Warm covering of hives in severe winters and early spring months is of great advantage to bees. — A. Pettigbew. OUR LETTER BOX. Great Yarmouth Poultry Show (J. Watts).— The Secretary ought to have replied to your applications. Your courBe to pursue is to ascertain from the railway officials' parcel book if your birds were delivered, and then you will know who to proceed against. Manchester Poultry Show.— Mr. J. Lederer informs us that he took the first prize in the Trumpeter class at Belle Vue, Manchester. HounAN AND Brahma Characteristics (G. B.}.— Good crest and muffling, comb neatly branched, less with five toes like the Dorking, soimd-coloured, free from a yellow tinge, size, shape, and style, are the principal characteris- tics uf the Houdan. Brahmas should be very large with a neat pea-comb, heavily feathered in the legs, but not vulture-hocked. We would advise you to attend some of the poultry shows and closely examine the winning birds in connection with the points to which we have referred. METEOROLOGICAL OBSEBVATIONS, Camden Square, London. Lat. 51' 32' 40" N. ; Long. 0' 8- 0" W. ; Altitude, 111 feet. Date. 9 A.U. In the Day. 1974—5. -• » - HygTome- °-i ^ Shade Tem- Badiation 3 Dec Barom teratS' and Ses Level. "1^ 151 perature. Temperature. In On son. grass Jan. Dry. Wet. Max. Min. Inches. deg. deg. deg. deg. deg. deg. deg. In. We. SO S0.327 24.0 23.4 N.E. 34.6 30.1 19.1 40.2 20.0 Th. 31 30.260 21.3 21.5 N. 34 1 24 3 19.0 22 8 16.8 — Fri. 1 30 175 27.2 27.0 S.E. 83.9 83 0 20.7 86 3 20.6 0.422 Sat. 2 29 9J1 36.8 36.7 W. 33.0 44.2 26.6 60.6 0.2« Sun. S 29 921 48 2 47 2 w. 33.0 49.7 85.6 74.S 0.090 Mo. 4 29 877 49.1 48.3 s. 88.9 52.5 44.4 70.1 81.1 0.042 Tu. 5 29 978 42,5 42.2 w. 37.8 49.0 41.7 64 8 38.7 — Means 80.063 356 85.2 84.3 40.4 29.8 62.8 «.7 0.776 REMARKS. 30th. — Cold but annehiny mominp, and a fine frosty day. 3l8t. — Very thick and very dark all day, and bitterly cold. Jan. let. — Much finer, but still very cold and frosty till the evening, when there was a slight fall of snow, and a thaw and fall of rain at mid- night, freezing on the ground. 2nd. — Foggy morning, very fine in the middle of the day, but a wet sight; much warmer. 3rd.— Bright all day till 3 p.m., then dull ; but fair till night, when it rained. Snow all gone, but the roads very sloppy. 4th. — Very dark early, but soon clearing ofl ; fine in the middle of the day ; warm and damp in the evening. 5th.— Dark, but fair early ; fine from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., then dull ; still warm. With the old year the frost may be said to have ended; for the silver thaw of Friday evening was merely the result of the frost left in the ground. De- cember 3lBt was remarkable for the very low maximum temperature. — G. J. SXMONS. COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— Jancaby 6. There is no revival of trado of any consequence yet. Supply was rather better in consequence of the favourable change in the weather, prices remaia- ing nearly the same. FRUIT. B. d. Apples i sieve 1 0 to Chestnuts bushel 10 B. d. Filberts lb. 1 Coba lb. 1 Grapes, hothouse lb. 4 Lemona ^100 U Melons each 1 20 fl 1 6 8 0 12 0 Oranges ^ 100 4 Pears, kitchen doz. 2 dessert doz. 2 Pine Apples lb. 2 Plums 1 sieve 0 Walnuts bubbel 10 ditto ^ 100 1 d. B. d. Otoli) 0 0 8 0 0 4 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 12 6 0 Artichokes doz. Aaparagus v- 100 French .... per bundle Beans, Kidney.. .. k sieve Broad bubhel Beet, Red doz BroccoU bundle Bruasela Sprouts i sieve Cabbatre doz. Carrots bunch Capsicums ^100 Cauliflower doz. 4 Celery bundle 1 Coleworts.. doz. bunches 4 Cucumberfl each 2 pickling doz, 0 Endive doz. 3 Fennel bunch 0 Garho lb. 0 Herbs bunch 0 Horaeradiah bundle VEGETABLES, d. e.d. r Otoe 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 1 0 0 u II 0 Leeks Lettuce dOB. MushroomB poiue Mustard •& Cress. .punnet Onions ■ bushel pickling quart Parsley per doz. bunches Parsnips doz. Peas quart Potatoes bushel Kidney do. Radishes., doz. bunches Rhubarb bundle Salsaiy bundle Scorzonera bundle Sea-kale basket Shallots lb. Spinach bushel Tomatoes doz. Turnips bunob Vegetable Marrows,, dos. s. d. B. d. 0 StoO 0 10 2 0 0 0 Janoiu? 14, 1875. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 23 WEEKLY CALENDAR. Day Day Average Tempera- Sun Moon Moon Moon's CI oet Day Month of Week. JANUABY 14-20, 1875. ture near London. Rises Sets. Rises. Sots. Age. Sun. Year. Day. Night. ra. h. m. h. m. h. m. b. Days. m. B. 14 15 16 14 Th Royal Institution at 3. 42.1 29.9 86.0 2at8 16al4 9afll morn. J 9 44 10 5 15 16 F S British Musenm opened, 1759. 41.7 42.0 28.9 81.0 85.3 8G.5 2 8 1 8 18 4 19 4 16 11 83 11 52 0 20 2 9 17 Sum 2 Sunday after Epiphanv. 42.6 28.7 85.6 0 8 21 4 68 11 49 S 10 10 25 10 44 18 19 20 18 M 42.6 81.3 86.9 59 7 23 4 alter. 17 6 19 Tn Twilight ends, 6.25 p.m. 43.1 80.6 86.9 58 7 24 4 25 1 85 6 12 11 8 11 21 20 W Eoval Horticultural Fmit and Floral Comroittoes 42.4 89.6 86.5 1 67 7 26 4 82 2 88 7 13 [ at 11. : — 1 Prom observations taken near London during (orty-tUree years, the average day temperataro oJ the week Is 42.3" ; and Its night temperatore SO.IO". 1 POTATOES IN 1874. HE above title is intended to imply a caution that the noble tuber as grown in this country is variable according to the climatic con- ditions of each year ; and as the past may be looked upon as a test year, the season having been an unusually trying one, a few notes of failures and successes may deter or captivate. I have had on trial here about seventy so- called varieties — early, general crop, and late. The soil on which they were grown is an adhesive but well-drained calcareous loam, almost devoid of siles, and the general result I will first endeavour to define. A batch of earlies, previously sprouted in the light, and under like conditions (an important consideration in test- ing early Potatoes), were planted in sunny and sheltered spots in the open air on the 21st of March in land in good condition, without manure. These were injured by the frosts of the 11th and 17th of May, and produced little more than seed again, although the quahty was good. Another batch of earhes and second earlies, planted in deeper soil in good heart with a special Potato manure mixed with about three times its bulk of burnt earth and rubbish in rows 3 feet apart on the 11th of April, turned out a good crop both in quality and quantity, but from the extreme drought in this district in the spring and summer at " dig-day," they showed a tendency to supertuberate. On the 16th of April I planted, after the plough, a large quantity of earlies on a shallower soil with the same kind of manure sown in, the drills. This planting barely pro- duced seed again, although the quality was very fine. The land never got thoroughly pulverised, and on raising the crop in August the manure turned up as sown, no rain having reached it. The late varieties, planted from the 18th to the 24th of April without manure, had, when tried in August, vigor- ous haulm with scarcely any tubers, and when lifted in October they turned out a heavy crop of fair quality, but have since shown considerable disease, and keep other- wise badly. Amongst the earlies and main crop I only found a single instance of disease, which appeared in the robust- growing kidney Excelsior. And I may, perhaps, be par- doned for here observing that I have always found that the more vigorous and healthy a plant is the more sus- ceptible is it of an attack of parasitic fungus, in case any check is sustained in its growth, and providing the seeds of the fungus be present. On the 23rd of February I planted under lights in a slight bottom heat good-sized tubers of Early Handsworth and King of Earhes, both round varieties ; Mona's Pride, Walnut-leaf, old Early Ashleaf (the green sprouting va- riety from Messrs. Hooper & Co.), and two other early varieties, which turned out to be Walnut-leaf and Early Ashleaf. The Early Handsworth was the first ready to lift. This variety was sent out about fifteen years ago by No. 720.— Vol. XXVIII., New Seeies. Messrs. Fisher, Holmes, & Co., of the Handsworth Nurse- ries, and, after trial by the Royal Horticultural Society, was then considered to be the earliest, and this was con- firmed by my own trials about the same time. I after- wards accidentally lost the stock, and although I ordered it of several respectable firms, I could not succeed in getting it true until I wrote to Messrs. Fisher, Holmes, and Co. It has also the shortest top of any Potato I know. It produces from four to six fair-sized tubers at each root, with few small. The flesh is firm, but yellowish ; flavour good. It has probably gone out of fashion from being somewhat below the average in productiveness ; but for earliness it is invaluable. The absence of this variety and the Coldstream Early from the recent trials at Chis- wick is somewhat singular ; the latter variety having also obtained a high character for earliness. In my own trials the Coldstream was, however, later and taller than the Handsworth and several of the other early varieties. King of the Earhes (American) is the handsomest of the early round Potatoes, having firm white flesh; is nearly as early and more productive than Handsworth, but the flavour is sweetish, and unsuited to English tastes. With this variety I took the prize for round Potatoes at Northampton in September last in competition with most of the well-known sorts produced on the fine garden land in that neighbourhood. The true old Ashleaf followed the Handsworth next under glass, and is to be preferred also, on account of its shorter haulm, to the other kidney varieties for forcing. But for open-air culture Myatt's Ashleaf, or— what appears to be a very fine stock of it— Veitch's Ashleaf, is the only one of the class I intend to grow in future. For the general crop I have selected for quality from the second earlies Mr. Fenn's Eector of Woodstock, a very handsome flatfish round Potato ; Climax, very pro- hfic ; the new American Snowflake, handsome and good ; Cobbler's Lapstone ; Red Emperor, from Messrs. Barr and Sugden, a good-lookmg reddish Potato ; and Mr. Fenn's Bountiful, a first-rate medium-sized kidney. I shall also grow again President, King of Potatoes, Beaconsfield, and Premier (from Mr. Gilbert), all handsome, and apparently useful sorts, but not tried here in sufficient quantity at present. For appearance Parker's Ashleaf, a scarce flat- tish-round variety; Giant King, and Jackson's Kidney I think the handsomest of all Potatoes, and in this I am supported by the opinions of Mr. C. Frisby, the clever gardener to Mr. Chaplin, through whom I originally received the sort, and Mr. Gilbert; but it is smooth- skinned, and as it has r.irely more than a single eye, it requires great care in planting, for if the sprout be rubbed off the tubers sometimes never start at all. As a special and limited selection from the above for small amateurs who garden in the rich old humus of towns, I would recommend for early work Early Ashleaf and Early Handsworth, to be followed by Veitch's Ash- leaf, and for general crop Rector of Woodstock and Cob- bler's Lapstone. These are true garden Potatoes. It is not advisable to plant the coarse-growing later sorts in such a position, as they can usua;lly be produced more No. 1872.- Vol. LIU., Old Series. 24 JOURNAL OF HORTIODLTXIBE AND COTTAGE QABDENBB. [ January 11, 1875. profitably and of better quality as an agricultural crop. Some years ago I found myself in a dilemma as to the best sort to grow in town gardens for general work, and was kindly re- ferred by Mr. Penn to tbe Lapstone, the best-flavoured of all Potatoes; and judging from results, it would appear to have been one of that indefatigable cross-breeder's aims to secure a good town-garden Potato, and in this he seems to have suc- ceeded admirably with Rector of Woodstock, which has larger tubers and is more fertile than the Lajstoue. Formerly I used to grow Early Oxford in such situations, and found it a very valuable early and yet long-keeping sort. I, however, lost it, and have never again been able to get it true. Singu- larly also the true variety does not appear to have reached the Royal Horticultural Society. Of latish main crop varieties I have selected, as the best for quality and appearance, Oxfordshire Kidney, rough-skinned, and very good; Late Rose, large, and very prolific; Model, very handsome and good ; Brownell's Vermont Beauty — of which I received two varieties, one through Mr. Dean and Messrs. Hooper & Co., said to be Messrs. BUss's type — a hand- some, longish, and sometimes kidney-shaped sort, of a similar tint to Early Rose ; the other from Messrs. Carter & Co. , a handsome roundish variety, of a darker red in colour, and appa- rently intermediate between Wood's Scarlet Prolific and Red- skin Flourball, but which of the two is the true Richard I am unable to determine. From the Chiswick Report of 1873 the former would appear to correspond with the variety tried there. Both sorts were late with me. Scotch Blue, synony- mous with Duncan's Seedling, is purplish-skinned, and another good main-crop sort, and not so late in ripening. Prairie Seedling and Willard's from Messrs. Sutton, also Red Fluke from Mr. Dean, showed sufiiciently well to induce me to grow them again. Regents, of which Gryffe Castle and the Dunbars are the best. Flukes and Paterson's Victoria, or rather the selection from that variety called The Queen, which is un- doubtedly Al as a general-crop late Potato, cannot be dis- pensed with by large growers. Red-skin Flourball, from Messrs. Sutton, I have grown here for three years, the last two in considerable quantity ; but on this soil it is coarse, waxy, and liable to disease, and not so good for very late purposes as Wood's Scarlet ProUfic. We have a very late sort grown in this locality with numerous eyes, known as the Pink Kidney, and it is undoubtedly a good keeper, but its flavour is too strong to suit my palate. From the trials I have been unable to discover sufficient distinction between Veitch's, Rivers's, and Myatt's Ashleaf, Gloucestershire Kidney, King of the Kidneys, and Caversham Defiance; and in rounds. Early Gem did not come up to King of the Earlies. Amongst the Lapstones, which include Pebble White, Taylor's Hybrid, Berkshire Kidney, Ashtop Fluke, and Cobbler's Lapstone, I shall retain only the latter, as, if not identical, they have all a strong family likeness. Belgian Kidney, which has a distinct long tuber, and Wonderful Red Kidney, being good in appearance and of fair quality, are worth attention for exhibition. Rintoul's Early Dun and Fortyfold are both Regents in type, the former said to be a graft hybrid. Silver-skin, Excelsior, Dawes's Matchless, Webb's Imperial, and Prince of Wales are very fine second-early kid- neys, but watery, and apparently unusually subject to disease. Amongst Americans, Extra Early Vermont seems very like Early Rose, very prolific, and useful in a dry season like the past, but usually unsuited to the English palate and climate, except where mere quantity is a desideratum ; for this reason I shall discard Peachblow and Bresee's Prolific and Peerless, the two latter both very fine in appearance. Compton's Sur- prise, the chief recommendation of which variety appears to be its productiveness, I have not tried. We are, however, greatly indebted to our transatlantic friends for an entirely novel strain. As a rule their Potatoes are vigorous and rapid growers, and in a hot summer or dry climate like that of most of the American States, where our firm- fleshed small early sorts would probably be worthless for pro- duce, their flavour is doubtless improved, and the growth less luxuriant. The best seem to be Early Rose, said to have originated in Alaska, and perhaps the parent of most of the new American sorts. Late Rose, a selection from it, King of Earlies, Brownell's Beauty, and Snowflake, these will be of service to those who like a light-fleshed Potato, easy of diges- tion, and will probably come in for cross-breeding purposes to increase the fertility of our earlies. But for an Englishman's Potato we must look to the advances made by the late Mr. Faterson and Mr. Fenn. His Rector of Woodstock ought also to displace the Lishman's Potato, which appeared to be the Early Shaw, a sort very much run upon in Ireland, and the only one I met with at table during a fortnight I spent there in August last in the south and west. It is a deep-eyed and waxy second-early variety, of good flavour, but unprofitable where Potatoes are jacketed before being brought to table. I never saw a kidney Potato there, although constantly changing my quarters. Of novelties to come — and they seem to be thickening — we have Mr. Fenn's Early Market and Early White Kidney, both of which are said to be first-rate, and have been certificated by the Royal Horticultural Society ; also his Perfection Kidney, a quasi-graft hybrid, the earliest and handsomest of the Lap- stone family ; and The Favourite, a dwarf second-early variety, of superb quality, and good for exhibition. These are being sent out by Mr. Dean, of Ealing and Bedfont. From America, Alpha (Pringle's), 12s. per lb. ! is said to be ten days earlier than Early Rose, and both it and Messrs. Thorburn's Early Paragon to excel their British compeers. Mr. Brownell's Early Non- such and Eureka are pronounced as first-rate, and are likely to be competitors for the Whitcomb prize of ?200 to be awarded there four years hence for the best seedling Potato. In France La Reine Blanche is stated to be excellent in quality and well adapted for variable seasons ; and if we add to these Oattell'a Echpse, Dwarf White, Early Dimmock, and Barron's Per- fection, all certificated by the Royal Horticultural Society during the past season, and Messrs. Lee's Early Hammersmith Kidney, we have fourteen sorts — surely enough for the most enthusiastic Potato-maniac to experiment on ! and what with the prospect of International Potato Shows at the Crystal Palace and in France next autumn, the noble tuber appears in a fair way to become an enthroned dignity amongst vegetables as the Rose is amongst flowers ; and at this rate some of your readers may live to join a Potato Society, and to read the Potato Chronicle. — Thomas Laxton, Stamford. SELECTION OF EOSES. I WAS much delighted with, and interested in, the Rose tournaments or elections which were reported in your pages. The wonderful manner in which certain Roses obtained almost unanimous votes of confidence in spite of necessary differences of climate, soil, and temperature surprised me; and I con- sidered these lists very valuable to the amateur Rose-grower, and perhaps also to the nurserymen, as indicating the sorts likely to be in demand. But I confess the selections of Roses made occasionally in your columns puzzle me. Taking a selection of twenty Roses made in your issue of December 24th by the Rev. W. F. Radclyffe, commencing " 1864, Achille Gonod." I placed my own list of the twenty best Roses along- side it, and was surprised to find the two lists had no Rose in common. In this list, and in the amplified one in your paper of December 31st, the Roses are probably not intended to be placed in order of merit ; but the fact stated above suggests to my mind that anyone asking for a selection of Roses should state, first, proposed mode of cultivation ; second, climate ; third, soil. I have purposely placed them in this order. Let me, then, state my position to commence with. 1st, I am cultivating in a high double greenhouse up the rafters, similar to growing Viues (there were Vines there before). 2nd, Cli- mate is the ordinary greenhouse, with suflieient heat to induce flowering in March and .\pril. 3rd, The soil is the best turf- mixture one can make, in slate boxes, between the wall and pipes, but not touching the pipes ; and we give them some pretty strong drink when we see the flower shoots. Now, I want to know what Roses your correspondent would recom- mend me ; and ploase to remember I am fearfully hard up for a crimson. Meantime I will tell that I have given up two Roses I bought marked climbing: Climbing Devoniensis, stock un- known, because it would not climb ; Climbing Victor Verdier, same offence, coupled with aggravated mildew. I give my most successful trials in their order of merit. 1st, Fortune's Yellow, magnificent flame colour, the finest half-open buds I ever saw; 2nd, Marechal Niel, Cfiliue stock from Curtis of Torquay, enormous flowers; 3rd, Reve d'Or, summer- flowering yellow, very free ; 4th, Gloire do Dijon, flowering now ; oth, Devoniensis (not marked climbing), on seedling Briar, from Prince of Oxford. N.B. — Tbe above five have reached from 15 to 20 feet long, with clean stem 4 feet, (ith. Due de Magenta, apricot colour, about 8 feet. And I am now trying the following : — 1st, Perle de Lyon, a splendid deep yellow, but I think a doubtful ohmber ; 2nd, another Mareohal ; Jamuiry 14, 1875. ] JOURNAL OP HORTIODLTOBE AND COTTA GE GARDENER. 25 3rd, Souvenir de David, crimson Tea, lovely colour, seems Hybrid China, from Curtis of Torquay, doubtful climber. I think I might make Safrano climb ; but I doubt if either Belle Lyonnais or Sombreuil are worth trying, though certainly the former will climb. — Sucker, West Kirby, Birkenhead. A FEW^ PEKNS NOT USUALLY WELL GROWN. Some people think, say, and even write, that Ferns are the simplest plants imaginable to grow. I differ entirely from such an opinion, and after an experience of many years I find a good many of them that puzzle me still. That more Ferns are killed by heat than by cold, every year shows me more and more clearly ; but the result of my own experiments recently leaves no doubt whatever on my mind that such is the case, and further convinces me that the reason why there are so many failures is that cultivators coddle them to death. Some of your readers may say here, " Nonsense. I never saw a Fern yet that I could not manage easily enough ;" and of such a Fern-cultivator I ask. Have yon succeeded easily, or indeed at all, in the case of the following kinds ? — Didymo- chlsena trunculata or truacatula. This is classed as an ever- green stove Fern. I find it is nothing of the kind. Did you ever find the pinnae drop off, and wonder at the reason ? I grew this in a stove for several years, and though the plant thrived apparently, and threw up plenty of fronds, all the pinnse invariably dropped off, leaving the stems bare and un- sightly. I adopted all kinds of ideas, but none of them suc- ceeded. Lastly, resolved either to kill or cure, I potted my solitary specimen in strong loam only, and removed it from the stove to my British fernery, whioii has no heat beyond a flow and return 4.inch pipe to exclude frost. The result has been almost magical, for the plant throws up fine fronds of a brilliant colour, and though I repeatedly shake them purposely, every one of the pinna) keep their places, and at this moment all the fronds have been on many months, and still look as fresh as paint, with all the pinna3 perfect. I am greatly pleased with my success in this instance, for this Fern is truly a beau- tiful one when grown as I am now trying it. Lomaria cycadie- folia and zamiffifolia, decidedly two of the handsomest of their tribe, and, when well grown, charming : the same remarks apply to both of these, which are in my British fernery, and have been so all this severe winter, the frost occasionally getting inside the house 2° or 3' (my boiler would not work, being badly set), and no injury whatever resulting. Grown under perfectly cool treatment these two Ferns throw up much stronger fronds, are quite clear of insects, and the vivid green of cycadffifolia is a marked contrast to the pale sickly colour of it when coddled, or even moderately heated. I have tried the latter system, and failed miserably. In the same house I have had all winter three large speci- mens of Gleichenia flabellata which perfectly revel in strong loam, plenty of water, good drainage, and absolutely cool treatment. Mr. Findlay, the Curator of the Manchester Botonical Gar- dens, who visited me a few weeks ago, expressed his astonish- ment at the treatment first of all, and next at the luxuriant growth of these Gleiohenias in particular, and he added that the moment he returned home he would remove his own plants from heat to cool treatment. Unless G. flabellata is cultivated in a perfectly cool house it produces small, yellowish-coloured, sickly fronds — a marked contrast to the vigorous, bright glossy green, immense-sized fronds, the result of cool treatment, some of which on my largest specimen measure more than 2J feet across. I enclose portion of an old frond 15 inches long, and rather over 3 wide — most unusual size, I think. Much doubt was expressed at the Pomona Palace Show, held in Manchester the first week in December, whether my large plant of Gleichenia rupestris (awarded the silver medal as the finest plant in the Exhibition) would survive the ex- treme cold to which it was there subjected. I had no such fear myself, as the plaat had been previously hardened-off almost within an inch of its life, and it is now growing vigor- ously. I will return to the subject shortly. — T. M. Shuitle- WOBTH, F.R.H.S. to July 20th, as may be seen by referring to the Journal of July 30th, 1868, page 76. We have had a most extraordinary variation of temperature here. On January 1st we registered 2Cf of frost ; and on January 4th, at 8 p.m., the glass stood at 50\ — John Platt, Hillington, King's Lynn. Deficient Rain.— Oa page 585, No. 718, of the Journal, Mr. Wright says that from the end of March to the 22nd of July only 3 24 inches of rain fell, and asks. Is not that unpa- ralleled in Britain ? In 18G8 we had only 0-88 from April 20 th WEATHER, WORK, AND MEANS. The work of the garden must be doue. It cannot be done in spite of the weather, nor to the greatest advantage, without due and sufficient means. Every man endeavours to do work at the proper time of doing it, or at least he should so endeavour with his whole power, as that is the most creditable to himself and most profitable to those employing him. In the great majority of gardens aid only just sufficient to the carrying on affairs is allotted, even if the weather is fairly favourable to the steady prosecution of routine proceedings. Many circumstances of which the employe can know nothing may conspire to pre- vent the owner feeling himself warranted in providing a pro- digality of aids to meet every want and emergency of his garden. An enthusiastic gardener may, and no doubt does desire all this, and is surprised that his employer cannot see the same as he. But then the coachman, the keeper, and the butler are the same. All wonder where the master puts his eyes. Each one thinks his own department, at any rate, should be abundantly provided for, whatever else may be restricted. That is human nature : nor can any fault be found for this high estimate of their calling by those who represent it. It is in itself a worthy and creditable feeling which impels every man to do the best in his position, and for the honour of his craft. But we cannot make or reasonably expect a gentleman to look at everything through a pair of garden, or game, or stable magnifiers continually. He wiU look with his natural vision at all, divide his interest over the whole, and form his judgment on the dictates of half a hundred other things un- connected with either. That may be taken as fact, and it is as well to admit it at the outset, as paving the way to a more sober and just estimate in one's judgment of another. What- ever, then, the gardener may be, we must accept the fact that every garden owner is not a garden enthusiast ; yet, for all that, such owner may derive much pleasure and benefit from his garden. He may, and no doubt does, enjoy its beauty, neat- ness, and health of its crops, without, however, making it the be-all and end-all of his outdoor domestic pleasures. Certainly the garden is full of them if they could but be brought out by a more lively interest and sympathetic care. This class of garden owners (and they are the great majority), apportion aid to this department which, by thoughtful application and hard work, are made fairly sufficient for the purpose in the absence of any natural and unpreventible impediments preventing the right work being done at the right time. That is the very keyhole of good and profitable gardening. The neglect of a week, aye, even the neglect of a day, in the completion of any given work, may, and has, and will again, make a momentous difference in the looked-for results. Indeed, all the difference between success and failure may be locked up in the small period of less than a week. Neither can it be expected that an employer is able to recognise this, for the very sufficient reason that it may be many mouths before the effect follows the cause, and by this time both the said cause and the cir- cumstances which produced it are vanished from the memory of the master, yet not so from the man, but to whom it is hard work to explain a failure, which by a little timely aid might have been prevented. A season of extreme drought is an immense trial to a man who under ordinary circumstances always has his hands full. He must work with redoubled effort to keep things going, by watering and other efficient means to the same end. Eventu- ally the rain comes. Planting must be done, but the ground is not ready. Celery must be got out, but the trenches are undug. By the time this necessary work is done the showers are gone and the burning sun is as fierce as ever, and planting must be done under unfavourable conditions, and extra labour be involved to carry on the unestablished and struggling crops. The week — all-important — was lost, and nothing can afford adequate compensation. Tet there was no help for it. A little extra aid at a timely juncture and under pressing cir- cumstances would have made all the difference between a full and satisfactory, and a partial and unsatisfying result. The autumn comes with its falling leaves and interminable Utter. Ground is cleared, waiting for manure and spade. The hands of the worker may itch to get at it. But a tidy appearance 26 JOUBNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ Jonaar; 14, 1875. must be kept as well as may be ; and wben it is not raining i the immediately presBing work is cleaning, and securing, and protecting. The frost and snow come, even perhaps before all is BPcnre, and the ground is still undug — unmanured. That is the inevitable result of a wet autumn and early winter. We have next early spring upon us, and not only the winter's but much autumn work in arrears. There has been no help for it. All has been done that was possible under the conditions, yet here is the work undone. What is — what must be — the result ? The owner is uncomfortable, but his discomfort is not nearly so keen as the gardener's, who has plodded on under a crush- ing sense of self-conscious helplessness, and now is drinking the bitters he knew must come. Here is autumn — winter's — work crushed on spring, and a jumbling-together of the three when summer's work cries aloud for labour. The year's muddle is complete, and the garden, instead of being a plea- sure and deUght, is a source of trouble and anxiety to owner and workman. In hundreds and thousands of cases the position at this moment is as just described. The long, drizzly, littery autumn was followed by a sudden, early, and prolonged winter. The work, which in an ordinarily mild season would have been completed, is pushed on spring, when every day brings its own demands on the worker, and arrears must be left undone, or at least shuffled over, to the certain disadvantage of everybody concerned. There is a remedy, but the golden season of autumn is lost. That is the time of time of times to press on, by a little extra labour, the seasonable work of the garden. As soon as ever ground is cleared a double-quick march should be made to get it turned up and the manure under. Digging before the surface has become cold by frost or logged with surface water is the royal road to a profitable goal. That makes a garden in winter enjoyable by a sense of order and neatness, benefits the ground by a way nothing else can, gives health and freedom to future crops, lessens summer labour, and concentrates — what is there — adequate strength to the ever-recurring work of the hour, and secures also this great — important — desideratum of making master satisfied and man contented. That may be done by a little timely aid at a critical time, and assuredly nothing pertaining to a garden is better worth the doing. But that time is past, and yet much autumn — winter's — work undone. The position is this : The work of two terms heaped on one, and within one short march of another, for spring will soon be on us with its urgent call to duty. To extricate himself unaided, one man must do the work of two. Logic and expe- rience alike drive to that plain fact. Can he do it ? Clearly not. He must have aid, or work be half done and the summer a muddle. Experienced owners who care for their gardens will recognise the state of the case, and their practical acquaint- ance with seasonable routine will suggest the aid they will give unasked. That is pleasant and satisfactory. Those less experienced will naturally lack that discernment, but may not lack the consideration when the case is put before them. A modest, hopeful, plodding man has diffidence in putting his own case, and keeps plodding on. The time comes when he is out of his depth, and compelled in self-defence to revert to the cause of his difficulty. How many kindly employers would then reply, " Why did you not tell me at the time, and I would have helped you?" No doubt there are many such. This is to let them know, while there is yet time, what the position is now, and what they may do to make their home- Burroundings enjoyable and prosperous in the ensuing season. Not, be it observed, as altogether conferring a favour on the man, although he will so regard and appreciate it, but as a work whereby he himself will benefit in the better state and prosperity of his garden, and as winning, by encouragement given at a happy moment, the more willing and consequently more profitable services of a good servant ; and if he happens to be only moderate and such encouragement fails to improve him, well then , but I will not pass judgment. Now, have I been leading too fast, and shall I apply the lash ? Perhaps it may be necessary. Do not, then, be in haste to make up for lost time in putting on force to manuring and digging the moment inclement weather takes its departure. Let the ground have time to drain, and the surface become naturally firm, dry, and clean to work. Do not be driven to turn under any frost and snow ; the earth is cold enough without any such violently cooling supplement. It takes half the summer to warm ground in which ice is buried G inches deep, and plants cannot grow freely in a soil-temperature too low for their natural requirements, but only exist and invite insects. It will therefore be wise to wait awhile for favourable conditions and then press on. In the meantime there is another kind of waiting — steady industrious men waiting for work, with dependent families made hungry by frost. They will be glad to bring up arrears and be benefited. Their labour will be profitable ; the garden manager will have a fairer field for his skill, and produce a better reward by his industry; and the employer may rejoice in the good he has done — good of the best kind, inasmuch that by benefiting others he has benefited himself — a fitting inauguration of the yet new year. —J. Weight. OUE FOEGET-ME-NOTS. Who has not while strolling by some water side paused to admire our beautiful Forget-me-nots, and whose lovely blue wins attention and charms the eye ? Myosotis palustris — why do we not see this native gem in our moist borders in greater abundance? Is it because it is to be seen in almost every ditch and pool, or is it too common to be taken into considera- tion ? Be this as it may, we have not a more beautiful flower on our native soil, nor one more easy to cultivate when once established. It requires very little care, and will prosper by land or by water. It may be increased by seed or division ; it sows itself, and the seedlings may be moved to the place in- tended for it when large enough. It is a most useful plant for bouquets, and may be made available for indoor decoration. Grown in pans in a cold pit or frames with plenty of air, and well attended to with water, it may be kept in bloom nearly the year round. Beautiful as it is when cultivated, it is seen in its greatest beauty in its own native habitat by the pool in the early morning, when the sun is just peeping upon it and its flowers are bathed in dew, or when evening's mantle sub- dues the light which falls on them. It should hold a. very prominent place in the early spring garden ; will succeed in most soils, but should be well suppUed with water in dry situations. When past its best it is easily removed to be replaced by other occupants of the garden. Myosotis dissitiflora is a very desirable border flower, often cheering us with its lovely flowers from early spring tQl late in autumn. It is of compact habit, is easily increased by seed, requires Uttle care, but often requires the hoe to hold it in check. I think there is a little confusion respecting this and other Forget-me-nots which, if it could, would be as well cleared up. Have we not the same plant under different names ? They are a widely distributed family both in our own and other lands. The alpine species do well on a moderately moist rockery. They are not very particular as to soil ; a compost of good loam, sandy peat, leaf mould, coarse grit or charcoal dust will suit most of them. They require drainage and atten- tion in watering. Myosotis azorica is a real gem and an acquisition to any collection. M. californica is a very desirable plant, its flowers being white producing a fine contrast with the blue varieties, and requiring the same treatment. M. rupicola, the queen of the family, ought to be on every rockery in the land and in every collection. Being one of our own native species makes it the more desirable. It is well adapted for edging the foot of the rockery, but requires good drainage and a rather shady situation. It may be grown in pots for indoor decoration, and should be seen in masses to be appreciated ; when so seen it cannot be easily forgotten. — Vekitas. DO VABIETIES WEAR OUT? The Journal of Horticolture has reproduced an article written by Professor Asa Gray, in the New York Tribune, on the wearing-out of varieties. Mr. Asa Gray having done me the honour to notice my opinion on the subject, I have thought it necessary to send him the following answer. — Jkan Sisley, ii/OHs. " Sir, — In reply to the article you have published in the X'cw York Tribune, and in which you have done me the honour to refer to me, I take the liberty to lay before you that, in my opinion, there are two incontestable facts — " 1, The unity of universal hfe. " 2, That every individual is a variety. " It follows that in all the universe and among all beings life is transmitted iu like manner. That every creature which exists ought to die and re-enter universal Hfe to make room for other beings of its kind, or more highly perfected than itself. " That variabiUty is manifested everywhere. That there are Janoary 14, 1875 ] JOURNAL OP HORTICUIiTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 27 not two leaves of the same tree which identically resemble each other. That no two beings, not even twins, are exactly alike. That the seeds of the same plant, of the same capsule, never identically reproduce the mother, and tbat no one of them is identically similar to the others, not even among annual plants. " Then if that is so, man cannot by artificial means per- petuate that which Nature has made variable. Man cannot have the power of changing anything to natural laws. Those who say that man by artificial means can prolong indefinitely the existence of a variety (of an individual), can they furnish the proof ? Is the life of man long enough to enable him to know the duration of the existence of a plant ? We know that annual plants die when they have accomplished the act of re- production. Has anyone studied the duration of perennial plants ? " It may be objected to the extinction of varieties, that Nature has provided a great number of vegetables with the faculty of continuing their existence by suckers, tubers, or rhizomes. But as alongside of this means of reproduction. Nature has put that of the continuation of the race of the species by seed, I conclude from it that the first means cannot be but temporary, and that the second warrants the admission that Nature does not wish perpetuity of the variety, because it would be contrary to the law of variability. " Why does man study natural laws — why does he seek to dis- cover their secrets, if is not to appropriate them to his wants '? If not that, what would this knowledge serve him ? It is, therefore, useful to know that varieties cannot be perpetuated. For man knowing that, utilises the means Nature offers him to regenerate varieties and ameliorate races. " This is what has already been done instinctively, uncon- sciously, for the Potato and for fruit trees, and is done daily in all the branches of horticultiue. — Jean Sisley." JOTTINGS ON LAST YEAB'S GARDENING. The year 1874 wiU ever be memorable in horticultural annals, Mr. Hunter having grown and exhibited a bunch of Black Hamburgh Grapes weighing 21 lbs. 12 ozs, the greatest triumph in Grape-growing achieved in this or any country. All honour to Mr. Hunter, hia name will continue on the page of horticultural history to the end of time. Had the feat been accomplished by any large-bunching kind, as, for instance, the Syrian, little indeed would have been the wonder, for had not Mr. Speechly at Welbeck in 1781 grown a bunch of Syrian to the weight of 19J lbs. ? Prodigies, it appears, in Grape- growing occur about once in a century. Speechly's 19i-lbs. bunch of Syrian has been described as a monster of a com- paratively inferior kind. And what is a 19.}-lbs. bunch of Syrian as compared with what it does grow to in Syria ? A mere fleabite indeed if the figurative ideal given of the spies laden with the fruits of Caanan be at all faithful ; a cluster of Grapes being a load for two men. Ideals of this kind have yet to be realised, and we certainly are advancing towards it, for Speechly's lOJ-lbs. bunch is so far outstripped by a bunch of Syrian grown and exhibited by Mr. Dickson in 1872, weighing over 21 lbs. — a clear advance in very nearly a century of 1} lb. The following year (1873), Mr. Hunter ad- vances to the front. Four pounds is a good weight for a bunch of Black Hamburgh Grapes up to that date, but he grows and exhibits a bunch of this kind weighing 13 lbs. 2 ozs. ; and in 1874 raises the weight of a bunch of Black Hamburgh Grapes to, as before stated, 21 lbs. 12 ozs. The vwdiis operandi by which such bunches are produced wiU, no doubt, never be told. Seeking to find it, as some have striven to, by insinu- ations of its being due to adroitness in adding bunch to bunch by experts at grafting, has not been attended with result other than disfavour ; spurned, indeed, by every gardener of Anglo- Saxon origin throughout the world. Condescend to such knavish tricks they do not ; acting openly, not placing their light under a bushel, but upon the exhibition table, subject- ing the products of their skill and industry to the world's Ught of criticism. Beyond the grand " output " of the Lambton Castle bunch of Black Hamburgh Grapes, 1874 were the least remarkable, horticulturally, of its predecessors. No introduction of ex- traordinary note of plant or fruit has taken place. There has been no innovation of any system, subject, or thing calcu- lated to turn horticulturists off the track they have hitherto pursued, otherwise much to spur them on in that they have been so successful by in years past, and only one by which it is to be expected in those to come. Culturally the Koyal Agricultural Society has, to its own satisfaction no doubt, proved there are no kinds of disease- proof Potato. It is hoped the public, and especially the ninety-four essayists, will be convinced that the prize of Earl Cathcart was justifiably withheld. Singular indeed woulil have been any other result by subjecting any kind of Potato to the culture practised by a majority of agriculturists. Expect to find disease-proof Potatoes, forsooth, following the treat- ment most calculated to produce it, which none know so well how to effect and compass as farmers. Certain kinds were not, I suppose, submitted for trial as disease-proof, cultivated upon a system most conducive of disease, its propagation and therefore continuance ; but certain lands were named by " several of the essayists " as disease-resisting when cultivated upon the system propounded by the essayists, the object of which is to prevent the Potato plant attaining growth favour- able to attack by the fungus. Culturally as well as by disease- resisting type of haulm, the Potato disease may, and will, be rooted out. Never will it be until there is a radical change in the system of culture. There will be no change amongst the great producers until it is by public opinion forced upon them. Another Potato famine would do more to remove the cloud than ninety-four multiplied into itself of essays. It would be more convincing than seeking to provoke by a liberal prize an antidote lor the disease, and apply it in such a manner as destroy its eflicacy — administer the antidote as the patient shall dictate, ignoring the precise instructions of the physician. Who would think to cure a patient of a complaint induced by stimulants by prescribing their continuance ? Instead of arresting the disease, it would be the best possible means to adopt with a view to a fatal issue. Respecting the other issue of the Potato essays, the life history of the Potato fungus, we are encouraged by the state- ment that the resting places of the oospores is likely to be settled. Granted, they are found on the Potato, or on the soil, or existed on plants of some kind. What then ? A so- lution for dipping the sets in prior to planting, an application to the land of mineral substance, with avoidance or riddance of certain plants, and maybe districts, will be suggested; and there it will, I have no doubt, all be found in the essays, so that practically we shall know as much as the essays would have given us at a much earlier date. Climatal conditions inducing to disease over which the cultivator has no direct or certain control are not to be ignored, nor could they well be in any essay otherwise than alluded to, for if the cultivator may not change the climate, it is his to adopt such precaution- ary measures in advance, as well as at the time of attack, as will lessen the virulence of the disease and stay its progress. Everybody knows all this and much more, but the agri- cultural mind is so wedded to its own ideas as not to admit any innovation from without, believing themselves ruined beforehand by everything intended for their good, and receiv- ing no change of ideas until altered circumstances forcibly put upon them cause them to do so, in the end finding them- selves and others every way benefited. If the Royal Agricultural Society is not to be congratulated upon finding disease-proof Potatoes, the country has cause for thankfulness in the comparative freedom of the Potato crop from disease, giving it less need of bread, and less dependant upon foreign supplies. The season 187-i was a dry one, but favourable upon the whole to most descriptions of crop. The hay crop hght, but secured in good condition. A light hay crop is a certainty of the early part of the summer having been dry. Grain crops upon the whole good, but Beans may be set down a failure. Root crops were upon the whole good, and yet there were some partial failures through drought. The season was not remarkable for great heat, though it was 91' in the shade, but nevertheless warm and dry ; and the warmth and congeniaUty of autumn were remarkable, being continued until late in November, when we had cold and snow, and that ever since. Christmas week was bitterly cold, reaching its climax on the evening of the 29th and morning of the 30th December, when the temperature (in Yorkshire) was at 6°, or 20" of frost. Spring fine and dry but with sharp frosts at night in April and May, the early part of June being very cold and did much injury in some places, especially to Pears. Ours were in blossom and had the flowers destroyed. Early Potatoes had their tops blackened by the frosts of April and May, and some damage done to fruit blossom, especially to Apples. The crops of fruit upon the whole good. Pears and Apricots with Plums being a good crop. Apples were in some places good, and in olliers indifferent. Bush fruit, excepting Black Currants, was •2H JOURNAL OF HOBXICULTUBB AND OOTTAQE GABDENER. [ Januarj 14, 1875. (?oo(l, Raspberries being inferior in size and maggotty. Blacls (Jarraats were very inferior in crop and quality. Nats abun- dant, and wild fruit unusually so, Brambles especially, hanging in clusters not unlike Grapes. Tlie Scarlet-berried Elder was particularly fine, and the common Elder plentifully fruited. Mountain Ash bore in plenitude its attractive berries, and the quantity of heps on the Sweet Briar enormous, rendering them beautiful objects in contrast with the snow of Dacember. Cotoueaster microphylla was resplendent with its coral beads upon its deep shining green-setting ; C. Simmonsi, though having larger berries, and being more or less plentiful, are not nearly so effective as those of C. microphylla, from the leaves of C. Simmonsi becoming partly sere, it at best being only partially evergreen. It is fine, however, for catting for deco- rative purposes, its orange fruit having a fine effect. For cutting, however, no berried plant is equal to the Euonymus europteus var., their opening capsules being very beautiful; they are, however, soon over. Berberis (Mahonia) aquifolia fruited very freely, as also B. Darwinii, but the fruit of these though very profuse is not nearly so beautiful as that of the common Berberry, or B. dulcis. The fruit of the common kind, B. vulgaris, and its white and yellow-fruited varieties, are very ornamental in early autumn. Sloes plentiful, but Crabs were thinner than usual, though the Siberian was heavily loaded, and what a beautiful object it is with its highly- coloured fruit ! Haws were not abundant, and Holly is often much more heavily loaded with its berries, which gives it its charm for Christmas decorations. The fruit of the wild Rasp- berry was not nearly so fine as I have known it, and it is plentiful in the woods here, having unquestionably been sown by birds, to whose agency is to be attributed the springing- up everywhere of Currant and Gooseberry bushes, especially in the vicinity of the kitchen garden. Guelder Rose is not sparing of its berries, but they are not attractive ; and though we have no finer object in the landscape in spring than the gorgeous bloom of the Bird Cherry (Cerasus pa Jus), it fruits very sparingly. Aucubas do not berry from the circumstance of quadrupeds stumping them, otherwise they are very beauti- ful. I might linger over the berries of the Portugal and com- mon Laurel, also Yow and many others, not omitting the beautiful Skimmia japonioa, which is of no use whatever where there is hare o rabbit, only to afford them a dainty morsel ; and there are the Gaultherias and many other berry or fruit-producing plants, all of greater or lesser beauty ; and the reason I allude to them is to point the beauty they impart to woodlands, yea, and ornamental grounds too, when the flowers are becoming scarcer day by day, and the yellow falling leaves acquaint us of the sealing of vegetation in winter's embrace. Those berries and fruits, what do they remind me of ? They cause the mind to picture in its eye the richness of the spring tide of promise. The landscape all aglow with the bright golden yellow of the Whin and Broom, the snowy whiteness of the Black- thorn, the Bird Cherry heightened iu effect by the delicate tinting of the Crab, remind of the time of blossom and flowers — Nature's promise of future benefits. They remind of the time of the singing of birds, without which the woodland, the field, the garden is without its amplitude of charm. Well may the ijirds sing. Instinctively they love to sing amid flowers. The drier the atmosphere the clearer their note ; yea, they sing as the promise is of a rich full crop of fruit. If there are none of these berrifd shrubs, fruit-bearing trees, the land- scape is a barren one in spring and autumn — a wilderness that knows only the note of the solitary birds. Berries and fruits tell us of the provision Nature has made for the recipients of its bounty. The birds, whose songs all delight to hesr, will be spared to us over a severe winter to gladden us with their song again in spring. Yes, if birds are wanted provide those for them upon which thoy subsist. It is futile to plant fruit or berry-bearing plants and not expect to have birds, and equally puerile to expect birds to sing sweetly in spring, to busy themselves in destroying slugs, worms, grubs, beetles, caterpillars, moths, butterflies, and swarms of lice- — one. other, or all blighting more or less the hope of the husbandman and of the birds — and not calculate that they will help themselves to the fruit. What are the poor creatures to live upon when the juicy insect food fails? Are they to keep the trees free of the grubs at the roots, and the caterpillars and lice of the head, without hope of reward? Instinct, setting aside reason, point they ought not; but as the fruit of the garden is for more rational beings, let us not forget that the labourer is worthy of his hire. Let no one be so selfish as to delight in the song of birds, admit bis help when no harm is done, but when the harvest arrives deprive the birds of their share. I do not mean admit them to the fruit unrestrained, for this would be instinct governing reason ; nor destroj- them, for that would be to deprive us of their song, and the further use they will be iu destroying insects. But whilst we prevent them of the fruits of the garden by nets, provide for them in the ornamental grounds shrubs and trees that produce fruit or berry, to them a substitute for the fruits of the garden. Upon these grounds I advocate fruit and berried plants. If the berried and fruit-bearing plants are beautiful in them- selves, in spring covered with blossom, and laden with fruit in autumn ; if birds are attracted by them, being most abundant in and near gardens, and orchards, farmyards, and vineyards, plant such things, the wild fruits of our land, for our native and migratory songsters. — G. Abbey. CHANGING THE COLODB OF FLOWERS. If flowers naturally coloured violet are exposed to the smoke of a cigar, they are observed to change colour and assume a green hue, which is more pronounced the more intense the original colour. This effect may be had — c t/., with the Thlaspi Violet, or Iberia umbellata, and the Julian, or Hesperis ma- tronalis. The change is due to ammonia in the tobacco. Start- ing from this phenomenon, an Italian Professor (M. Gabba) has made a number of experiments to ascertain the changes produced by ammonia in the colours of different flowers. His method was to put a little ammoniaeal solution iu a basin, and place a receiver over it containing the flower. In this v/ay he found blue, violet, and purple flowers became green, carmine-red flowers black, white flowers yellow, A'C. The most singular changes were presented by flowers in which several tints are combined ; the red lines change to green, the white to yellow, and so on. Another remarkable example is that of Fuchsias with white and red flowers, which the ammonia changed to yellow, blue, and green. After the flowers have undergone these changes, if they are placed iu pure water they retain their new coloration several hours, then gradually resume their original hue. Another observation by M. Gabba is, that the flowers of the Aster, which are naturally inodorous, acquire an agreeable aromatic odour under the influence of ammonia. Tney change from violet to red when moistened with dUute nitric acid. On the other hand, if enclosed iu a wooden case where they are exposed to vapours of hydrochloric acid, they assume in six hours a beautiful carmine red, which they retain when placed in a dry and shaded place, after being dried in the air and in darkness. [The above extract has been sent to us with a query whether we know of any other changes to be effected in a flower's colour. We know that many may be rendered white by sub- mitting them to the fumes of burning sulphur. We were told by an amateur gardener that he had rendered the flowers of the Primrose purplish by growing the plants in cow dung. Can any of our readers inform us of such changes of colour induced by applications to the roots of growing plants? — Eds.] DEATH OF MR. JOHN GIBSON. HoKTicuLTURE has lost one of its brightest ornaments in the death of Mr. John G-ibson, late Superintendent of Hyde Park, and formerly of Battersea and Victoria Parks. He died after a long and lingering illness ou the morning of Monday last at half-past flve. Mr. Gibson's father was gardener to Sir Edmund Antrobus ■ at Eaton Hall, Congleton, iu Cheshire, where the sou was bom in 1815. He has, therefore, finished his course at the com- paratively early age of fifty-nine. Mr. Gibson's gardening career began with his father, but in 18S2 he was apprenticed to Mr. (afterwards Sir Joseph) Paxton, then gardener to the Duke of Devonshire at Chatsworth. Such were the progress he made, and the characteristics he exhibited, that he was commissioned by the Duke to proceed to India as a collector of plants, and especially to bring home living specimens of the famed Amherstia nobilis. The success which attended his efforts is well known ; the Amherstia was introduced, and flowers of that gorgeous tree have occasionally been exhibited at flower shows ; and along with it some of the finest Orchids whioh now grace our plant houses and exhibitions. Of these we may merely mention Deudrobium Devonianam, Gibsoni, Jannary 14, 1875. ] JOUBNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GABDENBB. 29 Paxtoni, densiflorum, Cambriilgeaimm nnd formoBum, Antoe- tochilua setacens, Vamla teres, Saccolabinm denticulatnm, Camarotis puipmea, Cirlogyne Gardneriana, Ae. Mr. Gibson left Chatsworth in 1S49 to take the superin- tendence of Victoria Park, and subsecxuently of Greenwich Park, and when in 185S the planting of Battersea Park was begun he was transferred to take the management and direc- tion of a work with which by the admirable way in which it was executed his name will always be associated. Battersea Park is now beginning to dovelope its beauties, the planting so skilfully managed is producing its effects, and becoming, as every returning year rolls by, a more impressive monument of him who executed it. It is to Mr. Gibson that, while at Bat- tersea Park, subtropical gardening was carried out with such successful results, and which has tended to alter and improve the monotony which so long prevailed in our flower gardens and dressed grounds. In 1871 Mr. Gibson accepted the appointment of Superin- tendent of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, vacated by the death of the late Mr. J. Mann. Some months ago he was stricken with paralysis, which incapacitated him for his office, which is now filled by his son ; and as a mark of sympathy for him in his affliction, and a tribute to the estimation in which he was held, a handsome testimonial in money was presented to him by those who loved him as a friend and admired him as a man. EXHIBITION AT ANTWEKP. There is to be a Jubilee Fete at Antwerp on the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7ch of April on the occasion of the 125 th Horticultural Exhibition of the Koyal Horticultural and Agricultural So- ciute of Antwerp. It is to consist of horticultural products and objects of art, tools, and implements relating to horticul- ture. The schedule is a liberal one, and the large prizes, which range as high as £16, may be taken either in medals or in money. THE LATE MR. C. NORVAL THOMPSON. We have had numerous inquiries from readers of this Journal to know if any steps are being taken to relieve the necessities of the widow and orphans of the late Mr. Thompson. We are happy to say that a movement is being organised and will speedily be announced. We commend this case most heartily to the charitable and benevolent, and trust that they will help in their hour of need the bereaved family of one whose object in life was to do his duty and to minister to the wants of others according to his ability. The Editors of this Journal will be happy to receive subscriptions iu the meantime, till an organi- sation is formed; and let us remind our readers of the pro- verb, " He gives twice who gives quickly." ARCHERFIELD.- THE SEAT OF THE RIGHT HON. R. -No. 2. A. NISBET H.VMILTON. DIBLETON GARDENS. Any notice of the gardens of Mr. Hamilton would be in- complete without au allusion to the castle enclosure. Here the archffiologist and horticulturist may revel ; the one in the ruins of the massive pile, and the redections of the life, habits, and turmoU of the remote past ; the other in the glow- ing beauty of the modern flower garden, the conscious quiet security, the peace and repose of the present. Such a place as this is a standing, tangible, incontrovertible example of the advancement of civilisation, the refinement of manners, the improvement of habit, morals, law. It tells us as plain as stones can speak that once might was the rule of right, and force the soul of law ; and it tells us not less cU arly in the pure soft breathings in which flowers ever appeal, that conflict and turmoU have departed from the scene, and that order, immunity from strife, intellectual pleasures, and an ennobled taste reign in its stead. We may cherish the memory of the prowess and deeds of daring of our forefathers, and linger over their recital as "o'er a tale of love;" but let us not regret they are alien to this age of ours, or repine that the nation is less masculine than of yore, for such is but an empty fear and groundless notion. Encroach but on our honour, our liberty, or rights, and, in obedience to duty, the martial spirit and latent courage of the race comes out anew, and is still untarnished by an epoch of peace. But a greater triumph than the combats of the past is the triumph of the present over the passions of men ; the physical has succumbed to the intellectual, leaving, however, the physique unimpaired. That is a triumph to be proud of. llow has it been won ? By appeals to the higher faculties ; by education in its different phases as religious, political, artistical. When will the unob- trusive plodding brainworkers who are moulding the national mind in all that makes a nation truly great and good, when will they have a due meed of national honour and encourage- ment ? We give to our men of war swords, and statues, and medals, and none begrudges them their reward ; but when wUl the pioneers of peace, of home comforts, and prosperity — the tutors of a right-respecting, law-abiding people — when will they have the same meed of correlative and commensurate reward meted ? Well, the time is coming. Music and paint- ing and the sister arts have honourable recognition in their skilled representatives — even horseracing has royal patronage ; but has not horticulture done, and is doing, something to ele- vate the national taste '? Is not the practical skill that spreads such a feast of pure enjoyment iu the public parks and gardens of the land worthy of a tangible tribute of public appreciation ? Ought not those who open the gates of their private homes to recreate the masses — ought not they to have what they merit, something more than a few casual words of approval ? Is it too much to expect that those who spend their days and nights of mental labour seeking to evolve that which will benefit their fellows — nay, that which has benefited by the instrumentality of garden literature, which has been so powerful, so potent, so beneficent in its results — is it too much to expect that this great educator will one day have some crumbs of recognition which can well be spared from the tables heaped-up in honour of the civilisation of the sword ? There is, however, the reward of an appreciative people, and herein is the very proof of the higher tastes, the improved sentiments, of the present over the past. These thoughts had birth at Dirleton, and are such which could hardly fail to occur to any reflective mind. There is the past on one hand in the magnificent ruin, with the remains still visible of its moated barrier and protective portcullis, its ponderous masonry, outlooks, and dungeons — all savour of war. There, on the other hand, is the present — the bright smiling flowers, the luxuries of lawn and shade, free for the enjoyment of hosts of admirers who flock to the feast of nature and of art. Here, side by side, is the ancient and modern, the memories of war and the fruits of peace. We cannot see these without reflecting on the agencies producing them, neither would we if we could. We may dwell for a moment on an outline history of this grand old relic of feudal times, of which much has been written. An authority says that the Anglo-Norman family of De Vallibus or De Vaux obtained a grant of the Manor of Dirleton. In 1298 De Vaux's castle was besieged by Antony Beck, the marshal Bishop of Durham, on behalf of Edward I., to whom, after a desperate resistance it surrendered. Eventu- ally we find the estate in possession of Sir Walter Halyburton, who, marrying the daughter of the Begeut Albany, was created Lord Dirleton. The eldest daughter of the sixth Lord Dirleton carried the estate into the Euthven family, and was included in the forfeiture, and bestowed by the King oa Sir T. Erskine, who was in turn created Baron Dirleton. In the civil wars the castle was occupied by the Scottish guerillas, known as Moss Troopers, and who surrendered to Monk iu 1650. After the Restoration it became the property of Sir John Nisbet, from whom it has descended to its present owner, Mr. Nisbet Hamilton, who uses every care that the interesting pile shall be preserved in its pristine beauty to generations to follow. It is repaired with great taste, and the cleanliness of its rude interior betoken the oversight of owners worthy of being trusted with the keeping of this grand old memorial of the past. Sir Walter Scott in his " IBorder Antiquities" states that this castle and estate was the bribe which the last unhappy Earl of Gowrie held out to the cupidity of Logan, his associate iu conspiracy. It seems to have been coveted by that person in the highest degree. " I care not," says Logan in his corre- spondence, " for all the other laud in the kingdom if I may grip of Dirleton, for I esteem it the pleasantest dwelling in Scotland." " We know not," says another writer, " a more lovely scene than is presented by this village, with its fine green, its noble pile of Ivy-clad ruins, and the distant rock- gemmed firth." This village green is a fine expanse of turf, bounded on one side by the castle enclosure, and around which the cottages are scattered, each in its own garden plot. In architecture these are plainly ornamental, and tell one on the 30 JOUBNAL OF HORTIOXJLTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ Janaary 14, 1875. PLANTING. 1, Dwarf Ageratum and Folemonium mixed, edge Crimson King Verbena. 2, Purple King, edge Me- sembryanthemum cor- diloUum Tariegatam. 3, Yellow Calceolaria, band of Dell's Beet, band of Artemisia, edge Lo- belia. 4, Bronze Pelargoninm, band Purple King, edge Alyssum. 5, Pe1argonitimSteUa,band Christine, edge dwaif Ageratum 6, Pelargoniam Golden Chain, edge Lobelia. 7, Pelargonium Flower of S^jriug, edge dweirf Ageratum. 8, Purple Stock and Arte- misia. 9, Pelargonium Christine, edge Verbena. 10, Pelai^onium Trentbam Bose, edge Nepeta teucrifolia. 11, Dactylis and Purple King mixed, edge tiolden Feather. Pelargonium Little David, edge Cerastium. i'ellow Calceolaria, edge Iresine Herbstii. Pelargonium Vesuvius, edge Alyssum and Lo- beha mixed. Pelai-;^oninm Bijou and Verbena venosa mixed. Dark Calceolaria, band of Chrysanthemum Sensation, edge Tro- paiolmn Cooperi. Viola Perfection, edge ViolaWhite Perfection. Pelargonium Crystal Palace Gem, edge double Lobelia. 12, 13. 14, 15, 16, 17, IS, 19. 20, 21, 22, Border by wall. Ornamental - foliaged plants. Palma. Tower. Fia- 8.— On oravel. .January 14, 1875. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 31 PLANTING AND ARRANGEMENT. bilAI-L CIRCLES. a, a, a, a, Four Araucarias. b, b, 6, 6, Four Irish Yews, large. r, c, Two CupresBusLawsoaiana, (Z, rf, Two CedruB Dcodaia. CD, Twelve vases, 2i feet high. 0, 0 (recess), Two large vases, 4i feet high. BEDS. 1, Clematis Jackmanni; edge Eu« onyraus raclicans. 2, 2, Groundwork yapocariacalabrica, with Ricinus and Cannas dotted 3, 3, Perilla with 8^^-feet plants of Acer Negundo 'variegata dotted 4 4, Clematis Jackmanni ; edge Gna- phalium lauatom 5, 5, Groundwork Sempervivums of sorts. Raised plants, Agaves, Yuccas, and ChamEcpeuce ; edge Echeveria secunda glauca. tj 6, Abutilon Thompaoni and Ire- siue Herbsti ; edge Kleinia repens. 7, 7, Groundwork Echeveria abys- sinica. Raised plants, Solanum macrantherum ; edge Iresine Lindeni. 8, 8, Groundwork Echeveria me- tallica. Raised plants, Copros- ma Baueriana variegata ; edge Mesembryanthemum cordifo- hum variegatam. U, 0, Groundwork Echeveria secunda glauca. Raised (large) plants, SempeiwiTuipYouDgiamun ; edge Mesembryanthemum cordifo- lium vaiiegatum. 10, 10, Hedge. 11, Recess out in hedge. Fig. 9.-"Grass gaplen. JOUENAL OP HOETICXJLTtJEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. [ Jannaiy 14, 1875. face of them that the comforts of the inmates are considered. It is striking to a southener to find the old Fuchsia Eiocartonii growing up to the eaves, pruned each winter like Vines, and blooming each summer in elegant profusion. Yes, indeed, this is a pleasant place, and salubrious, a covering of snow being seldom seen, and 12° of frost not often exceeded. Bat it is time we look in the flower garden. It is bounded by a massive wall, and entered by a door at, I think, the north-west corner. On entering is a burst of beauty. Straight ahead is an irregular strip — an outside slice, as it were, of the grounds, laid out in beds on gravel. These beds are of considerable size, varying from 30 to 00 feet over. They were one grand dense mass of bloom; no "enamelling" or anything of that kind, but light or glowing masses of colour. The gravel paths, being 9 to 10 feet wide, permit of easy pro- menade by the hundreds of visitors. In fact, there is room to enjoy the feast in comfort. These broad paths and large beds were an idea well carried out by Mr. D. Thomson, who must have had no small difficulty in fitting a suitable plan to a site so irregularly bounded. Its mere copying was a " take- in," but it is given as nearly accurate as possible. Each bed had a centre shrub of choice variety, or a pyramidal trellis of Clematis, Nasturtium, &c., which are a pleasing relief to the general flatness of the garden. This garden is about 360 feet in length, and the view from the tower at one end, and the abrupt rising ground, the castle mound, on the other, is a sight worth seeing. It is bounded on the right by a Yew hedge, and on the left by the boundary wall. By the tower is planted a plant of Wistaria sinensis, covering a length of wall of 220 feet, a noble plant, which blooms profusely. The rest of the wall is covered with the best varieties of Clematis. The long border is planted in squares, relieved by Irish Y'ews and variegated Maples at intervals. It is not necessary to dwell on the planting ; suffice it to say the high colours were very telling, and the mixtures chastely effective, all being well filled and finished. But there is another flower garden on grass in this en- closure, at right angles with the one on gravel — that is, on entering, the gravel garden is straight ahead, and the grass garden stretching away to the right. This latter is about 170 feet long by 100 feet wide. It is not nearly so brilliant, but is fully as interesting as the former garden. The one is expressive of past active life, the other of cool, quiet repose. The one intoxicates, the other soothes and sobers the mind. The plan of this garden is exceedingly plain, and like most plain designs is exceedingly efiective. Beautiful and healthy specimens of Conifers are here introduced, and the beds are mostly filled with succulent and fine-foliaged plants. There are, however, some flowers, notably the centre bed, which for richness without glare is not easy to surpass. It is a diamond- shaped bed with circles at the four points. In the centre is a tall shrub, and in the four circles lower ones. It is edged with Euonymus radicans, and planted closely with Clematis Jack- mannii in rich soil. The Clematis was permitted to climb ovi r and cover the shrubs. It was a pyramid of impenetrable bloom, some of the individual flowers being 5 inches in dia- meter. This is a fine flower anywhere — on walls, trellis, or roots ; but to see it in all its glory, treat it as treated here, and rejoice. It put all the beds in the place into the shade. It was the first in bloom and the last out. It was something to be proud of, a credit to the man who grew it, and an honour to him who raised the plant. The bed was 35 feet over, and 8 to 10 feet high at the centre point. This garden is adorned by twelve vases. The beds need not be further described, a plan being appended. It is easily adaptable to a place large or small, and is a nice example of the systematic and har- monious arrangement of shrubs, vases, and flowers. The old castle is quite hid from these flower gardens by large trees. In the centre of these is a sunken bowliig-green for the amuse- ment of visitors. Altogether this enclosure is a charming place, a retreat full of interest and beauty. On one day a-week it is open to all who appreciate the privilege, by enjoying without molesting. The place is in perfect order of cleanli- ness and good keeping, every necessary being allowed by the owner, and ably applied by the gardener. It lacks one thing. A mixed garden of old, hardy, herbaceous plants would be singularly appropriate within its confines. But it must be admitted that room for this is not easy to find, and to remove a single feature from such a place is an idea not to be lightly entertained. Without entering further into particularities, it may be said gentrallv and without reserve, that Archerfield and Pirleton are good and well-managed gardens in the several depart- ments. To Mr. Kettles I am indebted for much courtesy and hospitality, and to him and his kind helpmate I owe thanks for the first real rest (after a long, dark, tiresome journey), " over the border." — J. Wbiohi. A GARDEN OF HERBS. By a. E. Baer. The Greeks had a proverb, " Many worts and pot herbs in Syria," though Syria was only the heir of Babylonia, whose priests knew well the hidden virtues of herbs, and gathered many of them with magical observations, the traces of which remain in northern Europe imto this day. Certain it is that on this subject we are not the people with whom wisdom was born, and equally certain that much of the wisdom of the ancients died with them, or has come to us only as the bare tradition of a forgotten lore. I need but name " the sweet baleamic oil AVMch wept from herbs in Juda's fertile soil; " the balm that Jacob thought a noble present for the royal Pharaoh, the plants of which were so precious that Pompey, Titus, and Vespasian all boasted of having brought one or more to Eome. Josephus says that in his day Gilead had be- come exhausted, and that the royal garden of Balm was near Jericho. This garden, on their downfall, the Jews attempted to destroy, but were prevented : and henceforward the precious herbs shed their fragrant gum for heathen deities and the odalisques of the Turkish seraglios. Now the very plant can- not be certainly identified — it has become simply " a name to conjure with" — a password for the nostrums of quack and impostors. Of a very different spirit was the herb Basil. The Eomans sowed it with maledictions, and while they trod it down with their feet, forbade it to grow, averring that, so contradictious was its temper, it always did best what it was forbidden to do. In Mary's and Elizabeth's reign a pot of Basil was considered a compliment to any lady, but remembering its peculiar habits, it is just possible the compliment was a covert sarcasm. No plant has had so bad and so good a name. Old Gerarde greatly praises it, and says, " It is good for the heart and the head, and taketh away sorrowfulness which cometh of melan- cholie." Tusser has a little sneer for its dainty tastes ; and again. Lord Bacon commendeth its " fat and succulent leaves," which are yet such favourites with the French that none of their soups or sauces want the aromatic fragrance of Sweet Basil. " Why should a man die who nas Sage in his garden?" was a popular saying of Campania : for greatly was this herb valued for its healing qualities, and its power to strengthen the memory and induce wise thoughts. It has stUl some reputa- tion as an emollient, and I saw instances during the late war when the leaves dried and smoked in a pipe greatly allayed that irritability common to men deprived of their customary tobacco. I would not speak positively as to the " wise thou^'hts," but I know the words were more reasonable after it. The Chinese are immoderately fond of Sage tea : and the early Dutch traders there drove an excellent bargain on this basis : i lbs. of best Y'oung Hyson for 1 lb. of dried Sage leaves. In England, until within the last century, it was frequently mixed with cheese. Thus Gay writes : " Marbled witli Sage the hard'ning cheese the pressed." Within my own memory it was eaten with bread and butter or chopped fine and baked between rich pastry. Toads have a strong passion f'«r it, therefore it is customary to plant among the Sage bushes a little Eue, a ierb specially distasteful to them. " * Here's Rue for thee,' the poor Ophelia cried." Eue, which Shakespeare calls, " sour herb of grace, Kue, even for ruth ; " and makes it grow where a wronged queen has dropped a tear. I think he is a little unjust. Eue has a record which deserves more honourable mention. Every physician knows that it was the chief ingredient of the famous antidote of Mithridates, the true receipt for which was as follows: — "Two dry Walnut kernels, two Figs, twenty leaves of Eue, one grain of salt, pounded into mass. Whoever eats of this confection, fasting in the morning, no power shall hurt him that day." All the ancients, however, believed that for medical or magical pur- poses Eue ought to be stolen from a neighbour's garden. January 14, 1876. J JOURNAL OP HOBTIOULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDE NKR. 33 Pliny says that the Romans put this herb into their wine to prevent headache, and that painters and carvers chewed the leaves to preserve their sight. That some faith in its benefi- cence towards vision existed, even in the seventeenth century, is evident from Milton making the angel Michael purge Adam's eyes " with Euphrasy and Eue " in order to enable him to see down thr. long centuries of time. It is said that weasels, before hunting rats, seek for Rue, and that in warm climates they find in it an antidote for the bite of snakes. Whether for its power of antidoting evil, or for that of conferring clearer vision, it received the honour of being used for sprinkling holy water, I do not know. However, in the middle agog that was its religious office. Later on it was used as a powerful disinfectant, and was also made into a pickle, the leaves being first boiled and then preserved in vinegar — the same plant that charmed the bravest King of Pontus, that aromatised the Ciesars' wine, and gave insight to Grecian sibyls — the same, " but oh ! how different ! " Perdita, in the Winter's Tale, beautifully mingles Rne with Rosemary, thus : " For you, there's Kosemary and Eue : these keep Seeminfi and savour all the winter long, Grace and remembrance be with you both." And the fair Ophelia also uses the fragrant, dainty Rosemary in the same manner : *' There's Rosemary for you : tliat's for remembrance ; Pray you, love, remember." The accepted type of fidelity in love and friendship, it was (and is yet in some places) , the favourite funeral flower, the very best gift of love to the departed, placed upon the lips just be- fore the coffin-lid is closed. To this custom Kirke White pathetically alludes while contemplating his own early death : '* Come, funeral flower, who lovest to dwell With the pale corse in lonely tomb And throw across the desert gloom A sweet decaying smell. Come, press my lips and lie with me Beneath the lonely Alder tree ; And we will sleep a pleasant sleep. And not a care shall dare intrude, To break the marble solitude. So peaceful and so deep." Rosemary has been a favourite subject with many English poets, particularly Herriek and Shenstone. It is very partial to gardens over which sea breezes blow, and I have seen cliffs which were wet with the spray of high tides covered with this delightful plant, whose fragrance is often the first laud per- fume that greets the homeward-bound. I am astonished that Rosemary (Dew of the Sea) is not a greater favourite with married ladies : for it is a universal tradition " If Rosemary flourishes in the garden, then the lady rules the house." And how do we know what occult power is hidden in a sprig of Rosemary? Surely it is a fair and fragrant sceptre. Bees are exceedingly fond of Rosemary, and the far-famed honey of Narbonne derives its exquisite flavour from the abundance of this herb in the vicinity. Ruoellai says that Nature made Thyme on purpose for bees to make honey of. If so, they improve her gifts much better than we do God's best gifts to us. The famous honey of Thymettus was not only the extract of its fragrant Thyme banks, but the condensation of Grecian sunshine, of cloudless skies, and heavenly atmospheres. Bees are not the only lovers of Thyme. " Where the wild Thyme perfumes the puii)le heath. Long loitering there the fleecy tribes extend." The Thyme banks of the Cheviot Hills are the secret of the Cheviot mutton ; and the celebrated Southdown — a saddle of which is a dish to be named with respect — owes its delicate excellence to the same source. In Spain they use a decoction of Thyme to wash out vessels for wine, and the Anglo-Saxon all over the world appreciates its flavour in his soups, ragouts and forcemeats. Thirty years ago it was used instead of box wood for bordering flower beds — an old fashion now, I know, and one I never think of apart from some drowsy, quaint cathedral town — but it would bear transplanting to our fresh modern gardens : for if the borders are kept trimly cut, nothing can be sweeter to the smell or fairer to the sight. Mint is also a great favourite with bees, and if rubbed with honey inside bee hives it very soon attaches them to a new home. From the story of Baucis and Philemon we are led to infer that the Greek peasants scoured their tables with this herb; and the habit was probably just as common among the Roman farmers, for Pliny says " You will not see a husband- man's board in the country but is all seasoned from one end to the other with Mint;" and he also mentions the custom of putting it in vinegar to eat with meats. Spearmint prevents the coagulation of milk, and is therefore an excellent salad for those who use a milk diet. Another variety. Peppermint, makes a popular confection, and also gives a name to a favourite American beverage composed of Mint, sugar, ice, and brandy. Omitting the last ingredient, we would venture to say it was at least " better than might be." Surely, there are bitter cups enough in life without mingling them, yet even Wormwood has had its day. It was the "bitters" of the Egyptians and Romans; and if anyone de- sires to try it instead of " Plantation," here is the receipt : 1 oz. of Wormwood, 3 scruples of Arabian gum, 3 scruples of Spike- nard (Lavender), 3 scruples of Saffron, and 180 gallons of old wine." I rather think the proportion of Wormwood to the wine is something after the kind of Falstaff's " halfpenny worth of bread to an intolerable deal of sack." The Greeks dedicated Wormwood to Diana, probably because dogs are great lovers of it, and use it in all their diseases. The English dedicated it to St. John the Baptist, and then, with strange inconsistency, used it (before the discovery of hops) in brewing their ale. Still, its consecration was believed to have made it a potent spell against witches ; perhaps it was still more suc- cessful against moths and other insects. Nevertheless, the gift of Isis and the plant of Diana is now little more than " the fat weed That rots itself in ease on Lethe's wharf." Yet surely there is some significance in herbs, else why has " the Hyssop that springeth out of the wall " been so specially set apart for purifying and propitiatory services '? This herb was distinctly ordered to be used in striking the lintels and door- post with the blood of the Passover lamb. It was prominent in the purifying services for the healed leper, and in the ceremonies for cleansing unholy or unclean places. David, in the very depth of his self-abasement, cries out, " Purge me with Hyssop, and I shall be clean:" and when the Great Atonement was offered for the sins of the world, a sponge filled with vinegar, and lifted upon Hyssop to the lips of the Lamb of God, was the consummating rite of that stupendous sacrifice. See, then, how *' the meanest plant that ^ows can give Thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears." Are there not wayside flowers that consecrate " the ^fair hu- manities of old religion," secrets in a weed's plain heart well worth the winning, and homely herbs rich with the spoils of time and nature ? Do not fear, then, the lowliness of the sub- ject, for " Wisdom is oftentimes nearer when we stoop Than when we soar." — {Medico-PJiarmaceiitical Abstract.) PROVINCIAL HOBTICULTUEAL EXHIBITIONS. Secretaries will oblige us by informing us of the dates on which exhibitions are to be held. THE DISEASE OP CUCUMBER ROOTS. Nearly every grower of Cucumber plants is more or less acquainted with the peculiar disease which manifests itself in knots or nodules on their roots. These diseased roots have frequently been sent on to us for examination, and those- for- warded last week by Mr. John Piatt were so characteristic that to better explain their nature we here illustrate a section of part of one of the smaller nodules. The letter from Mr. Piatt in last week's Journal, page 5, well explains the symptoms of the disease, which are, however, well known to most gardeners. The root-nodules in question are generally assumed to have a fungus origin, but the Rev. M. J. Berkeley long ago described the disease, and showed it to be caused by a parasite of another nature. The description he illustrated with the utmost accu- racy. It would seem that the pest which causes the mischief is not always readily seen, or maybe it escapes into the sur- rounding soil, or, after working the mischief, perishes ; but that it is sometimes difficult or even impossible to detect Mr. Berkeley himself confesses. On this account Mr. Berkeley's observation has unfortunately been questioned, but he has quite recently been able to satisfactorily confirm its positive 3i JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. ( Januu7 14, 1875. aocnraey in Gardeners' Chronicle, Sept. 5, 1874. For our part we have frequently seen the interior of the nodules just in the condition described by Mr. Berkeley, with the parasites in all stages of growth, from the egg condition upwards. Our illustration represents on tl.e left the diseased roots natural size, and ou the right a thiu slice through one of the nodules of the roots forwarded by Mr. Piatt. The latter is an exact reflection from a camera luoida attached to the microscope, and shows the cellular tissue, a ; pitted and spiral vessels, b; the worms coiled up in the eggs, c ; worms emerged, D ; and empty eggs, e, from which the worms have escaped. Mr. Berkeley refers these parasites to Vibrios, which belong to the infusoria (properly confervoid Algffi), common in fo?tid water, Ac, and always, we believe, extremely minute in size ; but it will be seen from our figure, which is enlarged ICO diameters. that the animals there shown are just over one one-hundredth of an inch long, whilst Vibrios are ten times smaller, and do not arise from eggs, but increase by the formation of new joints and separation at the articulations. The parasite appears to us to belong rather to the oviparous section of the genus Anguillula, which includes the " vinegnr eel," and except that it is only one-half the size, it is very similar in all stages of growth to A. Tritici, an eel found infestii\" blighted wheat. It is often complained tiiat men of science cannot specify cures for the diseases they describe, but it should always be remembered that in regard to cures pathological botanists con- siderably resemble doctors of medicine. It does not follow that, because a doctor can tell by certain symptoms his patient may have Asiatic cholera or cancer, that he can therefore cure the disease ; or because a fireman sees your house is being Fig. 10.— The Disease of Caoumliei' Roots, enlarged 160 diametei-s. destroyed by fire, he can from that mere fact extinguish the blaze. Physic and water sometimes do wonderful things, and in the case of worms in the roots of Cucumbers, the best remedy is to destroy the plants and look to the compost, which probably harbours the parasites. — W. G. Smith. THE ARECA PALM. The most useful of all the vegetable orders are the Grasses, and next to them the Palms. They supply food, and shelter, and oil, and cordage, and beverage, and writing sheets to millions of easterns, besides many minor luxuries such as those obtained from Areca Catechu, the Areca Palm or Betel-nut Palm. It is a product of the East Indies and southern China. Its timber is used by the natives ; its leafstalks for making ropes ; its spathes for wrappers ; and the kernels of its nuts, which are harsh and astringent, for masticating. For chewing, a native takes a green leaf of a Betel-popper, one or other of the genus Chavica, stimulating as its name implies, spreads on it a little moistened quicklime (chunam), and scrapes on to this a little of the Areca nut, folds up the leaf, and it is then ready for chewing. It is commonly called " pawn." All classes in- dulge in the practice, and practice only can render it endurable, for it is intensely stimulating and injurious to the palate. The Malays carry their Betel or pawn-box as Europeans carry a snuff or tobacco-box, and offer its contents to a friend na a courtesy. The habit may be salutary to a population living ou vegetables, for, as Sir Emerson Tennant observed, the compound is antacid, tonic, and carminative. At the same time it is disfiguring, for the mouth and hps are dyed purplish red by the saliva which it colours ; and it is so destructive to Jannary 14, 1876. JOUENAIi OF HOBTICOLTORS AND COTTAGE aABDENEK. 35 the teeth that those of a man at the age of twenty-five are often quite destroyed. Meyen states that " on all the coasts of the East Indies and the adjacent South Sea Islands, the Philippines, the Carolinas, the Marian, and Society Islands, where chewing the Betel is a more or less common practice, the Areca Palm is planted near the dwellings, where it, in company with the Banana, forms a beautiful object. In the town of Manilla we find the Fig. 11.— The abeca palm. Betel Palms planted in regular rows before the houses ; and Plantains, Anona squamosa, Averrhoa Bilimbi, and other tropical trees grow between them. " In consequence of the enormous consumption of Betel in the Indian Peninsulas and in China, the Betel nut forms a very extensive branch of traffic. The export of it to China from the Eastern Peninsula and Sumatra is very large. Su- matra fuinishea yearly at least between 40,000 and 00,000 pikels (a pikel is 133J lbs. Eughsh), which are shipped from May until August. Sumatra together with the adjacent coun- tries, indeed, exports 80,000 or 90,000 pikela annually, which for the most part go to China. " The Areca Palm, although probably wUd only on the Sunda Isles and the adjacent Philippines, is most extensively cultivated not only in Sumatra but iu India. In Ceylon, and especially throughout Malabar, and still higher up the coast, 36 JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. I .lanaaiy 14, 1875. there are vast plantations of thia beantifnl Palm, and their produce is of great importance, for as everyone chews Betel, the consumption of Areca nuts in Ladia is incredibly great." NOTES ON VILLA and SUBURBAN GAEDENING. With the spring dawning upon ua, and the weather mild, and the soil comparatively dry and workable, reminda one that it is time for action in many gardening matters. The first of which should claim attention is the sowing of a crop of Peas, and planting a crop of Broad Beans. A warm border should be selected for both, and then, if the weather should not prove too severe, they may be expected to come in for use within a very short time of those sown in November, and with much better results as to produce, arising from the fact that they are reared nearer their proper season of growth. If the ground is not yet ready for the reception of the Peas or Beana they may be very profitably raised under hand-lights, to be afterwards planted out. Both of the above crops, if not improved by transplanting, are certainly not injured by it. It may be as well to mention that, when the soil is very wet and cold and not of the best staple, the Peas would be best sown very shallow and covered over with soil made up for the occasion. Thia system prevents the seed from rotting, which a wet heavy soil always favours more or less. But it must be borne in mind that, through the seed being sown shallow and the soil bad, the roots will have a ten- dency to grow but just under the surface; therefore during their growth they must be surface-dressed or mulched to keep them in health and growing order. The Broad Bean is not so parti- cular about soil, aa a heavy one if of moderate stability wiU moat Ukely suit it better than a lighter one. A few Carrots of the Early Horn kind should be sown at once under a frame ; if on a bed of heating material so much the better. This ought to be the second crop sown on the same conditions. A small crop should also be sown in the open ground, provided it is in a warm spot and dug. The Long Scarlet Frame Eadish, too, may be sown with them. Some people complain of the loss of Cauli- flower plants, not only those pricked out under walls, but many of those in hand-Ughts. When such ia the case sow soine seed in a frame — or a box no doubt would be more convenient for small gardens ; these to be afterwards pricked out on protected borders. They do not generally turn in quite so soon as those sown in autumn, but they do form a good succession, both tender and finer than older plants. The same precaution must be taken with regard to Cabbage, many of which have gone off in the beds. Now is a very convenient time to make up a hotbed. Perha,ps no time is so suitable for the amateur gardener. He can raise so many things by its help. If not wanted for Cucumbers or Melons for a permanency, the young plants can at least be raised in it, to be finally planted elsewhere ; and besides that, the general bulk of plants wanted for either department of the garden may be snccessfully raised in it. FKniT GAKDEN. Do not delay the pruning of anything now. Even Peaches, Nectarines, and Apricots must be now done, and especially out- door Vines, which if left too late are apt to bleed, to their injury for the next seaaon'a growth. Orchard trees, or those grown in that fashion in the garden, must be pruned also, which consists in the thinning-out of the old wood and branches where they are thick. Rhubarb in forcing beds must be watched this mild weather, and admit air and light to that fit for use, keeping the succession crops a little closer. FLOtt'ER GABDEN. In the flower garden there is not much to do but to trim and dress-up plants and dig the ground. Even the soil in the flower beds will be the better if once more turned over to a good depth. Lay turf during this auitable weather, and make any alterations on the lawn that necessitate the removal of turf. See to the edgings, and in cutting them take care that they are well de- fined ; even a email terrace embankment, if allowed to get out of shape its appearance ia spoiled. Take care that the ground is thoroughly rammed, to prevent the sinking of the soil and the unlevel appearance which the lawn will assume if it is not properly done. Admit plenty of air to frames and places con- taining cool-house plants ; and as the bedding Calceolarias are well rooted it would be better to take the point out of every shoot, otherwiae they become drawn and almost useleaa when planted out. A]l bedding plants that are growing unevenly, the tallest should be pinched back. The same may be said of Ver- benas and many other things of the same class. — T. Record. DOINGS OF THE LAST AND PRESENT WEEKS. FRUIT GARDEN. Since the third day of the present month the thermometer has not fallen lower than 3G°, so that the frost ia quite out of the ground. The Apple, Pear, Plum, and Cherry trees trained as pyramids and in the bush form bad been pruned in the autumn, and needed only to be looked over, and to have any branches that were crowded or crossing each other to be removed. The Cherry trees have been planted ten years, and are furnished from the ground to the tips of the branches with fruit buds. They have grown so large that it is difficult to cover them with nets, and if they are not thoroughly covered-in with strong nets, when the fruit is ripe the birds will risk their lives to get at it. Indeed, it is so dilficult to preserve it that we are digging out some of the trees and planting Apples in the place of them. In our shallow gravelly soil trees worked on siurface-rooting stocks are the best, and the course of treatment required for them ia very different from that given to those which are worked on stocks that send their roota down deeply in the ground and far outwards in search of sustenance. The trees of the latter are planted where they have opportunity to grow to a considerable size ; and when they have arrived at the stage of growing crops of fruit, a dressing of manure over the roots and forking it in will in most instances benefit the trees. In light soils the best treatment for trees on a dwarfing stock is to mulch over the roots with rotted manure ; cow and horse mixed is better than the latter by itself. Very often the spent dung from a Mush- room house or from a hotbed that may have been overheated is used, but cow manure ia the beat for light soils, and for heavy soils stable manure should be used by itself. In relaying the Box edgings they were raised a little to allow of a dressing of gravel over the walks without taking any of the old gravel out. This arrangement left the borders in which the fruit trees are planted a little lower ; and the way we have done this year has been to give the surface of the borders a good dressing with manure, and then to cover this over with soil that had been dog out to renew the vinery borders. If this had not been done the soil would have to be wheeled out, and then carted away where it would be of little value. When the trees were planted the union of the graft with the stock was not covered : the present dressing wiU just cover the union. Now, from previous expe- rience we believe that this is the right course to pursue with our trees. New roots wQl be emitted from the stock quite up to the point of union, but not above it, and the roots of previous years which have penetrated the border in aU directions will work up to the rich moist surface-dressing instead of downwards to the sterile subsoQ. When Strawberry plants in the open ground are exposed to very severe frosts they suffer much, but while the frost lasted they were covered with snow, which effectually protected them from injury. The Dutch hoe had been repeatedly used between the rows up to the time the autumnal rains set in. The few weeds that remained were picked-out by hand, ao that the quarter haa now a clean and tidy appearance. Some fine day in March the hoe may be run through them again. Many per- sons mulch their Strawberry beds in winter. This we have done, but found that it caused an over-luxuriant growth, and that a much better course of treatment was not to apply the mulching of manure until the dry weather set in, which with ua is usually some time in May, and before applying the dress- ing the beds usually receive a good soaking of water. We had begun to dig, or rather fork over, the ground between the rows of Raspberry plants when the snow and frost stopped us. No time wiU be lost in getting this done, and all other digging amongst fruit trees will be done without delay. FRUIT A.ND FORCING HOUSES. Where many houaea of difl'erent degreea of temperature are heated from one boiler aome experience is necessary to regulate the valves so that the greenhouses, &c., may not be overheated. Our own experience in regard to this is rather different from that of Mr. Taylor, who gave his in a recent number ; in his case the temperatures were reversed. The houaea that ought to have been 65" were down to 40', and the greenhouse up to 05°. Now, if thia is the case hia heating arrangements are very im- perfect. Our own experience of the one-boiler system extends over many aevere winters, and such a blunder has never hap- pened in any houses under our control. No doubt all the evil Mr. Taylor complains about is caused by the return pipes being higher than the flows. No heating apparatus could do its work with satisfaction arranged in such a way. It is not at all neces- sary, aa Mr. Taylor suggests, to go to the expense of pipes 5 and 6 inches diameter for the main pipes. Three-inch pipes are sufficient for all ordinary purpoaes, but the flow must be fixed at the highest part of the boiler, and the main pipes must rise gradually to the point furthest removed from theboUer; 1 foot in lUO ia sufficient, but, of course, the water will flow more rapidly if the incline upwards ia greater. The return pipe must be fixed at the lowest part of the boiler, and by the use of elbows near the boiler both flow and return may be carried along at the same level for convenience. Castings in the form of a T are used at each house to connect the flow and return with the pipes used in heating the house. From this the flow must again rise to the furthest point, and gently fall through the pipes to the return. E.ARLY ^^NERIEB. In houses that are forced early it is necessary to bend the Januojy H, 1875. ] JOURNAL OF HORTiOULTURE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. si rods dowa, so that the points are brought to a level of the lowest bads. Unless this is done it is quite possible that the eyes at the highest part of the house will start llrst, while those lower down the rod will start weakly or not at all. When it is seen that the eyes are starting regularly the rods must be tied-up to their proper position. In our earliest house this was done, and at the same time the roots received a good application of water, giving a dressing of manure on the surface afterwards to retain the moisture. Future waterings will wash the nourishment out of this dressing down to the roots ; it also encourages the active feeders up to the surface of the border, otherwise their natural instincts are downwards, even if the subsoil is quite unsuitable. Dwarf Kidney Beans are not much in request, nevertheless we would grow a few pots of them ; but the space that used to be available for them is now occupied with more valuable plants. We have tried different ways with them, but the best is to sow the Newington Wonder thickly in shallow boxes, and when the seed leaves are fully developed pot the plants deeply, four or five in a 7-inch, using a compost of four parts good loam and one of rotted manure. A good margin ought to be left for applying a rich surface-dressing when the first gathering has been obtained. By watering the plants bi-weekly with manure water, and picking the pods as soon as ready, if they are not required, they keep well for a week in winter if the pods are tied-up in small bundles and the end of the bundle inserted in a shallow dish of water. The plants must be syringed freely to prevent the appearance of red spider. OREENHODSE AND CONSERVATORY. We grow a very large collection of Chrysanthemums. Some of the varieties flower very early and others late, so that by grow- ing a few plants of each the season is much prolonged, but the latest of the late have been cut over this week. And we have commenced to put in cuttings of all the different sections. The Japanese section is not yet so extensively cultivated as it ought to be. Many good gardeners are yet ignorant of the time of flowering and of their great merit as decorative plants. It is believed by many that they flower late, and some horticultural writers have helped to promulgate this fallacy. Some of the Japanese sorts are amongst the earliest to flower, and some of the varieties are also late. Elaine and James Salter are the fluest and earliest, followed by Fair Maid of Guernsey, a snow- white flower, as big as a soup plate. There are scores of good midseason sorts, but very late are Grandiflora, a splendid yellow. Dr. Masters, Comet, and G. F. Wilson. We place the pots in a sheltered position out of doors in case some of the cuttings fail, and we like to help our friends who have not yet got such a good collection as we have. Cyclamens are throwing up hundreds of flowers, and we find it necessary to look over the plants about twice aweek to remove any mouldy leaves or flowers. One de- caying flower concealed in the centre of a plant makes sad havoc it it is not removed for a week. Primulas are now of great value as decorative plants, but if the flowers are required for cutting the double sorts must be grown. Any plants that showsigns of damping-off have the decaying part dressed with dry lime. The latest-flowering Hyacinths have been removed from the plunging material out of doors into a cold pit, the crowns were covered over with small pots inverted for a few days. We have ceased to grow large plants of stage and fancy Pelargo- niums, as they are not nearly so useful for mixing with other plants in the greenhouse as smaller plants that require no train- ing. Those who find it answer their purpose to grow large specimens should now fix a wire ring round the pot and train the growths down to it. FLOWER GARDEN. We still continue to pot off Zonal Pelargoniums and other plants. Now is the time to take a minute survey of the entire stock of bedding plants, and set-to to propagate those in which there is a deficiency. The first batch of cuttings of Verbenas should be put in. It is best to strike as many cuttings now as will plant the beds. Spring-struck cuttings are far preferable to the old stunted plants that have been kept in store pots through the winter. Went over the grass edgings with a broom, swept the walks, and wiU roll them on the first favourable oppor- tunity ; stones had been swept on to the grass with the snow, and the walks had been injured by sweeping, shovelling, &c. — J. Douglas. TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. Suttons' Miniature Spring Catalogue and Amateur's Guide, 1875. — This is a novelty in the way of catalogues, and is a typo- graphical gem of 127 pages, which may be covered by the palm of the hand. New Plant Company, Lion Walk, Colchester. — Japanese Bulbs, Plants, and Seeds. Dickson & Robinson, Market Place, Manchester. — Vegetable and Flower Seeds. Dick Radclyffe & Co., 129, High Holborn, London. — Seeds, Implements, tien, Flemish Beauty, Beurre Hardy, Benrre Superfin, Urbaniste, Doyenne du Cornice, Marie Louise, Beurre Diel, Beurrt; Bachelier, Beurrt- d'Aremberg, Zephiiin Gregoire, Jean de Witte, and Bergamot Esperen. Catillac, Vicar of Winkfield, and Verulam for stewing. Pluinsy dessert — Green Gage, July Green Gase, Jefferson, Law- son's Golden, Kii-ke's, Ickworth Iraperatrice. Kitchen— Baily Prolific, Mitchelson's, Diamond, Prince Englebert, Prince of Wales, Victoria. "VSTiite Magnum Bonum, and Winesour; also Danu^o/w— Cluster or Crittenden, Prune, and New Large BuUace. C/tfrrifis— Belle d'Orleans, Black Heart, Bigarreau Napoleon, Elton, Kentish, and May Duke. In respect of trees suitable for different aspects of walls, a south one is suitable for Apricots, Peaches, and Nectarines ; east for Plums and Cherries ; west for Pears ; and north for Morello Cherries. Tenant Removing Shrubs (Country).— Kawing planted the Roses and other shrubs, you cannot legally remove them without the landlord's consent. Training Vines to a House (F, J.).— You have understood us perfectly as to tho training of the Vines, but not as to the origination of the bearing wood or spurs. Originate one at every turn, which will give you a shoot for bearing at every 18 inches along the rod, between these have another midway of the cross or space between the curves. This will give you bearing wood at 9 inches distance apart along the rods, or you may have the spurs or with two shootB, and either at the curves or midway as you may prefer, the main thing being to allow each equal space for proper exposure to light and air. We should wire the wall vertically at 9 inches distance apart, which would be cheaper in the end than wood for fixing eyelets or nails, the wires being good for tying the bearing shoots to, the other only being of use for the rods. You will see the advantage of the wire, which should be fixed at about half an inch from the wait, which though of atone will have joints into which may be driven the eyelets for the wire. The requisites for wiring walls you will see advertised in our colunms. Cucumbers Bitter (A Very Old Subscriber).— The principal cause is their being grown too slowly, and therefore long in coming to a useable size. Give more bottom heat, also top heat, and the fruit will be fit to cut in a shorter time and be more tender and less bitter. The kind you have is one of the beat. The late dull weather would tend to slow growth, ill- elaborated sap, and consequent bad flavour. Get rid of the present fruit as soon as you can, and encourage freer growth. Slow growth from a low temperature may give fruit, but not of delicate flavour. POULTRY, BEE, AND PIGEON OHRONIOLE. THE EXHIBITION DORKING.— No. 5. i;y t. c. btjknell. The mysteries of preparing fowla for exhibition seem almost as terrible to the young poultry-fancier as the prospective grid- iron to the candidate for masonic honours ; yet the latter may not be found quite so hot as expected, nor the former beyond the power of the simplest beginner. I remember well how, when commencing, I was offered all sorts of preparations for putting on the comb and feathers, and without which it was said to be impossible for a bird to win ; however, I managed to get on without them then, and shall hope to do so for the future. As some little preparation, however, is required, I will briefly mention all that I think is necessary. By far the finest thing to get birds into good condition and brilliant plumage is a good grass run, and if this is obtainable little else will be wanted ; but if birds are penned-up in a email yard some little management will be required to get them into good condition. I have before mentioned what a capital thing peas are, and a few should always be given every other day to exhibition birds; and it will be well to bear in mind, too, that soft food produces soft feather, and that though it will not hurt birds to be hungi-y, but rather tend to " liven them " up, that overfeeding will be certain to give them indigestion, and to turn them black in the comb. It is a common mistake to sup- pose that Dorkings require to be fattened-up for exhibition. Now-a-days the judges never go by weight. What they look for is a large frame, with plenty of room for putting on flesh. Some breeds look all the better for being fattened, but not Dorkings, which are naturally quite plump enough. Dorkings stand exhibition worse than any other breed, and if sent from show to show will very soon break down in health, and become as useless for stock as for the show pen. I con- stantly hear it said that such a bird will " do to breed from," but I don't understand this. If a bird is not moderately perfect it is hopeless to expect perfect chickens from him, and a broken- down constitution is sure to produce degeneracy if nothing worse. Some birds, though in capital health at home, will mope and look wretched when penned. To such a little toast soaked in strong ale may be given the day before ; but it must be borne in mind that all unnatural feeding will surely have to be paid for, and that a little cooked meat with a rusty nail placed in the drinking water should be quite sufficient. Before going to their first exhibition fowls should always be trained to a pen at home, or else when the judge goes round to look at them they will either get into a corner to hide them- selves, or else fly and flap about, and most likely send a lot of dirt and rubbish into the judge's eyes, in which case the latter may be very naturally expected to go on to the next pen. The simplest plan will be to purchase a couple of wire pens and water tins from one of the well-known contractors who supply our shows, and to fix them in a convenient corner where the young birds may be accustomed to exactly the same place that they will be put into when at exhibitions, and will thus be made to feel quite at home, and to show themselves to the best ad- vantage. I should always advise that the birds be caught at night, as then there will be no struggling or pulling-out of tails, and the birds wiU quietly submit to their fate. Some httle practice will be required to hold a large bird without damaging his plumage, but a little practice will soon master this. In taking a bird off the perch it wiU be best to seize him round the vrings with both hands, placing the tips of the fingers of one band under the breastbone to support the body, and in this position you may defy any struggUng ; but sometimes we can only spare one hand to hold the bird with, the other being re- quired to open the lid of a hamper, administer physic, or wash the dirt from the bird's feet, and here the beginner will find a difiiculty, and I must say that until lately I myself was some- times mastered by a large cock weighing 12 or 13 lbs., but thanks to instruction from Mr. Teebay I believe I am now a match with one hand for a " regular kicker." The plan is this : Place the thumb of one hand over the wing, grasp the thigh firmly with the first two fingers of the same hand, and with the remaining fingers placed under the breastbone you will have the bird fixed as firmly as in a vice. A bird should always be taken out or put into, a show pen or hamper head first, otherwise the tail and wing feathers are very liable to be broken. If the fowl is large and the hole small, turn the bird on his side, and he can make no resistance. A fowl should never be caught by the leg, as not only is it a very unworkmanlike plan, but the bird wUl very likely flap about and hit you two or three smart blows January 14, 1875. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICDLTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 39 in the face with his wing, besides scratching your hand with the toe nails of his other leg. The best plan ia to catch him by the wing, and if the latter is seized close to the body you may hold the bird from the ground by it without the least injury to the bird or yourself. A basket, as in the drawing, will be found most suitable for sending about exhibition birds. It has no claim to originality, but is here given for the benefit of those who may not know the best shape. The basket must be round inside, and made of light wickerwork, lined with strong calico or thin canvas. The lid should open in the middle, so as to allow plenty of room for the fowls to be put in and taken out without damaging their feathers or comb. The sides need not be filled-in with wickerwork, but I have found that only one rim round the middle of the basket is not sufficient to make it firm, so it will be better to have two as in the engraving. The top must be made of close wicker- work, as, if only made of open work, the railway porters will catch hold of the thin bars to lift it by, and will very soon break it all to pieces ; while if the top is made of close wicker- work they will be obliged to catch hold of the handle in the Fig. 12. middle. The diameter of a basket for a single cock, or a cock and hen, should be about 24 inches ; height 27 inches, to allow the cock to stand up without bending down his comb. I?or hens 15 inches high will be sufficient. The lid should be firmly tied down with string in two places in case one fastening should become undone. If the birds have to go a very long journey a small cabbage or lettuce may be hung up inside the hamper for them to peck at; but anything else put in the hamper will only make their feathers dirty, and corn would be lost. The bottom of the hamper should be covered with clean straw, which should be thrown away when the birds come back, and the hamper put out in the sun to air and freshen for another trip, as a close-smelling hamper with dirty straw ia quite sufficient in hot weather to make the birds ill. The comb, earlobes, and wattles should always be sponged over the last thing before starting for the show, first with luke- warm soap and water, and afterwards with cold water. This will make the birds look very fresh and bright, and if they are in good health nothing more will be required ; but occasionally it will be better to smear the comb, &o., ovsr with a liitle fresh butter, and this is all I ever use. I have been recommended salt butter, but though it may make the birds' combs red for the once, it is too strong, and will very likely cause a tender comb to ulcerate. I have also tried oil, vinegar, whiskey (!) and every- thing under the sun, but am sure that simple butter is as good as anything, if not better. The feet should be washed with a brush in warm soap and water in which a very little soda has been placed, and afterwards dried. It will be much the simpler plan to get someone to hold the bird while these ablutions are going on, but if this cannot be done the bird may, after a little practice, be held between the knees. BRISTOL POULTRY SHOW. WORDS IN'TEODUCTOEY. Ticket taken — platform run across. Ah, yes ! one place empty in this carriage ; no time to lose. In — settled — plaid across my knees — Journal for new year got by second delivery, for it is Thursday, January 7th — paper cut open, I prepare to read. Before beginning glance at my opposite neighbour. Why, say I to myself, if that isn't old Smith of St. Boniface's grown very lean and taken to very extreme clerical garb, dog collar, shaven cheek, and all. "Smith, it's you, surely." "Why, , it's you, isn't it?" " Twenty-five years make some difference, old fellow. Why, how thin you have grown ! " " Yes, and how fat you have grown." " Well, but you are bald." (Smith had just raised his cord-bound round hat). " Don't you talk, for your hair has lost its colour." Eyeing Smith's long coat, and remem- bering his former tastes as an undergraduate, I say archly, " Don't you find that coat of yours awkward after hounds ?" " Hush, hush, I'm an K. D. now." " Yes, I know, Rough Dia- mond ; but you always were." " No, no ; Eural Dean, sir." But poking me about old tastes, follies long since forgotten, here he sighed, " I suppose you have outlived your old craze for cocks, and hens, and Pigeons. I remember you wanted to keep the last at St. Boniface's." " Not the least," I replied ; " why, I am going now, this very day, to Bristol Poultry Show." " Ah ! an excuse for getting from home, I suppose. But tell me, is not all this fuss about the pleasure of poultry-keeping mere fuss and nothing more ? One neighbour of mine says he finds great enjoyment in keeping Brahmas, another is wild about Spanish; in fact a great number of my brother clergy down in Blankshire are enthusiastic poultry men." " Glad indeed to hear it," say I ; " and mark me, they do not exaggerate. There is the watching the development of form and feather, the wonder as to how this chicken will turn out and that. There is a resource never wanting for country pleasure. No need of constitutional walks, no moping by the fire, no great dependance upon other people. Home, Smith, is doubly home with pets around you. Yon get amusement ; your wife, your children ." Smith exclaims, " I do not think it right for a priest to marry, so no more about wife and children, please." N.B.— Smith was always in love in old days, and used to read me his letters. " Well, leaving the children out and their mamma, I say," raising my voice, " the pleasure your friends tell you of is not exaggerated. Then, Smith, the shows. Soon we shall be at Bristol station : then I ride through that fine ancient city. Here a glimpse of an old Elizabethan house, there a quaint gable ; then the picturesque tower of St. Stephen's, the narrow old-world streets, the busy faces, the charity boys in their queer costume, the drawbridge, College Green, steep Park Street, and to crown all, the Show at the Drill Hall, where friends meet, and criticise, and enjoy feathered form and beauty, &c. Why, here is Bristol station. Good-bye, Smith. Go home, cut off part of your petticoats, take to a wideawake, grow your whiskers and keep poultry, and you will be a happy man yet." I am soon in the Drill Hall, and say to one much interested, " This is to be your last Show, I fear." " Last Show ! Why, it is the first ! We have eight hundred more entries than ever, and the Hall is crowded with visitors." Glad, very glad indeed. Well done, plucky Mr. Cambridge; he deserved success, and he has obtained it. The Hall is fall of fowls, for the walking spaces are even over-narrow, and many people are in them ; for no longer is the Rifle Drill Hall, as in former years, a place to saunter through — you must actually squeeze your way. — Wilt- shire Eector. " And how is our patient to-day?" said the doctor. " Thank you, kindly, sir," replied the nurse, "we do think now all danger is over. She has grown more than twice the size she was since you were here last, and we hope now she will do well." And BO with Bristol. Thanks to able, courteous, energetic Mr. Cambridge, this Show, ao nearly a thing of the past, has entered on a new life, and we think we see a bright unchequered road before it— a road where sunbeams dance, and whereon friends meet pleasantly ; a road on which there are no clouds overhead, and need be none below. We consider it most plucky of Mr. Cambridge so gallantly to come to the rescue of this great Show ; and certainly he, backed up by his friends, has achieved a great success as far as the arrangements and entries are con- cerned. We hope when the more serious time of adding up the accounts and paying them comes, that the balance will be con- siderably on the right side. Imagine 1100 entries more than last year ! When we get into four figures it really looks hopeful and encoaraging. No doubt many will think the Selling classes account for this huge increase, but not so: not one-quarter of this additional number is brought by the sale classes. No ! We believe most assuredly the plan of allowing any number of pens to go in one basket is the chief reason, and we are fully con- scious that this great step on the right road has been brought about by one of our own friends, though now no more of us. We feel quite confident this is an important step in the poultry road. The quality of the birds was something quite out of the common ; we never saw so few poor pens. The giant strides made during the past two years in most of the breeds are something really wonderful. We notice this as much among the Cochins and Brahmas as anywhere, and the poultry mania is more infectious than ever. People join the poultry world, and float down the "fancy " ways from all circles and all places. Only at this Show we heard of one gentleman who was seized with the fever so badly, that Buff Cochins of the best quality must be had at any coat, and an article of great domestic use was to be sold to supply 40 JOURNAIi OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ JacntLTj 14, 1675. the " needful" to purchase some of the best Buffs in the world. No more, then, of talking about the poultry fancy dying out. It ia absohitely stuff-and-nonaense. Prize-poultry keepers are now legion — as many in number almost as sparrows — if anything rather too numerous. And this reminds us of the Selling classes, and what they do : we feel we are on delicate ground, yet we do doubt their usefulness. There ia a danger of two things, and there must be, and is, fear whether between two stools some- thing must not fall to the ground. We will speak quite plainly. Selling classes are either filled with such utter rubbish as to bring only dire and woeful disappointment to purchasers, or they have two or three very crack, valuable birds, simply placed there to win a good first prize with, or a cup, or to run up the points for a point cup. Well, these choice specimens entered at t2 or £3 fall into the hands of some lucky fancier, and the result — well, the result is that prices for good birds are spoilt, and the poultry world gets overstocked ; for the amateur will not pay fair prices for honestly worthy birds, thinking he can pick them up at half the price in these Selling classes. And now we are ou this, the opening day of a fresh season, we must speak of the Sunday business. We cannot think how com- mittees can include a Sunday. We feel certain it must lessen the entries, and for the exhibitors and their servants it is indeed a hard time ; besides this, the cost of labour, food, gas, Ac., must be a great item in the Show expenses for this, to the committee, completely useless day. Two days are enough for any show. If a show was kept open for ten daya someone would come. People keep putting it off, thinking they will go the next day, when, if it was only open for one or two days, they would go on one of them. We seriously hope this will be taken into consi- deration by the different societies who have hitherto had this Sunday plan. And Bath and West of England above all, do try and manage something better this year. But we must turn back to this Show and its inmates. The birds were well fed on Spratt's food mixed with ground oats and barleymeal and whole wheat. The pens were freshly chaffed every morning and kept beautifully clean, and the corridors were sprinkled with sawdust, and looked bright and fresh every morning. Altogether the management was admirable, and we hope next year that we may find more entries, and all the long end of the room, which this year had only one row of Pigeons, required for poultry, and the Pigeons consequently over them. The Dorkings were far more numerous than at last year's Show, the best classes most decidedly being the Whites. In Coloured cockerels first was the Manchester first-prize bird, and well placed ; he is not, however, very first-rate in the comb. The second was rather too leggy for a Dorking. Third a very good bird, only that his middle toes are badly curved. No. 11 (Denison), a fair bird ; the rest indifferent. Coloured pullets a good class. The first a very good and deep bird, her only fault being white earlobes; the second small and narrow; third good, but hardly equal to the same exhibitor's unnoticed pen ; fourth a mistake, being feathered on the legs. Pens 18 (Hamilton), and 26 (Newick), were also good. In old cocks therere a we number of massive birds, but with one or two exceptions their combs were over, this latter, no doubt, being caused by the late severe weather. First a large bird with good broad back and nice feet, but hardly equal to the second, the Palace first-prize bird. The third has plenty of bone, but his comb was right over. Pens 37 (Darby), and 39 (Whitworth), were very good and massive, but spoilt by the same defect — lopping combs. Pen 40 (Miss Murray), a thorough Dorking. The first-prize Coloured hen was well placed, it not being the first cup she has won by half a dozen. 'The second had a very bad corn on one foot, and was hardly equal to Mr. Lingwood's No. 45. Third good, only for an upright comb. No. 47 (Pilkington), large, but in-kneed. .02 (Darby), a nice rose comb. Silver-Grey cocks of any age were a very poor lot, notwithstanding that there were thirteen entered. The second prize was withheld, but one or two birds might well have been thought worthy of this honour, notably pen 63 (Wren), a nice bird with jet black breast and tail, and white saddle and hackle ; but the first-prize bird was so far ahead as to throw all the others into the shade. It ia evident there is plenty of room for improvement in the cocka of this breed. Silver-G-rey hens were a good class. First a nice young bird with good head and feet. Second one of the largest hens we have ever seen, but unluckily the claws of one foot badly put on. The third was a good bird, but hardly equal to No. 76 (Cresswell), the latter being particularly good in colour. White Dorkings, as before mentioned, were unusually good, especially the hens. First was a capital bird, but his comb a little too far over the beak. Second and third also good, but showing a sUght yellow tinge. 88 (Cresswell), a nice cockerel ; 86 (Robin- son), the first-prize Palace bird, but here unnoticed ; he had certainly got into better company. Pen 91 (Hayne), deficient in chest. Whitehens were a grand class. The first-prize hen, being very while and good in feet, comb, and shape, was easily first. The second and third were also very good birds and nicely washed. With one exception the whole of this class were good, and the Judge rightly styled them "a good class." Brahmas. — Dark cockerels were an excellent class, though lacking the interest that such a class would have had earlier in the season, from the fact that the winners are all now well known. First was the Birmingham winner, a well-shaped and symmetrical bird, peculiarly broad in saddle, where so many cocks now fail; still his comb is narrow and peculiar, and we should have been inclined to give the first place to Mr. Ling- wood's grand bird, which was placed third. His size was immense, and the dense blackness of his fluff splendid. Second and fourth were Mr. Ansdell's famous cockerels. The second- prize bird looked out of condition and knocked-up with hia succesao'. The foui t' -prize bird is, we think, sligh ly slipped in wing, but very richly black in breast and fluff. Miss Douglas Pennant, Mr. L. Wright, Mr. Ensor, all showed good birds. Pullets. — First was one of Mr. Leno's beauties, whose pencilling has BO often been described ; she is very sparsely feathered ou the leg. Second a pretty pullet, with bright and silvery ground colour and dense black neck-hackle : she is decidedly hooked. Third, of good size, and a nice bird all round ; her back pencilling is somewhat indistinct. Fourth was not a re- markable bird. We hardly thought Mrs. Vigor's pullet worthy of her very highly commended, probably good marking on the back attracted the Judge's attention. Pen 317 (Ensor), was beautifully marked on the breast and dark ; she was evidently a very early bird of last year, and had so lost the freshness of the early pullet colour. Cocks. — Here we could not see the rationale of the awards. The first-prize bird is narrow in back and devoid of pencilling on the saddle ; we much preferred his owner's third- prize bird, a gigantic fellow. Second is a massive bird. If we are not misinformed that he is a bird which we greatly admired as a cockerel two years ago he has hardly fulfilled his then promise ; still he is a noble bird, and conspicuous for grouse- feathering in tail. We thought Mr. Lingwood's very highly commended cock the finest bird in the class. He is a broad and magnificent bird, and the silver and green shades on the wings are very clear. Hens. — First was far ahead ; her size and shape magnificent ; pencilling, too, and leg- feathering good. Second, too, a beautiful bird, pencilled evenly all over, right up to the tail; she was not so large as the first, but quite as beautiful. Third large and good ia all points. Lady Gwydyr's highly com- mended bird was as perfect a specimen as one could wish to aee, her pencilling the clearest possible ; placed next to the cup hen she did not show to disadvantage save in size. She appeared weak on the legs, which must have lost her a place. Pen 372 (Peake), though small was remarkable for intensely dark marking ; and Mr. Evans's two very highly commended hens, though a little narrow, must win almost anywhere as a pair. As a rule the larger pencilling is all in request now, hardly any of those very dark birds with minute markings being shown. Light cockerels we thought a moderate lot, in no way to be compared with the Dark. First was the best bird, good all round. Second, a showy bird, with nice neck-hackle, but too much hock-feathering, and very yellow. Third, a small heavily- hocked bird, with uo particularly remarkable points. Pnlleta were better. We cannot say that we altogether admired the first. Her neck-hackle was mossy in front. To our idea the second was far the best bird in the class, form good, and such as should grow into a large hen ; hackle excellent, still no mark- ings on the back ; the only fault we could see in her was creami- nesa in ground colour. 'Third was not remarkable, her mark- ings bright and clear; still she was a small bird. Fourth a large- bodied bird. The very highly commended birds of Mr. Crook and Mr. Haines were both good ; the shape of the former beauti- ful, but she will not make a large hen. Cocks. — First was an old friend, and certainly he is a model bird in all but size ; second a grand bird, broad and massive — just the form we like, but his comb is not pretty ; third had the prevailing fault of a very narrow saddle, otherwise a good bird. Hen. — -First a grand bird in shape, size, and leg-feathering ; she appeared to us hardly dry from the wash-tub ou the first day of the Show, and so not to be seen to the fullest advantage ; second a deep and broad bird, but brown in hackle, and not equal to Mr. Crabtree's third hen, which was perfectiou in shape and colour, though not large ; pen 487 (Percival), a fine bird, though a little deficient in hackle. Oocliim, — These were certainly a most wonderful collection, the quality was indeed good throughout. We hope nest year Mr. Cambridge will add Black Cochin classes, for this variety had to go to the " refuge" this time. We hear there is a chance, and rejoice accordingly, of that geutlemau, who so lately retired from the White Cochin world crowned with laurels, being added to the — (no, not the black book), but Ust of Black breeders. Cochin?, Buff came first, twenty-two cockerels, with Lady Gwydyr's Bir- mingham champion at the top of the list ; his colour is lovely, but he seemed weak in the legs, or would have perhaps run Mr. Burnell's old cock close for the champion cup. The second was also of good colour and large, but rather hooked. Third, capital colour, and will make up a large bird. 119 (Mapplebeok), a most beautiful bird. Buff pullets were also a splendid lot. Lady Gwydyr first again with a very beautiful coloured bird, though January 14, 1873. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE ANO COTTAGE GARDENER. 41 hardly heavily leg-feathered euough. There were oue or two peuB we liked almost as well. Mr. Crabtree's pans, 132 and 1:34, both vary good. 147 (Barnell), also very good, but a little twisted in hackles. Second we did not much care for, liking the third quite as well. 14G (Dirby), a very grand pullet, but she had lost her tail, or we think would have been near first. Old Buff cocks were splendid. The first won the champion cup for best pen in the Show; his colour is very rich, and all his points perfect. We quite hold with this award, and congratulate the owner on his victory. Second aud third both rich birds, and well placed. 1.59 (Tindal), and l.oH (Gwydyr), both admirable birds, and perhaps one of them should have been in the third place. The BufI hens were a small but good class. The first was the old Palace winner in bad condition, aud looks as if she nejd'd much care. Second was a beautiful colour, but not very lu-'^e, claimed at £12 12s., and cheap. Third alio in poor con- dition. We almost preferred IGG (Barnell), which was of exqui- site colour and good shape. Partridges were four very fair classes indeed. The winning cockerel is very nice, aud looks as fresh as ever. Second we did not much fiuoy, rather preferring 18G, very highly commended (Shrimptou). Third was a nice bird aud of good shape, and being very young will doubtless make up well. The first pullet was well marked, but her foot-feather- ing was bad, and her comb had a deep cut in it. Second was not very large, but beautifully pencilled. Third a good bird also. After these we thought 2Uo (Sugden), as good as any. In old Partridge cocks we thought the winners well placed, though 2U7 (Crabtree), was a good bird, aud so was 21G (Sedgwick). In hens the winner was a beauty, and we should have come here for the cup for best Cochin hen, in preference to the winning White. This Partridge hen was good all round, and larger than the White. Second large, but looking rough. Third was large but rather too gay in colour. We preferred 223 (Tudman), or 218 (Aspden). White cockerels came next, fifteen birds. The first Wis the Palace winner; he is fetrfuUy hooked and rather narrow, though grand in comb and colour. Invaluable as this bird will be in a breeding pen, we do think he is too hocked to win, although any fair amount of hock we do not object to. The second was poor, being bad in colour, unfirm in comb, and squirrel-tailed. The third was large and good in shape, aud should have been higher. We thought 235 (Bloodworth), or 23G (Tindal), much superior birds to the second; the latter is of great promise. 240 (Fowler), very good. In pullets the first was in her prime, being in beautiful order and just on laying. The second we did not like ; she was small, and dwarfed-looking. Third, a beautiful shape, but small. 202 (Barnell), was the Palace winner, and might have been in the list here. 25G (Whitehead), small, but good in shape and colour. 257 (Fowler), looked old enough to have sous aud daughters in the same class with her. 258 (Woodgate), was, we believe, thought to be as good as any pullet in the class. White cocks were a good class, though many of the birds showed signs of being overshown, notably so Mr. Percival's old White cock, which seemed quite knocked up. The first was very white and smart-looking, with fine clear hackles, his only fault being too large a comb. Second, a fine bird, rather dirty, but of good shape. Third we liked best of the lot, though he is rather short of leg-feather. 266 (Whit- worth), very large, but yellow. In hens the cup bird was of splendid colour and possessed much quality ; still we preferred the second in spite of her very ugly comb, for her shape was so very grand. Third, a nice showy hen, though we liked 277 (Whitworth), or 279 (Woodgate), just as well. This class finished the Cochins, and we cannot but note the great progress in these classes, even during the last year. Game. — We thought these classes very good, and we believe the judging was immensely approved of. The winning Black Bed cockerel was very smart aud good in plumage. Second, wonderfully hard in feather, and showy. Third, a good bird, with fine head. 730 (Stagg), a nice bird, and a good-shaped one. The cup hen was a great beauty, as good as anyone we ever saw, and we consider she well deserved the cup. Second also very smart and well shown. 751 (Pope), a splendid bird. 742 (Tyte), also a good style of hen. The cup for best Game cock fell to Mr. Matthew's splendid Brown Red old bird looking grand. The other winners in this class a long way from him. 762 (Osborn), a good bird. The first Brown Red hen was very good in shape and head. The third we liked as well as second, though there was not much between them. 77G (Wolff), very stylish and good. In Duckwings the winning cock was lovely in colour and fine in head. Second, a good smart bird ; third running second close. 798 (Cock), very smart and good. 804 (Phillips), was disqualified for being plucked in hackles. We could not help smiling at seeing this in the catalogue, for, if we remember rightly, this was the party who in a friendly contemporary wrote such au indignant account of Mr. Winwood's misdemeanors. We can only think that Worcester must be a very naughty place, and congratulate Mr. Martin on his departure from a city where Spanish cocks are stolen and evil practices in the poultry line prevail so strongly. The trimming in this case was most palpable, and we hope Mr. Phillips will smart all the more when he hears that had his bird been left alone it must have won. The first Duokwing hen was very good in colour and shape, and in fine feather. Second and third, nice birds. 81G (Button), a very smart hen. Spanish. — Bristol was always the stronghold of this breed, and seems likely to contiuua so. We still see the old names in the list, and hope long to do bo. The cup cockerel was a beauty, fine in colour, good in face, and winning well. Second, a most beautiful bird of great quality ; so was third ; in fact the whole class was full of beautiful birds, and we did not envy the Judge his work. Perhaps 504 (Jackson), was as good as any of the non- winning ones ; this was very highly commended. Spanish pullets were also very good, and the winners may be proud of tbeir places. We think we liked 541 (Palmer), as well as auy ; this was, we believe, also the cup Yarmouth bird. 542 (Jones), had a capital face, and 547 (Chilcott), was very good all round. Old cocks were the worst represented, though the winners were good, and the names toll us the quality. In hens the first was very good indeed, but we liked one or two more as well. The third was a grand hen ; and 563 (Rodbard), good. 567 (Darby), was a magnificent hen, with the largest face in the class, but the bars of her pen were so rusty, and she would take such notice of the outer world, that in continually putting her head out of the window she made her face so red with the rust that she lost her great chance, we should say, of being in the list. Hambiirghs. — AU the varieties mustered well, and the names of the winners show all the best birds in the fancy were in the Exhibition. Mr. Long's pens were all empty ; we hear this gentleman made a mistake in the day. The Gold spangles were two splendid classes, every cock being noticed, and nearly all the hens. The cup cock was very good — quite a picture ; second almost as good ; third quite up to the mark. 572 (Duckworth), had a splendid comb, aud 573 (Beldon), was very excellent in colour. 575 (Hyde), very stylish and good in comb. The first hen was most beautiful in colour ; second and third also very rich aud brilliant. 584 (Robinson), well marked. Silver-spangles were also two good classes ; the first cockerel easily first ; second and third also good. 599 (Ashton & Booth), too large in comb, but well marked. The hens were all good. We liked the third very much, and 619 (Bro wne), was wonderfully spangled ; 623 (Walker), also capital : nearly every bird too was noticed in the Golden- pencilled classes. The first won well, being a perfect gem ; second admirable in all points ; third we did not like so well as 634 (Gresswell), or 631 (Duckworth). The cup hen was a marvel ; we never remember such even pencilling. Second and third were marked birds, but a long way from the first. 647 (Bloodworth), nicely marked ; 661 (Mitchell), rather too deep in colour, or else good; 654 (RoUinsou), we should have liked to have seen higher. The winning Silver-pencils were capital. The first cockerel had a splendid tail, aud was in beautiful condition. We fancy the second was a little wry-tailed ; it looked very suspicious. 672 (Webster), had a good tail. The first hen ran in easily; the second was good in all but comb ; third a nicely marked bird. Blacks made two good classes, the hens especially. The win- ning cockerel was good in comb and very red in face, but a little heavy-looking; the second was very fine in colour and good in ears; the third, too, we liked immensely. 687 (Boldon), was very lustrous, and 691 (Bush), a good showy bird. The winning heu was of beautiful shape and colour, but her comb was a little too high at the back; second well placed ; third a neat bird. 710 bad in comb, or else of fine colour ; 701 (Kilvert), a good, smart pullet. PoUsh. — The quality of the winning pens was very good. The Gold cock which won the cup we never saw equalled. The second was a beautiful Silver, and the third also a smart Silver. 839 was a nice White-crested Black. 842 was a beautiful cock, and must have closely approached the third. 846 (Feast), a rich gold, but poor crest. In hens the Silver heu which was first also won the cup for best Polish, Malay, or French hen. She is a great beauty, and was well shown. The second was a fine Gold hen, aud the third a Silver with wonderful markings. 856 (Adkins), a beautiful Silver. We were so sorry not to see more White-crested Blacks ; we feel this breed wants looking to, or it will be one of th*^ past; it seems gradually slipping from all the exhibitions. We rely on Mr. Beldon, with his great Polish knowledge and experience, doing something for this strikingly handsome breed, and so preventing its dying out. French. — These made four good classes, Houdans and Creves mustering well. In Houdan cocks the winner was very large, of great depth and style. The second very dark, and generally good. The third grand in colour and crest. 863 (Dring), a very stylish bird. 855 (Quibell), large in crest and square. 872 (Browne), large, but poor in crest. 876 (Handley), very large indeed. 879 (Handley), splendid in shape. The first hen was very light but good, being large and square. The second also light in colour but large. The third a beautifully marked bird. 898 (Hill), a good large hen. 886 (Quibell), a good dark hen. The wianiag Creve cock was splendid ; second also good ; third fine La Fldche. 910 (Dring), a large bird. 920 (Greenhill), a fine deep-bodied cock. lu hens again Mr. Crabtree wou with a 42 JOUENAL OF HORTICULTDKE AND COTTAGE GABDENER. [ January 14, 1875. beauty ; the second was close apon her, however. Third, a fair bird. 933 (Powler), large and with fine crest, but too much white in it. This class we thought very good. Malai/s. — There were two good classes, but hardly so well filled as we had hoped to see. The first cock is an old friend and a great beauty; second much smaller, but good in plumage; third also rather small, but of good quality. The winning hen was capital, being good in pltunage and condition. One was very dark and a good size; second a smart dark bird; third pressing close on second. 83C (Rooth), a very fine bird. Leghorns. — This variety is gradually getting more popular. The birds here were very good. The winning cockerel of admir- able colour, and well shown; the second was good, but wanted washing; third a smart Brown. 935 (Ward), dirty, but good in quality; 936 a good Brown. The first hen walked in, being in beautiful condition and very showy ; second a very brilliantly coloured Brown; third a capital, well-known White. 950 (Jacomb), grand in comb and head, but rather small ; 954 (Fowler), a smart White. Game Bantams. — In Black-breaeted and other Eeds the win- ners were well placed, and looked very smart pens, all being Black Reds. The cup pen especially good. In the next class exquisite Piles won first, and nice Duckwings second and third. The winning PUea were very good in shape, but very dirty. In the single cock class a good smart Pile won the cup, with a beautiful head and of charming shape. Besides the winners there was not much worthy of note in this class. Black Bantams were a large and very good class of twenty-two pens. The Secretary, Mr. Cambridge, did not contend for the prizes, though the superior merit of his birds is well known. The two first pens were very good, there being but little to choose between them, the first containing by far the best hen, while the second held the best cockerel. The third-prize pair also small and neat. 1101 (Shackleton), very good indeed ; 1107 (Tindal), cock's earlobe too large, otherwise good. It is perfectly astonishing how the Sebrights have improved in the last two years, twelve pens of these little gems being shown here, and hardly a bad bird amongst them. The awards of the Judge were not very favourably received, it being generally considered that Mr. Leno's two pens and Mr. Hodson's Silver chickens were the pick of the class. The first-prize birds have been a good pen, but the lacing on the cock's breast has moulted-out very badly, and now seems more spangled than laced. The second-prize birds were Golds, but far too heavily laced. Third fair Silvers. Not a single pair of the old creamy Silvers were to be seen. What an improvement ! White Bantams were a very poor class. Mr. Tearle's pens were empty. Mr. Beldon's were the only birds in the class that had not stained earlobes. Waterfowl. — Aylesbury Ducks, only three pens competing, and they were well placed. We were most sorry not to see more entries in this class. The Rouens were much better, the cup pen being very fine in shape and colour. This pen weighed 16 lbs. ; the second and third both weighed 17 lbs., and were also capital pens. 1006 (Stott), a very good pen ; 1022 (Harvey), seemed close on the third. Black East Indians were beautiful, and we were much pleased with the judging. The Judge, we know, took every possible trouble over them, and his awards seemed most correct. We stand up for colour and shape before mere small- ness of size. There were two pens in this class very highly commended which were not marked in the catalogue — viz., 1026 (Sainsbury) and 1028 (Hayne). Mr. Sainsbury's colour is simply exquisite, though certainly Mr. Kelleway's are rather smaller ; the third Duck we admired immensely. In the fancy class Japanese Teal won the cup, and looked very pretty. Beautiful Carolinas second and third. We thought Mr. Leno's, however, quite equal to them. The winning Geese were very good, and weighed 53, 41, and 41 lbs. per pen respectively, while the 'Turkeys weighed 56, 36, and 36 lbs. each. They were three very fine pens, and were well placed, apart from their actual weights. THE PIGEONS. These numbered 640 pens, and the point cups were awarded as follows :^That tor ten guineas to Mr. Fulton, with 139 points ; that for five guineas to Mr. N. Hill, with 103 points. Proceed- ing in the order of the catalogue I come to the Carriers, and if there was any fear a few years since that these birds were becoming restricted in their admirers, all such fear is at an end, for ninety pens are before me. Old cocks, Black or Dun. — First- and-cup (Horner), a first-rate colour, but second (Fulton), better in head. Third, Black with mandibles far apart. Of the fifteen pens more than half were deservedly noticed. Old hens. Black or Dun. — This an excellent class of fourteen birds. First and third Blacks, and second a good Dun, a particularly nice bird. Old cocks, any colour. — The majority of these were, as might be supposed, Blue, but one White (1454) good enough to get a com- mendation, while 1458 was marked a Chequer, but lacked the dappled look, being rather a Black with snatches of blue coming through, but, persevered in, good Chequers might be shown. The prizes went to Blues. Second better than first. Pen 1459 (Horner), commended, a good Blue, save that the bars were a little indistinct. Old hens, Any other colour. — First (Horner), a very nice Carrier, Blue, like second and third. There was a Silver brown-barred which might have been shown among Dragoons. Youug Carrier cocks, Any colour. — These showed a wonderful advance at a Bristol Show. First-and-cup a good bird. Dun, and no mistake. Young Carrier hens. — First (Maynard), a capital Dun ; so also Mr. Maynard's highly commended pen 1494. Second, Black with a particularly good beak. Third, same owner (Massey), good again. Pouters. — Fifty pens in all, against the eighteen of last year ; verily this is an advance, and the noble Pouter is now to be met with in goodly numbers south of the Tweed. As to the judging of the Pouters there was much discussion, and I think that the prizes would have gone differently in some cases had the birds been put in a judging pen as in Scotland, which is by far the best plan, for comparison in Pouters is necessary, and they are best compared by being placed together. In separate pens they cannot easily be rightly judged, now that happily the tape-line is not the sole guide. Pouter cocks. Black or Blue, any age. — First-and-cup (Yardley), a little too stout for a Blue, but good in colour and leg- feathering. Now, strange to say there was Mr. Bullen's Palace cup bird unnoticed, though very graceful and slender for a Black but honestly shown, the black left in the thighs, and therefore I suppose Mr. BuUen lost, for it was a far superior bird to the first. The third-prize (Hills), had been twice first at Palace and at Glasgow and Oxford, but only third here ! No. 1521 a nice bird. Pouter hens. Black or Blue, any age. — A famous class. First, large Blue hen (BuUen) ; second, same owner, first at Palace, second here ; third, BuUen again, a Black somewhat short in hmb. 1525, highly commended (Horner), a pretty but pale bird. 1026, highly commended (Fulton), a good bird with beautiful bars. 1532, very highly commended (BuUen), a wonderfully fine Blue bird, only four months old. What will she not be presently 1 Pouter cocks, any colour and age. — First, Yardley ; second, a good Red; third, a pale Y'ellow. 1535, very highly commended (Fulton) ; perhaps the very best bird in the class. Pouter hens, any colour and age.^First and second Bullen ; third (Hill), a good yeUow hen, better than second to my judgment, but oh, strange turn of fortune ! there was Mrs. Ladd's lovely white hen, first at Oxford, a bird of exquisite style, only commended here. Oh, for a judging pen ! Almond Tumblers. — Thirteen pens. The real contest lay between Fulton and Yardley, and the latter won the cup. Eight pens were noticed. Any variety of Shortfaces showed about twenty pens of most variously feathered birds — Agates, Kites, Baldheads, and Mottles, but much could not be said for any save the noticed birds. Fourteen pens of Foreign Owls. The Barbs of all ages were numerous, the old cocks being the best. Old indeed were some. 'Tis a pity this class shows age so sadly. " Old, Master Shallow ! without doubt he's old," I said, whilst looking at some of the watery-eyed old gentlemen. 1 think some of these are actuaUy unpleasant to look at, and ought to be kept at home, and not sent from show to show. The Trumpeters were but five, but very choice. First-and- cup (Lederer), a noble Mottle. Jacobins again were good, and it is pleasant to see this bird improves in colour and shape, the dark colour reaching quite to the thighs and over, and the baldhead look gone. "Then the length of the bird ! and a certain gracefulness in shape with the length is now seen, as at Bristol. A lovely White and good Black appeared, with many exceUent Keds. The Black was the first-prize hen, the White the second-prize hen, and, their peus being side by side, the birds showed weU, by contrast of colour, each other's beauties. Fantails were a rough lot. Turbits very abundant, and many very good. The EngUsh dvls were " an extraordinarily good class," and showed that all fears of these fine birds beiug "lost to sight, though to memory dear," are groundless. It is well that the rage for the delicate African has much subsided ; a large, bold variety of bird is quite as much to be admired as an extremely smaU and tender one. Nuns and Magpies, especially the latter, were good. That old favourite the Dragoon, now as popular as ever, was well to the front, for upwards of ninety birds were exhibited. The greater number were of the London style ; and many of the prize birds (and most beautiful in colour most of them were), were very large and even heavy-looking. First hen (W. Hill), a beautiful Yellow ; second (Graham), as beautiful a Red, both very heavy birds, which is not to my taste ; but once accept the atyle as correct, they were splendid birds. The Blues were ex- ceedingly good, particularly in colour. Reserving to myself my own ideas of tlie Dragoon, I own I rejoiced to see such a splen- did show of birds, elegant, and bold, and sound in colour, c-iU them what you will, whether Dragoons or Horsemen. The Short-faced Anlwerps appear to be fading away before j their Long-faced brethren, birds of utility, and at this time S very popular. .Jamiary 14, 1875. ] JOURNAL OP HOBTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDENEE. •13 la the Any variety class were many pretty Toys, the first prize going to a good black Tarbiteen; this colour best suits this variety. When the patch on the face is yellow or red, the bird looks so like a clown with his red-marked cheeks. A good Archangel second. Save in the Selling class the Pigeons were shown in single birds, and the idea, a pleasant one, of " a Pigeon pair " is lost. Now that that baneful spell "Bristol Show weather" is at last broken, and fine mild weather has succeeded to the direct oppo- site, and the Show has proved a success, we may anticipate a series of triumphs, tor contrary to the general impression, arising uo doubt from the pens belonging to the late Committee being for sale, the Show is to be continued : and we may expect, with full ooniidenoe, that the great treat to west-country fanciers, the Bristol Show, will continue to be their treat, yea, and their in- creasing treat. "We are all this year deeply indebted to Mr.Cam- bridge, without whose perseverance, in face of great difficulties, show there would have been none. — Wiltshire Rector. DoRKiNQS (Coloured).— Coctcrel.—l and Cup. C. Widdas, Bepohburn Grant'e. 2. Rev. G. F. Hodson, North Pethertoo. 3. Kev. H. F. Hamiltoa. Oonibe St. Nicholas, c, B. C. D. Greenhill, Puriton : Mrs. Radclyffe. Wareham. Pullet. —1. Henry Lingwood. Barking. NePdham Marliet. 2, G. Uollig, West Stratton. 8, Rev. E. Bartrum. Berkhanipstead. i, Mra. T. Pope, Corsley. vhc, O. E. Oresswell, Early Wood, Bagahot. c 0. Widdas; C. Pilkington; Rev. H. F. Hamilton : J. K. Fowler, Aylesbury; W. H. Denison, Hardwieke. DoHKisQS (Coloured).— t'ucfc.—l and 3, Rev. H. F. Hamilton. 2. R. W. Beachy, Fluder. he, Rev. E. Bartrum. c, O. E. Cresswell; R. W. Beachy. Ben— I. Cup. and 2, Kev. E. Bartrum. 3, E. W. Beachy. he, A. E. W. Darby, c, G. CoUis ; S Ncwick. Hinton St. George ; W. H. Deoison. DjRKi.sas (Silver-Grev).— Oocfcertri or Cock.—\, O. E. CressweU. 3, B. St. J. Ackers, Painswick. Pidlci or Hen— I, H. T. Sotham, Water Eaton. 2, C. Wren, Lowestoft. 3, T. Moore, he, O. E. Cresawell. c, W. W. Ruttlidge, Northend ; O. E. Creaswell ; W. H. Deniaon ; B. St. J. Ackers. Dorkings iWhite).—Coekerel or f'lffc.— 1, Mrs. M. A. Hayne, Fordington. 2, Mrs. Rolls, Monmouth. 3. Miss E. Williams. Henllys, Berriew. he, W. Badger, Little Ness, e, O. E. Creaswell; Mrs. M. A. Havne; Mrs. A. Tindal. Ayles- bury. PiilZei or flt" /I.— 1. J. Robinson, Sunderland. 2, O. E, Cresawell. 3, A. E. W. Darby, vlic, Mrs. A. Tindal. lie, Mrs. M. A. Hayne. c, Mrs. M. A. Hayne ; H. T. Sotham. Cochins (Cinnamon or B\ifi}.~Cockerel.—l, Lady Gwydvr. 2 and 3, W. A. Burnell. he, Mrs. Bentley ; C. Bloodworth; J. Bloodworth. Cheltenham; J. Cattoll, Birmingham ; R P. Porcival. Manchester: Mrs. A. Tindal ; H. Mapple- bcck; A. E. W. D.irbv; H. Shutt, Stourbridge. PiilicJ.— 1, Lady Gwydyr. 2, W. .A.. Taylor, Manchester. 3, Mrs. A. Tindal. he, W. H. Orabtree. Man- chester ; J. Cattell ; Mrs. A. Tindal ; Ladv Gwydyr, Ipswich ; A. E. W. Darby ; W. A. Burnell, Southwell: J. Swinson, Chipping Campden. CooHi.ss (Cinnamon or ButTl.— Cot'/i;.— I and Cup, W. A. Burnell. 2, H. Tomlinson, Birmingham. 3, J. K. Fowler, Avtesbnrv. he, S. R. Harris, St. Day; J. Cattell; .Mrs. A. Tindal (2); H. Mapplebeck, Birmingham; Lady Gwydyr; W. A. Burnell. Uen.-l and 3. W. A. Taylor. 2, C. Bloodworth, Cheltenham, n/ii-, J. Bloodworth ; H. Robinson, Sheffield, /ic, W.iV. Burnell ; A. E. W. Darby : W. E. Smith. Cheltenham. Cochins (Brown or Partridge).— Coc&sre^.—l, Mrs. A. Tindal. 2, W. A. Taylor. 3, G. Shrimpton. vlic, G. Shrimpton, Leigbton Buzzard ; J. K. Fowler, lie. R. Jones, Neath ; E. Tudman, Salop. Pifl/e(.— 1, E. Tulman. 2. Mrs. A. Tindal. 3, 11. P. Percival. vlte, K. Jones, he, H. Moore. Tiverton ; T. Stretch. Ormakirk ; Mrs. A. Tindal ; G. Shrimpton; Hon. Mrs. Sugden. Cochins (Brown or Partridge) —Cock,-l and 2, W. A. Taylor. 3, T. Stretch. he, W. H. Crabtrec; Lady Gwydvr; E. Tudinan; C. Sedgwick, Keighley. Hen.—l, Mrs. A. Tindal. 2, W. A. Taylor. 3. J. N. C. Pope, Bristol, vhe, E. Tudman. he,T. Aspden, church; F. Wilton, Gloucester; J. Wood, Chorley (2) ; W. A. Taylor. Cochins (White).— Cocfcerei. —1, Mrs. A. Williamson. 2, R. P. Percival. 3.R. S. S. Woodgate, Tunbridgo Wells, he, S. R. Harris; Mrs. A. Williamson, Leicester ; J. Bloodworth ; Mrs. A. Tindal ; J. K. Fowler. PuUet.—l, W. Whit- worth, jun., Longaight. 2, Mrs. X. Williamson. 8, W. F. Nalder. vhc, C. Bloodworth; W. a. Burnell; J. N. Whitehead; J. K. Fowler; R. S. S. Wood- gate ftc, J. N. Whitehead, Bridgewater. Cochins (Whitel.— Cocfc.— 1 and 3, R. S. S. Woodgate. 2. J. Turner, Bath. he, C. Bloodworth ; R P. Percival. 3en.—l and Cup, Mrs. A. Williamson. 2, W. A Burnell. S.J.Turner. i*c, R. S. S. Woodgate. he, W. Whitworth,jan. ; H. Feast, Swansea; R. S. S. Woodgate. BRiHsus (Dark).— CocA-vrcI —1 and Cup, R. P. Percival. 2 and i, T. F. Ansiell. St. Helens. 3. Horace Lingwood. Needham Market. I'/ic, L. Wright, Crouch End, London, N. ; H. Robinson, Baildon. he, Hon. Miss D. Pennant, Bangor (2) ; E. Ensor ; Newnham & Mauby, Wolverhampton ; J. K. Fowler, c, E. Ensor, Bristol; J. F. Smith; O. E. Creaswell; J. Brookwell. Wigan. Pullet.— I, M. Leno. Dunstable. 2. Horace Lingwood 3, Newnham ,t Manby. 4. White & Shuter, Wilmington, v'le, Hon. Mias D. Pennant: E. Ensor; Mrs. Vigor, U.'cbridge ; J. Evana ; Newnham & Manby. he, Hon. Miss D. Pennant ; Mrs. M. A. Hayne : J. Brookwell. e, J. F. Smith, Sheffield ; A. Feast ; G. F. Whitehouse, Birmingham. Bbahuas (Dark).— Cocfc.— 1 and 3, T. F. Ansdell. 2, Newnham & Manby. vhe, Horace Liu?wood : R. P. Percival : J. Evans, he. J. F. Smith,: L.Wright; F. J. Cotterel, Birmingham (2); J. Evans, e. Rev. J. Watson, Exeter; Rev. C. W. Cox, Stratford-ou-ivon. Hen.—l and Cup. W. H. Orabtree. 2, T. F. Ansdell. 3, L. Wri,ber hive is somewhat modified, it is not the Huber proper. The little alteration I have made I think an improvement. In the Wood- bury there is sometimes a difficulty in drawing up the frames, which there is not in the Huber ; and, again, when you take out a frame of the W^oodbury you leave a vacant space, but in the Huber you can contract or expand the hive at your pleasure to what size you like. I have the Woodbury glass observatory hive with nine bars, and I must coafess I would much rather have glass than wood ; there is no moisture in it if you will take off the top and put on the quilt to prevent the steam from condensing. I have also the globular-shaped hive, with which I took the first prize at Manchester last year. I promised that I would let the readers of The Journal of Horticulture know how it had done this season. I think I told your readers that I put a swarm into it last season, but it being late it did not do well, and was not filled with comb when I took it to the Manchester Show. It passed through the winter well, and I had a swarm from it about the second week in June and a cast in eleven days after, and it is now in first-rate order, very full of bees and liiely to do well next year. So you see it is rather better than a toy and only fit for exhibition purposes. I have now twelve stocks all right for the winter, but only one of Pettigrew's 18-inch, which is very heavy and is the best stock I have in my garden, and I shall not have any straws less than IS inches. I still keep, and shall continue to keep, the Woodbury, Huber, and Nntt's hives, but only for ornament, as I do my unicomb. I have had a good season both in honey and swarms, most of the stocks having swarmed twice. I very seldom take honey out of the hives, only use supers and leave the rest for the bees. _ Now that the show of bees, &c., at the Crystal Palace is a thing of the past, I hope the success the managers have had will induce them to go on. But I should advise them to remove the show from place to place ; say in 187.5 let it be in Manchester or Birmingham, or any place they think would take it up. The Manchester people intend holding another next year upon a much larger scale, but to make it attractive the bees should be at work. I am glad to see that agricultural societies are now beginning to take up the encouragement of bee-keeping. The Manchester and Liverpool Agricultural Society, at their Show held at Staleybridge last year, gave prizes for bees and honey. The bees were at work three days in the show yard. — South Lancashire Bee-keeper. OUR LETTER BOX. Broughtv Fkhry Poultey Show. — Mrs. \V. Chalmers, Hallyburton, Conpar ADgus, iofonns as that Bhe was awarded the cup for the best Dorking cock. Dorking Cock Dying Suddenly (J. E. Af.).— Blood- vessel mptured on the brain. Fowls with Ducks (P(yrtcuUis). — One reason why Ducks and fowls do better apart is that the former delight in elush, and fowls like a dry place. Fowls like a hard surface, and Ducka like a soft muddy one. A Duck may be as tiltby as possible iu appearance, but a few minuteH in the water enable it to come perfect in plumage and perfectly clean. If a fowl gets its legs cased in mud (especially if feather-legged), and the tips of wings and tail draggled, it is a long process for it to get diy. Fifty fowls will drink from a vessel without spilling a drop. Two Ducks will scatter the water all over the place. We quite approve of giving the fowls part of the cow house. It is the only artificial heat we would use. Your pullets will continue to lay. The hens will lay in six weeks. The Ducks will not lay yet. Give them their liberty. They only fatten when they are shut-up, and that is often followed by loss of plumage. Price of Carriers and Almond Tumblers (A Novice). — We do not thick it right to recommend by name those who have birds for sale, but the best thing you can do is to write to some of those gentlemen who are famous for taking prizes in these varieties, and whose advertisements appear in our columns. What Bantams to Keep {A Suhifcrihfr). — "■Wiltshire Rector" is much gratified that his remarks in his New Year's article have pleased you. He recommends you to get a sitting of Black Bantam eggs from some exhi- bitor. As you already keep fowls you are sure to haye a broody hen in the spring or early summer. Black Bantams are hardy and healthy, and lay well and sit well. Then there is no cumb-cuttiug — dubbing as it is called — of the cocks, as when Game Bantams are kept, and this dubbing always shocks little girls. If yon breed the Bantams early in the spring they will naturally be larger. But they are, in order to keep them small, bred in early summer. The place you have and subsoil wuuld do well f^tr Blacks, or you might have a little wooden house and wired- in run for them, near the house, as they would be pets for a child, and are best near at hand and most enjoyed. Belgian Hare and Himalayan E-V-bbits {T. if. iV.).—Pntthem together about four o'clock in the afternoon, and leave them together till the middle of the nest day. The age is quite sufficient. We have no doubt this will be found satisfactory. British Bee Association {K. TT.).— Write to the Secretary, Mr. J. Hunter, Eaton Rise, Faling, London, W. BEE-KEEPING IN RUSSIA. [Translated from the German, "Itussia in the Nineteenth Century." By Von Th. von Lengenteldt.] Bee-reeping is every where practised in Russia, more especi- ally in Little Russia and New Russia. In the province of Pultawa (population 2,000,000), there are 500,000, and in that of Yekarterinoslaw (population 105,000), 400,000 hives. In Western Russia it chiefly flourishes iu the province of Kowne where the Tchmude tribe are principally engaged in bee-keeping; and in Eastern Russia the Finnic tribes are enthusiastic bee-keepers. In Siberia, the pursuit is mostly carried on about the Altai Mountains, and in Caucasia by the tribes of the Meretinzes and Grusinians. In South Russia artificial bee hives are used, whilst in North Russia the bees are kept in a natural manner in the forests. In former times Poland was celebrated for its bee culture, and is still now to some extent in the province of Lublin, having everywhere else fallen into decay. The reason why bee-keeping is so industriously carried on in Russia is twofold. First, be- cause the peasants use honey instead of sugar; and secondly, because wax tapers to the value of 1,200,000 rubles (nearly i,'l,825,000) are required for the churches. Buschen states the quantity of honey annually produced in European Russia to be 600,000 to 700,000 lbs. (9,643 to 11,250 tons), and a proportionate quantity of wax. — John Hunteb, 5, Eaton Rise, Ealing. TO OUR readers. The great length of the Lristol Show report and large amount of other communioations compel us, although we have doubled onr Supplement, to omit until next week reports of Fakenham, Paisley, Baildon, Nenthead, and other Exhi- bitions, which are already in type. METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, Camden Sqdabe. Londos. Lat. sr 32- 40" N. ; Long. 0' 8' 0" W. j Altitude, 111 feet. Date. 9 A.U. ' In the Day. 1875. li|J =^fir'- III 15- Shade Tem- perature. Radiation Temperature. In On sun. grass i Jan. Sijg'^ Dry. Wet. Mai. Min. We. 6 Th. 7 Fri. 8 Sat. 9 Sun. 10 Mo. U Tu. 12 Inches, deg. S0.029 45.0 aO.dSl 41.5 SO 158 , 400 30.003 1 41.2 29.789 1 40.1 29 844 1 47.2 29.9il ; 46.2 deg. 44 1 40.2 89.2 40.4 40.0 46.2 46.0 s. S.E. s. S.E. S.E. S.W. s.w. deg. 39.0 39.5 39.4 39 5 39.0 S9.1 39.4 deg. 49.0 42 6 42.8 45.4 47.4 49.8 49.2 46.6 deg. 419 39.7 98.0 39.3 37.5 39.1 41.1 deg. 71.5 4S.0 43 9 50.4 43.4 59.1 50.0 deg. 88.0 .39.2 37.2 38.1 35.1 35.2 87.8 In. o.ou 0.»60 O.lOi Means 21.975 1 4S.0 42.3 39.3 89.5 ea.s 87.2 0.17S REMARKS, fith. — A warm, bright, pleasant day throughout. 7tii.— Bark in the morning, rather better in the middle of the day ; dark after- noon, and wet night. 8th.— Rather foggy morning; dai'k and dull all day, though not very foggy, yth.— Fair morning, and until noon, but then dull, though the night was fair. 10th. — Fair early, but very dark here all day, and especially so about noon. 11th.— Rather dark all day, except between 12 and 2 P.M., when there was a little sun. 12th,— a\ damp, dark, uncomfortable day, frequent slight showers, but not much rain falling. A rise of 8 in the mean 9 A.M. temperature, and of 10'" in the mean mini- mum since last week. The weather, however, has been extremely damp and uncumfortable.— G. J. Symons. COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— Januaey 13. A FAIR supply but very little business doing among home productions. Imports are large, including hea\-y supplies of Broccoli from the Channel Islands and France. There is also a large arrival of fresh St. Michael I'iues, and Shaddocks and Pommeloes from the ^Vest Indies. Potato trade dull, except for superior qualities, which bear a small proportion to the bulk this season. FRDIT. d. B. d. 8. d B. d. Apples i sieve 1 Oto 1 Apricots doz. 0 0 0 Chemea %*lb. 0 0 0 Chestnuts bushel 10 0 20 CurrantH 1 sieve 0 0 0 Black do. 0 0 0 FiKS doz. 0 0 0 FUberta lb. 1 0 1 Cobs lb. 10 1 Gooseberries quart 0 0 0 Grapes, hothouse.... lb. 4 0 8 Lemons **■ 100 8 0 12 Melons each 10 8 Mnlberriea ^ lb. 0 Otoo Nectarines doz. 0 0 0 OranRea ^100 4 0 Peaches doz. 0 0 Pears, kitchen doz. 2 0 desaert doz. 2 0 PineApples lb. 2 0 Plums t sieve 0 0 Quinces doz. 0 0 Raspberries lb, 0 0 Strawberries ^Ib, 0 0 , Walnuts *.. bushel 10 0 ditto ¥-100 1 0 10 Janaary 21, 1875. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 47 WEEKLY CALENDAR. Day Day Average Tempera- Son Sun Mood Moon Moon's Olook before Snu. D«y Blonth ot Weei. JAN0ABT 21—27, 1875. ture near London. Rises Sete. Rises. Seta. Age. Year. Day. Night. Mean. m, h. m. h. m. h. m. h. Days. m. B. 21 Tn 42.9 82.0 87.5 66af7 27af4 63af8 22aJ8 • 11 88 21 22 F 43.1 82.3 87.7 54 7 29 4 17 5 61 8 16 11 54 22 23 S Agardh bom, 1785. •12.6 32 4 87.5 63 7 31 4 40 6 12 9 16 12 10 23 24 Sun 43.1 82.1 87.6 52 7 33 4 58 7 27 9 17 12 24 24 25 M 4.'!.4 82.3 87.9 61 7 34 4 12 9 89 9 18 12 88 26 Tu 45.5 32.3 88.9 49 7 36 4 24 19 60 9 19 12 61 26 27 W Stephen Switzer bom, 1682. 44.6 31.2 37.9 48 7 88 4 35 11 0 10 20 13 3 27 From obaorrationa taken near Loaaoa daring forty-thioe yeara, the average day temperatare of the week la 43.0' ; and Its night tomporatnro 82.6=. 1 WINTER CUCUMBERS. FEEL I owe an apology to some of your readers for not answering their queries on the above subject sooner, but I thouglit pro- bably if left alone they would answer each other. As there seems to be now no hope of this, I wUl take the queries seriatim, and see if I have anything to add to what ap- peared in the Journal of November 2Gth. At the same time be it understood that when I speak of my successes it is in no boastful spirit. I do not for a moment suppose I should succeed so well under the conditions named by some of your correspondents. " S. J. A." (page 489) is the first querist, and to him, before saying anything about Cucumbers, I will give a word of advice on another matter ; probably, however, his good sense will prevent him requiring it. He is acting under another's direction, and the one whose direction he acts under has to bear the responsibility, and therefore is entitled to carry out his own plans, and it is the duty of " S. J. A." to enter into the spirit of them as thoroughly as possible, and carry them out to the letter. It will not do for " S. J. A." to be pulling one way, and the one who gives him directions pulling another. " S. J. A." must make up his mind that Cucumbers can be grown with a night temperature of 70°, and determine to do it. I should if similarly situated. " S. .J. A." will probably have the chance some day of using his own dis- cretion as to cultural details, and he will then find that there is a great deal more requu-ing to be erased from the ordinary garden calendar besides that bearing on high night temperatures. I know of no reason for sowing four or more seeds in a pot, and afterwards breaking theh' roots in repotting them, necessitating shading until they are re-established, and resulting in loss of vigour and loss of time. Sow in single pots, break not a root, and never shade, unless for an hour or two after a spell of dull weather. I consider it preferable to use liquid manure when required rather than mix dung with the soil. There is very little in the remains of a spent hotbed for plants to feed on, the process of fermenting Las taken most of the ammonia away, and what is called manure is often only the packing material which once contained it. " R. R. S. H." (page 501), is the next quivist ; but I do not quite understand whether be wants information or an argument. I will suppose it is the former. Arguments generally end in personalities, and impart but little in- formation. Well, then, the Cucumber I grow is called Baron Hill, or Dickson's Favourite, and Dickson's All the Tear Round of F. & A. Dickson. I do not say it is the best, but it is a good one, and has served mo well ; there- fore, till I prove another to be better, I shall stick to it. Telegraph is also a splendid winter Cucumber. "R. R. S. H." says he cannot get good Cucumbers with a lower minimum than 00°. During the three-weeks fi'ost we lately had my house was more than once below 50°, and the plants are now in beautiful health, and No. 721.-V0I,. XXVIII., New Sbeies. showing three fruits at almost every joint. Scores of leaves measure 15 inches across, and have stalks 9 inches long. Two plants fill a space of 30 feet by 10 feet. There is not an insect or a speck of mildew on them, and they are clothed with foliage to within a foot of the base. I have great faith in a good steady bottom heat ; I have just tested it under my plants, and find it to be 78° at 10 inches below the sm-faoe. The atmospheric tempe- rature at the same time is C2° ; and as the weather is mUd, and there is not much fire going now, I should say at a guess that the bottom heat is never below 70°. When it is considered what a very high temperature the roots of Cucumbers must sometimes be in when grown on ordinary hotbeds in summer, and how rapidly they grow, and what enormous leaves the plants produce, it is no wonder that they also like to be kept warm in winter ; but beyond keepirg the plants comfortable, nothing further should be aimed at, excepting by dayhght. All growth made in the dark is worse than useless ; the brighter the light the higher may be the temperature. The note by ' W. G. S.," January 7th, is a valuable addi- tion to our Cucumber knowledge, and I have no doubt Mr. Piatt will prcfit by it. I should recommend him to clear out his Cucumber house — soil, slabs, water, and every- thing, and scald every part that can be scalded, oiling or painting the woodwork, limewashing the walls, &c., and the slabs if used again should first be passed through a fire or boiling water, and then to adopt my plan of using simply very light turfy boU. This may also be placed over a wood fire and made rather hot before using, but not bui-ned sufficiently to destroy the fibre. I should prefer rubble to water in winter about the bottom-heat pipes, as I think the soil would thereby be kept sweeter. 60° is not generally considered a high minimum, although I recommend 55° as being sufiiciently high. When the article was written which appeared November 26th, I had on my mind those who recommend a night tem- perature of 65°, and even 70° ; the higher figure being recommended that same week in a very influential con- temporary. If mine had been at 70° on the last day of the old year, when we had ^5° frost, I do not suppose they would now be in as good a condition as they are. The house was nearly down to 50°, and was covered with frigi domo for forty-eight hours. It was merely one long night to the plants, and they suffered far less than they would have done from a strong fire heat. — Wm. Taylor. BIRDS AND FRUIT BUDS. In a contemporary a correspondent runs a tilt long and strong against small birds, and especially the house sparrow. He says, after describing the havoc small birds commit in the destruction of fruit buds, " Sparrows are most destructive this way. Such birds are becoming far too numerous." The former he presently qualifies by stating, " In the matter of fruit buds they [sparrows] are almost as destructive as the bullfinch." The sense is so much altered as to reduce sparrows to an inferior rank as bud-destroyers to bullfinches ; whereas he sets No. 1373.— Vol. Lni., Old SESisa. 48 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. ( Jannai; 21, 1875 ont with " Sparrows are most destruotive." Then proceeding, he says, " I have watched them closely, and have never yet seen them take insect food ; and it would appear almost as natural to see any of the carnivorous animals eating hay as it would to see hard-billed birds, such as sparrows and finches, eating insects." Well may he have " grave doubts," though he has " watched them closely," of sparrows eating insects. But the subject is treated so vaguely ; as, for instance, " a few charges of powder and shot soon rid the garden of their [bull- finches'] presence, but to try and reduce sparrows in this way appears to bring hundreds to the funeral." The whole tenor of his remarks exhibits only prejudice and wanton misrepresentation of the sparrow. I have " grave doubts " that his eyes are so blinded by prejudice as " having eyes he sees not" the good sparrows do in a garden; in fact, he shows ignorance of the habits of this useful bird. Anyhow, the sparrow I know and have known since I can remember anything, and in gardens too, is a very different creature to what it is represented. I put this question to a youth of fifteen summers — " What do sparrows feed their young with ?" And his answer was, " Caterpillars." If there are any that have " grave doubts " of sparrows de- vouring multitudes of insects, they may in the coming season watch them going to their young with insect food several times an hour, and it is not difficult to ascertain of what this food is derived. It is not to the point to conclude because they are " hard-billed " they do not eat insects, or that car- nivorous animals will not eat hay, for the merest tyro in natural history knows oats are, or may, often be seen eating grass. The blue titmouse, though a ravenous eater of flesh, is equally fond of Green Peas ; and the sparrow, though a seed-eater — a vegetarian if you will, has his food fitted to its requirements. What seeds has the sparrow in early summer wheiewith to satisfy the craving of itself and young ? Seeds ! Is it likely to find these on Bose bushes. Gooseberry, Apple, and Plum trees? Why does it frequent our gardens, be most busy there during the breeding season ? Surely its place is in the farmyard, the barn, at the place where seeds or its vege- tarian diet is to be had. But instinct tells this companion of man in every cUme, whose footsteps it follows, that it is in the garden, on Rose, Gooseberry, Currant, Apple, Plum, and other subjects there cultivated, aphis and caterpillars are to be had, as well as green food, as the top of Peas. From the first dawn of spring to the time its young is strong of wing the sparrow is one of the busiest of gardeners. Early morning sees the creature at work — labours cariied on unceasingly until the sun is low in the west, freeing the trees of which man, his murderer, expects fruit in due time, and as far as the sparrow is concerned he may have unmolested. Not so much can be said of some of the soft-billed birds ; and for at least four months of close attention to the garden, ever vigi- lant, ever searching for, devouring, or taking to its young insect food, this bird is — (because the insect food fails or instinct says is not required, falls upon Green Peas or the tender grain of the fields) — to have levelled against it, not shot, for this brings hundreds to the funeral, but denuncia- tion of its merits, gross misrepresentation of its habits, and npon this find a plea for their destruction as " an unmixed evil." After this what next ? Strew poisoned Wheat for them to eat ! There is no telling what mischief may be done by the dictation of those denouncing in no measured terms a most useful and confiding creature ; and it is with a hope that any of the readers of this Journal having waged hitherto, or determined to wage in future, a war of extermination against these birds, to convince themselves before they do so by ocular proof of til's truth of those evils it is said to effect. Either the house-sparrow that I recognise as such is a dif- ferent creature to that of others, or the instinctive creature knows his friends and enemies. It were well if it did, leaving its abusers and destroyers to reap the fruit of their labours in swarms of lice and caterpillars covering the land. The sparrow (Passer domesticus) I know is a bold confiding bird. Wherever man fixes his habitation there we find this bird, courageous and even impudent in its familiarity with his dwelling and its surroundings. The whole of its Ufe is devoted to the service of man. In the forest, the wilderness, it has no place. Its house is made beside — often beneath — the same roof as that it seeks to benefit by taking what would often be wasted, helping itself to anything it can find in the shape of seed or grain or made thereof. This bird bmlda its nest beneath roofs of houses or build- ings, and in trees, especially evergreens, if there are any near human habitations, and rears two or more broods of young in a season. Its young are reared upon insect food, in the nest mainly if not exclusively, and when taking to wing is led to seek for itself its food upon subjects that have the " seed within itself," or subjects which at no time yield in their fruit the creature its food. As the bird becomes older it takes to Peas, then to grain, in both cases soft, and ultimately to hard seeds or grain, varying its diet with soft or cooked food. In a garden the sparrow does some harm. What does not ? It will take the tender tops of Peas, but a dusting of Ume will prevent its doing so ; but it will still visit them, and woe betide any weevU or grub that may show itself. It will keep company with the Peas all along, never so happy as when they are in flower. And what does it want then ? Why, that the old take to their young, and the young consume on the spot. It eats the young Peas, but is easily scared by an old hat suspended between two stakes, or a net will make all safe. Crocus flowers are pulled in pieces ; a black thread suspended over them will mostly keep the birds at a respectful distance. Fruit buds I have never known the sparrows touch. They are not prevented in any way from doing so, and yet they have never eaten any. For full thirty years this is my experience — daily experience, of sparrows in gardens. I know the sparrows are blamed by almost everyone for taking fruit buds, especially of the Gooseberry, but the linnet is never dreamt of, but a more rapacious bud-destroyer, nor more sly and shy bird at it, does not exist. Early morn is the time to see the linnets at work, and away they are with a twitter. Sparrows, because seen on the bushes in broad daylight, are the rogues. I of course do not know what the sparrow may do in other gardens than those of which I have happened to have charge, and these have been gardens in agricultural vUiages — farm-steadings abundant — away from even those, and in towns where there is no feathered note so famiUar in a natural state as that of the sparrow, and in no instance has this bird taken a single fruit bud. To see buds taken, and because the sparrow is seen where or near whence they were removed, is not enough. Proof positive and conclusive is needed, and until this is forthcoming let me ask your readers to stay execution until proof is forthcoming in personal observation and practical experience. — G. Abbet. NOTES FROM MY GAEDEN IN 1874. The favour with which the few notes I gave on my garden in 1873 were received, and the conviction that experience such as we are all capable of telling does much in aiding others, induce me again to put on record a few simple notes which may be helpful to those situated like myself. Mr. Luckhurst writes from a different standpoint. He has to do with a large place ; I, on the contrary, have only a small one, which I have already described, and in which it is my endeavour to do as much in various departments of gardening as I possibly can, laying claim to no superior method of culture — blending, it may be, a good deal — having to tell of many losses and failures, but on the whole getting as much enjoyment out of my little plot as I have any reasonable right to expect. A few alterations have been made during the past year, and I may perhaps regard them as the last I shall make. I have been enabled to build a wall some 230 feet with a good south and south-western aspect ; and this has necessitated the cut- ting-down of a number of useless Filbert trees, which the soil did not suit, and from which in six years I had not gathered a bushel of nuts. I have also made a rock border, on which I have placed some choice alpines. With these exceptions my garden remains the same as when I made my last year's notes. As in most places it was a trying season, the mild winter, the late spring frosts, and the lengthened drought combined to tax one's capacities ; but I do not think we suffered in our neighbourhood nearly as much as in some others from the two last causes. We had rain when we heard not a drop bad fallen in other parts, and we heard of losses by the frost which we know nothing of. I think that perhaps I suffered most in the early Peas, some of which seemed regularly scorched by it. And as I have mentioned them I had perhaps better make these first notes to bear on vegetables. And here let me say, that in speaking of sorts I do not by any means wish to dis- parage others which I have not mentioned ; but some are sent to me to try, and as my garden is small I am constantly obliged to refuse persons who wish me to try new varieties, as it would be simply impossible to try all, except to one's own great dis- comfort and loss. Take for example new Peas : their name is Legion, and still the cry is. They come ! It would be impos- Janaajy 21, 1875 ] JOURNAL OF HOBTIGULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 49 Bible for me to grow a row of each kind, and less than that hardly gives a fair trial. Moreover, let it be borne in mind that a great deal in all varieties of vegetables and fruits depends on soil and situation, and I by no means would imply that others, who give other varieties as the best, are not right in their conclusions as far as their situation is concerned. In Peas I commenced last year with Sutton's Emerald Gem, Sutton's Ringleader, and Carter's First Crop, and also with a small quantity of Sutton's Bijou, a dwarf wrinkled Pea which is being sent out this spring. All these suffered more or less from the spring frosts, and the crops were not nearly so good as usual. The latter (Bijou) I look upon as a decided acqui- sition of the Little Gem type, a little taller (18 inches), but not so much so as to require stakes, the pods being in pairs, and I have counted from eight to ten good peas in many of them. From its greater productiveness, and from the fact that it is very difficult to procure a good strain of Little Gem, this Pea will be a valuable one, its flavour being excellent. Of later Peas I had the following :— Maclean's Best of All, of which I can only say that it well deserves its name ; the crop was abundant, and the flavour, like all Dr. Maclean's Peas, excellent. Improved Princess Royal is another capital Pea for general purposes. Of later Peas I had samples of two new Peas sent to me by the Messrs. Sutton for trial — Giant Emerald Marrow and Duchess of Edinburgh. Of the former I have a very high opinion. Of its distinctness there can be no doubt : it has the same peculiar foliage of Emerald Gem — a rich glau- cous green, unlike other Peas ; but instead of being a dwarf round Pea, it is a tall (about 5 feet) wrinkled Marrow. The flavour is excellent, and the habit robust. I had an oppor- tunity, besides seeing it in my own garden, of seeing it grow- ing at Reading ; and no Pea in the whole trial-ground was more robust. I question if any were so much so. Duchess of Edinburgh is a good wrinkled Marrow of the Ne Plus Ultra type ; and if it be, as it promises to be, an improvement on that variety, it will surely be a favourite. For the later crops I had G. F. Wilson, an excellent Pea of the Veitch's Perfection type, and Berkshire Challenge, the latter a very vigorous and prolific Pea, requiring tall sticks. The only vegetable that in any way takes the place of the Pea is the French Bean, and there is one which I think is destined to take the place of all others when it is more gene- rally known — I mean Canadian Wonder. I have never seen anything to equal it for productiveness. I had three short rows of it, and the amount I gathered from them was positively wonderful. The pods were from 8 to 12 inches in length, and the flavour is excellent — no stringiness, and boiling green and teaser. My opinion of it is such that I am not going to grow any other variety this season ; and I find that the opinion of such men as Mr. Tillery of Welbeck and Mr. G. Abbey is equally favourable as regards its forcing qualities. Among the taller-growiug Beans I had Champion Runner, a very prolific sort, but did not try the Butter Beans, about which so much has been said pro and con. I know that my neighbour Mr. Woodford did, but did not think a great deal of them. It was a very trying season for Lettuces, and the most ap- proved kinds were difficult to keep from running away. The value of such kinds as Tom Thumh, All the Year Round, and Commodore Nutt was never more apparent, although I myself greatly prefer the Cos Lettuce ; but then they will in such dry hot summers so soon run away. I may here mention that I had some seed sent to me by Mr. Wright, gardener to the Hon. A. Leslie MelvUle, of Branston, Lincoln, which is much thought of by them. It seems to be a selected strain of the Bath Cos, dark in colour, and not liable to run so quickly as some sorts. I found that the only plan to secure Lettuces at all was to sow in succession a very small piece, thinning-out. and letting them stand where sown. Transplanting is fatal. And I have found nothing nothing better in Cos Lettuces than Sutton's Superb White or the well-known Paris White. As I have something to say on the subject of Potatoes, I shall reserve them and other vegetables lor another time. — D., Deal. EXHIBITING KOSES NOT GROWN BY THE EXHIBITOR. Could not some sort of society be started by amateur Eose- growers to prevent noidisant "gentlemen" exhibiting Roses at shows, such Roses not being their own growing ? No doubt many of our great nurserymen could tell of numerous appli- cations to them for particular Roses by a certain day for the express purpose of staging them by the purchasers as their own at some local show. I only hope they, one and all, got a good showing-up themselves instead of the Koses. A few years since a case in point occurred at a show held not many miles from this neighbourhood. I did not exhibit, but was anxious to know the winner of the first prize for Roses. After congratulating him upon his success, &c., I intimated a wish to see his Roses, if. possible to ascertain wherein his marvellous success lay. I called at his rosery ! What did I see ? A piece of ground about the size of a good large room ! No standards, he didn't " beheve in them," a few miserable dwarfs barely existing. The secret of his suc- cess was patent at once : he obtained his blooms from a nur- sery— an after-confession too, and for two or three seasons he had with the greatest effrontery shown and taken prizes for them as his own growing ; but the season following my visit he was disquahfled, and, if I remember rightly, is now not allowed to enter his box. Does not the same thing happen at other shows ? What is it but gambling in flowers too, and above all in Roses ? I earnestly hope that some of your corre- spondents with abler pens than mine will take-up the cause, and, if possible, prevent such nefarious schemes. — Geo. W. Jessop, An Amateur, Bexleij. MINIATURE STANDARDS FOR HOUSE DECORATION. The taste which takes pleasure in standards— Roses, Bays, Oranges, &c.— is often questioned by the hyper-artistic who call them by all sorts of stiff ungainly names, and say they are like nothing in nature, and seldom equalled in pure unmean- ing ugliness by anything out of it ; yet, despite bad name, ugliness and aU, standards of many things are favourites with most of plain gardening people, and that not only in the flower garden, but with plants on a smaller scale for indoor and table decoration where a greater degree of artificiality is not only admissible but highly congruous. For this purpose it is best that the plants chosen should be naturally of a some- what close bushy habit, and the foliage ornamental and not too large ; and with these qualities in view some of the best things for the purpose will be found among our commoner plants, which almost everybody grows. The Golden Varie- gated Thyme, for the perfect symmetry of all its parts when grown as a natty little standard of b or C inches in height, would delight the heart of any dwarf-loving Chinaman. The easiest way to get them up is to select some year-old plants from a border where they have been pegged down, lifting them in autumn, and potting them in 3-iuch pots. After they are somewhat established the stem should be pruned up to what- ever height is thought most suitable for the purpose they are required for, and a httle judicious stopping and tying soon secures nice semi-globular heads. The best place to grow them in is a cold frame fully exposed to the sun, plunging the pots overhead in charcoal, or, if that be not forthcoming, in coal ashes. Another very nice plant, but requiring more care and patience, is the Ivy-leaved Geranium L'Elegante. For it a neat wire umbrella treUis is requked, which should be painted green, and which, when the standard is perfectly grown, will be en- turely hid except the stalk. When the head is fuUy formed a charming roseate hue can be given to the leaves of both this and the Golden Thyme by puncturing the stems, or by cutting them half through and exposing them fully to the sun. A very nice and rather curious little standard can be formed by grafting Iresine Lindeni upon the golden-veined variety, I. Verschaffelti. Let the latter be grown until it be 7 or 8 inches high, and then stopped above a joint. After the side shoots have grown away a httle remove them all, except the second pair from the top, trim off the top of the stem to where the uppermost pair of laterals were removed, and there wedge- graft a shoot of Lindeni upon it. So easily do they unite that, unless for custom's sake, no wax or clay need be used, all that is necessary being to tie well with soft bast, and round that to bind a little sphagnum. Of course they requke shad- ing for some time, and to be placed in a mild moist heat. It is also requisite that the stock and graft should be in about the same condition as to age and hardness of wood. As soon as the graft has taken and begun to grow, the top must be pinched off, and at the same time the two laterals that were left on the stock wOl need to be stopped either at the first or second joint, and the result will be four shoots, which will 50 JOUBNAIi OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. I Jaonary 21, 1873. form an elegant border round the head of our composite standard. In this case also a wire trellis is needful, which, when the head is perfectly moulded, either may or may not be removed, according as it is clumsy or otherwise. The common small-leaved Myrtle as a standard in a tiny tub has an antique air about it, and it is easily grown without wires. Very beautiful also is the Lavender Cotton plant {Santolina incana), with leafage like delicate silver fllligreework, more especially by gaslight. In growing all such small ware the pots must be kept plunged, and care taken that they do not root into the material used , otherwise on removal they may receive a check which their small stock of vitality may not be able to overcome. — E. D. Taylob. SIZE OF SETS AND SPACES FOK PLANTING POTATOES. The best answers to your correspondent " Kittie's " in- quiries are furnished by the results of the exhaustive, costly, and carefully- conducted experiments of Mr. George Maw, F.L.S., on the Potato crop at Beuthall, near Brosely, in 1864 and 1865, and reported in the " Journal of the Boyal Agricultural Society," vol. iii., part ii., as a prize essay, «nd which will well repay careful perusal. Mr. Maw in the latter year carried out 129 experiments with various kinds of Potatoes in general cultivation on as many trial plots extending over many acres, using sets of various sizes, both whole and cut, planted with various manures, at different distances, but all in rows 2 feet apart ; and in the recapitulation of the general bearing of his systematic experi- ments, the results of which he describes in detail, he states that — " Firstly, Every increase in the size of the set, from 1 oz. up to 8 ozs. in weight, produces an increase in the crop much greater than the additional weight of the set planted. The nett profit over and above the extra weight of the sets in planting 4-oz. sets in lieu of 1-oz. sets, amounted on the whole series of experiments to between 3 and 4 tons per acre ; and the further profit on the increase of the size of the set, from 4 oza. to 8 ozs., averaged about 5 tons an acre, all the intermediate steps par- taking proportionately of the increase. " Secondly, The advantages in favour of the_ large sets are more marked in the late than in the early varieties. " Thirdly, In the use of small sets of from 1 oz. to 3 ozs. in weight, a larger balance over and above the weight of the sets was obtained by planting from 6 to 9 inches apart in the rows than at wider intervals. "Fourthly, Increasing the intervals at which the sets are planted, even of the largest size, in the rows to more than 12 inches, diminishes the crop, and the wider intervals induce no increase in the weight of the produce of the individual sets. " Fifthly, It may be broadly stated that the weight of the crop is proportionate to the weight per acre of the sets, and that small sets will produce the same crop as an equal weight per acre of large seta. The fact is, however, of limited application, as a weight of very small sets equal to a weight of full-sized Potatoes could not be got into the ground, except by planting them so close as to be prejudicial to the crop. The advantage, therefore, of large sets remains practically unimpaired. " Sixthly, Weight for weight cut sets produce, as nearly as possible, the same weight per acre as whole Potatoes ; but for the reasons given above the weight of the sets should not be reduced by subdivision. " Seventhly, Smaller sets give a larger produce in proportion to their weight than the larger sets. " Eighthly, When the intervals between the sets in the rows are diminished to less than a foot, the produce of each individual set is proportionately diminished. Though this is not neces- sarily accompanied by a diminution of the weight of the crop, no increase in the produce of each individual set is caused by placing the sets at intervals wider than a foot. " Ninthly, With reference to ihe relative produce of different varieties, a late red sort takes the precedence throughout the experiments ; and of the several varieties of Fluke, ' Spencer's King of Flukes ' and ' The Queen of Flukes ' are much more prolific than the ordinary variety." But as Mr. Maw's experiments appear to have been con- ducted principally in one season, and on one kind of soil, and with a view to economical results as a farm crop, some allowance may be made both for season and for the quality and depth of soil, and also for garden cultivation, when it is sometimes found economical to plant the Potatoes in rows at wider distances apart for the purpose of providing for the more vigorous growth and taller tops, or for an intermediate cropof Broccoli, Cabbage, or Brussels Sprouts, which is often secured with ad- vantage by planting them between the rows of Potatoes before the latter are lifted —a practice followed by many experienced gardeners ; in which case the rows should not be less than 3 feet apart. Mr. Maw's distance of 2 feet apart may, how- ever, be taken as a fair average for ordinary cultivation. A less distance, taking 14 inches as a minimum, will generally secure a first early crop, and 3 feet as a maximum for a late crop of the coarser-growing sorts, but soil and season must not be lost sight of. Wide intervals between the rows, from the extra ridging or earthing they lead to, tend to make the Potato a preparatory fertilising and cleansing crop, an object which Mr. Maw does not appear to have had in view in calculating economically the results. The preparatory and fertilising effects of the Potato as a farm crop are well recognised in some of the alluvial low lands of Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire, where it has of late years become a common practice to alternate advantageously Potatoes with Wheat successively for several years. Another paper, I believe also a prize essay, of the Boyal Agricultural Society by the Bev. E. F. Manby on the cultiva- tion of early Potatoes, furnishes a good deal of information as to their profitable cultivation. — Thomas Laxton, Stamford. SELECTION OF FKUITS. Having under my charge about sixty varieties of Apples, I have much pleasure in forwarding you a list of forty-five sorts — viz., thirty dessert and fifteen kitchen varieties. All the kinds herein named are good, and according to my experience would not be easily beaten for succession and quahty com- bined. Desifrt. Ashmead's Kernel Erabaut Belleflem- Court Pendu Plat l>utch Mijjuonne Early Harvest Early -Joe Juiieating, Red Maclean's Favourite Margil Nonpareil, Early Nonpaieil, Braddick'a Nonpareil, Pitmaston Nonpareil, Scarlet Pearmain, Baxter's Pearmain, Clay^'ate Peai-main, Mannington's (one of the latest) Pippin, Cox's Orange Pippin, liibston Pippin, tjulden Pippin, Spring' {or Baddow) Pippin, Hughes' Golden Pippin, Stiumer (very late) Pippin, AVadiiurdt It may be well to mention that all the varieties named are grown as bush or dwarf pyramids, and usually bear good crops of fruit. But last season being an unusually bad one for Apples, many of the trees here bore very little or no fruit, the blossoms being completely out off by the late frosts of the last spring. — G. A. Bkoiifield, Prittleiivll, Essex. Pippin, Wyken Pomme Eoyale Russet, byke House Beiuette, Golden Reinette, Grise d'Or Fine Apple Russet KitcJten. Blenheim Orange Beauty of Kent Bedfordshire Foundling Cahnlle Blanche Dutch Codiin Dumelow's Seedling (or Wellington) Gravenstein Hoilandbury Pippin (splendid colour-) Here de Menage Northern Greening (one of the latest) Reinette dn Canada Tower of Glammis (a good sort) Walthara Abbey Seedling (good) Warner's Ring (a very fine sort) Winter Colman (very late) EOSES TO CLIMB UNDEB GLASS. Yellow. — Marcehal Niel, Gloire de Dijon, Triomphe de Eennes, Celine Forestier, and MdUe. Aristide. Nankeen and Copper. — Ophirie. Grlmson. — GencralJacqueminot and Charles Leiebvre. liosy Crimson. — Madame Louise Carique and John Hopper. Eose Colour. — Anna Alexieff, Baronne Prevost, La A'ille de St. Denis, and Souvenir de la Beine d'Angleterre. Bright Cherry. — Jules Margottin and Edward Morren. White. — Acidalie. Briijht lied. — Vicomtesse de Vezins, Glory of Wal- tham, and Madame C. Joigneaux. 3Iaroon. — Empcreur de Maroc. Blood Purple. — Pierre Netting. BUu^h. — Souvenir de la Malmaison. The five first are the strongest growers. Aristide is the strongest grower of all. All wUl make fine climbers, say 10 feet high or more according to cultivation. The best type of a pole or wall Bose is Ophirie ; it covers all its stems with leaves or flowers, and blooms from its base. — W. F. Eadclyffe. The Connoisseur Pea.— I have been favoured last year by several firms with samples of Peas for trial. One remarkable Pea Mr. Laxton sent me 'with a few other kinds for trial. January 21, 1675. J JOUENAL OF EOETICHLTCEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 51 What I wish to name is Connoissenr. Tliis Pea is remarkable, and it woulJ be of interest to l;now its history. My trial was on the limestone, and after sowing scarcely any rain fell during the growth. After all the other Peas were dead Connoisseur was " as green as a Leek." It was a perpetual bloomer and cropper, commenced to fill in July, and bloomed until Octobei'. I have heard that there is a difficulty to grow Peas in hot climates, but I fancy we have one in Connoisseur that will be of great service abroad, and also to those that require Peas, Bay, in October. — E. H. D., Seaham. EOYAL HOBTICULTDRAL SOCIETY. Janu.iby 20th. Fkuit Cojimittee. — G. F. Wilson, Esq., F.R.S., in the chair. A seedling Apple was exhibited by Mr. John Cox of Kedleaf, raised from Golden Kuob. It is somewhat larger than Golden Knob, of a bright golden russet colour, and with a flesh as tender as that of Cox's Orange Pippin — juicy, rich, and vinous. It was called Eedleaf Basset, and received a first-class certificate. Messrs. James Carter & Co. of Holborn sent handsome speci- mens of Esopus Spitzenberg Apple from California. They were highly coloured, and, though past their best, still retained some of the fine flavour of that excellent Apple. Messrs. Stuart and Mein of Kelso sent several dishes of Apples they had received from Mr. G. Taylor, of Kalamazoo in the State of Michigan, which were much admired for their beauty of colour ; but it was the general opinion that they were deficient in flavour. A letter of thanks was awarded to Messrs. Stuart it Meiu. A collection also came from Rev. R. O. Bromfield, of Sprouston, N.B., consisting of Goldea Noble, Northern Spy, Cellini, American Mother, Mere de Mijuage, Gravenstein, Small's Admirable, Eoyal Pearmain, and Cox's Orange Pippin, all of which were well grown and hand- some. Cox's Orange was excellent in flavour. A cultural com- mendation was unanimously awarded to them. Alfred Smee, Esq., exhibited a dish of Spanish Chestnuts of the crop of 1873, which had been preserved in dry sand, and kept in a dry garden bed. They were as plump and fresh as if they had been newly- githered, and preserved all their original flavour. Mr. Batters, gardener, Chil worth Manor, Romsey, exhibited a dish of New Potatoes and Mushrooms, and a fruit of the Varie- gated Pine Apple, to which a letter of thanks was awarded Mr. John Stirling of Park Wern, Swansea, sent a dish of- Mushrooms. Mr. E.. Bennett, gardener to the Marquis of Salis- bury, Hatfield, sent four varieties of Cucumbers — Masters' Pro- hfic. Improved Sion House, Duke of Edinburgh, and Telegraph. That which was shown for Improved Sion House was Masters' Prolific ; the former being spineless, and the latter having white spines. Mr. Denning, gardener to Lord Loudesborough, sent a Cucumber called Epicurean. Mr. G. T. Miles, gardener to Lord Carriugton, Wycombe Abbey, sent two very handsome Charlotte Rothschild Pines, which were awarded a cultural commendation. Flokax. Committee. — Mr. B. S.Williams in the chair. It was not to be expected that large collections of plants would be sent so early in the year, although for the season the day was remark- ably mild, so much so that Orchids and other tender plants might have been brought without fear of damage. A few nice groups of exotic plants were sent by some of the trade growers. Mr. John Wills of Onslow Square staged a very effective group, comprising some nice plants adapted for dinner-table decoration, notably Cocos Weddeliaua, uuiversally acknowledged as the most graceful of Palms, Aralia Veitcbii also a most famous table plant, Araha leptophylla, Chamsedorea elegans, and Ficus Cooperi, a good decorative species with crimson veins on the leaves. Messrs. Veitch of the Royal Exotic Nursery, King's Road, Chelsea, sent a very fine group of Cyclamens, and a very fine strain of double Chinese Primula from seed. The collection of Primula contained thirty-six pots, the flowers and plants so much alike that one would have thought that aU had been propagated from cuttings from a common centre. This strain is named P. sinensis kermesina flore-pleno. The collec- tion of Cyclamens contained some very fine varieties, of which the pure white and deep purplish crimson flowers are the most desirable. Mr. W. Bull of King's Road, Chelsea, sent a collection of Cycadaceous plants, comprising Dion edule, a very neat-habited species; Macrozamia spiralis, Eucephalartos villosus, ampli- atus, and others rare and flue, many of them remarkable for the very small pots in which they are grown; but it maybe useful to note in passing that all this class of plants succeed most satisfactorily in small pots. To the above collections votes of thanks were given. New plants were exhibited by Messrs. Veitch, who had Ne- penthes Intermedia, a hybrid between N. Eaiflesiana and an unnamed species with spotted pitchers. It is a very neat-grow- ing species, and the pitchers are very prettily spotted. A first- class certificate was awarded. Mr. Bull had Sophronitis grandi- flora Buperba, flowers large, but not so brilliant as many we have seen ; Arisfema sp. ; Oncidium pelicauura, with a small spike of yellow and brown-spotted flowers; Hippeastrura Acme, the flower is badly shaped, but the colour a brilliant crimson ; Zamia Roezlii, in too small a state to form an opinion of it. A new double Primula sinensis. The Champion, was sent by Mr. H. Harris, gardener to A. Ashby, Esq., Naseby Wooleys, Rugby; the flowers are quite double, of a dull red colour, and freely produced. From Messrs. E. G. Henderson & Son, Wellington Road, St. Joh;..'8 Wood, came Hippeastrum Hendersonii Adrian and Minnie Warren, good flowers, but not superior to many already sent out; Dracajna Diiflii, a species with bold, bronzy, metallic leaves edged with crimson. Mr. C. Green, Holmesdale Road, Reigate, sent Prenanthes hybrida elegans, the leaves finely cut. From the Society's own gardens came a group of Chinese Primula of a distinct strain. Mr. R. Parker of Tooting sent cut flowers of Aponogeton distachyon grown in the open air without any protection. This is a very pretty thing, and flowers freely in shallow water in the open air about London. The pure white flowers are very sweet. GARDENERS' ROYAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION. The annual Meeting of the Gardeners' Benevolent Institution was held at the Bedford Hotel, Covent Garden, on the evening of Thursday last the 14th inst.. Dr. Hogg in the chair. The annual report of the Institution was read, by which it appeared that there were seventy-two pensioners on the Charity receiv- ing £930 annually, that the income amounted to £1747, and that there was now an invested capital of £10,400 in consols. Dr. Hogg was elected a Trustee of the Institution in room of Mr. Huggins, deceased. Testimonial to Me. Chtlee. — After the close of the annual Meeting a supper was provided at Simpson's in the Strand, at which between sixty and seventy members of the Institution were present, to celebrate the presentation of a Testimonial to Mr. Cutler, after thirty-two years' service as Secretary to the Institution. The chair was taken by Dr. Hogg, supported on the right by Mr. John Lee of Hammersmith, and on the left by Mr. Robert Wrench of London Bridge. The company included many of the leading representatives of horticulture. The Testimonial was a very handsome one, the sum realised being £250. It consisted of a very handsome silver tea and coffee service with salver, t^ble forks and spoons, and a massive gold watch-chain ; in additiun to which were a. valuable dia- mond half-hoop ring and gold watch-chain to Mrs. Cutler. PORTRAITS OF PLANTS, FLOWERS, and FRUITS. EuavLYPTUS COKNDTA. Nat. ord., Myrtaceae. Linn., loos- andria Monogyuia. — Flowers scarlet and yellow. " Amongst the wonderful forms of Australian vegetation this is not the least striking, whether from its singular structure or the colouring of its inflorescence. It is a native of South- Western Australia, where it was discovered by Libillardicre iu the beginning of the century ; and from whence numerous dried specimens are in the Kew H3rbarium, from Cunningham, Drummond, Oldfield, Harvey, and others, collected from King George's Sound eastward to Cape Riche. It is the ' Yeit ' of the colonists, and, according to Oldfield's notes, it must be a very variable tree, as he describes some specimens as from trees 10 feet high, others from trees 30 to 40 feet high, and others still from trees of 80 to 100 feet high. The bark he describes as rough, hard, persistent, and light brown in the larger trees; as black and half fibrous in others ; and as smooth In the smaller trees. At Kew, where two specimens are cul- tivated in tubs in the south octagon of the temperate house, it forms a slender tree about 9 feet high, with smooth bark and spreading branches." — (Bot. 3Iarj., t. 6140.) Ckocds btzantinus. Nat. ord., Iridacese. /,mn , Triandria Monogynia. — Flowers nurple. Native of Transylvania. — {Ihid., t. 6141.) Jamesia AMERICANA. Nat. ord., Saxifragacese. Linn., Dec. andria Digynia. — Native of Rocky Mountains. Flowers white "First described from imperfect specimens by Torrey and Gray in 1840, and named by them ' in commemoration of the scientific services of Dr. Edwin James, its worthy discoverer, the botanist and historian of Major Long's expedition to the Rocky Mountains iu 1820, and who during the journey made an excellent collection of plants under the most unfavourable circumstances.' Those were the days when every traveller iu the Rocky Mountains carried his life in his hand, and 52 JOURNAL OF HOKTICULTORE AND OOTTAGB QABDENEB. [ Jaauary 21, 1S75. when to hold it fast required the subtlety of the savage plus the pluck of the white man. Little was known of this plant for many subsequent years, not until it was gathered by Fendler in 1847, and after another long interval by C. C. Parry in ISGl, in the very spot where James had discovered it — namely, the head waters of Clear Creek, and on Alpine ridges east of Middle Park, in the Colorado territory, lat. 40° N." — [Ihid., t. 0142.) Blumenbachia chuqtjitensis. Nat. ord., Loasese. Linn., Polyadelphia Polyandria.— Flowers orange and yellow. " A handsome Peruviafl herbaceous plant, allied to the Chilian B. coronata, but differing wholly in habit, this having a stout erect, orsuberect and leafy stem, with the petioles and axillary peduncles shorter than the leaf-blade, and B. coronata being a tufted plant, with a short procumbent stem, very slender petioles much longer than the blade, and long scape-like peduncles rising from the ground. It was imported from Peru by Messrs. Veitch in 1863, through their collector Mr. Pearce, and there are indigenous specimens in the Kew Herbarium, coUeeted by Lechler in Peru, at San Antonio. " B. chuquitensis flowered in Messrs. Veitch's establishment in September, and is quite hardy. When first sent to view to be named, in 1865, it was supposed to be the C. coronata, under which name Mr. Veitch has consequently distributed it." — (Ihid , (. 6143.) OnoNTOGLOssuH MAXiLLAEE. Nat. ord. , Orchidacea?. Linn., Gynandria Moaandria. — Native of Mexico. Flowers white with purple blotches. — (Ihid., t. 6144.) GOLDEN CHAMPION GRAPE. In reply to Mr. Grieve, I have to say that the Golden Champion was not a sport from any other Vine. It was raised from seed taken out of a berry that was obtained by a cross between the Bowood Muscat and Black Hamburgh, but which was a shy setter, though the berries that did set were very large. I cannot help thinking that Mr. Grieve is under some mis- take when he suppo.'ses that his rod of Trebbiano has produced a bunch of Golden Champion. The subject is a very interest- ing one ; and knowing Mr. Grieve to be a man well accustomed to close observation of vegetable distinctions, whether these appear in fruit or flowers, I for one shall feel obliged if he will say whether the foliage of the lateral that produced the sup- posed Golden Champion bunch on the Trebbiano rod was the foliage of that Vine or of the Golden Champion, for they are very distinct ; and if he has saved the wood of the lateral in question, will he grow an eye of it or send me one ? and I will grow it, and if possible throw some light on the matter. Is it not possible that the bunch in question was just a short well- swelled bunch of Trebbiano, with berries nearly as large as Golden Champion ? The spot on the berry is no criterion, for I have seen Trebbiano, and even Muscats, have the same spot as Golden Champion when grown in too damp an atmosphere. There was a short plump bunch of Gros Guillaume (Barba- rossa), shown at the International Show in Glasgow exceed- ingly like a Black Hamburgh, and it passed the ordeal of the judges as such, though I and others pronounced it to be what it really was — Gros Guillaume. It was named Pennington Hall Hamburgh, and was offered to the public as a new variety of Hamburgh, when its grower, if he had any discriminating powers at all, must have known by the growth of the Vine and its foliage that it was not a Hamburgh, but a well-known Vine, perfectly distinct from every other. Here, then, we have a Grape, as a rule producing large, long, and heavily-shouldered bunches, producing at times bunches so hke the Black Ham- burgh as to deceive good judges. No such .deception could have taken place had they seen it on the Vine. I mention this circumstance that Mr. Grieve may see that it is necessary to take the foliage and wood into consideration before deciding that the bunch he writes about is Golden Champion. The Golden Champion will not succeed as a late Grape in a damp atmosphere, but if grown in a Hamburgh house, in a rather dry atmosphere, it will produce splendid fruit that will keep till Christmas. — W. Thomson, Tweed Vineyard. though it is said rarely to attain more than 2 feet. The plant resembles an Echinocactus, and the flowering part produced on the summit consists of a dense cylindrical mass of woolly hails and slender red spines, among which appear the small Mammillaria-like flowers ; in this case it is more than a foot high. From a fancied resemblance it has earned for the plant the name of Turk's Cap. It is also known as Pope's Head and Englishman's Head, the latter presumably byway of com- pliment, it being known to the French as tete-ii-VAvglais. It grows in the arid districts of South America and the West Indies, where the mules conveniently quench their thirst by drinking the juice of the interior, after first removing the spines with their feet. If desired to cultivate, small plants should be obtained from a nurseryman, or they may be im- ported without soil in a box of any dry loose material that will preserve them from injuring one another. On arrival they should be placed on a dry surface in the full sun, or may be potted, but in either case must be kept dry until there is an inclination to grow. In winter a temperature of .50' is sufficient, but in summer they will not be the worse for the highest degree of heat convenient, with a proportionate amount of moisture. In the cultivation of Cacti many prefer potting to be done in June, as at that time a large proportion commence growth, a preference, of course, on the assumption that plants should not have fresh soil until the roots are ready to make active use of it, because of its getting out of condition. But as Cacti do not require water until growth commences, the rule does not apply with so much force, and there seems no reason, if more convenient, why potting should not be donS from February onwards ; indeed, by experiment it is found to answer. Among the Orchids is a very interesting Dendrobium, D. te- tragonum. It is chiefly remarkable from the long tetragonal pseudobulbs, which are pendulous and terminate in a pair of leaves. The flowers are not highly coloured, but yet from their number and peculiar form cannot be considered unattractive. The perianth segments are narrow, the two lateral segments curiously twisted. It is a native of Moreton Bay, Australia, and does well on a block in a cool house. Masdevallia at- tenuata, a charming though diminutive species, must also be mentioned. It was first described three years ago, then in- troduced by the Messrs. Veitch from Costa Eica. The height does not exceed 3 inches, and among the numerous leaves appear many sweetly-scented white flowers with orange-coloured tails. This plant is growing freely suspended in a basket, a position that is often convenient, as it insures safety from outrage by slugs. DISEASE OF CUCUMBER ROOTS— VIBRIOS. I AM very glad to find that my observations on the presence of a parasitic Nematoid in the nodules which frequently occur in the roots of Cucumbers and Melons, and which have also been found in Gardenia, have attracted attention. I used the word Vibrio in the sense in which it was originally employed by Miiller and Bauer, as more immediately intelligible than _a new term to persons acquainted with Vibrio Tritici, which is now Tylenchus Tritici, Bastian. It is quite true that the term Vibrio is now applied to a different set of organisms. Those who wish for an account of the rather extensive family of Anguillulidffi may consult Dr. Bastian's paper in the "Trans- actions " of the Linnean Society, vol. xxv., p. 73, 1865. The species in question is not included in the paper, as I was well aware when I recorded its occurrence a second time under the old name of Vibrio. — M. J. Berkeley. NOVELTIES IN THE ROYAL GARDENS, KEW. In the Succulent house we observe an unusually fine speci- men of the Turk's Cap, Melocactus communis. It has just been imported, and, like all that have formed the cap, is only of use to exhibit the peculiar character of the species until the time when it is pleased to die. Its height is about 2 J feet. OUR BORDER ADONIS-FLOWEES. We hail with pleasure the early flowers of our borders, and look upon them as the harbingers of spring in whatever garb they appear, and we bid them welcome, though of short duration. The Adonis family is but a small one, comparatively speak- ing, but we treasure them in our memories as well as in our borders and spring gardens. Adonis vernalis, called by some " The God of Love," is of easy culture, requiring a good loam mixed with Hmestone grit, well-rotted manure, leaf mould, and a little sandy peat, well drained, but watered when required. The soil in the border should be broken up to the depth of 18 or 20 inches, and the above particularised compost incorporated with it ; the aspect should be sunny, and when planted they should be firmly Jsnuiu? 21, 1875. ] JOTJBNAL OP HORTIOULTUBS AND OOTTAGE (iARDENER, 53 placed in the soil. They may be successfully grown in pots plunged in ashea in the reserve ground. When wanted for the spring garden they are beat grown in pots, and plunged where they are wished to grow, for they are then easily re- moved when their bloom is past. While in liloom they are very gay for the coal greenhouse in early spring. They are rather impatient about being disturbed when they are once established. They may be increased by division, but I prefer raising them from seed. I have sown the seed as soon as ripe, placed the seed pan in a cold pit, and the seedlings made their appearance in the following spring. When they have completed their first growth they may be potted, and placed in a cold pit, or plunged in the reserve ground until they are required for planting out. I often wonder the Adonises are not more cultivated. Ver- nalis (yellow-fleshed) is the most desirable of the family for either rockwork or border. Adonis pyreuaica (yellow- flowered) is a very desirable plant, growing a little taller than vernalis, and is later in blooming ; it does well on the rockery. A. sibirica (yellow-flowered), introduced nearly fifty years ago, is very rarely seen. A. apennina (yellow-flowered), ought to bo in more general cultivation ; being of dwarf compact babit, is very desirable for the rockery, border, or spring garden. There is little difference in the colour of those I have enume- rated, but being spring- flowering plants they ought to be more frequently met with ; they cannot fail to repay any extra labour that may be bestowed upon them. We have an annual species known among many of our cottagers as the " Pheasant's- eye " (Adonis autumnalis) , a very pretty crimson border flower. Some doubt is entertained about its being one of our own native plants. — Veritas. under glass. I was tempted to try it outside on a wall with south-east aspect, with very pleasing results ; for it soon reached the top of the wall, which is about 14 feet high. Its very rapid growth I attribute to its roots having extended into a rich open Vine border — soil just suited to its wants. This plant, growing so well and so admired by everybody who saw it, I was induced to plant one on the verandah abovenamed, and with the like pleasing results. The early flowering of the plant this season — having com- menced to flower in December — is no doubt caused by the very dry summer, and consequent early ripening of the wood and development of flower buds. Since the plants have been out we have had on many occasions 12' and 16' of frost, but I have never known the unexpanded flower to be injured. I would say to all lovers of beautiful wall plants who reside in the warmest parts of the British isles, Plant the above Acacia ; and should it never favour you with a flower, its beautiful bipinnate, light-green. Fern-like leaves, differing from everything you have, and forming a pleasing contrast to all that is near, will be ample compensation for the trouble taken. — W. Osborne, Go. Cork. [The specimen was of the species intended. The name Mr. Osborne has applied to this Acacia is one of the several synonyms of the plant now called by botanists Acaoia deal- bata. There is a portrait of it in the " Botanical Register" i under the name of Acacia decurrens. It is a native of Van Diemen's Land, where it is called " The Green Wattle." — Ens.] BUDDING. '.' A. C." in the number of December 10th recommends the use of a quill in Rose-budding, and says, " One chief requisite of budding now is a bundle of toothpicks." Necessity compels me to carry a toothpick, but for the purpose its name denotes. Certainly not as an aid in the operation of budding. I am equally successful with " A. C," and should like to make known the method I adopt in separating the wood from the shield. I learnt it some years ago from a gardener who was in the habit of inserting a thousand buds a-day (at least so he told me), and it may account for his, to me, astonishing dexterity. To begin with, then, disabuse your mind of the idea that the taking out of the wood is the most delicate part of the opera- tion of budding, or, in fact, delicate at all. The way I shall attempt to describe may be rather characterised as " rough and ready." Insert the knife below the leafstalk in the ordinary way, but bring it out very obUquely, so as to leave a piece of the bark beyond the wood long enough to take between the finger and thumb, then take the end of the wood in the same way with the other hand and snatch the wood and shield asunder. Unless the wood is very green and tender the opera- tion is ninety-niue times out of a hundred perfect, and if it should not be, then use your toothpick. My instructor did not complete the severance of the bud from the stem with the knife, but pulled them asunder, tearing off some inches of bark with the bud, but this I found generally damaged the buds remaining on the wood. — Hviierx Bensted, ilaidstonc. ACACIA AFFINIS. Many of the New Holland Acacias are very beautiful and worthy of more extended cultivation, especially as they are so easily grown, bearing rougher treatment than most of the beautiful plants we got from that country, so rich in flowering shrubs. I enclose with these notes a small branch with flowers of an Acacia we have under the above name. I am not quite cer- tain if the name is correct, but it is one of the most beautiful of the Acacia family, and, what makes it doubly valuable here, it is perfectly hardy. The racemes with their many flowers, which I have sent, were taken from a plant growing on lattice- work of a verandah, where frost has free access on all sides. A few years ago we had a large plant growing on the back wall of a greenhouse, where it used to bloom most profusely, and furnish us with thousands of its long bunches of golden flowers for cutting at this dull season, when there is but little but what we have from the forcing pit. At that time I had a large plant that was of no use to us AMBUEY OF CUCUMBER EOOTS. I KEAD Mr. Piatt's article on Cucumbers, and I suppose it is in the winter months when he is troubled with what we know as " ambury." The soilT consider is the chief point requiring attention, and the less complicated it is the better. I have found that "mixtures" generally encourage the ambury, es- pecially when some kinds of leaf mould are added. What I find to answer is two parts of turfy loam chopped rough, one part of short litter fresh from the stables, with a sprinkling of half-inch bones. In planting I make a small mound, plant in the centre, and as the roots work through add a little fresh soil. Has Mr. Piatt grown Improved Siou House Cucumber ? If not, I would strongly recommend it for winter work. For summer Blue Gown takes the lead with me. I hope he will give my method a trial, and be able to report favourably at some future time. — J. Wilson. METEOROLOGY OP THE PAST YEAR, AND ITS EFFECTS ON VEGETATION. Taking water first for consideration, I will consider in what way the supply of 1874 met the wants of that year ; but to do this we must begin at the beginning of the season, or rather we must go back to the last two months of 1873, as I consider the rain that falls then when taken in addition to that which falls the following three months to have an important effect on the sources from which our summer's supplies are drawn^ in other words, the autumn and winter rainfall tell in the following spring and summer. Believing such to be the case, we are not surprised at the outcry for water in many places during the past summer for water for domestic uses, when we find that only a very trifle over .5.} inches of rain fell in the autumn and winter five months of November and December 1873, and the three first months of 1871, which was not in- creased to any useful extent by what fell in the following April , the total then barely reaching 7i inches. But somehow the rainfall of the next two months sufficed to keep vegetation moving ; so that, although there was a lack of water almost everywhere for almost all needful purposes, there have been seasons in which vegetation has suffered more than in 1874. The long period of dull deluging weather we had all through May and June, and up almost to the middle of July, rendered a heavy rainfall unnecessary — in fact I am not sure that it would not positively have been an injury ; but as it was, the showers in these months were sufficient to prevent surface crops, as grass, &a., from suffering so much as we have known them to do in former years ; so that, although the growth was restricted, it was hardly ever arrested entirely, and fields in general never had that burnt-up appearance we have often known. Garden crops in like manner being affected accord, ingly, established things struggling through tolerably well- but newly planted ones having more or less of a trial. The JOUKNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ January 21, 187S. absence of heat, which will be spoken of hereafter, having much to do with the growing period alluded to. But with August more warmth set in, and the following two months of September and October being both more fruitful in rain, a rapid growth in most vegetable substances was the rseult. The ground becoming heated by the bright sun of the latter part of July and the whole of August, aU the Cabbage and kindred tribes of plants made rapid progress, and the same may be said of the bedding plants. Frost, however, intervened somewhat sooner than usual, to the injury of the latter, while a heavy rainfall towards the end of October was beneficial many ways. November as a whole was fine, the roads for a considerable time being all but dusty. And the early part of December was also on the whole fine until the Kith, when a rather heavy covering of snow fell on ground but slightly frozen over ; and this being repeated the following day, gave us a fall of snow equivalent to about an inch of rain, and which lasted with very little diminution up to the end of the year, with frost every day sufiiciently hard to enable skating to commence on •22nd and continue for ten days — an unusual thing with us. The severity of the frost, however, increased very much the last two days, the thermometer falling to 12' Fahr. on 31st, the lowest it has been since 1867. Fortunately, however, the ground was covered with snow, that the injury to crops will not, I expect, be so severe as on some former occasions ; and the generally good condition things were in when it commenced will all tend to lessen the effects it might otherwise have pro- duced. Up to the end of April the season was on the whole an early one, and the prospects of fruit were good ; but with the com- mencement of May the hopes of the fruit-grower became blighted. Frosts, at first moderate, culminated at length in a very severe one on 10th, which was by no means the last, as a repetition on 16th and ISth, and with one as late as June 13th, told a tale which resulted in many orchards being complete failures, while others braved it out. But these unusually late frosts with the accompanying cold weather gave such encou- ragement to the insect family of all kinds, that the Hop, which perhaps is more susceptible to attacks of that kind than most other plants, has been in many places a complete failure ; and many other crops have also been indifferent. Even the hay crop was light in consequence of the cold ungenial weather at the time it ought to have been growing. And in gardening matters the bedding-out period was retarded very much. Perhaps the latter was fortunate rather than otherwise, as it not unusually happens that a tine early season tempts one to plant out before it ought to be done. As it was, however, the prospect at the end of June was the reverse to encouraging ; but better weather setting in things improved, and in most cases the crops of fruit ripened-off well when there was any. Even those trees that were heavily laden — which many Plum trees were to the breaking-down point — in most places attained a fair average size, especially the late kinds. And the same may be said of Apples and Pears, while the Corn crop is re- ported everywhere as good ; and what is also encouraging, the general appearance of fruit trees is good for another year — a matter that ought not to be lost sight of, as I consider a well- developed fruit blossom in embryo as more likely to withstand frost in spring than an indifferently formed one ; in fact I do not know but 2' or 3' difference of temperature, &o. , could be given in the one case and still have a better result. But as this has been alluded to before, we may in conclusion give a passing word on vegetables. We have said that the dry sunny weather of the latter part of July, together with August and the greater part of Septem- ber, had heated the ground so as to cause a rapid and vigorous growth to take place when the autumn rain fairly set in, which growth continued through October, notwithstanding the check of a rather sharp frost rather early in that month and more severe one on the 25 th and 26th, the result being that most of the BroccoH and Cabbage tribe attained an undue height ; and growth continuing on until late in November, they were in a great measure in a bad condition to resist the frosts that commenced early in December. But these frosts being mode- rate at first, we hope that all the dwarf varieties will have been gradually inured to it, and that they may escape ; but we much fear for some plots of the taller kinds" that the snow did not protect sufiiciently, and which we accidentally omitted to lay down in time. V>'e fear that many of them will be us(li>ss for this season, more especially if another severe frost follows, for which there is ample time yet ; but on the whole the frost has not been so destructive as on many other occasions, as all vegetable crops covered with the anow have in general escaped. The rainfall of England in 1874 being about 3 inches, and that of 1873 2J inches below the average, these shortcomings of our water supply in the past summer are in some measure accounted for ; at the same time the rainfall of 1872 was far in excess of both these deficiencies. Kaia in ioches. Jannary 1"27 February 1"31 March 083 April 1-91 May 1-21 June 263 July 0-72 — J. RoESON, Maidstone. Hain in inches. August 2 07 September 3-02 October 3-59 November 1'98 December 2*95 Total for 1874 23-19 TEUFFLE HUNTING IN ENGLAND. As I was walking along the high road lately in the neighbour- hood of the village of Micheldever, Hampshire, I came upon an old man with a couple of dogs, as I thought, ferreting by the roadside. On asking him what he was doing, he put his hand into a canvas bag which he had slung over his shoulder, and producing two or three small roots or bulbs said, " Hunting for these." On asking what they were he told me they were TrufHes, that it was his regular business hunting for them, and that he sent them up to London. The dogs were two very intelUgent little creatures, both small, one smooth-coated with a very short pug nose, the other pparently something of a small Bedlington terrier. I watched them for a short time, and soon saw the short-nosed dog begin to scratch at the root of a Larch, when the man went up with a hoe and quickly dug out another Truflle about the size of a good walnut. We all know it is a practice to hunt for Truffles in France with dogs, but I thought so unusual a circumstance in England might be interesting .to your readers. — T. C. BnsNELL. NOTES AND GLEANINGS. KoYAL HoRTicuLTDEAL SOCIETY. — The Carter Cup and other prizes offered in the schedules of the Society by Messrs. James Carter cS; Co., for competition at the Society's Great Provincial Show, has now been arranged to take place on the 7th of July at the Society's Gardens, South Kensington. r It has been announced that Mr. Henry J. Elwes, F.Z.S., F.L.S., is about to issue a monograph on the oenus Lilium, with plates drawn by Mr. W. H. Fitch, F.L.S. The work will be issued in parts, each containing eight plates, at the price of one guinea per part. The ship " Tintern Abbey " has recently sailed for New Zealand, having on board no less than 1130 living bieds^ viz., blackbirds (Turdus merula), thrushes (Turdus musicus), starlings (Sturnus vulgaris), redpoles (Linota rufescens), of each one hundred; hedge-sparrows (Accentor modularis), luO; linnets (Linota cannabina), 140; goldfinches (Fringilla oar- duelis), 160; yellow-hammers (Emberizacitrinella), 170; and, lastly, partridges (Perdix cinerea), 110. When the birds arrive in New Zealand they will bo let fly under proper au- thority. There is, we understand, a heavy penalty enforced against shooting at or injuring these birds in New Zealand, and it is hoped that they will do well at the -Antipodes. The New Zealand farmers cannot get on without them, for they keep down the insects that ravage the crops. The AccUma- tisation Society of Canterbury, New Zealand, we understand, have begun and are now persevering in this good public work. — (Nature.) HARDWICKE HOUSE, THE SEAT OF LADY CULLUM. This pretty place is little more than a mile from Bury St. Edmunds. It is said to have been named " Herdwicke "' from the flocks and herds which pastured on the heath or com- mon, which, till within about fifty years since, almost ran up to the present mansion. A charter of King Edmund in 94;) granted it to the Cellarer of the Monastery of St. Edmund's Bury. But of the Hardwicke of those olden times little is known ; but the Hardwicke of to-day, with its numerous plantations and well-furnished parks, pleasure grounds, and giirdens, may be said to have been the creation of the last fifty years. The place has been iu the Galium family for nearly two January 21, 1875. ] JOURNAL OF HOETIOULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 56 hundred years. Its history can readily be traced from the time of the dissolution of the monastery. It was then granted to Sir Thomas Daroy. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth it came into the possession of Sir Robert Bouthwell, Master of the Rolls. In IGIO it was purchased by Sir Robert Drury of Hawatead Place, where the family of the Drurys had resided for 250 years, and became extinct in the person of Sir Robert Drury, the purchaser of Hardwicke. The moat is nearly all that remains of this ancient seat of the Drurys, now the property of the CuUums. The way up to the place is still through an ancient and very lofty avenue of Limes, and there are three of the most magnificent Oriental Planes in the king- dom growing near to the old house, that are said to have been part of the first batch brought to England by Lord Bacon, and to be of the same ago as others to be found at Gorhambury, St. Albans, Herts. The second proprietor of Hardwicke of the Cullura family. Sir Dudley CuUum, was devoted to horticulture. He was fond of botanical pursuits, and was advised by Evelyn as to the collections, culture, and planting of rare exotics. He also adopted Evelyn's stove for the preservation of exotics, the ex- cellence of which consisted in admitting fresh air into the greenhouse in winter, aud in managing that air in such a manner as to keep up the fire to any degree of heat — a con- trivance, says Sir Dudley, " that has more perfection than ever yet art was before master of, and which had highly obliged him and all lovers of this hortulane curiosity and recreation." Sir Dudley introduced into his garden at Hawstead Place, a situation well adapted for the purpose, most of the curious exotics then known in England. In 1C94 Sir Dudley writes of his Orange trees as thriving in the most luxuriant manner. His greenhouse was 58 feet long, 14 feet wide, and 20 high, a large house for that time ; and of its success he gave Mr. Evelyn an account that may be found in vol. xviii. of the " Philosophical Transactions." Leaping over many years we arrive at the third Sir John CuUum, the author of the " History and Antiquities of Haw- stead," and uncle of the late proprietor, Sir Thomas Gery CuUum. The two fine Cedars of Lebanon in the garden, only one of which is now standing, were planted in 17(i0. A very fine specimen of the Upright Cypress against the conservatory is probably of the same date. The uncertainty and irregularity of the climate was care- fully noted aud recorded by Sir John CuUum. Here are a few facts of historical interest to horticulturists : — Differences in Days in the Flowering of Different Plants in THE Years 1779 and 1784. Difference in days. Apricots 20th Febnmry. 1779 .... 15th April, 1784 .=i4 "U'ood Anemones. . 9thMari.-U , IGth April S3 Apple 0th April 15th May „ 89 White Thorn 15th April „ 22nd May „ 37 Vine 14th June , 23rd June 9 Lime Tree 2lBt June 7th July „ 16 The author remarks that the time was early in 1784, it being seldom in flower tUl near the end of June. He attributes this to the warmth of the preceding May. The greatest differences are in the early part of the spring. Notwithstanding the love of planting, botany, and natural history that distinguished Sir John CuUum and his father, the Hardwicke of sixty years ago was as different as could well be to that of to-day. The' late proprietor was said to have built the present house, and to have formed the present garden. Even less than thirty years ago Hardwicke was a quaint old place with its lawn, mixed garden, and HoUy and other hedges, its large orchard and kitchen garden close to the house in the style common to Elizabethan mansions. About that time a new kitchen garden was formed quite away from the mansion, this old one swept away, and the present extensive flower gar- den laid out on its site. During his whole life, too, the late Sir Thomas CuUum was a zealous and skilful planter. He planted the park, pleasure grounds, lawns, and shrubberies ; all the fine Cedars in the lawn and park were of his planting. He pushed back the arable land further aud further year by year to make room for belts, park, and woods, and only finished planting when he died. He was fond of moving large trees, and was most successful in doing so at a time when the science and practice of transplantation were very imper- fectly understood. He was almost as devoted to exotic as hardy plants, and the present range of glass, 300 yards in one range and other houses, were erected and furnished by him. He died twenty years ago ; and his widow, the present Lady Galium, has not only kept-np but very much enlarged and improved Hardwicke. Mr. Fish was engaged before the death of Sir Thomas, and arrived at Hardwicke a few weeks afterwards. I will now proceed to describe Hardwicke as it is at present, but any description that can be given must fail to do it justice. The range of hothouses are very extensive, and fruits, flowers, and plants are well cultivated. The kitchen and fruit gardens are admirably managed, but the main attraction are the grounds, which are, and will be even more so in the future, a standing monument to the talents of Mr. Fish as a landscape gardener. I wiU therefore try to describe the grounds first. Commencing at the extreme west end of the flower garden, we foUow a walk overhung with English Yews, which affords a cool and graceful promenade in summer. On the left-hand side of this walk is the Rose garden and herbaceous border. Let us step on to the velvety turf on which the Rose beds have been cut out. The position has been well selected — sheltered on the east side by the Vew walk, and on the south-west, from whence come the strongest gales of wind, by a belt of trees and shrubs, the latter forming a dense foreground, although they do not come out quite to the short grass, as winding round in front of them is the herbaceous border. The Rose beds are of a plain description — circles, ovals, and one or two irregularly-shaped beds. A geometrical garden would be out of place here. One thousand standard Roses have been used in planting the beds, but Mr. Fish informed me that Roses are not long-lived here, although, from the healthy growth made last season, they do fairly well for a time. There would be a heavy bill for Rosea every three years did Mr. Fish not work a quantity annuaUy in reserve grounds. Some of the best views of the surround- ing country are obtained from this point. To the south-west, Ickworth, the seat of the Marquis of Bristol, is spread out, and a fine view is also to he obtained of Westling ; indeed, the beautiful views of the surrounding country aud of notable places constitute one of the charms of Hardwicke. FoUowing the Yew walk we reach the pinetum; but before entering this we cast our eyes down a splendid avenue of Lime trees, and one can but stand and admire the long unbroken view, extending as far as the old Abbey gates at Bury. The pinetum contains some noble examples of the choicest Conifera), and this class of tree succeeds splendidly at Hardwicke. Perhaps there is not such another large well-grown specimen of Pinus macro- carpa to be found in Britain. There are also grand specimens of P. exoelsa and P. Sabiniana. The following are also flue : — Taxodium sempervirens, Picea pinsapo, Cedrus atlantica, and C. robusta. This is a very distinct and handsome tree. It resembles and may be a form of C. Deodara, but the branches have a more weeping character ; the leaves are also longer and more glaucous. Following a curving path through the pinetum we come to another of the distinctive features of Hardwicke, and this is the rock, root, or stump garden. The mounds and banks of earth have been formed at a vast expenditure of time, talent, and cash. If I had not been assured by Mr. Fish that it was not so, I should have thought that he had taken ad- vantage of the natural irregularities of the ground. But it is during the spring months that this fairy spot must look its fairest and best, when thousands of Snowdrops peep out of every nook, whUe myriads of modest Violets scent the air, and Mr. Fish's favourite Myosotis dissitiflora, " the earliest of the year," adds its quota to the picture. In summer hundreds of luxuriant Ferns irresistibly remind one of the lines — " The calm retreat, the silent shade. With prayer and praise agree." Leaving the rock garden by a hidden path you come upon a handsome Araucaria imbricata, a grand Wellingtonia gigantea, and yet another very large Abies Smithiana or Morinda. Be- hind the Wellingtonia is Abies Douglasii, probably over 100 feet in height. Not far from the rock garden is the kitchen garden, which we will come back to after finishing the dressed grounds, of which the Rhododendron grounds are the last ; but before entering them, and in keeping with the surroundings, there are large spaces planted with Daffodils. When in flower they have been described by Mr. Fish as waving seas of DaffodUs. There are some handsome specimens of trees and shrubs in the American garden, a striking specimen of the pyramidal Oak, grand English Y'ews, which are quite at home in the neighbourhood of Bury. Numerous vistas have been opened out by Mr. Fish through the plantations ; and one seen from this point the largest and best, extending right over Bury, is appropriately named Vista Major. The geometrical flower garden, of which the accompanying 56 JOURNAL OP HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. [ January 21, 1&75. Fi/. 1?.— Pun or ri.nvrr. pakdeh at nAlin\\ir kt: nnr'^r. January 21, 1875. ] JOUENAL OF HOBTIOULTURB AND OOTTAGB GABDENEB. 57 illustration (fig. 14) gives a good idea, adjoins the mansion. The view is taken from the walk in front of the conservatory. The large tree forming the background is a grand Wych Elm, and the smaller tree is a healthy specimen of the same ; these are on the east side of the garden at the west side, but not included in the picture are some remarkable trees, and amongst them a Dutch Medlar. What ! a Jledlar in a flower garden ? Yes, and one of the most remarkable in existence ; the spread of the branches, which sweep the ground all round, have a cir- cumference of 125 feet ; a Copper Beech girths at 3 feet from the ground IJ feet 0 inches, with a circumference of branches of 207 feet ; a Cedar of Lebanon girths round its massive trunk 'iO feet, with a circumference of branches '270 feet ; and an Evergreen Oak, the finest I have ever seen, has a circumference of its outer branches of 157 feet. From a raised platform behind the long range of glass houses the whole extent of the flower garden is taken in at one view, and not only can one contemplate the floral beauty spread out beneath, but extensive views are obtained of the surrounding country, including four churches — viz., the tall spire of the beautiful church of St. John's, Bury ; Ingham, of which the Eev. Mr. Chore had charge ; Bradfield, and Eushbrook. Some handsome specimens of the English and Irish Yews are planted as isolated specimens in the flower garden, the English form- ing the best pyramids. No flower garden of considerable pre- tensions is passably praiseworthy without broad well-kept paths. The main walk here is at the outer side of the garden, and is 810 feet long by 11 feet wide ; shorter walks of the same width run into this at each end of the garden. Koses are the fa- vourite flowers at Hardwicke, so that a conspicuous place has Fii,'. 14. — Geometrical flowi:!: gap.den at hardwicke house. been found for them in the flower garden. The best of the Teas are planted against low walls, and inside the long walk a strong double trellis of wrought iron has been erected in the form of arches, which form a delightful promenade under- neath, and can be used in hot dry weather, when walking on gravel paths is rendered unpleasant. A corresponding walk runs along the side of the garden nearest the houses, and more trellised Eoses in single file. But I must close my description of this part of Hardwicke, reserving the houses and kitchen garden for another paper. — J. Douqlas. REFERENCE TO PLAN {FIG. 13). 1. Stella Pfilargoninra, edtieci with Cerastinm tomentosum. 2. Mangles' and Verbena venosa, edtjed with Golden Pyrethrum. S. Chinese Rosea and Amy Hosg. edged with Cerastinm. 4. Dwarf Ageratum, edged with Ivy Peiargnnium Duke of Edinburgh. fi. Single Wliite Chrysanthemum. 5«. Bibboned. C. Raised beds supported by wnoden piles. 6a. Ribboned with Lady Galium Pelargonium, dark Heliotrope, scarlet and Ivy-leaved Geraniums ; the wooden piles densely draped with Lonicera anreo- reticulata. 7. White Perfection Pelargonium. 7a. Cleopatra Pelargonium. 7''. Lady Cnllum. Tc Veauvina Pelargonium. Id. Cnlford Pink Pelargonium. 7''. Glow Pelargonium. Edging, Lobelia compacta. 8. Cybister Pelargonium. 8a. Flower of Spring mixed with Lobelia spe- ciosa, 8''. Calceolaria Aurea floribunda. Edging, Cerastium tomentosum, 9. 9. Ribbon borders. 10. Round beds used as trial beds fornew Pelargoniums. a. Terrace walk, 286 feet long, 14 feet wide. B. Long terrace with ornamental atone seats at each end, 810 feet long, 14 feet wide. c. Gravel walks 14 feet wide at each end of flower garden. Centre circle is a fountain. CONTENTS OF SMALL RIEBON BORDER. Sedum glaucum. l L'Elegante Pelai-gouium. Echeveriasecundaglauca and Mesem- Iresine Lindeni. bryanthemura cordifolium varie- Flower of Spring Pelargonium. gatum. Vesuvius Pelargonium. Lobelia pumila flore-pleno. | CONTENTS OF LARGE RIBBON BORDER. Sedum glaucum. Echeveria secunda glauca and Mesem- bryanthemum cordifolium varie- gatum. Lobelia compacta. Lady Cullum. Iresme Lindeni. Imperial Dwarf Ageratum. Ci*ystai Palace Gem Pelargonium. Spread Eagle Pelargonium. Flower of Spring Pelargonium. Perilla naukinensis laciniatUB. Cleopatra Pelargonium. Cybister Pelargonium. Dwarf white Dahlias. NOTES o.v VILLA and SUBUKBAN GAEDENING. Althouoh the weather will very much influence operations in the garden this month, yet, whenever the opportunity occurs, the soil that has been trenched-up, say in November, for the purpose of carrying a crop of Onions, Parsnips, Carrots, and other root crops, such as Beetroot, Salsafy, &c., and more par- ticularly if it has become firm on the surface, should immediately be turned up one spit deep, and left in a rough state to be further acted upon by the weather. There is such a material difference in the working of a soil that has been well prepared 58 JOURNAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. ( January 21, 1875. and one that has not, but only heen allowed to lie till the time for cropping comes and then dug np, and such an important influence has it in starting a crop on its season of growth, that it is necessary to make this special remark upon it. And again, the ease with which a soil can be worked reduces the labour of cropping fully one-half ; and the seeds when deposited in it have a much better chance of vegetating with something like regularity, and the seedsman would escape the chance of being blamed for sending bad seeds. This working of the soil applies to every part of the garden, though, with the exception of flower beds and borders, it cannot be worked-up so deeply among shrubs and trees owing to the injury it would cause to the roots ; but still the time has come when it is necessary for it to be done, as well for the benefit of the soU and the things growing in it, as it is for a neat and fresh appearance which it gives to the garden. While talking of soil, it is just the time of year to prepare and place under cover the diiierent sorts of soil likely to be required for potting and other purposes during the coming season. For instance, it is my custom at this time to mix up the soil for potting bedding plants, frequently turning it over until required for use, and then the work can be done expeditiously. The other soils, if laid up separately and in the dry as they ought to be, can easily be worked-up when wanted. This reminds me that all the common sorts of bedding Gera- niums, from Mrs. Pollock to Tom Thumb, that have been stored away as old plants thickly in boxes or pots, ought now to be brought out and placed in the frames or cu the greenhouse shelves to induce them to break into growth. First of all the stems ought to be cut down to where there is life and health ; and when they show signs of growing they should be divided and potted separately, and grown-on until they have established themselTes. But when they are first cut down and until they break into growth very little water should be given to them, or the chances are, that instead of growing they will decay and die. Again. It will be as well to see to the stock of plants that are intended to supply' cuttings for propagation, such as Verbenas of sorts, Lobelias, Heliotropes, Fuchsias, and other things of which a greater stock is wanted, and place them in heat as soon as room can be made for them. It must be borne in mind, that if there is no convenience for propagation in the house it will be necessary to make up a bed for them. This may consist of a moderate heating bed of dung and leaves, and when quite ready cover the surface with old tan, ashes, or sawdust, or in the absence of these things a very light dry soil will answer; the object being to let the heat pass up through it readily, the pots to be i^lunged up to the rims when the bed is in a fit state and free from steam, which if allowed to prevail will cause many of the cuttings to go off. Those who force bulbs or have the means of bringing them on in the greenhouse or conservatory should now introduce a few more pots of such as Tulips, Hyacinths, Narcissi, Jonquils, Lily of the Valley, Solomon's Seal, ttc. First of all ascertain that the bulbs are firm in the soil and the drainage quite clear. It often happens that when the pot is small and the soil light the vigorous roots of the Hyacinth, from growing so fast in a cramped space, push the bulb almost out of the soil. Now, to make it again firm requires care. The roots are brittle and easily break. Instead of pushing the bulb into the soil it would be better to make it firm by adding soil to the top, or repot it into a larger one. The pretty and useful forcing plant, Dielytra spectabilis, may be introduced into the greenhouse. It needs but a very mild heat to bring it into bloom ; and although it may be grown into a very large specimen if the roots are maintained in a healthy state and the crowns formed of a good size, yet it is particularly handsome and attractive when grown in small pots for room or vase decoration. If Cinerarias are required larger the plants ought to be shifted at once, and let that be the last one ; but if they are needed more for bloom small plants will be the most serviceable. And the same may be said of greenhouse Pelar- goniums. Large plants for specimens need plenty of room and frequently turning about to get shapeable plants, so much so that they ought almost to have a house to themselves, as the staking and tying of the shoots is a frequent and necessary operation. Bring an old plant of each sort of Fuchsias into the warm part of the greenhouse in order to produce cuttings for plants for autumn blooming ; and the stock of herbaceous Cal- ceolarias should be examined, and those strong and healthy be shifted into larger pots. These plants should never be allowed to become pot-bound while they are increasing in size. It is, moreover, a plant very liable to throw its roots out on the sur- face of the soil ; this peculiarity is partly encouraged by the large leaves, which generally lie flat upon the soil. These roots must be encouraged by top-dressings, especially when the plants are throwing up their flower stems. — T. Eecokd. DOINGS OF THE LAST AND PRESENT "WEEKS. KITCHEN CiBDEN. Allusion was made a week or two ago to forcing Sea-kale in pots. It is the best way to dig up the whole stock of roots, selecting all the large roots to pot, reserving all under a certain size to plant out as soon as convenient. Just as the crowns are starting is as good a time as any to plant them. Care must be taken not to get into the same muddle as we did this year. The plunging material used is generally cocoa-nut fibre refuse; any fermenting will in all probability cause the roots to rot, and the crowns will not start at all. In our case some decaying stable manure that had been used for another purpose was placed too close to the pots ; this injured the roots, and our first crop was spoiled. The same result has happened when water has been applied to the pots after they were put into heat. The best way is to use sandy loam moderately moist when potting, and not to water the roots at all. It has been stated already that the pots are plunged out of doors, but in wet cold districts it may be desirable to throw some protection over them to ward o2 the rains. Just a word also about forcing Asparagus. Our own experi- ence would lead us to recommend heated pits, and the method of forcing in such structures was explained some weeks ago. Not everyone can command them, though, and perhaps hotbeds are more frequently used for this purpose ; but more than once have we seen the roots damaged and the consequent failure of the crop from overheating. The bed should be formed of leaves and manure in equal proportions. The manure should not be fresh from the stable, but should be thrown in a heap for two weeks, and turned once or twice. In a week or so after the bed has been made-up it will be ready for the frame and lights, and when the heat has declined sufficiently the soil may be put in, and the roots planted thickly. We have made-up excellent beds with equal proportions of stable manure and coarse grass forked out of marsh land; the bottom heat from this was also very lasting. The roots ought not to be watered until the crowns are fairly started, and then it must be done carefully. Many persons recommend autumn sowing for Peas. In some districts it answers very well. The crops sown in November have been earlier and equally good as regards crop with those sown in favourable weather in January. The experience gained in this neighbourhood is all in favour of spring sowing. The market gardeners, who must understand "cost and come to," BOW in January and February for the first crop; but at whatever time the seed is deposited in the ground, much of success or failure is owing to the condition of the seed bed at the time. The ground ought not to be worked when it is wet if it is intended for any early crop. It is also quite necessary to watch for a favourable opportunity to sow the seeds. Our first crop was sown to-day (15th); the ground was in good order, and the day fine. Ample trial has been made of the best early Peas ; and as we think two early varieties quite suificient for onr purpose, the selection has fallen upon Alpha and William I., both raised by Mr. Thomas Laxton of Stamford. All the kitchen-garden ground is in excellent order for digging and trenching, and no time must be lost in getting it forwarded. We have finished the pruning, and will soon get through with tying and nailing. FRUIT AND rORCINU HOUSES. Pine}-ies. — We have a house of Queens, which were suckers in August; if the late autumn months had not been so mild, which made us keep the plants growing later than usual, we should like to have started them at once. Most of the plants are in 10 inch pots, which are well filled with roots. Our only difficulty is, that they have not rested enough, and when such is the case a large proportion of the plants commence to grow instead of throwing- up fruit. When a batch of good suckers can be taken off and potted in June, it is then easy to have a batch of plants ready for starting on New Year's-day. A large number will show fruit at once, others will start into growth and throw-up at intervals, which will be all the better, as a succession of fruit is thus obtained. Smooth-leaved Cayennes and Charlotte Rothschild are now usually grown for winter; but those who prefer flavour to size and appearance, will have a goodly proportion of Black Jamaica. The Queen is by far the best to start now, and the earliest fruit will be ripe in June. The stronger-growing sorts should not be grown with Queens, nor should the plants be quickened into active growth before the middle of February. Cayennes generally throw-up freely, while the more luxuriant Charlotte Rothschild will most likely start into growth. Many persons have recommended the cutting-over of the plants at the surface of the pot ; this causes them to throw-up sometimes, but not invariably. We have cut over strong plants and potted them, to find that they did not fruit earlier than suckers put in at the same time. A house started now, or that was started on the first day of the year, should have a minimum temperature kept up of not less than 65^ bottom heat 90°. When the days are cloudy, as they are eleven out of every twelve, the temperature of the houses does not rise much higher by day than it does at night ; the hot-water pipes must be kept about the same degree of heat, and a little air admitted from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Orange Trffs.— There are few gardens where the culture of dessert Oranges is practised to any extent ; but the trees occupy very little room — indeed small plants in G and 8-inch pots, not Jflnnary 21, 1875. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENEF. oO more than a foot or 18 inches in height, will bear as good fruit as old trees ia tubs or planted-out. The fruit is very much superior to that imported from St. Michaers, and there is very great interest and pleasure iu watching the development of the fruit from the flowering stage until it is quite ripe. The fruit when cut with the leaves has also a satisfactory appearance on the dessert table. The usual varieties of Oranges grown for the flowers are composed of thick skins, and a pithy substance inside; but we have the St. Michael's and Maltese Blood Oranges with the skius burst, through being too full. The fruit can also be had through the three winter months, when Grapes are scarce and the best Peara are over. Our earliest plants are now well advanced in flower, and the temperature of the house is about 60°. Fig treesj where the buds are not started, are syringed every day ; after the buds start the trees are only syringed on clear days. All ours are grown in pots, and they are repotted every year, as, if we only surface-dress them, the gi-eatest difficulty is to know when the roots require water, as the rich surface always appears moist even when the roots are parched. PEACn HOUSE. The same treatment is requisite in this house as to dressing the branches and surfacing the borders as has been already de- tailed in the previous numbers for vineries. Watering is also the same ; the only difference is, that Peaches will not bear forcing to the same extent that Vines will, especially early in the year. If the trees are in flower this month the greatest care is neces- sary to prevent the fruit from dropping off. The most frequent cause of this is overdryness at the roots or too much moisture in the atmosphere. The only moisture that is permitted at this time is obtained from sprinkling the paths and borders with water from a fine rose. PLANT STOVE. We do not approve of potting any plants that are not free growers before the middle of February, but some Ferns and foliage plants that are growing freely will be shifted into larger pots as soon as convenient. These have the pots in which they are growing quite full of roots. It is necessary to pot carefully at all seasons, but much more so at present. The pots are quite clean ; the drainage is also free from any loose mould, and some fibrous material is sifted from the loam, to prevent the compost from mixing with the drainage. With a pointed stick we carefully disentangle the roots that are matted round the ball, and when the plant is placed in the centre of the pot the top of the ball should be about 1 inch below the rim. Orchids in the cool house require attention. Many of the Odontoglos- suma require repotting. The best time to do this is just as the youDg growths are starting. O. crispum, 0. triumphans, O. odoratum, and other allied species require water all through the wioter months ; we never at any time allow them to be quite dry, so that they start at any time,'Jand the best treatment is to repot when they require it. Quite a different course of treat- ment is necessary for the Mexican species. They do much better if allowed to become quite dry at the roots during the winter season, and only giving sufficient water to prevent the pseudo- bulbs from shrivelling. We have repeatedly counselled small shifts for all tender plants, but more especially for Orchids that require large supplies of water. All the New Grenadan species succeed best if sphagnum moss is kept growing on the surface of the pots ; a large supply of atmospheric moisture is also essential to complete success. — J. Douglas. PROVINCIAL HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS. Secretakies will oblige ug by informing na of the dates on which exhibitions are to be held. TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. William Paul, Waltham Cross, London, N. — Select Catalogue of Seeds. T. Bunyard & Sons, Maidstone. — Gatalogite of Vegetable, Flower, and other Seeds. Barr & Sugden, 12, King Street, Oovent Garden. — Descriptive Spring Catalogue of Choice Seeds. W. Cutbush & Son, Nurseries, Highgate, London. — Vegetable and Flower Seeds, A::a[eas, and other Shrubs, use heated by two 4-inch hot-water pipes along both sides aud one end. Half the length of house would be sufficient for the trees for a couple of years. CnEURY Trees not Fruiting {A Sithscribcr).— Your soil is too light; for the kind of Cherries you name, but you might do much to check their growth by making the soil firm after giving a dressing of lime to the surface, and poiutiug it m with a fork. A bushel of lime per rod {3Q\ square yards) will bo ample, aud then make the soil very firm. Keep the shoots close- stopped through the summer, and manure by the surface, giving the trees a thorough watering when they are going out of flower. They will, we think, give you fruit; but if they do not in a year or two, root-prune, and make the soil about them very firm. Substitute for Grafting Clay (Idem).— We do not know of any sub- stitute for clay but grafting- was, which is made in various ways ; but we give two formulae, one requiring to be applied warm— viz., Burgundy pitch, 1 lb. ; black pitch, 4 ozs. ; yellow wax, 2 ozs. ; rosin, 2ozs. ; mutton auet, 2 drachms, melting in an earthenware pot over a slow fire, and applied warm to the grafted part, but not so hot as to injure the bark of the stock and scion it comes into contact with. The following may be used cold : — Yellow wax, 1 lb. ; turpentine, lib.; Burgundy pitch, Sozs. ; mutton auet, 4 ozs. Melt all to- gether and mix thoroughly, leaving to cool, when tho mass may be formed into email balls and used as required. Iron Filings for Jointing Hot-water Pipes (S. 3. W.).—Tdi^ the filings with strong vinegar, making thorouglily moist, forming a sort of salve; or add sal ammoniac 1 oz. to 2\ Ib-i. of the iron filings, and half an ounce of flowers of sulphur. In either ca^ie the piping should not ba used until tho ron cement has become perfectly firm. Apricot, Cherry, and Plum Trres Pruning (A Constant Reader).— The fruit of these is produced upon spurs principally, and the young shoots also fruit; but after the first year of the young shoots you will have to rely upon spars for fruit of the Cherry and Plum, and mainly upon spurs of the Apricjt, though the youug shoots of the Apricot will fruit fro3ly, aal sh:>uH be laid-iu betweou the main branches, but not so as to crowd th^m. They may be laid-in 3 or 4 inches apart. The main branches or shoots ought iat all the trees named to bo 1-foot distance apart, and trained fan-shape; each shoot or branch intended to produce spm'S be taken Etrai!,'ht, and at such an angle that, when it is half the length it has to traverse, it will be 1 foot dis- tant from the branch it originates. The long shoots we should not shorten, they being intended for branches, and the trees are properly furnished. H the trees are not furnished the shoots must be cut back to give you the requisite shoots, otherwise we should not shorten them, but train-in their full length. The side shoots of the Cherry and Plum should be cut-in to about an inch, or two eyes of their base, and the twiggy side shoots of the Apricots laid-in between the main branches, and not shortened ; but any fore- right or front shoots are to be cut-in to two eyes. Any short stubby shoots of not more than an inch or so long should not be shortened, but left their full length; they are spurs, and will be clusters of fruit buds, with a wood bud at their points. We should not advise the lifting Peach and Nectarine trees which are now fruiting, although producing vigorous shoots 6 feet long. Leave well alone; only remove their points, say a third, the length of the shoots, and train-in from them bearing shoots at 1-foot distance apart. Decayed Sawdust for Flower Beds {J.K.).—ll reduced to "mould" it will answer well; but if it contains any woody matter, be likely to en- gender fungus, and in this case woull be objectionable as a top-dressing. Berberidopsis corallina for Wall {Idem).— It is a very pretty sub- scandent shrub with coral-like red flowers, evergreen, and is suitable for a wall, but requires one with a south or south-west aspect. Lobelia .'ipeciosa will suit as an edging to yellow Pansy. Transplanting Rose Trees (Bffrarcd).— Take them up as soon as you cau, and carefully preserving as much root as practicable; and as they are taken up cover the roots with mats to protect them from drying, and care- fully pack the roots in dry straw, and secure with mats outsida. They should have the heads neatly tied together — the plants, in fact, secured by mats iu reasonable-sized bundles, and they should be carefully planted, the ground having been trenched and liberally manured. Pruning should be defened until the beginning of March. Secure them against winds by suit- able stakes and tying, watering at planting if the weather be dry, and in dry weather after growth syringing or watering overhead in the evening, so as to secure free growth. They should ba pruned rather more severely than had they not been removed. Navies of Fruits [Pierson). — The Pear is BeuiTe Ranee. Names of Plants {J. A.). — It is impossible to identify plants from foliage only, it takes much time to do so even when flowers are with the loaves. POULTET, BEE, AlTD HGEOIf OHEONIOLE, POULTRY EXPERIENCES IN 1874. It may not be uninterestinf; to the readers of your Journal to hear the year's experiences of a poultry-keeper on a very small scale, and it may also be the means of encouraging others^ to attempt what is certainly a profitable as well as an amusing occupation. I have had built at the end of a long narrow kitchen garden a small poultry shed, which is entirely roofed- in, and a roosting and laying-house made according to the directions of the "Practical Poultry- Keeper." The yard ia about 16 by 11 feet, and the house about B feet square, and in this space I have kept a cock and from eight to ten hens, and reared twenty-two chickens. The sort I keep are Light Brahmas, which I have found exceedingly satisfactory in every respect, being very hardy, and constant layers. I have had in the year 996 eggs, with five hens on an average laying at the same time, and tbe following is my table of profit and loss : — Expenses during the year for food and carpenter's work to the shed, &o., £7. Receipts, including value of stock, ill lis., leaving a balance of £1 12s. as profit, and a supply for the table of rich eggs aud first-rate chickens for eating. 1 have bought the food entirely and of the very best quality, giving barleymeal and bran in the morning, wheat at nigbt, and kitchen scraps with abundance of green food in the day. Tho young chickens were fed on Scotch oatmeal and bread soaked in milk mixed with fine chopped grass. I have kept a Cochin hen and one or two Barndoor as well as Brahmas, so I have had opportunities of testing the superiority of the latter sort. I have found them far less broody than the Cochin, while they make quite as good mothers and lay a great many more eggs in the year than the Barndoor, and, while 1 lost two pullets of the latter sort, I reared every Brahma I had. They are also very handsome, and I was able to sell several sittings in the spring at Oi?. an egg. I may add that I attend to them entirely myself, cleaning out the roosting house every morning, and I always let them have plenty of dry earth or lime riddlings as a dust bath, and pulverised oyster shells to peck when they like. They seem always perfectly happy though kept in close confinement. — h.. H. Martin', Evesham. THE barb. A FINE Barb ia a rare bird. The majority of the specimens we see are of the coarse coarsely, and with the Barb vulgarity is ruinous ; for a large bird with a common wattled head (such as we see) is too suggestive of a Carrier with its beak razeed. It is a variety we would like to admire, but finding it impossible to obtain the very few fine birds met with in our travels, we have allowed the fancy for them to sleep until the present time, and nothing but an extra specimen (of our style) will induce us January 21, 1875. ] JOOBNAL OF HOBTIOULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 61 to become enthusiastic in their favour. The fanciers of Barbs may be divided into two classes : one in favour of the coarse vulgar birds, of which there are many ; the other favouring the small elegant birds, which are the antipodes of the Carriers, and of which there are so few. We are hajjpy to state that the most refined fanciers are nearly all to be placed in the class ad- vocating the small specimen. The extreme beauty of such birds is the determiuiug cause, and a faucier who has once seen a good-headed creation of the small type will never be satisfied with a " razeed Carrier." Like all fancies for pictures, sculpture, horses, or what not, the pursuit tends to refinement and exclu- sion, and the man who begins with commons and common speci- mens is as sure to reach a higher taste for the rarest (among Pigeons) as he who tosses away chromos or plaster casts for llembrandts or Angelos. The reason Barhs have not heretofore caused a sensation is because they have never been properly bred. They have been kept too near the Carriers ; there has not been enough distmc- tion to make the keeping of the two varieties interesting ; they have been playing second fiddles, and always will, as long as the difference in beaks is the only contrast observable to the ordinary looker-on in Pigeondom. Few persons have devoted themselves entirely to Barb culture, and among the few we know there has been but one arrived at Tig. 15 — The barb. anything like success. He has produced one bird, which we shall bear in mind in giving the points we think most important to breed for. The others of our acquaintances have been con- tented to rear a large number of second-fiddles, resting satisfied with quantity instead of quality. We have had the pleasure of watching two fanciers, one of Carriers, the other of Barbs, and have derived much information as well as amusement from their conversations. The Carrier is striving for a long beak, just another quarter, with the head a little narrower ; while the Barb says, " If I can only breed the beak a little shorter, and the head a little broader, all will be right." So they go, and neither pays attention to the bodies, and the result is two birds of nearly the same size, only distinguishable by examination of the beaks. We saw at a show a short time ago two such birds, which it would have been impossible to distinguish by merely feeling any part except the beaks. The shape of the Barb should be different from all the other varieties. It should be small, compact, and stout in appearance, like the pug among dogs. The Almond Tumbler is small and light; the Barb should be small and stout, like a short, sturdy, broad-backed person, perfect in proportion, but proportions heavy according to size of individual — in other words, a little big Pigeon ; the feet red, toes well spread and flat upon the ground ; broad across the shoulders ; flights and tail long. The neck rising full from the shoulders becomes thin and small at its connection with the head, presenting the appearance of the neck of the broad-headed snakes. The head is considered the most important part, and most of the care has been bestowed upon its points ; it should be broad across, and short from before backwards. The beak is short and broad at its base ; it should be of the Hnwk or Owl variety, set on in a line with the brow and head, thus presenting what is called a down face. Very little beak-wattle allowed, the less the better. C2 JOUBNAIi OP HOBTIOULTORE AND COTTAGE GARDENEh. [ Janaary 21, 1875. The eye is very important ; it is pearl in all colours except the White, in which it is dark. It is surrounded by a wattle as large as that of the Carrier, and of the same soft material, feeling like Telvet in the perfect birds. The wattle should be of the same width all around the eye. Most of the coarse birds are what they call pinched- eyed — that is, the cere becomes narrow at the back of the eye, and the perfect circle is incomplete. This is a fault that cannot be too carefully guarded against, and a bird with a narrower perfect cere is more valuable than a cere broad in front but pinched behind. The colour of the Barb is black — that is the best ; but Reds, Duns, Yellows, Blues, and Whites have been bred, and some of them are easier to obtain than the Black, but it is seldom they breed truly. A pair of Yellows may throw all Keds, and vice versa — a great defect in any variety, as when a fancier buys birds for their colour he wants them to breed it — viz., to have the blood and not be mongrels. None of the Barbs we have owned breed truly, though the variety is one of the oldest. The Blacks are the most steadfast, that being the original colour. It ■will be gathered from the foregoing that the points we admire are the following : — 1, Size, small ; 2, Shape, stout ; 3, Eye, pearl, well wattled; 4, Head, broad; 5, Beak, short and hooked; 6, Neck, thin at the setting-on of the head ; 7, Colour, black. There is a problem connected with Barbs and Carriers which we should attempt to solve if we should ever again be tempted into the wattled-bird fancy. It is, whether they have been derived from the same source ? To us the questiou is decided in the affirmative by all the external marks of the varieties, and by our knowledge of what can be produced by the selection of specimens possessing certain points. We started to prove this side some years ago, and our experiments were satisfactory as far as they went, but were interfered with by a visit to Europe, where, from what we saw, we thoroughly convinced ourselves of the truth of the proposition. Should we again. attempt a solution of the question we should obtain a pair of barbed (wattled) Pigeons, and from their young select birds for two strains, keeping in view the long face (or beak) for a Carrier strain, and the short face (or beak) for a Barb strain, and by continuous selection and judicious matching of such individuals there would not be the slightest doubt of pro- ducing well-deinned Carriers and Barbs. Patience 16, of course, a necessity here as elsewhere, but it completeth a perfect work. To persons who have simply kept Pigeons such productions may seem impossible ; but to those who seek knowledge beyond the limits of sight, and to those who have spent ruonths and years in the lofts with mongrels, so shaping the course of Nature that she becomes the handmaid instead of the mistress, the pro- duction of Barbs or Carriers from the wattled Pigeons becomes as simple as the breeding Long and Short-faced Tumblers from the same strain, or the conversion of Turbits into Owls, &o. — Dr. W. P. MoKGAN, Baltimore, Mil.— [The American Pet-Stock Bulletin.) [The above article, like all by Dr. Morgan, is pleasant reading, but the show Barbs of America must diiier from those of England, the fault here being rather of getting them too Tumbler-shaped, and the lougish form of the true Barb with rather long flights is being lost. It is, I hold, a mistake to breed all varieties down to weak delicate birds. I admire robustness in an English Owl, delicacy in an African Owl. Delicacy, again, is the very thing in an Almond Tumbler, but a Barb should be like a little cob, not a racing pony. Dr. Morgan's idea of being like a pug is not bad. I own 1 do not think that Carriers and Barbs are connected. An English authority tried the crossing of the two, and a perfect failure as to wattle was the result. The Barb should be a little big Pigeon, like a cob horse, a re- semblance I prefer to a pug, for, as the Birmingham Columba- rian Society state, it should have " a rather heavy appearance," and pugs are now bred small. As Dr. Morgan's friend the Barb-fancier has only "produced one bird" up to the mark, ■what a pity he does not procure better birds from some of our great English breeders. But whatever American fanciers may be poor in, they are rich in a doctor-fancier. I only wish we possessed an M.D. or an M.R C.S. who, being a Pigeon-fancier, had the happy literary gifts of Dr. Morgan. Interesting writers as poultry or Pigeon writers are doubly valuable, as their articles attract the at'ention of non-fanciers, who, being attracted, be- come not unfrequently ardent fanciers; such a writer is Dr. Morgan. — Wiltshire Rector.] puUets. My first two sittings were hatched on May 23rd. My first egg from the young birds was laid on December 5th, and I have averaged four eggs per day since. I now give two meals a-day — 8 .1.31., ground oats slaked with boiling water; 2 p.jj., house scraps, potato peelings, &c., hot made up with whole corn mixture. I have not been one day without an egg since I com- menced. I flatter myself no other breed would show better results. I do not keep a cock bird, buying what eggs I require for sitting. I must in justice add that I have kept fowls before, and gained most of my experience from our Journal. — Ealinq. BRAHMAS FOR EGG-PRODUCING. I CANNOT help thinking that somebody steals a march on " Agricola," and gets first to the nest. His letter induces me to give my experience. I bought four Brahma pullets at Stevens's on the 20th of last March. I had two eggs on that day, and 412 to November 30th. Three of them sat. I reared eighteen chickens : eight I cooked, the largest made a good Sunday's dinner for my family of eight, with 1 lb. of sausages; two the cats dined off, leaving eight WOLVERHAMPTON POULTRY SHOW. This Show was held in the Agricultural HaU, on the 15th, 16th, and 18th inat. The awards were as follow ; — Brakmab —Dark.—Goek.—l, NewiiUam & Manby, Wolverhampton. 2 and he, T. F. Ansdell. Cowley Mount. 3, J. Watts, Kina'n Heath, Birmmsham. c, F. J. Cotterell. Birmingham Hen~\ and 2, W. H. Crabtree, Levenaha'rae, Man- chester. 8, T. F. Ansdell. he, W. Har^^reave'i, Bacup : F. Bennett, Shifnal ; J. Walker, Newcantle. c, R. Pritchard, Wolverhampton; W. Bii'ch, Barnacle; \V. B. Etches, Whitchurch. Bkaumas —Dark.—Cocht^el —1, R. P. Percival, Nortbenden, Manchester. 2 and 3. T. F. Ansdell. i, E. Ryder, Hyde, Manchester, he, F. Bennett, c, Newnham & Manby; G M. Oartmel. Eden Mount, Kendal; W. Birch; W. B Ftches. PhU(?(.— 1, 2. and4. Newnham & Manbv. 3, White & Shuter. fee, E Pritchard. c, W. R. EtcbeB' E. Pritchard : W. Birch. BRAHMas. -L(f7/t(— Cocfc.— 1, W. H. ('rabtree. 2, T. A. Dean, Marden, Here- ford. 3, J. Bloodworth, <'heltenhain. /tr, J. Birch, jun. ; F. J. Cotterell. c,G. Walters, Worcester. Hen.— I. B. P. Percival. 2. W. H. Crabtree. 3, F. J. Cotterell. he, T. A. De»n. c, 3. Walters ; R. Bird ; Q. M. Rolls, Monmouth ; S Sambrooke, Chipping Campden. Brahmas,— I,7£7''^ — Cockerel. — 1, R. Bird. Fulham. London. 2. .T. Bloodworth, Cheltenham. 3. R. Horsfall, Liverpool. 4, R P. Percival. he. W. Storer, Bre- wood m. Pullft.—l, H. C. While. Manev, Sutton. 2, W. Tedd, ErdmRton. S, T. A. Dean. 4, R. Bird hc,W U Haseler, Handswurth; Mrs. G. M. Rolls; W Tcdd; C. Morris, Chester; C. Bloodworth. c, W. H. Haseler; R. Bird (2). D'^RKiNGS.— C'o(o»'vvZ, twcept fiilvcr'(ir-i\i.—\, J. Coople, Prescst. 2 and 3, Countess of Hartmouth, PatshuU, Abrighton. he, W. H. Denison. Wobum Sands; Mrt*. W. Chalmera, Hatlyburton, Coupar Angus; J. Copple (2); Henry Lingwood, Needham Market. DoRRivGS.— Sfh-^'r-rjrfi/.— 1 and 3. W. Rnttlidge, Northend, Kendal. 2, E, Wren, Lowestoft, lie, Mrs. H. J. Bayley, Rosedal'*, Tecburv. TioRKiaos— White.— \, W. Morhtt, Goole. 2, Mrs. G. M. Rolls. 8, J. E. Pilirrim. Hinckley. Dorkings. —CHf/v'OO —1. H. Allen, Wood Green. 2, Countess of Dartmontb. 3, W Messenger, Wonerih, Guildford, c, H. Allen. CocHiv-CuiN-A. -Cinnrtmon and Buff.— I, W. A. Taylor, Manchester. 2, J. Cattell, Birmingham. 3. S. K Harris, Cnsgarne, St. Day. he, H. Tomlinson, Birminghim. c, A. H. Jones, Lsrkhill. Liverpool. Cocnvs-Vni'Sk.-Cinnamon and Buff.— Cockerel.— \ , W. A. Taylor. 2. Mrs. A. Tindal, Aylesbury. 3. Henry Lingwood. vhe, R. p. Percival. he, H. Good- fellow, Madeley. t^ewcastle; C. Bloodworth, Cheltenham, c, Mrs. H. Shutt, Stourbridge; J. T. Lees, Drayton. CocHiN-llHlKA. — Cinnamon and Buff. —Pullet. — 1, A. Datby. 2, G. E. Cartmel. 3. Mrs. A. Tiodal. he, R. P. Percival ; J. Cattell ; W. A. Taylor, c, Mrs. E. AJl- sopp, Worcester; H. Dean. Cochin-Chiva.— BrofCfi and Partrid(ie-feathered.—\ and he, W. A. Taylor. 2, Mrs. A Tindal. 3, T. Stretch, Ormskirk. u/^c. E. Tudman, Whitchurch, Salop. CoCHiN-OaiNA, —Drofcn and Partrid(n'-J'eathered. — Cockerel. — 1, Mrs. A. Tindal 2. W. A. Taylor. 3. R. P. Hercival. vhc, T. Aspden. he, E. Tudman. CocHiN-CntNA.— Browrt aHd PaHridrje-feathered.— Pullet.— 'i, R. P. Percival. 2„ W. A. Taylor. 3, E. Tudmao. he, T. Aspden, Church; R. Jones, Neath; Mrs. A. Tind'al. c, Mrs A. Tiodal CncHiN-CHiNA.— tr/!(/t^— 1, C. Bloodworth. 2. R. S. S. Woodgate, Pembury, Tuobridge Wells. :-i, W. Whitwortb, jun., Longsi^ht, Manchester, he, T. Rogers, Walsall; S. R. llni-ris: W. R Bull. Newport Pagnell. OocHiN-CfflNA. — Any other I'arietu.—WW. Jehu, Bridgenorth. 2, G. Fortey, Shrewsbury. 3. A D.irby, Shrewsbury, he, T. Aspden. c, H. Feast, Swansea. HotJDANS.— C'ocA:. — 1, J. J. Scott, Llanstephau. 2, R. B. Wood. Uttoxeter. 8. W. Whitworth, jun. vlte,F Bennett, /a*. G D. Harrison, Grange-over-Sands; G- Anderton. Accrington ; W. Dring. Faversham. Ben— I. W. Dring. 2, C. Morris. 3. W. Whitworth. jun. he, G. D. Harrison; R. B. Weod (2); J. B. Rowland, Pillertou Vicarage, Warwick. French.— ^ui/ other varictl/.—l, W. H. Crabtree. 2, Rev. G. B. Knight Birstwith Vicarage, Ripley. 3, Rev. W. J. Ridley, Newbury, he, Mrs. J. Cross Brigg ; f. Bennett. Spanish.— C'orfe—1, E. Jackson, Fiochficld, Wolverliampton. 2, J. Walker, Wolverhampton. 3, Mrs. B. Allsopp. he, W. Smallwood, Wolverhampton; E. Jackson ; J. Ljarry, Bristol. iJeii.— 1, Mrs. E. AUaopp. 2, J. Walker. 8, J. F. Silitoe, Wolverhampton. Game.- B/a^lt tted.—Cnekerel.-l, Q. Bagnall, Stoke-on-Trent. 2. G. Newdi- gate, Sbifnal. 8, s. Matthew, Stowmarket. he, J. Mason, Worcester; A. Dyas, Madeley. c. J. Palmer, Wednesbury. Game.— Broici! Red. — Cockerel. — 1, S. Matthew. 2. T. Hassell, Market Drayton. 3, T. Borgess, Whitchurch, Salop, he, W. Perrin ; Miss Osbom (2); J. Forsyth : A. Dyas. Game — E,ir'';if(j(j7 Brown and Black Redft. — Cockerel. — 1. W. J. Cope, Barnesley. 2. J. Forsyte. Wolverhampton. 8, E.Winwood, Worcester. }ic,i. Palmer ; E. Bell, e, E. Bell. Q,kTiU.—Any variety.— Coek.~l. s. Matthew. 2, G. Lunt. Market Drayton. 3. J.Forsyth, he, 3. Halmer; C. Chaloner, Chesterfield. Hea.— 1, A Cameron, Epwort'h. 2, S. Matthew. 3. J. P. Gardener, Rugeley. vlic, J. Forsyth; J. Palmer, he, C. F. Bamett; Miss Osbom. PoLANDs —2. T. Webb, Sutton. HAMBnnGH-i.— GoWniwiw'f'i.- 1. T. Blakeman, Wolverhampton. 2. H. Pickles, Earby, Skip OD. 3, Duke of Suthe'land. /to, I Davies; S. W. Hallam; W. May. Sili'er-spanciled.-l and 2. Duke of Sutherland. 3, H. Pickles, vhe , Aeh'on & Booth, he, C. Parsons HAHBOBGHS.-Ooiii-pi'iKiHcrf— 1. H Picklcs. 2. W. Dixon, jun.. Darby. 3,9. W. Hallam. Leicester, c, J. Anderton. Sdvenpeneilled.—l, H. W. Bracewell, Earby, Skipton. 2. U. Pickles 3 and /(C. Duke of Sutherland. BANT>jrs.— Game— 1, E. Bel], Burtonon-Trent. 2 and )i<^, Mrs. E. Hunter, Wolverhampton. 3, G. Boden. Wolverhampton. Any other variety.— 1, H. B. Smith, Broughton. 2, Mrs. Wootton, Mapperley, Nottingham. 3, W. H. Shacklettn, Bradford. 4, Mrs. R. Pritchard, W.dverhampton. he, R. H. Ashton: Mrs. A. Tindal. c. Sir J. Morris; J. Bloodworth. Ant other Variety— 1, W. Meiinlev. Handsworth, Birmingham (Black Hamburghs). 2. F. Sabin. Birmingham (Malay). 3. A. Ward, lie, Duke of Sutherland iBIack Hamburgh); H. l?ardlcy (Yokahamasl; O Burnell (Malay ; Rev. N. J. Ridley (Malay) ; H. Pickles (Black Hamburgh) ; T.Marples (Saltuis) A Ward. 'sellin'G Class. ~nja)i?H,(W, Dorkhms, and Cochins.— Coek.-t, H. B. MoreU Clyro (Dark Brahmal. 2, S. sam-.rooke (Buff Cochin). 3. F.J. Cotlerell (Light Brahma). 4. J H. Jones. Uandforth, Manchester (Partridge Cochm). vhe, R. P. Percival (White Cochm). he, P. Ogilvie (Dark Brahma) : O. F Whitehouso (Dark Brahma); E. Pntohiird (Dark Brahma); J. Pitt (Dark Brahma); W JanuaiT 21, 1875. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. C3 Harpreavea; R. P. Percival (Dnrk Brahiua); H. B. Morrell (Dark Brahma): H. Vardley (Dark Brabma) ; T. F. AiiBdell (L)ark Brahma) ; C. L. buyce (Dark Brahma); T Powner (Dark Brahma) ; T. Barker (Brahma); H (Jhawner, jun. (Brahmaj; F. BecDet (Br»hma): K. i'. Percivul (Light Brahma); b..J. Draper (Buff Cochin); H. Goodfelluw (bufl Cochin); Mra. U. fchutt (buff Cochin); J. Caitell (Buff Cochiaj; F. Bennett (Buff Cochin); J. Alcock (BuIV Cochin): H. TumlinBon (Buff' Cochin): K. P. Pereival (Partridge Cochin); G. l^amblfartndKQ Cochin); J.H. JoneB (Dark Brahmaj ; J. Watla; H. Chawner, jun. (Brahma); F. J. CotlerelL tiELLiNG Ci.A%B.~E^cepiinri Brahmas, Dorkingi, or Cochins.— Cock.— 1, J. . Pitt, Wolverhampton (.Spamahl. '.i, G. Burneli, Rugeley (Biack Ked Game), y, J. Walker (Spauibh). 4, J. A; E. Prmce, >Jantwich (Brown Bed Game), vltc, C. L. Boyee (Black Hamburph): T. Boulton (Gold-apangled BamhurKh); J. T. Parker (Spauibh): J. Jarrall (.Spanii-h). he, Duke of ^uthe^land; Kev. H. Buck&ton (^ilvel■epangltd Hamburgh); T. Hassell (Brown Ked Game); P. A. Beck, Gnilsford, Welshpool (Black Ked Game); J. S. Kooth (Malay); H. c. Whiie, Maney, hutlon. Selling i^la&b.— Brahmas, Dorkings, or Cochins— Beii.^.~-1, R. P. Pereival Dark brahma). 2, E. Shaw. Ubweuiry iDorkicgl. 3, E. Pritehard (Dark Brahma). 4, C. Morris (Light Brahmal. fftc, T.Kugers (Dark Brahiua); R. P. Pereival (Light Brahma), lie, G. F. Whitebouse (Dark brahmaj; H. B. Morell (Dark Brahma); Newnham & Manby (Dark Brabmal: Mrs. AUsopp (Dark brahma); H. Langman (Dark Brahmaj; W. ilargreavee; P. Ogilvie (Dark Brahma); H. Chawutr. jun (Brahmaj; F. Beniiett (Brabmal; J. Watts (Brahmai; W. H. Haseler (Lijiht Brahma); J. Alcock (Bufl Cochin); R. P. Peicival (Bull and White Cochinal ; J. T., Lees, Drayton, Peukndge (Buff Cochins); C. Bluodworth (Buff cochins); H. Tomlinson (Buff Cochins); J. J. Waller (Partridge Cochins). Selling ChABs.—Excejjtiyig Brahmas, Dorkings or Cochins— Ucns.-l, E Jackson (Spanish). 2, K- B. Wood (Crtvc Cteurs) 3, D. Lane, Hardwick, Gloucester (Houdans). 4, C. L. Boyce, Birmiiigham (Black Hamburghs). ?ic. K. Davis (Silver-spangled Hamburghsj; J. Jarratt (Spanish): J T. Parker (Spanish); W. B. hitches Scotch Greys); J. Aldridge, jun. (Black Spamshj; H. C. While. TuRKEis.— 1, W. Wykea. Wolvey, Hinckley. 2, P. Gill, Trewem, Oswestry, he. Rev. N . J. Ridley ; K. H. Masten. Geese.— 1 and 2, i . Kingsley, Tring. l)i:cKs.—Aytesbury.—l, illrs. WoottoD. ? and he, T. Kingsley. Rouen.— 1, — Gladstone, jun., Liverpool. 2, W. Evans, Prescot. yjtc, W.Evans; W.Meanley. he, J. Forsjth ; W. B. Etches. Any other variety.— 1, S. Bum, Whitby (Black East Indiiinj. 2 and 3, sir J. Slurris, W'olveihampton (Pintau and Caroliiiul. ii'ic, J. C. Smith (Brazilian); Mrs. G. M. Rolls; Mfa.H. J.Bailey (White Call). /le, E. Macalister (Muscovy) ; S. Bum (Carolina) ; H. B. Smiih. PIGEONS. Tdmblebs.— 1, 3, and vhc, H. Yardiey, Birmingham, 2, J. Baker, Kew Bridge, he, A. & W. H. Silvester, Sheffield. Fantails.— 1 and 2, E. A. SeaL Kilgobbin, Dublin. 3, H. Yardiey. Carriees.- 1, H. \ardley. 2, J. Baker. 3, A. J. E. Swindell. Stourbridge. Dbagoons.— 1, Kev. G. F. Bodaon, North Petherton. 2, H. Yardiey. 3, C. E. Chavasse, Sutton Coldlield. hc,F. Elkington, Wolverhampton; H. Y'ardley ; J. Barker. ANTWEEPS.— 1 and 3, W. Gamon, Chester. 2, J. F. Theobald. Lower Tooting, London, he, B. Gougb, Wolverhampton ; E. Booth, Birmingham. Aniwebps.— IVorking or Homing.— 1, J. J. sparrow, Grosvenor Mews, London. 2 and he, W. Ellis, Idle. Leeds. 3, W. Gamon. JSUNS— 1, R. J. Goodwin. Townsend, Stoke-on-Trent. 2, R. W. Richardson, Meaux Abbey, Beverley. 3, H. Y'ardley. he, J. Watts ; E. A. Seale. Owls.— 1, J. Baker. 2, J. J. Sparrow. 3, H. Yardiey. he, J. W. Edge, Birmingham. TOEBiTs.—l, S. Salter. Oxford. 2, J. Baker. 3, E. A. Seale. fcc, W. Tedd; H. Mapplebeck, Birmingham ; £. A. Seale. Jacobins.— 1, E. A. Seale. 2 and 3, J. Thompson, Bingley. vhc, J. Baker; E. W. Richardson ; W. T. Breeden. Babbs.— lands, H Yardiey. 2, J. Baker. PoCTEBS.— 1 and 3, H. Pratt, fiampton-in-Arden. 2, H. Yardiey. he, Mrs. Ladd, Calne ; J. Baker. ANY OTHER Vabietv.—I, Wells &Sherwin, Ripon. 2, J. Watts. 3, W. Tedd. Selling Class.— 1, H. Yardiey. 2, J. Baker. 3, J. Thompson, lie, J. Watts; H. Yardiey. Judges.— Mr. R. Teebay, Fiilwood, Preston; Mr. F. C. Esqui- lant, 4, Effra Boad, Brixton, London ; Mr. M. Leno, Dunstable ; Mr. J. Dixon, North Park, Bradford. FAKENHAM SHOW OF POULTBT, &c. The tifth annual Show of the Fakenham and "West Norfolk Poultry Club was held on the l'2th and 13th inat. in the Corn Hall, a buOding -which, from the great abundance of light and its good size, is admirably adapted for the purpose of a poultry show. The Coloured Dorking cocks were inferior to the hens, which included several very good birds. The cup hen was a very fine one. In Dorkings of any other variety Silver-Greys, Whites, and Cuckoos won the prizes. Buff Cochin cocks were a fair class; but Cochin cocks of any other colour were poor. Bufts took all the prizes amongst Cochin hens. The first Dark Brahma cock, which was a grand bird, succeeded in winning the Brahma cup and the champion cup for the best pen in the Show. He won his place fairly, and was a good step ahead of any others in the class. Hens were a nice class ; and here Mr. Leno had to be content with a second prize, first being awarded to a beauti- fully-marked pullet belonging to the Rev. J. D. Peake. Both classes of Light Brahmas contained some very exceUent birds, but some two or three good ones were very much out of feather. In Brown Red Ga?»e cocks Mr. Martin won the Prince of Wales's cup with one of his now well-known strain, a bird most exceUent in colour, style, and shape. This was an excellent class. The Black Reds, although good, were by no means equal. In Game hens, Black or Brown Reds, the prizes went to some most beautiful birds of the latter variety, first beating the second chiefly in style. In Game cocks of any other colour some grand Duckwings were shown; and in hens two Duckwings and a Pile were the winners. In Hamburghs the cup was won by a pair of very good Golden-spangled, the best in their class. In Silvers the hens were, generally speaking, much better than the cocks ; indeed, there were several pens containing good hens, but good cocks were rare. The Golden-pencilled were a fair class ; and the Silver-pencilled contained some very nice birds. The first cock had a very nicely-marked taU ; the hen was also a good one. Blacks were about an average, and here the first- prize pair won the second county cup. There were two classes for Malays, and amongst them were some capital specimens of both White and Coloured. Spanish were not numerous; the first-prize pair won the section cup. In French very fine Crcves won first, La Fleche second, and Criives again third. In the Variety class a fine pair of Golden Polish won ; second were nice Silver Polish, and third White Leghorns. The Black and Brown Red Game Baiitam cock class contained some very nice Black Reds, and the other Coloured Game Bantam cocks con- tained some remarkably good Duckwings, also one or two fair PUes. Game Bantam hens were chiefly Black Reds, but a very good Brown Red was first. In Bantams of any other variety SUver-laced, Black, and White were reepectively the winners. In Aylesbury and Rouen Duchs Rouens were first, and better than any of the others. The Variety Duck class contained a very pretty and interesting collection of various fancy Ducks. The Selling classes were numerously filled, and contained a few good and cheap birds. In Pigeons the first-prize Black Carrier, a cock, secured the section cup; h« was a tine bird and in capital condition. The Pouter class contained a lot of excellent birds, more especially of Whites, first being a grand White, second and third capital Blues. In Tumblers some good birds were shown, but the competition was very Umited. Fantails were fair. Dragoons were very good indeed, some very capital specimens of Blues and Yellows being the winners. The Antwerp claBS contained some few very nice birds ; the first and second a Silver Dun and a Blue, being both very good in quality. The Jacobins were a fair average ; and in Any other variety all the prizes went to Black Barbs, and the first-prize pen won the section cup. 'DohKi^as.— Coloured.— Cock— \, 2, and County, Mrs. B. B. Sapwell, Norfolk. 3, J. Gee. Oxford, iieii.-cup and 1, F. Parlett, Chelmsford. 2, U. Lingwood. 3, J. White, NorthaUerton. County and e, E. H. WiUet, ISorwich. hc.C. Speed, Oakham ; J. Gee. DoBEiNos.-Jnj/oifterjinnXj/.—l, L.Wren, Lowestoft. 2, C. Speed. 3, J. H. Putney, Dorking. County, T. i H. Heath. .N'l.rnich. )ic, T. & H. Heath; C. Speea ; W. Morhtt, Goole. c, J. Robinson, Garstang. COCHINS.— Cinnnmore or Buff.-Cuck.—l, W. A. Bumell, Southwell. 2, E. winwood, Worcester. 3 and County, W. Brunton, East Dereham, he, H. Lingwood. .4'i!/o(/icr rarieljr.-CocAl.-l.T. J. Saltmarsh, Chelmsford. 2 and County, Major Blgnold, Norwich. 8, G. G. Baldwin, East Dereham. Any vanety.—Utn.—Cui> and 1. M. Leno, Dunstable. Connty and 2, Major Bignold. u, W. A. Bumell. ;ic,J. Everitt, Hadleigh; C. Speed: Mrs. C. Berners, Yoxford . c, G. Vincenl. BaAHiiAB.— Uar/f.- Cocfc.— Champion and Section Cups and 1, Horace Ling- wood. 2, T. i. Ansdell, Cowley. 3, K. P. Pereival, Manchester. County, J. ». Pearson, Manchester, vlic, J. Watts, Birmingham, he, J. S. Pearson; W. Brunlou. Hen.-l, Kev. J. D. Peake, Laleham Vicarage, Chertsey. 2, M. Leno. ^•1- !■• Ansdell. he, W. Brunton; J. s. Pearson; Horace Lingwood; E. H. Wiuett. c, ij. c. Ltvett, Soham ; W. Branton ; T. F. AnsdeU. Connty. J. S. Pearson. Beahmas.— Lififtt.— Cocfc— 1, P. Haines. 2, G. Walters, Worcester. 3, F. J. Cottereil, Beechfield, Birmingham. County. J. P. Case. Fakenham. )ic. Mrs. F . Cheshire, Acton. Hen.—l aud 2, P. Haines, Palgrave, Diss. 3, F. J. CottereU. County, J. p. 1 ase. vhc,Q. Walters, he, J. P. Case ; fil. Leno ; E. J. Bird. Gaue.— Browjn iied.—vock —Prince of Wales's Cup, Game Cup, County, and 1, U. E. Martm, Fakenham. 2, W. & H. Adams, Ipswich. 3, J. Cock, Worcester. ji/ic,C. VVasey.Creake. fcc, H. E. Martin ; A. Wootton, Fakenham. BwcA: £ed —C'ocfc.—l and County, J. S. Pearson. 2, J. Paine. 3, J. F.Walton, KawienstaU. 'ic, G. a. Fitz-Herbert, Sevenoaks ; W. Wainwright, Rugby. BUuk and Bromn Hcd.—Hen.—1,&. Cameron, Botherham. 2, 3, and County. a. E. Martin. )ic, A. Wootton; J. S. Pearson; J.P.Gardner, Rugeley; J. Chester. iimz.-Any otiier variety.— Coek.—l, J. S. Pearson. 2, W. & H. Adams. 3, E. Winwood. County, H. E. Martin. Jtc,H. E. Martin ; J. F. Walton. Hen — 1, 1 . Wnitaker, Melton alowbray. 2 and lie, E. Winwood. County and 3, U. E . Martin. HAiiBCRGUs.—Goldenspangled.—l and Cup, T. Blakeman, Wolverhampton. 2, W . K. Tickner, Ipswicn. i, a. Reynolds. County, H. K. Plattin, jun., b aken- ham. Jic, J. Robinson, t/oiden-iienci/icd.-l, W. K. Tickner. 2, J. Robinson. 3 and County, A. c. Chamberlin, Swaffham. he. A, Silver, Long Melford; E. W alton. HAViBUSGlls.-Silver-spangled.-l, W. Barker, Mark Lane. London. 2, T. H. Turner, Shetheld. 3,J. Kobmaon. County, H.R. Plaitin, jun. Stiver pencilled. — I, J. Kobmson. v:, R. W. Bracewell, Earby. 3 and County, J. P. case, /tc, B, Norton, Town Mailing ; E. Walton. Haubchghs.- lilac*.- County Cup, County Prize, and 1, J. P. Case. 2, J. Long, Bromiey common. 8, J. Robinson, /ic, T. A. Wright, Great Yarmouth; A. A. Boisbier, Penshurst. Malays.— Cocfc.-Cup, I, and County. E. Brantord, Swaffliam. 2, S. B. Perry, Lymington. 3, J. G. Falle, Jersey, he, S. Elliott, jun., Liskeard ; J. G. FaUe ; E. Brauford ; J. Hinton, Warminster ; a. Hawkins, c. Rev. N. Ridley, HoUing- ton House, Newbury, ifen.-l, J. s. Kooth, Chesterfield. 2, County, and fee, E. Brauford. 3, J . Hinton. BPANisH.-Cup and 1, H. Wilkinson, Skipton. 2, J. F. Walton. Connty and 3, Major Ewen, iNorwich. c, J. F. Dixon. FBehcH.— 1, c. H. Smith, Parktields, Derby (CrSve-CcEurs). 2, Mrs. Wicks, Brigg (Creve-CoBurs). 3, E. Walton. Cotmty, Mrs. Miller, he, F. Barlow, Cambridge (Houdans); Mrs. MiUer. c, W. Cutlack, jun., Littleport, Ely (Cri-ve-Cceurs(. ANY othek Vaeiety.— 1, G. W. Boothby, Louth (Golden Polands). 2, R. YoulJ, Sunderland (Silver Polish). 3 and Connty, Rev. W. C. safford, Attleborough Rectory, Norfolk. Game Bantams. — Biacfc and Brown Bed. — Cock.— Cofi and 1, Capt. T. Wetherah, Kettering. 2, T. Dawson, Epworth. 3, E. Walton. County, J. S. Pearnon. ii/ic, W. B. Jefferies, Ipswich, /ic, J. Eaton, Grantham. Any other vanety.—Cock—l &Tid County, J. S. Pearson. 2, T. Dawson. 3, S. Nicholson, Fakenham. Jic, R. Youll. Any variety.— Hen.— l, 2, and County, J. S. Pearson. 3, W. B. Jeffries, lie. Capt T. Wetoerall ; J. S. Pearson. Bantams.— ^711/ other variety except Game.—i, M. Leno. 2, R H. Ashton, Manchester. 3, Rev. F. Tearle, Gazeiev Vicarage, Newmarket. County, J. C. Burton, Fakenham }tc, W. H. Shackleton, Bradford ; M. Leno ; J. C. Burton; K. Youll ; mrs. J. Longe. Dt;cKs.— J!/(cs))iir!/ or nouen.—l and Special, F. Parlett. 2, F. E. Artcr, Canterbury. 3 and County, W. Nicholson, he. Rev. W. C. Safford; Mrs. C. Bemers; J. Eventt. Any otlier variety.— X and 2, M. Leno. 3, J. W. Kelleway Isle of Wight. County, J. Hammond, Dereham, he, J. Hammond; J. W Sbarman, Hampton Abbey ; Mrs. Miher. 64 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ January 21, 1875. Gfese.— 1, E. V. Snell, Barrowden. 2 and County, J. P. Case. 3, Mrs. North, fee, Mrs. North ; E. BraDfurd. Selling Class.— .i;(y variety except Bantdiiis.—Cock.—}, W. H. James, Fen Ditton (Buff Cochin). -Z. A. Woutton. 3. W. Whitt- (Black Hpanieh). 4. Rev. W. Barlow, Faktnbani (Dorking), he. G. G. Baldwin (White Cochin); E. Brauford (Mfllay); H. K.Piaitin, juD.(&ilverbpangled Hambur^ihl; T. Docwra, Colchester. c, T A. Wht;ht I Black Hauiburgh); W. A. Burni-ll (Cochin); O. E. Cresswell, Eag&hot (White Cochin); Mrs. C. Berner (Dorkiuf^t. Htn.—i, J. S.Pearson (Dark Brahma). 2, M. Leno (Cochin). 3, H. H. Hob^on. LonR Sutton (Coloured Dorking), i, J. M. Otter. Balderton (Game), he, E. J. Bird (Light Brahma). c, G. C. Livftt (Dark biabma); Major Ewen {Black Spaniah) ; E. Branford, Selling Class.- £i7n((im.s any varitty.—i, E. Walton. 2, G. P. Tricker, Faitenham (black Red Game) 3, M. Leno. 4, Mrs. North (Persian Silkies). vhc, E. & A. Farrington, Worcester (Pile); C.J. Pearson (Dnckwing). hc.E. Branford ( Brown Red Game) ; R. Smith, Southwell (Duckwmg). c, W. Wright, jun. (Black Red). PIGEONS. Cabriekb.— CocJt or Ben —Cup and 1, H. Thurlow, Bumham Market. 2, W. MinsoD. St. Ivee. S, G- Kempton, IslingtoD, Loudon, he, H. J. Ludlow, Norwich; J. Thompson, Bingley ; J. Stiles, jun.; W. Minson. PoUTEKS. — CocA: or Hen.—l,C Martin. 2, Mrs. Ladd, Calne. 3,G Holloway, jun., -Stroud, he, Mrs. Ladd; P. R. Spencer, Hereford; J. Stiles (2); H. Thurlow. Tv^B-LERB— Short-faced Balds.— Cock or Hen.— 1, 2, and S, W. Woodhouse, King's Lynn. Short faced Beards.— Cock or fle?L— 1, 2, and 3, W. Woodhouse. Any other variety.— Cock or Hen.-l. H. Yardley, Birmingham. 2, G. Holloway, jun. 3. A. & W. H. Silvester, Sheffield, he, W. D. Brown, Cambridge; A. ana W. H. Silvester. Fantails.— Cocfc or Scn.—\, Mrs. Woodhouse, King's Lynn. 2, J. Walker, Newark. 3, J. F. Loversidge, Newark, he, J. Walker; F. Aldias, Fakenham ; P. K, Spencer. Dragoons. — Cocfc or Hen —1, W. V. Longe, Ipswich. 2, A. W. Wren, Luwestoft. 3. C. Heigham, Ipswich, he, J. Caicutt, Whitney ; H. W. Webb, Luwer Sydenham: H. Tliurlow. Antwebps.— Cocfc or Heii.— l. H. Thurlow. 2, C. S. Boyce, Birmingham. 3, H. Yardley. he, J. F. Theobald, Lower Tooting, Loodon ; S. Le Blanc smith, Sydenham. Jacobins.— Cocfc or Hen.— I and 2, A. Mandera, King's Lynn. 3, B. Canney, Leicester, he. W. Nottage ; H. W. Webb ; J. Thomuson (2). Any other Variety.- Cocfc or ifcn.— Cup and 1, H- Yardley. 2, A. P. Byford, Ipswich (Barb). 3,C Keed, Cambridge (Barb), /ic, A. Hamond, Brandon (Runt); H. W. Webb (Archangel) ; A. & W. H. Silvester. Selling Class.— 1, P. R. Spencer. 2, J. Thompson. 3, J. Walker (Fantaiia). he, Capt. F. B. AsUey, Norwich (Antwerpa) ; Mrs. Ladd (Pouters) A. Hamond. CANARIES. Norwich.— C?tar Tellow.—l and vhe. G. & J. Mackley. 2 and he, Provart and Willis. Clear Buf—l and vhe. G. & J. Mackley. 2, Provart A: Willis. Norwich.— £uc"ij/wmrfccrf.—l and 2, G. & J. Mackley. Norwich —ricfced and Unevenly-marked Yellow or Buff,— I. G. & J. Mackley. 2, Provart & Willis, vhc. Provart & Willis ; G.&.J. Mackley. Norwich.— Crc8(cd Yellow or Buff —1 and 2, G. & J. Mackley. Cinnamon Yellow or Buff.—l and he, G. & J. Mackley. 2, A. Palmer. Yorkshire.— Clear or Variegated Yellow or Buff.—l, 2, and he, G. & J. Mackley. Canary ob Canary Mule.— ^Hy other varicty.-l, M. Flynn. Ipswich (Evenly- marked Goldfinch and Canary Mule). 2. R. Bishop, King's Lynn (Golden Lizard), vhc. G. & J. Mackley (White Goldfinch and Canary Mule) ; A. Palmer (Goldfinch Mule), he, J. Brickham, Fakenham (Linnet and Canary and Variegated Mules) ; G. & J- Mackley (Gnldfinch and Canary Mule). British Song BjRBS.-Any varttty.—l,2. and vhc.G. &J. Mackley (Blackbird, Goldfinch, and Bullfinch). S, 0. A. Watts, Brixton, London (Blackcap), he, A. Boatwright, Bungay (Goldfinch). Selling Class.— .4ny variety of Canary or Briti.th Song Bird— I, Provart and Willis. 2, G. & J. Mackley (Canary). 3. R. Bishop (Silver Lizard), vhc, G. & J. Mackley (Canary and Blackbird); Provart & Willis, he, Provart and Willis; J. Dorton, Buniham (Goldfinch); R. Bishop (Golden Lizard), c, W. Morgan, Fakenham ; G. Richardson, Fakenham. RABBITS. Lop-EABED.— Cup, 1, and 3, J. Irving, Blackburn. 2 and County, W. Brunton. he, W. S. Ward ; J. Wharton, c, Mrs. H. Pickworth, Spalding. Any other Variety.- 1, Miss Mortimer, Ross. 2, G. C. Livett. County and 3, W. Brunton. he, Mrs. H. Fickworth ; W. Bmntun ; J. R. Parsley, Cambridge ; B. Greaves, Grimsby ; P. Badham, Melksham. Rev. E. Fellowes, Mr. R. Teebay, and Mr. S. Matthew judged the Poultry and Pigeons; and Mr. H. Thurlow the Cage Birds. wich. he, J. Long; W. D. Little, Blackheath; E. Payne, Dartford; W, S. Marsh, Deal, e, G. N. Nutt. A7iy variety not Gaine.—l, R. S. S. Woodgate. 2, Mrs. E. C. Lee, Penshurst. 3, G. H. Nutt. tie, W. White; : J., Ware, jun., Faversham: Miss F. A. Stickings, AshlVird; G. H. Nutt. (K**"— Docks.— .4y/c3/jHry.—l, W. Jacob. 2, F. E. Arter, Canterbury. 3, H. Barrow, Bexley. he, J. Koper. Hollingbourne. iioucn.— 1, F. Warde. ■.', C. Ratcliffe. 3, F. Cheeseman. vlic,J. Harvey, jun., Canterbury ('). /ic, R.Bowen, Rochester. Any other variety.— 1, F. Cheeseman. 2, R. Blinkhorn, Sandling. 3, R. S. S, Woodgate. Geebe. — 1, G. H. FitZ'Herbert, Sevenoaks. 2 and he, J. Beazley, Gravesend, 3, H. White, vhe. L G. W. Stratford. Turkeys.— 1 and 2, A. Warde, 3. L. G. W. Stratford, vhe, F. Warde; G, Dowker ; Countess of Aylesford, Aylesfoi d. Selling Class.— Cocfc or XTofce.-l, F. Warde. 2, F. HoUick, Rochester. 8, Col. Hassard. v/ic, H. White ; W. S. Holding, Yalding ; G. W. Greenhill; Mrt,. J. G. Hepburn; J. K. Lawther ; E. Durrant ; B. Norton. /«;, J. K. Parton, Maidstone; W. Dring; M. Sandford ; A. Smith; J. G. Hepburn (a); F. E. Arter; C. Brown. Selling Class.— Hc/w or Duekx.-l, J. Harvey, jun. 2, R. S. S. Woodgate" 8. Rev. W. C. H. H. D'Aeth. vhc, Mrs. Cheere, Aylesford ; W. Dring; Rev. F. T.Scott; Rev. W. C. H H. D'Aeth; F. Cheeseman ; E. Durrant; C. Brown. ftc. Miss Baldwin, Harrietaham ; Miss E. Mansel: J. Harris; E. McMorland, Chislehursl; W. S. Monckton, Maidstone; G. Dann, jun., Mtiidstone; E. Goodwin, ThoruhilU (J), c, E. McMorland. Selling Class.-1, Major Hartley. 2, T. Goodwin. 3, W. Dring. vhc. T. Goodwin, lie, R. S. S. Woodgate; Master M.V. Sandford; fl. W. Brooks, Wool- \vich; Mrs. Middleton, Brenehley ; K. B. Curteis. PIGEONS. Cahbiers.— 1 and 2, M. H.Gill, Ramagate. he, Col. Hassard, Sheemess. f, G. H. Nutt. Pouters.— 1, 2, and he, M. H, Gill, c, F. Winser, Hadlow ; G. H. Nutt. Fantails.— 1, R. W. Cooper, Rochester. 2, M Sandford, Dover, c, G. W. Greenhill. Tdmblkf.9.— 1 and 2. M. H. Gill, he, M. H. Gill ; Mrs. T. Homes, Lower Sydenham, c, F. Winser. Trumpeters.— 1 and 2, W. Milla. Canterbury, c, R. W. Cooper. Any other Variety.— 1, G. H. Nutt. 2, — Lancaster. Maidstone. S.F.Pine, jun., Maidstone, /ic, L. D Mackinnon, Maidstone; R. G. Hills, Maidstone; E. Durrant. Tunbridge Wells (21 ; T. Homes; G. H. Nutt (2). Selling Class.- 1, E. Durrant. 2, G. West. East Greenwich. 3. D. Keall, Sittmgbourne. he, H. W. Webb, Lower Sydenham, c, G. West; F. Winser; — Lancaoter; F. Gasson, Maidstone. RABBITS. Lop-EARED.— Bucfc or Doc— 1, H. Carpenter, Maidstone. 2 and c, G. H. Nutt. he, O. Cooper. Ryarth (2). Himalayan.— 1, G. W. Greenhill. 2, E. Durrant. he, G. H. Nutt. c, Hon. J. Boscawen.Mereworth Castle; G. C. Sills, Maidstone; A. Mercer, Maidstone; G. H. Nutt- SiLyEB-GREY.— 1 and 2, G. H Nutt. he, R. A. Boissier : G. H. Nutt. Belgian Hare. — 1, G. H. Robinson, Edenhurst, Sevenoaks. 2 and c, G. H. Nutt. Any other Vaeibty.— 1, R. A. Boissier. 2, G. H. Nutt. he, W. Bryant, Maidstone. Selling Class.— Bu<:fc or Doe.—l, L. G. W. Stratford. 2, E. Goodwin, he. Miss H. Clinch. CATS. Tabby, or Tabby-and-White.— S/iori/irtzred.- 1. T. Bramble, Harrietsham. 2. A. Smith. 3, — Ambrose, Maidstone, he. Miss E. Clinch, Sittingbourne ; G. H. Natt. Bi.ACK.—Short-haired.-l,T. Ranger. East Farleigh. 2. G. H. Fitz-Herbert. Long-haired —1 and Special, Miss S. A. Buchanan. 2, Misfl S. A. Mackinon, Canterbury, he, RJiss S. A. Buchanan : Mrs. E. C. Lee. Any other Colour or Variety.— 1. H. White. 2, Mrs, S. Smith, Sissinghurst. Kittens.— 1, E. Durrant. 2, Mrs- E. C. Lee. Judges. — Poultry and Pigeons: Mr. K. Teebay. Cats and Babbits : Mr. G, Billett. MAIDSTONE POULTRY SHOW. This Show was held on the 13th and 11th inst. in the ex- tensive premises behind the " Bell " Hotel. We shall give a report nest week. The following were the awards : — Dorkings.- Coloured.- 1 and 2, R. Cheeseman, Ashford. 3, C. Ratcliffe, Canterbury, he, L. G. W. Stratford, West Mailing; R. Cheeseman: E. R. Rice, Sandwich ; R. B. Curteis, Tenterden ; G. W. Greenhill, Ashford (2). DonKiNos.— Siiver-Grcj/.— i. 2, and 3, F. Cheeseman. he, C. Ratcliffe; Mrs. J. S. Wacher, Sandwich, e, Mrs. J. S. Wacher. Dorkings.— Tr/ii(e—l, L. G. W. Stratford. 2, J. Harris, Tunbridge Wells. S, S. F Jackson. Bexley. Cochins.— Bw# or Cmn^mon.— 1,C. M. Stickinga, Wye. 2, Mrs. A. Christy, Edenbridee. 3 and c, W. White, Canterbury, he, C. Dickens, Rochester; G. Dowker, Wincham ; F. Hawkins, New Chariton. Cochins.— ^ny other variety.— \ and Cup, R. S. S. Woodgate, TunbridfTe Wells. 2. J. S. West, Sydenham. 8, Rev. W. C. H. H. D'Aeth, Wateringbury. he, H. A. Watchurst, New Brompton. Spanish.- Zi/dcfc.— 1 and 2, L. G. W. Stratford, HildenborouRh. 3 and he, J. Francis, Hildenborough. Brahmas.— /^arfc.— 1. Cap. and 2, Mrs. J G. Hepburn. 3, W.Jacob, Shepherds- well, he, F. Lake, Sittingbourne : Mrs. J. G. Hepburn ; A. RifiR, Sevenoaks (2). Bbahmas.— L;i7/l^— 1, Cup, and 2, Capt. W. Savile. Wye. 3, Rev. F. T. Scott, Shepherdswell. vhe, A. Snuth, Goudhurst ; H. Stephens, Tunbridge Wells ; v. h awkins. he, R.Boissier, Penshurst. c, A. Smith ; G. Dowker ; Dr. Owens, East Farlei^b. Game — Blaek-breasted and other Beds.-l and 2. J. Jeken. Eltham. 3, Elliott & Harms, Faversham. he. »^. Warde. West Farleigh (2); W. Foster, Deal. Any uther variety.— i, J. Chittenden. Ashford. 2 and/jc, P. D. Stonham, Ashford. 3, E. R. luce. Any variety.— Vocks.-l and 3, Elliott & Harms. 2, J. Jeken. Hambcbghs.— GoWfTt-sjjaHfl^frf.— 1. J. Lonfr, Bromley. 2, C. Brown. Maid- stone. 3, F. Chec-seman. rmlvfir-ajmnoled.-l, J. Long. 2, Mrs. Kingsnorth, Ashford. 3, .J. K. Lawther, Tunbridge Wells. UkiSBVRGHB.— Goldpencilted.—l, J. Lonff. ?, G. Dowker. 8 and c, H. White. Waterint'lmry. hc.F. Hawkins. 6ilver-penciUcd.—l and 3, B. Norton, Town Mallinj:. 2, J. Long. HotJDANS.— 1. W. Dring. Faversham. 2 and c, F. Lake. 3, W. M. Lancaster, "WateriuRbury he, Misa E. Mansel, Wrott-am. Any tiTHi'-R Vabiety.— 1. J. Long. 2, W. Dring. 8, Mrs. A. Christy, vhe, R. S. S. Woodgate; E. Knight, Wye. he, A. Kitchin. Westerham; G. N. Nutt. Bastamb.— 1, Master M. V. Sandford. 2, W. White. 3, E. Akimrat, Sacd- SOUTH OF IRELAND POULTRY SHOW. This Show was held in Cork on the 12th, 13th, and 11th inst. The awards were as follows: — Spanish.- 1. Mrs. Hay, Queenstown. Dorkings.— S(!iv:r-(rr(;y.—],S. Mowbray, Mountrath. 2, Mrs Sargent, Water- loo, Cahir. Medal, Miss A. M. Warburto-, Kill. Straffan. he. Miss A. M. War- burton ; S. Mowbray, e. Miss A. M. Warburton. Any othereoluur.—l,J. Barlow, Castleknock, Dublin. •-'. S. Mowbray. HouDANs.— 1, E. Morrison, Parsontown. 2, L. A. Beamish, Cork, lie, Rev.V. Holuhan. c, Mrs. Hay. K Creve-C(kur or La Fleche.— 1, 2, and Medal, Rev. V. Holohan, Mallow, c, J. C.Cooper. UttiBVRGS8.—Spanoh'd—l and 2. S. Mowbray, c, L. Stoney, Dublin. Pencilled —1, Lady A. Lloyd, Viilieretown, cappoquin. 2, S. Mowbray. Polish.- 1 and 2, J. K. Millncr, Dublin, c, J. Barlow. Game.— 1 and Medal, R. P. O'Grady, Rochestown, Cork. 2 and he, M. C. Cramer, Kiiisa c. c, M- C.Cramer; W. Jobnt-on, jun ; J. Dowh g. Game Bantams.— 1, W. Johnson, jun., Cork. 2,L. Stoney. c.u.Knagg; K. P. O'Gradv ; W. J. Touikms, Mardykc. Brihmas— Darfc.— L Mrs. Hay. 2, W.J. Ramley. he, T. Mallinson: W. J. Eumley. C/iicfcen.'t.—l and Medal, Mrs. Siirgent. 2. W. J.Rumley. /ic.Rev. V. Holohan; T. Mallinson; S.Mowbray, c, Mrs. Hay. Brahmas.- Z.fVl^— 1, F. Hodder, Blackruck. 2, D. Sullivan, Dublin. c,A. Fieli. Chickens.— 1. Mrs. Forrest, Miiltown. 2, F. Hodder. c, A. Field; D. Sullivan; H. L. Tivy. Cork. Cochins.— B»? or C("Jiawion.— l,Mrfl. Sargent. 2, L. Stoney. he, F.Robert- son- H. L. Tivy. c, Mrs. Hay; F. W. Zurhorst. Any other colour.— 1, M, Mah'oney, Baldoyle. 2. L;idy A. Lloyd, c. J. K. Mihier Chickens— I, Capt. W. Sullivan, Dublin. 2, M Mahoney. he, M. Mahoaey ; Rev. V. Holohan. c, Mrs Sargent ; Lady A. Lloyd ; F. Uobert&on. Belfast. TuBSEYS-— J«i/ variety —1, S. Mowbray. 2, G. Richard, Cork, he, Capt. Bury. Poults. - 1, S. Mowbray. 2. R P. O'Grady. lie. Viscountess Doneraile ; Capt. Bury; Miss H. MVraith. Geese.— 1, S. Mowb ay. 2, A. N. Thompson, Carrigaline. he. Lady A. Lloyd. Ducks.— 2?oiic«.—l , F. Robertson 2, S. Mowbray, c. W. H. Massy ; P. Power. Aylesbury.— 1, S. Lane, Cork. 2, Mias A. M. Warburton. he, F. Robertson. Any Variety nut l'lasskd. — i and he, Col. stawell, Baiidon. 2, S. Mowbray. c '^irs T.W.Webber; Viscountet^a Doneraile ; Miss B- Dowhng. 'Gaue -Cocfc.— 1, F. W. Zurhorbt. Dublin. 2 and hc,U. C. Cramer. SELLIvg Class.— 1, Mrs. Sargent. 2, Lady A. Lloyd. 3, S. Mowbray. Jie, E. A O'Donnell ;M. Mahoney; Mrs. Sargent ; Mrs. Forrest ; Mrs. V Tomkins ; W. Korrigan; Lady A. Lloyd; Mrs. Hay. e, Mrs. Sargent; E. O'Donnell; P. Marmion ; Rev. V. Holohan; Lady A. Lloyd ; J. H. Hutchinson; Mrs. Hay; J. M'Carthy. Extra Ch^^s.-Plicasants.-l, P. Power, jun., Mallow, he. Col. Stawell. Medal for the greatoat number of prizes in poaltry, S. Muwbray. PIGEONS. Pouters.— Cocfc.— 1, W. A. P. Montgomery, Belfast. 2, W. Johnson, jon. he, .T. H. Uuichinson: F. W. Zurhorst. Hen.— I, W. A. P. Montgomery, 2, J. H. Hutchinson, he, F. W. Zurhorst. c, J. Lloyd. Jannary 21, 1875. J JOURNAL OP HOBTICOLTURE AND COTTAGE G.UIDENEB. 65 CiEEiERS— Cocfc.— 1, W. A. P. MontBOmery. 2, W. J. Rumley. vke, J. Jeffries. Cork. kc. W. J. Rumlev: J. Stanley, c, H. L Tivy. Hen.— I, W. A. P. Montgomery. 2 an.Ww, J. Stanley. (!. J. .leffries; H. L. Tivy. BiRBa— C'ucX-,— I, W. A P. Montu-u'niTV. Equal 2, W. A. V. Montgomery ; J. Dowling. f/ic. .T. stanlc-v. /t^'. W. J. Rumlev. c. W. H. Bennett: J. Jeffries. Ben —1 and 2. W. A. P Siontg.ouery. he, W. J. Ramley. e, J. Jeffries. Owls.— l.W.G. Henry, Dublin. 2, W. J. Lumloy. ftc, W. J. Rumley; W. G. Henry, c, J. Dowling. Trumpetess.— 1 and 2, J. Perrott ftc, W. J. Ramley. c, J. H. HutcninBon. Jacobins.— 1 and 2, K. W. Smith. Tipperarv- 3, W. J. Ramley. he, J. H. Hutchinson ; W. J. Kumloy ; K. W. Smith, c, R. W. Smith ; J. Perrott ; F. W. Znrhorst. Fantails.- 1, W G. Henry. 2, W. . I. Ramley. Ndns — 1 and 2, Mrs. J. M. Smyth. Glanmire. TORBITS.- 1, 2, and e, W. J. Rumley. lie, H. L. Tivy. Magpies.— 1, J. H. Perrott. 2. \V. J. Rumley. TuiiaLERS.- 1, W. J. Rumley. 2, J. H. Perrott. lie, W. T. Ramley; J. H. Perrott. Dragoons.— 1 and Medal, J. Stanlev, Blaokburn. 2. J. Jeffries. Extra 2. W. J. Ramlev. ke, W. J. Rainlev: J. Jeffries : J. Stanley ; J. Dowling ; F. Robert- son, c, W. G. Henry : J. Jeffries ; J. K. Milner : J. Dowling. Antwebps.- 1 and/iC, J. Stanley. 2, F. W. Zurhorst. c, W. Johnsonian.; J. K Milner. Any Variety NOT Classed.— I.W.J. Rumley. 2, J. H. Perrott. ftc, J. HoU- wey; W. J. Rumley ; J. K. Milner. c, J. Lloyd ; F. W. Zurhorst. Carriers.— youH,7.—l and Medal, W. J. Rumley. 2, J. Jeffries. /«, W. J. Rumley; J.Jeffries. c,J. Jeffries; J. Stanley. Barbs.— 10UH17.—1 and Medal, W. J. Rumley. 2. W. A. P.Montgomery, he, W. H. Bennett ; J. Dowling. e, J. Jeffries : W. J. Rumley ; J. Dowling. Selling Class.— 1,W. H. Bennett. 2 and 3, J. Jeffries. Extra 3. ■!. Dowling. Ac, W. H. Bennett ; W.J. Kumlev; W. G. Henry: J..Ieffrie8; J. Dowling: F. W. Zarhordt. e, W. H. Bennett; W. J. Rumley; J. Jeffries; J. Stanley; H. L. Tivy : J. Dowling ; F. Kobertson. Medal for the greatest niunher of prizes in Pigeons, W. J. Rumley. CAGE BIRDS. Canaries.- 7eIiowj.—l and 2, F. Hodder. he, D. Ryan, e, W. Scannell ; D. Kyan. ^iiy ot/ierco/our.— land 2, T. Babington. jun. /ic. W. Egan. Bullfinches.— 1, R P. o'Grady. 2, Miss B. Dowling, Blackroek, Cork. GoLDFirJCHEs.—l. W. Egan, Cork. 2, R. P. O'Grady. /ic, A. Dowling. Linnets —1, E. Russell. 2. W Egan. Goldfinch Mdles.- 1. R. Bull. 2. N. W.Johnson. Linnet Mules.— 1, J. Dowling. 2, \V. Egan. c, R. P. O'Grady. Elacebirds.— 1, J. Carney, Cork, 'i, T. Twomev, Cork. Thrushes.- 1, It. P. 0'Gr.ady. 2, J. Carney, he, J. Callaghan. Larks.- 1, J. Callaghan. 2. (i. J. W. Johnson, lie, A. Gordon. Parrots.- 1 and 2, D. A. Bayly. Amy Variety not Classed.— 1 and he, J. Withers, Cork. 2, J. J. Riordan. Judges. — Poultry and Pigeons : Mr. P. H. Jones ; Cage Birds : Mr. M. C. Cramer and Mr. F. Hay. PAISLEY ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY'S SHOW. The twenty-first annual Exhibition and competition under the auspices of the Paisley Ornithological Society was held in the Drill Hall, on the 1st and 2iid inst. It was the largest that the Society has yet held. This year they had to refuse a great number of entries in consequence of want of space and adherence to the limited time till which entries coold be received. The awards were as follows : — Spanish.— I and Special, J. More, Hamilton. 2, R. Begg. Dairy. 3, J. Bryce, Airdrie. Chieken^.—l, K. Begg. 2, A. Yuill, Airdrie. 3. W. Greenshielda. Kil- marnock. 4, W. M'lntyre, Ochiltree. Henf.—l, W. Neilson, Johnstone. 2, J. Crawford, Beith. 3, A. Yuill. 4, K. Begg. Dorkings —Coloured.—l and Special, Mrs. Alston, Craighead, by Hamilton. 3 and 4. Z. H Heys. Barrhead. 3, Mrs. Alston. ChickeM.—l, Z. H. Heys. 2, Mrs. Alston. 3. A. J. Mather, Kilmarnock. Dorkings.— IF/it'ff.—l and 3, J. Pettigrew, DalmelUngton. 2, J. Aitken, Paisley. 4, W. Amot, Dalmellington. Chinese.— 1, J. Wyse. Falkirk. 2, T. Bruce, Busby. 3, J. Telford, Beith. Brahma Pootra.— 1, U. ^y%e, Bishopbriggs. 2. J. Angus, Muirkirk. 3, G. Willison, Kilmarnock. 4, J. Honeyman, Skelmorlie. Scotch Breed.— 1 and Special, H. B. Marshall, Glenlove, Airdrie. 2. W. Purdie BothwelL 3, R. M'Lellan, Wallacetown, Ayr. 4, J. Clarke, Dalserf, by Carluke. Hambd^ghs.— CroWen-ftpanpIt'd.— 1, A. Begg, High Blantyre. 2, A. Friskin. 3, J. Crawford, Beith 4, A. Robertson, Kilmarnock. Hens,— I, J. Jardine, Kilmarnock. 2, A. Friskin. 3, A. Black, Kilpatrick. 4, A. Robertson, Kilmarnock. Hamburghs -—Golden^pencilled.—l and Special, J. Graham, Largs. 2, H. Pickles, Earby, Skipton. 3 and 4, D. Gilmour, Kilmarnock. Hene.—\, R. M'.Millan. Hotly Bush. 2. D. Ferric, Rutherglen. 3, W. Linton, Selkirk, alotharn Bank. 4, D. Langlaod. B^MBURGiii.—Silver-ifpanfiled.—l, H. Pickles. 2 and Special, D. Lachland, Kil- maurs. 3, Scott & Boo'h, Bury. 4, R. Thomson. Alexandria. Bens.—l, A. Yendal, Galston. '2, H. Pickles. 3, A. Henderson, Barrhead. 4, J. Park, East Kilbride. Hk^dBVBQaa.—Silver.penciUed.—l and Special, H. Pickles. 2, H. Smith, Keighley. 3, A. Angus, Galston. 4, J. Lochhead. Kilbarchan. Hens.— I, R. Borland, Kilbarchan. 2, R. Muir, Craigie. 3, T. Alexander, Bathgate. 4, J. Lochhead. Polands.— Topped.- 1, W. Good, Airdrie. 2 and 4, J. Laird. 3, J. Wylie, Johnstone. G^xz.—BUiek-breast'd and other Reds.—l and Special, J. Waddel, Airdrie. 2, J. Sc C. Sneddon. ToUcross. 3, D. Mackie. Stewarton. 4, G. Williamson, Johns lone. .4Tiy otlier coLotir.~l and 3, R. Heys. 2, J. Waddel. 4, N. Forrest, Whiteinch. Hem.—l, R. Heys. 2, N. Neilson. 3, J. Ferguson, Dal- muir. 4, J. Clark. Any other Variety.— 1. J. C. Shaw. Barrhead. 2, H. Pickles. P, D. Honey- moon. Larbert. 4, J. M. Wilson, Kilmarnock. Cross Breeds.— 1, 2, and 3, J. PoUock, Mearns, West Milton. 4, A. Brown, Neilfeton. DucK3.—Aylc8buri/.—l, 2, and Special, A. Robertson. 3, Z. H. Heys. 4, T. Adam, Renfrew. Any other variety. —l, Mrs. Alston. Craighead. 2, H, R. M'Millon, Blantyre. 3, J. Young. Neilston. 4, J. Pollock, Mearns. Game Bantams.— /f/ftcfc-?)rt:rts(C(i Reds.— I, J. Mather, Strathaven. 2, P. M'(iaattie, Bonhill. 3, J. Taylor, Johnstone. 4, T. Barker, Burnley. Any other variety.— i,,1. Camrbell. Pollokihawa. 2, J. Seoular. Kilmarnock. 3, J. M'Laren. Kilmarnock. 1, Z. H. Heys. he, T. Barker; Gow & Walker, Kilbarchan. Bantams.— Biacfc.—l. J Ronston, Rutherglen. 2, R. H. Ashton, Mottram, Manchester. 3 and 4, D. MLaren. Kilmarnock, lie, J. Carrie. Kilmarnock, e, B. Brown, Bonhill. Any other eolo>tr.—\ and 2. W. Kerr, Beith. 3, A. Robert- son. 4, J. Mitchell, Paisley, he J. H. Law. Birmingham. Selling Class —1 and Special. .Mrs A'ston. 2, J. WadJell, -Airdrie. 3, P.. Borland, Kilbarchan. 4, J. Ferguson, Dalmnir. PIGEONS. PoVTKRa,— Black or Blue.—Coek.-l and Special, G. Wallace, Bumbank, Glasgow. 2, G. Andrews, Beith. 3, H. Thomson, Glasgow. Hen.— I, G. Wallace. 2, H. Thomson. 3, G. Andrews. . ,, , „, Pouters.- .111!/ other colour.— Cock.— 1, G. Wallace. 2, A. Dunleavy, Glas- gow. 3, H. Thomson. Hen.— 1, J. R. Renuards, Helensburgh. 2 and 3, O. ToMBLEES.-Storf/aceA — 1, 2, and 3, M. Stewart, Glasgow. 4111; other oariefu.-l. Miss ,V. Blair, Johnstone. 2, A. Gray, Kilbarchan. 3, J. Crawford. Carriers— 1.2. and Special. M. Stewart. S, M. Gilmour, Inehinnan. Fantails.— 1, Miss A. Blair. 2, J. Gait, Kilbirnie. 3. W. Stevenson, Beitb. Jaoobins.-I, J. Lohore, Larkhall. 2, J, R. Kenards, Helensburgh. 3, J. G. Orr, Bcith. ., „ , . Nuns.- 1 and 2, A. Duthie, Montrose. 3, J. Gilmour, jun., Galston, Tdrbits.— I, J. G. Orr. 2, J. R. Kenards. 3, M. Gilmour. , „ , .^ COMMUN.- 1, Gumming & Fleming, Bcith. 2 and 3, D. Wcddle, Gateside, Any' other Variety.— 1, A. Dunleavy. 2, J. F. Cunningham, Beltta. 3, J. G. Sellino Class. — 1, R. Raines, Stirling. 2. A. Dunleavy. 3, H. Davis, Kilbirnie. CANARIES. Clean.— P(i!'r.—1 and Special, J. Hood, Kilbirnie. 2, W. Clark, Kilbarcnan. 3, G. Grant, Glasgow. 4, T. Dalton, Ayr. . „ a. Yellow.— Cocfc.—l and Special, J. Thorpe, Dumfries. 2, G. Grant. 3, 1. Scott, Carluke. 4, A. Kelly, Faielev. 5, J. Johnstone, Glasgow. He/t.— I and Special, R. Btron, Dab-v. 2, S. Brown, Glasgow. 3, P. Wilson, Douglas. BoFF.-Cocfc.— I, N. M'Lean, Glasgow. 2, W. Paterson. 3, W. Stevenson. Inkermann. 4, G. Grant. 5, R. Ritchie, Renton. Heii.—\, W. Stevenson. 2. J. Graham, Kilmarnock. 3, G. Grant. 4, J. Kennedy, Paisley. Special, J. Piebalds.- Pair.— 1 and Special, D. Gibb, Auohinhoath. 2, W. Thorn, Steven- son. 3, A. Kelly 4, J. Gibson, Paisley. „,„„,. o, Piebalds —S^ei!oio.—Coe)t.—l, J. M'Cathon, Airdne. 2, W. Cochran, Glas- gow. 3, T. Jamieson, Kilbarchan. 4, C. Aird. Kilmarnock, a, w. White. Renfrew. Hen.— I and Special, J. Pettigrew, Carluke. 2, M. Barr, Paisley. 3, J. Grieve. 4, C. Aird. 5, R. Houston, Kilbirnie. „ „ „. Piebalds.— BitJ.-Cocfc.—l and Special, W. Hunter, Kilbirnie. 2, R. Steven- son, Galston. 3. T. Christie, lilasgnv. 4, A. S. Barr, Glasgow. 5. N. M;^Lean. Sen,— 1, J. Brown, Paislev. 2, A. Kelly. Paisley. 3, J. Grieve. 4, J. smith, Beith. 5, J. Mitchell. Perth. . , , ^ . Foul.— 1 and Special, W. Hunter. 2, D. Perrie. Paisley. 3, J. Grieve. Geeen.-I and Special, W. Thom. 2, J. Barr, Glasgow. 3, W. Hampheraon, Goldfinch Mule.- 1, A. A. Mauchan, Dnmbarton. 2, J. M'Pherson, Paisley. 3, J. Thorpe, Dumfries. _ „, « ttt . iu Goldfinch.- 1, T. Conn, KUwinning. 2, T. Reive, Glasgow. 3, W. Arthur, Home' Birds.- 1, W. Barrias. Alexandria (Bulllinch). 2, Miss J. Neilson (Cock of the northl. 3, J. Bryaon,.iun.. Paisley (Starlmgl. Foreign Birds.- 1 and 2, Mrs. Wilson, Kilmarnock (Cockatoo and Parrot). 3, A. M'Phee, Paisley (Parrot). We have received the following notes on the Pigeon classes : — Pouters, Black or Blue, cock.— All the placed birds were Blues. First-and-special good in limb ; second longer in feather, but shorter in Umb, and deficient in style; third we could not get to show. Pouter cocks, Any other colour. — First and second Whites ; third Mealy, which deserved second place. Pouter hen, Black or Blue —First Black; second Blue, with very wide- set limbs; third bare of leg-feathering and bishop- winged. Pouter hen, any other colour.— First White, hardly deserved to be placed; second and third beat her hollow. The latter was a Red, but bad in colour. The Pouter class was altogether a very indifferent one, there being not a really good specimen in the lot ; for the four classes there were only twenty-nine entries. Short- faced Tumblers, in pairs.— First and second Almonds ; third Blacks. All very good in head properties, but we thought a little deficient in colour. Tumblers, any other colour.— First were very pretty Balds; second good Blacks; third very coarse Yellows. 5ii should have had third place. Carriers.- First Dans ; second Blacks. These were magnificent specimens, and the only Pigeons in the Hall r,f special merit. The third were " duffers." Fantails.— ¥'uBt Whites ; second Saddlebacks ; third Whites. We liked pen 63 best, and would have placed them first. Second were right placed, and we should have substituted 72 for the third-prize pen. We cotild have bet our hat (it is an old one) that several pens in this class were made up of hens, and some of these were among the winners. Jacobins. — First Yellows ; second and third Reds. Pen 85 contained a good pair in bad condition. No. aO also very good. Nuns.—A.)! Blacks, and prize birds were placed. Lots of trimming, as usual. Tur- 6j»n.— Cocfe.—l, W. Massey. 2, — Simpson. S, — Buflliam, Hen. — land 2, — Bulmer. 3, — Simpson, /(c, W. Massey. Carriers -Ami other colour.— Cock.— 1. H, B, Massey. 2, W. Massey. Hen. — 1 and 2, W. Massey. Barbs.— ii/acA;,—c'offc.—l and Extra, H, B. Massey. 2, W. Massey. 3, — BufTliam. Black or Dun.— Ben. — land2, W Massey. 3, H. B. Massey. Barbs. — Any otlter colonr.—Cock.—l, W. Massey. Hen. — 1, W. Massey. Selling Class,- 1 and Extra, H. E. Massey. -,;,— Simpson. 3, — Buffliam. he, — Shadford. Pair.— 1 and 3, — Simpson. 2, H. B. Massey. RABBITS. liOP.—Buck or Doe. — 1 and Cup, — Boyle. Belgun.— Bucte.— 1, W. Massey. 2, — Dows. Doc— 1 and 3, — BuEFham. 2, — Boyle, he, — Dows. Silver-Gbey.— 1 and 2, — Boyle, 3, —Dows. c, — Buffham.! Himalayan.— 1 and 3, — Boyle. 2, — Dows. Dutch.— 1, — Boyle. Any Varilty.-I,— Boyle. 2, — Buffbam. Heaviest.— 1, — Bufifham. OPEN BABBIT CLASSES. Lop-eared.- 1. Mrs. H. Pickworth, Spaldinj;. 2, B. Greaves, Cleethorpa. S and )«, T. Schofield, jun., Cheetham. Extra 3, C. King, iiftc, T. S E. J. Fell. c, J, Irving (J). Belgian Habe.— I. G. E. Livett. 2, K. J. Foster. 3, J. Poole. Extra 3, A. Hudson, ftc, J.T. BiUett; W. Whipham. c, C. Kitchen. Silver-Greys.— 1, A. Hudson. 2, Miss Mortimer. 3, J. HaUas. Extra 3, H. ■W. Wiicht; A. Canty; J. flallas. he, Mrs. Pickworth; B. H. Glew. c, T. Schofleid, jun. DuTCH.—l. J. Martin. 2, J. Irving. S. E. Greaves. Extra 8, A. Hudson, he, H. C. Gilbert, c. Mrs. H. Pickworth ; G. Biddis. HiMALAVANs.— 1, C. G. Masoi). 2, Dr. Eames. 3. S. E.all ; Mrs. Pickworth. vhc, T. Hinks : G. H. EidiuK. hc.tj.K. Levitt, c, .1. Hindley. Any OTHtR VARiF,Ty.—l, J. Martin (Angi>ra). 2. Mrs. Pickworth. S.J.Hallas. Heaviest. — 1, P. Booth. 2, — Jessop. 3, J. Brown. Selling Class, ~1, J. Hallas, 2, C. King (Lop). 3, H. Hincks (Silver-Grey), Extra 3, J. T. Codling (Lop), vhc.G. H. Hiding (Angora), ftc, A. C. Wiseman (Lop), c, T. Schofleid (Duloh) ; A. Canty (Lop). Judges.— Pigeons ; Mr. Tegetmeier. Babbits : Messrs. Smith and Harrison. Crystal Palace Poultkt Show. — This will take place about November 22nd to 24th. No foundation exists for the report that Messrs. Howard and Nichols will not be the Secretaries. BAILDON OBNITHOLOGICAL SHOW. The entries of Pigeons were very good in most of the classes. The pens were on Turner's principle and showed the birds well, although the light was not the best, the day being very dull. The birds were well fed and watered, and so far all was well ; but in other respects the management was bad, for each class com- menced with No. 1, and this made it most difficult to get through the classes without innumerable mistakes. But what was worst of all was that the classes were not arranged so as to follow each other, but were placed one at one end and the next perhaps in some other wing of the building; and we would suggest that in future some one be engaged to arrange and manage this section, for the Show having assumed good propor- tions, it is but a duty owed to the visitors and exhibitors. Jacobins were first, and were a good lot, a Yellow hen being placed first, and Eed second and third, and there was a grandBlue also. Of Pouters, first was White and second Black, while the third went to a Blue. Fantails were good, and the awards well made, the style and carriage of the winners being of high merit. English Owls, cock or hen, were a heavy class, and the first and second winners Blue. Mr. Binns's birds as usual not putting in appearance. Antwcrps were in great force, no less than 112 birds being shown. In Short-faced cock or hen, the first award was made to Eed Chequer hen which for form and head is most perfect, and a bird of last season. Second wjts a Silver Dun cock, but this was a mistake, for if the bird has not an actual frill, the breast feathers overlap each other. Third, a Blue Chequer cock, was a good bird. Atitwerps, Long-faced, the first and second were Eed Chequers, and capital birds, but some were left out which ought to have been in the list, notably Mr. Ellis's grand-headed bird, but the light was so bad here that there is little wonder he was not seen. In hens were some very good birds, both as regards head, style, and feather, and we think had these two classes been seen by our friends in the south it would become a recognised fact with them that the standard must have been settled for the Long-faced variety long before they took leave of their babyhood. Medium-faces were a grand lot, and as usual produced many perfect birds, the first being a Silver Dun with good black beak ; and the cup for Antwerps was awarded here. AU the winners were cocks. The second and third Eed Chequers. In yiimJZers, Long-faced, the first was a Eed Mottle, rather dun in tall ; second to a Black Mottle, and third to a Black Bald, Mr. Dye showing a real good Black Beard. Carriers were a fair lot, but Mr. Horner's cham- pion Dun cock, though winning first, was in a most woebegone plight ; second and third were Blacks. Dragoons, though a large class, were not good with a few exceptions. Turbits were a fair lot, and the winners Yellow, Eed, and Yellow. Only the winners in Barbs were of any note ; but Mr. Mawson's Black cock, which stood first, was really grand, not one of the broadest, however, but one of the most perfect in all points. Second was a good Black, but younger, and third a Black almost worn out. In the Variety class Mr. Hawley won with an exquisite Black Mottle Tumbler ; the second going to a Pigmy Pouter, and third to a Eed Letz. There was some sharp work in the Selling class, some capital birds being shown, and quickly snapped up even before the Show was open, although after the time advertised for opening. " An Eye witness " writes — The Canaries numbered 246 entries, and it would be a difficult matter to award the palm to any particular breed of birds, the representatives in each class mostly consisting of birds which have won prizes at previous shows. The competition having been close greater care had to be brought into play, but at about half-past two o'clock the last of the cards of distinction was attached to the cages. The morning was anything but good for judging. The Executive, Messrs. Longbottom (President), Pemberton (\^ice-Pre6ident), Fawcett, jun. (Treasurer), and Myers Mann (Hon.-Sec), worked with a determination to make the Baildon Show of 1875 worthy of the promoters. We saw a few of the " fancy," not only in the show-room but at host Winterburn's, and had a good oppor- tunity of judging of their enthusiasm in the cause of Canaries and Pigeons. Those who have visited Baildon of course knew more about the place than I did prior to the Bird Show. When I emerged from Shipley station I sought a " cabby," who happened to be there, and who conveyed me the better part of the way to my destination. After slowly ascending hill after hill for about two miles, he suddenly came to a dead stop, and jefused to proceed an inch further. The last hill going into Baildon was a poser for " cabby," and the offer of another shilling would not tempt him to further proceed. However, I ( groped my way in the dark, through mud occasionally, until I got on to a pathway skirted by a lowish stone wall, overlooking a chasm about 15 or 20 yards deep, at the bottom of which water was flowing, as I could tell from the glare of a lamp shining upon the surface. A few minutes brought me to my roosting quarters — the " Malt Shovel," where I refreshed the inner man with the good things provided by a very pleasant landlady. Baildon by daylight gave a very different impression to the one I had the evening previous. From the various summits splendid views of the Yorkshire hills and valleys may be obtained, but the foggy atmosphere debarred me of that treat, which, perhaps, may be enjoyed the next time I may chance to visit the place. I filled up my time in another way — admiring the birds. It must have been the departure of the severe frost that caused the tem- perature in the bird room to be more genial to one's feelings. It could not possibly have been the fiery-coloured Norwich birds. It is not the first occasion I have seen such, but with all that there were other birds in the room, consisting of the Belgian, Manchester Coppy, Lizard, Yorkshire, Cinnamon, and the various Mule breeds, fit to grace the cages of the best of fanciers. In the competition for the " specials." Messrs. Hutton & Thack- ray (with thirty-one) took away the silver cup offered to the winner of most points ; Mr. Adams winning the cruet, he being next up in points (twenty-eight). Messrs. Cleminson & Ellerton, Hawman, Bunting, Mackley, Belk, Cox, and Horme, were January 21, 1875. J JOUKNAL OF HORTIOOLTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 67 amongst the most successful prizetakers. Messrs. Huttou and Thackray also won a special prize, a set of knives and forks, for the best bird in class 12 (Yorkshire Yellow). The bird was one of the best I ever saw, being in tip-top trim. PIGEONS. Jacouins!.— Coefc or iZt'fi.—l.T. Holt, Bradford. 2, W. Smallpatje. jmi.,CoIno. 8. S. Lawaou. Preatoo. vhc, S. Lawaon ; W. T. Swallow, Northampton, he, J. Tho'iisnn,Binf?ley ; E. Horner, Hare wood, Leedg. c, W.F. Jennings, Bradford ; E. Horner; T. Holt; Ingham & Helliwell. Halifax. PooTRaa.— (Jocfc or Hen.—i and 3, J. Hawley, Girlington, Bradferd. vhc, E. Horuer. Fantails,— CocA; or Heii—l, Ingham & Helliwell. 2, J. Walker. Newark. 8, J. F. Loveraidge, Newark, lie, J. F. Loveraidge(2); J.Walker; J. Hawley. c, E. Horner. OwLS.—Eiujlish.—Cock or Hen.— I. J. Thresh. Bradford. 2, E. Rhodes, Groat Horton. 3, W Fawcett, Baildon. vhc, Ward & Rhodes, Otley ; W. Ellin, Idle. he. Ward A Khodes; E. Mounaey, Low Moor; S. Lawaon; U. Jenninfja, AUertiin : Ingham Oi UelUwell. e, Cockelt .t Suuderland, Great Horton, Bradford ; W. Wilkinson, Great Horton ; A. McKenzie, Liverpool ; E. Rhodes ; H. Jenninga, AtiTW RRPa.—Short-faecd.—Coek or Hen.—l and 2, J. Lister, Keigbley. 3, W. Slater, Gravelly Hill, Birmingham, vhc, W. Ellis ; H. Jenninga. he, E. Cootes, Burnlt-y; E. Mawaon, Leeda; Tordoff it Wilkinson, Wihsey, Bradford; J. Lister ; W. Ellis (2); E.Horner; H.Jennings, c, E. Horner. AtiTWERPA.—Lono-facfd.—Cock —1. J. Lister. 3, D. Riddiough, jun., Brad- ford. hc,T. Hutton. Baildon ; W. Ellis (2) ; J. Whitaker. Baildon ; H. W.Pratt, Oxford, e, T. Bottomlev, Great Horton. £f(.'n. -1, W. Ellis*. *J, H. Jounings. S. E. Cordley. Idle vhe. Cockett &. Sunderland; Tordofl' & Wilkinson; J. Bastow, Keighley; U. Jennings. hc.W. Illinj^worth, Wilsden ; E. Mounsey. C, Cockett & Sunderland : T. Bottomley ; W. Illingworth. AtiTWERV'^.—Medium-faced.—Cock or Hen.—l, H. Jennings. 2, J. Hawley. S.Tordoff i: Wilkinson vhc, J. Liater. he. J. Barnett, Baildon; Cockett and Sunderland; Clayton & Bairstow, Girlington ; W. EUis; J. Dvaou. Guiaelev. c, J. Rushvvorth, Keighlev; W. Wilkinson, Great Horton; W. EUis (2); t. Foster, Bingley ; J. Dyn, Hexham. Carriers.— Cocfc or Il'jii.—i and 2, E. Horner. 3, J. Thompson, he, Mias F. Seanor. Leeds; E. Mawaon, Leeda; J. Hawley; J. Holden, Bradford; Clayton and Bairatow. e, J. Holden ; A. McKenzie. Dragoons.— Cocfc or 3<^n.—l, E. Horner. 2, J. Rushworth. ^, T. Smith, Keigliley. vhc. Ward & Rhodes; A. Holt. Bingley; K. Woods. Mansfield (2). he. Ward & Rbodes : T- Smith ; Cox & Robiuson, Baildon ; W. Whitaker, Cow- ling. CrosahiHa; Miss F. Seanor; R.Woods, c, Clayton & Bairatow; J. Wade, Siladen; J. Thompson. TvRBns.—Gock; or Hen.—l, E. Rhodes. 2, W. Wilkinson. 3, G. H. Poole, Bradford, /ic, H. We3coe, Harrogate; J.Thompson; J. Dye. c, Cockett and Sunderland; G. H.Poole; E.Horner: T.Foster. Tv7>iiiLBR».—Lon{i-faci\i—Cock or IL'ii.—\.J. Hawley. ?. J. Dye. 8. W. F. Jennings vhc, D. Riddiough, jun. he, D. Riddiough, Jan. (2); E. Horner, t', J. Bastow, Keiahley : J. Dye. Barbs.— Cocfc or 3'^n.~l, E. Mawaon. 2, J. Thresh, Bradford. 3, E. Horaer. he. Miss F. Seanor : J. Thresh, c, H. Weacoe. Any other Variety.— 1, W. G. Holloway. Shipley. 2, Miss F. Seanor. Selling Clas3.— Pa/r or Singlf.—A, D. Riddiough, jan. 2, Ward & Rhodes. 3. Clayton & Bairstow. vhc. T. Hartley, Keighley; J. Ba«tow: W. Faweett, Baildon; W. Ellis (2); J. Thompson he. J. Rushworth; J. A. Barnea, Gloucester (2) ; J. Lancaster, Baildon ; T. Holt, Bradford, e, H. Crossley, Sale ; J. Holden ; J. Hutton, Baildon. CANARIES. BELGiiN.— CZcar Telloiv or Tlckcd.—'l, Reed& Wilkinson, Great Horton. 2, R. Barrett. Croaahilla. 3, Hutton & Thackrav, Baildon. vhc. Reed & Wilkinson ; E. G. Rus-ieil, Rrierley Hill, hr, W. Watmough. Otlev Gill, Guiaeley (2). Clear Buff or Ticked.— 1, E. G. Ruaaell. 2, Reed & Wilkinaon. 3, T. Jobling, Middlesborongh. Norwich —C^ear Jonque —1 and 8, J. Adams, Coventry 2, Orme & Aahley, Derby, vhe, Clerainson & EUerton, Darlington. Clear Biiff.—l and 2, J. Adams. S, Cleminson & EUerton. ^oKViicn —Eoen-marked Yellow or Buf—l. G. & J. Macklev, Norwich. 2, Orme & Ashley. 3 and vhc, J. Adams. Ticked or Uneven-marked Yellow or BuiT.—l, 2. and vhc. J. Adams. 3, Cleminson & EUerton. he, G. &, J. Mackley ; Clemmaon & EUerton. Norwich.— Crf«f(?rf Yellow or Biif.-\, G. &.J. Mackley. 2, F. Woodward, Derby. 3. R. Hawman. Middleaborough. vhe, W. Huwitt, Leeda; G. Cox, Northampton, he, T. Tboinpann. jun., Bingley ; F. Woodward. Copp-i.—Yellow, with Clear or (rrry Crest.— 1 and 3, Hu'ton & Thackrav. 2. G. & J. Ma.-kley. e, Hutton .t Thackray; Reed & WUkinson. Butr. with Clear or Greu Crcxt —1, L. Belk. Dewabnrv. 2, J. Garbut', Great Ayton. North- ftUerton. 3, Overend it Spelding. Ravensthorpe. vhc, Hutton & Thackray (2); Reed & Wilkinaon. he, Hutton A Thackray. 'L^z^RD.—Goldrn.spanglcd.— 1,2, and 3, Cleminaon & EUerton. vhe. Reed and Wilkinaon: S. Bunting, Derby; Hutton & Thackray. /ic, M. Ballaos. Dewa- bury; Reed .t Witkiiisi'n. c. Holdaworth & Oliver, Harrogate; Hutton and Thackray. Sitw-:'^pan'jled.—l and vhc. Hnlto'i & Thackray. 2, S. Bunting. 3 and he. Reed & Wilkinaon. e. Cleminson &. EUerton. Yorkshire.— Cit'nr Yellow.~l and 2, Huttou & Thackray. 3, Reed & Wilkin- Bon. vhe, Holdaworth Si Oliver: Hutton & Thackray (3) he, J. Horme. Armley ; Over«nd & "^pe'ding; G. &.T. Mackley. Cle (t. Border 3 feet deep, and both inside and outside the honse. ^, Back and front or Bide walls. f, Hot-water pipes, the two upper troughed for hold- ing water for evaporation. (?, Pathway of laths, or flags, or iron gratings. (-, Drainage. Fig. 20. REFERENCES TO ALL THE FIGURES. /, Drains, which require proper fall and outlet. lU Trellis of annealed wire, and well painted. No. 8 The scale of figs. 16, 17, and 18 is quarter-inch to 1 foot, and figs. 19 and 20, 8 feet to 1 inch. allows of the roots passing outside at leas depth than the arches, and the spaces are greater. A brief allusion to the sections may now be made. Fig. 17 differs Uttle from fig. l(j, but has a sort of span roof, which admits of a higher trellis. The dotted lines against the back wall show the usual position of trees in such houses, and to which there may be no objection if the trees are not reijuired for early forcing. Fig. 18 is also a lean-to and wider than figs. 10 and 17, with a trellis against the back wall and one in front of the house, and curved, so that the foliage of the front trees may not obstruct work ; but the fruit may be ripened very satisfactorily in such houses in early June. Fig. 19, also a lean-to, but considerably wider than the three preceding, having a walk back and front, two trellises, a front one and the other against the back wall — arrangements admitting of ready access to the trees. A curved front trellis is shown, but sometimes a flat one is employed, as indicated by the dotted lines under the curved one, which is only space wasted, besides causing the foliage to be a greater distance from the glass. It is shown heated by six rows of 4-inch pipes, which are desirable to have fruit ripe in June, but, if not wanted ripe before July, four rows will be sufficient. Fig. 20 is a span-roof, and about 24 feet wide, with curved trellis, a pathway along both sides, and it is heated by eight rows of 4-inch pipes, BO as to give fruit in June. These houses have all top and front ventilation, than which Peaches can hardly have too much provided for, and the upper pipes are fitted with evaporation troughs. The borders are shown efficiently drained, and are selected as most suitable for their purpose. Others there may be equally good, probably better, of which I should be glad to hear, but I have a decided objection to those which have shelves in every conceivable place for accommodating Strawberries, though I have shown them in figs. 19 and 20. Strawberries are very acceptable no doubt, and if they can be had without incommod- ing the Peach trees the objection ceases ; but they happen to flower and ripen their fruit when we want to syringe the Peach trees, and they are rarely introduced without bringing-in red spider, and do not go out without leaving it behind, for it is hard to tell which the red spider is most partial to, the Strawberry or Peach. — G. Abbey. CuMBraG EosES. — Your contributor, " Tcckeb," writing on is most suitable, /i. Stone head crossing the pillars, and spaces ad' mitting of the roots passing outside, i. Indicates where the trees are planted. J, Shelf for Strawberries. 72 JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. [ Jauuary 28, 1875. climbing Boses, says that he has given np growing climbing Devoniensis and climbing Victor Verdier, two of the best climbing and pillar Eoses we possess. The former covers the larger part of the front of my house (not ten miles from Lon- don), and the beauty of its chaste cream-coloured blossoms before full expansion baffles description, to say nothing of its handsome foliage, so generally healthy and free from blight. Again, why does your correspondent omit Cloth of Gold from his indoor climbers ? It is absolutely without a rival in a Bose house. If he wants crimson flowers, let him procure Messrs. Veitch's charming new Tea Bose Duchess of Edin- burgh.—H. K. M. VERONICA SERPYLLIFOLIA A SUBSTITUTE FOE LAWN GRASS. A REALLY good substitutc for grass would certainly be a great boon to many, especially to amateurs with small grass plots closely studded, as these often are, with flower beds. Some fifteen or sixteen years ago the days of the " dewy grass" were thought to be numbered, and Spergula pilifera was to reign in its stead. In some nurseries it was cultivated almost by the acre, and immense quantities of it sold, but now the nasty weed is seldom seen. At that time I was in a large garden near Edinburgh, where it was tried in various ways, and we were kept dibbling, watering, and weeding Spergula until it became a settled conviction with us youths that our worthy chief had spurrey on the brain ; but nothing came of it, or rather the grass came, and the scythe and the mowing machine went on as before. In small nooks and corners grass is doubtless sometimes very troublesome, and unless these be kept equally as well as the more accessible parts, the neatness and beauty of the whole is considerably marred, and for such places X would strongly recommend a trial on a small scale of Veronica serpyllifolia. This little plant is said to be a native, although I do not know it as such, and it may not be so well known to all but that a short description of it may be acceptable. It is a low, spreading, dense-growing plant with leaves, as its name im- pUes, very much resembling those of the common wild Thyme, Thymus SerpyUum, only of a brighter fresher green, and much more closely set upon the stems. On light soil in a common herbaceous border it seldom grows higher than about an inch, its creeping stems rooting at every joint, and a patch of it the size of a crown planted in spring will cover a square foot of ground by the end of the season. In May and June it is thickly covered with white flowers faintly tinged with pale blue, which scarcely rise half an inch above the plant. Were its season of blooming not so very brief it would long ago have won itself a name among the best of carpet bedders. It bears treading and rolling well, though certainly not to the same extent as grass. Except on rockwoik 1 have not seen it suffer from drought, but it does best on a moderately damp soil. — B. D. Taylor. HARDINESS OF CORDTLINE INDIVISA. Is it generally known that Cordyline (Dracaena) indivisa is a hardy out-of-door plant :' I saw last summer in Messrs. Jackmans' nurseries at Woking several plants standing in a row, and was told they bad been there without protection for six or eight years. I was struck by their beauty, luxuriance, and tropical appearance. As a decorative plant for standing in isolation on lawns I cannot imagine a better. A few days since I drove to Messrs. Jack- mans', and was told that the Draciena was unharmed by the severe frosts we have lately experienced. My interest lies greatly in the beautifying of grounds, ite. I am anxious to rake up any hardy ornamental plants and shrubs suitable for conspicuous positions, of which Dracrena indivisa is certainly one. — Henhy W. CoopEit, F.R.H.S. Cdlterwell's Pbolific Maekow Pea. — My object in writing is not to write-up the above Pea, but to advise those who in- tend to grow it to try it for general use, as I see it is adver- tised in your columns merely as a late Pea. Having had the opportunity of seeing it growing last season I can recommend it as the Pea for everyday use, particularly to those who have a large supply to produce from a limited space. It is just the Pea to take the place of the well known Champion of England. These thoughts must have tuggetted themselves to many other garden visitors to Thorpe Perrow as well as to myself as they looked down the magnificent rows of this Pea grown by Mr. Calverwell, who grows it not only as a late Pea, but as the Pea for everyday use. The photograph shows its bearing qualities, the pods being large and well filled with monster peas — in fact, to my mind it is a giant Veitch's Perfection. — Thomas Keetley, Tlie Gardens, Newto7i House. TRANSPLANTING VINES. Mr. Wkioht expressed a desire to hear the result of my ex- periment as regards the fruiting of the Vines, the transplant- ing of which was described in the numbers of your periodical of October 9th and IGtb, 1873. Last season (1874) the Vines were all that could be desired, making vigorous growth, and producing a sufficient number of moderate-sized bunches, with berries as large as I have ever seen in a cold vinery (such as mine), and ssarcely to be sur- passed in colouring, bloom, and condition. I am not ambitious of cultivating the " sensational bunches for exhibition purposes " of which Mr. Wright speaks, but I should thank him much if he would fulfil a hope which he gave us some reason to entertain, by giving directions for the formation of his beau ideal border, such as would produce at least sensational berries, say of the size of an Orleans Plum ; but probably the two things go together. Mr. Wright's system of incorporating charred vegetable matter with the border is, I am sure, excellent. The virtues of that dressing are proved in an early number of the Cottage Gardener by Mr. Barnes of the Bicton Gardens. I had not such materials at hand, or I should gladly have used them. Liquid manure has a powerful effect. In the better days of guano I tried it with potted Vines ; the growth, marked on the wall, was sometimes IJ inch in twenty-four hours, if not more. Mr. Wright's recommendation regarding fire heat is good. The ripening of the wood has always been a great point with me. I hope this year to introduce hot- water pipes into my vineries, which have hitherto been without them. Lastly, I mentioned the failure of my Grapes in the house before the Vines were transplanted. The chief cause, I have no doubt, was that the roots were inside the house, and that the watering of these, especially if followed by sunshine, made the berries crack, and covered them with oidium before they even changed colour. Since the Vines have been planted out- side not a single berry has cracked or failed to ripen well. — Robert Blackburn. OUR BORDER FLOWERS— THE FRITILLART. We have not among all our border flowers a more pleasing family than the Fritillarias when well grown. What is more attractive in the spring time than Fritillaria imperialis, or "Crown Imperial," as some choose to name it? It is often seen to the greatest advantage in some cottager's garden. Fritillaries are a rather numerous family, requiring liberal treatment, especially the Imperialis section. They should have the border broken up to the depth of 2 feet, and enriched by well-rotted manure two or three years old, or leaf mould well decomposed, a little sandy peat with a sprinkling of coarse sand well incorporated together, and have thorough drainage. The bulbs should be planted 4 or 5 inches deep. They some- times grow themselves out of the soil, if they are not taken np and replanted. They should be replanted every second or third year after being divided. They are readily increased by division. They do well in a moderately sheltered situation, but should be secured from being blown about. If the spring be dry they will be the better for being mulched with decayed stable manure. The double varieties are very handsome and ought to be far more extensively cultivated than thpy are as spring-bloom- ing plants. The vai legated varieties are handsome either for pots, borders, or spring-garden decoration. They perfect their growth and may be removed in time for summer bedding. For this purpose the bulbs may be dried and stored away in a cool moist place. The jellow-flowered varieties make a bright display either grown by themselves or mixed with the red, bnt I prefer them in their separate colours. Fritillaria meleagris, one of our native plants, ought to be in all herbaceous borders or in the shrubbery. Its beautiful bell- shaped blooms and pendant habit, with its curious-coloured flowers, called by some of our country cousins " Weeping Widow," will thrive in most situations. F. meleagris alba, a Januiuj 28, 1876. ] JOURNAL OF HOBTIODLTUBE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 73 lovely flower, of more slender hafcit than the last-named, de- serves extensive cultivation. F. meleagris plena should not be overlooked. F. pereica ought to be in all collections. This section will do well in any ordinary garden soil, though they prefer a rather tenacious loam, moderately moist but well- drained. Their marbled flowers are admired by all who see them. — Veritas. Budding. — " A. C." and all other brother amateurs, may save themselves much time and trouble as well as loss of buds, by not attempting to take the wood out of the shield, but put the shield in the usual way with the wood remaining in. I found this out many years ago, after reading au article on the circulation of the sap, and have practised it in my small way ever since. It is the sap returning from the upper end of the stock, which flows through the bark of the shield where the cross-cut is made, which makes the junction between bud and stock. — H. C, SoulJi Ilcints. THE CYCLAMEN. Cyclamen persicum was introduced, according to our die" tionary, from Cyprus in 1731, and to point to the merit or beauty of this plant is almost superfluous ; but a few words may not be out of place, as its long period of blooming and in the dull season, together with its delicious fragrance, combine to ensure it a welcome. The fragrance and style of blossom secure it a place in the neatest bouquet. There is no wonder that it is so extensively cultivated for the supply of our London market. The Persian Cyclamen is readily produced from seed — but although the seed is saved from highly scented kinds, not all the produce will be equally fragrant. Immediately after flow- ering the seed-stalk withdraws itself from public gaze and lies half coiled round the crown. In a few weeks the seed-vessel will burst and shed the seeds if not watched closely. When the seed-vessels are about to burst they must be picked, and the seed sown ; they do not require keeping longer than a few days, in order that they may burst their bonds by a natural process. The seed will be ripe usually in April or M»y. A seed-pan should be carefully prepared for them, as the seed- lings will not benefit by transplanting during the first summer. The compost for them to be fibrous and sandy heath soil well chopped, two parts leaf mould, with a little well-decayed cow manure, one part light sandy turf loam, and a little silver sand, the whole pressed down firm, and the soil being rather dry bears pressing close to the seeds, so as to put them just out of sight; then cover the surface with moss, to supersede the necessity of much watering. Place the pan in a warm comer, and it will only require light sprinkling twice a-week. The young plants will begin to appear in about five weeks, and the moss must be at once removed ; nothing more is re- quired during the first summer's growth but to grow them clean and water regularly. Pot lightly in the following Feb- ruary. The seedlings will go to rest about November, and may be put on a cool shelf, and kept moderately dry until the following February. About this period the bulbs must be again potted — singly, in 3-inch pots. Towards May, when they are filled with roots, they will require a shift into 5 inch pots. Place the newly-potted seedlings on some shelf close to the glass in a cool greenhouse. By the ensuing autumn they will be strong bulbs, possessing seven or ten strong leaves. About September they will require a partial rest, so again with- hold water for a while. Towards the middle of February, or sooner, these two-year-old bulbs will show flower-buds, and then a slight increase both of heat and moisture must be given. I now revert to the management of the two-year-old plants. The plants being past blooming, the leaves somewhat sere, about the middle of April a bed should be prepared in one of warmest parts of the kitchen garden on a dry bottom, a few inches of half-rotten leaves and heath soil dug-in and thoroughly mixed. In this the Cyclamen should be planted with their balls of earth entire, the soil being pressed firmly to them side- ways. After this they are merely to be kept free from weeds and watered when dry, and by the end of August these stout bulbs would begin to form scores of blossom-buds. At this period they must be potted, and, if they have flourished, wide- mouthed pots will be requisite. A well-grown Cyclamen, like awell-grown cluster of Achimenes, [requires a pan, or, as we generally call it, a seed-pan. I never could discover why our potters do not supply pans for the Cyclamen, since it does so well in them. A pan for a very strong specimen should be barely Gh inches deep by nearly 8 in diameter. Nothing looks worse than to see a plant wide and tufty in character stuck in a tall and narrow pot. Henceforth the plants will require to stand on a cool green- house shelf near the glass, regular watering, moderate at first, and iuereased with the increase of foliage. By November they will be in blossom, and continue so through the winter. If a long succession is required some may be kept back in a cool frame, for they will endure "i" or H" of frost tolerably well it hardened previously. — J. H., Gardeiier to Ladij C. Lrgges. Dickson's Favourite Cucumber. — I can testify to all Mr. W. Taylor says of his Cucumber. It is a first-rate variety for general purposes ; one that does not recjuire much heat to grow it to perfection. We have grown it three seasons with equal success. Last year we planted, the latter end of March, three plants in a three-light box, in a mixture of chopped turf and leaf mould, on a dung bed with a moderate heat. The first fruit was cut April 28th, and from that date to May 28th sixty-six were cut, fine fruit 1.5 to 16 inches long. Our last plants were put out in the latter part of .June in some pits that had contained bedding stuff, and previous early Potatoes, so that they had not much bottom heat and no top heat ; they grew luxuriantly, and continued in good bearing till Novem- ber.— G. P., JUN. Two Useful Hints. — Very often a screw-hole gets so worn that the screw will not stay in. Where glue is handy, the regular carpenter makes the hole larger and glues in a larger plug, making a nest for au entirely new hole. But this is not always the case, and people without tools and in an emergency often have to fix the thing at once. Generally leither is used, but this is so hard that it does not hold well. The best of all things is to cut narrow strips of cork and fill the hole com- pletely, then force the screw in. This will make as tight a job as it driven into an entirely new hole. Another hint of a similar character may be useful. One often desires to put a staple into a block of stone. The hole is made, the staple inserted, and lead melted and run in. But unless the hole is made with the bottom larger than the top, the lead will in time work out if there is much jar or side strain on the iron. Besides, the lead itself is liable to some compression, which admits of looseness, especially after being subjected to very hot fires. A much better article ia sulphur. It this be melted and poured-in around the staple instead of lead, it makes a much more durable job. Besides, it is often more easy to procure sulphur than lead, as every store keeps it that deals in general variety. — {American Builder.) AMERICAN APPLES. [The following communication was received with a col- lection of Apples by Messrs. Stuart & Mein of Kelso, N.B.] This collection of Apples was grown at Kalamazos in the State of Michigan in the United States of America. The specimens in this collection are a few of the most approved sorts that are cultivated in the western States. The variety that I would most especially recommend for cultivation in Scotland and England, even as a standard tree, is the Waggner. This Apple, while possessing every requisite for the table, has fine flavour, beauty and symmetry of form, is also remarkable in its habit of growth. It may be said to be rather of a dwarf, thickset, upright habit, forming a tree of the finest symmetry. The buds on the young wood being prominent and thickly set, it comes very soon into bearing, so much so that I have frequently seen the trees in the nursery row of three and four years' standing bearing large quantities of fine specimens of fruit ; and in this case, when the trees are set out in the orchard and thickly set with fruit, it is absolutely necessary to thin-off the fruit to a proper distance, bo that it may not only grow large, but that the tree may be so strengthened as to bear a full crop every season, which it will not fail to do if this is properly attended to. There are several other varieties in this collection which, I have no doubt, might to a certain extent succeed as standard trees in this country, and it is very likely that the greater num- ber of them have been already tested ; but there is no doubt that all of them would succeed much better in producing far finer specimens of fruit when cultivated on the wall, or even as 74 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ January 28, 1875, espaliers. For this, especially, I should snppose that that large Apple The Tompkins County King would require a wall, and would be an astonishing production for the size and beauty ; 80 also would the Northern Spy, the Baldwin, the Belmon, and all of them. There is n > don')t but he difference in climate exercises a wonderful inllaence in the flavour and appearance of the same variety of fruit. A very striking instance of this came under my own observation the first or second year after I came to America. The Ribston PippiE, which I had been in the habit of cultivating in Scotland on the wall to the greatest perfec- tion, and was generally esteemed as the most superior in flavour to all others— I found a single tree of this variety grow- ing in a large orchard of ten acres, and I asked the owner if he knew the name of that Apple, and what he thought of the quality. He said it was known by several names in this country, but he had understood that it was the Ribston Pippin ; but as to its quality, it was considered only second or third- rate. I mentioned that with us in Scotland it was considered as our No. 1 first-class. He immediately drew his conclusion, and was not slow in asserting that we must have a very poor stock of Apples in Scotland. I tasted the fruit, and found it ripe and mellow, but in no way flavoured as I used to grow it. I drew the conclusion at once that it was too highly ripened in our hot climate, and I found the next year by an experi- ment that in this I was perfectly correct. I therefore the next season watched the tree, and before the fruit was fully ripened (with a rich yellow, as it does here), I took off a quantity of the fruit — the very same as has to be done with many of our finest Pears — and I was very much pleased to find that I had got these Ribston Pippin Apples nearly as fine as ever I had them in Scotland ; and therefore I drew the conclusion that this process, and the reverse of it according to the different circumstances of two climates, would be absolutely neces- sary in order to bring out the same fruit with full perfection. I have a quantity of the scions and a few of the one-year graft, with roots of several of these specimens. If you con- sider them of any importance, I shall be happy to send you a few to experiment upon.— Geokge Taylob, Kalamazos, State of Michigan. Nectarine.— ITfiftec^ Seedliv• 1 .y August September October Xovember December .... 80.30 , 29.28 80.32 , 29.00 80.38 29.40 80.12 29 06 80.20 29.86 80.26 29.50 80.12 29.56 30.36 ; 29.40 1 30.20 1 29.40 80.12 , 29.18 80.30 28.66 80.10 28 60 53 65 66 77 75 80 89 77 70 65 65 50 28 31 18 30 30 35 46 48 40 36 25 12 2.61 2,05 0.83 J8.07 i.ia 1.98 0 85 3.52 3.82 3.86 259 814 WHITE HARICOTS. Deaths. — William Port Ayres died on the 14th inst. His father was a gardener, and the son, after oompletins; his pro- fpsfional education at Chiswick, became gardener to J. Cook, Esq., Blftckheath. He did not sucosed as a nurseryman at Among the little-known vegetables on this side of the channel , perhaps the least known of all is the Haricot Vert, or Green Haricot, which is highly esteemed in Paris, but seldom seen save upon the tables of the rich, where it ranks as a luxury even greater thau early Green Peas. As a dried vegetable Haricot Blanc, or White Haricot, is much more widely known in France, where it forms a portion of the daily food of the people ; ever since the Potato famine it has been, but unfortu- nately not extensively, used in England. The difference between onr Scarlet Eunner and the Haricot is that we eat the whole of the former while young — that is to say, the whole of the pod and its contents, cut up, while with the Haricot Bean the entire pod, which is lined with a tough skin, is discarded, and the seeds or green beans alone eaten being shelled like Peas. There is no reason why Haricots should not be grown iu this country, at any rate to be eaten, young; when required as a part of the supply of winter vege- tables, doubtless they can be imported at a much lower price than we could produce them here ; rent of land and price of labour almost preclude the growing of ripened seeds in England. There is a widespread but erroneous idea that our climate is not suitable for the growth of many vegetables extensively cultivated by our continental neighbours ; the truth being, however, that we could grow them as well, or even better, but not so cheaply. Yet the outlay in their production need not be so great as to preclude a profitable return on their sale. The imported White Haricots, such as we buy for culinary purposes, are also excellent for sowing ; we have taken the Beans haphazard for this purpose from a sack, and found that every seed germinated and bore a large crop of sweet, deli- cately-flavoured, nutritions food. The bine of this variety grows as rapidly and quite as luxuriantly as our common Runuer Bean, to which, at the season of blooming, it forms a pretty contrast in the colour of the flowers, the pure white- winged blossoms of the one adding intensity of colour to the brilliant scarlet of the other. The Haricot is as long in the pod, but neither so wide nor so coarse in texture as that of its compeer. The cultivation is exactly similar, where the one will !;row well tho other will likewise flourish. Both descriptions being half-hardy annuals, the seed should not be sown iu the open ground until the end of April or beginning of May. When tho plants have attained a sutVidieut hei^'ht to cover the sticks up which they are trained they should be topped ; this tends to make them throw out side shoots and bear a heavier crop of beans. Haricots may be grown dwarf in a manner similar to that pursued with Scarlet Runners, but the yield will be nothing like so great. The young green Haricot Beans will Jannary 28, 1875. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 77 bo ready for gathering about the end of August or beginning of September, according to the season. The plants while growing eliould never be allowed to droop for want of moisture, and occasional watering with liquid manure during dry weather is beneficial in producing rapid growth and early maturity. The beans should be gathered and shelled when they have attained almost their full size, but while they are still of a pale green colour ; they should be thrown into boiling water with a little salt, and boiled for about twenty minutes, when they should be served hot, with a lump of butter in the centre of the beans. — (National Food Reformer.) DRESSING VINES. I HATE been reading with great interest Mr. J. Wright's very able articles on the " Vine Pruning and Winter Dressing," in No. 717, page 559 and 560, and I am very happy to see that he does not advocate peeling or scraping oS the loose bark ; but still, I am embarrassed when reading in No. 719, page 4, a piece signed " H.," denouncing not only peeling off loose bark, but also the use of paints made of sulphur, soot, soft Eoap, clay, &a., and substituting clean water for all. Now, I wish he would tell how I could apply clean water to clean and clear my Vines of red spider and mealy bug, which were so plentiful the year before I got charge that they gummed the Grapes all over and made them unfit for use; and I may safely say it was only by the use of " H.'s " obnoxious mixture I was enabled to have a crop, and now the Vines are almost clean by close watching and close painting with " H.'s " ob- noxious mixture. Nevertheless, I would dispense with the painting if I were advised to something better and not ob- noxious.— B. G. FORCING STRAWBERRIES. Recent articles on Strawberries have been very interesting ; but I have not seen a word from any correspondent in favour of Viscountess Hcricart de Thury as an early kind for forcing in pots. I have a few of this Strawberry now fit to send to tible from runners early in last June, which were laid in Urge GO-sized pots, and plunged to the rim the second week in July. They were well rooted in the pots, and then out from the old plants, and the Ist of August potted into 48-sized pots and placed in full sunshine. At the end of August a frame was put over them, and the plants kept dry through September. The lights were drawn-oiif all day when fine weather, and put on at night. At the end of September the plants were watered, the frame shut-up early in the afternoon, and the plants soon began to make new growth and throw-up flowers. At the end of October the plants were placed on a back shelf in a warm greenhouse near the glass, and I have picked some ripe fruit for dessert to-day (January 18th), and have the promise of a fair crop.— -G. S., Hadlow, Kent. PACKING GRAPES. SoiiETiiiES a great fuss is made about the packing of Grapes, such as wrapping them up in tissue paper and cotton wool all round them — treatment which only removes the bloom more effectually, which is the great disfigurement to avoid. I have a great quantity of Grapes to pack and send off every year, and the arrangement I find to answer the best are square baskets with a handle and a lid. I first line with fine shavings, or in the absence of them a little soft hay ; this lining I cover with paper, and the baskets are then ready for the Grapes. I take the basket to the vinery and place it on its end in a sloping position, cut the bunch from the Vine, and remove any decayed or defective berries, place the bunch at the end of the basket stalk uppermost, and so on until the basket is full ; I thee take the basket by the handle and give it a gentle shake, and the operation is complete. The Grapes will travel safely and unpack with very little loss of bloom. The bunches must be cut from the Vines and placed at once in the basket in which they are to travel. Oar baskets hold about 20 lbs. of Grapes, and so packed I never hear any com- plaints, which would very soon be made by the fruiterers if the Grapes were the least damaged. — J. Anderson, lliU Grove Gardens. Marie Baumann Rose. — I am astonished at the Rev. Mr. Radclyffe not being able to recommend Marie Baumaun. Here, with a wretched climate, a rainfall nearly equal to that of Kendal, and the atmosphere fall of smoke, there is ao Rose like it for perfume, oolour, beauty of sh'ape, and profuseness of blooming. Its only faults are, that it is a weak grower on the Manetti, but not so on Mr. Prince's cultivated seedling Briar ; and then it hangs its head like a young maiden blushing at her own loveliness, but thus hanging only in windy weather or after a shower of rain. — T. Watson, Manchester. NOTES ON VILLA and SUBURBAN GARDENING. The. Amateur's Vinery. — Undoubtedly this is one of the most useful and interesting houses that can be attached to a suburban residence — that is, if it is constructed internally with a view to its be^ng used for other purposes besides that of growing Grapes. There ought to be either a stage or a brick pit under the roof; but the question is, which of the two would be the handiest or most useful during the season ? If to economise space as well as allow convenience for other things, I should say a stage, be- cause not only might the stage be used for bringing plants into bloom at this time of the year, but it also affords more space for storing plants during the winter ; and again, the room under it might l)e used either for storing plants when dried off, or for the bringing-on of such things as Rhubarb, Sea-kale, and Aspa- ragus— at this time of the year, therefore, a great saving of labour in making-up separate beds elsewhere, and the beat which is necessary to bring on the Vines serves for the other things also. The pit would, in one sense, be more useful just now and for a few weeks to come, because it would be more beneficial to the Vines if filled with heating material, and in which plants to be forced into bloom might be plunged, and would no doubt do better than in the dry heat on a stage ; and again, part of it would be required on which to place a hand- light or two for propagating bedding and other plants, unless if the pipes run round the front of the house and a portion of one end of them bricked-up, with lights on the top, bo as to form a small heated frame, then propagation might be carried on there. If this were done it would be another reason why a pit would not be so useful as a stage, because there would be no need to use it for propagating purposes, and a pit takes up much room that cannot be so s'erviceablo when not wanted for particular purposes. February is upon us with its increased daylight, and I hope plenty of sun, and those who have such a house as I describe may put it into working order and start the things in a gentle heat at first ; but as the season is advancing they may reasonably expect these things to do fairly without very much additional labour, but they must be attended to at all times, or it is better not to attempt anything at all, but just let the Vines and plants come on naturally. Now let us see what the house is to be filled with. As I have mentioned above. Rhubarb, Seakale, and Asparagus are the prin- cipal things to occupy the space under the stage. The former must be dug-up from the open ground as whole as possible, and placed on a bed of earth prepared for it in the house, the roots and crowns just covered with earth aud watered to settle it about them ; and the same for Asparagus — I may say done in exactly the same way ; but when the Sea-kale is takeu-up from the open ground it should be put thickly into pots and covered over with another oue so as to blanch it properly, or the roots may be planted in a bed of earth the same as for Rhubarb, and then covered over with hoops and mats so as to be in total dark- ness. On the back stage may have the tallest of the plants to be forced, such as Azaleas, Begonias, Rosea, Lilacs, Deutzias, Spirseas, Fachsias, Rhododendrons, Kalmias, Weigela rosea, Acacias, Forsythia viridissima, aud the other tall-growing things ; while the front stage ought to be taken-up with the dwarfer-growing, such as the Dielytra spectabilis, Richardia ethiopica, some of the strongest and most advanced of the Ciue- rariag, dwarf-growing Ferns and Lycopods, then come the dif- ferent sorts of Dutch bulbs, all of which if they have been well prepared as before advised, will have their pots full of roots aud will force well. Some of the best-ripened bulbs of Amaryllis, and a few pots of Achimenes, Gloxinias, and Gesneras, as well as LUy of the Valley, must not be omitted. At the same time as occasion requires, a few pots of Verbenas, Heliotropes, Lobelias, and most other sorts of softwooded bedding plants to produce cuttings for propagation. Indeed such a house as I have described, if worked very carefully and filled with the above-named plants, will not only afford a grand show during the spring for the conservatory, but it will be the groundwork of all the decoration to be done by plants, both bedding and otherwise, during the whole season that is before us. All plants for forcing should have a season's good preparation beforehand. I allude particularly to hardwooded plants, which should be in a good state at the roots, have made a good growth with plenty of buds, and the whole well ripened before they are fit for the ordeal of pruning. Those plants that need it should have a top-dressing of the same sort of soil mostly used for their growth the year previous, and the drainage of every plant so established should be examined, and if necessary renewed, so as to leave a free escape for the water. The house with its ocou- JOURNAL OP HORTIOULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ JABuai? 23, 1875. pants ebouUl not be started at a high temperature at first, as the days are lengthening — say 50° at night and 10° higher in the day, with Bun heat, and have air admitted to them when lilielyto go beyond that. The Vines, as well as the plants, ought to be syringed twice or thrice a-day, and be shut up early in the after- noon, say by two o'clock, and syringed at that time ; this gives the whole a time for growth in the afternoon, and the atmo- sphere is then most suitable for it. It should be borne in mind that as it is found necessary to increase the heal the moistm-e must also be increased, which not only advances the routing power of the plants but keeps away the red spider. — Thomas Record. THE GOLDEN CHAMPION GRAPE. In r(aply to Mr. Thomson I write to say that the foliage of the shoot or lateral upon the Trebbiauo Vine which bore the bunch in question differed slightly from the foliage of the other shoots, and became yellow and ripe much earlier, but was not, I think, quite so large as the foliage of the Golden Champion usually is ; the wood or bark of the shoot which bore the bunch in question was also a shade darker than the others. I think I may confidently assure Mr. Thomson that there cannot possibly be any mistake in the matter, as so many people not only saw the buuch but tasted the fruit and minutely examined the same, iucludiug Dr. Hogg, whose eye it caught nearly as soon as he entered the house without having it pointed out, and before he was even aware that such a thing existed. There were four eyes or buds upon the shoot, and I have inserted them all a week or two since. I hope I may suc- ceed in getting them to grow ; and should only two of them do so I shall have pleasure in sending one of them to Mr. Thomson. A gentleman in writing to me upon the subject has asked me to take particular care of the bud opposite to the bunch ; but it so happens that no bud formed there, or at most a defective one. as the bunch was produced near to the end of the shoot, and the four buds I have secured were formed under the bunch— that is, between the bunch and the rod. As Mr. Thomson justly observes, the subject is certainly interesting. I have stated all particulars as far as I know. I can offer no explanation, but can only hope that modern science may be able to thrmw light upon the matter. — P. Grieve, Culford, Bury St. Edmunds. EARLY ENGLISH WRITERS ON GARDENING. No. 2. LEONAED MASCALL. The Mascalls are a Sussex family of long standing, and their name seemingly a corruption of the Norman Marescal. Fig. 22. The founder of the family in Sussex probably came over with William the Conqueror, members of the family being its Sheriff in the reigns of Richard Ccenr de Lion and John. At the Heralds' College their arms are recorded as Sable, six fleur-de- lis or, three, two, and one, with a bordure engrailed, argent. East Mascalls, a residence in the parish of Linddeld, belonged to them ; but the chief mansion of the family was Plumptou Place, in the parish of the same name, about five miles from Lewes. It isa five-gabel- led house, the three centre gables being smaller than the two outer, which advance as the ends of the wings. Mr. Lamb, an architect who pub- lished an illustrated volume on " Ancient Domestic Archi- tecture," gives a view of the place, and concludes his slightly adverse criticism by saying, " The design is chiefly commendable for its simplicity of form and its harmony of Fig. 23.— Shield. details, and for the absence of all architectural impropriety in the architectural features." He also remarks that it has the appearance of being different tenements, which agrees with its present occupants, who are families of cottagers. It was surrounded by a wide moat, and a drawbridge over in front of the mansion — three sides of the moat remain. It now belongs to the Earl of Chichester. The Mascalls were not lords of the manor of Plnmpton, but were its Crown tenants. Leonard Mascall, the especial subject of my notice, was the owner of Plumpton Place. Of the dates of his birth or death I have not been able to obtain particulars, but he certainly lived throughout the reign of Elizabeth and some part of that of James I. duller asserts that he intro- duced carp and Pippins "from ove. the sea;" but he attributes to him the first introduction of that fish, a merit to which ha certainly was not entitled. He may, as has been stated, have introduced carp from the Danube and bred them in the moat of Plumpton Place ; but in an earlier part of the century Dame Juliana Berners in her " Poke of St. Albans " says, " The carpe is a daynteous fyshe ; but there ben but fewe in Eng- lande, and therefore I wryte the lesse of hym." These facts testify that Mascall lived at and strove to add to the attractions of his mansion. They justify the conclusion that he travelled on the continent, and it is certain that he was acquainted with both the French and Dutch languages, and many of the details of grafting and planting are stated by him to have been trans- lated by himself out of those languages. Fuller's statement is — " Leonard Mascall being much de- lighted in gardening, man's original vocation, was the first who brought over into England from beyond the seas carps and Pippins ; the one well cooked delicious, the other cordial and restorative. For the proof hereof we have his own word and witness in his book of Fishing, Fowling, and Planting ; and did it, it seems, about the fifth year of the reign of King Henry VIII., anno Domini 1514. The time of his death is to me unknown." — (Fuller's Wortldi'S^Sussex.) The volume Fuller quoted from is entitled, " A Bookeof fishing with hooke and line and of all other instruments thereunto belonging. Another of sundrie engines and trappes to takePoIcats, Buzards, Eattes, Mice, and all other kindes of vermine and beasts what- soever. Made by L. M. 1590." Mascall refers to himself in this passage — " The carpe is a straunge and daintie fish to take. "The first bringer of them into England (as I have been credibly enformed) was maister Mascoll of Plumstedin Sussex, who also brought first the planting of the Pippin in England." The mis-spelling of the names both of the author and his residence may be the printer's errors, but the name of Mascall in those days of phonetic and unfixed spelling occurs in various forms, even as " Mastall." Then as to Plumptou being called Plumsted in the sixteenth century, the change to the modern form may have arisen as the houses and population increased. In Oxfordshire is Stead-ham-ton, literally " the village become a town." There is no mention in the sentence in Mascall'a book that the introduction of carp and Pippins was so remote as 1514, and that date is more applicable to Dame Berners' time. In 1572 Mascall published his first work — " A Cooke of the Art and Manner how to graff and plant all sortes of trees, how to set stones and sow Pepins to make wild trees to graS on, as also remedies and medecinee, with other new practices, by one of the Abbey of the St. Vincent in France, with the addition of certain Dutch practices, set forth and Englished by L. M." ,I«nn»ry 28, 1875. ] JOURNAIi OP HOBTIOULTUBB AND COTTAGE GARDKNEB. 79 In the library of the British Mnsenm are other editions pub- lished in 1575. 1580, 1582, 1592, 1652, and 165G. In 1640 was published, "The Countryman's Recreation," which contains this book of Maecall's, bound up with Reynold Soot's "Perfect Platforme of a Hoppe Garden," and De Sercy'a " The Expert Gardener." This seems to have been a publisher's compound. " The Art and Manner how to graff and plant," though a translation, has the merit of being largely original, the record of his own practice and observation, and all his works are entitled to the same credit. At the commencement of the volume is an address in rhyme from " The Booke to the Reader," and the following verse extracted from it testifies that Mascall was not a mere copier of other men's experience — " Weigh well my wordea, and thou shalt finde All true that I doe tell ; Myne auctbour doeth not write by gesse. Practise made hym eicell." One statement he makes either refers to a lost art or is a mere recital of Roman writers' fables. It is that " in the scutcheon ye may graft of divers kinds, as on Peares, Apricocks, and Plums together, and of others also." He writes as if re- lating his own experience, adding, " I have not knowne or found of any others," and rejects others as " but jests." This (fig. 24) is one of the illustra- tions of the volnme and if it correctly represents the gar- dener's costume shows that " the blue apron" had not then been in- troduced. The " trauses" (birth- name of our trow- sers) were hose fitting the limbs closely; over these were the trunk- breeches, stuffed with wool or other soft material, and to so ridiculous an excess that in the Parliament - house the members had rails to sit upon ! The sleeved doub- let resembled somewhat the stableman's waist- coat of our time. In the gardener's belt were stuck, as occasion required, the implements for grafting, pruning, or training. Mascall was the earliest writer in English on poultry-keeping. His work is entitled :— " The Husbaudye, Ordriug, and Govern- mente of Poultrie. Practised by the learnedste, and suche as have bene knowne skilfuUest in that arte and in our tyme." This Uttle duodecimo volume of about 150 pages was published in 1581, and the dedication is headed, " To Mistresse Katherine Woodforde wife to Maister James Woodtorde Esquier and cheefe clarke of thekitchiug to the Queene's Majestie Leonardo Mastall wisheth a prosperous estate in health long to continue ;" and ho goes on to state that she had " a desired minde how to use and govern Poulterie to profit for maintenance of her honskeeping," and this, and having known her at "Brestall" (Bristol), he dedicates the volume to her. He says it is trans- lated out of Columella and Stephaaus, but that there were added many practices known to " all good householders." I have not examined what are these additions, but was disappointed by not finding any description of the fowls then cultivated, for as he lived in the Sussex district, now celebrated for poultry-breed- ing, I hoped to find some particulars to prove or disprove that the Sussex variety of the Dorking are descendants from those bred in the sixteenth century. In 1600 Mascall published " The Government of Cattel, Divided into three Books. First of Oxen, Kine, and Calves, and how to use Bulls and other cattle to the yoke or fell. Se- cond, government of Horses with approved Medioenes. Third, Sheep, Goats, Hogs, and Dogs with remedies. Also perfect instructions for taking of Moals; monthly husbanding of Grounds." Other editions were published in 1605, 1620, 1G33, and 1C62. " The Countryman's Jewel, or the Govern- ment of Cattel. lularged by Richard Ruscam," which came out in 1680, is an edition of Mascall's work. Mascall at the begirmlng of his volume says — " For want of knowledge and good skill, Oftimcs it may so fall, A man that is full rich in beasts. He may soon lose them all." And the volume certainly comprises a large amount of the practical knowledge of the author's period. It evidently attracted the attention of Government, for within three years he was appointed to an appropriate office, a later edition stating it was " Gathered by Leonard Mascal, Chief Farrier to King James." The farrier of the Stuart period was in social position on a level with the veterinary surgeon of the present day, and the chief farrier of the Boyal establishment was a man of education and acquainted with the relative sciences aa then known. Thus Snape, Charles II.'s farrier, pubUshed a volnme on the anatomy of the horse. Aided courteously by the Rev. Mr. Woodward, Rector of Plumpton, its registers have been searched for some record of Leonard Mascall, but in vain ; and similarly fruitless has been a search obligingly made by E. C. Currey, Esq., of the wUla in the registry of Eastern Sussex. The registers in Somerset House have been equally unproductive. We can therefore only surmise approxi- mations to the dates of Mascall's birth and death. His portrait pre- fixed to these notes, published in 1596, represents him as abont fifty years of age, and therefore his birth at about 1546. This is not incon- sistent with the pubUcation of his first work in 1572, for he would then be twenty-six. His death may be fairly concluded to have oc- curred between the years 1605 and 1620. The first-named year is the date of the last edition of his " Government of Cattle," which has stated on its title-page, " Gathered and set forth by Leonard Mascall." On all subsequent editions it is merely stated to have been "gathered" by him. In " The Countrey- man's Jewel, or the Government of Cattel," published in 1680 — on the title-page it is stated, " Gathered at first by Leonard Mascal, but much inlarged by Rich. Euscam, gent." Rusoam speaks of him as " that judicious and fortunate Mascal, chief farrier to King James." DOINGS OF THE LAST AND PEESENT WEEKS. H.IRDY FRUIT GARDEN. Last week it was stated that our nailing was nearly finished. We do not have much to do, as the orchard house supplies us with all the ifiner fruits required ; but the greatest number of gardens are not furnished with orchard houses, and, as a rule, in the United Kingdom the finer fruits must be grown on walls. There should be no delay in finishing oS all pruning, and tying, or nailing the trees. In our apprentice days it was the rule not to nail or even prune Apricot and Peach trees uutil the blossoms were very nearly at the point of opening, and this was just at the time that the greatest pressure required to be put upon the men in every department; whereas, if the nailing had been at- tended to in favourable weather during the winter months, it could have been done in a less hurried manner. Where well- trained wall trees are a prominent feature much time is taken 80 JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ January 28, 1875. np with tying or nailing, and one reason why time sbonld be taken by the forelock ia, that it is not possible to do it either in wet or cold weather. Men cannot stand on a ladder or at the base of a wall and drive nails if they are shivering with cold ; they should in cold weather have diggini; or trenching to go to before breakfast in the morning or towards dusk in the evening. We have known men nailing Morello Cherries behind a north wall, and cut their fingers nearly to the bone, and not know of the accident until they saw the blood streaming from the wound. We are now getting more into summer pruning for fruit trees, and there is no reason if time can be spared why much of the nailing should not be done in the autumn. It is simply bad management to lay-in a large quantity of young wood in the summer months, to cut it out in winter; if no more young wood is laid-in than is required for the purposes of fruit-bearing (and not a single shoot more ought to be laid-in than, with a system of summer pruning carried out as it ought to be), the labour required now would be a mere tithe of what is in too many instances required. Peach trees ought to be taken down from the walls eveiy year, and if necessary the branches should be washed, and if the old nails are used again they ought to be roasted first. New shreds should be used, and it is very often necessary to cut out a few of the lowest branches and bring down some of the others in their place. A tree is generally furnished with five or seven main branches; these ought to be iiailed-in first, the smaller and fruit-bearing branches being regularly disposed between. Plum, Apricot, and Cherry trees are usually trained in the same way, but it is not at all necessary to undo the fastenings of them. We have seen Pear trees trained in many different ways ; but where there is a fancy for variety, the best is the oblique cordon single or double. If single, the trees to be planted 18 inches apart; if double, 3 feet, trained at an angle of 45°. For high walls and large gardens where a supply of first-class fruit is the main object, plant your trees 20 or 24 feet apart, one main branch to be trained vertically, side branches being trained 9 inches apart; the side growths will not start exactly opposite to each other, but they must be brought oppo- site before taking a horizontal position. The severe weather early in the month prevented planting; all ours was finished last week. The trees had been carefully lifted in the nursery, and were a mass of healthy fibrous roots, the main roots not having received any injury. The trees were selected in the nursery, not because they were the beat-looking trees, but because they had been transplanted the previous season. Hand- some healthy-looking trees might have been purchased at a cheaper rate, but when sent home the roots would have pre- sented a very different appearance. If large trees are bought, stipulate that they have been transplanted the previous season. Each tree had a barrowful of decayed fibrous loam placed round the roots. Just a word about planting wall trees. The main stem should not be quite close to the wall, but about 3 inches from it. Do not nail or prune the tree Jiutil the buds are uumistakeably swelling. FOKCING HOUSES. Early Vineries. — The first house has broken regularly, and the shoots are very strong. The night temperature is now 65°. Our plan is to water the borders thoroughly about four or five times. The second watering has been given, about as much haying been applied as would cover the ground to the depth of 2 incbes. The young shoots are being pinched two leaves beyond the fruit and carefully tied-down to the wires. The tying must be done with great care, as it is always the strongest and best growths that are most likely to snap. Such a variety as Golden Champion can only be trusted in the most careful hands. One growth only should be trained from each spur, and the spurs should not be closer to each other than 15 inches, BO that it is frequently necessary to thin the buds out on young wood, but managing so that the growths are as nearly opposite to each other as possible. We shut-up early, and admit air at the apex of the roof the first thing in the morning in fine weather. Ciicumher Bb!(se.— Half of the plants failed entirely this winter, the other portion planted with Blue Gown is now doing well. During the last four or five years the same stock has been kept true by striking cuttings, but in time the constitution fails and must be re-invigorated by raising seedlings. The plants from seeds sown in December have been grown-on in pots near the glass, and have been planted-out in good condition. The variety is Tender and True. The night temperature is kept at 1)5°, but a margin is allowed of 3° or 4° either way according to the weather. Sowed Melons, Tomatoes, and Capsicums in bottom heat in the Cucumber house. ORCHARD HOUSE. The Peach and Nectarine trees have been removed into the house. They have been plunged over the rims of the pots out of doors since early in October. The fruit buds are very promi- nent and thickly studded over the young wood. We have always advocated removing the trees out of doors ; and as a proof that they receive no injury thereby but are benefited by it, the roots work up into the rich top-dressing, and if not taken out of the material before March they form a network of roots in the fibre over the pot. Other growers in this district leave their trees out later — in fact till just before the blossoms open : this is to keep the trees as late as possible, so that the flowers may not be injured by spring frosts. We are not very particular about this, as the house is heated, and, the pipes being connected to a boiler that is always at work, the expense for fuel Is a mere trifle. We have also found that brown scale does not like ex- posure to the winter frosts, and that the trees are comparatively free from insect pests under the treatment. The trees have now to be looked over and any dead or superfluous branches cut off. The pots do not require water for ten days or so after being brought in, and afterwards water must be carefully applied until the trees start into growth. Strawberries on the shelves require but little water ; looking over them once in a week is sufficient. As we do not wish the trees to flower early, all the ventilators are opened in the daytime but shut at night, as, even though there may be no signs of frost at dusk, a change sometimes occurs in the night, as it did on Tuesday, when a sadden change caused the thermometer to fall to 29°. GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. The question was put to us by an ardent amateur, " How must I do to have my Camellias in flower early ? " He had been forcing them in heat, and the result was that the buds, instead of swelling more rapidly as he very naturally expected, began to drop off. Now, to have Camellias in flower before Christmas the plants must be placed in heat, say in April, to make their wood, and kept there until the buds are set, when they may again be removed to the greenhouse. The most useful plants to continue the supply of flowers at this time are Cyclamens, Cinerarias, and Chinese Primroses (Primula sinensis). They will continue to flower all through the winter months. The Cyclamens must be carefully attended to, aa damp affects the leaves and flowers in all sorts of weather. Damp round the necks of Primulas must be checked with lime dust as soon aa perceived. Our Cinerarias are grown for decorative purposes only. Those who are cultivating for exhibition must now be very attentive to their plants. Every alternate watering should be with weak liquid-manure water. The plants must be close to the glass where the air from the ventilators plays freely amongst the leaves. The shoots must be carefully tied out to a wire fastened to the rim of the pot, or to neat sticks. As our forced flowers have not come in yet, the above with the perpe- tual-flowering Carnations are exceedingly useful. Of course Epacrises and winter-flowering Heaths furnish their quota. — J. Douglas. PROVINCIAL HORTICULTUEAL EXHIBITIONS. Secretaries will obUge us by informing us o! the dates on which exhibitions are to be held. TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. Little & Ballantyne, Carlisle. — Sprinq Seed Guide, Dicksons & Co., 1, Waterloo Place, fedinburgh. — Descriptive Catalogue of Select Fruit Trees, dc. W. Barron & Sons, IG, Market Street, Nottingham. — Vegetahle, Agricultural, and Flower Seeds, it-c. Bruuniug & Co., 1, Market Place, Great Yarmouth. — Illus- trative and Descriptive Seed Catalogue. G. C. Short, Market Place, Stokesley. — Descriptive Catalogue of Choice Seeds. ' B. R. Davis, Middle Street, TeovU. — Illustrated Catalogue of Vegetable and other Seeds. E. P. Dixon, 57, Queen Street, Hull. — Descriptive Catalogue of Seeds. TO CORRESPONDENTS. *,* All correspondence should be directed either to "The Editors," or to " The Publisher." Letters addressed to Mr. Johnson or Dr. Hogg often remain unopened unavoid- ably. We request that no one will wi'ite privately to any of our correspondents, as doing so aubjeots them to un- justifiable trouble and expense. Books (A. C. Strain). — There is no publication on Auriculas with coloured plates. The gentleman you came has not published any work on floriculture. (F. J.). — " The Hamty-book of the Flower Garden" is published by Messrs, Blackwood. {Amatfitr). — For common llowers. vegetables, Ac, " The Garden Manual." If you enclose twenty post-oflice stamps with your address you can have it post free from our office. [E. 3. D.). — Lindley's " Flora Medica " gives such information as you need. Longman & Co. are the publishers. Price la«. Apple Trees Cankeued (T. Williams). — The roots of yoor young trees have reached the red >andy ironstone subsoil, and the soil above boinj; heavy is retentive of water — both circumstances productive of canker. Cut away the roots that have descended, and slightly top-dress the surface over the roots with manure every sprin;; to induce the roots to keep near the siuface. J anuary 28, 1875. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 81 PaiCE OF Pears {A Constant Subscriber). — Hu^o specimens were in a fruitist's window in Covent Garden Market marked one guinea eauh. but whether they wore sold at that price ia not known to us. They were Uve- d&le's St. Germain. Wild Ginokk ( ),~Sir 8. Baker's plant cannot be the Asarum cana- dense. The characteristics are different. Orcharding (Beta),— We are sorry we cannot give you the names of either of the Apples of which you have sent us only portions and rind. In all pro- bability they are local varieties, of which you have abiindauce in Worcester- Bhire. The *' Fruit Manual " is far advanced towards completion, the printers havinfj j,'ot as far as " Plums ;" but the additions to the work have been so numerous, the time taken to produce it has been longer than was aoticipated. The best ^mde we can offer you in your present need is Canon Lea's " Small Farmfl," published at this office, and sent free by post for 6hi. in stamps. It is by theVirar of St. Peter's, Droitwich, and beini? in your own district will be applicable to your case- It is a very practical book, and will show you how and what fruit to grow profitably. Sarracenia PURPUREA iA Subucribcr^ Cambridff>).-~7he price is about 28. Qd. Write to Messrs. Cutbush, Nurseries, Highgate, London, for infor- mation. Tree-boring Caterpillar (J. Grcoi). — It is the coterpillar of the Goat Moth, CoRBUS ligniperda. We published a full account of it with engravings on page 354 of our twenty-sLxth volume. Hyacinths Planting {Hyacinths).— In "planting Hyacinths" in pots the bulb should not be more than about half covered with soil, not pressing them into the soil, but placing them upon it, and tilling with soil around the bulbs to the required height, pressing it fii-mly around the bulbs. The soil being in a moist state when the Hyacinths are potted, they should not be watered after pottiug prior to plunging in and covering with ashes. The soil must he made moist before plunging the pots if it be dry, but it is better to pot in moist soil. The bulbs usually require to he covered about sis weeks, or until they have made good roots, and have grown at the top about an inch. When this extent of top-growth is made, and before it is 2 inches long, the pots bboujd be removed from the ashes. Heading-down Briak Offshoots (Jane).— We presume the offshoots have no roots, in which case the earlier they are cut back the better, and if they were rooted when planted they should be cut as soon as possible, and in either case it would have been better done prior to planting. Late-cooking Apples (Idem). — Bedfordshire Foundling, November to March ; Dumelow's Seedling, November to March ; Brabant Bellefleur, No- vember to April ; Lord Ilaglan. January to June ; Norfolk Bearer, November to January; Norfolk Beehug, December to June; Rymer, October to March; Northern Greening, November to April ; Striped Beeting, November to May ; Winter Majeting, November to March ; and Aunie Elizabeth will keep often until July. SaNTOLINA and ALTERNANTHKRiS CULTURE (Old S(i?>.>Cri&('r). —Sauto Una is a hardy plant in welt-drained soil, but in a wet one requires the pro- tection of a frame or pit. It is propagated by cuttings, which root freely in summer in sandy soil in a close-shaded frame, or in spring in a frame in gentle heat. The young plants may be wintered in a warm situation out of doors, planting them about 2 inches apart, or if the soil be a heavy and wcL one winter in a frame in the cutting pans, hardening well off" in spring, and putting out in light rich soil in April in a warm position, shading for a few days and keeping moist, removing to the bads at planting time. It is a remarkably neat edging plant for beds, and for lines in carpet bedding. The fohage is white or silver. Alternantheras are propagated by cuttings, wliich root freely in sandy loam in gentle heat, kept moist and shaded, and when well rooted potted off singly and grown-on in heat; or they may be planted out in a pit about 2 inches apart, and gro«u-on so as to have them strong by planting-out time, and well hardened off. In winter they require a tempera- ture of 55-, and to be kept moist. To strike freely they require a bottom heat of 70", and top heat corresponding. We do not think you will be able to obtain seed of either. Caladium Cclture (/. H.). — Pot them about three tubers in a pot, or five if small, allowing the same distance between the tubers as they are in diameter, and the same from them all around to the sides of the pots, potting Ko that the tubers will be covered about three-quarters of an inch deep. Give free drainage, and a compost of three parts turfy loam, one part leaf soil, half a part sandy peat, and half a part old cow dung or well-rotted manure, and one-sixth of silver sand, the whole well mixed, chopped up rather fine, but not sifted. Place in a house with a temperature of U5- at night, and 7U' to 75- by day, keeping moist, and only so until they are growing freely, then water also freely, increasiug the supply with the grijwth. The pots being full of roots shift into pots 2 inches larger in diameter, and when they are established in these, water twice a-week with weak liquid manure. They, revelling in moisture during growth, should be very copiously watered and have a moist atmosphere. Slight shade fr jm bright sun is necessary. Conifer Seed Sowing— Adiantdms Potting, &c. ( W. L.).— The best time to sow seeds of Conifers is in March or early April, choice kiuds in pans in a cold frame to have air abundantly when the seedlings are up; the commoner varieties in open but sheltered positions out of doors. The best time to till- up bare places on lawn by sowing grass seeds is early in Api-il in showery weather. Adiantums in greenhouse will require to be potted in Maich, be moderately supplied with water until they are growing freely, and then water requires to bo Kiven copiously, never allowing them to want for water without giving it, and at the same time the soil must not be made sodden by needless applications. The plants are benefited by a light syringing morning and evening, and should have shade from bright sun. Dracxna Propagation (A Subscriber). — The plants may be cut off at a few inches above the soil, the upper part or crown formed into a cutting and struck in gentle bottom heat, and the stem may be cut into lengths of about 2 inches, and laid fiat on sandy soil in a pan filled to within an inch of the rim with soil, gently pressing them in the soil, and covering three-quarters to an inch deep with soil. Place the pan in a hotbed of about 75^ to 80', and keep moist. Instead of cutting the stems into lengths we lay thom in the plunging material of the bed in the stove, aud covered an inch or two deep ; and when young plants appear about 3 inches high the stem is bared and the plants detached close to it with a knife, potting singly in small pots, and placing in a house with a brisk moist heat, where they soon become established, until which they require shade from bright sun, after which they should be kept near the glass, and have light to secure good colour. Sea-kale Culture, &c. (W. P.}.— We presume you intend to blanch it upon the ground with pots placed over the stools, and covered with leaves or Utter, or both. Thp plants should be planted in patches 2 feet apart, and 2 feet 6 inches distance between the rows. The plants should be three in a patch in the form of a triangle, and 6 inches from crown to crown. The best time to plant is in March or beginning of April. Pyramid froit trees we should plant 9 feet apart in the borders along the walk of the kitchen garden. The middle of February will not be too early to commence with Cucumbers with a bed 4 feet high at back and 3 feet in front, and Melons the middle of JIarch. Constructing Propagating Pit (H. K. Q.I.— For a propagating pit there is no need of light in front nor at the ends, in which case you will only re- quire a glass roof, with a 3-feet light in the centre at the highest piii-t; you will have sufficient ventilation for propagating: but as you will desire to use the house for other purposes — Melons or Cucumbers in summer and plants in winter — we should have the whole of the upper part of the roof and 3 feet down the roof to open — sliding lights, or they may be hinged and raised by a lever. The middle wall ought to be 0 inches thick, also the back or shed wall, and the front wall until clear of the ground should bo 9 inches, and may then be taken up 4J inehes, the height required. The pathway will need to bo sunk about a foot to give head-room. For heating so small a house have a stove boiler in the shed, for which you will need a hole sunk to give the necessary level to the pipes. Two pipes will be require! for bottom heat to the front border, and tliose we should surround with rubble, covering them about 3 inches deep with the same, and then have about 6 inches of plunging material for the pots. For top heat, you will require four pipes, the pipes 2 Inches diameter Six pipes the length of the house and across the ends. Pteris tricolor Culture (W. T. F. J/. J.).— It requires a good heat— 55*^ to 65^' in winter, and 65' to 75' in summer, with a rise from sun heat aud a uniform moist atmosphere, careful watering, aud always racist at the roots, but not syringed or watered over the foliage. Young plants are best ; after three years they do not thrive well. Potting Geraniums (F. J.). — The plants having filled the pots with roots, pot them before placing in the bottom heat ; but if the plants have not good roots place them in the bottom heat before potting, and when well rooted shift into a larger size and return to bottom heat. Fancy Geraniums Drawn— Chrvsanthemuji Culture (A. G). — You may cut the plants back and keep cooler, but they will not bloom until late. Do it to the least extent consistent with the forming of compact plants. The stems of the Chrysanthemums ought to be cut off at the bottom. From the base of the stems cut away will be new shoots or suckers coming up ; these are what you must depend upon for flowering this ye^r. They should be taken off when about 3 inches long, and potteJ singly, or three in a small pH, and struck cither in a cold frame or a gentle hotbed. Grown-on they will make splendid plants for autumn and early winter flowering. The tempe- rature, 50'' to Gl--, is not suflicient to have these in good condition during the winter, bat if kept rather dry they will grow none the worse in spring. A temperature of 60- to 65^ is most suitable. For bulbs the temperature you name could not be better, but they would bloom finer iu & temperature of 45 ■ to 50", but come on more slowly and ha later. The Sparaxis will flower iu due course, hut not for some time yet. Do not bring them on too rapidly. Wasps (C. R.).—We know nothing of the " Asphyxiator." If it suffocates wasps we should think it would similarly destroy rabbits in their burrows. Twelve Superior Gladioluses (T. ira/^oHl.— Belle Gabrielle, Charles Dickens, Eurydice, Fulton, Horace, La Titien, Lord Byron, Madame Fartado, Madame Vilm^rin, Norma, Sir J. Paxton, and Milton. Canon Hall Muscat Grape as a Stock (Oxo)t).—We would not think of working any sort of Grape Vine on this stock, unless by way of experiment. Black Hamburgh would be most likely to succeed on it. Apples Sweating (B. Q.). — It is not usual to go over the Apples and rub them with cloth after they are stored on the fruit-room shelves. It is neces- sary to look over them occasionally and to remove all decaying fruit to prevent it from tainting the sound ones. Plants in Greenhouse not Thriving (J. H.F. C. G.).— The plants, we think, are suffering from some noxious vapour. It may be that of the newly painted house, which a little air left on for a time day and night would soon rectify : but a more likely cause is an esuape of gas. The gas boiler has, wo presume, a funnel communicating with the external air to carrj' off the con- sumed gas fum'js. Or thuro may be an escape at lightin:;; or there may bo a draught down the cousumel-ga'i funnel, bringing down tho fumes into the house. It is certain the atmosphere is very impure, aul that you will not have any improvement until that is rcitifiel. The floor would be a source of damp, but not of injury to the plants where due regard is had to giving air, and having a gentle heat in dull weather to cause a circulation of air. You miy have the floor cemented without iujui-y to the plants. Zinc Sashbars (A. A. M.). — There would not be any emanation from zinc sashbars injurious to plants; at least we have not observed any, and we have to do with both copper aud zinc, but they were painted. Stove for Heating Greenhouse (Id-stiil — You are going from good to bad in seeking to have a stove iu place of heating by hot-water pipes. We should keep to the pip^s at any rate, and have a stove boiler, which you may have within the house, and with a funnel or smoke-pipe to convey to the external air the noxious products of combustion. Any of those advertising in our columns would supply you with what you require. Grass for Poultry Bun (A. H. U.). — As you want a speedy rather than a permanent result, we recommend Piieys Pereunial Rye-Grass alone, which sown early in April will ba ready for the fowls in about six weeks. It might be sown earlier, but the growth is not generally good; though, if the spring were mild, you might by sowing early in M :ich. use the run in April. Growing Fruit for Sale (--i Comtanf Reader). — It would not do to bo over-particular as to locality, though you will need to have regard to a good soil, a pure atmosphere, good supply of water, ready means of obtaining fuel, manure, aud direct communication by rail with the places the produce is to be delivered at. Fruit always commands a ready sale in moat large towns. For a supply to the northern markets you will need to be south ; though you may, if the produce is not t j ba sent far, need not to be in a warmer part than the market ; and if you grow under glass it does not mucti signify either way, only early and late fniit, especially of Graphs, pay the bast. It is probably best for a beginner to take to a i)lace for s'jme tim^ iu hand by a fruit-grower, but success depends more upou individual effort, enterprise, and skill than upon any advice and instruction. Holly Leaves Falling (E. ilZ.).— The leaves are probably falling from the trees being injured by the late severe frosts, or they may have sustained injury from being near a smoky town, as we presume you are. JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ Jaunaiy 28, 1875. Double GEKvmusis Leggy, &c. (J. W. Z,.l.— The boat and only plan to . have them d.varf and compact wilt bs to cut them down, makinc; cuttings of the tops, and in future keep them dwarf by stopping and growing near the glass. Some kinds are of strong erect habit, but are not more inclined to grow up tali than the Zonal and Nosegay kinds usually are. Tomtits are, we presume, the blue titmouse, which is very troublesome very often in Pea- growing, which we know of no way to hinder only by a close-meshed net. We have th»m by the score, and they do not interfere with the Pea crups. In one instance only were we obliged to destroy the birds, and thia proved to be an old one taking the green peas to its young. The Celery is probably rotted at the heart by uet, the stalk not being close together, or it may have been occasioned by the aluga eating the stalks and causing decay. MasHttOOJi-QROwcNO Successfully (A. J. D.). — After the Mushrooms appear it is not good policy to cover the bed with hay or any kind ot covering. Yours probably die or damp-off from being too heavily waterdd and overhead, also with warmer water than that of the house, which is a proUhc source of dying. Blushroums require an equable temperature and regularly moist at- mosphere, as also regular moisture of the beds. With two bods only we com- mand a supply of Mushrooms from October to July, and every day after Christmas, about which time the second bed comes in. Sometimes the beds requu'e to be renewed. You will had an escellont article on Mushroom culture in vol. xxvi., page 288. Names of Plants (J. E. S.). — The specimens were dried up and smashed. (P. W.). — Pothossp.; perhaps a var. of P. scaudens. {W., Langport). — The creeper is Boussingaultia basilloides ; the fruit that of the Black Hickory, Juglaus nigra. (T. S.). — Eupatorium Weiumannianum, Rcgtl; E. populi- foliura, D.C. {W. C). — land2,Davallift canariensis; a, D. tenuifolia ; 4, Adi- antumsp.; 5, Asplenium bulbiferum ; 6, Phlebodium aureum. We do not name more than sis specimens at once. (T. W.). — 1, Pteris longifolia; 2, Blechnura occidentale; 3, Polystiwhum aculeatum ; 4, Adiantum hispidulum. Najies of Fruits (An Old Subscriber, Framfield). — The small Pear is Broompark. and the larger one Prince Albert. (Junior Carlton). — No. 1, Cobham or Pope's Apple; 2, Keinette Verte. POULTilY, BEE, AND PIGEON OHRONIOLE, THE EXHIBITION DORKING.— No. 6. BY T. C. BURNELL. Dorking chickens grow aad mature faster than any other known variety, and it is for this reason that they are always kept where there is a regular large demand for early chickens of the finest quality. Hamburghs will excel them as layers, but it is very doubtful whether the large size of the Dorking egg does not more than compensate for any deficiency in numbers ; and in this as in all other breeds hens vary as layers, but average Dork- ing hens lay eighty or ninety eggs in the year, besides hatching and rearing a couple of broods of chickens in the most exemplary manner, and notwithstanding all the tall talk to the contrary, I very much doubt if any other breed will do any better. I have heard several complaints this unusually severe winter of people being without eggs ; but although I only keep a small number of hens, I have not known what it is to be without them. How- ever, it is on their merits as chickens for the table that Dorkings must rise or fall, and to this I will now confine my remarks. With prize stock, as with poultry, the desideratum is to pro- duce as large as possible a quantity of the best meat in the shortest possible time — that is, to combine excellence of flesh with early maturity. What the Shorthorn is to cattle the Dorking is to poultry — that is, not only will this fowl come to maturity sooner than any other, but when matured the principal portion of the meat will be found in the most desirable places — viz., on the breast, wings, and merrythought, instead of on the legs, as is generally the case with Cochins and Brahmas. The advantage this peculiarity gives to the Dorking is very great, and it is for this reason, in- dependently of their white flesh, that they are so much sought after by higglers and dealers ; the only fowl which can compete with them in this respect being the French Dorking, the Houdan, but as this variety is a non-sitter it is not generally suited for domestic purposes. If it is only desired to rear chickens for the table we cannot well hatch them too early in the year, provided they can be kept out of the wet and damp, as the earlier they are the more valu- able they will be. But if we hatch out a brood of Dorkings with the hope of finding some prize birds among them, it is very doubtful if anything is gained by beginning too soon. I never hatch any chickens till February, and often not then. The early birds if not stunted by the cold will doubtless win at the summer shows, and it is for this reason people are so anxious to get them out ; but the March and April birds, which have the whole summer to grow in without a check, always make the finest in the end, and it is a common thing to see an April-hatched Dork- ing winning in November against January and February birds. But not so with Asiatics : it is well known they take nine or ten months to mature, while a Dorking, if pure bred, will be as far advanced at six or seven. The careful breeder will always like to be certain of having his chickens bred from certain cocks and certain hens, in order to supply on the one side what is wanting on the other, for per- fect birds are hardly ever seen except in poultry books. To make sure of this the sexes must be separated in the winter, and the desired birds mated-up again at least a month before we think of setting their eggs. It is commonly supposed that the strongest chickens are obtained from a cockerel mated with hens, or an old cook mated with pullets. But owing to Dorkings maturing so much earlier than any other breed, this rule I think hardly applies to them. I have certainly bred some of my finest chickens from cockerels and pullets running together, and if the latter are early-hatched birds of the previous year they will be at least ten mouths old and fully matured, and I cannot see that any harm will ensue. It is not advisable to sit the first few eggs of a pullet, as such, besides being small, seldom hatch ; but a March or April pullet will, if well fed, be nearly sure to lay in the autumn, and will thus be to all intents and purposes a hen in February or March, and her eggs may be safely trusted. I hare laid great stress on the Dorking maturing so early, but we must also bear in mind that early maturity means early decay. Dorkings are not long-lived birds, the large show cooks seldom get over their fourth winter. I know several birds in a neighbouring farmyard which are for certain twice that age. However, I am not now speaking about the common barndoor Dorking but the larger bird of the show pen, and I am justified in saying they are short-lived compared with some breeds, as I can hear of no instance of a well-known show cock lasting more than three seasons, while Cochins and Brahmas frequently hold out to five and six. The hens do better, though, and I now know a Dark Dorking hen which has twice won the cup at the Crystal Palace Show, and which is still flourishing and winning, though certainly over eight years old. It is for this reason— their comparatively short life, that fanciers will not be justified in giving the extraordinarily high prices for Dorkings which Cochins and Brahmas sometimes fetch. We may reasonably expect to have several years' service and many shows out of these latter ; but anyone who gives a high price for a Dorking cook, thinking to exhibit and win with him through the season, as is often done in some breeds, will find he is reckoning erroneously, as no Dorking, however carefully at- tended to, can stand knocking about from show to show, and certainly not for two or three seasons running. To return to the mating of our birds. If we have an old cock which has not been overshown, and which we desire to use for stock purposes, put him with three or four pullets ; but if we have only a nine-months cockerel there will not be the least reason to doubt the probable excellence of his chickens, even though mated wit.h pullets. Besides, we are often compelled to breed from the latter, as it is seldom we can get the old hens to lay soon enough for their eggs to be sat for early chickens. In April and May seven or eight hens may be allowed to one cock, but in the early months it will be better not to allow more than four. When the birds have once been mated-up they should not be separated, as it is hopeless to expect to rear prize chickens if we keep on knocking the parents about from show to show. I should like to see the great winter shows end with December, when we could exhibit our best birds two or three times and afterwards breed from them, but I am afraid there is but very little chance of this coming to pass. The eggs for sitting should be collected every afternoon, and if they have to be kept should be stored in chafiE or bran, and turned every day. I do not believe there is any advantage to be derived from storing the eggs large or small end up, and most certainly a hen if she steals her nest does not do so, but eggs cannot be left for three or four days in one position with im- punity. I should not care to sit eggs more than ten days old, and if they have to go a journey they should certainly not be more than two or three. If we wish the chickens to hatch out together the eggs should be as nearly as possible of the same ao-e, as the staler the eggs are the longer will the chickens be in coming out. Dorking eggs are generally very large, and ten or eleven are quite enough for any hen to cover ; in fact, nine will be better in the winter months. The nests may be made either on the ground, in a manger, or in any other convenient place which the hen may select. But if we desire to rear a large number of chickens it will be found more convenient to set the hens in boxes or hampers with lids to each, and to take the hens off, and to put them on again every day after feeding— the plan which is generaUy adopted by keepers, as by this means we shall avoid disapointment caused by the stupidity of the hens in getting on the wrong nests. CANTERBURY POULTRY EXHIBITION. As a visitor and exhibitor at the late Show, I can fully corro- borate the evidence of your reporter respecting the delay of auction, and the late hour of affixing many of the prize cards. When the hour of sale is distinctly stated in the schedules, one reasonably expects such to take place at the stated hour ; and as many of us are, from distance and want of time, unable to be present the second day, it is certainly a disappointment. How- ever, I feel certain the Committee and Secretary will take the hint in a friendly spirit, and endeavour in future to avoid delays, unpleasant to all parties. , ,, . « .1 n _ But while commenting upon the failings of this Society, aUow January 28, 1875. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDENEK. 83 me to do them the justice due in other respects. The birds were sent home in really {jood condition. White birds remarkably clean, cousideriuf; they were in pairs. I must also acknowledge the Bpeciil prize cards and honorary mentions posted a few days after the Show to successful exhibitors. This, I think, is most courteous and businesslike on the part of the Committtee. Other societies would do well to make a note of this, for it is seldom one gets the prize cards, and when they do happen to be put in the baskets, they are generally so soiled before they reach their destination that one has no pleasure in showing them to a friend. The prize money was also paid a few days after the Show. So, considering the Canterbury Exhibition of 1871 as a whole, I think exhibitors have much to be thankful for, and I for one offer the Committee and Secretary my most sincere thanks, and in conclusion, say, as a suggestion. Keep the entries still confined to the four counties. One thousand entries is surely large enough, and much too large for the Corn Exchange, and, as a contemporary justly remarks, it would in many cases be better for all parties that more of our exhibitions were local, or confined to a few counties. ^ In our large exhibitions I maintain that some of the classes are simply a monopoly for a few exhibitors. Why not introduce champion classes, as at dog shows ? This would certainly create more fanciers, and offer some hope for many who have a true heart but a slender purse. Encourage all, but give some encouragement, nay, special encouragement, to the artisan and mechanic. Many of us must have some hobby; encourage all. It is better to spend a few spare shillings in this way than in the gin palace or beer shop, and I can conceive nothing more interesting, and may Bay even profitable than chickens. — BBi.HM.i. SANDFORD v. HOWARD AND NICHOLS. On Tuesday, the 19th, Dr. Sindford sued Messrs. Howard and Nichols, the Secretaries of the Great National Poultry Show, for £2 5«., the amount he had paid as entry fees at the last Crystal Palace Show, and for 10s. expenses of carriage. The case was heard in the Westminster County Court. Dr. Sand- ford stated that he arrived at the Crystal Palace on the Satur- day evening prior to the Show, that in the first instance he was greeted not very civilly by one of the officials, but this was afterwards explained, and having been informed that some ex- hibitors had been allowed to enter the building for the purpose of penning their birds, he inquired for one of the Secretaries for the same purpose. He saw Mr. Howard, who after some hesi- tation refused to allow him to enter, and eventually said he would neither admit him nor his birds. In cross-examiuation Dr. Sandford admitted that he had told Mr. Howard that he had told a falsehood, and that in reply to that, Mr. Howard stated that after such an insult he should hold no further con- versation with him. Dr. Sandford called a witness, who corro- borated some portion of his evidence, but differed with him with regard to Mr. Howard's replies. On the other hand Mr. Howard stated that Dr. Sandford had complained to him in the first instance with regard to the in- civility of the servant, and that he had apologised to Dr. Sand- ford and told him he thought it was one of the workmen ; that he then asked him to be allowed to see his birds penned ; that he explained to Dr. Sandford that he could not allow any ex- hibitor to enter for the purpose except under the supervision of one of the officers, and that it was so late, it being nearly ten o'clock, it would be almost impossible ; that Dr. Sandford had accused him of telling a falsehood, and that he then declined to speak to Dr. Sandford again. He denied that he had refused to admit Dr. Sandford's birds, or that in answer to Dr. Sand- ford's threat that he would summon him he replied that " he could stand all that." Mr. Wilson corroborated Mr. Howard's statement. Several other witnesses were in attendance, but the Judge decided that it was unnecessary to go any further, and dismissed the summons with costs against Dr. Sandford. UNDIGESTKD FOOD IN FOWL'S CROP. It may interest some of your readers who keep poultry to hear how I operated on a couple of birds which were suffering from an accumulation of food in their crops, caused either by general debility or local disorder, but I do not pretend to state the cause. The birds were in a most pitiable condition, with crops very large and hard. My man securely held the first bird, which was a young Spanish cockerel ; I made an incision with a sharp penknife through the outer and inner skins of the crop about 1 inch long, and with a blunt pointed stick probed out the un- digested corn and maize, which was about a cupful. After sponging the wound with warm water I proceeded to sew up, first the under membranous skin, and lastly the outer. "Young Tom " stood the knife very well, and so did the next pa'ient, a middle-age hen, which, by-the-by, was very weak, having had the attack longer than the other. A fortnight has now elapsed and they are both doing remark- ably well. We feed them on soft food, a little bread and milk occasionally. Perhaps some of your readers can give me further information, and if there is a less radical remedy, which I must say they stand remarkably well, and appear greatly relieved after the operation. — E. G. P., St. Peter's. [Hard crop is believed to arise from debility of the organ and we have known it removed by pouring a tablespoonful of gin down the fowl's throat. — Eds.] MAIDSTONE POULTRY SHOW. This was held on the 13th and Mth inst. We gave the prize list last week. The quality of the birds was certainly very good indeed, quite surpassing all previous shows in this town. The birds were well fed and attended to, and kept very clean ; the Show was well arranged, and the place looked bright and fresb. We saw on many of the pens placards stating the birds were fed and reared on Spratt'a patent food. Well, this ia all very well now and then, but it ia growing quite a nuisance. The fronis of the pens are none too large, and these cards placed in the central part of them hide to a great extent their inmates. We hardly attend a show now but we see these cards placed on nearly every pen. They seem to be put up in the most hap- hazard way. It would seem as if the party who goes about with them had a list of the names of all those who have at any time purchased this food, and then on all the pens exhibited by these purchasers the cards are placed. To our own knowledge these cards were placed both here and at Bristol on pens which had never tasted a crumb of this food in their lives. We only mention this en passant, in no way depreciating the food, for we find it indeed most valuable, but simply because the cards do help to prevent the birds being seen, apart from the un- truth which they sometimes point to. Coloured Dorkings came first, and a wonderfully good class they were. The first and second were fine large-bodied birds, and well shown. Third also good. 2 (Stratford) contained a beautiful cockerel, the bird which won fourth at Oxford, but he is rather small. 9 (Greenhill) contained a splendidly-coloured hen. Silver-Greys were a fair lot, and the winners well placed, one exhibitor sweeping off all three prizes. White Dorkings were also admirable. The first were an easy win, the cockerel being especially good. The second hen waa large and neat in comb; third a nice hen with good feet. Buff Cochins brought seventeen pens. The first-prize pen had a charming pullet, large and good in shape ; hut we liked the second-prize cockerel best. They were, however, both good pens. Third were smaller, but good in colour. 37 (Dowker), a fine-coloured puUet. 40 (Hawkins), a small good-shaped pullet, but which will never make a large hen. In the next Cochin class, the Whites which won first won the ill) 10s. champion cup for the best pen of any breed in the Show. The cock was very large and good in colour and shape, and the hen well feathered. Mr. Woodgate's other pen in this class (.53) was empty, as the pair entered were claimed at Bristol for £40. The second and third prizes went to good Partridges. 48 (Watchurst), a fine White cock, but horribly yellow. Spanisii were not much save the winners. The first hen waa a beauty, as good as any we have seen out this season. The second cockerel was a fine bird. .58 (Francis), a good pullet. Brahmas had two cups, one for Dark and one for Light. The majority of the pens seemed badly matched, and many looked quite seedy. The cup Darks were good, the cock of good shape and carriage, but the hens a dirty brown, though well pencilled. Second nice chickens. Third cock capital carriage, but a little too straw-coloured on his back. G9 (Lake), a fine pullet. Lights were also good, a good pair of chickens winning first, but a little too small. Third very good old birds. 94 (Boissier), much quality, but wanted wash- ing. 97 (Stevens), a fine pullet, and 103 (Hawkins), a well- shown old cock and a smart pullet. In Game, Black-breasted and other Keds, Brown Reds won first and second, and Black Reds third. The cockerels were all better than their fair com- panions. The first especially was more worthy of a better hen. Ill (Warde), a good cockerel. 122 (Foster), a fine Brown Bed cockerel. In the next class Duckwings won all the three prizes. The first cockerel very amart and stylish, with a beautifully coloured hen ; aecond also very good. 128 (Foster), a fine pair of Piles of beautiful colour, but the cock vary badly dubbed. Single Game cocks were pretty good. Firat a good Black Red cockerel, and cheap at catalogue price of i'4 4s. : aecond a amart Brown Red ; third a middling Black Red. Hamburghs were good claaaes on the whole. Mr. Long walked off with four of the five prizes. The first Golden-spangles were very rich in colour and marking3 ; aecond a nice pen too ; third only fair. In Silver-spanglea the first only were up to the mark, though the third pullet waa well marked. The winning Golden-pencila were good and well placed ; the first cockerel very smart. The Silver-pencils were capital. First won from condition, the second cockerel having caught a alight cold c« route ; third a nice pair, with puUet very evenly marked. Houdans a most splendid class. The firat were very large and heavy and good in colour, a pair which look as good for the breeding as the show pen ; second nice large birda ; and third a fine old cock, but a little 8i JOUBNAL OF HOBTICDLTDRE AND COTTAGE GAKDENEE. ( January 28, 1875. tmeteady on his legs. 166 (ManBel), a pair of well-grown chickens. 169 (Lake), a good hen. In the Variety class Black Hamburghs ■won first, Creves second and third. We think almost the second should have been first, they were so immense in size and grand in shape and colour, though the first Black Hamburghs were very smart and good. Third, Creves, fine chickens. 185 (Kitchin), very well-coloured Brown Leghorns in good condition. 188 (Nutt), dirty but large Guinea Fowls. Game Bantams, only the winners were good. The first, Duckwings, were smart chickens ; and the second. Black Red cockerel, a beautiful bird. In the Variety Bantam class good White-booted won first, the cock of exquisite colour, but the pullet a little too big. Second fair Sebrights ; third nice Japanese. 220 (Ware), good Blacks. 221 (.Stickings). a nice Black pullet; 226, fair Blacks, cheap at entered price, :iOs. Aylesbury Ducks were very good, but only four pens entered. Bonen Ducks were capital, the first being grand in colour and of very fair size. Pens 2.32 and 233 (Harvey), two capital pens. In the Variety Duck class Carolinas won first, a very nice pair ; second, dirty White Muscovies ; third, very small White Calls, but the Duck had one tiny black mark on her beak. Geese were good, the winning Toulouse being large and weighty, the first ■winning their place well. 248 (Stratford), very beautiful White Chinese. Turkeys were wonderful. We never saw six better pens. The first won easily, but the second, third, and pen 253 (Warde) were very near each other. The third contained a smaller hen, but the cock's colour was something quite ex- quisite. The Selling classes contained many good and cheap pens. The winners in cocks were Game, Light Brahmas, and White Cochins; in hens, Dark Brahmas, White Cochins, and Par- tridge Cochins; and in cock and hen, Spanish, Creves, and Houdans. Wo believe the sales were very few, and hardly any birds changed hands. The first Buft Cochins, however, were speedily claimed for 4'8, the hen alone being worth the money. The poultry awards gave the greatest satisfaction, Mr. Teebay picking-out the winners so deservedly that even the vanquished were obliged to hold their peace. We were much pleased to see this most worthy north-countryman down so far in the Bontbern counties. TUNBKIDGE WELLS POULTEY SHOW. This Show was held on the 21.st, 22ad, and 23rd inst. in the Biding School. The entries were more than could have been expected, and the building hardly large enough for their accom- modation ; still the arrangement was generally so good, the alleys between the pens so broad, and the building so well lighted from above, that in spite of the pens being arranged three tiers high onecou'd get a fair view of the majority of them. The quality of the birds was in most classes very good, and we have seldom seen so large an attendance of visitors at any show. First on the list came Coloured Dorkings, a splendid class of sixteen pens. First prize and cup for the best pen of Dorkings justly went to Mr. Parletfs magnificent pair, model Dorkings all over, and birds which we have before admired. The second- prize birds were by no means equal to the first, the cock a good dark bird, but white in earlobe. Third, a fine sprightly oldcock, bat the hen very light in breast-colour. Mr. Lingwood's com- mended pen was fine ; we suppose the cock's defective face pulled them down. Pen 2 (Triit) contained an immense cock, but strangely dark and with a Minorca look. Whites were few but good. Mr. Cresswell's first-prize pen contained a very young and promising cockerel. The cock in the second-prize pen was re- markable for handsome comb and tail. The class for Any other variety Dorkings was not a success. First were Silver Greys ; second small but pretty Cuckoos. Coc/;i«s.— Buffs were the largest class. Whites the best. In size the Buffs were good, but there were a large number of badly-coloured birds. First were a fine and good cock, a well-shaped fine hen, but not sound in colour. The second cock was broad and well-feathered, bat slipped in wing, and with neck-hackle rough and frizzly. On the whole we liked the third-prize pen the best ; the hen showed a patch of light feathers on the back, which must, we suppose, have pulled them down. In the class for Partridge or Black all the prizes went to the former variety. The first and second cocks were good in colour, but under-feathered; the third looked to ns the best shaped bird, but he was mated with a pale indis- tinctly marked hen. The Blacks were all poor : one pen con- tained a cockerel with admirable pea comb; we wonder how Brahma enthusiasts would account for this phenomenon in an otherwise correct Cochin. Mr. Woodgate's first and second- prize White, to the former of which the cup for the best pen of Cochins was awarded, were marvellously fine birds; the first cook a perfect though symmetrical giant. The third-prize pen contained a nice hen. Dark Brahmas filled twelve pens. Mr. Lingwood's pair which won the cup were almost faultless, the hen perhaps a little brown on the back, but beautifully pencilled on the breast. Mr. Ansdell's two pairs arrived late ; one of them would nndonbtedly have figured in the prize list had they been in time, though they did not come near the cup pen. In Lights Mr. Lingwood was again first with an excellent pair. In the second-prize pen was a very yellow cock, bad in comb, but mated with a fine and broad hen. In the third-prize pen, too, the cock was tinged with yellow, but another excellent partner brought them into the prize list. The class was large, and as a rule the hens were better than the cocks. In Spanish the winners were good, the first pen particularly so, which took the cup for the best birds in four classes. Second also nice birds. In the third pen was a cock with magnificent face, but nearly blind from its development. Houdans were only fair. The first-prize pair were well placed. In the second-prize pen were a tall thoroughly French cock, and a hen with miserable tuft. Third were too dark for our fancy. Craves were a small class; the first and second-prize pair magnificent; the third only fair. Hamburghs were good throughout. It is seldom that such a collection is seen in the south of England. We fancy that southerners are beginning to appreciate these lovely birds. The first pair of Golden-spangled were super-excellent, and carried off the cup for best pen of Hamburghs. The first Silver-spangled were also good, and the prize birds all well placed, though we thought the highly commended pair quite as good as the third-prize. Golden- pencilled numbered nine pens. Mr. Cresswell's first-prize cockerel was a superb bird. Mr. Pickles' second-prize pullet, though pale in colour, was finely barred. Silver-pencilled were hardly so good. We admired the first-prize cockerel and the second-prize pullet much. The third-prize pen of Blacks were good, the rest of the class poor. Gatne had four classes. The gems of the collection were Mr. Pope's Black Red — faultless birds, combining the richest colour of the old-fashioned birds with the elegance of the modem type. They obtained the cup for the best pen of Game in the Show, and the hen also won the piece of plate for the best Game hens ; the first Duckwings were also remarkable birds. Polish were a singularly good class. Mr. Edwards'sfirst and third-prize White- crested Blacks were such birds as one seldom sees; the first cock by far the best, but we thought the third hen rather the best of the two. Second were Silvers ; the hen a grand bird, very superior to her partner. We thought much of Messrs. Silvesters' unnoticed Golden ; we suppose the quantity of white in the hens' tuft went against them. Pen 193 (Reeves), highly commended, were also good Golden. In the Variety class first went to a grand pair of Malays, second to lovely Silkies; we thought them as good as any we have ever seen; third nice Black Miuorcas. There were six Selling classes for large breeds, including many excellent birds, for which there seemed unfortunately but few purchasers. Amongst them we specially noticed Mr. Woodgate's first-prize pair of White Cochins, a nice pair of Dark Brahma hens shown by Mr. Lawther, and a grand Dorking cock shown by Mr. Cheesmau, a cross apparently between the Silver-Grey and Dark varieties. Bantams had five classes, three for Game. These were fairly filled, but hardly by birds of the highest typo. The Black Bantams were excellent ; the first-prize pair brilliant in colour, but the cockerel had his tail too much thrown back. In the class for Any other variety exquisite Silver Sebrights were first, and took cup for the best pen of Bantams;. Golden Se- brights second ; fair White-booted third. The Local class were put in so elevated a position that we could not attempt to ex- amine them. Aylesbury Ducks were not remarkable. Rouens an immense class, the noticed pens all good. Messrs. Sainsbury and Kella- way divided the prizes in Black East Indians. Carolinas, Man- darins, and tiny White Call Ducks were in the third-prize pens in the Variety class. The class for Geese was interesting, as containing several of the rarer varieties — viz., Sebastopol, Grey, and White Chinese. Mr. Warde's first and second-prize Turie^s were magnificent, the cocks showing the gorgeous hues of the American variety. Pigeons. — The majority of the Pigeon classes were well filled. As a rule, the winners were excellent, but there were, of course, some poor specimens among the unnoticed. Pouters were fair, Mr. Gill taking three out of the four prizes. In Carrier cocks the winners were both Black, and splendid birds ; we much ad- mired Col. Hassard's first-prize Dun hen. In Tumblers Mr. Ford took first with an Almond and second with an Agate, both pretty birds. Mrs. Lee sent two Blue Beards instead of one; good birds, but of course put out by the mistake. In Barbs the first-prize bird was the only remarkable one. The Jacobin class was well filled. First went to a White, we pre- sume for its colours' sake, for the second, a Bed, was far better in hood, form, and size. The first Fan was a sweet little bird. A good Blue Turbii took first in a class of eleven, a rich Yellow second. We almost preferred Mr. Cresswell's highly-com- mended Red to his second winner. Owls were a large class, English and foreign being mixed. First was a neat White African, second an English Silver. The first Long-faced Ant- werp, a Silver Dun, was a very well-coloured bird. In the Any variety class a Black Trumpeter was first, and a Blue-apanjled Fairy second, an excellent Archangel being unnoticed. Janaarj 28, 1875. ] JOUBNAL OF HORTIOOIiTOBB AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 85 We were glad to see bo large a staff of Judges. The awards seemed to give almost uBiversal satisfaction, which we think would be more generally the case if judges always had a prac- ticable amount of work allotted to them. No man can satis- factorily make awards when he knows that he must hurry through the work to get it over by a given time. We congra- tulate the energetic Secretary on the great success of his first attempt, and upon the prompt way in which the awards were posted up and the prize Hat brought out. Dorkings.— t7o/oi(rcd.—l and Cup, F. Parlett. Great Baddow, Chelmsford. ?, R. Cheeaman. S.T.Brown, /ic. H. L. Trist. c, H. L. Triat; L G. W. Strat- ford ; fl. Humphrey; G. W. Greenhill; Henry Lingwood, Barking, Needham Market. Do&KinoB.— White.— ], 0. E. Cresswell, Feltham. 2, L. G. W. Stratford. 3, J. Harris. DottKlUQB.—Any other i^ariety.—'i, Mrs. Lee. 2, J. H. Putney. Cochins.- Crnnanion or Bttff—\, Mrs. A. Christy. 2, E. vVinwood. 8, A. Darby, he, W. v\ hite ; Henry Lingwoud. Cochins —Parfridse or Black— i, T. W. Anns. 2, Capl. F. O. Coleridge. 3, J. A. Sleep. Cochins.— BTiife.—l, Cup, and 2, R. S. S. Weodgate, Tnnbridge Wells. 8, Mrs. Wild. Ba^BMAS.— Z)arfc.— 1 a"d Cup. Horace Lingwood, Greeting, Needham Market. 8, F. G. (^otterell. 3, J. Watts, King's Heath, Birmingham, c. Dr. G. Angler ; J. W. Trowbridge. Braiimas — L/f7't^— 1, H. Lingwood. 2, F. G, Cotterell. 3, P. Haines, he, Rev. M Kice ; H. M. Maynard ; F. Cheshire ; Oapt. W. Sa\iUe. c, H. Steed ; S. Pitt; H. Stephens (2). Sp*NisH.-l and cup. Miss E. Brown, 2, J. Francis. 3, H. Brown, c, P. Roffey. flocDANS.— 1 and 3, W. Dring, Faversham. 2,J. W. Moyle. /if , M. Sandford. e, R. A. Boissier. Creve-C(Eurs.— 1 and 2, W. Dring. 8, T. Ledger. Hambdbohs.— Go/d^n spangled.— 1 and Cud. T. P. Carver. 2, H. Pickles, Earby, Skipton. 8, J. Long. Silver-spanaled.—l, H. Pickles, 2, J. Long. 8, Miss E. KiDgsnorth. he, N. Barter. fiAiiBURQH%.—Oohlett-peticiUed.—l.O. E. Cresswell. 2, H. Pickles. 3, H. M. Maynard. he, J. hong. nilvcr-penciUed—lasdhc, B.Horton. 2,J.Long. 3, H. Pickles c, N. Barter. Haubdeghs.— Btocfc.— 1 and 2, J. Long. 3, — Pickles, ftc, H. Thomas ; R. A. Boiasier. Game.— Biact Berf.-Cnp and 1, W. .1. Pope. 2, W. H. Stagg 3, J. Jcken. he, W. Foster; J. Mason. Urown Jied.—\, W. Foster. 2, -T. Jekin. 3, H. Ritchie, vhc, T. Mason, he, F. Warde (2). e, J. Cock. Duelcuing.—\, J. Mason. 2, T. Whitaker. 3, E. Winwood. he, J. Chittenden. Any variety.— 1 and c, G. H. Fitz-Herbert. '2, W. Foster. 3, H. Ritchie, /ic, J. Croote. jun. Polish.— 1 and 8, T. P. Edwards. 2 and c, G. T. Lenny, he, J. Long; E. T. Reeves. ANY OTHER Variety.—]. S. Elliott, jun. 2, R. S. S. VFoodgate. 3, J. Croote. he, — Temple : Rev. N. J. Ridley. Any Breed.- 1, .1. Arnold. 2, J. Harris, c, G. |Ware ; J. Harris; J. K. Pain (2). Selling Class.- Dorkings, Brakvuis. and Cochins.— \, R. Cheesman. 2, J. K. Lawther. 8 and I'/iC. S Pitt. 4, G. W. Greenhill. /tc, L. G. W. Stratford; A. Arnold; R. Cheesman ; Mrs Dressing; H. Mills; E. Haywood (2J. c, R, A. Boissier; J. F. Bates. Selling Class —Dorkings, Cochins, and Brahmas —1, J. K. Lawther. 2, R. S. S. Woodgate. 3, H. Humphrey. 4, E. Haywood, vhc, R. Cheesman ; Mrs. Dressing; H. Mills. hr,L G. W. Stratford; J. F. Bates; G. W. Petter (2); G. E. Smart, c, A. Arnold. Selling Class.— Z)or;«"n(7». Cochins, and Brahmas— 1, B. S. S. Woodgate. 2, H.Humphrey. 3, E Havwood 4. J. Harris, ode, A. Arnold; H. Mills; G.W. Petter; B. Hayivood. lie, L. G. W. Stratford; c. S. Chantler; H. Stephens; W. Vidler; R. Cheesman; W. J. Bussell; E. Haywood; G. J. Lenny, e, H. Steed. Selling Class —Bantams.— 1. W. S. Marsh. 2, A. J. Radford. 8, Mrs. J. Longe. 4, J. Honey. he,«lra W. N. Lister; R S. S. Woodtrate. Selling ChA^a.-Any other variety except Bantanu.—l,E. Haywood. 2, .T. Francis. 3, J. Cock. 4, J. ChitteMden. /tc, R.J. Foster; D. W.J. Thomas; N. EdghiU. Selling Class.— .4nt/ other variety except Bantams.— 1, W. Dring. 2, H. Stevens. 3, J. Honey. 4. . I. T. Parker, (ic, E. Heywood. Selling Class.— jfiy other variety except Bantams.— \, J. K. Lawther. 2, Miss E, Brown. 3, W. Dnng. 4. R. s. S. Woodnate. fcc. Miss E. .Manuell ; D. W. J. Thomas ; W. Foster ; E. Haywood c. Miss E. Mansell ; T. H. Smith. Gamk Bantams —Black Rcd.—\, E. Payne. 2, W. S. Marsh. 3. T. Randall, jnn. Brown Red.— I, S. & J. J. Stephens. 2 and 3. V. Sandtord. Any other mrie(y — 1, A. J. Radford. 2, W. White. 3, M. V. Sandford. c, J. Windle; G. H. Nntt. BANTAMS.-Biaci or IT/Mfc Ckan-imdcii-l.C. W. Gedney. 2, J. Watts. 3, G. Vigera. he, G. Ladd ; C. Reed, c, G. Ladd. Any other variety.— 1 and Cup, Mrs. Lee. 2, J. K. Lawther. 3, W. s. Marsh, he, A. A. Vander Meersch. c, R. S. S. Woodgate : Mrs. J. Longe; G. Ramsden; C.Judson. Local Class.— Cup and vhc, R. Ritchie. 2, J. Francis. 3, H. Stephens. Extra 8, J. K. Lawther. he, H. Stephens (2) ; R. iheppard. e, J. W. Robinson ; N. Edghill. DvciLS.-AyUshury.-l, N. Edgbill. 2, F. E. Arler. 3, G. Ware, fie, Mrs. W. Dombrain. e, J. Merriman. Rouen.— 1, F. Parlett. 2, F. Warde. 3, G. Ware. Ac, Earl of Abergavenny ; F. E. Arter. Blacfc.— 1 ands, J. W. Kellaway. 2 and fie, G. S. Sainsbury. .4ny o^/ier farte(l/.—l, K. Wilkinson. 2, W. Boutcher. 3, E. S. S. Woodgate. Docks.— 1 , G. Ware. 2. A. Arnold. Geese.- 1 and 2. G. Ware. Geese.— 1 and 2, G. Field. 3, G. H. Fitz.Herbert. he, J. R. Thomson (3). ToRKEVs.-l and 2, F. Warde. S, Mrs. A. Mayhew. vhc. Rev. N. J. Ridley. he. Earl of Abergavenny; Marcbioneas Camden. PIGEONS. PoDTEHS.- 1, 2, and he, M. H. Gill PoDTEEs.-l, M. H. Gill. 2, F. Winser. c, A. Arnold ; M. H. Gill. Caerieks —1. H. M. Maynard. 2, Ool. F. Hassard. he, M. H. Gill, c, J. Ford ; G. H. Nutt. CiRRiERs.-l, Col. F. Hassard. 2 and ftc, M. H. GUI. tiJic, H. M. Maynard. e, J. Ford. Dragoons.- 1 and 2. L. Whitehead, he, H. W. Webb ; W. V. & J. M. Longe. e, E. Durrant; T. .Marsh. Dragoons.- 1, E. Durrant. 2, J. Chandler. Tdmblees.- 1 and j, J. Ford, vhc and fie, Mrs. Gill, c, E. W. Bunney ; Mrs. GiU; J.S.Simpson. BiRBS — 1, H. M. Maynard. 2, L. Allen. Jaoibins.— 1, A. A. VanderMeersch. Tooting. 2, O. E. Cresswell. fte, H. W. Webb ; G. H. Nutt. Fantails.— 1 and 2, O. E. Cresswell. he, J. F. Loversidge, Newark ; H. M. Mavnard. c, J. F. Loversidge. Tdebits.—I and 2,0. E. Cresswell. Ac,— Gregory ; 0. E. CresswelU c, C. A. Crafer; A G. Avenell. Owls.— land 2. T G. Sprunt. rfie, — Gregory. >ie, J. S. Simpson; C. Blunden. c, L. alien : W. V. & J. M Longe. Antwebps.— Sfior(./aced.—l, E.F.Wilson. 2,W.S.MarBh. kc, E. F. Wilson ; J. T. Theobald. Antwerps.— i,0T!(7-/ni-arA:. — Cock.—\ and Cup, Horace Lingwood, Creeting, Needham Market. I Local, C. Denton, Kcighley. 2, Mrs. H. bj. Buxton, Flixtun. 3. G. S. Pearson, Yarmouth, he and c, J. Hohnea, Whitecotes. Hen— 1, M. Leno. 1 Local, G. S. Pearson. 2, Horace Ling^vood. 2 Local, Mrs. H. ti. Buxton, FUxton. 8, C. Denton, he, E. Pntchard, Tettenhall ; G. S. Pearson; J. Holmes (2). Brahmab.— Lf'ff/jf.— Cocfc.— Cup, 8, and e, P. Haines. Palgrave. Diaa. 2, Horace Lingwood. )ic, P. Haines (3); F, J. Cotterell, Birmingham. llen.~\, Cup, 2. and c, P. Haines. 3, F. J. CotterelL he, P. Haines (2); E. J. Bird, Cawston. Game.— Cocfc.— 1 and Cup. S. Matthew, Stowmarkot 1 Local, G. Copling, Lowestoft. 2, H. E. Martin, Sculthorpo. 2 Local, J. Jones, Lowestoft. 8, H. Reynolds, Lowestoft. Hni—l, S. Matthew. 1 Local and 3, U. Reynolds. 2, H. E. Martin. 2 Local, J. Jones. SpANisn.-Cocfc.—l and Cup. T. Boulter, Clerkenwell, London. 1 Local, W. White. Loweatolt 2, II. Newbitt, Epworth. 8, E. Brown, yhcflield, vhc, 3. Leeming, Broughton. i/en.— 1, J. Leemiog. 2, E. Brown. 3, W. White, he, E. Uolmea; R. Newbitt. lIi.^iiVHOH8.—(!olit-peneillfd — I and Cnp, W. K. Tickner. Ipswich. 1 Local, J. Taylor, Lowentoft. 2, G. & J. Duckworth, Church, Accrington, 2 Local, S. Moure, Loweatwft. 3, J- Long, Bromley Common, Kent. fiC,A. C. Ciiamiber- lain, Swaiiham. SilvrrpfncilUd.—l, F. Steward, Lowestoft. 2, J. Eobinaon, Garstang. 3, T. Crooptr, Bacup. Hamburohh.— tfoia-fl J) (I nff if rf.—l and Cup, T. Dean, Keighlev. 1 Local and 2 Local, H.Reynolds. 2, G. & J. Dockwortb, 3, W. A. Hyde, Tburst. r/t;, J. Robinson, he, W. K. Tickner; H. Reynolds. Silver-spangUd.—l, J. Long. 1 Local, F. Steward. 2, Aahton & Booth. Broadbottom, Mottram. 2 Local, W. Blanch. Mutford. 3. T. E. Thirtle, Lowestoft, he, J. Eobmsun ; H. Stan- worth, Worstborn. e, H. R. Platiin, jun.. Fakcnliam. Fhench.— 1, Mrs. Wicks, Brigg. 3, d. Feast. Swaaaea. 3 and he, W. Cntlack, jun., Littleport. vhc, Rev. M. U. Begbie, Famham Rectory, Bury St. Edmunds. Any oTHKa Variety.-! and Cup, A. & W. H. Silvester, Sheffield. 1 Local. J. Milep, jun., Lowestoft (Andalusianft). 2, J. Robinson. 2 Local. W. Knight, Lowestott (Black Hamburgh). 3, A. Ward, Limdou (Leghorns), he, T. A. Wright, Yarmouth (Black Hamburghs); J. Miles, juo. (Andalusians) ; J. Robinson; W. Knights (Black Hamburgh); T. L. NaBh, Sproughton (Silkies); Miaa E. A. Eeles. Soutbwold (Sultana); T. Dean (Polands). c, J. Wilkinson, Shanforth ( Black Hamburghs) ; Rev. W. C. Safford. Attleborougb Rectory. Sellino Class.- Cocfc. — ]. W. Carter, Lowestoft (Spanish). 1 Local, W. White (Spanish) 2. W. Knights (Black Hamburghs). 2 Local, T. E. Thirtle (Gold-pencilled Hamburghs), 3 and c. H. W. Th.rtle (Brahma), vhe, W. White (.-pani&h); T. E. Thirtle (GoM-penciilcd Hamburghs). he, W. Bruuton, East Dereiiam (Brahma); Mrs. C. Berners (Durking); J. S. Dew, Gamlingay Mills ; T. M. Derry. Gedney. Selling Ci.\bb.— Hen.— 1, Miss E. A. Eelea (White crested Poland). 1 Local and vhc, G. S. Pearsoo (Brahma). 2, J. B. Bly, Wisbeajh (SUver-spangled Hamburghs). 2 Local, S. Moore (Gold-pencilled Hamburghs). 3. W. White (Spanish). he,C. J. Watson, Norwich (Light Brahmas); W. Bruuton (Dark Brahmas) ; J. B. Bly (Siiver-spangled Hamburghs)- c, T. L. Nash (Brahma). Game BANTAMa.— CocA;.— 1 and Cup. W. Adams, Ipswich. 1 Local, W. Robbins, Lowestoft. 2, Capt. F. WetheralJ, Doddington, Kettering. 3. K. Newbitt. he, E. Harris. Islington, London; W. Robbins; W. B. Jeffries, Ipswich; K. Newbitt. Hen.— I, J. S. Pearson, Great Melton. I Local and /ic, W. Robbins. 2, W. Adams. 2 Local, W. Wood, Lowestoft. 8, R. Newbitt. Bantams.— BMrfc or White, Ch-an-lrniTd.~Coek.~l and Cup, G. B. Francis, Romford. 1 Local and 3, T. E. Thirtle' 2, Miluer & Beanland, Keighley. vIlc, Rev. F. Tearle, Gazeley Vicarage, Newmarket, he, W. H. Kobinson, Keighley ; R. H. Ashton, Manchester. Hen.— l. Wells & Sherwin, Ripon. 1 Local, 2, and 2 Local, T. E. Thirtle. 3, MiJner & Beanland. }ic, T. E. Thirtle ; J. Wilkinson ; J. H. Law, Birmingham ; R. H. Ashton ; Rev. F. Tearle. Bantams— ^Hy otJier varietij.—Cock.—l and 2, M. Leno. 3, Miss F. E. Somes, Yarmouth, he, G. Hoiloway, inn , Stroud. Hen.— 1, Cup, and 2, M. Leno. 1 and 2 Local and he, W. Strmglleld. 3, Rev. F. Tearle. DvcK9.— Aylesbury.— 1 and 2. Mrs. C. Berners. 1 Local and 3. F. B. Potts, Wangford. Eoucn.—l, Rev. W. C. Safford. 2 and 3. F. Parlett. Any other rar((?(y.— 1 and2, M.Leno. 1 Local, W. H. Norton, Pakefleld. 3, E. W. South- wood, Fakenham, PIGEONS. Careiers.— Cocfc.— 1 and Cup, E. Walker, Leicester. 2, W. Sefton, Black- burn. 3, W. G. Hammock, vfic, G. Kempton, Islington. London, he, H. Yardley, Birmingham; W. Sefton. c, F. Hodgson, Dnffleld. Hen.—\, W. G. Hammock, Ilford. 2, E. Walker. 3 and c, G Kempton. vhe, J. Stanley, Blackburn, he, H. Yardley ; W. G. Hammock ; W. Seftm (3). CARRrERS.— yo)nit7 Coc/; or Hc/i—1, W. Sefton. 2, A. Billyeald, Nottingham. 3, E. Walker, vhe. E. Walker : C. H. Clarke, Nottingham, he, C. H. Clarke. BAKB9.—Si»i;/f- Bf'ni—LC. Norman. 1 Local, D. Bedford, Kirkley. 2, Miss F. Seanor. 3. H. Yardley. vhe, W. Loveday, Leicester, c, A. P. Byford, Ipswich. Young Singh- Bird.—l, J. Stanley. 1 Local, D. Bedford. 2 and c, C. G. Cave, Spalding. 3, W. Nottage. he, W. Loveday. Dragoons.— B/hs or silver.— tiin/jle Bird.—l, Cup. and 3. W. Sefton. 2. F. Graham, Birkenhead, vhe, A. Mclvenzie, Liverpool; F. Graham; J. Stanley. /ifT. H. Yardley (2); A. McKenzie; F. Graham (3); J.Stanley ; A. Boote, Crewe; W. Sefton. c, A. McKenzie ; F. GraLam ; A. Boote. DRiOooss. — Anif other eolour.Single Bird. — l, F. Graham. 1 Local, 2 Local, and e, A. W. Wren, Lowestofc. 2. L. Whitehi>ad, Drury Lane, London. 3. W. Sefton. vhe, A. W. Wren; A. McKenzie; F. Graham (4); A. Preston. Spalding, tie. W. Loveday; H. Yardley; L. Whitehead; J. Stanley; A. Preston; W. Sefton (3). Tumblers.— Baitis or Beards.—Single Bird.—l, Cup, and 2, W. Woodhouse, Kind's Heath. 1 Local, 2 Local, and vhc, G. & W. Banns. Lowestoft. 3, A. and W. H. Silvester, e, G S. Farman, Lowestoft ; A. A. Vander Meersch, Tooting, London. S W. ; G. & W. Bannp. Tumblers.- .■Inv otiier variety. — Single Bird.—'}, H. Yardley. 1 Local and 2 Local, C. Cowles. Lowestoft. 2. W. G. Hammock. 3, G. Hoiloway, Jan. he, W. Nottage. Northampton; A. & W. H. Silvester (2). eouTBRH.— Single Bird.—l, Cup, and 3, H. Pratt. Hampton in-Arden. 2, H. Thurlow. vhc, W. Nottage; H. Pratt, he, H. Yardlev; P. R. Spencer; L. Watkin. Northampton ; C. H. Byford. c, M. G. Hale, Lime Street, Lundon ; G. H"lloway. jun. ¥\tiT&iLn.— Single Bird.—l, J. Walker, Newark. 1 Local and 2 Local. W. Woed. 2, J. F. Loversidge. 3. P. R. Spencer, he, J. F. Loversidge (2); F. Aldia, Fakenham ; P. R. spencer. c.F.Aldis; J.Walker; Miaa E. A. Eeies. AtiTWERpa.—aingle Bird.—l and 3, J. Stanley- 1 Local and 2 Local, D. lied- ford. 2, F. G. Kussell, Blackheath. lie, H. Yardley; Miss F. Seanor; A. Bentley, Clement's Lane, London ; D. Bedford. Any uther Variety —Singh Bird.—l. Miss F. Seanor. 1 Local, G.Cooper, Blundeston. 2, H. W. Webb, Lower Sydenham (Frillbacks). 2 Local, Miss F. E. Somes (Danish). 3, H. Yardley. vhc. Miss F. Seanor (2) ; A. & W. H. Sil- vester, he. Miss A. E. Eeles (Pigmy Pouters); A. & W. H. Silvester, e. C. T. Townsend, Ipswich ; T. Cropper (Swallow). Selling Cl4S8.— 1, A. W. Wren (Yellow Dragoons). 1 Local, C. Cowlea (Blue Balds). 2, G. Lee (Yellow Dragoons). 3, H. Thurlow. vhc, A. & W. H. Silvester, he, A A Va^nder Meorsch; J.Walker; P. R. Spencer, Hereford; L. Watkin (White Pouters); T. Crooper (Turbits). c, J. F. Loversidge, Newark; C. Cowles. CAGE BIRDS. Clear.— l*t'Hoir.— I, Provart & Willis, Norwich. 2 and he,G. & J. Mackley, Norwich. Local, W. Haverson, Lowestoft. Buff.~l and 2, G. <*il J. Mackley. Local, W. Haverson. he, Provart & Willis, Norwich. Variegated.— iVi/oir.— Extra land 2, G. & J. Mackley. Local, W. Haverson. ZIj(£''-—1, Provart & Willis. 2 and i-'k". G. & J. Mackley. hc.R. Poole, Maldon; Provart &, Willis. Local. W. Haverson. Crested.— Extra 1 and 2, G. & J. Mackley. Local, W. Haverson. Cinnamon.— 1 and 2, G. &. J. Mackley. Local, W. carter, he. R. Poole. Mule —Extra 1, G. & J. Mackley. 2 and r. M. Flynn. he, R. Poole ; G. & J. Macklev. Parrot or Parakeet —1 and vhc, Miss A. E. Eeles. 2, Mrs. Wren, Lowestoft, Local, A. Page, jun , Lowestoft, /tc, T. Roll, Lowestoft (2); Miss F. E. Somes; T. E. Thirtle. Ant other Variety of British or Forrion.— 1. R. Bishop, King's Iiynn (Golden Lizard). 2 and vhc. Miss E. A. Kelt-s (Zebra Finch and Di«in.md Sparrow). Local, Miss F. E. Somes (BuUftnch). ke, Misa F. E. Somes (Bull- tine h and Cockatoo); G. & 3. Mackley (Golntinch); Miss E. A. Eelea (Coral- neck Sparrow and Bengalese Blane). Selling CuAss.—^iiyjU Bird.—l, Provart & WilUn (Ticked Buff). 2, R. Poole (Cinnamon). Local, W. Haversoa (Ticked Yellow), vhc, Provart and Willis (Yellow); G. & J. Maokley (Clear Yellow Norwich) he, W. Haverson (Clear BufT); Miss E. A. Eeles (Created Bronzewing) ; R. Binhop (Golden Lizard), c, A. Boatwright, Bungay (Mulelook) ; W. Hnvorson (Ticked YeUow). Judges.— PowZin/; Mr. R. Teebay, and Rev. T. L. Fellowes PLgeoris : Mr. E. Hntton. Cage Birds : Mr. H. Thurlow, and Mr. E. Hutton. "White Dorking Classes at Bristol. — Tlie sabscriptions to these were:— Miss E. 'WiiliamB, .t'l Is.; Alfred Darby, Ebcj., Jannaz7 28, 1875. ] JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 87 X'l Is. ; Mrs. Hayne, 10s. ; O. E. CresBwell, JCl Is. It may be a Batisfaction to the Bubscribers to know that in my opinion the classes were the best which have been seen for a long time. — O. E. CHESSWBLL. ASPATRIA (CUMBERLAND) POULTRY AND CAT SHOW. {From our owii Correspondent.) Tins Exhibition was held at Aspatria on the 20th and 21st inst., and showed considerable improvement over its predecessor of 1874. It elicited entries from noted local and other exhibitors, and some first-clasa birds were exhibited. The display of Pigeons was a very fine one, as also Canaries and those useful household pets yclept Cats. Amongst the latter a pure white Japanese Cat, the property of Miss Lawson of Brayton Hall, elicited much admiration, and its fair mistress some envy in beinp; the favoured possessor. Mr. Pickering of Warwick Bridge undertook the responsible onus of judging throughout, a most arduous undertaking, but which he performed very successfully. The following is a list of his awards:— Gave.— Black-breasled. 1, J. W. Brockbank. Kirksanton. 2, J. Raathmell, Kendal. Browiirbreasted.—}, J. Brough. Carlisle. 2, W. Barnoa, Btenner- haseett. Any other variety— l, J. Macfereth, Holbora Hill. 2, J. Langoake, Aspatria. Any variety — 1, J. Nelson. 2, Charters & Irviuj;. Bhahmas.— --liiy variety.— 1, A. Dickinson, Diatingtan. 2, H. Beldon. Coouiss.— Any variety.— I, Capt. G. F. Lyoo, Klrkmiehael, Dumfries. 2, Mrs. H. Beldon DoRKisas.— Any variety.— 1, J. Robinaon, Garstang. 2, Miss Kaowlea, The Priory, St, Bees. Spanish.— Jni/ rariety.—l, H. Beldon. 2, H Wilkinson. Samburc.ua.— OoUienspanqled or Pencilled.— 1, J. Robinson. 2, H. Beldon. Silvers})ingled or PtncilU'd.-l, H. Beldon. 2, J. Robinson. French.— I. Bouch t Armstrong, Aspatria. 2, R. J. Robinson, Ulverston, PoLANDs.— 1 and 3, H. Beldon, Any uihbr distinct vauitetv (except Bantams).—! and 2, H. Beldon, BLtiT\Jis.—Game,BligoiD.— I. R. Bryilezt. 2, W. Clark, Langholm, Flecked GLa.^gow.—l, A. A. Mauchan, Dumbdrton. 2, R. Bryden. Any variety of Crested Canary. -1, J Baxter. Newcastle on-Tyne. a, K. Hawman, Middleaborouuh Any other variety of Canary.— 1, J. Adams. 2. cleminson S Eilert.m. Sfilino Cia«j.-1, A. Palmer. 2, G. Cox. Goldfinch and Canary Mute, clear or Variegated.— 1,G. Stephenson, Gateshead. 2, J. Baxter. GoUinrirh and Canary Mulr. Dark.— I, R. Hawman. 2, G. & J. Mackley, Norwich, .iny other variety of MuU.—\, J. Spence, South Shielda. 2, R. Hawman Goldfinch.— 1, 3. C. Bamber, Preston. 2, Cleminson Jt Ellerton. Broirn Linmt—l, Cleminaon & Ellerton. 2, Baxter 4 Percival. Any othrr variety of britt.ih Bird.— I and 2, R. Pearson, Whitbv. Any variety of Foreign Bird.— 1, S. Bunting 2. T Barrrow, Monkwearmouth. Penrith Class.— Sinking Bird, showing no Belgian Properties.— 1, Miss M. ■Wataon, Penrith. 2, J. ustle, Penrith. SPECIAL PRIZES. Silver Cup for the beat bird in The Members' classes.- J. Turner, Penrith. Silver Cup to the winner of the moat points in Classes 11 and 12.— J. Ratter, Sunderland silver Cup to the winner of the moat points in Classes 13, 14, 15, and 16, Alhersuch 4 Son, Coventry. Stiver Cup to the winner of the moat points in C.asaea 17 and 18.— Cleminson & Ellerton, Darlington. Timepiece to the wioner of the moat peinta in Classea ly, -20.21, and 22.— Reid 4 Wilkiuaon. Halifax. Silver ' up to the winner of the most points in Claaaea 23, 24, and 25. — R. Brjden, Loehmaben, Dumfriessliire. Silver Cup to the winner of the moat points in Classes ;10, 31 and 32.— R. Hawman, Middlesborough. Silver Cup for the bea. bird in the Open Classes, J. Spence, South Shields. JvDOES.— For English Birds : Mr. P. Rawusley, Bradford ; and Mr. W. Watson, Darlington. For Scotch Birds : Mr. James Thorpe, Dumfries. ALLOA POULTRY SHOW. The above Show was held in the Corn Exchauge, Alloa, on January 1.5th and Kith. There was a fair display of poultry, and Pigeons were a fine lot. Dorkings were very numerous, espe- cially Silvers, and the prizewinners deservedly placed. Spanish were good ; first a very nice pen, which we think we have seen win several times this season. Hamburghs were numerous and the quality good, especially the Golden-pencils. Golden-spangled were entirely absent, but Silver-spangled made up for the defi- ciency. Brahinas were a good though small lot, the first-prize birds in this class winning the cup for the best pen in the Show. Cochins were not numerous, nor were Game, which, however, were of fine quality. Game Bantatns were a large lot. First were Black Red, a grand hen, bnt the cock too squirreled in the tail ; second fair Piles. Any other variety Bantams. — First Black, which should, however, have been not higher than third. Second good Silver Sebrights; second better Blacks than first. Any other variety. — First, good Black Hamburghs ; second, Houdans ; third, Creves. Pigeons were headed by White Pouters, which were a good lot and well judged. Red or Yellow came next. First a grand pen of Reds : the hen in this pen won the cup for the best Pigeon in the Show. Second was a mistake ; 188, Yellow, un- noticed, was far before them in all respects. Blues were a fine class well judged, as was the Any-other-colour class ; first here Mealy, a really magnificent hen and good cock. Tumblers were numerous ; the best pen of the lot was the first Kites in the Any-other- colour class. Fans were, we think, a mistake; first going to great coarse birds of English type, all tail, no motion. Any other variety. — First, Red Barbs ; second, Carriers, a fine pair; third. Dun Barbs. Judges. — Poultry : Mr. Jardiue, Kilmarnock; Pigeons: Mr. A. Frame, Larkhall. DRAGOONS VERSUS HORSEMEN. I H.4VE read with much pleasure the communications of Mr. Staunton and Mr. Henry upon this subject, and I may add that I have had private letters from some who, though they decline coming forward in print, yet as heartily agree with my view as the two above-named gentlemen. Now, I think that Pigeon fanciers — I mean true fanciers — and much as I delight in shows, yet the prizes do slightly interfere with genuine Pigeon love, for a number of men exhibit for prizes who but for prizes wonlii not keep Pigeons. I say that true Pigeon-fanciers have a great regard for the opinions, especially the recorded opinions, of fanciers of a former day ; that they do not regard the fancy as merely a thing of the present, but as an old taste and regulated by old rules ; that a hundred years ago a Pouter was a Pouter as now, a Carrier a Carrier, and that a Dragoon ought to be a Dragoon ; and I add that true fanciers are jealous of any changes of name or nature, and only welcome changes which all fanciers agree to as being improvements. Returning to the subject of genuine fanciers and shows, I quote with much pleasure the words of a grand old fancier of Pouters, Mr. Ure of Dundee. Speaking of the days of his youth he says, " In those days I should think no one but a genuine fancier kept Pigeons. They had no open shows, as we have now almost every week, so there was nothing to induce the spurious or mere ' showing ' fancier to go into them. They had their private clubs, where they met to exhibit their old ' cracks ' or the young coming ' wonders ' that were to knock the old ones off their perches ; and I am not sure but these were the right sort of shows after all." It is, then, genuine fanciers, who free from prize-bias (not but that many who take prizes are very genuine fanciers), to take care that the laws of the fancy be not improperly altered, and that a bird of one variety be not foisted on to the world as a bird of another — e.g., that a bad Carrier or a good Horseman be not penned with Dragoons and pass by their name. In this matter let us go back to our forefathers and hear what they have to say, and what sort of a bird they call a Dragoon Pigeon. Old Moore, A.r>. 173.5, gives a longish account of the Horseman, a bird then thought much of, and even painted in oils by Bogdani, an eminent painter of the reign of Queen Anne, and several of whose works that Queen had in her palaces, where they hang to this day. These birds are described minutely as to head, &c., and colour ; and these very birds I hold are now highly esteemed, but called " Dragoons, London Style." In the Treatise, a.d. 1765, we have a little more about the Dragoon ; but we have nothing added by Girton ; and until the modern writers. Brent, and Eaton, and others, nothing save one remark- able exception. In the work published by Longman, first edition, 1 fancy about 1830, we have a good engraving of a Dra- goon's head, just like the one pictured by Mr. Ludlow; and accompanying the engraving these additional words of descrip- tion— " One of the principal beauties of the Dragoon is the straightoess of the top of its skull and that of its beak, which ought almost to make a horizontal line with each other." Then goes on a remark saying that the cut is from a fine living bird. But in the words I have quoted lies the pith of the whole matter — straightnesB of skull and of beak; and in the book quoted, "the lightness and smallness" of the Dragoon is spoken of in contradistinction to the heaviness of the Horseman. Now, such was the Dragoon, and such is the true historical fancy Pigeon rightly called a Dragoon, so named from the small light cavalry soldier called a Dragoon, who is a small man and rides a small horse, while the Horseman Pigeon corresponds to the heavy horse soldier. I have had the opportunity of seeing a group of true Dragoons drawn by Mr. Ludlow, which when published will delight the fanciers of the genuine bird. Much as I like some fanciers, though their knowledge is almost limited to Pigeons, yet those who know something of English literature as well as Pigeons should have a voice in this matter. I have not seen one Argument in favour of Horsemau-Dra- January 28, 1875. ] JOURNAL OF HOBUOULTUBB AND COTTAGE GABDBNBB. 89 goons. All that is stated is Mr. This-person's opiuion or Mr. Tbat's. Argument based ou the history of the fancy has not been attempted; and the men who accept the Horseman as a Dragoon know and will own that their birds are often not Dra- goon-bred. That the old variety, called properly the Horseman, should be an exhibition bird is my wish. In this fight of truth against prizetaking I see the especial value of Pigeon periodi- cals ; for a judge even is apt to say, " Well, I shall only give a prize to the Pigeon I approve ;" but Pigeon-writers are too strong for even prejudiced judges. I wait anxiously for argu- ments, and not merely for the opinions of this fancier or that keeper of Pigeons. As the matter now stauds the writers in favour of the bastard-bred young Carriers, or true Horsemen, are — to adopt an old phrase and putting to it a new signification — " utterly routed, horse, foot, and Dragoons." — Wiltsiiiiie Rector. STANDARD OF DRAGOON. I .iM very glad this question is getting somewhat nearer settle- ment. I observe an article upon this subject in another perio- dical by Mr. South, who has, I believe, bred some of the win- ning birds at various exhibitions, and therefore ought to know something about the birds in question, and with the concluding part of his statement I must say I agree, though we have begun at the wrong end; but no doubt we shall in due time, if we go on, arrive safely to the head of the bird. Mr. South says that the tail of the Dragoon ought not to touch the ground. I pre- sume he means whan the bird stands quite or perfectly upright. I then with my rule or straightedge referred to the bird and article by *' Wiltshire Rector," in this Journal, and on placing the straightedge level with the sole of the feet found that the bird did carry the tail well off the ground. With this I agree as being one of the true points of a Dragoon, and that no Judge ought to give a prize or even a commendition to a bird, however good it may be in other points, if the tail does touch the ground, as a Dragoon ought not to be a long-feathered bird. As to the pink eye, I have always seen it in a true-bred Dragoon, but if it can be bred-out as an improvement I have nothing to say against it. Mr. South also says, to settle the question let there be chosen (I say by ballot), two members out of each society. I suppose he means a London and a country society. Now, I would propose that there be twelve chosen by ballot to settle this question, say two from London, two from Birmingham, two from Manchester, and the other six from the different parts of the United Kingdom, not forgettiug Mr. Lud- low with his pencil, that he may draw a true likeness of the bird chosen by the said twelve, as being the most perfect speci- men. Let all the gentlemen send their names to you that are willing to act, then let a printed form be sent to all Dragoon fanciers, and let them place their mark X opposite the name they wish to act. I will give one guinea towards the expenses with pleasure. — W. Woodhouse, King's Lynn. BEE-KEEPING IN 1875. The new year dawns upon us hopefully in regard to the pro- spects of bee-keepers. Frosts and snow, of which we have had a fair share already, and at a very seasonable time, are an excel- lent preparation for a good and plentiful honey harvest. Here in the south-west of England, living as we do very near the seacoast, frosts of any severity are rare. As it is, I doubt if we have had more than 12' of frost, and that for only two or three days' duration ; and it is now several years since we had frost enough to skate anywhere about us for more than a few hours at a time. Now, I have often observed that our best honey seasons — and they are of rare occurrence here — have followed our coldest winters. Therefore I augur hopefully for the sum- mer before us. It is now (Jan. 16th) so warm, and has been so for some days, that a fire might have been dispensed with. At this moment I am sitting with my window wide open facing north, and my bees have been busy pollen-gathering. I noticed this pleasant sight for the first time on the 12th, but I have no doubt they were at it some days before during my absence from home. All my hives, eleven in number, seem to be in good health, and well supplied with provisions. It is a good thing when the weather is open, as at present, to clear away as many dead bees as can be got at within the hive without breaking away the hive from its board. This can fre- qnently be done by inserting a piece of wire with a curve at one end, and hookingout the dead on the floorboard. The effluvium arising from a mass of corrupting bodies is often very great, and after a long period of cold weather there is sure to be a con- siderable quantity of such dead bodies lying about the floor- board inside. The bees ordinarily remove their dead them- selves from day to day when they can get out ; but it helps them much to assist them in this labour, besides adding to their health and comfort. Where wooden hives are used no harm can accrue from breaking-up the hive from its board in any case where these fit accurately. It is in the case of straw hives, which rarely do sit evenly on the board, that it is perilous to remove these boards in winter. Sometimes I have known the dead accumulate so thickly about the entrances inside as to choke them up entirely, in which case, there being no exit for the bees, the hive perishes inevitably. Let all bee-keepera watch against eventualities like these, as well as against long- continued accumulations of snow outside on the entrance- boards. These hints are not untimely, as we shall doubtless ere long be visited by a sharp increase of cold, all the more severe for the present extraordinary warmth of temperature. Since writing the above I have been examining my hives, and found ten out of the eleven pollen-gathering, some of them quite vigorously. One hive, active and strong, on inspection by a window at the back seemed to have a lar. 8 0 12 U 0 0 u 0 2 0 8 0 8 U 4 (1 a 0 4 0 0 0 (I 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 n 0 0 0 0 u 8 0 12 u 1 0 X » Febniary 4, 1875. "1 JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 91 WEEKLY CALENDAR. Day Day Month Week. i Th S F 6 S 7 Sun 8 M 9 To 10 W KEBEUABY 4—10, 1875. Aogustas Pyr. DecandoUe bom, 177d. Zoological Society, 8.30 P.M. Dr. Prieetley died, 1801, aged 61. QUINgUAGESIMA. Geographical Society, 8.30 P.M. Boyal Horticnltural Annual, 3 p.m. Geological Society, 8 p.m. Average aperatare London, Day. 45.0 45.7 46.5 46.9 45.6 45.3 44.9 NiKht. 32.8 83.5 82.6 33.0 82.0 31.6 30.1 Sun Rises. Ucan, m. h. 38.9 S6aJ7 39.1! 34 7 R9.6 83 7 39.9 31 7 .S8.8 29 7 38.4 27 7 37.5 26 7 Sun Sets. m. h. 52 a{ 4 54 4 66 4 68 4 0 5 3 5 3 6 Moon Bises. Moon Sets. m. h. 16af 7 1 m. h. 12 al 2 S3 3 50 26 61 15 8 9 , 41 10 Moon's Age. Days. 28 29 O 1 2 3 4 Clock Day -of Sun. Year. m. h. 14 12 35 14 17 36 14 21 37 14 24 88 14 26 89 14 28 40 14 29 41 From obBerrations taken near London daring 32.2«. forty-three yeara, the average day temperature of the week ia 45.7'; and its night temperaturO CATCHING SUNBEAMS. ^^^^^^^^^© HO can tall the value of an hour's sun- shine in January to the gardener who has to keep up a perpetual supply of choice fruit, flowers, anil vegetahles ? the de- mands for which always seem to increase in proportion as the weather gets worse. Fourteen hand-barrowloads ot plants in flower (fine-foliage and Ferns count for nothing here), all through the dullest months of winter to bo kept principally in dark dry passages heated with hot-air flues, which pro- duce anything but a genial atmosphere, according to my notions of geniality, varied now and then by an icy draught from wide-open windows early in the morning when the weather is bright (and bracing to the hardier members of the animal world), take no small amount of scheming and forethought. But all this is play compared with supplying choice vegetables to M. le Chef, who expects his demands for Coiicomhre, Tomaie, &c., to be supplied as easily as his order to Messrs. Barto Valle for maccaroni. Let a thing be known to be scarce, it is supposed to be recherche, and the demand increases accordingly. I have sometimes found the following httle bit of stratagem successful, but I am afraid it will not serve me much longer. When a thing is likely to run short, gather all that can be laid hold of, of good, bad, and indifferent quality, and cause all to be placed before le Chef at once, who will then say it is not recherche, it is too common, and you may, perhaps, get a respite for a week. This, of course, is not honest practice, and an hour's sunshine made the most of will often do much to remove all difficulties. We have now had several weeks of very dull, almost dark days, with not ten minutes' sunshine in a week, and, strangely enough, frequently as soon as the sun had fairly gone down the sky cleared, and the moon shone brightly. I suspect it would take a lot of moonshine to produce a pennyworth of chlorophyll. Now to-day, this 22nd of January, after a little frost, we have actually had a whole day's sunshine — glorious sunshine ! a blessing not to be lightly esteemed. I was a little timid in the morning, anxious to make the most of every ray of light, but half afraid that tender Vine leaves, which had never seen real daylight before, would not bear such an abundance of it. Peaches, too, with flowers fully expanded under very ad- verse circumstances, would they bear it? Cucumbers with strong vigorous shoots, but with scarcely so dark a green colour as they should have, and some of the little fruits damping at the end, barely keeping pace with the daily demand for salad, and affording none for culinary purposes, if they could be induced to stand three or four hours of this heavenly sunshine would never look back again. Strawberries with their ci-owns just opening, Eoses with shoots an inch long and just coming into leaf, Asparagus is Asperge blanche when we would rather have it A.-ipcrge verte. Everything, excepting, perhaps, French Beans, shows a want of daylight. Now it is No. 723.— Vol. XXVIII., New Seeies. come, wUl they be able to bear it '? Fortunately at sunrise there is no house with a higher temperature than 57". Peaches, Strawberries, and Eoses have a lower tempe- rature than this. Drops of moisture hang like beads round the edges of the leaves, and when the sun shines through the roof it feels inside the houses as nearly like a fine morning in May as anything I can imagine. There is no time to stop long in a place ; there is much running backward and forward, just putting the least bit of air on one house and then running on to the next. There is not even time to look at the thermometers, temperature now is immaterial. The all-absorbing question is, Will the fohage, which is comparately thin in texture and short of chlorophyll, bear the sunhght ? Very little air must be admitted at once. It is still a frosty air. A leaf must not be seen to move, nor a breath of cold au- felt. All the air must be admitted at the top, not the least bit anywhere else, or a draught will be the consequence. The sun stUl shines and the sky looks clear, another run round, another chink of ah- on tho Peach house. The trelhs is touched, and the pollen is seen floating about in the sunlight. The petals look strong and healthy, and some fall off still perfect. Some few buds here fell off when commencing to swell, but I think all are safe now, and the first opportunity will see seven- eigthths of them picked off. Other houses, how- ever, want looking to now, and this time it is a question whether the amount of ventilation now on will be suffi- cient for that part of the day when the sun, supposing it to keep out, will be the most powerful. It is now about 9.30, and there is not a cloud visible. The temperature has not yet risen more than 5° in any of the houses, but it is gradually rising in all ; not a leaf is droopmg, and there is now every prospect of the plants being able to stand the glorious sunlight. Fires, of course, were stopped long ago, and the pipes are already cooling ; it wOl soon be nothing but Nature's own genial atmosphere. A day like this does more for the gardener than weeks of hard firing. No more air is given after 9.30. The temperature in most of the houses rises to about 75° by 10.30, and as the plants seem to be enjoying it, it is time at twelve o'clock to consider how to make the most of the remaining sun heat. The Cucumber house is now entirely closed, and the temperature rapidly rises to 82°, all natural heat. The pipes, with the exception of those for supplying bottom heat, are now nearly cold. Not a leaf is droop- ing here ; the growth by this time after three hours' bright sunshine must be considerably consolidated, and I shall expect by to-morrow morning to have a visible difference in both leaves and fruits. Other houses now have the ventilation reduced, and all, excepting the Peach house are entirely closed soon after one o'clock. Were the Peaches a little forwarder, and fairly commenced swelling, they would be closed up too ; but probably all the flowers are not yet fertilised, and during the process of fertilisa- tion a close atmosphere is not good for them. Peaches and Apricots outside are fast sweUing their buds: I would rather the sunhght did not reach them just yet. I have had hmewash in which a little sulphur No. 1875.— Vol. LIII., Old Sebies. 92 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ Fobniary 4, 1875. wag dissolved syringed over them— in fact, over the entire walla, for the purpose of killing insects, and I expect this, as it dries perfectly white, to keep the flowers back a little. This limewash is also applied to Gooseberries, Currants, Plums, Ac, to keep the birds from destroying their buds. If made properly with freshly-burned lime, no amount of rain will wash it off. There is still some remaining on standard Plum trees which was applied last winter ; and as I find it rids the trees of moss and lichen, and, with the addition of dissolved sulphur, of all insect pests, I mean to use it much more extensively than hitherto. It is very glaring and unsightly, but I must have fruit. Those who object to having it white may add soot or some other innocent colouring matter, and it wUl stiU be effectual for all the purposes named, excepting for retarding the blossoms. — Williaih Taylok. NOTES FEOM MY GARDEN IN 1874.— No. 2. Did I not know how very great is the difference that soil makes in the success or failure of many things I should have wondered very much more than I do at the statements which are made on the subject of Potatoes. When I hear so good an authority as my friend Mr. Kinghorn saying that he has found Climax an excellent one, or I see others writing that they can make nothing of Suttons' Red-skin Flourball, I can only say it puzzles me, and pass on. I have mentioned, as far as my own culture is concerned, that I have some early sorts in my garden, and the remainder in a field where the soil is of a very light sandy nature. In the former I planted small quantities of the following sorts — Brownell's Beauty, Extra Early Ver- mont, Snowflake, Lee's Kidney, Myatt's Prolific, and Rector of Woodstock. Of these the first was about as ugly and bad a Potato as I ever care to see ; it was at once condemned, and will never again find a place in my garden. Extra Early Ver- mont seemed to me in no way distinguishable from Early Rose, of which it seems to be a selected strain. Snowflake I regard as the very best we have had from America — the only one, in fact, that I should care to grow ; it is very white, of good flavour, and apparently prolific. Lee's Kidney I received from my neighbour Mr. Woodford, and found it to bear out all that had been said of it ; it is akin to Myatt's ProUfic, but earlier, and an excellent cropper. I have saved a good quantity of seed, and think I shall quite discard Myatt's Prolific for it. I find by the Messrs. Suttons' catalogue that the entire crop has been purchased by them from Messrs. Lee. Rector of Woodstock is a handsome round second early Potato of Mr. Fenn's raising ; it is very floury, and I shall grow it again this year. My only doubt about it is whether it does net lack flavour, for while a Potato ought not to have any earthy taste, it ought certainly to have some more flavour than a lump of flour in the mouth. The varieties that I grew in my field piece were Lapstone, Yorkshire Hero, Victoria, Suttons' Red-skin Flourball, Hun- dredfold Fluke, Waterloo, and Suttons' Exhibition Kidney. I this year altered my plan of proceeding. My first Potatoes wore planted on February 2nd, and the whole were finished by Febrnaiy 2l8t, and all were dug out by August 10th; and the result is so favourable that I mean in future to adopt the same course. The season was, as we know (while trying so far as the largeness of the crop was concerned) an excellent one as far as freedom from disease went, and I do not think that I have had, either at the taking-up or since, a gallon of diseased Potatoes ; but then I found that my neighbours who left their Potatoes in the ground until September have com- plained, not merely that many of them were diseased at the lifting, but that they have lost a good many since. One thing I was doubtful of : Some of the later sorts, such as Victoria, were green in the haulm when they were lifted, and many of them rubbed in the skin. I do not find, however, that this affects their keeping qualities, and therefore the advice Mr. Luckhurst gave me not to mind the skin not being set was sound. Possibly it might have been better to have left them another fortnight, but in harvest time it is diCficult with us to get hands, and so I must either have dug them or left them until after harvest ; and I am quite satisfied with the result obtained by digging early. I cannot understand why my very good friend Mr. Laxton should have planted as late as he did, and do not wonder that the results in so many cases were dis- appointing ; and while I do not see the advantage of planting so very early as Mr. Radclyffe does, I am persuaded that early planting and early lifting are the two surest preventives of the disease. With regard to varieties I still cling to my often-expressed opinion, that the Lapstone is the best Potato grown for eating. It is not so heavy a cropper as some, but its flavour is excel- lent. Yorkshire Hero is very similar to it, but somewhat later, and of the same good character for eating. I believe that for the cottager, who looks for productiveness, there is nothing to exceed Buttons' Red-skin Flourball. It is a late Potato, but I lifted it at the same time as the others. It is one of those large-growing Potatoes that are unsuitable generally for garden culture ; and as I have more than once said, the proper way to use it is baking. What are we to say to our Potato culture ? I have just read that in America a codified statement of trials has been given, and that 1 lb. of Brownell's Beauty produced 1018 lbs. Surely we must be all wrong in our method of cul- ture when 60 or 70 lbs. from 1 lb. of seed is considered a large crop. My experience in Cucumber-growing is but small, nor can I say much as to sorts. I had Pearson's Long Gun last year, and found it good ; but I beUeve the two best out are Douglas's Tender and True and Suttons' Duke of Connaught,the former black spine and the latter white spine. The first I beUeve better fitted for a house, the latter excellent for a frame, where I am going to try it this year. In the same way I can only say with regard to Melons, that I am quite satisfied that for the small amateur, who like myself can only use a pit that has been devoted to other objects, there is nothing to be compared to Munro'a Little Heath Melon. It gives so readily a nice little crop of fair flavour, that I do not think it is possible to substitute any other equally good for it. Another excellent little novelty is The Queen Onion. It comes in so quickly, makes such pretty little bulbs, and stands the winter so well, that it deserves a place in every amateur's garden — not to take the place of such sorts as Nuneham Park, Improved Reading, and .lames's Long-keeping, but for early use, and for sowing in the autumn for early spring use. I have not entered on the subject of Broceolis, &c., for in truth I know not what to say. I have been disappointed in finding, that although I planted so as to get as I hoped a good succession, I have found them all coming in of a heap. It may have been my fault, but it is none the less so. Such are my experiences of vegetables in 1874. I must repeat that I do not intend to disparage other varieties by speaking favourably of these, but I can only say that in my own cultivation I have found them as I have stated. — J)., Deal. WHITE-EDGED GERANIUM LITTLE TEOT. Among the large number of new bedding Geraniums that are annually introduced, varieties of sterling merit occasion- ally present themselves, and which quickly obtain a place in every garden, not from any puffing or startling announcement upon the part of the raisers, but from that genuine excellence and intrinsic merit which, however much neglected in other things, certainly makes its way among plants. Foremost among such was the famous Tom Thumb, still quoted as an example in habit of growth of what a bedding Geranium should be. SteUa, again, was another "standard kind;" so was, and still is, Waltham Seedling; so was Mrs. Pollock, and such is Little Trot. The white or silver-edged section of Geraniums has never been a very extensive one, nor has it comprised many really meritorious kinds. Alma, Bijou, Flower of the Day, and Per- fection were once grown by tens of thousands, but it was solely for the beauty of their foliage ; in every other point they were found wanting. Flower of Spring in its bushy habit was a considerable advance upon aU those kinds, as were May Queen and Miss Kingsbury ; but none of these or others of later date can at all approach Little Trot in any way. Its growth is spreading, dense, compact, and very dwarf— all points of merit in a bedding plant, and in all of which plants of this section have hitherto been lamentably deficient ; but it is in the striking and chaste effect of its broad white leaf- margin that it shines so conspicuous and is so superior to other kinds. It particularly attracted my attention in the trial beds at Chiswick last autumn. One was drawn to it in- voluntarily, precisely as to the glorious masses of Viola Per- fection which were there, and conviction came to one's mind with the sight of each that the raisers had not only succeeded in making a " hit," but had conferred a real boon upon all who love flowers. I was about to add that I had no particular interest in my Fobroary 4, 1875. ] JOUBNAL OF HOBTIOULTURB AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 9S advocacy of this plant, bnt surely that would have been false. The raiser and distributor of a good plant are interested in a pecuniary sense ; but there are other kinds of interest, and mine is most undoubtedly to tell to the readers of the .Journal what- ever facts may be worth knowing about this or other things worthy of their attention. — Edward Lcckuurst. ERANTHIS HYEMALIS, ok WINTER ACONITE. As early spring flowers seem now-a-days to be sought after as earnestly as new or choice bedding plants were a few years ago, it is singular that this old favourite should have received so little attention, having been seldom mentioned as occupy- ing a position in those gardens where " spring bedding," as gardeners will term it, is most patronised ; certainly its neg- lect cannot arise from its want of hardihood, for I do not know of one more capable of preserving itself. In regard to its earliness I am inclined to place it as the very first, if we make the 1st of January our starting point. True, some of the Primroses may be in flower before that time, and so, also, may some of the Hellebores, but they seem rather to belong to the class of autumn or winter-flowering plants than to early spring, of which this beautiful little plant is the type ; for I do not recollect at any time ever seeing it bloom before the be- ginning of the new year, and but seldom is there any token of the plant being present uutU after that time ; still its bright yellow flowers are presented to our view in most cases ere January is one, and very often before it is far advanced ; and taking the present winter as an example, it is almost needless to point to December, 1874, as being a very cold and wintry month — frost with us on twenty-seven days, and the ground covered rather deeply with snow for the last sixteen days and for three days at least in January, 1875, whUe some of the snow re- mained three or four days more, and when it disappeared there did not seem a trace of this early harbinger of the new year, but its flowers nevertheless presented themselves fully expanded on the l-lth in considerable numbers, and I believe a few did so a day or two before that; the Buttercup-like brightness of their petals contrasting favourably with the dark- coloured ground through which they had thrust their way ; whUe their shining-green leaves added by their freshness an additional charm to their welcome appearance. It must be remembered, too, that the plants alluded to did not occupy any favoured spot Ukely to hasten them on, they being quite in the open ground — being, in fact, an edging to some Rose beds, and not humoured in any way, yet there they are flower- ing, and their bright numerous flowers visible at a great dis- tance, the dark-coloured soil as well as the turf by which they are bounded alike adding to the contrast, and giving a cheerful aspect to the beds they margin. It happened that the white Primrose I have so often depended on for furnishing a nice display at Christmas, has this season disappointed me ; the long period of severe weather before that time prevented them coming on, and the Snowdrops are not yet out, so the palm of earliness this season must in the fullest sense be accorded to the useful little bulbs. This little plant, which when fully expanded is seldom more than 3 inches high, seems to have been known in this country for nearly three centuries, is more often met with in old neg- lected gardens than in fashionable new ones. In the former position it will often be found growing at the base of some large timber trees or amongst shrubs that have not been dis- turbed for many years, and very often struggling for an exist- ence amongst things of much more robust growth, and main- taining the struggle. Many years ago I had a large patch that had originally occupied the spaces between old Fuchsia plants in a bed on which the encroaching branches of a Cedar of Lebanon were making advances. The place not being of im- portance, the Cedar of Lebanon, the Fuchsia a hardy one (I believe the old F. gracilis), and the little Winter Aconite were all allowed to take their chance, and do for themselves ; the result being the Fuchsias were the first to give way, and little Winter Aconite successfully maintained its own against the weeds and other plants that usurped the space for some time, that it was only when the Cedar branches had so completely overshadowed it, and the common Ivy had occupied the ground some time, that the little spring favourite eventually suc- cumbed. I have seen it struggle on some years amongst grass in a dry situation, and its seeds when allowed to ehed them- selves on the turf generally come up in great abundance, more especially, I believe, when the soil is of a chalky or limestone character. I am not sure that it is limited to soils of that kind ; on the contrary, I think it will grow on most ordinary soils, provided it be not too wet, and perhaps a too stiff clay is also pernicious to it. But I beUeve one of its greatest enemies is the spade ; for coming up, as it does, in January, and as usually its foliage is ripened off and also its seeds during May, there is all the rest of the year wherein no outward vestige of it is seen, and consequently, either from design or accident, it gets disturbed, and is rarely put back again so well as it is taken up that it gets lost. Still it clings to life tenaciously, and is often met with coming up where least expected ; bnt it is best when left alone. If it be advisable to multiply it, wo very often do so when it is in flower, as it can bo the more easily seen, and lines or edgings of it are easily made then ; and as an edging lor clumps of shrubs I need not say anything in its favour ; while Roses and other things in beds may in like manner be also the better for its presence, and even patches of it in the herbaceous border are very beautiful coming up where there is nothing else. Care onght, however, to be taken to mark it with a stick, so that during the summer it be not meddled with. Tufts also in the rockery are charming ; and even on the narrow border adjoining most dwelling houses, where creepers are cultivated, a few plants of this peeping up in middle of January, and cheering by their richly coloured petals that dull period of the year, are a source of attraction which after-objects, coming when other things are plentiful, fail to do. That and many more reasons combined give this plant a claim on our attention on which it would seem needless to enlarge further than to say that it is propagated freely from seed, which I beheve is best sown immediately it is gathered ; but even then it does not come up until the following spring, whereas if kept till then it is not at all certain of coming up that year. The seeds when ripe are not small, and the young plants do not seem miffy ; on the contrary, we often meet with self-sown plants growing in the most unpromising places, the gravel walks being as often occupied by them as anywhere. And perhaps the best advice towards its management is to let it alone. — J. Robsok. HARDINESS OF CORDYLINE (DEAC^NA) INDIVISA. Refebbing to the notice of this plant in your last issue, permit me to observe, that in the rock garden at Messrs. J. Backhouse & Son of York it has now been fully exposed to all the vicissitudes of our northern clime for the last three years, and it is quite fresh and green. It is growing on the side of a bank, elevated about 4 feet above the walk, in a dry and poor soil fully exposed to midday sun ; in fact, it must from the position in which it is planted be an extremely dry and hot situation for the plant during the summer months. In such a position the foUage will be thoroughly well ripened before the wet and cold set in. It may possibly be owing to this circumstance that this Dracsena has so far borne our winters, including the last severe frost, without sustaining the sUghtest injury. At the same time the plant is without doubt perfectly hardy, or it would have succumbed to 30° of frost, and is therefore a most valuable acquisition to our hardy ornamental plants. It win, I doubt not, prove to be a handsome object for planting on lawns, or in vases placed in sieh a position as to be seen easUy from the window, or for cultivating in pots and used for table decoration, or for standing in an entrance-hall, and for any similar purposes. As it may be cultivated with perfect success in a cold frame, or where there is a glass house, without artificial heat, it would be perfectly at home there, and would be in such a position a most useful and valuable plant. The habit is that of a narrow-leaved Yucca. The leaves I measured (those in the centre which are erect) are from 12 to 15 inches in length ; the older ones are from IS to 25 inches in length and are only half an inch in width. Many of these are recurved towards the outer half of the leaf, which gives the plant a graceful appearance. Midrib of the leaf prominent on the under surface, and is of a yellowish colour. Veins con- spicuous and semi-transparent when held towards the light, and extremely tough. The leaves are so arranged as to cause the whole plant to form a circular plume. There is a variety with red midribs, which ia, I beUeve, named D. indivisa var. lineata. — R. P. Nectakines on Peach Trees. — With reference to the singular fact mentioned by Mr. Abbey, page GO, I would remark that 04 JOtJBNAL OP HOBTIOUIiTURB AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. ( Febraaiy 4, 1875. the Early Alfred Peach was raised from a stone of Hant's Tawny Nectarine. — G. S. LAXTON'S CONNOISSEUR AND OTHER PEAS. As "E. H. D." has called attention to my Pea Connoisseur (see Journal January 2lBt), and wishes for its history, I need have no hesitation in giving its origin, as I make no secrets of the pedigrees of my seedlings. Connoisseur was obtained by crossing Ne Plus Ultra with Evergreen, also a seedling of mine ; that variety being the result of crossing a deep green- seeded selection from Prizetaker with Advancer, the offspring, inter alia, being a rich-flavoured, late, green-seeded Pea. As a rale these green-seeded Peas, although advantageous for keeping their colour even when cooked quite old, are not prolific; this, however, is not a fault of Connoisseur, as it is very proUfic, and lasts long without being subject to mildew. But the truth must be told, it will never be a seedsman's Pea, as the seeds being bo sugary do not usually harden or ripen well, and consequently fail to give the usual proportion of growing seed. The dry seeds when cooked have almost the flavour of young green Peas, and may, perhaps, suit the ven- dors of " green Peas all the year round." 1 am not without hope that from Connoisseur a race of Peas may be obtained having in its ripe seed the rich green-pea flavour fully and permanently preserved — a point not yet attained, as evidenced by the good-looking but insipid-tasting canned green Peas, often palmed off on the unsuspicious guests at hotels as fresh green Peas. The seed of Connoisseur is almost devoid of farina, and would, I think, grind with difficulty. All these sugary and high-flavoured wrinkled Peas, including Dr. Hogg, require some care in harvesting, and the seed should be carefully picked, as otherwise those seeds which contain the most farina and the least of the rich marrow flavour will predominate in the struggle. All heavy-seeded Peas, such as Supreme, Superlative, and the green Marrow, and round Peas generally, should be cooked young, and before their sugar is converted into starch, as only then is their flavour first-rate. People often keep Peas, and especially new sorts, for eating until they are fat-podded and fit for show, whereas they are then only fit to convert into pork. This treatment affected the character of my Prolific Lougpod, Supreme, and Superlative, and accounts for the extremely varying reports respecting them which one reads and ia some- times obliged to smile at. Those who had them cooked young describe the flavour as esoelleut; those who cooked them when fit for show execrating them. Connoisseur is a remark- able Pea, but I do not value it so much as Dr. Hogg, Unique, or Supplanter — the three certificated Peas sent out for me by Messrs. Hurst this season ; and in this, as in most instances, my own experiments correspond with the results of the trials by the Eoyal Horticultural Society. — TnoMis Laxtos, Stamford. FLOWERS CHANGING COLOUR. In your Journal of January 14th you speak of flowers which change colour. I have been long wishing to learn how to avoid it in one particular instance — namely, in the common blue Cornflower. About five years ago I purchased a pot in full bloom. I carefully saved the seed therefrom, and the following year I had double the quantity, and still a lovely blue; again I reserved the seed, and sowed in the spring, but my pretty blue flower had changed into pink, dark violet, mauve, white — indeed, any colour but the blue which I wished for so much, as in making-up a bouquet it is so useful. The most provoking part of the whole is, too, that I cannot purchase the seed anywhere. When I inquire everyone says, " Oh, yes ! I know what you mean — it is a very common wild flower — we don't keep it." And every year now crops up the aforenamed pink-violet imitation Cornfiower, mocking me as it seems. I have given orders to my gardener to exterminate it this year if possible. Can yon tell me where I can buy this common (?) blue Cornflower, such a Uttle gem as it is? — A Little Savage. Leeds Pkofessional Gardesebs' Friendly Benefit Society. — To meet a want that had been long felt by gardeners in the neighbourhood of Leeds, about nine years ago it was deter- mined to establish a Society where, under its auspices, all could meet together to impart and receive aid and instruction, and also to cultivate good fellowship. Great success has hitherto attended the Society, which no doubt is in some mea- sure owing to the praiseworthy efforts of some of the principal officers, and more especially to the indefatigable Secretary, Mr. W. Tunley. Their dinner on the 13th of January was very successful. NOVELTIES IN THE ROYAL GARDENS, KEW. In the Palm house a new and undescribed species of Dracaena is in flower for the first time. It is African almost without doubt, and will shortly be figured, when a name will be given. A single stem supports a large crown of green leaves ; they are narrow and about 3 feet long, with a pale yellow midrib pro- minent on the under surface. The flowers are small, of a pale yellow colour, borne in several axillary panicles. Their smell is not agreeable, but at a short distance it is not perceptible. D. fragraus will soon be in flower. It is a native of Guinea and Sierra Leone, and is the most nearly allied species to the above, though the panicles are all terminal. Under this name D. latifolia is often cultivated. In this house also Jonesia Asoca is producing a brilhant mass of orange-red flowers on some of the branches. It is not often cultivated, but would doubtless repay attention. The leaves and habit remind one of Brownea, but the flowers are different, and besides are of a structure unusual in the order Leguminosffi. They are with- out petals, though on that account of no less beauty, as the calyces assume their appearance ; are tubular with a four- divided limb, like the coroUa of Ixora. From the ornamental character of this tree it is largely planted throughout India, where it is a native, and in the Mauritius. Ushoka is the name given by the Bengalese. It may either be struck from cuttings or grown from imported seeds. The latter should be sown in pots with a bottom heat of about 85 . Seeds of large size when sown under glass should not be placed at a depth in proportion to their size ; perhaps the nearer the surface the better, provided that the covering is sufficient to keep them moist. In the stove a large male plant of the rare Cycad Stangeria paradoxa has a fine cone, which is very richly scented. It was first named as a Fern by an eminent botanist, who called it Lomaria eriopus, thus showing how difficult it is to name peculiar and little-knovm plants from imperfect material. When the cones were first seen its true character was at once evident. This was for a long time the only known species ; but Dr. Eegel has recently published as distinct his S. Katzeri. A kind supposed to differ by having the pinnaj more irregularly toothed was imported some time ago, and called S. schizodou. The character mentioned would seem to be of slight value, leaves being found to differ widely on the same plant. TEMPERATURES FOR WINTER CUCUMBERS. Seeing so many interesting articles in the Journal lately on winter Cucumbers, and such difference of opinion with regard to temperature and mode of treatment, I will briefly state the mode of treatment adopted here where Cucumber-growing is carried on extensively. The two houses for winter work are span-roof, C4 by 24 feet, with eight rows of 4-inch pipes, in one of which Pines are grown, planted out in beds without any bottom heat, from which good fruit are cut averaging from 2 to 2 J lbs. The Cucumber seed is sown in a glass hoop about 4 inches wide, on a slate or tile, and covered with a square of glass and placed on the pipes. The seedlings are up in a day or two, and are then potted-off, one or two in a 3-inch pot, and placed in bottom heat till fresh roots are formed ; they are then placed as near the glass as possible. The temperature is from 65' to 75" by day, and stands about G0° to 05° in the morning. We have had the glass as low as 48° in the morning, and the plants have not in the least suffered. Provided the bottom heat is all right, a low night temperature suits them best. We are much troubled with a small white grub, which eats away the extremity of the stalk of the plant, in consequence of which the plants so affected die quite suddenly. Several of our plants have gone off in this manner. Can anyone tell me what the grub is likely to be and how to get rid of it ? — A Market Gabdekek, Liverpool. Early Flowers. — We have Aconite fully out since the IGth of January, and now (2'Jth), have also Snowdrops, Primroses, Crocuses, and Hepaticas. The latter open enough to see the Fabmary 4, 1875. ] JOOBNAL OF HORTIOOLTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 95 oolonr. I think thig is very fair for Cheshire. [So it is. — Eds.] Christmas Roses still glorious.— A Lady in Cheshiiie. THE WAY TO GROW FERNS. Some years ago I commenced growing Ferns, and having oonsulted all the books on the subject that I could meet with, came to the conclusion that my gardener's ideas were correct. The Ferns were potted in a mixture of leaf mould, peat, and sand ; drainage in the ordinary way was carefully attended to. The pots were placed on stone shelves in a house heated with liot-water pipes, and the Ferns grew very much to his satisfac- tion, but not to mine, for they were no better than my neigh- bours' ; so by degrees I altered my plan, and, as many of your readers would grow Ferns if they could do so without any difficulty, I send you my mode of procedure. The hole in the bottom of the pot being broken out very much larger than the maker leaves it, I put in three or four pieces of broken pot, then some rich soil and old manure, just what should be used for Cucumbers, no peat, no sand ; then I put in the Fern, and very gently fill the pot with good garden soil intermixed with a few small bits of soft brick as large as peas. The pot is placed on soil or ashes, perhaps partially plunged, perhaps surrounded with Lycopodium. In any case the soil is always kept quite wet — in fact muddy, and the Ferns grow as I never saw Ferns grow before. The whole oecret is in keeping them wet and warm, partially plunged, and ihoroughly drained. You may take a pot-bound Fern, pull roughly the drainage from the roots, break off the fibres anyhow, repot it in wet soil instead of dry, and it will grow and flourish as it never would with ordinary treatment. I planted less than two years ago a little bit of Adiantnm Farleyense root without a frond on it, and it now measures 10 feet G inches round.— H. L. rubber rings are in time very dilKcult to pull asunder, and almost impossible to cut, but are soon burnt out by flat chisels made red hot. Having proved the advantages of this system of joining hot-water pipes, I have no patience in watching men hammer, hammer, hammering at making iron joints which I know will take three times as long getting to pieces again if ever it is necessary. — J. E. Pearson, CInlwell. JOINING HOT-WATER PIPES. I SEE (page CO of the present volume) directions for making joints in hot-water pipes with iron filings. To these direc- tions I should take exception. In the first place, the admixture of sulphur has long been discontinued by the best hothouse builders as quite unneces- oary and very dangerous, often cracking the joints ; but I think it is quite time iron joints were discontinued altogether in the case of hot-water pipes. Where the pressure of steam has to be resisted it is quite another thing, but for hot water it appears very stupid to make a joint which is so diflicult to undo again that it is easier to cut the pipe in two than get the pipes separated at the joints. Pipes joined properly with Portland cement are just as good as those fastened with iron filings, they are put together four or five times as quickly, and are very easily separated again if it is required. I have hundreds of feet so joined ; one of my houses, 100 feet long by 30 feet wide, has all cement joints ; and all Mr. W. Thomson's pipes, some of them 200 feet in length, are put together in this manner. In saying these pipes are all joined with cement, I except, of course, expansion joints. In long lengths of piping, however the joints are made, two in 100 feet ought to be put in with indiarubber rings only, to allow of expansion. Before knowing this I had several pipes broken where the joints were made of iron filings. Of course the joints could not give way, and as pipes ex- pand, say half an inch nearly when hot in 100 feet, and con- tract again to the same extent when cold, nothing is more probable than a breakage. If these pipes had been put to- gether with cement it is probable one of the joints might have broken instead of cracking the pipes, and I should very likely have blamed the Portland cement, not knowing it had saved me a cracked pipe. How can we expect a long d-inch pipe full of water to elongate and contract at every change of tem- perature without something giving way in time '.' An india- rubber ring here and there removes all danger. But as in all other operations, however simple, there is a right way and a wrong one of making a cement joint, I will describe the right one. First of all it must be roped as in making a joint with iron filings, then filled with cement mixed as for laying bricks, then roped again, and finished with eement. Thus made a joint will neither break nor leak, whilst if roped once it is liable to do both. Pipes so joined will be ready to fill with water in twenty-four hours, are just as good as those made with filings, and can be cut out much easier if any alteration is required. The few pipes joined with india- .JOTTINGS ON LAST YEAR'S GARDENING.— No. 2. Artichokes. — Never was this vegetable so much in request or so fine as in 1874. It delights in an open rich vegetable soil, abundant manuring, and even sewage in dry hot weather poured around the plants, not upon them, in heat and mois- ture. By planting strong well-rooted suckers annually in April, they produce beads later than is afforded by established plants. The first heads were cut June 15th (remember, we are high and cold), and the last November 1.5th. It has been questioned whether the usual protection of litter is necessary in severe winters. I have not found the plants destroyed, but those protected produced heads much earlier in the season than the unprotected. The Purple and Green Globe varieties are cultivated. The Purple is the earliest, but is not so good as the Green. AspABAGus started and grew strongly, the supply being checked by the cold of late May and early June. The first heads were cut April 4th, earlier by seventeen days than in 187.3 ; the last heads being cut .Tune 2'Jth, whilst the last heads in 1873 were cut July 23rd. This vegetable requires a rich, deep, light, vegetable soil, the alluvial deposits suiting it re- markably well, and though revelling in moisture is injured by water stagnant in the subsoil. It can hardly have too much liquid support after May, but the soil must be well drained. I have the ordinary kind of Asparagus— Giant or Battersea, and other aliases, growing side by side with Connover's Co- lossal, and of the same age, and can see no difference, only the head of Colossal is more kuob-hke, and is more round in the stem. Seed sown in April, 1872, had a few heads fit to cut in 1874. Some plants of the old kind (and the difference is slight), from seed sown where to remain, gave heads fit to cut when the same age as the Colossal. I have some hundreds of two-year plants of both varieties and in beds side by side, so that any difference is readily apparent. Broad Beans. — The first crops were very good, but the sowings after the middle of May very inferior in productive- ness. Early Longpods were fine. Early Mazagan and Beck's Dwarf Green Gem are too small and not earlier than Early Longpod, which gives double the crop. Seville Longpod I shall have this season, and it must give pods longer than 7 to 8 inches, or it will not beat the old Early Longpod, which grows fully those lengths in good rich soil. The Early Long- pod or Seville are chiefly recommendable for their earUness and length of pods ; Monarch Longpod for second and main crops, it being very productive and having very long pods, and Broad Windsor good; Improved Broad Windsor (Suttons'), being a great improvement upon the old kind, having as many sometimes as five beans of very large size in a pod, it is strong in growth and prolific of pods. Broad Beans were first had July 3rd. Feesch ok Dwaef Kidney Beans. — Never finer. Osbom's New Forcing is good alike for forcing and outdoor, of dwarf and compact growth, with pods narrower and longer than Sir Joseph Paxton, and very prolific. It is unquestionably the best of dwarf kinds for forcing and early crops outdoors. Canadian Wonder as usual had the longest and largest pods, and was remarkably prolific ; as also was Negro Long-podded, very fine and hardiest of all. The first dish gathered July 23rd; in 1873, July 2 -1th. EoNNEE Beans. — Scarlet Champion had very much larger pods, and as many or more of them than the old Scarlet, which I have struck out. Though no white seeds were sown, some pods on some plants produced white ripe seeds. Why this freak of Nature ? The first dish gathered August 18th ; in 1873, August 17th. Wax Eunner Beans were too unpro- ductive in 1873, and were so little esteemed that it was con- sidered our limited space could be better employed. Premier Eunners will have a place this season. Maybe they will be superior to the Chinese Runners I had through the Editors in 1872, with pods long and narrow, and purple-streaked ex- ternally like a Negro Long-podded, dwarf, and ripe seed about twice the size of Osborn's Forcing, of the same colour as the ripe seed of that variety. Premier Eunners remind me of the 96 JOUKNAIi OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ Febraory 4, 1875. variety above named, which I should have noted sooner only it offered no advantages over runners or dwarfs, though very prolific. In flavour it was a French Bean, but the pods too Boon became old and stringy. Beet. — The Chelsea is a flat-topped kind, the leaves lying almost flat upon the ground, has a medium-sized and fine- shaped root entirely below ground ; in colour very deep crim- son, free from whitish streaks in the flesh, and has no stringi- ness, the flavour being very fine and distinct. Those wanting uniform fine flavour will find it in this Beet. Dewar's Dwarf Red is the earliest, its roots attaining to a useable size by the middle of July, so that Beet may be had the year round. Whyte's Black is deeper in colour and larger than most, and when not sown too early — not before the middle of May nor later — is not subject to grow coarse, and is then a good kind. Those were all good the last season, Dell's Crimson losing none of its grand foliage-colouring from the drought, and it is a kind that has never yet run to seed with me the first season. Its roots, as also those of Pine-Apple Short-top, keep long into summer, but neither grow sufficiently large-rooted with me to be profitable. They may need more warmth. Borecole ok Kale. — These are not in request, only the Dwarf Curled (Veitch's) variety, and Cottager's are grown, both very hardy, the former having very fine, large, fleshy leaves, grand crowns, strong side shoots, and stand a long time before running to seed. Of Cottager's Kale the Green variety gives the best sprouts, and is most tender and pleasing. Variegated or Garnishing is very beautiful about Easter, the colour being so variable, and neatly curled. Prejudice, I sup- pose, hinders it finding favour for garnishing, and how de- sirable it is we should have easement from Parsley in early spring ! The Borecoles are chiefly useful as affording greens in very severe weather, and a supply of their tender sprouts in spring. In cold parts they require to be planted-out early, so as to have them strong before winter. Bboccoli. — Snow's Winter is every season destroyed by frosts — i.f., the spring frosts, and has been so four seasons consecutively. On warm borders it fares no better. The only way to have them here is to take np when the size of a teacup and lay-in in frames. It is as tender as a Cauliflower, and not far removed from one. Backhouse's Winter comes in after it, is hardier, and the leaves protect the head better. Veitch's Spring White has a nice close head, white, and de- licions flavour, heading in March or early April. Cooling's Matchless comes in about the same time, the heads well pro- tected, large and white. Mammoth I like for its dwarf growth, large and campact heads ; but the leaves not covering the head it is high-coloured, and the flavour strong. Cattell's Eclipse has large compact heads, as have also Carter's Cham- pion, but Lauder's Late White Goshen yields to no late variety in largeness, compactness, whiteness and flavour of head, and I have cut them on June 6th. The latest Broccoli of all is, perhaps. Late Queen (Sutton8'),of very dwarf compact growth, and good compact heads. Perfection sent out by the same firm is of strong, self-protecting growth, having large compact heads, white, and good flavour. It is in season about April. Broccoli the past three seasons have done indifferently. This season they are on ground which has known no Brassica crop, and the result is not likely to be good. The first heads were cut March 2nd ; in 1873, April 3rd, and the last June 11th; in 1873, June 5th. Bkdssels Sprocts were miserable this season. The plants grew wretchedly before as well as after planting out, and the produce has been corresponding. In 1873 they were remark- ably good. The difference is to be accounted for in their being put out in freeh soil and poor, coupled with the drought. The first were had November 15th ; in 1873, October 13th ; and the last March 30th, 1871. The kinds are Imported, and Scrymger's Giant. Cabbage very good, and came in quickly in spring, and in autumn were fine from spring-sown seed. Hill's Dwarf In- comparable is hardy, early, and hearts quickly as well as firmly. Cattell's Reliance, also early and good ; Wheeler's Imperial very fine and early, these being followed by Enfield Market and Nonpareil Improved, having fine hearts, very tender and good. Red Dutch is grown for pickling, and for autnmn and early winter Hill's Incomparable, Nonpareil, and St. John's Day Drumhead, and Early Drumhead (Suttons'), the last two being valuable for their earliness and hardiness, not being so soon acted upon injuriously by frost as other sorts. Early Dwarf York is also a good sort for sowing in April for heading in autnmn, being very sweet. Cabbage was first cut May 4th, and ever since up to the present. In 1873 the first were cut May 7th, and last November 21st. Carrot. — Early Horn and Early Nantes, which is a capital second early, having a very smaU heart or yellow core, very tender. James's Intermediate Scarlet and Red Surrey are the sorts grown, the two first for summer, and two last for autumn and winter. The earUer become very maggotty after August, and the others did not escape. The first were drawn June 22nd ; in 1873, July 14th. The best for frames, French Forcing. Cauliflowers. — Except a few running to seed of the autumn crop prematurely this vegetable was very good, and yet our soil is light but full of " muck." Dwarf Erfurt Mammoth is a fine dwarf grower, early with fine close heads. Early London, early, and more tall, but very good ; Walcheren being unsur- passed ; King of Cauliflowers had very fine large close heads, as had also Large Asiatic and Stadtholder ; Veitch's Autumn Giant under hand-Ughts disappointed, but for autumn and for taking up for protecting in frames is magnificent. The first heads were cut June 11th, the last December 29th. In 1873 the first were cut June 30th, and last, March 6th, 1874. Celery. — Sulham Prize Pink (Suttons'), a capital sort, of moderate size ; Williams's Matchless Red, stiff growth, very good, and keeps well; Major Clarke's Red, medium size, excel- lent; Sandringham Dwarf White, stout in growth and very good ; Veitch's Silver White failed, bolting to a great extent, in 1873 this variety was good. The leaflets are very much serrated. Leicester Red need not be named, the difference between it and Major Clarke's Red, if any, is slight. The Turnip-rooted, or Celeriac, turned out a white sort with no root at all, and it came from Vienna, about a pound weight ! So much for foreign seed nomenclature. It is a good white kind, not unlike Seeley's Leviathan. We use Celery only for soups before October ; the last we had in 1874, April 24th, and last 1873, April 2l6t. Chicory. — This sown early in April in rows a foot apart and thinned to 6 inches in the rows gives in autumn good roots, which are cut off about an inch above the root and stored in sand along with other roots in November, and as wanted at intervals of about a fortnight are placed in soil kept moist to the crown, burying the whole of the root part in a Mushroom house, and there give leaves in a fortnight equal to any Endive for salad. Any dark place will do if there is a gentle heat. The Large-rooted is the best, having broad fleshy leaves, and nothing near so bitter as the narrow scalloped purplish-midrib kind, which is only a slight remove from Dandelion. Chicory helps well in midwinter to fill the salad bowl. December 2lBt, it was first used last year ; in 1873 the same time, and up te April. Chervil and Cress. — I shall only remark that these are always expected to be at command winter and summer. A sowing of Chervil in early April and August wiU suffice, and if a hard winter it may be sown in pans or boxes, and grown in any light airy house where forcing is going on. Cress and Mustard should be sown every week from April to October out- doors, and the other half of the year under glass. Curled Chervil and Curled Cress are best. Cucumbers. — Cox's Volunteer and Blue Gown were both good, preferably Blue Gown. Marquis of Lome was also grown. It is a large and fine kind, but too large for everyday use. Tender and True has been added, also Duke of Edin- burgh (Munro's) for this year ; Ridge kinds do no good here. — G. Abbey. (To be continued.) BAINPALL IN 1874. OsMiNGTON Lodoe, Weymouth, Dorset. — January, 2.94 inches ; February, 2.42 ; March, 0.6G ; April, 2.26 ; May, 0.61 ; June, 1.50; July, 0.08; August, 2.80 ; September, 3.74 ; Octo- ber, 5.81 ; November, 3.38 ; December, 4.16. Total, 31.26.— C. T. Hall. Effects of the Frost. — We are now beginning to see some of the effects of the late winter, especially among the winter greens. Though partly covered with snow Savoys, Cabbages, Brussels Sprouts, Curled Kale, and Broccoli have suffered severely, and are emitting a not very pleasant odour. Lettuces and Endive, though covered, have come in for a share of injury. Laurels with us have put on quite a brown appear- ance, and will not look themselves again until they have shed their leaves. Variegated Hollies have suffered much, and many of the common Hollies are shedding their leaves. Ever- February 4, 1875. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 97 green Privet has also suffered, and many other hardy ever- greens. Tender Roses are much injured. Potatoes in pits in some places have been frozen ; heating apparatuses in many places have been tested daring the late storm, and in some places have come to grief. — H., Yorkshire. THE INFLUENCE OP HOKTICULTURAL SHOWS. COTTAGERS' GARDEN PRODUCE. Amongst the many things deservedly receiving public patron- age at the present time are horticultural shows ; and apart from those provincial shows which claim to attract exhibitors from the greater portion of the county they are held in, others on a less extensive scale rise up in all directions, some of them limiting the exhibitors to such as reside within a given dis- tance of the place where the show is held. Others are open to all comers, or offer prizes for certain classes free to all. There can be no question but these horticultural shows are the best of all sthnulauts to amateur gardening, and a prize awarded to someone heretofore careless in such matters very often makes an enthusiast of him and stimulates him to further «xertion ; besides which, horticultural shows afford opportu- nities for that intermixture of classes which tends so much to enable one man to fully comprehend others, and removes many of those false ideas which all are liable to entertain, and a juster and better feeling is the result. The number of such shows is certainly increasing, and with it the number of exhibitors. Gentlemen of position, having a laudable wish to encourage gardening among their cottager neighbours, start a cottagers' horticultural show on their own grounds, and in many instances give the prizes out of their -own pockets, and invite their neighbours and others to come and see the show ; and the show appears so satisfactory that next year it is determined to offer prizes for productions from gentlemen's gardeners apart from those offered for cottagers, and by this means a class of exhibitors is brought out that never contemplated exhibiting at all for competition. Now and then progress is marred by what all outdoor entertain- ments are Uable to — a wet day ; but even that does not always bring on bankruptcy, if other things be promising. Some good-hearted well-disposed individuals step in with assistance, and the next year greater exertions are made and the debt wiped off. it has often been remarked that horticultural shows are now more numerous than desirable, and the object for which they started, which was the encouragement of good general culti- vation, is diverted into a channel widely different to what its promoters intended. A certain number of good articles are prepared for the show, and the other things neglected. This •Tiew of the matter is carried too far, but it is very often true to some extent, and somehow or other those who give their whole attention to such matters get by degrees into the knack of so retarding certain things and forwarding others, that at the show day they can put in a better appearance than their neighbours, whose garden produce, if exhibited, or rather in- spected, as a whole, would stand before them a long way. This is one of the incidental and unavoidable results of show- ing, and it cannot well be remedied even if it was desirable to do so, which is questionable, for the sight-seeing public, which are by far the most important patrons, would not be satisfied by anything short of firtit-rate quaUty , no matter how obtained ; and consequently the honourable hard-working cottager, who lias taken no more pains to secure exhibition articles than he has done to secure good crops and good quality in the whole of his garden, is but seldom rewarded with a prize. I heard one of the class remark in a tone of regret, " Ah ! showing is a trade, and an honest man has no chance with the profes- sional." This doubtless was taking a rather spiteful view of the matter, but to those who have witnessed the prize sheet of a cottagers' exhibition will find nearly the same list of names year after year. A remedy for this is difficult to contrive, for there is really no harm, but, on the contrary, merit in the cottager encouraging the growth, by all extra means he has in his power, of the articles he intends to exhibit, and if he wins a number of years in succession by fair and just means so much the more credit to him ; but at the same time there is no question that it reduces the namber of exhibitors. — J. ROBSON. ViNE-PAiNTiUG. — For " B. G.'a" information (page 77), if I had Vines infested with mealy bug I should at once, after pruning; construct a trough the length of my Vines and lay them in it, and with pure water drown the bugs. Should any remain I would repeat the operation, and with a brush, similar to a spoke-brush, brush off the remainder until rid of the pest, and then by pure air and pure water I would try to hold the pests at bay. — H. POTATO-GROWING EXTRAORDINARY. Towards the end of 1873 we gave a brief notice of the extraordinary yields of Potatoes obtained in the United States under the stimulus of the prizes offered by Messrs. Bliss of New York. In that year the conditions were that the prize of $100 should be awarded to that cultivator who obtained the greatest yield from 1 lb. of seed Potatoes. There were two first prizes — one for each of two varieties of the tuber, and minor prizes for the second, third, and fourth in each class. The greatest yield from 1 lb. of seed was OO'J lbs., a quantity very justly regarded as extraordinary, and no doubt looked upon by gardeners and others in this country as a bit of Cousin Jonathan's " buncome." However unjust may have been the incredulity of the "blue aprons" as to the (309 lbs., we can but acknowledge that, when they read the report of the competition in 1871, they will be justified in refusing credence to the statements made until further details are forthcoming. Nevertheless, it seems from the abstract of the report pub- lished by the Tribune, that the competition has been fairly conducted ; and referring to the names of the Committee who were entrusted with the awarding of the prizes, we must con- fess that we see no reason to doubt their bona fides, or the affidavits of the competitors. The results are, however, fairly astonishing, and can only be accounted for — if they can be accounted for at all — by one of three propositions — either the Potatoes grown must be wonderfully prolific, the soil in which they were grown exuberantly productive, or some method of cultivation unknown out of the States must have been adopted. Possibly, however, the effect is the joint result of the three causes combined in one happy man with the soil and the tuber. The prizes offered last spring by Messrs. Bliss were open to the world, and amounted in the aggregate to $1,500. Six prizes, varying in amount from $10 to |100, were apportioned to each of three varieties of Potatoes — the Early Vermont, Compton's Surprise, and Brownell's Beauty ; the conditions being that the largest yield from 1 lb. of seed of each sort, grown without any resort to forcing or any unusual method of multiplication, should receive the first prize of |100. There were prizes also for the largest yield obtained from a quarter of an acre, the same varieties of the Potato being used. The entry for the competition comprised many hundreds of farmers and gardeners, nearly every State and territory of the Union, and some of the neighbouring provinces being represented. The competitors were compelled to find witnesses as to the truth of their statements, and also to verify them by affidavit. These statements were duly and promptly made, but owing to the illness of one of the Committee the report has been delayed. We can only afford space for the names of the winners in each class. For Extra Early Ver- mont, Mr. Alfred K. Titus of Wilmington, Vermont, is first with 708 lbs. ; for Compton's Surprise, Mr. P. C. Wood of Esther, Illinois, wins with 900 lbs. ; and for Brownell's Beauty, Mr. H. C. Pearson of Pitcairn, New York, is first with 1018 lbs. — a yield of more than a thousandfold ! Besides the States mentioned above, prizewinners came from Minnesota, Kansas, Pennsylvania, and one from Nova Scotia, with the not insig- nificant yield of 615| lbs., so that this extraordinary Potato- growing is not confined to any special locality in the North American continent. This astonishing productiveness, how- ever, is not borne out by the results of the quarter-acre com- petition, for which there were so few entries that each was entitled to a prize, though from information which has reached the Committee there were many larger yields from quarter acres obtained by non-competitors. For Extra Early Vermont grown on a quarter acre the first prize was awarded to Mr. D. Stock, of Hugbesville, Pennsylvania, for 6247 lbs. ; the second and third prizes being awarded respectively to yields of 2612 lbs. and 2581 lbs. The first prize for Compton's Sur- prise was obtained by Mrs. M. A. Koyce, of Home, E. Ten- nessee, for 7350 lbs. ; and Mr. A. Rose, of Pen Yau, New York, carried off the first for Brownell's Beauty with 8809 lbs. Taking the last figures as a basis for a short calculation, it will be seen that they represent the very respectable yield of nearly 10 tons an ncre, and although this amount has fre- 98 JOURNAL OF HOETICULTDRE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ Feirnary 4, 1875. qnently been snrpaBsed in this conntry, especially with certain sorts, it is, we believe above the average of the regular Potato cnltivators. It is unfortunate that more resnlts on the larger scale are not forthcoming, for they would of course be con- siderably more valuable than those obtained from trials of " 1 lb. of seed," because we do not know what is considered an " unusual method of multiplication" in the States. In favourable seasons, 1 lb. of tubers can be made to cover a very large piece of ground by taking off and planting the shoots as fast as they grow, and by planting cuttings. The quantity raised from a piece of ground of given dimensions is, cirteris parihvf:, the criterion of the merits of a Potato. The Com- mittee (Messrs. G. Thurber, F. M. Hexamer, and P. T. Qninn), are men well known throughout the United States, and they assure us in their report that, while they abstain from com- ment on the " astounding yields from single pounds," a " most careful and scrupulous investigation " has satisfied them of the " correctness of the statements made." That the skill of the cultivators and the productiveness of the soil have had much to do with the result, is tolerably evident from the fact that two of the competitors obtained prizes for each sort, whUe three others obtained prizes for two sorts. The season is said to have been unfavourable, and that added to the ravages of the Colorado beetle diminished the crops of many intending competitors tor the quarter-acre prizes to such an extent, that they considered their chances of a prize as hopeless, and accordingly did not compete. The three varie- ties mentioned above have been tried in this country, and re- ceived first-class certificates from the Royal Horticultural Society. They are undoubtedly prolific even here ; butopinions as to their merits when on the table are divided, and on the whole are not very favourable. — {EnglishMcclianic and World of Scie!^ce.) SPAEEOWS VERSUS GOOSEBEEEIES. On reading Mr. Abbey's article on sparrows I cannot refrain from saying a few words, although not in support of his ar- gument, for I have had hundreds of large Gooseberry trees spoiled by sparrows ; and to prove that sparrows alone did the mischief, I have many times gone round the trees after a fall of snow and watched them cover the ground with buds. It is generally in hard weather, but they eat them more or less all the winter months. I have known acres of good trees in this neighbourhood, not only about a town but in conntry places, completely spoiled by sparrows. Linnets I never yet saw take a single bud, and have watched them early and late. As to the sparrows eating caterpillars on Gooseberry or Currant trees, each year I see trees completely leafless, but never yet saw a sparrow touch one, and have watched them for hours among the bushes. I have known the cuckoo to clear a large quarter of Goose- berry trees from caterpillars, and most of the migratory birds cat them. The new Peas in early summer suffer severely when seeds are scarce, and corn fields about towns and villages are almost destroyed. During this last ten years sparrows have trebled themselves in this neighbourhood, and during my sixty years' experience in and about a garden. My advice to all would be. Kill every sparrow you can. — Jons Allcock, The Nurseries, Sandbach. FLOWERS FOE OUR BORDERS.— No. 47. CYCLOBOTHRA ALBA.— White-I'LOWERED Cvclobothea. The plants formerly placed in the genus Cyclobothra are now by common consent merged in Calochortus, the present species taking the name originally conferred ou it by Douglas, of Calochortus albus. Having put this fact on record it may, however, be more convenient to the readers of a popular Journal like the present if the better-known name be retained in con- nection with the following description of this pretty and in- teresting hardy bulb. The Cyclobothra alba is a bulbous plant growing about a foot high, with one radical leaf of considerable length (much longer than is represented in our figure), and from three to five shorter ones upon the stem, from each of which proceeds a lateral shoot bearing two flowers (sometimes, however, there is but one), with a pair of leaf-like bracts at the base of the peduncles. It is only strong bulbs which will produce the number of blossoms shown by our artist ; usually there are but six upon the same stem. The flowers are drooping, of a globular form, and about 1^ to 2 inches in diameter. The three petals are externally convex, and have their edges closely approximated, being rarely separated to a greater degree than shown in our figure. In colour they are of a silky white, with a tinge of green near the base ; they are bearded on their inner surface with long white hairs, which, under the micro- scope, have a flattened ribband-like form. The three sepals are of a membranous texture, oval-pointed form, and of a pale green with a tinge of purple. The curious nectariferous cavity which characterises this genus is well seen in the present species, appearing as a linear or oval depression in the petal, at a short distance from the base, and secreting a sweetish fluid. The stamens are six iu number, with yellow anthers attached by their base to the filament, as in the Tulip. The ovarium is oblong, bluntly triangular, with intermediate furrows, and terminating by three short spreading stigmas. Seeds of an oval form, wingless, and of a purplish-brown colour. It flowers from midsummer to the middle or end of July. Fig. 25. — Cyclobothra alba. The Cyclobothra alba is quite hardy, but the bulbs suffer from excessive wet ; when planted in the open borders it should therefore be covered with a small hand-light or empty pot during long-continued rains in autumn and winter. It does well in a mixture of peat and sandy loam, and should be planted iu a warm well-drained border. It the bulbs are removed from the ground after the foliage has withered, they must be replanted not later than the end of October, as they usually commence their growth at an early period. It may also be grown in pots, and in this case may be protected iu a frame during the winter months. Seeds are generally ripened, by which, as well as by offsets, it may be increased. 'The seeds are best sown as soon as ripe, but iu that case the young plants must be kept in a frame through the winter. If the seed is preserved until spring, it will, however, vegetate with- out much trouble, aided by a little heat. The genus Calochortus, as now arranged by Mr. J. G. Baker in his recent Monograph on Tulipe.'c, includes twenty-one species classed under four subgenera. The present species and the closely-allied C. pulchellus, with yellow flowers, are the only two having globose drooping perianths, the rest having their flowers erect. — (W. Thompson's English Flower Garden, Revised inj the Author.) NOTES ON VILLA and SUBURBAN GAEDENING. The Hardy Fernery. — I think it is not too much to say that a collection of hardy Ferns ia an indispensable addition to the ornamental portion of a suburban residence, and when arranged upon a mound of rocks of a suitable size, •'i'c, clinkers, or over- burnt bricks, or among the roots and stumps of trees, they can Pebi-uary 4, 1873. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDElJEU. v.) be made to assume in this artificial homo so much of a natural appearance as if prowinfr on the hedpebauks in the country, that they become douljly eujoyable to those who seldom have the opportunity of seeing them growing fresh and green as Nature has reared them. To this, however, something more may be added ; for the rustic appearance of a fernery is an agreeable contrast to the more dressy portion of a garden, and if a sight is taken of them in a line with a bed of flowers they heighten the brilliancy of the flowers, and form a background at once very graceful and attractive. A group of Ferns arranged in a tasteful way is an excellent way of hiding anything unsightly, and the beauty and enjoyment of a summer-house can with little trouble be much enhanced by them whether arranged around the foot of it or planted in pots or boxes and stood around it. In the small enclosures we may call forecourt gardens at- tached to the fronts of a row of villa residences, and where the Bun seldom reaches the plants growing there. Ferns grow luxu- riantly, and if the stronger-growing specimens are planted in the soil the same as any other plant, they do not fail to please. In some of these gardens oval beds are struck out, and planted thus : The edging is either of Box, or the bed is cut out in the turf and a row of Snowdrops planted 0 inches from the edge. The bed is then planted with stools of some common and vii;or- ous-growing Fern, such as Lastrea Filix-mas or Polystichum angulare, or some one or other of the Aspleniums, about 2 feet apart, and in the summer a coarse-growing scarlet Geranium is planted among them, the bloom of which rises up among the fronds of the Fei-ns and gives a very pleasing effect. Such a bed is a gay one with very little trouble or expense, and very suitable to such a position. In constructing a fernery the space it is to occupy must be first determined on, because it is necessary to avoid all straight outlines. If it is long rather than broad the space should be broken up here and there with, perhaps, a hillock of misshapen stones of a corresponding size to the extent of space at com- mand, and then terraced down in suitable places to a miniature deU, again to rise to the ordinary line with, perhaps, a recess and a projection here and there as taste may dictate, making it as rustic in appearance as the ruins of an old castle wall with the stones left as they fell. Now it must also be remembered that Ferns like shelter, shade, and moisture, and it may not be so diliicult to provide the two former as it will be to find moisture sufficient to carry them through a dry and hot period in the summer ; and this is the most particular as well as the most enjoyable time of any. Moisture is necessary at such a time for the future benefit of the Ferns ; and if the fronds can be kept fresh and green by its agency the more will their appearance lead one to admire them, because it is such a rehef for the eye after gazing upon the bright flowers in the hot sun. Therefore, in building up the fernery, the soil under the stones is not so particular as to the mixture, but it must be porous, so that the water when applied may pass away quickly and avoid soddening the soil. Generally speaking the roots of Ferns are of a wiry nature, and will cling to soil of an ordinary texture, but it ought not to be heavy. Some of the more delicate species may with advan- tage have peat and sand added to the soU, and some leaf soil; but none of them, whether vigorous or strong, are benefited by manure either in the solid or the liquid form. Now a word or two as to the planting, or assigning the plants the position they ought to occupy. First of all, take care not to plant any of them too deep, but keep the crowns well above the soil as long as they are made firm, and plant the strongest growers first, allotting them their positions over the whole space, or they may be planted in groups here and there, and varied either high or low as it is wished. The dwarf species with finer-made fronds should be planted in prominent places, but not too much exposed, and, again, not immediately under those with coarse fronds so as to completely hide them from view. Some, such as the common Polypody or Polypodium vulgare, sends its stems or rhizomes completely over a project- ing block if it finds suflicient earth or other substance to cUng to ; and therefore, where there is a prominent place to be thus covered this is the Fern to plant, and all those of a running or creeping nature should have suitable places provided for them. Now, although a fernery is a very desirable thing to have, it is not everyone who can indulge in the luxury, but they may grow some plants in pots, which will form very conspicuous ornaments for the window, entrance-hall, or, in fact, for room- decoration. There is the Lastrea Filix-mas and Athyrium Filix- fcemina, Scolopendrium vulgare aud S. undulatum or crispum very pretty, Lastrea angustata, cristata, and Osmuuda regalis, besides many dwarfer species that thrive well in pots. It is the same with these as with those in the fernery — the pots must be well drained ; and if kept in the rooms for any length of time they ought to be sprinkled overhead every morning, and the roots should never be allowed to become dry. They would be more delicate cultivated in this way than if they were in a more natural position outdoors. In the winter time when the fronds are dying down the pots should be plunged in coal ashes under a wall on the south side, and if severe frost set in the crowns may be just covered with some light material. In the spring, when the young fronds make their appearance, clear the crown of all rubbish, and keep a constant look-out for slugs, or they wiU eat several of them off in a night, and thereby dtstroy all prospect of a good decorative plant. After they are further ad- vanced they may be taken out of the ashes and treated as above directed. — Thomas Becobd. THE BEAUTIFUL AND USEFUL INSECTS OF OUR GARDENS.— No. 29. AssnuEDLT, as Sir .John Lubbock remarked in his recent lecture on " British Wild Flowers considered in relation to Insects," the fact is noteworthy that Mr. Darwin was the first to draw attention to the special work many insects perform in transferring pollen either from one flower to another, or else from the stamens to the pistil of the same flower. It was amongst the Orchids that this naturalist noticed peculiarities which led him to establish his theory on the subject, I believe, as enunciated in a book published about 1862. Others have since trodden in his footsteps and amplified considerably, and of recent observers none are more deserving of honourable mention than Dr. H. Miiller, Mr. Bennett, and Sir John him- self. But I regard Mr. Darwin's position as singular in view of the circumstance that his eminent, though less famous, grandfather thought fit to attempt to poetise the " Loves of the Plants " in a composition cleverly, if too hardly, satirised in another poem on the " Loves of the Triangles." As a more recent poet puts it, plants "languidly adjust Their vapid Tegetable loves "With anthers and Tvith dust." And even a child can scarcely credit a fable which would assume that there was any affection in the matter. But taking up the imagery for a moment, the first Darwin described the amours, and no more ; it was reserved for a second Darwin to give us a glimpse of tho " go-betweens." There are, however, many flowers that scorn these, as Sir John points out, and need no help to fertilisation from the insect races. From the Hymen op- terous and Dipterous orders it is, as we should expect, that plants receive this aid in return for the honey and pollen which serve to supply the needs of their visitors. The interchange does not always proceed without unpleasantness ; and I can fancy that the juvenile portion of Sir John Lubbock's audience, as they heard him describe tho odd mode in which the common Arum is fertilised by the imprisonment of insects, chiefly flies, in the tube until the ripe anthers had showered their pollen on them, the shrivelling of the hairs giving them liberty after- wards, may have said to themselves, " What foolish creatures the flies must be to visit any more Arums after that !" On the whole, however, it is to be concluded that we are more in- debted to bees than to flies for services thus rendered, because, as a rule, bees are longer-lived ; and as in some species they are storers of honey as well as eaters, they necessarily visit more flowers than do flies. Some set-off in favour of tho flies may be pleaded from the fact that many of the flower- loving flies are also predacious, a few in the imago, but a num- ber of them while in the larval state. And in passing we may note that sometimes, as in the genus Tabanus,we have flies regarding which we may have difficulty in deciding as to their merits or demerits. The males, true flower-lovers, are occa- sional visitants to gardens, where they attract attention by their lustrous eyes. A friend has described the expression of one species as combining " intelligence with pathos," but I fail to see that myself. These organs are of various colours : in one species of a golden green, lined and spotted with purple ; in another crimson predominates, crossed by green bands ; aud in a third a bronzy hue of much brilliancy prevails. The Tabani have wings well provided with nervures, and the buzz- ing noise they produce is to some folks one of the pleasures (?) of summer. Not so the bite, certainly, for they will occasion- ally attack the human subject, and the approach of one of these flies — a much more veritable " horse- stinger " than the harmless dragon-fly — is often the cause of a panic in a herd of cattle. Thelarvis of these insects, popularly known as Breese- flies or Clegs, live either on the surface of the earth or under- ground, and help to remove decaying matter, or, as is sus- pected to be the case in several species, they prey on other larvie, molluscs, or worms. Mention has not been made in this series of the Soldier- flies, insects both of beauty and utility, appropriately named from the martial qualities manifestSd by most of the perfect in- 100 JOURNAL OF HOKTICULTORE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. t Fobi-uai-y 4, 1873. sects, whicli tisit flowers with a double object — the extraction of the honey and the destruction of other insects, some of which are amongst our enemies. The antennae in these in- Bects are longer than in many flies, the bodies broad, and elegantly marked with spots and streaks of a variety of colours. On the thorax is usually an array of spines, perhaps to pre- vent birds from attacking these insects, which do not appear at all inclined to take up the refrain, "Let me like a soldier fall," but show great alacrity in escaping danger by flight if \ alarmed. The common Chameleon-fly (Stratiomys chamtelio) ' is one of the familiar examples of the group, taking its name '• from the varied colouring displayed by different specimens ; black and yellow, however, predominate, and the legs are also yellow. The larva lives in ponds or stream- lets that have little motion ; it has rather a tele- scopic structure, and respires from orifices in the tail, set about with hairs much in the mode of the larvoi of the gnat. One of the most peculiar circumstances in its history is, that the period of larval growth having passed, the creature rises to the top of the water, where it floats about, the pupa remaining within the loose larva skin, which serves as a kind of cocoon. Other larva? of the fa- mily are semi- aquatic, profer- ring damp places or burrowing in rotten stumps ; the larva of Sargus cuprarius livesin the earth, and those of its congeners. In these insects the bodies are more slender than in the typical repre- sentatives of the family, yet we find brilliant, almost metallic colouring. A curious group of flies is that re- presented by the genus Phora, for at certain times of the year parties of these may be seen resting on the glass of window-panes, and if a crowd of them should haunt agreenhouse, as may happen, the gardener is doubtful whether to consider them as neutrals or enemies. It may be that his readiest theory is that they have bred from some manure that he has had on the premises, and some of the larvfe really feed on decomposing substances, vege- table rather than animal, though. Thus, the larva of P. Dauci has been discovered in decaying Radish roots. I don't suppose it would touch healthy ones, and if gardeners leave Radishes to decay in the ground they must not wonder that insects inter- fere. The majority are parasitic, with a history somewhat obscure as yet, though some of the flies have been bred from punctured larvas of Lepidoptcra. Like those of common Muscida>, these larvre are footless cylindrical maggots, slightly narrowed at the head, and with radiating points at the tail, by which they retain their hold. The perfect insects fly, or, one might say skip, about wi(h briskness, the wings being deflexed and fringed without transverse veins ; a ridge on the thorax also gives to them the appearance of being hump- backed. Some people have Ukened these flies to sand wasps in miniature, the size varying from the twenty-fourth to the sixth of an inch. We have about thirty British species. Be- sides these, though belonging to the Hymonopterous order, we might place the insects of the family Proctotrupidas, some so small that they only look like moving dots until we magnify them. Here the wings have scarcely any nervures, and the insects spring rather than fly. The larvi-e, so far as is known at present, live in the eggs of other insects, chiefly of moths or butterflies, one small egg serving as food for three or four larvfp ; it is doubtful how the shell is punctured. Teleas elatior, one of these, is a beauti- ful object under the microscope, the body being an intense blue, and the winga exhibiting pris- matic tints. The Ruby-tail- ed flies are in- sects belonging to the division of Hymeuoptera, called the Tube- bearers (Tubnli- fera), from the segments of the abdomen being formed into a telescopic tube, which, though it seemingly con - sists of a small number of seg- ments, contains the usual com- plement, but mo- dified. It is se- cured by a short footstalk to the thorax. The ob- ject of this struc- ture Mr. Wood thus states, "Ow- ing to the mode in which tlie ab- domen is attach- ed, the insect is able when alarm- ed to roll itself up in a ball. In which it is aided by the shape of the abdomen, the under surface of which is concave so as to receive the thorax. At the end of the retractile tube is a small sting-liie ovipositor, capable of inflict'°g a smart prick when the insect is moved to anger." The claim of these flies to beauty must be admitted by every- one who has seen the Chrysididte careering in the sunshine by the roadsides or over flower beds, especially in gardens near woods. Also they may be noticed crawling or running over posts and palings, round orchards and plantations — not with- out an object. England owns nearly a score of species, all of bright colours, green or greenish blue, the abdomen in most of some shade of red or purple. One of our commonest species is CLrysis ignita, the larva' of which are nurtured in the nests of sand-wasps, carpenter and mining bees, and even, according to some authors, in the cells of the hornet. One or two species attack the tunnelling wasps, conveying their eggs with inge- nuity into the cell prepared by the wasp for its progeny. In a certain sense, therefore, the Ruby-tailed flies are of use, by keeping under other Hymenoptera, thoughl of course many of the wild bees do no harm in gardens. Whether, like the Fig. 23.— The jietamobphosis op stratiomys i cha ji.elio. Fobniary 1, 187.";. 1 .JOURNAL OF UORTIOULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 101 cuckoo, the larva of the Chrysis only devours the food pre- pared for another, or whether it sometimes kills the rightful occupant of the home it has entered, is a disputed point. The parent whose progeny is threatened does not always tolerate the intrusion , and instances have been related of sharp con- tests between a Kuby-tail and a bee or wasp. The former, however, chiefly acts on the defensive, by rolling itself into a ball when threatened by the indignant owner of the domicile. —J. 1!. S. ('. THE LATE MR. THOMAS WEAVER. Will yon permit me to add one little item to all that has been so well said by others concerning our good old friend ? I had the privilege of visiting him some years back, and I was struck not only with his qualities as a thoroughly good, honest, and old-fashioned gardener, but also by his simple and un- affected piety. He was truly a humble-minded Cliristian man, and his utterances on these higher subjects were charac- terised by the same plain, good, common sense that marked everything that he did. He was another instance of the many I have known who in their dealings with the things of nature had not been led to ignore Him whose handiwork they are, but in whom they had intensified the love which they had gained by the reading of that other Book which alike testifies ol Him.— D., Deal. DOINGS OF THE LAST AND PRESENT WEEKS. KITCHEN GABDEN. Since sowing the Peas we have not had weather sufficiently favourable for getting-in any out-of-door crops. The early Potatoes are spread out very thinly on the ground in a cool place ; but they have sprouted out rather more than usual, and we do not like to break the first sprouts off, as the first growths are not only the strongest, but if planted so they are undoubtedly earlier. The ground is too wet to allow of planting the tuViers, and as the beat resource under the circumstances they have been laid out in shallow boxes and placed on the floor of a cool glass house. This has been done to cause the growths to become stronger by exposure to the light and plenty of air. A very little fine mould has also beeu strewed amongst them, and when the ground is in good condition for them to be planted out the boxes are removed to the place, and the sets taken out of the boxes and transferred to the ground at once. We have started Potatoes in forcing houses to plant out in the open border, and would do it again at this time if the tubers were not starting into growth naturally. When this is done it is quite necessary to place the boxes eoutainicg the sets into a cool house before planting them out. It is a great advantage to have some sort of protecting material to place over the Potatoes when they have come through the ground, and this can be done very cheaply. A framework formed of a single rail fixed about lii inches from the ground at the front and back of the borders, to a row of stumps driven into the ground, will support mats or straw coverings, or even old shading that has become useless for other purposes ; but better than all ere frame lights, which may be put on when the Potatoes are planted, and be left there permanently. This last would be not only the best, but would be in the end the cheapest if the first outlay can be got over, as not only is the protection the most effectual, but a vast amount of labour expended in covering and uncovering would be saved annually, and owing to the unsatisfactory condition of the labour market it behoves us to be on the alert, so that by mechanical or other appliances we may save in that respect. A sowing of Broad Windsor Beans has also been put in on a south border. We like to get them in early, as the first sowing always produces the best crops. In another class of soil or in a more favourable district it may not be so, but we cannot find time to water such crops, and they become quite dried-up in the hot weather. We have not only to fight against a drv gravelly soil, but, what is quite as bad, a deficient rainfall. Last year our gauge did not register much over 18 inches. In such soil and under such adverse circumstances the only road to tolerable success is by trenching and woi-king-in a liberal dressing of sub- stantial farmyard manure. If our supply of that was restricted it would be enough to make us give up in despair. Mulching the ground with manure also serves to retain the moisture. Sowed Carrois and Lettuces in ground vineries. For this purpose some dry loam was laid upon the surface of the ground after laying down some bricks on which to rest the vineries. Hicks's Hardy White Cos is the best Lettuce for our purpose, and the Early Horn Carrot; but it is needless to expect satis- factory results from very early crops without there is a good .supply of dry mould at hand in which to sow the seeds, or some glass lights for protection from frosts. The Carrot and Lettuce are sown in rows 9 inches apart, and yet there is room between the rows for a crop of Eadishes. Mustard and Cress is sown as wanted in boxes, which are placed in any of the forcing houses. Sowed Cauliflowers in boxes, and placed the boxes in a hot- bed to start the seeds. These come in immediately after the autumn-sown plants, which have been wintered in hand-lights and frames. Those in hand-lights are planted out in the autumn where they are to remain ; they are the strongest plants selected from the bed. The smaller plants are pricked-out in boxes and merely protected from the weather until late in February or early in March, when they are planted out in the garden. FEUIT .VND FOBCING HOUSES. Fineries. — Little can be added to previous remarks in this department of our work. The higher minimum temperature kept up naturally requires that more moisture be allowed to evaporate in the houses. Two other matters which cannot be considered of minor importance must also be noticed, and that is watering and ventilation. The pots are usually plunged in some moist warm material, mostly spent tan from the leather- curers. Now the mould may become dry on the surface and be quite moist underneath, so that the utmost care is requisite in applying the water. Pines will not thrive if they are over- watered, and many fine fruits have been spoiled by this cause alone. Then fresh air is next in importance to good water. A small chink shoirld be opened the first thing in the morning at the apex of the roof, not only in pineries but all forcing houses. Peach Houses. — When it is perceived that the fruit is set it is advantageous to the trees to give them a thorouQh good syring- ing, which cleanses them from withered flowers, &c., and to con- tinue the syringing every morning unless the weather is un- favourable. Trees that are now in flower are at the most critical period, and the blossoms should be set by shaking the trees or by using a camel-hair pencil. We have seen many different systems of training, but believe that the one having the most advantages is that of training the trees on the fan system to wires fixed horizontally about a foot from the glass. This allows of the fruit and young wood being thoroughly ex- posed to the sun, and they are also in the position where they are most freely exposed to the air. Trees planted on the back wall do very little good when the area of the glass is covered with foliage ; but then if the trellis is arranged so that the sun can act upon the wall, a corresponding surface under the top lights must be unclothed from foliage, and this is just the place where the finest fruit is usually produced, so that there is no obvious advantage in trelUsing and being at the trouble of train- ing trees to the back wall. PLANT STOVE AND ORCHID HOUSES. In many instances the stove is overdone with plants cul- tivated solely for their foliage. The rage has been for this class of plants during the last ten or more years, and a large pro- portion of recent introductions are not worth house-room. We must find room for some of the finer Palms and Dracsenas, for such plants as Aralia Veitchii and A. leptophylla, for the more beautifully- marked Crotons and Pandanus Veitchii; but even then they must not be introduced to the exclusion of the flowering plants at present. Some of the casitst-managed Orchids may be had in flower if it is a house that requires a winter temperature of G0° or 05° ; then the Phalffiuopsis grandi- flora will be in beauty all the winter, if 50° or 55° be the mini- mum. The bridal Orchids are represented by Coslogyne cris- tata, which thrives best in a temperature so low that it would be fatal to the beautiful Moth Orchid from Manilla. We find the pretty deep blue Eranthemum pulchellum very useful at this season ; and for arranging in bijou bouquets the Euphorbia jacquiniaeflora is not easily matched. They are also very easily grown. With the increasing light we also require a somewhat higher temperature ; in the warmest stove 05° is now the lowest temperature. The weather has also been fine, which has allowed of more air being admitted. All plants that require potting are now being attended to, and a watchful eye is also being kept for all sorts of insect pests. Bougainvillea glabra wintered in a greenhouse has now been placed in heat. FLOWEH GIKDEN. Pruning shrubs, cutting dead wood out, and forking-over the ground in open spaces. The herbaceous borders are also being dug after some manure has been placed amongst the plants. However careful one may be to place labels to all the bulbous plants some of them get displaced, but now that nearly all spring-flowering subjects are above ground, digging can be per- formed with safety. Pinks had been thrown out of the ground or much loosened by the frost, and were pressed-in with the fingers, the ground being stirred between the rows. Removed withered and decaying leaves from Carnations and Picotees in frames. The Hghts are quite removed in fine weather, but no rain is aUowed to fall npon them as yet ; water is apphed very sparingly to the roots. Auriculas in pots have been surface- dressed and watered. The plants show signs of returning ani- mation after their winter rest. They have been plentifully sup- phed with water to thoroughly moisten the mould ; the frame is aired, and the treatment similar to Carnations. Potting-off all bedding plants and striking cuttings of all that we are short of. Calceolarias have not yet been removed from the shelter of a north wall. The cuttings were put in late, and 102 JOURNAL OF HOUTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENEE. [ February 4, 1875. Botue have uot yet startod ; they look quite si'seii and healthy. A severe froat does not seem to affect them much.— J. Douglas. PROVINCIAL HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS. Secketaries will oblige us by informing us of the dates on which exhibitions ara to be held. TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. -T. Jefferies it Sons, Cirencester. — Garden Guide. "W. Potteu, Nar.^ery, SisBinghurst, Staplehurat, Kent.— D(^- scriptive Catalogue of Seeds. Pooloy & Co., 23, Bush Lane, Cannon Street, London.— Wholesale Priced List. W. Rumsey, Joyning's Nursery, Waltham Cross. — Select List of Seeds, (do. Edmondson Brothers, 10, Dame Street, Dublin.— S^nw^ Cata- loQitc of Seeds, <^C'C. Robertson & Galloway, 157, lagram Street, Glasgow.— 7)e- 8criptive Seed Catalogue. W. Samson & Co., Seedsmen, Kilmarnock.— General Cata- logue of Seeds, d-c. J. Laing, Forest Hill, London. — Descriptive Catalogue of Seeds, Sc. Hooper & Co., Covent Garden, London. — Gardening Guide. F. & A. Dickson & Sons, lOG.Eastgate Street, Chester,— Caifi- logue of Seeds. J. C. Wheeler it Sons, Gloucester and London. — Little Book, or Seed List. H. Caunsll, Station Road, Woolwich. — Floral Guide. P. S. Robertson &; Co., 33, St. Andrew's Square, Edinburgh. Descriptive Catalogue of Seeds, Lnplevietits , (C*c. W. Ball, King's Road, Chelsea, London. — Retail List of Select Seeds and New Plants. Drummond Brothers, 52, George Street, Edinburgh. — Cata- logue of Seeds. TO CORRESPONDENTS. *,* All corrGSpondencQ should be directed either to "The Editors," or to "The Publisher." Letters addressed to Mr. Johnson or Dr. Hogg often remain unopened unavoid- ably. We request that no one will write privately to any of our correspondents, as doing bo subjects them to un- justifiable trouble and expense. Correspondents should not mix up on the same sheet questions relating to Gardening and those on Poultry and Bee sub- jects, and should never send more than two or three questions at once. All articles intended for insertion should be written on one side of the paper only. We cannot reply to questions through the post. Books (^iicia).— We know of no book on growing? fruit for the London market, {ff. N. 0.).— The " Cottage Gardeners' Dictionary," with Buppiement, can be had of the publishers, Bell & Daldy, York Street, Covent Garden. Seedling Apple (Messrs. Broitvi).— Your seedling Apple is very handsome n shape, very beautiful in colour, ?,nd very good. QuARRENDEN Appltl (InqiLircy). — The flesh is usually pink near the rind, and becomes lighter until it passes into white nearer the core. Akrangement of Ribbon Border (C. P. ^.).— We repeat the statement BO of ten made, that we cannot undertake such arrangements, but we most willingly criticise any which may be submittod to us. You have doubtless ideas ol your own ; let us see them, and wc may then lie able to assist you. Yon have ample materials for a rich and tasteful arraugement. Strive to make it good, not only in itsolf aud fiir its positiou, but al.so iu its relation to the surrounding features, of which you say nothing in your letter. Mushroom Spawn (li. Dnvies). — Spawn may bo found in dunghills, horsc- miU tracks, aud such places. In May a heap of Lho droppings of cows, Bheep, and horses, or any one or two of them, without the admixture of any undccomposed straw, is l-o be collected, and one-fifth of road-scraping with one-twentieth of coal ashes added, tlie whole being mixed together with as much of the draiuings from a dunghill as will make it of the consistency of mortar. Being well iDcorporated, it is then to be spread in a dr>', sheltered, airy place, on a smooth surface, and beaten flat with a spade. When become of the consistency nf clay it is to be cut into slabs about 8 inches square, a hole punched half through the middle of each, and piled to dry, an opening being left between every two bricks. Wlien perfectly dry a fratjment of the spawn is to be buried in the hole previously made. It will shortly sxiread through the whole texture of the slabs if kept in a warm dry place, when each may be broken into four pieces, and when quite dry laid on shelves, separate, and not in heaps, otherwise a bed will be formed for the spawn to run in. CAMEtLiA Leaves Browned (R. G.).— The leaves sent show your plants to be in a " very unhealthy state," very small and spotted. The smallness of the leaves may he natural, but wo know of none su small when in health. The ill health is a consequence of inactive roots, which may arise from an unsuitable compost, or it may be sodden and sour. The fault in the atmo- sphere is too much moisture upon the leaves, cither from syringing or drip from the root, which keeps the loaves wet, and drops hanging from their edges, the sun fallio;,' powerfully upon them then causes the brown blotches. The remedy is to syriuge loss or prevent the drip, and not all^w the sun to fall powerfully upon them. Ours are shaded from early April to the end of September, and are not syringed at all, moisture being obtained by f/equent sprinklings of the floor, walls, Ac. Turn the plants out of the pots now, as they are not flowering, and remove any soil not occupied with roots, and repot in clean pots and well draiuni, just large enough to admit the roots and adinit of about three-quarters of an inch of fresh soil all round, potting firmly, being careful not to injure the root^, but to work the soil in amongst thom, so as to leave no cavities, and keep the neck or collar of the plants raised in the centre of the pots. Water carefully, but keep moist until the plants aie growing freely, then water abundantly, but take care not to mako the soil sodden. A good compost is three parts the top inch of a pasture taken off where the soil is a rich, light, sandy loam, one part sandy peat, one part leaf soil or thoroughly decomposed cow dnng, aud one-sixth silver sand, the loam chopped up rather fine, using it with its turf, the peat broken rather fine, and the whole well mixed. Camellia (J. W.). — We are sorry wc cannot name it. Florists' flowers can only be identified by those who specially cultivate them ; they are in legions. Heating Greenhouse (Dr. Andre). — Have a small stove boiler and 2-inch hot- water pip'^s; a flow i^ud return all round the house except the doorway would be sufficient to exclude frost, to dry rp damp, and promote a circula- tion of air in dull weather. You may have the stove outside the house in a shed, or in a hall or corridor if convenient, or the stove may be inside the house, having a funnel or pipe to carry outside the products of combustion. The price would not be much greater than a flue, but for expense write to those advertising in our columns and ask for estimates. Protecting Fruit Buds from Small Birds (.4. G.).— Boil a pound of quassia chips in four gallons of soft water ten minutes, and add to it as it cools a pound of soft soap, and add those in sufficient quantity to a paste formed of equal proportions lime and soot, passed through a hair sieve to form a liquid that will pass through a syringe, and eject that over the trees. The lime ought to be fresh slaked, and adding the soot afterwards. The composition is good a-rainst insects, lichen, and moss, as well as for pro- tecting the buds from birds. Repeat if washed off, but usually one applica- tion suffices. Protecting Iron Cistern from Frost (P. C.).— The best plan is a wood casing, allowing a 2-inch space between the wood and the cistern, and fill this with dry sawdust. The top should be protected in the samo way, excepting, of course, the supply-pipe and overflow, and the pipes are best encased in wood filled with sawdust, or a straw or hay baud wrapped round them. Potting Rose Cuttings (E. L. IF.). — The cuttings now rooting would bo best potted if you intend to gi'ow them in pots, and place them in the cold house or in a frame. For outdoors they should be potted and kept in a cold frame until they are well rooted, when they may be planted out, ha\'ing been well hardened-off. You mistake about Gloxinias and Achimenos not being mentioned in the " Greenhouse Manual." They arc mentioned in the calendar for March, April. May, Ac. Williams's "Stove and Greenhouse Flowering Plants " may suit you. It may be had through any bookeeller. Muscat Vines Breaking Badly (H. H. B.).— Muscats early in the year usually Htart indifferently, and require to bo brought on gradually, the at- mosphere being kept very moist, as also the rods ; these being depressed, as stated by Mr. Douglas a short time since, with a moderate temperature to begin with, and gi-adually raised. Thoir not breaking iu your case is not de- pressing the upper part of the canos, bringing them at least level with the eyes at the lower part of the Vines. The Vines we presume are planted inside ; or the bad breaking may be due to the roots being iu a cold, wet, outside border. We should depress the rods now aud maintain a tempeiaturo of 60" at night. Go- to 7ianio;i and BulJ.—l and Cup, S. R. Harris, Cusgame, St, Day. 2. Oapt. T. S. Robin, Jersey. 3, H. Tomliuson, Gravelly Hill, Birmingham. I'/ic. Henry Lingwood ; J. K. Fowler, Aylesbury, /ic, C. Taylor, Gloucester. c,J. Cattell, Birmingham ; A. Martin, Dorchester. Cochins.- Parfridflc- 1, G. Lias, Par Station. 2, J. K. Fowler. S, W. H. Crabtree. c, H. Moore, Tiverton. „ , . ,, Cochins. -.4111/ oOicr I'uritfi/.-l, J. Turner, Bath. 2, J. K. Fowler Jic, Mrs. J. T. Holmes, Bath. Spinibh.-I and Cup. J. Bonlton, Bristol. 2, P. F. Le Sueur, Jersey. S, Miss E. Browne. Chard, he, E, Steele, Dorchester (21; J. Rodbard, Wrington, GiME — Binct-brensJfd Red. — \. W. J. Eope, Biggleswade. 2, J. Mason, Worcester. 3, W. H. Stagg, Amesbury. e, F. A. Symes, Dorchester; E. G. Farqaharson. Blandford ; H. Bevies, Dorchester. GiiiE.— Broun f)rm.s(fii iirrf.— 1 and Cup J. Jekm, Eltham. 2 and 3, H. Browne, St. Austell. ftc.Westacott & Joint, Barnstaple ; T. Mason, Lancaster; H. E. Martin, Fakenham. c, E. C. Pope, Falmouth. Game.- J»i!( offtcr uaridl/.— 1 and 3, E. Q. Farquharssn. 2, J. Mason. he,'S. Browne, c, W. J. Thomas, Brecon. H»MBCBGHS.-Gold-pfncil(«J— 1 and Cup, W. K. Tickner, Ipswich. 2, S. Elliott, jun., Liskeard. ,1, J. Long, Bromley, he, G, Packham, Exeter. Haubibghs.— Sifr«r-l3cnciUe'n» or /'iiiif(«.— Cup. C. Cork. New Sborebam (Dorkings). he, — Humphreys (Dorkmgs); W. Ford (Cochins); J. o. Hodges (Coloured Dorkings); T. CritcheKQamol. c,H. D. Hoare {Light Brahmas); —Monckton (Light Brabmaa): J.Long. , « „. .n- Pheasants.— 1, Mrs. Brassey. 2, J. CoUler.Northampton. he, J. ColUer ; W. Boots; Mrs. Brassey. Extra Stock.— Ac, — Sterne (White Bantams);- Wise (Buff Cochin); G. Richards (Chinese Geese), c, — Wise (Silver-apangled Hamburgh). PIGEONS. PoDTERs-— Cocft.— 1 and2, Mrs. Ladd, Calne. fte, O. HoUoway, jun. Heit.— 1 and 2, Mrs. Ladd. „ Cakriebb.-CocI:.- 1, J. H. Ivimy, Ecclesfleld. 2. Mrs. Carter, Farnbam. I'Ac, H. Jacob. //««. -Cup, J. H. Iviiny, Sundown, Isle of Wight. 2 and Ac, H. Jacob. iiJic, Mrs. Carter. Deagoons,— I, Rev. G. F. Hodson, North Pothcrton. 2, H. Jacob. Tumblers.— I and 2, A. W. Pearce, Poslwood, Fantails.— 1, 0. E. Cresswell, Early Wood, Bagshot. 2, J. F. Loversidge, Newark. Jacibins.- 1, O. E. Cresswell. „ Antwerps.- 1. W. B. Mapplobeck, jun , Mayfleld. 2, C. L. Bryoe, Havant. Any other Vaeietv.— 1, J. H. Ivirny. 2, J. Woods, Sundown. Ac, T. Ran- dall; W. B. Mapplebeck, jun. ; R. Wilkinson. , „ , SELLING Cl«88.— 1, G. Packham, Exeter. 2, J. F. Loversidge. vke, H. Jacob. Ac, C.Cork; Miss M. A. Vace; — Durrant. CANARIES. Norwich.— Clear Fcliou'.— 1 and vhe, J. Athersuch & Son, Coventry. 2, J. Caplm. Canterbury, /ic, T. Willsher. . ,. , ..^ ,. UoR^vicii.—Eeenbj-marked or Yellow Varieyated.—l and Ac. J. AthersucU and Son. 2, J. Caplin. vhe, — WiUsher. Euenly-marked or Buff Variegated. —1 and Ac, J. Athersuch & Sou. 2, J.t^aplin. t, ^ . m Belgian —Clear iellow.—l and 2, T. sloore. Farebam. Clear Buy.— 1, T. Moore. Evenlyniarked or i'eltom Variegated, or Evenly-marked or Buff Variegated.— I, T. Moore. 2. W. Bickell, Landport. Lizards.— Go/d or Silver>ii>angled.—l. J. Athersuch & Son, Any other Variety.- 1, J. Atber.suob i Son. 2, W. Radmore, PlymoutO (Yellow-crested Norwich), he, J. Athersuch i .Son ; — Nicolson. c, G. Boghurst. Mule.— 1, J. Capliu. 2, T. WiUsUer. Chichester. BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIRDS. BuLLEiNOH.— 1, Fellingham & Wingheld. Brighton. 2, Howard & Cleaver, Wellingborough, vhe and Ac, T. Willsher. c, O. Nicholson, Portsmouth; Mrs. W. C. Drummond. .^ »- , , ,„ Goldfinch.— 1, T. WiUsher. 2, Howard 4 Cleaver. dA--, O. Nicholson (2) ; Mrs. W. C. Drummond. Skylark —1, H. C. Furner, Emsworth. f'lC, T. Willsher. ,„.,,. Siskin, Redpole, or Linnet.— 1. FelUugham & Wingheld. vlie, T. WiUsher. Ac, T. Willsher; Mrs. W.C. Drummond. „„v, Blackhied or Thrush —1, H. Noble. Portsmonth. vhe, G. Sparks ; H. Noble ; Mrs. W. C. Drummond. Ac, — Simmons. British Birds —Any other variety.— I, Howard 4 Cleaver (Starling). 2, Mrs. W. C. Drummond ( Yellowhammer). dAc and Ac, — Simmons (Woodlarks). c, T. WiUsher (Mountain Finch). -^ , , ,-■ ^t British Blues —Oruiip in one Cai;e.— Equal Prize, — Willsher; Miss M. Foreign Birds.- .-1/tj/ variety. — 1, 0. Nicholson (Purple-beaded Glosey Starling). 2, Capt. G. A. Gray. Aldwieh (iylacaw). vhe. Mrs. E. Popham (Large Lemon-crested White Cockatoo); G. Bevis (King Parrot); O. Nicholson (Madagascar Bishop); Mrs. W. C. Drummond (Virginiau Nightmgale and White Jarva Sparrows), lie. Col. EDiott (Scarlet Macaw): — Crother (Green Paroquet); lapi. G. A. Gray (Macaw): O. Nich dson (WaxbiUsand Budgregars). Selling Class.— J?i;/ variety of Canary or Mule, or British or Fjreian Gage Birds.— i, J. Caplin (Norwich Canary). 2. 0. Nicholson (Madagascar Bishop). RABBITS. Length OF EiE.—l,Loyeband it QaioK, Edgivare Road, London. Black-and- White AND Blue-and- White —1, B. Greaves, Grimsby. 2,11. Vallom, Plumstead. iiAc, Mrs. M. E. Shelley ; Loveband & Quick. Grey-and-White and Yellow-and-Wuite. — 1. W. J. King. Islington, London. 2. H W.Simmons. dAc, Lovebaud & Quick ; E. Frost. Ac, Love- band Si Quick, e, W. J. Kmg. ,,,,■, , -a SELF-iJOLOOB.- 1, H. Vallom. 2, E. Frost, vhe, Loveband & Quick, c, U. W. Simmons; Loveband & Quick. FoEEios.-l, B. Greaves (Duich). 2, W. Liwman (Belgian Hare), vlic, Loveland it Quick (bilver-Grey). , _. , Selling Class.-1, E. Frost. Hackbridge. 2 and w'lc, H. W. Simmons, lie, H.W.Simmons; — Westcot. c, H. W.Simmons; Loveband it Quick. Jma^s.—PouUnj : Mr. \Y. B. Jeffries; Pigeons: Mr. F. Esquilant and Mr. S. Harding ; Cage Birds : Mr. A. WiUmore ; Babbits: Mr. W. Heath. WAVEBLEY SHOW OP POULTRY, &c. The eighth Exhibition of the Waverley Society was held iu the Corn Exchange at Melrose on the 27th and 28th ult., when the entries were far more extensive than those of several years back, and the quality such as was never before seen under this roof, most of the classes containing few birds except the champions of previous shows. The birds were well arranged and attended with great care. Dorkings, which may almost be termed the figure-head of the Scotch poultry fancy, were unusually good, almost all being noticed. In old birds first was a massive pen of Silver-Greys, and second Dark Greys ; but iu young birds Dark Greys were first-and-cup, and second Silver-Greys. There were some good birds in Cochins, but with the exception of first not one well- matched pen, the second being the Belfast winning cock and a poor pullet; both pens were Buffs. SraAmns were a good class, the first being won by old and second by young birds, the two very highly commended pens running very close with the winners. Game were one of the best classes we have seen this season, to be mentioned in which was quite equal to a leading prize in some shows. The first was a grand pen of Brown Red chickens which were first at Hexham; the second (Duckwings) were the cup pen at that Show, but lost here on account of a sickle feather having gone; the third a pen of Black Red 108 JOUBNAIi OF HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ Febraary 4, 1875. chickens. The quality of the class may be better understood when it is known that Mr. Harley's crack pen of Brown Reds were only very highly commended. One otherwise grand Black Eed had evidently been in the hands of the barber, treated for fever, or what we cannot say, but the top of his head was clean shaven. Spanish were unusually good, two fine pens of open-faced chickens winning the prize and cup for the sec- tion, and both from one yard; every pen was fit for a prize. The Hamburghs were mixed classes, but the entries good; the Spangles of fair quality; the Pencils really good throughout, Gold being first and Silver second. Any other variety were first Creve-CtEurs, and second Black Hamburghs. In Black Bed Bantams there were some grand cocks, but the hens were not good ; whOe on the contrary there were many good pens in the next class, where Piles were first-and-cup and Duckwings second, and in the following class Blacks were first and White- booted second; and in single cocks the first was a Pile, small and good in colour, and second Black Bose-combed. There were some Black Reds in this class very good in colour, but long in body and wing, and squirrel-tailed. The Cottagers' was a nice class. Aylesbury Ducks were a nice lot, but the Rouens a most extraordinary class, alike in size, with colour, marking, and bills. Some very pretty little Calls won in the next class. The Selling class was but poor. Turkeys were a good lot, the winners of the Cambridge variety. Geese were very large and good ; the first Grey, and second White. Pigeons had but few classes, the standards, such as Carriers, Tumblers, &c., not being provided for. Pouters were first, the first being White in grand show, large and fine in girth and limb ; second Blues, equally large, but not so good in girth ; a pair of most showy Blacks being highly commended, as also several other pens. Nuns were a large and good class; the winners very small. Fantails vierce poor, except the first-prize pen. In Jacohins the first were Reds and second Yellows : this was a good class. Turbits were in many cases fonl-thighed, but the two winning pens were really good; first SheU-crowned Silvers, faulty only in bars ; second Blues, with spike crowns, but a little foul. English Oiols were a large good class; the first Blues, and second Silvers. The Variety class had many standard birds, the first going to an exquisite pair of Almonds, second to Black Letz, and third to Dun Barbs. This was a " hot " class. The Selling class, like the poultry, was very poor. The point cup for Pigeons was won by Mr. Brydone of Edinburgh. Cage Bikds were a very good show, much better in fact than we have seen here before, the Scotch Fancy showing-up weU, and being grand in style and colour. In Clear Don cocks the first was a Yellow and second Buff, but both were Yellows in hens, these being superior to the Flecked or Marked birds. There were some capital Greens, the winners being in fact about the best in the Show, the colour most perfect. Any other cage birds were numerous and good, the first going to a Jonque Variegated Goldfinch Mule of great beauty, second a moulted Goldfinch, and third a Bullfinch, whUo aeveral good Goldfinch Mules were noticed in the list. DoRKiNOB.— 1, D. Hardie. PrieethauRh. 2, T. Rainefl, Stirling, vhe, J. White, he, G. Amos, Melrose ; W.Martin. Stranraer, c, Et. Reed. Canonbie. Chichens. — Cnp and 1, D. Gellatly. Meiple. 2. O. Parlier, EiddeU. he. J. White; K. Eeed. c, G. Amos ; T. Raines ; J. White. Cochin-China.—I, Mrs. W. Steven, Montrose. 2. W. Martin, r^ic, Capt. G. F. Lyon, Kirkmichael. he, Mrs. W. Steven ; J. Wy«e, Falkirk; A. Hutchison, Stranraer. Brahua Pootha. — 1 and 2. T. Raines, vhe, R. Maxwell. Dumfries; J. A. Dempster. Stirling, he, J. Sandeman, Dundee, e, Capt. G. F. Lyon ; W. G. Dnncan, Dundee. GiHS.— Cnp. W. Ormerod. 2, Miss M.J. Nelson, Cookshaw. 8, J. A. Mather. vhe, D. Harley. EdinburKh. he, W. Younghusband ; W. Allen : J. A. Mather ; Miss M. J. Nelson ; D. Harley ; J. Broaph ; W. Beveridge ; R. M'Adam. Spanish.— 1 and 2, Mrs. Gracie. vhe, H. Wilkinson, lie, Willoughby and Pnrves ; Mrs. W. Steven ; W. Patersnn ; W. Martin, e, W. Paterson. Hamburghs.— fipan^^frf.-l. H. A. Clark. 2, G.Campbell, br, W. Martin ; H. Pickles. Pencilled.— 1, D. Cheyne. 2, H. A. Clark, vhe, W. Linton; J. Taylor, he, A. Pratt, c, D. Cheyne ; T. Dickflnn. Any othkr Vabiett.— 1 and vlie, W. R. Park. 2, H. A. Clark, he, T. Baillie; J. Tayl.ir; W. Bearpark. Bantams.— /?Cfi8.—l, Miss M.J. Nelson. 2. G.Dowie. Anj/ other variety.— I. R.H.Ashton. 2. A. G. Lindsay. *c, J. Taylor; R. H. Ashton; R. Yoale. e,J. Falrbaim; Miss J. M. Frew; Wells & Sherwise. Any variety.— Cock.— 1,^. M'Qregor. 2, R. H. Ashton. he, O. M'Millan ; J. Forry ; Miss R. C. Frew. Game Bantams.— ^7)i/ o//i^r rnriety.— Cup and 2, Miss M. J. Nelson, he, R. Youle;H. H Tbomson. c. A. Hutton. CoTTAQEBB' Class.— 1, Mrs. Hinton. 2, Mrs. W. Allan, he, J. Beith; R. H. Alhton. e, Mrs. Sharp ; Mrs. Wanph. Docks.- .^y/csfaurj/.— 1, — Dryden. 2, Capt. G. F. Lyon, he. Lord A.Cecil, c, Lord A. Cecil ; Mrs. Dickenson. Ro>ieti.—l, D. Hardie. 2, W. Martin, vhe, J.A.Mather; D. Hardi? ; Miss M IS. Nelson, he. J. Steel, c, Capt. G. F. Lyon. Indian or Call.—l and 3, D. Hardie vhe, J. T. Cathcart. Sellino Cutss.-l, W. Linton. 2, R. H Anhton. c. W. Paterson ; T. Young. TtJRKKTS.— I. D. Hardie. 2, J. Allan, he. Earl of Haddington. Qeebe.—I, D. Hardie. 2, Lord A. CeciL he, D. Hardie; W. Brydone. c, G. Hamilton. PIGEONS. PoUTEBS.— 1 and 2, J. Dye. he, A. Anderson ; J. Dye ; M'Gill Skinner (2) ; J. E. Spence. Fantails.— 1, A. Crosbie. 9. A. Smith. Nuns.— 1, W. Brydone. 2, M'Gill Skinner, he, R. Laurie (21; W. Brydone; E. North. Jacobins.— 1 and 2. W. Brydone. he, R. Raines. Tdhbits.—I, W. Brydone. 2. A. Crosbie. uhc, R. Laurie; W. Brydone. he, R. Laurie; J. Dye (8); M'Gill Skinner. Owls.— English.— 1, W. Brydone. 2. J. Dye. vlic. H. li G. Brown, he, R. Laurie ; J. Dye ; A, Anderson ; W. Brydone. c, A. Anderson. Any otheb Variety.— 1, W. Brydone, 2, A. Crosbie. 3. J. E. Spence. vhe, J. Dye. he, A. Smith ; J. Dye ; M'Gill Skinner, e, E. Nortb. Selling Class.- 1. A. Anderson. 2, J. Dye. he, R. Raines: W. Brydone; M'Gill Skinner, e, W. Ritchie ; J. Day (2) ; E. North (2) ; A. Huf.on. W. Brydone, Dunse, winner of Pigeon Cup. CAGE BIRDS. Y'ellow OB Buff Don.— Cocfc.— 1, Miss Hawkins. 2, R. Hunter, he, W. Mirtle; J. Hardie; R. Hunter. e,T. Darling. Hen.— I, Miss Hawkins. 2, T. Darling, he, R. Hunter (21; A. MasoB. c, A. Mason; A. Jack. Yellow or Buff-flkckkd Don.— Cocfc.— 1, W. Mirtle. 2, R. Hunter, vhe, A. Mason; H. Mein. he. Miss Drummond; T. Darling. Hen.—l and c, R. Hunter. 'J, A. Jack, he, T. Darling (a|; Miss Hawkins ; J. Hardie (il. Canary -(Jrfprt.—l, R. Hunter. 2, A. Mason, he, A. Jack, c, J. Hardie. Cage Bird.— l.T. Wilson. 2, J. Shiel. 3. J. Wishart. vhe, T. Frood ; W. Douglas, he, T. Frood; J. Shiel, jun.; R. Beattie; T. Wilson; W. Speirs. c, J. Crawford ; A. Drummond ; R. Moffat ; J. Laidlaw ; J. Wishart. Pabrots.— 1, Mrs. Paterson. 2, Mrs. Main. ]u:, W. Romanes, Melrose. R. Hunter, (ialashiels, winner of Canary Cup. Judge. — Mr. E. Hutton, Pudsey, Leeds. NATIONAL PERISTERONIC SOCIETY'S GRAND ANNUAL SHOW AT THE CRYSTAIj PALACE, Tuesday, Januaby 26th. The notice of this Show which we now place before our readers is perhaps somewhat impatiently looked for. We may say that we fovmd it impossible to complete such a report as the Show merited in the few hours by which it preceded the issue of our last number. This Exhibition, for quality of the birds, their numbers, or the perfection of the thousand and one arrangements necessary to prevent a hitch, proves what rapid strides in popular favour the National Peristeronic Society has made even during the last year. New names, new studs of Pigeons will be very noticeable in our description, and further indicates that amongst the members are workiiig officers and a most energetic Committee. The Show was held as heretofore in the tropical department of the Crystal Palace, entering which, and following the rule of the road, we turn to the left, and find ourselves at once before the first of that long series of mahagony pens, so light and so uniform, admiring the Barbs of Mr. Hedley and Mr. Heritage. Some were specimens of the highest class. One young Red we singled out in Mr. Hedley's pen as a bird of extraordinary promise, and expect to hear of him again. Next are placed Mr. Gill's Almonds, then three pens containing about fifty birds of Mr. J. B. Jayne of Croydon, next Mr. Merck's contribution, and lastly Mr. Heritage's and Mr. Johnstone's. These almond- coloured birds formed a grand display if all the other Pigeons had flown away. The barleycorn beak, the puny wattle, the high forehead, the wide skull, the dolphin eye, the little coquettish whisker were here to the heart's content, whilst their variegated and bright feathers became resplendent as the beams of light descended on them through the crystal roof. Such a collection has not at any one time been seen before. We were gratified to find our old but too neglected favourites the Black Mottles represented by some good birds of Mr. Henning's. Next is a pen of good clean-cut clear-feathered Baldheads of Mr. South ; then some good Baldheads shown by Mr. Newman. Mr. Clay of Manchester showed English and foreign Owls, the first exceptionally good ; also some very slout Barbs, and a magnificent pair of Dun Carriers. We preferred the hen, though the cock is the hero of a hundred fights, and retains his prime condition. This year Pouters were not remarkable for their absence, one table extending the whole length of the Alhambra facade, and containing compartments for thirty-one birds, was folly occupied by twelve grand birds of Mr. Gresham ; fourteen shown by Mr. GiU, including some fine Yellows, and half a dozen by Capt. W. Hill, in the number a young Blue cock, every inch a Pouter, and perfect inline and contour. Mr. Herbert exhibited Owls, Magpies, and Turbits ; Mr. Stevenson also Tarbits of a rich yellow tint, and Magpies. Nextisapairof Jacobins, Mr. Easten's of Hull ; the close frill, the hood, the true-shaped Jack skull here proved what skill and patience the birds had received from their owner. Mr. Easten also sent some good Yellow Turbits. In adjoining pens are Mr. Tegetmeier's Pigmy Pouters and homing birds, classes in which he is pre-eminent. Then comes a pen of Mr. South's Turbits ; the rich, clear, and deep colour of these birds was so striking that we heard one good fancier confess how one illusion had been destroyed : he has hitherto felt confident he was first in colour for Red Turbits, and now he saw he was a bad second. We now have to notice a pair of that popular variety, the White Fantail, containing twelve birds, the flower of Mr. Vander Meersch's famous stock, and well they sustained his reputation. About two dozen bee- hive pens for single birds filled the centre table, and they are tenanted by young Carriers from the lofts of Mr. Hedley and Mr. Heritage. The majority were birds of high excellence, even for these days of Carrier development, and they formed a prominent feature in the Show. Carriers, always the bird par excellence in the National Peris- teronic gatherings, were represented here also by Col. Hassard, who penned a couple of dozen Blacks and Dans, and who, true Fobruory i, 1375. ] JOUENAL OF HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 109 to his old fancy, sticks to the Bines, whilst many forsake them for the more popular colours; and we rejoiced to find he had Bent fine excellent Blues and Silvers to put in an appearance. Carriers are further represented by a pen of twelve fine birds shown by Mr. Hedley ; by seven birds of an energetic fancier, Mr. Sargent ; by two pens of Mr. Pratt ; by twelve birds of Mr. Keylor, showing great substance ; by twelve birds of Mr. Crisp, stylish and promising, also by two Whites — we see he is in earnest to follow up his Bristol success (cup tor Whites), in which as a fancier of the right sort he has our hearty good wishes — by fifteen excellent birds of Mr. Faith's, one of our oldest Carrier fanciers ; by thirty birds from a fancier well settled in the right groove for Blues, Blacks, and Duns — Mr. Hodgson ; by twenty Blues and Blacks from Mr. Ord (perhaps not such a dis- play as in some former years, but then how many of his strain are there not in the lofts of our most noted judges ?) ; by some escellent birds of Mr. Gill's, and by the Plymouth contingent Bent by Mr. Square, always a powerful auxiliary in these grand shows ; by twenty IBIacks and Duns shown by an old member of the Society, Mr. Feltham — good birds, though we understand his best were in the country. We must now dismiss the Carriers, yet not without expressing a hope that in the next annual Show Mr. Montgomery may find his way from Belfast and pen a few of his magnificent strain of this breed. There is a Pigeon bearing two names — i.e., " Homing," to de- note its characteristic, and "Antwerp," to mark the country of its origin. We find, however, it bears a third appellation — i.e., the " Carrier;" at least we observed some pens so labelled. We hope to offer no indignity to their possessor if we include them not amongst Carriers as the term is accepted by us, but describe them as " Homing birds." About 150 of these were exhibited by Mr. Hudson; many of these birds of noted pedi- frees, others crossed with the Dragoon, a fine collection of merles and Blue Beards, and in colours Blue, Blue-chequered, and Red-chequered. The journeys they had performed were duly noted in the pens, ranging from 150 to 580 miles. Mr. Theobald sent a pen of fourteen fine-looking " Homers," and Mr. Little also a pen of twenty-four Red-chequered of his well- known strain. We arrive now before a pen of Blue Dragoons, and of the true type, shown by Mr. Barnet ; next is the pen of Mr. Esquilant, containing Silver and Powder-blue Owls. On sustaining this old-fashioned strain our well-known judge and enthusiastic Pigeon lover has exercised his skill for some years with the result now to place seventeen fine specimens before the younger fancier, to educate the eye but too frequently erring since the introduction of the Foreign variety as to the true points of the English Owl, which for beauty of shape, colour, and carriage we trust will retain its position amongst our most highly-prized Toys. Next is a pen of the same variety shown by Mr. P. H. Jones, very level in quality, and a pretty collection. In con- trast with the prim close plumage of the Owl comes a pair of that highly-prized breed — the modem Trumpeter, shown by a recently-elected member of the Society, Mr. Schweitzer, who also exhibited a pen of twenty-fonr Foreign Owls — Silver, Whites, Blues, &c., each bird a gem. This pen could not fail to be a great attraction to visitors, in fact it was the largest col- lection vpe recollect to have seen or heard of as the property of any fancier. We wish Mr. Schweitzer all success in results after he has paired his birds. A pair of Jacobins also his property were high-class specimens. Mr. Whitehead's pen contained fourteen Yellow Owls (English), all of excellent colour, not so short-beaked as the Blues, their confreres; but where shall we find better? Close by, Mr. Banks' Jacobins arrested the attention of all judges by their very superior style and quality, to which Mr. Bull's Jacobins proved themselves not unworthy neighbours. Some very excellent birds (perliaps, if they were well looked for, a few of the best Jacks in the country), would be found in his pen. This variety now holding such a prominent place in public taste was worthily represented. Mr. Tegetmeier's pen of twelve Blue Dragoons had the head, beak, skull, colour, and carriage which this bird ought to possess. Mr. Whitehead's pen of Dragoons consisted of Grizzles, Blues, and Yellows. A very interesting collection. Of Y'ellow Dragoons, so profusely re- presented in former years, there was but one pen. It was filled by Mr. Betty's birds, which found admirers as usual. Lastly, a pen of Almonds, somewhat out of place it struck us, amongst the larger Dragoons and Antwerps. We trust Mr. Ford will secure a place next year for his very pretty 'Tumblers near their own class. Such are the notes we jotted down whilst doing the tour of the Show. Its extent is proved by their length, which we shall not extend further than to congratulate the officers and mem- bers of the National Peristeronic Society on their successful effort this year to carry out one of the main objects in their scheme, to popularise and extend Pigeon culture. Cbystal Palace Bran Show.— The twelfth annual Exhibition of Canaries and British and Foreign Cage Birds is fixed to take place on Saturday, February 13th, extending to the 18th. The entries are announced to close February 3rd, after which date all post entries will be charged 25 per cent, in addition to the fixed entry. Post entries to close February 6th. The classes for entering birds amount to the unprecedented number of eighty, besides a class (a new feature in the Exhibition) for show cages, for which a silver medal will be awarded as a first prize, and two money prizes for second and third. The prizes offered for cages will be awarded with the view of giving a uniform appearance to cage bird shows. The cages will include fittings, which shall in the opinion of the Judges best fulfil the combined requirements of cheapness and excellence of construction. In the Selling class each exhibitor wiU be entitled to the same number of entries as he shall have made in the competing classes. The classes for Canaries and Mules extend to forty- one, with fourteen for British birds, three classes for birds of passage and migratory birds, and twenty-one classes for foreign birds. The Judges are Messrs. Harrison Weir, J. Jeimer Weir, G. J. Bamesby, A. Willmore, and E. L. Wallace. DEPRESSION OF HIVE FRAMES. I THANK Mr. Cheshire for his offer of assistance in trigonome- trical calculation (page 601 of last volume), but as I require no such instruction, and as it has no bearing on the question at issue, it may be dispensed with. I still maintain that it is impossible for the bees to depress the bars as stated. A bar might warp from fault in the wood, but not from the weight of the bees, considering that a swarm is distributed over several bars, and that the bees on one bar do not suspend themselves from the centre only, but from nearly the whole length. As to the bees commencing their comb in the centre, that greatly depends on the position of the hive, for they generally commence from the highest point, and, as it is extended along the bar, must necessarily give a certain amount of strength, and the conformation of the cells tends to support themselves. As to the bees attaching the comb to the floor- board, the instance Mr. Cheshire gives is no proof that they do BO naturally ; in his case it might have arisen from careless manipulation, and allowing pieces of comb to fall in the hive, which the bees would immediately make fast, and should those pieces be within a certain distance of the main comb they would of course attach them. I deny that bees ever naturally build down to the floorboards. As Mr. Cheshire refers me to his letter, I refer him to mine. I said bees do " sometimes " attach the comb to the bottom "rail," not floorboard. With regard to ventilation, Mr. Cheshire says that in full skeps the cluster extends down to the floorboard. I can only say I never saw so large a swarm in winter; and even if they did it could have no prejudicial effect, for no one will deny that bees winter as well in a skep as in any other hive if they have shelter and sniEcient food. I am still at a loss to understand how the bottom rail aids ventilation. I suppose Mr. Cheshire will allow that the heat in a hive is generated by the bees, as warm air is lighter than cold ; but Mr. Cheshire does not tell how he gets rid of the warm air at the top to allow the cold to take its place, or how the said rail assists in doing so. Mr. Cheshire's letter as a literary produc- tion is all very good, but if the theories therein promulgated are correct, then the attempts that have been made to instil into my mind common reason have signally failed. Mr. Cheshire appears to be singularly erratic in his commendation of hives, and I would like to know how he can reconcile his letter in the " British Bee Journal," pages 186, 187, and 188, with his letter in the Journal of Horticulture of November 26th. Mr. Cheshire expresses himself puzzled by the last sentence of my letter. May I be allowed to explain that, if my memory serves me, the hive which Mr. Cheshire claims as his consisted of a combina- tion of several gentlemen's ideas, and because the one improve- ment does not exist in his (?) he condemns it ? Why does not Mr. Cheshire send his hive to the Editor of the " British Bee Journal " as he promised to do ? — Pecchionk. THE SLINGER. Some weeks ago one of your correspondents in reply to my letter on the slinger, asks, " Where is Mr. Pettigrew's authority for saying the patrons of the slinger tell us that swarms spend their first year in filling the bar frames with combs ? " The literature of the bar-frame school which I have seen has led to this conviction. At the present moment I cannot remember of any records given of results of swarms in bar-framers. The principal bar-frame apiarian in the neighbourhood of Manches- ter told me, as I said before, that both honey and swarms could not be obtained in one season. When I penned the remark I had my mind fixed on an article of recent date, written as I think ;by an inventor cr improver of bar-frame hives. I cannot lay my hands on the number which contained this article, but 110 JODBNAL OF HORTICULTDEE AND COTTAGE QABDENER. ( February 4, 1875. I am of opinion that it wag in a recent number of a periodical that I read very explicit atatementa that swarma apent their first year in filling frames with combs. But Mr. Hunter ahould be able to correct ua (if we have been misled) from his own experience. "What was the weight of his heaviest swarm last year ? How much honey did he obtain from any one swarm ? If his own locality ia not a good one for honey, perhaps he will help ua to information aa to what swarma in frame hives have done elsewhere in their first year. If swarms in such hives rise to 100 lbs. and upwards first year (and why should they not ?), the slinger may be used in casting honey from their combs before they are removed to the heather. Heather honey cannot be extracted by the machine in question ; and I think it right to let Mr. Hunter know that the gentleman who bought the machine could not get it to extract heather honey, and he tried it fairly before he sent it here. The honey put into the machine here had never been " allowed to set," and at the present date is not set, standing where it did three months ago. I have read an account of the slinger from the same pen that I fancy wrote the remark about the first year being spent by swarms in filling their frames. Mr. Hunter well knows the writer of this quotation :— " Extracted honey (by the machine) ia for two reasons hardly equal in quality to run honey. It usually contains more water, and is darker in colour; but if the whole of the comb be sealed the first objection obviously will not stand, because bees allow the excess of moisture to evaporate before sealing. The strong colour arises from the stain given by the old and tough comb, which is more suitable for slinging than the young and tender." The correctness of this writer's viewa may be questioned. I merely quote his utterances as I find them. — A. Pettioklw. OUR LETTER BOX. INTEBMITTENT LlTijto {Bark JSraftm.e).— Your hens are merely sufferiuK from change of home. It is usual for them on such occasions to leave off laying for a day or two, till they get settled-down in their new abode. They will soon begin again. Dress the cocks' combs with some citron ointment, and they will soon be well. BRiHMi CB0P-30OND (T. H. B.).— See what is said on pa^e I namber. [ of our last "WmTE Peacock (D. Drake).— Tha White is a distinct breed. When crossed with the common bird the white is mlnsled with the various colours, and often produces a very pretty and striking effect. Proper Homing Pioeons (O. H. B.).— The Long-faced Antwerps are the proper Homiut' Pigeons. The Short-faced may perhaps home fairly ; and the old-fashioned English homerwas the Dragoon. If you get good homers when jou let them out they are sure to go home; but get such, let them breed, and then train their young. Cbystai, Paiace Canary Show (M. G.).— No lird will be allowed to be removed until after 5 p.m. on the 18th of February. See the eighteenth rule. Feeding Bees (^iicial.— See what is said on pa^e 89 of our last namber. Canary and Goldfinch Mules {OrnU An}ialee).—T:he best-coloured Mules (Jonques) are undoubtedly bred from deep-coloured Canaries paired with Goldfinches. You may experience far less trouble when breeding with acock Goldfinch and a Canary hen than vlci' vt:rs-lb. 0 0 0 0 Chestnuts lushel 10 0 20 0 Currants i sieve 0 0 0 0 Black do, 0 0 0 0 Figs doz. 0 0 0 0 Filberts lb. 1 0 16 Cobs lb. 1 6 2 u Gooseberries quart 0 0 0 0 Grapes, hothouse,.., lb. C, OHO Lemolis ,-'100 R 0 12 0 Melons each 0 0 0 0 Mulberries ^Ib. 0 Nectarmes doz. 0 Oranges ^100 8 Peaches doz. 0 Pears, kitchen doz. 2 dessert doz. 2 Pine .Ipijles lb. 2 Plums j sieve 0 Qataees doz. 0 Raspberiies lb. 0 Strawbeiries ^Ib. 0 Walnuts buthel 8 ditto f^lOO 1 i. a a OtoO U 0 0 0 12 0 VEGETABLES. Artichokes doz. Asparngos........ .. *♦ '00 French.... pjr bundle Beans, Kidney. ...per 10) Broal bu hel 0 0 Beet. R-'d doa 1 0 Brocco i bandle 0 9 Rrn^seia Sprouts 1 sieve 8 0 Cabbage doz. 1 6 Carroa.,.. batioh 0 6 CapsLums ^ 100 0 u Caulillowe- ., doz. 4 0 Celerv ..bundle 1 8 Cohworts.. doz. bunches 4 0 Cucumbers CMCh 2 0 pickling diz. 0 0 Endive l,)z. a 0 Fennel buucb e 8 Garlic... lb. 0 6 Wprbs ...bnnch 0 3 Horseradish bundle 0 0 , d. s. d. OtoS 0 0 0 10 0 0 0 Leeks Letiuoe doz. MaahrOLmB pottle Mustard & Cress. .punnet Onions bushel pickling quart Parsley per doz. bunches Parsnips doz. Peas quart Potatoes bushel Kidney do. Radishes., doz. bnnchea Rhubarb bundle Salaafy bundle Soorzonera bundle Sea-kale basltet Shallots lb. Spinach bushel Tomatoes doz. Turnips bnnch Vegetable Marrows., doz. d e. d. StoO 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 e 0 6 0 (1 B 6 4 0 0 0 n n 0 0 Fetiraary 11, 1375. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. Ill WEEKLY CALENDAR. Day Dav of of Month Week. 11 TH 12 V 13 a 14 SCN 15 M 16 Tn 17 W FBBBUABT U— 17, 187S. Royal Society at 8.30 p.m. Royal Botanic Society, 3.45 p.m. 1 Sr.NDAY IK Lent. Entomological Society at 7 p.m. Zoological Society at 8.30 P.M. Royal Horticultural Fiait and Floral Committeeo, 1 P.M. Averagt Sun Sun Temperature near Rises. Sets. London. Day. NiRht. Mean. m. h. m. h. 44.5 29.8 37.2 23af 7 6af5 44.9 29.6 37.2 21 7 8 6 44.3 29.6 86.9 20 7 9 5 46.6 30.9 89.8 18 7 11 5 47.0 31.3 89.2 16 7 13 5 47.0 30.6 88.8 14 7 15 5 46.6 30.6 88.6 12 7 17 S Moon Rises. Moon Sets. ta 23af 9 39 9 1 10 81 10 16 11 after. 32 1 m. h. morn. 8al 0 Moon's Age. Days. 5 6 5 8 9 10 11 Clock before Sun. 14 30 14 29 14 27 14 25 14 22 14 18 Day of Year. 42 43 44 45 40 47 48 From observations taken near London during forty-throe years 30.8°. , the average day temperature of the week is 45.7^ ; and its night temperature SOME BEDDING PLANTS FROM SEED. [ T may be well to preface this paper by the remark that it is meant especially for those who, though anxious to have a well-fur- nished summer flower garden, have not the accommodation necessary for wintering a large stock of bedding plants. This class is, happily, year by year becoming larger, and the standard of taste is being so rapidly elevated that flowers, instead of being looked upon as things of luxury, are almost becom- ing necessaries of life. To very many a home without a nice garden is not a home at all, but only a house to live in. This being so, that law which almost always brings a snpply where there is a demand is fast giving us a stock of hardy and annual plants specially adapted to the wants of the almost glassless amateur. Less than twenty years ago little could be done in the way of furnishing a flower garden with continuous summer-blooming plants, except with tender things kept over winter. Now, between those which are hardy and those which can be got up from seed in spring by the help of a little glass, a good display can be made. It is presumed that the amateur has a frame or two and the means of making a hotbed, which should be done early in February ; and as so many, in fact all, the good fortunes of the year depend upon this hotbed, it may be well to say a few words about the making of it. At this season it is no mere cartload or so of stable litter and leaves that will do. For a single-light frame, say 6 feet by dh feet — and in most of cases this will be amply sufficient — a bed 9 feet by C.^ feet will be' needed, which gives a margin of 18 inches all round the frame ; and to do this four or five cartloads, according to size, of stable dung will be needed. If leaves are to be had, less by a cartload will do. They serve to steady and pro- long the heat ; but if the dung be properly prepared, and the bed well built, they can be very well done without. Let the dung be first thrown up into a high conical heap, shaking it well in doing so ; and as at this season there is more danger of its being too wet than too dry, the outside of the heap should be lightly combed with a wooden rake, which helps to run off the heavy rains. When fermenta- tion has set in, turn the heap two or three times at inter- vals of forty-eight hours or so, until the heat begins to moderate, and the dung is all of a uniform dark brown colour, when it is ready for use. To make the bed, measure a space G'. feet by 9 feet, or S feet more each way than the size of the frame, what- ever that may be, drive in a stout stake at each corner, and proceed to build by putting on thin layers all round, shaking it well, and beating each layer level with the back of the fork. It is a bad practice to tread it every two or three layers, as I have seen some do ; the weight of the frame and pots will soon make it solid enough. "When about four-lifths of the material have been used slope the toj) of the bed so that it may be G inches lower at the front than at the back, and then put on the frame, No 724.— Vol. XXVIII., New Seeies. when the remainder of the dung may be built round about it quite up to the top. I prefer this method early in the season for small frames ; later and with larger frames G inches of a margin is sufficient. In a day or two a strong heat accompanied by a rank steam will be given off. This will not continue long if the dung has been well fermented in the first instance, and when the heat stands at about 70°, and the air in the frame is clear or nearly so, it is then fit for anything. For plung- ing material, although it has some disadvantages, I like nothing better than sawdust ; but sandy soil, sifted coal ashes, or tan will do. The next best thing to having plenty of plants when bedding-time comes is just to have enough and not very many to spare. Surplus plants represent wasted labour, which might have been more profitably employed in im- proving the quahty of those really needed. It is, there- fore, well to have an exact calculation made beforehand of what is wanted, allowing, of course, a pretty wide margin for mishaps. Agerathms (the dwarf varieties). — If cuttings of these are to be had they are better than raising seedlings, and they strike very freely in heat, but the strain is now so well fixed that a very equal stock can be had from seed. Sow somewhat thinly in a shallow box or in pots, cover- ing very Hghtly with fine soil. When the seedlings have attained two pair of leaves prick them into 3-inch pots, two in each, or two abreast, into long narrow boxes, out of which they are conveniently planted. Such of them as show undue grossness of growth should be pulled up as soon as noticed, or, at least, separated from the rest. The best varieties are Chater's Imperial Dwarf, clear azure blue ; Pluto, lightish blue, very profuse bloomer ; Tom Thumb, porcelain-coloured. Lobelias. — The Erinus varieties, especially the dwarf sorts, are indispensable in the flower garden, and they should be sown as early as possible. The seed is very small, and being sent out in infinitesimal pinches, which are called packets, requires to be carefully handled. Pre- pare the pots by thoroughly draining, and use soil com- posed of half loam, half leaf mould, tempered by a little silver sand, that for the top of the pot being finely sifted. Press it rather firmly down, so that it may not get dry so soon on the surface as it would if loose, making it quite smooth on the top. Having sown the seed as evenly as possible, do not cover it with soil at all, but give one watering through a very fine-rosed watering-pot, and then cover the pot with a sheet of glass. If it can be done without, do not water again until after the seed has germinated. If the pots should afterwards get dry take them out of the frame, and place them for a few minutes in 3 or 4 inches of lukewarm water, which will moisten the soil without disturbing the seeds. When the seedlings can be handled, prick them 2 inches apart into boxes, either returning them into the hotbed frame for two_ or three days, or, if put into a cold one, shading and keeping them close until they are somewhat established. The following are good sorts:— Lobelia Erinus speciosa. Crystal Palace variety ; L. Erinus compacta ; L. Erinus No. 1S70 —Vol. LIII., Old Sekies. 112 JOUENAL OF HOBTIODLTURB AND OOTTAGB GARDENER. [ Febraaiy 11, 1875. Paxtouiana, bright blue, with white eye, loose grower ; L. pn- mila grandiflora, very dwarf and dense in habit. There are also white, lilac, and crimson varieties very pretty, but not mneh needed. Petunias. — The Petunia, although immensely Improved of late years, does not receive from florists that degree of atten- tion which it deserves. Our present strain appears to have Bprnng originally from P. nyotaginiflora and P. integrifolia, or Nierembergia phcenicea as it was first called. Like the allied genus Salpiglossis, it is very variable, so much so that it is hardly possible to propagate any given variety by seed. The colours range through various shades of white, pink, rose, crimson, violet, purple, and green. Could the colours yellow and pure scarlet be imported into it there would be few more showy flowers than the Petunia. Sow during the middle or end of February, and treat the same as Lobelias. If potted instead of being put into boxes it will be an advantage at planting-out time. As they are apt to grow too gross, the beds they are intended to fill should have little or no manure. For large beds sow the P. grandi- flora, varieties kermesina, roseo-alba, and violacea ; for smaller beds, atro-violacea and Countess of Ellesmere. Tagetes signata ruMiLA. — A most serviceable yellow bedding plant on wasted gravelly soils, although it is rather looked down upon. It is generally sown too late, the middle of Feb- ruary being nothing too early to secure good, bushy, little plants. Sow in heat, and when large enough to handle prick- out the seedlings into a cold frame prepared with light loamy soil. Stop and pinch as required to make stout stocky plants. Veeeena venosa.— An all but hardy Verbena with half-tuber- ous roots, from which, when once a stock has been obtained, it can be afterwards propagated with great facility. Seed sown now will produce plants fit to bed-out, and though they will be somewhat late in coming into bloom, they will make a fine display during the autumn months. The trusses are small, but very numerous, and of a beautiful purplish mauve colour. It makes good back lines for ribbon borders, or for filling the centres of large circular beds. The seed germinates more freely when sown late in spring in a very mild heat than it does in a strong heat at this season. GArLLAKDiA. — A half-hardy perennial possessed of great blooming powers, not so much used for bedding as it once was. The beginning of March is nothing too late to sow it, pricking-out the seedlings into a cold frame or under hand- glasses. The best known variety is G. picta, but the following are better worth growing : — G. hybrida grandiflora, yellow and scarlet ; G. speoiosa inaignis, crimson ; G. coccinea, scarlet ; and G. Eichardsonii, crimson and orange. DUNTHUS SINENSIS. — This, well known as the Chinese Pink, is in all its varieties a capital hardy bedding plant. Like its homely relation the Sweet-William, the variety of gorgeous colours which a bed of mixed sorts presents is something wonderful. Sow early, and as every seed will grow, sow thin, at no time allowing the seedlings to spindle-up for want of room. When in bloom during summer they require some attention in removing the seed pods, and even thinning the flowers, which greatly prolong the season of their blooming. Perilla nankinensis. — This gloomy Nettle is, as an indi- vidual plant, about as ugly as it is possible for a plant to be yet few who have a flower garden to fill care to be without a little of it. The seed germinates very slowly, and not always very certainly, and should therefore be sown thickly. Transplant the seedUngs into boxes, and protect from spring frosts, as it is very tender. P. laciniatus has deeply-cut leaves, and is rather more ornamental than the old sort. — Eoeert D. Taylor. EOYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. February 9th. ANNU.VL GENEKAL MEETING. The Annual General Meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society was held last Tuesday in the Council-room, South Ken- sington, under the presidency of Viscount Bury, the President. The members of Council present were Sir Alfred Slade, Bart. ; Sir Coutts Lindsay, Bart. ; Mr. Robert Warner, Mr. Little, Mr. W. A. Lindsnv (Secretary), Mr. H. Webb, Mr. Kellock, &c. Amongst the Fellows present were Col. Trevor Clarke, Mr. S. H. Godson, Mr. G. F. Wilson, Mr. Robert Fortune, Mr. W. Paul, Dr. Hogg, Dr. Denny, Mr. Veitch, Mr. B. S. Williams, Mr. Hibberd, Mr. Charles Edmonds, Mr. Bull, Mr. Alfred Smee, Rev. George Kemp, Mr. Quilter, Mr. G. T. Saul, Mr. John Lee, Mr. H. Ormson, Mr. J. Bateman, Mr. Haughton, &c. Sk. The Secretary, Mr. W. A. Lindsay, read the advertisement convening the meeting ; and also the minutes of the last meet- ing, which were confirmed. Mr. Pinches and Mr. Fortune were appointed Scrutineers, and the result of the voting was as follows : — In the place of the vacat- ing members, J. A. Hardcastle, Alfred Smee, F.R.S.,and J. Her- bert Tritton, the following were elected : — The Hon. and Rev. J. T. Boscawen, Mr. William Longman, and Mr. J. D. Chambers. The extraordinary vacancy caused by the retirement of Lieut.- Gen. the Hon. Sir Alexander H. Gordon was filled by the elec- tion of Mr. Frederick Campion. The officers were re-elected as follows: — Viscount Bury, President; Mr. Bonamy Dobree, Treasurer; Mr. W. A. Lindsay, Secretary; Sir Coutts Lindsay, Bart., Sir Alfred Slade, Bart., and Mr. Bonamy Dobree as Expenses Committeemen; Mr. P. M. Leonard, Mr. H. Liggins, and Mr. Conrad H. Pinches as Auditors. The Report of the Council was taken as read. The Chaibm.in rose and said — Ladies and Gentlemen: The question I have to submit to you, I am happy to say, will require but a few words from me oa the present occasion — that is, upon the Report which the Council think it their duty to submit to you. There was a time when we had reason to believe that this meeting might be somewhat of a stormy character, and that we, the members of the Council, should, perhaps, have to battle for our hves ; but I am happy to say that these sinister auguries have been entirely dispersed, and that we find, far from being called upon to encounter any direct or any covert hostility from our landlords the Royal Commissioners, that we are likely to receive from them all the support they can give consistently with their high position [cheers]. It is only quite recently that this happy state of affairs came into existence, or that I sbould have been able to announce to you the realisation of this happy state of affairs. It is as well to be perfectly candid in this matter, and I wiU confess that we, the Council of the Royal Horticultural Society, have felt that we have been somewhat hardly dealt with, and that the Commissioners did not appre- ciate our real position. It is possible, as we felt the interests of ourselves and of the Society have been trembling in the balance, we should not have been so courteous or conciliatory as we might have been under happier circumstances. There is no doubt in the heat of argument we have both said to each other hard things which we regret, and which we regard as better if not said [hear, hear]. We put forward this frank expression of opinion on our part — and I think I express the opinion of my colleagues ; and I only hope it will be accepted as frankly as it is given, and that the circumstances will be taken into consider- ation under which the Report referring to the Commissioners has been made. I must go back only for a moment to the time when we first took office. Tbe Commissioners were placed in relation with the Horticultural Society by a resolution the terms of which were undefined, and which might be taken to mean that both bodies would work in common for a common end. But outside the Royal Commissioners — I had almost said outside the Horticultural Society — there sprung up two bodies who had great and substantial rights under the agreement made with the Royal Commissioners — the Fellows on the one side, and the debenture-holders on the other. At last the time came when the Royal Commissioners, or rather when the Royal Hor- ticultural .Society, acting on what they then believed to be not altogether in their own interest, proposed to accept terms from the Royal Commissioners which the outside Fellows of the Royal Horticultural Society considered detrimental to the in- terests of the Society. Under these circumstances what does an Englishman do ? It is suggested that he has rights, and he thinks his rights are invaded, and he accordingly takes constitutional means of asserting them. He moves the rejection of the pro- position submitted to him, and if he is successful he places himself in the position of those who made the proposition, and pursues the course of business in the best way he can for himself ; indeed, he succeeded the late ministry, and became a minister in power. When we did that we were in something like revolu- tionary troubles [laughter], and we did the best we could to make ourselves legal; and, accordiug to the best legal advice we could obtain we succeeded in making ourselves a legal tribunal — in making ourselves, the Council of the Royal Horticultural Society, your legal representatives, gentlemen [hear, hear]. Bat I need not tell you that on all points the Royal Com- missioners did not entertain that opinion of our legality which we ourselves were advised to entertain. They disputed our legality, and they would not deal with us as the Council of the Royal Horticultural Society ; and from that time until now we have been met with this difficulty — that the Commissioners would not deal with us as frankly as they might have dealt, simply because we were not legally constituted a Council. That, frankly, was our position as regards the Commissioners. The Commissioners knew it. I do not know whether they thinlc the result of the election under your auspices can remove that taint of illegality ; but I am strongly inclined to believe, and you may take it as my own opinion and not au official one, that Her Majesty's Commissioners will assume that after the election to- day we are in a legal and proper position. In our position Fobruaij 11, 1875. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 113 to-day we have to be careful that there is noflaw as to the legality of our proceediugs ; but I am sure that at the end of our pro- ceediugB auy objectiou to our existence as a legal body will be entirely removed. The position of the Society's finances may not be found to be very sound ; but, while it may give the mem- bers of the Society ample room for reflection, it is not one which would allow us in auy way to despair [hear, hear]. We are the only Society — I will not say the only— but we are the Society which has the means at its disposal to do the greatest amount of good, from our official position, for the horticultural world. We can easily keep that position; hut, in order to do that, we must keep shoulder to shoulder and assist each other [hear, hear]. These gardens must be retained in the interest of horticulture. Then the question arises — there are, besides the horticultural Fellows proper, the Fellows who are owners or occupiers of house property all round this neighbourhood. I need not tell you tbat they are more likely than any others to be interested in keeping open this, one of the lungs of the metropolis [hear, hear], and that they feel that if it went over into the hands of any other body than the Royal Horticultural Society it would be a grievous disaster [applause]. As I have before said, Englishmen if they know they have rights are very careful to associate themselves in defence of those rights, and I think the local Fellows are not at all unlikely to die hard if they are put to it [cheers and laughter]. But I do not, as I said be- fore, beUeve there will be auy necessity for a fight, but that on the contrary — and I wish to repeat it even at the risk of wearying you— the Royal Commissioners are willing to meet ns evenly and fairly [hear, hear]. I will not consider it either uncivil or uncourteous if I give this frank plain expression of our feelings and opinions, and say that we are perfectly aware we hold some good trump cards in our hands and know how to deal them on terms of perfect equality [hear, hear]. This will not be con- strued by members of the Royal Commission as in any sense hostile to them, and I believe I am right in saying that there are many gentlemen present representing the Royal Commis- sioners who will comment upon any statement I make on your behalf, and who wiU be able to make, on behalf of the Royal Commissioners any statement whether it be satisfactory or not, or correct or not. I will frankly say I have heard, and perhaps heard from very good authority, that some terms made use of in the Council's Report to the Society have been felt as wounding the feelings of Her Majesty's Commissioners, I hear that two paragraphs in the Report have been construed into a sneer. Now I am sure, and I know I speak the sentiments of my col- leagues, that anything like a sneer towards Her Majesty's Com- missioners was foreign to our minds [hear, hear] ; and I say if such an impression was conveyed to them, I own 1 frankly re- gret any expression which can have caused it [applause]. I will, however, ask Her Majesty's Commissioners to remember that at the time this Report was framed the Society was labouring under the smart, I will not say of unj ust, but any way of dealings with Her Majesty's Commissioners. One of the principal diversities of opinion between Her Majesty's Commissioners and ourselves is upon the proposed establishment of a skating rink in these Gardens [hear]. Her Majesty's Commissioners have felt offended that we did not commuuicate with them on the subject, because the agreement under which the rink was to be built was signed by us. The answer to that is a simple one. We are and always have been most desirous to be on the most friendly and open terms with Her Majesty's Commissioners ; but I have taken the trouble to look into our letter book, and I can teU you that during the last two years we have seven times ad- dressed letters to Her Majesty's Commissioners requesting them to allow that the Expenses Committee should meet to discuss the affairs of this Society, and on several occasions we were told that it was impossible the Commissioners could allow it to be done. I do not now question whether that was right or wrong. I merely state the fact that, having seven times asked Her Majesty's Commissioners to meet us for the purpose of entering into the affairs of the Society, and having been seven times refused — certainly in the most courteous and civil way — we felt we were bound to act for ourselves in this matter, and that we could not again ask Her Majesty's Commissioners to meet us on the affairs of the Society. Under the Charter and the bye-laws there is only one way of dealing with the affairs of the Society as between ourselves and the Royal Commis- sioners, and that is through the Expenses Committee. The Expenses Committee and all the monetary affairs of the Royal Horticultural Society are committed to their decision. That is the case. Now when, as I say, we seven times requested that the Expenses Committee should meet, and had seven times been met with a refusal, I think, without entering into by- gones, and with a desire to avoid them, you will see it was quite impossible to approach Her Majesty's Commissioners on the subject of the skating rink; and now that they feel aggrieved that we have not consulted them, I hope that the representatives of Her Majesty's Commissioners will accept this frank explana- tion of the circumstances I have the honour to make to them as the real, true, and only reason why the communication was so long delayed [hear, hear]. And, after all, the concluding communication was not so long delayed, because it was only a few weeks after it was made the Royal Commissioners met, and to that meeting a letter was sent by Sir Coutts Lindsay, giving them the fullest information. I do not know whether I should enter at greater length into the arrangements between this Society and the Royal Commissioners. I hope I have explained our aim and object in acting as we have acted ; and, as I have said, if there be anything in our Report written at a tinie when I am convinced we were labouring under some irritation, and with the notion that our dignity was offended, I regret it, and in the words of Hotspur I would say, " Let not this report come betwixt my love and your Majesty." [Cheers.] Having explained that, I have a hope on the part of myself and of my colleagues that all clouds may be swept away which lie between the bright sunshine of the full friendship of the Commissioners and ourselves [cheers]. I now pass away from the subject. Now about the Society's finance. We have not now, at the present moment, to discuss the position of our finance in detail. It will suffice to say that we are in a position which although grave is not irremediable. Not so, because by the terms of our lease we have yet to pay a certain rent to the Royal Commissioners, and if that rent be paid we will be free for several years to come. At the same time, the finances of the Society — I mean the income of the Society — does not meet its necessary expenditure by a long way. We must jjut our shoulder to the wheel as others have done, and devise some way of meeting the difficulty. The present CouncU has been in an unfortunate position since first it took office. They found themselves heirs to a very large amount of debt which ought to have been previously discharged. Tbat debt amounted to £6300, to nearly i;6400, and out of our limited income we have paid about i'200U, so that our debt now stands at i;4393. According to our Charter and bye-laws we ought to have no debt at all. The expenditure of the year and the income of the year ought to balance, and we ought to have nothing outstand- ing. Ton wiU agree with the Council when I say that when wa find ourselves with a limited income, which a scientific society very frequently has, the position of having to discharge large amounts of debt places us in a very unfortunate position [hear, hear] . This year, I regret to say in the interest of horticulture, we have been obliged to diminish a number of prizes in order to curtail our expenditure, even in those legitimate prizes in which the Royal Horticultural Society ought to be liberal. With respect to the skating rink we no doubt divested a small portion of the funds from the legitimate pursuits of horticulture, but we felt that the income derived thereby would give a correspond- ing amount which could be devoted to the interests of scientific horticulture [a laugh]. Sir Coutts Lindsay reminds me that the sum to be paid was JEIIOO. How happy could we be to get £1100 towards the cultivation of scientific horticulture!^ I must say that we come before you with the greatest possible confidence, and ask you to sanction what we have done. Another point upon that skating-rink question is that not one shilling of the Horticultural Society's money has been or would have been expended on that rink. The agreement we have concluded with Messrs. Prince is to the effect that the whole thing is to be done at their expense, that large privileges should be reserved for the Fellows of the Society ; in fact, the whole agreement was favourable to the interests of the Society, and hence we feel no hesitation in recommending it for your adoption. I think, ladies and gentlemen, I need trouble you no further in intro- ducing the Report. What alone remains for me to address you upon is our horticultural position. You will see in the Report before you that the Council have established a series of evening meetings for the discussion of horticulture. These meetings have already begun. I was going to refer to the black board behind me for illustration, but I see they have been effaced. However, I am told the meetings have been highly successful. I have just been reminded by Sir Alfred Slide of the fact that in the year 1875 our expenditure will be X'2i00 less than it was last year [hear, hear]. The very compendious statement which is in your hands will show you that the Council have most closely looked into the finances of the Society, and have tried to keep down the expenditure to the narrowest limit. The Lindley medal was last year struck, and it reflects credit upon the Society generally. I shall leave Sir Coutts Lindsay, who has taken so great an interest in the matter, to state the arrange- ments for the delivery of the medal, which is certainly the most important medal ever issued by the Society. Gentlemen, I have placed these matters before you, they are practical state- ments. It is quite unnecessary for me to indulge in oratorial flourishes, and I will sit down, recommending to you the adop- tion of the Report [cheers]. Mr. Bateman asked whether the adoption of the Report would be formally moved before criticism upon it was allowed? He, however, wished to say that he had listened to the Chairman's remarks with a great deal of interest and pleasure. He could hardly, nevertheless, go over the ground as daintily and deli- cately as the noble lord had done, just as if he was careering oa Ill JODKNAL OP HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDBNEE. [ Febraary 11, 1875. the polished surface of the skating rink [laughter]. He had no hostile feeling towards the Coancil, and he did not speak in a hostile spirit, and in referring to the Report he should confine himself to horticultural matters. In the second paragraph of the Report it is stated, "The Council have established a series of evening meetings for the discussion of horticulture. They are convinced that the comparatively small attendance at the ordinary meetings arises from the inconvenience of the hour rather than any indifference to them on the part of the Fellows, and they therefore consider that evening meetings may be con- sidered of value both by the Fellows and others engaged in the pursuit of horticultural science." Now, here was a statement that there was a small attendance at the ordinary meetings, but it was the opinion of all horticulturists without exception that the meetings were for the cultivation of the science of horti- culture. If the Chief Pontiff in the chair and his suffragans [laughter] thought the services of the Society were of such little moment, it was hardly to be expected that the outer world would pay them respect. It was said that all alterations were made in a non-horticultural direction, and that the Council went in for reductions. He went ou to say that the local Fellows — the Kensingtonians — who lived in that neighbourhood did not ex- press any special interest in horticultural matters. They had in their Society the town element and the country element. The town Fellows had the advantage of these gardens, and could attend all the Shows during the summer, whereas the country Fellows possessed the advantages which spruug from the dis- tribution of new plants. He did not know how much more than flOO was the salary of an additional doorkeeper at Elvaston Place, but for his own part he should prefer a few pretty plants where entering by the old Orchid house to the new entrance, even though it be amongst the chalk and plaster effigies of some monsters of the deep [laughter]. It did appear to him that horticulture had fallen upon evil days [a laughj. The vexed question of exhibitions, from which much of their bitter- ness sprung, was happily removed by the total failure and col- lapse of these exhibitions [laughter]. He could not see why the difficulties and antagonistic inierests between the Com- missioners and the local Fellows could not be arranged. The local Fellows only wanted their colonnade, and their band, and their promenade ; but these were no horticultural elements whatever; but still, why should not people have these things as long as they were willing to pay for them ? Why should not some arrangement he come to between the Royal Commissioners and local Fellows, in order that the latter might be provided with the accommodation they required '? He felt perfectly certain that the Commissioners would not be slow to give the Fellows all the accommodation they required. He again said he could see no reason why an amicable arrangement should not be come to between the two bodies [hear, hear]. Mr. Walford said he had long taken a deep interest in the affairs of the Society. He had watched the changes which had taken place in the Council with the hope that they might go on from what was regarded as bad to something better. He was not sure they had been successful in that [hear, hear]. The Chairman, who put everything so pleasantly that it went against one's heart to say anything in an opposite direction, said he saw nothiui^ in our present position at which they need be too much alarmed. However, if his own expenditure rapidly exceeded his income, and he found himself surrounded with debt, he should regard the position as a serious one indeed. He knew very well that the people who lived in the neighbour- hood did not feel the same interest in horticulture that others did. He should not trespass on Sir Alfred Slade, as he saw now what he had perceived before, that while Fellows were address- ing the chair, the members of the Council were holding a con- versation [cries of hear, hear]. He should stop if he saw that conversation renewed [cheers and lau^ihter]. The fact was that the local Fellows had made the Gardens a nursery very different from the sort of nursery it was originally intended to be [hear, hear]. The whole thing had not been successful, and the time had arrived when they ought to take some steps to have matters remedied. "Would it not be prudent to go to the Commissioners in some form, and treat with them, if, as had been said, the existence of the Society depended upon the Com- missioners ? "Why not place the whole case before them, and say that a number of gentlemen both in London and the country had joined the Society for the purpose of cultivating horticulture, but that horticultural purposes were being wiped away to make room for other purposes ? He saw with great regret that the name of Mr. Smee, a practical horticulturist, had been withdrawn. When he saw the black board that day behind the Chairman he thought it was typical of the black condition of the Society [oh! and hear]. The Chairman. — I can only say in respect to what has just been said, that we have already approached the Commissioners on very many occasions, and that we have had several inter- views with them. Mr. "Walford appears to think that we have never been before the Commissioners, but it might have been gleaned from my speech that we have had many conversations and consultations. As to Mr. Smee, the rule has been to elimi- nate three names of members of Council who have given the least number of attendances. Mr. Smee was one of those; not that his interest in horticulture has at all suffered [hear, hear]. Mr. G. F. Wilson observed that for some time past Fellows, not local but horticultural ones, had been coming to him and saying, " Keally there is so little being done for horticulture that I shall retire." He had heard that over and over again, and he had always said to those people, " A good time will come; don't be in a hurry." He thought that everything which was possible to be done to introduce a better state of things ought to be done, and done at once [cheers]. The Chairman had spoken of his fellow counsellors, and had spoken of the feel- ings of Englishmen. Now, he (Mr. Wilson) thought a charge might be brought against the Chairman and the Council, which was peculiarly objectionable to Englishmen, and that was a want of pluck [laughter]. He alluded by that remark to the country shows. They had heard nothing about them in the Report, although he had heard there was a rule for keeping up a BulHcient guarantee fund. When they held a Show at Bury St. Edmunds it was an untried experiixieut; but what had been an untried experiment was now an ascertained success, and there- fore he accused the Council of want of pluck in not entering into country shows. Sir Henrv Trino wished to say what he was bound to say on behalf of the Royal Commissioners. He wished to allude to himself respecting some advice he had given to the Commis- sioners lately, and he wished to say a few words upon the legal aspect of the question, having for twenty- four years taken a very deep interest in the Society. He might say he was no longer a Commissioner. As to the legality of the Council, when the revolution occurred, either for good or bad, the Commissioners sought the ad rice of the law officers of the Crown, and the latter said in their opinion the Council was illegal ; consequently the Commissioners did not appoint the Expenses Committee, and thus they were brought to a deadlock. 'Xhe Commissioners did not think it their duty to interfere, but to let matters alone. The Commissioners were perfectly willing that when the present or the next Council obtained an opinion from the law officers of the Crown in their favour to at once acknowledge them. The Com- missioners never had the slightest hostile feeling towards the noblemen and gentlemen on the Council. The Commissioners never had the slightest feeling as to the revolution, but they were advised by the law officers of the Crown that the acts of the Coitncil were illegal. The next question referred to the un- happy rink. He believed he was the most guilty of anybody, for when he was asked whether in his opinion it was legal to devote any portion of the Gardens to the purposes of the rink he pronounced it with the greatest contidence to be illegal. He told the Commissioners this — "It is illegal, and we cannot allow it." That was the whole history of the aliair [loud cheers] . He was perfectly certain there was no more hostile feeling on the part of the Commissioners in refusing to sanction the rink than in any other matter. The Chairman had spoken of " hard words," but really the Commissioners had not spoken a hard word at all. The refusal to sanction the rink was not the result of a hostile spirit, but was simply a question of law. If ever there was a clear case of ordinary common sense and legal com- mon sense it was this. It was really quite impossible for a body like the Commission, established for the promotion of science and art, to allow a Society which was established for the pur- pose of scientific horticulture to put up a skating rink. He now came to the intention of the Commissioners generally with re- spect to the Royal Horticultural Society. Whatever might have been the intentions of the Council, or whatever had been the speech of the Chairman, there appeared to have been some- thing sore in their minds when the Report was written. He did not blame them for it, but he was authorised to say on behalf of the Commissioners that with regard to horticulture their in- tentions had never been in the remotest degree hostile [cheers]. The Commissioners considered themselves juasi partners in the promotion of horticulture, and it was their entire wish to pro- mote the objects of horticulture [cheers]. On that point, there- fore, whatever might have been said of the Commissioners, he was authorised to state that they never had any wish to do any- thing but to promote the objects of the Society in every possible way [cheers]. So far as regarded horticulture; and now as to the appropriation of land. It had been whispered that the Commissioners wanted to build upon the land. Now he was authorised to say that proposition had never been brought before them ; he meant the proposition to build upon the Horticultural Gardens [cheers]. He was authorised to say such a proposition was never submitted to them; that they never for one moment thought of such a proposition ; and that they never had any intention upon the subject [hear, hear]. It appeared to him. that the arrangement or agreement of the Society with the Commissioners was drawn in a worse and more loose manner than any Act of Parliament he had ever seen [laughter]. He could say, on behalf of the Commissioners, that they never thought of determining the lease or of putting an end to the Febmary 11, 1875. ] JOUENAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 115 Society in order to benefit themselves. Now, he wished to address a few words to his brother Fellows, the " Kensing- tonians." With great deference to the noble Chairman, he could not but think, after reading the Report, that it did not bear a pleasant aspect as regarded the Commission. He had now nothing to do with the Commissioners— he might say in the language of Shakespeare, " Our withers are uuwrung." Since, however, they were in a great measure dependant upon the Commission, he could not think it was wise to use terms which appeared to him, he would not say oflonsive, but assuredly not calculated to conciliate the Commissioners [hear, hear]. He was not finding fault with the Council. He thought that nieetiug ought to be good enough to authorise the Council to consider some of the sentences in the Report, and either to omit these sentences or recast them [hear, hear]. That would not be the slightest reflection upon the Council of the Society. He ehould also suggest that after reconsidering their Report the Council should take steps to establish their own legality [cheers]. Mr. Shirley Hibberd felt that there were so many unsatis- factory passages in the Report, and the Society appeared to be in such an uufortunate position, and the Coimcil seemed to be so entirely destitute of a policy, that he should move that the Report be referred back to the Council for reconsideration. He would point out one clause in this Report which they could not aUow to pass after what the Chairman said as to what had sprung up between the two authorities. It was impossible for them to be on friendly terms, or even on proper business terms, with Her Majesty's Commissioners, when they had in their Report a paragraph which told them that Her Majesty's Com- missioners attempted to get the lease voided, so that the Society should be cast upon their mercy to receive some dole. The jar was upon the whole of the proceedings that day, and there appeared to be no other course open than to ask the Council to take the Report back, read it through, and consider it. He begged to move as an amendment that the Report be referred back to the Council for reconsideration. Dr. Denny said, that considering the way in which the Chair- man spoke, and the conciliatory way in which he mentioned Her Majesty's Commissioners, he (Dr. Denny) looked upon the Report as one of the least possible taste, and besides as being untrue [cries of oh! and hear]. They had no right to say that Her Majesty's Commissioners intended to take away from them their lease. They seemed to forget that if the lease was voided it was voided by themselves, and not by the Com- missioners [hear, hear], and simply because they did not pay their rent to the Commissioners. The Report alleged what was not true ; and as it was impossible for them to pass the Report as it stood, he had much pleasure in seconding the | amendment moved by Mr. Shirley Hibberd. They were told | they were to save £2.500 next year. What was it to be saved out of ? Was it not to be saved out of horticulture and out of shows ? He did not find fault with South Kensington interests, for they had a right to be represented, but they had not a right to swamp every man. The President was a South Kensing- tonian,the Vice-President was a South Kensingtonian [laughter] The Treasurer was a South Kensingtonian [more laughter], the Secretary was a South Kensingtonian, the Finance Committee were composed entirely of South Kensingtonians, and those out- side South Kensington had not a voice in the matter at all [laughter]. He should like to know how they were going to pay their rent next year. If they were going to do it they ought to do it a'j once, and not leave it until Her Majesty's Commissioners chose to take proceedings against the Society. If they could not meet their expenditure they ought to take means to do so. It would be far better to propose to the wealthy Fellows of South Kensington to put their hands in their pockets and pay off the debentures. There were, say, a thousand very rich people in South Kensington, and it would only cost about £17 each to pay it all off [question, question]. Well, it would be better to do that than to go begging for what they had no right to, and nothing whatever to do with. They ought to know with regard to horti- culture, what it was proposed to take off and what it was pro- posed to put on. Everything should be given up before they touched their staff. Had they a right to ask gentlemen whose time was valuable to give it to the Society, and to pay a con- siderable amount for railway fares, whilst the lawyer they em- ployed would not do his work for nothing ? The CnAiiiM.iN — What are you alluding to ? Dr. Dennv. — To your scientific staff. The Chairman. — What do you say about the Council ? Dr. Denny. — I am alluding to your scientific staff. The Chairman. — All the members of the Council are unpaid. Dr. Denny. — I am quite aware you are unpaid. Next year when they would not be able to pay their rent, they would find horticulture would drop down to nothing. Mr. Haughton congratulated the Chairman upon the speech he had made, the more so because it appeared to be a total reversal of the policy hitherto pursued, and because that at the last moment they had ceased to wage war against Her Majesty's Commissioners, and that practically a treaty of peace had been entered into [ hear, and cheers.] He had hoped to have heard something more of the details of the treaty. He had hoped to have heard something more of the real state of the Society, and of the loss which had accrued to it in consequence of ill-advised warfare. On both points they had had nothing but promises. He was told they were to have a great reduction in expenditure nest year, but how that reduction was to be effected they were not told. No estimate had been laid before them — nothing but a bare statement. He thought it must be obvious to everyone in that room that a reduction must be effected if they were not to forfeit their lease or be turned out of their Gardens. Mr. Haughton then went through the accounts submitted by the Council, and, having shown what he considered their bankrupt position, said that the Council should pause before they went to open war with the Commissioners, and should ascertain what their position really was, and see whether the Commissioners were acting rightly or wrongly. It was most desirable that amicable and friendly arrangements should be made with Her Majesty's Commissioners, and that when that was accomplished the result should be announced to the Fellows. He thought the concluding words in the Report ought to be struck out, and if they were not he should support the amendment. Mr. Quilter, as a country member, was anxious to see some amicable arrangement come to, so as to end this continued strife [hear, hear]. He should be sorry to see the Gardens done away with, but there were many ways in which they could be helped, just as the Prince Consort wished to help them. After a few words from Sir Alfred Slade, correcting some figures quoted by Mr. Haughton, Mr. EDG.UR BowRiNG said he should speak as a member of the Royal Horticultural Society, and not as a member of the Royal Commission. He had listened with much pleasure to the speech of the Chairman, and with the Chairman he trusted that some amicable arrangement would be come to between the two bodies. He completely endorsed the remarks of Sir Henry Tring [cheers]. He did not think the Royal Commissioners would show any hostility whatever to the Council, but that, on the contrary, the desire of the Commissioners was to exhibit goodwill and friendship towards the Council [cheers]. He should support the amendment that the Report be sent back to the Council for reconsideration. He could only say that he hoped the result of the meeting would be that the present Council would be declared to be legally appointed. It was be- cause of the opinion expressed by the law officers of the Crowe that the Expenses Committee on the part of the Commissioners had not met ; and he mit;ht say that the question of the skating rink was outside the functions of the Expenses Committee altogether. The Chairman. — I asked the meeting not to sanction, but to discuss the question. Mk. Bowiung. — I should not have done so — I should have referred it to the Royal Commissioners. The Commissioners had full power under the Act. On the whole it seemed to him better to refer the Report back to the Council. The Chairman. — It may save the time of the Fellows if I at once state the course the Council feel it their duty to pursue in this matter. I do, in the first place, entreat you to put a little trust in the Council which has carried on your affairs during the last two years. We have, with the greatest possible satisfaction, two announcements from the Commissioners — first, that it is not their intention to build on the Gardens. Now, we accept that aa a most gratifying fact [cheers], and I will not state the evidence on which we thought otherwise. We are glad of it. Another gratifying fact is that the Royal Commissioners do not intend in any hostile sense to determine our lease, or to attempt to do so, and we accept that statement as frankly as it is given, and with very sincere delight, However, gentlemen, if this meeting were to come to a resolution that this Report was to be sent back, what would happen ? The Council of course would resign. Speaking personally I could not fill a more thankless office ; but, speaking as a member of the Society, and looking to the welfare of the Society, I should be sorry if at this moment you should turn out your Council [no, no]. I tell you the reason why. If you tell us to take back our Report, of course we resign ; but it would be churlish, as this is the first time we have been met by the Royal Commissioners in a friendly spirit, to say we would not adjourn our meeting to look at our Report, so as to arrive at some solution which would be amicable [loud cheers]. If you put this amendment to the vote, we will be bound in honour, at this moment to stand by this Report, and you know it. I ask you not to put us in this embarrassing position. Mr. Godson. — I move the adjournment of the debate to this day month. Mr. Haughton. — I beg to second that. Mr. Shikley Hibberd. — Then under the circumstances I shall withdraw my amendment with great pleasure [hear, hear]. The motion for adjournment to the second Tuesday in March was then put and carried, and a vote of thanks to the Chairman closed the protracted proceedings. 116 JOUENAL OP HOBTICULTDKB AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. [ February 11, 1875. Eeport op the Codncil to the Annuai, General Meeting. The Council, in presenting their Eeport for 1874-5 to the FellowB, have great pleasure in again commenting upon the magnificent displays which the Society's Shows have produced. The amendments introduced into the Schedule, together with the reduction in the number of the Shows, have both con- tributed to this result, and in no instance more remarkably than in the concluding Exhibition of the season, when the collection of fruits and Chrysanthemums transcended almost all similar collections of former years. The more purely scientific work of the Society has again been attended with success. The ex- periments made at Chiswick form, as usual, the subject of a supplementary Report. The meetings of the Scientific, Froit, and Floral Committees have been well attended, and the work done considerable. The Council have established a series of evening meetings for the discussion of horticulture. They are convinced that the comparatively small attendsince at the ordinary meetings arises from the inconvenience of the hour rather than any indifference to them on the part. of the Fellows, and they therefore con- sider that evening meetings may be considered of value both by the Fellows and others engaged in the pursuit of horticultural science. In the course of the past summer the Council received an offer from Messrs. Prince, the proprietors of Prince's Club, of a large sum by way of rent for the privilege of constructing a skating rink in the Society's Gardens under certain conditions. Whilst considering this offer, the Council gave weight to the following points : — 1, That the present expenditure of the Society cannot be maintained upon its present income, and that some increase would have to be made in the Fellows' sub- scriptions, or additional sources of income be provided. 2, That the large majority of the Fellows would prefer to give up the absolute use for a time of a small portion of their ground rather than pay an increased subscription. 3, That a great number of Fellows would be likely to accept the opportunity of subscribing to a very popular amusement brought to their own doors, and that many persons would be induced to become Fellows in order to obtain the privilege of so subscribing. 4, That Messrs. Prince proposed to erect the rink at their own cost ; to reserve three days of the week for those Fellows who should subscribe to it; to conduct the rink in concert with the Society's officials ; and to pay sums of money as rent, amounting on the average to ^£1100 a-year. The advantages thus offered appeared to the Council to be opposed by few countervailing objections, and they came to the conclusion that they ought not to let slip so admirable an opportunity of increasing the income of the So- ciety. It is true the scheme had nothing to do with horticul- ture directly, but it would have been a great indirect benefit, tending to set more of the Society's funds at liberty for the direct advancement of horticultural science. In this last respect the Council had before them the example of Her Majesty's Commissioners for the Exhibition of 1851, who have considered the sale on building leases of land which they had acquired for purposes connected with science and art a legi- timate manner of advancing those interests. The mention of Her Majesty's Commissioners introduces the one difficulty which lay in the way of the skating rink. The Council had no power to sub-let any part of the ground held of the Com- missioners, but Messrs. Pri: oe were ready to accept o' a "license to use " without a lease. But in addition to this the Commis- eioners have power to prohibit any proceeding of the Society with regard to the Gardens which shall not be of a horticultural nature. The Council felt that to communicate with the Board of Management on this subject would be useless, seeing that the Board had declined to discuss with them the Society's affairs ; but the earliest opportunity was taken of bringing the matter to the notice of the Commissioners at their meeting on December 11th. It was finally resolved to acquaint Messrs. Prince fully with the exact terms on which the Gardens are held, and if they were willing to proceed the Council would then undertake such arrangements as they were competent to make. Messrs. Prince, after examining the Society's documents, entered into an agreement and commenced operations. It was confidently expected that in view of the many difficulties which the Society had euoountered in consequence of the onerous engagements originally made with the Commissioners, and in consideration of the many concessions made to them from time to time in support of the International Exhibitions, no inter- ference would take place. Such non-interference would have been at least consistfnt with the expressions of amity towards the Society with which the refusals to co-operate with the Council had been accompanied. Accordingly, for the first four or five weeks no objection was offered. The officials of the Commission were well aware of what was in course of erection, and conversed about it to the Society's officials. Messrs. Prince spent a considerable sum in furthering the undertaking, when suddenly the Commissioners came to the conclusion that an interference was convenient, and intimated that they were about to file a bill in Chancery to test the legality of tie Coonoil and to litigate all disputed points with the Society. The Council having repeatedly received this threat for two years, and having taken the highest legal opinion as to its status and as to all other points in dispute, cannot feel any regret that the relations of the two bodies should be at length brought before the public. They are satisfied that not only will their own bona fides be vindicated, but that a public discussion will redound to the credit of the Society. The Council have now to call the earnest attention of the Fellows to the state of the Society's finances. It has been im- possible to make any serious reduction in the debt to which the Council called the attention of the Fellows in their last Report. Indeed, since the accession of the present Members to otfice, the Council have been called upon to pay debts previously ignored in the published accounts of the Society. Sir Trayton Drake advanced prior to 1860 ±1000 to the Society at interest; no interest bad been paid since 1864, and although the matter had been before 1873 brought to the Council's notice by legal pro- ceedings, no settlement has been effected. The Council have sxicceeded in compromising this claim by a payment of £600. There was also a claim by Mr. Cooper of .£105, which the Council have settled. It has become evident to the Council, as already stated, that the ordinary revenue of the Society cannot support its expendi- ture. Several reductions have been made which will prevent any increase of liability in 1875;* .but this course is looked upon by the Council as wholly unsatisfactory. The question as to whether the Society is to remain at South Kensington is brought into prominence by the necessity of paying rent to the Commissioners in 1876, so that the local Fellows (and neigh- bourhoLd) must now make up their minds definitely either to risk the loss of the Gardens at South Kensington or to subscribe more largely. The Council feel that any increased subscrip- tions ought fairly to fall upon those who use the Gardens most frequently, and to whom their loss would be most serious. Those Fellows who live at a distance and support the Society on account of its being the national representative of horti- culture ought not, in the Council's opinion, to be further taxed for the maintenance of the South Kensington Gardens. To this end the Council are prepared to suggest a scheme for increasing the annual income of the Society should the above policy be accepted, and will call a special meeting for the purpose of submitting their scheme to the Fellows. In conclubion, the Council feel it their duty to remind the Fellows that whatever opinion thev may have as to the desirability of retaining the South Kensington Gardens, the Society is bound to do its utmost to maintain its lease, if only for its obligations to the Life Fellows, and, above all, to the debenture-holders. If Her Majesty's Commissioners should succeed in an attempt to get the lease avoided, the property would be released of its debt to the debenture-holders, who would thus lose the whole of their £50,000 originally advanced, or be obliged to accept such a dole as the charity of the Com- missioners might induce them to offer. Eepobt of the Chiswick Board of Direction, February, 1875. The Chiswick Board of Directors have to report that the operations in that establishment during the past year have been chiefly directed to the general maintenance of the garden, the experimental trials of vegetables and flowers, the supply of plants for the decoration of the gardens and conservatory at Kensington, and the provision of seeds and plants for distribu- tion to the Fellows. As regards the latter, the new plan which has been adopted in lieu of the ballot, of allowing the Fellows to select a certain number of plants from a list provided for the purpose, has been found convenient to work, and, as they believe, has given greater satisfaction to the recipients. During the year the garden has been supplied with water from the waterworks, which has proved a great advantage both as to convenience and economy of labour. The imrnediate cause of this supply being laid down was the failure, during the dry period with which we were visited last summer, of the wells upon which the water supply had formerly depended. In the Floral Department the distributions to Fellows have consisted of 42,684 packets of flower seeds, 3f.43 plants selected from the distribution list by Fellows, and 428 packages of cut- tings and bedding plants. The Garden at Kensington has been supplied from Chiswick with 13,930 plants for the decoration of the conservatory ; 56,627 plants have been used in the summer bedding arrangements, 3164 plants in the bedding provided for the spring season, and 8487 plants for autumn bedding. The comparative trials of new flowers which took place last year, were devoted to Pelargoniums and bedding Pansies, and reports of the results, drawn up by the Floral Director, will be found in the last number of the Society's Journal. The number of varieties of Pelargoniums planted out for these experirnental purposes was 293, whUe eighty-three sorts, chiefly consisting of * In particular, reductiong have been made in the stafT ; prizes will only be offered at the most important Shows, those in May, June, July ^ith and 2l8t, and October. Other extensive reductions have been temporarily sauotioned. February 11, 1875. ] JOURNAL OP HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 117 the rose-pink varietiea, were grown in pots under glass, in order to ascertain whicli varieties were the best adapted for that mode of cultivation. Amongst the former nine new certificates were granted, and in twenty-four cases the previous certificates were confirmed, on a comparison of the newer with some of the best older varieties. In the pot trial six new certificates were awarded, and the previously granted certificates were confirmed in the case of five others. In the case of bedding Pansies, 139 varieties (some of them of the fancy class) were received and planted. The Floral Com- mittee awarded eleven certificates, and suggested that the best varieties should be grown again and examined earlier in the season. In accordance with this suggestion, Mr. Barron is pre- paring to plant out an entire bed of each of the selected varieties. So far as this year's limited means will allow, these interesting trials will be continued as heretofore. The trials which were made daring the past season in the garden at Chiswick, were a continuation of the examination of the Potatoes which was commenced last year, and an investiga- tion of complete collections of Broad Beans, Kidney Beans and Celeries. Of Potatoes, 158 varieties were dealt with which had not been included in the trial of the previous season, and of these five received first-class certificates. In the trial of Broad Beans there were forty-seven varieties, of which a full report will be found in the Society's Journal ; but on account of the dry cold season the Kidney Beans, of which 113 varieties were sown, proved a failure, and it was determined not to proceed with any examination of them till another year, when a second attempt will bo made. The trial of Celeries was a very success- fal one. Fifty reputed sorts were sown, and these were reduced after careful comparison to eighteen, of which six were distinct red varieties, and twelve distinct white. The vegetable trials which are contemplated for 187.5 are Kidney Beans and Onions. The subject most worthy of remark in relation to fruits which have come before the Board this season are a set of seedling Vises raised by crossing Black Monukka and Black Hamburgh, with the view of obtaining a seedless variety with the quality of the Black Hamburgh^the restilt of this experiment will be found in the Journal — and the other is the fruiting of the Pom- mier de Paradis for the first time in this country. The result of this is to determine the distinct individuality of this variety, and to prove that it is not only valuable as a dwarfing stock, but that its fruit is one of great excellence as a dessert variety. The distributions tbat have been made are as follows: — 430 cuttings of Vines, 65 of Figs, 258 of Apples, and 119 of Pears. M. J. Beekelet. R. Hogg. T. MOOEE. Statement of Income and Expenditure for 1874 (prepared in accordance with Bye-law 117). Income. £ s. d. £ s. d. Life Compositions effected daring year 187-t {6 in number; 210 0 0 EDtranoo Fees ot New Fellows (83 in numberl 174 6 0 „ „ unpaid at Slat Dec, 1874 8 8 0 182 14 0 Annual Subscriptions of Fellows 7,556 17 0 „ „ unpaid at 8l8t Dec, 1874 224 14 0 7,781 11 0 Flower Show Receipts 698 19 3 Saturday Promenade Receipts '273 1 0 Daily Admissions to Gardens 318 6 6 Rent of Stalls in Entrance 218 13 6 Sale of Chiswict Garden Produce 195 13 0 Interest on Davis' Bequest 6} 0 9 Advertisements in Prize Schedule 57 15 0 Packing Charges for Flowers and Seeds 14 15 9 Sale of Books 2 18 3 Miscellaneous Receipts 89 4 5 Exhibition Commissioners for Lease of Arcades, &c. 168 17 6 Balance 795 13 3 Total £11,073 3 2 EXPENDITORE. * ERtahU.'lhment : — £ s. d. £ 8. d. Salaries (including Accountant) (>4( 16 2 Wages 346 5 4 Printing, Stationery, and Almanacs 4'!J9 18 2 Postages 100 7 2 Gas 26 4 11 Law Expenses 148 13 2 Miscellaneous and Petty Cash 62 6 3 1,768 11 2 Special Expenses relating to Horticulture ; — •Touruol of the Society 79 12 11 Botanical Professors' Fees 150 0 0 Botanical Advisers' Fees 200 0 0 Pomological Directors' Fees 95 16 6 Floral Directors' Fees 74 17 0 Fruit, Floral, and Scientific Committees' Ex- penses 76 8 11 Repair of Tents 40 9 3 Foreign Importations 3 15 0 720 19 7 Kcmington:— £ t. d. £ s. d. Labour, Works, Material, Repairs, Plants, &c. 1,653 5 9 Rates, "raxes, and Insurance 910 13 1 Amount paid for Water 102 15 9 Saturdaj's Binds (aud Bant Holidays) 350 0 0 Newspapers, Jkc , in Reading Room 20 14 1 Rhododendron Exhibition 40 8 7 ^, . . , 3,077 17 3 Labour, Works, Material, Repairs, Plants, &c. 1,88S 9 3 Rent, Rates, Taxes, and Insurances 205 6 1 „ 2,091 15 4 Flower Shr)ws and Exhibitions : — Superintendent of Shows— Salary 100 0 Q Advertising Shows 227 0 6 Prizes aud Medals 1,450 8 2 Bauds ou Show Days 7iJ 0 0 Labour, &c., at Shows 139 19 9 Jad^^es' Fees at Shows 37 16 0 Gardeners' Breakfasts, Police, Sc, at Shows . . 26 8 10 2,051 13 S Interest for the yeir on Society's Debentures . . 1,962 6 7 Total ;C 11.673 8 2 London, let February, 1875. — ^— — HBNRY LIGGINS, Auditor. _ At the present crisis of the Royal Horticultural So- ciety's affairs, I conceive the poUcy of the horticultural Fellows is to request our Council to open at once com- munications with Her Majesty's Commissioners with a view of transferring to them the Gardens, under satis- factory arrangements for our debenture-holders, the Life and local Fellows, with a locas standi there for our shows and meetings. We have but to be united, act with vigour and with determination, and the thing is done.— John Denny. [In all the recommendations specified by Dr. Denny we fully concm-. It is the only course to restore efficiency and independent action to the Society, and to save it fi-om utter annihilation. Its history for the last ten years has been one of disquiet and conflict, such as to give rise to painful apprehension for the future. — Eds.1 JOTTINGS ON LAST YEAR'S GARDENING. No. 3. Endive. — This suiifered from drought, and was not so good as in 1873. Improved Round-leaved Batavian and Green Carled are grown aud answer well. Endive was first used (it is not used when Lettuces are good) December 15th, in 1873 ; November 1st, and up to March 19th, 1874. Digawell Prize is a fine curled, and Eraser's Broad-leaved Batavian large and good. Kohl Eabi is grown — the Early Green aud Purple Vienna, but find no favour. They should not be sown too early, or the plants run. May is soon enough. A foot distance every way is sufficient for them, aud sown where to stand. Leeks. — Ayton Castle Giant is large and fine, and so is Musselburgh. Leeks are best sown where they are to remain without transplanting, as is usual. We sow in rows a foot apart, thin to 3 inches, and draw every other plant as required for use, which gives room to those remaining, and ^hey become large. The first we used July 17th: and last (of 1873 crop), Jane 11th, 1874. Lettuce. — I had last year of Cabbage, All, the Year Eonnd, Grand Admiral, Neapolitan, BlondedeBerlin Commodore Nutt, Gem, aud for winter work in frames Commodore Nutt already mentioned, as also All the Year Eound, Hardy White Dateh, Lee's Immense Hardy Green (which is said to be the same as All the Year Eound, but as I have it is distinct), and Stan- stead Park. Cos — Alexandra White, Sutton's Superb White, Paris White, Hicka's Hardy White, Brown Bath (black seed), and Bath Sugarloaf, also Laitue Verte Maraschere, Laitue Blanche Maraschere — the one Spotted Cos, very pretty in leaf, aud the other Paris White. Lvitue Rourse and Laitue Petit Noire, both Cabbage kinds, and the last has a distantly spotted leaf, and is the same as Stanstead Park, and does well in frames, not being so liable to suffer damp as many. Of these kinds outdoors, iu Cabbage kinds Neapolitan is the best for crispness, then Gem, which may be described as a golden Nea- politan or Malta. All the Year Bound is very much earUer ; and earlier still is Commodore Nutt, a smaU close-hearting kind. Blonde de Berlin is a close-hearting kind, bright golden 118 JOUENAIi OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. [ February 11, 1875. green externally, having a good close white heart. Grand Admiral coming in early, and having a good large white heart. The Spotted Cos is, as before stated, very pretty, and thatis all. Paris White, Alexandra, and Suttons' Superb were fine, the two last fine stocks of the first ; Hicks's Hardy White is a fine kind for late summer and spring use, also first sowings in spring, it being hardier than Paris White, but very similar to that kind. Brown Bath Cos is hardier than Hicks's, and'is good in early summer, and continues along time before running to seed. Its colour, no matter how well blanched, is objected to ; and the Bath Sugarloaf, although having narrow tapering leaves, forms fine conical hearts and needs no tying. It is not so hardy as Hicks's or Brown Bath (black seed). The best Cos, Paris White for summer ; and winter, Hicks's Hardy White. The best Cabbage, Neapolitan for summer ; for winter, Stanstead Park. I have given up transplanting Lettuces, only it has sometimes to be resorted to, as the ground for them is not always clear at sowing time. Good rich well-manured soil is wanted well dug, and then made firm as for Onions. The seed is put-in in drills afoot apart, the seed lightly covered, and the plants thinned to 9 inches distance apart, and in cutting every other plant taken out. They grow less flabby in firm than light soil, have firmer closer hearts, and stand drought better, and escape frost in winter when those in loose soil perish. In frames they are sown in drills about 0 inches apart ; every other row is a Cabbage kind, and the other Cos. The lights are not used until frost. The Cos kinds are Hicks's Hardy White and Bath Sugarloaf, and the Cabbage between the rows Commodore Nutt, All the Year Bound, and Stanstead Park. They are thinned to 6 inches distance apart, but Commodore Nutt to 4 inches. This kind comes in first, and All the Year Bound and Stanstead Park succeed, leaving the Cos plenty of room, and every other plant of Cos is cut, leaving the others, which are of course largest and best, and the salads keep on improv- ing with the season. Two lots are sown in frames, narrow ones 4 feet wide, and CO feet long each, one in early August, and the other at the end or early September. The frames are removed from the last so soon in March or after as the weather determines. Lettuces must have hearts and white before they are used, but Commodore might be cut now (January 20th), but will not be until March. The first were cut March 23rd, the last November ICth. CuELED Mallow is noted because its leaves are so fine for garnishing, infinitely superior to Vine leaves. Those worried for Vine leaves, and not having any without injuring the Vines, may use Sycamore leaves ; they are very similar!; but don't say what they are if it can be helped. Cooks and housekeepers know no substitutes, but have many fancies, which it is not always wise to ignore. MnsHEooM. — In the fields this esteemed vegetable was toler- ably plentiful in August, but very scarce after that month. Our plan is to depend upon those in the Mushroom house from October to July, and in summer upon the fields for a supply, which usually yield abundantly. Onion. — This crop suffered from the drought, and the bulbs were smaller than usual, but have kept well. Beading is a capital kind for early winter use, and for the same purpose Danver's Y'ellow, and White Spanish or Portugal, Deptford or Strasburg, Bedfordshire Champion, and Brown Globe are good keeping Onions. The best for keeping is James's Keeping, ex- cepting Blood Bed, which is the longest keeper of all ; James's Keeping is a very desirable kind. The autumn-sown mil- dewed, and were not good. Queen I think nothing of ; the old Silver-skinned is superior to it. Small Onions meet with no favour from cooks, and for pickling Two-bladed is the best. Giant Eocea, if the seed be not better than I had, means failure, and Giant Madeira is simply a Globe Tripoli. The Flat Italian and Globe Tripoli with White Lisbon are as good as any for autumn sowing. Improved Beading (Buttons') was the best of the white summer kinds. Paeslet. — To have this is no easy matter in winter. The best plan is to sow largely and in April, cutting over in July what is wanted for winter use, and it will be fine by autumn. Two rows about ICO yards long are sufficient for the demand apon ns. Veitch's Curled is the finest I know. Parsnip is not much used in most cases, but must be had. Hollow-crowned Improved is unquestionably superior. It does best in rich, deep, light, moist soil, and is a very useful and profitable variety. Peas. — These were, as regards the earliest and latest crops, good, but those coming-in in August were much infested with mildew. The sorts grown were Bingleader, the earliest, but n®t last year. Blue Peter, a dwarf blue kind, having the pro- tection or shelter of a south wall, being gathered before Bing- leader. Emerald Gem was in at the same time as Bingleader, and before First and Best, but this Pea is the best cropping early Pea known. Alpha (Laxton's) succeeds First and Best, which is a blue Pea with large well-filled pods. Advancer, green-wrinkled, follows Alpha, and is a good cropper and good flavour. Hundredfold ia a green Marrow of the Prizetaker class, and follows Advancer, as does Best of All, one of the best-cropping and finest-flavoured of Peas. The same raiser's Dwarf Prolific (Prince of Wales) and Wonderful, both white- wrinkled, being good croppers and fine-flavoured. Jersey Hero is also a fine Pea of the Veitch's Perfection type, a little earlier, as is also Best of All, but both are earlier than Veitch's Perfection, both very good croppers, and has unquestionably the finest flavour of any Pea in cultivation. All the Peas of medium height with the most delicious flavour are of the Veitch's Perfection class, and they do not surpass it in that or any respect, only some are a little forwarder and others a little later in coming into use than that variety. Premier (McLean's) is a green-wrinkled Marrow, and a grand one for late crops. G. F. Wilson was very free-cropping, long-con- tinued, and most excellent in quality. It is a wrinkled Pea of high excellence. None of the preceding are large growers, not exceeding 5 feet in height ; and of this class is Champion of England, a Pea I have thought highly of hitherto, but last year it was, though very productive, poor in quality. Those do not require tall stakes, but we had others that do, as Em- peror of the Marrows, Berkshire Challenge, andNe Plus Ultra. The two first are larger in pod and pea than Ne Plus Ultra, and of excellent quality, but Ne Plus Ultra is later — in fact, the best late Pea I know. I am mindful of what Mr. Wright told us respecting another late kind, but I have not seen or grown it. These tall Peas I do not like ; they want tree-hke stakes, and are so liable to be blown about and broken by wind and rain, which in hilly districts do great harm in late sum- mer and autumn. There is, however, one advantage they have over the dwarf kinds in the pods being produced at a greater height from the ground ; they are more out of the reach of pheasants, which are very frequent visitors of our late Pea quarters. Of the recently-introduced Peas I have not grown many. Superlative has an immense pod, but is not a great cropper, nor has any merit in flavour. Fillbasket (Laxton) is a wonder of fertility — the pods long, curved, closely filled, and the peas of good flavour; as a general-crop Pea and for market pur- poses it will be in great demand. The greatest novelty I ever saw or heard of is Buttons' Giant Emerald Marrow. It is of strong robust habit ; and whilst .Jersey Hero, Fillbasket, G. F. Wilson, Hundredfold, Best of All, Superlative, Champion of England, Berkshire Challenge, and two edible-podded kinds upon the same plot of ground were attacked by mildew, this kind was not infested. It is of the brightest green in its foliage as Emerald Gem, without glaucescence, and has the leaves white- splashed or spotted. The pods are large, produced in pairs, containing eight to ten large peas, green when cooked, and ex- quisite in flavour. In our rich soil it attained to a height of 7 feet. Good as this was, it yields in my opinion in quality to Duchess of Edinburgh (the' Eoyal Dukes and Duchesses are greatly, almost exclusively, patronised), which in flavour sur- passed all others, being very tender and sweet. It attained a height of G feet, was very prolific, the pods being large and well filled, generally eight or nine peas in a pod, straight or nearly so, and is very similar to Ne Plus Ultra. It, however, is distinct from that variety ; the pods are better filled, and is not so tall nor so late, and it withstands drought well, the peas not being so soon hard as many varieties, and is on that account a good kind for hot light soils. We had also McLean's Little Gem, which will not be grown again, and three other kinds which did not do well. The first dish outdoors was had June 22nd ; last, November 14th. In 1873 the first July 7th ; and last, November 7th. — G. Abbey. (To be corttinaetl.} MR. THOMAS BRAGG. Those, who like myself can look back on thirty or forty years of horticultural Icr?, can remember when the name of the aged veteran (who, like so many others, has succumbed to the vicissitudes of this trying winter) was a household word. It we take the years 1810 to 1850, such flowers as Beauty February 11, 1875. 1 JOURNAL OF HORTICDLTUKE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 119 of the Plain, Springfield Rival, Topaz, Essex Rival, and other Dahlias which have long since disappeared were considered the acme of perfection, beyond which it was impossible to go. Mr. Bragg was a ouccessful raiser and exhibitor. Pinks, Panies, and Hollyhocks were amongst the things he successfully cultivated. Of late years he has been far out-distanced by other growers, but in those days he was a well-known and constant visitor at all our horticultural shows in the neigh- bourhood of London. He was one of the old school of florists, of whom very few are now left. — D., Deal. LUNAKIA BIENNIS. This popular old garden plant is of German origin, and has been cultivated for upwards of three centuries in British gardens. So perfectly has it adapted itself to our island, so spontaneous is its upspringing in congenial sites, and so per- sistent is its clinging to favourite nooks, that we are apt to regard it as born to the soil on which it has prospered so long, and to claim it as a native plant of our native land. It is commonly known by its homely name of Honesty, or Moon- wort, in reference to its peculiarly flattened seed-vessels, which in themselves are no insignificant ornaments for room-deco- ration, and are especially attractive to those who find pleasure in the curious forms of plant-development. Such examples of quiet and quaint decoration, as distinguished from gay colour- ing, would seem to be pushing their claims on the taste of the times ; and the best proof that even this old plant has in- trinsic merit about it is the extraordinary period of probation (if such a term is permissible) it has undergone, and still — yes, stiU — evokes terms of admiration when dancing in the sunshine of a bright May morning, a shimmering purple sea ; or when the quaking shivering seed-stems are viewed as a mid- winter household ornament, white and pure within almost as the fleecy snow without. To these attractive merits of this old and common plant must be added this great advantage, that it is within the means of everyone to enjoy who owns a garden. So accom- modating is it, that it is not at all particular as to soil or site. Either amongst roots or stones, in sun or in shade, in rich soil or poor, the Honesty will grow, and bloom, and enliven any plot, or garden, or corner — aye, or wood, where it is en- couraged or permitted to establish itself. We have written " wood," and the association is suggestive. Because it will flourish there it will succeed well and is one of the best plants that can be encouraged to brighten-up the home-suiToundings — the borderland as we may term it — of garden and copse. In how many places is the ground where garden merges into wood the most uninviting, we had almost written abandoned, of all parts of the demesne? Look round and see. You behold, no doubt, native plants whose simple charms cannot be overlooked, and you see also rubbish — Nettles, Thistles, Docks. That is unquestionably the fact, and it is as well to admit it on the principle that hidden sores seldom heal freely. Now in this particular wood or garden environs the Honesty is the plant of plants to change the scene from an aspect of neglect to a position of enjoyment. In the place of rank weeds will spring up a bright cheerful flower, requiring, when once established, little more attention than the weeds themselves receive. In thousands of such wilder- nesses the plant, when just once planted and tended into bloom, will perpetuate itself by its own inherent force of repro- duction. In such places use the Honesty by the hundred or thousand as required, and many a cheerless walk and dingy drive will smile with beauty and be made cheerful, as that period of the year should be. But besides occupying the border land mentioned, the Lu- naria may be admitted into the garden proper. " What ! a common plant like that have a place in the garden ! It may do for the cottagers' corner, or to hide an unsightly back- ground ; but a garden ! " Does such a thought as that really arise? Well, let the corner be made attractive, and the cottagers' home be made brighter, and then the old Honesty will have done something, and something withal worth the doing. But it will do more than this — has done, and will do mure. It has played its part in ducal parterres, and played it well. In spring gardening, which is so delightful, it is adapted for a telling mass of a colour just then not at all too abundant. For lines or centreing, for distant effect especially, it ie capable of doing much to fill-in a coveted floral picture. For this purpose it may be produced at almost any height required. If it is wanted to create a fine bold mass 4 feet high, give it rich soil, and stakes to support it ; if wanted one-fourth of that height, plant in soil less rich, and peg down. So re- markably tractable is the old plant, either as to altitude and adaptability to site, that we may almost do as we like withit._ For massing and garden purposes the purple variety is generally most suitable used alone, but for woodland and wilderness and approaches thereto, the white one mixed-in adds an air of sprightliness to the scene, which would other- wise, by the natural greenery prevailing, be somewhat too heavy and sombre. Where sub-tropical gardening is in ques- tion, and plants used which cannot safely be put out until the Fig. 3U.— Lunaria biennis. middle of June, this plant comes in as a useful ante-deco- rator, occupying the ground until just that time and taking off its blankness. For that purpose it is quite suited and is used, but its home is to be found in less imposing sites, to lighten-up the shrubbery and brighten duU approaches. It is at home with the cottager, and with the gardening-under-diffi- cuJties amateur, and will serve each well in return for any- thing like fair treatment. As to propagation. Although it may be increased by di- vision, it being occasionally perennial, it is altogether more easy to take it as it ia, a biennial, and raise it by seed annually. If stout earlv-blooming plants are required, sow in drills it the end of April, and transplant in nursery beds after the manner of Cabbages, in rows 18 inches apart. Kach plant will then have room to developo itself and be of hardy con- stitution, and such as scarcely any winter will harm. These plants if finally planted in the autumn will, under a mild spring, commence to flower at the end of March and continue two months. Smaller plants, if such are required iu quantity 12(1 JOURNAL OP aORTICULTtJItE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ Febraary 11, 1973. for semi-woodland decoration, may be had by Bowing in June and transplanting less thinly, to be again put-in expeditiously with the spade in the hope of their continuing, as they often will, to haunt their home for many after-years with Uttle or no assistance. Because we look upon this plant as a very old friend, and, as such, possesses many good tiualities with very little fuss attached, we do not hesitate to aid it from the comparative obscurity in which it has too long been suffered to continue. COEDYLINE INDIVISA— SNOWS WINTEK WHITE BROCCOLI— MEALY BUG. I FANCY the plant known to " R. P." (page 93) as Cordyline indivisa is not what is generally known by that name, and consequently his testimony to the hardiness of that particular kind is not so valuable as it would appear to be ; but Cordy- lines are all handsome, scarcely inferior to Palms for their graceful habit, and any of them that prove to be sufficiently hardy for planting as specimens on lawns, or by the side of walks in semi-natural pleasure grounds, will be very welcome. The plant I know as C. indivisa has leaves 2 inches or more in width, with conspicuous red veins. The testimony I can offer will go a long way to prove the hardiness of it, but it is not quite conclusive. It has stood in a pot, not plunged or covered iu any way, on the north side of a wall since midsummer to the present time (February 5th), apparently uninjured. Standing in a pot above ground its roots as well as its top would be exposed to the frost, and we had 25° December 31st. It had very little sun to ripen it, as from its position the sun could only reach it a little iu the evening during the summer months. But on the other hand it is in a comparatively small pot, and did not make much growth, and its position is a sheltered one. I have no room for it indoors, and intend planting it out when time permits. Another Cor- dyline, which I take to be C. austraUe, has stood outside four years, and is a very handsome object. Is not the plant de- scribed by "R. P." CordyUue Veitchii? Either Mr. G. Abbey has not got the true Snow's Winter White Broccoli or his cultivation differs materially from mine. I consider Snow's Winter White Broccoli, as supplied guaranteed by Messrs. Veitoh, the most useful vegetable in the kitchen garden. Sown here in April and May it comes into use in November, and with management lasts till February, when it is followed by CooUng's Matchless. It is not so hardy as some kinds — it requires protection. No Broccoli that I am acquainted with will, when the head is formed, bear 25° frost ; yet I had some of the variety in question, with heads as large as teacups, merely covered with snow during the late severe weather, that were perfectly uninjured. Most of the crop, however, had been taken up and replanted in pits. I have seen many varieties grown under the name of Snow's, most of them good, but still not the true kind. It is very difficult to save seed of this variety from its habit of turning-in at mid- winter, and consequently it is always dear and scarce. Even the Messrs. Veitch have or had another stock besides the guaranteed one. I am afraid "H.," who gives advice about getting rid of mealy bug off Vines by means of a spoke brush and clear water, can never have had much to do with that terrible pest. I do not recommend peeling bark off Vines, and had almost forgotten that such a practice existed till reminded by Mr. Wright in his excellent articles ; but if I had mealy bug on the Vines I should certainly pull off the loose bark and then wash, not with pure water, but with hot soapsuds. Mealy bug has a great dislike to soft soap ; it is within the bounds of possibility to exterminate it by this means, but it is extremely diffioult. The soap must be kept off the glass, or at least not allowed to remain on. — Wa. Taylok. small pots, according to the size of the plant. When the pots are full of roots then feed them with hquid manure, but clear water given at first, and place them on a shelf near the glass. — WiLLUM DODGSON. OVERPOTTING GERANIDMS. As the season is now at hand for potting I wish to say a tew words against overpotting Zona! (ieraniums for green- house decoration. It is very well if you want to grow them for exhibition to give large shifts, but not without ; they never throw lip a quantity of bloom, but all leaves and strong growth, which makes your greenhouse look very green through the summer. Now, if you want abundance of flower shake all the old soil from the roots, and pot them in clean pots, with three parts loam, tvo parts leaf mould, and a little silver sand, in TRANSPLANTING VINES. I AM delighted to hear of Mr. Blackburn's success (page 72) in Vine-growing. His is a striking instance of what may be done iu the work of renovation when intelligently performed. Mr. Blackburn's Vines, it may be remembered, were twenty years old in 1872 ; their growth was weakly, and their produce altogether unsatisfactory. He decided to remove the house and the Vines too. How many, or how few, who, when making a new border on a new site, would not have had new Vines also ? Who but Mr. Blackburn would have preferred the re- moval of Vines twenty years old confessedly in a miserable state, to the planting of healthy young canes, which would have been in accordance with good practice and sound pru- dence ? Yet he deliberately pinned his faith on his old friends, and they have not deceived him. His experience is very valuable, and is another instance of the sound lessons which can be, and are frequently, given by amateur cultivators on the different subjects to which they give attention. The Vines in question were removed iu No- vember, 1872, but in the February preceding (admittedly too late, as proved by excessive bleeding) were each cut down to within a foot of the surface of the ground. That was a bold proceeding on the part of one who had had no similar practice to guide him, the stems being cut where there were no visible eyes to form new canes ; yet canes followed the same season, of vastly superior growth to that of the years preceding— in fact the growth, it seems, was of extraordinary vigour. These old cut-backs were replanted iu a border " half a yard deep of good, kindly, but rather light loam, without a particle of manure or dressing of any kind ; this border covered with stable manure, never to be dug, but the Vines to be fed by repeated top-dressings." Such is the mode of culture adopted in 1872. We now have the results of it iu 1874. The two are worthy of being joined together. " Vines all that could be desired, vigorous growth, a sufficient number of moderately- sized bunches, berries as fine as ever seen by cultivator under same circumstances, in colour, bloom, and condition scarcely to be surpassed ; structure unheated." That is what Vines will do — have done, under common-sense practice. Here is no extravagant outlay in border, no technicality, no elaborate structural aid, no artificial heat, but plenty of Grapes. I have had — everybody has had, abundance of proof that good, useful, serviceable Grapes are producible — fruit fitted for a nobleman's table — by simple means. Give a Vine fair play, and in nine eases out of ten good Grapes will follow ; yet there are the tenths where they will not come at the call of gardeners whose experience and 'success in other branches entitle them to respect, and, it must be added, sympathy. Nothing is more disheartening than for an able man to struggle to produce Grapes, and who yet fails, while others, without any seeming trouble, have them, as it were, at their bidding. There is nothing for it but to go on chronicling successes with the means producing them, and, peradventure, some missing link may be picked up by those who struggle, but struggle in vain, to produce good fruit. Now, in the case of Mr. Blackburn's Grapes wo must not lose sight of the cutting-down process. That was undoubtedly an important item in the account of success. Had his soil, site, and general system of culture been exactly applied to Vines lifted without being cut down, he would not now rejoice in such Grapes which he has just cause to T)e proud of. But another question arises, What would those cut-down Vines have done if they had not been removed ? Previous to the heading they were confessedly worthless, making weakly wood and small cickly foliage. Of course, no fruit could follow under such circumstances ; but after the heading-down, in the same border and house they made splendid canes, which duly ripened. Would not those canes have produced good Grapes if the Vines had not been removed ? I venture to assert that they would have given Grapes as superior to those previous to the heading as were the canes and foliage. But why should this be so ? To a great extent it is due to the new, free, unob- structed sap-passages which the young growth has provided. In the old canes the sap vessels were restricted and tortuous. The natural result of that is small wood, small foliage, and small fruit. Thus, Mr. Blackburn's Grapes by the mere pro- Febraary 11, 1875. ] JOUBNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 121 oesa of heading-down, irrespective of removal and change of soil, teaoh a lesson of some importance. It ia certain that numerous instances exist of weakly, stub- born, old Vines, but which, however, cannot be transferred to a new site and fresh soil. In such a case much good may accrue by cutting-down alone, when, as in the case in question, the old stock will push-up fresh fine canes. Every alternate Vine so cut down, and heavy border-dressings of rich manure, and with occasional soakings of guano water at the rate of 1 to 2 0Z9. per gallon, would very soon work a decided im- provement in many Vines which are apparently worn out. How many examples are there in the country in which, when old Vines have been uprooted, one solitary individual has been left, just for "old acquaintance sake," and this old friend has for years yielded as good, often better, than any Vine in the house ! This old remnant, however, like Mr. Blackburn's, had the benefit of fresh soil. This should always be afforded if at all possible ; it is only where it is impossible that the cutting-down alone is recommended as a means to procure Grapes on Vines previously barren. Proceeding to Mr. Blackburn's request as to the formation of a beau ideal border, my reply is, I have no idealistic standard to set up to be worked by in all places and under varying cir- cumstances. Any inflexible recipe, however good it might be in itself, would be calculated to mislead. A thorough know- ledge of local circumstances, such as nature of soil, its re- tentivenesa of moisture or otherwise ; subsoil, its relative per- colative power ; natural district drainage and rainfall ; — these are important incidences of which it ia necessary to have a thorough knowledge, and there would be then no guessworl: in border-formation. But Mr. Blackburn has a good border, at least that is what his Grapes say, and how simple it is ! yet if I may venture a remark, it ia not the border in itself that has such a Grape-producing power, but that it is pre-eminently the management of it in which lies the secret of success. Such a border of 18 inches deep only, and this rather light loam with no intermixture, must be managed — it must have attention, or in a very few years, unless the surrounding soil ia naturally adapted to Vine wants, the Grapea would lack both size and quality. The top-dressings must be continued and an occasional change of food given. There must be loam additions, or a mass of humus will be created, which alone will fail to do the required work. Next autumn, if he dare do so, let him carefully point-off 2 inches of the surface if that can be done without the slightest root-injury — not without, and replace with 3 inches of sound loam (not light fibry stuff, as the manure will keep the bulk light enough), with 2 cwt. of inch bones per cartload of loam. Let this dressing alternate with the manure-coverings, and then with intelligent top- treatment no one can say how long the Vines will continue in vigour. Large bunches and large berries by no means go together, as Mr. Blackburn supposes. Quite as often just the reverse is the case, and a pound or two-pound bunch with fine and per- fectly finished berries, such as our friend has produced, are far more satisfactory to the consumer and creditable to the producer than larger bunches with, berries destitute of colour, size, and bloom. Mr. Blackburn is on the royal road to large berries ; he has only to crop lightly, thin freely, and it his border is perfectly drained or subsoil porous, water with liquid manure after stoning ; keep the foUage thin, clean, and healthy ; keep insects down by a genial atmosphere impregnated with ammonia from guano sprinkUngs, and then large berries will follow. These jottings, it is believed, will be more really serviceable than a mere tabulated composition for any ideal border, which, by the way, I think I did not promise to supply ; but I will now promise what is better — viz., at a convenient opportunity draw attention to some of the largest Grapes that have ever been grown, stating the governing conditions, and I venture to predict a surprise to somebody. — J. Wbight. VARIEGATED KALES FOR DECORATION. In writing of these I do not pretend to have anything new to say, but rather to call attention to them as useful aids in the winter, when flowers, especially in small or medium-sized gardens, are scarce. This being the time when the majority of people who have gardens order their vegetable seeds, a little of the Variegated Kale seed could be ordered at the same time, as most respectable nurserymen keep good strains. The purpose for which they are here used is for the decoration of the dinner table, which purpose they answer capitally, the colours show- ing much better by artificial light than during the day, vary- ing as they do from white to deep crimson. These, with a very few flowers added, such as Chrysanthemums, &o., sprays of Solanum Capsicastrum with two or three berries on each spray, form a lively contrast to the White Kale, with a few fronds of Adiantum cuneatum or other airy-looking Ferns over them ; also a few dried Grasses might be mixed among them. Stands made of these materials were much admired here during the past winter. I will add that the Variegated Kale ia a very good vegetable cooked in the usual way. — G. H. Cooke, TIw Gardens, Peniarth, Toji-yn, N.W. OUR A.JUGAS. All flowering plants are interesting in their season ; among these we have the family of Ajuga, not a very numerous one, but none the less interesting. I think no admirer of our beau- tiful flowers can pass through our meadows during the early summer months without noticing the common Bugle, aa it is called, with ita lovely spike of blue flowers peering through the short grass. Ajugas grow well in most situations and in almost any soil. The Ajuga reptans section succeeds best in a good sound loam, and will bear almost any amount of moisture. There are a few kinds that I would direct attention to as worthy of more extensive cultivation than they are at present receiving. Ajuga reptans alba is of diminutive habit, but ia worthy of a place in the herbaceous border or the foot of the rockery, its pretty white flowers lasting for a length of time. Ajuga reptans variegata, white and green, is very attractive, useful where dwarf plants are in request for edging in the spring garden or border. Ajuga orientalie — or, if I mistake not, in some lists atropurpurea — ia a very valuable and useful plant for edging purposes, its leaves being of a deep bronzy- purple colour, retaining their colour under all circumstances. It is very effective, and most desirable for those of limited means, for bedding purposea, and it is of very free habit. Ajuga genevensis is a plant of compact habit, has no creeping shoots ; its flowers are of the deepest blue. It is a very desirable plant for rock or border. Ajuga pyramidalis, one of our native beauties, ought to be on all rockeries and borders too. Ajuga rosea, said to be a variety of this, is desirable for the sake of contrast of colour in the flowers. They are all easily increased by seed and division, and may be propagated almost at all seasons. Ajuga rupestris is well adapted for planting on the rockery. Some are imported from other countries, but none are more desirable than our own natives of this family. We have an annual variety called Ajuga chammpitya, but it is not often met with ; it has yellow flowers ; interesting chiefly as a botanical rarity. — Veritas. KNIGHT'S MONARCH PEAR— GOLDEN KNOB APPLE. Before the planting season closes I should like to call tho attention of your readers to Knight's Monarch Pear. It is a variety which ought to be in every collection. The flavour is excellent ; it is a good bearer, and remains longer in season than any other variety. It began to ripen here on the 1st of November, and was good for ten weeks. I do not mean to say that the Pears were all ripe then, but one could always have a dish from the shelf. What I wish to state is that they do not ripen all at once like other varieties, and I found it the latest kind here, except Prince Albert, which with me is only fit for stewing. Knight's Monarch ripens well as a standard in favourable localities. I will also mention a first-class late dessert Apple called Golden Knob, a good bearer, tree very hardy, and fruit an excellent flavour, coming into season now when fruit of all kinds ia scarce. As a kitchen variety of Apple for late use I recommend Dumelow's Seedling ; this is a great favourite here, and is capital for all culinary purposes after Christmas. — .1. Rust, Tinibridrje Wells. THE SWEET CHESTNUT (CASTANEA VESCA). It seems certain that the most ancient of Greek naturalists described this tree under the name of " Dios Balanos," or Jove's Acorn Tree. In our authorised translation of the Old Testament it is mentioned thrice ; but in the original Hebrew 122 JOURNAL OP HOBTIODLTURB AND COTTAGE GARDENER. ( FebriTaiy U, 1875. the name Ormun, derived from a root-word implyiug naked- nosfl, is believed by recent authorities to apply more fittingly to the Plane tree, which sheds its bark annually. It is found native over all southern Europe, but especially in the warmer parts of the temperate zone. It has been doubted whether the Chestnut is an English indigenous tree; but if not, it must have been introduced before the Norman Conquest, for in the reign of Henry II. (1154-1189) the Earl of Hereford granted a tithe of aU his Chestnuts in the forest of Dean to Flexley Abbey. The most noteworthy Chestnut trees in England are those in Lord Ducie's Park at Tortworth in Gloucestershire. Even in 1150 one of them was known as " the great Tortworth Chestnut." It marks a boundary of the manor, and a century since was considered to be a thousand years old. Its girth in 1720 was 51 feet at C feet from the surface. Even this is small compared with the " Chestnut of a Hundred Horses " on Mount Etna in Sicily, of which we add an engraving (fig. 31). Houel writes of it as follows : — " Its size is so much beyond all others that we find it impossible to express the sensation we experienced on first seeing it. Having examined it care- fully I proceeded to sketch it from nature. It is a faithful portrait, having demonstrated to my own satisfaction that the tree was 100 feet in circumference, and having heard its his- tory related by the savants of the hamlet. This tree is called the ' Chestnut of a Hundred Horses ' in consetiuence of the vast extent of ground it covers. They tell me that Jean of Aragon, while journeying from Spain to Naples, stopped in Fig. 81.— The ohestnot of a ufnbred horses. Sicily and visited Mount Etna, accompanied by all the noblesse of Catania on horseback. A storm came on, and the Queen and her cortege took shelter under this tree, whose vast foliage served to protect her and all these cavaliers from the rain. It is true that out of the hamlet the tradition of the Queen's visit is looked upon as fabulous ; but however that may be, the tree itself seems very capable of doing the office assigned to it. " This tree is entirely hollow. It is supported chiefly by its bark, having lost its interior entirely by age, but is not the less crowned with verdure. The people of the country have erected a house here, with a sort of furnace for drying the Chestnuts and other fruits which they wish to preserve. They are even so indifferent to the preservation of this wonderful natural curiosity that they do not hesitate to cut off branches to burn in the furnace. " Some persons think that this mass of vegetation is formed of many trees which have united their trunks ; but a careful examination disposes of this notion. They are deceived. AU the parts which have been destroyed by time or the hand of man have evidently belonged to a single trunk. I have mea- ur ed them carefully, and found the one trunk as I have said, 160 feet in circumference." We regret that this Chestnut is not more largely planted. It is one of the most ornamental of trees. When of mature growth it has a noble bearing, its branches graceful, and its foliage bright and free. It is a total contrast to the Horse Chestnut, which Gilpin justly condemns as a heavy dis- agreeable tree, and even when in flower inharmonious and nnpicturesque. EUCHAEIS AMAZONICA. This beautiful plant is rather capricious in flowering, some- times growing for several seasons and never blooming. I can- not give the modus operandi to flower it with the same cer- tainty as a Hyacinth or Tulip, for I think it would be difficult to attain ; but the following may not appear a bad result :^ In the spring of 1873 we potted several bulbs in a 14-inch pot in a compost of turfy loam, leaf mould, and rotten dung, with good drainage. They grew luxuriantly, but never bloomed. The following spriug we partially dried them off by spare water- ing, then in about two months placed the pot on a slate slab over the hot-water pipes, and watered copiously. When the new growth was made it threw up fourteen spikes, six or seven blooms on each, and was in perfection in July. After flower- Febraary 11, 1875. J JOURNAL OF HOUTIOULTUHE AND COTTAGE GAKDENER. 123 inR was over I treated as above, and it lias this month (Jamiary) thrown up four strong spikes with larger blooms than before. Some growers recommend frequent potting, but I think this is not required, as the bulbs in the present instance have not been potted since 1873. I do not think it should bo dried-o£f BO as to lose all its foliage, as it weakens the bulbs. Your able correspondent, Mr. Douglas, wrote in a contemporary that he bloomed it thrice a-year, but whether he meant the same bulbs or a succession I cannot say. — G. P., jun'. GBAPES OF THE PAST. In the retrospect, Mr. Abbey says, all honour to Mr. Hunter; so I, too, would say. Honour to whom honour is due, for the unequalled success that has attended Mr. Hunter's labours in the production of the world-renowned bunches of Grapes pro- duced at Lambton Castle. It may be that Mr. Hunter has been a surprise to himself. Did he really anticipate the result that has fallen to his lot? Perhaps Mr. Hunter will, for the benefit of our craft, enlighten us on the subject. Mr. Abbey names the 19i-lb. bunch of Speechly at Welbeck, where many years ago it was said that the Duke of Portland had more than a hundred kinds of Grape Vines, and in 1781 the bunch above named was presented to the Marquis of Kockingham. The account says it was 4A feet in circumference and 20| inches in length. It was conveyed to Wentworth House, a distance of twenty miles, by four labourers, who in pairs in turns c&rried it suspended on a staff. There can be no doubt but there are accounts of other large bunches of Grapes on record if we could only ascertain their whereabouts. I once saw a Vine at Kirkleatham, Eedcar, Yorkshire, that had produced many years ago a bunch of Grapes weighing nearly 20 lbs. I do not know whether the gardener's name was Pringle or Proudlock who was there at that time. I was told there was a drawing of the bunch in the hall at Kirkleatham with the particulars. I had the promise when I left that I should be furnished with par- ticulars, but I am sorry to say my informant has failed to fulfil his promise, and has since left the place. Whatever kind of Grape it may be, whether Syrian, Ham- burgh, Barbarosaa, or what else, 21 lbs. 12 ozs. is a high standard to aim at. There can be no doubt that Mr. Hunter has arrived at the acme of perfection in the present generation of Grape-growers. May he live long to enjoy the honour so nobly won. I have no idea what the bunches of Grapes grown at Eschol might weigh, but from the account in the good old Book they must have weighed something extraordinary. — H. FLOWERS CHANGING COLOUE. When a lad I used to apply blood from a neighbouring slaughter-house to Cowslips and Paigles, which after a season changed the b'ossom to a reddish shade. In a neighbouring village may be seen in a cottage garden an immense number of Primroses the children have brought home from the hedge- rows, changed by some action of the soil to a purplish tinge. — St. Edmund. [We know of an instance of double purple Primroses being brought to a garden at Dunse in Scotland. The nest season they retained their colour, but the second season and ever since the flowers have been double white. — Eds.] "WELLINGTONIA GIGANTEA. Theee have been in the various gardening journals of the past few years measurements given of the heights and sizes of various Wellingtonias in this country. There is a fine speci- men in the Priory pleasure grounds, Prittlewell, Essex, the country residence of J. F. Leigh, Esq., M.P. It is nearly 40 feet in height, 8 feet 6 inches in circumference at the base of the trunk, 20 feet in diameter through the branches from tip to tip, and CO feet in circumference outside of branches. From the information gained in the neighbourhood it has been planted nearly, if not quite, twenty years ; and presuming it to have been 5 feet in height when planted, it must have grown on an average 20 inches a-year.— G. A. Brojifield, Gardener, The Friory, Prittleicell, Essex. Blue Cornflower. — I think, but may be wrong, that what a "Little Savage" calls Cornflower is the same as Blue- bottle— Centaurea cyanus, blue. July. England. There are also Centaurea depressa, hardy annual or biennial, blue. June. Caucasus, 1818. Centaurea pnlohra, beautiful hardy annual, 1 foot high. Flowers blue and crimson. June. Cashmere, 1838. If she likes blue flowers for bouquets I recommend her to get blue Lobelias.— W. F. Eadclitfe. THE BLACKBEBEY. Many years ago we heard a gardener in Essex assert that he had a hybrid seedling bearing fruit that had for its parents the Easpberry and ISlackberry, but when we returned from India the gardener was dead, and no one knew of his seedling. Without any such hybridising our American relatives have several varieties of Blackberry which they cultivate, such as the Lawton, Dorchester, &c. The Lawton may be obtained at some of our fruit nurseries. A Californian paper announces another under the name of the Aughin- baugh Blackberry, and publishes the following drawing and description of it. It is named after its raiser, Mr. G. Aughinbaugh. " This berry ripens from four to five weeks earlier than any other va- riety of the Blackberry known in Cali- fornia, as has been shown by the result of its cultivation for the last two or three seasons. It begins to ripen there from the 1st to the loth of May, and continues to produce berries until about the middle of July — about the time other varieties of this berry begin to appear. By reference to the engraving it will be observed that the fruit is very large, and in form quite unlike to other varieties, being more the Mulberry than the ordi- nary Blackberry. " In addition to the advantage of large size and early ripening, the fruit is of excellent flavour, and does not contain so large a proportion of seeds and cores as other varieties. The plants grow up hardy, thrive well, and produce abundantly. We can attest from personal knowledge to all we have said above, and have no hesitation in commending this berry to the attention of fruit-growers everywhere," Fig. 32. — Aughinbaugh Biacliberiy. NOTES AND GLEANINGS. Boxwood, the wood of Buxus sempervieens, which is almost exclusively used for the best kinds of wood-engraving, has been for some years becoming more and more scarce. Wood of the largest diameter is the produce of the forests of the countries bordering on the Black Sea. Large quantities are produced in the neighbourhood of Poti, from which port the wood is shipped direct to England. The supply, however, from this port is, we learn, becoming fast exhausted ; and it is said, unless the forests of Abkhassia are opened to the trade it must soon cease altogether. The quantity exported from Poti during the year 1873 amounted to 2897 tons, of the value of £20,621 ; besides this, from 5000 to 7000 tons of the finest quality annually pass through Constantinople, being brought from Southern Russia and from some of the Turkish ports of the Black Sea for shipment, chiefly to Liverpool. An inferior and smaller kind of wood supplied from the neighbourhood of Samsoon is also shipped at Constantinople to the extent of about 1500 tons annually. With regard to the boxwood forests of Turkey, the British Consul at Constantinople reports that they are nearly exhausted and that very little really good wood can now be obtained from them. In Eussia, however, where some little Government care has been bestowed upon forestry, a considerable quantity of choice wood still exists ; but even there it can only be obtained at an ever-increasing cost, as the forests near the sea have been denuded of their best trees. The trade is now entirely in English hands, although formerly Greek merchants exclusively exported the wood. In the pro- vince of Trebizonde the wood is generally of an inferior quality ; nevertheless, from 25,000 to 30,000 cwts. are annually shipped, chiefly to the United Kingdom. TnE distillation and manufacture of attar ofEoses is a large and important branch of industry in Adrianople. In the northern parts of the country, we are told in an oflicial docu- ment, the produce of 1873 exceeded by 35 per cent, that of the 124 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ February 11, 1875. previous year, the quantity distilled being some 121,875 ozs., valued at about £90,000. It is chiefly exported from Philip- opoli to England, France, Germany, and Austria ; and recently merchants in the United States and Germany have opened correspondence with firms in Adrianople, with the view of establishing agencies to further extend this branch of com- merce.— (Nature.) The Metropolitan Floeal Society have been enabled to make arrangements (through the liberality of the Directors of the Alexandra Palace Company) for holding a grand autumn Exhibition of Flowers at their Palace, on August 24th and 2.5th, 187.3. On the 3rd inst. at his residence Heath Cottage, Thorpe Hamlet, Norwich, Mr. John Bell, aged seventy-one. For thirty-nine years nurseryman and seedsman in that city. SEED-SOWING. To sow seed well is to lay the foundation of success with any crop, and more especially of such as are cultivated altogether in the open air. Simple as this matter may appear, it is in reality a most important one, and to which, I think, particular attention may be given with greater advantage at this period of the year than at any other ; not that it is ever to be lost sight of, for had we not the approaching seed time in view when we hastened last autumn to dig and expose every bare space or garden bed to the sweetening influence of the coming winter's frosts, winds, aye, and snow and rain too ? for soil well-drained that is thrown up as loosely and roughly as possible not only runs no risk of becoming sodden, but, on the contrary, derives much benefit from the moisture which passes so quickly through it, depositing nutriment in its passage, so that even iu winter the clouds may literally be said to " drop fatness." How many times has the importance of autumnal digging been explained, and yet how frequently do we see kitchen gardens altogether neglected throughout winter? There lies the soil — inert, cold, and sodden. No care or attention what- ever has it received since the past season's crops were removed ; and when approacing spring compels some attention to be given it, what medium can possibly be worse for the assistance of vegetation than the crude sour clods which, but for such tardy and untimely culture, would have been free and open as ashes ? Much more might one say upon the rough, unkempt, and most unpleasant appearance of such gardens iu winter, but I will only add that high culture and neatness are inseparable. It may be asked, What has all this to do with seed-sowing? The answer is — and I wish to make it as plain and forcible as possible — when seed is sown in unsuitable soil there is much risk of failure, and the loss of a single crop implies a cor- responding failure in our future supply. True it is that some blame may be attached to the weather, but the aim of a really earnest man is undoubtedly to maintain a full and unbroken supply of whatever may be required at his hands, to combat and overcome, so far as may be, the difficulties of unkindly seasons, more or less of which he must always be prepared to encounter ; and he will do so successfully if he be a man of forethought, energy, and resource — anticipating the future by his plans — working with a system thoroughly digested but as elastic as possible — adapting his measures to the circumstances by which he finds himself surrounded. Now, do not suppose that I am writing solely for the benefit of those having, or hoping to have, the charge of extensive gardens ; rather should these remarks be regarded as applicable with equal force to gardeners of every class, and my aim is to animate those who have hitherto been content to remain passive under evils that are not irremediable to such exertions as experience has proved likely to bo rewarded by success. I heard a person remark last year that he had lost the first two sowings of Peas, and felt doubtful about the third, and I gathered from his manner that he did not consider himself at all blameable in the matter. No, the soil was at fault ; it was so close and heavy in texture, and so foul withal, that the seed either perished outright or was rendered useless by the attacks of insects as soon as it became softened by the ex- cessivo moisture of the soil. Here was an evil plainly set forth. What was the remedy ? Just this : for each Pea row the soil should have been raised a little above the ordinary level, a drill made and almost filled with a mixture of soot, old loaf mould, ashes, or sand, upon which the seed should be sown and covered with some of the same light porous materials, settling the whole gently down with the back of the spade. Thus the seed would be kept from contact with the cold wet soil, and the process of vegetation rendered far less critical and uncertain. It is an excellent rule never to sow seed in soil that is in an unsuitable condition to receive it, or there will be consider- able risk of failure, say in about an equal ratio to its want of soundness. I will give an example drawn from my own prac- tice last season. Several beds of Carrots were sown, one of them in soil which, although iu excellent condition at the time of sowing, was liable to be reduced to a hard compact mass by a heavy shower ; and that is just what happened before any growth was visible, the crop proving a total failure. What was to be done? The other beds were in a flourishing condition, but were not calculated to afford enough Carrots for the main- tenance of a full supply. I had therefore to revert to an old but certain plan, which was to make holes a foot apart and as much in depth over the whole of the surface of the bed which had failed, filling them firmly with a mixture of leaf mould and sand, and in each sowing a pinch of seed. The result was even better than I anticipated, for those late Carrots were decidedly the best in the garden. That piece of land received such a heavy dressing of ashes and manure last autumn that no future crops can fail from a similar cause. It is only fair to add that no such failure could have happened at all had the plan adopted as a certain remedy been followed in the first instance. It was about four or five years ago that the plan of covering Pea rows with small squares of glass immediately after sowing was propounded ; since then I have so used glass for the pro- tection of a variety of seeds that are liable to suffer from the attacks of birds or mice. The advantages attendant upon the plan and benefit derived are so great, that I do not hesitate to call especial attention to it once more. The glass is laid upon the soU covering the seeds at the time of sowing, and is not removed till the young plants lift it from the ground, which they do very quickly, for the glass acts not only as a most efficient protector, but as a capital agent for the attraction and transmission of heat to the soil from the sun's rays, so that vegetation is a much quicker process than under ordinary cir- cumstances.— Edward LuoiinuEST. DINNER- TABLE DECOKATIONS. There can be no doubt a moderate arrangement of flowers gives a dinner table an elegant appearance that nothing else will. If the dinner table be of a medium size, one large stand or vase with some specimen glasses grouped round it will bo quite sufficient ; but for a table of large dimensions, of course, the arrangement of flowers must be of a much larger scale. In selecting flowers, those with a powerful odour should be avoided as much as possible, or, at all events, only a judicious amount employed, as large quantities of such as Gardenias or Stephanotis make some feel faint. Arrangements of cut flowers should, as a rule, have plenty of Fern fronds inter- spersed through them, which set off, but at the same time tone down, their varied hues. When selecting flowers for cutting, it should be borne in mind if they are to be subjected to artificial light, as it is well known some yellow and mauve shades, if subjected to gas or any similar artificial light, change, and not for the better. As far as possible all Ferns, foliage and flowering plants, from which a supply is intended to be cut, should be cooled-off as much as possible befora being subjected to the knife. In some cases this cannot be managed : but, as far as possible, those cut from a warm stove should be avoided, as, when subjected to the dry hot atmosphere of sitting-rooms, they soon shrivel and fade. Another thing which tends much to keep flowers and Ferns fresh, is having their stems severed by a sharp knife in place of a pair of scissors. They should be cut, in a slanting direction. By so doing the little tubes and vessels in the stem are cleanly severed, and not crushed, as they would be were scissors employed, and so are enabled to draw up the mois- ture more freely, which keeps them fresh. When about to make an arrangement, it is a good plan to have a bowl of water at hand, with the chill just taken off; and before each Fern frond is about to be placed in the position which it is to occupy, dip it into the water in the bowl, Uft it out, and give it a gentle shake, which will, to all appearance, remove the water from it ; but though not visible, tiny drops will remain on the leaflets, which help much to keep them fresh. Some flowers can be subjected to the same treatment ; but it is more adapted for Ferns and sprays of foliage than for flowers. Some people rebruai^ 11, 1876. ] JOUBNAIi OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 123 have an idea that different things, snch as sal-ammoniac for instance, if pat in the water in which flowers are placed, helps to keep them fresh for a longer period ; but I myself have always found nothing better than fresh cold water. If the vase be small, and the flowers in it required to last as long as possible, if the water be changed every second day, and the points of the stems fresh cut, it will be found surprising for what a length of time they will remain fresh-looking. Some flowers to last should have a drop of prepared gum dropped into their centre, others be wired ; but space will not here permit of me enumerating those varieties which require that treatment. Be the arrangement large or small, plenty of fronds of light-looking Ferns, such as Maidenhair, should be associated with the flowers. — A. Hassakd (in The Gardener). GILBERT'S SEA-KALE AND RHUBARB TUBS. In looking through the renowned gardens of the Marquis of Exeter recently, my attention was drawn to a very useful aid in forcing Sea-kale. Mr. Gilbert, who is known as one of the most practical gardeners of the day, refuses to be bound to conventional appliances ; hence the innovation in hand-lights, which are so eminently serviceable as protectors. He has now fallen foul on Sea-kale and Rhubarb pots : being unwieldy and cumbersome, and even liable to breakage, they fell short of his standard of eseeUence, and he sought to obviate their dis- Fig. 33.— Ehabarb liox. advantages by a trial of wooden tubs or boxes. These are simply four plain inch-boards nailed together without dove- tailing. They are 1 foot wide at the top, increasing to 18 inches at the bottom for covering the root. In height they vary from 18 to 30 inches, according to the kind and height of vegetable requiring to be forced. As seen in use they answered perfectly, and made one wonder that something of the same simple and effectual nature was not in more general use long ago. The accompanying engraving (fig. 33), from a photograph will sufliciently explain these pseudo tubs, for of course they are bottomless, therefore not really tubs at all. — J. Wright. SPARROWS VKnsus FRUIT BUDS. In order that the domestic sparrow may not get off under Mr. Abbey's enthusiasm I trouble you with a few lines. My experience of him in the gardens of Surrey is quite the reverse to his. When I came here the place swarmed with sparrows. I bought wire pea-gnards, and put netting over other seeds. Afterwards I found the sparrows eating my Pear buds, one tree being cleared. Gooseberries suffered the eame fate. As a last resort I began shooting them, and have shot them flying with buds in their bills — caterpillar once ! Why, when I have had Gooseberry trees covered with caterpillars, did they not clear them ? Because they prefer seeds ; even Potatoes are a relish. My gardener is often told by those around, " I wish your master would not drive his sparrowa ovar here ! " Surely we are not all wrong. The bluB titmouse spoils Pears by picking them near the stalk, (fee., but see how he works the rest of the year ! If Mr. Abbey had written-up the hedge sparrow I would have joined him heartily. I say the house sparrow and finch tribe should be shot without pity. Do they send Mr. Abbey's pet bird to New Zealand ? I think not : he would be as bad as the Scotch Thistle.— Age. NOTES ON VILLA and SUBURBAN GARDENING. Finish with all expediency the alteratious or improvements on hand in the planting of trees and groundwork. Any delay in this important matter too late in the season is detrimental to the well-doing of the subjects concerned, and will be liable to disappoint those who watch the results with an expectation of success. The lawn ought now to be attended to by rolling frequently, and any defects or unlevel portions, which will be easily dis- cernible after the severe frosts we have had, must now be put right, as it ia as good a time as any in the whole year for this kind of work. Let all the outlines of embankments or terraces be put in order if not well defined. This adds as much as any- thing to the beauty of a lawn, especially that connected with many residences around a town, for the eye can at once glance upon the whole of it. Any of the edgings by the walks of turf which are out of the regular line may now be cut into shape with the edging-iron; and although it is not well to do it too early, owing to the liability of frost and rain to perish the sides down again, yet if cut about this time they will be safe from that contingency. Box hedges may also be clipped before the month is out; these, if done before, are liable to be turned brown by a severe frost, especially if trimming has not been regularly practised, and they have to be cut rather severely. There is some difference of opinion as to the shape of these hedges ; some prefer them cut square on the sides and flat on the top, others choose a triangular form, so that they may be narrow at the top. I give preference to the latter plan, not only because it looks best, but the hedge has a better chance to grow. When cut square at the top it must of necessity be cut hard in order to regulate its height, and then it turns brown and does not break into growth regularly, causing it to appear unsightly during the whole sum- mer. It is well to proceed with this work now, so that it may not interfere with other and more important operations that will come on as the season advances. As most of the bulbs of Hyacinths, Tulips, &c., in beds will now be showing their foliage above the ground, they ought to be protected every night with canvas or netting spread out upon hoops thrown across the beds, to be uncovered every morning as soon as the weather will allow. It will be remembered that in the autumn I gave a list of annuals that might be then sown for spring-blooming, and I may again remind those who are fond of such things — and they are most of them really beautiful — that most of the sorts may be again sown to bloom during the season. The same rules then stated may be appUed now, except that, if the ground can be now spared, the seed may be sown where they are to flower, which will save the work of plantingout. Those sorts from the autumn sowing that have not yet been planted-out should be by this time, and the beds kept very clean on the surface and be frequently stirred, as the plants will in time spread so as to pre- clude the operation. A few of the sorts, such as the Nemo- philas, must be carefully watched, as the slugs are a great pest to them. Again, it frequently happens that small plants in the beds are frequently almost worked out of the soil owing to the loose nature of it from the effects of the frost. Choose a dry day, and fasten such plants with the hand. Look to plants in frames, such as the pots of Mignonette, Stocks, Carnations, and Picotees. Clean them and move the pots to prevent them rooting into the soil beneath. Go on with the propagation of bedding plants as fast as cuttings can be ob- tained. A good plan is to put the cuttings thickly into small pots, and pot them off when well rooted, singly if room is abundant or the plants delicate, or three or more in a pot to economise space. The Centaurea candidissima is better propagated by putting one cutting in a pot, so that when it is rooted it will be the better shifted into a larger pot. This plant will not so well bear pulling about at the roots as a Verbena and many other plants; moreover, in the propagating bed much damp must not circulate over this plant, or the chances are that most of the cuttings will die off before they are rooted. Light and air are better agents to assist them than a shady and damp atmosphere, and the soil must be of a sandy nature, not liable to hold too much moisture. I have been thus particular in detailing the mode of propagating this plant in the spring because I know so many 126 JOURNAL OF HOKTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ Februiry 11, 1875. amateurs fail with it, and its being so desirable a plant for bedding purposes. — Tnon.vs Eecohd. DOINGS OF THE LA.ST AND PRESENT WEEKS. HABDY PHUIT GABDEN. At.l the planting, pruning, and digging amongst the trees have now been finished, and the buds are rapidly swelling ; they are not very forward this year, and at present the nights are frosty and the days cold, so that but little progress is made, and a3 late blossoms are more likely to escape the frosts than early, the chances are in favour of a good crop. We are not troubled with feathered songsters eating the buds, but the house sparrows are a continual source of annoyance ; their object does not seem to be so much to make a daily meal off the buds, but to pick them off and drop them on the ground. They put us to a considerable expense for wire protectors (something like a shilling a-yard), without which no Peas could be obtained. The flowers of Crocuses, Snowdrops, and Primroses are objects of their special attention; as soon as the flowers show signs of open- ing the birds pick them off and strew them around the plants. On the other hand, it is said that the good they do more than compensates for the mischief ; but it is not so at Losford, and it is quite necessary in self-defence to destroy as many of the birds as we can, and to demolish all the nests before the eggs are hatched. An amateur friend residing at Ilford was very much annoyed with their eating the buds of his Gooseberry bushes. He tried catching them with steel traps, which he thought was cruel, neither was it effectual. The next plan was successful, and it is now always adopted when the buds are bursting ; it is a plan, moreover, that commends itself to amateurs. He treats the birds kindly Ijy feeding them with bread crumbs after break- fast, and placing water for them to drink; the sparrows appre- ciate this treatment, and leave the buds alone. The small maggot that bores into the Apples and occasionally attacks the Pear has been very troublesome; it has been considerably re- duced in numbers during the last two or three years, but has not quite been eradicated. The most certain way to destroy it is to gather all Apples attacked, and to destroy them at once; but dusting the trees at this season with dry lime has been tried, and we fancied with good result. A calm dry day is the best time to do it. The branches must first be made wet by syringing with soapy water, and immediately after apply the lime by throwing it on with the hand. The Gooseberry cater- pillar has been quite destroyed, not by the sparrows, nor by picking, or dusting the trees with poison, but by removing the Burface-mould from under the trees, and trenching it deep in the garden quarters, and filling its place with loam free from larvffi. Another desperate enemy to the trees is the immense larvie of the goat moth, which has killed many of our trees. When once a colony of them has become established on a tree — or rather in, for they penetrate the hardest wood and tunnel it in all directions — the chances are that the tree will be destroyed. Should any of the trees become cankered, the eggs are deposited there in preference to a healthy tree. FHCIT .ISD FORCING HOUSES. Vineries. — The earliest houses are progressing favourably, and the growing shoots require almost daily attention, tying them down, stopping, and thinning-out where crowded. The Vines are trained on the short-spur system, and a young rod or two are trained-up annually to replace those which have become unsightly by long spurs. The rod should not be allowed to grow to the top of the house in one season, but be stopped when it has grown 8 or 9 feet, and at pruning time this length is reduced to 4 or 6 feet. Stopping the rod at 3 or 4 feet has been tried, and causing the main bud to start again ; but this is not the best way, as the buds immediately above the place where the growth was stopped do not always start well. All such young growths should be freely exposed to the light. We have just cut the Lady Downe's Grapes in the latest house, pruned the Vines, and are washing and dressing them as well as surticing tho borders. The bunches have been cut with a good length of cane, the end of which has been inserted in bottles of water. Gucmnber Houses. — The plants are now growing freely, but the leaves have been formed in a high temperature and almost without the aid of sunshine. It has therefore been necessary to dull the glass when the sun shone out powerfully for a few days, as the leaves suffered. Smoked the house to destroy aphides and thrips. It is quite necessary to maintain a minimum tem- perature of 05", and the atmospheric conditions should be such that continuous healthy growth may bo kept up. The plants will grow freely in a steaming atmosphere with a high tempe- rature, but the leaves are such that they will not resist the dry hot dayj we have in March. Evaporating troughs are provided in the house at Loxford, but it was found that the plants suc- ceeded by far the best when only half the quantity was kept filled with water. The surface of the border in which the Cu- cumbers are growing is damped over once every day ; the paths, walls, &e., twice or three times. Peach Mouses. — The weather has been unfavourable for Peaches, especially those that are setting, and it is very undesir- able to maintain a high night temperature it it necessitates overheating the hot-water pipes ; 55° is quite high enough. Thinning the fruit and superfluous shoots is attended to at the same time. As soon as the fruit is fairly set it ought to be well thinned out, leaving about twice as much as will ultimately be allowed to remain. The young wood must also be removed with an unsparing hand. Two more growths besides the leader will be quite sufficient. The side growth nearest the base should remain, and one on the opposite side a little higher up the shoot. If there are any aphides on the growths it must be destroyed at once by fumigating. Syringing will hold red spider in check, rendering its attacks harmless, but the Peach aphis must be destroyed in its earliest stages. Decoctions of quassia chips, soft soap, tobacco water, and insecticides innumerable have been recommended to destroy this pest on Peach trees. This most of them will do if all the fly can be reached, but in a large house with the most careful syringing it cannot be done, as the leaves curl up as soon as they are attacked, and thus shelter the aphis ; but tobacco smoke penetrates everywhere, and is certain death to them. GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. Owing to some mistake of the punctuation in last week's " Doings," Phalsnopsis grandiflora is said to flower all through the winter in a minimum temperature of 50' to 55' ; it ought to be 60° to 05°, the lower temperature given is for Coslogyne cristata. Both species are the very cream of what Mr. Bate- man styled bridal Orchids, and everybody ought to know that they can be grown as easily as Zonal Pelargoniums if they have the right treatment. Now that plants from the forcing houses are being removed to the conservatory, the plants must not be so freely exposed on cold days, as the opening flower buds receive a check which oft-times prevents their unfolding altogether. Tying and placing sticks to tree or perpetual-flower- ing Carnations. Any flower buds where the pods are likely to burst, are tied with a strip of soft matting or small gutta-percha rings. Potting Stage Pelargoniums. These are not grown to make exhibition specimens, but for the flower trusses ; and both for decorative purposes and for cutting, small plants in 5 and 6-inch pots are the best, the flower trusses from such are not only larger but the flowers are of better quality. Exhibition plants require much attention at this time as regards tying-out the growths. These project over the pots to a considerable extent, and cannot be effectually trained-out to a fastening round the rim of the pot. Two stout sticks must be laid on the pot at right angles to each other and be tied-down to the rim. They ought to project as far as the outer branches. A stout wire ring is then tied to the outer ends of the sticks, to this ring the ties can be fastened. Cinerarias intended to flower late as specimen plants, require to be trained in the same way as Pelar- goniums, but it is not usual to do more than to place a wire ring under the rim of the pot, to which the growths are brought down. This must be done with care, as the succulent growths are very easily broken off. Cyclamens are very useful in this respect, that they do not require any tying or training of the growths; and all the attention, except watering, required at present is to remove mouldy flowers and leaves at once. This matter has been noticed in previous numbers, but it is so im- portant that unless the mould is speedily removed the best plants might be destroyed by it. Now is the time to get rid of green fly ; fumigating must be kept-up until not one remains. With the lengthening days the insect breeds more rapidly, and it is but seldom that any houses are quite free from it. If any should be supposed to be, it is better to fumigate as a pre- ventive.— J. Douglas. PROVINCIAL HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS. Seobetabibs will oblige us by informing us of the dates on which exhibitions are to be held. TRADE CATALOQUES RECEIVED, E. B. Matthews, 06, Victoria Street, Belfast.— Secii and Nursery Catalogue. Daniel Bros., Noimch, -^ Illustrated Guide for Amateur Gardeners. T. S. Ware, Hale Farm Nurseries, Tottenham.— Spj-jHj Cata- loqne of Hf/brids. J. & B. Marsh, Market Place, Kingaton-on-Thamea.— Ca(a- lopue of Seeds, J. Harrison, North of England Rose Nuraery, Darlington.— Descriptive Seed Catalogue. W. Barron & Sons, Elvaston Nursery, Borrowash, near Derby. — Descriptive Catalogue of Hoses, £c. T. Straohan, 4, High Street, Wrexham.— CateJojita of Garden and other Seeds. February 11, 1875. ] JOURNAL OP HORTIOULTOaa AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 127 TO CORRESPONDENTS. *.• All correapoudeuoe ahonW bo directed either to "The Editors," or to "The Publisher." Letters addressed to Mr. Johusoa or Dr. Hogg ofteu remain UQOpened unavoid- ably. We request that uo one will write privately to any of our correspondents, a3 doing so subjects them to un- justifiable trouble and expense. Correspondents should not mix up on the same sheet questions relating to Gardening and those on Poultry and Bee sub- jects, and should never send more than two or three questions at once. All articles intended for insertion should be written on one side of the paper only. We cannot reply to questions through the post. Books {T. Bratlshaw). — Tho best illustrated book on flowera is the *'BotaDical Magazine;" on birds we only know very espensive works, eaoh conlined to the ornithology of one country. Veronica serpyxlifolia under Trees. — In answer to " Surrey's " inquiry as to whether Veronica serpyilifolia will grow urnler trees where gi'ass does uot do well, I may state that I have never tried it in such a situation. Two years ago I recommended an amateur /riend to use it for carpeting naiTOw paths between small flower beds, which he did, and ia now highly pleased with it. One end of his little flower garden is pai-tially shaded, but not much overhung, by a large Sycamore, and neir that end I notice that the Veronica grows a little weaker and not so dense, although it does not get patchy. I would not, however, expect it to succeed very well under the thick shade of the Lime tree. — It. D. Tavlor. Crystal Palace (TT. Aijrc).—V/e never heard of the essay you mention. Passiflobas Pruning {F. H). — The Passitloras which have not flowered and have foUage different from those which have flowered, may be different varieties, but probably the foliage is not yet in character. Cut all the side nhoots to within an eye or two of their base, and leave the main shoots at 15 inches apart. Do not ijnine these or the side shoots until the end of Mai-ch or beginning of April, but before they grow shorten the main shoots of last year's growth to Arm wood, say one or two-thirds their length accord- ing to their strength and ripeness of wood ; if weak, two- thirds j if strong and firm, one-third. Removino Worms from Lawn (Idem). — Dissolve 1 oz. of corrosive sub- limate (bichloride of mercury) in thirty gallons of water, and with this water the lawn. The worms will come to the surface and may be swept off. Take care that fowls, &c., do not eat them, or they will be poisoned. Pruning Koses ( IF. TT.).— Strong-growing Roses ought, when established to be pruned less than weak growers. In your case we should cut the weak growers to two, and the strong growers to three or four eyes, or if they have but little root cut them in to two eyes. Heating a Propagating Pit (P. E. M.).—Yout plunging bed will be about 3 feet wide, and will requii-e two rows of 3-inch pipes. For top heat you will require a pipe to be taken along the end and front above tho plung- ing bed, and to the door, then along the plungiag bed side to the other end of the pathway, alongside or beneath the stage to the door, contiauing across the end, along the back wall, and return beneath the plunging bed, the pipes being taken 9 inches from the walla of the bed and 1« inches between them. Your house will have with this arrangement a cool stova temperature. Sowing Rose Seeds {St. Edmuud). — Sow them now, after breaking-up the heps into parts with the hand, iu pots or pans well drained, in light rich soil, and cover with fine soil about half an inch deep. Plunge in an open sheltered situation outdoors, keeping moiat and protecting from mice, which are very fond of the seeds. Very close wire netting is the best for this purpose. The soil is to be kept moist, and when the seedliugs have three or four rough leaves raise them with a piece of wood, and pot singly iu small pots ; place in a close cold frame until established, shaded from the sun. When the pots have become full of roots transplant in an open situation in good, rich, light soil. A portion of the seed only may vegetate the lirst year. Transplanting Rose Cuttings (Idem). — Pot them at once if showing incipient roots, and plunge in a cool frame uctil established, then plant out. If intended for pot plants shift into larger pots, and plunge in the open air. Hollyhock cuttings should be encouragod to fill the pots with roots, be duly hardened-off, and planted-out in April. Plants for Surfacing Ground Beneath Chestnut Trees (Alpha). — The best subjects are the Ivies, the common Hedera Helix with H. hibernica (cananensis) being good. They should be planted with the roots as much in the open parts as possible, so that they may have the benefit of moisture, and the shoots should be trained into the shaded and dry parts. The Peri- winkles are good. They should be planted a foot apart, the Ivies 6 feet, or for qaick covering 3 feet. Rhododendrons and Laurels might also be tried should the subjects named be too dwarf or their growth unsatisfactory. Raising Vines from EvEStH. 2".). — You can raise them in the dung hot- beds, and now is a good time to begin. The eyes should be taken from well- ripened wood, and cut over transversely above the eye and just clear of it, and from the back of it make a slanting cut downwards and through the shoot, commencing opposite the eye, and brioging out on the samo side as the eye about an inch below it. You may put them singly into small pots filled with light turfy loam, moderately drained, and gently pressed. The wedge-like end of the eye is to be thrust into the soil and level with the sur- face. The pots are to be plunged in the hotbed and kept moist. In due time they will put out a shoot, and when this is about 6 inches long shift into larger pots and grow on in a light warm house. Early Rhubarb (D. D.).— The best kind for earliness and quality is Johnson's St. Martin's. Chrysanthemums — detach a shoot from the base when about 3 inches long, and pot either singly or three in a small pot, and place in a close cold frame or mild hotbed until rooted, then remove to a cold rrame, and shift into larger pots as the pots fill with roots, and in and after April they may be stood on coal ashes in an open situation, but sheltered from winds. Half a dozen large-flowering varieties are Empress of ludia, white; Blonde Beauty, white, delicate rose stripe; Lady Hardinge, i-ose ; An- tonelli, salmon orange ; John Salter, red cinnamon ; Mr. George Glouny, pale yellow ; and Jardin des Plantes, golden yellow, the best of the yellows. Vines for Greenhouse (A. II. S.). — Your prospect of Vines succeeding is uot good, the house having an east aspect, a wall to the south, and no means of heating. Besides, they would not succeed well did it get sun in summer, unless they were trained to the roof at about 15 inches from the glass, and were grown in large pots (18-iuch), and had top-dressings of rich compost. The beat kinds would be Black Hamburgh and Buckland Sweet- water. Cittting-in a Laurel and Holly Hedge (A'. F.). — Cut the Laurel hedge in about the middle to the end of March, and the Holly hedge from the middle to the end of April. Both will bear cutting severely. Plants for Carpet Bedding {Idem). — A few are Sedum glaucum, S. an- glicum, Pachyphiton bracteosum, Howarthia cymbifoUa, Altornauthera.-t amo'na, A. magnifici, A. amabilis, A. paronychioides, Ajugareptans purpurea, Osahs comiculata rubra, Pyrethrum Tchihatchewi, Lobelia pumila grandi- flora, and the double variety llore-pltuo, Antennaria toraentosa, Sautolina incana. Those are the plants, or gome of them, usually employed for covering the ground, but there are others which require to be associated. Arrauge- meuts of the kind have beeu given from time to time in the Journal, notably last year, the last volume, pages 217, 279, 298, and 323, containing much in- formation on the subject, with practical illustrations of the bedding at Hampton Court Palace. Soft Putty {Mootec).—I>v. Hogg, in the "Year Book," states, "My friend, Rev. W. Kingsley, has long used a composition which he has found to answer the purpose admirably. It consists of boiled linseed oil nine parts, tallow one part ; let these bo mixed with whiting to the required consistency, and they will form a putty suitable for all garden glazing, and which can be removed at any time without dilficulty." Double Furze Propagation {Idem). — By cuttings ia March of last year's growth in sandy soil, better it a little peaty, in a slightly shaded border; or at the end of summer of the growth of the current year, on an east border. Fruit Trees for Wall of Melon House {A Lady hi Cheshire).— The soil being light and little of it will not suit Peichos, unless you were to remove it aud form a border of a more retentive description ; or you may enrich it and make firm. Cow dung would be the most suitable stimulant. In this case it would be best employed for Peaches and a Nectarine; or you might have one Apricot, and a Peach and Nectarine. The soil as it is would best suit Apricots and Plums. It is too light for Pears. Figs would be suitable if this fruit is liked. Tenants Removing Sukvbs, &c. {Wishful to Do Rightl.— So soon as the Rose and fruit trees were plante4 by you, the law is that they were affixed to the soil and belonged to the landlord. You cannot legally remove them with- out his permission. Markchal Niel Rose in G reenhouse (Consfani Sw&smbcr). — Toamay thin-out weak wood and slightly shorten strong shoots of Marcchal Niel, but do not let your gardener overprune. Tea Roses for Border {Ladij Jane). — Adam, Alba Rosea, Belle Lyon- nais, Catherine Jlermet, Devoniensis, La Boule d'Or, Louise de Savoie, Madame Levet, Madame Willermnz, Marie SisIey.Cheshunt Hybrid, Souvenir d'Elise, Souvenir d'un Ami. NoiscttcH—U.QXcch.'aX Niel and Celine Forestier. The above fifteen will most probably succeed well in the situation named. To those we might add Veitch'^^ Duchess of Edinburgh, Madame Falcot, Madame Margottin, Homure, Madame Bravy, and Perle de Lyon. Apple and Pear Trees Diseased (J. M. ^.).— The vast number of swellings on the branches you enclosed are all the results of the American blight. That blight is the Aphis lanigera, and if it still attacks the trees the insects at this season are down upon the roots of the trees, where they winter. Remove the earth from over the roots, leave them exposed for a few days, pour over them abundance of ammooiacal liquor from the gasworks, and then return the earth. Lily of the Valley (C. B.).— Mr. Standish, Royal Narseries, Ascot, imports extensively the foreign rhizomes you need. Write to him and explain your requirements. Growing Ferns {Alpha).~\^Q have no doubt that " H. L." would show his Ferns grown in common garden soil, but your cheapest and most certain test would be to grow two or three in such soil yourself. Bark of Fruit Trees Partially Destroyed [J. H.). — As the rabbits have only eaten oH part of the bark the trees will not be killed. Cover the wounds with a plaster mide of equal parts clay and cowdung. To prevent farther mischief wrap a hay or straw band round each stem to the height a rabbit can reach. He\ting Greenhouse (Gf. W. J.), — A colza-oil lamp will be of no use for heating your house. You will require a stove boiler and two rows, a flow and return 2-inch hot- water pipes all round the house, exceptiog doorway. The stove boiler may be either in a shed at the back of the house or within the house, but it must have an iron funnel or pipe to take away the smoke and other obnoxious products of combustion, being careful to keep it clear of woodwork. Annuals for Ssioky Gardens {A Ladij Qardrner). — We presume you wish for hardy kinds only; such are -'Alyssum maritimura, white; Leptosi- phon densitlorus, lilac, aud its white (albus) variety, but the last two do not bloom well after the beginning of September; Nasturtium Tom Thumb, vavs. *Beauty, orange- spotted, "^crimson; N. King of Tom Thumbs, scarlet, aud -'King of Tom Thumbs, goldeu ; Nolaua atriplicifoUa, blue, white, aud yellow ; N. lanceolata, blue; Sauvitalia procainbena, flore-pleno, yellow; ""Saponaria calabrica, rose ; ■'S. calabrica alba, white; and Calendula ofticinalis superba, orange, though of no good for bedding, stands smoke remarkably well. Those marked with an asterisk will bloom as late as you wish, but the others will not. To make up your number we name some which are half-hard}' annuals, or may be treated as such : Ageratum Imperial Dwarf, Lobelia speciosa, Pyrethrum Golden Feather, Seneeio elegans — double crimson, lilac, purple, red, and white; and Tagetes signata pumila. (Euothora macrocarpa aud taraxacifolia, yellow and white-flowered respectively, are sometimes used for beds, but they do uot bloom late enough. The Passion-Flower against a south wall ought to have flowered within four years, but probably it is in too exposed a position, the wood not ripening well. It is not likely it will flower, though if it grow freely we should give it further trial. Glory of Waltham is a good x'ed Rose for a wall. Propagating Apples, Arbor-Vit.^, and Thuja Lobri by Cuttings (J. 17.).— Apple cuttings should be of last year's growth, with or without a short heel of the old wood, and they should be about 10 inches in length, and be inserted in the soil two-thirds of their length, and from this the eyes should be removed. They are to be cat transversely below the lowest joint, and if they have any old wood an inch is sufficient. Plant lirmly in rows ^ y inches apart, and 3 inches asunder iu the rows. A sheltered aud slightly 128 JOURNAL OF HORTIOULTUKE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ February 11, 1875. ehaded position on a north border is most suitable. Now is a cood time to put in the cuttings. Arbor- VitiB and Thuja Lobbi cuttings should ba made in July or August after the j;rowth is complete, taking them off close at the base of the current year's growth, and inserting in Bandy loam, mixed with a third of sandy peat, and the eorface covered with half an inch of silver sand. They are best placed in a frame or hand-light in a cold house, or they may be placed in a cold pit or frame, and should be kept moist and shaded, and have air only to allow any accumulation of damp to pass off. When they begin to grow air will need to be given more freely. The cuttings will also suc- ceed under a hand-light. We know of no book giving " full instructions for BtriMng cuttings of all sorts." Grass Keeping in London Churchyard {Qeorge Allen).— HhB ground is no doubt much infested with moss, and has a firm surface. It will need to have the surface 1 >03ened, and a top-dressing p^iven of rich soil or compost, with a sixth part of lime intermixed. A covering of this half an inch thick in March, and raked over well early in April, when you may sow it rather thickly with Poa nemoralis sempervirens, Festuca duriuscnla, Cynosurus cristatus, Poa trivialis, 5 lbs. of each, Lolium perenne tenue 20 lbs., Trifolium repens 81bB-, Trifolium minus 4 lbs., in mixture a sufficient quantity for one acre. Rake very lightly after sowing, and roll well, or if this be not practicable beat inth a spade. If sparrows are cot numerous the raking after sowing may be dispensed with. Do not keep very closely cut, as the grass, if much used, will be liable to burn and die in dry weather, and if possible cut with an early prospect of rain or in moist weather. PnuNXNG Neglected— Pear and Cherry Trees {H. Timperley). — Cat away the young shoots to the last eye of their base, and any very long spurs we Bhonld also shorten to the lowewt bud at the base ; but you must not remove the apex if a fruit bud, which you will be able to distinguifih now, sn that the prnning should be at once done. "We should confine any treatment of the spura this year to shortening the very longest ones. The Cherry tree is to he treated same as the Pear. Gloxinias, Caladiums, and Achimenes (H.).— GtoarinitK— Mr. Haines, Prince Leopold, Brilliant, Fanny Wilder, Monarch, Richard Thornton, Emperor of Brazil, Prince Arthur, Hon. Mrs. Yorke, Madame Patti, Miss Hannah de Rothschild, and Rev. A. H. Bridges. Ca^a^fzwTn.',— Chelscni, Leplny. Vesta, Princess of Teck, and Princess Royal. Achimenes— kmhroise verachaffelf, Chelsnni major, Nesida, Purpurea Magnifica, Longiflora major, and Sir Treheme Thomas. Hardy Melon for Frame (A Constant Header).— Turner's Scarlet Gem, though a biyhly-flavoured scarlet- fleshed Melon, is not suitable for a frame with little heat beyond that of the sun. Munro's Little Heath is the best Melon for an amateur with but a limited supply of heating material. A strong tenacious loam is most suitable for Melons. A compost of rather strong fibrous loam with a fourth of rotten manure well incorporated is best for Strawberries for forcing. They should be potted as firmly as possible. The best Pea for general crop is, to our liking, G. F. Wilson, but wo should hardly like to restrict ourselves to one kind. Peas Sowing in Trenches { West Coast).~Yon cannot have read the author aright, for no one knowing anything of Peas would recommend them to be sown in trenches 2 feet wide and deep. What is said, we have no doubt, IB to make trenches of the size named, and manuring well, working it well into the soil as for Celery, and return the soil to its original level before sowing the Peas. Everybody knows this practice to be good, especially in light poor soils. The beet time to move Conifers is in early spring, say April, 3UBt when they are beginning to grow; and the same remarks hold good of evergreen shrobs, but they may be moved quite safely at this time and until they begin to grow; also in September after the growth is complete. What sluTibs do you wish to propagate? To enumerate those which may be raised from cuttings would cause us to enumerate a majority of those in culti- vation, no one, except a nurseryman, having half of thera. Variegated Hollies are propagated by budding or graftiug at the latter cud of March, iu April, or jost when the stocks are growing, aud by budding iu July or early August. Really good bedding annuals are scarce. The names of some are given to-day m answer to another correppondent, but we give a list of those which may be raised from seed, and will be available the same season for bedding purposes. Dells Crimson Beet, Cineraria acauthifolia, C. maritima. Echeveria metaUica. E. secunda glauca, Osalis tropjeolnides, Perilla nankinensis, Pyrethrum Golden Feather, Ageratum ImperialDwarf, Aljssam maritimum, Centaurea candidiseima. Ceraytiutn tnmentoeum, Cuphea platycentre. Lobelia speciosa. Nasturtium King of Tom Thumbs, scarlet, aud the golden variety ; Saponaria calabrica, and white variety alba; Tagetes signata pumila, Tropieolum com- pactom coccineum, T. compactun hiteam, Viola ciirnuta Perfection, and V. latea major. The duration you may find in any catalogue. Quantity of Gas Tar for Mixing Asphalt (J. K.).—We have not been particular to note the quantity of gas tar required for bringing to the con- Bistency of mortar the af-bea used for asphalting walks. As near as we can tell, about a gallon per square yard for a thickness of 3 inches. If any have noted the exact quantity of boiling tar required for mixing we should be obliged were it communicated. Cucumber for Frame (ij. B. 2V.).— Tender and True is probably the best of Cacumbers for quality. It or Blue Gown we recommend. Your frame will only accommodate one plant, planted in the centre ; and upon a duog bed 3 to 4 feet high, with 10 inches of soil upon it, you will have a fair chance of success. Sea-kale Crowns Decaying in Winter (Q. B.).— We are unable to aoconnt for the decay of the crowns, though we apprehend it is in conse- quence of the seeding to which you allude, it beiig remarkable that, the growth IB good during summer. This is also past our experience— the root- stem to form eyes and shoots with abundance of flower stems the same season. The decay we believe to be only that of the flower stems, and small crowns b^low them are the true crowns, the growth of last year. Other- wise the decay of the crowns, and especially in light soil, is inexplicable. Shrite for Centre of Raised Bed (J-ir.)— A very suitable subject aud very distinct in Abies excelsa clanbraNiliana, a very close slow-growing Spruce, which for what you want ought to be about 2 feet 6 inches through, and to secure this size of plant the price will be more, perhaps, than you may wish to give. Thuja orienfalis aurea is also si-itable ; but the cheapest and most tractable subject would be a green or variegated tree Box. Smoke from a Brick Kiln (A. B.).— At a distance of 80 to 100 yards from a number of brick kilns we have seen gardening successfully practised, and the plants you name thriving at no greater distance than 50 yards; the smoke was taken off by a chimney. If the kUn be an ordinary one, twice the above distance will be neceBsary. Roller Shading for Stove (G. B.).— There ought to be no difficalty with the shading by means of a roller, pulleys, and line, especially as it is an end house. The length is certainly cousiderable, but you might arrange to have it in two lengths. If you object to blinds you may brush the inside of the glass with whiting and skim milk, or a glue size if put on the outside, and this you may wash off or renew as required. Names of Fruits (J. Royh). — 1, Not known; 2, Benrre d'Aremberg; 8, Doyenne d'Alen^on. NA3IE3 OF Plants iG. AuJrier].—V^e think No. 1 is Veronica agrestis, and No. 2 V. cymbalaria; but specimens should be sent in a bos. {A. it.|. — Your Orchid seems to be a form of Orchis fueca (0. purpurea) ; it has nothing to do with O. longicomu. {W. T.). — Cyperus alteruifolius, and C. alternifoUus variegatus. {H. B., Prestbury). — Cannot determine from specimen sent. POULTEY, BEE, AND PIGEON OHEONIOLE. HOUDAN COCK TURNING "WHITE IN ONE MOULT. Have any of your readers known of a similar lusus naturte as the aforesaid ? Mr. Cooper of Limerick, wlio is well known to all poultry fanciers in this coantry, has the gold medal Paris winner which has performed this feat. Had he been an old worn-oat bird gradnally growing white it could be easily explained, but for a bird in perfectly rich colour in one moult to turn pure white T think is not a matter of everyday occurrence. As I have on two occasions awarded him prizes, and remem- ber his rich dark colour as well as size and frame, my astonish- ment ia great to find in one moult he has turned perfectly white, retaining all other Houdan characteristics. I suppose we shall have White Houdans in Variety classes now as well as White Creves. — C. F. Staunton. the age of DORKINGS. In your last number Mr. Bartram says, " I happen to have won the Dorking cup at the Palace iu the Old class at the last two Shows;" but if Mr. Bartrum refers to the official prize list of this Show for 1873 he will find that Mr. Beachey was awarded a cup for the best hen in that year. Mr. Beachey's hen, though not sold at the auction, was afterwards claimed ; and as Mr. Bartrum had told me that he did not breed his cup hen of the Palace aud Bristol Shows last year, and Mr. Beachey at Bristol when going round the classes with me recognised Mr. Bartrum's hen as his old Palace bird, I thought I was justifled in assuming that this same bird had twice won at the Palace, and that she was, on Mr. Beachey's authority, over eight years old. How- eves, as Mr. Bartrum says this is not the same bird Mr. Beachey doubtless made a mistake, and I am sure he would be the first to acknowledge it. I bought a Dark Dorking hen at the Crystal Palace in 1872 shown by Mr. White, which I afterwards ascertained from him had won the cap at Leeds in 18G3. This hen I still have ; she is alive and well and now laying, and must at the very least be seven years old. — T. C. Boenell. CUP NOT OF THE VALUE STATED IN THE SCHEDULE. It was stated in the schedule of the late Oxford Poultry Show, in a head-note to the list of cups, that the cups would be silver and of the full money value. In the list itself the cups were also described as silver. Thus far previously to the Show. At the Show a reprint of the schedule was published in the cata- logue, and the same description of the cups was repeated. I of course relied iipon the statements made, and entered, amongst others, a pen of Mandarin Ducks in the Variety Duck class. To this pen the cup was awarded, and it was subsequently sent to me. It proves to be, not silver, but a ^7a^ed arii'cZe .' Will you teU me what you think of the matter, and what course I ought to adopt respecting it ? I have informed the Secretary of the discovery which I have made, but he seems to think it a suffi- cient answer to say that the cup was a presentation cup. I shall be happy to let you inspect both the cup and the Bchedole, should you wish to do bo. — An Exhibitor Misled. [Whether it was a presentation cup or a cup offered by the Committee makes no difference. The Committee have failed to fulfil their engagement. — Eds.] PouLTET-KEEPiNG. — The foUowing is my experience of poultry fancying during the last three months: — My stock of fowls con- sists of sixteen Brahma hens ot 1872 and 1873 ; these have not distinguished themselves in any way but as food-consumers, and an occasional egg or two. I have also ten Brahma pullets and three Cruve pullets hatched last March; these three last named began to lay at six months. From these thirteen pullets Febraaiy 11, 1876. ] JOURNAL OF HOBTIODLTUBB AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 129 I have had from the 21st of October to the 2l3t of January fi33 egga. They are liberally fed in much the same way as your correspondent states in the Journal of January 2lBt. Eggs have been so very scarce this season that I am inclined to think this great success. I should add that one of these pullets has sat without hatching owing to the extreme cold, and another is now sitting. — A Successful Contkibutor. BRAHMAS AS EGG-PRODUCERS. I NOTICE a few remarks on Dark Brahmas, in the manage- ment of which " Ealino " appears to have experienced much better results than myself during the past year. I must, how- ever, correct his idea of " intruders visiting the nests ;" that is, I think, completely guarded against. The strain may have something to do with pullets' backwardness, though some of my older birds have at last commenced laying on the 18th ; and on the 26th two of my pullets (these just turned eleven months old), where last year they began at seven mcnthe. I presume " Ealing " is able to give his birds a wide grass range during the day, which coupled with two feeds per diem I should expect would prove more satisfactory than three feeds under more con- finement.— Aqbicola, Liverpool. CRITICISMS OF AWARDS AT PORTSMOUTH SHOW. I MOST fully appreciate fair and impartial reports of the various exhibitions, as also criticisms upon the awards ; but, being one of the Judges at the late Portsmouth Exhibition, think a little more care should be taken by the reporter of your contemporary ere he make such remarks as the following : " Mr. Lingwood's Buff Cochins were remarkably distinguished by being not even commended." Now, had that reporter taken the slightest trouble he could have known that pen of Buffs arrived without any label, and two pens being empty, Nos. 40 and 41 (which I afterwards learned were Mr. Lingwood's and Mr. Tomlinson's), the Committee decided not to pen those birds until they could be certain to whom they belonged, therefore they were not in the pen when the awards were given in. There were other cases where birds were exhibited with wire or tape round their legs, consequently all such plainly-marked birds were passed over. Possibly, when the exhibitors heard such marks coxild not be tolerated they removed them, and visitors not knowing the reason might wonder why they ijvere not noticed. If possible the reporter should interview the Judges, and thereby hear why this or that pen was passed before he impugns the judgment. Again, birds arriving after the class is judged should have cards " too late for competition " attached. — W. B. Jeffbies. DORSET SHOW OF POULTRY, &c. This Show was held on the 27th and 28th January, and the building much reminded ua of Oxford, the poultry being iu the Corn Exchange below, and the Pigeons in the Town Hall above. The Show was a complete success in every way, the management being in the hands of Mr. Billett. The attendance was wonderfally good, the whole country around turning out to see the Exhibition. The Judges were advertised many weeks ago as being for poultry Messrs. Hewitt and Hodson; but, as we all are aware, the former geutleman has been too unwell for many weeks to judge at the different shows where he was expected, so Mr. Tegetmeier liUed his place here. But we must say we think all shows which make a point of adver- tising their Judges should most decidedly also advertise who the substitutes are to be when they find that those engaged are, from illness or any other cause, prevented from attending. At Dorchester they certainly kept up the error even to putting on their catalogues that the Judges were Mr. Hewitt and Rev. G. F. Hodson, when they must have been aware, long before the catalogue was in the printer's hands, that Mr. Hewitt would unhappily not be able to be with them. We do most sincerely trust that committees will take the hint, and when their first advertised j udge cannot come will by means of a public advertise- ment let the exhibitors (who have made their entries on the faith of a certain gentleman judging them) know who the substitute is to be, for it is well known that different judges have different opinions about birds, and that while some are crotchetty on some minor point, others think nothing of it. At Dorchester, as at most good old-fashioned shows, Dorijrajs, the table bird of the people, opened the ball, and Mr. Whitworth won the cup with a grand old pair; the second also being fine. Silver- Greys were not good except the first-prize pair, while in Whites Mrs. Hayne cleared the board with three good pens. Brahmas (Dark) were good; Light not so tine as usual. In Darks the winners all were well-known birds, and well placed here. Lights were a large class, but winning was easy. Cochins were very good. They had three claflses— Buffs, Partridges, and Any other variety. The cup pen of Buffs were grand. In Par- tridge we almost preferred the third-prize pen (Crabtree). In the next class the first Whites were a fair pen, but the cock seemed down on his legs and looked overshown. Mr. Woodgate had the best pen in the class, but the bird's tails had got crushed in coming, and one or two feathers were broken off, consequently the Judges decided to pass them by. Not knowing wbetherit was the result of accident or design, we were much surprised at this, for they stood out a long way the best, and it must have been clear to any judge, we should have thought, that "faked " tails would have been very different. We confess we saw no reason why in spite of the broken tails the birds in question should not have stood first. We frequently see such accidentally-broken tails in Spanish and Dorkings (notably so the cup hen at Bristol), yet they are not in consequence left out in the cold. The third prize in this class was not awarded ; why we cannot conceive, for if there was a pen worthy of being highly commended, as there was (vide Mrs. Holmes), surely it was also deserving of third. Spanish were good, the cup pen well shown. The second prize-pen (Le Sueur) went on and won the cup at Ports- mouth we believe, as too did Mr. Dring's highly commended pen of Crevea. Game were a good lot and well judged. The cup went to Mr. Jekin's Brown Reds. Hainburghs mustered fairly, but besides the winners, which seemed for the most part well placed, there was nothing much worthy of notice. Folands were capital, good Silvers of Mr. Hinton's taking first; White- crested Blacks second and third. Malays made a fine class, and the quality was unusually good. French also brought two good classes. The first Boudans were the first-prize 'Tunbridge WeUa pen, and deserve their place. In the next class Creves,LaFlBche, and Creves won in the order named. The Variety class was various and varied. Mr. Tegetmeier made, we thought, a most happy selection ; perhaps we might have placed Mr. Long's Black Hamburgh third, but there was not much wrong. Bantams made large classes. Game especially good, and the Judges picked out the winners well. We are sure the most critical could find but little fault here. The Laced classes were con- spicuous by the absence of Mr. Leno. We could not understand why this gentleman, who seems ubiquitous, should not have had a " go in " here where there were a Laced class and good prizes. In the Variety Bantam class good Blacks were first and second, and White-booted (not White-breasted as stated in catalogue) third. This latter pen was very white, but a trifle too large. The Sale classes were large, and many of the birds good and cheap. Ducks were large classes mostly, and the quality capital, Mr. Fowler's cup Aylesbury being very fine. In Blacks the first drake was simply gorgeous in colour, but rather large by the side of Mr. Kelleway's. The Variety Duck class was one of the best we ever saw, pen after pen of surpassing excellence. The winners were beautifully shown and well selected for their places. We were again glad to see our friend Mr, Fowler's most useful Cayugas in the list. The first-prize Turkeys were old friends. Second and third also good. In Geese the winners were enormous, and ran in first. There was a class for Pheasants, and a most beautiful one it was, we never remember a more charming Bit;ht. The pens too for them were large, and they were well attended to. First went to Reeves, a little shabby in tail, still well first. Second went to Japanese, a wonderfully good pair. The Gold and Silvers were beautiful. We much admired Lady Heath- cote's pen, and almost thought them deserving of third place. There were also Pied. In fact it was one of the best classes ever seen. Rev. G. Hodson and Mr. Tegetmeier judged the Dorkings, Brahmas, and Cochins together ; then Mr. Hodson, we believe, took the Malays, French fowls, and Variety Bantams, while Mr. ■Tegetmeier did the remainder. This report was laid on one side by mistake, and hence the delay. We published the list of awards and notes on the Pigeons last week. THE BARB, OWL, &c. I WAS much pleased in our Journal of January 21st with the re- marks from the ever-welcome "Wiltshire Rector's" pen on Dr. Morgan's article on the Barb. With the Rector I admire the Doctor's writings very much. His descriptions of the Pouter and Fantail were admirable, but in my opinion he is not quite so happy in his last on the Barb, no doubt trom not having seen the bird in its best form. As " Wiltshire Rector " re- marks, the show Barb of America must differ a good deal from ours. The best Barbs are certainly not small natty birds such as Dr. Morgan would aeem to wish them to be. The Tumbler style is bad. The best birds look really bigger than they are when handled, rather loose-looking in feather, with very long wings broad at the points. I think it is certainly a mistake to attempt to breed them down to a delicate point. I cannot imagine how Dr. Morgan thinks the Barb and Carrier so like each other ; unless iu being both wattled birds they really have very Uttle resemblance. If one could fancy the 130 JOUENAL OF HORTICULTOEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEK. [ Febroary 11, 1875. birds alive with their heads off it wonld be easy to tell them at a glance, they are so unlike in shape, attitude, habits, &c. A good many years ago a few fanciers tried to push forward the Tumbler style, but, fortunately, they did not succeed. Black is, I think, the best colour for a Barb, or white if they could be got fine enough. Reds and Yellows never show so well, though as good as the others in poiuts, and the colours are besides often not good. As to their having the same origin nothing can cer- tainly be known now, as they are both very old varieties, and it would take Dr. Morgan, I am persuaded, a very long time to make the one out of the other ; so I trust with the fancy talent he evidently has that he will rather take up one or both and set himself the task of improving them, which I feel sure he could do if he set himself to it. Being in the scribbling mood I wish to say a few words more, but this time I am to be reluctantly in opposition to " Wiltshibe Eectob;" but I know well he will forgive me, though I may not be able to bring him to my way of thinking. It is about English Owls. A short time ago (I speak from memory) in one of his articles he said they were a nice variety of birds, and that they ought to be encouraged. Now here lies our difference. I think, on the other band, that they are a lot of degenerate mongrels that ought to be extinguished at once. This, I think, must be quite clear to anyone who looks at the foreign Owls and the English, unless there are two standards for Owls, which I never heard was the case. Ours are beyond a doubt a degenerated form of the bird, quite as much so as our old Trumpeters in comparison with the new type as it is called (the old it should be). This I think is felt if not acknowledged by Owl-fanciers and breeders of the English sort, as it is quite evident that they are crossing with the foreign birds; but this ought not to be if there is a standard for the English bird. The best way to make an improvement would be to have only one class for Owls at shows. This would put good breeders on their mettle, and I am sure that within a short time as good home-bred birds could be shown as the foreign. The best foreign birds are really gems, and they must be good fanciers who can turn out such lovely birds. I tried them twice — I have such a fancy for them, but I fear our climate is against them ; but in the south of England I cannot see what is to hinder them from succeeding. The hens with me never lived over the second winter. If those who have them would refrain from overshowing them, they would have a far better chance of succeeding in breeding them. This is one of the evils of shows. They often fall into hands that want them for nothing else, and so are lost to the fancy. I intended to have made a few remarks on Jacobins, but find this is already long enough, but may yet do so. — Buiio. THE POULTRY-KEEPEE.— No. 30. PLUMAGE OF THE PENCILLED HAMBUKGH. The plumage of the Silver variety does not differ from the Golden variety except in the ground colour. The Silver variety is of a clear white, the Golden of bright chamois yellow. In the Silver the feathers of the hackle and the head should be of a pure white without the slightest spot (fig. 34), and that to the back and shoulders where the beautiful black markings begin, which show on the feathers of the back (fig. 3.j). These mark- Fig. 34.— Hacklo Feather of form in proportion as the feathers get towards the under parts, and they end by becoming mixed on the sides and abdo- men. The same markings are repeated on the covert feathers of the tail, the feathers becoming longer and longer in approach- ing the large sickles, the beginning of which they hide. = 'j* The large wing feathers (fig. 36) are neatly but a little irregu-'* larly marked with numerous black cross marks. The large Fig. aT.—TaU Feather. Fig. 36.— Wing Feather. sickles have the more regular charaeteristi markings, and are very like the large covert feathers of the tail (fig. 37). The front of the neck is like the hackle, white, and forms with it and the head an entirely white part, which occurs in circles over the rest of the body. Back Feather. ings are repeated on the feathers of the shoulders, the covert feathers of the wings, on those of the breast and thighs ; but the marks diminish a little in intensity of colour and neatness THE MEALY POUTER. " Alas ! Hope is not prophecy. We di-eam. But seldom does tlie glaJ fultilmeut come." Two days ago my attention was directed to a melancholj' editorial article in the pages of a contemporary, whose hopes as to the ending of this subject have been evidently blighted. I should not have taken notice of this at all but for the cool pre- sumption of its Editor, taking to himself the credit of legislating upon a matter which, only twelve months ago, he admitted to me that he knew nothing whatever about. He challenges me for my " cool claim to the credit of a proposal which we believe first came from ourselves." Why, I advocated the raising o£ this bird many years before the journal in question or its Editor was known to the fancy. As for having a class for this bird, that was debated by Mr. Ure and myself over and over again, when we were members of the North British Columbarian February 11, 1875. ) JOUBNAL OF HORTICULTDBB AND COTTAGK GARDENER. 131 Society, settled and carried out ; and it waa because the said Society excluded it aUot,'ether from their last Show, as well as the other so-called off-colours, that I felt constrained to take up the subject. But the querulous Editor iu question, it seems, must have something or somebody to blow at, and requests an explanation. My explanation simply is, that whether Mr. Wallace and his friends do or do not object to a class for this and the other colours before referred to, they certainly excluded it and them (as Mr. Wallace frankly admits) from their Show. I am further found fault with for raising " an entirely different and distinct question." Well, what of it '? Am I not at liberty to raise any question ? Perhaps I have done so in the wrong journal. I have " professed " nothing, but have given facts, and intimated my own course for the future. — James Huie. DoKSET Show of Poultry, &c. — The cup for best pen in classes 17 and 18 at the recent Show went to Mr. Hinton's Polands. The first and cup for best pen of French fowls in the Show was won by Mr. W. H. Crabtree with his Cnive- Cifiurs. The fourth prize was won in class 28 (Selling Class, hens) by Mr. Prosser, and not by Mr. Hinton, as misprinted iu catalogue ; and third in class 51 went to Mr. W. Morris. We are informed that the moneys for prizes and sales were all paid within three or four days after the Show closed. THE DRAGOON CONTROVERSY. The suggestion of Mr. South in a contemporary is certainly worthy of considerdtion if the vexed question relative to the standard of a Dragoon is to be settled ; though I much question whether all fanciers of the birds at present exhibited as Dra- goons will ever become united, since on certain points they are directly opposed. For instance, one " goes iu " for the broad-headed bird, while another fancier eschews all that are not the very opposite in this respect — viz., long and narrow. Then, again, the judges — • ■what a variation in their awards ! Mr. A says, " A barrel head is the first point I look for in a Dragoon, and unless possessed of this, however good in other points, must be left out in the cold." Mr. B fancies a Hat broad-skulled bird ; and Mr. C picks out the large heavily- wattled fellow with short thick beak, while Mr. D selects the small, graceful, and lightly-wattled friend of the "Wiltshire Rectob." Sufficiently perplexing as this is, one gets deeper in the mist by noticing that a judge not unfrequently contradicts his previous judgment, and this in a very short space of time. It would be invidious to mention names, but I could give in- stances in which the same judge awards a bird the premier honour at one show, and at the very next exhibition at which he officiates (within a few days) the same bird is again exhibited; but mark the difference — only to be passed unnoticed ! or at most receive the judge's prize "commended." Some may argue, "Want of condition would justify this otherwise unac- countable variation;" but the fact of the birds being in the same good condition as in the first instance completely nuUa this argument. Does not this alone prove the unsound footing on which the standard of the showDragoon is at present based? Undoubtedly there are now many standards held up for the Dragoon, some very much opposed to each other, others only varying on one or two minor points. To reduce these many standards to one is the desire of all true fanciers of this most beautiful and much- abused bird ; and what we have to consider is the most desirable manner in which to proceed. I for one, as I previously ex- pressed, doubt very much whether this can be accomplished, and shall, in the event of its being necessary, give my vote for the recognition of two totally distinct standards. We must, in my opinion, countenance both the tight little, closely-wattled, narrow-headed " gentleman," so frequently and admirably de- scribed by " Wii.TSHiKE Bectoe," and the large, heavily-wattled, broad-skulled bird. Then comes the question of Which is which ? Which is to be called the Dragoon proper, and what is the other variety to be nominated ? I would suggest for the consideration of my brother fanciers that the former retain the old name Dragoon, or English Dragoon, since this bird illustrates more fully the general descriptions of all the old writers upon the bird in question, and that the heavier bird be designated Horseman, or London Dragoon. Moreover, I am of opinion that the classes would fill to a greater extent than they ever do at present were both birds placed on an equal footing. Committeemen, make a note of this, and provide classes at your next show for both varieties ; we should not then see birds so totally different penned side by side for competition with each other. There is another question worthy of the consideration of all committees, and that is. Why should not classes be provided for each sex of Dragoons, the same as for Carriers, Pouters, &c. ? Everyone knows the Dragoon class is invariably larger and pays better than any other ; sometimes the entry fees amount to double the amount of prize money offered for competition •. t)iey have therefore a right to receive better treatment. If greater inducement were held out for liens by thus providing classes as I have suggested, it would, I doubt not, be one means of making the Dragoon classes more uniform. Hoping my brother fanciers will state their views through the medium of " our Journal," I beg to subscribe myself — Notting- HiMsnuiE Rector. READING PIGEON AND CAGE BIRD SHOW. The first Reading Show was held on the .3rd and Itb inst. ia the Corn Exchange, a spacious, well-lighted, and comfortably- warmed building. There were 53lJ Pigeons, 300 Canaries, 78 British birds, and 55 foreign birds exhibited. All were ex- cellently arranged and cared for, and the undertaking so great a success that we hope it will become annual. We regret to say that the awards in the Pigeon classes did not give general sati:'- faction, and after carefully examining them we were not sur- prised at the complaints we heard. First on the list came GarrUrs, shown singly, in two classes, for cooks and hens respectively, of any colour ; both classes contained a number of Blues, nice birds, though they could not compete with the superb Blacks and Dans shown. In cocks Mr. Fulton waa first and second with grand Blacks ; we ratheif preferred the general form of the second, though his wattle waa not equal to the first. Two third prizes were awarded : Mr. Yardley's bird was a flue Black, with apparently a stiff wing; Mr. James's a Dun, a beautiful bird, but disfigured by an ex- cessive growth of beak with the end apparently pared off. A nice Dun of Mr. Yardley's was very highly commended. In hens, too, Mr. Fulton was first with a dark Dun, and second with a Black, marvellously developed in wattle for a hen ; third was an excellent Dun, slim and strong in form, not very largo iu wattle. Dragoons had two classes, and were divided in the same way as Carriers. Birds of all colours were shown ; but the Judge seemed to have a partiality for one colour and for ono type of bird — five out of the six prizes went to Biuea, all birda quite devoid of wattle. This we think is to be regretted when there are two recognised types of Dragoons. In cocks first waa a stylish Blue in form, but iu our opinion not worthy of its position; second and third much alike, long-limbed Blues. Two good birds of Mr. Fulton's were left out, apparently for having too much beak, and two beautiful Blues and a Yellow of Mr. Baker's for the same reason. In hens, again, a Blue was first, a poor little Blue second, and a nice Yellow third. Anfwerps had two classes, which numbered sixty-three and thirty-two birds. We could not see the principle upon which awards were made here, some of the winners being neither Long-faced nor Short-faced, and of no definite colour, 'irhe first cock was a nice-looking bird, pale Blue Chequer. Where the merit of birds chiefly consists in their performances on the wing it is impossible to criticise them fairly in a show room. The first-prize hen was in form like a Blue Rock, though dark blue in colour. Extra prizes were liberally given in these large classes. Pouters were shown in pairs, and very uncomfortable they looked in small pens ; we hope to see them shown singly at the next Reading Show. Mr. Fulton was first with Whites and second with Blacks; a flne pair of Yellows were third, and Blues highly commended. Tiimhlers, Short- faced, had one class for pairs ; the flrst winners were, as is generally the case. Almonds. They well deserved their posi- tion. Second were good Black Mottles ; and third Agates. Mr. Fulton's and Mr. Yardley's highly-commended Almonds were both good, but the latter not well matched. FantaUs were a splendid class. We could not comprehend the flrst award; doubtless the birds would carry their tails beautifully if they had them, but every feather was broken off about 3 inches from the roots. We know the birds, and know them to be good, but for all the Judge knew their tails might have been black. Second were coarse birds, but with large tails and fairly carried ; third were small and nice Blues. Mr. Baker's com- mended Whites and Mr. Cresswell's highly commended pair should have been higher. Trumpeters. — A magnificent pair of Russian Blacks were first ; second were Mottles, even Ijetter in points, but out of condition ; third were far behind the other winners, fair in points, but very light splashy mottles in colour. Pen 217 (Baker) contained a single bird, a grand Black. Whites unfortunately are now but second-rate; two pairs were shown, one fair, the other very poor. Magpies were fortunate in having a class to themselves, which was denied to Barbs, Jacobins, Owls, and Turbits. Cleanly-cut Blacks were first and far ahead. Black seems the natural colour of a Magpie, a:..d Reds and Yellows but abnormal varieties. Second went to Yellows, third to Reds. Any other variety class was a most interesting one from the unusual number of popular breeds relegated to it. Much grumbling over the awards in this class was heard ; but & Judge may be pardoned for peculiarities in placing so many and such excellent specimens. Extra second and third prizes were most properly given. First were Yellow Barbs, confessedly flne 132 journaij op hobtiodltube and oottaqb qardeneb. [ Febroaiy 11, 1875. birds, but the cock coarser than we like, and far larger than the hen. The second went to Bine Owls, called English, but evi- dently a cross between English and African, cr at least with much African blood; and to a pair of Black Shell-crested Turbits, not nearly so good as an unnoticed pair of the same variety. The third were a pretty pair of Blue Priests, and a pair of "White foreign Owls ; why entered as Jacobins we do not Know. This growing habit of sending birds other than those entered ia most inconvenient for absent exhibitors, and most misleading to novices. We think that birds so sent should be disqualified after due announcement cf this regulation in the schedule. Mr. Baker, who won the point cup, seemed deter- mined not to be bpaten, and sent many lovely pairs to the Variety class, including "White Jacobins and Turbits, nearly all wrongly entered in the catalogue. A rich-coloured pair of Archangels, evidently two cocks, were properly passed over. The Selling class was not remarkable; a soft pair of Ice were first, a bargain for some one ; fair Blue Priests and Nuns also in the list. The sUver cup of five guineas for the greatest number of points in Claeses 17 to 30 was awarded to Mr. J. Adams ; and the Mayor's cup, value i£3 3s., to Messrs. G. & J. Mackley. A show cf Cage Birds is always attractive to the general public, to ladies in particular, and that at Beading seemed so especiaUy, from the number of local exhibitors. How wonder- ful is the colour of Canaries dieted on the new regime ! A new- fashioned Canary among the old is like an orange among lemons. Belgians were poorly represented, but every variety of English Canary was there in force. The Mules were particularly hand- some, the first-prize light-coloured one of the prettiest of the kind we ever saw. Goldfinches and Linnets filled large claBses — happy little birds, which looked as if they had never known and never wished for more space than their cages gave. The class for Any other variety of British birds was most in- teresting ; Magpies, Jackdaws, Owls, Brambleflnches, Blackbirds, and others were there. Some blue Titmice in a quaint artistic habitation of cork were scarcely visible for the crowd round them. In Parrots the first prize went to a marvel of loquacity ; Bome seventy of the bird's sayings were written down. A grand white Cockatoo of the venerable age of thirty-six carried all before it in the foreign Variety class ; and Mrs. Holmes showed a Mocking Bird, to which an extra prize was given, in lovely plumage, but provokingly silent, in spite of our endeavours to excite him. A Parakeet, exhibited by Mrs. Monck, of Coley Park, Eeading, much amused the visitors by piping " Merrily Danced the Quaker's Wife." All the birds were so arranged as to be seen with comfort and to advantage. "We hope to have another and equally plea- sant day at Beading Show next year. The following are the awards ; — Cabbjebs.— Cock.— 1 and 2. K. Fiilton, London. 3, H. Yardley. Birmingham ; J. Janes, Bath. /ic. H. Yardley; R. Pavze, jun.. Wood Green (2); J. James; J. Baker, Kew Bridge (2). c, E. C. Stretch, Ormsliirk 12) ; J. James ; J Baker. Ben.—\ and 2, R. Fulton. 3, J. James he, H. Yardley ; K. Payze, Jan. ; J. James (2). c. R Payze ; J. James : H. Yardley. Dbiooons. — Coc«.-. - 1, PoiteU & Crane, Dxtord. 2, H. Yardley. 3, A. McEenzie. he, H. Yardley ; W. E. Pratt, Oxford ; C. A. Pearson, Liverpool, c, (i. Packham. Exeter; R.' Fulton; A. WcKenzie. Liverpool: W. V. & J. M. Longe, Ipswich ; J. Baker. Hen.— I, Powell i- Crane. 2, W. V. & J. M. Looge. 3, R. Fulton, he, H. Yardley (2) : A. McKenzie ; E. Currant, Ttmbridge Wells ; J. Baker, c, H. \V. Wren, Lowestoft ; J. Baker. Amweeps.— Cock.— 1. A. R. Barrel, Cambridge. 2. Scragg,S:Valters. Oxford; W. R. Pratt. ;'. W. G. Flanagan, Reading: A. T. Withers. Reading, he, H. W. Weaving, Oxford: F. P. BuUey, Oxford; S. L. B. bmtth. Sydenham: W. G. Flanagan; C. G. Butler, F.eaQing(2); C. H. Buckland, Reading; Powell and Crane, c, H. W Weaving : H. Yardley ; F. P. BuUey ; C. G. Butler. Ben —1, J. Taylor, Reading. 2. W. R Pratt ; W. Ellis, Leeds. 3. H M. Turner, Oxford. he, C. W. Billfrtt, Southampton ; W. Norria, Newbury; C. H. Buckland : G. P. Palmer, Caversham. c, F. G. Russell, Blackheath; S. L. B. Smith [:); A. R. Barrel : T. Holmes, Lower Sydenham ; E. C. Stretch (2) ; W. G. Flanagan ; C. G. Butler. PoOTEBS.—l and 2, R. Fulton. 3, J. Baker. Ju;, H. Yardley ; J. Baker. TcMHLEF8.-SJior!/ace such it .'ion : J. Adams (21 ; G. & J. Mackley. Norwich.— Ticfccti or Unevenly-marked Yellow.— 1, 2, and 3, J. Athersuch and Son. /ic. J. AddiUB (3). c, G. & J. Mackley. Ticked or Unevenly- marked Buff, — 1, 2. and 3, J. Adams, he, J. Athersuch & Son (i). c. G. & J. Mackley (2). Norwich.— CrMfeti Yellow.— i,i, and 3, G. i J. Mackley. Created Buff.—l and 2, G & J. Mackley. 3, Martin & GrilUn, Southampton, he, .1. Moffatt, Bethnal Green, London; R. Hawman : G. &J. Mackley; Moore & Wynne, c, Martin & Griffin : S. Stratford, Northampton. l^iz^RDS.—(TOldeii^spangled.—l, 2, and 3, T. Fairbraas. Canterbury, he, J. Athersuch & Son; W. Badcock, Reading; T. Fairbrass. c, J. Athersuch and Son : T. Fairbrass (2). Silver-spaiufled.—\, 2, and 3, T. Fairbrass. he, S. Bunting, Derby ; T. Fairbrass (3). c, G. & J. Mackley; S. Bunting; T. Fair- CiNNAiioNS.- Jorn/HC- 1, J. Adams. 2. J. Athersuch & Son. 3, G. F. Dunn, Basingstoke, he, J. Adams (2|; C. H. Legg, Derby, c, W. Weston, Warding- ton. ilfeali/.— 1 and 2, .1. Adams. 3, G. & J. Mackley. c, J. Adams (3); G. and J. Mackley ; C. H. Legg. Vablegated Mdles.— 1, G. & J. Mackley. 2, R. Hawman. he, G. & J. MacKley; J. Moore, Boston, c, J. Adams; S. Banting. Dark.—l and 2, R. Hawman. he, G. 4 J. Mackley; S. Bunting; Moore & Wynne, c, J. Adams; C. H. Legg. Six Canaries in One Cage.— 1 and he, J. Adams. 2 and 3, Q. & J. Mackley, c, C. H. Legg. Selling Class.- 1, G. Cox 2, J. Adams (Norwich). 8, G. & J. Mackley (Norwich). Extra 3, C. H. Legg (Variegated Cinnamon and Broken-capped Silver Lizard), he. J. Adams (Norwich) ; R. Hawman (Jonque Cinnamon); G. and J. Mackley (Norwich): S. Bunting (Goldtioch Mule); R. Bishop: C. H. Legg (Cinnamon); L. Williams, Reading (Golden Lizard), c, G. & J. Mackley (Norwich): H. Pyke, Reading (Green Pied). Local Class.— 1, J, Weston (Yellow Norwich). 2, F. J. Crapp, Reading. 3. T. Fife, Reading (Clear Yellow Norwich) he, H. Gregory, Reading (Yellow Belgian); H. Pyke (Ticked Yellow Norwich): T.Rogers, Reading (Variegated Yellow); F.J. Crapp (Yellow Norwich) (2); L. Williams (Ticked Yellow), c, T. Pullen, Reading (Green); T.Fife (Norwich) (2); F.J. Crapp (Ticked Yellow). BRITISH BIRDS. Goldfinch.- 1, S. Banting. 2, C. H. Legg. 3, E. Cawston, Caversham. he, H. Gregory; R. Hawman; G. Cox. c, E. Cawston; J. C. Bamber, Preston (2'. Brown Linnets.- 1, R. Hawman. 2, G. & J. Mackley. he, J. Adams, c, S. Bunting. Any other Vaeiett.— I,G. 4 J. Mackley (Blackbird). 2, M. Butler. Readmg (Magpie). 3, J. Robinson, Reading (Thrush): J C. Bamber (Bullflnch). Extra. W. Nobbs, Reaoing (Skvlark) he, F. Wheatley, Readmg (Thrush); Mias B. Cole, Eeading (Blackbird): W. Nobbs (Thrush): T. Ashton, Reading (Thrush); E. Sahnon, Eeading (Skylark); S. Bunting; W. Bedford, Readmg (Owls) : G. Cos. c, W. Doichester, Reading (Bullfinch) ; Miss M. A. Robineoa (Thrush). FOREIGN BIRDS. Parrots.- 1, W. Exall, Reading. 2, Miss A. Brooke. 3 and c, G. & J. Mackley. ;ic. M. Butler; Mrs. Monck, Reading; Mrs. M. A. Chapman, Reading; Mrs. Giles, Reading; Mrs. E. Silver, Reading. Any V^biety.- 1, J. Whatley (Cockatoo). 2, S. Bunting (King Parrot). 3, Mrs. Monck (Parakeets). Extra. Mrs. J. T. Holmes, Bath (Mocking Bird), he, Mrs. J. T. Holmes (Cockatoo): Miss M. A. Robinson (Rmg-necked Parakeet), e, G. Chancellor, Rpading (Budgerigars); G, & J Mackley (Parakeets and Java Sparrows); Miss M. A. Robinson (Rose-crested Cockatoo); L. Williams (Australian). Judges. — Pigeons : Mr. Harrison "Weir. Canaries : Mr. A. "Wilmore. DRONES. Drone bees do seem very worthless stupid creatures, and never get a good name from anybody. They are graceless, mannerles, and shiftless. Drones of all lands bear characters which are not inviting and attractive. Drone bees are lazy idle creatures beyond compare. Though they are stronger in build and body than either queens or working bees, they will die of want rather than work. Born in scenes of great activity and industry, and amongst communities of self-sacrificing workers, drones seem quite unaffected and uninfluenced by example, and remain apathetic and insensible to all around them but food and sun- shine. They do seem to enjoy a warm noon-day excursion. In- dolence is the great characteristic of drone bees. Having no weapons of defence they are naturally cowardly and helpless. They are very unfortunate creatures, and no right-minded per- son can study their history without feeling a touch of commiser- ation for them. To the naturalist the history of drones is moat interesting. The immediate cause of their sex is shrouded in mystery, and their end is tragical to a degree. The queen lays both male and female eggs. The male eggs hatch into drones only, whether set in drone or worker cells, and female eggs hatch into workers, but can be converted into queens in royal cells. Many writers tell us that the eggs laid by a queen are differently treated in passing through the oviduct, that all eggs touched by the contents of the spermatheca become female, and that those which pass untouched are male — in a word, that all are male till some become femalised in passing the duct of the spermatheca. "Whether this is a fact or a mere hypothesis we are unable to say ; but in either case it is wonderfully myste- rious. If it is a fact, the sex of drones remains unchanged from the formation of the eggs, while the sex and superiority of workers are determined by the application of the contents of the spermatheca in the body of the queen. Drones, then, are drones from deprivation before the eggs are laid. Male eggs are generally deposited in drone cells. Is it not wonderful how queen bees know when they are going to deposit male and female e.'jgs ? And if they do not know this, is it not equally wonderfulthat the working bees know how to difltinguish the male from the female eggs after they are laid ? In trying to fathom this great mystery a writer on the sub- PebraaiT 11, 1875. ] JOURNAL OP HOKTIGULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 133 ^ect suggests the possibility of the narrow cells of worker-comb being the cause of the difference of sex ; that these narrow cells compress the abdomens of queens in the act of laying, and thus press the contents of the spermatheca against the eggs ; whereas the drone cells, being large, produce no pressure. The ■writer in question does not know that many eggs female in character are laid in almost all hives containing swarms on the fonndations of cells before their sides are erected at all. In snch cases there can be no pressure whatever on the abdomens of queens in laying eggs, and yet the eggs laid on these founda- tions batch into workers. Much has been written about queens laying female eggs for months, and then commencing to lay nothing bat male eggs. If the writers had possessed accurate knowledge of the produc- ing cause of the difference of male and female eggs they would not have written as they have done. We have never in our ex- perience found a queen suspend the laying of eggs in worker cells for days in order to lay eggs in drone cells. We have no doubt at all that both kinds are laid by one queen on the same day. Drones are twenty-four days in their cells, and workers twenty-one days. It a strong hive be bereft of its queen the workers are being hatched and born every day for three weeks, and all the drones are not hatched till the twenty-fourth day. The function of drones is to pair with queens and thus per- petuate the race of bees. There is produced in the swarming Beason a marvellous superabundance of drones in almost every hive. Bat if the importance of the fertilisation of queens be considered, and the limits of time in which it should take place (within ten or twelve days after queens are born), an abundant male population is perhaps a wise provision in an uncertain climate like that of Great ISritain. If the weather be unfavour- able during the early days of queens, many of them fail to be mated by drones and are worthless. But queens timely fertilised commence to lay in a few days afterwards, and in about ten days after egg-laying has begun by fertile young queens the bees commence to worry and kill the drones. The poor unfortunate creatures are driven from the provision cells by their merciless masters, whose deadly intentions become more manifest every day, till a scene of carnage takes place painful to witness. Recently drone traps have been introduced to a=^siat the bees in ridding hives of their condemned drones. We have one which does the work of trapping very weU, but we seldom use it, for it hinders and confuses the bees at work during the best part of the day for honey-gathering; and then there follows the trouble of kilUng the drones that have been trapped. We try to select stocks in autumn that have but little drone comb in them, and when any that are selected have drone combs near their centres these are cut out, and worker combs are fitted in their places. In this way hives may be kept from having too many drones. — A. Pettigrew. SWARMS AND BAR-FRAME HIVES. Mk. Pettigrew cannot have read what he calls " the litera- ture of the bar-frame school " with much attention if he cannot remember any results of swarms. I can find abundant results chronicled. Mr. Pettigrew implies that swarms spend their first year in making combs, was a statement made by Mr. Cheshire. I have read all Mr. Cheshire's articles again, and they contain no such expression, but I find one which says, speaking of a swarm which came off AprU 28th, 1872, " On July 15th in — i.e., eleven weeks, the swarm had not only filled the hive but nad also thoroughly filled and sealed a large super with beautifal comb. It was on that day removed and found to weigh 44 lbs. nett. A smaller super of glass was now put upon the hive, and on August 15th removed, containing 10 lbs. nett, making 54 lbs. nett from a swarm which was left with a hive so full of store that stimulative feeding in 1873 was prevented, as it would have crippled breeding." This hive the next year gave four swarms, all of which wintered well, and one filled a super. Now if Mr. Pettigrew turns to Class 13 of the British Bee-keepers' Association's Crystal Palace Catalogue (in case he has not a copy I now post him one), he will see No. 114, 38 lbs., one of two supers same size from a swarm of Ligurians, 1874; No. 115, 44 lbs. from a swarm of black bees, 1874 ; No. 119, 43 lbs. from a swarm of 1874. And these were not the only ones. Following Mr. Pettigrew's way of calculating, the weight of the hive con- tents must be added, which will augment the gross weight to more than the 100 lbs. desired. A filled super from a bar-frame hive is not at all uncommon, even although we have no heather to send them to, which will make a material addition. Mr. Pettigrew asks for the result of my harvest. I answer that through the force of circumstances I was obliged to discon- tinue bee-keeping for a year or two, and began last season with two stocks only, from which I had no surplus ; but then they were in skeps, from which I am thankful to say they were as soon as possible safely transferred to Woodburys, aiterwards ligurianised, and then made use of for queen-breeding and ex- perimental purposes, so that they had no fair chance, and there- fore the skeps are not wholly to blame. The columns of the back volumes of the .Journal of Horticul- ture will give other instances of supers from swarms in bar- frame hives, if Mr. Pettigrew wishes for further evidence. With regard to the slinger, if Mr. Bagshaw had fairly tried its power in extracting heather honey and found it fail, what was the use of Mr. Pettigrew inviting bee-keepers to see him try the same experiment which he knew would not succeed ? Referring to your correspondent's extract from Mr. Cheshire's article as to the colour and value of extracted honey, the quotation should go a little further and add, "Bat notwithstanding these slight drawbacks, so great is the economy to the bees and so, too, oar- selves, in preserving the combs, that the balance in favour of slinging is very large indeed. As much as 603 lbs. have been taken in one year from a single stock in America." Now it is obvious that if the honey is slung from sealed cells only (of course with the seal shaved off), it must be identically the saoie as if run out uncontaminated by brood ; but if unsealed honey is extracted a certain amount of evaporation (very little) will take place, but there is no loss of quality, and no colour will be im- parted to it that it would not have had if the other process had been followed. The relative -value of extracted and run honey has not yet been determined in England, as we have used the extractor but little at present. At the Paris Exhibition last year extracted honey was quoted 1 franc per half kilo, and run honey 90 cen- times ; so, then, our neighbours, who are generally allowed to have the organ of taste pretty well developed, prefer the extracted. In America the case is reversed, and their method of procedure will perhaps explain this, as also why the honey would sometimes be dark-coloured. Across the Atlantic the following practice ia commonly pursued : — Two hives containing strong stocks are selected. From No. 1 the whole of the bees with their queen are driven, making what we may call a strong swarm. The crown board is removed from No. 2, an adapter substituted, and No. 1 minus its fioorboard is placed full of combs and brood in all stages on it, the bees in which swarm up, and hatch-out in due time all the brood. By the time this is done, the queen of No. 2 having been breeding all the time, the hive contains an immense population, who then, used to the super as they have become, immediately work their hardest to store the empty combs with honey, and as fast as they do so, without waiting for sealing, the bee-master empties them with his extractor, replacing again to be filled. It wiU thus he perceived that from such a hive all the honey is obtained from combs which have been well used, and perhaps thereby have gained the undesirable dark tint. — John Hunteb, Eaton Rise, Ealing. DEPRESSION OF HIVE FRAMES. Mr. Pettigrew, in the Journal of November 5th, pointed to the removal of the bottom rail in frames for bar hives as an im- provement. I replied, stating tha" I regarded the bottom rail as essential, and gave the reasons for my opinion, adding, as matters of experience, that the bar occasionally sank beneath the weight of comb and bees it had to support ; that in the absence of the bottom rail the sides would be splayed against the hive wall and there attached ; and that, farther, the combs are sometimes built down to and fastened to the fioorboard. December 17th, " Pecchione " disputes the facts adduced, and asks as follows :— " Will Mr. Cheshire tell us if the contingency he predicts with regard to the so-called bar-frame without the bottom rail is grounded on any actual fact, or is it a mere idea of his own ?" I answer (December 31st), that " I have not a few instances in which the sinking is at least double of that upon which I based my calculations," and explain that I cannot then give the exact measurements, because the low temperature pre- cluded an examination. I have since, however, ascertained them exactly, and find the greatest sinking 0.32 of an inch — rather more than three times the amount suggested. I can add, more- over, that the frames in which these depressions had occurred were seen by Mr. Abbott during 1873, when he asked whether the frames were those he supplied with the hives, to which he received a reply in the affirmative. " Pecchione " in his last thanks me for an offer that was never made, of assistance in trigonometrical calculations, and then re-asserts "That it is impossible for bees to depress the bars as stated. A bar might warp from fault in the wood, but not from weight of the bees," &c. ; his reason being (vide his letter), that as the weight is extended along the bar it must necessarily give a certain amount of strength. Does "Pecchione " not know that if a plank be supported at each end it will sag by the weight of the wood it contains, and which is evenly distributed through its length? To talk of extension of the bees giving a certain amount of strength, is not to talk with reison but against it. If "Pecchione" be right, a straw supported at its ends wiU bear a swarm extended along it. It is next suggested that the case I instanced of beea attaching their comb to the floorboard might have arisen from careless manipulation. I can only say, that of those hundreds who saw me manipulating at the Palace Show, I hope but few 134 JOURNAL OF HOBTIODLT0RE AND OOTTAQR QARDENBB. [ February 11, 1875. will think this probable. The (inestion of ventilation is nest touched. As I have written more than any other bee-keeper on the scientific bearings of this question, I refer to what I have already advanced, stating^ my willingness to debate with any who approach me in a friendly manner any proposition laid down if the object be the advancement of our hobby, but de- clining to discuss with one whose animus is so evident, and whose logic is so much at fault as to say, " I suppose Mr. Cheshire will allow that the heat in a hive is generated by the bees, as warm air is lighter than cold." I certainly allow the first, but not on account of the second. " Pecchione " then adds, " ilr. Cheshire appears to be singu- larly erratic in his condemnation of hives, and I would like to know how he can reconcile his letter in the 'British Bee Jour- nal,' pages 180, 187, and 183, with his letter in the Journal of Horticulture." I have condemned no hives, and if my letters are not reconcilable why does not "Pecchione" cite an in- stance? The subjects of the two letters are as little connected as the Baltic and the Mediterranean. I challenge anyone to show that they clash. Did they, I would not hesitate to acknow- ledge it, since I think it no discredit to admit that I may be wiser to-day than I have been in the past. *' Pecchione " then says, " May T be allowed to explain that, if my memory serves me, the hive which Mr. Cheshire claims as his consisted of a combination of several gentlemen's ideas, and because the one improvement does not exist in his (?) he condemns it." Was ever a charge made with such a proviso ? — "if my memory serves me !" I can afford to leave the decision with those who judge from knowledge, and would shrink from detraction upon dubious memory. That I carried off all the new-invention prizes at the Crystal Palace is a sufficient answer to the ungenerous insinu- ation, the utter baselessness of which I may at a future time clearly show by an explanation of the hive. The frame without the bottom rail, however, had its birth across the Atlantic, and ■was illustrated in the "American Bee-Keepers' Magazine" in 1872. "Pecchione's " last sentence is, "Why does not Mr. Cheshire send his hive to the Editor of the ' British Bee Journal,' as he promised to do ?" Am I to submit to the questioning of one hiding himself behind a soubriquet as to my relations with a journal totally disconnected from the one in which the question appears ? This correspondence must close, so far as I am con- cerned, by my stating that I am not aware of having made any promise to the Editor of the "British Bee Journal." — F. Cheshiee, Acton, Middlesex. [This controversy must now close. — Ens.] Eggs Imported. — The import of these in 1844 amounted to loss than G8 millions, but in 1871 to more than 68U millions. We paid less than a quarter of a million sterling for foreign eggs in 1854 ; in 1874 we paid nearly two-and-a-half millions for them. OUE LETTERBOX. Hen-coop fG. R.). — The dtmeDsions of Mr. Lingwood's model hen-coop are £S follows: — AVidtb. 2 feet; depth, 2 feet ; height to the top of the roof. 2 feet y inches. This size would of course be for the large breeds, suuh as Dorkings, Cochins, or Brahinas; for Game and Hamburghs they should be made smaller, and for Bantams only half the size. The laige size can be made by any carpenter for about 1-is. — T. C. Bcrnell. Feather-eating Fowls (B. TF.).— We have repeatedly replied that we know of no remedy. An American writer says a net full of hay hung up for the birds to pick diverts them. They only acquire the habit in coofinemeut. We have tometimes lessened the habit by supplying the run with a barrow- load of fresh earth mixed with grass. We have also given fresh horse dung ■with advantage. Lettuces are very good, especially i( they are run to seed. Nothing, however, has evor overcome the habit, and we should be delighted to know a cure. It begins about this time and lasts till after the moulting' they are then safe until the nest spring. Pettigrew's Hives {Jane).— The hives nsed by Mr. Pettigrcw are 16 and , ISiochea wide, and 12 inches deep, inside measure. In future he will pur- chase none less than 14 inches deep, the sizes he now recommends. The Colours of Canaries (Ornis Aohalee).— The terms Jonque, Yellowt and Golden are applied to the deeper or richer-coloured Canaries ; and Buff- Mealy, and Silver to others. Cinnamon birds, of which there are two colours. do not approach in any degree to the appearance of any of the feathers in the five packets sent. Cinnamon-coloured birds resemble more the spice sold by that name. Had we your birds to examine instead of the email clippings of feathers, it would have been much more satisfactory to us, but the Irisb Sea betwixt UB was, no doubt, the cause why we did not see your birds. The dmiinutive detached feathers of Canaries examined singly is no small matter to study, more especially when we found some of them possess an artificial appearance, as though they were impregnated with a colouring matter. TiVhen we opened packet No. 4 we opened our eyes wider, although our \-ision IB strong. We suggested to ourselves the question — "Pepper?" No! Farther examination dispelled the idea. Upon the webbing of the part of feather from the right wing of the Canary distinct patches of colour were very distinctly visible. This is quite unnatural. The tail feather from the left side was also of very high colour. The small feathers taken from the body of the bird were likewise of strong colour. We carefully examined each packet. No. 1, To ail appearance the feathers from a blooming Buff or Mealy hen Norwich. No. 2, Feathers from a Mealy bird, but not an entire Green specimen, as two or three light-coloured small body feathers were saixed with the dark ones. No. S, Apparently from a Jonque Green, the feathers being stronger in colour, but, like No. 2, not of a decided green to qualify the bird being shown in a Green class, owing to a email light- coloured feather being amongst the rest sent. Green birds vary much In appearance. A Norwich Green is a very dilTerent bird to those exhibited at some of the north of England shows. No. 4, Feathers of exceedingly high colour. At first sight we imagined them to have been taken from a very high-coloured Yellow specimen. We tested the greater portion of the feathers, and finding two or thi'ee of the small body feathers to be tipped with a mealy fringe, we are in- clined to think they have been taken from a strong-coloured Buff cock bird. After our test the portion of the feathers tested appeared of a very different and much paler colour to the others, which appear the same as when for- warded. No. 5, Feathers from a Variegated kind, but would not make a very showy bird, owing to its being so very heavily variegated, and, as you state, a hen. If any of your birds have been washing in, or had access to, any colour- i ng fluid, do not exhibit them. Moving a Hive (IF. S.). — It is always advisable in removing hives from one site to another to wait until the spring, when the bees have attained vigorous flight. It is even then prudent to proceed cautiously, shifting the hive gradually a very few feet at a time, allowing a period of at least one good working day to elapse between each removal. In first moving a hive from the bee-houee, stand it exactly in front of its previous entrance, where it can be easily seen by the bees, afterwards shifting it a little right or left as may be required. By these precautions removal may be effected with little loss. Distempered Terrier {Aljjha), — We know of no cure ; and the treatment differs according to the symptoms. METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, Camden Sqoare, London. Lat. 51^ 32' 40" N, ; Long. 0° 8' 0" W. ; Altitude, 111 feet. Date. 9 A.H. In thb Day. 1875. i» a 1 Hygrome- 1.5 = 3:- Shade Tem- perature. Radiation Temperature. a 5° lis Feb. Dry. ■Wet. Max. Min. In son. On grass Inches, deg. deg. deg. deg. deg. deg. deg. In. We. 8 29.318 S7.7 87.1 N.W. 88.2 4J.4 31.9 47.0 30.2 — Th. 4 30.006 1 31.9 S0.5 N. 38.0 418 28 8 75 I 26.1 — Fri. 5 30 35G 1 S'.u 30.0 W. 37.0 88.5 27 8 C39 25,7 — Sat. 6 30 326 28 0 28.0 N.W. 86.8 40 1 26.0 66 2 25 9 0.120 80 167 37.8 87.7 E. S6.6 39 8 27.8 42.9 27 8 0.010 Mo. 8 3(1.223 31.8 29.3 S.E. 37 1 34.7 29.3 54.1 27,8 O.Olu Tu. 9 80.133 29.6 29.6 N.E. 36 3 34 0 88.7 27.8 88 2 27.3 — Means 80.161 32.4 81.7 87.1 28.5 65.3 27 3 0.145 BEMARES. 8rd. — Dark morning and dull all day, but no rain fell, and it was starlight at night. 4th.— White frost in the morning; beautifully bright all day and night, 5th.— Bather hazy the early part of the day; damp and cold in the after part. 6th. — Foggy damp morning, splendidly bright at noon, but a wet nigh{;. 7th. — Dull and damp, though noi rainy moiuing; a ehght shower just after noon, fair but not bright afterwaide, and much colder towards night. 8th.— A fair but frosty morning; verj- fine in the middle of the day; cold and frosty throughout. 9th.— Cold morning; snow at 9 A.m. quite covering the gi'ound, but soon ceasing and disappearing ; fair the remainaer of the day. Temperature very much lower than last week, and frost every morning. The enow of Tuesday was not of a measureable amount.— G. J. Symons. COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— February 10. Quotations remain much the same, and business remains ia much the same condition as last week. FRUIT. B. d. s. d. s. d. a. d Apples J sieve 0 OtoO 0 , Mulberries i^lb. 0 OtoO o "■ " " - ' Ncetarmes doz. 0 0 0 t) Aoricuta doz. 0 0 ( h err lea vlb, 0 0 Chestnuts bushel 10 0 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 do. 0 0 Currants Blacb Figs doz. 0 0 FUbertB lb. 1 0 Cobs lb. 1 6 GooseberriGs quart 0 0 Grapes, hothouse.... lb ~ " Lemons i' 100 8 0 12 0 Melons each 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 6 2 0 0 0 0 l'> 0 Oranges ^^100 8 0 12 i> Peaches doz. 0 0 0 0 Peara, kitchen duz. 2 0 8 0 dessert doe. 2 0 4 0 PineApples lb. 2 0 4 0 Plums i sieve 0 0 0 0 Quinces doz. 0 0 0 U Raspberries lb. 0 0 0 0 Strawberries ^Ib. 0 0 0 0 Walnuts bushel 8 0 12 0 ditto ^100 1 0 1 iJ Artichokes doz. Asparagus 5MnO Frencb.. ..per bundle Beans, Kidney per 10) Broaii bushel Beet, Red doz BroccoU bundle Brussels Sprouts i sieve Cabbage doz. Carrots bunoh Capsicuras ^ 100 Cauliflower doz. Celery bundle Coleworts.. doz. bunches Cucumbers each pickling doz. Endive doz. Fennel bunch Garlic lb. Herbs bunch Horseradish bundle VEGETABLES, d. B,d. 0to6 0 0 10 0 0 0 S 0 0 0 0 6 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 n 8 0 6 0 3 0 0 Leeks Lettuoe doz. MuaUruoms pottle Mustard & Cress. .punnet Onions bushel pickling quart Parsley per doz. bunches Parsnips doz. Peas quart Putatoes bushel Kidney do. Radishes., doz. bunches Rhubarb bundle Salsafy.. bundle Scorzonera bundle Sea-kale basket Shallots lb. Spinach bushel Tomatoes doz. Turnips bunch Vegetable Marrows .. doz. a. d. B. d. 0 8 too 0 1 0 a 0 0 0 s 0 4 0 0 Febraaiy 18, 1875. ] JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 135 WEEKLY CALENDAR. ^ Average s„n Clock Day | ot of FEBKUAEY 18-24, 1875. Temperatare near Rises. Sets. 1 Rises. Sets. Afle. before ot Month Week. London. him. Day. NiRht. Mean. m. h. m. h. 1 m. h 1 m. h. D»ys. m. 8. 18 Th RoToI Rooiefy and Linnieaa, 45.3 31.1 38 2 10 « 7 18 at 5 Oaf 2 { 22a( 5 12 14 10 49 19 P Royal Institution at 8 p.m. Hi) 310 38.1 8 7 20 5 20 3 1 40 5 13 14 4 60 20 S 45.5 30.7 39.5 0 7 2-2 5 36 4 64 5 « 13 58 61 31 SuH 2 ScNDAT IN Lent. 46-7 32.3 89.3 4 7 23 6 50 5 5 fi 15 13 61 62 S2 M Roval Geo^raphi^jai Society ftt 8.30 P.3I. 468 31.9 39.4 2 7 25 5 2 7 15 6 16 13 43 63 23 1 Ta Meiiical aud Chirm-gical. 47.4 31.5 39.9 0 7 27 5 14 8 2,3 6 17 13 35 51 24 1 W Society o£ Arts. 47.1 32.8 40.2 58 6 'aO 5 20 9 35 0 18 13 26 65 From observations taken near London doriug forty-three yeajs, the average day temperature of the week is 46.6'; and its night temperatmo 81.0°. STBAWBERKY FORCINa. rT the risk of repeating much I said on the subject last year, I wish to recommend, in preference to any other plan, that of layer- ing the runners into tlie fruiting pots, which in my case are 7-iaeh ones. Those who have not so good a Strawberry soil at command as I have, had perhaps better be content with 6-inch pots, for the reason that it is of the greatest possible importance that the pots u.sed should ba filled with roots early in autumn, in order to have the crowns of the plants plump and ripe before winter. Bear in mind that the crown of the Strawberry plant already contains the em- bryo flower, which needs perfecting in autumn just as much as the plump buds on the Vine or Peach tree. If the materials for the flower are not there in autumn, the best possible treatment in the spring would fail to pro- duce'them. The flower should be so far advanced as to need only a continuation of warmth to expand it. With properly-prepared Strawberry plants there is no more difficulty in getting them to flower in December than there is in February. Black Prince if layered early will often commence floweiing outside in October, and the fruit may be easily ripened in December, but it will be deficient in flavour unless the weather happens to be bright and mild while it is ripening. I am never requested and I never attempt to produce Strawberries in winter, because I know it would only bring discredit on me, as it takes something more than appearance to satisfy those I have the honour of serving. In September and October we have a plentiful supply of Alpine Strawberries, which in my opinion are the most delicious Strawberries grown so long as there is sufficient BTin to bring out their proper flavour, and December would be too soon for Black Prince to be tolerated, which at best is only seoond-i-ate in quality, while the delicate aroma of the raouutain Strawbeny still lingers on one's palate ; but by the end of March good fruit of all sorts is iDecoming exceedingly scarce. There may be Grapes of the previous year's growth, but if so there has probably been already a satiety of them ; or if the £ s. d. are not looked into too strictly, there may bo new Grapes pro- duced perhaps — taking account of fuel, labour, and ruined Vines — for the modest sum of oO-s. a-pouud, and even then they are not perfect in flavour ; but Strawberries — good- flavoured fruits from three-quarters to an ounce weight — are honestly worth a shilling each in the beginning of April, and I believe they can be grown for less than that sum. Black Prince will not grow to the above weight, but Keens* Seedling will ; and if Strawberries are not required before the let of April it is not necessary to force Black Prince at all. Keens' Seedling in April with me is often better fla- voured than the same variety is out of doors in .June. After April it does not do so well indoors as British Queen. April of all the months is the month for forced Straw- berries, and, let me add, forced Roses. I believe an amateur with plenty of spare time who mastered the No. 7'25.-VoL. XXVIII., New Seeieb. subject — and it is not a difficult one — would have more to be proud of in a little house of Strawberries and Roses than he could possibly have from any other indoor gar- dening. The two can be grown perfectly well together. I always grow them together, although I have the com- mand of half an acre of glass. The Strawberries require removing to a greenhouse after they have turned red, but before they assume a dark red, to perfect their ripening, and the Roses require removal to the same place to prolong their beauty. They both like bottom heat to start them, and an atmospheric temperature of 50° to 75°, with constant ventilation. Tlie bottom heat in my house also supplies the atmospheric heat, excepting in very severe weather ; this is a great advantage, for percolating as it does through the plunging material, which is always kept damp, it gives a moister and more genial atmo- sphere than could be obtained from bare pipes. Shelves I seldom use ; I wish there were none. Stuck up as they generally are close to where the cold air is admitted, is the worst possible place in the house for tender plants ; but strange to say such a position always seems to pro- duce insects with good constitutions. My plants are from 3 to 7 feet from the glass, but of course there is nothing between them and it to obstruct the light. I find, in addition to the fruit being larger and of better flavour from plants that have never received a check, it is also of a handsomer shape. I believe that is principally the result of perfect impregnation. I have an idea that a distinct individual impregnation is required for every perfect seed to be produced — and there are hundreds on some fruits — and therefore where it is not perfect the fruit does not swell. This accounts for the hard green patches seen on some fruits which are afterwards par- tially hid by other parts which have been impregnated, and consequently swell faster. Most Strawberries, I be- lieve, if the flower has been perfectly impregnated, will have a regular surface, and generally round or conical, and the flesh will all be good alike. If I am right in this respect it shows that the Strawberry flower more than any other needs a healthy circulation of air when it is expanding. After the fruit once fairly commences to swell it will bear a very higli temperature, and a close atmosphere will not hurt it till such time as colouring commences. I will now state some of the advantages which layering into the fruiting pots in the first place has over the ordi- nary method of layering and afterwards potting. It is impossible during a hot summer to keep the small por- tion of Foil contained in a 4-inch pot standing above ground in the sun in a suitable condition as regards moisture and temperature ; there is always a risk of the pots getting dry in the middle of the daj', and the tempe- rature of them at that time is much higher than most people would dream of applying water, so that whether they get watered or not they receive a check, and even with the greatest care under the most skilful hands they will suffer at times. Some I know recommend plunging the pots as a remedy for this : it is partially so, but there is then a risk of going to the other extreme and over. No. 1877.— Vol. LIU., OlD SzKlES. 136 JOUBNAL OF HOBTICDLTDEE AND COTTAGE GABDENEE. ( Febraai7 18, 1875. watering them, and also the roots may get out at the bottom of the pots. Moreover, I do not consider the root-growth so healthy as it would be above ground in a larger pot where it would be moderately aerated. Farther, the labour saved at a time when labour is always scarce and valuable is immense, and the pots can all be got in readiness in a dry shed during bad weather ; and lastly, the young plants when layered into the fruiting pots at first need not be severed so early, they can continue to draw supplies from the parent plants tiU the runners begin to wither, and there is no check from any cause whatever. Taking into account the check received when the runner is cut as soon as rooting has fairly commenced, the shading necessarily following this, the breakage and bruising of roots when transferring the plants from the small pots to larger ones, I am persuaded that runners layered into the fruiting pots are fully a fortnight in advance of those layered in small pots and afterwards shifted. I suppose it is unnecessary to remind practical readers that the more cheeks the plants receive the more liable they are to insects. Bed spider is often very troublesome to forced Strawberries ; it not only injures the foliage by extracting its juices, but it is very partial to ripe fruit, and will frequently disfigure it altogether by robbing it of its refreshing bright- ness. My Strawberry plants last spring were entirely free from red spider, and this season, too, they are so far free. I attribute this to the summer treatment and the unchecked growth resulting from it. I believe it is generally in summer that the plants get their breeding stock of red spider, and then as soon as they are introduced to warmth in spring they are not slow to increase and multiply. Strawberries for forcing should not be kept in houses till they are actually required to commence growth ; failing a cold pit, they will do equally well plunged in a bank of ashes. The plants of course are quite hardy; it is only the pots that require protection. When in the forcing house, if the plants are placed on shelves, it is a good plan to place a piece of turf under each pot, which will greatly assist to keep them moist, and if cut into squares a little larger than the pots they can easily be moved about with them. The roots will enter the turf and obtain nourishment from it, and when ripening commences it will be found that the plants will bear to be kept drier than they otherwise would, and it is also well known that the drier they can be kept then without suffering the better flavoured will be the fruit. On no account must a plant be allowed to become very dry while the fruit is swelling ; it this happens only once, it can never be fully remedied. If fine fruit is required, six to eight are quite sufficient to have on a plant. AU the late flowers should be cut off with a sharp pair of scissors immediately a sufficient number of the forwardest are seen to be perfectly developed. — Wm. Taylok. BLACK MUSCAT (MUSCAT HAMBURGH) GRAPE. Opinions are conflicting as to the identity and merits of this Grape. Dr. Hogg in the " Frait Manual " gives its name as the Black Muscat ; Mr. Thompson in the " Gardener's Assist- ant," page 670, describes the Black Muscat of Alexandria and Muscat Hamburgh as distinct kinds. Muscat Hamburgh is thus described by Mr. Thompson—" Leaves large, deeply three- lobed, nearly smooth above, pubescent beneath; ribs set with short bristly hairs. Bunch long, tapering, and shouldered. Berries large, oval, black ; flesh of the consistence of the Black Hamburgh, very rich, with a decidedly muscat flavour. This excellent variety is stated to have been raised from the Black Hamburgh crossed with the Muscat of Alexandria, in conse- quence of which the rich muscat flavour of the latter has been imparted to the Hamburgh breed, and a great desideratum obtained. It fruited for the first time in 1848, and produced fruit of great excellence in an old house, it was stated, without fire heat. It is one of the best new Grapes in existence — in fact we think the very best as far as we are aware." Mr. Thompson describes the Black Muscat of Alexandria as follows — " This in size, form, and quality is similar to the White Muscat of Alexandria, the only difference being in regard to colour. It is not generally cultivated, probably owing to its requiring much heat and yet not always colouring well ; and when that is the case, although its flavour may be good, its appearance is inferior to that of the white variety, which is accordingly preferred." To make the description complete we must refer to Mr. Thompson's note on the Muscat of Alex- andria (" Gardener's Assistant," page 672) — " Leaves large, deeply lobed, sharply serrated, smooth above, slightly pubescent beneath ; petioles long, smooth, stained with red , as also are the ribs for some distance from them. Bunch very large, strongly shouldered. Berries large, oval, hanging loosely; skin rather thick; flesh firm, with an exceedingly rich muscat flavour." Assuming Black Hamburgh to be Muscat Hamburgh, how are we to reconcile the divergence of the descriptions ? Muscat Hamburgh has a Hamburgh flesh, ripens in a house without fire heat. Black Muscat has firm flesh and requires much heat. Not knowing the Black Muscat that was cultivated prior to the introduction of another kind under the title of Muscat Ham- burgh I do not propose to express an opinion as to the identity of the two, but I submit that there is greater similarity between the Black Hamburgh and Muscat Hamburgh than between Muscat of Alexandria and Muscat Hamburgh, and these I shall note as best I can, taking that of the leaves first, then the bunch, and influence of temperature. Firstly of the leaves. Muscat Hamburgh has leaves more like a Black Hamburgh than Muscat of Alexandria. All are five-lobed, the middle one tapering and elongated, and midrib straight. The midrib of the principal side lobes is straight in Muscat of Alexandria, but the midrib of the principal side lobes of Black and JIuscat Hamburgh curve inwards, as also do the lobes to the middle or central one. The lower divisions of the leaves of Muscat Hamburgh meet or overlap at the foot- stalk, those of Black Hamburgh and Muscat of Alexandria not meeting or overlapping. The Muscat Hamburgh leaves are deeply cut as regards those between the middle and principal side lobes, as much so as those of Muscat of Alexandria, both being twice as deeply cut as those of Black Hamburgh. The divisions or cuts forming the two lower lobes are greater in Muscat of Alexandria by one-third than in either Black or Muscat Hamburgh, the length in both being about equal. The leaves also in Muscat Hamburgh are more deeply serrated than in either Black Hamburgh or Muscat of Alexandria. In texture the leaves of Muscat Hamburgh are more flabby and quicker dried up than either Muscat of Alexandria or Black Hamburgh. The bunch of Muscat Hamburgh is more loose, and the berry. stalks are thin and flexile as compared with Muscat of Alexandria, which everybody knows are stiff and brittle. Then as to influence of temperature upon the three kinds, I may state that I have these with others in a house forced to ripen in May, and also in another to ripen in August. In the first instance the Muscat Hamburgh starts as soon and as freely as the Black Hamburgh or Mill Hill Hamburgh, they being only a few days later than White Frontignan. Buck- land Sweetwater starts same time as the Black Hamburgh. Muscat of Alexandria is a fortnight later in starting than White Frontignan, and fully a week later than Muscat Ham- burgh. Muscat Hamburgh flowers simultaneously with the Hamburghs. Muscat of Alexandria is seven to ten days later in flowering ; and whilst the Muscat of Alexandria has a ten- dency, when early forced, to dry up or shrivel in the bunch, the Muscat Hamburgh exhibits no such tendency. The berries set very freely, there being no small " deaf " flowers with spider- weblike-thread footstalks which characterise Muscat of Alex- andria. This defect is not confined to this variety, and is not greater in it than in Lady Downes' and Mrs. Pince's. Muscat Hamburgh commences to colour at the same time as Black Hamburgh, and is ripe at the same time as it and Mill Hill Hamburgh, Muscat of Alexandria being a fortnight later. The flesh is firmer than Black Hamburgh, slightly crackling — about half as much so as Muscat of Alexandria, and the muscat flavour about as much developed as in Mrs. Pince's — in neither not more than a third that of Muscat of Alexandria. It hangs longer in good condition than Muscat of Alexandria ripened in an early house, and does not lose its muscat flavour by hanging. Its doings in the later house are only a confirmation of its doings in the earlier one. Muscat Hamburgh starts with the Black Hamburgh, ripens at the same time, and keeps in good condition after the Black Hamburgh. Muscat of Alexandria are spotted, and rotten if the air be damp, and like Mrs. Pince's, and sometimes Lady Downes', are shrivelled if the air be dry ; while Muscat Hamburgh has never yet spotted by a too moist atmosphere, but, instead of this, cracks at the point of the berry. It will hang well until February ; how much longer I know not, as I have not tested, and the muscat flavour is as marked at that time as in September. There is one other point — viz., its colouring. It is the worst of any Grape I know in this respect. Heavy crop and large bunches in this, as in Hamburghs, result in bad colour. Febraary 18, 1875. ] JOUKNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 137 No authority since Speechley seems to have known Black i Muscat. Thompson (" Gardener's Assistant ") describes it in I 1859. Mackintosh (" Practical Gardener ") does not name it in 1853. Masters in his catalogue (" Hortus Daroverni ") has " Black Muscat of Alexandria, syn. Red Muscat of Alexandria. Colour, red-purple ; shape of berry, long ; bunch, long ; flavour, rich musky ; place, hothouse ; time, late." The wood of Muscat Hamburgh is very deep in colour, being very dark brown when well ripened, having no equal in this respect except by the Strawberry Grape, Mrs. Pince's, and Barbarossa. The Vines of Muscat Hamburgh are upon their own roots, and planted in an inside border with liberty for the roots to pass outside. I have no idea of its setting better when grafted upon Black Hamburgh, neither of its colouring better or aiding its constitution, which is a good one. Artificial impregnation does not aid the setting of the berries except by distributing the pollen, when perfect flowers may be fertilised, which with- out the artificial impregnation might escape fecundation. Stoneless berries are simply such because they have no ovaries, or imperfect ones. The defect is in the flower, and may not he altered at the time of flowering ; though well ripening of the wood, its exposure to abundance of light in formation, and development, and perfecting of the parts from which is to issue the fruit, will do so in the highest possible degree ; and notwithstanding this, there are and will he flowers deriving no aid from impregnation natural or artificial. — G. Akbey. NOTES FROM MY GARDEN IN 1874. No. 3.— FKUIT. It is not because our gardens are small and our cultures in- significant, that therefore we can have no interest in matters ■which are to be seen in other places in tenfold or fiftyfold greater quantities. Our few rows of Peas, our small Cucum- ber frames, our plot of Gooseberries, are of quite as much moment to us as when Peas are grown by the quarter-acre, and Cucumbers fill houses specially devoted to their culture, or fruits are produced by the hundredweight or ton. We have our little experiences, our successes, and our failures to describe, and we would fain hope that there are some other minnows who will like to desport themselves in our little streams, al- though the great tritons cannot find enough to cover them. We delight sometimes to see the bewildered looks of my lord's gardener when he condescends to come into our " diggings." His amazement at our presumption in asking htm to see such a miserable little place, mingled with a desire not to appear rude, compels us to help him out of his trouble by deprecating his wrath, and assuring him we have really nothing to show him, and only wanted a little advice. I make no apology to readers of our Journal, for I know there are many possessors of small gardens amongst them, and they, it may be, will take an interest in these jottings. In our neighbourhood fruit was tolerably abundant, and in my own garden 1 do not think I have had during my six years of tenancy a better crop altogether than in 1874. Strawberries. — As a general rule this was not a very abun- dant crop last summer, the dry weather interfering with the swelling of the berries ; hut mine gave a very fair supply. The sorts which I grew were Dr. Hogg, Sir .Joseph Paxton, Victoria, Marguerite, Viscomtesse Hericart de Thury, La Cou- stante, and Lucas. I commenced with somein my greenhouse, and had a few very fair dishes of Dr. Hogg from the shelf which, as I have deecribtd, is above the pathway of the house; and then I had a couple of rows under Looker's Acme frames, which came in a little before those from the open ground, so that by this means the season was considerably prolonged. For general purposes I find nothing better than Dr. Hogg, for yon have size combined with flavour and productiveness. Victoria (Trollope's) is a most useful Strawberry, but lacks flavour ; stUl its great productiveness, its suitability to all soils, and the length of time the plants last, all tend to make it a desirable fruit. Lucas is a very good hardy fruit and produc- tive. The Viscomtesse did not do very well. Sir Joseph Paxton is a most excellent sort, very hardy, a strong grower and productive ; the flavour not equal to the British Queen section, but still good. La Constante is one of the most deli- cious and aromatic of Strawberries, but I have not found it hardy. As to cultivation, I adopt the usual plan of letting the beds remain for three years ; but I saw at my friend Mr. Peach's, Appleton-le-Street, most prolific beds which had been undisturbed for a much longer time — I think six years. I rather quake for my prospects this year, for I never knew so bad a season for making Strawberry beds. The continued drought made the beds so dry, that although I watered freely, and although I had the plants all ready rooted close at hand, yet I had to renew them again and again, and even now they look very irregular, or, as they say here, " very spotty." liaspherriea. — Of these I had an immense crop ; in fact I do not think I ever saw canes fuller of fruit. They are planted in rows, and tied to a stout piece of galvanised wire stretched along the row. They are never dug, but only slightly forked over. Last year I gave them a good dose from the deposit in the cesspool in the garden into which the sewage of the house flows ; and to this and the cool bottom in which they grow I attribute a great deal of the immense crop. The kmd I do not know, but it is undoubtedly a good one. I'eiirs. — I had a great calamity in my miniature fruit garden, for I moved all in the autumn of 1873, and owing to the light character of the soil and the excessive drought I lost many : all the Cherries died, and the Pears and Apples look very puny. I ought to have watered, but really one cannot water every- thing, and so these perished. With regard to sorts, I very seldom see recommended an October Pear of great merit — ■ Comte de Lamy, and if I may judgefrom my own experience a most constant bearer. I have one small tree of it which has never failed, and this year I gathered nearly three bushels from it, and had to prop up the branches, or otherwise they would have been broken by the weight of the fruit. In last week's Journal I see Knight's Monarch recommended, and I know it is a good Pear, but strange to say I never can get any ripe fruit of it. It bore well this year. I did not gather the fruit too soon, as they dropped off in my hand when gathering, and yet they would not ripen. They were laid out singly in an attic, but one and all either shrivelled-up or else rotted. It has been the same every year. Can any of your correspondents explain this or tell me where I am wrong? Two other large trees in my garden, Bon Chrutien and Beurro de Capiaumont, bore three" or four bushels each ; so that, although my small tree failed me, the larger ones gave me a good supply. Figs. — I think that the most extraordinary crop I have had this year was from two standard Fig trees in front of my draw- ing-room window. Some of my northern friends will envy me no doubt ; say, " Lucky feUow to live where Figs will ripen as standards ! " These two trees are each about 12 feet m length, about 8 through, and 10 high. They are the old Brown Turkey, and from them I gathered last year more than one hundred dozen of fine large fruit ; those that I sold fetched more than £4, and besides I had a large quantity for our own use, and also to give to my friends. It strikes me that this is a rather unusual crop, and so perhaps worthy of notice. Other fruits hardly call for any notice. I have added this year British Queen, Amateur, Frogmore Late Pine to my Strawberries ; but, as I have already said, my prospects of this fruit are rather indifferent. I have also Lee's Black Currant, and on my wall have placed the following : — Apricot : Moor- park. Peaches : Barrington, Royal George, Alexandra Noblesse, and Walburton Admirable. Nectarines : Elruge and Violette Hative. Pears : Easter Beurre, Beurre d'Aremberg. Plums : Coe's Golden Drop, Green Gage, and Jefferson's. But of course I cannot expect any from them this year ; and as in all our neighbourhood disease has attacked the Peach, I very much fear I shall have to substitute other fruits for them.— D., Deal. PACKING FLOWERS. I HAVE seen flowers packed in many different ways and in all kinds of boxes, and have heard many complamts that they are of little good when taken out of the box — that is, when they are packed in the ordinary way. I have been told it is useless laying flowers loose in the box, especially when they have a long way to go. In my case they are in the box about twenty-four hours. I have packed them in both tin and wooden boxes with the same result. The boxes I now use are made of wood, 15 inches by 12, and .!> inches deep, with a false bottom, which has holes bored through, 1 inch asunder each way, with a good-sized gimlet. In the bottom of the box I place about an inch of clay mixed into a rather stiff mortar. This is rammed evenly over the bottom of the box, and then the false bottom is placed over it with just a tack on each side to keep it in its place. The stems of the flowers are now introduced through the holes into the clay, which will hold them quite firmly and upright. Flowers packed in this way will bo as fresh when taken out 138 JOUKNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. ( Fobraary 18, 1875. of the box as when first ent from the plantg, and the box may be thrown over and over by the railway officials and not a flower will leave its place. Another plan I find very successfnl is to tack piecea of list or broad tape about halfway down the inside of the box, some one way and soma the other, so as to form small squares large enough to admit a Rose or Camellia to the under side. The flowers, such as Hoses or Camellias, may be pinned on the list separately. Smaller kinds may be tied in little bunches and pinned on the under side of the list, and when that is filled another lot can be pinned on the top side in the same way. A little damp moss tied round the stem of each flower or bunch will keep the flowers fresh. To a certain extent this mode of packing flowers is preferable to the former, as in that case the clay makes the box much heavier. — Thomas Sheasby, Mare Hill Gardens. EOYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. Febkuaby 17th. Fkuit CoMsnTTEE. — Hcury Webb, Esq., in the chair. A com- munication was read from Mr. J. Batters, The Gardens, Cbil- worth Manor, Romsey, describing the culture by which the new Potatoes exhibited at the last meeting were produced, and the Committee unanimously awarded him a cultural commendation for the exhibition, and a vote of thanks for the communication. Mr. McKonald of Chichester sent specimens of a large Pear, which was said to be for dessert use, and was called Gloria Muudi. This was exhibited in November last, but the Committee are of opinion that it is identical with Catillac. Mr. George Wheeler of Warminster sent a dish of Apples called Wheeler's Favourite ; a very excellent dessert Apple, but they were very much shrivelled and not in good condition, so that the Committee considered it not better than some others in use at this season. Messrs. W. & J. Brown of Stamford sent a seedling Apple Beauty of Baruock, a medium-sized yellow Apple with broken streaks of crimson ; a nice fresh and well-flavoured Apple, but not of sufiicient merit to obtain a certificate. Mr. Bennett, The Gardens, Hatfield House, sent fruit of Lowndes Pippin, a large handsome round Apple, the flavour of which was gone. Rev. George Kemp, The Vine, Sevenoaks, exhibited a dish of Beurr6 de Jonghe Pear, the flavour of which was delicious. It was awarded a first-class certificate. He also exhibited fruit of Dfilices Everard de Tournay, a richly- flavoured Pear, with the salmon-tinted flesh of Josephine de Malines. Mr. Speed of Chatsworth sent fruit of the Cape Gooseberry, Physalis edulis. Mr. Taylor, Longleat Gardens, sent a dish of Orangefield Toma- toes, which were much admired for their brilliant colour, and a letter of thanks was awarded to Mr. Taylor. Mr. Parsons of Danesbury sent roots of Magnum Bonum ^ Onion, which were very fine and firm. The seed was sown in ' July, 1873. He also sent roots of the same variety from seed sown in March, 1874, and the firm-keeping character of the former was very remarkable. A vote of thanks was awarded to Mr. Parsons. Mr. Taylor of Longleat sent a dish of Dickson's Favourite Cucumber, which proved its merits as a valuable winter variety. Flokal Committee. — A limited number of plants only were brought before the Committee. There was almost a total absence of stove plants, owing, possibly, to the northerly wind having a deterring influence in keeping such tender subjects in their safer quarters at home. The only first-class certificate awarded was attached to half a dozen plants of Abutilon Darwinii exhibited by Messrs. Veitch. This is a species of very dwarf habit, and extremely floriferous. The foliage is a vivid green, and the young growth slightly pubescent. The colour of the blooms may be described as orange brown, in which, however, the orange decidedly predominat^ss, and contrasts well with the foliage. Some of the plants were blooming at 4 inches from the soil, continuing at each leaf-axil upwards. The species was introduced from }3erlin, and gives promise of decorative usefulness, and more especially as it is amenable to greenhouse culture. Messrs. Veitch also sent two small plants of Odontoglossum Warscewiczii, the growth of which somewhat resembles 0. vex- illarium, while the flowers are not unlike 0. phalajnopsis, but with several blooms on each spike. A second-class certificate was awarded. The same firm also sent a very fine group of Cycla- mens. The plants (about fifty) were remarkably well bloomed, and were of firm and decided colours. A vote of thanks was deservedly given to the collection. Messrs. Hooper, Covent Garden, sent twelve good plants of Cyclamen. The foliage of some of these was distinctly marbled, and the blooms were nearly all spotted. The individual flowers were very large, and merited the vote of thanks accorded them. Mr. H. B. Smith, Ealing Dean Nursery, contributed a collec- tion of Cyclamens and Primulas. The blooms of the former were of good form and substance, but were limited to the lighter shades of colours. The Primulas consisted principally of semi- double varieties raised from seed, and were effective, yet with more scarlet in the colour their value would be enhanced. Some of the blooms of these were almost fully double. 'The collection also comprised a few good single white-flowered plants. A vote of thanks was given to the group. Messrs. W. G. Caldwell & Sons, Knutsford, sent a nice plant of Azalea amrena Caldwellii, the result of a cross between A. amoena aud A. Magnificent. It may be described as an amosna with large blooms, and is an effective early-blooming variety. A vote of thanks was awarded. Mr. Perry, gardener to J. W. Miles, Esq., sent a basket of Primula altaica. This is a very desirable and distinct variety for the hardy spring garden. The purity and cleanliness of the plants sent, however, suggested their having had protection, or had been grown under extra- ordinarily fine weather. A vote of thanks was given. Mr. Taylor, Longleat, sent an example of Browallia alata gi-andiflora, which is evidently a larger and more continuous-flowering variety than the normal form of this plant. Mr. Bennett, Hatfield, had a small plant of Thunbergia Harrissii splendens, a very showy variety, recommended for continuous winter blooming. A plant of Aucuba viridifolia, with bright green leaves and scarlet berries, was sent from the gardens of J. Drewry, Esq., Burton-on-Trent. Cut blooms were again exhibited by Mr. Parker, Tooting, of the hardy aquatic Aponogeton distaohyon, which were very attractive and delicately perfumed. OUR LETTUCES. Paris Cos is the best of Lettuces. I have also fotmd Holme Park Cos a valuable variety. I had it both transplanted and uutrausplanted, aud, dry as the summer was, many of them weighed from 2 to 3 lbs. each. From a sowing made in September I have now in use good Lettuces of this variety, which have stood through the late winter without any other protection than the snow afforded them. Commodore Nutt was a failure with me. All the Year Round proved a very serviceable kind. I consider the lists of varieties, or rather of names, are too long for practical purposes. In the trials of Lettuces in the Royal Horticultural Society's Gardens was one called Magnum Bonum. Twenty- five years ago I had seed given me of a variety named Alphenge Cos. I grew this by the side of Magnum Bonum, hut could discover no difference between the two ; I concluded, therefore, that they were syno- nymous, and in this I am supported by the official report of the Chiswick trials, which reported Alphenge Cos and Magnum Bonum to be one aud the same variety. This is a very useful summer Lettuce. After extensive trials I recommend Paris Cos, All the Year Round, aud Drumhead for summer use ; for winter. Black-seeded Bath Cos, and Hardy Green or Hammer- smith.—Z. Z. HELLEBORUS NIGER, OR CHRISTMAS ROSE. This fine hardy midwinter flower grown in the open air and covered with hand-lights furnishes an abundance of cut blooms, which at this dull season of the year are especially appreciated. Those who have vases to fill, and who lack the eonvenience of heated structures in which to provide tender flowers, should grow this plant largely, and for two months they will never be short of bold white flowers to intermix with sprigs of evergreens and make a sitting-room cheerful. Of course these flowers are freely producad without aay sheltering aid, yet a little glass covering ensures their cleanliness and con- duces to their purity. This fine old herbaceous perennial is as hardy as the Buttercup, to which it is aUied as belonging to the same natural order, Banunculacofe. Like most of this family the Christmas Rose luxuriates in rich soil and a partially shaded place, although it will flourish in the full sun providing the soil is strong and deep. Its adaptability to a shaded place is, however, an advantage, as being a position in which but tew fine-flowering hardy plants will succeed. It is freely increased by root-division, but established plants should not be need- lessly disturbed. A small plantation on which a frame can be placed will be found useful in most gardens. An aunnal sur- face dressing of rich manure will keep the plants in good blooming condition for many years. Can anyone communi- cate their experience in successfully raising this plant from seed ? The information would be a boon to many besides — A Gardexee without a Greenhouse. The Late Mr. W. P. Atres. — The widow aud daughter of this well-known horticulturist having been left wholly unpro- vided for, some of his friends have determined to raise a sub- scription for their benefit. I am confident that many who remember the services rendered to horticulture by Mr. Ayres, Febniary 18, 1S75. 1 JOURNAL OF HORTIOULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 139 both personally and by bis pen, will be ready to lend their assistance towards the aceomplishmeut of so charitable an object, and will be onlv too pleased at having an opportnnity of doinj; so.— John Wills, Onslow Crt^fcent, Oiishw Squari', Brompton. A CLASSIC TREE. When Dr. Johnson made his celebrated tour throngh Scot- l»nd, he saw only two trees from which a prudent hangman would venture to suspend a fall-grown victim without fear of breakages, but unfortunately tha,t method of sylvan de- coration was largely practised in tbis country long before his day. Be that as it may, however, one of the two so highly honoured by his notice has just been totally destroyed by a recent gale. This was the remains of an old giant Ash which" stood near the village of Ellon in Aberdeenshire, and which for the last fourteen years has only been an aU-but-naked trunk. A Banffshire newspaper in recording its destruction, says in connection with the cause of its more than local celebrity, that "it is well known that the Doctor got the blinds of his ■carriage pulled down so as not to see the avenue of fine trees while going up to Cullen House." The following particulars have been kindly sent me by a correspondent at Ellon : — " All that latterly remained of the old tree referred to was a trunk of about 13 feet in height, and measuring 10 feet in circumference at 4 feet from the ground. It was supposed to be upwards of 250 years old. It was sold along with a number of other old trees on the Ellon property to a timber merchant about the year ]835, but the late Rev. Dr. Robertson, who was then parish minister here, having a liking for the old tree, rebought it and allowed it to stand. It was then comparatively healthy and far exceeded in size any in this neighbourhood. Some years afterwards it lost one or two large branches, partly from gales and partly from natural decay which began to set in about the upper part of the trunk. In order to prolong its existence if possible, the then proprietor had all the daoaying parts removed, stopping- up the hollows with cement and covering with lead, also looping the main limbs with strong iron and connecting them together by long links and screws. For a number of years after this was done it seemed to prosper, until the memorable hurricane of October 3rd, 1860, which completely disbranched it, leaving only the trunk above mentioned. "In connection with its partial destruction at that time a curious incident occurred. Dr. Robertson, who had left Ellon some time before and gone to reside in Edinburgh, was that very morning a passenger by the stage coach on his way to revisit his old home. Just as the coach was nearing the tree, and no doubt while the Doctor's eye was resting on it with a ■kindly interest, the old tree waved its manacled arms for the last time, and fell crashing into the highway almost literally at the feet of its former protector." — R. D. Taylor. Miy 20th; summer ditto, Thursday, Juuo 2Ith ; autumn ditto, Thursday, August 2Cth ; winter ditto, Thursday, Novem- FAILUEES IN CUCUMBERS. In answer to " A Market Gabdener" (page 94), I have been troubled with a similar grub in the roots of Cucumber plants six years ago. In the garden I then had charge of I bad a large house for growing Cucumbers, and I began to cut fruit the first week in March. The plants grew well to the end of June, when some of them began to die at the tips of the branches, injuring also the young fruit, and in two or three days the plants so a£feoted died. In searching for the cause of this fatality I very carefully cleared all the soil from around the stem to examine the roots, when I found several white swell- ings on the bottom part of the stem, and also on the roots, about the size of large peas, which on being cut through the centre revealed a small white grub about an eighth of an inch, and some a quarter of an inch long. If I destroyed the grub, and then dusted the stem and roots over with fresh slaked lime, added a little light turfy loam previously warmed, and shaded the house for a few days many of the plants recovered and gave fruit to the end of October. I advise " A Makket Gaedeneu" to follow the plan I found so successful. I trust some of the readers of the Journal will give their experience of any Cucumber disease, and the remedies which may have been sueoesafully applied. — G. S., lladlow, Kent. ber 25th. BROCCOLIS. Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland. — The following are the Society's Exhibitions during the present year : — Spring Exhibition, Thursday, April 22nd ; May ditto, Thursday, " I HAVE not entered on the subject of Broccolis, &c., for in truth I know not what to say." That is a remark of "D., ■ Deal's," on page 5)2. Fancy our gifted and versatile friend driven to such a strait as to " not know what to say I" The ease must indeed be a bad one when the veteran thus throws up his brief so summarily. He plauts so as to gain a succes- sion, but they all " come in of a heap." " So they do," will be the mental remark of hundreds of readers. Yet why should they when we see what the catalogues say ? By these authorities we may cut Broccoli tor ten months in the year. What ! ten mouths out of twelve, and yet they " come in all of a heap !" WeU, it is true — both assertions are true, as I have proved. Last year I cut Walcheren, September and No- vember ; Snow's Winter White, December and January ; Adams's Early White, February and March ; Wilcove, April and May, Carter's Summer, June. By just one variety of each section a continuous supply was kept up until the 17th of June; I observed that particularly, while at the same time duplicate varieties were also in use, thus making the period of cutting doubly sure. In the September and November period were Veitch's fins autumn Cauliflower and Early White Cape Broccoli ; December and January, Backhouse's White ; Fe- bruary and March, Hampton Court; April and May, Dilcock's Bride ; Jane, Cattell's Eclipse. Thus by five varieties the above period was covered, having in reserve half a dozen varieties more. Bat the fact remains, that had the quantity of the five first mentioned been doubled every purpose would have been answered just as satisfactorily as it was done by the whole list of kinds. Now there is this to bo said in the matter of Broccolis, that they possess no clearly-dffined standard of nomenclature. Should this important desideratum ever be attained it would be to the general advantage. Seedsmen would gladly abridge their lists if the public knew what they were ordering. But they don't know — that is, if they, as many do, change their seedsmen every year. If you order a given kind from one house this year, and from another house the next, the proba- bility is that you will get two different sorts, except in the case of a new variety, which is everywhere alike for aboiit a year if the demand is not too great. I have had a good deal to do with Broccolis, and have experienced considerable incon- venience by blanks and failures. I have had Snow's Winter rushing-ia in April a few days after Cattell's Eclipse, which should have waited until June. I was then in "D., Deal's " dilemma. It was " all of a heap " with a vengeance. The only way I got over it was to order small quantities of several varieties from an established house and take note of their conduct. In that way a train of sorts was found following each other with satisfactory regularity. By sticking to these and the source of supply I have had for some years no further difficulty. I cannot give any better advice to others than to do likewise. Find what suits best, and order the same from the same place again. Don't be hypercritical as to the varie- ties being correctly named. Names are nothing in your case then; it is simply a case of time and Broccolis, and fitting the one to the other. To sum-up this part of the question : Go to a house with a reputation to lose, and if yon are served well stick to the place and the varieties until you have proved for yourself that a new introduction will serve you better. That is the advice I give to my personal friends on this matter, and it occurs to me, if it is of any use privately (as it has been), it may be publicly. Perhaps I may add a word as to sowing. With the sorts above named two sowings have always sufficed — viz., all the kinds by April 1st, except the latest kinds, and these — that is. Carter's Summer and Cattell's Eclipse, towards the end of the first week in June. These late-sown plauts attain no great size in the summer, and in the autumn, if the weather has been dry, do not appear to have build enough about them ever to produce heads at all. Do not, however, dig them up, but dung them — that is, give the ground between the rows a good covering of manure, packing it up to where the hearts should be. This will protect them from frost, and the enrich- ing material will go directly to the formation of heads. The plants so treated will in spring grow marvellously, and will yield more eatable produce and less waste in large leaves than 140 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ Fcbrnary 18, 1875. by any other mode of culture known. I have no opinion of digging-in a superabundance of manure for Broccolis, having a notion that a bucculent, and consequently a tender growth, is thereby fostered. I prefer growing them on firm folid ground in summer for spring use, giving each plant plenty of room. If the plants do not get rank and robnst they will have some woody fibre in their stems, which will stand them in good stead when winter comes, and the heavy surface-dressing of manure wiU bring out the heads. As a rule there is a fearful waste in growing Broccolis for a gentleman's table by apply- ing manure to the ground at the wrong time. By planting in rich ground large plants are produced when smaller ones would be better. If they survive the winter the heads are twice too large for table purposes, while the gross foliage goes to the rot-heap. A dwarfer, sturdier, steadier, and harder growth in summer is a point worth aiming at, and then give the manure on the surface at the approach of winter. This will protect the stems and give a lift to the plants at the right time, when they will push up their heads small, free, clean, and sweet. When a garden boy I well remember the remark of the cook on receiving such nice small stuff ; it was, " Them's the sort, lad !" but the bigger the Broccoli the bigger the scowl. It was so when I was a boy, it is so yet. — Old Friend. PEARS. Some very important additions have of late been made to our dessert Pears, such as Bezi Mai, Commissaire Delmotte, Madame Millet, A'c, all of which are said to come into use from February to May. When we i-ead the advice given at page 121 by your gifted and careful correspondent Mr. J. En=t, some may be inclined to say, " This is a retrograde step. Why plant such old varieties as Knight's Monarch when we have such superior new sorts which will ripen late and supply us with dessert Pears nearly until summer Pears come into use again?" There is something to be said for and against this. It is a very important matter to know which varieties suit certain soils and localities. This requires many years of patient cul- ture. Thoie new varieties which have of late been introduced to our notice ore generally described " as really good, melt- ing, buttery, arom.ntic, sugary, &e." (very tempting to young gardeners and amateurs), and may after j'ears of patient cul- tivation turn out very good stewing Pears, but may also come far short of the high character with which they were brought before the public. Mr. Rust would have done well if he had added a few more well-known useful hardy sorts of late dessert Pears, good bearers, such as Ne Plus Meuris, often taken for Knight's Monarch, being nearly alike in size, shape, and period of use; Easter Beurre, Bergamotte d'Esperen, Passe Colmar, Crasanne, &e. _ No doubt Dumelow's Seedling Apple is the same as Wel- lington, and requires much sugar. Another good late kitchen Apple is Norfolk Beefing; also the Russet varieties are good for late dessert as well as kitchen use. — D. Cunningham, Moor Park. THE ROYAL ASHLEAF POTATO. Mr. Eivei'.s wishes me to correct an error as regards this valuable Potato. It was brought out by him, but %vas raised by his friend, Mr. James Ashwen of Evesham, in 1858. He adds, the Koyal Horticultural Society makes it a synonym of Hyatt's. TheRoyalAshleaf is not Myatt's, but is likeit. The same may be said of the Lapstone and its race. Hero, Taylor's Hybrid, and Pebble White. Taylor's Hybrid has blue flowers, and the other three Potatoes have white flowers. Years ago Mr. Rivers wished the mistake about the Royal Ashleaf to be corrected. I ought to have complied at once. The following, as well as I can remember, is what he told me. He said, " I was staying with my friend Ashwen at Evesham, and he gave me and Mr. John Spencer, then head gardener at Bowood (now steward) three seedlings. A, B, and C, to try. We bolh flied on the one now called the Royal Ashleaf. As I brought it out the salesmen for their purposes attributed its origin to me. This I coaected at the time; but it has ever since gone by the name of 'Eivers's Royal Ashleaf.' " — W. F. Raoclvffe, Ukeford Fitzpainc. Gardeners' Royal Benevolent Institution. — Robert Broadwater, Esq, Master of the Worshipful Company of Fruiterers, will preside at the thirty-second anniversary festi- val of this Insititution, to be held at the Loudon Tavern on the 2nd of July next. NARCISSUS POETICUS. The Narcissus is one of the oldest, hardiest, sweetest, and most beautiful of bulbous-rooted garden plants. Poets have sung its praises, and artists have endeavoured to delineate its graceful forms ; authors have written on its beauties, and it has received honour and attention from florists and plant- lovers in almost all lands. That was in the somewhat remote past, when intrinsic and individual beauty was more fully ap- preciated than was the case in the massing period which suc- ceeded. But fashion, with all its exacting sternness, could never annihilate the plants which our forefathers admired, and which are now rising again from the neglect to which for a few years they have been relegated. Fir. 3S. — Narcissus poeticus. The genus Narcissus belongs to the natural order Amarylli- dacete, and is divided into a variety of distinct types or sub- genera, but which, however, while being popularly admitted, are by no means authoritatively defined. The thorough dis- tinctness of these groups, however, is unquestionable, and they serve special purposes of decoration, and cover a lonely period by their season of flowering in the spring time of the year. The particular form above figured is a fair typical re- presentation of the genus, and is in itself a most useful and attractive species. The normal form of poeticus is single, pure white, with red corona. It grows to a height of about 1 foot, and flowers in May. It is a beautiful border plant, and has a fine, free, wavy effect used in lines in the shrubbery. The sub- varieties vary but little from the original in colour, but some have larger flowers, as N. poeticus majalis, while others, as grandiflorus, are earlier in coming into bloom. Februuy 18, 1875. ) JOURNAL OP HOBTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. Ml There is also the double variety, pure white and exceedingly fragrant. This is fine; indeed, all are especially Buitahlo to furnish cut flowers for room-decoration. We would now glance at some of the allies of the type just noticed, and we appreciate at a glance the great diversity of character, colour, and form which exists in the numerous varieties of the family. There are the lowly Corbularias, some of the sweetest of Flora's gems, which are so neglected as not to have a place in nine-tenths of English gardens, in- stead of having, as they ought to have, a welcome and a home in all. One of the smallest of these, and one of the best, is C. tenuifolia (Hoop Petticoat), golden yellow, growing only a few inches high. C. conspicua is equally worth growing, and is more plentiful. The white variety, C. alba, is exceedingly chaste, and, unfortunately, somewhat rare. From these miniatures we pass to notice very briefly another group almost perfectly opposite in character — viz., the Pseudo- Narcissus, or Daffodil's. There is less refined elegance in this group, and they are better described as gaudy ; yet this term is only legitimately permissible when they are used in unsuitable places, and the term is then more applicable to the taste which misapplies the plant than to the plant itself. Close beneath the drawing-room windows in loose careless patches they may be regarded as coarse ; but see them in bold massive groups or broad thick lines skirting the wood of some distant view, and what can be compared to their dazzling brightness at the period of their blooming ? As thus seen with the sunlight glistening on their massive heads the effect is positively exhilirating. Used in quantity for distant effect they are especially adapted, and never look better than when growing out of the green turf of lawn or pasture. When once established in fairly good soil they will push through the grass at the call of each suc- ceeding spring, and will last for years with little or no attention. Very nearly allied to this section is another with conspicuous, yet withal very beautiful flowers, alike in form to the above, but softer in colour, of which N. incomparabilis is a typical example. The whole of this section are particularly beautiful. Their prevailing hues are primrose and the softer shades of yellow with white. The flowers of these have considerable intrinsic merit, possessing in no small degree the form and substance of the Rose ; they are, moreover, sweet, and for cutting for vases few things are more suitable and effective. The double white variety has long enjoyed the designation of the Peerless Daiiodil, and certainly few can question its simple beauty. But even more beautiful than this is the waxy-petalled pure white variety, N. cernuus plenus. As a flower for a lady's hair and other room-decorative parpopes the stove Eucharis ama- zonica or the greenhouse white Camellia can hardly surpass this charming hardy flower. To see it growing in the border with its partially drooping head it might be passed by un- noticed, but cut it and intermix with it fronds of Ferns and it will compel a pause for admiration from every passer-by. It is almost as sweet, quite as pure, equally good in texture, and superior in form to the finest blooms of Gardenias. This variety is unfortunately somewhat scarce, its increase having been neglected, but it is worthy a place in every garden where out blooms are in request. It is commended to all lovers of white cut flowers as giving a supply when white Camellias fail and before Koses are in profusion. We now pass on in this cursory review, to which N. poetions has led the way, to the well-known N. Tazetta or Polyanthus group. These are commonly cultivated in pots, but are fine for the outside garden, and are better adapted for growing under the partial shade of trees than most plants. It is not necessary to enumerate, but we may say that the chaste old Paper White variety is worthy of more extended cultivation than it generally receives. With the necessary omission of many varieties of Narcissus we would not pass in sOence the bright and sprightly Jonquils. A quarter of a century ago most gardens had glittering masses of these — both the double and single, but they are not com- monly seen now ; yet grown in quantity nothing else can give in April such decided brightness to a garden. It remains only to say, inclosing these gossiping notes, that the whole of this tribe of plants are bulbous-rooted, and can be purchased and planted any time during their season of rest. Do not forget them. Do not limit bulb orders to Hyacinths and Tulips. Think of the Narcissus in its various forms. The genus literally teems with quiet, chaste, satisfying beauty. They will grow in any kind of soil, but of course the richer and deeper it is the better will the plants flourish. Further— and this may not be so well known — they will remove from place to place at this season of the year, preserving earth to the roots, and not sufl'ering them to become dry during removal. The varieties too, which are suitable for indoor decorative purposes, may be taken out of the ground and potted just when the plants are breaking through the ground. The flowers are then formed, and only require free soil, a suitable — that is, a moderate temperature, with a suflicioncy of water to bring them to perfection. — W. BUDDING. In the number of January 2lBt Mr. Benstead describes hia method of separating the wood from the shield, of which I do not quite approve, although it may suit some sorts, such as Lord Raglan, because, separate the wood from the shield how you will, it is very rarely that the eye will come out. I will attempt to describe my method, but I do not use the quill, not deeming it necessary at all. Insert the knife above the eye and bring it out obliquely, then put the nail of the left-hand thumb on the wood opposite the eye. Next put the point of the knife under the wood, snatch the wood and shield asunder, breaking the wood at the thumb nail ; then sever the o'hi r end of the biid, and snatch the wood out in the same way. I have found all kinds of Rose buds so taken out to bo quite perfect. Perhaps some may think the way I have described tedious, but I do not find it the least so, as I can put in two buds in one minute, and with good success. I lately budded ten rows, numbering sixty in a row, and not one failed amongst them. — J. C. CoLMAN, Greevford Hall. Fi^-. :iO.— Sairaccuia purpurea. A HARDY PITCHER-PLANT. We have been asked by " A Ladt Gaedenek" to name a Sarracenia sufficiently hnrdy to grow in the border of a mid- land county garden. Not knowing of one, we referred to the catalogues of various florists, and find the follow- ing in that of Mr. T. S. Ware, Hale Farm Nurseries, Tottenham. He has obliged us also by sending this wood- engraving from his " Illus- trated Catalogue of New and Bare Hardy Perennials." " Sabeacenia puepurea. — This is the only hardy pitcher-plant in cultivation. It is a native of the Ameri- can swamps, where it forma a dwarf prostrate mass, pro- ducing large winged pitchers of a dark green colour, while the throat and lip are beau- tifully veined with crimson. The flowers are solitary, nodding;, and of a deep purplish-red colour ; a fine associate for Cypri- pedium spectabile, Parnassias, Pinguiculas, and others of this character." NOVELTIES IN THE ROYAL GARDENS, KEW. Or the large number of Acanthacese known in cultivation comparatively few only are worth universal attention. A few of the best well-known kinds will always hold their own ; but in addition to these are several beautiful species that we rarely meet with. Stephanophysum Baikiei, now flowering in_ the Palm house, may be mentioned as one. During the winter season it produces fine panicles of tubular scarlet flowers, which have the advantage of being more persistent than is often the case in the order. The habit of the plant is dwarf, and though not much inclined to branch, is easily compelled to do so by cutting back. Its leaves are ovate lanceolate, in opposite pairs. This and several other Acanthaceie appear to receive much benefit from being shifted shortly before the time of flowering. The production of bloom is much strengthened, and the quantity in no degree diminished. It was introduced to Kew by the Niger Expedition under the command of Dr. Baikie, after whom it was named, and was figured in the " Bo- tanical Magazine " of 1859. Cuttings are rooted without diffi- culty in a few days, and now is a good time to get them in for flowering next winter. An intermediate-house temperature is 14:2 JOOBNAL OP HOBTIOULTUBE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. [ February 18, 1873. BUfEcieut, and tho soil used should be a rich mixture ooasiatiog in good part of loam. Eoudeletia (Rogieva) oordata, an unoommon plant, is also flowering in the same house. It has large trusses of pale pink flowers having a slight scent. The nearest relation is perhaps the well-known R. gratissima, from which it differs by the larger and stronger growth. It is a native of South America. The genus Bogiora is now merged into Roudeletia ; and if so nearly related we would suggest tho possibility of raising hybrids between R. speciosa aud the subject of this paragraph which might surpass either of the parents, the one possessing colour, the other size of truss with good habit and fine foliage. In tho Succulent house we observe Eoheveria fulgens and E. retusa finely in flower. They are beautiful species, and worth growing for decorative purposes. This recalls the use that may be made of the allies for conservatory decoration after havin;.' been taken from their summer sites of display out of doors. E. metallica, for instance, if carefully potted before the advent of frost, will throw up vigorous panicles of bloom that will have a tine effect during several of the winter months. Cytisus filipes is very attractive in the Conservatory, and, though pretty well known, is not often cultivated. The weep- ing branches studded with pure white flowers have a very pleasing effect. It is said that by grafting on tall Laburnum stems the drooping habit may be shown to advantage. The flowers are sweetly scented. On tho Rookwork is a new species of MiUa (Triteleia) — M. Lcichtlini. Tho flowers are white, and the look of the entire plant reminds one of an Oruithogalum. It is not the most beautiful of the genus. Here also Cyclamen coum is showing its brilliant rose-coloured flowers. SPARROWS -SNOWS WINTER WHITE BROCCOLI. I WRITE principally to make recantation of a statement in the Journal of Horticulture, vol. i., p. 461 — viz., " That spar- rows eat Peas and the buds of trees I admit." The statement relating tn the buds I beg to withdraw, as it was made through fear of offend ing that sense of supposed right of those who may have had thtir schooling, as I had, from " old prejudices " in matters relating to sparrows. My father taught mo to take sparrows at night with a riddle from haystacks, whither the birds had withdrawn at night for warmth or shelter. The farmers at that time offered a farthing for each young un- fledged bird or egg, and a halfpenny for every old bird taken to the individual appointed to receive and pay for them. This was just the thing for boys always on the look-out for a little money. Sparrows I was taught were of no value whatever to man. Imbued with this idea I waged war against the birds by every contrivance and weapon known at the time, but after- years of careful observation have taught mo how much I erred in that murderous work. With the above recantation rests my ease of mind. I readily admit " Aoe " and Mr. Allcock are entitled to their own views, which, however, do not alter mine. I flrst require absolute proof of the birds at the buds, and taken with the buds in their crops. May I refer " Age " to an article on the house sparrow in the Journal of Horticulture, vol. iii., p. (isl? after reading which may we not exclaim together, " Surely we are not all wrong ! " There is no need to write-up the hedge sparrow ; it does no harm, it has no enemies in man, while the house sparrow had at one time a price put upon it for de- struction. Just a word in reply to Mr. William Taylor. I had and have the true Snow's Winter White Broccoli as supplied guaranteed by Messrs. Veitch. My treatment differs from his there can be no doubt, but there is another difference which Mr. Taylor fails to see — that of climate. Three hundred miles further north and 500 feet above sea level means something. I have cut Snow's Winter White Broccoli early in December within seven miles of York and elsewhere ; but what that has to do with the trueness of a variety or cultivation I am unable to apprehend. — G. Abbey. I H.UE been somewhat concerned to read the numerous complaints in the Journal respecting the ravages committed upon Gooseberry and Currant trees by the irrepressible sparrow, and liave feared that the advice of aomo of your correspon- dents may be too generally acted upon, in which case the poor eparrcw is likely to have a hard time of it during the comiug spring. The particulars of the system pursued by me, and which has succeeded perfectly, may be useful to some of your numerous readers, and save the lives of some of my feathered friends. Sparrows literally swarm here ; one cannot cross a stubble field without pulling up, not hundreds merely, but tens of thousands. Therefore if he be so destructive, as some allege, the mischief done must be very serious indeed. Now, taking into consideration that this ia one of the most highly cultivated and highly rented districts near the metro- polis, and also taking into consideration tho money-making nature of the West Surrey farmer, it does seem strange that such swarms of destructive (?) birds should be allowed to in- crease and multiply at tho rate they ai'e doing, unless those worthy people are quite blind to their own interests upon this point — a failing, however, which those who enjoy their acquaint- ance will hardly credit them with. I have just examined my Currant and Gooseberry bushes, but cannot discover a bud touched, and tho reason is this : — During the late in- clement weather our birds were fed every morning with broad crumbled very fine, so that considerable time should be occupied by Mr. Sparrow ia filling his crop. But what I apprehend more effectually checked his disbudding propensity was a good dusting of soot applied to the trees occasionally, throwing the soot well at the trees so that it may stick among the buds. The Currant and Gooseberry buds are now swelling, and no time should bo lost in giving them a good dusting ; the buds are now very tempting, and if this is not done at once many will be destroyed. The sparrow will not touch the filthy Gooseberry cater- pillar nor will (so far as my experience goes) any other bird. But why rear Gooseberry caterpillar, the remedy for its de- struction being so very simple ? All I do is to remove the soil under the trees to the depth of about i inches, scattering it far and wide about the garden, birds and frosts will do the rest; then replace tho soil removed with fresh earth, adding a small quantity of manure, thus removing an enemy and sup- plying a fertiliser at the same time. November is the best time for this operation. To protect Peas from the sparrow with string or cotton, much depends upon the time and mode in which it is fixed. Many people do this at the sowing time, running it close to the ground. This is wrong the thread should be laid just as the Peas are breaking through the soil, and at a height of about 4 or ."> inches, one strand on each side of the line, these should be about 4 inches apart. If the stringing be done at the sowing time the birds get used to it by the time the Peas come up, whereas if done at the proper time the Peas get well into leaf aud out of danger before the birds get accustomed to the threads. A few lines here and there across the garden at the height of about 7 feet would materially assist, the sparrows being very shy about going under anything which looks like a net. Crocuses and Primroses may be protected in a similar manner, aud the more invisible the colour of tho thread the more effectual would it be in scaring the birds. Do not let us take to shooting our small birds until othe- remedies have been tried, or it has been clearly proved that they are in excess of our requirements. I may add that a few summers ago 150 bird.i at least were hatched aud reared in my small premises of 10 yards by .SO, those included three families of robins, by what appeared to be the same pau' of birds, and in exactly tho same spot — viz., the porch over our back door. Those young birds were, as well as we could make out, entirely fed upon caterpillars, and from early morn to dewy eve the parent birds were unceasingly occupied in bringing food to their voracious offspring. The number of caterpillars thus destroyed by the parents of our ICiO young friends must have been incalculable. The sparrows last summer cleared my Bases of aphides, and no cockchafer has the smallest chance of escaping with his life, he is captured when on tho wing. My greatest enemies in a gardening sense are oats and dogs. If Sir Stafford Korthcote would but tax the one and double the tax ou the other, or instruct his myrmidons to see that every wretched cur contributed its crown to the revenue, many small gardeners in this neighbourhood would bo exceedingly grateful, and curry on tho cultivation of theh little plots with renewed vigour, knowing that a sensible reduction of those (in too many cases), useless and annoying pets would soon follow. — Wkst Surrey. As the crusade advised against the sparrows may be acted upon with iudisjrimiuution by many readers, and, oouse- February 13, 1975. ] JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 143 quently, the lives of all the sparrows of the kingdom be placed in jeopardy, I will array myself on Mr. Abbey's side, and endeavour to state a few plain facta, which I trust will deter some enthusiasts of the chassi' a la mart from entirely banish- ing sparrows from their places. The principal question is : Does the good they do compensate for the alleged mischief ? I have watched the doings of these little birds in this and other countries, and I do not for a moment assert their inno- cence of the crime of eating Goosebury buds, but never to an alarming extent. A few bright-coloured shreds hung on the bushes will usually keep them at a respectful distance. The destruction of seeds they are charged with is not to be compared to that of chadinches, which are most determined seed-eaters. If anyone takes the trouble to notice the kind of food the sparrows feed their young with, they will see that it consists of larv.i\ ants, caterpillars, beetles, woi'ms, ,V-C., and it is estimated that to satisfy those hungry little ones requires weekly at least three thousand of the above-named insects, because from my own observation each of the old ones carries food to the nest no less than twenty times per hour. This wholesale destruction of innumerable noxious insects is, to say the least, an equivalent for a few fruit buds. I would re- commend, where sparrows really abound in alarming numbers, to destroy part of the young before they are fledged. By that method you ensure the destruction of a large number of insects, and at the same time keep the sparrows within bounds. I will conclude with the following fact, which will speak for itself: — Frederick the Great, as is well known, was a great epicure of Cherries, but could not obtain them in sufficient quantities from his gardens at Potsdam on account of the depredations committed on them by sparrows. He determined on the utter extirpation of these birds. Sixpence was paid for every couple brought in, and in course of a few months not a sparrow was to be seen for many miles round. What was the consequence of this war? The great king not only had no Cherries, but no other fruit, the trees were covered with caterpillars, fruitless and nearly leafless. Seeing that he could not violate a law of Nature with impunity, he rescinded the order, and was even compelled to import large numbers of those little Cherry fanciers at a great cost. In reply to " Aoe," I would state th.at sparrows have been sent to New Zealand some years ago, where they have suffi- ciently multiplied to auswer all necessary purposes. — A. Wipf, Heiffliington Hall Gurdciif!. I A3I no advocate for destroying life, but when it becomes a nuisance I believe we are authorised to use our judgment in taking away life. Notwithstanding all the praise lavished on the sparrow by Mr. Abbey (and I look on him as an authority), my experience tends in an opposite direction. I had much rather my young Peas, Lettuces, and the like were left alone than picked to pieces by sparrows, to say nothing of them in connection with the bud question. I have seldom known early Peas and winter Lettuces attacked by caterpillars, but I have known them much injured by sparrows. This is not all their mischief, for when you are anxiously looking for gathering your Peas you often find them gathered for you, and on approaching the place you see the sparrows go, and your Peas with them. It is all very well to talk about a dusting of lime, a red thread, a net, and the like, but birds will be fed. It may be that persons like Mr. Abbey may have men and means at command, but there are hundreds that have not, and it is the latter class that suffer most from the depredations of the feathered tribe. There ought to be a very large margin left between great and small means. I have had the good fortune to be placed in at least one place where Ivy was a prevailing feature, afford- ing abundance of shelter fcr the sparrows, and from experience I know more of them than I care to tell. I know they will cat caterpillars and buds too, but they prefer Veitch's Perfec- tion Peas in a young state. I endorse Mr. AUcock's sentiment, and say Catch them and kill them. I had rather contend with the caterpillars than have both caterpillars and sparrows to fight against. — H. VEGETABLE INSECT-EATERS. The genera known as insectivorous are eight i number — Cephalotus, Darlingtonia, Diontea, Drosera, IK4iamphora, Nepenthes, Pinguioula, and Sarraeenia. Of these, Darhng- tonia, Hionasa, Drosera, and Sarraeenia have been most care- fully watched. So far as is known, Ellis, au American botanist and collector who lived near a hundred years ago, was the first to notice that the entrapping of insects by Diourea was anything more than accidental. Tbese observations and some others that were made about the same time were published in the Transactions of the Liunioan Society in 1813, but did not then attract much attention, being generally discredited by botanists. The observations of Mrs. Mary Treat of Vineland, New Jersey, are the most recent, as well as among the most thorough that have been made on these curious plants. In the mouth of May last she received from Dr. Wood of Wilmington, N.C., some thirty fine specimens of the Dionasa muscipula, and placed them at once in separate pots, numbering each and keep- ing a careful diary from the outset. When an insect is entrapped a slimy secretion begins to ooze from the inside of the leaf, and in a day or two envelopes the insect's body. After a period of several days the insect disappears, with the exception, perhaps, of some hard parts, which are ejected, and the leaf re-opeus if it is healthy, to receive another victim. Such being the modus operandi in general terms, Mrs. Treat proceeded to make more careful observations. She found that the leaves and plants differed greatly in their powers of assimilation. Some leaves were un- able to digest even a single fly, while others disposed of three successively, but never could manage a fourth. When a leaf has done its duty in contributing nutriment to the parent stem it dies, and is replaced by another or others. The leaves were not restricted to a uniform diet. Mrs. Treat tested them with beetles, spiders (of the daddy-longlegs variety), etc., and even sat for some two hours with her little finger in one of the leaves. This last experiment was unsatisfactory, as for some reason her nerves refused, much to her regret, to let her remain a prisoner long enough to be even partially digested. The leaf had, however, begun to exude its digestive fluid, as if it would have been quite pleased with a human victim had it been big enough. Beetles and other hard-winged insects were digested by some of the stronger leaves, the operation requir- ing in some cases as much as two weeks. The strongest plant in the collection caught in all forty insects between May and October, and digested most of them, but this was accomplished by successive sets or relays of leaves. Insects removed alter two or three hours of confinement sometimes recovered, but if they were left long enough to become covered with the slimy secretion they always died, although in some cases the secre- tion was carefully washed off. Such in brief are tome of Mrs. Treat's conclusions. In the case of Drosera, natives of the Northern States of America, she found that while the leaves would close over bits of beef and the like, they would take no noticp of dry mineral substances, and seemed doubtful about fruit. If, however, a fly were fastened within, say. hall an inch of a leaf, it would begin to reach toward it, and usually made fast within two hours. Mr. Darwin has found that the digestive secretion has an acid reaction like that of the gastric juice of animals, a dis- covery which doubtless gave him great satisfaction. He like- wise thought that he proved the existence of nerve points in the bristles which border the edges of the leaves. Other ob- servers who are disciples of the evolutionists have noticed electrical currents induced by the closing of the traps, such as follow muscular action in animals. Some of the genera referred to, such, for instance, as Sarra- eenia, have tube-like leaves lined with inward-pointing bristles. These leaves are baited with a sweetish fluid, which attracts wingless insects within the tube, and they are unable to climb out. So, also, winged insects encounter the introverted hairs in their efforts to escape, and they, too, fall into the little pool of deadly fluid at the bottom of the tube. Of this tubular structure, also, are Darlingtonia, Nepenthes, and Cephalotus. The other genera enumerated at the beginning of this paper have leaves which roll themselves together with their prey inside, or are divided in two parts like a clam-shell, these remaining wide open when ready for a victim, but closing firmly together and interlacing the marginal spines, which, according to Darwin, may be rudimentary nerve-points, as soon as an insect alights on the sensitive surface. — (Medico- Pharmaceutical Eevieii'.) THE LIME OR LINDEN TREE (Tilia europ.sa). This is one of the most beautiful and most useful of our forest trees. P.'anted singly it is a tall graceful object, and an avenue of Limes, as is to be seen in the Cathedral yard at lii JOURNAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ February 18, 1875. Winchester is not forgotten by the visitor. Such an avenue i3 grand, and when the flowers are fully expanded in July their fragrance, though powerful, is delicious. Being well known to and admired by the Romans, it is pro- bable that they introduced it to this country ; but whether they did so, or whether it was introduced from Germany, it is certain that it was cultivated in England much earlier than woven into baskets ; it furnishes the cutting-board to shoe- makers, and the sounding-boards of pianos ; it is largely used for carved work — Grinlin Gibbons's beautiful carvings are of this wood ; from its inner bark the mats woven in Russia, and a few in Monmouthshire and Lincolnshire, and so well known as bast, are made. This is an Anglo-Saxon name, for in that language bicst is the inner bark of a tree. Three millions and a half of these mats are annually ex- ported from Russia, chiefly from the port -: of Archangel, and more than half a million of them come to England. In southern Europe hats are made of bast, and in Russia the upper parts of shoes ; and their soles are made of the outer bark of the Linden. Fishing nets are made of it in Sweden, and in Carniola the shepherds have their usual clothing formed of a coarse fabric into which it is woven. The wood when made into char- coal is employed to form crayon pencils, toothpowder, and gunpowder. The flowers abound in honey, and are as valuable in some districts to the apiarian as is the heather in other localities. The " Kowno Honey," so highly valued on the continent for making liqueurs and in compounding medicines, is gatbered by the bees from the extensive Lime forests near Kowno in Lithuania. Such being the great utility of the Lin- den, Pliny justly speaks of it as " the tree of a thousand uses." The flowers are profusely numerous, and are so peculiarly borne from the centre of large yellowish green bracts, that we add a wood engraving of this mode of inflorescence. We must not conclude without remind- ing our readers that the name of the first m. ^^^1% Fig. 40.— Tho Liudcn Tree. Fi^'. 1!.— Inflorescence. many have concluded. Turner in hia " Herbal," published in 1562, says, " Tilia is named in Greek Philyra, in Dutch Linden baum, in English a Lind Tree. It groweth very plenteously in Essex in a park within two miles of Colchester in the posses- sion of one Master Boggis." This leads us to note the absnvj corruption of the name of this tree now applied in this country. It has no relation either to the true Lime, which is a Citrus, nor to tho earth called lime. The true Englished name is the Line or Linden Tree, a contraction of the Dutch and German name, which alludes to the bark being employed for msking cord nnd other lines. The usefulness of the tree is great. Its extremely white wood is turned into bowls, bread plates, &o. Its sprays are f fficiont inventor of botanical classification was derived from tbis tree. Lind is its Ssvedish name ; and Linntens was applied to tho earliest ancestor who bore it, probably [because his dwelling was sheltered by Linden trees. TRANSPLANTING VINES, AND THE CUTTING- DOWN PROCESS. I, LIKE Mr. .1. Wright, am delighted to hear of Mr. Black- burn's succpss in transplanting his old Vines. Now, in the cutting-down process there are great repults to be obtained by following Mr. .1. Wright's instructions in pngea 120 and 121 ; but still there are greater results to be obtained if Grapo-growers, Fobraary 18, 1875. ] JOUaNA,Ii OF HOilTIODLTDRa AND OOTTAQE QABDENEE. lis after cutting down their old Vines within a foot or more from the ground, were to layer them in fresh loam iilong an inside border where they have an advantage of artificial heat, and allow one or two new oaues to form from the layer. Thoy would find, with careful management and a watchful eye, that in a few years they would reap the fruits of their labour equally as good as from young Vines, and iu much less time than they could grow young Vines from eyes.— H. S., llingwood Gardens. EARLY WRITERS ON ENGLISH GARDENING. No. 3. JOHN GEBAEDE. Gkbaede, or Gerard, for it was spelt both w.iy.?, was the Philip Miller of his time, for he was a gardener as well as botanist, and in luU7 he thus states his occupation iu his ■ address to Lojd Burleigh : " Under your Lordship I have served now by the space of twenty years. To the large and singular of this noble Island I have added from for- reino places all the va- rietie of herbes and flonres that I might any way obtaine. I have laboured with the soile to make it fit for plants — what my suc- cesso hath beene, and what my furniture is I leave to the report of them that have seen your Lordship's gar- dens, and the little plot of myne owne especiall care & husbandry." Where that "little plot " was situated is not exactly known, but he has told us of its whereabouts, for he dates his address to ills Herbal's readers ; — " From my house in Holborn within the sub- urbs of London, this first of December, 15D7." I incline to believe that his housa »nd garden were about where Ely Place and aatton Garden are now, and from whence he could readily walk to his patron's. Lord Eur- leigh's, garden, now oc- cupied partly by Bur- leigh and Cucil Streets In the Strand. He could visit at the same time another " little plot " of his own, for among the public records are the follow- ing :—" Anne Queene of England, &e., for the sum of five shillings by way of fine paid by John Gerrard of London surgeon and herbarist to the King, and for other considerations, but especially of his singular and approved art, skill, and minstrie iu planting, nursing, and preserving of plants, hearbes, flowers, and fruits of all kinds, do grant and let to him one garden plott belonging and adjoining to the east part of Somersett or Strand House, abutting on the west wall of the said house, on the east on Strand Lane, on the south on the bank of the River of Thames, and on the north on the back side of the house standing in the high street called the Strand, the said plott containing about two acres, and to be held by him, his executors, administrators, and assigns from the feast of 3t. Michael next ensuing, for the term of the Queen's life, and for 21 years, paying annually a rent of four pence, to be paid quarterly, and yielding for our own use at the proper seasons of the year a convenient quantity of herbes, flowers, and fruits growing in the said garden, by the art and industry of the said John Gerrard, if they be Uwfully demanded of him. Given under our seal at Whitehall, the 11th of August, in the reign of the King the 38th (of Sotlaud). Endorsed by T. Pi. Ewens, auditor, 30th August, IGOl." On the back of the Grant is written : — " '27th of .June, lUU. Whereas the Queen by her deed dated 14th day of August, iu the second year of the reign of James, did grant a garden plott belonging to Somersett House unto John Gerrard, Surgeon, for her life, which John Gerrard by deed dated 2Cth November, 3fd of James (KiUo), granted all his estate therein to Robert Earle of Salisbury, who by in- denture dated 8th day of April iu the Hth year of the reign of James, granted the same to William Goodroud, Surgeon, for twenty years, who afterwards granted and surrendered it to him igain, and the Earl again surrendered it to the Queen." Queen Anne who granted the plot to Ger- arde was the consort of James I. She had Somerset House as- signed to her as a palace, and her con- temporary Howes re- cords— " Shrove-tuesday,the fourth of March, this year ICIG, the Queene feasted the King at her Pallace in the Strand, formerly called Somer- eett-honse, and then the King commanded it should no more be so called, but that it should from henceforth bee called Denmarke-house, which said Denmarke- house the Queene had many wayes repaired, beautified. new builded, and enlarged, and brought to it a pipe of Conduit water from Hyde-park." It is very near the truth, if not quite, to state that the biogra- phers of our oldest authors troubled them- selves very little to be accurate in the dates of events of the lives of those about v hom they wrote. If one biogra- pher assigned a date, subsequent biographers accepted it without test- ing its accuracy. The death time of Gerarde is an example. All who have written about him state that he died in 1007. As he lived and died in Holborn, it would have been easy to consult the registers of St. Andrew's Church in that parish, but no one ever did until within a few days of my writing this I turned over the parchment leaves of those well- kept registers, and in them found this entry : — "Mr. -John Gerrard, freeman of the Barber Chirurgeons, buried the xviii February, 1011." That would have been 1012 had the year then as now commenced in January. Gerarde was evidently a parishioner of consideration, for he is the only one in that and ot'uer years with the prefix of " Mr." All other's have at the most merely their Christian and sur- names recorded, whilst too many have such a totally useless record as " A poor man " or " A maid from John Smith's," " buried this day." Contrarv to the usual order of biography I have recorded Gerarde's death without any reference to his birth and parent- age, an omission caused by ray hoping to obtain fuller and original information. This hope ha^ not been gratified, for the Rev. Jortin G. Blackburno, iu courteous replies to my in- quiries, states that there is no entry of the baptism of Gerarde ■Born 15l5 at Xampturicb, iu Cueshii-e, anil died at London in ,1611-2. 146 JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ February 18, 1873. in the Nantwieh registers from 1539 to 1.5i5, the only early entries, and all eabsequent entries are lost down to the year 1J72. The date of hia birth has been derived from the Latin inscrip- tion round hia portrait prefixed to his " Herball" — Englished it is — " Portrait of .Tohn Gerarde of Cheshire, citizfln and snrgeonof London, in the 53 year of his age, 1598." From it we also learn hia native county, but the authority for Nant- wieh Ifciug hia birthplace does not appear. Ormerod in his "History of Cheshire" merely mentions that Gerarde was born at Nantwieh in 1515, and that he was most probably a collateral descendant of one of the great Cheshire families of that name. The occupation of b.irber and surgeon were conjoined even among the ancient Greeks and Romans, and continued on the continent and in England throughout the Middle Ages. The Barter-Chirurgeons were incorporated here in 14.30, and their Hall was on the west side of Monkwell Street, in Farringdon ward. The two occupations were divided by the statute passed in the thirty-second year of Henry VIII. (1511), for that statute forbade the barber to perform any surgical operation but tooth-drawing. The surgeons thus separated had liberty to dissect executed malefactors, and were required to pass a slight examination as a test of their ability. It is certain that Gerarde never followed the barber occupation, for, as noticed in Queen Anne's grant, he was then " surgeon and herbarist to the king;" and though the company of Barber- Surgeons continued to exist and he was its chairman, yet its occupation was gone, and it was finally extinguished by Act of Parliament in the eighteenth of George II. (1745). Gerarde's first publication appeared in 1596, being" Catalogus Arbornm, Frntieum, ac Plantarum tam Indigenarum quam Exoticarum, in Horto Jobannis Gerardi, Civis et Chirurgi Londinensis Xascentium. 1596." It is dedicated to his patron and employer Cecil, Baron Burleigh. He states that his bo- tanical friends had urged him to publish a catalogue of the plants he had collected from most remote regions, and " culti- vated in my little suburban garden for some years." It occu- pies only eighteen small quarto pages and in double columns. The plants are named in alphabetical order fram Abies to Zizyphus ; they are 1039 in number, and Matthias de Lobel testifies on the last page that he had often seen them all grow- ing in Gerarde's garden. In the preface Gerarde intimates an intention to publish a larger work on plants, and even alludes to coloured plates. Better advice made him prefer the plain woodcuts with which he illustrated his " Herbal," published in 1597. It is entitled, " The Herball, or General Historie of Plantes Gathered by .John Gerarde of London, Master in Chirurgerie. Imprinted at London by John Norton, 1597." It is dedicated to "his singular good lord and master. Sir William Cecil, Knight, and Baron of Burghley, etc." How skilled he was in a knowledge of plants, their history and qualities, that work testifies ; and there is prefixed to it this testimonial from " George Baker, one of her Majesties chiefe Chirnrgions in ordinarie, and M. of the Chirurgions of the Citie of London." — " I do not think for the knowledge of plants that he (Gerarde) is inferiour to any, for I did once see him tried with one of the best strangers that ever came into England, and was accounted in Paris the onely man, being recommended unto me by that famous man Master Amb. Parens, and he being here was desirous to goe abroad with some of our herbarists, for the which I was the mtane to bring them together, and one whole day we spent therein, searching the rarest simples ; but when it came to the triall my Frenchman did not know one to his foure." There are many other testimonials both in prose and verse, but we can only quote an extract from one written by Thomas Xhorney, Master in Chirurgerie. ■' Herein fas in a glassel we see How thou thy mind bath bent. Thy bodye toyid. thy time bestowed, And many a pounde hath spent ; In sleeplesse nights, in reatlosse daie?, In placf s far and neere. In searching this, in trying that. In countries here and there.*' Whither he travelled wo have no specific information, but he intimates he had seen the native Firs growing near Narva, near the Gulf of Finland. Gerarde founded his " Herbal " on Dodoen's " Stirpium Historia? Pemptades," published in 1583. This was iu Latin, and being translated by Dr. Priest, Gerarde obtained the translation and inooj-porated with it the plants described by Garcias, Monardes, Creaalpinus, Camerariscus, Dalechamp, Thalius, Tabern.'emontauus, and A. Costa, in addition to the plants brought home by Raleigh and Cavendish, and which were cultivated and nursed in Gerarde's own gardens, and those of Lord Burleigh and others. The system, if system it deserves to be called, is to divide all known plants into three groups. — 1, Grasses, Corn, Rushes, and bulbous-rooted plants ; 2, Herbs used for diet, physic, or forornament or pleasure; 3, Trees, shrubs, fruit-bearing plants, resins, Roses, Mushrooms, &z. The woodcuts had been em- ployed previously to illustrate Tabernfemontanus's " Herbal." No further example of the absurdity of the three divisions need be quoted than the Potato. It is iu the second division, and consequently is associated with the Turnip, Cucnmber, Pompion, Crane's-bill, &c. I have named the Potato because a sprig of its stem bearing leaves, flower, and berry are in Gerarde's hand, as re- presented in our wood engraving, copied from the frontispiece of .iohnson's edition of the " Herball." I believe it was placed there because Gerarde was its first cultivator in England. In that volume, after particularising the Sweet Potato, which he calls " Sisarum Peruvianum, sive Batata Hispanarum, Potatus or Potatoes," he proceeds to the consideration of the common Potato, under the title of " Potatoes of Virginia. Battafa Virginiana sive Virginianorum et Pappus." The woodcut and the description demonstrate that the plant ho had before him was our common Potato, and he proceeds to observe that " It groweth naturally in America, where it was discovered, as reporteth C. Clnsius, since which time I have received I'oots hereof from Virginia, otherwise called Norembega, which grow and prosper in my garden as in their own native country." After stating the time of its blooming, etc., Gerarde adds, " The Indians call it papns (meaning the roots), by which name the common Potatoes (Sweet) are known to them. We have the name proper unto it mentioned in the title, because it hath not only the shape and proportion of Potatoes, but also the pleasant taste and virtues of the same ; so we may call it in English Potatoes of America or Virginia. Being likewise a food, as also a meat for pleasure, either roasted in the embers or boiled, and eaten with oil, vinegar, and pepper; or dressed any other way by the hand of some cunning in cookery." I hoped to find some indications of Gerarde's family in the registers preserved at Somerset House, but no will or letters of administration are there. So of whether he was married or what were the results of his industry we have no information. Nor could I obtain auy information from the registers of St. Andrew's, as those of baptisms in the sixteenth century are lost.— G. GILBERT'S SEA-KALE AND EHUBARB TUB. I THINK Mr. Wright is a trifle too enthusiastic in his notice of these tubs for Sea-kale and PJiubarb forcing. Firstly, they are no new invention, but one that has been resorted to as a makeshift for many years. I have used them for twelve years to make up with when short of the usual pots, and several friends of mine have used them for thirty or more years, and during that time have often found them useful, but will agree with me in saying they have not found them so good in any way, nor so cheap in the end, as the usual Sea-kale pot. — T. Keetlet. I SEE in the Journal an engraving of a Sea-kale and Rhubarb forcing box used by Mr. Gilbert, which I consider a superior article to the old Sea-kale and Rhubarb pots. Haviiig used them in Scotland some years ago, the idea is not new to me. I can say that they answer the purpose equally as well as the pots. They are cheaper and easier to manage iu every way, and not so liable to be broken as the pots. Now that the idea is published I have no doubt but they will become more gene- rally used, as they deserve to be. — Jas. F.\irweaiher. PROTECTING PEAS FROM SPARROWS. The following is the mode I protect my Peas : Just as they appear above ground my gardener has a piece of wirework netting, about a foot in width, at a cost of about SJi/. per yard, whicli is cut to the length of the row, and is placed on them and left until they are high enough out of the ground, say about 3 inches, when the birds will not touch them, and then they arc put on later sorts. When done with they fold into Fobruai-y 18, 1S75. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 117 a small compass, and are put away till the next spring; or will be found very useful put round small beds to protect them from croquet balls, i.Vc. — C. Martin. ADELAIDE BOTANIC GARDEN. Dk. Schombukgk's labels are worthy of special note. They stand out with a blaclt-and-white clearness that led to a par- ticular inquiry as to his method. The labels are of sheet iron, and, before painting, a mordant of composition is employed thus— oue part chloride of copper, one of nitrate of copper, and one of sal ammoniac are dissolved in sixty-four parts of water, to which solution is added one part commercial hydro- chloric acid. The iron labels are brushed over with this liquid, which gives them a darkish colour. In the course of twelve or twenty-four hours they become dry, and lo their now dirty-grey surface a coat or two of black oil colour will firmly adhere. When dry the names of the plants are written with white oil colour, and immediately sanded with white Baud, which dries with the white paint and becomes compact. On these labels, which resist all action of the weather, Dr. Sohomburgk's rule is to print the botanical name of each plant, its natural order, and native country. The collection of outdoor and pot plants in this garden is understood to be the largest to be found in any kindred insti- tution in the southern hemisphere. There are about eight thousand species. The collection of Cacti and other succu- lents contains alone six hundred species, and I believe a simi- lar collection is not to be found in Australia. Many of the pot plants which have lately appeared iu the European market are already found in the collection, and, notwithstanding some- what overcrowding in the houses, have a healthy appearance, and show the care with which they are treated. Tlie Orchid collection is also very fine. In 1870 Dr. Schomburgk made the experiment of planting a Palm group at the lower end of the garden with Palms of the following genera : — Latauia, Sabal, Chama^rops, Khapis, Cocos, and Phtcnix, which seem to have become acclimatised, and are doing well, considering the unfavourable climate for tropical plants. — {Adelaide Leader.) NOTES ON VILLA and SUBURBAN GARDENING. The planting and pruning of evergreens does without doubt CO acern the occupier oE a villa or sub urban residence qui teas much, if not more, than auy other class of interested persons. First, as to the time of planting. He is by compirlsion often obliged to depart from the advice given, because the building is unfinished and the grouud not put iuto ijroper order to receive the plants until very late in the season. Secondly, rather than see his place go bare of these ornaments for a whole season, he is con- strained to plant even at the risk of losing many of the shrubs, which he certainly will do if a period of dry weather set iu immediately after planting, and if the greatest care is not bestowed upon them by ample mulching and frequent waterings both overhead and at the roots, and this so copiously as to thoroughly soak every particle of soil and reach every root be- longing to the plant. The greatest cause of failure is the lack of attention iu these essential points. But this possibly the amateur is unable to do of himself, and to employ others to' do it becomes expensive. But even this outlay may be economical in the end; for if planting must be done beyond the season, iu addition to the annoyance of several dead and dying plants constantly coming before the eyes, there is the expense again of purchasing others to replace them. But I fancy I hear him say, "What am I to do in such extreme cases ? " My answer is, Let planting alone until the proper time, which I consider to be iu the early autumn. That is the best time for planting most shrubs, though some of them, if they are large and good balls of earth can be ensured, may be successfully planted during January aud Fubruary, pro- vidmg always that the weather ha mild and the soil iu good condition. Gardeners of skill, and who know the conditions under which a plant will recover itself after removal, are not so particular as to the time of transplanting, but an amateur's case is very dif- ferent and must be treated cautiously. The advantages of autumn planting are in my opinion much greater than at auy other season. The earth is then warmed hy the summer's sun, and the soil is generally in better condition than at any other lime. The plants, too, at that season are in the best order for removal, because the roots are still vigorous and growing, aud will consequently take hold of the new soil more readily, and quickly establish themselves. This is important, as enabling them to pass through the winter without injury. It is moreover easily seen that by autumn planting almost a season is gained, and they will be likely to thrive much better the following year on account of being early established. What I mean by early autumn planting is in September and October ; November plant- ing is only permissible if the weather is mild, and on no account do I advise planting in frosty weather, even if the soil is not frozen hard enough to prevent working it. I think for an amateur it is not wise to advise him to jilant evergreens after the month of February, because towards the latter end of March, or sometimes even before then, the weather is dry and frosty with cutting winds, which do more injury to newly-plauted shrubs than many people are aware of. Again, I am of opinion that when the season is getting late and planting has to be done at more risk, the smaller the shrubs planted the better success will attend them, because the roots are more fibrous and close to the stem of the plant, and if neces- sary to ha^e them brought from a distance more earth can be secured to them. While attending to small plants for late planting I would like to mention that there are some sorts of shrubs, such as Phillyreas, Evergreen Oaks, some sorts of Hollies, particularly the golden-leaved kinds, aud Arbutus or Strawberry Tree, which it would be better at all times to select small for planting, because they do not move so well when large, and especially the Evergreen Oak aud Phillyrea. These planted too large make no satisfactory progress for a season or two after- wards. The only fault the planting of small plants leads oue to commit is that of planting too thickly. The foremost idea at planting time is to produce an effect at once, which is all very good provided a judicious thinning of them takes place every time they are getting too close together, bearing in mind at each thinning to remove iu favour of those plants that are to remain permanent. This brings me to the pruning portion of their treatment, which is of great consequence to an amateur, because in the small space devoted to the shrubbery it ought to be the aim to have as much variation as possible iu the outline, with shrubs of different size and colour of foliage to meet the eye at every turn. The pruning consists iu merely shortening the straggling shoots every year, when they appear likely to draw the plant away from its natural habit. This will induce the shrub to form a dense body without producing a formal and rigid outlme. Shrubs, such as Laurels and Yews, will need more severe prun- ing than such slow growers as Hollies, Box, LaurustLnus, and many others. To keep those last named neat without closeness will only require the leading shoots cutback an inch or two; this is the more necessary on account of their not breaking into growth so well as others of a more vigorous nature. I canuot name a better time than the present fur auy necessary pruning, as the plants are not likely to start into growth again till all danger from frost is over ; it is also couvenient as being the season of dressing the borders containing them, so that the whole may possess a ueat and attractive appearance throughout the spring months.— Thomas Recobd. DOINGS OF THE LAST AND PRESENT WEEKS. KITCHEN OABDEN. The weather has been still unfavourable for cropping — frosty at night, and just enough thaw in the day to make wheeling or digging impracticable. Pea sticks can be cut and pointed, and we always prepare a stock of the smaller branchlets for support- ing the Strawberries. The Pea'sticks should be arranged in the required lengths according to the quantity of each variety that is sown — viz., 3 feet G inches for the Veitch's Perfection tv'pe, 5 feet for Supreme, aud between 6 and 7 feet for Ne Plus Ultra and allied sorts. The sticks should not be tied-up in bundles as is sometimes done, but placed upright with the pointed end downwards. Beech, elm, aud hornbeam are well adapted for making Pea sticks. The earliest Bhubarl) is starting nicely into growth out of doors, and, should the weather become warmer, will soon be ready for use. Of course the whole quarter where it has been planted is well covered over with stable litter. Sea-kale will be planted out if weather permit. The system of forcing causes us to lift the whole of it, selecting all the roots that are strong enough, retaining all the smaller ones to plant-out. The best of the roots that have been forced are also selected to plant with them, and a sowing is made every year to keep up the supply of healthy young plants. Sea-kale requires a moderattly rich soil, but no crude manure should come in contact with the roots. Coal ashes may be dug into the ground or placed over the rows with advantage. The seeds may be sown on well-prepared ground in March, and will then make strong plants by autumu ; a number of thein will be strong enough for forcing. mUIT AND FOKCINO HOUSES. Piiwriea. — Queens are generally so plentiful that any suckers requiring to be removed are usually thrown on the ruljbiah-beai) at this season. Charlotte Rothschild doe^ not throw-up suckers quite so freely, but it is more readily increased than Smooth- leaved Cayenne. Of this last we never have too many, as friends are quite ready to ease us of any surplus stock. It is best not to allow plants that have thrown-up fruit, or are about 148 JOURNAL OP HOBTIOULTURH AND COTTAGE GABDENEP. [ February Is, 1573. to do BO, to grow a quantity of suckers. A strong Queen may have half a dozen or more ; these should all be removed except one or two near the base of the plants. Th8 otber two sorts named do not usually tijrow-up more th«u one or two suckers on each plant. The suckers should not be taken off until they are strong, say from a foot to 18 inches in length, as in their earlier stages they grow very much more rapidly on the plant than they do taken oft and putted. The ancient system of dry- ing the suckers fi)r a week or more previous to potting them has bpoome obsolete. It is not necessary to dry them for a day ; our practice is to pot as soon m they are taken from the plant, and to plunge the pots in a brisk bottom heat at once, but not to water the pots for a week at least; by that time the young rootlets will be forming or formed, and the watering with tepid water encnurages tbem to grow. We had some suckers of a Piae from rernambuco which came to hand at midwinter; they were not in good condition, but with care we had no fear of their growing. Tliey were potted in the usual way, and should not have been watered for two weeks ; however, one of the men by mistake gave them water at once, and the result was, as ex- pected—every one of them began to rot at the base, and the decay spread upwards, so that in a day or two the heart would have been reached. Instead of this they were taken out of the pots, all the rotten part was cut off, and the suckers potted as before. This time water was withheld for two or three weeks, and every ono of those suckers male good plants. Oranijes.— The trees that flowered earliest have not set their blossoms so freely as they would have done if the treatment had been different. They were in a vinery where some of the atmo- spheric moisture was kept up by some fermenting manure on the ground. The ammonii from this was not strong enough to discolour the leaves, nor were the tender leaves on the Vines injured in the least; yet not only did the Orancre blossom fall oft in showers when the tree was shaken, but many of the young leaves fell off also. Of course the trees were removed at once to another house where the night temperature was from 60' to (io'-", and the atmosphere drier. Here an improvement was immediately appari'nt, and other trees that were started in this house at once made good progress, nor did either leaves or flowers drop off. It is well to set the blossoms with a camel- hair pencil, as bnes are not to be found at this season, and the air in the house is scarcely agitated. Syringing is discontinued when the trees are in flower, but they are freely syringed after- wards. Figs.— The trees in pots are carefully watered until the buds open and fresh roots are formed. When in leaf the Fig takes a large supply of water, and will soon show signs of distress if the soil becomes dry, while it is not uncommon to see the trees become sickly from over-watering. The greatest danger arises from top-dressing the trees instead of repotting them. The surface compost ruay be quite moist when the soil underneath, which is quite full of roots, may be dry. It is bad management to top-dress Fig trees in autumn; they ought always to be turned out of the pots and repotted st that time. Another ad- vantage obtained from repotting is that the tree has good drain- age; not uofrequently this becomes quite choked-up in one season, aod the Fig is very impatient of stagnant water at the roots. The trees are freely syringed, which causes the buds to start well, and wards off red spider. It is a great advantage to the trees if they can ba plunged in a bottom heat of 85°. PLANT STOVE. Potting Fents.— These in some instances had been growing in the pot for a longer period than was good for them, as the soil had become sodden, and nearly all the roots were dead, yet the fronds had not shown the effects of anything being wrong at the roots; but, of course, the effect would have been visible farther on in the year. All the roots that were not sound have been removed with the surrounding soil, and the plants have been repotted in good turfy loam, peat, and sand in smaller pots than they had been growing in previously. Healthy free-grow- ing species have been shitted into larger pots. Deciduous species of Calauthe are starting into growth ; they have been shaken out of the pots and have been repotted. The size of pot is a matter of taste ; some growers use 11 or 13-inch pots or pans, and place a dozen or more bulbs in each. The most useful pots for our purpose are 5 or 6-inch, and two large or three small bulbs are potted in each. We drain the pots well, then place some very fibry turf over the crocks and fill up with the compost, which is turfy loam two parts to one part of turfy peat with a little rotted stable manure and sand added to it. Thyrsacanthus rutilans is a moat distinct plant of easy culture, is drooping panicles of scarlet flowers will soon be in full beauty. A mistake is made by retaining the old plants, which if neglected soon become leggy, whereas plants from cuttings struck now or early in March will form good-sized plants with plenty of foliage, and produce a score or more panicles of flowers 2 or 3 feet in length. Turfy loam and leaf mould is a good potting material, and cuttings struck now should by a series of pottings ba in 9-inoh pots by August or September. As the plant has been introduced from Central America it requires a high tempera- ture. Our plants are grown in the Cucumber house. Looking carefully over plants that had been bug-infested; the only w%y to thoroughly destroy this pest is by persistent hunting. FLOWER 04KDES. Now is the time that the greatest difiioulty is experienced to find room for bedding plants ; they are moved out of one vinery after another as it becomes necessary to start the Vines. Melon and Cucumber houses are also required for their respective occupants before the plants wintered in them can be turned out into turf pits or even into cold frames with any degree of safety ; however, we have ventured to remove into cold frames plain- leaved Zonal Pelargoniums, Centaureas, Lobelias of the Erinus section, and any other subjects that will not suffer even if the leaves are slightly touched by frost. This has given us an opportunity to clear out the Melon house, which contained tricolor and variegated Pelargoniums ; these have been removed to a heated pit, from whence the more hardy subjects had been taken. Cuttings of Verbenas, Coleus, Alternantheras, i'c, that had been struck in a high temperature have also been removed to a cooler house, where they will remain a week previous to potting them off. — J. Douglas. TO CORRESPONDENTS. *,' All correspondence should be directed either to " The Editors," or to " The Publisher." Letters addressed to Mr. Johnson or Dr. Hogg often remain unopened unavoid- ably. We request that no one will write privately to any of our correspondents, as doing bo subjects them to un- justifiable trouble and expense. Correspondents should not mix up on the same sheet questions relating to Gardening and those on Poultry and Bee sub- jects, and should never send more than two or three questions at once. All articles intended for insertion should be written on one side of the paper only. Wo cannot reply to questions through the post. Mr. Oemson (J.), — Yon have been misiutormed. Mr. Ocmaon, ii you mean Mr. Ormson, Horticultural Buil.ier, Kinjj's Road, Chelsea, is naw ready for consultation there. He was ssriously ill, but is quite recovered. Books (J. Milham). — Din's catalotjue has lonj; been out of print. The '' Cottage Gardener's Dictionary " states all that Don's catalogue does, and gives cultural directions besides. Dwirj? KiDXEV Bean- (E. H.).— The beaa you enclosed is the China Dwarf, or Kobin's Egg. MowrxG Machines (Capt. S ).— They all work well if carefully managed. "Write to any manufacturers who advertise in this Journal and tell them what you need. Elue Cor.NFLoWER. — I have often experienced the diiiiculty "A Little Savage" complains of. Messrs. Dimmick & Sons, Nurserymen, Ryde, Isle of Wight, always supply me with the blue Cornflower true, and will, no doubt, be happy to send seed to "A Little Savage." If not, I will send some of my own saving. — W. D. Fox, Sandowii, hlr of fVijht, Mildew on Cinerarias (H. A. P.), — Dust them and the Geraniums with flowers of sulphur. We do not remember receiving any specimens from you. Kemoving Large Cedars (T. S.). — We know of no one who lets on hire a machine for the purpose. Ajuga reptans IMarlcy). — We do not nnderstand what you mean. There is no variety of Ajuga rep'ans, and its popular name is Common Uugle. It is portraited and fully described in our " Wild Flowers of Great Britain." Plans or Flower Gardens (J. (J.).— A new edition of the volume by the late Mr. Fish, with additions by 3Ir. Luckhurst, is printing. Eed and PrNK RnsES for TCast Wall IE. H.t. — As you want continuous- flowering kinds. Hybrid Perpetuflls would be most suitable. Reds— QUry of Walthara and Maiarae C. .Toigueanx. Itost or Plnk—'La, Ville de St. Denis and Sovvenir de la F.eine d'Angleten-e. Celery with E\RTiiv Flavour (.4 Connlmit Sithscribcr). — The carthinesB is due to the soil employed for earthing being largely composed of decaying ve-'etable matter, and the remedy is to avoid it, employing sawdust or the Wortley Celery collar, so as to keep the earth from the stems. Salt will not make Celery tender, but it tends to make the plants less susceptible of injury from frost, and destj-oys slugs and worms. .VsTERS Sowing to Flower in July and .A-dgcst '(Alpha). — Sow the seed the third or fourth week in March in a mild hotbed, admitting air so soon as the seedliugs appeal*. Prick-off when they show the second leavss in pans or hoses of rich light soil, keeping them near the glass in the frame. Give air carefully at first, yet hardening the plants well off before planting- out in May. Apples Keeping Late (Idem). — Apples keep longest and most "plump and sound in a cellar having a uniform low temperature, or any cool room not so dry as to cause shrivelling. For very late-keeping, place sound specimens in earthenware jars in silver sand, puttirg on the lid, stop with tape, and seal all round with pitch, placing the jars in a cool and damp rather than dry place The sand may be removed with a brush. The fruit will keep in this way for a long time. Geranicm Seedlings Stopping— Potting fSEEDLiNos and Ccttinos iBiccpa\. — Wo should not stop the seedlings until the middle of March, and then cut them bii:k to three or four eyes above the soil, keeping dry, and when they have broken turn out of the p-its, loosen the sides of the ball, re- moving any old soil, and pot in the same or a slightly larger size of pot, watering carefully for a time, increasing the supply with the growth. The parts removed may bo made into cuttings and potted, and in gentle heat, as February 18, 1875. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 140 that of a hotbed, they will root freely. The cuttioRH will flower before the cut-down plants. Pot the cuttings about the middle of I\Iaich, and put in the cuttings, but without a gentle heat they will not root freely. The proper method of growing Camellias is given in the " Greenhouse Manual," to bo had from our office for lOd. ORcniDS FOR Fern House (J. T. S.). — MaBdevallia Harryana, Odouto- glosBum Alexandnt, O. grantie, O. Bictonienee, (.>. citroRinum, (). Pescatoroi BpIendeuB ; Ctvlogyue ciiatata major, La-lia auporbieua, Epidondvum vittllinum majUB, Oncidium criRpum, Zygopetalura Mackayi, Cypripedium iusigue, C. caudatum, C. venuftum, and Calunthe vestita. Other plants to tlower ure Anthurium Scberiztriamim, Apbelaudra aurantiaca Roezli, Centroposon Lueeana, Dalechampia Iloezliaua rosea, EuchariH aniaznnica, Franciscea calyoina major, Ilippeaptium pardinum, Imantophyllum rainiatum, Pentas kermesina, and Vinca albaoculata. The highest temperature should beat noon or soon after, aud the temperature in dull weather should bo 5^ hi^'lier by day than at night, with buu aud air 15^^ to 20' above the night or mini- mum temperature may be advantageously allowed. For the temperature you require, fire will be required by day as well as night. Cuttings of Poinsettias (Rus). — Put in the cuttinKfi now, and give them a bottom beat of 75" to 80'-, with top heat of G5" to 75°, or more from sun heat. A hotbed will answer very well. The cuttings should be taken from well-ripened wood. Cydonia japonica Fruit— Seedling Oranqe {Mrs. Henderson).— The fruit of Cydnnia japonica is not unlike a small Quince, but square not pear- shaped, and of no use. The frees require to be some age before they fruit freely, but the setting may be effected in young trees by fertilising the blossoms with a camel-hair brush. A seedling Orange will not fruit within five years, but seveu or more years commonly elapse before they flower. The plant would be best grafted with a fruitful kind. He^tino Houses (J. P. of York). — If we understand you aright you pro pose to have four rows of piping in the first house or stove nest the boiler two flows and the same of returns ; and you want to know if the other houses can be heated from these pipes, using both flows and returns. Decidedly so. One of the flows may be taken forward through both houses, and return by a ayphon beneath the flow, and will be the return to the boiler for the first house as well as the other two. The other flow pipe will return by a syphon and pipe beneath it to the boiler. You will by this, without further arrange- ment, always have heat in the two cooler houses as well as in the stove. This will not be necessary at times, and you will need valves upon the flow pipe just before it enters the house next the stove, which we apprehend is a greenhouse, and another before it enters the cool vinery, aud these will enable you to work the whole separately or together. You will need also a branch pipe from the flow to the return pipe iu the first and second house before the valve to allow of the water returning to the boiler, and this will enable you to work satisfactorily without any loss of piping. Irregular Gardening (G.). — Your idea is not good. Glass structures require daily attention. AVe advise you to be content with out-door gardening AuGHiNBAUGH Blackberrv. — Miss Hall will feel much obliged for the name of a fruit-grower where she can purchase the ' Aughinbaugh' Black berry, raised in California. Rose Cuttings in Open Ground (B. B.). — The cuttings -will now be forming roots, and may be left where they are until April, when they should be faken-up carefully and potted in small puts aud pla-iod in a cold frame for a time, being shaded from bright sun, and when they have rooted freely harden well off, and plai^t-out in the open ground or keep in pots, shifting into larger pots as required, and plunged in ashes in an open but sheltered situation. Instead of potting you may plant them out in an open situation in April, in rows about 2 feet apart, with 6-inch distance from plant to plant, watering if the weather be dry. In autumn they may be planted where they are to remain. Some of the plants after potting or plantiug will fail, as not all emitting incipient roots become plants. LiBONiA FLORiBUNDA (A. B.). — That is the name of the plant of which you sent us a flowering spray. It is a very pretty, free-flowering, greenhouse plant, and wat? introduced in 1884 from Brazil. It is a softwooded shrub, and of easy culture. It camg to this country from German gardens. Names of Fruits {A. B«j?5).— We regret we cannot identify the Pear you sent. It is quite worthless, and the best thing you can do, if the fruit are all like the specimen, is to uraft the tree with a better sort. {Arcturii$). — 1, Easter BeurrL-; 2, Flemish Bon Chrrtien. POULTRY, BEE, AND PIGEON OHRONIOLE. THE EXHIBITION DORKING.— No. 8. BY T. C. BURNELL. For the first fortnight of their lives chickens should be fed at least every two hours, and no amount of care and trouble ex- pended on them will be too much if we wish to rear prize birds. Size is the principal point in a Dorking, and size is only to be obtained by breeding from the finest birds, and by feeding the chickens early aud late on the best aud most nutritions food. Chickens are awake with the lark ; aud as it is " the early bird which gathers the worm," we, too, mast be up with the lark if we do not wish our chickens to be in the rear when the all- eventful show-day comes. If we happen to have a poultrymau who can be depended upon we are indeed lucky, but such are very few and far between, and far better will it be to pay for a little knowledge and become experienced in time than to go on paying high wages to one who very likely knows but little more than yourself, and who will certainly teach you nothing. Two guineas a- week and more are now commonly paid to a first-class poultry manager, and there is but little doubt that if we can afford to keep a poultrymau, the best are the cheapest in the end. After the first day my chickens have whole groats as a staple food, varied with a little hard-boiled egg chopped fine and ground oats mixed very dry. In a week or ten days they will relish small wheat, and occasionally a little chopped meat may be given them as the egg ia discontinued. The great point will be neither to let them eat too much at a time nor leave any, so that, if possible, they may always have an appetite at feeding time. If in the hot weather their appetite seems to leave them, a little gentian bark grated into the meal will be beneficial; but as chickens get older they do not require to be fed so often, and the interval between meals may be gradually extended till, at about four months old, they are fed aboat three timi-s a-day. If new milk can be obtained they will much enjoy a drink of it the first thing in the morning ; but too much coddling will only tend to make them delicate. It will be a very wise course to weed out the chickens as early as possible, as the fewer there are the better they will thrive. Two or three in every brood may generally be selected for the spit without much trouble, as defective and crooked toes and sooty feet will never get any better. No rules can be laid down for certain, but a little experience will soon teach which chickens to keep. The chickens should not be allowed to perch at night on nar- row or crooked sticks, or they will most certainly become crooked- breasted. Some breeders keep their chickens bedded-down on straw or sawdust till their breastbones are fully formed, but this entails much trouble, and I have not found it essential ; besides, some chickens have crooked breasts from the day of their birth, and nothing that we can do will then set them right. Till recently I was of opmion that crooked breastbones could be entirely pre- vented, but from conversations with some of the most careful breeders, and from my own experience, I am convinced tbat some cases are hereditary, and, like rickets iu children, as long as we breed from such we shall never get rid of it. Undoubtedly birds occasionally receive prizes in spite of crooked breasts, but in my opinion a crooked breast in a Dorking, the table fowl 2Jar excellence, is quite as bad as, or worse than, a crooked leg or wry tail. A slight bend in the bone I would pass over, but a bird which has a large hollow iu his breastbone I would not have for a gift, and in my opinion he should never receive a prize. If the chickens are given a Hat plauk of wood to perch on about 0 inches wide, with the sharp edges just planed off so that they cannot perch upon them, they will be obliged to roost on the centre of the board, and if this is not placed too high up we shall see very little of crooked breasts if the parent birds are not defective in this respect. At ten weeks old the cockerels and pullets should be separated from one another, as by this means a good deal of trouble will be avoided, and the cockerels will not fight, especially if an old cock be left in charge of them. If a cockerel be taken away for three or four days for an exhibition or other purpose he should always be returned to his comrades at night, or a free fight will very likely be the result; but if the bird on awaking finds him- self on his old perching place ho will forget all about his absence, and will in all probability in the morning run out with the others as usual. This is very important, as with fifteen or twenty cockerels it would be quite impossible to find separate runs for them all. I have before mentioned how necessary it is to train birds to a pen before sending them to a show, and this is especially the case with hens and pullets. If two hens are caught and placed in a small pen together they will be nearly sure to disagree, and one will peck the other almost to pieces, even though they have been bosom friends before. A good plan will be to first let them run in a small yard together where there are no other birds, and afterwards to put them in a smaller place, and thus to accustom them to one another by degrees. If after this one bird stUl re- mains obdurate, and insists on pecking the other, the only way will be to tie the offender by one leg to the side of the pen ; but even this will sometimes not effect a cure, aud the only way then to proceed will be to make up another pair. The plan of show- ing two hens in a pen together is now generally given up, though in my opinion it is a far better criterion of who has the best yard of fowls, and I think the yard which exhibits the largest number of noticed birds ia more deserving of credit than that which exhibits one, even though this be the first-prize bird. The Cop Bbistol Hen.— The opinion that 1 expressed to Mr. Burnell and others, that Mr. Bartrum's cup hen was the same that I was first with at the Palace in 1873, was not intended to be conclusive, and I regret that Mr. Burnell, without referring to Mr. Bartrum first, stated as a fact what was merely a con- jecture on my part, owing to the great similarity between the two birds. Having heard from Mr. Bartrum that he was not the purchaser of my hen I can only acknowledge my mistake. My hen was six aud a half years old when exhibited at the Palace. I bad bred from her that season, aud when shown she was in good health and perfect condition. As I had her myself I can make no mistake about her age. — R. W. Beacuey. Fancy Poultry in Jersey. — The seventh annual report of the Jersey Poultry Society has just been published, by which it appears they have a good balance iu band. The Committee 150 JOURMAL OF HOKTICULTUEE AKD COTTAGE GABDENER. [ Febraai7 18, 1875. speak strougly in favour of the single-bird system, which they have adopted with snceess for the last two years. The Society has a bright prospect before it, and we have noticed with plea- sure the snceess of several of its members at the recent Dor- chester aad Portsmouth Shows. With such prominent fanciers in their ranks we feel sure that the quality of the birds exhibited at their next Show will not retrograde. KENDAL AND NORTH-WESTERN COUNTIES SHOW OF POULTRT, &c. [From our Correspondent.) The twentieth annual Exhibition of the above Show was held at Kendal, Westmorland, on the 11th, 12th, and 13th inst. The Show is very influentially supported, and from the number and value of the plate and money prizes which the Committee is enabled to oiiVr, it ranks as one of the first in importance in the northern counties of Lancashire, Cumberland, and Westmor- land. The Show was held in the large Albert Buildings, Kendal ; ant there were exhibits from all the first exhibitors in the United Kingdom, and no less tlian three hundred entries over last year's show. The Exhibition may be briefly summarised as containing 777 pens of poulti-y and Pigeons, 2.5 Cats, 345 Dogs — a goodly family to exist together under one roof for three days. The choice feature in the poultry exhibits at Kendal is in- variably the Ga7tie pens, and the various classes were largely represented by the best show birds in the kingdom. Game Bantams were also a" large and splendid class ; whilst the numerous entries in the Selling classes must have taken up much of the time of the Judges, as is attested by the many commendations made therein. Geese and Turkeys were very sparsely represented. Ducks were in fair numbers, and some very large and fine birds were shown, Mr. James Walker of Rochdale taking the lion's share of the prizes. Dorkings, Brahmas, Coc'inis, and Hamhurghs were each full classes, and of very choice quality, whilst Spanish was a class of eleven entries. In Pineons the largest entries were those of Carriers, Owls, Barbs, Fantails, Torbits, Jacobins, and varieties. There were some very beautiful and choice birds exhibited. The special prize lists for local exhibitors were well repre- sented; but we think that, seeing the number of first-class exhibitors resident in Kendal and neighbourhood, this feature in the Show might be well abolished, for looking to the list of awards the local exhibitors appear to be well able to hold their own against all comers, even though at the Show this year there were Crystal Palace and other principal show winners present. Cats were a choice though not large exhibition, though in what may be styled the Variety class there were twenty entries; but the other two classes Duly drew three entries each. (Froin our Reporter.) This Show, which attained this year its twentieth birthday, has long been recognised as one of the best of the northern shows. This year it followed the fashion and entered on the single-bird stage of existence, and the entries consequently were in most of the classes numerous and good. The Exhibition was held in the Albert Buildings, and the Judges were Mr. R. Teebay and Mr. Douglas. The Show opened on Thursday morning and ended on Saturday evenine, which consequently necessitated the " Sunday business." We are really getting weary of openly condemning this system. The injury to birds, discomfort to exhibitors and their servants, and immense cost of food, gas, attendants, A-c, must, we think, strike all clearly. The only way to check it is simoly for exhibitors not to patronise those shows which include a Sunday ; and really in these days all may pick and choose quite fastidiously, the number of exhibitions being so great. The Show seemed for the most part well and carefully judged, Mr. Teebay's classes especially giving much satisfaction. Geese, Turkeys, and Waterfowl .o-pe-Dei the catalogue. This always seems to us out of place. Mr. Walker was "all there" in the said classes, and won the cup with his Aylesburys, a truly fine pen. The winning Rouens were grand and well placed. In the ■Variety Duck class Mr. Burns had liis Black East Indians in second, and that in a very army of Carolinas and Mandarins ! His drake is rather large, but its colour is superb — as good as any we ever saw. He told us at Bristol we should not be dis- appointed when we ?aw it, and we were not. Dorkings made four good clashes, and, for a wonder. Coloured did not win the cup. Silver-Greys mustered well, and were very good. .54 fWiUiams), anice'White cock. G2 (Crabtree), a splendid Coloured hen. Wonderful to say, Brahmas were only divided as regards sexes, and not in colours. This we were surprised at, for the Lights do muster so well everywhere. The cup went to a jrrand cock of Mr. Raines, though the first-prize hen must have closely pressed on him fcr this honour. 90 (Fox), disqualified for trimmed hocks. 100 (Newnham & Manby), a glorious Dark hen. 102 (Walker), a well-marked pullet. Cochins mustered well. The first Buff cock is an old friend, having won such an honour many times before. Second a good-coloured bird. Bufi' hens were a fiue lot. We liked pen 123 (Leno), the Fakenham cup lieu we believe, as well as the third. In Variety cocks a good Partridge won ; second a fair White ; and in hens the colours reversed the places. 142 (Woodgate) a good-coloured ben. 148 (Whitworth), ditto. There were also one or two good Blacks in this class. Game came to the front nobly. We have so of tea commented on the winners, or most of them, that we need do so no more. 240i, the cup hen of Matthews's, was not in the catalogue. This must have been a misitake, but we noticed the same at Nantwich, where Mr. Darby's Buff Cochins, which wou second, could not be found in the catalogue. We hope secre- taries will be as careful as possible to avoid these mistakes, as, although we know how they do occur by accident, some of the wicked world will try to make something out of it. These classes seemed very carefully and ably judged, and we congra- tulate the winners on winning in such classes, where it was no ea^y matter to do so. Spanish made up a dozen pens. The first and second-prize hens were old friends, and looked as bloom- ing as ever. 2G2 (Whitworth) a nice pen. Friend "Elijah" seems to have a finger in every pie ; we do not doubt he will get many a plum out of this his new venture. Hamhurghs were a good lot; the winners' na.mes teU us that — just the cream out of all the best yards in the north; but no class for Blacks. We were fairly amazed. We imagined this part of the world was their stronghold. Rectify this immediately, Messrs. Home and Atkinson ! The cup went to splendid Gold-spangles. We fancied we saw in pen 295 (Duckworth) the HLtchen Golden- pencilled cockerel. If we are right, it is a feather in the cap of Mr. Cresswell to have sold a bird worthy of being purchased by a north-countryman, and to be in the list in such company. After this came large Sale classes for the large breeds, which were well filled with more than ordinarily good sale-class birds. Game iJtntfflms were large classes and well filled; so were the Black Bantams and the Variety classes. In the latt«r Laced were first and second, and Pekins third. Now for just a word of grumbling. We think the catalogues were exorbitantly dear— Is. each 1 Very bad paper, poorly printed, and no prize list printed in the columns ! As one ex- hibitor observed, it was " the dearest bob's worth he had ever had." We ottrselves have seen {e.g., Market Rasen) equally good catalogues for 2d. each, though not, of course, so large. We furnish full awards below. D lEKiNGS {Coloured, excspt Silver-Grev) — Cocfc.— 1, D. UflUatlv.Meiffle. 2,M. Tlamea, Brida:e Hauph, StirliDR. 8. C. Widiias. Hen.— 1, Mrs. t. W, I,. Hind, Kendal. 2, Ij. Gellatly. S, G. Fox. HareSeld, WilmBlow. (ic, J. Walker ; W. H. (Jrabtree, Leyenshulme : I). Gellatly. DoKKi.sGS (Silver-Grey or any other variety). — Cocfc.— Cap, J. TValker. 2, J, Cunningham. Sandbrook, Daliteattie. S. Hon. Mre. Howard, Levens. Miln- tliorpe. he, E. Wiliiams, Henlivs Ben-iew, Montgomery ; i.). Gibaon. Barrhead, iff!!.— 1. D. Gibson. 2, M. Raines. S, Hon. Mrs. Howard, te, W. W. EutUidge, Storth End, Milnthorpe. c. J. Cunnint^am. Brahma Pootras. — Code. — Cup, M. Raines. 2, H. Laev, Hebden Bridge. 3, Ladv A. B. Pierse. Bedale. vhr, W. H. Crabtree. he, M. Kaines: W. ^cholefield, Birkenshaw; H. J. Bethell. Sedgwick, ililnthorpe. Een.—\ and 2, W. H. Crabtree. S, C. .J, Myers, Dunninpwell. Broughton-m-Furness. he, A. Ainelie, Camforth; Newnham & Manby; J. Walker. CocHiy-CHi.vis {Buff).— Cdcfc.— Cup. J. Walker. 2. G. H. Proctor. Durham. S, J. F. Clarkeon, jun , Femeyhftlj?h. Preston, he, W. Mitchell, Birkenshaw, Leeila: H H. .lones. LarkhUl, Liverpool. Hot.— 1,G. H. Proctor. 2,J. Walker. 3, K. Hine, Bedlmgtou. ftc, C. J. Myers: M. Lejio. Cocni.v-Cnr.vAS (Any other Tariet3:).-Cocfc.—l,T. Stretch. Ormakirk. 2. G. H. Proctor. 8, .1. AValker. he, W. Whitworth, jun., Lonesijbt ; V**. H. Crabtree; H. Lacy. Ben.—\, G. H. Proctor. 2, T. Stretch. 8. R. Hartley. Borwick Bails, MiUom'. he, R. S. S. Woodgate, Pembury ; J. J. Waller, Kendal; R. Aspden, Acorinffton; S. Lawson, Preston. Game ( Black-breasteu and other Reds).— (Toct.— Cap and 2,0. W. Brierley, Middleton. S, J Anderson, Blairgowrie. /^c,T.MaBon.lJanca9ter; S.Matthew, Stowmarkct. 77r».— Cup. S. Matthew. 2. C. W. Brierley. 8, J. F. Walton. he, T. Mason ; G. C. Bnrnett ; G. Sutton, e, R. Gamctt. Game (Black-breasted and other Reds). — C'oc>£tJr.—Bo7(en —1, H. Cardell. 9. W- H Copnlestone. 3, J. H. Hoit. c. W. Ster,hens : Hon. Mrs. Tremayne : J. H. Hoit. Aylesbury.— 1 and 2, S. R. Harris. 3, W. «. Orart. he, W. J. Reynolds Geese.-I, Mrs. J. Partridge. 2, T. Yelland )i^ B Nicholln. c.G.G. Pedlar. Turkeys.- 1, R. A. Roberts. 2, C. G Pedlar. Jic, F. 0. Ford ; H. lludge. PIGEONS. Carriers.- 1, he, and e, E. Button. 2, F. Hayraan. vhe, H. Yardley. Pouters.— 1, J Broad. 2. H. Yardley Bamih.— 1. J. D. Hole. 2 and c, E. Burton, /ic. H. Yardley. Dragoo'JS.-I and2, R. Woods. lic.E. Burton; G. Packham ; J. Baen. C,H. Y'ardifV : .T. A. Paynter. Fantails.— 1 and C.J. F. Loversidge. 2, H. Yardley lie, G. H. Gregory. Antwerps.— 1. G. Colson. 2, H. Yardley. /ic, F. G. Voysey ; J. Baen. , F. S. Hockaday; M. Bawden. 152 JOURNAL OF HOBTIOOLTUBE AND COTTAGE QARDENEB. [ February 18, 1875. Tumblers.— 1,.T. B'oad. 2, G. Holloway, jun. u/(C, H. Yardley. Any othke Variht?.— 1, J. Broad (Trampetcre), 2, G. Holloway (Owls), he, G. H. Gregory ; J. H. Nicholla. c, H. Yardley ; J. C. Baker li). Selling Class.— 1, E. Tremaiiie (.^rchanyels). 2, J. D. Mole (S-lver Owls). [The report was accidentally delayed. — Eds.] OWL PIGEONS. Most emphatically, but with the good nature of a brother fancier, I protest against the remarks upon Eaglish Ocpls of "Bubo " ia your ever-welcome paper. Keeping, as I do, both English and foreign, I cannot be said to be prejudiced in favour of either ; but while admittinf; the beauty of the tiny foreigner, there is to my mind no variety more handsome than a first-class really pnre English Owl. I am aware some breeders have crossed the two varieties, but I thiuk there is now an end of that mistake. There are of course two standards for Owls, as much so as for the grand Pouter and the graceful pigmy, or the aristocratic Game and its tiny image. Is not your correspondent b^liind the times instead of pro- gressing when he advocates only one class for Owls in place of two ? For my part I am looking forward with great hope to the time when we shall have a class for each sex, and perhaps for each colour. Just one hint to Mr. B. Improve one or all the varieties as much as you can ; but don't throw cold water on anyone's hobby, and especially on that of — T. G. S,, St. John's Wood. CRYSTAL PALACE BIRD SHOW. The twelfth annual Exhibition of Cage Birds was opened to the public at midday on the 13th iiist. In the eic;hty-one classes for competition there were no less than 1494 entries. A some- what new feature in connection with the Show was the class for ahow cagep, in which thirty ca£^es were entered. Several cleverly eonstrupted caties were sent for competition, but they were far too complicated in character to meet the views of the Judges so far as being thoroughly adapted for show cages. Several were too gaudy and ill adapted for packing, and others were so con- Btructed that, had they been adopted, they would have entailed too much trouble to secretaries and those immediately connected in packing and unpacking, and otherwise successfully carrying out bird shows. The first prize, a silver medal, was awarded to Mr. T. Alwin of Deptford for a cleverly made cage of moderate size, fit for a show-room either daring daylight or gaslight, and of a suitable shape for packiug. The second prize of 10s. was given to a light-made simply-couatructed cage entered by Mr. W. Evans, Manchester; aud the third prize to a cage entered by the Rev. V. Ward, Hythe, Kont. The principle upon which the latter cage was constructed was tolerably good, but it was somewhat insignificant in size, and had a sligiit fault of being rather too deep from front to back. An extra prize of i'l was won by Messrs. Q. & J. Macklev, Norwich, for birds gaining the greatest number of points in classes 1 to G. A silver cup was offered for competition in the Mule classes 30 to 33, which was awarded to Mr. J. Doel of Plymouth. Mr. F. W. Wilson of the Natural History department and his staff are deserving of praise for their exertions. It must be very gratifying to Mr. Wilson to find the entries have increased three hundred over the preceding Cage Bird Show. We shall continue our report next week. The following are the awards : — NoRwicn (Clear Yellow).— 1, R Whitaker, Darley Abbey. 2, G. A J. Maokley. Norwich. Ex'ra 2, J. Calvert, Bootham 3, J. Atheraucli & Son. Coventry. Extras, P. Flexney. fhc, S. Tomea ; G. .^ J. Macklev ; J. Atherauch & Son (3) he, J. Doel ; S. Tomea {1) ; T. Smith ; Moore &. Wvnne ; P- Flexuey (2) ; W. O. Hayea; T. Fenn (2). c, G. H. GouHer; R. J. Poije ; G. & J. Mackley (2); P. Flexney ; J. Price ; A (-'olman ; J. Drake. Norwich (<"^lear Buff).— 1, J. Atherauch & Son. 2, G. & J. Macklev. 3. J. Caplio, Canterbary. Extra 3,— Radmore, Plymouth; J. T. Galey, CUpham. vhc. Rev. G. Herbert, Alceeter : J. Clarke; Moore &, Wynne (2); J. Athersuch and Son; A. Coleman; W. Walter, WinehoBter (2); G Y. Collinaon. he, J. Doel (2): S. Tomes; T. Smith (2); G. A J. Mackley ; P. Flexnev; J. Athersuch and Son; W. Evans; G. Y. Collinson. c, G H. GouUer ; j. Price; G. Y. CoUinson. Norwich (Marked or Viiriegated Yellow).—! and t'/ic. J. Adams. 2, Orme and Ashley, Derby. 3. G. & J. Mackley. Extra », J, Athersuch & Son. he, G. and J. Mackley ; W. Eitthards ; W. ife C. Burnistou. Norwich (Marked or Variepated Buff I —1, G. & J. Macklny. 2, Orme and Ashley. Fqual 2. J. Athersuch & Son, 3, J. Caplin. Ecjual 3. S. Toraea. vhc, Moore &, Wynne; G. &. J Mackley: A. Colman (2); Orme & Ashley, he, R. Whitaker (2); J. Adams; W. Richards; W. Walter, c, J. T. Galey; G. andj. Mackley. Norwich (Ticked or TTnevenly-mai-ked Yellow).—!, J. Dennia, Croydon. 2, Rev. G. Herbert. 3, P. Flexney. Fxtra 3, G. &. J. Mackley. vhc, P. Flexney; T. Newmarch. /ic, J Adams; A. Colman. c.J.T. Galey: A. Colman. Norwich (Ticked cr Unevenly-marked Buffi.- 1, J. Price, Pimlico. 2, J. Adams. 3, G. Y. Collinaon, Norwich, vhc, J. Doel; J. Clark; W. Walter, he, C. Arscott; G. &.J. Mackley; J Drake; G. Y. Cnllinson. c. W. B Hovell. NoBWiCH (Clear and Ticked, hi^h colour).—!, 2, and Extra 2, J. Adams. 3, W. Walter- Extra ?, .1. Atherauch & Son. vhC, J. Doel : J. Adamfl {5i : R. J, Pope ; J. Athersuch & hon (3); Orme & Ashley, he, W. Havers; J. Adams (2); J. Atherench & Son (2); G. Y. CoUinson. c, S. Tomes; J. Caplin; W. Havers; Moore & Wynne; G. & J Mackley (3); Atherauch & Son (3); G, Y. Collinson (3). Norwich (Marked or Variepated, hi^h colour).- 1, G. & J. Mackley. 2 and vhc, 3. Adams. 3 J. Athersuch & Son. Norwich (Evenly-marked Created Yellow).— I. — Radmore. 2,F. Woadward, Derby. 3, J. Tarr, ThornhiH Place, London, vhc, G &J. Mackley. Norwich 'Eveniy-marked Crested Buff).— 1, F. Woodward. 2, W. B. Hovell, Norwich. Extra 2. G. &. J. Mackley. 3. J. & W. Waller, Finsbury. Extra 8, Moore & Wynne, vhc, G. &. J. Mackley (3) ; Martin & Griffin, he, R. B. New- som ; G. Cox. c. Mrs. H. T. Lewis : J. & W. Waller ; G. Wones ; Moore and Wynne; G. & J. Mackley (2) ; A. Colman (2); G. Cox. Norwich (Ticked or Unevcnly-marktid Created Yellow) —1, G. & J. Mackley. 2, Rev H Caiger. Pimlico. 8, R. J. Pope, Brighton, vhc, F. Woodward; J. Ad ima ; W. B. Uovell. he, G. Cox. Xobwich (Ticked or Unevenly-marked Crested Buff).—!, G. & J. Mackley. 2, G. Y. Collinaon. Extra 2, R. Hawman, Middlesborough. 3, A. Colman, Extra 3, F. Woodward, vhc. G. & J. Mackley (2K G. Y. Collinaon; G. H. Goulter. he, J Caplin; Rev. H. Caiger; J. Tarr; A. Colman; W. Corden; J. Goode ; G. Y. Collinson. c, J. Tarr. Norwich (Clear. Grey, or Dark Crest, irrespective of colour) — !, G. it J. Macklev. 2, -T. Clark. Derby. Extra 2, Marlin & Griffin. Northampton. 3. W. B. Hovell. vhc. W. Havers; Moore & Wynne; G. & J. Mackley (3); W. B. Hovell. he, F. Woodward; S. Tomes; J. Ttirr ; Mrs. F. Nicholson; G. & J. Mackley; A. Colman (2). c, S. Tomes; S. Moffatt; Brown dc Gayton (•£); J. Tarr ; Mrn. F. Nicholson ; G. & J. Mackley (2) ; G. Cox ; Martin & Gnffin ; W. Corden ; J. Goode. Belgian Clear and Ticked Yellow)—!, S. Tomliii. Wainfleet. 2 and 3. J. Doel, Stonehouae. Extra 3, T. M. Reid, Halifax, vhc, Rev. H. F. Hamilton ; J. Kutter (3). c, T. M. Reid ; J. Butter. Belgian (Clear and Ticked Buff).— 1, 8, and Extra 3, J. Doel. 2, Rev. H. F. Hamilton. St. Nicholas Vicarage, Chard vhc. Rev. H. F. Hamilton; T. M. Reid ; J. Rutter. he, V. Sandford ; J. Hutter (2). c, H. Davies ; V. Sandforl. Bblqian (Variegated, irrespective of colour).— 1, 2, 3, and vhc, J Rutter. LosDON Fancy (Jouqae).— l. J, A W. Waller. 2, W. Brodrick, Chadleigb. 3, J. Price, vhc, T. Mann ; J. & W. Waller, he, J. Price ; J. McMillin. London Fancy (Mealy).— l and 2, J. &W. Waller, 3, T.Mann, Langton Road, London. S.E. vhc, J. Price (2). he, C. WiUmolt. Lizard (tiolden spangled).—! and Equal 2, T. W. W. Fairbrass. Canterbury. 2, Clemmson & Ederton, Darlington, a, S. Banting, vhc, T. W. W. Fairbrass ; S Bunting; G. Tiinkwood. /ic, i^. B. NewBum; Clemineon & EUerton. c, Mrs. J. Chinery; Rev. V. Ward. Lizard (silver-apangled).- !, T. M. Reid 2, 3, and vhc, T. W..W. Fairbrass. c, K. B. Newaom ; G. Tuckwood ; B, Harrison. LrzA-DS WITH Brokkn Caps (Gold-apangled).- !, 2, Extra 3, vhc, and he, T. W. W. Fairbrass. Extra 2, S. Bunting. S, Cleminaon & Ellerton, c, C. Hibbs ; G. Tuckwood. Liz»RD9 WITH Broken Caps (Silver-apangled)- 1, 3, and vhc. T. W. W. Fairbrass. 2, G & J. Mackley. /w, C. Hibba; G. Tuckwood; Rev. V. Ward. Y'liR'riSHiRE (Clear. Marked, or Variegited, irreapective of cdour).— 1, 2. and Extra 3, L Belk. 3, S. Tomlin. vkc, G. & J. Mackley ; J. Wilkinson, he and c, R. B. Newaom. Cinnamon (Jonque, high colour).- 1, 2, and 3, J.Adams, vhc, C. Torond ; J. R NavJar (2). he, J. & W. Waller (6). c, J AW Waller (2); W. Cordea. Cinnamon (Buff, high colour). — 1 and 2, J. Adams. 3, G. ^icJ- Mackley. Extra 3, C. Torond. vhc, C. Torond ; J. & W. Waller {i). he and c. J. & W. Waller. CiNN.4M0N (Jonqae).—!. J. Caplin. 2, R. Poole. S.J.Bexsou. vhc, S. Tomea; Moore & Wynne; Cleminaon & Ellerton ; J. i W.Waller (2); J. Bexaon. kc, J. R. Naylar. c, Moore & Wynne ; G. & .1. M'lckley ; A. Dixon. Cinnamon (Buff)—!, J. Adams, 2, Moore & Wvnne. 3, J. Bexaon. vhc Moire & Wynne; J. Adams; G. & J. Mackley. he J. R. Navlar ; J. »S: W. Waller; J. Bexson. c. W. W. Johnson; N. Walker (;); J. & W. Waller (3) R. J. Popp ; Martin & Griffin. Cinnamon (Marked or Variegated, irrespective of colour).— 1. L. Belk. 2, J. WiL inaon. 3, S. Tomee. vhc. G. & J. Mackley. he, W. & O. Burniston. Ant OTHER Variety of Canary.—!. G. & J. Mackley (Yellow Lancashire Coppy). 2, T. Curtis (Lancashire Coppy), 3, S. Tomes (Marked), vhc, W. Selkirk (Scottish Don) (2); G. & J. Macblov (Yellow Lancashire Piainheadi ; J. Stevens (Lancashire Coppy). he, Miaaea E. & J. Baxter (Scotch Fancy). Goldfinch Mule (Evenly-marked Yellow).— !, 2, and /if, J. Diel. 3, R. Haw- man. I'/ic, "-lajor C. H. Fisher ; G. 4 J. Mackley ; J.Wilkinson. Goldfinch Mule (Evenly-marked Buff) — 1, -.', and Extra 3, J. Doel. Extra 2, S Bunting. 3, J. Stevens, vhc, R. J^oole. he, R. Poole; Hampton and Chamberlain, c, G. Butts. Goldfinch Mdle (Any other claaa of Yellow).—! and 2, J. Doel. 3, J. Caplin Extra 3. S. Tomlin (2). vhc, J. Goode he, J. Doel ; J. Bexson. Goldfinch Mule (Any other class of Buff).— 1. 3, and Extra 8, J. Doel. 2, Misses E. tt J. Baxter. Equal 2, A. Boatwright. vhc. Major U. H, Fisher ; G. and J. Mackley he, J. Mount. Gi'LDFiNCH Mule (Dark Jouquel.— !. R. Havrman. 2, Moore & Wynne. Extra ■3. G & J. Mackley. 8. Hampton &, ChainberUin. vhc, W. Selkirk; J. Ather- auch & Son ; .1. Goode ; J. Bexson ; Moore .U Wynne, he, J. Bexson ; R. Haw- man. c, M FljTin ; W. & C. Burniston. Goldfinch Mule (Dark Mealy).— 1, G. Cos. 2, S. Buntinff, 3, Moore and Wynne, vkc, G. F. Hedley ; G. Cox. /tc, Brown & Gayton ; J. Reeks, c, T. MuMoon; J Reeks. Linnet Mule,—! and 2, J. Spence. 3, J. Stevens, vhc, H. Thompson, jun. ; G. Cox- he, G. A J. Mackley ; F. Stintou ; S. Cook, c, S. Newing. Any othwr Variety of Canary Mule.— 1, R. Hawman. 2, T. Alwin. S, Mioses E. & J. Baxter, vhc, P. E. Pearee. he, G. & J. Mackley; E. Gilbert. Six Norwich Canaries in One Cage (Irreapective of colour) —1. Mrs. M. Ju'id. 2, 3. and Extra 3, G. A J. Mackley. vhc, W. Walter; J. Bexson. Six Lizards in One Caoe (Irrespective of colour).— 1, T. W. W. Fairbrass. 2, S. Bunting, 3. Cleminaon & Ellerton. Six Goldfinch Moles in One Cage. — 1, J. Doel. Finch Mules (Any other variety).— 1, J. Brown, jun. 2, J. Doel. 3. E. Sandell. Extra 3, J. Reeks, vhc, J. Calvert: Misaes E. & J. Baxter, he, E. SandeU. c, Mrs. M. Priseman (2); J Goode ; E. Sandell (2). Bullfinch.— 1, Major Edwarda. 2, J. Drake. 'tc,J. Goode; T. Newmarch. c, G. Cox; E.Gilbert; Cleminson & Ellerton ; Fellingham & Wingfield. Goldfinch.— !, J Doel. 2, R. Hawman. hc,R. J. Troake; T. Willsher; J. Drake; G.T.Harrison; S. Bunting. c,G. Cox; T. W. W. Fairbrass; E. H. Sweeting (2); J. Irons. Chaffinch.—!, T. Alwin, Deptford. 2, Fellingham & Wingfield. /ic.Miss N. Mohr. c, W. R. Alwin ; Misaes E. & J. Baxter. Linnet.—!, R. H. Cannon. 2. Clemmson & Ellerton. hc. Misses E. & J, Baxter, c, S. Bunting; J. Stephens; Mrs. Furneaux. Redpolf. or SiMKis.— 1, T. Newmarch. 2, G. & J. Mackley. he, Fellingham and Wingtield. e, W. & C. Burniston. Skylark— 1, Mrs M. Judd. 2, N. Walker. r?ic, T. Willsher; W. Walter; T. Newmarch. e, J. Drake ; J. S. Benton ; Fellingham & Wingfield. I^,,Ris.— I, G. Cox. 2, Miss N. Mohr. he. Major Eilwards ; H B. Tilney. Blackbird.-!, H. J. Troake. 2, G. & J. Mackley. he, W. R. Alwin, c, J. Batterahill. SoNO Thrush.-!, T. Newbold. 2, A. W. Sweeting, hc, R. J. Troake; A. Colman ; Madame Gallo ; C. J. Watson, c. F, Glazier. Starlino.— ! and 2. Miss E. Hawkins, he, G. Cox. JaCKDAW.-l, Dr. E. Waller, 2. E. Todd. British Birds (Any other variety).— !, W. H. AUcorn. Equal 1, Miss N. Mohr (2i; J. Young 2, T. Willsher. he. Rev G. Herbert. Blackcap.— 1 aud 2. C. V,iretti. hc, O. A. Watta. c. Mias N. Mohr. NiGHTisoALE.-l, O. A. Watts. 2,— LLUev. he and c. H B. Tilney. Anyother Variety.-!, H.B. Tilney (Yellow Wagtail). 3, N.Walker (Titlark). Equal 2, 0. A. Watta (Leaser Whitethroat). FOREIGN BIRDS. W'lDAH Birds.— Prize, E. H. Sweeting. Cardinal (Redheaded) —Prize, Mrs. A. Sambrook. vhc, J. Drake; E. Hawkins, he, T. Uiiniela. NiGHTiNOALE (Virguuan). -Prize, W. Walter. I'/ic, G. Billet, /ic, E.Hftwkina. c, T. Newmarch. Waxbills (Any variety).— Prize and vhc, T, Newmarch. hc, E. Hawkins. c, Mrs. M. Judd. February 18, 1875. ] JOUBNA.L OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 153 SPiBEOws (Java).— Prize, W. Walter, he, E. H. Sweeting (2). c, Mrs. Faraeaax. SPARRUW3 (Diamond).— Prize. Mrs. A. Sambrook. Doves ( Barbary or Ring).— Prize, T. Newmarch. he, W. Travis ; W, C. Clark ; J./[jeiltchford ; — IvLQtfstoD. c, W. Travis. L.UVE Birds.— Prize, Mrs. M. Jiidd he, T. Nowmarcb. pA8AKEETd(.4,astrftlian (ira«3) -Prize, Mrs. H.Beatiie. he.'V. Ncwraarch ; J. Drake, c, £, Hawkins ; T. Nuwmarcb. CoCKATEALS.— Prize, airs. \V. C. Druinmood. he, W. Walter, c, .1. Groom. Small Parrots or Parakeets (.\Dy other variety),— Prize, Mrs, W. Mostyn. vhc, Mrs. W. C- Drumraoml. he, J. Yallop. Pabakeets (Australian or Broadtail) —Prize, T. Newmarch. PARAKEETSlRiiii^-ueeke'lurlQ.iian).— Prize, J. Drake, v/ic, 0. Torond. /ic.H. Cross; F. Saunders, c, W. T. Titcomb; W. Walter; S. Cook. Kino Pahrots.— y/ic, S. Buiiting. lie, J. Drake, c, Mrs. W. C. Drummond. Pabrots (tireen or any other variety of large, except (irey) —1, b. J. Wiide. 2, Mrs. Scott, Pahrots (Grey).- 1, Mrs. Segrave. 2, Mrs. W. Huskinson. he, F. U. Cudd. C, Hon. and Rev. F. Dutton. Cockatoo (Adv other variety).— Prize, T. Newmarcb. he, A. Vicars. CocHAToo (Leadbeater or Kose-bri;tiBted).— 1, W. Walter. 2 and he, J. Battershiil. Cockatoo (Lemon or Orange-crested) —1, M. George. 2, Mrs. W. H. Wyeth. Foreign Birds (Any other variety).— I aud Extra 1, E. Hawkins. 2, J. Drake. Extra 2, Mrs. E. Cross; C. W. Gedney; E. Hawkins, he, Mrs. M. Judd; J. Drake; W.Walter; Madame Gallo; Miss W. Pope ; E.Hawkins, c, J. Drake; W. Walter (2); Madame Gailo; J. Groom ; T. Newmarcb (3). Extra Prize to the winner of the most puints in the lirst six. classes.— G. & J. Mackley. Silver Cup for the greatest number of points in elaasea 30, 31, 32, and S3.— J. Doel. Judges. — Canaries : Mr. G, J. Barnesby, Mr. A. Willmore, Mr. R. L. "Wallace. British and Foreign Birds: Mr. Harrison Weir, Mr. J. Jeuner Weir, assisted by Mr. F. W. Wilson, PURE WATER. ' Water that ie freah and pure (jives to life what will eusare Health, growth, productiveness I The importance of a plentiful supply of purs water for live stock cannot be over-eetimated. To quench thirst is not the ultimate end or only purpose of water. The desire that is created for drink is occasioned by a feeling termed thirst, simi- lar to a desire for food through a sensation of hunger. These are but the demands of the inner being, the act of satisfying such but a physical exertion, while the article drank enters into the compo-sition of blood, bone, and flesh, maintains a greater per-centage than other component parts, and is one of the essentials of life. In a pure state, water (as it is indispensable) sustains existence ; while, if impure, it, like a poison, affects the entire system, occasioning many diseases that are attributed to other causes through the attachment of so little importance to the vital necessity of using the pure aqueous fluid. Pure water may be considered juat as essential to life and growth as is pure air, and upon the advantages of a free circula- tion of air medical authorities have written volumes, attributing so much to it as to believe its condition sufficient to make a person sick, cause death, alter body and mind ; while with water the influence must be decidedly greater. The tendency of water to absorb noxious effluvia is one great reason why it becomes unfit for drinking purposes after standing close to such impurities ; and there is no greater source of un- healthfulness than where there is allowed to accumulate decayed vegetable matter or animal excrement, particularly with that of the feathered creation. All gaseous contagious matter are substances in a state of decomposition, and water in the presence of such gases being an absorbent, soon becomes turbid, or, so to speak, putrefies by the process of decomposition, which is completed in the water. It so remains unchanged, unless subject to the filtering process it undergoes in the earth, when vegetation, having a stronger affinity for such gases, extracts them from the water, and it again becomes pure and fit for drinking purposes. Furthermore, the vitality and productive qualities of live stock are increased or diminished through the effects (resulting from the nature) of the article which becomes the means of their pro- ductiveness ; in an egg, for example, the white contains iJS, the yolk 79 per cent, of water, and it reasonably follows that the quality of the egg is dependant upon the nature of its largest constituent part. Small bodies of water when left exposed to the sun's rays lose their freshness and satisfying qualities ; and with fowls there is either too much drank, causing intestinal diseases, or too little to enable a sufficient moistening of their food to ensure a proper digestion, either of which retards the functions of the organs, and interferes with the health and profit of the stock. Vessels used in watering stock should receive a proper cleansing before being used a second time ; if not, any impurities that may remain in the previous surplus supply, or that may adhere to the sides of the vessel, will taint the fresh water, and in time cause a smell that will be objectionable. Rain water should not be permitted to accumulate so as to be accessible for drinking purposes for stock, as it contains the impurities of the atmosphere, which being very acceptable and beneficial to plant life, are just the contrary to animal existence. I It is the belief of the writer that many of the diseases incident to poultry are due to neglect in providing them with pure water; particularly do I believe such to be the case in the majority of instances where chicken cholera prevails. One writer has attempted to account for the contagious nature of this and other fatal distempers by saying that unhealthy fowls will impart to the water from which they drink their particular disorders, and that other fowls that may drink afterwards become similarly affected ; but this is not accounting for the first cause or origin of such fatalities, and hardly seems possible ; but the infection of such diseases could reasonably be imputed to the vitiated state of the water consumed. The omission to furnish fowls with suitable drinking water is one of the worst features of cruelty to animals. It is a neglect that is decidedly adverse to success, hence tends to diminish individual fancy for fowls, and works detriment to poultry interests. Those whom we occasionally hear say that *' there is no profit in poultry " are not qualified to have the management of the same, aud in their attentions may be classed with the thriftless and neglectful parties who keep fowls that get drink when it rains. Let every owner of live stock, among other attentions, see that such are supplied with a sufficient amouut of pure water, aud they will not have occasion to regret that the said stock are not as profitable and thrifty as they might be. — {dfucrican Fanciers^ Journal.) LIGURIAN BEES. For two or three years I have been under the impression that all thoughts as to the superiority of Ligurian bees over the common sort have been fast dying out. I have never believed they possess any superior powers or qualities, and therefore have been rather pleased to think that all earnest apiitrians would Eoou settle down with the conviction that the common English bees are in no sense inferior to any other sort yet discovered, and that the apiarians would commence to give them ample scope for the development of their breeding powers and industry, and store room enough for honey, instead of seeking novelties ; for if profit or honey be the aim of bee-keepers, they will find in the end t^at the pursuit of novelties is very uusatisfactory and costly. For many years I have been waiting and looking out for evidence of the superiority of Ligurian bees. I have seen almost all that has been published in this country in their favour, and much that has been written and spoken in America, but never have I seen anything that proves they are better in any sense than the common English bees. Almost all that has been written and published in their favour has come from breeders and importers of Ligurian bees. For many years we have had some opportunities of seeing Liguriana at work and examining their hives, and never once have they furnished ua with evidence of any superiority at all ; and so far as I have read the discussions on the relative merits of Ligurian and common bees in the annual conventions of American bee-keepers, the weight of disinterested evidence was certainly not in favour of Ligurians. Some years ago I cut a letter touching this ques- tion from the New York Tribune, and sent it to the late Mr. Woodbury. The writer had tried Ligurians for some years, and BO far as honey-gathering went the trial was a comparative failure. He said thev were good breeders but poor honey- gatherers. Last year I heard of a lady in the north of Scotland who gives prizes every autumn for the heaviest swarms, and that Ligurians had carried off the laurels for one or two seasons. From in- quiries I have made the report seems to be correct. We have also the fact before us, already recorded in the ■Journal uf Horfi- culture, that Mr. George Campbell had last year a gross weight of 373 lbs. from a stock hive of Ligurians and its swarms. Mr. Campbell is a very intelligent aud able apiarian, and the season in Aberdeenshire, where he lives, was very favourable for honey- gathering ; he has in two or three private letters to me ex- pressed his opinion that the Ligurians are better than the common sort of bees. He says that the Ligurians fill larger hives, and fancies that the breeding powers of the English bees can be improved by crossing or culture. Two swarms of com- mon bees in the same country went together last year, and gathered about -10 lbs. more than Mr. Campbell's first swarm, which was 120 lbs., the united swarm gathering about or above IGO lbs. In the heavy swarm there does not appear any de- ficiency of the breeding powers of the queen, and we well know that hives a little larger than Mr. Campbell's have been filled elsewhere by simple swarms of common bees. Still, he has the fact of 373 lbs. gross weight before us, and I can remember but one instance of common bees doing better than, or even as well as this. Is there no way of testing by a public trial or competition which sort of bees is the best? Is it not possil)le to have a Derby day in the apiarian world without a manifestation of temper and ill-feeling? I think it can be done. Surely no right-minded apiarian would object to a fair and honourable contest between English and Ligurian bees. Though my old 134 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ Februuy 18, 1875. Bervauta are prodigious favourites, I shall not bs hurt at all by knowing that other people have better servants, possessing greater powers of locomotion, of work, and of endurance. The person who shall give me satisfactory evidence of this will be looked ou as my friend and benefactor. It is not bald state- ments we waut, but the evidence of facts. The intelligence of England will do homage to such evidence. May I venture to ask the apiarians of Great Britain to help iu promoting a fair trial of strength this year, according to a pro- gramme which may be suggested by some one and fully con- sidered by the public? Many would be much pleased if the Bee-keeper's Association would take up this matter heartily. I was much pleased to read a letter from the Hon. and Rev. Mr. Bligh (I think he is the Chairman of that Association), suggest- ing the offering of large prizes for the greatest quantities or weight of honeycomb obtained from any kind of hives or system of management. I am of opinion that the acting Committee will command the general respect and confidence of bee-keepers if they move in that direction, and endeavour to reward and publicly notice the greatest, most exemplary, and encouraging successes in bee-keeping ; and thus the best kinds of hives and the best systems of management will come to the front, and be known throughout the land. Prizes, I think, should be offered for the heaviest hives and the heaviest swarms fliives filled by swarms), managed under any system ; as well as for the greatest produce of honeycomb from one stock. In some parts of Great Britain there is a great demand for run honey, and very little for honeycomb. The bee-keepers there, like Mr. Campbell, enlarge their hives by eking instead of supering. If a great prize could be raised and offered for the greatest results, not excluding a mother hive and its swarms, exhibited in their entirety, a great step would be taken to enlighten the country as to what bees really can do under favourable circumstances and good management. The expenses of carriage in this last case would be very great if the competitors lived at a distance, and therefore large prizes only would tempt them to compete. I be- lieve with the Hon. and Rev. Mr. Bligh, that a few graud prizes offered for the products of able and comprehensive management would be more attractive and create a greater interest in the exhibition than swarms of supers, which he terms " fancy goods," the prizes for which may be carried off by mere novices in bee-keeping. Acting on broad and open principles the Committee will be amply supported and encouraged. I have to say in coxclusion that I trust the suggastiona of this letter will bo read in the spirit in which they are written, and that in the event of an arrangement being made for testing the powers of Ligurian and English bees, I shall gladly lend a few Bwarms of the latter sort to any respectable bee-keepers who may undertake to cuter into the contest. I am too old now to engage actively in this kind of work. — A. Pettigbew. OUR LETTERBOX. Dorkings* Toes Swollen {R. Walker). — There are two camee, either of which may account for the disease in the f«et of your Djrkiai^s — fighting throagh wire nettinpr, or livin:: entirely or partly on a level or plain sarfa':e. If, howBTer, neither of these esiate with you, we ahouM advise constant bath- ing, and a cold water bandage applied a^ goon as the swelling is obaerTijd. We have known similar instances wliere the toe is very lai-ge. Fowls for Eug-laying (Bioxl.— Houdans or Dark Brahma^'. Begin with a cock and four hens, increasing the numbar if you lind your accommjdation sufBcient. Dorking Cock; Dying Suddenly (J. E. Jif.).— It diad of a blood-vessel ruptured on the bram. Brahma. Pdllbt Moping (C. R. 3/.).— We should think the pallet ia sufferinx from overf reeling. Three daily meals are ample. First, meal mixed with wafer ; next, kitchen scraps or malza ; evening, meal as^'ict- We aAvisa you, if she ia alive when this reaches you. to give a good d)«e, a fall |ta%Ie- gpoonful of castor oil. Feed Bparini,dy with warm gruel, and repeat the nil after twelve hours. She ie, we aboul-l think, BTiffsriug from fat, and she will mot be better till she has got rid of it. Tou rau«t not inxa::,'iae we art) wronLi if when you take up the bird you find the breastbone comparatively sharp, and the body dry and thin. It will only be an additional proof it in suffering from internal fat, which impedes the action of every organ, and will certainly canse death unless it is got rid of. Hbn-coop (P. C). — The door is formed by the four centre bars of the front, which slide-np as in most other coops. Th« tray at bottom does not slide ont, but the coop is placed over it. No doubt the tray could be made to slide- out at the ba(il£, bat it would soon get out of ord-^r, and would be liable to catch the chickeuH* legs when being drawn-out. It can be readilv cleaned from the front withi)at removing the hen. (E. J. P.). — The one Mr. Ling- wood employs is not mauufuctured by anyone for sale. Any carpenter could make one if ehown the drawing and the dimensions which we have published. {Sfvernl Corrfspon i^^ntt). —Vrice about 14«. each; but it would of course depend on the carpenter if he charged less for six. Any earpouter could make them from the drawing. — T. C. Biirnbll. Blood in Eoris (Filfv).—\Ve think yonr bird* are overfed, and are safferin-r from internal fat. We should reduco their allowance of food, especially any heating or artiiicial part of it, and bring them to a simple meal and crashed corn diet. Rabbit MANAGEsn^NT (Pro Bono Publico). — Sawdnst does no harm on the bottom of a Rabbit-hutch. Does kept in a healthy state and well supplied with yrceu foid. and with water two or three times per day, will uot eat their young. Feed your doe well, and do not let her have more than four or live young to rear. They will fattoa from the teat. Sill those you do not intend to rear at sis weeks old, and yon will say they are second only to a prime chicken. The buck is probably injured. If it were not hard as bone, it would be probably a cheesy tumour. It coold bo removed, bnt it would come ajcain. Tl e flrst point of a Flemish giant is size. TUey should have heavy dewips and lop-eara. They cannot be too heavj-. Bees Dying after Cold WEATnER (W. P.). — It is qnite imposaible, witi^ufc further knowledge of the circumstances of yonr hives, to do more than gaer*a at the reason of the death of so many bees out of two of your hives, or of the total Ii>68 of the other. Daring u prolonged frost there is sure to be a great accumulation of dead bees ia tho hives, and yet the mor- tality is probably not much grciter than takes place under other circum- stances, only in mild open weather bees carry out their dea4 continuously from day to day. Of course, when they cannot move out, the corpses drop down and lie in heaps b-^low till the weather ia mild enough to allow the bees to carry them away. We should hope from the fact that those dead were outside the hives, that these stocks will be found all right by-and-by. As for tiie third stock, they must have been in a poor way before the frost ; but what may have been the cauiiQ of their ruin we cannot te 11, unless it be that their queen had failed them in the early antumo. Wo should advi^ie you carefully to put by this stock in some dry and cool place out of reach of tho bees till you have an early swarm to put into it. METEOROLOGICAL 0B3ERVATI0NS, Camden Square, London. Lat. 5 P 33' 40" N. ; Long. 0^ 8' 0" W. j Altitude, 111 feet . Date. 9 A.U. In the Day. • » ^ 1 Hvcrome- §•=■ ^ Shade Tem- Kadlation a 1S75. ter. IS 3 = peratare. Temperature. & Feb. Dry. ■Wet. Max. Min. In sun. On grasa dee. deB. dog. deg. de(r. deK. In. We. 10 30.192 83.1 33.1 N.E. S6.0 34.2 29.3 35.8 30.7 — Th. 11 SO 181 32.7 32.6 W. S,',7 57.4 30.4 45.2 O.SGS Fri. 12 -29.»6S 42.1 42.0 S.W. 36.0 45.8 32.1 Sat. 13 30.05i 30.0 ■ma S. 38.0 44.6 S7.7 San.U SO 041) 48 2 45.9 S.S.W. 33.2 51.2 385 41.7 41.2 N. 418 50.7 37 0 — Tq. 16 30.496 56.2 SCO w.s.w. 40.0 47.2 Si.4 SI .8 S0.2 0.010 Oleans 80.156 as.n S6.4 S7.8 S4.2 67.9 32 7 0.487 EE MARKS. 10th.— Fair, though not bright morning, the day of the same character. A very slight fall of fine snow about 5 p.m. 11th — r>ry but rather dull aU the day ; snow and rain after 9 P.at- 13th.— Very wet morning ; damp disagreeable day ; liner at night. 13lh.— Very dark and damp all day, sometimes raining heavily, but only for a time; not fine at any time. , -^ , i, 14th.— Damp bat fine-looking in the morning: rain before noon, and it fell more or less nearly all the remainder of the doy. 15th.— A most beautif ally bright day and night; bright sun in the day and equally bright moon at night. 16th.— A very bright fine morning and forenoon, though preceded by a white frost and very slight fog; the after part of the day rather less fine. Rather windy at night. ,, , i. -^ Much wwmer than last week, but almost sunless imtil Monday, when it w.%s very powerful.— G. J. Symons. COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— Febrcar? 17. \ [There is so little change here, it is not worth notice. B. Apples J sieve 0 Apricots doz. 0 Cherries l*lb. 0 Chestnuts bushellO Currants i sieve 0 Black do. 0 Fii?8 doz. 0 Filberts lb. 1 Cobs lb. 1 Gooseberries quart 0 Grapes, hothouse.... lb. 6 Lemons i|.^ 100 8 Melons eaoh 0 FRtJIT d. B. d. OtoO 0 Artichokes doz. 8 AsyaragLis ^100 G 0 French. ...per bundle 0 0 Beans. Kidney per 10» 2 0 Broaa bnehel 0 0 Beet, Red doa 1 0 Broccoli bundle 0 9 Brussels Sprouts 4 sieve S 0 Cabbaao doz. 1 6 Carrots bunch 0 G Capsicums y 100 0 0 Ca-iliflower doz. 4 0 Celery bandlo 1 B Coleworts.. doz. bunches 4 0 Cacumbers each 2 0 pickling doa. 0 0 Endive doz. 2 0 Fennel bunch 0 8 0 Garlic lb. 0 6 0 Herbs bunch 0 .S Horseradish bundle 0 0 Mulberries Vlb. 0 0 0 0 Nectarines doz. 0 0 0 0 i Oranges ^100 8 0 20 0 1 Peaches doa. 0 0 0 0; Pears.kitchen...... dox. 2 0 0 0 1 dessert doB. 2 0 0 0 I PineApples lb. 2 0 16 Plums i sieve 0 6 2 0 i Quinces doz. 0 0 0 0 Raspberries lb. 0 0 1) 0 Strawberries ^Ib. 0 0 13 0 Walnuts bushel 8 0 0 0 ditto ^100 1 VEGETABLES. , d. B.d. OtoS 0 ! Leeks , d. B. OtoO 0 0 10 0 I Letliioe doa. 0 (I Mushrooms pottle S 0 I Mustard & Cress.. punnet 0 0 ' Onions bushel S 0 I pickling quart 1 G Parsley per doz. buaohes 4 0 1 Parsnips doz. Peas quart Potatoes buiheJ Kidney do. Radishes., doz.bunchea Rhubarb bundle Salsafy bundle Scorzoaera buudla Sea-kale basket Shallots lb. Spinach bushel Tomatoes doz. Turnips..,, bunoh Vegetable Marrows .. doz. B. d. B. 0 3 too 1 0 2 0 S 0 S 8 0 0 e 4 0 0 0 8 n 0 8 0 •i 0 6 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Fobruaiy 25, 1875. ] JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND C0TTAG3 GARDENER. 155 WEEKLY CALENDAR. Day Day ot of Month Week. S5 Th 26 P 27 S 28 Son 1 M a 1 To 3 W FEB. 25— MAEOH 3, 1875. Royal Society at 8.30 P.M. Royal Institution at 8 p.m. Royal Botanic Society, 3.45 p.m. 3 Sunday in Lent. Entomological Society afc 7 p.m. Zoological Society at 4 P.M. Royal Horticultural Society, Fruit and Floral Com- [ mittees at 11 a.m. Average i^ Temperature near Risea. Day. 47.7 47.2 47.7 49.1 47.4 48.7 49.9 NiRht. Mean. 32.7 40.2 83.6 40.4 33.5 40.6 32.8 40.9 33.6 40.5 S4.7 41.7 32.8 41.0 m. h. .'■.6 af 6 54 6 51 6 49 6 47 6 45 6 43 6 Son Sets. Moon Sets. Moon's Age. Clock before Sun. m. h. m. h ' Slate i 42afU I morn. | 41 65 0 9 2 19 8 m. b. Days. 28aJ8 19 41 8 20 59 8 21 23 9 ( 57 9 23 45 10 24 48 11 25 Day o( Year. 56 57 68 59 60 61 62 83.7'. From observations taken near London daring forty-three years, the average day temperature of the week is 48.7^; and its night temperature THE PKEPARATION OF SOIL FOR POTTING PURPOSES. mVir^'^ FAIR amount of success, in a quiet way, in cultivating plants usually found in a gentle- man's garden enables me to speak pvacti- cally on the matter of soil-preparation. Too often — in fact it is the case generally — the practice is to bring to the bench the different soils required and mix them at the time of potting. I do not submit that by this plan good plants have not been grown, for the best of all reasons — that I have so grown them ; but this very fact enables me to speak more forcibly of the advantages of mixing the soil some months previous to the busy potting season. By this practice I have always found the saving of labour considerable, and that a great amount of potting could be done much more satisfactorily and expeditiously than when I had to add to it at the time the trouble of mixing the soil. At that busy period every moment is precious, and plants, mayhap, are suffering injury for the want of potting when an opportunity can scarcely be found for the work. That is every year the case with hundreds of gardeners, who have more duties to perform than time and means to perform them. All such will find the previous mixing in a large heap of the soil for the season an aid and assistance throughout the year. The present is a very good time to accomplish this work. My own practice for some years has been to find a day or days for soil-mixing as soon as the work of winter digging has been completed. This has generally happened in February, when dry sunny days have come which enable the work to be better performed. But it is not only as a saving of time that the work of previous soil-mixing is recommended, but it is because, as a rule, the plants themselves will flourish more satis- factorily. I cannot exactly say why that should be so, but many years of experience have proved the fact to my own satisfaction. I have mentioned fine weather as a desirable concomitant for doing this work. This is very essential, in fact it is absolutely necessary. In damp muggy days the boU goes together wet and clammy, and when such is the case it can never turn out for use in a free, clean, healthy state. If possible it should be put together in a state somewhat drier than would be desirable for immediate use, as in that case it embodies an infinitely greater amount of air which is so essential to its sweet- ness, and it is certain, as the washerwomen say, to " give again," and turn out several degrees more moist than when it was put together. That is a very important point to be attended to in doing the work well. Then there is the other side of the question — when mixed it must be sheltered from excessive wet. In all places where a great amount of potting must be carried out a soil .shed is a very necessary convenience. This generally-forgotten structm-e should never be over- looked in planning the arrangement for the satisfactory performance of this primary branch of a gardener's duties. No. 720.— Vol. XXVni., New Seeies. "Where this permanent roof for soil-shelter is not afforded, an artificial covering must be provided. I have found nothing better for this purpose than newly pared turves. These, if taken from the roadside or pasture ground, and cut 2 inches in thickness and a foot or more square, as is most convenient, form an effectual covering for mixed soil, protecting it alike from extreme wet and the drying effects of excessive heat. In a word, if put together in the right condition it will always be in good order for immediate use by this plain turf covering. My plan is to place the turf grass downwards, beginning at the bottom of the heap, and let each surrounding layer over- lap the layer below, after the manner of slating a build- ing. The turf, too, after it has served its purpose as a protector, is then ready for another purpose. By ex- posure to the sun of summer and the frost of winter it is thoroughly ai-rated and perfectly sweet, and on being knocked into pieces forms the base of a future heap of soil to be again covered by a further supply of fresh turves. But all have not turf for covering, and the next best material is straw. Give the heaps a vei-y sharp angle, and thatch the same as a corn stack, and the soil is as safe beneath the covering as the corn. It is, moreover, quite neat in appearance when carefully done. The pro- tection of soil for potting purposes is of more importance than is by some imagined, and hence it is adverted to as a point of practice which should not be neglected. Now, it may be surmised that a heap of soil cannot be mixed which will be adaptable to all plants. That would be a very natural supposition, but is destitute of force sufficient to detract from the real usefulness of the work in question. Most people have at some time or other noticed the routine of a public dispensary, or the surgery of some eminent surgeon, and have no doubt seen the one huge bottle from which nine-tenths of the applicants are supplied as the bulk and basis of their several mixtures. Precisely on this principle the ready-mixed soil store is recommended : it is provided as the foundation of what is required for everyday use. Now the prevailing nature of this want is loam. Add to that, if it is not rich, one-third of old pulverised ma- nure, one-sixth of lumpy charcoal if it can be had, one- fourth of sharp sand, more or less as the strong or light nature of the loam will suggest, and one-tweKth of soot. Mix that thoroughly, and in a few months, and until the store is exhausted, there is no lack of boU for all the ordi- nary softwooded plant-growing purposes of the garden. A boy can be sent with a basket or a man with a bairow, and there is no uncertainty as to what either may bring. If the mixture is too heavy, as for Primulas, it is easy to make it lighter ; and if not sufficiently rich, as for Chrys- anthemums, it is easy to make the necessary additions. These, with Pelargoniums, Fuchsias, Cinerarias, Calceo- larias, all sorts of greenhouse annuals, and numberless other plants, will grow to perfection in soil from this one great prepared and protected store. It will be found in every respect infinitely preferable to mixing the soil on the day of potting, which takes up valuable time, and is No. 187S.— Vol. LIII., Old Sebibb. 15C JOUBNAL OF HOBTIOULTOBB AND OOTTAGB QABDENEB. [ FebruaT7 25, 1875. not GO good for its purpose as when preTiously mixed and incorporated. For young plants peat and leaf mould can be added at the time if it is required, but it is not at ail necessary that it be mixed in the heap for using in the large quantities which a general collection of established plants need. It has long been my practice at this season of the year to set apart a portion of time for soil-mixing, and I cannot, as the year rolls round, look back with greater satisfaction to any other work or preparations that I may have effected. It is work of which I have felt the benefits duriog every week, and often every day in the week, of the whole summer. I do not hesitate to advise all who have not done so to set about a similar mixing of potting soil at the first convenient oppor- tunity, being confident they will find the advantages of the plan to be great, and possibly of more value than Ihey can at the present moment appreciate. Many plant-lovers, and especially amateurs situated in the vicinity of towns, experience considerable ditliculty in procuring a supply of soil suited to their wants. They read about turfy loam, roadside trimmings, and hedge-bottom parings, which only makes them feel their wants the more keenly as none of this coveted soil is within their reach. With those who have means the difficulty vanishes — indeed there is no difficulty, as they eau purchase all they want ; but many another cannot do this, yet cherish their friends, the plants of their dwellings, and know not what to procure for their sustenance. Such must turn to the flaky surface soil of any ordiuary garden or field. This the frost has purified, and the dry winds of spring have drained of its moisture, and it is in a condition to grow most ordinary plants weM. This soil collected when dry — scraped off the surface just as deep and no deeper than the frost has penetrated — is the best substitute for turfy loam that can bo recommended. Broken bones and oyster shells will keep it porous and afford a long-wearing stimulant ; and when the plants are in active growth and the pots are filled with loots, and yet a further push is necessary, a thimbleful of guano sprinkled on the surface of a 0-inch pot and watered-in, will add a richer hue of health to the foHage and give substance and colour to the flowers. This repeated once a-week will do much to compensate for any original poverty of soil, and will show that a plant can after all be assisted to grow and afford pleasure without tho assistance of the gardener's sheet anchor — turfy loam. These notes — the outcome of actual practice in town and country, where soil was plentiful and where it was scarce — are commended to gardeners and amateurs at a period of the yei'.r when the detail of practice may be useful to both. — A Practical Gaboeneb. A SELECTION OF VEGETABLES FOR EARLY SOWING. Those having the use of a hotbed for Cucumbers, &c., at this time of the year will have no difficulty in finding enough to fill up the spare corners with if they look over their seed packets. By a judicious selection of varieties, and sowing at the proper time, the sea&on of many useful vegetables may be considerably lengthened. Bbhs-sels Sprouts can scarcely be sown too early. I have more than once found that those sown ou a hotbed in February lasted quite as late in the following sprinj; as those sown in April, and they commence bearing much earlier. They are never too early; Brussels Sprouts are always in season if they can bo procured. They must be pricked out under haudlights or gome kind of shelter before they commence to get drawn, or they will be useless. I have not found anything bettor than the imported seed as supplied by our principal seeasmen. It is of the greatest importance to have seed of a good stock. Early London Cauliflower well repays for treatment similar to the above. If sown early and pricked out ou a little bottom heat, the plants will be very little behind those sown in autumn and protected through winter, and will be far less trouble and probably of better quality. Bath Cos and Tom Thumb Cabraoe Lettuce sown now, and pricked out under glass, will be fit for use in May, before the antnmu-planted ones are scarcely over. The Cabbage varie- ties turn in quicker than Cos, and Tom Thumb is the earliest amongdt them and one of the hardiest. Why does everybody recommend White Paris Cos and its varieties for summer? They are not equal in quality to the Green Paris Cos when well blanched. Beo Cakeaue sown in a frame in spring is much better than when sown in autumn, the heads being smaller, and conse- quently there is less waste. Veitch's Autumn Giant Cauliflower is a sjilendid vegetable for autumn, but duiiug the last two seasons, and especially the last, I have found it of the greatest service in August. It was sown in a frame in February and planted out early, and when the dry weather came at midsummer Autumn Giant had fast hold of the subsoil, and the hot weather exactly suited it. Walcheren, on the other hand, just planted, could not even exist. No amount of watering at the root would save it ; the parched atmosphere quickly dried up its tiny leaves almost as completely as if they had been in an oven. Could they have been potted and protected for a few days before planting-out they might have succeeded ; but there was quite enough to do in most gardens last midsummer without potting Cauliflowers. Tomatoes cannot be sown too early. I sow in January in heat for the principal summer crop. If afterwards checked it will not harm them, provided they are kept clear of insects. The earliest variety is Orangefield Dwarf Prohfic, and the best is Hathaway's Excelsior. Early Celery. — I find the best is Sandringham White ; but no white variety in my opinion can compare with a good red, such as Major Clarke's or Leicester Red, for quality. The first week in April is the time I sow my main crop of Celery ; it is then ready to go out quite as soon as the weather is fit for it, and it never receives a check. Scarlet Kunner Beans. — By a little scheming I have been able to gather these out of doors for two or three seasons by the first week in .July — once even by midsummer day. The Beans are sown three in an 8-inch pot in April and kept under glass ; after they have made three or four rough leaves they are pinched back, and kept continually pinched at every joint as fast as they make growth till a little before the time of planting-out in June, when they are more in the shape of Gooseberry bushes than ordinary Scarlet Kunners. They have stakes placed for them to run up ; but they never grow so strong as later-sown ones, and they are in full bearing in a very short time after planting. I have them much earlier than I have ever been able to produce Dwarf French Beans outside, for which in my opinion they are more than a substitute. Early Carrots. — Those who have to produce these cannot do better than stick to the Dutch Forcing, or French Forcing I believe it is now called. Peas. — For those who want quality I have not yet seen anything so good as Little Gem. If grown near to a south wall it comes into use as quickly as the earliest of the round varieties, for these being taller cannot be grown in such a position without injuring the occupants of the wall. Potatoes will scarcely come in undt-r the above heading; nevertheless, I wish to say that the old Ashleaf is still the earliest good Potato. Eoyal Ashleaf and Veitch's Improved Ashleaf are of better quality and mue'u more productive than the old favourite, but they are not so early by a fortnight, and they are stronger growers. — W. Taylor. DEDTZIA GRACILIS AND ITS CULTURE. What is there amongst our early-flowering plants more useful or more graceful than the Deutzia gracilis, with its stems covered with snow-white blossom ? It is excellent for bouquets, and most enlivening amongst the green-foliaged plants in the conservatory. It ought to be more grown than it is. No plant can be more simple to manage. "To keep up a succession of bloom from Christmas to the end of February pot early in November three dozen young plants in clean well- drained pots ; for soil using two parts loam, one of leaf mould, and a little rotten stable manure and sand. Place them on ashes in a cold pit or frame ; give plenty of air, but do not water them for a week after they are potted, as the soil turns cold and wet, and afterwards sour. About the beginning of December take one dozen of them into a temperature of 60' to flower at Christmas. In the middle of the same month bring in a second dozen to flower through January, and in this month bring in the last dozen to flower through February. When they have done flowering place them on ashes in au open situation outdoors to grow and ripen their wood, keeping them well watered, and when the plants become too large divide them. — W. Dodgson, Metchley House Gardenn. Gkowinii Hyacinths in Moss. — I have in the greenhouse an ornamental wire basket, in which I put six Hyacinth bulbs ou 2nd January last, and to see them now I think you would say February 23, 1H75. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. 157 that is snrely the place to grow them. The bulbs have pro- daoed beautiful spikes of flower and splendid large green leaves, while the roots have made their way through the moss at least 3 inches, and which cannot be less than 10 inches from the bulbs. Evidently thoy are now receiving support from the moisture of the house. Now, I think this basket filled in this manner would do very well for hanging in roums, with a few small Ferns planted inside of the rim, which is circular, to hang over, and a glass saucer or other kind sus- pended under the basket to hold the water, and which would at the same time supply the roots with moisture. — William Laueie, Gardt-'uer, Li/nnu-ood. NOTES EELATIVE TO THE POTATO. Is the olden times before the discovery of the art of print- ing, to be able to read and write — a scholar in fact — was to be subject to suspicion and contempt — suspicion of dark dealings with those mysterious powers which dwell in the cloud that always envelopes dull ignorance. But while we smile at such folly it should not be forgotten that we too are not altogether without our failings — failings which lead to the adoption of theories that are unsound, and pursuits which often prove vain. One such, and in the pursuit of which cousiderable ardour has been manifested, is a blight-proof Potato, another is a cure for the Potato blight, both of which are perfectly un- attainable, as was clearly set forth in the Journal about a year ago. The futility of the trials of so-oalled blight-proof Potatoes which were then about to be undertaken under ihe auspices of the Royal Agricultural Society was strongly insisted upon ; the result of those trials fully demonstrated the truth of assertions not lightly made, and based upon close observation and sound practical experience. The search for a blight-proof Potato has been abandoned, but researches are still going on which can answer no practical purpose, and can only serve to throw some light upon the action of certsin natural phenomena, which, however interesting to philosophic minds, is a matter alto- gether wide of the important question, How shall we obtain a full crop of sound Potatoes ? That the Potato disease is caused by excessive moisture in the soil, or to put it more plainly, by the showers that gene- rally occur sooner or later after the growth of the tubers has ceased and the process of ripening begins, is an incontrover- tible fact long ago recognised by practical men. In many instances this knowledge has induced those who were able to grasp its full significance to strive to bring the crop into a suitable condition for lifting before the recurrence of the evil. Why a measure so simple iu itself and so thoroughly efficacious has not sooner obtained a full and general adoption is owing, I think, to ignorance of the nature of the Potato itself. Now, a Potato tuber possesses such astonishing vitality that it will not only make a strong growth , but will also yield young tubers, very small it must be granted, but of perfect form and with the organs of reproduction perfectly developed without any extraneous assistance other than is afforded by atmo- spheric moisture. This fact is undoubtedly of little value in itself, but is sufficiently remarkable to lead one to inquire if the economy of the Potato was capable of nothing more than this, for the phenomenon which I have described is in reality precisely similar to th)t which takes place in a living plant. For example, a Grape Vine will produce strong shoots clothed with foliage and bearing incipient fruit bunches entirely from stored np sap without any ass-istance from its roots. Nor does the analogy cease here, for both Potato and Grape Vine fail to make further progress without the assistance of new roots fed by a nutritious soil. By careful examination it was found that immediately after a tuber had ceased to grow it might be separated from the haulm, without any interference with the process of ripening or deterioration in quality. The only blemish is in the some- what unsightly and ragged appearance of the skin, which be- comes broken from contact with others when taken up in its immature condition. The action of Nature to remedy this rubbing of the skin is wonderfully prompt, a fresh skin of considerable thickness being formed within twenty-four hours after the storing of the Potatoes. Here is a question involving other questions for physiologists. One can understand something of how a ripen- ing process can take place by oxidation, and by the combina- tion of crude matter to form the starch or mealy substance so much appreciated in a good Potato after the tubers are taken up, just as of Apples and Pears after they are gathered form sugar. It has been well said that " Nature knows no limits in her great laboratory, having combinations to play upon such as we are only just beginning to understand," and I should be glad to know more of her action iu this instance. How is tho second skin formed ;' Of course the substance is derived from the juices of the tuber: am I to suppose, then, that the juice which flows from the wound becomes hardened and converted into a substance resembling the skin by the action of the air ? Or is there circulation, or rather a movement of its juices among its tissues, taking place after it is separated from the haulm ? It may be said that the fact of the subsequent ripen- ing process would imply somtthmg of the kind. Ripening, how- ever, is simply one, or a series of chemical changes. Many fruits ripen after they are gathered, Lint if the skin sustains any damage decay invariably follows. There are one or two other matters connected with this part of the subject concerning which I am somewhat iu the dark, and which I will also propound iu the form of questions, in the hope that those who poseess the advantage of greater experience or ability may be able to enlighten me. The first question which I will ask is this — Is the blight infectious? That is to say, if we put a diseased tuber among others that are sound are they likely to become affected ? Judging from my own experience I should certainly answer. Yes. Then, if a crop is taken-up in showery weather and stored in a somewhat damp condition, are the tubers more liable to suffer from bhght after they are stored than if they had had the advantage of a dry sunny day ; or are they at all susceptible of blight after the storing ? Here again I am constrained to answer, Yes. But then there remains an im- pression that those tubers which apparently have failed from either of such causes had in reality become tainted before they were separated from the haulm, and if so all subsequent care would be quite useless. These matters are, I think, of the very greatest importance. Believing as I do that the blight is incurable, and that it is only to be met successfully by timely culture and by taking- up and storing the crop whUe it is sound, anything affecting the measures taken to that end for good or evil merits the closest inquiry and attention. An inquiry into the history of the Potato and its culture reveals the fast that our knowledge of the subject is very little in advance of what was known forty years ago. New and im- proved sorts were then sought after with an avidity quite equal to that of the present time ; nor was there less ability and intelligence displayed in the raising of new kinds from seed, the necessity for doing so being understood as perfectly then as now. A writer in the " Quarterly Journal of Agricul- ture," in stating his reasons for raising seedling Potatoes in 183ii, says — " The Potato, in common with all other cultivated productions of the vegetable world, has a tendency to degene- rate in proportion as tho means to prevent its doing so have been neglected. Nature, however, has provided for the per- manent health as well as the productiveness of her offspring in the seed contained in the berry which the plant produces from its stalks." In little more than another decade — that is to say iu 1846, the year of the great blight, we find that the evil of excessive moisture and heavy retentive soil were as clearly understood as they are now. In an interesting account of the blight and its effects in the seventh volume of Allison's " History of Europe," it is stated that " the disease was much more violent in the western parts of Great Britain than in the eastern, and in rich and highly cultivated localities than La those more recently brought into cultivation, or where the soil was poor. From Aberdeen to Inverness, where the soil was in general sandy or gravelly and a great part of it had been newly brought into cultivation, the disease was unknown; but in the west Highlands, abreast of this district, it was all but universal, and had almost totally destroyed the crops." This statement will be doubly significant to those who are aware of tho considerable excess of the rainfall in the western districts to that in the eastern. In giving this quotation from Allison I do not, of course, in- tend to infer that a poor soil is at all preferable to a rich one for Potato culture ; that would be simply absurd. The rich alluvial soil iu the neighbourhood of Peterborough and Wis- beach is most wisely devoted to the growth of Potatoes, be- cause it is in that district that the rainfall sinks to a mini- mum, and the natural conditions are therefore precisely those 138 J0X3KXAL OF HOBTICULTURE AND COTTAGE QARDENEB. [ February 2o. 1375. which experience shows to be most advantageous to its culture. There is a similar deposit of soil on the west coast, in the neighbourhood of Sonthport and Blackpool, but it is very certain that the excessive rainfall renders it an unsoitable dis- trict for extensive Potato culture. — Edwaed Luckhcbst. THE CULTURE OF THE CHINESE PKIMULA. Being requested to communicate my mode of culture of this indispensable winter-flowering plant, I with some hesitation comply, feeling as I do less confidence in writing about the plant than growing it. My plants, which commence to flower in the autumn and continue all through the winter months, are produced as follows : — In order to have strong blooming plants early the seed should be sown not later than the second week in April. I procure a clean seed pan and drain it well, and fill with light sandy soil. The surface is made very level by the gentle pressure of a smooth piece of wood. This is watered, and a few hours after the seed is sown thinly and covered verv slightly indeed with the finest of soU. The seed pan is then covered with a square of glass and placed in a gentle bottom heat. The soil is not watered for a few days, or until the surface shows signs of becoming dry, and then the greatest care is exercised, and water fully as warm as the soil is given. The moment the seedlings appear the pan is brought close to the glass, and the glass covering is propped up very slightly, to be increased by degrees until totally dispensed with. As soon as the seedlings can be ha- died they are pricked out in pans of leaf mould and silver sand lA inch apart. When the plants grow and touch each other they are potted singly in 3-inch pots, and are kept growing in a genial tempera- ture. When these pots are filled with roots, yet before becom- ing pot-bound, the plants are shifted into 6-inch pots ; these are the blooming pots. The soU for this final shifting is com- posed of good leaf mould three parts and thoroughly decayed manure one part, to be well mixed with sharp sand. " I use no loam, finding the plants flourish much better without it. The plants are stiU grown in gentle heat until they become esta- blished, and by that time the temperature will permit their removal to a cool pit or frame. In the summer months they require abundance of air, and are the better for a little shade" in bright weather. It is a good plan to remove the lights entirely on clear nights in summer for the benefit of the dews, which are very refreshing. Through- j ont the season they are watered with great care, and excessive moisture avoided. By this treatment splendid plants are obtained, which will be a mass of bloom in November and continue so for six months. I never pinch out the first flower buds, which is a common but mistaken practice ; it is the first and prime source of decay, which often becomes virulent and causes the death of many plants when just reaching perfection. By never pinch- ing out the first blooms I am seldom or never" troubled with this common annoyance or disease. If sown earlier than the time named the plants are apt to be coddled and be made tender unless plenty of house room is provided, which is not always the case with those who grow Primulas. My advice, therefore, is not to sow until towards the end of April, and by the time the plants become large and take up much room the cool frames are ready to receive them ; the natural temperature will then permit of their removal without any check, which at all times is most prejudicial. j Very early sowing to gain time is often a sure way to lose it, on account of succeeding checks the plants receive, and which [ caimot easily be avoided. By somewhat later sowieg the ' plants have a better opportunity to grow without hindrance, | when they will quickly make up for a few weeks in sprins, which are seemingly lost, but not really so, as they are more < than regained in the end by the healthy vigour of well-con- t atitntioned plants with sturdy foliage and massive trusses of bloom. — J. Chbistie. tension of orchards and market gardens in the neighbourhood of towns. For land used by nurserymen for the growth of trees, shrubs, &a., the returns for 1874 show an acreage of 9245 for England, 630 for Wales, and 1868 for Scotland. GRAPES. As the planting season wUl soon be at hand for the above, I would like to mention three sorts which I find receive but scant favour with some. Mrs. Pince is with me a very fine Grape, and grows large bunches and colours well ; the flavour, too, is excellent. I think the main cause why many do not suc- ceed with it is that they do not give air enough to it. The next is a most delicious Grape, though according to gardeners' notions a bad colour, being a reddish purple ; it is large in berry, thin in skin, and carries a light bloom — I refer to ihe Muscat Champion. The third is the Madresfield Court Mus- cat, smaller than the foregoing, but a really good variety, and is hardy, ripening without heat, and colouring beautifully. I shall plant three more of this. I have pulled up all my Lady Downes' in favour of Mrs. Pince, which I think far superior. — Habeisos Welr, Weirleigh. Acres or Oechaees, Ncrseeizs, axd Market Gaedexs. In 187-1 the land returned as used also for orchards was 145,622 acres in England, 2994 in Wales, and 1910 in Scotland. The separate returns for land used by market gardeners for the growth of vegetables and other garden produce show in 1874 an acreage of 34,689 for England, 477 for Wales, and 2741 for Scotland. An increased demand for fruit and vegetables is stated by some of the collecting officers to have led to the ex- A VISIT TO MESSRS. VEITCH & SONS' NURSERY, CHELSEA. This is a right rojal establishment in the world of horticul- ture ; replete with home plants of every class and for every purpose, and rich in many rare plants of other lands, it is at all times capable of affording interest to the visitor. For the information of those who may have not jet seen this cele- brated nursery it may be described as a town of glass, having its streets, alleys, by-paths, and squares, conveniently arranged for the well-being and comfort of its inhabitants, both of the floral kingdom and also for the world of humanity. To attempt to enumerate the glass structures would be superfluous, while to describe the contents of each would, considering the space at our disposal, be a sheer impossibility. We therefore confine our notes to a few examples which were the most striking on the day of our visit, beginning with the Camellias. — The principal collection of these is arranged in broad borders along each side of a lofty glass structure about 100 feet in length. The path between this avenue of Camellias is broad and well suited for promenade, which is in fact a walk of great beauty at the present time. The largest plants are planted-out and established in a soil of peat and loam, the latter apparently predominating. They are in excellent healthy with bright wood and glossy foliage, free alike from dust and insects, jet covered with their thousands of beautiful blooms. Many of these plants are from 8 to 10 feet in height and 6 to 8 feet through, well furnished from the ground, growing as freely as Laurels, and blooming as profusely as Roses. There are also some excellently-grown specimens in tubs, and smaller but equally healthy plants in pots. The largest-sized bushes consist of the oldest varieties, and many of these, it must be conceded, are not surpassed in quality and effect by newer introductions. The old Alba plena, for instance, is still one of the best, if not altogether so, of the double pure whits varieties. The specimens of this fine old sort tre v. Linn., Syn- genesia Stiperflua. — "A rfmarkalily handsome plant, and one fitted for dwelling-room culture, its Ivy-like glossy leaves being evergreen, its large yellow flowers produced in midwinter, and its habit well adapted for a trelliswork. I have indeed heard of either this or an allied species being cultivated in drawing- rooms abroad, and trained round the walls beneath the ceiling. Like most Cape plants it wants very careful watering and plenty of fresh air. It is the largest-flowered species of the enormous genus to which it belongs, and which contains nearly one thousand species, and the flowers remain for a consider- able period in perfection. According to the ' Flora Capensis ' S. macroglossus extends from the Keiskamma river (west of Algoa Bay) to Natal, but the only specimen we have that precisely agrees with tbe cultivated plant was collected by Mr. Sanderson on the Palmiet river, immediately to the east of Table Bay in the Western Cape district. " It is cultivated in the succulent house at Kew, where it is trained upon one of the rafters, and forms a very ornamental feature, blossoming at Christmas ; it was raised from seed sent by Mr. Sanderson in 1868." — (Ibid., t. 6149. Ekvthkotis Beddomei. Nat. ord., Commelyneaj. Linn., Hexandria Monogynia. — Flowers deep crimson. " A singularly beautilul little plant, and one easy of cultivation, discovered by Col. Beddcme, F.L.S., on dry bare rocks, at an elevation of .3-4000 feet, in the Mybendra mountains of South Travancor, from whence he sent seeds to Kew, where plants raised from which flowered in December last. It appears to me to be a new genus, closely allied to Cyanotis, but differing in its prostrate habit, inflorescence, the arrangement of tbe bracts, perfectly free sepals, and filiform style, without an inflation below the stigma. " Erythrotis Beddomei is a stove plant, but well adapted for a warm conservatory during summer, when it may be trained over the pots and made very ornamental ; the colouring of the under surface of the leaves is however very variable, and pales much in winter." — (Ibid., t. 6150.) Peak — Souvenir du Conorix. — " This remarkably fine French Pear was raised by M. Morel, and appears to have been a seedling from Williams's Bon Chretien, which it resembles in some respects. The tree makes a fine and prolific pyramid. We have to thank both Mr. Dancer of Chiswick, and Messrs. Rivers & Son of Sawbridgeworth, for specimens, the latter being the largest as well as tlie best in quality, and measur- ing about 10 inches in circumference. The fruit is large, obovate or bluntly oblong-pyriform, with an uneven lumpy or slightly furrowed surface ; stalk oblique, stout, set on with scarcely any depression, its base surrounded by a patch of russet; eye small, nearly closed, set in a moderately deep russety hollow ; skin clear yellow where shaded, flushed and indistinctly streaked and blotched with bright cherry red on the exposed side. Flesh white, fine-grained, very juicy and melting, with a brisk vinous flavour and agreeable aroma. The tenderness and juiciness of the flesh are very remarkable, and the fruit is very handsome. Mr. Dancer's fruit, tasted on August I'Jth, was scarcely up to the mark in flavour; and we notice that some of the continental growers regard it as only second-rate ; but a better ripened sample from Messrs. Rivers, tasted on September 3rd, proved to be excellent." — (Florist and Pomoloijist, 3 s., viii., 37.) Cultivation of Teopical Feuit. — We understand that a company has been formed for tbe cultivation of tropical fruit, and is in treaty for a tract of 640 acres of land at Bis- cayne Bay, at the south-eastern extremity of Florida. This tract was a military post during the Florida war, and has grow, ing upon it a large number of fruit trees — viz., Banana Plantain, Cocoa Nut, Orange, Lime, Lemon, Bread Fruit, Date, 162 JOUENAL OF HOETICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GABDENEE. ( Feiruary 25, 187S. Gnava, Mango, and otbera too numerous to mention. The capital of the company will be 510,000, *7000 of whicli is already subscribed. Frost never reaches this place ; the climate is deliehtful winter or summer, and perfectly healthy. — {California Horliculturiiit.) THE SMALL-BIRD QUESTION. As the small-bird question has again turned up I may perhaps be allowed to say a few words on the subject, not limit- ing my remarks to sparrows alone, but to the whole family of small birds, of which sparrows are not always the most nnmsrous nor the greatest delinquents. In the present instance we will class them with other small birds. I formed a con- clusion ou this subject years ago, and I have not seen nor heard of anything to induce me to alter the opinion then stated. Let us now take a peep into Nature's book and see the working of the matter in all its bearings, giving the birds their due for all the useful purposes they fulfil, and contrari- wise for all the mischief they do us. Taking the whole matter into one view, we may rest perfectly assured that an All-wise Providence sent both birds and their food in due proportions into the world together, balancing the whole with a nicety which we have no chance of imitating ; naj', on the contrary, there is no question but man, more especially in the highly civilised parts of the world, has very much destroyed this balance, and in the case of small birds let us see how this has been done. If wo lock into the mode that Nature has adopted to repro- duce the various species of living objects that occupy the world we shall see that the pmallest, aud those that furnish food for beings larger than themselves, increase the most numerously. That is a wise and beneficent law, and is exemplified by birds only in common with other animals. This law is essential to preserving a due balance, founded on the natural principle of supply and demand. The preservation of game has altered the intention of Nature considerably ; the birds of prey, usually so called, whose duty it was in a great measure to thin and weed out the superfluous small birds, have themselves been persecuted almost to entire annihilation, henee the whole family of the little warblers have multiplied out of proportion to their uses ; added to this there has been a good deal of sympathy created in their fa- vour by those who are not suffering by their depredations. Such kindly sympathisers think themselves aggrieved because the farmer or gardener destroys some of them in retaliation for the injury they do him. This injury is great, especially in country places where woods and other means of cover give the birds every encouragement to multiply, and where the assidu- ous gamekeeper has taken the pains to destroy all hawks, owls, magpies, and other birds of a larger kind that either make the smaller ones or their eggs their daily food. This has teaded to augment the number of small birds beyond what is necessary ; and although the denizen of a city, whose early morning walks may be enlivened by the song of these harbingers of spring, and forthwith rushes to print in their behalf, ought at all events to allow those who sutler from them to give an opinion as well, or rather they as losers ought to have a decided claim for recompenfe, which can only bo done by waging war on the aggressor in spite of a feeling of sym- pathy which has been thrown into the case and against bird- destrHction. By the extirpation of carnivorous birds nnd bird-destroying animals by the gamekeeper, the preponderance of small birds is but a natural consequence. These flourish in the home pre- serves, where a gun is seldom heard, and as a matter of course avail themselves of the luxuries of horticulture. And here, unfortunately for the cultivator, they seem to be fonder of seeds and fruit than of insects. Newly-germinating seeds of sweet green Peas appear to suit their tastes exactly, while amongst fruits the thrushes and blackbirds are most audacious and per- sistent maurauders. Neither is netting elfectual. In some way or other the birds will be in. I have known upwards of twenty birds a-day taken from under nets which were con- sidered birdproof, and how many escaped could never be known. I daresay there are those who would advocate the setting at liberty of theee caught birds, on the grounds of humane and kindly feeling, and as a protest against cruelty. Their testimony is, however, only one-sided, and the charge of cruelty is at best a morbid one, seeing that they have not suf- fered any injury. It is not attempted here to be denied that small birds have a duty to perform in the economy of Nature, os have also mice, rats, snakes, wasps, and the like, over which no one, as far as 1 am aware, has yet thrown the cloak of protec- tion ; but when the balance between one class and another is so effectually broken as it is between the small birds and their natural enemies, tomtits, chaffinches, sparrows, and the like abound in greater numbers than are required : hence the reason- able source of complaint. With regard to the question of birds devouring caterpillars and insects in general, there seems a great difference of opinion ou the part of those competent to give one ; and the matter would resolve itself into the question. Are gardens which are much infested by birds more free from insect pests than others in populous districts where sparrows are the only birds to be met with in any number ? My own opinion would be that birds only look after the caterpillar and insect family when they have young, and I am not sure that they always do that. In this immediate neighbourhood Filbert and Cob nuts are extensively grown, and no class of tree suffers more from the caterpillar than these do ; and although there is a difference of opinion about the utility of birds in helping to clear them of these pests, by far the greater number of growers— and thny are an exceedingly observant class — assert that the caterpillar- destroying birds are very few indeed. Pains have been taken to shoot several and examine their crops without any token of a caterpillar inside. A friend of mine made a good many experiments of this kind at a time when his plantation was almost denuded of foliage by these vermin, and when he as well as others were employing all the women and boys they could collect together to pick them off by hand. The cost of this handpicking is immense. Now, if the friends of the feathered creation could train their pets to accomplish this task, it is needless to say what a saving of labour and expense it would be. I cannot at this moment call to memory how many bushels of caterpillars I have heard of being gathered in one season from one plantation, but certainly it was measured by bushels, and yet this was in a neighbourhood abounding in birds of most kinds. So greatly did small birds abound, that the cultivation of Goose- berries has been in some cases discontinued in consequence of the injury done to the trees by the buds being picked out just as they were beginning to swell and start into growth. This evil was so great some years ago that many Gooseberry planta- tions were done away with, all but one particular kind — a rough yellow one that ripens early, but not large, its buds when in a young state being much smaller than those of the generality of Gooseberries, and consequently less cared for by the birds. But Gooseberry buds are not the only buds that suffer at such times. Plums are equally laid under contribution, and the wrathful remarks of growers who see a fine tree disfigured by such means may be justly placed in the scale against all the evidence of those who gain but do not suffer by the mischief these lively marauders so quickly accomplish. To listen to these songsters in early morn is charming enough, both to the dwellers of the town and the country fruit-growers ; but as the latter are the only sufferers in the case, they can hardly be blamed for taking the law into their own hands. The mere wanton destruction of fruit would seem the aim of the offender rather than satisfying hunger. The birds pick from each and spoil the whole, and pick at a point, too, the best to hasten the fruit's decay. It is all very well to say they may be kept off with nets and such like ; it is only those who suffer most that know the difficulties in such cases. It is needless adding more on this question, which if open to discussion ought to be taken in hand by those who have suffered most by them, as well as by those who think they have benefited by their presence. Mere admirers ought only to have a secondary place, as they ought not to be too urgent in advocating their hobby where it is at another one's expense, as has been shown above. In conclusion, I would not have it inferred that I am an enemy to small birds where they exist in moderation, as I am fully sensible of their utUity, and have no doubt but they will do good in Australia and other countries to which many arc being taken. It is only where they are encouraged to a degree disproportioned to the wants of the neighbourhood, and when cultivation has limited the supply of food Nature originally intended them to partake of, as the seeds of wild plants and the like ; then I say let a part of them be destroyed. — J. EOESON. I HOLD a different opinion to Mr. G. Abbey's " boy of fifteen," who asserted that sparrows feed their young on caterpillars. February 25, 1S75. ] JOURNAL OP HOKTICDLTORS AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 1(53 for the reason that I have opened many young birds and found, iustead of caterpillars, wheat, rice, and bread. Still, I believe that they eat some insects, as I have seen them cateh moths and pick green fly off the Rose trees. Still, I do not think the good they do compensates for all the injury they commit. Sometimes they will attack the Gooseberry bushes as soon as the leaves drop off, and strip the trees of buds until they are not worth a farthing. Some people say they save us the trouble of thinning the fruit ; but I would much rather thin them myself, for the sparrows always take the finest buds which would have produced the largest fruit. I have also been so close to them as to see them pick the buds and shell them, and drop the husks on the ground. I have further seen them pick off the Plum buds. They will sometimes take them until the ground under the trees is entirely covered with husks ; they will also take the Bed and White Currant buds to the extent of destroying the entire crop of fruit. As to the Peas, Mr. G. Abbey says the sparrows ace never so happy as when the Peas are in bloom, bat I think they are happier when the early Peas are just through the ground and they can nibble them off from end to end of the row. Linnets I have never Been take the buds, but have seen them visit the Radish and Cauliflower beds and pull up the seeds when just pushing through the ground. I think therefore that Mr. G. Abbey is mistaken in linnets being rapacious hud-destroyers. Mr. Abbey asks. Why does the sparrow frequent our gardens during the breeding season, as its place is in the farmyard or the barn :' The answer is, that at this particular season farmers are employed otherwise than by thrashing, and therefore there is little or no seed for the birds to pick up near the farm buildings. The reason why it follows the footsteps of man is because it finds a certain amount of food about his habitations, such as crumbs of bread swept up and thrown among the ashes and other household wastes, as Green Peas and Potato parings, which the birds are very fond of. If the sparrows eat so many insects and caterpillars, how is it that fields in the coantry do not become eaten up with these pests, and over which the sparrow never flies from year's end to year's end ? Mr. Abbey says that the whole of its life is devoted to the service of man ; I say that a great portion of its life is devoted to the destruction of fruit buds and Green Peas. A dusting of lime is recommended to save the buds, but I find several dustings fail to do so. I am inclined to think the sparrows in Mr. Abbey's garden are different to those in mine if they never take the buds. I have no prejudice against sparrows, but simply state that I have seen them at their destructive work. Instead of regarding them as gar- deners' friends I look upon them as amongst our greatest enemies, and I say with Mr. Alloock, Kill every sparrow you can. — R. WAI.KER, Derhysliire. I HAVE been asked to give my opinion as regards sparrows in the garden. I am a general lover of birds, fruit, and flowers; and being in a neighbourhood where there are woods, copses, and hedgerows, I have the pleasure of seeing very many of the former. There are but three birds which visit my garden I would like less of : these are bullfinches, blackbirds, and sparrows. The first I would rather not have one of if I oould avoid it. I know ol no good the bird does. It is not only a bud-eating bird, but a bloom-bud-eating bird, taking the bloom buds in preference. Of the blackbirds I like a few, but they are sad fellows for picking holes in the Pears and Apples when nearly ripe, so as to entirely prevent their Iveeping ; yet they do a great deal of good. As for the sparrows, the only time they are of use is when they have young. But what destructive fellows they are ! In the spring they go to work on my Gooseberry bushes in a most unmerciful manner, and the ground underneath is otrewn with the buds. Granted, cover them with net. Very well : then look at my Pinks with the crowns picked out ; look at my Crocus, the yellow ones, with the blossoms flung here and there ; my Cowslips, my Primroses, also so served : these I cannot net over. Then think of the Radish seed, the Turnip seed, the young Peas, the Currant bloom, and other things which I cannot call to mind. No : I would rather, for my peace of mind as a gardener, be without the sparrows. Give me starlings for grubs and caterpillars. It is indeed wonderful the quantity they eat. I have made holes for them to breed . in, and I have several pairs ; thrushes in swarms at times. Nightingales, blackcaps, titmice, hedge sparrows, robins ; all the soft-billed birds, even chaftinches, and greenfinches, and linnets, I like to have ; but no, not sparrows. I must agree with some of your contributors that fond, very fond, as I am of birds, I would rather not — much rather not — have many sparrows about if I really wished to enjoy my garden. — tLiBEisoN Weik. [All that can be said for or against small birds being tole- rated in a garden, has now been said. — Ens.] EDCHAKIS AMAZONICA CDLTUEE. A coRKESPONDENT, " G. P.," has Written in reference to this plant in last week's Journal. I cannot remember writing to any contemporary about it, but can say that it flowers three times in one season from the same bulbs, and has done so for many years. The minimum temperature in the house where it is grown is (j.5". The potting material is substantial turfy loam, with a little manure, leaf mould, and sand added. As the plant likes copious waterings the drainage is good. When the plant has done flowering only sufficient water is given for a few weeks to prevent the leaves from flagging, when they again receive a liberal supply. We have several plants, the largest must have nearly fifty bulbs in the pot. Some of the plants have been tried in cooler houses, but they succeed best in the higher temperature. — J. Douglas. THE EFFECTS OF OPEN BRICK-KILNS ON THE SURROUNDING VEGETATION. Obsekvint, a short paragraph in a recent number of the Journal on the above subject, I imagine a little further infor- mation may not be devoid of interest. I have, to my cost, had some practical experience of the deleterious effects of the sul- phurous fumes from open brick-kilns upon vegetation generally, and upon certain trees and shrubs particularly, and record the foUowmg facts. First with respect to distance. I have known some things injured at a distance of IJOO yards or more, young Larch for instance ; and almost all the Pine tribe when in their most active growth, say about the middle to the end of June, and more especially after rain or when the air has been loaded with moisture, have been injured most seriously at this distance. I have had the leads of Larch entirely killed when young and succulent at 400 yards from an open kiln, but to do this the current must be direct and concentrated. Of course it depends upon the currents, and at such a distance many escape, although apparently in the direct current. How to explain this I never was able, except on the supposition that some plants were more vigorous than others and less susceptible, for I invariably noticed the weakly ones suffered the most. I have had two actions against an owner for damage done by his kilns, and have gained both. These kilns are all open — / c, on the old principle, and the fumes given off from such were very considerable, and the sulphurous acid, or vapour of sulphur, being considerably heavier than the atmosphere always has a tendency to fall, and not, as some people imagine, to rise as ordinary smoke ; and although the kilns are situated on a higher level than my nursery, the injury was nevertheless done. The trees injured by the fumes at a distance of from 170 to 300 yards were Plums, Thorns (double pink more especially), Cherries, Spruce Firs, Balm of Gilead, Tea and Noisette Roses, Golden Yews, Pinus excelsa, and Weymouth Pines, Beech, cfec, all when in their most active growtlr and when in a soft and succulent state. On the contrary. Apples, Laurels, Peaches and Nectarines, Arbor Vities, Pears, some strong-growing Hybrid Perpetual and other Roses, Privet, Limes, Elms, Hornbeam, Hollies, Cedars, Cypress, Junipers, Oaks, Planes, &a., when growing in the same quarters, and in some instances 100 and 150 yards nearer the kilns, and yet in the direct line from the kilns, have not even suffered to the extent of a damaged leaf. This is certainly very extraordinary, and why they should be able to stand the fumes I cannot explain, but such I know from experience to be the fact. I do not say that all these trees are proof against the effect of sulphur fumes ; but what I do say is this, that at a given distance — say 150 yards — what is strong enough to injure very materially a Plum tree or a Fir in active growth would pass over a iaurel or an Arbor VitsB, or an Apple tree still in the same succulent state, and not visibly injure it in the sUghtest. To explain such pheno- mena is beyond my power, and could only be done by close 1G4 JOUBNAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. [ Febraary 25, 1875. observation and Bcientifio inquiry. Perhaps chemistry might do much towards makict' clear to us what now is enveloped in mystery. I find also that Peas, especially the early ones, suffer greatly. I had a crop of EinRleader sown for seed totally destroyed — at least so far injured when about 0 to 9 inches high that they never recovered. They appeared as if a hot blast from a furnace had passed over them, browning all the leaves and cutting off the young growth, so that the weeds got master, and the crop was ploughed-up. Mangold AVurzel and Turnip planted for seed also suffered; but Potatoes much nearer the kilns did not show the slightest trace of injury. Of Corn crops I have found Barley the most susceptible of damage, and have traced the browned and blanched flag to a yard in a line where the current has passed over the crop ; and at the time of cutting, the Barley was shorter and the ears smaller than those parts of the field unaffected. I may just add that the owners of other brick-kilns, from which I have also suffered, deemed it advisable, to put a stop to further damages, to build a new kiln and erect a shaft about 70 or Sll feet high. This they have done, and I am glad to say that since then I have not experienced any annoyance nor noticed any injury ; so at any rate it is preveutible. — Charles Pbnnell, Lincoln Nurseries. EAELY POTATOES. At the .January meeting of the Fruit and Floral Committee of the Eoyal Horticultural Society, Mr. Batters, gardener at Chilworth Manor, Romsey, exhibited a very fine sample of new Potatoes, which took some members of the Committee by surprise. Before giving any award the Committee was desirous of knowing how these had been produced, and the following is Mr. Batters' reply. We need hardly say that upon being informed of the skilful way in which the new Potatoes were produced the Committee at once awarded them a cultural commendation. " The varietyis Rivers's Royal Ashleaf, dug fromopen ground, Jen), 1.S74. They were laid thinly in a spare upstairs room, and on October 2Qd were potted in 32-sized pots. Placed first on the back shelf of a Melon house, they were afterwards re- moved to the back shelf of a cold house on October 20th, being then 9 inches to a foot in height. They remained in the cold house until November 'iith, having plenty of air during the day, and then removed to a small Fig house, through which a little piping runs on its way to early Vines. I shifted a few into larger pots at this latter date (November 21th), but found no benefit from the shift. " I sent the first dish to my employer's table on January 1st, 1875, about the average size of thope sent up last week. My employer and her guests told me they were beautiful, and not at all close. I potted another lot this month, January 23rd, and another yesterday. I find one can accommodate a dozen or two puts when one cannot command a frame, and you can also imitate summer with the soil better in pots than in a pit. "I am trying Vegetable Marrow from cuttings put-in in autumn. With your permission I will communicate the result by-and-by.^J. B.\ttebs, Clulicortli Manor, Romsfj/, Eanip>iJiiri'." PACKING FLOWERS. I ODSEBVE in your issue of February 18th a description of a plan of packing flowers to send by train or long distances. I have the produce of gardens and glass houses sent up to London each week, and my hampers and boxes leave the house in the country at eight o'clock one morning, and after jogging in a country cart eight miles to the nearest station reach London at twelve o'clock the next day, thus passing twenty-eiglit hours closely shut-up. After many unsuccessful attempts I have at last adopted a plan which succeeds perfectly. My carpenter has made two common deal flower boxes 8 inches deep, with two trays each, which fit into the insiJe by a very simple con- trivance, and leave space between each of 3, 21, and 2.1 inches. Upon these trays the gardener lays as many flowers as he can without putting one over the other, and when they are un- packed and have been in water for a few minutes tliey are as fresh as if newly gathered. Camellias, Eoses, splendid double Hyacinths, Orchids, and Ferns, carry in this way most satis- factorily. The carpenter has put hinges and a lock with two kfys to each box, and painted the address in full on the out- side, and I have now for a few pence weekly the full enjoy- ment of all the flowers grown 1.50 miles away. I venture to recommend this plan to others, as it is in every way desirable to keep as much as possible en rapport with establishments which are frequently left for eight months out of the twelve without the supervision of the owners. I adopt also the same plan for fruits and butter, leaving the vegetables to bo sent in a common hamper, alteiing the dimensions of the boxes and the spaces between the trays to suit the dift'erent articles put inside. — A Constant Reader. CULFORD HALL. CcLFOED Hall, the seat of the Rev. Edward Eichard Benyon, is about four miles N.N.W. from Bary St. Edmunds. The estate includes the five parishes of Timworth, Ingham, Wordwell, West Stow, and Culford, and exceeds in extent 12,000 acres. The land varies in character, but is mostly light, upon a subsoil of gravel or chalk. This manor appears to have been given at an early period to the Abbey of St. Edmund, but afterwards became the property of the Bacon family. The Hall is a large handsome mansion, and was built in 1591 by Sir Nicholas Bacon, and passed with the estates by marriage into the noble family of Cornwallis. It was purchased about the year 1823 from the executors of the last Marquis by Richard i3enyon de Beauvoir, Esq., uncle of the present proprietor. It is surrounded by a park of some five hundred acres in extent, which is remarkably well wooded, containing fine specimens of ancient Oaks, Elms, Beeches, Horse Chestnuts, Aa. It is also embellished by a fine piece of artificial water on the south side of the Hall ; this is formed by a tributary of the river Lark, and was de- signed by the celebrated landscape gardener Eepton, and its skilful disposition gives evidence of the talent of its designer. At about a quarter of a mile west from the Hall the water is spanned by an extraordinary massive iron bridge, which was erected at an enormous cost by the first Marquis of Cornwallis on his return from India. The chief approach to the mansion was made to cross the river by way of this bridge. But the principal entrances are now in the village of Culford. The church stands in the ple^asure grounds a short distance from the Hall, and is exceedingly neat and ornamental in appearance, being built of flint, with facings of Caen stone. It is furnished with a square tower of very chaste proportions. It was rebuilt in 185G on the site of a former church, which was of great antiquity, and contained many ancient and interesting monuments to different members of the Bacon and Cornwallis families, all of which have been carefully preserved. It is worthy of mention that the present proprietor of these estates has, since he came into possession of the property, rebuilt or restored the church of each of his five paris'ues, and has also built an entirely new one for the benefit of the in- habitants of the northern portion of the parish of Culford, which is five miles in length. The conservatory stands near to the Hall, and has a small flower garden and fountain in front of it ; while in the rear of the structure, and communicating with it, is an exotic fernery containing fountains, waterfalls, &a. ; and a wilderness or hardy fernery occupies a position near to the gardens. In the grounds are some good specimens of the Cedar of Lebanon, the Deodar Cedar, Wellingtonia gigantea, Picea Pinsapo, Irish Yews, &c. The gardens are situated on the east side of the Hall, and at a distance of some 500 yards from it. They contain upwards of eleven acres, and slope gently to the south, and are surrounded and intersected by brick walls of various heights. These gardens also contain about 1500 yards of Yew hedges, which vary in height from 4 to 12 feet. The principal walks are 10 feet wide, and the walls are pierced where necessary by circular arches of the same width. There are a considerable number of glass structures of various kinds — viz., two epan-roofed orchard houses each 90 feet long, 20 feet wide, and 12 feet high, chiefly devoted to the culture of Peaches, Nectarines, and Cherries. A lean-to Fig house, 220 feet in length; 200 feet of wall, on which Apricot trees are trained, and dwarf standards planted in front of them at a distance of 5 feet from the wall, and so arranged that a glass roof is placed over them when the trees begin to bloom, and taken off when all danger from frost has passed. By this means a crop of fruit is always secured. The ripening of the fruit of the standard trees succeeds that of the trees trained to the wall, and by this means the season of this useful fruit is greatly prolonged. There are also a greenhouse 30 feet long, a plant stove, Melon house. Cucumber house, and Strawberry house ; an early Peach house, two small vineries Febrnmy 25, 1873. ] JOURNAL OF HOETICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 105 for early forcing, planted chiefly with the Black Hamburgh I and Muscadine varieties — one for late Black Hamburgh Grapes, one for Muscat of Alexandria, one for West's St. Peter's and Black Alicante, one for Lady Downe's and Mrs. Pince, and one house which contains various sorts, together with pita used for the purpose of forcing early Potatoes, Asparagus, &c. We will now add the notes of another correspondent. Being in the neighbourhood of Bury St. Edmunds, I took advantage of the opportunity to spend a few hours with Jfr. Grieve, the head gardener to the Rev. E. R. Beuyon, so well known to the horticultural public by his skill in crossing Pelar- goniums of the Zonal section, especially the Tricolors. On first entering the kitchen garden the visitor is struck by the way it is laid out, and the method of training the Gooseberry bushes. Very stout poles are inserted in the ground at the base of each bush, to which the trees are trained in the pyramid fashion. A whole quarter is devoted to the bushes, and ample space allowed between the rows to allow of gathering the fruit with facility. The quarters of the garden are divided and sub- divided by Yew hedges ; these are regularly furnished through- out, and have been clipped and trained with mathematical precision. This is certainly a very pleasing arrangement so tar as effect is concerned, but its advantages are doubtful. The hedges may shelter some crops, but they occupy much space, and would uot do where ground is valuable. There are likewise extensive ranges of glass houses in the kitchen garden. The first range we enter is a Muscat house and Peach house. Some excellent Muscats were still hanging on the Vines ; the bunches were small, but the berries pos- sessed that high golden colour indicative of good cultivation Mr. Grieve cuts his spurs back close to the main stem, not caring to cut to a good eye, which soon causes unsightly spurs to form, but which is the sure way to get large bunches. Most interesting to me were the two fine orchard houses. There is a bed in the centre, which is planted with one row of Peach trees 0 feet apart. The side borders are planted with Cherries, all the trees being trained in the bush or pyramid form. From some cause Cherries do not succeed in the open air at Culford, but excellent crops are obtained in the same house with the Peaches. Some cultivators experience diiBculty in getting Cherry trees to set their fruit ; but this need not be, if only the atmosphere can be dry and air admitted night and day. Black Hamburgh and Royal Muscadine Grapes are grown over the passages from Vines trained to wires near the glass ; these two sorts are the very best that can be planted in such position. Another orchard house is devoted to Peaches and Nectarines planted out and trained to a trellis overhead. The training was different from anything I had previously seen. It may be styled cordon training : main branches are trained either horizontally or vertically, and the side growths roughly spurred back after the manner of Vine rods. A large number of varie- ties are grown. I inquired which were the best Peaches, and they are Noblesse, Belle de la Croix, and Grosse Mignonne ; and for early forcing. Royal George. Nectarines — Elruge, Im- peratrice, and Pitmaston Orange. Mr. Grieve does not grow Pine Apple, but it is certainly superior to all of the orange- fleshed sorts. Decorative plants are trained to the back walls in some of the houses, notably Habrothamnus elegans, which was plenti- fully covered with deep rose-coloured flowers. Begonia insignis, one of the very best for winter flowering, is much grown. Amongst the bedding plants wintered in these lean-to vineries were a large number of standard Zonale Pelargoniums, single and double-flowered. The plants are trained to a clear stem of S or 4 feet high ; the heads are trained to a circular wire, and the plants supported by a stout stick when they are planted-out in the beds. These plants, many of them ten years old, are very useful for planting in the centres of beds and as single specimens on a lawn. Of bedding Pelargoniums the best white-flowered variety is a hybrid raised at Culford named Dolly Varden ; it is a cross between a bronze Zonal and P. peltatum elegans. Bronze Harry Hieover is the best for small beds. Culford Rose and Culford Pink are both very useful varieties for vases, especially the former. Bridal Wreath, another hybrid Ivyleaf, is a favourite here. The vineries contain the Vine described and figured in the .Journal (see pa3;e .583, No. 718) from which the bunch of Golden Champion was cut from a cane of Trebbiano. I did not see the bunch hanging, but those who did see it had no doubt what- ever but that it was Golden Champion. It has also been found that Muscat Hamburgh succeeds remarkably well worked on the Frontignan stock. In the Lady Downe's house, where a very large crop was hanging, were a few rods of Mrs. Pince's Black Muscat, which is much liked for its good flavour, but it 166 JOUENAL OF HOETIOCLTURE AND COTTAGE QABDENER [ Febrnaiy 25, 1875. does not keep nearly so well as Lady Downe's. The VioeB are trained on the double-rod system. A large house is devoted to Fig culture, the trees being trained to a trellis fixed under the glass and also against the back wall, the varieties most approved of being Brown Turkey and Itaby Castle. In the stove the beautifully. marked leaves of many different varieties of Coleus had an excellent effect. A fine specimen of Adiantum farleyense was noticeable. The old Centradenia rosea floribunda was flowering very profusely, and an esceUent plant it is for decorative purposes during the winter months. In the greenhouse Coronilla glauca is largely represented ; it will thrive under ordinary treatment, and is very useful either for cutting or decorative purposes. I also noticed a very hand- some specimen of what seemed to be Clianthus puniceuB, the Glory Pea of New Zealand, but it was of a much more robust growth than is commonly seen. It is evidently a variety of the species, and has been named Magnificent. The Clianthus is a good pot plant, but to see it in all its glory it should be planted in a conservatory border. The coolest treatment suits it, and if kept free from red spider by daily syringing when it is making its growths it will soon make a large plant or bush 12 feet high, which when loaded with clusters of its large crimson Pea-hke flowers is an object of great beauty. I noticed in the conservatory a number of well-flowered specimens of Salvia , splendens; their numerous spikes of brilliant scarlet flowers were very attractive. There was also a good stock of healthy plants of the double white Primula sinensis. This is rather a difficult plant to keep through the winter, but the flowers are useful for cutting, and they also remain in good condition on the plant for a very long time. Attached to the conservatory is a fernery under glass ; it is formed of artificial rockwork, the Ferns being planted in nooks in prominent positions, where a sufficient depth of mould can be obtained ; the groundwork is principally composed of Lycopodium denticulatum. I noticed the following Ferns : — Adiantum scutum and A. cune- atum, Nephrolepis exaltata ; Lygodium scandens, the climb- ing Fern ; Cibotium spectabile, &a. There is a neat flower garden in front of the conservatory, but the principal part of the bedding-out is done at the kitchen garden. A series of beds have been laid-out iu front of the gardener's cottage, which has been erected about the centre of the hothouses. The plants had all been cleared from the beds at the time of my visit, but under the management of such a master as Mr. Grieve they are no doubt worthy of Culford. — J. DocdL.vs, THE LATE MK. DOWNING'S AURICULAS. A WKiTEE in one of your contemporaries, in an appreciative article on the Auricula some time ago, said that he thought there was something in the flower that seemed to fascinate the grower, and that it was the last fancy that clung to a florist in his declining years. I believe it is true. There are no florists, I believe, so mad as Auricula-growers ; there are none who give so much personal care to their pets as they do, and it is the last thing they relinquish. Mr. Lightbody gave up his Pinks, Tulips, and Pianunculuses, but he still kept his Auri- culas ; and although Mr. Downing had been a celebrated breeder of shorthorns — so much so that one animal of his breeding some years ago sold for £1700 by auction — yet they were given up. He had his garden and greenhouses, but the care of these was relegated to his gardener ; but his Auriculas he repotted and cared for himself. I never had the pleasure of meeting him ; we have corresponded, and his letters were those of a kindly and enthusiastic lover of flowers. I should suppose that his collection must have been certainly one of the largest, if not also the richest iu the kingdom. It comprised a row of four three-light frames containing very nearly a thousand plants in Si's, and another pit 18 feet long filled with seedlings. Every variety in growth of any value was to be found here, and many of them in large quantities. He had grown them for thirty or forty years, and was as enthu- siastic over them as ever. He had many seedlings of which he thought highly. All this fine collection was disponed of last week. A large number of the lots (which were put into too large quantities to suit amateurs) were bought by our great southern Auricula-grower, Mr. Charles Turner of Slough, and the others by nurserymen, only cue lot, I believe, having been bought by an amateur. Mr. Downing's illness was of very short duration, and his death quite unexpected. Although never an exhibitor, yet we see he was a most enthusiastic grower of this fine flower ; and we are sorry to miss from the roll-call of the Auricula-lovers one who, with a fine property and with everything at his dis- posal for any fancy he might indulge in, yet to the last never deserted the flower which he had wooed in his early days as to many of us have done, and which exerts so strange an influence over us even to old age. I am indebted for these few facts to Mr. John Gray of Ilagley near Stourbridge, who was a friend of Mr. Downing's and also au enthusiastic Auricula-grower. — D., Deal. JOTTINGS ON LAST YEAR'S GARDENING. No. 4. Eadish. — Long Scarlet Short-top is the only one of the long- rooted kinds grown after the first sowing in spring. Wood's Frame being shorter and earlier. The best of the Radishes grown last and previous years is AYhite-lipped, Olive-shaped, or French Breakfast, it being of very quick growth, very tender, and mild flavour. Olive-shaped Scarlet ditlers but little, except in being finer in colour and of quick growth. The Olive-shaped are the best of Radishes, either for outdoors or forcing. The red and white Turnip kinds are also good, but stronger in flavour than the Olive-shaped. Sown in August (third or fourth week) the Olive-shaped will be fit to draw in October, and, protected from frost by mats or straw iu severe weather, they will be in good condition the greater part of the winter. Californian Mammoth was sown at the same time as the last of Olive-shaped, August .tlst, and came to nothing. The seed was evidently sown too late, but the Olive-shaped are good now — end of January. The first outdoors were drawn on April 30th, in 1873 on May 8th. Rami'Ion.— This root stems to be coming into favour, and requires to be sown in AprU for autumn use, and in May for storing to keep over the winter. By some the roots are pre- ferred to Radishes. The roots last year were small. Salsify. — This was fine, and the frequent call for it shows it was relished. It makes, I am told, a nice dish. It was first used on November 12th. ScoiizoNEKA. — More nutty-flavoured than Salsify. It is a good vegetable for winter, but it was a complete failure. In 1873 the first dish was sent in December 30th (it is ready in October), and last February 2Cth, 1874. Savoy. — Tom Thumb is the earliest, and may be planted a foot apart. Drumhead is best, but not so hardy as Dwarf Green Curled. The first was cut December 7th (Cabbage was abundant until then), and last January 31st. Seaiule. — Raised from seed it made less growth than usual last year ; generally by one year's growth plants were fit for forcing, but this year they were no use, the small crowns of the former year's sowing far surpassing the seedlings. It ia taken up for forcing, but some is covered with pots and comes on naturally. The pots are put in the Mushroom house about a hundred every fortnight, commencing last year November Dth, and continuing until March 13th. Before Christmas twenty to twenty-one days are required from putting in the roots to cutting the Kale, while roots put in after are ready in a fortnight. It was first cut December 8th, and in use until June ICth. Spinach. — Despite the drought it did well. A rich soil makes up for want of moisture, and for Spinach it can hardly be too much so. Summer or Round is best for spring and summer sowings ; Prickly the best for winter ; Flanders is a good winter sort with round seed. The Prickly sown about the 10th of August comes-in in October, and lasts in condition until the spring sowings come in. Tomato, — Hathaway s Excelsior is a smooth ribless variety ; Early Prolific not so desirable as Orangefield Dwarf. Toma- toes do no good here outdoors. Turnip. — Early Snowball and Early White Stone or Six- weeks were both good. Orange Jelly for winter has no superior. Alter the first sowings, which are best made on a warm border, au open situation on a north border is desirable. Chirk Castle Black Stone is an excellent keeper, and its flesh being white is by some preferred to Orange Jelly. Turnips, with Carrots and other soup ingredients, are expected throughout the year. Vegetable Mabkow. — The season being warm these did well, but under the first moist weather in early autumn the plants succumbed. Custard invariably does badly. The Shoit- jointed Long White is the best of the JIarrows. RnuBABB.— Johnson's St. Martin's, a fine improvement upon the small Scarlets. The stalks are red inside as well as outside. It is as early and productive as any, and better February 35, 1875. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGK GARDENER. ii;7 flavoured. Next to this I like Linnicus, whioli forces better than Royal Albert, and is larRer, but the palm for forcing must be given to Johnson's St. Martin's. For general use Victoria is recommended. Monarch is the largest ; it has a monstrous leaf and thick and green stalk. Sh.vllots could not stand the drought and were small. The large kind is not so good as the small one. Potato Onions, with Garlic, maggoted and were severely mildewed. Jekusaleji Artichokes are much used. They are easily grown if the soil be good and light. Potatoes. — Very little or no disease. Crop good, quality of earlies good, but the late kinds indifferent. There has been little addition made to the number of kinds, for the simple fact that the old ones are so good. Sandringham, the old and true Ashleaf, is earlier by a week or ten days than Myatt's Prolific Ashleaf, and commences to grow much earlier in store than any of the Ashleafs, the eyes not unfrequently proceeding from a shoulder or knob. The Royal Horticultural Society say it never blooms, which it does with me every year, and always did for the last thirty years, as I have seen it by the acre on the sandy loams abutting the warp of the Ouse. Mona's Pride I have given up, being better served by Myatt's Prolific andVeitch's Ashleaf. The latter has a dwarfer haulm, and is very prolific and of excellent r[uality, coming into use at the same time as Myatt's Prolific. To succeed those I grow Lapstone, which upon onr light soil is excellent alike in cropping and quality. Bryanstone Kidney is later than Lapstone, has large fine-shaped tubers, very prolific, and of excellent quality. It is a desirable kind. Rector of Woodstock I had last year for the first time, and it is very prolific ; the tubers though not large are numerous and of a good, useable, even size, flatfish round, with a white smootb skin, and the eyes not sunk but level with the skin ; altogether a very handsome tuber. The quality is said to be excellent, but I am so pleased with its appearance that all have been saved for seed. The haulm though robust is only of medium height, and no more spreading than au Ashleaf. It ripens-off in good time, coming-in about the same time as Lapstone. Victoria is grown to succeed those aforenamed, and does not do so well as the others, the haulm becoming much too strong, and the quantity and quality of crop suffer, and disease appears. It is, however, a heavy cropper, and the quality is good. Those are the dependant kinds, with Walker's Regent for winter, which is a good cropper, large, and ex- cellent in quality. We still keep a few of Hundredfold Fluke (Suttons'), which has never had disease ; hed-skinned Flour- ball (Suttons'), immensely large, and not had disease; Ex- celsior, Willard, Late Rose, Early Rose, and three nameless sorts, one flattish round, a rough skin, boiling very floury ; a piebald round kind from Belgium ; and a rose kidney. Many kinds have been discarded as either coarse, poor croppers, or indiSerent in cooking qualities. — G. Abbey. SEAKALE AND RHUBARB TUBS. On reading Mr. J. Wright's notice of this, to him, new in- vention I was led to exclaim, " Nothing new under the sun ! " It is now more than twenty years since I saw the same sort of boxes used by Mr. W. Thom at Newtondon, near Kelso, N.B. Probably he still uses them. Mr. Thorn's boxes were made in the same way, but instead of being narrower at the top they wore of the same width throughout. I think this an improve- ment, especially for the Rhubarb, as even with the wider top I found it difficult to get the sticks out without breaking them; and being kitchen boy at that time I had some experience of burrowing amongst the wet dung and leaves. I also remember that the boxes were fitted with a lid, in the centre of which was a round hole about an inch in diameter. This was to allow of the escape of any steam that would find its way from the fermenting material into the box, and by pushing the fore finger through it the lid could readily be removed. In this neighbourhood a much cheaper and quite as con- venient an article is the flour barrels which are sent to this country from America. They can be bought at any flour mill for a small sum — from sixpence to one shilling each. One end is always out when they are bought, the other end must also be knocked out. A cross piece of wood is then nailed on to the lid, which projects an inch or so over to prevent it from falling into the barrel. We have long ago given up this system of forcing Rhubarb and Seakale. The flour barrels are still used, but in a very different way. The Rhubarb is first dug-up, and then packed as close aa possible in the bottom of the barrels, with the crowns up of course. A little mould is then put in, but not so much as to quite cover the crowns. They are then removed to a vinery. Mushroom house, or anywhere where a high temperature is kept up. Rhubarb can be obtained much quicker and with far less trouble in this way than by wheeling a lot of ferment- ing material to the plants. Of course those who have not forcing houses must get it in the old way still. — J. Douglas. I AM glad to have drawn attention to this useful and simple home-made article, as it may bring that, or something better of the samo nature, into general use. This would be an ad- vantage to many who have Seakale to force and neither pots to cover it with nor a Mushroom house or other warm structure iu which to introduce the roots. Other cultivators have, it seems, long used similar boxes, but I know they are not general, not nearly so much so as the unfortunate conditions of the many who are neither provided with pots nor houses, but who are expected to force these vegetables. As to their ori- ginality, I was careful not to commit myself on that point, as so many " original " things have been used " years ago " when their utility becomes known. That, however, is a very second- ary matter. The main point is. Are they useful ? As seen at Biirghley they were serving their purpose admirably. I simply recorded that fact, and " wondered that something of the same simple and effectual nature had not been in use long ago." That such has been adopted and answered well is only con- firmation of their usefulness. I will wonder again — this time why my friends imply that I mentioned them as " original," when I did nothing of the kind. But, thanks to Mr. Gilbert, the box is before the public. Those who have proved it worthless will of course not use it, while those who have no pots are provided with an example of a very good sub- stitute, and it by the aid of these boxes they secure produce equal to that of Mr. Gilbert they will have good cause to be satisfied. — J. Wkight. TROP.EOLUM MINNIE WARREN. As the time is at hand for preparing for the summer decora- tion of flower borders and beds a few words about this plant may not be out of place. I have an idea that this Tropasolum is not so much cultivated as it ought to be, and I recommend a trial of it to those who have not grown it for bedding pur- poses. For ribbon borders or for clumps in the herbaceous borders I think this variety cannot fail to give satisfaction. I have used the plant with great success, and visitors never failed to take note of it as a desirable addition to their own collection of bedding plants. The plant is of compact dwarf habit, with foliage of light green and creamy white cjlours. The flowers can either remain or be picked off, as the circumstances may dictate. It contrasts well with many of our bedding plants, but more especially those having dark foliage. I find that an old store plant or two kept through the winter will furnish a good stock of cuttings for striking in the spring, which they do freely in a sandy compost, and placed in a gentle bottom heat. If potted-off when rooted, and encouraged to grow freely, they make good plants by planting-out time. Cuttings will also strike in early autumn in a shady pit without bottom heat, and may be wintered in the store pots. I have not proved whether this vnrioty can be raised true from seed. It will grow freely in any ordinary garden soil. — H. NOTES AND GLEANINGS. An Inteen.vtioual Horticultueal Exhiiution will be opened at Cologne during the present year under the patronage of the German Empress and the Crown Prince. The General Com- mittee has issued a circular inviting all who take an interest in the progress of gardening to contribute to the Exhibition. It is to comprise all horticultural plants and productions (with the exception of Vines and Grapes, which are excluded, owing to the possibility of introducing the Phylloxera vastatrix), also working implements, machinery, a< well as collections of any kind connected with rural life and the development of garden culture. Lady Cullum died suddenly on the IGth inst. at her residence, Hardwick Hall, near Bury St. Edmunds. She was the widow of the Rev. Sir Thomas Gery CuUum, Bart., who died iu 185.5. She delighted and had great taste in gardening, and this may bo appreciated by a roforenco to our views and 108 JOURNAL OF HOETICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ February 25, 1875. descriptions of the dressed (grounds at Hardwick published in this Journal so recently as January 'Jlst and 2Hth. In all her plans she was aided by her head gardener Mr. D. T. Fish. It is stated that she had been talking with him, and giving direc- tions for the planting of that funereal tree the Cypress just previously to the seizure, which almost immediately proved fatal. We extract the following from the Bunj Free Press : — " Few things are a higher testimony to character than the length of time that dependants cling to and serve the same employer with the unstinted measure that love gives. Judged bv this standard her ladyship stands out as a model employer. Mr. Samuel Barrett may be said to have been at Hardwick all his life, Mrs. Peat for thirty-four years, Miss Woodfine for nearly a quarter of a century, Mr. Fish twenty years, and some of the under servants and labourers for terms equally long or longer. As a patron of horticulture Lady CuUum has long stood pre-eminent. Assisting her husband, the late Sir Thomas CuUum, in all his undertakings to beautify and adorn Hard- wick, her ladyship has gone on always adding to the extent of the gardens and enriching their beauty. Her last work — in which she was busily engaged only a few minutes before the attack that terminated her useful life — was determining the site, with Mr. Fish, for a few more ornamental and rare trees. The Bury and West Suffolk Horticultural Society is under the deepest obligations to her ladyship for her cheerful readiness to grant the use of her grounds on all occasions when required ; and even this season Lady CuUam had the generosity to offer Hardwick to them should the Bury and Thetford Railway not be open in time to allow the Society to hold their summer fC-te at Ampton." NOTES ON YlhLk AND SUBURBAN GARDENING. The snow that has fallen within the last few days, and the slight frosts we have had with a very cold northerly wind, will prevent vegetation from advancing too rapidly, and thereby be au advantage ; it has for a time also prevented the progress of some work in the kitchen garden, to which when the opportunity arrives the amateur must turn his attention. I allude to the following crops : — Jekusaleji »\btichokes. — Where these are grown the tubers should be planted at once similar to Potatoes, and not less than '2 feet between the rows, but allow 6 inches more if space can be spared. A deeply cultivated soil is necessary for them, al- though it is usual to plant on one of the worst spots in the garden, which is a mistake, because this vegetable is as profit- able in yield as a Potato, if not more so, inasmuch as it is not subject to the disease. It is a custom to allow the bed to stand for several years without replanting. This, too, is a mistake, for then the tubers degenerate in size, and being an ill-formed tuber there is great waste iu preparing for cooking. Thpy should be grown as large as possible, and this is best done by making a bed annually and encourage them by manure and good cul- tivation. P.vKsNiPS. — These may be sown as soon as the ground is workable on the surface. This being a deeply-rooted and ex- haustive crop for the ground, the soil should be rich and deeply dug or trenched ; but I presume the trenching of the ground has been done some time ago, the advantages of which have been previously stated. The sort known as Hollow-crowned is usually grown, but this in rich soils is liable to canker. I grow this and the Student, a somewhat smaller-growing sort, but a good shape, and so far as I have seen is free from all disease. Potatoes. — To succeed those in frames a crop of the Early Ashleaf may be planted on a warm border. I advise also the planting of Myatt's Prolific at the same time, which for an early and reliablu sort outdoors is not beaten yet, and one succeeds the other. There are now many excellent sorts for general crop- ping which must be noticed when the time comes for planting, but my idea is, that for small; gardens a good-cropping Potato such as Myatt's Kidney must not be set aside without a weighty consideration. Carkots. — Sow a small space in a warm corner, iu rows 1 foot apart, of the Early Horn kind, and take care that they are dusted with lime and soot as soon as the young plants appear, or they will be eaten-off by slugs in a single night. Sometimes they are eaten-off before they are really out of the ground. A good preventive is to mix lime and soot in the soil before sowing the seed, working it up with a rake. A few Kadishes may be sown between the rows, the same as if in a frame, so that they can be pulled off without interfering with the Carrots. Spinach. — A capital summer vegetable and quickly comes in for use. Sow a crop now between the rows of Peas or Broad Beans. Except for winter use it is scarcely necessary to take- up a separate piece of ground for it, as it is a crop which is soon cleared off. TuBNii's. — At the end of the mouth sow a piece of ground with Early Stone and White Dutch ; the one succeeds the other when sown at the same time. It is just possible that some of these will run to seed, but a vegetable of this kiad is generally required as early as possible ; tlaerefore, if only a few dishes can be secured they are worth all the trouble. As soon as the crop is up and fairly started into growth another of the same sorts should be sown. The first crop may be on a south border, but those sown during the summer should be put on a partially shaded piece of ground. Onions. — First determine the size of bed required for these, and the first opportunitv sow one half, and the other half at the end of next month. Chonse a fine day with a dry surface to the soil, put the rows about a foot apart, and if the soil is rather light tread the seed in with tne foot before raking over the surface. Autumn-sown Onions are more viRorous growers, and if they are now standing thick in the bed enrich a piece of eround with manure and prick-out as many as are required. Do not plant these too deeply, but just so that the roots are well fastened in the soil. Peas. — Of these another crop must be sown as soon as the others previously sown are fairly above ground. At this time of the year my plan is to sow both a tall sort such as Champion of England or Emperor of the Marrows, and Yorkshire Hero, Veitch's Perfection, or McLean's Premier. The dwarf sorts are great bearers, but do not last so long as the tall sorts ; more- over, they come in for use before the others, which gives a suc- cession if all are sown at one time. Broao Beans. — Plant a few rows at a time to keep up a suc- cession, as they soon get old in the pod. There is a sort named Hardy's Pedigree Windsor spoken very highly of, which might be safe to try with some of the old sorts ; but I do not advise , anyone to depend upon any new vegetable until it is tried with others, for the safe reason that if it should fail there is a vacancy in the supply. The above is the principal of the main cropping to be doue at present, but there are other things in the way of small seeds to be sown now. These include a few seeds of Cabbage, Cauli- flower, Brussels Sprouts, Celery, Dwarf Ulm Savoy (a small sort for summer use). Lettuces, Radishes, and Snow's Winter Broccoli. If sown out of doors choose a dry sheltered spot for them, and mix lime and soot with the soil before sowing; afterwards lay some slight protection over the surface, and take it off when the seeds are just coming out of the ground — that is, if the weather is favourable. But if glass protection can be spared it will be best to sow Celery in a bos or pan, also Lettuce, Radish, and other small rather tender seedlings iu soil made-up for the purpose and covered with the glass. Parsley is always wanted in every garden, and a good breadth of it should be sown now. The seed may be sown broadcast, but for small gardens it is much preferable to sow it in rows by the side of walks, so as not to take up so much space. Cauliflowers under handlights must frequently have the glasses taken off to keep the plants dwarf and hardy. Stir the soil among them, and dust with lime if necessary. Fill-up Cab- bage plantations with plants from the store bed sown in au- tumn, and likewise move the earth among them. Other crops that have not had the benefit of the earth being moved for a long time, will be the better if the first stirring be done with a three-pronged hoe, which would leave the soil beneath in a better condition than if done with a draw hoe. — Thomas Record. DOINGS OF THE LAST AND PRESENT WEEKS. HARDY fruit GARDEN. Ap soon as the surface of the soil is dry enough the Dutch hoe will' be run through the rows of Strawberries, not so much to kill weeds as to ai-rate the ground. It is best to go over the ground first and pick up the largest weeds by hand. The hoe is kept at work amongst the plants, so that not a weed is to be found by the time the flower trusses are thrown up. A com- parison is sometimes made between our present system of annual renewal of the beds, and the old one of allowing the same plants to occupy the ground for half a score or more years. Late in autumn or during the winter months the beds or quarters received their annual dressing of manure, which was dug or forked-iu between the rows. In soils unsuitable to the Strawberry many plants died annually, and the rows had to be made up with young plants. The same old system of Strawberry culture prevails in many good gardens at the present time. " D., Deal.," writiug last week, has gloomy forebodings about his own prospects of a crop this year. If his soil is light, and he continues to work on the three-years system, many of his plants will die the second year, and, as he says, be " very spotty" the third. It used to be so in the soil at Ilford, but since commencing the one-year system we never fail to secure a regular crop of fine fruit. It is necessary to prepare the plants annually in small pots as early as the runners can be had. Ilas2>berrus have had some rich manure forked-in between the rows, taking care not to injure the roots. One portion of the plants are trained to a single stout stake driven into the ground, February 2S, 1875. J JOUBNAL OF HOBTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENEK. 169 and to which four or five canes are tied, the plants beinj^ in rowa 3 feet apart and 1 feet between the rows. This is an old method of traiuiug, and it is still practised by many good gardeners. The other method of traiuiug is certainly preferable, and is the Bame as that described by " D., Deal," last week. The same distance of 1 feet should be allowed between the rows ; but wo put the plants only IS inches or 2, feet apart in the row. The wire to which the canes are tied should be tightly strained by bein^ fixed to strong permanent supports at each end of the rows. Raspberry plants ought to be planted in the best soil, and s shady position answers better for them than one exposed to BU3. FROIT AND FOHCING HOUSES. Mherics. — The earliest house is now in flower, and the berries seem to be setting very well. The temperature is always kept a few degrees higher when the Vines are in flower, nor is it well to allov the evaporating troughs to be filled with water, although the Gripes set better in a moderately moist atmosphere than they do in a dry one. A celebrated grower of Muscats stated that he ilways found the berries set best when he sprinkled the bunches with water through the rose of a water-pot when in flower ; ihis he did every day. Others syringe the Vines daily when they are in flower. We do not approve of either method. All we fiad necessary to assist in setting is to give the branch a gentle tap with the hand about twice a-day; the paths and surface of the borders are sprinkled with water once a-day at least. We have had very cold winds from the east, with little or no sun. At such a time the ventilators must be opened very cautiously — a narrow opening about half an inch wide at the highest part of the roof is all that can be done, and this about four hours at mid-day. The growing shoots are usually tied down in their places by the time the Vines are in flower, and very little attention is required after the berries are set, as Vines that are bearing a full crop of Grapes do not make much growth. Succession houses are having the growths stepped and trained. Only one growth is allowed to each spur, but it is beat to allow two to remain until one has been brought down to the wire. This is only necessary when the shoot to lie trained is in an awkward position, and there is danger of it snapping in the course of training. All the growths should be brought under- neath the wires, and, for the sake of appearance, all should be trained if possible at the same angle. The latest houses are being prepared by washing the wood and glasswork, washing and painting the Vines with the usual compost, removing the surface soil and dressing with a rich compost. It was recently stated that the latest Grapes were cut and the end of the branch to which the bunches were attached inserted in water. Some persons do not yet understand how this is done. Our plan is very simple. The glass bottles used are clear, so that the water can be seen as it diminishes, and can be refilled again without running it over. A string is tied to the neck of the bottle to fix it in a slanting position by tying it to a lath just over the frnit-room shelves, the bottom of the bottle being allowed to rest on the shelf. Those who wish to put their Grapes in a room that is not furnished with shelves will find a very suitable contrivance in a Grape rail invented by Mr. Kemp, gardener to his Grace the Duke of Northumberland. The bunches on this are arranged in rows one above another. CUCUMBER .IND MELON HOUSES. Seldom have we experienced such uufavourable weather for the culture of the ab'jve. By a low temperature with absence of sun the leaves grow flimsy, so that it is necessary to throw a slight shading over the glass to save the leaves if the sun shines for a few hours. Too much moisture in the atmosphere is to be avoided at this season. All the vapour required in the atmo- sphere can be obtained from water sprinkled on piths, walls, itc. Just a word here on sowing Cucumber and Melon seeds. If they are sown iu a frame over a hotbed it is best to plunge the pot in the bed when the violent heat has subsided. The young plants that are prieked-out should also be plunged in the bed. Many persons follow the same practice in heated structures with plants li or 4 feet removed from the glass, and the result is that they become drawn. Our plan is to sow the seeds in bottom heat, and as soon as they vegetate to place the pots ou a shelf within a foot of the glass. Iu this position the seed-leaves are firmer and the stem shorter and stouter. As soon as the seed- leaves are freely developed the plants are pottei-o£t singly, the stem being covered almost quite up to the leaves during the operation of potting. After this they are again placed on the shelf near the glass. GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. When outside operations cannot be performed either with satisfaction to the employer or justice to the workman, there is generally plenty to do indoors. Washing scale and the filth made by it from Orange trees. Camellias, ttc. We had much trouble with a large plant of Lapageria rosea in the stove. It became infested with bug, but was thoroughly cleansed and placed in the greenhouse, where the plant soon covered a large wood trellis ; and here, though the house was open night and day for six months, the bug increased so much that the trellis had to be destroyed, and one of wire substituted. As the insect has but little shelter now, it can be kept under by syringing the plant every day when it is in full growth. Put in cuttings of Tree Carnations. The small side growths from the main stem strike better than the stronger ones. Gross main growths will take a long time to form roots, and some o£ the difficult sorts refuse to root at all. The cuttings strike best in loam and leaf mould with a little sand added, and a thin layer of sand should be placed on the surface of the pot, plunge in bottom heat, and place a square of glass over the cuttings ; it will rest on the ends of the labels, and is better than enclosing the cuttings iu a haudlight. The cuttings Will not damp-off if the house is kept up to say o;j^. Removed successious of Roses, Hyacinths, Tulips, Lily of the Valley, Hoteia japonica, Deutzia gracilis, Dielytra speotabilis and other plants to the forcing houses. We find the Lily of the Valley succeed best when the pots are plunged in a gentle bottom heat. When the temperature of the house is rather high to begin with, the flowers of the Lily are thrown up before the leaves, whereas when the roots are in a higher temperature than the house this does not occur. No time should now be lost iu tying and training all specimen hardwooded plants; if this is delayed many of the best buds, which are usually the most pro- minent, are broken off. FLOWER GARDEN. With the thermometer falling several degrees below the freez- ing point, and rising but little above it by day, tender plants put out in cold frames have not had a fair chance, yet they do not show any signs of distress. They are well covered at night. Cuttings that have been recently struck are removed from warmer houses to the heated lean-to pits. Florist varieties of Carnations have not had a good time of it ; they do not suffer from cold, but damp and cold together sometimes cause the leaves to become spotted with a brown fungoid growth. These leaves must be cut off, or the plants are much injured. A few of the more tender varieties have suffered from this fungus. Vye do not know anything that will stop its progress. No rain should be allowed to fall ou the plants late iu autumn or through the winter mouths. Pruned one portion of the Rosea before digging the borders. The usual advice given in pruning Roses is to out the weakest growers back very close, those that make mediuna growths not quite so closely, and to leave the strongest growths the longest. The shoots ought to be well thinned-out, and the growths to be cut well back, especially the Hybrid Perpetual sorta.^ J. Douglas. PROVINCIAL HORTICULTORi^L EXHIBITIONS. Seokexaries will oblige us by informing us of the dates on which exhibitions are to be held. TRADE CATAIiOaUES RECEIVED. G. Yates, 29, Little Underbank, Stockpoit.— Descriptive Cata- logue of Seeds, rfmitn & Simmons, 36, Howard Street, St. Enoch Square, Glasgow. — Cultural Guide and Seed Catalogue. Stuart & Mem, Wood Market, Kelso. — General Catalogue of Seeds. J. Biddies & Co., Xjonsbhorongh.— Illustrated Catalogue of Seeds on Pennij-pachet System. P. Penuell & Sons, Lincoln. — Seeds and Selected Gladioli. TO CORRESPONDENTS. * • All correspondence should be directed either to " The Editors," or to " The Publisher." Letters addressed to Mr. Johnson or Dr. Hogg often remain unopened unavoid- ably. We request that no one will write privately to any of our correspondents, as doing so subjects them to un- justifiable trouble and expense. Correspondents should not mix up on the same sheet questions relating to Gardening and those on Poultry and Bee sub- jects, and should never send more than two or three questions at once. All articles intended for insertion should be written on one side of the paper only. We cannot reply to questions through the post. Books (J. M. Pebmarch).— The price of the " Cottage Gardeners' Die" tiouary ia 63. 6iZ., by post; V.s. 2rf. Tiie names are accented. Garden Plans {Delia).— The book is ropriatin;;, andwill be soon published. It contains exastly what you need. Grjsses foe Lawn and Pasture (Mrs. D. L.).— Wo recommend yon to purchase " Layio^-down L*nd to Permanent Pasture, &c.." by M. S. Sutton, F.KH.S , &c. It IS published by Messrs. Lonj^raau, aud the price is only one shilling. It contains not only ioformation relative to Grasses for all soils, but portraits of them, a geological map, itc. TREiTMENT OF ViNES IN PoTs ( 4 .Vowit'c).— AUow Only ono growth from each spur, and when the shoots have grown enougli piuch the point oat twt> 170 JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ February 25, 1875. leaves beyond the bunch. It will require a large supply of water when it has made strong growth. Water must be applied carefully at present, but the Vino must not suffer. "We do not syriuge our Viaes after the buds are started, but a moist atmosphere is essential to healthy growth. Wall-tree Protection (BiU Bob).— The blossom buds on our wall facing west aie not sufficiently advanced to be injured by frost. They may be kept back by shading the trees with some pritecting material in sonshiny days. The shadini^ should only be used when the sun shines on the wall. It would not be rteairblo to keop the trees, as you saggeHt, in the dark. As soon as the flowers show signs of opening, the oauvas could be used to protect the trees from frost at night, rolling it up in the daytime. Louise Bonne of Jersey is a fiee-fruiting variety. Lime for Clayey Soil (T. iV.).— You will not render it friable so as to be good garden soil unless you pare and burn the top spit of the whole plot, the ashes dug-in and the manures you name applied at the same time. Lime at the rate of one hundred bushels per acre would not be too much for such ;i clajey soil. Dressing for American Blight (TT.).— Spirits of petroleum applied with a brush to the parts infested will destroy it, or the whole tree mav be done over with it, omitting, however, the bade; or boiled linseed oil applied cold with a brush will auswer, keeping it from the buds, especially after they have begun to swell. Another cheaper and thoroughly efficacious remedy is to mix with a pint of g&t tar a pint of dry powdered clay. Form the whole into a paste by adding by degrees a gallon of warm soft water. Apply with a brush to the parts infested, and, in fact, the whole tree except the buds; also bare therootsaudexamine them, as this pest descends and feeds upon them in winter. The composition should be thoroughly brushed into the crevieas and angles. Apply the dressing warm, yet not over 120^ Cowslips foe Meadow (ff ).— The best plan would be to sow it with seed, which may be had of any principal London or provincial seedsman, and for a large Quantity a Rpecial price would be quoted. A pound of seed distributed evenly over the field in March or e.irly in April would give you a nice sprinkling of these pretty plants. You may, however, have some this year by removing the plants just when they are beginniiig to grow. Take up with some soil about an inch from the plant all round, and about 2 inches deep, and replant in your pasture. The work is best done with a knife. Earthenware Pipes for Heating (Wm. Whitc).~Qla.zed earthenware pipes have been used for heating by hot water, the joints being first stopped ^^^ji t^Ted rope raramed-in tightly, yet taking cara not to burst the sockets, and then make good with Portland cement. They are, however, liible to breakage, and are bad radiators of heat. Cast-iron water pipes ara better, and not very much more costly. The others have answered satisfactorily, naving an iron pipe for joining to the boiler. Cutting Seed Potatoes (J. C. B.).— Nothing is gained by cutting into very small pieces, and we should not cut them more than to have each set about 1 oz. weight. You may, however, cut each Potato into as many sets as the Potatoes have eyes, reservini^ a portion of tuber to each, and then rub them in quicklime. Very large crops are had by the cutting to single eyes, but for general crop it is not to be advised ; for your purpose we should advise the single sets. Seakale Planting (F. E.).— Your bed 7 feet wide will contain three rows of plants, you blanching them on the ground. Stretch a lin" along tho centre of the bed, and put in three plants in a triangle, allowing -i inches between the crowns, and these triangles of plants should be 2 feet apart, and 2 feet from the cntre row on each side. These can realily be covered with pots for forcing and blanching. The plants are best one year old. CoNNOVER'a Colossal Asparagus (2(f*'m.).— It is a good kind and large, fully as good, if not superior, to the Giant. Early and Late Strawberries {I'Uin).~Ear}y : Black Prince. Early Prolific, Sir Joseph Piston, Vicomtesse Hericart de Thury. Keens' Seedling. Late : President, Dr. Hogg, Cockscomb, Ha<>ne Gloede, and Anna de Roths- child. Dahlias (W. R. C.).— The colours of the Dahlias are— Ai-hitritor, fawn, suffused purple, yellow at base ; James Cocker, purple ; Leah, golden yellow, tinted purple; Earl of Radnor, plnra; William Newman, not known ; William Lund, crimson maroon; John Standish, bright red; Julia Davis, yellow; Miss Turner, white, rosy tip ; Maid of Essex, pale ground, tipped purplish rose ; and Lady Gladys Herbert, white edged crimson. As to arranging them iQ a border wo should have them iu order as follows : — Maid of Essex, Julia Davis, Earl of Radnor, Miss Turner, James Cocker, Lady Gladys Herbert, John Standish, Leah, and William Lund. If you cannot find out what William Newman is. then have it, with Arbitrator next, or perhaps you can improve upon this arrangement. White Beddisg Plant with Dell's Beet {An Amateur).— The best of all is the one you have discarded — viz., Centaurea candidissima. The next best is Cineraria maritima raised from cuttings. If the Cineraria grows too tall it may be kept low by stopping. Chilian Beet is of no use, and white Stocks equally unsuitable. Soil growing Beet will grow Centaurea well. Cerabtittm Propagation (Jf^'m).— The beds edged with this and grown loo large and weedy should be tiken up with about 3 inches of soil and laid on one side. The ground should then he thoroughly forked over, breaking it up fine, and removing every particle of root of the Ceraetium and other weeds. ^ After this give a good dressing of fresh soil, and manure or leaf soil, and divide the Cerastium ; put it in, each single stem with its root (an inch or two) about 3 inches apart every way, and 3 inches less each side than you wish the edging to he. Do this in March, and cut off the tops about an inch above the ground, watering if the weather be dry. Melon for Cold Garden Frame (Idem). — Any Melon you may sow in a frame in May ought to have a little bottom heat 1 1 give the plants a start to bring them up quickly, well rooted and growiag. and the seed shou'd be sown early in the month. With no heat except fmra the sun you may ripen Little Heath Melon successfully; but Meredith's Tlybrid Cashmare will not do well in each a situation unless the season he unusually hot. Melons in Frame (F. (7.1. — The spa^e you have at command will answer admirably for soil for M'ilons, which should ba strong loam moderately en- riched and firm. Little Heath would suit, it being raised in a frame in gentle heat, and put out when having three leaves. Train the vine — one from each plant, planted 2 feet apart — at abtmt a foot distance from the glacs, and do not stop it until it has reached to within a foot of the top, thca take out its point. Yon will have side shoots; stop these one joint beyond the fruit. Im- pregnate the flowers, keepin^' a rather dry atm-nphere wlicu in flower aud until they begin to swell, tben keep mare moist and water fireely until the fruitis full-sized, then diminish the supply. Keep dry when ripening. Allow four fruit to a plant. Weak liquid manure may be given after the fruit com- mences swelling. Tomatoes would not succeed in lU-inch pots in the open— at least not well; but if warm they may swell the fruit to fair size, and they will ripen in a warm room. Lay tbe seeds flat. Learning Drawing, &c. (W. A.).— In every suburb of London are night schools where you could obtain the instruction you desire. The other questions will be answered aext week. Gathering Comte de Lamy PEAufCF. C.}.— Gather the fruit as soon as it will part from the spray easily if lifted a little above a horizontal position. It is ripe in the course of October usually. Arbor Vit.^ Trees Dying (R. T.).— The trees by your description we should say had been cut by easterly winds rather than by blight or dryness of soil. They may recover, but it is rarely that they do. Remove tae soil around the trees as deep as the roots and as far as the branches extendad, aud replace with a compost of turfy loam chopped-up fine, a third of leaf soil, and a fourth of well-rotted manure, well mixed, giving a thorough soaking of water in early April and*gain in May. Improving Patchy Lawn {R. B.). — Give a thorough scratching with an iron rake in March, and a top-dressin'^ of rich compost with an eighih part of lime incorporated, failing this a dressing of wet rotted manure. Early in April rake well, clearing off any rough portion of compost, and wifi an early prospect of rain sow over it Cynosurus cristatus, 7 lbs.; Festuca duriuscula, 41bs. ; Festuca tenuifolia, lib.; Poa nemoralia sempervirens, 31hs. ; Poa trivialis, 2 lbs. ; Trifolium repens, 6 lbs. ; and T. minus, 2 lbs., in mixture for one acre. Roll well after sowing. Do not cut very close for s time after sowing — not until the growth is good, but keep well rolled. Peach Trees Gqmming (F.Jo/;n,s)— Gumming arises principally in trees under glass from the looseness of the soil with too much richness, which causes a free sappy growth and lon^-jointed wood, but it not unfrequently results from too close tying of the branches and shoots to the wires. The remedy in the first case is to prune but little and to water moderately, making the soil firm as possible, so as to induce slow growth aud short-jointed wood; and the other is to tie loosely, affording space for the shoots to swell. To pre- vent abrasion it is well to have a ligature of the tying material between the wire and shoot. Nothing will stop the gumming after it commences to issue, bat judicious treatment will generally prevent it. Pteris tricolor from Spores (H. N.). — Half fill a pot with crocks, and over this place roush sandy poat, filling t) the rim; fioish with about an inch thickness of sifted peat, with a fourth of silver sand intermixed, press- ing firmly. Water well, aud let stand to soak-in for a few hours, then water again and agiin. After the third watering brush the spores of the frond on to the surface, distributing equally, aud cover with a bell-glass just fitting within the rim of the pot aud resting on the soil. Place in a warm house in a shaded and moist position ; stand the pot in a saucer, which is always to be kept full of water. No water will be needed on the surface, but it must be kept constantly moist. When the young plants appear, which will take some time, tilt the glass a little on one side at night, keepiug close by day, increas- ing the opening a^ the plants advance in crowth, removing it gradually after the plants throw-up fronds. Guano is not kept by us in tins as formerly. Inarching Muscat on Black Alicante (A Constant il-ca-itT).— The operation may he satisfactorily performed, but both do well on their own roots, and as a late-hanging Grape, Black Alicante is the better of the two. We have seen Grapes of hith kinds upon the same Vine, the lower half Muscat of Alexaidria, and the upper half Black Alicante. W^hat is the variety of Bougainvillea you have in a pot in the stove? Not knowing the kind, we might advise, but advise wrongly. Manuring Me,\dow (D. D.j.—Dis^ributo the horse droppings evenly next month, and break small, or bush-harrow, after rain ; aud at the end of March or beginning of April, but only iu moist weather, dress with phosphate guano at the rate of 2 to 3 cwt. per acre. Draining Gravelled Sweep (F. J. C). — Stone drains, or, what would be better, drain pipes or tiles, 2-inch being large enough, laid across your travel, nowhere less than 15 inches deep, as you will have the pressure of carriages. These 9 feet apart, and filled-up level with clay and stones so that the water will pass off by the stones to the drains, will give you, we think, freedom from surface water. Levelling Ridges— Heading Trees for Grafting (TF. J. J.).— The ground ought to be forked over tlioroughly iu dry or frosty weather. It will not do to level with a rake, it would sink unevenly. Cut off the heads only a few days before grafting — a week at most. Rei-skin Floarhall Potato is at best a watery kind. Tliey are best steamed with their skins, but baking is a preferable mode of cooking. CLninERS for Roof of Fernery (^f/apaii/^ws). — Tour house will only be suitable for greenhouse climbers. The most suitable would be Lapageria rosea and L. alba, Tac^onia Van Volxemi, Bignonia jasminoides floribunda, Cistus antarcticu^, Cobcea scandeus variegata, Habrothamnus fascicularia, Mandevilla suaveolens, and Passiflora Camte Nesselrodo. Unless your house be large the Tacsonia and Passiflora would be sufficient for the roof-civeriog, as they will cover a large extent of surface, but we should also hive the Lapagerias. If you have any bare wall that you wish to cover, Ficus repens would do so admirably. Climbers for North Wall— Old Aspar.^gds Transplanting— Fig Tree Foll of Wood ( IF/»(oni.— For the north wall besides Ivy Cotoneaster microphylla, but it will not cling without nailing, aud we only know two others that will — viz., Ampelopsis Veitchii and A. hederacea, both deciduous and pretty, hut not equal to Ivy, the finest of all green or variegated leaf- covering for a wall. Asparagus ten years old is not worth transplanting. Younger plants would do better and be more enduring. Thin out th« long bare branches of the Fig tree at the close of April, or when it is beginning to grow. Cut these as near the base of the tree as you can; but whilst soeking to prevent overcrowdiu;;, cot away as little young wood a^ possible, for the more of that removed the more will there ba produced afterwards, aud the more growth the less fruit. Plants for Rock work (IT. H. S.). — In the sunny parts or slightly shaded, Sempervivums arachnoideum, oalifornicum, globiferum, and montanum ; Sedums acre, atropurpureum, angUcum. glaucum, Nevi, kamtschaticum, pal- lidum rO'ieum, and Wightmannianum ; Saxifragas atfiuis, Aizoou, ceratophylla, janiperiaua, oppnsitifulia, palmata, pectinata, umbrosa elegantis-iraa. Ferns ia shade— Allotiorus crispus. Asplenium adiaotum-niarum, A. trichomanes, ^. virile, Athyriura coryrabiferum, Btechmira spieant, Cystopteris fraglHs, Lastrea Filix-mas crii^tata, Lomaria alpina, Polypodium vulgare cambricum, February 30, 1S75. ) JOUBNAIj Ob' HOUriGULTURE AXD COTrAliB GARDENER. 171 PolyBtiohiim augularepr(jliJaram, Soolopendrium vulgare, vara, oorjmbifemm and crispiim. Plants in Tnsa for Lawn {Idem). — Yucca reourva is very graceful and good, and so is Laurustinua kept in neat form by cutting after flowering. Sweet Bay is also very handsome. PRCNINQ Roses {r(^m).~Cut them at once to three or four eyes, the strongest least, and the weak ^'rowera cut-iu more closely — to two eyes if the wood bo very small. CoLijRADO Potato Beetle {A7nicus).~\Yff have not occupied any space ■with notes ou this insect, because there ia little more chance of its being introduixd into this country from America than there is of its rattloanake. It iufesis the haulm of the plant, and until the haulm is imported we shall probably remain unattacked, for although the larvrc descend into the eaath, this is specially removed from all imported Potatoes. KosES Louis Odi^r and Admirable (A'i^fici.— Louis Odier is a Bourbon, or rather a hybrid Bourbon with Noisette blood in it. It is still tu be found in many of the Rose catalogues of the larger firms. We do not remember Admirable. The Sedum will do for carpet bedding, but the colour is not pro- nounced enough, and it is difficult to say what species it is from the small specimen enclosed. It is not too late to plant Manetti stocks, as the season is backward and nurserymen may still have a supply. We do not rocoraraeud budding on old overgrown stocks, but they may be kept to get cuttings from in the autumn. Rose Moss de Meaux iBamlct).—V?e cannot, we fear, aid you to obtain the Moss variety of the uld Ro-^^e de Meaus. Can any of our correspondents and readers help the Priuce of Denmark? Lime, Salt, and Soot as a Manure (SuL^cribcr, WohuThamptoti).— One bushel of salt, one bushel of eoot, and two bushels of limo are t.'ood pro- portions. Double those quantities will not be too much for 64 squai-e yards. Insects ( West Cumherland). — The very minute white insects sent in damp earth (and aasertod to be attacking and destroying the roots of various vege- tables, Cabbage, Broccoli, and Brussels Sprouts which have stood over the winter, the roots of which are now swarming with these insects and in a state of decay), lire one cf the smallest known species of Thysanura, or Spriug- Bttils, named Lipura ambulans, Bitrm. (Poduia terrestris nivea of De Geer, &c.). They feed on decaying, not on healthy, vegetable matter. Your plants must have been injured by some otter cause, possibly the severe cold, and thus become liable to the attacks of theae little creatures. Your ground, too, probably wants thoroughly cleanbing. — I. O. W. Names of Fruits (S.). — The best specimen is Josephine de Malines, and the other Beurrf d'Aremberg. We have not heard of Tobolsk Rhubarb for some years, but if you get Linmeus you will have an improvement on it. Names of Plants {T. IV. C).— We cannot name plants from leaves on]y, we require a flower as well. (Mrs. Carlisle). — Gari-j'a elliptica. Ihe points of the leaves have been fiostbitten. In our twenty-second volume is a ilraw- ing and many relative particulars. POULTKT, BEE, AND PIGEON OHEONIOLE. THE EXHIBITION DORKING.— No. 9. BY T. C. BUKNELL. Deformities and Diseases. — Prize fowls, to a certain extent, are reared in an artificial manner ; the result is that deformities and diseases are more frequently found in them than iu hardily- reared farmyard stock, though the latter are often thought to be more perfect than they really are. Not many farmyard fowls would stand being scanned by a critical eye, while, from what I can find out from farmers, they lose very nearly as many fowls from death and disease as we do among our own more highly reared stock. Anyone thinking of becoming an exhibitor will do weU to make himself acquainted with the most common defects, bo that he may not be taken-in when buying, nor waste entry money in sending out birds which he ought not to expect to win. A Crooked Breast can be easily found out by passing the hand along the breast boue. If the bone is badly curved or indented the specimen should be rejected, as the defect is often hereditary, and will nearly always prevent such a bird from winning in the show pen. Crooked Back, though sometimes apparent, can often only be ascertained by handling. The best way to proceed is to allow the weight of the bird's body to rest on one hand with the legs hanging down, while the other hand is passed down the tack. If the spinal column rises in the middle it is called hump- back; if the spine is twisted, wr;/ back; while if a lump is found on one side of the body higher than the other, the hip bone projects. The latter deformity often causes the tail to be held on one side, called uiri/ tail; but this latter will in a young bird sometimes proceed from weakness and inability to hold the tail upright, but it should always be regarded with suspicion. A squirrel tail is|when the tail is carried right over the back and almost touching the head. The latter is a great eyesore, and as well as the preceding malformations is most surely hereditary. BuMULE Foot is an enlargement or inflammation of the feet or toes. It is not peculiar to Dorkings, but is found in all large breeds, and I have seen several cases uf it in the yards of one of the largest and most successful Brahma breeders in the south of England. Sometimes it occurs owing to a thorn or stone being driven into the sole of the foot and occasioning inflammation ; but these cases are rare, and X am convinced it is generally an -lereditary complaint, like gout in the human subject, and the only way to get rid of it is to ruthlessly blot out every specimen diseased this way, or at least not to breed from them. My old Dorking cock, cup at Birmingham and second at Crystal Palace in 1873, up to his death at nearly four years old, never showed the least trace of bumble foot, nor have I ever found it in any of his chickens ; while, on the other hand, a fine bird which I bought cheap to breed from, thinking that a bumble foot would be no detriment for the purpose, threw chickens which showed corns on their upper toes when many of the birds were not six months old. The mischief generally begins by a corn growing in the pad of the sole of the foot, and this often proceeds no further. To prevent accidents though, it will be better to pick this out with a blunt penknife, after first soaking the foot in warm water. Occasionally a little blood may appear, when it will be better to apply lunar caustic to the hole, as is frequently done to stop the bleeding from a leech bite. There will be far less chance of blood flowing if the operation be performed in the moulting season, when the blood flows principally into the newly forming feathers. If a toe should become enlarged from any cause, accidental or otherwise, the swelling may be reduced, if not of too long standing, by the daily application of tincture of iodine with a camel's-hair brush. Cbamp occasionally occurs in damp yards. The sufferer should be placed alone in a dry house or pen, and be bedded down in hay or straw, till he recovers the use of his legs. I do not be- lieve that any physio will do good, and patience is all that is required. DiAERHCEA is Occasionally troublesome ; it is caused by some irritating substance lodging in the intestine. A large table- spoonful of castor oil is the best remedy, as that will remove the evil. With little chickens a meal or two of boiled rice sprinkled with powdered chalk will prove sufficient in most cases ; or small pills may be made up of prepared chalk and chlorodyne, only using sufficient of the latter to consolidate the chalk. Each chicken to receive one twice a-day. This is troublesome, but those who will not endure trouble will not succeed in chicken- reariog. Gapes. — Little chickens often fall victims to this disease. A small and tenacious worm is developed in the windpipe, whicti the chicken endeavours to dislodge by repeatedly gaping or open- ing the mouth, and this symptom gives the name to the disease. A simple remedy is to administer a small pill of pure camphor to each chicken daily. The best preventive is never to allow young chickens to drink stale or impure water. Eelaxed Crop cannot be cured by any medicine, unless per- haps when it first makes its appearance. It is a great eyesore, but when once established cannot be remedied, and so the only plan is to put up with it. If a fowl swallows any hard substance too large to pass into the gizzard, the proper course is to cut open the crop with a penknife and remove the offending matter; the wound should be made no larger than necessary, will bleed very little, and will rapidly heal. I consider slack crop to be hereditary, and by repeatedly breeding from birds with this defect we could doubtless soon produce crops in fowls relatively as large as those of Pouter Pigeons. RoDP has rightly been called the scourge of the poultry yard. It generally proceeds in the first instance from a bad cold, but when a case is once established in a yard the germs of the disease are carried in the air and breath. The disease generally becomes apparent about the third day of infection, till then it is latent. Preliminary symptoms are sneezing and rattling in the throat, but occasionally one eye will become suddenly closed. When the running at the nose appears the disease is developed, but sometimes birds will run at the nostril without any previous warning. In every large poultry yard there should be a hospital pen in some out-of-the-way corner, where sick birds may be placed on the first appearance of illness, not only for their own comfort but to prevent contagion. If a roupy bird has once been placed in this pen it should afterwards be kept for roupy birds alone, and should be periodically hmewashed. Iti bad cases of roup, especially in old birds, the eyes close, the head swells, the discharge from the nostril and mouth becomes thick and purulent, and death soon supervenes. If the affected bird is not very valuable it should be killed on the first appear- ance of the disease, and buried to save the other fowls, as the disease is very contagious. The discharge from the nostrils pro- ceeds from the mucous membrane of the back of the mouth and throat, and the only other disease to which it is analogous is glanders in the horse, the latter being equally infectious. The moment the disease appears Condy's red fluid (principally perman- ganate of potash) should be added to the drinking water till it be- comes of a pinky colour ; and chloride of lime should be sprinkled about freely, and both precautions should be adopted through the whole yard. The only internal remedy which I have found effective — and I have tried them all — is a mixture of copaiba and oil of cubebs, in the proportion of four parts of the former to one of the latter, the dose to consist for a large fowl of twenty minims of Ihe mixture made up in the form of a gelatine cap- sule ; or copaiba capsules alone will do. A Dorking cock would require at least three capsules, or about sixty minims, in the day to effect a speedy cure. In addition to this, the bird's throat. 172 JOURNAL OF HOETICULTDEE AND COTTAGE GABDBNER. [ February 2;, 1875. month, eyes, and nostrils should be sponged out daily with a strong Eolution of Condy's iluid, to correct the fetor of the dis- charge and to promote more healthy action. I have not known the above remedies to fail, and may claim some little experience, as last autumn I bought ten old farmyard fowls purposely to experiment on. I shut them up in an old wood house at a cottager's with a bird in the most advanced state of roup, her eyes being nearly closed, and the discharge from her nostrils most offensive. They had no water to drink, but moist meal twice a-day, and on the fourth day eight out of the ten had a running at the nose, and the others soon followed, and several of them rapidlybecame worse. Icommenced the treatment above recommended on the eighth day, and before a week was over the whole were cured, including the hen which introduced the disease. The shed where these birds were confined was thatched at top but open at the sides, and consequently the foul air blew away. I think this a better plan than shutting the birds up in a close stutfy pen. Shell-less Eggs with Dorkings are invariably caused by the hens being too fat. Starve the birds for a dny, and then feed them principally on vegetable food to reduce the system. For all slight indispositions I give a large table-spoonful of castor oil. Fowls will stand as large a dose of aperient medicine as a human being, and the reason why medicine is not generally effective with them is that sufficient is not given. Zinc ointment is very useful for wounds or cuts. CUPS AT THE OXFORD SHOW. An article in this Journal (page 128) signed "An Exhiditor Misled " is calculated to mislead your readers as to the quality and value of the cups awarded at the late Oxford Show. The cup in question and one other in the Game classes were presented by two of the patrons of the Show, and were advertised in the schedule and reprinted iu the catalogue, with the other cups, as a silver cup value three guineas. The w.'ek following the close of the Show I gave a list of the successful exhibitors ior the presentation cups to the silversmith, who informed me that the donor of the cup for fancy Ducks had personally chosen a handsome silver-plated jug value £3 1.5s. (twelve shillings iu excess of the prize offered), and had ordered it be engraved. It will be seen from this that we had no choice in the matter — to use a homely phrase, " we could not look a gift horse in the mouth." On the 30th of last month I received a note from the exhibitor requesting the name and address of the silversmith who supplied the jug, as he was informed it was a plated article. I gave him the information, at the same time describing to him why his prize was not silver. In answer to what course " An Exhibitor Misled " should adopt, I think it would have been best to have written to mo agaiu, stating his requirement; and as we were unintentionally in error iu piiblishiug that this cup was silver, I have no doubt we should have settled tho matter to his satisfaction. With the above exceptions all other cups were silver, and for which we paid full value. The bill I beg to enclose for your inspection. — Joseph King, Uoji. Sec. [The silversmith's receipts are for silver cups. — Ens.] EEPORTS ON POULTRY. As I am myself an exhibitor, though not of long standing, possibly some may say that I am merely anxious to appear in print, and am not sufficiently acquaiuted with my suhject to authorise me in venturing an opinion upon it. In answer to this objection I can only say that all I would aim at is to have justice shown to each and every poultry exhibitor, and this, I think, can scarcely be looked for so long as a reporter be at the same time an exhibitor. I have no wish to be offensive or personal in my remarks to any single reporter, believing as I most sincerely do that thev try to do their duty and give an unbiased opinion, but what I think is that too much is asked of them — of human nature. I would say. Is not the old proverb, " Every mother considers her own crow the blackest," fairly applicable to reporters who are at the same time exhibitors ? for are they not naturally dis- posed to consider their own birds superior to those of anyone else ? and feeling in their own hearts convinced of this fact, they report accord inuly. How often in the report of a poultry show does one read, " We consider the judging very indifferent ;" " We cannot understand how such and such a bird came to be placed first ;" " AVe think the prize ought to have fallen to this one or that one;" "We think pen ;iU (Smith) ought to have had first prize ;" " We could not help admiring pen 3015 (Smith), and pen 23 (Smith) we consider as good as any in the show, the bird superb," &c., ad infinitum. The outside public or those who are not behind the scenes, and others who cannot afford to go to many shows, but who strive hard to add a little to limited "income through rearing poultry, are obliged to depend upon the reports upon the different shows which they read in the papers, and are not, of course, aware that the reporter is very possibly the owner of the very bird he praises and brings to the fore, while other good birds are passed by without comment. Now, if poultry shows are to flourish, and people are to continue either for profit or pleasure to exhibit poultry, they must have con- fidence in those whose duty it is to report on their birds. And it is also my belief that editors have a great deal of power in their hands, and exhibitors would experience ten times the pleasure and confidence in exhibiting which they do were they convinced that unfair and partial judgments and deceptions of all kinds were exposed in the columns of that paper. If I might be allowed I would suggest that reporters should either be — First, Gentlemen who had once been poultry fanciers, but no longer exhibitors. Second, That the judge himself should write the reports. Could this be managed fanciers would be better able to know what style or class of bird the judges preferred. Third, Gentlemen who are still exhibitors, provided they do not exhibit at the same show they report on, or if they do their names should be attached to the report. Before closing this letter I should like to draw your attention to the annoyance caused to secretaries and exhibitors by the want of some good practical method of fastening on the labels and fastening the hampers. We occasionally hear of birds being removed from hampers altogether, or taken out for the purpose of disfiguring them by plucking their tails or removing their leg-feathering. It would be a great boon to both secre- taries and fanciers could some simple method be invented to prevent the possibility of these unpleasantnesses occurring. I am now working out a simple plan which, if it prove feasible, will put a stop to rascalities of the above-mentioned kind. — GER.iLD F. T.vluot. THE POULTRY-KEEPER.— No. 31. PLUMAGE OF CUCKOO FOWLS. The Cuckoo feather is so called on account of the resemblance in the colouring and arrangement of the tints to those which Fig. 41.— Hen's Feather. cover tho bird of this name. The feathers are bluish black, more or less dark, softening by half tints on a white ground, and coming again at little intervals nearly equal, and because of the length of the feathers from the down, which is of a clear greyish blue as far as their ends. RAILWAY LIABILITY FOR NON-DELIVERY OF FOWLS FOR EXHIBITION. W.4RMINSTER CouNTY CouRT, Febru.uiy 1.5th. — Joseph Binion V. Great Western Hailwaij Cotnpany. — This was an adjourned case from the last Court. The plaintiff claimed for damage sustained through defendauts not conveying two cases of poultry in time for the Monmouth Poultry Show in Octol)er last. Plaintiff's claim consisted of entrance fees (Gs.), railway carriage (H.V.), and damage or deterioration of fowls, making up a total of X'l. Mr. George Ashpole of Monmouth proved the non-delivery of the birds, and also said he jndged the Polish class. There were only three pens. He opened the plaintiff's baskets, and examined the Polands. They would have taken first prize easily, and must have run close for the prize for tho beet pen in the Show. The Company admitted that they received the fowls in time for the 10 18 a,:\i. train on 13th October, but contended that they could not have delivered them earlier than they did — viz., half- past twelve on tho following day. Three points in defence were — Ist, that it ought to have been stated the time Mr. Hinton February 25, 1875. J JOURNAL OF HORTIOOLTOEB AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 173 wished the fowls to ha at Monmouth, and the object of sending them; 2u(l, that no delay was caused by the defeudants ; ;!rd, that plaintiff bad not, in his correspondeuoe orparticubirs, made any claim for deterioration, and could not now set up that claim. With re{;ard to the first point the plaintiff stated, in reply to the Judge, ttiat the two cases had printed labels addressed "The Secretary, Poultry Show, Monmouth." This, the Judge stated, using a littln common sense as well as law, ought to have been sufficient intimation of the time and object. With regard to the second point, there were three routes from Warminster to Mon- mouth, one which the plaintiff had correctly marked out, one by Swindon and Gloucester, and one by Cardiff and Neath. The Judge requested that these routes might be marked out in the same way as the plaintiff had marked out the other route. Much time was then lost in the attempt to mark out the two routes. In one there was but slight difference in the time of arrival with that suggested by the plaintiff; but with the other, it was shown that the baskets would be taken from Portskewet v/'d Cardiff and Neath to Monmouth, arriving there at 12 30 on the day of the Show. By this route the baskets were taken one hundred miles or more out of their way. The poultry had been judged, and plaintiff's birds, it was proved by Mr. Ashpole's evidence, were not removed from their hampers at all, and there remained more than fifty hours without water. The Judge ruled that this was against all common sense, and that seeing the Com- pany's traffic was increased largely by these exhibitions, and that they well knew birds despatched to them were valualile, they were bound to take the shortest route unless otherwise specified. It was suggested that the decision as to the route of parcels was left to the discretion of the guards. His Honour said this custom was a most foolish one, and was likely to lead to endless litigation. If tho directors acted so, they must take the consequences of their servants' acts. With regard to the third point, the Judge ruled, that although plaintiff had been without professional services in drawing his particulars, they were, however, framed in general words as to entitle him to claim for deterioration, that being, in fact, a sub- stituted claim for anticipated prizes. His Honour, Mr. (Jaillard, in delivering judgment, said he must allow the plaintiff the carriage and entry fees. He had greater difficulty in settling the amount of damages ; but as such a detention without food or water was very likely to prove in- jurious to the specimens, he considered that if he made the order for 30s., inclusive of the railway carriage and entry fees, it would meet the merits of the case. Judgment for 30s. with costs was accordingly given. Towards the end of the case a cock, appa- rently under the window of the Court, as if in anticipation of the verdict, commenced crowing vigorously. This caused consider- able amusement, and perhaps by some was considered a favour- able omen. — {]Varmiiister Herald.) THE MEALY POUTEK. I A5I sorry that I have been prevented from sooner acknowledg- ing the manly avowal of Mr. Huie on the above. With Mr. Laurie I am delighted to see the Mealy elevated to the dignity of a standard bird. It was a necessity of his position in tho late controversy, and had the public avowal only been made a little earlier Mr. Huie would have saved himself the " rub " at Kil- marnock Show, which I am glad to see was taken as it was given. No old custom ought to shackle the conviction of any judge, the qualifications for which office Mr. Huie so lucidly tabulated in a recent number; and though he is not the Pigeon fancy, he cannot forget that he is a representative member of it, and that it is perfectly competent for representatives to carry out reforms obviously desired by their constituents. Mr. Huie's reasons are very compreheusive and well put. His second might be amended as follows ; — " The Mealy in itself is a standard colour, not being produced by crossing colours." No founding could thus be made on his concession with regard to standard-marked Chequers, itc, which are con- fessedly cross-bred colours. Just one other rub with Mr. Huie in connection with this controversy. Bearing in mind his definition of a Pouter, we cannot see how he can consistently exclude badly-marked standard colours from the class which we prefer to call the "Any other Pouter class," into which he admits Splashes. He may tell us to exhibit them with their demerits in the standard classes, which simply means keep them at home. Now, as the object of this class is to main- tain the standard, these birds ought not to be so treated. Surely a standard-marked Blue can be more easily bred from a badly- marked Blue bred from Blues than from any cross whatever. The latter demands knowledge, experience, and patience, and young fanciers, though willing to grasp the results of others, will not attempt it for themselves. Take the probable case of two birds in a loft, to all appearance Blue Splashes ; but one is a chance throw from Blues, and the other a cross from White. Is it not strange that the one can be shown and the other not ? Besides, I would advise those who consider badly-marked birds of little value to go and try to purchase one good in the essential points from any of our noted breeders, and, failing a bargain, to note the birds he has paired-up for breeding. Their admission into any class other than the standard would, of course, raise the question as to what are the disqualifications in the standard classes. The solution of this question, which appears perfectly possible, would excite much interest among Pouter fanciers, and I sincerely trust Mr. Huie will give us the lieneflt of his experience on the subject. To begin, I append a list of disqualifications gleaned from observation of the work of most of our best judges. It does not pretend to be complete, and may not be correct. I invite both completion and correction. 1. Eadical faults. — a. Thin limb, or limb not covered to the toes ; h^ Limb so flagged as to hide shape and length. 2. Birds too dark. — a, Limbs body-coloured, splashed or not splashed with white ; 6, Total want of moon ; c, Coloured flights ; (I, Chequer marks in body colour. 3. Birds too light. — a, Want of distinct band of body colour between moon and white of vent ; b, Colour on back splashed with white ; c. White in tail. Passable faults more or less serious : Want of bib, ringneck, snip, want of one or both rose pinions, body-coloured feathers in moon, and white limb splashed with bodycolour. — D. McNaught, Kllmaurs. THE PRESENT STATE OP THE PIGEON FANCY. I AGREE so far with your correspondent of February 11th, that English Owls are a degenerate lot compared with Africans, but there is one property they have, not to be found as far as I know in any other fancy Pigeon — viz., colour, which will pre- vent them meeting with the summary disposal your correspon- dent suggests ; I allude of course to the Powder Blue, one of the most striking and beautiful colours among fancy Pigeons. To produce this colour in conjunction with all the points to be found in the best white foreigners should be the aim of the Owl fancier. It will take a long time to do it ; Ijut in the meantime, while the native bird is beiug fined down, the Owl should have two classes at shows as at present, divided, not as now for Foreign and English, but first a class for the best Owls of what- ever colour, and second for the best Powder Blues. I think I can detect of late the foreign element in winning natives, but at the same time the loss of powderiug, a proof to my mind of the means used. The author of the " Treatise on Pigeons," inscribed to John Mayor, Esq , is the first to mention the Powder Blue in Owls. He says, "The Blue ones should have black bars across the wings, and the lighter they are in colour, particularly in the hackle, the more they are valued." The Dragoon fancy seems in a curious state at present. I have always regarded it as a fancy unworthy of support, and have been astonished and disappointed to find that a breed absolutely and without dispute a bastard strain, should mono- polise the attention of breeders to the exclusion of high-class and Toy Pigeons, and to such an extent that only lately as high as .£30 have been given for a single bird of this breed. Carriers are Black, Dun, and Blue. It should be the ambition of the stout-bird fancier to try what he can do now in Yellows, Beds, and Whites. The latter were fifteen years ago to be had very good, and some of the Yellow and Red Dragoons, as they are called, might be advantageously used as the foundation of a strain of Carriers of these colours. The only true criterion to judge a fancy Pigeon by is to see a perfect specimen, if not in life then on paper, and consider if there is auytbiug about it truly original and distinct or not. By such a standard the Dragoon will not stand ; neither will the Short-faced Antwerp. — J. C. Lyell. THE ENGLISH OWL PIGEON. I AH much obliged by " Bubo's " appreciative praise. It is always pleasant to be approved. He and I agree about the Barb, but I fear we do not agree about the English Owl. I could better do without the foreign Owl than our bird of long lineage, and which existed here in great beauty upwards of a hundred years ago. If the word degenerate is to be used, the African Owl is the one to which it might be applied. The English bird is a fine noble fellow, with a capital pair of wings of which he can make excellent use. He is to the African what the well-bred flying Tumbler is to the Almond. The crossbred ones are less apparent at our shows than they were. I fear the Powder Blue has been grievously injured by the cross. I would on no account discourage the exhibition of the English Owl. Bred true and fine he is a grand bird. Then my eye can wander on and see with pleasure the little Africans, appreciating their petite charms. Breeders, strive for the Powder Blue Owls. I wish " BuEO " every success with his little Africans, but wish as heartily English Owl breeders as great success with their birds. — Wiltshire Rector. PouLTRV-Y\r.D Account-book. By Hugh Piper. Groombridge and Sons, Paternoster Row. — This is a very useful account- 174 JOUBN&L OF HOKTICDLTURE AND COTfAGE GABDENEB. ( Fc-bi-uaiy 2J, 1875. book, for it enables to be easily recorded and referred to the eggs laid daily, the amount received for produce, eggs sold, fowls and chickens sold and the amount received, the value of feathers and manure, eggs, &c., fowls used in the household, amount of expenditure, fowls'and eggs purchased for sitting, cost of food, rent, and labour ; number of hens sat and dates of sit- ting, the number of eggs, number of chickens hatched, reared, &c. ITALIAN OR LIGURIAN BEES. The fashions are, as we all know, irresistible, happily only for the time pending the introduction of something new. Mr. Pettigrew, in his interesting article on Ligurian bees, has touched upon one of these fashions in the apiarian world. I am one who was smitten with the prevalent epidemic some ten years ago or more, and since then I have never been with- out the Ligurians (or, as they ought more correctly to be called, "Italian Alp bees") in my apiary, either pure or hybrids. I have them still, and although I believe within a radius of seven or eight miles nobody keeps them consciously, they are to be found in all directions, having no doubt escaped from my apiary in swarming seasons, and established themselves in those of my neighbours. I quite hope with Mr. Pettigrew that we may have, in conse- quence of his appeal, some detailed results of the trial of these bees by persons in every part of the country who have had a lengthened experience of them. I will contribute my mite towards the desired result by narrating my own experience as far as it goes. I must say as far as it goes, because of late years I have not gone in for honey to any extent, owing to the small Bale there is for it in our neighbourhood, and the trouble attending the manipulation of any large quantity. In former days, when I measured my honey by hundredweights, it was so far too much of a good thing that I have of late years kept down my stock to very moderate limits, and have been content with tens instead of hundreds of pounds ; and this change in my aspirations was about synchronous with the establishment of the Italians in my apiary, so that I really am not qualified to speak in any very positive fashion as to the superiority of one race over the other in respect to the production of honey. I must say, however, that if there has been a difference it has, I think, been in favour of the Italians, which certainly have given me more honey than the old black bees, but this may have been accidental. At the same time I must add that the Italians have proved themselves extraordinarily proliiic. The breeding powers of the queens in my possession, particu- larly the hybrids, have been greatly in excess of anything I had ever experience of before ; and this ought, by all the rules of bee management, to insure a good honey harvest wherever it is to be had. Indeed, I have found this fecundity quite a nui- sance, as they have multiplied to such an extent in hives as to have occasioned an excess of swarming, and compelled me to try to check it by artificial means, to which I may attribute a good deal, probably, of my non-success of late years in harvest- ing honey. So far my experience agrees with the writer in the New York Tribune, who said " they were good breeders but poor honey-gatherers." _ Mr. Pettigrew proposes to " test by a public trial or competi- tion which sort of bees is the best." If this could be done with fairness and perfect impartiality in any one season it might be well to try it, but I am not sanguine as to any satisfac- tory results coming from it ; for it is simply impossible to put two hives of bees into the race of competition, however apparently equal they may have been at starting, and predicate of them that they shall maintain their course on like terms to the end. The queen of one or the other will go her own inde- pendent way, and baffle by the eccentricity of her proceedings the most reasonably probable hopes of the trial-mongers. What we want is the honestly recorded experience of bee- keepers in all parts of England, Scotland, and Ireland, giving in detail the results of their personal experience during the more or less considerable period of their acquaintance with the Ligurians. Surely we want no more to enable us to form a judgment ! Hundreds of people are keeping or have been keep- ing them for years. We do not want the testimony of sales- men, but of those who have been buyers of the article in question. So, apiarians of Eugland, out with your facts, and tell us what yon think of these foreigners ; but let nobody venture an opinion who has not kept them at least five years. No less time is required to authorise a trustworthy judgment ; and creditable to the Journal of Horticulture it will be to have contributed its quota to the fair settlement of this question. — B. & W. OUR LETTER BOX. DoBKiNos WITH Brahmas (An Old Sit(«iTi))cr).— The Brahma pallets being in the same yard with a Dorking cock and pullets would in no way interfere with the piurity ot the iatter's progeny. E0G3 SoFi-suELLED (B. S.).— Tho heus luay bo too (at, or thoy have not a sulliuieut supply of calcareous diet. Lower diet and a heap of bricklayers' limy tubbisb are the remedies. Kendal Snow.— Mr. Manby informs us that No. 100 was not a hen, but a pallet hatched very late in 1874. Incased Feather op Barb iW. Hartley).— The feMier yon sent ns is called an incased feather. Some high-bred birds monlt these frequently. The cause is delicacy of constitution. We had a most beautiful Scotch FantaU that moulted every one of her tail feathers in this way, and her tail looked like a bunch or fan of porcupine quills. The internal remedy is good food, gravel, salt, green food, change of diet, and warmth. The external cure is as follows:— Eub gently with your nail the top part of the case day after day, and the feather will come out; but only rub the dry part of the case— as soon as you reach what is soft or bloody stop. Then a few days after another bit of case will be dry. We have done this frequently, and got all the feathers of our Fan's tail free in this way. The worst plan is to draw the feather, for a weaker will succeed. If you can give your bird her freedom, flying and the sun and air will do wonders. The wort-t part of voui- Barb hen's disease is her softness and looseness of body feathers. This looks like feather-rot and consumption, of which there is not a positive cure; but a t-poonful of cod-liver oil may do her good, given each day. Or a nicer plan is to give her the oil in capsules, which you can get of a lirst-class chemist. Hives (O. S.).— Write to Messrs. Neighbour, Holbom, and tell them what yoQ need. METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, CAiiDEN Square, London. Lat. 61° 32' 40" N. ; Long. 0" 8' 0 " W. ; Altitude, 111 feet. Date. 9 A.U. In the Dat. 1876. Hygrome- ter. ii Shade Tem- perature, Radiation Temperature. 1 Feb. Dry. Wet. Max. Min. In sun. On grass We. 17 Th. 18 Fri. 19 Sat. 20 Sun.21 Mo. 22 Tu. 2S Inches. 80-260 30.221 30.16G 80.U04 30 110 30.168 29.865 deg. 406 36.5 32.1 30.9 S4.0 83.0 Sl-3 dee. 89.3 35.3 31.9 30.7 33,1 82.1 81.2 N.E. N.E. E. N.E. E. N.E. N. deg. S9.3 39.0 37.8 37.0 85.8 86.0 854 deg. 44,8 41.4 36.0 33.5 40.2 403 88 9 deg. 35.1 33.7 29.8 28.7 30.2 28.0 29.5 deg. 53 8 67.3 51.4 43.5 85.7 84,6 83.0 30.3 27.6 29.7 30.2 26.4 28.1 lE. 0.01 s O.OIO 0.119 O.OIS 0.018 Means 30.114 34.1 88.4 37.2 39.3 30.7 65.6 294 0.178 EEMARKS. 17th. — Eain early ; fine forenoon and till 3 p.m., after which time there were frequent showers. 18tb. — Fair in early morning ; very fine forenoon ; but rain in theafternoon, and vei'y heavy hail shower about B p.m. ; fair at night. 19th. — Fair, but very cold, snowing heavily between 12 and 1 p.m., and con- tinuing to do so more or less all day. 2Qth. — Snowing fast in the forenoon and early afternoon ; fair evening and night. 21st. — Fair all tlay, at times very bright, but the snow still on the ground, except where fully exposed to the sun. 22ud. — A bright sunny day, but the snow still lying unmeltcd. 23rd. — Fair aud rather bright, but not nearly bo much so as yesterday, still very cold, and the snow not yet gone. Temperature rather lower than last week, except in sunshine, where vei-y high readings were obtained, the sky having been more free from cloud than for some months, and the wind north-easterly. — G. J. Symons. COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— FEBRUARr 24. The markets are fairly supplied with late home-grown ecrts of Apples, but Pears are nearly over. The best there is to be had now are Easter Benrre from the Continent and from California, the latter being of excellent quality. Vegetables are good and sufficient for the demand, impurtations from the Channel Islande and contiguous parts of France being a great help, i'otatoes still show a coneiderablo amount of diseasoj but there are plenty offered. Apples J sieve 1 Ayncots doz. 0 Cherries %*lb. 0 Chestnuts bushel 10 Currants 4 sieve 0 Black do. 0 Figs doz. 0 Filberts lb. 1 CobB lb. 1 Gooseberries quart 0 Grapes, bothouse.... lb. 6 Lemons ^100 S Melons each 0 d. a. d. 6 to 3 0 0 0 10 0 0 12 0 0 0 0 Mulberries V lb. 0 Otou 0 Nectarines doz. 0 0 0 0 Oranges ^100 8 0 12 0 Peaches doz. 0 0 0 " Pears, kitchen doz. 2 0 8 0 deaaert doe. 3 0 G 0 Pine Apples lb. 2 0 (i u Plums 1 sieve 0 0 0 0 Quinces doz. 0 0 0 0 Raspberries lb. 0 0 0 0 Strawberries ^Ib. 0 0 " (i Walnuts bushel 8 0 12 n ditto ^100 10 16 0 30 0 3 0 0 0 Artichokes doz. Asparagus f lOO French.. ..per bundle Beans, Kidney.... p«r lOJ Broad bushel 0 Beet, Red doe 1 Broccoli bundle 0 Brussels Sprouts i sieve 8 0 Cabbage duz, 1 6 Carrots bunch 0 G Capsieuma q)> 100 0 U Cauliflower doz. i 0 Celery bundle 1 fl Coleworts.. doz. bunches 4 0 Cucumbers each 2 0 pickling doz. 0 0 Endive doz. 2 0 Fennel bunch 0 8 Garlic lb. 0 6 Herbs bunch 0 3 Horseradish bundle 0 0 VEGETABLES, d. B.d. OtoO 0 9 16 0 0 8 0 2 0 G 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 Leeks Lettuce doe. Mushroomu pottle Mustard & Cress. .punnet Onions bushel pickling quart Parsley per doz. bunches Parsnips doa. Peas quart Potatoes basbel Kidney do. Radishes., doz. bunubeB Rhubarb bundle Salsaf y bundle Scorzonera bundle Sea-bale basket Shallots lb. Spinach bushel Tomatoes doz. Turnips bunch Vegetable Manows.. doz. B. d. e. d. 0 8toO 0 10 2 0 0 0 a 0 0 6 4 0 0 s 0 0 2 6 B 0 1 0 1 0 1 6 1 0 3 0 0 f) 0 0 0 0 Miu-cli 4, 1873.] JOURNAL OF HOETICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. 175 WEEKLY CALENDAR. Day Day l ol I of I Month Week. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Th F 8 ScN M To W MAECH 4—10, 1875. Royal Society at 8.30 p.m. Archteological Inatitutiou, 4 p.m. 4 Sunday in Lent. Medical I.VuDiversary) at 8 P.M. [ 3. P.M. Eoyal Horticultural Adjourned Annual Meeting at Royal Literary Fund (Anniversary) at 3 P.M. AverafTe Sun Sun Moon Clock Day Temperature near London. Rises. Sets. Rises. Sets. Ace. before Sun. Year. Day. Niulit. Mean. m. h. D«ys. m. a. 49.9 31.6 40.6 4l3f 6 43 at 5 48 a( 5 after. 26 11 54 63 48.9 81,8 40.3 39 6 45 B 14 6 29 2 27 11 41 64 4'<.(! 82.2 40.4 36 6 47 5 31 C 57 3 28 U 27 65 49.1 32.4 40.7 84 6 48 5 49 6 24 5 O 11 12 66 49.1 81.5 40.3 82 6 50 5 2 7 51 (1 1 10 .17 67 49.U 81.1 40.1 8U 6 62 5 15 7 19 8 2 10 42 68 49.B 31.6 40.6 27 e 54 5 28 7 49 9 3 10 26 69 From observations taken near London daring forty-tkree years, the average day temperature of the week is 49.1^ ; and its night temperature PEUNIKG AND MANAGING OLD APPLE TEEES. HE appearance of many of the old Apple orchards in Kent often conveys to the ob- server that no great pains are taken with their management. At first sight they are suggestive of a careless mode of treatment, or, indeed, neglect, whereby the trees, which had originally been fine standards, by being left to themselves present nothing but a mass 'fA') of shoots or branches apparently so over- crowded as to be of Httle use for fruit-bear- foeariag. Such trees, the observer might imagine, reflect no credit on the cultivator, and the probability is the looker-on, if in the habit of using the saw and knife, would like to show his skill in putting the trees in order. The surprise on seeing these old orchards so apparently neg- lected is the greater by the carefully tended crops of vegetables, &c., in the gardens contiguous, and conse- quently he will perhaps inquire why the Apple trees are allowed to get into such a wild and unsightly condition where everything else betokens that no trouble or ex- pense is spared to render them all that could be desired. We should not, however, hastily conclude or unreasonably condemn, for inquiry into the matter will educe the fact that there are plenty of fruit-growers whose aim is to have trees clothed with tliis dense growth — growers, too, whose living depends upon the fruit they grow, and who in point of cultural information, as well as spirited enterprise, are not excelled by any other class in the kingdom. Now these growers are able to give a reason why such trees are not pruned. I admit this reason may at the first fail to carry conviction with it, but yet in time the feeling will be forced on the mind of the inquirer that custom or prejudice is not the cause of what he thinks is the omission of necessary pruning. By observing the practice of the neighbourhood and noting the results, and by taking evidence of the owners of these orchards, it is more than possible that he will eventually become a convert to the custom he first of all condemned, especially when he hear.s of the many examples of failures by those who thought they were going to reform a system they did not fully understand. Thus first impressions are not always correct. Now to be more explicit, let us suppose a gardener from a midland county suddenly removed to a charge in Kent, and, in addition to his other duties, an orchard on grass be put under his care. This may consist of a mixed collection of Apple and Pear trees that are evidently past their best, but still large trees more or less overgrown with moss, and their tops a thicket of boughs, with com- paratively few slioots of the previous year's g>-owth of more than a couple of inches in length. Most likely the first impulse would be, if it be the winter season, for the ladder, saw, pruning hook, and knife to be all vigorously applied. The firstfruits of this effort would be a load or two of faggots, and a survey of them with some distant friend brings out the expression that the trees are in something like bearing condition. But the old smock- Ko. 727.— Vol. XXVIII., New Series. frocked native shakes his head dubiously, and repeats what he has before asserted — " It will never answer, master," and is even not disconcerted when there is a fair crop the firet year, which often happens. But by- and-by it is found out that the old man's warnings have not been all in vain, for the trees seem to dwindle away, and the produce of them becomes indifferent. The trees after all are not made young again, but in many cases their dissolution has been hastened, and the whole affair ends in disappointment. This matter, which has been enacted over and over again, is worth examining more fully to consider the causes which lead to such a result. Let us take the Apple, and inquire into its history. We find that, like ourselves, it has its allotted time, which also, like that of ourselves, is prolonged or shortened according to circumstances. It has its youthful and matured period as well as its old age. When it ap- proaches the latter stage there is, probably, more analogy between it and ourselves than we often take into con- sideration ; and who amongst us at that declining period would like to lose a limb '? yet we unmercifully amputate the old tree. But old trees, like old humanity, much rather benefit by generous assistance in the shape of food or other requirements. Stimulants given to the root, but these not to an ex- treme amount, yet sufficient to reanimate and create an additional growth, would be the rational way to treat the tree, and with that it is possible the duty of gentle, not vigorous, pruning might be permitted. The most likely way, however, to render those severe amputations un- necessary is to look over the trees more frequently and do a little at a time, and not allow them to get into that condition which seems to call for such severe measures. When trees become old it is the rule in this neighbour- hood not to prune them at all, but when they seem no longer profitable to destroy them, and plant others. These are planted, if possible, on another site. If it be on grass, the orchard is renewed by degrees ; but if on tillage, there is usually a clean sweep at once, and a new orchard placed elsewhere. Now, in the above remarks on the impropriety of severely pruning old fruit trees, I am not putting forth any peculiar notion of my own. On the contrary, I con- fess having become, to a certain degree, an unwilling convert to the practice ; for it is no easy matter to con- test an opinion with those who have spent a long life in fruit-growing, and have arrived at such a conclusion, as almost everyone has by whom I am surrounded, many of them being extensive fruit-growers. One of the most strenuous opponents to pruning old trees told me he had upwards of twenty thousand bushels of Apples last year. His trees were pruned rather freely, being young, but after arriving at a certain stage pruning is discontinued altogether, unless it be the removal of some branch that interferes with the growth of something else, or in some way or other requires sliortening. Beyond this little or no cutting takes place with the old trees during the last half-dozen or more years of their existence. Experience has shown, although the crop immediately following the No. 1879 —Vol. LIII., Old Sebif.*- 176 JOUENAIi OF HOBTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GABDENEE, [ March 4, 1875. cutting msy lie pretly good, tie result afterwards is rarely Eatisfactory, and in coneetinence is rarely adopted by expe- rienced hands. In mentioning this lerspect to be met by tbe remark, " "What unsightly-looking trees they must be !" I confess some really do assume that aspect, but it is not for long, as when such trees cease to bear fairly good crops of fruit they are destroyed, which is better than wsiting for the recovery of an old ■worn- out tree. When we have the example of those whose living depends on making the most that can bs made of the plot of ground they hold, we may be sure they are not likely to be far wrong. Possibly, however, it would be better for the grower for private consumption not to out the whole down at once, but to leave some for immediate supply ; and more especially we would recommend him not to prune all the trees too severely at once. If ho takes the trouble to ascertain the quantity and quality of the fruit the unpruned and pruned trees reepectively bear, say, for the first four years or more, he will then be able to form an opinion whether the views narrated are correct or not. In closing this article I need hardly say that the bulk of Apples grown in this neighbourhood are on standard trees wi'h stems sufficiently high for cattle to graze under their heads. These trees when planted are rarely cut until the following year, but are always tied to one or more stakes, the stakes being continued for some years, and each succeeding winter the trees are pruned, all the shoots being shortened, and at- tention paid to the intended shape of the head. This reduc- tion of the head is the more necessary to enable the stem to strengthen, which it would not do if the head were allowed to take its full unmolested growth. In a general way it is about four years before the tree is fairly capable of being left alone, and ijf the ground be in grass a sort of cage or frame to keep ofi cattle is often used as a means of tying it to for a year or so longer; but some pruning is done every year for some time, after which it may receive a look-round every third year, and possibly at longer periods, until tokens of old ago creep on, after which no further mutilation takes places. The tree is then supposed to be past all improvement that can be given to it in that way ; but I may repeat here what I stated at the first — that it is still influenced by kind and generous treatment at the root, and a load of dung tells its tale in a far more effica- cious way than by the use of the knife and saw. A friend of mine, whose orchard is of considerable extent, old me that he often treats an unhealthy tree to a little ma- nure, which is spread over the ground, and the treat is duly appreciated and becomes visible to all. Those, therefore, who have recently come into possession of an orchard of old unsightly trees bad better contider well before they undertake any serious mutilation, while at the same time the wheel- barrow or dungcait msy he safely put in force. The removal of the mofs by which the trees may be covered may be fitly treated of in another chapter. — J. Eobson. RAISING GLOXINIAS FROM SEED. Now ia the time to sow Gloxinia seed, not that it will vege- tate better or the seedlings grow more freely than at any other period of the year, but because plants that are raised now can tie brought to a considerable sizn and in fine bloom within a period oi six months ; and by bringing them on in f uccession, selecting the strongest plants as each liatch is taken from the seed pans, an abundance of fine flowers may be had from August till the end of the year. Tlie cultural proeeco is very simple. Half-fill a pan with broken crocks, fiUiug-up to within an inch of the rim with fine soil consisting half of silver sand and half of peat or very old leaf mould well mixed, press the soil gently, spread the dust-like seed carefully over the surface ; put no soil upon it, but cover it with a sheet of glass laid upon the top of the pan. Place it iu the lively temperature of a hotbed or early vinery, and moisten the surface of the soil occasionally with tepid water. This must be done carefully so as not to disturb the seed, and the glass replaced till the plants form a leaf or two. If the pan is plunged in bottom heat it will, of course, accelerate the germination of the seed, but that is not indispensalile. When the plants are large enough to handle prick them singly into 2-inch pots in foil like that in the seed pan. Do not, however, attempt to pot the whole of them at once, a few rampant fellows always take the lead. These should form a first batch to be followed by relays of others as they pain size, thus forming a succession for the coming autumn. When the roots reach the sides of the small pots the plants are repotted into 4 or 5-inch pots, in which they produce their first flowers. The soil used for the second pots is of a much stronger nature, and consists of turfy loam, old manure, and sand in about equal proportions. A shaded position, precisely such as the stage of a vinery affords, suits them admirably. Frequent syringicgs, a plentiful supply of water, and some guano water or other liquid manure when the flower buds become visible, comprise the remainihg points of importance. Care should also be taken to afford each plant ample space for the full development of its beautiful foliage, which under the favourable treatment indicated attains an extraordinary size, quite concealing the pot and forming a noble mass of green, and when it is crowned with its twenty or thirty buds and open flowers we have an object of such great beauty as to be suitable for almost every purpose to which a pot plant can be applied. I have now upwards of two hundred corms which were raised last year very much after the manner I have described. They are a very fine lot, many of them measuring 3 inches in diameter. In the seed pans there are probably as many more, nice plump corms about the size of a large pea, and admirably adapted for a late autumnal display. The whole of them are from a single packet of seed ; most of the flowers were good, and many of them were of such ex- cellent form and colour as to afford an ample stock for future purposes. — Eewaed Luckhubst. ROSES. " M. H. B." will be in despair. We have had no Rose food for several Journals. It is said that Oxford is so learned because " so much learning is taken there and so little is brought away." This may be applied to rosarians. They are a learned body because they keep their learning to themselves ! They seem to be of the same opinion as a crabbed old Latin author, whose words translated would say, " Learning is no good to you if you let others know what you know." This is ungenerous. The Egyptians are a hieroglyphic nation, and they represent an incommunicative person by a dark lantern, having light within but giving no light without ! I have but little light at present in the matter of Roses, but I will communicate something, which is at any rate better than nothing. A beggar once told me, upon my saying I would give him nothing, " There is no taste in that 'ere article, and you could not give me much less, sir." I said in my last article that I had on trial on weak stocks- Peach EloBsom, Diana, and St. George, and that I hoped to be able next year to report favourably of them. I have five plants of Firebrand on Briars, which being planted last spring could not in such a torrid summer be expected to be suffi- ciently established to test the Rose. The blooms were good for the season. The colour is that of a red-hot coal without any shading at all. It is quite distinct and of cupped form. Pierre Seleteky is a much better Rose than "D., Deal," has allowed. It ia a good grower, hardy, and with very smooth and very stiff petals — important points. Madame Lacharme has grown well, but the fierce sun burnt-up the first blooms before expansion, and it did not give a second series. I have the following novelties on strong Manetti ttocks, or com* parativelv strong stocks, and they have withstood the eever- winter admirably: — John Harrison, Gould Yeitch, Francois Courtin, Olga Marix, Hortense Mignard, Madame Bucheter, Mdlle. Alexis Michaut, and Madame Nachnry. Let us hope that we shall find among them a nugget or two ! There are a good many blanks to a prize, but still it might take a rosarian half a lifetime to raise as good Rose as one of the worst sept out yearly. People do not generally know how difficult it is to raise a Rose as good as the parents, or better than and distinct from the Roses which we already possess. It is not enough for a new Rose to bo good unless it is better than and distinct from Roses in the same line of colour. I am sure we are much obliged to the foreign and Eoglish raisers for procuring for ua such a beautiful lot of Roses as we possess, and I for one cannot bring myself to use such harsh terms as I have heard occasionally applied to them. The Roses (except the summer Roses and Tea Roses) that I have lately given a list of, may be seen here in full bloom from July 12th to l-lth,in great beauty in my frontage, lawnage, and in three other gardens, lining every walk in double or treble lines of six per sort in alternation of colours, or in beds of twelve to twenty per sort. March 4, 1875. 1 journal; OFjHOKTICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GABDENEK. 177 which last mode is very effective. I thank the raisers from my heart. The Tea-scented Noisettes, a noble race, Mariiohal Niel.Triomphe de Rsnues, Gloire de Dijon, and Celine Forestier commence iu May and never cease till severe front stops them. The throe last are the best, most abundant, and latest bloomers. — W. F. Eadcltffe, Okeford Fitzpaine. KOYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. March 3bd. PRniT Committee.— Henry Webb, Esq., in the chair. Mr. Sherratt, nurseryman, Knypcrnley, sent a large branch of Knm- quat bearing fift3'-9ix fruit. The tree from which this branch was taken is said to be the only specirnen existing in this country. It is the Citrus japonica. Henry Webb, Esq., exhibited a dish of Mandarine Oranges grown at Cannes, the flavour of which was very excellent, and for which a letter of thanks was awarded. Charles Reily, Esq., The Priory, Toubridge Wells, sent two fruit of Cayenne aud one Queen Piues, which were considered very good fruit considering they were represented to have been grown uuder disadvantageous circumstances. Mr. A. Archer Moss, Cbadwell Heath, Essex, sent a seedling Apple, which was not considered of suiiioient merit. Dr. Hooker sent an enormous root of Batatas edulis, grown in Madeira, which weighed 15J lbs., and for which a letter of thanks was awarded. Mr. Pottle, gardener, Sudbourne Hall, Wiokham Market, sent a vegetable called Cabbage Broccoli, which is used as a Cabbage •during winter, aud in spring throws out a number of Broccoli Sprouts. The Committee asked that it be exhibited again later in the season when the sprouts are developed. Mr. Eausley Tanton sent a seedling kidney Potato, called Premier, which was recommended to be grown at Chiswick. He also exhibited samples of tobacco paper and ground bones, both of which were very good. Floral Committee. — E. B. Postans, Esq., iu the chair. W;e have but very little to notice here, the only group of plants with any pretensions to a show being the Spirnoas from Mr. H. B. Smith of the EaUng Dean Nurseries. These comprised two dozen forced plants of S. japonica from home-grown roots. They wero healihv and good, and merited the vote of thanks which was awarded. Mr. Green, Helmsdale Road, Reigate, exhibited a small plant of Masdevallia melauopus. This is a new species discovered by M. Roezl, and is diminutive, curious, and pretty. The plant is aiot more than 3 inches high, aud has three spikes of bloom. The flowers are whitish with dark purple spots and singular yellow horns. This is a cool-house Orchid, the plant having fceen subjected to a temperature of 4.5^, aud was in perfect health. It is interesting, and received a bjtanical commendation. A nice well-bloomed plant of Cojlogvne couferta wan sent by Mr. May, gardener to J. S. Bockett, Esq., Stamford Hill, and a vote of thanks given. A fine spike of Dendrobium nobile was sent by Mr. Stevens, gardener to G. Simpson, Esq., Wray Park, Eeigate, and a vote of thanks awarded. A small plant of Primula sinensis was brought by Mr. C. Hart, Beaufort House, Lee, having two distinct colours, both in leaf- stalk aud flower. One half of the plant may be described as led, and the other half white. A pip of pure white was striking as being set in a truss of rosy pink blooms. The probability is that the peculiarity will not be constant and perpetuated by seed, as these plants are of a sportive character. It is not at all unlikely, however, that the phmt as it grows larger will throw-up trusses of white as well as of coloured blooms, and is worthy of preservation. SEAKALE POTS. Can Seakale pots be dispensed with? They can, on condi- tion that other appliances can be had. Twenty-five years ago I found in use boxes in the room of Seakale pots ; they were rough three-quarter-inch boards nailed firmly together, 10 inches square inside measure aud 1-5 inches deep; a square piece of board or slate formed the lid. The boxes had two cover- ings of gas tar, and were put away in a dry loft till wanted. After being used they should be cleaned, and every two years they should have a coat of tar, and then I cannot say how long they will last. I found them more convenient than pots, ■for, be as careful as we may, pots are broken. It may be said that wood rots too, but I used them for thirteen years and left them in good condition. I never knew what they cost, but that would not be a very serious item, as the wood was home- grown and the boxes home-made. With such appliances pots can be dispensed with, but I know that all Seakale growers have not wood nor yet carpenters, and it is not easy to conceive the makeshifts some of our craft are driven to under pressing circumstances. Tea chests, firkins, bottomless boilers, and the like have been resorted to, to have Seakale in useable condition. I commenced my career in a market garden where, iu the forcing of Seakale aud Rhubarb, pots aud boxes were dispensed with, and I saw as good Seakale grown then, which is forty years ago, with- out those aids as I have seen since with them. Instead of pots we used to procure sticks of the required length and insert one end in the ground, bend it over the crowns, and stick the other end in the ground. Five or six such sticks give the idea of a bee hive. A little dry litter placed round them before the fermenting material is applied keeps the Kale clean, and furnishes us with a useful substitute for a Sea- kale pot. — H. ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. Although we have abstained hitherto from expressing any opinion upori the present state of the Royal Horticulturii Society, we have not been passive observers of what has been going on. The great difficulty we feel, in common with all true friends of the Society, is in coming to a clear perception of what ought to be done in the present crisis. The present agitation is merely a repetition of what has often taken place before, and is a contention between two parties — one the Non- horticultural, and the other the Horticultural. The former are the pleasure-seekers apart from horticulture, and the latter the pleasure-seekers in connection with horticulture. It will naturally be supposed that those who derive pleasure from the pursuit of horticulture have the best claim to be heard in the councils of a horticultural society, and it is a contention for the establishment of this claim which has given rise to this as well as to former agitations. Those gentlemen on the present Council who took part in displacing the old Council, told the Fellows that the interests of the Society had been sacrificed to the Royal Commissioners, that its funds were diverted, and that by transferring the manage- ment to them it could be shown that the income of the Society was not only sufficient for all its requirements, but that a large surplus ought to be secured. Those who know anything of the present state of the Society know how fallacious these statements have turned out to be. Here they are, at the end of the second year of their management, with a new debt of £5000 added to the old one of £50,000, and the prizes of last year we believe still unpaid. We are willing to believe that those who made those statements and who have administered the affairs of the Society during that period were mistaken, and that they regret the present state of affairs as much as any of the Fellows can do. But we would ask how it was, that knowing the low state of their finances, they permitted a schedule to be issued only a couple of mouths before the annual meeting, iu which inducements were held out to horticulturists to exhibit at nine exhibitions during the present year, and when they met the Fellows they announced their inability through lack of funds to carry out their programme ? It is quite evident that this crisis is the most severe through which it has been the ill fortune of tlio Society to pass. It has survived many, and we trust it may yet survive this one; but the conditions now are very different from all the others. It has become apparent that the income is wholly inadequate to the expenditure, and that expenditure, too, made with every regard to economy. It would be impossible to carry on the Society aud to furnish the necessary attractions with a dimin- ished expenditure, for if they are curtailed the subscriptions of the Fellows will naturally drop off. It is to be borne iu mind that it is not from a spirit of loyalty to horticulture that the large income of the Society is obtained. There are some Fellows as exacting as Shylock, and they demand their rights and privileges come what may of horticulture. It appears to us to be a question of some importance just at present for the Council to consider what is to bo done. Of whomsoever the Council is composed this one fact they will have to face, and that is the insolvency of the Society. There is no blinking the question. The lease is passing away, and instead of the debenture debt being reduced, and the annual expenditure of the Society thereby diminished, there it remains iu all its original integrity with £5000 additional. For our part we do not see how the Society can go on unless the Council take immediate steps and apply to the Royal Commissioners to relieve them : that ib the proper course to be taken, and the sooner they take it the better. Meanwhile between this and the adjourned meeting, which is to be held next Tuesday, let the Fellows take these matters into their serious consideration 178 JOURNAL OF HORTICDLTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ March 4, 1875. and be present at the meeting, po as to support any eonrse that may be devieei for saving the Society and for preserving its legitimate (nnctione. GERANIUMS LAST YEAR. Though somewhat late in the season I send you a few notes of Geraniums grown last summer, and first I may say that I quite agree with your correspondent " C. S. B." in the Journal of August 20th, when he speaks so highly of "Waltbam Seed- ling, for I certainly find that there is no dark scarlet variety to equal it ; also with regard to Beauty of Calderdale amongst the bronzes, which is the freest grower of any that I have tried, though Mrs. Longfield with me is nearly if not quite as free. " C. S. B." also speaks of Mrs. Upton, which with me is no mere pigmy, but grows most vigorously. Pink May Queen I find to be exquisite for pots and indoor culture, but com- paratively useless out of doors. With regard to Vesuvius, which " C. S. B." and also Mr. C. P. Peach speak so slightingly of, and say they mean to grow it no more, I can only say that I can find no other bedding Geranium that can approach it, much more equal it. It is one mass of bloom, and a bed of it is perfectly dazzling to the eye. It may be that the soil here suits it better than elsewhere, for I do not find that it is at aU apt to shed its petals with hot sun or wind, which Jean Sisley (in other respects a splen- did bedder) certainly does. For pot culture I find Mrs. Wm. Paul, Donald Beaton, and Masterpiece to be amongst the best. The last-named is an enormous trusser of the Nosegay variety, and is the very best that I have grown for blooming in pots all through the winter. Amongst the older varieties I find few to come up to Indian Yellow and Sutton's Scarlet Perfection as bedders for lasting well in bloom all through the season. — E. C, Oakham. FORCING STRAWBERRIES. After rfading Mr. Taylor's note on Strawberry forcing (page 135) I wish to say a few words as to my mode of culture, and to recommend, in preference to that of layering the runners in their fruiting pots, to layer them on the ground where they are growing, from plants of the previous summer's planting, whilst there is vigorous growth in them. As soon as rooted take them up at once and pot them in their fruiting pots. I use the 48's, and find better results than from pots of a larger size. As to soil, I use a good part rich friable loam, a little leaf soil, and one-third well-decomposed cow dung. After potting they are set in the shade a few days to recover from any little check they may have received, and then take a place in the frameyard well exposed to the sun and air. They are stood about 1 foot apart, and well supplied with water during the summer. On the approach of heavy autumn rains they are put in cold frames, placing the pots on boards to stop their rooting in the earth. This shelter assists them to mature the crowns, which are very stout and good this year. They are now in a vinery throwing up fome fine large bloom. As to red spider, I can only say if they exist at all they have not much chance to prosper, as I have a bed of fermenting dung and leaves in the house, which I well know is a capital antidote. It is, however, always favourable to the increase of the red spider when you see the fruit with the hard green patches alluded to by Mr. Taylor. In my experience this want of swelling is partly owing to the want of proper watering, a_B of course they should not want for a good supply of water till they get their fruit of moderate size. A good preventive of red fpider is to water with liquid manure alternately, and withhold when the fruit shows colour. My plants were in a cold frame till the first week of January, and then introduced to a house of cool temperature for a week or more. I iim of the same opinion as Mr. Taylor as regards the plants being placed on pieces of turf when on the shelves, although I have not experienced it myself, not being able to find time for many such little requisites.— C. M., Morville House. Show at Leeds. If successful it may be followed by other season shows, which it is hoped may become annual. The schedule is extensive and the prizes good. The room in which the Exhibition will be held is admirably adapted for such displays, and I am sure any plants sent for exhibition will have every care taken of them. — J. B. Stead. Leeds Horticdltubal Snow. — "An Exhibitok "F the Vi. H. S." complains of the withdrawal of the Hyacinth Show from the series of the KovbI Horticultural Snciety's shows, and I apk him and other intending exhibitors to read the ad- vertisement in your columns of to-day of the spring Flower HEATING BY GAS-HEATED BOILER. From one or two letters which have appeared in our Journal I venture to think that a little information with regard to warming a greenhouse by means of hot water heated by gas may be interesting and useful to some of your readers who, like myself, live in a town and delight in doing a little iis flower-growing. My house is on the west side of a street running north and south or nearly so, and the town itself ia celebrated for the quantity of rain, and I might safely say smuts ; nevertheless, I can manage to grow many things well enough to be pleasing. My walled-in garden is 42 feet square, and against the west wall I have, with the aid of my late coach- man, erected my lean-to greenhouse. Of its structure I need not say a word beyond giving dimensions. It is 18 feet 9 inches long, 8 feet wide, 0 feet ti inches high in front, and 'J feet G inches high at the back. In continuation and at the same elevation is the potting house, a wall dividing the two. In the corner of the potting house stands a little boiler heated by gas, which during the late very severe weather was quite power- ful enough to do all that was required. Fig. 45. I question if the shape of the boiler is a great novelty, because I put on paper the same design as the man who made the boiler had done, without any consultation about it ; but the burner, which is in my humble opinion the great cause of success, is invented by Mr. Sharp, in the employ of Mr. John (iarner of Wood Street, Liverpool. The accompanying sketch (fig. 45) of this boiler will, I think, be interesting, as it is so compact. The boiler itself is made of copper and the case of sheet iron, the flue being of zinc. The latter ascends perpen- riicularly through the roof and has a small revolving cap on the top, or the down current extinguishes the flame in very boisterous weather. The boiler rests on a small iron rim, a, a, in which are punched a few holes, and through them the gas vapour passes over the boiler to the flue. The pipes attached to the boiler for flow and return are 1-inch, and the pipes in the greenhouse are o-inch ; a flow and return being taken along the front of the house and the same at the back. The length of the o-inch pipes ia therefore 75 feet. The 1-inch pipes lead to them across the end of the house. March 4, 1875. ) JOUENAL OP HORTIODLTGEE AND COTTAGE GAUDENER. 170 I have Baid uotbing about coDsumption of gas, but now I will say a few words on that point. I cannot give tbe quantity this one boiler has consumed for this reason. Tbe first boiler I had made on this principle was very small^only 10 inches in diameter, overcaee and all, and which was to heat a forcing pit ; and so marvellously did it answer that I had the larger size made for the greenhouse precisely on the same plan. I have kept the gas burning constantly under both these boilers since the 10th of November, 1874, to the 18th of January, 1875 ; and the meter shows that they have consumed between them 2fi,800 feet of gas at 4s. 3d. per'lOOO— £5 Vis. lOd. worth, or at a cost of Is. 7jd. a-day — a price I should have to pay a man to look after a tire, besides finding the coal. I have two burners under my largest boiler, a small one and a large one ; the former I sha'l use when the weather is mild and I want but little heat, and the latter when the weather is frosty. I shall be glad to answer any inquiries through your valuable paper, or show my little wonders (for such I consider them) to anyone of your subscribers who would like to see them. — J. W. NOTES EELATIVE TO THE POTATO. In the Journal of February 25th, pages 157-8, Mr. E. Luck- hurst gives some notes under the above heading, and as overy- Ihiiig relating to the growth of the Potato must be interesting, especially now when we are thinking of planting our 1875 crops, I beg to dissent from some of Mr. Luckhurst's premises. After quoting from Allison to show that greater blight existed on rich soils than on poor ones, the writer says, " In giving this quotation from Allison I do not, of course, intend to infer that a poor soil is at all preferable to a rich one for Potato cul- ture ; that would be simply absurd." Here I beg to differ from Mr. Luckhurst, and as one ounce of practice is worth a ton of theory I should like to ask him how he accoimts for the fact that in the district of Lonsdale North of the Sands, North Lancashire, which is surrounded by a tidal bay, close to the lakes, and where the rainfall is the greatest in England, the Potato crop is the soundest in the United Kingdom ! Here we attribute it, rightly or wrongly, to the nature of the soil, our Potatoes being mostly grown on poor sandy lands, and chiefly with nearly dry farmyard manure. Our farmers hold that the lighter the manure the sounder the crop. For many years the staple sort was the Fluke ; but in process of time this variety became worn out by disease, and we are now almost wholly growing Scurries. Last year's crop was the largest and least affected with disease of any we have had for the last twenty years, as is instanced by the fact that good , sound , wholesome Potatoes are selling in our markets at (id. per stone of 14 lbs. My own opinion has long been that rich soils and rich manures are the greatest friends to the Potato blight, and in support of this I may instance the experiments made by a friend in a garden, who has also held the above opinion. Year after year he has planted with the smallest possible modicum of light dry manure, taking care to select his seed from Potatoes grown on poor sandy soils, and has constantly taken up prolific sound crops, though the tubers themselves are not so large as those of his neighbours. At the same time the latter, their gardens adjoining his, and the soil of precisely the same nature, have been planting with the richest manures they could procure. The result has been that their crops are invariably diseased, some years so much so as not to be worth lifting. I do not profess to treat of the Potato blight on scientific grounds, but experience confirms me in the belief that much of the disease is due to our behaving too well to this useful root. We have pampered it with overfeeding until we have rendered it delicate and liable to decay. If anyone wishes to test the truth of my observations, let them take the top off a few rods of old grass land, procure some hardy sound seed Potatoes, and plant them entirely without manure, and I will guarantee a good crop free from disease, and of the finest flavour. If the seed be the remnant of the previous year's diseased crop, of course the trial would not be a fair one. We cannot reasonably look for sound crops from diseased seed, for in this way the disease is mainly pro- pagated. I have said that the 1874 crop of Potatoes has been the heaviest and most free from disease of any that we have had for many years ; and lest any of your readers should fancy that we have had an exceptionally dry year, I may say that our rainfall in 1874 was 54.45 inches, and that rain fell on 207 days. In May we had 1.8.3 inch ; June, 1.08 inch ; July, 2.86 inches ; August, 0.32 inches. The general impression seems to be that the Potato disease is due to atmospheric causes. To this I would reply. Is cur atmosphere changed from what it was prior to 1845? Were rot the same causes in operation prior to that year as now? This theory is accepted simply because it takes the matter out of our hands. It is a non-preventible cause, and takes from our shoulders the responsibility of providing a remedy. My impression is, that although the remedy is a difiicult one, yet we have a remedy. To the introduction and general use of artificial and rich manures the disease is due. Year by year we have weakened the constitution of the Potato by over-indulgence in good living, and as it has taken somethinglike thirty years before the etlcte invalid has reached the full state of corruption, so it will take many years of united — and to be effective it must be united — retrogression to bring it back to its original state of hardihood and health. — Beta. MEALY BUG. Though we often hear of plans for getting rid of this horrible insect, I should from observation very much doubt if it ever is entirely eradicated from any collection of plants on which it has once been established in any force. Where from previous neglect it has once gained a firm footing, it appears to require ciinstant care and labour to keep it down, but I much ques- tion if it ever is quite got rid of so as not to appear again. Can any of your readers say if such is the case to their know- ledge ? I cannot help thinking that in new houses it would be far better if people would take care to avoid its introduction than inquire how best to combat it. It is now nearly thirty years since I made up my mind never to grow mealy bug what- evtr else I grew, and having as much glass as most persons in the nursery business. Icon say what everyone cannot say — that I never have grown it. Knowing how impossible it would be to prevent its introduction, I gave strict orders that any bought- in plant should be carefully examined, and for a time kept as much as possible by itself, and that if any trace of mealy bug was seen on it, it should be at once burnt whatever its value. Few years have passed without a plant or plants being burnt, but the whole value of such plants has been very small, whilst if this pest had once been established in my houses it would have taken the labour of an extra man or two to keep the plsnts clean. Now it is a great pleasure to enttr a house 100 feet by 80, where almost evtiy pillar has Stephanotis growing up it, and say you will find no mealy bug anywhere here. Prevention in this case is better than tuie. — J. E. Peaeson, Chilu-cH. CULTUEE OF THE HYACINTH IN GLASSES. Eeikg desirous of assisting, however limited may my power of doing so be, I beg to tender a few remarks, quite as much to solicit as to furnish information. It is not to be wondered at that so much uncertainty should exist by the culture of Hyacinths in glasses. Many are the inquiries from ladies why the Hyacinth so often fails. The atmosphere of the hall and room is so variable — sometimes close and stifling, often subject to draught, and always much drier than plant houses; these conditions and neglecting to change the water are the chief sources of Hyacinth failures. The Hyacinth glasses are so well known that I need not describe them, but 1 may just mention that in selecting glasses always choose coloured ones and with the lower part the widest, to allow the roots to have plenty of room. The glass ought to be at least 9 inches long, with a cup at the top to contain the bulb ; they should be filled with clean soft water just up to the neck, but not to touch the bulb. The time to do this depends upon the wishes and wants of the culti^ ator. If desired early they should be put into the glasses as soon aa the bulbs arrive from Holland. When they are so placed, and at whatever time, they should be put into a dark cold room for twenty to twenty-five days to cause the root to be formed previously to the bloom bud appearing. Examine them occasionally and remove gently any scales that may be decaying, but be very careful not to injure the young roots, which will soon be seen brealving through the skin at the base of the bulbs. One drop of spirits of hartshorn put to the water of each glass, changing the water every week and adding the same small quantity of the hartshorn, is bene- ficial. They should be brought into full light of the window, 180 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAHDBNEB. [ iliroh 4, 18^5. but even then if possible avoid a window facing the midday Bnn, or one in a room where there is a fire. If these pre- cautions are attended to it will induce a gradual growth, and cODBeqnently a much stronger foliage and finer bloom. When the roots have nearly reached the bottom of the glass there will be at the extremity of each a covering of mucous matter. This soon stops the absorbing power of the roots by which the food of the plant is conveyed to the leaves, when the plant is injured and often the whole set of roots are de- stroyed. To prevent this the roots should be drawn carefully out "of the glasses, and in a wide vessel partly filled with clean soft water the roots of the bulb should be placed, drawing them carefully through the hand, yet using a gentle pressure. This should be done two or three times until the roots appear quite clean. The glasses in the meantime should be thoroughly washed-out and wiped clean and dry, then graduaUy work the clean-washed roots into the washed glass before puttiag-in any water. If the roots aie numerous it will be found necessary to twist them round and round till they reach their old quarters and the bulb rests on the neck of the glass. Now fill the glass with clean soft water and replace it in the window. Once washing the roots will be sufficient to carry the bloom through. The regular changing of water will be all that is required. After having bloomed the bulbs should be taken out of the glasses, preserving the roots, and lay them in a border. A sUgbt watering will be necessary, and they will ripen the bulb and the leaves will gradually turn yellow and decay. They should then be taken up and keep them dry and cool until the middle of October, then plant in the borders. — J. H., Gardener to Lu(hj Caroline Legge. PROTECTING SEEDS FROM BIRDS. FoK the information of your readers who believe in the ser- vices of small birds, and do not therefore care to kill them, I suggest the following simple mode of pro- tecting Peas and other seeds. I ^ CZ have adopted it, and know that it answers well. Take a lath and cut from it three pieces, 1 foot, 6 inches, and ,3 inches long respectively, then c ; fasten them by nailing or tying in the following form. Place them at intervals of about 6 feet along the rows of seed, and stretch fine twine along the sticks, fastening it at the points a,b, c. Tho five lines thus made will frighten the birds, and prove as effective a protection as wire at 9rf. a-yard. Seven lines are better than five.— P. Kg- 4S. necessary aid. Any assistance we can render will be most willingly afforded. — Ens.] FLOWER MISSIONS. HiviNfi read the deeply interesting paper on the " Flower Mission " in your Joarnal of Horticulture for December 2-lth, 1S7-1, 1 am inclined to think your sympathies are in favour of this 'beautiful work among the sad, and sick, and poverty- stricken inhabitants of our great city. With considerable success the ladies have carried on similar missions in Scotch towns. I believe Miss Stanley has a successful one in West- minster. In connection with one mission last year we saw the wonderfully softenmg influence the little flowers exercise even in the lowest courts, where without flowers it would be weU nigh impossible to venture. It is my desire this year to organise a regular flower mission for the east end of London, with lady workers at one or two central depots. The great hindrance is the expense of carriage ; but I think tho railway companies might be influenced to convey them for the flower mission free, and I hope to write to them, bu'. I thought a strong influence could be brought to bear on them by sending copies of your paper on the subject to them. My object in writing to you, then, is to ask if you have any old dibused numbers containing the account which jou could let me have for this purpose.— E. A. H. [We regret that we have no copies such as " E. A. H." asks for, nor do we think that railway directors would need such a detail. The humane object need only be stated, and requires no advocacy. The eecretaries would in most cases give the CUCUMBERS, SUMMER AND AVINTER. Mncn has been written on Cucumbers, their mode of culture, ifec, but nothing has been said as to how long the plants will last after being planted out in the house. . The winter Cucumbers of your correspondents hitherto have been planted in the autumn. I will treat on plants that were struck and put out in tho spring, and answered for summer, and also continued through the winter. I had charge of a small Cucumber house in a former situation under Mr. J. Batters. I went there in January, 1872, and a plant was covering half of the trellis in the house. This plant had been bearing since the preceding February, or nearly twelve months. The same plant with two top-dressings of old muahroom-bed manure carried as good a crop of handsome and healthy fruit through the following summer and winter as the young plants of spring, 1873, which were planted soon after I went to the place. It would no doubt have continued another season had not the woodwork given way on wliich the soil wherein it grew rested, thus compelhng us to have repairs made good with new materials. The pit in which the Cucumbers were planted was 12 feet by 6. Three rows of 4-inch pipes ran the length of the bottom of the pit, and 3 feet above the pipes was the framework on which the soil rested. Only 4 inches of soil was used, with the exception of the ridge which was 8 inches in thickness. The variety grown was Telegraph, raised from cuttings taken off about tlie middle of February ; these were inserted in a pot under a bell-glass and placed in a good bottom heat, and when struck potted-off singly into 60'b previous to being planted out in the house. The soil both for potting and planting was warmed previous to being used : this was composed of loam mixed with a httle old mushroom-bed manure and a small portion of leaf mould. A ridge was formed and the plants put in, and when the roots began to show through the surface the rest of the soil, 4 inches thickness, was placed over them. With this small amount of soil, and always warm water, occasionally liquid manure, and two top-dressings of old mushroom-bed manure, these plants flourished and bore an abundance of handsome fruit free from disease of any kind. I should state that an aperture was made in the wall of the pit facing the pathway ; this was closed with a shutter, so that on very cold nights we could leave the space open, and so let tho heat into the house. There being only one 4-inch pipe round tho front of the house, which returned into the pipes underneath the bed, we had great difficulty in keeping the house at the proper temperature through the winter season, it often being as low as 60' ; and but for the aperture before mentioned, even with a flow and return pipe at the back of the house we should not have succeeded so well as we did. Plenty of warm water at the roots was a point of much im- portance, and a standing order was to never use cold water, but to keep the plants clean, the fruit thinned-out regularly, and never allow the foliage to become overcrowded. This practice will always produce Cucumbers both summer and winter, the plants being well established and more capable of bearing through the winter season than those planted in the autumn. Telegraph I find to be the best winter Cucumber for general purposes, it has few superiors, being productive and good. — F. H. F. THE LILY OF THE VALLEY. This plant is so well known by all, and I think I may say is such a general favourite with most people, that it needs no praise from me. It is prized by all lovers of sweet flowers, and is much sought after by dwellers in both town and country. To such I address the few remarks I have to mako on the forcing of this ever-welcome Lily. How often do we see it in both largo and small gardens as soon as it has served its purpose — that is as soon as it is out of bloom, cast out of doors as if unworthy of better care ? Its fate is often to be taken from the greenhouse and pitched at once behind some north wall, exposed to cutting winds and occasionally may have to submit to 10' or 12' of frost. This I must call barbarous treatment. But I may be asked, " What are we to do with aU these forced roots after bloom- ing ? We have so many other thirgs to attend to that we can- March i, 1875. JOUENAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 181 not possibly find room for all." Very true ; but I would Fay, Do as I do, make an effort, aud yon will Boon find the truth of the adage, " Where there is a will there is a way." When thev have finished blooming I let them remain under glass to finish their growth. It is true they do not get the best posi- tion in the houses, but are stood by the sides of pathways, or, in fact, anywhere, so as thf-y get light aud water. I am fully sensible of the diflioulty of finding room for such things at this important season of the year, when every inch of space is valuable. But how many places are theie where room could by a little forethought be had — room suited to the simple requirements of Lilies, and preferable to a withering north aspect out of doors ? My plan is, when out of bloom, to stand them in a late vinery or Peach house, to remain there say to the end of May, or whenever bedding plants are turned out to harden. The reason I make these remarks is to corrtct an erroneous idea that they will not force a second year, and therefore by some they are considered as useless. Beyond que.stion that is a mistaken idea, as I shall presently show ; but let it bo under- stood that I do not write for the purpose of crying down the practice of buyiug-in fresh clumps every year— nothing of the land, for I never seem to have sufficient, although we buy-in annually. Then why take further troublo if they can be bought-in yearly? The reason is that I find, as a rule, that old plants reasonably cared for — that is, plants from two to three years old, serve me better than the newly imported clumps. For some years I have ceased to force the latest im- portation the first year, but simply let them bloom in their own season in a cool house. Every batch of roots received is labelled with the date of the year and the time of potting, and at this present time I have a pot dated 1872 containing thirty-two spikes of blooms. When I attempted to force tho newly imported clumps it was rarely they did much good the first year ; but when they have been gently forced a year or two and allowed to finish their growth under glass they scarcely require forcing. We had them in bloom early in January with but a very slight forcing, which I could never manage so early with the newly imported clumps. After turning them outside they get water with other things as they require it until the foliage dies down, then they are simply turned on their sides for a period of rest. I com- mend this plan on account of its utility, (-fficieney, and economy, as, of course, no gardener ought to incur a larger expendituie than is needful in tho discharge of his duties. — G. E. Allis, Hartsholme Hatl, DALKEITH.— No. 1. DaiiKKith is a small parish of Mid-Lothian, lying on the banks of tho North and South Esk rivers.' Adjoining the town is Dalkeith Park, the seat of the Duke of Buccleuch. It is easily reached by rail from Waverley Station, Edinburgh, and the gardens are only a few minutes' walk from the station of Dalkeith. A very brief outline history of the place is ap- pended ; to treat at length, however interesting it might be, would supplant much gardening lore of paramount moment. Dalkeith Palace was erected about tho beginning of the last century. It is a large square structure, in which the Corin- thian order of architecture is visible. The site was previously occupied by the old castle of Dalkeith, which was a place of considerable strength, and withstood some sieges. Its first occupants were the Grahams, afterwards it became the seat of the Douglas family, succeeding in turn to the Mortons, one of whom was Regent of Scotland and resided here, subsequently ending his life on the scaffold. On this event the castle ap- pears to have been considered public property. Eventually the estate came into the possession of the Buccleuch family, and has been held by them for upwards of two centuries. The park is a noble piece of ground of about 8000 Scotch acres ; its surface is gently undulated, and is broken by the rivers above mentioned, whose streams unite about half a mile below the house. The South Esk has a romantic appear- ance by the overhanging wood, its twin sister coming more into the open day, but has pleasing walks on its banks, from which we obtain glimpses of the town and church of Dalkeith. The park is well timbered with old Oaks and other valuable trees. There is nothing elaborate in the style of the orna- mental grounds — that is, they contain few artistic landscape touches. Passing through these grounds from the kitchen gardens to the Palace wo follow a winding walk along the hi ink of a steep slope on the north side of the river Esk to the Montague Bridge. This bridge, with its noble arch which spans the bounding river below, forming at its base a small cascade (to be figured in a subsequent issue), is an attractive feature of the place. This bridge cariies the principal carriage drive from Edinburgh to the Palace. The massive old pile, which has weathered so many storms, is situated on a steep pro- montory overlooking the river. On its north-east sides the old sandstone walls are clothed with a rich and luxuriant growth of Ivy, reaching occasionally to the eaves, which are upwards of (iO feet high ; this adds much freshness and beauty to the plain and weather-beaten exterior. On the south-west front the walls are destitute of covering, and the architecture is more broken. This front is approached by a fine sweep of carriage drive (fig. 47), and overlooks a prospect of simple rural beauty rather than of pretty gardenesque touches, which would mar by their artificialism the natural boldness and dignity which chariiclerise the demesne. A broad grassy terrace and wide gravel walk extends from the base of the Palace to the top of the slope, some 50 feet high, running down again to a smooth mossy lawn lying in tho bottom of the valley a few feet above the level of the Ei^k. The slope is covered with an even growth of Portugal Laurel, pruned-back annually to a height of about 2 feet, and irregularly interspersed with ornamental trees and shrubs, giving a very pleasing effect, and forming the best of all cover- ings for such a high terrace elope. Wo may remark that evergreens of most kinds grow here with great luxuriance, and are seldom or ever injured by frost. The plantations are a perfect jungle of Holly, Laurel, Box, Yew, Ivy, &c. ; and even Rhododendrons thrive well, considering the dry nature of the soil. We follow the drive away to the left through a wide- spreading grove of fine old trees, noting the great height (over 100 feet) and size of many of the Beeches, Limes, Syca- mores, and Chestnuts, and entering a small enclosure through which the South Esk river flows we soon arrive at the circular conservatory. This is a richly-designed piece of architecture, and, as a specimen of elaborately-cut stonework, said to be unequalled in the kingdom ; but the site being low aud shady end out of the way its effect is comparatively lost, and consequently there is no effort made to keep it filled with such a display of flowering and other plants as one would expect to find in such an imposing and lichly carved structure. It is chiefly filled with plants that can be comfortably left to themselves for a time in a greenhouse temperature, and amongst others we noticed several fine specimens of Tree Ferns, Palms, Rhodo- dendrons, &a and a good-sized specimen in fine condition of the beautiful Japanese plant, Eui^a latifolia variegata. Leaving the conservatory we notice on the surrounding lawn some fine specimens of ornamental trees, particularly three Cedars of Lebanon, with clean straight boles 10 to 12 feet in circumference, and 15 to 20 feet high, branching into massive limbs and wide-spreading heads, forming a very dis- tinct feature with the deciduous trees clothing the adjacent slopes. There are here also a specimen of Salisburia adianti- foha over 40 feet high, Magnolia conspicua 21 feet, a Weeping Ash nearly 50 feet which sweeps the ground, and a fine old spreading tree of the Hemlock Spruce. Retracing our steps towards the Palace we pass in front of it, regretting that time will not permit of a closer inspection of it and its rare and valuable contents, which by the kindness and liberality of his Grace the Duke of Buccleuch are freely open to tLt public on certain days of the week; the surround- ing pleasure grounds being also thrown open at the same time, a boon highly appreciated by the inhabitants of the busy crowded towns and villages in the neighbourhood. Just before leaving the grounds we pass on the left the private chapel of the Buccleuch family, a massive and elegant structure, built about thirty years ago, in which full Episcopal service is re- gularly held 'for the benefit of the neighbourhood, whether the family are resident or not. Returning to tho kitchen garden enclosure we will proceed to note the contents of the very extensive glass structures for which Dalkeith has long been so deservedly famous, and will confine this paper chiefly to the plant-growing department, deferring a notice of the fruit ranges to a future occasion. I am not aware that Dalkeith is generally regarded as a "plant place," yet it has good claim to this distinction, and it is not too much to say that, well as the fruit-growing department is conducted, the plants merit equal note and observation. Hard and soft-wooded plants are ahke well grown. Entering the 182 JOURNAL OP HOBTIOUIiTURB AND COTTAGE GABDBNEB. [ March 4, 1875. Heath hon6e we find large old specimens of the following standard kinds:— Ericas ampullacea, Aitoniaua, Tarnbullii, Retorta major, Austiniana, Jacksonii, Elegans, Marnookiana, Massoni major, Fairrieana, ilorida, ventricosa of sorts, tricolor of sorts, Cavendishiana, Spenceriaua, Lambortiana rosea, Savillii major, Exiiuisite, Amabilis, &o. ; such a collection of large plants as is seldom met with now-a-days. There is also a good collection of smaller plants of all the best sorts grow- ing-on to replace the large specimens, many of which will soon be past their best. The whole collection gives evidence of skill and attentive care in keeping these aged plants in the good condition they undoubtedly are. The next house is devoted to the culture of CamelUas. The plants were in the perfection of health, and demanded inquiry as to the outlines of culture which gave such satisfactory results. The house is a good roomy structure, up- wards of GO feet in length and 25 feet wide. It has a ridge-and- furrow roof of opaque glass, which at once renders shading unnecessary, and preserves the blooms a long time in beauty. Along the centre of the house is a row of fine plants of the old Double White, still unsurpassed for general usefulness ; and on each side of them are good healthy plants of such useful sorts as Imbricata, Lady Hume's Blu8l2, Jubilee, Ponekelaari, Cup of Beauty, Duchess of Bucoleuch, Elegans, American White, Bealii, Duchesse de Berri, Countess of Orkney, Fimbriata, &c. These are all planted-out and growing luxuriantly in a border about 2 feet deep of pure and rather light turfy loam. From this house the supply of Camellia flowers has to be kept up from November until May, so that the house has to be treated on the cool system during that period — that is, a minimum rig. 47.— DiLKEITU PALACE— SOCTHWES'l FBOSr. night temperature of 40", and plenty of air on at all times when the state of the outside temperature will permit of it, cold draughts being carefully avoided as being very injurious to the flowers. After the demand for out blooms is over early in May any left are taken off, the plants gone over, pruned, and carefully cleaned, the surface of the border scraped clean, a top-dressing of light turfy loam given, the house thoroughly cleaned, and then kfpt close to cause the plants to make their growth freely, and set their buds as quickly as possible. Heat is applied to keep up a night temperature of (',5°, and the plants receive a thorough drenching overhead from the engine every day, the supply to the roots being also liberal at this season. They make rapid growth, and the buds begin to show early in July, when more air is gradually given and the fire heat reduced, till by the end of the month the house is again cool, but kept regularly syringed and watered as long as the warm weather continues, after which the syringe is discon- tinued, and the watering carefully attended to for the remain- der of the season. Manure water is occasionally given when they are in full growth and in full flower in early spring. By such means the plants do well, bear fine crops of flowers, and never drop their buds. A few plants of Marichal Niel and Gloire de Dijon Rose? are trained to the rafters, where they do well and flower freely ; also a few Passifloras, Taceonia Van Volxcmii, itc. ; but Ihey are all kept within bounds, and not allowed to overcrowd or interfere with the health of the CamelliaB. The next house in this range is the Orchid house ; if any- thing, too large for most Orchids. It is span-roofed, 05 feet long and 2:i feet wide, with a wooden stage in the centre, and a wide stage outside the path all round. There is a fair collec- tion of Orchids on the middle, front, and end stages, and on the back stage a collection of stove Ferns. Most of the popu- lar and useful sorts of Orchids are grown, the Vaudaa being particularly fine, comprising several good plants of such sorts ns Vanda suavis Veitchii, the best of the suavis section; V. tricolor, Dalkeith variety, a very fine it not the best variety of tricolor, and the original plant of which is a splendid speci- men, about () feet high and nearly as much through; V. in- signis, V. teres, Ac: also a fine plan„ in a tub of the best tall variety of Sobralia macrantha, and many large specimens of Dendrobiums, Oncidiums, Zyg'petahims, Cypripediums, Phajus, Lycastes, Ac, and a good plant of that grand Orchid Angrfficum sesquipedale with six bloom spikes. The Ferns on the back stage are chiefly grown for table and house decoration, and consist of all the best varieties for that purpose, with a few specimens interspersed, such as Adiantum trapcziforme, cuneatum. raacrophyllum, formosnm, Neottopteris nidus, etc., all doing well in this shady part of the house. Be- hind the Orchid house and entered from it is the fernery, con- taining some good specimens of Tree Ferns sadly cramped for want of head room, and a good variety of smaller Ferns requiring a moderate temperature, including some nice plants of Todeasnperba, pellucida, and Wilkesiana, the rare CeteraoU Blai-ch 4, 1875. 1 JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGK GARDENER. 183 aureum, and Platycerium Walliohii ; also a very large epeeimen of Todea arborea, with a stem over 8 feet in circumference, evidently some centuries old. Platyoeriums, " Bird'fl-neat Ferns," NiphoboluB. and others are growing nicely on blocks of wood -with a little sphagnum, and hung against the wall with pretty effect. Returning through the Orchid house we notice a fine specimen of that best of all basket Ferns, (lonio- phlebium subauriculatum, with fronds drooping down 7 to 8 feet; also, suspended in baskets from the roof are some healthy young Pitcher-plants of the best sorts. The next house in this range is a span-roofed stove, 30 feet long by 2^ feet wide ; we find it tilled with a good collection of foliage plants, such as best sorts of Palms, Crotons, Marautas, Anthuriums, Dracaenas, Caladiums, Alocasias, &c., all grown with a view to the usefulness during winter and spring for decorative purposes. Here we also noticed a good plant of Adiantum farleyeuse, with a healthy lot of younger plants growing in ti-inoh pots for table decoration, for which they are in demand, and are very graceful, but do not stand it well, one night being generally sufficient to so icjure the fronds that it takes weeks to recover them. Here also is a good plant of Cochliostema .Jacobiana, which produces its curious and showy flowers all the year round, never being long without a spike or two expanded. We now take a look into two houses 150 feet in length and about 12 feet wide. The first we enter is a greenhouse, and is filled with a varied lot of plants, such as Cinerarias, Amaryllis, Heliotropes, Primulas, Mignonette, Pelargoniums, &c., the next being used as an intermediate house, and in which were growing nice lots of standard Epiphyllums, Poinsettia pul- cherrima, Euphorbia jacquiniiefolia. Begonias, Gesueras, etc., all grown for winter and spring- flowering. Leaving this we pass a long pit with a north aspect, filled with the usual sorts of bulbs in pots, to be moved bj-and-by into the forcing houses as required to keep a regular supply in flower during the season. They are plunged in ashes, just covering the pots, and in severe weather sashes covered with thick roofing asphalt are put over them, but always pulled down in mild weather, and by this means the bulbs never get drawn, and thrive well with the smallest amount of care. In this yard are also i-ituated the frames for forcing and protecting vegetables of all the usual kinds required in such an estabUshmeut, the Seakale and Rhubarb being forced in a lean-to shed close and dark, and heated with hot water. This shed was built specially for ihe purpose, which it answers well. Our notes of this great and good garden are suspended on the threshold of the fruit department, which holds higher rank in the horticultural world than the ornamental features and products of the establishment. Our notes will be con- tinued in a future number. — J. Wrtght. LITTLE HEATH MELON. I AM sorry that Mr. Harrison Weir has disparaged Little Heath Melon, and I think incorrectly. If I could grow Scarlet Gem or Beechwood, most certainly I should not grow Little Heath (and I do not think anyone would for a moment com- pare them) ; but the advantage of Little Heath is that you can grow it in a cold pit with only a small quantity of manure, and indeed after you have grown Potatoes, and that you can thus have a very decently flavoured Melon, which I have found Little Heath to be. Nasty I have certainly never had it. A man who can have his haunch of venison may disparage plain mutton, but those who cannot get the former find the latter very decent eating. I have made one omission in giving names of Strawberries grown, and that is President, which I have found most excel- lent in all circumstances, and amongst these I hope to try this year La Grosse sucit'a.— D., Deal. BULBOCODIUM VERNUM. Mb. Robso>j has recently called attention to the welcome early-flowering Eranthis hyemalis, or Winter Aconite. Not nearly so well known as this, but which will assuredly and de- servedly come into favour, is the plant named above. Coming into bloom simultaneously with the Snowdrop and Eranthis, it is a most valuable addition to our early flowers ; rich in colour, dwarf in habit, and perfectly hardy, it is in all points a suitable companion to these. Belonging to the natural order Melanthactre, in common with Colchicnm, Veratrum, &e., the character of Bulbocodium vernum will be easily understood by those not yet acquainted with it by comparison with Colchicum autumnale, usually but improperly called the Autumn Crocus (this is Crocus sativus, or the Saffron Crocus), to which it bears a strong resemblance, but its colour — a bluish purple — is deeper and richer. The directions for its culture are of the simplest nature possible ; for where the Crocus and Snowdrop will grow Bulbo- codium will thrive also : hence place the bulbs in good ordi- nary garden soil in groups of three, four, or five, as the ease requires or taste directs, in a line with the Snowdrop and Eranthis, and then let them alone. When the flowers and foliage have died-off' other plants may be inserted by the side of, but not planted on them, otherwise great injustice is done to the plant. Like the Snowdrop and Crocus, the bulbs may be taken up once in two (still better in three), years for multiplication of stock and for giving the individual bulbs more room. This is a small trouble, but it will be amply repaid. Following close upon, and in favoured spots simultaneous with, the above are Scilla prai'cox and Crocus reticulatus, the earliest and best of the yellow Crocuses. What a glowing array of colour and beauty is furnished by these five humble plants for the decoration of the garden in the earliest of spring days, when every moment of sunshine is so precious to the gardener and so enjoyable after the dreary winter weather ! Yet how often are these plants subjected to the grossest ill- usage ! It is surprising that it should have to be recorded, but it must be, and accompanied with strong and earnest protest — the foliage of these plants after the flower has passed away is frequently torn or even wrenched off, or hoed off before it has completed its natural functions, to make way for some jaunty successor. — A. H. Kent. KNIGHT'S MONARCH PEAR. " D., Deal," wishes to know other growers' opinions of the above-named Pear. I can fully confirm all he says refpecting it. I had two trees of this variety, one a wall tree trained on a west wall, and the other a bush tree double-grafted on the Quince; this Irooted-up three years since. Previous to reading " J)., Deal's," article I had cut all the branches back of the wall tree to engraft with a more satisfactory variety. The upper half of the tree I grafted with Huyshe's Prince of Wales about six years since, which always bears a crop of fruit of the finest quality. The fruit of the lower branches — the Mon- arch— drop-off a month before I gather the Prince of Wales. I have only a few days since thrown all the crop of Knight's Monarch Pears to the rubbish heap, they being shrivelled and worthless. My soil is a rich deep hazel loam on a dry open subsoil, on which Pears bear abundantly both on the Quince and the Pear stock. The following varieties I find to he good here. Those I have marked with an asterisk are the best. ^Doyenne d'Ete, pyramid. Jargonelle, bush. *Beurrf^ Giffard, espalier. ' Beurr--^ de I'Assoinption, wall. "Bon Chretien (Williams), bush. ^ladarae Treyve, espalier. Louise Bonne of Jersey, ijyramid, Fondante d'Automne, espalier. ^Beurrt- Hardy, pyramid. Doyenne Bossoucb, bush. * Marie Louise, espalier. *Marie Louise d'UccIe, pyramid. Conseiller de la Cour, wall. 'ThompsouV, wall. Baronne de Mello, pyramid. Alexandi'6 Lambrc', pyramid. — G. A. T., Ujypingltum, Rntla *Prince Consort (Huyshe), espalier' ^Huyshe's Prince of Wales, wall. ' Doyenni- du Comice, pyramid. ■^Benrre Bachelier, espalier. * Orpheline d'Enghein, espalier. ^Z'.pbirin Gregoire, pyramid. * Winter Nelis, wall. L'Inconnue, espalier. ^Easter Bonrrt'-, bush. *Josephine de Malines, wall. *Bergamotte d'Esperen, wall. Olivier de Serres, espalier. (This Pear has ripened with me the past two seasons In January, and la soon rotten at the core. According to catalogues it should keep until April.) nd. EUCHARIS AMAZONICA CULTURE. I FIND no difficulty in flowering this plant twice a-year, but I think that is as much as can be done with an individual bulb. I think that where they are flowered three times a-year it may be from side bulbs that had not previously flowered. I would not, however, say that it cannot be done. I potted some on the 21st of .July last, giving them a liberal shift. I put five bulbs in a pot (some 12-inoh and some 'J-inch pots), according to the size of the bulbs, and we have had a regular supply from Christmas until the present time. I had four spikes from every pot, with five and six blooms to each spike. I think the above is a proof that they do not want to be pot- bound to flower them. Of course I would not recommend them 1S4 JODBNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ Uaich 4, 1875. to be potted each time they are flowered, as of coarse the eoU cannot be impoverished in the time, but I would say, Pot as soon as ever they get potbound. The following is the treat- ment I would recommend. After they have done flowering fhake out the bulbs and put four round the outeide of the pot and one in the centre, choos- ing pots according to the eize of the bulbs, using rather a rich compost — three parts loam, one part leaf mould, and one part dung, with a dash of sand, taking care that the pots are well drained. After potting give a good soaking with tepid water, and place them in a light position in the stove for about two months, watering very sparingly until they are nicely rooted, then remove them into a cool house where they can have plenty of light and air, watering them only just suffi- ciently to keep them from flagging. Here they must remain for at least six weeks. Take them from the cool house, accord- ing to the quantity required at a time, and plunge them in a nice bottom heat, keeping the top heat at ordinary stove temperature. In three weeks to a month you may expect to see four spikes generally from each pot. After flowering treat the same as after potting. One thing I would mention, and that is, never give liquid manure until you see the flower spike.— C.E. S. NOTES AND GLEANINGS. We have received from JMessrs. J. C. Wheeler & Son of Gloucester, samples of that delicious wiuter Apple Ashmead's Keenel. They are now at this late season quite plump and fresh, and the flavour is not to be surpassed. Planters ought to make choice of this in any collection they may form. The name is sometimes, but very erroneously, written Ashmead's Colonel and Colonel Ashmead's — a mere corruption of kernel, which is synonymous with Pippin, which signifies a tree raised from the seed or pip. We learn that Mr. A. McKenzie of Alexandra Palace and Park, having pretty well completed the outdoor works and glass structures there, is prepared to take coiimssioN-s in landscape gaedenixo and the improvement of landed estates. We tiust that Mr. McKenzie's engagements on private proper- ties will not deprive us of his services in a public capacity, for his admirable work on the Thames Embankment and else- where constitutes him an important public benefactor. It is satisfactory to learn that, although now enabled to enlarge his sphere of operations, he will continue on the official staff of the Alexandra Palace Company. A National Horticultural Show is to be held in the Gardens of the Manchester Botanical and Horticultural Society from the Uth to the 21st of May. The prizes are very liberal^ We have received the announcement that an Inter- national Horticultural Exhibition is to be held at Cologne this year from the 2.5th of .A.ugust to the 2Gth of September, in the grounds of The Flora. It is to be under the auspices of the Empress and the Crown Prince. The programme is a very full and rich one, and embraces every branch of horti- cultural industry. We believe it is intended to form a com- mittee in this country, the arrangements for which we shall announce as soon as they are completed. It is known that Sir Alfred Slade, Bart., and the Hon. R. W. Chetwyud have resigned their seats on the Council of the Royal Horticultural Society. It is to be hoped that no undue haste will be shown in filling up these vacancies, but that the Council will wait and see what direction is given to the present movement consequent on the disorganised state he Society is unfortunately in. NOTES ON VILLA and SUBURBAN GARDENING. As soon as the weather will allow of it, and the soil becomes workable, proceed to complete the planting of autumn-sown annuals immediately. Sow also patches of hardy sorts in the open borders, and if they should not come up freely and well there will then be time to make another sowing. HoLLiTiocKS. — Where these are in request now is the time to plant them out in their blooming quarters. I allude to those plants raised from seed or cuttings last .August, and which, if strong, may bo expected to bloom well during the summer. Those who are fond of raising their plants from seed, and can procure seed from a good collection, should sow the seed early in April, either in boxes in gentle heat or on a prepared bod outdoors. The seedlings should afterwards be planted thickly in a well-prepared nursery bed, and encouraged to grow by every means, and in due time many of these will flower and their quality can be decided upon as to whether they are worth retaining for future cultivation. By this means much trouble and disappointment will be spared ; but, on the other baud, for tirBt-class varieties, one cannot do better than go to those who make their cultivation a speciality and secure plants. Dahlias. — These may now be started in gentle heat by settiEg the roots upon some light earth and covering them with the same material. They push out their shoots at the crowns, and may be divided into two or more plants ss may be desired, with a tuber attachtd to each, and be potted. The above plan is applicable to those living northwards, but in the southern counties there need not be any such pains taken with them, for the roots can be planted in the bed where they are to flower. The latter part of April or the beginning of May is a good time, but when the shoots come up they will need a slight protection, as I he Dahlia is a very tender plant. Carnations, Picotees, and Pinks. — These beautiful flowers should be grown in every garden, and as extensively as space will permit. Their flowers are always welcome, and appropriate for buttoD-holes, bouquets, or in vases, and they possess the quality of lasting almost as long as any flower grown. Those who have a stock of young plants in pots under protection may now let them have more water than formerlv, and if they are named sorts pot in pairs, which will make a much better show than if single. A suitable soil is three parts rich loam, but as fresh as possible, the remainder rotten cow manure and leaf mould. After a short time ihey will thrive outdoors if stood upon a bed of coal ashes so that worms cannot get in, but they will need a slight protection during severe weather. Those which were raised from layers last year and have remained in store pots all winter, must now have more air to prepare them for finally planting out, but meanwhile the beds or places where it is intended to plant them should be well prepared. The Car- nation likes a fresh soil, and if the bed has grown similar plants before, the soil should be taken out and have new added, so as to give them every chance. A stagnant site and very heavy water-holding soil should be avoided. Some amateur gardeners pride themselves in raising seedlings of these as well as other florists' flowers, which is a very in- teresting occupation. The seed should be sown in boxes in heat, or they may be sown on a mild hotbed this month, and covered with a handlight ; when well up they should be pricked out into nursery beds, and afterwards planted in a well-prepared bed. They will make fine plants by the autumn, and will stand the wiuter very safely. The next season they will flower, and any that are good and worth growing for cut blooms should be marked, and the layers rooted from them at the proper time, while all the remainder may be dug up and thrown away. Chrysanthemums. — Propagate these as soon as possible. It is a first-rate plant for town gardens, and will thrive in the smoke better than most plants. Strike them now, and pot them on till they are sturdy plants. After once or twice pinching back select those to be grown-on in pots. Those for plantingout will grow by the sides of the house, or, if employed to decorate a wall in the autumn, they will answer well if planted-out in May. They will be the better of being stopped once or twice after that; but those in pots will need stopping up to the beginniug of July for the large-flowered sorts, and the Pompons or small-flowered section not after the middle of June. Pansies. — Stir the soil among those in beds, and give a top- dressing of manure, and no doubt they will require shelter from bad weather. Those who have a stock of young plants in frames of the Belgian sorts should now pinch out the leading shoot, in order that they may break previous to planting-out in beds or borders where they are to flower. They are very pretty, and will flower nearly through the summer if kept pegged down, manured, and not allowed to suffer from the want of water. — Thomas Record. DOINGS OF THE LAST AND PRESENT WEEKS. kitchen oabden. The prevailing winds durini; the last week have been easterly, and the weather has been quite winterly throughout. Snow fell on two days equivalent to rainfall of 0,35 inch. It has been lying on the ground nearly all the week, owing to the ex- tremely low temperature. The thermometer has fallen several degrees below the freezing point, on one occasion 10^ of frost being registered. Under such adverse circumstances but little work could be done. We wheeled a good dressing of manure on to a piece of ground that required to be trenched ; this kept the frost out of it and allowed of its being finished. In districts where the rainfall is deficient, much summer labour may be saved by trenching as much as possible of the ground during winter when other work is not pressiug. Even it a good dress- ing of manure cannot be obtained, the ground is loosened and the roots thereby enabled to penetrate freely downwards. Oar ground requires to be heavily manured, and this can be applied the more readily during the operation of trenching. The system pursued here is to dig-out two spits and to shovel the loose earth out after each. This is wheeled to the further Mu'oh 4, 1876. ] JOURNAL OF HOBTIOOLTURB AND COTTAGE GASDENEB. 18o end of the Rrouud. The bottom of the trench ia then forkeJ-iip to the depth of 'J inches, and a good dreaaing of manure ia put in. One spit and the looae earth from the next trench ia put over this and another dressing of manure given, which ia covered by the bottom spit and shovelliug, and the operation ia complete. In clayey soils with a atiil clay subsoil it is very desirable to work-in some stable manure during the operation. Sandy soils receive more beneht from cow manure. Oa the 2ijlh the snow had cleared oQ on borders sheltered from the north- east and exposed to the sun. The ground was then in f.tir con- dition for planting a few second early Potatoes. Dalmahoy ia the best as regards flavour, it is also the most certain cropper. Early Don has been tried this year. It haa been more recently introduced, and has fully borne out the high character sent with it. It has, however, one serious fault— viz., ita susceptibility to disease, which will always tell against its general cultivation. The earliest Potatoes are not planted-out yet, they having been planted in boxes and placed in a cool house to await more favour- able weather. Pricked-out Gaiiliflower plants that were raised on a hotbed some time ago. The soil used ia light and not rich. It ia neces- sary to be careful that any early vegetables sown under glass do not receive any check by removing them from one frame to another. We used to sow Celery for the earliest crop in boxea, and place them also on the hotbed; but the plants raised in this way invariably ran to seed, ao that it haa been discontinued. In ilayey soils the plants would not have this tendency. Peas have started away freely; but the young and tender growths seem to have received a check from the frosts. The usual protectors of galvanised iron wire netting have been placed over them to prevent the attacks uf sparrows. Very often the seedsman is blamed for supplying bad seeds, when the sparrows had cleared off the plants tiirtctly the seed loaves have been formed. Lettuce, Radish, and all the Cabbage tribe are eagerly watched by them; even Oniona are torn-up for mere amusement, as they drop the plants on the ground. rRUIT AND FORCING HOUSES. Pineries. — With increased light a higher temperature may be kept up both in succession and fruiting houses — that ia, if the fruit which is now swelling ia required early; otherwise a very high degree of tomperatute ia not necessary, because e(£ually good fruit can be obtained in a night temperature of GU' as in one of 70^, and aa a rule the better-flavoured fruit is grown in the lower medium. One matter requiring more care than ia usually bestowed upon it ia the bottom heat. While this can be kept up to about 85' or 90' it ia much better not to interfere with the bed, aa turning it over haa a tendency to raise it unduly. Up to 10U° there is no danger of injury, but when the bottom heat rises over this the roots are sometimea injured. Many persona use test sticks for the bottom heat, but this ia too uucer- taiu to be recommended, and in all cases a thermometer specially adapted for the purpose should be used. If in any case the bottom heat should rise over 103" the pots must be raised in the bed to about half their depth, and gently shaken from one side to the other to form a space all round the pots. It ia the safest practice to have the pots in a medium too low than too high, a?, if the roots are not destroyed by the heat, the excitement is injurious. All our houses at present are kept at a night tempe- rature of 65° except the sucker house, which ia uaually a few de;- handsome and good. Thev will an^^fer well, particularly as your house is heated. Little Heath is the only kind we recommend for growiag without heat. Truling i-'Tsiti Bosh Ivy f J. JC.).— The common and all Ivies that trail or climb are distinct from the bush or tree Ivies, the latter not climbiog but formini: tree or bush-like heads. They are for the most part varieties of the climbiBi^ kinds. LoNtcERA AUREO-RETicuLATA fidtfml.— It flowets ID thii country against fl warm wall. The lljwers are not unlike the common Woodbine, but are white and frajrant. EcHBVERiA METALLiCA FROM Seeo (Mem).— It may be raised from seed wi'.hout a hotbed, being sown in pots or pans, and placed in a greenhouse, keeping moist, but the process is much slower and less certain than in a hotbed. Camellia Leave*! Variegated (J. F.SmifM.— The leaves are very healthy, even the yell >west one. We do not know what will cause the plant to lose its variegation, it heini? a result in your case not of weakness but of vigour. Probably less rich soil and restricting the root action would give you a remedv, but in this we have no certain data. We have one or two plants affected in a similar mauoer, they, lik^ ynirs, being very vigorous. We shall not pot them for a year or two, as we had some similarly affected, and by not treating so liberally a? before the leaves have resumed their normal htate. FcMtGATiN'G Greeshoush (S. £,'.).— Ouce a month will, as a rule, be often enoug»i to fumigate a greenhouse, except under special circumstances, when it may be more freqaeutly resorted to. lo case of a severe attack of aphides, or when the pests have been allowel to get a-head, it is desirable to funiignte on succeeding evenings, aad a^iiu io about a week if there are any insects appirent. Beet Woody (Idem).^U may be a consequence of too early sowing of the seed, the plants having run or begun to seed, and the roots are hard, woody, and of bi-i colour ; or it may be a consequence of growing in poor soil, its woodiness being accelerated by the drought of last summer. Kicher ground and not sowing until the beginning of May ought to give you tender roots. Lining a Chcumber Bed (W. TV.l.— There are hut two ways, one to place the hot dung against the sides of the frame all rouad, the other to line from the bottom placin-^ it n^rainst the sides, and this liba the other should be of at leait half-sweetened.'as a sifcguard against rank steam finding entrance to the plants. Prcning Newly-planted Pyrvmids and Standards (Idem).— Bo not prune the spurs, but cut the side shoots to within half an inch of their base, and shorten the leadiog fihooe.-) to 6 or s inches, but they may be cut less or more according to strength and required form of the tree. The leading shoot of the tree should ha out back to 13 inches. The standard trees we should cut bick at least one-third the growth of last year, and tho side shoots to within half an inch of their ba'iO, leaving the spurs entire, and shortening the leaders of the branches one-third their length. If they have nothing hut young growths shorten them about a third, and thin out if the shoots cross eich other or are crowded. Red Spider (Id.^m).— It is one of the greatest pests to the gardener, being very small, scarcely visible to the naked eye ; but when a plant is much infested by them the leaves present on the upper surface the appearance of being scorched. The colour varies; sometimes it is yellowish, at others browo, but generally a dull red. It may be found at most times in green- houses and hothouses, especially those which Lave been kept hot and dry, mistly located on the under side of the leaves, feeding on their juices. Wages at Market Garden (ir. ^}.—Ttie wages vary with the locality, buK in most cases a suitable man for rough work could be had for from ISs. to 21.^- per week, with lodging, or a house if a married man. An allowance for those in money is usually 2s. Gd. weekly. If you require labour for glass it will be for a good man at an advance of the wage quoted. Pruning Neglected Orchard Trees (2d'*»i).— Thin-out the weak and old branches, especially where very crowded, and those which cross each other, but do it to only a moderate extent— a little each year until they are comparatively thin. Severa cutting often results in exuberant growth. See what Mr. Robson says this weak. Depressing Hot-water Pipes {tV. P. H.).~li is practicable to depress the pipes of No. 2 house 18 inches below the level of No. 1 house, but the pipes in No. 2 must not be depressed and again ha i-aised to the level of the No. 1 house pipes. When once the water sinks to a lo'q-or level it should be taken by a gradual decline to the boiler. Neither will it answer to depress the pipe on entering No. 2 bouse, and after going along it again rise to the retnra of No. 1 house; but by having it as a return pipe in No, 2, and re- moving the return of No. 1, putting it so low as to act for the return of both, you may heat your second house satisfactorily, having an air pipe at the highest part of the How iu No. 1 house. By yoiu- projected plan the circu- lation would be impeded, but would, nevertheless, act iu a sluggish sort of way. only you would need an air pipe at every rise just where the depression occurs, for nothing but air iu the pipe will stop the circulation of the water. CoNSTRcrcTiNa Removable Gkeenhodse (L. F. O.).— If you place bricks on the surface of the soil, and then the wooden frame resting on the bricks, but not fastened to them or to the back waW, you could remove the house. In our "Greenhouse Manual" are fuller instructions for erecting a remov- able one. Forced Oroccses Failing (A. G.I.— The most likely cause of their failing B bringing in too Imuoh beat, they having also been kept much too wet. They require very gentle forcing, and to have a light airy position. The smail corms formed above the old ones may be put out outdoors where they will attain a size for flowering. Lilacs, Azalea pontica, and Kalmia« do not answer for forcing two years together. They require a year's rest. The Lily of tho Vallpy raav not have flowered because it had no flower buds, or it may have been brought on too rapidly. Camellias and Azalea indica {Idem). — The Camellias which have made good new growth in heat ought to be continued there until the wood is well ripened and the buds set, after which they should be removed to a cool house, and kept cool and airy. If in small pots they may be repotted, taking care not to disturb the ball but merely looseuiui,' the sides, and warming the soil before U80. Keep the Azaleas in heat until they are in flower, and then remove to a cooler house, returning to heat a 'ain after floweriog, and keep in it uotil the growth is complete and the biill set, then place in a cool house. Bou- vanlias should be pruned after flowering, kept rather dry for a time, and in a moderate temperature, and when starting into fresh growth should be en- couraged with a moist heat and be fresh potted, and after a good growth is made they should have a light air}' position in a cool house. Urine and its Ammonia {C. r.i.—One pound of sulphuric acid to 100 lbs of urine; it forms sulphate of ammonia. Seven pounds of sulphate of iron, or 14 lbs. of sulphate of lime might be substituted for the sulphuric acid. Insect on Vines {An Old Huhicriher).—llh& beetle injuring the young Vine shoots is the CurcuUo picipes, or Dark Weevil. Spread a sheet beneath the Vino, go at night with a lantern and shake the Vine. Tho weevUa then feeding will fall upon the sheet. Apsicot Sdcker iOrJi'au). — Your Apricot sucker with a straicht stem of five-years growth will be a good stock for any of the Plums. If you want the tree for a dwarf-trained tree you must graft low, and for a pyramid it must also be worked low — about 6 inches from the ground. Grafting should be done just when the stocks are beginning to grow. If you bud them, July is the best time. Ferns for Stove Fernery [Eda]. — Moderate growers are Adiintum con- cinnum latum, Asplenium formosum, Davallia decora, D. paivula, Goniophle- bium loriceum, Lomaria Herminieri, Niphoholus corymbifera, Platycerium alcicorne major, Platjloma flexuosa, Pteris cretica albo-liueata, P. tricolor, Polypodium pectinatum, Nothochlfena trichomanoides, Platycerium grando, Lastrea elegans, Drjnaria diversifolia, Davallia dissecta, Blechnum nitidum contractum, B. cognatum, Asplenium fieniculaceum, Adiantum tenerum, Adiautum peruvianum, A. Sant;i.-Catharinie, and A. tinctum. Where you have space you may introduce Adiantum Capillus- Veneris and A. assimllc, both of which grow freely, and are very useful for cutting. Ferns fur bang- ing baskets are Adiantum setulusum, Cheilauthes alabamensis, Davallia dis- secta. D. decora, Di'ynaria quercifolia, Goniophlebium subauriculatum, Micro- lepia hirsuta nuguata, Neohi-olepis davallioides, N. tuberosa, Polypodium appeudiculatum, Pteris scaberula, and Asplenium caudatum. Foliage plants are :— Criiton Johannis, Dracaena Weismaoni, Ficus Parcelli, Maranta rosea lineata, PauUinia thalictrifolia, and AraUa Veitchi. Names of Fruits {Beta). — We regret not to be able to name the Apple you have sent. Names of Plants {J. E.\S.). — Sparmannia africana. {Ignoramus). — No doubt a Composite, probably a Helichrysum, but your description is insuffi- cient. (T. EdmomU) —a, Polypodium 'hastatum;. 4, Nephrolepis acuta; 5, Adiantum Capillus- Veneris ; b, Adiantum (specimen iosuftil^ient^; 7, -Eschy- nanthus sp. ; 8, Specimen insufficient, it may be an Hypoestos. (Ch^sUr field). — 1, Parmelia saxatUis; 4, P. physodes; 2, Cladonia raogiferina; 3, Evernia prunastri. POTJLTEY, BEE, AND PIGEON OHRONIOLE. DETENTION OF SHOW BIRDS ON SUNDAY. Some readers may think that we are never wearied of remon- strating on this topic ; we are not, and we have strong hopes that many committees which have been in the habit of includ- ing a Sunday in their show time will in future try to avoid it. Of course all will not, still we shall never tire of systematically showing-up such shows in our reports. AVe know the evil con- sequences must be, and are, great both to man and bird. We are at a loss to know why committees will include a' Sun- day. We will put monster exhibitions like Birmingham and the Palace out of the question for the time, and only refer to smaller shows. We find repeatedly exhibitions held on the Friday and closing at 10 I'.^i. on Saturday, or held on the Mon- day in addition, and so on. Doubtless, if we asked the secre- taries of these shows wbv they managed their dates so badly, we should have touchid*>*pictures drawn of such and such a show clashing, or Saturday being an early-closing day, or Mon- day the market day, or that by having such a date all the birds can come on from such .ind such an exhibition, and so on. These reasons may appear all very good, but they do not do away with the fact of a Sunday being so frequently included. The extra gain brought by the Saturday people or the marketers we should think was nearly consumed in the extra expenses which Sundays must entail— rent, gas, food, feeders, itc. The cost of these "for a single day is no small item iu a show's ex- penses, as we have good reason to know. Then for the exhibitors' servants who so often have to stay out all the days of a show; surely to them the Sunday must be a hard time. What have they to do ? Maybe they are in a strange town and know no one. We can only say they hardly have any alternative but to sit about in the public houses. We do not think it is fair to them to have to spend their Sunday away from home. For the birds themselves it is often destruction. We can quote case after case of birds which have been totally ruined March 4, 1875. ] JOUBNAL OF H0RTICULTUR3 AND OOTTAGE GAKDENEB. 187 for exhibiting ami breeding by their long incarceration at a show and the excitement it canses, and the Sunday to them is only an extra day in which to come to harm. Thns much for the evil. Now for the reason. We believe the reason why Sundays at many shows are included is simply to make the dates fix-in with another show to avoid them clash- ing, and so causing both shows, or one c.f them, to come to grief. Exhibitors soon learn what biids are likely to beat them, and when two shows occur on following days tbey think, *' Ob, Mr. Soand-so will be sure to send to one, and as I do not know which I shall not enter at either." Of course here we speak of the general run of amateur exhibitors, and after all without them the committees would often look queer when the reckon- ing-up day arrives. If this is the cause, one way out of the difficulty would be for committees to make their exhibitions more district or county shows. We are snre this would answer well. Kent has many such shows, and they do well. People who would not otherwise exhibit will send to their county show, and the exhibitors of the district know they have more chances of prizes, and enter accordingly. There is no doubt but that there are too many open shows. The fact of their being open to the United Kingdom does, we know, keep local and county exhibitors from patronising them. Whereas if the competition were restricted to the couaty or dis- trict the committee could make such a choice of days as would answer all purposes without the Sunday being included, and their entries would be more, for they would get dozens of entries from those who would otherwise not have sent one bird. We merely mention this as a siiggestion, which we have long thought would be one way out of the difficulty. — Amicus. THE EXHIBITION DORKING.— No. 10. BY T, C. BURSELL, The Dark Dorkiko. — Amongst the different breeds of Dor- kings, the Dark or Coloured Dorking, on account of its superior size, has always been the favourite. This variety was originally called the Grey Dorking, then the Coloured Dorking, and now is generally known by the name of the Dark Dorking, to dis- tinguish it from the Silver-Grey variety. The first and most important point in a Dorking is the shape. Most beginners are apt to think that five toes on each foot, and a freedom from leg feathers and crest, are all that are required to make a good bird. Not so; it is the peculiar shape which makes the Dorking, the square, deep, and massive body, and the full chest. The breast bone should be long and deep to allow plenty of room for putting on flesh, as it is the Dorking's breast which gives it its pre-eminence for the table. The back should be very broad and flat at the shoulders, and should gradually narrow to the hips ; the legs should be short and stout, and with plenty of bone, as the leg is a good criterion of frame and capacity for putting on flesh ; the thighs should lie close to the body, and not be carried stilt-wise, as in the Cochin. The above points apply equally to all Dorkings. I will now state what is generally considered requisite in a show bird of the Dark variety, and first for the cock : Head of a good size, eye large and dark in colour, earlobe red, wattles long and pendulous, comb either single or double. If the comb is single it must be perfectly upright, quite straight, free from any excrescences at the sides, and evenly serrated with about six or seven sprigs ; if rose-shaped (double) it should be close and firmly fixed on the head, square in front, flat at the top with the exception of numerous little sprigs, the sides straight and even, and the whole comb narrowing behind into a distinct point. The comb in either case should be of a good size, but without tho least tendency to coarseness. Rose-combs in Coloured Dorkings have lately become very scarce in the show pen, and not more than a dozen pens, I think, have been seen at the Crystal Palace Show for the last five years. They are evidently not popular, the reasons doubtless being that they are more difficult to find in perfection, t"„ u they invariably become coarse and ungainly in the second year, and that they are more open to being tampered with than the single combs, this latter in my opinion being a serious objection. Hose and single-combed birds may be bred together, and a proportion of both will be found in the chickens; but this plan should be avoided if possible, as coarse and ugly combs are sure to be the result, and neither comb will become fixed in the strain. In a pen of birds for exhibition of course the combs must match; if a rose-combed cock and a single-combed hen were shown together certain disqualification would be the result. Sometimes we find a bird with a comb something between the two — that is, a single comb in the front part ex- panding into two combs as it were in the middle, and joining again at the back, so as to form a large hollow. These ''cup " combs as they are called will not now pass muster, and are only fit for the farmyard. The neck hackle should be very full, and should fall naturally, the feathers not twisting over one another or rising in a hump behind the neck ; tail very large and full, with the feathers unusually broad and arching, and the saddle hackles very plentiful; legs short and perfectly straight; toes, five on each foot, the fourth and fifth or hind toes being very distinct, and each growing separately from the leg, the fifth toes turning upwards ; the front toes long, straight, and well spread, and the spurs set well inside the leg, in fact almost pointing at one another. Formerly the colour of a Coloured Dorking cock was imma- terial, but of late years, since a separate class has been made for Silver-Greys, this is not the case. The hackle should be clouded or striped with black, and not be white as in the Silver-Grey. The saddle, too, should be clouded, and the shoulders of a dark- ish tinge. The accompanying illustration (fig 48.), drawn from a cockerel of my own breeding, gives a very good idea of the colour required in a Dorking cock to match the Dark hens which are now so fashionable. A cock will pass muster if he is not so darkly striped in the neck hackle; but a Coloured Dorking cock with almost white hackle and shoulders is not the proper mate either for the show pen or breeding for a Dark hen, any more than a Silver Duckwing Game cock is a match for a Brown Red Game hen. To a critical eye one is quite as objectionable as the other. rig. -is.— Dtrk Dorkiag Cock. Occasionally we see cocks showing a good deal of red or chestnut on the shoulders. These will pass with a Dark hen and often breed very good pullets, but they are not so suitable in my opinion as cocks only showing black and grey. It is commonly thought that white in tha breast or tail is a bad point. This is a mistake, and arises from confusing the colours of the Dark and Silver-Grey varieties. A little white in the breast of a Dark cock or on the thighs is no detriment, nor is white in the tail ; in fact, I have never seen a really good Dark cock without white in the sickle feather, a "gay" sickle as it is termed. My first-prize cock at the Palace and first cockerel at Birmingham this year both had white in the sickles, as also had my second Palace and cup Birmingham cock the year before, and I have yet to learn that it is any disadvantage. Of course, a very white breast or tail is a disadvantage ; but it is no disqualification if a bird is good in other respects, and often appears after a moult in a bird which was previously quite free from it. I have said a good deal about the white in the tail, as the only results of rejecting gay-sickled birds would be to reduce the size of Dorkings by making the choice of show specimens much more difficult, or else to introduce the plncking-and- trimming system, which is such a curse to many other breeds. The colour of the legs and feet should be white ; the colour of the flesh and skin of a fowl is always of the same tinge and colcnr as the feet. So in the Dorking, which is essentially the table fowl, it is very important that this should be white. I have now mentioned most of the necessary points, and to assist beginners will now mention the most common defects. Many Dorkings have undoubtedly been crossed seme time with other breeds, such as Cochins or Malays, but such crosses can nearly always be detected. Long legs and deficiency of chest 188 JOURNAL OP HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. [ Marcli 4, 1875. are certain signs of a cross, as also are yellow beaks and toe nails. A small tail, too, should be looked upon with suspicion, as a large and flowing tail is inseparable from a pure-bred Dork- ing.^ The comb in the cock sometimes falls to one side or lops behind ; both these are signs of lack of condition or health, and are rainons in the show pen, as also is a bad twist or bend in the comb, though a slight turn or " thumb mark " in the front is not so important as in a Spanish cock. A crooked leg is not at all an uncommon defect, and should be carefully looked to in baying a bird ; but the feet as a rule are where the most at- tention is required, as not only are corns found under the feet, but the hind toes are frequently badly set on. The big front toes too often curve inwards, and the front toes are sometimes set too close together instead of being well spread. Thi-se two last are bad defects. Spurs are found outside too high up, or at the back of the leg. This blemish is fast becoming common, and requires to be looked to. Any dark tinge or sootiness in the feet is certain disqualification, as also are feathered legs. AN EAELT AND CONSTANT SUPPLY OF EGGS. Thz following question has often given rise to anxious thought and consideration :— What is the best food to produce an early and constant supply of eggs at the smalL^.st cost ? Ground oats, faarleymeal mixed with fine pollard, poultrymeal, ground maize, &c., have each and all had a fair and patient trial as soft food for morning feeding, with whole buckwheat, barley, maize, oats, &c., for the last feed. The result has never been satisfactory. This last autumn I have been feeding some bullocks on wheat with white peas ground and mixed together as their principal food, with the best possible results; and when I made up my pens of fowls this season I determined to use the same kind of mixture (ground wheat and peas), giving it to them as their morning feed, made as stiff as possible overnight rather than just before feeding. This practice is founded upon the same principle as pastry made the day previous to baking is better than that made ana put into the oven immediately. For the last feed I give the fowls whole wheat. Now for the result. They have exceeded my most sanguine expectations in giving me an early, abundant, and constant supply of eggs beyond anything I have before experienctd. During the severe weather of December, when the ground was covered with snow, I think I had more eggs laid than usual. Another result of early eggs has been a brood of chickens on the 3l8t of January, and they are doing remarkably well in an open coop on the ground, and fed in the same way as the fowls. In conclusion, I now come to the cost. Kivett wheat can be bought at 38s. per quarter of 504 lbs., white peas at 42s. per quarter of 504 lbs., grinding 3s. per quarter; consequently I purchase a food under 10s. per hundredweight containing ISi per cent, of flesh-forming substances. If these facts interest your readers I will tell them how I built my fowl house, the kind of run they have, &c.— J. P. Milleb, Enfield. HOUDANS AS LAYERS. I HAVE always advocated this breed as good although not aS very early layers, but I am utterly at a loss to account for mine this year. I have not had (February 27th) one egg from them as yet. I have thirteen birds — seven old hens (that is, of 1873), and sis pullets of various hatchings in 1874. My house is warm, they have a good run of five acres, are in capital condition, and yet this is the state of the case. Besides these I have four common barndoor hens for sitting, and every one of these is laying. Can anyone explain the cause of this? Is it to be attributed to the cold and wet season 1 for i( so it interferes a great deal with one's estimate of the value of the Houdan as a layer. Last year at this time I had an abundant quantity of eggs, and now not one. I see symptoms of some of them ap- proaching the laying season— combs enlarging and turning red, &o., but it is rather hard to have to wait until March for them. Has any Houdan breeder any similar experience, or can any " cunning man " give any solution of the puzzle ?— D., Deal. MELTON MOWBRAY SHOW OF POULTRY, &c. On September 25th, 18C2, Melton held its first Show of poultry. We have before us our second volume, in which we find a full account of that Exhibition ; after that the good people of Melton went to sleep and slumbered quietly, dreaming we hopa pleasantly. This, however, was not to go on for ever like our friend the brook, for after a time thev awoke and once more set to work over a poultry show. The Exhibition which closed on Friday evening last was their first winter Show, and we con- gratulate the Committee on their Exhibition. It was held in the Corn Exchange, a room admirably adapted for the purpose in every way. 328 pens of poultry. Pigeons, and Rabbits of more than ordinary quality made a smart little Show. The entry fees amounted to ,£2 or £i more than the prizes given, which was a good beginning, and we hope the Show conse- quently paid well, and that the schedule for next year will be more extensive and the prizes larger. The Rev. G. F. Hodson awarded the prizes, and his judgmg gave in most cases great satisfaction. In looking over the prize list of this Show held last week, and that in 18G2, we can only find one name occurring in both, we allude to Mrs. Woodcock of Rearsby, and that lady exhibited then as now Buff Cochins. We like to hear of people adhering to their first loves ; but this utter absence of the same names in two shows held barely thirteen years apart shows how great changes do occur in the poultry fancy. Dorkings came first on the list, six pens ; nothing first-class. The winning pen, however, was of good Coloured birds. Cochina came next with two classes. In Bafl's the winners were all good. We thought the third-prize pair might have gone in between the first and second, but there wa? not much wrong. 10 (Wiuwood), a good cock ; 12 (Woodcock), a nice hen. In Cochins of Any other variety Whites won first. They were wonderfully good and well shown. We never remember seeing a better pair for colour. Second and third-priza pairs were good, and several other capital pens wero in this class. Dark Brahmas made a good show. The first-prize pair we liked immensely ; second and third also good. We should have liked to have seen a few high commendations in this class. In Lights the first were well ahead. With the exception of the winning pens this collection was poor. Game, Black and Brown Reds, mustered well, and the quality was very good. We liked the third-prize pen very much, and thought it might have stood higher, though the first and second were both smart pens. 48 (Bell) contained a capital hen. The Variety Game class was poor, and only first prize was awarded. Spanish were admirable; the winners well placed and really good. Spangled Hainhurghs mustered seventeen pens, first going to capital Golds and second to Silvers. Pencilled Hainburgha wero good, especially the Golden. Houdans were one of the best classes in the Show. The first-prize pen truly grand, and in admirable con- dition ; second also good. 119 (Valance), a grand hen. We pre- ferred this pen for third place almost. Of the fix noticed pens four came out of Kent. Game Bantams were good, Mr. Anns' second and third-prize pairs were cheap at catalogue price of i'2 2s. each. In the Variety Bantam class Laced were first, good Blacks second and third. 148 (Woodcock), good Japanese. The " refuge " was a very large and varied class. Splendid Creves were first and third, and good Golden Poles second. 103 (Kew), lustrous Black Hamburghs ; 155 (Cros«), a grand Crcve hen ; 161 (Lias), fine Silver Polands ; 1G2 (Richardson), good Malay cockerel. The Selling classes were large and the quality very fair, good Game, Cochins, and Spanish winning the chief prizes. Turkeys and Geese were small but good classes. Rouen and Aylesbury Ducks capital, the former as usual the most jjleutif ul. Pigeons were only small classes. Mr. Yardley sent a good team of birds. One of the best classes was the Archangels, and we were glad to see a class for this most beautiful breed, which generally gets such bad treatment at the hands of show pro- moters. The first pair were lustrous, and a bargain at £2 2s. Fanfails were good, both prizes going once more to Newark. Jacobins only a poor lot. The Variety class was admirable. There were twenty-one pens of really good birds. The winning Tnrmpeters were fine, hut for second place we should have gone to 272 (Allen), Yellow Dragoons. There were some cheap pairs in the Sale class also. The awards were as follow :— DoRKiNos.— 1, W. H. Crewe, Etwell. Derby. 2, J. Rippin, Melton Mowbray. 3, S. W. HalUm, Whilwick, Leicester. Cochins.— Cinnawion or Buff.— I ami 2, Mrs. AlIsopp.WorceHter. C, H. Feast. Swansea, he, Mrs. Woodcock. Leicester, c, E. Winwoo ), Worcester. Any other variety —\. R. S. S. Woodi^ate, Pembnry. 2, 0, WUson, Langar, Elton. 8, R.'v. R. Storey. Derby, he, A. F. Faulkner, Tbrapstonu; f. Passmore , Northampton : H. Feast, c, Mrs. Goodall, Melton Mowbray, BitABMas-— Durft.— 1, Dr. J. Holmes. ChostcrfioW. 2, L, C. C. R. Norria, Trumpinston. Cambridge. 3, J. H. Turner. Sheffield, c, J. Gunn, Coalville, Leicester. Light— I, R. E. Horsfall, Qrassendale Priorv. 2, C. Wilson, Langar Elton, 3, N, Feast, Game —Black or Brotrn Beds.— I, W. T, Everard, Hatton Grange, Ashby-de_ la-Zoucb. -2, J. Mee, Ashby-de-la-Zoneh. 3. J, Jenkiaa, Eltbam, he, E, Bell Burton-on-Trent ; J. Jenkins : J, Stokes, Melton Mowbray, Any other variety' -I.E.Bell, 2audS, Wiilibeld, Spanish,— 1 and 2, — Allsopp, 3, E, Winwood, Worcester, vhc, M. Brown, Ab Kettleby, Melton Mowbray, c. M. Brown : .S. W, Hallaiu, Whitwick. Hamhurghs, — Go/d or Sili^er-apanoled. — 1, Mrs, lilakeman, Tettenball, Wolverhampton. 2 and c, S. W. Hallam, 3, .1. Ward, Ashby-de-la-Zoucb, he, T. H.Turner. Sheffield, Gold or .Silver-penejltcd.—l and 3, C. ,Tudson, Peck- bam, 2, S, W, Hallara. Tic, A, F, Faulkner, Thrapstone, c. J, Ward. Houdans.— 1, W, Dring, Favershain, 2, F, Lake, Rodmersbani, S, S. "W. Thomas, Sketty, Swansea, vhc. W H. Crewe, F.twell, Derby, he, V,\ Cntlack, inn., Littleport, Ely; Mrs, K, R. Valance, Sittingboume. e, R, A. Boissier, Peuhhurot, Bantams.— (7a?Hc,—l, G. Cell. Burton-on-Trent, 2 and 3. T, W, Anna, Clap- ham, ftc, J, Richardoon, Loiigliborouph c, Heme A Hoekadav, St. Austell, Any other variety.— I. Mrs. Wootton. Mapperley. 2, K. H, Ash'ton, Mottram, iVlancbester. 3, WingHeld & Andrews, Worcester, /ic, Mrs. Woodcock, c, J. T. llinks. Humberstone; Mrs. Wootton, ANY OTHE^ VAHiETy,- ]. W, Cutlack, juu. (Creve-Ccsur), 2. G. W. Boothby (South Golden Poland), 8, W, Dring (Creve-Coeur), vhe, Mrs, Cross, Brig^' (Creve-Coear), he, M, Kew, Market Oyerton ( Black Harabargbs) ; G, Lias, Par Station (Silver Poland); J. Richardson, Loughborough (Malays), c, J. Bailey, Melton Mowbray (Black Hamburgh). Sellin-o Class.— Cocfc or Cockerel.— \, Mrs, Altsopp (noohins), 2, W, & J, Honey (Stanstells Gane), 3, M. Kew, Market Overton (Malays), he, J. H. Turner. Sheffield (Brahma); T, Wild, jun.. Burton Lazars, c, W. Boothby (South Golden Polands); J. T. Parker, Northampton; H. Yardley, Binning* March 4, 1873. ] JOURNAL OP HOBTICOLTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 189 iam; J. F. BinhB, Humberslono. Hens or PuUrta.—J, W. S. niaok, Raxby (Game). 2, Mrs. AIlnopp (Spaiiishl. 8, Mrs. Nicholson. Sheffleld (While OochiuB). /tc, E. Siiell. barrowdeii. c, G. W. Boothby (riouth Gold Poland) ; H. Yardley ; C. RidRe. MeKon Mowbrav : S. Pollartl. Slealord. Turkeys.— t. J. Kippin. Melton, -i, fc.". SnoU. 3, M. Kew. Geesb.— I, M. Kew. 2 and ;><:, .1. Kippiu. S, J. G. Barker, nolwell. Ddcks — Jj/ksdiiri/.— 1 and c. Mrs. Wootton. 2, W. H. Urewo. 3. E. Snell. Bouen.—l, Miss E. WinKlield, Market Overton. 2 and he, I. Wrinht, Cold Overton. S, T. H. Tuiuer. Jni/ o»uT t'arii!(!/.—l,H. Yardley. 2, Hon. Mrs. Molyneox. 3, S. Black. PIGEONS. ClHEiKRS.— 1, L. Allen. Southwark, Lond..n. 2 and hf, H. Vardley. PorTERS.— I, L. Watkin, Northampton. 2, J. Atkins, Bedford, c, H. Yardloy. Tdmblebs —1 and 2, U. Yardley. . „. ^ FANTiiLS.— 1 and 2, J. F. Loversidgo, Newark, he, E. Snell; W. Gamble, Thorpe SatchviUe. ^^ jAcoiiiKS.— I, W. Husledino. Garlrce Hill. 2, S.Lawson. Preston. Archanoels.— 1. H. brown, bt. Au&tell. 2, VV. i^atham. Melton Mowbray. he, H. Yardley: Winclield & Andrews. Anv other Variety —1, \V. Gamble. Thorpe (Trumpoturs) 2, T. Chambers, Northampton, vhc. H. Yardley ; h. AUeo, Loudon (Yellow Dragoon), he, W. Tedd, Erdinyton (Black Magpies, Ked aiaypies, and Blue Swallows): t . P. Pnlley. Oxford (Ice and llagiJies); H. T. Hinka, Humberstone : K. S. Barnard, Tottenham ; — Hardstaff, Melton Mowbray (Ice), c, U. Yardley ; H.H. Brown, Melton Mowbray (Ice). Selli.so Class. — 1, J. Osbond, Northampton (White Dragoon). 2, h. Sabbage. Northampton, he. H. Yardley ; F. S. Barnard, Tottenham (Magpies) ; W. Gamble Thorpe; R. Gill, Melton Jlowbray (Trumpcterij). c, — Andrews, Melton Mowbray: W. Gamble (TrumpL-ters). RABBITS. Greatest Length of Ear.— 1, Mrs. Pickworth, Moulton Marsh, Spalding. 2 and he, F. fanner. Leicester. Heaviest Weioht.— 1, G. Payne, Melton Mowbray. 2, W. Hasoldme, Gar. tree Hill. Any Variktf.— 1. W. Priestraan, Melton (Silvev-Grey). 2, H. J. Hmks (Silver-Grey). he, F. Canner (Dutch) ; A. W. Whitehoase, Northampton (Silver-Grey). BURNLEY POULTRY SHOW. The first annual winter Show was held in the Literary Insti- tution on Satariiay last, and proved by far the most extensive of any that has ever been held in Burnley ; and considering the amount of money offered, the energy and management of this small knot tf fanciers have received such appreciation at the hands of the exhibitors as seldom falls to the lot of a committee, many of the classes counting near fifty entries each ; and it is but fair to state that few of the old fanciers of the district would venture to put their shoulders to the wheel, and the affair was managed almost entirely by new beginners. On account of the entries being greater than was anticipated the building proved far too small to allow sufficient room for the large number of visitors, and it was with great difficulty that the birds could be examined on account of the crush; and the pens, which were Turner's, being placed two tiers high, the light in the lower stage was anything but good. There were seven classes for poultry, Game heading the list, and the class a pretty good one ; the first and medal for the first four classes going to capital I31ack Reds. The second were Brown Red chickens, the cockerel grand in all points, but the pullet a little faulty in condition ; the third beiug Piles, the cockerel in this pen being a tine substantial bird. Bralimas were also a fair class. Darks winning in all cases, Mr. Pickles' three pens being empty. Harnburghs were mixed classes, the Spangles in one and Pencils in the other. In the first Silvers were first and third and Gold second, the first being a pen good all round. In Pencils Silvers won all the prizes, and these were really good. Golden proving very poor. Bantayyis had two classes, the first of which was for Black and Brown Red Game, Black Reds winning first and second, and Brown Reds third, the latter grand in colour, but a little faulty in eye. In the next class Piles were first, Duckwings second, and Piles third, the first of rare quality ; and the cup for the best cock in the Show was awarded to this bird, but proving to be the property of the donors it was vei^ generously declined by Messrs. Bellingham & Gill, and subsequently awarded to the most perfect La Flcche cock we have ever seen. The gold medal for the best pen in the last three classes going to a good old pen of Buff Cochins shown by Mr. Walker in the Variety class ; the second in this being L* Flecho ; and third Dark Grey Dorkings, the only f.^ult of which was a squirrel tail in the cock. Many excellent pens of Polands, Spanish, Black Hamburghs, and Bredas being highly commended. In Pigeons the Carrier cocks were a grand class, the first a Dun in prime condition, very good in style, carriage, beak, and beak-wattle, but a little short of eye-watt'e ; second a very large and much younger liird, that must some day reach the summit of the fancy if no ill befall it; and third a good smart Black ; twelve others being noticed. Hens were a very good class, many birds of extraordinary merit losing only for want of con- dition. The first, a Dun good in every point, won also the cup for the best bird in the Show, Antwerps excluded ; the second was a grand Black. By some mistake two Yellow Dragoons were shown in this class. In Pouters the first was Blue, in fine order and good show trim ; the second Black, and third Blue; several good "Whites showing badly. Barbs vt&rQ not a. good class although numerous, the first a grand Dun cock, a little out of order; second a Black, in good bloom; and third a Dan hen. Short-faced Tumblers were very good, almost all being noticed, the first an Almond cock all the way from Scot- land, very good all round, and most beautifully broken in feather, this being claimed at the catalogue price of i'8 8s. ; second came a very good Blue Baldpate ; and third a Kite of extraordinary head properties, and very small. Long-faced Tumblers were not good as a class, but the winners about perfect; first a Yellow Mottle, second Black Bald, and third Red Mottle. Jacobins were a grand class, the first and second Reds being extraordinary in hood and chain ; the third Yellow, also very good, but a little rough on one side of the rose. Excepting the winners the Turbits were poor, the first Blue, second Red, and third Silver. Excepting the noticed birds the English Owls did not come up to our expectations, and only the first was really good in all points. Short-faced Antwerps were a grand display of thirty entries, and we may venture to assert that this class, as all the -Vntworps, are coming to be better understood, for few birds were shown but that were of some degree of excellence, and this county and the neighbouring one of Yorkshire being the strongholds of the variety, the competi- tion was very keen indeed. In the above-named class the first was a Silver Dun, perfect in all points except the eye, which seemed to have faded since the bird was shown at Bradford in October last; but let this be as it may, they are certainly faulty now. The second lost a little ia the frontal part of the head, and was also Silver Dun ; the third was also a Dun, and we noticed one Blue Chequer with a grand head and colour, but sadly out of condition. Long-faced Antwerps were not so numerous, but much more even in quality, and mostly noticed. The first was a grand Red Chequer, second Blue Chequer, and third a Red Chequer hen. Few of the Short-faced of 1874 were up to the requirements of the standard, many being too long ; but the Red hen to which the first award was made was a grand specimen; the second was a very promising Silver Dun cock ; and third also a Dun. There were seventy-eight entries in the two classes of Dragoons, but we failed to find half dozen of the so-called London Fancy. There were a good lot in old birds; most of the birds were noticed, but some of these were too long, being near IJ inch from the centre of the eye. The first was a Blue hen of grand proportion and colour ; second a Blue cook, a little too long and strong, but good in all other points ; equal second a Red cock; third and equal third were Blue cocks; twenty others being noticed. The young birds of last year were badly placed as regards the light, and the awards were made with difficulty, the first going to a handsome Yellow, and the second and third to Blues. In the Variety class the first was a Foreign Trumpeter, second a Black African Owl, and third a Fairy Swallow. In the Selling class the first was a very cheap Silver Dun Antwerp, second an Agate, and third a Red Jacobin. There were some likely birds in the class for Homing birds, but none that fairly answered the requirements of that variety. The point cup was won by Mr. Seftou with twenty-four points. CanjVEies had a few classes, but there were not large entries, the winners in the Clear Norwich classes being of the highly- coloured variety. In Belgian there were but four entries in two classes, but the first-prize birds were very good, and considering tlie severity of the weather they showed well. In the next class all were noticed. The first was awarded to an evenly-marked four-pointed Yellow Yorkshire bird, and second to a Ticked Man- chester Coppy, an Even-marked Yorkshire and several Ticked Norwich being highly commended. Game.— 1 and Medal, F.. Aykroyd, Eccleahill, Leeds. 2, R. Payne, Burnley. S, S. H. Leech. Preston. I'he, W. urmerod. he, 0. Folds; J. Fortune ; J. & K. prince, e, J. Nelson. „ . „ „ „ ,. Bbahua.— 1 and 2, T. F. Anfldell. Cowlev Moant, St. Helens. 8, C. Holt, Eochdale. he, A. & J. Hobinson ; A. Bamlord : G. Barnes ; W. Uargreaves (2) ; Vf. Harvey, c, J. Helliwell: T. Pye. „ .- Hambobohs.— Oodi or Silrcr-spauglcd.—l. R. Watkinson, Thorneyholme, Burnley. 2. T. Cropper, BacuD. a, J. Asliworth. Burniey. /ic, J. Ashworth (^): H. Stanworth. Gold or Silver-pencilled.— i and 3, P.. VV. Bracewell, Earby. 2 and he, J. Ashwortla. , « t- tx- .. Bantams.— Black or Brown Jted Oame.—l, .1. Nelson. Hexham. 2. E. Walton, Horncliffe. P.awtenstall. 3. T. Barker, Burnley, vhc, C. Cronshaw. he, T. Whitiaker. c. A. C. Bradbury. Any other variety.— i and Cup, Bellingham and Gill, Burnley. 2. J. Nelson. S, J. Rilev. Accringtnn. ryhc, Bellingham and Gil. he, W. Atkinson; J. Walker; J. Halstead; F. Holt; T. Dawson; S. LawsoD. c, T. Barker. Any other Variety.— 1 and Medal, J. Walker. Spvmg Meant, Rochdale, 2 and Medal, E. Walton. 3, J. Ashworth. he, J. HelUwell ; J. AshworLh ; H, Wilkinson ; G. Barnes ; J. Nowell ; J. Loder (2). PIGEONS. CARRIERS.-C'ocfc.— 1. J.Wallser. 2, W. Sefton, Acorington. 3, E. C. Stretch, Ormskirk. 5)!tc, J. Walker ;. I- Stanley. Jic. H. Crosby: J. Stanley ; H Yardley; J. Gardner; W. Sefton 141: W.Harvey. Hen.— Cup, 1, and 3. J. Walker. 2, J. Stanley, he, R. W. Bracewell; .1. Stanley ; J. Gardner; E. C. Stretch; W, Sefton (S) ; W. Harvey, c, W. Sefton. ,.,..., PoDTERS.— 1 and 3, W. Harvey, Sheffield. 2, J. Richmond, Oswaldtwistle. e, W. Hardcastle. ,.. _. ... , t Barbs.-I and 3, W. Harvey. 2, J. Stanley, he, J. S. Colher ; T. Pmcoek ; J. Sianley. c. H. Crosby- „ ^ ^^ „^.. „ . ^ ,, TDMBLERS.-S/iorf-focfiJ.-I, W. Brvdoue. Dunse. 2.T.* W. Oddie.Brierfleld, Burnley. 3, J. M. Kidd. Edinburgh- vhc, J. Gardner ; W. Sefton. he, Powell and Crane; A. & W. H. Silvester; J- Ford; T. Chainley; H. Yardley; J. Gardner, c, J. Kidd: A. & W. H. Silvester ; J. Ford ; J. Hawley. „ ^^. TuiiBLEHS.-Z,ong-/(iced.— 1. ,1. Ford, Monkwell Street, London. 2, Wadding- lon & Booth, Burnley. 3. A. S: W. H. Silvester, Sheffield. )ic, J. Ford (2); T Newell, c, J. CargUl ; J. Hawley. „ „ ^ i ^ t;. kt„..*i, Jacobins.— 1 and 2, T. Holt, Bradford. 3, W. Brydone. he, G. E. North N. Smallpag", jun.; J. Inghim (2); J. Cargill ; J. Gardner; J. Young; J. Eichmoud; W. Brydone : W. Harvey. , „ «t .. ^ TtTRBiTs.— 1 and 2. T. S. Stephenson, Newbegin. Beverley. 3. W. Brydone ftcH. G. Poole: A. peman; J, a. Collit^r ; S. Fletcher; ft. Thicket; J. Parker; Wadding-ton & Booth (2). c, J. Stanley; J. Gardner; W. Walton (2). Antwerp^.— Long-faced.— I and 2, J. Robert'haw, Thornton, Bradford. 3, .T. Lioter. Keighlev. he, H. G. Poole; B. Brierley; J. Lister; J. Powell; H. Stanworth: H Mitchell; J. Hawley. AsjwKPps.—Siiortfaced. — young.—i, J. Lister, Keighley. 3, J. Gardner. /iC.Tordoff & AYilkinson; A. Smilh ; B, Croattley; F.White. Dhagoonb.— 1, 2, and 3. W. Si-fton. Extra 2, H. Yardley, Birmin|?bam. vhc, W. Sffli.n [-i). he, S. Cliff; F. Kastwond; Waddington & Booth : T. Cbai-nlev ; J.Stanley; J. Gardner (5); T. Smith: T. Hartley; A. Boote ; A. McKeuzie (2); W. Htirvey. c, J. R. Crompton ; B. Edmondson. DRAGnriNS.— yonni;.— l.H. Cro&by.Sale. 2, A. Boote, Crewe. 3, J. Robertahaw. vhc, J, Gardner, he, Waddington & Booth; J. Stanley; J. Robertahaw; A. MoKenziu (2). Any OTHER Variety.— 1, W. Harvev. 2. W. Bryflone. 3. J Richmond, vhc, A. & W. H. Silvester; A. A. Vander Meerech. hc,G E. N.>-th ((); T Charnlev ; .1. Younu (2); A. A. Vander Meerach; W. Seftou(2); VV. Harvey ; W. autolitTe. €, G. E. North : A. A W. H. Silveeter ; W. Sef ton Selling Ct-ASs—l, J. Hawley, Girlinptou, Bradford. 2. W. Brydone. S, W, Markland.Dcanr, Bolton, /if. A. A W. H. Silvester ; — Flf^tcher; T.<:hamley; W. Walton; T.Hartley; J. Bishop, c, J. btanley; W. Sef tun; R. Crompton; H. ButchinbOu. CANARIES. VoKwicn.— Clear 7r.llow.~~i, J. Stevens, Middleeborough. 2, W. Sraifh. he, W. Woodward. Jan.; J. Jackson. Clear liuff.~l, W. Smi'h, Birmingham. 2, W, Woodward, jim. he. J. Stevens ; .I.Jackaou; J. Shacklet -n. Bflgi^n —CU'nT Yellow.— \, T. Riding, Bacup. 2, W. Fletcher, Burnley. Clear BuiT.— f, W. Fletcher. 2, T. Ririing. Ticked —Any variety.— 1, .7. Nutter. Burnley. 2, J. Shackleton, Rochdale. ?ic, J. Nutter; J. Stephen 3; W. Woodward; J. Shackleton fi); W. Smith. Jddges.— Mr. E.Hutton, Padsey; Mr. W. Cannan, Bradford. CRYSTAL PALACE BIRD SHOW.-No. 1. The Show of 187;j has certainly surpassed the most sanguine expectations of all concerned. What the Show was a few years compared to the one I am now reviewing is well known to those ardent fanciers who knew the Palace exhihitions in their earlier days. The magnitude to which the Show is likely to attain in the future is a matter of conjecture, but if it makes such rapid proportionate strides in the next five years as it has done over the previous year's exhibition (1874), it will require a marquee double the size to hold the birds. The one used for the Exhibi- ti-on just held was nearly 50 yards long. Upon entering the tent and taking a bird's-eye view of the lengthy double tiers of stages ranged along each side, and likewise those down the centre, and finding it impossible to fully satisfy my mind in examining the whole of the birds in one day, I contented myself with the Canary portion of the Show during the first day, and paid a visit the following day to examiue the British and foreign varieties. How the Judges worked through their labours is best known to themselves, but the work was done. Some Judges have a very happy knack in getting through their work. What it would have been if point-judging, recommended by a certain N.O.A., had been adopted is not for me to say. All I know is, that upon the opening of the Show at twelve o'clock on the first day (Saturday) I was favoured with a catalogue of prizes, faultless as to the completion of it, containing the entire returns. I did not make myself inquisitive as to how Mr. F. W. Wilson of the Natural History Department had so far fulfilled his respec- tive duties, hut I noticed him at his post, as courteous as ever to all seeking for information. I was pleased to meet many ardent fanciers in the cause, and having received their hearty (greetings I at once made for the identical stage where " Class 1 " was prominently posted up. I rather admire the style of elevating the numbers of the classes above the cages, for it may at once be seen how the classes run, and in a Show of large magni- tude like the Palace one it saves unnecessary confusion and parading about. The class for Clear Yellow Norwich contained no less than sixty-four birds, and I was pleased to find ia it many fine speci- mens of the old stamp of Norwich bird giving evidence of good breed; in fact, this was the case in the whole of the first half- dozen classes, and had I my choice I should have selected birds out of those identical classes for breeding purposes rather than out of the high-coloured ones. I am inclined to think that the constitutions of birds reared upon a wholesome seed diet pre- ferable to a spicy high stimulating food (cayenne for instance), which alone answers but one purpose — that for colour. A note in the schedule distinctly stated that the extra prize of £1 would be given to the winner of most points for birds not of high colour, but I could not help noticing that there were very many of very high colour indeed — iu fact, some high enough to compete iu classes 7 and 8. I could not help thinking that if exhibitors will be so careless in entering their birds they cannot expect to meet with success. Upon the first view I thought it a difficult task for anyone to attempt to pick out the prize- winners, but was glad to find that where the line had been drawn those not answering to the schedule were excluded. In class 1 Mr. R. Whiteacre of the Derby school exhibited a good speci- men for the first place, being well followed up with one for second shown by Messrs. G. & J. Mackley of Norwich. Such was my opinion that there was very little difference betwixt them. Mr. Calvert's Yellow did credit to the good old city of York, and very justly had a second extra prize given to it ; Messrs. Athersuch of Coventry stood nest for a third, and Mr. Flexney of Loudon gained an extra third. The prize birds were all in fine condition. In the Clear Buff class Messrs. Athersuch here stood first with a very fine symmetrical-shaped bird, possessed of that beautiful mealy tint ko much admired in the fancy. Messrs. Mackley were again forward, and it was almost a toss-up which of the two first in this class was best. Mr. Caplin's of Canterbury was a good third, and extra thirds were given to two capital Buffs exhibited by Messrs. Radmore & Galey. Sixty-five entries. In classes 3 and i, best Marked or Variegated or Buff Norwich, there was a stout contest for places. Some fine Marked birds were shown iu both classes, and the winners stood in the follow- ing order : — J. Adams, Orme & Ashley, G. & J. Mackley, and Athersuch it Son, in class 3 ; and in class -1, G. & J. Mackley, Orme & Ashley, Athersuch, Caplin, and last, but not the least, an extra third exhibited by Mr. Tomes. In the two classeB there were fifty-one birds entered. In classes 5 and 6, for Ticked and Unevenly-marked birds, there were seventy-three entries, and considerable trouble must have been experienced in selecting those birds for prizes, mixed up as they were with so many birds bearing evidence of pepper feeding. Mr. Dennis's first-prize was a smart-made bird, in very close feather and good condition, and justly merited its place. The second-prize bird, belonging to the Rev. G. Herbert of Alcester, was a good pure-feathered specimen, somewhat larger than the first, but correctly placed. Mr. Flexney ex- hibited three birds in this class ; but his 193 bird was placed third, the best of his lot to my thinking, although his No. 200 bird was catalogued at double the price. Messrs. Mackley were awarded an extra third. The Ball class was by far the best of the two Ticked classes, and for form and feather nothing could surpass those claiming the Judges' attention. Mr. Price of Pimlico very easily won first ; the second (Adams) and third (CoUinson) being more alike. In the high-coloured Norwich classes (7 and 8) there were no less than fifty-seven Clear and Ticked birds, but only eighteen of best Marked or Variegated, the diiliculty being much {;reater in bringing to the post good Marked birds compared to Clear and Ticked. In class 7 Mr. Adams, Coventry, ran-in an easy winner, he having obtained a first, second, and extra second with birds of extraordinary colour. Mr. Walter of Winchester was well up with a good third, and Messrs. Athersuch well earned an extra third. This and the following class very much attracted the attention of the visitors, many of whom seemed to doubt whether the colour had not been brought about with something more than cayenne pepper. In class 8, for the best Marked or Variegated, the contention mainly lay betwixt three firms of note. However, Messrs. Mackley won, beating the Coventry breeders, who stood thus — Adams second, Athersuch and Son third. Nos. 318 and 320 were here disqualified, the birds being somewhat short of feather. Classes U and 10, Evenly-marked Crested Yellows and Buffs. I have seen better Yellows by odds, but the Buff-crested birds were a very fine lot. Mr. Woodward's superb hen won easily. She is a fail-developed hen, being free in feather, fine in colour — evidently had a little spice — and carries a fine regularly-formed crest. Mr. Hovell's second-prize bird, Messrs. Mackley's extra second, Messrs. Waller's third, and Messrs. Moore & Wynne's extra third, were all first-class birds, and richly deserved their places. There were likewise several good birds in the same class with marks of distinction upon their cages. In classes 11 and 12 there were thirty-eight birds; but as is generally the case iu Crested classes, many of them were deficient in perfectuess of crests, showing much of the baldness at the back part of the crests. Messrs. Mackley won both first prizes ; Messrs. Craiger, Collinson, Pope, Hawman, Colman, and Woodward being the other prizetakers. In class 11 No. 383 was disqualified. In class 12, which was termed by the Judges a " magnificent class," I must especially notice 398 cage (Mackley), which contained a very fine Buff-crested bird. One of the best Ctested birds out this season, although not quite so large in crest as Mr. Woodward's hen in class 10, bat still very perfect in form, every feather being in its place from the centre of the crown, was the one No. 437 iu class 13, which took the first honours ; Mr. Clark being well in for second ; Messrs. Martin and Griffin for extra second; and Mr. Hovell third, each very perfect. The Belgian birds were confined to three classes — viz., Clear and Ticked Yellow, Clear and Ticked Buff, and Variegated (irrespective of colour). Mr. Tomlin exhibited a fair-standing Yellow in class 11 ; Mr. Doel following close up with a pair of birds (Nob. 402 and 401) which to judge of them must have done the Belgian performance proper for second and third places. Mr. Reid's bird was very well worthy of a third, which it received. There were eighteen Yellows, ten of the number being named. Class 1.5 (Buffs), Mr. Doel first, by odds the best Belgian posi- tioned bird in the lot, carrying its head, neck, and shoulders well, with wings in their proper place, and tail well down. I should have liked it a little better had it been a little more March 4, 187J. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 191 leggy, but as it waa there were sufficient points about the bird to qualify it for the place it occupied. The Rev. H. F. ITamilton also exhibited a spleudiJ specimen, which did duty iu its cage exceedingly well. I like to see easy-standing birds iuashow room, without so much fiddling with them against a wall. It is all very well to train Belgian birds when young to get them up to a certain stand or position, but to have to put every Belgian tird through a certain amount of drilling before deciding upon their respective merits would alone occupy one day in judging the Belgians alone. Mr. Doel followed the Kev. H. F. Hamilton's bird with a couple of good birds for third and extra third places. Both classes were well represented, many fine and deserving specimens receiving high commendations. Class IG ^Va^iegated Belgians). — Mr. Butter of Sunderland was here more fortunate, taking first, second, and third prizes, and a very highly commended. Mr. Doel, Mr. Carver, and Mrs. Ada Dressing were the only other exhibitors. The classes for London Fancy birds brought to the post a dozen of each kind, Mr. Waller of London showing five Jonques out of the twelve, and taking the first prize with a good-coloured bird (309); Mr. Brodrick being second, and Mr. Price third. In Mealies Mr. Waller waa again to the front, his b'li, which was decidedly the pick of his pair, being first, and ^21 second Mr. Mann of Camberwell, London, showed three Mealy birds and obtained a third place. Lizards were iu good force in the four classes, two of which were for Foul-marked or Broken-feathered birds. In the whole of the classes Mr. Fairbrass was pretty successful. As in the Norwich and Cinnamon classes, I should not be surprised to hear of separate classes b«ing established for high-coloured Lizards ; not that I think Lizard birds are at all improved by high feeding, but judges differ somewhat in their views as to colour, somn preferring the pure and unadulterated golden tint, and others the fiery red in Jonque specimens. No. 531 (Fairbrass), Golden, was brought to the post in very good order, not a spangle oat of place, and fair in other respects. It would have been a doubtful case betwixt that and No. -534 (Cleminson it EUerton) had not the latter bird's shoulder feathers appeared slightly awry. An equal second was won by Fairbrass, and a third by Banting, both tolerably good birds, the latter somewhat behind in colour, but much better iu shape. Class '20 (Silvers), the first-prize bird a very good one (Pt,eid), in its proper place ; the second and third being given to a couple of birds out of Mr. Fairbrass's four. Class 21 (Golden, Broken Cap.s) were thus fairly distributed: Fairbrass first, second, and extra third; Buntinc extra second; and Cleminson & EUerton extra third. Class 22 (Silver, Broken Caps), Fairbrass once more first with a fine bird, and also third ; G. i J. Mackley popping in between the two a clever second. The class for Yorkshire birds does not make much headway at the great Show, Yorkshire breeders seemingly not caring to send their birds so far southwards. Considering that Clean, Marked, or Variegated (irrespective of colour) are all included in one class, I look upon it as a miserable entry. However, Mr Belk of Dewsbury made it worth his while, having won a first, second, and extra third ; Mr. Tomliu of Lincolnshire winning the third prize. Cinnamon birds this year were spread over five classes, two extra classes having been made for high-coloured birds. This was certaiuly an improvement upon the previous Show, where high and low colour were mixed up together. Cinnamons of the present day, better known by our forefathers as Quakers, have much improved. They partake more after the shape of the Norwich birds, and to a certainty much of the Norwich blood has been imparted or they would not show the beautiful bloom- ing tint of feather they do. Formerly they were of a dull, quiet, sickly appearance. In class 21, for high-coloured Jonques, Mr. Adams carried out his season's performance by beating all comers and winning the three prizes. In the next class, high-coloured Buffs, Mr. Adams won first and second with the two birds he had entered ; Messrs. Mackley being third, and Mr. Tarrond extra third. In classes 26 and 27 there was more competition amongst the more moderate-coloured Cinnamon birds. The winners in the first of the two classes were Caplin, Poole, and Bexson, and iu class 27 Mr. Adams made another point for first place with a fine- feathered bird, followed up very close by Messrs. Moore and Wynne, who exhibited a capital second-prize bird. Mr. Bexson was again third. In the last two classes seventy-two birds were exhibited, which will give some idea of the competition. There were sixteen entries in the class for Marked or Variegated Cin- namons irrespective of colour, and the north-country exhibitors had the best of the race for the first and second places, Mr. Belk leading, followed by Mr. Wilkinson of Great Horton. Mr. Tomes was at home with a fair bird (702) out of his three, not the highest-price one either. By-the-by a bird in this class was priced at no less a sum than i;iOOO, but I did not hear of a buyer — no, not even a bidder. The price of Canary seed could not pospibly have enhanced the value of Canaries to such an ex- tent. Not having any wish to purchase I passed on to the next class — Any other variety of Canary not previously specified. There was a fair variety in this class, consisting of Scottish Dons, Manchester Coppys, Cinnamon Crested, an original wild Canary, Green Canaries, a Cape Canary, a Jonque Greeu, Scotch Fancy, besides others, the prizetakers being Messrs. Mackley first with a splendid Coppy having a glorious crest ; T. Curtis second with another good Coppy, and S. Tomes third. Here also I found a talking Canary, the price of which was set forth at £105 — much cheaper than the one in the previous class. The bird was mute. Not a word would it utter, and I left it. — An Eye-witness. KUFFED OR PINNATED GROUSE. I H.tVE been reading " Wilson's American Ornithology." Iu the second volume from page 311 to 320 is a description of the Ruffed Grouse (Tetrao umbellus). It is well known over all the United States as the Pheasant or Partridge of New England. Its natural habitats are high elevations covered with wood, and in such places they breed and roost, only leaving such recesses for the purpose of feeding ; therefore to many of our noble Dukes— to wit, of Buccleuch, Argyll, Sutherland, and other Highland magnates it would be au elegant addition to the Black- cock, Grouse, and Ptarmigan. They pair iu April and lay th»ir eggs iu May (nine to fifteen) ; fine plumage, is 18 inches long and 23 inches in extent; and as it prefers high, cold, mountain- ous, woody places, it would do well for Scotland. It struts with its tail up in the breeding season the same as our Blackcock does. The Pinnated Grouse are so wild that they would stand immigration. Messrs. Baily might procure some. — A. H. B. [Pinnated Grouse have been imported iu considerable num- bers of late years. We have had many, but they are singular birds, and we doubt much if they would ever acclimatise in our islands. There is a belief here and in parts of the United States that at a certain timo of the year the RuiJed Grouse is very unwholesome, if not poisonous, food. Attempts have been made two or three times to introduce the Hazel hen into Scot- land, but it has not succeeded. We believe climate has some- thing to do with it. We will communicate with the firm you mention.] Poultry and the Season. — Snow, frost, and sleet foUow one another iu brisk succession, even in the south of England, and seldom has so uupropitious a season been knowu for early chiclsen-rearing. From all sides we hear complaints that eggs do not hatch, and that broody hens are not to be had for love or money. Still there is a bright side to every picture, and we must bear-up against a bad hatch with the nope that, though there be only one chicken, that it is quite possible it may be a cup-winner and sell for i'2U. While this bitter east wind lasts the few chickens we are lucky enough to have should be cooped in a dry shed, or at least be protected from the wind. March and April chickens generally make the finest birds iu the end, and it will not do to condemn stock birds yet, especially if they are over one year old, aud doubtless a little warm weather will work a change for the better. CONSTRUCTION OF BREEDING CAGES AND EXTERMINATION OF RED MITE. Starting with the advantage of some experience of the sub- ject of breeding gained during my boyhood, for my father waa an inveterate fancier, I did not fall into the mistaken views I have seen so frequently repeated by novices of building com- plicated constructions, or of purchasing the fanciful productions to be obtained at the shops devoted to the sale of presumed re- quisites. Cages of this description tend to perpetuating the red mite, the most alarming, vexatious, and most costly plague the breeder has to annoy him. There are few breeders who have not fought a battle or two of extermination with this per- sistent little parasite, and who have not at times given up almost in despair at their very wonderful regeneration. Specifics out of number have been recommended, but I know of none thoroughly effective, and of one only that can claim any pretence to a cure — viz., cleauliuess and isolation of every cage. As it can scarcely be expected that my argument will be sufficiently powerful to induce any of your readers who have made their arrangements for the coming season to start with a complete set of new cages, I will endeavour to explain to them how easily this pest maybe kept at a minimum. If they have detached or even semi-detachea cages, any precautions taken at this season, if effective, wiU repay both birds and breeder in comfort and happiness. Presuming that every earuest breeder has been or is busy cleaning, washing, varnishing, and whitening his cages, and that every crack, crevice, and corner has been thoroughly overhauled where it is posbible for mites to have taken up their abode, let him obtain two pieces of fine-grained wood — mahogany by preference — 3 inches ixjuare, aud from half to three-eighths of an inch thick, aud brad or glue them on to his cage at each bottom corner, with a marginal space of about 192 JOUKNAL OP HORTIOULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ March 4, 1875. 1^ inch frcm the side and bottom, and into the centre of this screw a five-eighth-of-an-iuch common wood screw, so that one- qnarter of an inch projects beyond the square of wood. Next get for each nail upon wbich the cage has to be hung another piece of wood of tbe same size and kind as the before-deBcribed, Paint both the back of cage and nail pieces with two or three coats of best white oil paint until the face of it has a fine gloes. There must be no dry or sucking places left, more especially upon the pieces of wood. If there should be auy space or cracks left between the wood and cage, fill them carefully with putty previous to the last coating of paint being laid on. All the paint being dry and sound, hang the cage by driving a nail through the centre" of the separate piece of wood into the wall. It is advisable that this nail have a good full head, so that there may be no danger of the cage falling. The piece of wood will form a shield against the wall, with the nail to carry the cage projecting from its centre. If there should be any danger of mites finding their way from the wall through the wood by the side of the nail, fill-up any vacancy that may exist with putty, and then drive in a three- quarter-of-au-inch clout nail, so that it projects about one-quarter of an inch just below the carrying nail, and thus preventing the cage from touching the shield. Hang tbe cage in its position, and you will see that no part of the body of the cage touches the wall. Purchase two-pennyworth of crystal paper varnish, and mix it with an equal proportion of sweet, or, what is better, lard oil, and coat the two pieces of wood at tbe bottom corners of the cage and the nail shield liberally with this mixture, and you at once construct a bridge over which no mite can pass without paying tlie toll of deatb. This " catch-'em-alive-oh " mixture will retain its virtues for some six or eight weeks, after which time it will be necessary to remove it with a small quantity of turpentine, and replace it with a fresh supply of the mixture. The advantages of this method of hanging breeding cages are, that in the event of any single cage becoming infested the mites are confined to tbat cage, unless it hangs directly over another, in which case it is more than probable that the latter also will be equally infested. The only attention requisite is to look occasionajly to the insulating parts and see tbat they are not bridged over by a feather or panicle of nestio,^ material. Keep this free from dust and dirt, aud you can periodically clean any cage and rehang it without the fear of its becoming contaminated by the migration of insects from neighbouring cages. — J. Packham, OUR LETTER BOX. Mandarin and CAROLiNi Ducks (Maude). —They are easily reared, and comiuonly reared in Enfjland. They differ from most other Ducks ia one particular; they perch— that is, if they are to do well they should have an old pollard or other stem in the water, which they can use 'or that purpose. They will not make a ne&t and lay their eggs in it, but they mast have a but or hutsh of some kind in which they can make their neat and lay. The accepted form 1b that of a very small dof< kennel securely fastened to a pile driven into water, and standing fully G inches above the surface. To enable the birds to go in and out cabily there should be a ladder composed of a narrow plank with cross pieces nailed on it, and forming an easy incline to the water. In this as in other casea it is well not to put all your eggs in one basket, half or more of the nest should always be put under a hen, and the rest left to the Duck. Shell-less Eggs {L. W. Jt.).— Seeing the fowls at liberty are doing well in every particular, while those in conlinement are not, we have to seek whether there be anythiog these latter lack besides their liberty. Their feed- ing is good. The Bhell-lebs eggs prove some of the functions of the body are not properly performed. We advise you to discontiune peppercorns, aud to give them largo sods .-f growing graes cut with plenty of earth. Give them whole barley or oats, the latter if they will eat them for their mid-day meal. We believe the grass and earth persevered in will prove a cure. Fowls* Bowels Disordered (Cjryc-(7f£urf.— To prevent diarrhoea super" vening give them in the morning a feed of bread soaked in ale, and do not; let them out very early until milder weather arrives. The cold is the probable cause. Poultry Trespassing (TT. I,. P.).— Give youmeighbour notice in writing that unless he keeps his poultry at homo you will sue him for the damage they do. If he afterwards does not keep them from tre=passing sue him in the County Court. Salted Corn (A. B.).— Com soaked in salt water ia not injurious either to pigs or poultry. Chicken's Beak Diseased (A. P.).— The formation on tho bsak of the chicken you sent had tbe appearance of being caused by an accident. We cannot attribute it to anything else. We have bred mauy thoueauds of Brahmas, and have n^^ver met with any disease similar to that yon describe. We believe if you will make strict examination you will discover the cause. We repeat we believe it to be accidental. The clean-legged chickens would Bcem to point at a faulty pedigree in the parents. It never happens to us. Dorking Cockerels Voracious (Farmer Gt/^s).— Give both the birds a large table-spoonful of castor oil, conline them for a day or two, and see that it operates effectually. Then feed them on poft food, ground oats or barley- meal, frequently, and very little at a time. No hard food. We believe this will bring them round. Soft Eggs (J. F. S.).— Remove from your fourteen hens one of the three cocks. Supply your fowls with bricklayers' rubbish aud a little chalk or lime. If jou are fraeding on meat, hemp, buckwheat, or canary, discontinue it for a time. To relieve an egg-bound hen take awing feather and dip it in oil till it is saturated, then pass it down the egg passage till it meets tho egg; move the feather about, and then oil it again. The hen wiil soon be relieved. Do not attempt to assist the egg ;Tyou may. break it, and that wUI'be fatal in its effects. .s::^ :rr^-^ SKv^J -.^-'.^ ' ■UhU'^^r^.i-.i^ CM; '' .,- -■- Fowls out of Condition (I. 0. TV.).— We should imagine they are very fat. The first thing you have to do is to discontinue the potatoes. They make fat and diseased livers. In thin weather you must feed three times per day. Let it be done in this manner: Give at daybreak a meal of ground.oats or barleymeal, mid-day some whole corn, and at evening feed as in the morning. Snow often throws fowls out of condition. What is the tlooring of their roosting house ? Give them enough to eat, but do not let any food lie about. Fowls not Laying 'lJa7ic). — Your fowls are not well enough fed to lay Discontinue the potatoes and bran. Give them slaked barley or oatmeaj morning and evening, and a feed of Indian or other wholo corn at mid-day Feed moderately in quantity, and you will soon have no cause for complaint." Eedlock Seed (C. B.).— We believe it is true and good. Goldfinch and Canary (D. D. B., Redruth).— Do not all at once discon- tinue the use of hempseed to your Goldfinch, or the bird might sulk and die. Goldfiuches confined are curious birds to deal with; they can accommodate themselves to death very quickly, and it might so happen with your Finch, You may increase the proportion of canary seed to the Goldfinch, and likewise supply rape and linseed. Hempseed mixed with the other kinds will not harm your Canary hen, particularly now and during breeding time. The same food will suffice for both birds when together. You may also supply them with egg and biscait mixed, and mawseed aud young dandelion roots, which will forward them for pairing when tho time comes. Books (A Straw Rive}.~Thc second edition of Mr. Pettigrew'e book on bees ia rapidly passing through the press, aud will be published in a few days. METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, Camden Sqoare, London. Lat. 5P 32' 40" N. ; Long. 0^ 8' 0" W. ; Altitude, 111 feet. DiTE. 9 A.H. In the Day. 1875. i S, (3 Hyf?rome- H r^ Shade Tem- Radiatioa •9 Feb. ter. 3,9 perature. Temperature. a and March. Dry. Wet. Max. Min. In sun. On grass Inches. 1 deg. deg. deg. deg. deg. deg. deg. In. We. 24 29,3i5 , 30.2 31.0 N.N.E. as 6 33.2 25.1 48.1 23 4 0.229 Th. 25 59.454 83.6 33.6 W. S5.1 41.5 SO.O 69.4 30.3 0.015 29 649 38.0 37.2 E.S.E. 35.0 45.7 33.0 74.9 28.7 Sat. a? 29,633 33.5 32.0 S.E. 36 3 33 7 S2.8 40.0 32.2 — Sun.28 29,785 31,5 S0.8 N. 35.3 33.2 30,H 36 8 30.8 0.010 Mo. 1 29.75G Sl.l 30.8 N.E. 35.3 33.8 29.9 41.7 29.5 0.030 Tu. 2 29.807 31.7 31.2 N.E. 35.0 33.9 3J.2 36.4 30.5 — Means 29.619 82 8 32.2 354 87.6 30.3 49.6 29,3 0.284. REMARKS. 24th. — Snowing heavily from 10 a.m. till noon, then fair, and thawing soon after 6 p.m. 25th.— Fair in the night, but snow at 7 a.m., occasional gleams of son, but on the whole a very wintry day, thawing in the evening. 2Gth. — Dull morning, snow still on the grouud, very bright for an hour or two about noon, but dull after 3pm.; fair evening. 27th. — Fair, but rather dull all day, and very cold. 28th. — Dull though fair ; a few flakes of snow about 1 p.m. The day might bo said to be sunless, the difference between the temperature in shade and that in the air in vacuo being only J5.G— i.^., o3.2 aud 36.H. March lat. — Very dark morning, sleet and fine snow falling from 9 to 11 a.m., and at intervals all day. Sod. — Snow in the night and early morning. Dull, cold, wintry day. Cold uncomfortable week, temperature never very low, but on the other hand only twice rising to 40". — G. J. Simons. COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— March 3. This wintry weather of the past week has been felling upon us by keeping the growers away from market, and some of tho rough goods have advanced in consequence, but not to a great extent. Hothouse Grapes are now limited to few consignments, and are chiefly Lady Downe's. Potatoes are freely supplied, but very few samples are free from blight. Prices remain stationary. FROIT, Apples jsle'^e 1 CbustnatB bushel 10 Filberts lb. 1 Cobs lb. 1 Grapes, hothouse lb. 8 Lemons ^100 8 Melons each 0 a. B. rt. 6toS 0 0 20 II 0 1 11 6 2 II 0 12 II 0 12 (I 0 0 0 Oranges ^ 100 Pears, kitchen rtoa. dessert doz. Pine Apples lb. Plums j sieve Waluuta i* 100 ditto bnshol B. d. 8. d. Otol2 0 0 0 Artichokes doz. & 0to6 Asparagus ^(^ lUG tJ 0 10 French.,..per bundle 20 0 aO Beans, Kidney. ...per iOJ 2 0 if Broad bushel 0 0 0 Beet, Ued doz 10 8 Broccoli bundle 0 9 1 BrusaeJa Sprouts i sieve B 0 4 Cabbage doz. 2 0" Carrots bunch u 6 Capsicums qj*- 100 0 u Cauliflower doz. 4 0 Celery bundle 1 t) Coleworts.. doz. bunches li 0 Cucumbera each a 0 pickling doc. (j 0 Endive doz. 2 0 Fennel bunch 0 8 0 Garlic lb. 0 6 0 Herbs bunch 0 B 0 Horseradish bundle 0 0 4 VEGETABLES. d. B.d. 0 8 U U 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Leeks liottitoe doB. MuBUrooma pottle Mustard & Creas.. punnet Onions bushel pioUling quart Parsley perdoz. bunohea Parsnips doz. Peaa quart Potatoes buahel Kidney do. Radishes., doz. bunohea Rhubarb bundle Salsafy bundle Scorzuuera bundle Sea-kale basket Shallots lb. Spinach buahel Tomatoes doz. Turnips bunch Veiietuble Marrows., dos. B. d. s. 0 4toO 1 u a 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 8 U 1 0 5 6 I 1 0 0 0 G 4 u March II, 1875.] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 193 WEEKLY CALENDAR. Day I Day ol I of Month Week. MARCH 11—17, 1875. 11 I'i 13 14 15 16 17 Th F S Sun M To W Royal Society at 8.80 p.m. Literary ami Artistic Society at 7 P.M. Royal Botanic at liAii. 5 Sunday in Lent. Passion Sunday. Entomological Society at 7 p.-ai. Manchester Botanical and Horticultural Society, lioyal Horticultural Society, Fruit and Floral Com- [ mittees at 11 a.m. Average Temperature near JLondon. Day. Niijht. Mean. in. h. 49.1 32.2 40.7 25 af a 60.4 32.2 41.8 2,3 6 1 50.4 34.0 42.2 21 6 ' 50.8 34.4 42.6 18 6 50 6 S3.6 42.1 16 6 51.0 84.0 42.5 14 6 63.0 32.5 42.3 12 6 Sun Sets. Moon Rises. Moon Sets. m. h. I m. h m. h. 55 at 5 43af 7 20 11 4 33 8 11 9 8 10 19 11 after. morn. 51 0 16 2 26 3 21 4 58 4 Moon's Age. Clock before Sun. Days, 4 8 9 10 10 10 9 64 9 88 Day of Year. 70 71 72 7S 74 76 7C From obserrations takes near London during forty-three yeai-s, the average day temperature of the week is 50.G'; and its night temperature GUMMING; ITS CAUSE AND PREVENTION. >'S)^' OULD that I dare write cure instead of prevention. I am obliged to acknowledge, however, at the outset that when a tree which is grown out of doors has once got a habit of gumming, I know of no perma- nent cure for it. This disease {'.'} often commences at a very early stage of the tree's existence, and it is worse than use- less at any time to plant a young tree with the least tendency to gum. In the case of trees which are come to the fruiting stage it is different ; they may be planted temporarily to produce fruit for a season or two while young healthy trees are being prepared to supply their places. What is the cause of gumming ? The best general answer I can give is — severe checks to the sap and sap vessels. These checks are brought about in many ways, such as by extremes of temperature, the evils of which are multiplied when the trees come in contact with metal or other quick-conducting substances ; by cutting back gross growth, which has been produced by an excess of manure ; by wounds from nails, shreds, ties, sharp bends, and sometimes even a touch with the hammer ; by prun- ing after growth has commenced — i.e., any time after Christmas; by disbudding before the bark has set. When the growths are 1 or 2 inches in length it will be found that it is then diflicult to remove one of these growths without taking a portion of the bark with it ; it is even impossible for the most skilful manipulator at such a time to disbud a fair-sized tree without having one or two mishaps in this way. At a very little later period the bud will part from the bark very easily indeed without any damage. Gumming may also be caused by insects, and by a very low temperature checking the first growths in spring, so that the leaf action is not sufficient for the roots. AU trees on the Plum stock commence action first at the root, and at a certain stage they require corre- sponding leaf action ; if this is not forthcoming something must go wrong. May not gumming be also caused by leaving too many flowers to set and too many fruit to stone ? Remember, if Peach trees were grown in their natural bush form there would not in proportion be a quarter of the fruiting wood on them there is on our trained trees. As far as I am able to form an idea they would be of similar habit to the Kentish or Morello Cherry unpruned and untrained, with the bearing shoots at the extremities of the branches only. Finally, may not syring- ing with cold water on a hot summer's day have some- thing to do with gumming ? Think of the temperature of a south wall on such a day, perhaps it is VH)'. If water were used of the same temperature as the wall it would cool it considerably by evaporation. What must be the effect when the water is only Go" or 70'-"? Having pointed out some of the ways by which the sap and sap vessels receive severe checks and thereby produce gumming, I wUl now attempt to explain how these checks may often be prevented. No. 728.-V0L. XXVIII., New Seeles. 1. As TO Extremes of Temperature. — Now I do not believe the Peach tree, even at midwinter when trained to a wall, is capable of bearing with impunity '25° or 30' of frost followed by bright sunshine while the branches are stiU covered with ice. If, then, they have to endure such a severe frost, some means ought to be found to screen them from the sun for a time should it make its appearance while they are stiU frozen. As a rule, plants standing in an open exposed situation, espe- cially if it is elevated, do not suffer so much from very severe frosts as those do which are in what is called a sheltered position, and of course the sun has more effect on the plants so sheltered, so that the extremes are greater. Tender trees, such as Peaches, where they are hable to great fluctuations of temperature, ought certainly not to come in contact with metal or other rapid con- ductors. Indoors, where the plants are never frozen, a wire trellis is the best ; galvanised wire I prefer, but, ae pointed out by Mr. Abbey, it ought to have an even sur- face, or galvanism may get the credit for injury done by a very simple mechanical means. 2. CuTTING-BACfi GrOSS GrOWTH PRODUCED BY AN Excess of Manure. — A soil should be used that is suffi- ciently rich of itself to produce moderate growth without adding any large quantity of manure. Gross growth is not required, it never ripens and it never produces fruit ; if you cut it back you wUl either have gumming or shoots of unequal dimensions produced from it, and perhaps both. My advice is, rather have the soil too poor than too rich ; have it mechanically right, and supply a stimu- lant if required in the shape of washings from the manure heap any time in winter or spring, but not later than spring ; also have the border thoroughly drained and rather elevated with a view to the ripening of the roots. 3. L.\TE Pruning. — I am sorry to see this practice is still recommended, but happily not in " our Journal." The roots of Plum stocks commence growing soon after Christmas, sometimes before ; a perceptible swelling of the buds very soon follows ; to use the knife then is most cruel — barbarous. If my trees were left so long unpruned I should then certainly leave them till July, keeping the young growths pinched back where they are not wanted, and finally cutting the surplus shoots entirely away when the trees are in full growth. This is what I actually do in the case of late-planted trees — i.e., trees planted after November. All pruning of established trees should be finished as soon as possible after the fruit is gathered. With well-managed trees there is not much to do even then ; it is only the bearing shoots of the current year to be cut out. Some people say late pruning of Peach trees causes late flowering. It is perfectly untrue. 4. Disbudding too Early. — Disbudding ought to be done very carefully and not too severely. It is better to pinch-back the points of some of the growths at first rather than disbuil too much at once, and allow the principal shoots to get into a good healthy growth so as to be able to utilise the extra sap when the final dis- budding takes place. 5. Insects .^nd Low Temperature checking the First No. 1880 —Vol.. LIII., Old Seeies. 194 JOURNAL OF HOBTICULIORE AND OOTTAGB GARDENER. [ Mai-cli 11, 1873. Gkowths. — Tbe first we have complete command over ; there is no reason why an insect or an insect's egg should be left alive on a Peach wall in winter. If they are destroyed there is a chance of the young growths having a fair start before they are again troubled with them. Temperature can only be kept up by good covering ; the best next to glass, even preferable to uncovered and unheated glass, is fiigi domo and a broad coping. The frigi domo is expensive at first, but it lasts a good many years, and in the end I am inclined to think is cheaper than any kind of netting and ten times more effectual. — William Taylor. BOTAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. The Annual Meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society, ad- journed from the 9th of February, was held last Tuesday in the Council-room, South Kensington, Viscount Bury, the President, in the chair. Amongst the members of Council present were Sir Coutts Lindsay, Bart., Mr. Webb, Mr. Little, Mr. Burnley Hume, Mr. Kellock, Mr. Bonamy Dobree, the Hon. and Rev. J. T. Boscawen, Mr. Warner, Mr. W. A. Lindsay, Secretary. Amongst the general body of the Fellows were Lord Lawrence, Sir Alfred Slade, Bart, (recently resigned from the Council), the Hon. Mr. Chetwynd (who has also resigned his seat at the Council), Mr. Godaon, Dr. Hogg, General Scott, l)r. Masters, Dr. Denny, Mr. Fortune, Mr. Houghton, Mr. MacKenzie, Mr. Moore, Mr. Shirley Hibberrt, Mr. Batemau, Mr. Paul, Mr. Beale, Mr. Fraser, Mr. Williams, Mr. Turner, Mr. Standish, Mr. Wells, Mr Andrew Murray, Mr. G. F. Wilson, Mr. Liggins, Mr. E. J. Beale, Mr. Fulton, Mr. Bull, Mr. Smee, Mr. J. E. Pearson, Mr. Noble, Mr. Veitch, Rev. C. P. Peach, Mr. Pinches, Mr. Edgar Bowring, Mr. Walford, Mr. Guedella, frc. The Secretary (Mr. W. A. Lindsay) read the advertisement calling the meeting. The following is the amended Report of the Council submitted to the meeting : — BEPOBT OF THE COUNCIL TO THE ADJOURNED ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. (1.) The Council are happy to inform the Fellows of the Royal Horticultural Society that, since issuing their Report to the Society, the position of affairs has materially changed. The speech made on behalf of Pier Majesty's Commissioners at the meeting of 9th of February was so friendly in character, and conveyed assurances so satisfactory to the Society, that the Council feel it incumbent upon them to omit from their Report any passages which might present eveu the appearance of dis- union between themselves and tbe Royal Commissioners. (2.) The Council have great pleasure in again commenting upon the magnificent displays of fruits, flowers, foUage, and other plants at the Society's exhibitions during the year 1874, and especially at the coucluiliug exhibition of the season, when the collections of fruit and Chrysanthemums surpassed almost all similar collections of former years. (3) The amendments introduced into the schedule, together with the reduction in the number of the exhibitions, have all contributed to this gratifying result. (4.) The more purely scientific work of the Society has been ably performed, and the meetings of the Fruit and Floral Com- mittees have been wpII attended. To encourage still further the discussion of horticultural subjects, the Council have established, as an experiment, even- ing meetings, which those P'ellows who are interested in horti- culture are specially invited to attend. The experiments made at Chiswick form, as usual, the subject of a supplementary report. , „ ., . , (5.) In the course of last summer the Council received a very advantageous offer from Messrs. Prince, for the privilege of con- structing a skating rink in the Society's Gardens. (6.) Messrs. Prince proposed to pay by way of rent a sum equal on an average to i.llOU a-year, to erect the rink and neces- sary approaches entirely at their own expense, and to conform to such conditions and regulations as might be approved by the Council. The Council considered it their duty to accept this offer, believing that it would be agreeable both to Her Majesty's Commissioners and to the Society. The moneys accruing from this source would assist the Society to meet punctually their engagements, not only with their landlords, hut with their de- benture-holders and other creditors, and by relieving the Society from the pressure of pecuniary cmbarraBSment would enable them to devote more tim«, attention, and funds to the improve- ment of horticulture in all i B branches. The rink might thus be said to come within the terms of our lease, by contributing materially, though indirectly, to the interests of horticulture. (7.) Her Majesty's Commissioners, however, did not consider it expedient to become parties to this arrangement, and as under the Charter of the Society Her Majesty's Commissioners have the power to prohibit any proceeding of the Society which is not directly of a horticultural nature, and the Society have, more- over, no power to assign, underlet, or part with the premises demised to them without the consent in writing of Her Majesty's Commissioners first obtained, the Council felt it right to proceed no further with the arrangement with Messrs. Prince, although no direct prohibition had been sent to them by Her Majesty's Commissioners. The Council be^ to express a hope, baaed upon friendly com- munications recently made to them by Her Majesty's Commis- sioners, that all difficulties in the way of a satisfactory under- standing between Her Majesty's Commissioners and the Society may soon be removed. (8 ) The Council have now to call the earnest attention of the Fellows to the financial position of the Society. During the past year it has been impossible to make any great impression upon the amount of the debts due by the Society referred to in the last report. The Council are, however, happy to inform the Fellows that they have succeeded in compromising for a cash payment of iUOO a debt due to the executors of Sir Trayton Drake of ilOUO (with interest since 18G4), which was advanced to the Society prior to 18(J0; and which, until the accession to office of the present Council, had been ignored in the published accounts of the Society, and they have also settled a claim of Mr. Cooper's amounting to i;l05 for work done in the year 1862. , . , , ^ , It has become evident to the Council, and, indeed, must be apparent to the Fellows, that the ordinary revenue of the Society cannot support its present expenditure; and to prevent any increase of the Society's liabiUties during the year 1875 the Council have been compelled to make several, in their opinion, most undesirable reductions in the expenditure. The attention of the Fellows is specially called to the fact that unless the rent of i:2400 is paid to Her Majesty's Com- missioners next year, the lease of the South Kensington Gar- dens may be forfeited, and to prevent this contingency an m- creased rei'enue must be obtained. This increased revenue the Council suggest may be obtained by concerted action on the part of the Fellows, whether resident in the neighbourhood or not, and by increasing the number of Fellows. The Council are prepared to invite a general meeting of the Fellows to discuss this question in detail. A definite scheme will then be submitted for consideration. In conclusion, the Council beg to express their unanimous opinion that it is the bounden duty of the Society to do its utmost to retain the Gardens in its possession as " a suitable area in which they may exhibit and display the progress of horticulture," and also to enable them to fulfil the Society s obligations to their Ufe Fellows and their debenture-holders; and in such a course the Council feel sure they wQl have the hearty and cordial co-operation of every Fellow of the Society. The Chairman said— It now devolves upon me, gentlemen, to place before you the Report of the Council. You will remember the circumstances under which their former Report was with- drawn. The Council and the Society generaUy had been long desirous of coming into amicable friendly relations with Her Majesty's Commissioners. A gleam of light dawned upon us not very long ago, and at that time the Report of the CouncU had been issued to the Fellows. We found that certain passages in that Report stood between us and the consummation of our wishes, and that the Commissioners felt somewhat annoyedat the terms in which they were mentioned m the Report. We felt that as your representatives nothing ought to stand between us and the fulfilment of your wishes and of our wish to enter into relations of the most pe.fect amity with Her Majesty s Commissioners. We had not intended any disrespect .to Her Majesty's CommissionerB, but the Council had intended in their Report to state facts they themselves were m possession of rhear.hearl. They felt, however, that it was absolutely essential that even the appearance of disunion should be avoided by them, and they consented most cheerfully to take back the Report which had been placed before you, and the result has been an amended Report, which is now lying on the table for your con- sideration. We hope that the circumstances which have since arisen are such as fully justify us in the course which we have adopted [hear, hear]. We have several satisfactory announce- ments to make to the meeting. One is the complete restoration of good offices aud good understanding between Her Majesty s Commissioners and the Royal Horticultural Society [hear, hear and " no "1 That I will proceed to place beyond a doubt before I go further. We have received from Her Majesty s Commis- sioners a dispatch dated yesterday, the 8th of March. It is as 'o'lows —"I am directed by Her Majesty's Commissioners for the Exhibition of 18.51 to inform you that since the Annual General Meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society, held on the 9th of February last, they have taken the opinion of counsel on the effect which the proceedings of that meeting of the 9lh of Febru- ary had on the legal position of the present governing body of the Society; and that they have been advised there has been a sufli- cient acceptance of the resignations of the members of Council who resigned in April 1873, and a »"ft"=ient confirmation of the election of the existing members of Council to render the status March 11, 1675. ] JOtJBNAL OF H0BTICULTCB3 AND COTTAGE GABDENEB, 195 of the Council free from objection [loud cheers]. UnJer these circumstances I am to inform you that the Commissioners will have pleasure in resuming oflicial relations with the Council of the Society " [applause] . I doubt not, gentlemen, that dispatch is satisfactory to you to hear as it has been to the Council to receive [hear, hear]. We are now in the position we have long desired to be — in immediate relations with Her Majesty's Com- missioners, which has, as we believe, smoothed the way to an amicable and equitable discussion of the bases on which the affairs of this Society are to be administered ; and we think that with these amicable relations existing between us and the Com- missioners nothing need stand in the future between us and financial success, and the success of the Society in the aspect of a horticultural body [cheers]. Passing away for a moment from that, I touch for one moment on the position of the Society with regard to horticulture ; and perhaps you will allow me to say two preliminary words with regard to my own position. I know it has been thoujiht, as appears from some of our horti- cultural journals, that I am one of those outside Fellows — those " local " Fellows as I believe they are called — who are not alto- gether acceptable to horticulturists pure and simple. Well, gentlemen, 1 beg to say for myself I am President of the Royal Horticultural Society, and as such I am neither a "local" Fellow nor a " horticultural" Fellow [laughter]. Since I have had the honour of occupying this chair I have never, in all the meetings I have attended, done anything which would further in a greater degiee the interests or the objects of "local" Fellows or the local objects of horticulture. I felt it was my duty as chief of your Society to maintain an entirely neutral position [Lear, hear], and I trust all those who know me, and I trust all who sit around me, will support me when I say such is the position which I have always assumed [cheers]. There- fore, gentlemen, I request you to take an honest expression of my opinion — as indei^endent an opinion as it is possible for me to form. I should oppose any action on the part of " local " Fellows I thought injurious to the well-being of the Society ; and I would equally, if I found it necessary, oppose any action of the section called "horticultural " if I thought it was injurious [hear] ; and I consider in so doing I should be loyal to both, because I should be loyal to the Society to which both belong [applause]. Under these circumstances I have been exceedingly sorry to learn it was the intention of the purely horticultural section of the Society to oppose the adoption of our Report this day. I trust the opposition which has thus lieen announced is only the opposition of a very few members of the Society [hear, hear]. You must remember that on your Council at the present moment there is an actual majority of what are called " horti- cultural " Fellows. I am sorry that distinction between " hor- ticultural " and "local" Fellows has ever arisen [hear, hear]. I believe it is injurious to the best interests of the Society, and that unless you can get rid of it your Society will go altogether to the wall [hear, hear]. I can asEure you at the Council Board upstairs that division is not felt, and that the interests of the Society have been invariably brought to the front, and that our duties have not been regulated by a broad liue divid- ing the "horticultural" and "local" Fellows, but by the in- dependent opinion of members as to the best interests of the Society. When such is the case with the Council you have called upon to represent you, such should assuredly be the case outside these walls. And I think if the Society will reflect upon the position in which we now are, they will find that all "horticultural" Fellows and "local" Fellows — if you still retain the name — are equally willing to sup- port the Council on the present occasion. It is true we have been in great financial embarrassment. We are still in great financial embarrassment. Our best escape from that is not by throwing-up the game in despair [cries of hear, hear], but by putting our shoulders to the wheel and working together [cheers]. We see now, being in amity with Her Majesty's Com- missioneiB, an opportunity of landing you in smooth wa't^r ; but this is scarcely the time to propose to surrender the gardens we have held under agreement into the hands of Her Majesty's Com- missioners. I thmk we may truly say that is a suggestion un- English and, indeed, cowardly [hear, hear], and I will further say that from all personal communications with Her Majesty's Commissioners I am satisfied they are not desirous of possessing these gardens. I go farther — they would feel a certain embarrass- ment in the possession of these gardens from which we as partners with them in the gardens and well-wishers of the Society should relieve them. Therefore I_ think if any " horti- cultural " Fellow proposes to throw upon o'ur bands this Report, which has been carefully taken and remodelled to meet the objections expressed at the Annual General Meeting of the Society, and if they do not adopt this Report, I think they will commit a mistake in the interests of the Society. It has been said the present Council have not sufficiently devoted themselves to the interests of horticulture pure and simple. One of the objections made is that the schedule proposed for 1875 has not been adhered to, and that the four shows advertised in the schedule have been withdrawn by the Society. When the matter was brought before the CouncU they went into it on its merits. They found that the funds did not admit of paying the large sum which was set apart for prizes. When you have no money you can spend no money. We were therefore bound to make a reduction in that respect, and the mode of reduction was the questiou. We proposed to do it by withdrawing four of the Shows advertised, and we were told by members of our Council who well represent the interests of horticulture that that would not be agreeable to horticultural interests generally, and we therefore appointed a committee and gave them this instruction — " It is absolutely necessary that if these prizes be given we should save a certain sum of money ; if you can retain all the shows advertised in the original schedule and still show the saving we will reconsider the schedule." We appointed to that committee gentlemen who had an entire ac(iuaintance with and the respect of the horticultural world. Their report has been now presented to us, and I have the satisfaction to tell you that all the shows advertised to be held in 1875 will be held [hear, hear], but that of course, as we have not money to pay all the prizes to their full extent, we must diminish the amount of the prizes. We have taken the opinion of many of the smaller exhibitors who would have been shut out from the exhibition by the non-holding of these four shows ; and also the opinion of the larger exhibitors, who are very much concerned in the matter. The latter have very handsomely said they would exhibit whatever the amount of prizes might be, and that ia because, as I hope and firmly believe, our horticultural exhibi- tions are not intended simply for the money value of the prizes they bring, but iu the distinction gained by those who win prizes [hear, hear]. I hope that will be taken as an evidence of the strong desire on the part of the Council to meet the views of the horticultural members of the Society as far as it is consistent with their funds to do. I do not think, gentlemen, there are many more subjects on which I need detain you. There is one point which at one time I thought might have produced some discussion at this meeting, and that is that since the com- mencement of this meeting, of which this is an adjourn- ment, two of the members of our Council have fouud it neces- sary to withdraw from our Council Board. The gentlemen so resigning were members who have always taken a most active part in the affairs of our Society. They have brought to bear upon the management of the Society the exceedingly valuable qualities of industry and of ability, and the Council regret their absence ; and the Society, I am sure, will regret their absence extremely, because they are very strong props of the Society [hear, hear]. It was thought at one time that their vacancies would come before this meeting to be filled-up, and it was well, therefore, for the Council to be clearly aware of what their legal position was on that matter before they met the Fellows here to-day. The Council have obtained the joint opinion of Mr. Cole, Q.C., and of Mr. Lind- ley, Q.C., both being names which will command the assent of all present here, because we all know their high legal standing and their deeply solid acquaintance with the affairs of the Society. We are informed that under the bye-law, the validity of which is not impugned, vacancies caused by the resignationa of Sir Alfred Slade and Mr. Chetwynd must be flUed-up by the Council, and not by the Fellows generally. They were elected at the Annual General Meeting, and to far as that election is concerned the business of that meeting is at an end. The re- signations, therefore, of these two gentlemen will come in the ordinary form before the Council, and will not be sub- mitted to the Fellows of the Society. In support of that, as I believe there is some difference of opinion among members of the Society, I will read to you counsels' opinion. [Several members, " Taken as read."] Well, then, gentlemen, you may take it on my word that question shall not trouble us or come before us at all. I think, gentlemen, I have now touched upon the principal topics which it is my duty to notice. I am glad to say that our relations with Her Majesty's Commissionera are now of a perfectly amicable character, and that if any body can carry throughout to its desired consummation the affairs of the Society, the Council which have now the honour of addressing you have as good a chance as anybody else [cheers]. There is one point which, perhaps, it might be ad- visable for me for a moment to advert to, because upon it I have heard that some Fellows found an objection to our Report — and that is the last two clauses of the Report which say, "This increased revenue the Council suggest may be obtained by concerted action on the part of the Fellows whether resident in the neighbourhood or not, and by increasing the number of Fellows. The Council are prepared to invite a general meeting of Fellows to discuss this question in detail. A definite scheme will then be submitted for consideration." Now, gentlemen, I have heard it said that the wish of some of the Fellows is to send back this Report to us — in other words, to adjourn the meeting until we can tell them what that proposal ia. Now I say distinctly that that clause was worded in the way it waa deliberately and advisedly. The first object we had before na at the meeting of the 9th of February, of which this is the ad- journment— and the only object in point of fact we had before US — waa to obtain such recognition from Her Majesty's Com- 196 JOUENAL OP HOaTICULTORE AXD COTTAGE GARDENER. ( March 11, 1875. misioners as wonld enable us to enter into friendly and equable relations with them. We heard from them from time to time that when we made ourselves a legal Council they would (and I enter not now into the question whether we were a legal Council or not) be prepared to treat with us on an equal basis. I have now read to you the dispatch of the Commissioners, that the action taken on the 0th of February has made us a legal Council, and that they are prepared to deal with us upon an equal basis. The one object, therefore, which we had to discuss at the last meeting of the Society ha'i been fulfilled as far as the Council is concerned. We felt, gentlemen, that we were bound not to divert the attention of the Fellows from that one main object which will be attained as soon as the Report is adopted by trailing a red herring across your path. Of course, in human affairs you cannot find a large body of men to be of one mind without discussion. If we had submitted any proposal to you in the Report, the chances are your attention would be diverted to the details of that proposal — that you would have discussion on them instead of pursuing the main object for which we have met. When you have passed this Report, gentlemen, you will be in smooth water as far as the Commissioners are concerned. Without doing that you cannot be in smooth water, and you will be going headlong to ruin [hear, hear]. Pass this Report which commits you to nothing. The Report was purposely drawn so that you could vote for the main object we have in view — viz., to land this Society, as regards the Royal Commissioners, in a position of legality which it has not heretofore assumed. I hope, gentlemen, I have made this point clear to you, and I conclude by placing before you for your consideration the Report upon the table [cheers]. Dr. Masters. — WiU you kindly say by whom the letter of the Commissioners is signed? The Ch.ubman.— By " Henry Scott, Major-General." Is there any objection in the body of the hall to the adoption of the Report ? Mr. Dolman remarked that Her Majesty's Commissioners are not disinclined to come to terms or to a satisfactory under- standing. He should like to know in what particular way was that about to be arrived at. The Chaibman. — It would be premature for us to express any opinion on that point. There are members of the Royal Com- mission here present who can speak on the point if it is thought advisable to do so. As we shall not meet the Commissioners until the Report is adopted, I am not in a position to answer the question. Mr. Andrew Murray. — Why should you not meet the Com- missioners until the Report is adopted ? The Chairman. — Because this meeting is incomplete until the adoption of the Report. We are not now in the position of ab- solute legality which we shall be in when the Report is adopted. Mr. Murray. — I thought the Report was received. Mr. Ch.aibman. — The meeting is not yet over, and the Report has not been yet adopted. Mr. Doljian. — What about the skating rink? Has it been assented to by the Commissioners 1 The Ch-iirjian. — We have only had a private correspondence on the subject. A Fellow. — We ought to have some definite assurance whether the proposition as to the skatiug rink is to be carried out or not [hear, hear]. The Chairman.— The Council has no definite assurance to give you on that point. Mr. GuEDELLA said he had no wish to throw the apple of dis- cord into the meeting, but wished to express his opinion that there had been an extraordinary change of opinion amongst all parties to these transactions. In the first place, the opinion of the Commissioners appeared to have changed very much after they got the opinion of counsel, which they could have obtained long ago [a laugh]. Then, what change was it that had come over the gentlemen sitting at the Board ? With the exception of two gentlemen who had manfnlly stuck to principles and sent in their resignations the Board had adopted a peaceable line of action, and he should like to know some of the circum- stances which induced these gentlemen to come down at the eleventh hour with a change of policy. Then came the question whether the members of the Council were the gentlemen who could conclude the best arrangement with Her Majesty's Com- missioners— whether they were the proper people to carry out the arrangements for the benefit of the Society [hear, hear]. He certainly thought the present Council should have exercised more spirit since they came into ofiice. There was one of the finest conservatories in the world on their premises, and if they had a ball in it they could have made £2500 by it [" no " and laughter]. He thought the skating rink was one of the most advantageous specrJatious that could be made. His object was to rouse the Council from their state of inaction. He regretted the resignations of the two members of Council, and should like to know what were the reasons for them — whether it was a firm adherence to policy and principle that prevented them remaining in the Council ? The Rev. C. P. Peach said he had been asked to propose the following resolution or amendment : — " That the Chairman be requested further to adjourn the Annual General Meeting, so that the Council may be able to present to that adjourned meeting, witli their Report, any scheme they may be able to enter into with Her Majesty's Commissioners." The reverend gentleman said it was quito necessary the meeting should be adjourned in order to see what agreement could be entered into between the Council and Her Majesty's Commissioners [cries of "no, no."]. At the last meeting the Chairman said the legality of the Council was granted, and immediately afterwards he tried to force the Fellows to accept the Report by saying that unless they did so the legality of the Council would not be obtained. He could not see how the legality of the Council could be recognised by Her Majesty's Commissioners when an attempt was made to force the Fellows to accept the Report. There was another question which had not been brought before them, and that was the question of the provincial shows. No- thing in the Report showed there was any attempt being made to get up provincial shows in the interest of horticulture [cries of " question "]. |Their President said he was neither a local nor a horticultural Fellow [no, no]. Surely this was a horticultural Society, and surely horticulture ought to be considered first by the Society in all its bearings. He appealed to all horticulturists present whether it would not be of advantage to adjourn the meet- ing [cries of "yes" and "no"] in order to come to some definite arrangement and see where they stood. At present they were,, financially speaking, in a condition bordering on bankruptcy. He did not want to reject the Report in any way, but he wished the meeting to be adjourned to see what arrangement could be come to. Mr. LiGGiNs remarked that the Report had not been seconded. The Chairman. — No, and for this reason : Our bye-laws say that after the Report has been read the consideration of other business may be proceeded with. A legal question arises whether it means the proposal of the Report for adoption. Technically it does not. Practically we hold to our Report, and any amend- ment carried against it we should consider as a vote of want of confidence. Mr. LiGGiNS. — Precisely so. The Chairman. — We are bound by our bye-laws, so that I move that the Report be considered. Mr. QuiLTER rose to second the amendment, which he con- sidered a most reasoaable one. When he saw the onslaught that had been made two years ago on the then existing Council — so much so as to cause them to resign [a voice, "They were turned out."]. Well, he believed they would have helped the Society out of its difficulties. After having refused all reason- able propositions from Her Majesty's Commissioners the Council had done nothing that day but consider everything that was- adverse to horticulture instead of what would encourage it [cries of "no" and "yes."]. The statement of the Council would prove it. First of all they gave up the provincial shows which produced a good annual income, and next they curtailed the privileges of the members [hear, hear]. Nest year the shows were curtailed, and the result was that the Society's funds were far worse now than they were then — indeed the funds were some- thing like £1500 worse now than they were two years ago. Under these circumstances before they passed the Report they ought to have something like a scheme before them to show them the way out of the difficulties in which they were placed. The Chairman told them that if they passed the Report they would be landed in smooth water, but he could not speak with any certainty, and so they might be in worse water than they ever were before. The exhibitors had not been paid prizes which ought to have been paid out of last year's revenue. He supposed the Council had been waiting to receive as much of the Fellows' money as they could [no]. At the last meeting they heard in that room that the Commissioners were willing- to meet the Fellows on fair terms, and certainly the Fellows had aright to know what these terms were [hear, hear]. If the meeting did not insist upon that information and passed the Report they would leave the matter in the hands of the same gentlemen who had landed the Society in its present position [no, no]. The proposition he made was not an unreasonable one ; it would not stultify the Council in any way, but on the contrary, strengthen their hands. There was amongst the Fellows a vast difference oE opinion as to whether it was advan- tageous to the Society to keep these gardens in their possession. The Chairman told them he did not think the Commissioners wished to have the gardens. Who did wish to have them under existing circumstances? [hear, hear]. He, for one, did nob want to see the gardens done away with, but he felt sure there were means to be adopted by which the Society might be re- lieved from that necessity, and the gardens kept-ou as well as ever. A Fellow asked him the expense of keeping-up the band. Well, they were told the band was to be discontinued for three months — September, October, and November, but they really ought not to have a band at all unless they had got money to pay it. He begged and entreated the Fellows to vote — not for the March U, 1675. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 197 rejection of the Report, and even if it were rejected it would Hot amount to a vote of censure ; — but let them ask the Council to submit the scheme to them, and let them see what was going to be done. That would not reflect upon the Council at all, or place them in such a position that they must resign their posts. He hoped the Fellows would adopt some means of making the Society in reality what it was in name [hear, hear]. If they did not do so they should very soon have to get another name. Let them do everything they could to relieve themselves from the superabundance of debt with which they were surrounded. Let the Report go bock to the Council — let there be an interview obtained with the Commissioners as speedily as possible. If that were done the matter might be brought to a successful issue, and the Society placed on a sure and certain basis [hear, hear J . The Chaikhan. — There is a motion before the meeting moved by Mr. Peach and seconded by Mr. Quilter. (His lordship here read the motion ) It is right the meeting should be accurately in possession of what they are voting about, and therefore it will possibly save time if I say, on the part of the Council, that the Fellows are now about to vote upon a question which the Council consider a vote of confidence [hear, and no]. At any rate the Society will feel we adopt the most manly course in stating at once the way in which we view any amendment to the Report which we now have the honour to present to you. A Fellow pressed upon the Council the necessity of adjourn- ing the question to see what arrangement could be come to with the Royal Commissioners. Mr. LiGGiNs said he was surprised at the last two speeches they had heard, because it was obvious to all men of business that if such an amendment was passed it would cast a stigma upon the Council which no man of honour could stand [cries of " no, no," and interruption]. The rule of all societies, from the House of Commons downwards, was that when such a resolution as the present was passed it amounted to a vote of want of confidence. They had no right to express opinions as to amity existing between the Council and the Commissioners without supporting that expression by their votes. He asked them to oppose that obnoxious amendment which had been brought forward in a manner which had astonished him. What after all was this Report ? It was coupled with the accounts of the Royal Horti- cultural Society for the past year. It was more a record of what had been done than a programme of what was to come [no, no]. It was no use to say " no," because the Report was an account of what the Council had done. If these accounts were insuihcient the Fellows must have expected them to be so, because they knew the Council had to struggle against the deficit left them by the gross mismanagement of the gentlemen in office before them [" no, no," and much interruption]. Was there any wisdom in the expenditure of i'oOO for a statue ? Mr. QuiLTEK. — What statue 1 Mr. LiGGiNs. — Well, a statue, but I never knew the name of it [laughter]. The statue was the work of the late Mr. Foley. He contended that whilst they were in debt that was an expendi- ture of i,'50O unnecessary in the interests of horticulture. There was a legacy of debt equally unnecessary left upon the shoulders of these gentlemen. He begged to say the gentleman was wrong who said the late Council resigned. The fact was they were turned oiit [hear, no, and some interruption]. The Fellows, honestly and like Englishmen, turned them out, having lost confidence in their management. What had the present Council done ? They had done everything to reduce expenditure and make the gardens pay. It was painful to them to have to reduce the prizes and the shows, but it must be remembered that the last Council had been spending vast sums of money they had no right to spend. It was all very well to say, "Oh, reduce the number of bands ;" but if they did not make the gardens attrac- tive their local Kensingtonians would fall off, and the few guineas they got back would melt away, and they would have no money for prizes. Let them remember the gardens were not of an altogether horticultural nature, but having got them they ought to do the best they could to retain them, and not let their landlords get them back [hear, hear]. Whether they did or did not desire to possess the gardens, there would be no diffi- culty in disposing of them at a profitable rate. But it was their duty, to the interests of the horticultural world, to retain these gardens because they encouraged horticulture. Although he was a Kensingtonian, his connection with the Society arose from his love of horticulture. If they passed such a resolution as that now before the meeting they would commit a great ab- surdity, because they ought to put the Council in the position the Commissioners believed they would be in. Did they sup- pose that if that meeting was adjourned for a month the Inter- national CommisHioners would take any action during that month? Certainly not. They would say, " Oh, you are in hot water with your Fellows. You have passed no accounts, they will have nothing to do with you, and until they are passed we can do nothing." In conclusion, Mr. Liggins earnestly besought the Fellows to support their Council. Mr. Pinches observed that the Report was simply a retrospec- tive account of what had been done by the Society, and he could not see on what ground the meeting could refuse to receive it. Thej had decided on expunging from the Report the statements considered to be offensive to the Commissioners, and now that they were not in the Report he could not see any ground for postponing the reception of it [hear, hear]. He thought they were treating the Council in a very shabby manner indeed [hear, hear]. As a pretty close observer of the doings of the Society he must candidly say he was utterly at a loss to know on what reasonable grounds they wanted to find fault with what the Council had done. If they displaced the Council they would incur, justly or unjustly, the enmity of the Commissioners, and by the fact of doing so they put the Council out of a position in which they could communicate with the Commissioners. After a careful investigation of the accounts of the Society in the Report and those which went before it, he was bound to say these gentlemen had really done good work [cheers], and had succeeded in paying off a considerable accumulation of debt [hear, hear]. One of their primary objects was the reduction of their debt. Everybody knew they could not reduce their debt and increase their expenditure at the same time. Surely the best thing the Council could have done was to maintain the chief feature of the Society. There had never been any shows so good as those of last year, and for his part he should sooner see three good shows than thirty indifferent ones [hear, hear]. The Council had, he thought, exercised a sound discretion in determining to reduce the number of the shows and increase their briUiancy. He asked the meeting to pass the Report of the Council. Could anything lie more insulting to a body of men than to reject their Report after, at the request of the Fellows, they had expunged from it certain phrases considered to be objectionable ? It would be most ungentlemanly be- havioar to do so, and he did not believe any body of gentlemen would lend themselves to such a proceeding. Now, as to the panaceas which had been suggested. One gentleman said they had only to get up a ball or a fete in order to clear oft the debt of the Society. Well, when he was invited to come to an even- ing meeting there and found just twelve ladies and gentlemen in the room, he asked them. Could anything be more dishearten- ing than such a state of things ? What they had to do now was to pass the Report, which was simply a record of the past history of the Society for the year. He quite understood the remarks of the Chairman as to the Council being legally constituted if the Report was passed, and he hoped the meeting would not hesitate to adopt the Report [applause]. Mr. Edgar Bowring was understood to say he should support the Council's Report. With respect to the five hundred guineas expended on a statue, as the person most concerned in the matter was no longer alive, he would tell the exact circum- stances. At the time this occurred the late lamented Prince Consort was President of the Society and of the Royal Com- mission. The Prince Consort thought much might be dona for the progress of science and of the fine arts, particularly of painting and sculpture, in connection with the Society, and it occurred to him that sculpture and horticulture might be com- bined in the gardens. He brought up a plan whereby out of the profits of the Society a sum of five hundred guineas should be annually set apart for the purpose of inviting competitions, so that a sculpture gallery might be established in the gardens. That plan was brought before the Expenses Committee of the Royal Commission, of which he (Mr. Bowring) was a member. As the Commissioners received half the profits of the gardens it was quite clear their consent to the suggestion should be obtained. Well, it was under that arrangement that the beautiful piece of sculpture " Youth at the Stream " was ordered from Mr. Foley. The Commissioners were willing to run the risk and give half the sum towards the sculpture. The Society had the idea that if this could be carried out it would be of great advantage, not only to horticulture, but would do much to promote the cultiva- tion of the fine arts in this country [hear, hear]. Mr. Walfoed regretted that he made the speech he had made at the last meeting, not exactly as to what he had then said, because that had grown upon him day by day, but because he had discovered a very great dissatisfaction existing amongst the members of the Society as to its future prospects. He had no personal object to serve. He did not want to serve on Council or Committees, or to take any part in the management, but he did want to see the opportunity for doing something, and doing it quickly, not lost. As far as the amended Report went the objectionable clauses had been withdrawn. That was all right ; but there were certain paragraphs in the Report which required very careful consideration. The third last paragraph said, " The attention of the Fellows is specially called to the fact that unless the rent of £2400 is paid to Her Majesty's Com- missioners next year, the lease of the South Kensington Gardens may be forfeited, and to prevent this contingency an increased revenue must be obtained." Then the Report went on to state that it was proposed to call a special meeting to consider the question of raising the revenue of the Society. That seemed to be all very right and proper : but supposing it should happen 198 JOURNAL OF HOBTIODLTUSB AND COTTAGE GABDENEE. [ March 11, 1875. that the scheme of the Commissioners was not approved, the opportunity they had now would be lost by adjourning the meeting. He had no wish to say a disrespectful word of the Council. He had a word to say about them at the last meeting, and he was sorry for it, but the cause for his remarks was no longer on the Council side of the table [hear, hear. ]. But he should like to know how that change had taken place. It was known to them all that the time had now arrived when the Commissioners were prepa.red to discuss with the Counfil that which they were not prepared to discuss before. Was it wrong to say to the Council, "Don't shut us out from participation in any benefits which may arise. Adjourn the meeting to any day suitable to yourselves, discuss the question with the Commis- sioners, and come to us and tell us what you propose to do." Were not these business propositions ? [hear, hear.] The Society accepted the Report, but deferred the adoption of it nntil they had a settlement of the scheme referred to [no, no]. It was all very well to say "no, no," but he o*ly asked what was right and proper. There was no reason why these negotia- tions should not be made within the nest montti or sis weeks. Mr. J. H. Mackenzie rose to propose to the proposer and seconder of the amendment that they should withdraw it and not drive the meeting to a division [hear, hear]. He was sur- prised that Mr. Walford should not consider it possible for the gentlemen comprising Her Majesty's Commissioners to decline to negotiate with three thousand Fellows when they could do 80 with the Council. He had not heard a word fall from any Fellow to the effect that they all had not the fullett confidence in the Council [hear, hear]. Let the Report be adopted, and let it be left entirely in the hands of the Council to enter into negotiations with the Commissioners whether under bye-laws or Charter. It was said that a certain number of Fellows had a right to call a meeting, but he thought that the paragraph at the end of the Report was a very honourable pledge on the part of the Council [hear, hear]. The Council looked forward to meeting the Commissioners and laying before the Fellows the result of their communications. It would not do for them to ride too high a horse with the Commissioners, because to a certain extent they were under their control. He hoped the proposer and seconder of the amendment would withdraw it. As to the question of horticulture, he was sorry to read in Saturday's Morning Post a letter from a gentleman calling attention to a clique in connection with the Society. He (Mr. Mackenzie) had been mixed up with many public societies, and from bis expe- rience he earnestly entreated all gentlemen who wished to keep this Society in a straight path to help in abolishing cliques [cheers]. One thing he was quite certain of — that the Council were doing the best they could for the Society [hear, hear]. The Chairman, — In a meeting like this, gentlemen, it is well I should have you to understand that the Council are willing to concede and conciliate as far as they can do so consistently with their own dignity. And, gentlemen, I will say at once we are quite willing to give a day for the discussion of this question [loud applause]. You will be just as able then to discuss the question, and when the arrangements made with the Royal Commissioners come before you, will be just as able to put your veto on any of our proceedings as you are now; and you will have this advantage, that you will not have lost valuable time in dealing with the Royal Commissioners. Thus that objection falls to the ground. We only wish, in the interests of the Society, that you should pass this Report at the present moment [cheers]. Mr. Houghton rose to ask the Chairman whether the Council would consent to the Report being adopted at the meeting called for the purpose of discussing it [cries of "no" and " divide"]. The Chairman. ^Perhaps it would facilitate matters if gentle- men would put their heads together and come to some arrange- ment. Mr. Mackenzie earnestly entreated the Council, if they had brains, or sense, or judgment, as he believed they had, to enter into the negotiations with the Commissioners perfectly un- trammelled. Mr. Alfhed Smee believed that the Commissioners wished well to the Society, and would do all in their power to promote its interests. There was much more danger to the Society than what came from the Royal Commissioners. Mr. H feet high, in which there was a good crop of various sorts of Muscats and late black Grapes for winter supply. Muscat of Alexandria, Tynuinghame Muscat, Barnes' Muscat, Early Muscat, Archerfield Muscat, and Scott's Muscat are all growing in this house side by side with no perceptible difference between them — in fact, if the labels were detached from the Vines it would defy the cleverest expert to tell the one sort from the other. Scott's Muscat is here thought to be the best of the above varieties, being, perhaps, the best setter and having the strongest constitution, iinishing its bunches rather better, but the ripe bunch is not to be dis- tinguished from a well-finished Muscat of Alexandria. We also noticed good examples of the Duchess of Bueoleuch Grape with berries considerably larger than usual with this variety, which is generally not worth growing except where high flavour is appreciated. The black Grapes consisted of good Alicante, a very useful winter Grape ; Gros Guillaume (Barbarossa or " SeacliiTe " Black); Muscat Hamburgh (does badly here on its own roots, and is being all inarched or grafted on Ham- burgh or Muscat stocks) ; Madresfield Court, grafted on Lady Downes', with good bunches and magnificent berries, the largest in the house, having a fine flavour and keeping well. It is liable to crack if care is not token to protect the roots from excessive wet after the berries begin to colour. It is kept quite dry here and never cracks, but has done so when watered after showing colour. Gros Colman had a good crop of moderate-sized bunches and splendid berries, but deficient in colour and coarse in flesh and flavour, and, on the whole, not equal to the Alicante in use at the same time— that is, mid- winter. Mrs. Pince's Black Muscat is also grown here and in some other of the vineries, but it is to be discarded, as being very unsatisfactory, neither finishing properly nor keeping well, nor having the slightest taste of Muscat flavour. The earliest vinery is 60 feet long and 11 feet wide. It is a nice, useful, compact house with the border wholly inside, and heated underneath by hot-water pipes, which are, how- ever, seldom used, and are not approved of except in cold wet soils, and then they must be used with extreme caution. The Vines are two years old and coming into good bearing con- dition. They are started in October to be ripe by Easter, the supply of old and new Grapes always overlapping each other by a few weeks. The late-kept Lady Downes', as long as they will keep, being preferred for flavour, although the new Grapes make the handsomest dish. The back wall of this house, as well as of the Pine stoves, is fitted-up with shelves for Straw- berries and French Beans, which are forced in large quantities. Of the latter Oaborn's is found to be the best in size, flavour, and productiveness. We now turn into the late vinery, a lean-to, 100 feet long and 12 feet wide. Black Lady Downes' is the principal sort grown, and is bearing a good crop of even-sized well-finished bunches with splendid berries. White Lady Downes' also does well in this house, and, except in colour, is an exact counter- part of the black variety. Both keep equally well on the Vines till the middle or end of April, when the last bunches are cut to allow the Vines to be started. To prevent bleeding the shoots on which the bunches hang are all disbudded early in February back to the eye required to start, and the shoot ringed outside that eye to prevent such a flow of sap to the buuch as would burst the berries when growth begins. Flavour being a first consideration here, this plan is adopted in pre- ference to cutting the crop in February or March, and keep- ing them in the fruit room on the bottle system, by which means they keep well enough, but are found by Mr. Dunn to deterioratein flavour. A single Vine of a few other late sorts is grown in this house for variety, Trebbiano and Black Alicante being the best of them. The supply from this house meets the earliest vinery in April, and so long as the old fruit lasts it is preferred for eating, however fine the early Grapes may be. Leaving the vinery we take a peep into three ranges of old-fashioned single-hght pits each 1.50 feet long, in which are grown the succession and sucker Pines, Cucumbers, IMelons, and plants, all looking well. We now enter a pair of lean-to houses 80 feet long and 14 feet wide, the first one being a Fig house, in which the Figs (White Marseilles) are planted out in a bed in the centre of the house, trained as bushes, and yield good crops, which are ripe in April. This Fig is found to be very prolific, and of delicious flavour if kept in a cool fruit room for a day or so after being gathered ripe. A few other sorts of Figs are grown in pots on a stage, but none of them equal the one named in productiveness and other good qualities for forcing. The other division is an early Muscat vinery, the crop being ripe and cut in .June for theLoudon season. The Vines are old and worn out, and the roots being wholly in an outside border it is surprising they bear a crop at all ; but house and Vines very much want renewing. The leaves being off the Vines, a bed in the centre of the house was used to ripeu-ofT a good batch of Tea Roses in pots, amongst which we noticed some very fine plants in 12-inch pots of Mart'cbal Niel and Gloire de Dijon budded upon a seedling Briar by Mr. Hugh Dickson, Belmont Nursery, Belfast. They were young plants received from Mr. Dickson last winter, and being potted and grown-ou liberally they have each made several growths 12 to 14 feet in length ; being strong aud healthy, and ripening-off well, there is every prospect of their producing good crops of their beautiful flowers, which are always in demand, and especially early in the season, when these will be in flower. Wo now come to the principal range of forcing houses. These are lean-to's about .'iTO feet long, divided into nine com- partments of unequal lengths and widths. The first house we enter is the earliest Peach house, ripe in the beginning of May, the next following closely at its heels, and the third ripe in 204 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ Maroh 11, 1875. the middle of Jane. The wood was ripened and the trees had nearly shed their leaves, but looked well for a crop next season. The soil here suits Peaches, and they are generally a successful crop. Amongst many sorts grown, Stirling Castle Peach (true) and Elruge Nectarine are found to be much superior to any others tried for forcing, and never miss a good crop of fine- sized excellent-flavoured fruit. The fourth house in the range is a greenhouse, filled with Indian Azaleas in all sizes up to G feet high and about as much through. They were clean healthy plants well set with flower buds, and mostly trained as pyramids, but not too stiffly. They are all forced into flower between December and April, and are one of the most showy and useful class of plants that can be grown for that purpose. On the front stage and at the ends were a lot of free-grown Epacris, the young shoots studded with flower buds, and some good specinaens of standard Epiphyllum, also laden with buds, and resting pre- paratory to being pushed on for Christmas decoration. The fifth house is a tropical fruit house, the centre bed being planted with Bananas (Musa Cavendishii), which ripen fine bunches durinp the summer, and are highly appreciated by the famUy. Monstera delieiosa is also fruiting freely here, and when well ripened in a high temperature it is found to be quite deUcious and a great favourite at table. Along the front stage were growing useful plants of Eueharis amazoniea, Ixoras, Crotons, Dracfenas (amongst which, conspicuous for their fine colour, were reginae, Cooperii, and stricta variegata), flowering Begonias, variegated Cyprus, &e., and also a nice plant of the new Curculigo recurvata variegata with seven or eight full-grown and beautifully coloured leaves, forming one of the handsomest of table plants, and decidedly a great acquisition. The remaining houses in the ranse are early vineries, from which the crops were cut in May, June, and July. One house is chiefly Black Hamburgh, the Vines evidently past their best, and are to be renewed in rotation with the others in this range. The available soil here is found to he too light in the texture for making good lasting Vine borders, and requires to be frequently renewed and highly fed to produce good crops of Grapes. Another house is planted with Muscats and Fron- tignans, and the next with Black Hamburgh. A Vine or two of each of several other sorts of Cirapos than those named are growing in these vineries, such as Foster's White Seedling and Bnekland Sweetwater, both good early white Grapes ; Golden Champion ; Duchess of Buocleuch, first-rate flavour but otherwise not profitable ; the new Grape, Duke of Buccleuch, has been planted or worked on others in each house, so as to fully test its forcing and keeping qualities. If it will stand hard forcing and finish well in March, April, or May, it will be the greatest acquisition amongst white Grapes since Muscat of Alexandria was introduced. From what is known of it here good hopes are entertained that it will accomplish all that is expected from it. Leaving this range we proceed by the west walk outside the kitchen garden to a long range of glass on the south wall ex- tending to about 450 feet, and 9 feet wide. The first half we enter is devoted to Apricots and Figs on the back wall, and a line of Pear trees in pots between the path and the front. The Pears in pots are not satisfactory, and are to be replaced by Plums and Cherries planted-out and trained to a trellis reaching about halfway up the roof, which will be much more profitable than the Pears in pots. A good collection of Chrysanthemums was doing well in the shelter of this house, but the main stock of them were still outside plunged in a south border, as they are wanted to be kept as late as possible to come in at Christmas for decorating purposes. The other half of the range is the late Peach house, the trees clean and healthy, and had just been cleared of a good crop. This range is unheated, and in favourable seasons good crops are procured of it; but Mr. Dunn considers it a serious mistake to go to the expense of building such houses and leaving them unheated, the crop being liable to he ruined by one cold night, which a crown's worth of firing would have saved, besides the uncertiinty of ripening the wood in such dull sunless seasons as 187'2 and 1878 without artificial heat. It is a clear case of " sinking the ship for the want of a pennyworth of tar." We now enter the range of fruiting Pine stoves, 200 feet long and 1'2 feet wide, in three divisions. The first division is filled with Queens, which were maturing their growth pre- paratory to being started in January to give a supply in June and July. The next division is also filled with Queens in a slightly more advanced stage for fruiting in May. The last and largest division is filled with fine healthy plants. Some were just showing, some in flower, and some swelling-off, so that the supply through the winter would be unbroken. The principal sorts grown are Smooth Cayenne, very good and large fruit ; Charlotte Rothschild, the best and heaviest gene- rally ; and Black Jamaica. This is found to be a sure setter and unequalled in flavour as a winter Pine, growing, however, too much crown in proportion of fruit. Montserrat is often grown as the Jamaica, but is in all good points inferior to that variety. Enville is also represented by large useful fruit, but is not considered of first-rate flavour. Prince Albert is another very handsome fine-sized fruit of good flavour, but liable to go black in the heart in winter. Black Prince, Providence, Moscow Qaeen, Thoresby Queen, and Otaheite are all found here, but none are considered worth growing in quantity except the four first named — that is, Common Queen, Smooth Cayenne, Charlotte Rothschild, and Black Jamaica. Having now examined most of the glass structures of this great garden, there remain yet the flower and kitchen gardens, which may be briefly noticed in a future issue. — J. Wright. NOTES ON VILLA, and SUBURBAN GARDENING. Raising Seedlings. — It is now time to make a move with regard to sowing many sorts of seeds to raise plants for the embellishment of the flower garden during the coming season, and as most of the seeds are small it may he an advantage to make a few remarks on the manner of raising them. This is the more necessary, because I take it to be a fact that an amateur has not at all times a sufficient space to raise plants for the sake of experiment, but only just sufficient convenience to raise those he really requires. As most of the plants in request are of a tender nature, the seed at this early season will need ths assistance of a little heat. It will be necessary in the first place to put up a gentle hotbed, and place a frame upon it, and half fill the frame inside with the heating material; after the heat has subsided, which will only take a few days, cover the whole with a thin coating of ashes, yet not so thick as to prevent the heat from penetrating through it. This will bring the pots close to the glass or nearly so, which in a very great advantage to young seedlings, as it prevents them from drawing up weakly. Such a bed will suit the most tender things, as German Ten- week Stocks, Lobelias, Cockscombs, Cannas, Balsams, Asters, Tagetes and other Marigolds, Phlox Drummondii, Petunias, Larkspurs, Portnlacas, Nasturtiums of the dwarf sorts, Migno- nette ; also the following choice things — ChamaepeuceCassabona? and Diacantha, a Thistle-like plant of great ornament for an amateur's garden and Gaillardia picta, an old-fashioned plant neglected, but yet a beautiful and useful plant, with a large flower, crimson centre and yellow edge, very showy. Then there is Spherogyne speciosa, which is easily raised from seed ; this is a yellowish flower with violet centre, and a capital border plant. Now those who cannot afford a frame for all or any of these may raise the most tender of them in the warmest part of their greenhouse or vinery, and for the remainder make up a bed of heating material under a south wall, and place 3 or 4 inches of good open soil thereon ; sow the seed, and cover at nights and cold days with mats spread over a frame of hoops. If the soil is not kept too wet the plants will not be long in coming up. In sowing the seeds named above, an excellent rule to observe is to cover the seeds to the depth of their own size or thickness. This will be understood when I say that it would be quite wrong to cover the small seed of a Portnlaoa or Petunia to the same thickness as a Cauua or those of a Ricinus or Castor-oil plant, which are the size of a Mazagan Bean. This is not all : the smaller the seed the finer should the soil be, so that its particles may press closer to it, and retain the moisture so necessary for its germination and after-growth. Again, the application of water to seedlings raised in this way must have much attention. Some will require it much oftener than others, for two reasons — according to the depth they are placed in the soil ; and the state of the atmosphere, whether dry or otherwise, in which they are expected to germi- nate. A small seed but just under the soil will need the surface frequently but gently moistened, while others of a greater depth may have water more freely, yet will not require it so often. In all cases, however, be careful not to saturate the soil and bring it to a sour state. Let me now remind the amateur that before raising plants he should form a true estimate of his convenience for them, and not attempt the raising of too many at a time, because most of these plants which flower the same season require to be grown well and without check; also, to be thoroughly enjoyed they ought to have their growth well developed by taking every care for their progress before flowering. To secure this it ia necessary that the seedlings be pricked out either in pots, boxes, or any other convenience as soon as they can be conveniently handled, March 11, 1875. ) JOUBNAL OF HORTIODLTURE AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. 205 otherwise they draw up together, and their roots become en- tangled, 80 that they are not easily separated without great injury resulting. Clean vessels and fresh soil must be used, and the plants must be again placed near the glass, and at all times have air admitted according to the weather and the oharaoter of their growth and habits. At this time of the year, when every place is crammed to excess, all sorts of temporary contrivances have to be adapted for the welfare of the plants, and trouble in this respect is never thrown away. Another important class of plants must not be omitted from the list of seeds to be sown now, and that is the climbers for trelliswork and covering bare walls, or making groups of flowers in suitable places in the open ground, also for suspending from vases, &o. These are the tall-growing Nasturtiums, Sweet Peas, Convolvulus major, Calempelis scabra, or as some call it, Ecore- mocarpus scabra, Lophospermum spectabile and scandens, as well as the common Canary Creeper. All the above are fast growers, and if they are wanted to cover a large space they ought to be grown to a good size before planting out. It will be necessary to say there must be a regular process of hardening-off as their growth and the weather permit, tor none of the things named above ought to be kept in heat beyond a certain stage of their growth, and some will require moving to cooler quarters. Others, such as Balaams, will be best kept growing in a milder temperature till they flower. — Thomas Recokd. DOINGS OF THE LAST AND PRESENT WEEKS. HAEDY PKL'IT G.iBDEN. " When the wind is in the east it's neither good for man nor beast," is an old saying, and unlike a good many old couplets it is true ; nor would its truthfulness have been questioned if the whole of the members of the vegetable kingdom had been in- oluded in the adage. Not only are our hardy fruit trees affected by it, but in the forcing houses its influence is also felt. At the present time the blossom buds on Apricot, Pear, and Cherry trees are very prominent, but none of the incipient buds have as yet burst through the scaly protecting covering in which they are enveloped, and it is well for the trees, as the east windu accompanied by frosts that would cut off any exposed blossoms. On Friday morning the thermometer exposed on the lawn registered 10' of frost ; on other nights the temperature fell below the freezing point. At present nothing can be done either with trees on the open borders or on walls. Nailing, except a few small MoreUo Cherry trees, has been finished, the borders dressed with manure and dug. The nailing of MoreUo Cherry trees on north walls is usually left until the last. As the fruit is all borne on the young wood of last year, it is well to lay it in rather thickly. Of course the largest proportion of young wood is formed at the extremity of the branches, and unless the trees are well managed the centre becomes thinly clothed with bearing wood. All growths near the centre should be encouraged to grow by careful training. Instead of nailing the young wood near the naked branches close down to the wall, they will do better if tied with strips of matting or tine tar twine to the stems ; when the trees are in leaf they will in this way hide the naked stems. The Morello Cherry does not do well in any soil; the trees delight in a medium clayey loam, but in damp stiff loam or light sandy soils the branches canker, and some of them die-off early. If trees are in this plight it is necessary to unnail the whole tree and to nail it again regularly over the space to be occupied. Perhaps no more profitable fruit trees can be planted on walls facing north than these, bat in some gardens if all such walls were planted with them there would be too many. Red Currants succeed as well on a north wall as anywhere. They come in after those planted on a warmer station are over, and it is very easy to net the trees to keep birds from carrying off the fruit. Gooseberry trees are also quite as much at home on a north wall as the others ; and a dish of Gooseberries is always esteemed, especially when the main crops are forgotten. In Scotland some of the late varieties, such as Warrington and Hedgehog, can be preserved on the trees in good condition down to October. The best way to train both Currant and Gooseberry bushes on walls is to nail a branch horizontally right and left from the main stem, training up from these (vertically) the branches that will furnish the wall with bearing wood. These should be about (i inches apart, and even if the walls are high there is no difficulty in furnishing the branches with fruitful spurs their entire length. If the protecting material for walls is not already fixed in its place no time should be lost in attending to it. Correspondents are sometimes asking how the trees ought to be protected. The question is not always What is the best way ? but, How can it be done the most cheaply ? First, there ought to be a project- ing coping about a foot over 1''"^ wall; this may be of wood, which is perhaps the cheapest, then some stout poles, such as are used in the Hop-growing districts to train the Hop plants to should be obtained. These are sunk in the ground about 2 or 3 feet from the base of the wall, the upper end of the pole rest- ing against the wall coping. The poles must be about 12 feet apart, tbese will prevent the material from being dashed against tbe trees. The simplest way is merely to nail the canvas to the coping and also at the bottom of the poles. When it is not required over the trees it can be rolled up and tied at the top with a small piece of strong twine. IKUIT AND FORCING HOUSES. Vineries. — In the earliest house the Grapes have set well and have been thinned. If the Vines require it the border should have a good watering, as the formation of young rootlets has previously taken place. A good supply of manure water will cause the berries to swell to a large size. The Muscats are now in flower, and they seem to be setting pretty well. The dull cold weather may be thought injurious at such a critical period, but as a rule Grapes set better in dull weather than they do with continuous sunny days, but a few blinks of sunshine are certainly beneficial to raise the temperature a few degrees. On sunny days with a high temperature in the vineries, when a bunch in flower is shaken the pollen may be dispersed in clouds, but it is not so efficacious as the smaller quantity which would be distributed in dull weather, or better still with just occasional glimpses of sun. Many Grape-growers also stipulate for a very dry atmosphere at the flowering period, but a mistake may be made in this which will not be easily remedied. The atmosphere may be - come overdry if no water is sprinkled on the paths or borders. The result of this will be that the juices of the leaves will be dried up, the growth checked, and the whole plant be predis- posed to the attacks of red spider. We water the outside borders of the early houses about three or four times during the season ; each time the fermenting material is turned over a little fresh stable manure is added to raise the waning temperature. The young growths ought not to be stopped when the Vines are in flower, especially Muscats. CUCUMBER AND MELON HOUSES. K xcept attending to thinning-out and tying the growing shoots of Cucumber plants to the trellis, little more attention has been required. A very large proportion of male flowers were pro- duced on some plants which had been raised from seeds ; these were picked off, as they tend to exhaust the plants. Red spider appeared on some of the plants. There is no remedy except knocking them off with water applied from the syringe. This has been done on fine mornings, applying the water with some force to the under sides of the leaves ; but as these are very easily damaged some caution is necessary. The young plants of Melons had been growing on a shelf near the glass in small pots, and were very healthy, having made short-jointed stout growths. The border had been previously prepared for them by the soil being placed in the house a few weeks previously to become warmed. The temperature of the house is from 6U' to 65". As the plants were put out in rather moist soil, no water was applied to them at the time of planting. They will be watered after having made some growth. GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. These are now more attractive than they are at any other season of the year. Besides the usual forced flowers, such as Koses, Deutzias, Azaleas, Ac, Hyacinths and other bulbous- rooted plants are also in full beauty. It is also worth noting here that some Hyacinths flower much stronger if the plants are kept in a warm house until the flowers are almost open the whole length of the spike, and amongst them are some of the best of the new sorts, such as King of the Blues, single; and Koh-i-noor, double red. Ida, the best yellow Hyacinth, opens best in heat ; and Lord Byron, a fine porcelain blue flower, if it is not opened in heat the flowers at the top of the spike some- times do not open at all, and a symmetrical spike is impossible. We pay attention to tying the spikes to sticks about the time the first flowers open. If this is not attended to in time the spikes fall over and sometimes snap at the base. Ainanjllis of sorts have also a brilliant and decided effect. A succession of them are kept up by placing the bulbs in heat, and just before the flowers open place them in the greenhouse, as, if the flowers are allowed to fully expand in heat, the^ do not last very long. Chnjsanthemums. — The cuttings had been put in, two or three in small pots, and as they were put in a hotbed they rooted freely ; the plants have now been potted-off into 4 andS-inch pota and have been placed in cold frames. Picked withered flowers from Heaths, Epacris, &c. This should always be seen to as soon as the flowers fade, as not only are they unsightly but are also injurious to the plants. FLOWER GARDEN. We continue to pot-off Zonal Pelargoniums as opportunity offers. Those intended for the principal beds and borders were done some time ago, and are now well established in pots. Some are planted out in boxes, but bedding Pelargoniums do not plant out so well from boxes as most other bedding plants ; the mould falls from the roots and the plants suffer. The best way is to pot the plants in 5-iuch pots, and to see that they have 20t> JOURNAL Of HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. I March 11, 1875. plenty of room. One bushy sturdy plant that has had sufficient space to develope itself is worth three or four that have been overcrowded ; the latter do not start into growth until the summer is nearly gone, and they also suffer much during the process of hardeoing-oij. It is difficult to give details of work amongst bedding plauta at this season, as there is continual work moving the plants from warm to cooler houses, and from heated structures to frames or turf pits. All subtropical plants must be kept growing in a little heat until a change occurs in the weather. — J. Douglas. TO CORRESPONDENTS. Books (Q. A. B.). — We have no such work. At one large eetablishment we saw lists printed on a slip of paper, and the cook marked the articles needed. Any piiuter would print a thousand of Buch lists for a few PhlUings. ( C. L. T. ). — Dr. Hooker's " Synopsis of Ferns " has no illustrations ; Mr. Lowe's has coloured figursB. Any bookseller could ohtain either. "We do not know the prices. Cost of Digging (A Subscriber). — Dig^ng light garden soil one spit deep. l\d. or 2d. per rod. If the soil be heavy, 3rf. Prince's Briar Roses (J. P.). — They are fully Hoticed in our No. 703. Your wall Cherry trees need root-action. Give them a good soaking with weak liquid manure, and keep mulch over the roots. Preserving Garden Nets (A Constant Efadcr).—B.a.ve them soaked thoroui^hly in a tanner's pit of oak-bark liquor, and when not in use keep them in a very dry place. Cattleya citrina (A Subscriber).— It will succeed in a cool house in the temperature you name, which we prepume is from Ere heat. It should have a higher temperature when flowing — 6D- to 65- at night, and 15'^ to 85" or 00", the latter with sun, and should have more moisture, being sprinkled with water two or three times a-day, and this contiaued until the growth ia perfected, when the block should be kept more dry, a light sprinkhng once a-day, or nut that in du 1 weather, being the whole of the plant's require- ments during the season of rest. It succeeds the best of slight shade from powerful sun. It ought not at this season to be kept wet, but only damp, until the growth is considerably advanced, and then increase the supply of moisture with the growth. Propagating SPH.EaoGVNt: latifolia [Idem).~Yonr plant will not suc- ceed in thb temperature you name, it is too low, and to this is to be attri- buted the falling of the leaves and the rotting at the collar. The point of the shoots may be made into cuttings of two joints with the growing point to each, the leaves removed from the two lower, and insert to the nest pair of leaves singly in pocs well drained, and in a compost of sandy peat, turfy loam, leaf suil, and silver sand in equal parts. Place in a bottom heat of 75- to 8U , and keep rather close, moderately moist, and shaded from'bright suu until rooted, when they should be shifted into larger pots, and have a moist atmosphere without syringing overhead. In potting from the cutting pots omit half the quantity of sand named for the cuttings. Pruning Orange Trees (Comer vatorii\. — The plants, having become straggling, ought at once to have the straggling growths cut back or removed, and if the heads are very thick of wood they should be thinned. This should he done with judgment, so as to produce evenly-balanced heads. Too much pruning, however, would only encourage growth and induce overcrowding, which will make the growths weak aud liable to go off. No precise instruc- tion cau be given, bat the above will give the needful idea of what should be aimed at in pruning Oraoge trees. Ferns and Plants kur Diiawing-koom (Manor Hill). — We have found the following plants very suitable and easily cultivated. Ferns are very useful, but it is necessary that the growths be completed and hardened- off before placing in such a position, or the fronds from the drier atmo- Efphere of a drawing room are liable to suffer. Ferns are — Adiantums assimile, Capillus- Veneris, a?thiopicum, cunoitum, formosum, setulosum; AspJeniums bulbiferam, caudatum, dim'^trphnm. and pricraoraum; Blechnura occidentale, Davallia dissecta, D. tenuifolia, Doodia aspera.Goniophlebium appondiculatum, Gymnogramma ochracea, G. tartaroa, Lantrea decomposita, L. decurreos, L. elegans, Lomaria gibba, L. Herminieri, L. Patersoni, Nephro- lopiM davallioides, N. exaltata. Platycflrium alcicorne, Platyloraa rotundiiolia, Pteris cretica albo-lineata, P. longifolia, P. sernilata, P. sornilata crintata, P. umbrosa. Those require stove or greenhouse temperature. Hardy Ferns are even more suitable, of which wo name a few wbich succeed admirably grown in a cool greenhouse: — Asplenium adiantum nigrum, A. marinum, A. trichomanes, Athyrium Filix-fccmina, vars. Applebyanum, apuisforme, corymbiferum, and plumosum, Blechuum spicant, and var. imbricatum, Lastrea dilatata cristata. L. Filis-mas, vai-. cristatus; Osmunda gracilis, O. regatis cristata, Polypodium dryopteris, P. vulgare, P. vulgare cambricum, Polystichum aculeatum, P. angulare cristatum, P. multilidum, Scolopendrium vulgare, vars. covymbiferum, cri^pum maximum, ramo-cristatum; and Lyco- pods, which do well in a stove with moistare, as Selaginellas erythropus, formosa, Lyalli, Martensi variegata ; and In greenhoose, S. Wildenovi and denticulata. Stove plants — Alucasia Jenningsi, Anthurium Scherzerianum, Aralia loptophylla, Croton Juhannis, C. angustifolium, C. Weismauni, Cyperus alternifoiiua fol. variegata, Dracxna Cooperi, D. regina?, D. stricta, D. utilis, D. rubra, D. terminalis, Jacaranda mimosicfolia, Maranta zcbrina, Muss^nda froadosa, Pandanus graminifoltus, Pauicum variegatum, Paullinia thalictri- folia, and Piloa muscosa. Isolepts gracilis is very useful, and such common things as the hne-foliaged Bogonias. The above list will bo more than you will nood, but from it you may select what you require, and it may be useful to others of our readers. Geranium Lhaves Browned (T. Bc>il).—Tho leaves are evidently injured by cold aud damp. The plants should have a light position, and be near the glass without touching it; about a foot from it is proper. Then we think you water them overhead, as also the Fuchsias, which during the winter ought not to have more water than sufficient to keep them fresh. The tem- perature ought not to fall lower than 40 at night, and it need not be more than 45' by night or day from fire heat. Water more carefully, keeping the soil moist, and increasing the supply as the weather improves and the plants increase in growth, but it will all be of no use if you do not exclude frost. Pciii' FDR Raising Water {A!igUcaiia).—You.t plan is not a good one, aud wo do not think 53 yards too long a distance to draw water by hand- power. We should have an ordinary iron 4-inch barrel pump at A. instead of n, as any ordinary pump will raise water 15 feet. This ^vill allow of a dear fall of a feet from a to B, the pipe being taken above ground with that amount of fall by the delivery pipe to the reservoir b. A 2-inch deUvery pipe you would have instead of 2-inch suction pipe, and it would be not only clieaper, as a more economical pump would answer, but be very much easier to work. The pump could be raised upon a platform at a. Cucusibers in Peach House (3/. J.). — Very different indeed is the treat- ment required by the two. The Peaches require considerably more air — in fact, they could not in summer have too much, and the Cucumbers to succeed in a greenhouse require to be kept closer, more moist, and warmer than ia good for Peaches. Vallota purpurea (A Lady). — It will flucceed as a window plant, and ia one of the beet. All that it requires is a window with a south aspect, and to be potted at this season if it require it. a^ it should now be making fresh growth. It should be liberally supplied with water up to July, after which it will suffice if the soil be kept moist. The leaves will require to be sponged occasionally to free them of dust. After June it may be stood outdoors in an open warm exposure, well watered or kept from flagging, removing to the window in early autumn. Knight's Monarch Pear (C. B.).— Tt is usual for this Pear in a hot and dry season to become bard and never become tender in flesh. It is not suit- able for a hot and dry position, but is one of the finest-flavoured kinds whoa grown on a west aspect. The fruit now hard will not ripen, especially as they have shrivelled, which would indicate imperfect ripening and too dry an atmosphere in the store room. See remarks on shrivelling in another column. Crocuses Eaten (W^m).— Mice are the most likely canse of the injury of which yon complain ; a few would be sufficient to commit the damage, field mice existing often in greater numbers than is supposed. SquU-rela wo do not think would take them, and they do not suck rooks' or partridge eggs any more than the goatsucker sucks goats or the hedgehog cowd ; all are popular absurdities. Propagating Eoses by Cuttings (Agricola). — Spring cuttings may be had from forced plants which have just shed their flowers. These cuttings may be made with three joints cub transversely below the lowest, and the lowest leaf removed, then insert singly in 2-inch pots, using a compost of turfy loam, sandy peat, and silver sand in equal parts; insert the cuttings about 1 or 1^^ inch deep. The pots should be plurgcd in cocoa-nut fibre refuse, sawdust, or other material over a gentle horbed (70° to 75-), and kept close, sprinkling very lightly every morning with water the same temperature as tbat of the bed, and the cuttings to be shaded from sun. In about a fort- night they will have rooted, but they are not to be removed from the frame until shoots are made of 1 or 2 inches in length, and then they may be removed to a frame also with gentle heat, or be kept in the same, but having a little air daily to harden them. In about three or four weeks after in- sertion they wiU be fit to shift into laiger potn, and may be placed in a cold frame, and he kept moist, rather close, and shaded from bright sun for a few days, when they should be hardeiied-off, and planted-out in May, or shifted into larger pots, and growu-on outdoors, the pots being plunged in ashes. Summer cuttings may be taken in July just after the flowers are shed, inserted in pots, and struck either in bottom heat as above described, or in a cold frame kept close, and sprinkled every morning. They will root less quickly than in a hotbed, but quite as stu'oly. Autumn cuttings may be of any spare shoots in September or early October under a north wall, patting-in firmly, and in the followmg April they will be ready for potting. Constructing Greenhouse (Afhjield). — It is not desirable to have Peach trees against the back wall of greenhouses, they are seldom satisfactory ; bat yoLi may retain them if you are prepare! to give them a low temperature in winter, which is essential for rest. We should remove them, and have instead a few Vines for the roof of one or both houses, which will give you better return than Peaches against the back wall. You can have the house in two divisions, one of 10 feet for a warm house, aud the other 17 feet for a cooler house. The appearance would be best not to project beyond the house wall, the width therefore will be 10 feet. The front wall we should have 2 feet 6 inches high from the floor line, and to clear the door from drawing room you will need 4 feet 6 inches of front lights, aud the height at back 11 feet 6 inches, or just beneath the coping of the wall. The front wall we should have built on piers, and arched over just level with the ground line, and this will allow of your having the Vines planted inside the house, the spaces between the pillars allowing of the roots passing outside. The glass most suitable is 21-oz sheet, thirds quality, and in squares of about 15 inches (not morel wide, and 3 feet to 2); feet long. Heat by hot water, having a stokehole in the tool house, and take the pipes from the boiler across the end of the warm house to the front of the house, and then branch to the right with two pipes, and two returna for the warm house beneath the stage, and to the left with one flow and retiu-n for the cooler house, the pipes in both houses being beneath the front shelf, and about 18 inches from the front wall. Vou will need a valve upon the flow pipe of both houses just where they leave the mam, so that you can regulate the heat at will in both houses. The flow and return across the end of warm house will do for both houses. The path the width of doorway, 2 feet 6 inches, so that you will have a shelf in front of 2 feet 6 inches in width, aud that height from the floor, and a back stage of 5 feet ; two shelves of a foot and one of 3 feet ia width, each being raised a foot, the first on a level with the front one. These may be made of laths about 1^ inch thick and U inch wide, with an inch space between each. Almost any boiler will heat the houses, so that you wUl not have to get up in the night, the fire being made up at ten o'clock ; you may have one that will not require attention for several hours. The pipes should not be less than 3 inches, and are better 4 inches, which is the best si^e of piping. The piping must go the whole length of each house. Greenhouse for Amateur (J^noraHtu.-!).— If you have a wall already up and with a suitable aspect the most economical form of house is a lean-to, and it answers very well as a greenhouse ; but if you have no wall the best form is a span, as it admits light equally all around. The best mode of heat- ing such a house would be a stove boiler, and 2 or 3-inch hot-water pipes. The stove may be within the house, having a pipe or funnel to take the smoke and injnrious products of combustion clear of the house. We cannot recom- mend one dealer preferably to another. It is matter for your own choice. Heating Cucumber Houhe and Greenhouse (T. Haslam).— To grow Cucumbers and Melons successfully you will require pipes for bottom as well as top heat. Two pipes will be necessary for bottom heat to a bed of 4 to S-feet width, the pipes being surrounded by aud covered with rubble about 9 inches thick, aud over this the soil a foot thick. You wiU therefore require the additional pipes fur bottom heat to the Cucumber house, which will make March 11, 1875. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 207 a difference of about £2. One pipe alony two sides and one end will bo quite ample to heat the t,'reeuhoase, thoiit^h with two i)ipes you cau regulato tlie heat by valves, and if you at any time wish it you could with the two pipes aloD},' both sides command a stove temperature. If you have a bed on but h sides of the Cucumber house you will need hot-water pipes for each, and the expense would be double. The pipes for top heat ought to he over the bed or upon the walls of the beds. Insects in Vinery (Somerset).— \7e failed to find anything in the soih where joa could hardly have thrips or red spider. The other insect in the piece of paper appears the remains of a smashed thrip, which may be destroyed by fumigation with tobacco, but be careful not to apply it too powerfully or the Vines may be scorched. It would have been better to have sent uh a leaf or two of the Vines, for upon those the insects live, and if there is no evidence of them on the leaves you have no cause to be alarmed. Seakale with Long Stems lIih'm).~U your plants are not vtry old and the stems thick you may cut them over level with the ground as the heads are cat for use. and new crowna will be formed sulUciontly strong' for forcing another season. If, however, the stems are very thick, it is likely some of them may rot, especially if the weather be wet for some time after cutting; but we think the stems may with safety be cut back, as they have been drawn by the ashes. Irish Fern [Qlouce^ter). — It is one of our larest native Forns, Tricho manes brevisetum. CuTCKETs (Zfit-m).— Chas3's beetle and cricket poison can be obtained of any chemist. Van Thol TnLiPS not Flowering (Q. S. R V— The cauBe. we think, is that the bulbs were not ripened well. All the Vermilions failing con&rms our opinion. Thev were probably grown by a different florist than those with different coloured flowers, which all produced blooms. Fruit for N.E. "Wall (S. S.I.— Morello Cherriy; Adams's Pearmain and Starmer Pippin Apples ; Brown Beorre and Winter Nells Pears ; Purple Gage and Peach Plums. Deodorising Catgut Manufactory Sewage flTerp).— Try mixing half a hundredweight of sulphate of lime (plaster of Paris) with each hundied gallons. Makanta (E. D.). — There were no insects in the soil or roots. They were probably the white Acari that often swarm on decayed roots, and decayed were the rnots of yonr Maranta, probably from being kept too cold and too ■wet. The fleshy-leaved plant is the Aloe perfoliata, the Succotrine or Bitter Aloe. Ic requires a hijjh temperature and dry air to induce its flowering. There is a portrait of the flowers in the " Botanical Magazine." Insects on Willow Twigs ( ). — The small yellow grubs boring in the young twigs of Willows are the larvie of a Hltle ruidge (Cecidomyia salicina), which are sometimes very injurious to the Willows used by basketmakers. — I. O. W. Name of Conifer (G. B.).— It is, we think, Cryptomeria elegans, but the colour is pale for the species, which may be due to its growing in a sheltered position. Ours are of a bright chocolate colour. Names of Plants f Ju/(?i).— No. 2 is Sweet-scented Coltsfoot. The other three specimens, being only leaves, we cannot name. (G. A.). — Helichrysum specosissimum. POULTEY, BEE, AND PIGEON OHEONIOLE. .JUDGES. Now, when there is a cessation of poultry exhibitions, and committees are consulting over their Bchedulea for fresh shows, it seems to be a Rood time to say a few words on the judges. We have watched and seen with pleasure how many societies have advertised who their judges are to be, for this is a very important announcement. However good a schedule may be, however much trouble a committee may take over their show, unless the judges are up to their work, and men that the poultry fancy have faith in, come to grief that exhibition mnst. Shows are now excessively numerous. Every town — nay, many mere villages — have an open poultry show, and exhibitors conse- quently can pick and choose where to send to. We have heard of shows got up solely for the " benefit " of some few ; but such shows live a short life and collapse, for in these days exhibitors will have justice. It is a well-known fact that those shows which do advertise who their judges are to be have the most entries. We noticed this most especially iu December last. In one week alone some four- teen or fifteen exhibitions were held, and, without one exception, those that advertised their judges had the most entries, and those who did not had only one or two entries in some classes. The locality had nothing to do with it, for birds were sent to those places where the owners knew who would judge them irrespective of distance. We feel it must be apparent to all promoters of shows that the judges should be known beforehand, for on that must depend more or less the number of their entries. Some committees may think that exhiidtora, knowing who are to judge their birds, might try and make some arrangement with the judges. To such committees we say that a man who can be " arranged with " would soon be found out, and could no longer hold his position. Such a state of things would soon come to light. But even to those who do advertise who their judges are to be we would say a word. Most shows have two judges — that is, most shows of any size; to those who only have one we say nothing. Let them go on advertising who that one is to be ; but we think most assuredly that those who have two or more judges should in their advertisement which states who those are, state also what classes each is to judge. Take two jadges, say X and 13. A may be a well-known skilful adjudicator, while B may be a bad hand at the woik ; but the entries are made in consequence of A's name being advertised, while B may have to award the prizes in some classes he knows little about. Or A may be more especially at home in some classes, and B iu others. The committee, however, not knowing this, may make out their judging books quite differently, and so again the awards would not be made by that man who the exhibitors at entering expected would make them, for all the exhibitors know the right man for the right work. We frequently see advertised in the Pigeon department — " Mr. C will take the Pouters and Carriers, and Mr. B the remainder." Well, so let it be in poultry. Let exhibitors know who will take the various classes in future at those shows which have more than one judge. We are sure it would pay, and the committee could easily arrange the matter when they correspond with and engage their judges. Judges are few, and how very grateful exhibitors should be to those gentlemen who week after week go long journeys to out- of-the-way places to officiate. More judges are wanted, all will agree in thinking, and, what is more, more judges must be had. But we often pause to consider whether exhibitors go the right way to obtain them. Unfortunately men capable for the work do not abound. If a new hand does venture to make a trial every mistake he makes is made ten times more of in and out of print than if it had been made by a well-known hand. We must remember Rome was not built in a day, and a man must have practice before he can become a Teebay or a Hewitt. We have had two or three fresh hands this year, and they have done well, and we hope to see them in the like office again, and be as distinguished for their honesty in their awards as their power of picking out the best birds. Then, again, we are always glad to see a large staff of judges. We believe the awards would give more satisfaction if the judges had a practicable amount of work allotted to them. No man can satisfactorily make awards when he knows that he must hurry through the work to get it over by a given time. — W. NORTHAMPTON SHOW OP POULTRY, &c. We always look upon this Show as the Lenten one : it comes in mid-Lent, when other shows are over and the birds are all at home resting thankfully after many victories or doing penance for defeat. In the midst of this gloomy season Mr. Humphreys issues his schedule and prepares the great hall in the Corn Exchange for his poultry tournament, which comes like a feast day in the Lenten-tide. Just the very good and best birds which have won many prizes and generally acquitted themselves well are sent to Northampton for the gala day. The catalogue is numbered up to 1390, but we gather from a note at the " finis " that the total number of entries at this capital Show was 1.51-1, taking which number from the former we may reckon that close on 130 entries were made and received late. We do not approve of this plan. It is not fair to those who enter early, and in this matter Oxford may set an example, who, in one year in particular, sent back close on two hundred entries to keep faith with exhibitors. We notice here at North- ampton one lady's numbers were all A's and B's right through,' and we were sorry to learn that her manager made a mistake in the day, and so was hors de combat. Before commencing to criticise we must say one word on the excellency of the catalogues — well got up, and awards printed against the names. We wish all committees where it is possible would follow suit and print the awards in the catalogue. We were sorry to find some mistake had arisen with Mr. Turner about the Pigeon pens, and they were consequently not erected in time for Mr. Tegetmeier to finish his awards by daylight, which must account, we suppose, for a few alterations we should like to have made in the Pigeon awards. He had to judge alone, too, for Mr. Gresham did not arrive till he had finished bis labours, which were very considerable. Many extra prizes were awarded, and we were glad to see it ; but this Show could afford to be liberal from the great patronage it received. Dorkings were all grouped together. The non-division of Dorkings and absence of Polish classes were the blots on the schedule, and we shall hope to see it remedied next year. Dork- ings were as a whole disappointing. The winners were good, l)ut nothing out of the common. The first and second hens were fine deep hens. 14 (Cheesman), also good. 11 (Lord Massy), a splendid hen, and cheap at catalogue price of 30s. Cochins we called a good lot. They had six classes. Buffs were capital. The first cock good all round. Third we pre- ferred to second, he was better in colour. '20 (Winwood), good, and BO was 31 (Feast). In Buff hens, if the first-prize hen were honestly shown, and we almost think she was, she was a bargain at £.3 5s., being a first-class bird. -18 (Leno) was, we believe, the cup hen at Oakham. She looks well. 43 (Sherwood), a capital pullet. In Black or Partridge cocks, the first was an old friend looking well. 55 (Whitworth), a nice Black. In hens, first, second, and third went to Blacks, and all good birds. 308 JOUENAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GABDENEE. [ March 11, 1875. White cocks were ten in nnmber. The first was a coarse bird, but soon claimed at £4 -Is. The second and third were two fine cocks of spotleES colour and good shape. "White hens were good. The first-prize hen the same bird as we noticed at Ken- dal ; second good ; third poor. We preferred either of Mr. Wood- gate's two highly commended hens infinitely. SO (Feast), good. In Brahmas, Lights came before the Darks. All the winners were well placed, the second running first close. In hens the first was a beauty ; the second down behind, we fear. She has been a grand one. Third very pretty. 130i (Dean), a good bird. 110 (Boissier), a very grand hen. Dark Brahmas did not like being classed behind their Light brethren perhaps, for they did not muster so strongly. We liked the second cock immensely, but he was very heavily feathered. Third a good bird. In hens the winning Dark was an old friend looking as well as ever. Her colour is not good, but she is splendid in size and fluff. The second was a well-marked hen, but bad in colour also. We have missed Mr. Lingwood's name of late in Dark Brahmas, and are sorry to learn, from a letter from him recently, that he is laid-up and has been for some time with one of those bad throats which have been so prevalent. Malays were good. The third in cocks went to a new ex- hibitor, we fancy. We rejoice as much as Mr. Hinton does to see fresh names in the "abused" weeds. Malay hens were good too, especially the winners. trench mustered very well. Houdans are quite rivalling the Brahmas in popularity. The winning cocks were good, but we liked 177 (Dnng) as well as any one of them, but his comb we conclude was objected to. The winning hens were capital, the first, if we mistake not, the grand hen that was passed over at Dorchester. 190 (Boissier), a capital hen. In French of any other variety good Creves were first and second, and a capital La Fli-che third. 208 (Dring), a grand cock of fine shape. In hens Cri'ves won all the prizes. The winners were good. In looking over the French classes it would seem to us as if the wrong heads had got on the wrong bodies, so many Crt'ves having Houdan combs, and vice versa. Spanish were wonderfully good. They made as two good classes as we have seen this season. The first cockerel was a beauty. 240 (Whitworth), good. Hens were a splendid lot, and all the birds well shown. Game had six classes, and surely Mr. Matthews must almost have surpassed himself. He won the six firsts with his six pens. "That ia the way to do the trick," as the portly man said who had got near twenty pens at the Show and only won a hatful of useless " highly commendeds." We will say all his winners were absolutely perfect, and so speak of all the firsts once and for all this time. 2G7 (Fitz-Herbert), a capital Black Eed cockerel. Good, too, was this gentleman's hen which won second, and only in at 425. The third Brown Eed cock was a little too deep in colour, or else of grand shape. 322 (Whit- worth), disqualified for palled hackles. We wish " Elijah " had left him at home. The second and third Duckwing hens were very nice. We liked the latter especially. Hamlurghs were a good lot, well judged and mostly well shown. The Gold-spangles very good, the first cock being per- fection, as, too, was the first hen. What a grand pair they would make ! Gold-pencilled were vei^y fine. We are not sure, though, that we did not prefer Mr. Beldon's third to his second cock. Then hens which won seemed well placed, the first hen especially well marked. In Silver-spangles all the winners were good and well chosen, and Silver-pencils made two of the best classes we have seen of the breed for a long time. The first was superb in tail— quite a Goitstock model. 424 (Long), a nice cock. 431 (Norton), a very good bird. The markings of all the prize hens were very good. 439 (Feast), a very pretty bird. Black Hamburghs also mustered well, and the quality was really first-class. The first pullet was a beauty to all appear- ance, and a bargain to someone at 30s. The two Variety classes were very large and wonderfully good. In cocks Poles won all the prizes. Gold, Silver and Gold, and all good. 473 (Norwood), the best White-crested Black Poland cockerel we have seen for many a long day, and we should have liked it to have had an extra prize. 474, a nice Silver Poland cock. In hens. Golden Poles were first and second, and a miser- able Cuckoo Cochin third, and extra third a nice Sultan. 480, a nice Minorca. 405 (Beldon), a very beautiful Silver Poland hen. The Sale classes were large, and the prizes seemed judiciously distributed. Many of the birds changed hands. The Ducks did not make large classes. The first Aylesburys were only 60s., and the third 30s., and both from Aylesbury. Eouens were good, and we were glad to see new names in the list. In Variety Duck class Mandarins were first and second and Carolinas third, all nice specimens. Writing of Fancy Ducks, we are sorry to have to record the death of the cup Japanese Teal drake at Bristol. It was one of the very few specimens of the breed in England, and we had hoped they would have got more general, being such a charming little breed for ornamental waters. Game Bantatns were very good, Black Beds the best ; Mr. Hall winning first in both classes. In variety Game Bantam cocks Duckwings were first, second, and third; and in hens Piles first and third, with a Duckwing between them. Black and White Bantams made two fair classes, the first-prize cockerel being very lustrous and good. In Variety Bantams Mr. Leno walked his Laced in without much opposition. Silvers, Gold, and Silvers winning in the order named. The Pigeons were very good. The White Pouters were nicely shown and well selected. 778 (Baker), a very nice cock. In the next Pouter classes were some good Blues and Blacks ; the first Blue cock especially struck our fancy. In Pouters Any other colour, Beds won all the prizes, but they were not an Al lot. Old Carriers were disappointing. Mr. Yardley's winners were, however, good. In Carriers hatched last year we preferred Col. Hassard's two cocks to either second or third-prize birds. The hens seemed well placed. Barbs were good ; a nice old Yellow first. Third, a good Black, which we preferred to second. Short-faced Tumblers were a charming lot; the second-prize Almond a sweet little bird. In Variety class of Tumblers were one or two good clean-cut Balds. A very pretty silver MoS won an extra second. Foreign and English Owls were two large classes. A lovely White was first in the Foreign class, and a good Blue in the English, while a truly exquisite Silver was second, and third again a nice Blue. Turbits were also splendid, but we did not much care for the judging. We thought 927 (Jones) should have been higher. In the next Turbit class the winners were good, but Mr. Cresswell's Shell-crested Black which won third was not nearly so good as his unnoticed pen ;)38, which we thought should have been at least second. Dragoons made two very large classes, and the quality was ad- mirable. How popular they do seem ! Jacobins were good. 990 (Nottage), a good Red. Fantails were lovely. Whites winning all the prizes. 1026 (Yardley), a fine Blue. 1U27 (Cresswell), a wonderfully good young White. 1031 (Loversidge), a nice White. Antwerps were numerous, and Mr. Tegetmeier seemed at home among them. Nuns a large class. We thought they would have observed the season too closely to have come out so strongly. Magpies wonderfully good, and the whole lot were commended. In the Variety class a neat Ked Swallow was first, in at 40s. ; third a good Trumpeter. 1129, a cheap Archangel (Wingfield), for 3'is. 1131, a good Blue Swallow. An interest- ing local class finished-off this department. We can only congratulate this hard-working Committee on their general success, and the admirable selection of days, avoiding the objectionable plan of the Show being held over a Sunday. We give full awards below. DoBKiNGS.— Coc/i.— 1, H. Feast, Sw-insca. 2, S. W. Hallam, Whitwick. S, W Koe, jun., Newark, /ic, T. Potter, juD., Trowell. c, J. Hedges. Een.—l,V/.K. Crabtree, Levenehalme. 2, W. Roe, jun. 3, H. Feast, he, Lord Massy, Daveiitry; R. Cheesman, Westwell ; S. Brierley, Ending. CucHiN-CHiSA.-t'iHrmmon or Buff.— Cock.— I, G. H. Procter. Durham. 2, Mrs. K. AUsopp, "Worcester. 3, W. A. Eurnell, Southwell, he, D. Young, Leamuigton ; Mrs. Bentley, Teddineton : C. Taylor; E. Winwoud, W^>rce8te^; H. Feabt; H. Piper, O-vford ; Mrs Nicholson, Machon Bank. Hen.—l, H. RobiDBon. Sheffield. 2, T. Sherwood, Crowfleld. 3, G. F. Umpleby. Borough- bridge, he, R. Fowler. Birmingham; T. Slaerwood; Mrs. K. Alluopp ; M. Leno, Markyate Street. Dunstable ; T. H. Turner, Sheffield. C'ichi»-Chisi.— Pnrfrirfgc or Black.— Cock.— I, W. H. Crabtree. 2, F. C. Bentinck, Cambridge. 8, J. Franklvn, Terrington, King's Lynn, he, W. Whit- wonh, jun ; F. C. Bentinck ; W. & T. Holt, c, Hon. i Rev. C. T. Vernon. Uen—l and 2, W. & T. Holt, Aocrington. 3, W. Whitworth, jun., Longaight, Manchester. Ac. H. Feast. Ccjcms-t'-aisk.- While.— Coek.—\, J. H. Nichols. 2 and 3. E. S. S. Woodgate, Pemburv.Tunbridge Wells Hf>i.—1, G. H. Procter. 2 and 3. Rev. A. Warde, Little Horated Rectory. Uckfleld. he, H. Feast ; R. S. S. Woodgate (2). Brahma VooTUK.-Light.—Cock.-l, P. Haines, Palgrave. 2. W. H. Crabtree, 3, R. K. Horsfall, Liverpool. F.xtra S. Mrs. Heet, sharnbrook. he, S.Lucas. ^litcbin; J. H. Butler. Birmingham ; W. T. Bromley, Daventry; E. Scammell, Tri'Wbndge. c, E. Munnoocb. Pinner. Hen.—l, Mrs Peet 2, W. H. Crabtree, Extra 2 and 3, P Haines, he. R. A. Boissier; S. Lucas; R. Bird, Fulham; J H.Butler; T. A. Dean, Marsden. Hereford. BaAHMA PooTRA. — Darfc. — C'ocfc. — 1, Rev. G. W. Joyce, Tavistock. 2, J. F. Smith, Sheffield. 3. W. H. Crabtree. he, Miss Jacques. Richmond ; A. Bam- f.ird, Middleton ; C.Taylor; H. Robinson. Uen.—l,W. H. Crabtree. 2, J. W. Peake. 9, J. F. Smith, he, W. Prentice, Jan., Thrapstone ; T. Stretch, Orm- Bkirk. f, J. S. Clarke. Oundle. Malays —Cocfc.- 1, R. Hawkins. Sunderland. 2, G Burnell. 3, Lady D. Yeoman, Whitby. JJen.—l, R. Hawkins. 2, G. Burnell. 3, J. Richardson, Lont,'bborough. HorDANs —Cocfc.— L W. Whitworth, jun. 2, Mrs. Vallance, Sittingboume, 3. J. L. Hawkins, he, R. A. Boissier, Penshurst ; W. Dring, Faversham ; Miss .lacques; S. W. Thomas, Shelby (2). Men.—l, Mrs. Vallance. 2, S. W. Thomas. S, W. Whitworth, jun. he, R. A. Boissier; W. Dring; A. Ogden, Asbton-under-L^-ne; H. Feast. Fbknch— .-liiy othei- variet'/.-Coek.-l. W. H. Crabtree. 2 and c, C. H. Smith. Parkfields. Derby. 3, Rev. N. J. Ridley, Newbury, he, W. Dnng: W. Cutlack, jun.. Litileport : E. Clarabut, Peterborough ; Mrs. Cross, Brigg. Hen, — 1, W. t utlack, jun. 2, W. H. Crabtree. 3, H. Beldon, Goilstock. he, Mrs. M. Wicks, Appleby, Biigg; Rev. T. C. Beasley, Dallington; E. Brown, Sheffield; J. H Nichols. SvANiBH.— Cocfc.— 1, D. M. Mills. Newport Pagnell. 2, H. Beldon. 3, Mrs. E, Allsopp. he, W. Cropley, Stratford ; vv. vVhitworth, jun.; H.Goddard, London; ilrs K. Allsopp. Hen.—l and 2. Mrs E. Allsopp. 3, E. Brown, vhe, J. Pitt, Wolverhampton, he, J. T. Parker. Northampton ; C. W. Brierlcy, Middle- ton ; H. Beldon. e, W. G. Henry. Dublin. Ct.\:iE.—Btaek-brea^ted Bed.— Cock. - I.S.Matthew, Stowmarket. 2, J. Mason, Worci'Ster. 3. R. H. Tyte. Minchiuhamiiton. he, G. H. Kitz-Herbert. Seven- oaks; H. Butler, Heanor; A. C. Swain, Radclive. ifi-n. —1,S. Matthew. 2, G. H. Fitz-Uerbert. 3, K. J. Pratt, Charlbury. vhe, J. Mason, c, R. H. Tyte; H. Feast Game.— Broint.fcrcasfcd Bed..—Coek.—\, S. Matthew. 2, H. E. Martin, Faken- ham. 3, J. Cook, Worcester, he, G. F. Ward, Wrenburv: C. W. Brierley. ifcn.—l.S. Matthew. 2, J. Cock. 3,G.F.VVard- lie, A. Peake, Oakham; C.W. Brierlev; J. Richardson, c, ¥. Glanvillc, St. Austell. Game.— .4itv other eotOJir.—Coek.—l. S. Matthew. 2, J. Mason. 8. E. Win- wood. Ac, G. F. Ward ; E. Bell, Burton-on.Treut ; C. W. Brierley. Hen.—l, S. March 11, ls75. ] JOURNAIi OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. •20'J Matthew. 2, T. Whillalter, Melton Mowbray. 3, E. Winwood. lie, B. MoUett, Biilham. , , „. , aitSBvr.anB.—Gohlcn-spamtfd —Cock. — 1, Duke of Sutherland, Stoke-on- Trent. 2. H. Pickles, Karbv, Skipton. 3, H. Beldon. he. T. Bliikeman. Wolverhampton; J. Long, Broralev Common, c. S. W- Evans, button CoUl- fleW; D. Simons; T. Love, Northanipton. IIfn.—\. U. Beldon. 2, b. W. Uallam. 3, Mrs. T. Blakeraan. ftc. H. Kioklea; T. Love. „ „,, HiMBOROHS.— OoMt!:i-j)i'iiciiii-rorthampton. Ducks.- iiOHeii.-i, Lady G. Gordon, Peterborough. 2 and 3, Hon. Mrs. Vernon, he, Mrs. Bayard. Gwernydd Berriew. DccKS.— J7(i/ other varietu—'i, .\. & W. H Silvester. 2 and 3, M. Leno. he, T. Walton, Northampton ; E. W. Southwood, Fakenham. Game BAUTAym —Btack-breasted Bed.— Cock.— \,G. Hall, Kendal. 2, J. Mayo, Gloucester. 3. S. Beighton, Southwell. Extra P, Shnmach .t Daft, Southwell. vhc, W. Griffin, Asbby-de-Ia-Zouch. )ic. T. W. Anns, Claidiara; Caiit. T. Wetherall, Kettering; T. Dawson, Epworth. e, A. Newton. Hen —I, G. Hall. 2, S. Beighton. 3. .J. Calladine, Heanor. lie. Shumach.t Daft; .1 RandiiU. jun.. Game BkiiT\^^.—Browiibrea.sted Red.— rock.— \ and 2. T. Barker, Burnley. 3. G. Hall, lie, A. Cameron, Rotherham. Hen.— 1 and 2. S. Beighton. 3, W. 3. Marsh, Deal. Ac, T. Barker ; J. Mayo ; G F. Ward, c, H. A. Clark. Game Bantajis— .Ini/ otlier cohiur.—Coek.~\, T. Dawson. 2, G. Hall. 3, •Shumach & Datt *c, T. Barker ; G F. Ward ; S. Beighton. Hen.- 1 and 3, T. Barker. 2, Master A. Fcew, Sinelairtown, Kirkcaldy, he, E. W. Southwood. Bantams.— BJgcA: or TF/ud'.-Coct-.-l, H. Beldon. 2, Milner & Beanland. 3, R. H. Ashton, Mottram, Manchester, he. W. H. Shackleton; J. Mayo; A. Smith. Halifax. Hen—t, Rfilner & Beanland. 2, H. Beldon. 3, Wells and Sherwin, Ripon. he, W. H. Shackleton: Wells .t Slierwin; A. A. Vander Meersch, Tooting, London ; A. Smith ; J. H. Law, Birmingham. Bantams.— J)i7/ other variety.— Cock.— \ and 2. M. Leno. 3, Miss B. B. Frew Kirkcaldy. Hen.— I and 2, M. Leno, 3, Miss R. C. Frew, he, 3. T. Hincks| PIGEONS. Pouters.— Tnti((7.—Coc)t.—l. Mrs. Ladd, Calne. 2. W. Nottage. 3, R. Ashton. I'C, .T. Baker, Kew Bridge, c. G Foster, Northampton. Heii.— I.Mrs. Ladd. 2 K Ashton. 3, J. Baker, e, W. Nottage. Pouters.- Biacfc or Blue.— Cock.— \ and 3. W. NoHage. 2, J. Baker, he. H. Yardley. Hen.~\, W. Nottage. 2, J. Hairsine, Hull. 3, J. Baker, he, 3. Baker; W. Nottage PooTERa.— .Ill); ottter colour.— Cock.— I and 3, W. Nottage. 2, J. Baker. He It.- 1, 2, .and S, W. Nottage. Cabriers.— Cocfc.— 1, H. Yardley. 2 and 3, J. Baker, e, 3. Stilea, jun.. Kettering. Hfii— I, H. Yardlev. 2, J. Baker, 3. J Stanley, Blackburn. Cakeiers.- roi()i<7 Coi-it.— 1, iH. Cariwright. Edgbaston. 2, J. Stanley. 3. J. Baker, he, Col. F. C. Hassard. Sbcerness (2); J Baker, e, W. Msssey. Spalding. Tounfi Hen.— I, 3. Baker. 2. H. Cartwright. S. 3. Gaidner. Preston, he. C. E. Chavasse, Sutton Coldfleld; H. Cartwright; J.Baker; J. Stanley ; 3 - Walker. Burslem. c, Mrs. Ladd. Barbs.— Cocfc or IIeii.—l and c, 3. Baker. S and vhc, H. Yardley, 2, W. Massey. Tumblers.— .Slior(-face(i.—Coclt or Hen.— i, H. Y'ardley. 2, A. & w. H. Silvester. S.J.Baker )tc, A. & W. H. Silvester; J. Gardner, c, J. F. While, Birmingham ; H. Yardley (2); W. R. Pratt, Oxford Tdmbli'Rs.— .1111/ otlier variety.— Cock or Hen.—\, R. Woods, Mansfield. 2, W.Tedd, Birmingham. Extra 2. C. E, Chavasse. S.R.Woods. Ji>-. A.&W. H. Silvester (2); R. Woods; W. Tedd (2). c, J. Kendrick, jun., Redditch; J. Barker. OWLS.-Forei<7i!,— Coci; or Hen.— I, 2, and 3, J. Baker, he. T G. Sprunt, Bonndarv Road. London : S. Lawson. Preston ; P. H. Jones, Fulham, London. Owls.— EiKidsk.- Coi't or Hen.— 1, J. Gardner. 2, P. H. Jones. 3, S. Lawson. Extra 3, E. Lee, Nantwich. he. T. Sprunt ; F. P. BuUey, Oxford ; R. Shillitoe, Hitchin ; H. W. Weaving ; W. G. Henry ; S. Lawson. c, F. Steel, Halifax. ToRBiTS.-muc or Silver.— Cock or Hen.-l, W. G. Henry. 2, E. A. Seale, Kil-obbin, Dublin. 3, J. Baker, he, C. W. Washbourne, Gloucester; T. b. Stephenson, Beverley ; T. Homes, Lower Sydenham ; P. H. Jones. TuitBiTS.— -Ill)/ oilier eolaiir.-Cock or H.n.-l, E. A. Scale. 2, T.S. Stephen- son. 3. O. E. Cr'esswell, Early Wood, Bagshot. he. C. A. Crafer, Wallington ; A. & W. H. Silvester; E. A. Scale ; J. Baker (2); W. Tedd. o, E. A. Scale ; F. DKAOOONS.-Biuc-Coct or Hcn.-l. J. Baker. 2 and 3, R. Wooda, he, E. Woods (!); Powell & Crane, O.xford (2); W. Bolshaw, Northampton, c, E. Woods; H. Yardley. , „ , , . ., ■ „ t ^. ..a Dragoons —^ni/ other colour.— Cock or Hen.— 1,3. Atkins. 2, J. Gardnei. 3 and Extra .1, R. Woods, (id, WoUs & Sherwin ; J. Atkins, Bedford, c, A. McKenzie; S. Cliff, Nantwich. „ „ ,, « jr j o t? JiOomnB.-Beil.-Cock or Ilen.-l. 3. Baker. 2, T. Holt, Bradford. S, E. North, Leeds, he. W. Nottage ; T. Holt ; J. Gardner. ,.„„,_, „ „ Jacobins.— 4111/ otlier colour —Cock or Hen.-l, T. Holt. 2, E. A. Scale. S, S. Lawson- fte, E. A. Seale ; R.Woods. , , ., ti Fantails— Co.'l- or Hen.-l and 2, E. A. Scale. 3, J. Walker, Newark, /w, H. Yardley : O. E. Cresswell ; J. F. Loversidge, Newark, c, O. E. Cresswell. ANTWE«ps.-.S/iort-/acc(i -Cock or Hen.-\, F. Woodhouse. 2, .1. Gardner. 3. J. F. While he, A. Carruthers. Luton; H. W. Wearing, Oxford; C. t. Chavasse ; H. Yardley. , „ , „ r \7.yt..,.„ Antwehps.— Lonf|./iic«i o' Homing.— Cock or Hen.— I, Scragg i: Valters, Oxford. 2, MiasPerrin, Northampton. 3, W. R. Pralt „ i,. , , NuNS.-CncJ: or Ilcn.—l, E. A. Scale. 2 and S, W. Brown, Northampton, lie, J Baker ■ W Tclci 'MAOPiES.-'Cack or Hen.-l, W. Nottage. 2, H. W. Webb, Lower Sydenham. 3, P. H. Jones „ ,, ,. . . « » f tut xr Any other Varietv.-CocS: or Ben.— I, H. Draycott, Leicester. 2, A. i. W. H. Silvester. 8, A. A. Vander Meersch. Extra 3. W. Tedd. he, A. ti W. U. Silvester ; H. W. Webb ; U. Yardley ; R. Wingfleld ; F. Steel (2). c, A. & W. H. Special Selling Class.- Cocfc or Ben —Price not to exceed 3's.—]. 3. B.arker, 2, Mrs. Ladd 3, W. G. Henry, he, H. Linnet, Northampton ; F. P. BuHey : 11- «. Weaving; Mrs. Ladd; A. Perry, Hardingstone ; E. North; H. Yardley; Vi. Massey; W. Tedd. c, W. Nottage. , „„j a n Special Selling OLASS.-Coct or Hen— Price not to exceed i.i -1 ana 3, a. Yardley. 2, W. Nottage. he, Mrs. Ladd; E. North ; J. Stiles, jun. ; J. Baker, c, J. Currie, Worcester. . ,_ , .n o -w Special Selling CLASs.-Piicc not to exceed 408.-1, Mrs. Ladd. i, vv. Nottage. 3, H. Draycott. Extra 3, W. Massey. /ic, C. H. Buckland, Reading, \^^'iTJJs''-A,iy'rartty.-Cock or Hen.-l, W. Nottage. 2, G. Foster. 8, W.Brown, /ic, W. Nottage; C. Hillier. c, W. Nottage. R ARRTHTS Lop-EAR.-S . h! Kendrick, Walsall. 2, Dr. Boden, West Hartlepool. 3, F. & E. J. F'ell, Bla.kbnrn. „, , v „ n, Lop-EAR.-Crofcfii Coloiir.-Buek or Doe.-l, 3. Irvine, Blackburn. 2, Dr. B.Hlen. S, F. Loveban.l, North Street, L»ndon, N.W. vlic, 3. Hodson, North- ampton: B. Greaves, Cleethorpes; C Loveband. )ic, T H. Jones. „„,,, ANGORA.-Bucfc or Doe.-l and 3. H Swetman, FaUord. 2, T. Garner, North- amnton. rlic, O. Thompson, ftc, M. Kew, Market Overton. HiMALAVAN.-Bucfc or Doe.-l, C. G. Mason, Rochda'e. 2. F. Sabbage North- ampton. 3, J. Pickworth, Spalding vhe. Dr. J. D. Eaines, Great Driffield, (ir, Dr. J. D. Eames; J. Garner, e.3. Milverston, Northampton: J. Hallas. DuTon.-Bucfc or Doe.-l, H. Sabbage. 2, B. Greaves. 8, f. Gamer, vhc, H. E. Gilbert, Rugby; W. Donkin, Driffield, c, Mrs. H. Pickworth, A. '^slnvEk-GRErs.-Excfc or Doe.-l. A. Hudson. 2. J. .F'";"'' ?,''?™'«y-, J'?,''',?' Miss Mortimer, Rudhall, Ross. 3. J. Hallas. Extra 3, H W. Wright, shepherd s Bush, London, vhc. E. Ames. Ash Grove. London, E.; Miss Mortimer, t. Robinson, Kettering: T. Schotield, Manchester ht;;, «■ A^Boissier; W. Clappen. Cirencester; G. Farrar, Bedford, c, J. Pickworth ; A. W. Whitehouae, ^ANYOTlE°E°VARiETy.-B),cfc(,rDoc.-l,P.Ogilvie. 2.J E TO'I^"''*'?"''?;^?,'- 3, Rev. T. C. Beasclev. Dallington. vhc, S. Ball. Bradford ; T H. Dows, Boston. he Mrs. H. Pickworth: J. T, Billet, Jan.. Richmond; G. C. Lovett, boham , J. Tebbntt, Northampton; J. Hallas; B Greaves, c, R. Bowes. Special Selling CLASs.-B.iofc or Doc. - Lops excepted --1, P. Ogilvie. 2, O. Bryant, Bedford. 3, G.Johnson, Kettering, ii/ic, M. A. Hudson, 1. Garner. "special Selling CLAS8.-Z.oj). Ffuiale.-l, F. Loiigbind, Northampton. 2, Mrs C Gray. 3, Mrs. Slater, Northampton. Extra 8. F. colea. he, Mrs. u. L. Cocksedgc, Bury St. Edmunds, c, S. Barberry, Kingsthorpe. JiwaES.—Poultri/ : Mr. K. Teebay and Mr. J. Dixon. Fw<^°^^- Mr. \V. B. Tegetmeier and Mr. F. Gresham. Babbits : Mr. li. Hutton. Cats : Mrs. A. Pell and Miss Beasley. THE MEALY POUTER. I iiivE seen in the columns of a contemporary Mr. "Wallace's letter under the above heading. He starts with the conclnsiou that I am both questioner and answerer referred to in the " Letter Box " of this Journal. To make use of Mr. "Wallace a own words, I give his conclusion the most " unqualified contra- diction." I know neither one nor other, but in common with many others was very much amused at the pithy style of the reply. The letter referred to shows once more how a drownmg man will catch at a straw, the complaint from beginning to end is, that I was never a member of the North British Columbarian. Neither Mr. Ure nor myself ever was or ever had auything to do with its affairs, but I was one of the originators of the Society of which the North British is only the remains— in fact, it is the change of name alone upon which Mr. "Wallace builds his " unqualified contradiction." The original name of this Society was the " Scottish Ornithological ; " after Mr. Ure and rnyself retired along with others the name of this Society was altered to the " North British;" therefore anyone can at once see how by forgetting the change of name the mistake has occurred. 210 JOOBNAL OF HORTIOULTUSE AND COTTACIB GARDENER. [ March 11, 1875. As to the last paragraph of Mr. Wallace's letter, " Why was there not a claes for this bird at Edinburgh ? " There was a class there, though not a separate one (see catalogue) at that time. The editor of the contemporary I refer to must put in his word, right or wrong. However, his friend Mr. Wallace unfortunately lets out that a Mr. McLean was the means of the class for Mealies being in the Glasgow Show in 1806 and 1867, thus showing that the claim of the editor is quite absurd. Now has the matter come out ! Years before these two Exhibitions did Mr. Ure and myself debate the question and had it settled ; and yet the suegestion came from '* ourselves," says the editor in question ! Further, he charges me with false representations, and he goes on to lead his readers to believe that I have been excluded from the columns of his journal, which is simply not true. I do not wish to occupy space needlessly, therefore just a few words and then I have done. Along with Mr. Ure I sent a letter to this new contemporary in reply to a letter which appeared there, but they were such as hurt the feelings of the editor, and were likely, he thought, to do the same to the feelings of his friends to whom we were replying. We were told unless our replies were altered to suit they could not be put in print. Our replies were, "No alteration; please return our manuscripts." We had them returned, and forthwith, along with several others, have excluded ourselves from his columns and have left him. In concluding this, to me, rather painful letter, allow me to say that I have always advocated a position for the Mealy Pouter, and some of those now loud in its praise at one time opposed me ; but experience in breeding by it will more and more assure fanciers of its sterling value. Now, some of our readers may forget and others wonder what was the origin of all this corre- spondence. Let them, then, satisfy themselves by referring to No. 6G6, January 1st, 1S71, of this Journal. — James Huie. [We have another letter sustaining Mr. Huie's statement, which we are obliged to omit until next week. — Eds.] NEGLECT AT THE OXFORD SHOW. I EXHIBITED some Jacobins there, and they contrived to lose a very nice hen from my hamper by neglecting to tie the lid. I received a telegram from the Secretary stating the bird had escaped on its way to the station. I wrote back to say that I should expect compensation for the loss of the bird, and that I considered it worth M3, but I have not been favoured with any other communication on the subject. The hamper had four compartments, three were tied ; the one was not tied from which the bird escaped. — Alfred Heath. [The Committee ought at once to pay for the bird. If yon sue in the County Court they would be compelled to do so and to pay all costs.— Eds.] LIGURIAN BEES. I AM glad to see that Mr. Pettigrew has thrown out a challenge {if I may use the term), whereby the merits of the Ligurian and the English bees may be tested and compared, but at the same time I would suggest that the merits of the wood and straw hives may at the samn time be put side by side. I also thiok the idea a good one for both parent hive and swarm to be put to the test, and then take notes of the weight either in bulk or run houey, or any other way that may be de- cided upon, the supers to be taken as run honey. Now, the difficulty will be. To where are the bees to be sent ? It will never do for the bee-keeper in the south to send his bees to the north, or the reverse. I would suggest that several places should be fised uprjQ ; f )r instance, Rowsley near Chatsworth, the seat of the Duke of Devonshire, would be a good place for the bee-keepgrs thirty miles around Rowsley, and it is easy of access from all parts. The midland county apiarians might fix their own place, als-» those of the south country theirs ; but we in the north, near Manchester, must get away from the smoke to compete with Worcester or Devon. I intend sending some of my bees to Bowsley this spring to t'y for a good glass supar of pare honey, which I have never yet obtained to exceed 20 lbs. upon my niue-bar Woodbury hive, but think I cin do so from my Pettigrew 18inch straw hive. — South Lancashire Bee-keepeb. OUR LETTER BOX. Aylesbubt Ducks {An Ifiiioramut). — If you do not infcenfl to show till the end of the year, Dacka hatched next month will hi early enoush. Oatmeal 13 an excellent tliiu<» to yiva them when youns- Small oiec^s of raw meat ar^ also good for them when a fortuis^ht or tliree week'* old. They should not be much in the water. It i^ most e^9ential tha"; Aylesbury Ducks should have pale flesh-coloured bills, and for that reason they should not be allowed to u^n ponds of Rtai^nant water ; snch ia of '■-ea dark-coloured, and has au effect on tht^ colour of the bill. When the ducklint:^ are six weeks or two months old they may have whol« oats, ship biscuita, or any other food ; but if you mean to exhibit you will do well to give occasional feeds of raw meat. It gives growth and make.s weight. Books (F. Hart\ — Crent'a "Canary and other Son^; Birds," Y m can have it free by p:>st from our oflicQ if you enclose Is. Id. ia postage stamps with yonr address. Piping Bullfinch (Dora), — You may vary the food of your Bullfinch by occasionally adding hemp seed to the canary and rape seed ; not too much hemp, for instances are known of blindness and a change of plumage having been brought about when too freely fed upon hemp seed. Now and then give Bully some crushed plain biscuit, and watercress and small salad. The green food will tend to cleanse its stomach. Millet and grass seeds and a little piece of apple may likewise be given. Rape seed, prepared by being soaked a whole niqht in water, then the water strained off, and the seed partly dried by being rubbed in a cloth or towel, is a good diet for Bulltinches when thoy appear dull; and it would suit "Dora's" bird when iu its melancholic lit. As to the quantity of food a Bullfinch should eat iu one day, is a matter we cannot attempt to regulate. Much depends upon the appetite. Some birds waste more than they eat. Wastefulness is often caused through a want of discretion in too freely supplyint,' the seed drawer or fountain with food, much of which is found mixed with the dirt nr sand on the bottom of the cige. Were we to suggest the idea of only a certain portion of food being supplied some half-dozen times during each day, we are fearful we should be entailing too much trouble upon "Dora," and after alt Master Bnlly would not eat much less daily than his 1 \ v?.. We do not consider the bird to be a glutton. Bullfinches iu their wild and natural life seek for their food when they require it, and our advice is. Let the bird have its daily i-upply, with access to it at any time during the day when the appetite reqtiires appeasing. Do not pamper the bird with delicacies such as pastry or sugar (we have no cause for supposing you do), and let it have a supply of grit-sand on the cage- bottom. Probably the bird has been kept too warm, and its system brought into a poor state through artificial heat. This may be the cause of its rufhed feathers. Let Bully have access occasionally to a good-sized cage, and if the bnd will take a cold bath now and then so mnch the better. Cleanliness, exercise, pure water, and fresh air will do more for its health than the physician. Bullfinches are very fond of most kinds of berries and buds of trees. Examine the crevices and haunts of your Brllfinch's habitation, and see that there are no tormentors lurking about until the bird retires to roost — we will not say rest, for there is no rest when so plagued. Possibly this may be another cause of your bird appearing dull. Our Bullfinch is full of vigour, bright in the eyes, and close ia feather. It has never been in artificial heat, and feeds daily upon hemp, rape, canai-y, millet, liax, groats, and broken biscuit, the same as our three sprightly Goldfinches. One cannot make themselves too familiar with a piping Bullfinch, for a chatty tongue will much speedier gain the good graces of Bally. Feeding Stocks ( iV. K. M.). — The weather has been very trving for weak hives, many of which will have perished during the last three weeks' cold. We would advise you to watch carefully the operations of your bees in the different hives as soon as the weather becomes warm again. If you find pollen-gathering going on with tolerable vi^^'our we should say. Let them alone, but continue to stimulate them with a little food given continuously. If the weak hives you speak of are not likely to maintain a separate existence, then you might join the survivors to one of the other stocks. Sometimes, how- ever, the weak hives of one year become the strong hives nf next year. We hardly tbiuk your weak hive lost life owing to y^ur feeding, but we cannot speak positively, not knowing the full circumstances. Bklgian Hare Rai5bit Eating Her Young (G. A. R.). — We do not think age has aoything to do with the unnatural trick. It is the result of fever and internal derangement. The safeguard is always to keep a doe, especially when near kindling, liberally supplied with green food, and if with water so much the better. In rabbits, as in many other auima's, no mistake is S.I fatal as high feeding for a time before parturition. We do not beUeve this would have happened had she had access to water and been well supplied with green food. METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, Cauden Sqcare. London. I Lftt. 51« 32' 40" N. ; Long. 0^ 3' 0" W. ; Altitude, 111 feet. Date. 9 A.U. In the Day. oi », Shade Tern- Radiation a 1875. •a a ■;«s peratare. Temperature. S s^ a|r Marob. In On a^S-^ Dry. ■Wet. Q° H Max. Min. san. grass ieg. dee. de2. deg. deu. dee. In. We. 3 29 8.11 1 S4.6 33 3 N. 33.9 38 5 31.4 453 314 Til. 4 29 933 34.H S3.5 N. 35.0 4J.2 29 9 62 3 28 1 — Kri. 6 30.002 828 31.7 N.e. 35.3 44 8 87.1 70 6 25.4 0.C79 Sat. e 29.772 41.G 40.2 s.s «■.. 35 5 49.5 31.8 50.1 29.2 0.142 San. 7 29 873 53 0 51.0 s.w. 37.2 68.6 40 5 83 3 38.6 0.284 Mo. « 80 0^9 5!.6 51-9 s.w. 41.6 ,57 8 49 8 68.9 48.1 — Ta. 9 29.860 S2.4 47.8 w. 43.1 55.2 49.7 102.1 46.3 — Means 29911 1 12.9 41.3 37.4 49.5 37.2 69.7 35 3 0.505 REMARKS. 3rd.— A dull grey day, but beautiful starlit night. 4th. — Rather misty in early morning, but very bright for two or three hours in the midiie of the day. frosty and bright at night. 5th. — White frost in the morning, followed by a most beautifully bright day throughout. ["^ay* 6th. — Rainy and dark, a few gleams of sunshine, but as a whole a dull damp 7th. — Fiue morning; very bright about noon; but rain commenced about 8 P.M., and continued at intervals all day. 3tb. — Very fine rain and ver>' warm; fair from 1 p.m , when it wag very bright; wind very high all night. 9th.— Rainy and windy in the early morning; but very bright before 10 a.m., and 80 continued ; wind going down soon after noon. Th^ northerly winds «ave way on Saturday the fith. and the temperature rose rapidly, even the soil 1 foot deep risiu,? neaily lu- during the week. The effect upon vegetation has been very marked. — G. J. Svmons. COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— MiRCH 10. The supply ha? somowiiat improve I duriuj the la^t few davs, and that is the only alteratioa worth notice. The late.st cirgoot St. Michael's Pines was scarcely so g)ji a? thjso previoa-ily receive I, aui the rates generally were lower. The ordinarv Oringes fro n tben^e Uive baen vary uu^atiafiitory this season. Some samples of Tangerines, however, are very g jod. March 18, 1875. ] JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 211 WEEKLY CALENDAR. Day Day ol of Mouth Week. 18 Th 19 F 20 S 21 Son 23 M 23 To 24 W MARCH 18—24, 1875. Royal Society 8.30 p.w. Linnean Society 8 p.m. Royal Institution at 8 p.m. Palm Sunday. GeographiL^al Society at H.SO p.m. Royal Medical ami Chiriir^'ical Society at 8.30 p.m. Glasgow llorticultural Society, Sprint: Exhibition. Average Tomperature near Louduu. Sun Kibes. Day. NiEht. 49.9 S8.0 50.9 83.0 51.1 83.8 50.7 325 50.4 84.3 50.7 83.1 4B.7 81.7 Mean. m. h. 41.5 I 9a(B 41.9 ] 42.5 41.6 43 3 41.9 40.2 Sun Sets. Moon Kiseg. m. h. 7 at 6 9 6 h. Oaf a Moon Seta. Moon's Ace. Days. 11 12 13 • 15 16 17 Clock before bun. i; 42 6 23 Day of Year. 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 8S.6< From obseryations takca near London daring forty-three years, the averafje day temperature of the week is 50.3^; and its night temperature HAEDY ANNUALS FOR ANY GARDEN. HESE flowers afford delight to many by their graceful forms, quiet yet varied colours, and their simplicity of culture. They are specially adapted to the many who possess neither greenhouse nor frames, and whose circumstances preclude them making large purchases for their gardens of popular bed- ding plants. The owners of small unpre- tending gardens who have to plan and con- trive to make this part gay, that bright, and the other sweet, often derive more actual enjoyment from their home plots than do those whose larger enclosures have the superintendence of professional care, the owners of which know nothing of the pleasure of preparing. It is indeed true that there is more pleasure in working than the indolent dream of — more enjoyment in making our own homes attractive by our own hands than those trained in luxury can be made to understand. This is especially so in regard to gardening and the cultivation of flowers. Look at the rosarian. Ho may have at his command sufficient assistance to produce the blooms ready for enjoyment ; but that would not be enjoyment to him — he must have a share in the producing, or his choicest flowers will be deprived of a measure of their beauty, and be robbed of a portion of their delightful breath. No ; he must himself labour to make his enjoyment full — he must be up with the sun of summer, pick out the worm from the buds, and sweep the green fly from the trusses, and then, when the perfect blooms unfold their beauty, is true enjoyment felt. But it is not even then complete. He must first call his friends to rejoice with him, or cut a dainty flower to cheer some cherished relative or im- prisoned invalid before he can feel a fuller magnitude of the pleasures his garden gives. Or he must — as he has often done — hasten breakfastless away to some murky town and spread his work before tlie multitude, and if the fame of a " first prize " is awarded to his products then is the triumph complete ; but if he fails, what dis- appointment ! No ; if the true lover of flowers sees others have flowers better than his own he will rejoice in their success, and buckle on his armour more firmly, will be up earher and work harder, and the more persistent his application the greater his daily pleasure, and the more pleasant his dreams of hope and of future success. The wife of a clergyman has written these lines — " I am an invalid, and my means are limited, but my simple garden is my solace ; it is small — to you insignificant — but is a paradise on earth to me : tell me of some simple flowers that will grow at my bidding, and which will, with such trifling care as I am able to bestow with my own hands, make my home-walks pleasant." That was a charming, a pathetic appeal from a delicate lady to a sunburnt son of toil. That lady enjoys her little garden with as great a relish as that bestowed on his by any noble in the land. " Simple flowers," "come at my bidding," " grow with No. 725.— Vol. XXVIII., New Series. my own hands," "small garden," "limited means." What could be done under those conditions than to re- commend hardy annuals ? They were suggested, tried, and answered. Are there others in some degree simi- larly circumstanced ? Possibly, and we pity them for nothing but their failing health. To these, therefore, the same advice may be given, and in the same way ; thUS-;- Annuals are the flowers for you ; but if your garden is overshadowed with trees, if the soil is poor and shallow and has hot been well and deeply dug and manure added, or cannot be made good by digging at once, do not grow them. If when you receive this advice you keep it in hand and seek that of others, and defer to procure seed until late in April or in May, do not sow then. If you cannot find time when the plants are above ground to dress them round with lime and soot, or guano or sharp sand, to prevent the snails from devouring them, do not waste money in purchasing seed ; and if you can- not find in your heart to thin-out the plants where too thick, you will not do justice to the plants or credit to my judgment, and therefore you had better let annuals alone. As to the first condition, annuals will not flourish under trees or in poor shallow soil : it must be deep, good, and the site open. As to the second, if sowing is deferred until the weather becomes hot the plants cannot take firm and deep hold of the soil to procure the moisture they need, and their flowers are in consequence poor and their beauty transient. As to the third, if they are left to sustain unaided the attacks of slugs and snails very few will survive, and the molluscs will assuredly be the victors ; and as to the fourth condition, if the plants are not thinned sufficiently or in time, we have no right to expect a vigorous and prolonged bloom any more than we should reckon that Turnips, Cabbages, or any other crop could attain perfection if left to struggle to maturity in the dense thick seed bed. Now, bearing in mind these cardinal yet oft-neglected points of culture, we advise first of all to sow during the first fine weather of March Mignonette freely. Most gardens are too scarce of this sweet old plant. If sown early in good soil, and the plants eventually thinned to 5 or 6 inches apart, and it be cut freely and have the bulk of the seed pods clipped off, it will continue fresh all through the summer. The seed is best sown in shallow drills. Next, where a floral hedge is desired to act as a dividing line between one part of the garden and another, sow as soon as possible Sweet Peas. For this purpose they have no equal, and for cut bloom they are indispensable. They are frequently sown a month too late, and do what small garden Peas do under the same conditions— produce weak rows, small flowers, and poor crops. If in May a term of hot weather is foreseen, or whether it is or not, a row of tall Nast'-rtium seeds may be planted .3 inches apart at the foot ui" the row, and they will produce plants to run up the sticks, and form a hedge over the Peas and commence blooming just when "the Pea flowers fail in July. These Nasturtiums will continue until the frost. No. ISSl.— Vol. LIII., Old Sekif.s. 212 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. t March 18, 1875. But perhaps a dividing row of lower growth may be pre- ferred, and this may be provided by Larkspurs. A mixed row of the dwarf varieties has an effect all its own, and, if not of long duration, it is worth space for its attractive beanty during the month of July. A row of the branching varieties is taller and less dense, but will continue in bloom much longer than the former — indeed, if the seed spikes are clipped off, which is nice employment for a lady, the plants will grow and flower throughout the season. Early sowing and deep good ground are essentials of success, while late sowing and poor boU will lead to certain disappointment. Sow the seed in drills pre- cisely as Onion seed is sown, and expect a reward. Now for a few bed and border annuals. It must be eon- ceded that if masses of bloom are required from June to October very few annuals will give them ; but, what is some- times forgotten, neither will all the bedding plants, as they are not established until July. But even for tilling beds, a few annuals can be found which possess lasting qualities and a decision of colour which bedding plants cannot surpass. Do you ask for a scarlet annual suitable for a bed which in colour is equal to a Geranium and nearly or quite as lasting, and we name Nasturtium Tom Thumb Scarlet ; and one of which the flowers are more brilliant still by contrast with the bluish-green fohage, is King of Tom Thumbs. The seed should be sown to 2 to 3 inches deep about the middle or towards the end of March. Snails or slugs will not eat Nas- turtiums, which is a great advantage. Severe spring frost will sometimes injure them, but if sown deeply the young plants will be safe by not appearing above ground until the weather is genial. The scarlet being duly provided, what shall we have for a bed of rich blue? For this Convolvulus minor is named, selecting for the variety C. tricolor eplendens. That is sur- passingly rich in colour when had true, and makes a glorious bed, which will continue in beanty until destroyed by frost — that is, having deep soil and soakings — not sprinklings — of water if needed. It is beautiful for cut bloom, and the flowers last well in water. This is also a plant which slags will not eat or a few degrees of frost injure. Sow the seed fully an inch deep, and thin-out the plants by degrees to a foot apart. As a long list of names commonly perplexes and bewilders more than benefits those requiring only a few distinct flowers, the aim is to be concise in selection ; but we may name one other blue annual for bedding as adapted to wet localities, and that is the lovely Nemophila insignis. Where the summer rainfall is heavy there is no better bedding plant than this well-known annual. It is a rainy-season plant par excellence, and the deluge of 1872 in the wettest localities in Britain proved its worth. In hot seasons and dry localities it is short-lived, but in rainy districts it will grow and bloom for five or six months — a fact perhaps not generally known. Passing on to a pink bedding annual, Saponaria calabrica has no rival. This plant possesses every quality of a good bedding plant — viz., dense habit, distinct colour, and continu- ous and free-flowering properties. With good soil-preparation and reasonable cultural attention this simple flower makes a perfect and charming bed. We must now look for a white bed, which is not so easy to find amongst the hardy annuals. White-flowering annuals are to be found in plenty, but as a rule they are not lasting. The white variety of the foregoing and the old Sweet Alyssum, A. maritimum, are amongst the most suitable, and with high culture will last nearly all through the season. Clarkia and Candytuft may be, perhaps, more telling, bat they are also more transient. Of yellow bedding annuals there is no lack. The best are the Yellow Tom Thumb Nasturtium and Sanvitalia procum- bens ; there is a double variety of Sanvitalia, but the seed is much less certain to germinate freely than the single form, and for a bed the latter is recommended. A yellow annual with bolder flowers, also lasting if thinned and proper atten- tion given, is the old Eschscholtzia. The above are the principal colours which are required for bedding, but a crimson may be required. Linum grandiflorum makes a glowing bed, and is more lasting when the seed is Bown in the bed at the end of March than when it is sown, as is frequently the case, on a prepared bed, and the seedlings are transplanted. To that is added the old Malope grandiflora. Seed of this sown in rich soil in March, the plants duly thinned out and eventually pegged down, culminates in a mass of extreme richness. We have now found annuals suitable for bedding comprising white, scarlet, blue, pink, yellow, and crimson. They are all hardy, or may be treated as such, and are of free and easy growth. As to their lasting qualities this depends on the cultivator carrying out the hints of guidance above narrated. Annuals for mixed borders are set aside by the exigencies of space. Half-hardy annuals, as Stocks, Asters, &c., can all be grown admirably by the " glassless amateur," especially if seed is not sown until something more is heard from — A SUKBEY GaKDENEE. THE HOSE GARDEN IN WINTER. " There's never anything about Koses now," I sighed this morning as with eager fingers I cut open the pages of our Journal. " I wonder why no one says a word about them week after week?" " Well, dear, you should write something your- self," said the lady who usually stands expectant at my elbow as the welcome pages are hastily run through in search of articles of interest, and inquires, " Anything in the Journal to-day?" The lady's "anything" has reference chiefly to Ro=es and fowls. I remember that when first I began to ride my two hobby- horses I had great difficulty in inducing a certain person who shall be nameless to mount behind me. But now Well, I'm not quite sure that I haven't to ride behind myself! On one of the hobbies, at all events, my proper place appears to be the seat nearest the tail. How times do change ! But how happy am I even in that position compared with those the comfort of whose ride is being continually spoiled by feminine attempts to drag them from the saddle. However, being mounted and incited (from behind on this occasion) to " go 'long," let us see where our " Bosinante " will carry us. First of all let us congratulate ourselves and all growers of Roses on the glorious weather we are having at present. For nearly fourteen days frost and snow, and hail and sleet, casters and north-easters, with occasionally the pure breath of the northern king, have been doing their best to keep our too bumptious pets in their proper places. There is a proper time for everything, as the wise man remarks ; and certainly with Eoses there's a time to grow and a time to refrain from growing. Having had their early ardour quenched, let us hope that this season they will chooEe the latter better and more appropriate part for the next six weeks to come. Our prospects here are good ; for though the too warm February sun in the early part of the month coaxed out a few little tender leaves on the points of the shoots, the latter half of the month has effectually compensated for this mistaken in- dulgence. Oh, north-east wind ! I love jou in February and March, but I dread you in May. Certainly the rosery affords one great pleasure even in winter. How nice it is to walk round and " take stock " — to cotmt over this row of Marie Baumanu, to reckon up that line of Madame Rothschild ! How often in imagination one clothes the leafless plants with glorious summer foliage and still more glorious flowers ! How tenderly one bends over that puny re- presentative of a new, and possibly a famous, name in time to come ! Here is the batch of dwarfs on Manetti transplanted last November put-in in capital time, just before the heavy rain set in. How comfortable they look, carefully staked and liberally mulched. Observe, too, that the wood, which shri- velled slightly at first, is now fresh and plump to the very tips. Walk down the rows, how well they have moved ! There is not a dead or sickly one among them. Now we come to the batch of dwarfs on seedling Briar stocks, strangers from Ox- ford ; and well indeed they look, everyone apparently a man (or Rose) of might, ready to do, but I hope not to die. Here are the standards : these have not been moved this season, and consequently look a little leafy at the end of the shoots, but nothing to hurt. Boreas has put that all to rights for ns. Dr. Andry, Charles Lefebvre, Abel Grand, Alfred Colomb, La France — oh ! as I read your names what visions rise before me ! Bat now we will have a look at the stocks budded last summer. The Briars, I grieve to say, did not take well, and display several blanks in the rows. The weather was very scorching when the buds were put in, and the ground dry. Seedling Briars better than I expected, but still not quite even. The buds remain quite dormant as yet. Dwarfs on Manetti a good take, hardly a bud failed. But— and there is a " but" — look down the rows, how many of the buJs have begun already to shoo ! Well, one cannot have everything. It is a good stock, easy to propagate, easy to bud, easy to cultivate when budded, Maroh 18, 1875. 1 JOURNAL OP HOBTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 213 for it throws up hardly any snokers, but it certainly is a trifle too excitable. Now for the Teas. Mart'ohal Niel, you are aa usual too for- ward. Here is one climbing over the warm side of a poultry house covered with bloom buds already. Nice havoc there would have been had it not been sheltered with a few yards of unbleached calico. As it is there is no damage done, and we may look for some early blooms. Four or live plants of the same variety against a woodeu fence facing south-east left un- protected are all cut. Climbing Devouieusis not quite so for- ward againet walls and houses, very slightly frostbitten. Strong- growing Teas in open border look well. Madame Berard, where not moved last autumn, a little too forward. This is a good Kose. Moderate-growiug Teas all alive and doing well. Now we will bid farewell to the garden. But what is that little glass house in the corner there ? Can we induce our steed to enter, or is his head too high ? " That, sir, is our forcing house — small, it is true, for we are not rich, nor can we measure our gla;S by the thousand feet, neither have we a dozen gardeners at command ; but, sir, we love Eoses, and Koses we must have summer and winter if possible. Enter, and you shall enjoy vernal — yea, summer pleasures, though the paths outside are white with snow, aud icicles dangle from the shoots. Behold the Mnrechal clothing the back wall, and one of the sides ladtu with some two hundred buds, many of them just about to expaud. See there pale Eubens smiling with modest joy in this haven of rest where no rude blast can enter. Here, too, is Catherine Mermet just unfolding its shelly petals ; and here are Princass Mary of Cambridge, gentlest and most tractable of all Koses for forcing ; Comtesse d'Oxford, Marie Baumann, Madame Eothschild, Aohille Gonod, Marguerite de St. Amand, Madame A. de Eougemont, and many others clothed in summer dress, and well set with buds." Did you ever read what the veteran Elvers wrote with re- ference to the grafting of Roses? " What can be done," says he, " in the way of propagation in so small a house (12 feet by 8) with method is quite astonishing." Aud I may echo his words and say, " What can be done in the way of forcing both Eoses and other flowering plants with a very small house is truly astonishing. You may, at all events, keep your green- house, or conservatory if you have one, always full of flowers, and cut a Rose if you are so minded every day of the year." — R. W. Beachey. STRAWBERRY FORCING. Strong, healthy plants are necessary to success, and the way I have found to produce them may be acceptable. I do not con- cur in the plan of layering the runners on the ground where the plants are growing, for if it is a wet season they are apt to be choked by weeds and other runners, and must suffer root- mutilatiou by removal. If layered in their fruiting pots it is difficult to make the pots stand level, besides bruising the fruit in watering. Some prefer the plan of layering in small pots, using a peg or stone to keep the runners down, and urge that they derive support from the parent plant, which is about all the support they do get, for what moisture can such pots retain in a midsummer sun ? The best plan, in my opinion, is to procure in the latter part of June strong healthy runners free from red spider, out them with about an inch of stalk before and after the runner, pot in thumb pots in light soil, place in a frame, giving them a good watering ; shade with mats whenever the sun shines on them, syringe morning and evening, and keep them close, and with good management they will be ready to pot in a month. I use 6-inch pots and a compost of turfy loam with one-third rotten manure, no leaf soil being required. As soon as potted they are placed on ashes close together (as if a distance apart they only dry more) in a position partly shaded from the mid- day sun by distant trees. In the beginning of September they become too thick, and are x-emoved to a more sunny position along the sides of walks running east and west. If worms are troublesome we use lime water. The pots are turned on their sides daring heavy rains, but not put in frames till frosts occur, then the lights are always drawn off, excepting frost and rain. The varieties are Keens' Seedling, which I find is still the best early kind ; Viscomtesse HC-ricart de Thury, this is a good grower, very prolific, and of excellent flavour; and Sir Joseph Paxton, a variety that produces fruit of better shape in pots than outdoors, is very solid and of excellent flavour. Victoria (Trollope) is discarded, for it is of poor flavour, keeping but very little time after gathering, and a pale colour ; the only point in its favour is heavy cropping, and is suitable for those who prefer quantity to quality. Keens' Seedling is grown in 48's. These are large enough for the earliest gatherings, the rest in C-inch pots, which I consider are not too large. I never water with liquid manure until after the fruit is set. A moist atmosphere prevents red spider. Turf placed on shelves may be all very well for 48's, but with careful watering I think it is not required for larger pots. Now a word or two as to outdoor cultivation. If the ground is trenched and manured heavily plants ought to re- main in good condition for at least five years. The first seaEon or two the crop may be heavier than subsequently, but they are not exhausted. Plant in September, bo as to obtain a good start before winter, 'i feet G inches from row to row, and 2 feet in the rows. Old forced plants, as they are a season in advance, are preferable to young plants. Give a good coating of rotten manure in November alter having given the ground a good Dutch hoeing to cleanse it of all weeds. Do not attempt to dig the manure in, for the heavy rains during winter will wash-in all the goodness, and digging would only destroy the roots. Before flowering give the ground a cover- ing of clean Utter. I do not use hay, aa it may turn mouldy and destroy the fruit. — G. P., jnN. CALANTHES AT DRUMLANRIG. Calanthes are grown to greater perfection at Drumlanrig than at any other place at which I have seen them tried. The principal varieties are C. vestita rubra, C. Veitchii, C. vestita lutea ooulata, aud C. vettita lutea flava. The second last named produces large pure white blooms, which are exquisitely pretty and afford a nice contrast with C. Veitchii. When I saw them last autumn they were nearly in full bloom ; some were grow- ing in 6-inch pots, and others were growing in those 4 inches larger. The bulbs in some of these were as large as a 3-inch pot, consequently a 10-iuch pot did not contain a great number of them. In pots of the last-named size I counted as many as sixteen and eighteen flower spikes, some of them being a yard long, and carrying from thirty to forty-five blooms each. The greater number of the flowers were open, a few only at the end of each spike not being fully expanded. Your readers can form some idea of this marvellous sight when I say there were upwards of seven hundred open Calanthe blooms in a 10-inch pot ; dozens of potfuls were in the same splendid order. Armfuls of them were used as cut flowers when the family were stajing in the Castle, and when they went to Bowhill a large boxful was sent once a- week to them, and many decayed without ever being cut. Tljey are very valuable for vase and room decoration, as they keep fresh a long time in such a position. The mixture they are grown in at Drumlanrig consists of rough peat, silver sand, a sprinkling of loam, and a little sphagnum. When in full growth they are occasionally watered with manure water. They are rested after flowering, but not allowed to dry-off or starve at any season. — J. Muir. LINUM TRIGYNUM AS A WINTER-BLOOMING PLANT. This beautiful evergreen shrub is usually described as having been introduced from India in 1799 and as flowering in June. Don describes it as a greenhouse shrub which flowers in July. There is no doubt that this is the period of its blooming in its native habitat — the Adivaanee Mountains, and also as culti- vated in the gardens around Cawnpore and Lucknow. Dr. Smith has, however, published a figure of it in his "Exotic Botany " for February, 1785, and informs ug that it flowered in the stove of Mr. Greville at Paddington in the preceding December. It has therefore been known as a winter-blooming plant for nearly a century. It is not often we see justice done to this fine old plant, it being generally found in a half-starved state in greenhouses, and producing a few straggling flowers towards the end of summer. That was evidently the case in the time of Don, and it is the case now ; but it is worthy of better treatment, and, it this be accorded, it will give a reward by a profusion of its clean bright yellow flowers in the depth of winter. When in bloom the lower temperature of the conservatory or greenhouse appears to be in no way prejudicial to the plant, but during 214 JODENAL OF HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GABDENEE. [ March 18, 1875. the period of its growth it must have a more congenial atmo- sphere to bring it to perfection. The plan I adopt with a fair amount of suoeess is to secure healthy cuttings and strike them towards the end of March or in April. With a brisk heat they take root quickly and are potted in 3-inch pots, using a compost of good strong loam, manure, and sharp sand. The plants are pinched as soon as they become established, and the pinching is continued at every second or third joint : by this means a compact plant of agreeable shape is secured. They are shifted-on as required, and are eventually bloomed in 7 and 8-inch pots. They are grown on shelves in the stove or other position where they can have hght and air, and are duly attended to by syringing and watering. Indeed they have just the same treatment in regard to temperature as the Poinsettias, and are grown with them all through the summer as the best scarlet and the best yeUow winter-blooming plants we possess. The pinching is continued until the end of September, and by this time they are compact bushy plants a foot in diameter and about the same in height. They literally cover themselves with their bright yellow flowers, and are dense bails of bloom for three or four months when the colour is particularly telling. They contrast admirably with Primulas and the usual flower- ing plants of the period, and are recommended to be more generally cultivated. The main points of culture are to secure young plants every year, to grow in a warm genial temperature, to pinch fre- quently, syringe copiously, and give them strong rich soil. When the cultivator has done his duty the plants will do theirs, and will add a brightness to the houses which few, if any, plants of the period can surpass. As the time is near for commencing preparations to secure a stock of this excellent winter plant, this short narrative of practice may not be inopportune to some of the many readers of the Journal, who, it is hoped, will no longer neglect to cul- tivate this too-much-ncglected plant. — J. Christie. BOTAL HORTICULTUKAL SOCIETY. Makch 17th. The strength of the Exhibition undoubtedly lay in the groups of plants staged by nurserymen, of which the most prominent were the Camellias from Mr. Wm. Paul; the Hyacinths, and Cyclamena, and miscellaneous groups of Messrs. Veitch; and the mixed collections ct Mr. B. S. Williams and Mr. Wills. Mr. AldouB also exhibited a small yet healthy collection of decora- tive plants. A group of Cyclamens from Mr. Goddard, gardener to H. Little, Esq., were very good, but of course not equal to the splendid plants in ClaEses li and 10 which received the first prizes for thirty and twelve plants respectively. Class 3, Hyacinths. There were only two competitors, Mr. Douglas being first with bold spikes and good foliage ; Mr. G. Toms, gardener to H. Wetenhall, Esq., The Poplars, Stoke Newiugton, being placed second. Amongst the best of Mr. Douglas's group were L'Innocence, pure white ; King of the Blues, very intenBe; Von Schiller, red; Koh-i-noor, pink, General Havelock, dark blue, and Ada, bu£f; Grandeur ;i Merveille, waxy white ; Laurens Koster, blue ; Macaulay, Mimosa, Grand Lilas, and De CandoUe. Mr. Douglas was the only exhibitor in class 5 for six new Hyacinths, and had the first prize fur Diana, fine blue; Prince Imperial, blue, white eye ; Alice, mauve ; Oxford, very dark blue ; Helen, pink ; and Starlight, blue with white eye. Class 7, for twelve pots of Tulips, there were also two entries, Mr. Douglas being more decidedly ahead of Mr. Toms than in the Hyacinths. Mr. Douglas's twelve comprised massive blooms of the following — Chrysolora, bright yellow ; Vermillion Brilliant, Van der Neer, Proserpine (fine), Pottebakker, and Fabiola, all in duplicate. Class 10, for six Orchids (nurserymen), Mr. Williams was the only exhibitor, and had Odontoglossum Alexandra- with a mag- nificent spike of sixteen perfect blooms ; Cypripedium villosum, Cymbidium eburneum, Vanda suavis, Lycaste Skiuneri, and the distinct Masdevullia Lindeni. In Class 22, for eighteen hardy spring flowers in pots, the first prize was awarded to Mr. Dean, Ealing (the only exhibitor). They comprised well-bloomed pots of the following :— Litho- spermnm prostratum. Iris reticulata, Arabia albida var. piascox, Viola Victoria Regina, new bedding Pansy WLite Swan (a pro- mising variety), Myosotis dissitiflora, Grape Hyacinths, double Daisy, white, red, and mauve Hepaticas, Aubrietia purpurea, Scilla bifolia albn, Saxifraga oppositifolia rosea, and Primroses Sulphurata, Single Mauve, and Crimson Queen. Class 23, six hardy Primroses (acaulis type) double. Mr. Dean was again alone with Double Bose (brigtit). Double Crimson, very rich, and doubles Lilac, Sulphur, Primrose, and White. He was in the same position in Class 24, six single Primroses of the same type, and had excellently bloomed pots of Fairy Queen, Mauve Queen, Crimson Banner, Violacea, Rosy Morn, and Charmer; also in Class 25 for six plants of the Polyanthus type. The whole of these hardy flowers were very attractive, especially the single Primroses in Class 24. Silver medals were awarded to the following collections : — Mr. Williams's group comprised a good plant of Adiantum gracilh- mum, Phalasnopsis Sctiilleriana, Abutilon Selowiauum marmora- tum, Amaryll is Mendeli (a grand variety), .EchmaeaMariiB-lleginse, itc. Messrs. Veitch had small but beautifully-bloomed plants of Clematis in variety, chastely marked and telling Amarylhs, a basket of Rhododendron (prajcox) Early Gem, lifted from the open ground the day previous, and full of flower ; fine pots of Crocus, a glorious bank of Hyacinths, &c. Mr. Wills had highly attrac- tive examples of Abutilon Selowiauum marmoratum, Phyllan- thus nivosus, and P. mimosiefolia, P'icus Parcelli, Crotons Weis- maui and majesticum, Termiualia elegans, Phyllarthron com- morenae, Panax excelsa, the distinct and interesting Xylophylla latifolia, Cupania undulata, &c. These plants were very clean and healthy. Mr. W. Paul's Camellias were medium-sized plants iu perfect health, and exceedingly floriferous. Com- pacta alba, Alba plena, Jenny Lind, La Reine, Montironi vera, and Inuocenza were amongst the best of the white varie- ties. Conspicuous amongst the reds were Leeana superba, Mathotiana, and Beali; and of the pinks Comtesae Woronzofl, Reine dea Pleura, Madame Lebois, Augustine superba, and Storyi were the best. Bronze medals were awarded to Mr. Aldous for his miscel- laneous group and to Mr. Goddard for his collection of Cyclamens. Fruits. — In Class 28, for two bunches of late black Grapes, Mr. Ridout, gardener to W. S. Brown, Esq., Woodhatoh Lodge, Reigate, was first with splendid Alicantes ; Mr. Wildsmith, gardener to Viscount Eversley, second with excellently-finished Lady Downes' ; and Mr. Donaldson, gardener to Lord Chesham, third with Alicante. (Four entries). In Class 30, for three kinds of dessert Apples, Mr. Parsons, gardener to R. Attenborough, Esq., Fairlawn, was first with fine dishes of Blenheim Orange, Scarlet Nonpariel, and Rib- ston Pippin ; the second prize going to Mr. Clark, gardener to Rev. A. D. Stacpoole, Writtle, Cbelmsford. (Three entries). In Class 31, for three kinds of kitchen Apples, Mr. Parsons, gardener to R. Attenborough, Esq., was first with fine speci- mens of Alfriston, Blenheim Orange, and Wellington (Dume- low's Seedling). Mr. Woodbridge, gardener to the Duke of Northumberland, having the second prize. (Pour entries ) In Class 32, for dessert Pears, Mr. Clarke was first with Ne Plus Meuris, Beurre Ranee, and Knight's Monarch, also in the next class for kitchen Pears. Vegetables. — In Class 33, for twelve crowns of Seakale, the first prize waa awarded to Mr. Clarke, gardener to the Kev. A. D. Stacpoole. (One entry.) Class 30, for twenty-four Muahrooms, Mr. Record had it all to himself with leally splendid examples of high culture. Class 38, for one brace of Cucumbers, the only entry waa by Mr. Douglas with a beautiful brace of his Tender and True, which is evidently a variety of the highest excellence. Feuit Committee. — Henry Webb, Esq., in the chair. Mr. Clark, gardener. The Vicarage, Writtle, Essex, sent fruit of an Apple said to be Gravenstein, but which proved to be Reinette Baumau. Mr. Bennett, the Gardens, Hatfield, sent a dish of Lowndes' Pippin, a tender-fleshed brisk Apple. He also sent a dish of Uvedale's St. Germain Pears, to which a letter of thanks was awarded. Mr. Monro of Potter's Bar sent a box of Duke of Edinburgh Cucumber containing a dozen fruit, which were much admired, and to which a cultural commendation was awarded, it having already received a first-class certificate. The plants were planted on the 9th of January, and the first fruit cut on the 8th of February. They were grown without bottom heat. Flokal Committee.— R. B. Postans, Esq., in the chair. A first-class certificate was awarded to Mr. H. Bennett, Salisbury, for Rose Hippolyte Jamain. Votes of thanks were given to Mr. R. Dean for a basket of Primroses ; to Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt, for two boxes of cut Roses; and to Mr. E. Bennett, gardener to the Marquis of Salisbury, for a spike of Hedychium Gardnerianum ; and cultural certificates to Mr. W. Wilson, gar- dener to — Adams, Esq., for Cattleya Amethyatiglossa, and to Mr. W. Shorten for four Cyclamens. Lilt of the Valley — Fly Okchis.— In a wood at Eoudsea near to Holker Hall, Lancashire, the seat of his Grace the Duke of Devonshire, the Lily of the Valley grows most luxu- riantly, and year by year many thousand roots and hundreds of large bunches of the flowers are brought away by the neigh- Moi-ch 18, 1875. ] JOURNAL OP HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 215 bonring inhabitants, who make the wood a favourite day's resort at the season when the Lily ia in bloom. The supply seems to bo endless, and if growers would only study the nature of the Lily no fear need be entertained of reproducing the plant year after year. I dud that by placing a number of roots in any useless corner of the garden under trees I can have an unlimited supply. At the present time I have a vast bed in a place where no other flower will grow, and which bed has been there for fifteen years. In the wood above mentioned we come occasionally upon what is locally known as the Fly Orchid (Ophrys muscifera or Twayblade). It more closely resembles a fly having alighted on a green blade than anything I have ever seen under house cultivation ; but despite all efforts I have made, I have been unable to grow them. Can any of your readers assist me with this information? — Beta, Ulocrston, OUR BOEDER FLOWBBS— MASTEEWORTS. This is a small family of border plants of no very striking character, yet interesting as affording variety. I am not aware that we have a native species in this group, yet I believe that Astrantia major is considered by some to be naturalised in our climate. Most of the kinds we have in cultivation are from the Caucasus. They require no particular treatment, but will flourish in moderately good garden soil. They are moisture- loviug plants, but should not be saturated with water. Astrantia maxima and A. major are well adapted for shady places in what is termed a wilderness or open spaces in the shade of trees. Astrantia pauciflora and A. minor are worthy of a place in the herbaceous border. A. carniolica is the most interesting of the family, and is worthy of careful atten- tion ; it thrives well in a soil composed of good sound loam, leaf mould, with a little sand all mixed well together, and to ba attended to with water. Their star-like flowers make them desirable where cut flowers are in request. They continue iu bloom for a length of time, and are easily increased by division either in spring or autumn. DONDIA EPIPAOTIS. _ Many of our early spring flowers are now appearing above ground, and will soon reward us for our care of them with their cheerful presence and varied forms. A little diminutive plant seldom met with is beginning to put iu an appearance — viz., Dondia Epipactis. It is sometimes called Astrantia Epipactis and Hacquetia Epipactis, and these synonymes are often not a little puzzling to the uninitiated. To see this little gem to perfection it should be grown in pots in a compost of sandy loam, peat, leaf mould, a little Band, with some broken sandstone in a rough state all mixed together. It requires good drainage, and a rather shaded situation will suit it exactly. It should on no account be Buffered to become dry when well established. When grown in a G-inch pot the surface of the soil should be covered with pebbles or spar, and when the little disk-like flowers and leaves appear through them they have a very pleasing effect. • I have seen plants do well iu a peat border and on a rockery, and they may also be kept plunged among alpines or placed iu a cool fernery. This plant is increased by division after it has completed its growth. Time, patience and care are re- quired to work up a stock. When well established they last for a considerable time. Being of diminutive stature and unable to endure rough handling, I fear that its cultivation will still continue to be neglected. — Veritas. MRS. PINCE'S GRAPE. I CAN endorse the opinion of your correspondent Mr. Harri- son Weir (see page 158) as regards the quality of this tine Grape, which we find here to be the best flavoured of all the late-keeping sorts. The last bunches are now being used, although to all appearance they would keep good for at least another month, as not a single berry is decayed. In some instancas, however, the jet-blaek colour of the fruit has given place to a foxy red, but without the slightest deterioration of flavour. I should, however, be sorry to follow the example of your correspondent in pulling up all the Lady Downes' variety. We have here a house devoted to the two varieties above named planted rod for rod, and for late keeping both are found to be excellent. Another house of like dimensions is planted with West's Black St. Peter's and Black Alicante, and these sorts, although they are doing as well as could be desired, the fruit is nevertheless greatly inferior to that of Lady Downes' and Mrs. Piuce. I should not recommend the extensive planting of either West's Black St. Peter's or Alicante; the former, although a very good variety, is too thin-skinned to hang late in the season, while the skin of the Alicante becomes of a very tough leathery texture, and is very deficient iu flavour. Lady Downes' seldom shrivels, and retains its pleasantly piquant flavour to the last ; but Mrs. Pince is certainly the best flavoured of all the late-keeping sorts that I am acquainted with. — P. Gkieve, Culfonl. NOTES FROM MY GARDEN IN 1874. GBEENnOUSB. In my small way I have not — indeed, cannot have — much to record that will interest others ; but as I have oftentimes found that I was glad of hints which others might have hardly thought worth giving, it may be that even these trifling matters may help some amateur who keeps his little boat close to shore, as I am obliged to do. Camellias, then, were, let me say, a failure with me, save in the case of one or two plants, and this 1 attribute to my having placed them out of doors iu summer — a plan, I am aware, often recommended, but one which requires great caution ; for if either the pots are so placed that worms can get into them, or watering is neglected, it is fatal to the blossoming ; the buds are developed to a certain size, and then they gradually become brown and drop off, and this latter is often the case when there is dripping weather iu the autumn. The surface of the pots looks moist and the foliage fresh and green, and one is deceived as to the real state of the balls and roots. My general plan is to leave the few I have in the lower house under the shade of the Vines during the summer, and then move them into the upper house for the winter and spring ; but last year I did not do so, and hence to a great extent the cause of my failure. There are some kinds, such as Dachesse do Berri and Mrs. Abby Wilder, which I find drop the buds more readily than others ; while some of the most satisfactory I find to be Sarah Frost, Mathotiana, .Jubilee, Mrs. Cope, Elegans, Chaudleri, and Imbricata. The old Alba plena, one of the very best whites, I find also very liable to drop its buds. Azaleas, on the other hand, were quite a success; indeed they are, with a little care, the easiest grown of all plants, and for a stage of bloom there is nothing to equal them. Strawberries were also a great success, and I find nothing better than Dr. Hogg suit my purpose. A friend has told me that, instead of top-dressing the pots when they are placed on the shelf with old hotbed stuff, I should do better to use nearly fresh cow manure, and I am going to try it this season. I have discarded Primula japonica from the house, and given it a place in the open border. It is doubtless very showy, but to grow it well it takes up a gieat deal of room and does not afford blooms for cutting, and I therefore prefer giving the room to other things. I have introduced a few good-sized plants of Arum, for I am very fond of their large white blooms. Oue of them placed in a tall vase, with a sprig or two of scarlet Geranium and a bit of foliage, looks exceedingly well. Of show Pelargoniums, thanks to my friend Mr. Turner, I had a capital display filling oue side of my house ; and the following is my judgment of the new varieties sent out by him in 1874, at least such of them as I have grown. Blue Boy. — A purplish flower; the top petals of deep colour with a narrow margin, and with a good deal of novelty about it. Countess. — A very grand flower of fine substance ; lower petals salmon pink ; maroon spot on upper petals, white centre. Very good. Chieftain. — A nice, but not first-class flower. Duke of Camhridije. — I think the finest variety of the season ; bright scarlet, medium black blotch on top petals; free-flower- ing, smooth bright variety. Very brilliant and fine flower, and quite an acquisition. Duchess. — Rich crimson flower ; black top petals, narrow edge, white centre. Somewhat delicate in growth. Druid. — Lower petals rosy lilac, maroon spot on top petals. Very dwarf habit. Flora. — Lower petals rosy purple. D warf and free-flowering, but not a first-rate flower. Giant. — Lower petals bright piuk, maroon spot on top petals. Very large, but in form not equal to some others. 216 JOURNAL OF HORTIOULTUEE AND COTTAGE QABDENER. [ March 18, 1875. Protector. — A fine flower ; top petals maroon, with lilac margin ; fine shape. Prince of Wales. — Large flower, habit g cod ; lower petals rosy purple ; top petals maroon, white centre. Iluth. — Cherry rose, new in colour ; email spot on top petals, white centre. A nice pleasing flower. Senator. — A mottled purple flower of medium quality. Statesman. — Lower petals rich crimson, richly shaded ; top petals black with crimson edge. Scottisli Cliieftain. — Lower petals richly painted crimson; top petals dark maroon, with a narrow fiery margin. A good flower. Topsy. — Dark flower, of medium quality. The few Roses that I had in pots bloomed nicely and are looking fairly well again this season ; and amongst the plants I had for my later blooming were some very nice Lilies. L. Humboldti is a very pleasing and fine-looking flower, and L. Leichtlini is exceedingly pretty. I did not succeed in blooming Waehingtonianum, but I saw it very fine with Mr. Backhouse of York, and am hoping to bloom it and others this season. I have said my say about my little house, and I think that, although I cannot pretend to any great cultural skill, I manage to have as much enjoyment out of my small house as most people do ; and some of my friends are fain to confess that they wonder how I manage it. It is but another illustration of the old adage, " Where there's awill there's away." — D., Deal. NOVELTIES IN THE EOYAL GARDENS, KEW In the temperate house a magnificent tree of Acacia deal- bata is beautifully in flower. Thoufih it cannot well come under the above title, it is still worth mention. It is more than 30 feet high, and laden on every branch ; the leaves are glaucous and very Fern-like, forming with the inflorescence of delicate small yellow balls of flowers a very elegant object. These are produced in long racemes or in panicles with a few racemose branches, all bending in the most graceful manner. In addition to the decorative value as a specimen its branches are useful for cutting, either to stand alone in a small vase or to form the basis of an arrangement in which it stands the chief object. The leaves unfortunately fold in sleep at night. For high conservatories the best of the strong-growing Acacias should be considered indispensable. After giving form to the specimen by cutting back, the aim of the cultivator should be to promote free growth, when flowers will be produced in proportion, provided of course that the tree has reached a sufficient maturity. Cuttings may be rooted, but perhaps the best way is to raise from seed, sowing about this time. The young plants will soon become vigorous, and so long as suffi- ciently small will be of value for the foliage to arrange with flowering plants, and may also be used ia the same way as A. lophantha for subtropical combinations. A. dealbata and a few other species are cut down largely in the Australian colonies for the sake of the bark, which contains tannin. So far has this been carried that the trees have nearly disappeared. ToxicorHLJ5A Thuneeroi is flowering in the Palm house. It is a beautiful shrub with opposite dark green coriaceous leaves and pure white sweetly-scented flowers. They are produced in Ixora-like clusters in the axils of nearly all the leaves of the young growth. The branches are slender, with foliage and flowers closely arranged, ready at once to form a wreath. It is rare, and plants elsewhere have probably been had from the Royal Gardens. At the Cape it is known to colonists as the Gift Boom or Poison Tree, and a decoction was formerly used by the natives for poisoning their arrows. A plant very closely allied was sent out by Mr. B. S. Williams about three years ago ; it has been called T. speetabilis. Another species is cultivated under that name, but is appa- rently quite distinct, and of less horticultural value. couservatory, with small garden and fountain in front of it, ia near to the Hall. — P. Geieve. CuLFORD. — Mr. Douglas has made a slight mistake at page 105 in his notes of Culford, as he says, "Of bedding Pelargoniums the best white-flowered variety is a hybrid raised at Culford named Dolly Varden ; it is a cross between a bronze Zonal and P. peltatum elegans." Now, the flowers of this variety are not white, but are of a dark magenta colour ; and what we consider as our best white bedding sort is Bridal Wreath, a hybrid Ivy-leaved sort, but which was not raised here. Fig. 4.3 is represented as the " Conservatory and Flower Garden," it should be the " Garden Cottage, with Flower Garden in Front." The CHIMONANTHUS FKAGEANS. This is a most valuable winter-flowering deciduous shrub or wall plant. It comes into flower just at a time when every sprig of bloom is welcome, and especially those which possess a delicious fragrance. In this respect this plant is invaluable, for its odour is delightful. We have had a supply of bloom twice a-week from the first week in December until the pre- sent time. The blossoms should be plucked oft and placed in glass or other small dishes ; small sprigs of evergreen shrubs mixed with them add to the appearance. Being so hardy and BO easy of cultivation one is surprised at not meeting with it more generally in our gardens. It should be invariably planted in villa gardens, many of which have not the con- venience of glass to force other fragrant flowers which require protection from frost and snow. It can be had of any nursery- man. If planted in a south aspect, no matter whether against a wall or rustic summer house, in the month of April in good garden soil it will make rapid growth. At the end of June the leading shoots should be carefully trained, the remaining shoots should be pinched back, leaving six or eight eyes ; by leaving them long a much longer supply of bloom is secured. Nothing more is required to be done until after the blossoms are all taken off, when the leading shoots should be secured and the remaining laterals pruned back to one eye. — Joseph Peirce. GLASNEVIN GARDENS, DUBLIN. The following is a list of shrubs and flowers in bloom in the open air at Glasneviu Botanic Gardens :^ AnemoDe Btellata ArbutUB tomentoBa Unedo Arabis alpina aurlculata Armeiia cephalotes Aubriotia albida caucasica grreca prandiflora besperidifolia Eulbocodiam vernum Camomile Cardamine rotandifolia Clematis calycina CoroniUa plauca Crocus Busiana and others Cylisiis Alwhinfieri r>oronicum Columnfe Braba altaica rupestris Epimedium colchicum Erica arborea herbacea mediterranea Erytlironium dens-canis Forsythia siispenea viridisbima Gorse Hepatica angnlopa and others Helleborus atrorubens angustifolius abcbasicuB cyclophylJas guttatus HelleboruB praveolens jntermediua niger odortis olyropicuB orieutatis purpureus kamtschaticus Iris retiijulata stylosa Lanrustinus in varieties Leucojum veruum PolyanttiuB Primula macrocalys marfiinata Paliouri Double Yellow Double Purple Double White Pyms jBponiea Pulmouaria sibirica Sasifraga cfC,*pitosa crassifiilia hi^pida oppositifolia alba retnsa Scilla bifolia bifolia alba Bibitica Sisyrincbium albnm Triteleia uuiflora Viola renifonuo Double Purple Wallflowor -P. N. W., Glasnevin, Dublin, NOTES RELATIVE TO THE POTATO. " Beta's " argument is evidently based upon a misconcep- tion, and the point at issue just hinges upon the uncertain opinion of what ia a poor soil and what is a rich one. He evidently agrees with me that mere opinion is of very little value, and if any good is to be gained from a discussion, general results — not of a single season, but of several — must form our basis. In proof of this we have only to refer to " Beta's " statement that in a district on the north-west coast, where "the rainfall is the greatest in England," and the disease is usually so virulent that the Fluke is " wore out " by it, yet the Potato crop of last year was "the soundest in the United Kingdom." The fart is interesting, but is of no par- ticular value, and only serves to prove the truth of another well-known fact — that a hot dry season is favourable to Potato culture in a wet district. There is a great difference in a poor soil enriched by heavy dressings of fat manure and an alluvial deposit requiring none Jlarcb 18, 18?5. ] JOtENAL OF HOBTIOtLTtJEa AND COTTAGE QABDENEB. 217 at all. Alluvial soils are the most fertile of all natural deposits. They contain portions of everything that is washed by the waters by which they are formed. Clay, silica, lime, humus, and a variety of fine gritty substances are intimately blended toRether, abounding in nutriment, and admirably adapted for Potato culture. If the disease was really caused by the use of rich farmyard manure, surely those prowa in such a soil as the above would be perfectly sound. The fact that they are not so affords conclusive evidence that " Beta's " deductions are worthless. It is true that rich manure induces a rank plethoric habit in the haulm, and it is then liable to suffer from disease in a much greater degree than in its normal state. The farmers hereabouts manure their land for Pota- toes at the rate of forty cartloads per acre. I have used double the quantity, and had no blight till the August rain set in. Let " Beta" Iceep to his poor soil and small Potatoes if they content him. I, too, have to deal with a poor soil — so poor that the very weeds will hardly grow upon some portions of it ; but I will use all the manure I ctiu, and care nothing for the blight if I can have the crop housed before the late summer rains begin. Your correspondent is by no means singular in his impression that manure is the cause of disease. It is an old idea to which some persons cling with surprising persistency. It was only a few months ago that I received a copy of an essay, the special object of which was to prove this, and the writer's remedy was actually to burn the manure and apply the ashes to the land ! Three or four years ago some land was taken in hand for Potato culture, which for many years had been so neglected that it was quite innocent of manure. It was a light sandy soil, and so miserably poor that there were very few weeds upon it, although it had been stirred by a plough a few months previously. I was unable to manure the whole of it, and so by way of experimsnt a few perches of the unmanured portion was trenched and planted with Potatoes. The stock was pro- cured from a leading wholesale firm, who stated that the seed was not only untainted, but that it was absoUxtely blightproof. Now mark the result. The crop from these Potatoes was very much diseased, while those in the land which was manured at the rate of half a cartload to the perch were almost free from blight ! — Edward Luckhurst. MEALY BUG. I CAN confirm what Mr. Pearson says on the impossibility of thoroughly eradicating this king of pests. I have recently attempted to clean two plants much infested with it. Gishurst was applied 2 ozs. to the gallon, then 4, and lastly 6 ozs. ; but though apparently got rid of, the pest appeared again, of course from the eggs in the wood, which the compound did not destroy. The injury done to the foliage of one Ixora by so strong a dose is most apparent, and the appearance of the specimen is bad and unpleasant. I am glad, of course, to say that I have very little mealy bug, though in a large collection of plants like mine I believe it would he impossible to be absolutely without it, and the rapidity with which it increases makes it a most formidable foe. I hate the sight of it. I am equally careful with Mr. Pearson in examining plants from nurseries, but it not unfre- quently happens that they are superficially cleaned before being sent away, and thus the eye is deceived. In a few days — almost hours I might say — out comes the pest, and you wonder where it could possibly have lurked. I daily pick all oft with the hand that I can see, using a fine but blunt instrument ; and one of my gardeners used to say he believed I could smell them, as they never escaped my notice. If I received a plant badly infested I should either destroy it immediately or return it to the sender. To keep the insect down daily vigilance is absolutely necessary ; no occasional measures will suffice, and now is the time to be specially active and watchful. — T. M. Shuttlewokth, F.E.H.S. A VERY cheap and effective remedy for the destruction of the mealy bug is petroleum. I have used it with success on Gar- denias, Stephanotis, and other softwooded plants, and have found it instantaneous in its effect, producing sudden death. It has the advantages of being cheap, easy of application, and clean, for being almost colourless and of a volatile nature no traces remain of its application. I have never found any plant on which it has been used any the worse for its applica- tion. Will you let me know it it is an unusual circumstance for a pink Primula to have a white flower on the same stem as the pink ones ? I have one now in bloom in my greenhouse. Charles Hart. [The diverse colours of the flowers on your Primula are un- usual. You will have seen onr note on the flower you exhibited at the Royal Horticultural Society's Floral Committee. — Eds.] TBADESCANTIA VIRGINICA. Tnis is one of the Spiderwort family of plants, and belongs to the natural order of Commelynaceai. The genus was named in honour of Tradescant, who was gardener to Charles I. The variety figured belongs to the hardy herbaceous section, and was introduced from North America in l(;21l. It is not only one of the best of its class, but in colour is one of the richest of all flowers. The colour is a bright intense blue, worthy to be compared to that of the beautiful stove plant Tillandsia Lin- Fig. 63. — TtadcRcantia vii-ginica. deni, and is set off to advantage by its small bright yellow stamens. The plant grows to a height of 1,} foot, and is compact and dense, requiring no sticks to support it. It delights in a deep rich soil, and enjoys copious supplies of water in the growing season, but a stagnant soil is injurious to the root during winter. It is an excellent border flower, and should have a place in all collections of hardy plants. It commences to bloom in July, and continues until late in the autumn. In mild winters it is evergreen, but severe frost kills the foliage. This, however, does no harm, as it is certain to push up as vigorously as ever in the early days of spring. It is admirable for cutting from the blooms lasting well in water, and its charming colour is always admired. It is in- creased by root-division, and than the present month no time is more suitable for increasing the stock or procuring a supply of roots. These must be kept moist during the procees of removal. — W. HEALING WOUNDED LEAVES. The following facts may be interesting to some of your readers. I have a fine plant of Amaryllis, some of the leaves of which were accidentally split nearly across the whole width. Knowing the importance of leaves to the development of the bulb I was unwilling to cut the wounded leaves off, and I applied some Friar's balsam on both sides of them, held the broken edges firmly together by means of little bits of cotton wool and slips of paper, and supported the leaves with tticks ai8 JOURNAL Oi' HORTIOtJLTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ March 18, 1875. and list. In the course of a fortnight the fractures were entirely healed, the leaves self-supporting, and there are now only slight soars remaining not the eighth of the length of the original wounds. — E. E. P., Richmond, Surrcij. [Our readers will smile when they first read of applying Friar's balsam to a wounded leaf, but the application is justi- fied by frequent practice. There is not, probably, any more healing power in the Friar's balsam than in gum water ; any such application excluding the air and preventing the lips of the wound drying would be effectual. The sooner the wound is closed the more certain the healing. — Eds.] BOYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. To those who attended the adjourned meeting on Tuesday the 0th inst. it must be well known that at an early stage of the proceedings I was about to make a few observations, but the Chairman ruled that a gentleman rising at the same time as I did had the precedence. The remarks I desired to make had no reference to the report, and therefore after the amend- ment was proposed and seconded thought I should be out of place in intruding my general remarks on the meeting : hence my now writing. It has been observed, both outside the Royal Horticultural Society and in, that the professional horticulturists take but little prominent part in the Society's annual meetings, that their voices are seldom heard in the discussions, and therefore they have been treated as nonentities and as unworthy of any consideration : I judged, therefore, it was necessary for some one of them to explain their position and set the case right to the Fellows generally. There are various reasons for the reticence and seeming apathy of the professional horticulturists at the Royal Horticul- tural Society's meetings. They as a body, from their studious avocation, are somewhat diffident ; their opinions are seldom or never asked except in a secondary way, and hence the smaU action they have prominently taken ; and some of them feel — I among the number — that they could not spare the time to always take an active part in the Society's affairs, but those that could not do so would zealously support their colleagues. When alluded to, however, it must be apparent that horti- culturists cannot possibly take any zealous interest in the Royal Horticultural Society constructed as it is at present, for it is a Society formed for a technical object, but with a Council elected for carrying on its work with few exceptions composed of gentlemen almost entirely devoid of the necessary technical knowledge for that purpose. But what would be thought of the Royal Medical Society if it had no doctor on its Council ? Would the Linnean Society of London be looked up to with the respect it is by scientific men throughout the world it its managing members had not a profound knowledge of botany and zoology ? Would the Architects' Association carry on its work for any good purpose if no architects were on its board ? In what an anomalous position, then, is the Council of the Royal Horticultural Society without a single professional hor- ticulturist belonging to it ? I know all the objections that can be urged against this. It has been said that the Council of the Society could not be composed of gardeners. RosBibly not : but there are gardeners and gardeners, and I am afraid the professional horticulturists would be found lacking much of the technical knowledge that a gardener refiuires. However that may be, there have been eminent men who have not been ashamed to be called gar- deners. The professional horticulturist, however, is only a gardener somewhat in the sense that an architect is a carpenter or mason. Again, it has been urged that if professional men were on the Council of the Royal Horticultural Society it would bo swayed by trade influences. Dut has anyone ever heard such an argument against the Chemical Society because chemists direct its affairs ? or, indeed, can such be alleged against other societies because professional and business men take an active part in their administration ? It has also been staled that it is of the utmost importance, considering the state of the Society's affairs, that good financiers should be on the Council rather than horticulturists ; but I have yet to learn that the latter are wanting in this respect. The yearly expenditure or monetary transactions of the Royal Horticultural Society are as nothing compared to those of the best horticulturists, which are generally guided to a successful issue. TliB many failures in the Society's affairs are owing in a great measure to one great fundamental cauee, and that is that the Society has never, since I can remember, had a thoroughly practical horticultural council — a council in which the horti- culturists throughout the United Kingdom, both professional and amateur, could have perfect confidence. If it had I have Uttle hesitation in saying that instead of four thousand it would have nearer forty thousand Fellows, and not by re- ducing the subscription, as a member of the late Council has proposed, for now there is a two-guinea fellowship. Alluding to a member of the late Council reminds me that it did good horticultural work by establishing the provincial exhibitions. These, however, have fallen through, as I believe they also would if they had been carried on by the late Council, for the simple reason that if the Royal Horticultural Society of London is desired in the provinces it is not because of its name, it is not in consequence of men of great social influence being on its Council — for in any district there are county families ; but what is desired is to hold communion with, to make the personal acquaintance of, and to fraternise with men whose names are known, not alone at Kensington but through- out the horticultural world, for their technical kuowledge and their practical experience, and there were only one or two such on the late Council. With fair management and with such a Council as I have suggested I have no doubt an annual profit of from £1000 to £2000 would be made from the provincial exhibition, and this besides doing legitimate horticultural work, enlisting the sym- pathy, and making a large number of Fellows in the districts which were visited. But I venture to say, and I do so with some regret — still it is necessary to be candid, although I should be sorry to wound the feelings of the Council — that beyond a few their names would not be known in connection with horticulture outside the Horticultural Society. What an anomalous position, then, horticulture in London is in. If it were necessary for the Society to send a deputation on any horticultural matter abroad, beyond one or two their names would not even be known. Fortunately, however, horticulture does not depend on any society, the love of it increases with the higher development of civilisation ; still professional horticulturists! cannot but de- plore the present state of what should be the first horticultural society, not in England alone, but in the world. And this brings me to the consideration of the Horticultural tlardene, for about these I differ somewhat from my colleagues. They are leased on such easy terms that I am not one of those who advocate giving them up; for whatever may be said against those gardens, I consider them a monument of horti- cultural skill as a town garden, and from what I have seen I much doubt if they are to be equalled in any capital in Europe. The rent need only be paid once in five years — something, therefore, under £500 a-year for those magnificent ornamental grounds. I know it is stated that £500 a-year cannot be sot aside to defray the rent ; that £2400 must be paid in one year, and that every fifth year ; and here again crops-up the want of a truly practical horticultural council, for various ways would then suggest themselves of easily providing the rent. A plau occurs to me at this moment — viz., to hold a grand international horticultural exhibition every five years. I doubt not the hor- ticultural FeUows would provide a guarantee fund, and if not, I believe the professional horticulturists would subscribe it themselves. But work such as this would involve could scarcely be expected from amateurs, much less from those who are not horticulturists. Amateurs may render good advice and service, but in practical work and technical knowledge they can seldom be expected to take the place of the professional miiu. If any one had a sick child tliey would scarcely send for their amateur friend who has always a favourite pill to prescribe or some essence to recommend, but would rather send for the man of professional skill, in whose practical knowledge the utmost rehance could be placed. The Horticultural Society is now that sick child, and the inference is obvious. If the primary object of the Horticultural Society is to be merely the keeping of the gardens at Kensington as a London square, then good horticultural work is not of paramount im- portance, and it matters but little how the Council is con- structed ; but if the legitimate objects for which the Society was founded are to be carried out, it behoves the Fellows to take action and see that a good Council of the best professional and amateur horticulturists are guiding it. As an instance of what practical horticulturists can do, I may mention that previous to 1805 we at different times had been receiving invitations from our foreign friends to inter- national entertainments, we had accepted of their hospitality Maroh 18, 1875. ] JOURNAL OP HOBTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 219 which was given with no nugrudging hand. The English hor- ticulturists felt they must do something in return, and like Britons they were determined it should be well done, so they projected an International Horticultural Exhibition. They applied to the Boyal Horticultural Society, but then, as now, their Council was too technically weak to do anything in the matter. Tho horticulturists, not to be beaten, then did it themselves at an expense of something like £20,000 (that mag- niticent Exhibition will still be in the recollection of many of your readers). As the time neared for closing that Exhibition it was found there would be a deficit of some thousands of pounds. Here, again, the practical element rose to the sur- face ; the Committee held a conference, and decided they would not call on the guarantors that had given it their confidence, but that they would continue the Exhibition a few days longer. This was an easy matter, for several on the Council were large exhibitors, and the other exhibitors were their friends. In the end, instead of a financial failure it was a success, so much BO that the Committee actually had a surplus of £2000, which they scarcely knew what to do with. They gave £1000 to the Gardeners' Benevolent Institution, and bought the Lindley Library, which they presented to the Royal Horti- cultural Society, otherwise to this day there would not be so much as a library belonging to the Society. I cannot pass from this subject without paying a tribute to the excellent generalship of Lord Bury. I have sat at the anniversary meetings of many societies, but I have never seen a president who could meet great difficulties and smooth over extremely perplexing circumstances as easily as his lordship. At the last meeting of the Horticultural Society one or two gentlemen incidentally mentioned that they belonged to three or tour learned societies. When the observation was made (for I also belong to eight or ten) it occurred to me how different they must consider the annual meetings of the Boyal Horti- cultural Society to those of other societies, when it is usual for the president or some member of the council to give a short retrospect of the important events of the year, with glimpses of what are likely to occur in the future, and some of the Fellows of the Boyal Horticultural Society would have been glad to have heard from the President what part the Society took in that great assemblage of botanists and horticul- turists at Florence last year ; what they intend to do this year at tho International Exhibitions at Cologne and Antwerp ; as also what they purpose to do next year in Philadelphia. What can be thought of the arrangements for the flower shows at Kensington this season ? The Committee issued a schedule announcing what shows would be held, detailing the objects for which prizes would be offered. They then adver- tised that four of those shows would not take place ; but at the last meeting announced that they would all be held, but that exhibitors would be asked to take 50 per cent, less than the prize money that had been offered. Can vacillation go further than this :> — William Bdll. [We have received from Mr. Cutbush, just at the eve of going to press, a letter controverting a somewhat generally ac- cepted idea — that the principal exhibitors had been consulted in the matter of the postponement of shows. His firm had not been consulted, but received a special communication that the spring show was abandoned, and as a consequence his Hyacinths were retarded to form a show at Highgate in Easter week.] THE PREPARATION OF FORCED FLOWERS. We have many beautiful hardy flowering shrubs which are gratifying to the eye and grateful by their fragrance. We have the Kalmias, hardy Azaleas, Lilacs, Bhododendrons, and a host of things too numerous for me to think of at this moment ; but I suppose the prevailing idea with too many people is, that because a plant or shrub is hardy it will stand any amount of rough treatment with impunity. With respect to hardy shrubs I can give convincing proofs of the good results of the treatment I so strongly recommend, and facts, being stubborn things, will speak for themselves. I have now (February 18th) two nice bushy plants of Bhodo- dendrons in fuU bloom. They are in lO-inch pots, and would be no disgrace to an exhibition tent. One plant has over thirty well-developed trusses of bloom on it, the other not quite so many, but still good. Now, in making this statement, it is not with an idea to cause a sensation and advance some- thing unheard of ; that is not my motive, as there are many equally good plants in the country at this moment. In men- tioning these plants my main object is to remark that they are not forced, but their early blooming is simply tho result of last year's treatment ; neither are they early-forcing kinds, but such as would in an ordinary way bloom in April and May. Last year they were moved to a late vinery after bloom- ing ; there they made their growth and set their bloom buds. After this they were turned out of doors, and plunged up to their rims in the borders, so as to save watering, and when the winter frosts set in they were packed closely together with other things, and the pots covered with Brakes (Fern). There they stood the ordeal of 30' of frost, yet, notwithstanding, they were in January actually bursting their bloom buds and showing colour. They were ihen placed, not in the forcing house but in a cool vinery, to open their blooms. The Une I have marked out for one or two things is equally applicable to many others. Deutzias come under the same treatment as the foregoing ; and in reading Mr. Dodgson'a cultural remarks I made a pause when I read the words " when they have done blooming turn them out of doors to make their growth." It is the turning-out question from which I must dissent. Yet I would not be dogmatic and say that they will not bloom under such treatment ; but I feel that it is against the natural order of things to enforce that mode of culture. I am fully convinced that growing them, and, to a certain extent, ripening their wood under glass, is the royal road to success. By that treatment they will give us quick returns the following season with a minimum amount of fire heat, and will pay us back with interest for the reason- able care bestowed on them after blooming. This is simply an outline of practice and experience on a detail in the culture of forced shrubs, which I sometimes think is not so generally adopted as it should be. On this point, however, there may be a divergence of opinion ; but on this I have only to say that a kindly-expressed difference with the sole object of eliciting truth is what we should all aim at, and at all times endeavour to make the person subservient to the subject. Now that the blooming period of forced shrubs will soon be over I ask that the plants have reasonable care, and by making their growth and forming their buds early under glass they will unfold their blooms proportionately early another year, and this with the least amount of forcing. Does not this suggest, that by simple and proper preparation of the plants, many who do not possess highly heated structures may yet have hardy shrubs blooming in their vineries or green- houses during the earliest months of the year ?— G. B. aIlis, BOILER FOR HORTICULTURAL USES. Aeout two years ago I had a cast-iron saddle boiler, which was a good boiler of that class, but, like all other common saddle boilers, there was great waste of fuel. As I was erect- ing more houses and adding more piping I required a larger boiler, and fixed upon one on the coil principle. In fact I bought two, and had them fixed so as to work jointly or separately at will, which with me proved a failure ; and last November I had them removed and replaced with one on the saddle principle, having a water-way back with two inter- mediate flues. The hot air is made to pass underneath these flues to the back of the boiler, up the back, and over the top as in the common saddle. I have a boiler now heating 1-100 feet of piping — viz., hard forcing with about two-thirds the amount of fuel, and instead of having to remove every other day a barrowful of ashes to be used by other boilers (which in the coil boilers could not be used up), this is all consumed. Thia boiler is quite capable of heating 2000 feet of 4-inch piping. If my memory serve me right this was about the second boiler oast and offered to the public on this principle. It is cast in sections and bolted to- gether by strong iron rods, so that if in ease more piping is required one or more sections can he added with little trouble. It is made by Boulton & Paul, Norwich. I like it so much that I intend removing another saddle boiler to make room for one like it. Anyone in want of a boiler would do well to see this in full use. — T. Harwood, Market Gardens, Attleborotigh. THE BEECH (Fagus s\'LV.VTrcA). TnEUE is no reasonable doubt of the Beech being the Fagua of the Bomans. Pliny says that this bore the sweetest of mast, that it was a nut enclosed in a three-angled rind, that hogs dehghted in the mast, and that the pork they formed was especially wholesome. The fruit of no other European tree than that o{ our Beech agrees with those particulars. It £20 JOURNAL OP HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ March 18, 1873. has been conolnded that the Beech is not a native of England, because CsDsar iu his "Commentaries" states that "timber of every kind, the same as in Gaul, except the Beech and Fir," are iu Britain. If he had prefixed to that sentence " I saw," he would have truly recordeil the extent of his knowledge ; but he was not justified in writing so comprehensively, inasmuch as that he never penetrated into what are now our midland counties, and only into a very small portion of our seabord. He never advanced as far as that district which the Romans' successors — the Anglo-Saxons — named Buckingham, which, using Camden's words, " is given to bring forth Beech trees plentifully, which the English Saxons in elder times called Bucken." As early as the times of Edward the Confessor, more than eight hundred years ago, the woods of Burnbam in that county afforded pannage for six hundred hogs. Pannage was the old legal term for the right to the food afforded to Bwine by the mast of the Beech and Oak. I believe that the still-celebrated Euruham Beeches, a few of which are portraited in the annexed illustration, were then iu existence. There is a tradition that they were pollarded in the time of Canute, eight and a half centuries since. The Beech has a peculiar I mode of revivification. Its trunk may be hollow — the wood j entirely decayed — but one branch remaining vigorous thrusts down to the earth, along one side within the hoUow, a slender stem, which roots and becomes another trunk. The poet Gray obsei'ved that " There U a character about the Burnham Beeches distinct from all others. They are not lofty, for they appear to have been headed-down at some time or other, but they are of enormous size, and the pruning of the heads seems to have thrown a superfluous amount of vigour into the trunks. Nowhere else do the trunks of Beeches, as a rule, burst into such strange forms, or so wreath their old fantastic roots on high. Every second Beech trunk here is a study for a painter." They are still all that Gray described nearly a century and a half ago. I consider the Beech one of tbe most beautiful of our forest trees ; and although the most fault-finding of critics, Gilpin, is adverse, I will quote his admissions in support of my estimate : " Its trunks are often highly picturesque. It is studded with bold knobs and projections, and has sometimes a sort of irregular fluting about it, which is very characteristic. It has another peculiarity also, which is sometimes pleasing, that of Fig. B-i.— SCRHHAM BEBCH£3. a number of stems arising from the root. The bark, too, wears often a pleasant hue. It is naturally of a dingy olive ; but it is always overspread in patches with a variety of Mosses and Lichens, which are commonly of a lighter tint in the upper parts and of a deep velvet green towards the roots. Its smoothness also contrasts agreeably with these rougher appendages. No bark tempts the lover so much to make it the depository of his mistress's name. It conveys a happy emblem — ' crescent illfe: cre^cetiK amores.' (As tbey increase; tbe lovca increase.) " Virgil was right in choosing the Beech for its shade. No tree forms so complete a loof. If you wish either for shade or shelter you will find it best ' patulffi tub tegmine Fagi.' (Under the cover of a spreading Beech.) " Sometimes we see in Beeches of happy composition the foliage falling in large flakes or layers, between which the shadows have a forcible effect when the tree is strongly illu- mined. " Contrary to the general nature of trees, the Beech is most pleasing in its juvenile state, as it has not yet acquired that heaviness which is its most faulty distinction. A light, airy, young Beech, with its epiry branches hanging, as I have just described them, in easy forms, is often beautiful. I have seen also the forest Beech in a dry hungry soil preserve the lightness of youth in the maturity of age." The surface of the soil beneath that shade is bare. The Lesser Periwinkle (Vinca minor), and a few Orchidaceous plants, such as Gymnadenia bifolia, sometimes livo in the snadow, and the Morel and Truffle are fostered by it. The Beech is one of the most useful of trees. In Switzer- land mattresses are stuffed with its leaves. Its nuts yield an oil useful either as olive or lamp oil ; and the cake which remains after the expression is a good food for fowls and pigs. The wooden shoes, sabots, worn by the French peasants are made of the wood ; it is excellent for fuel, and vinegar (pyro- ligneous acid) is distilled from it. Turners form of it trenchers, bowls, and other utensils. Joiners and cabinet-makers employ it for furniture. If kept constantly under water it is as durable there as the wood of the Elm. The exterior rings of the wood are used for forming band-boxes. The millwright uses it for the cogs of wheels, and the wheelwright for spokes. In the coal mines it is used under the name of " Newcastle railing." Like the wood of the Lime it is used for piano sounding-boards. Tool-makers employ it for handles, and cask staves for dry goods are made of it. — G. AitBOR Day in Nebraska. — The project of tree-planting in Nebraska, and the idea of devoting one day in the year ex- c'usively, known as Arbor D.iy, for the entire population to in- dulge in planting, originated with J. Sterling Morton of Ne- braska city. The first Arbor Dav was held in tbe spring of 1871, when 2,000,000 trees were planted. In 1872 and 1873 Arbor Day was not cdebrated, but it was recommended to the farmers to choose for themselves a day in April, and set it aport for tree-planting. This year, however, the State Board of Agriculture has determined to go back to the original plan. It has been resolved that Arbor Day shall be the second Wednesday iu April, and the State Legislature is to be asked to make the day a legal holiday. Each owner of laud ia March 18, 1875. ] JOURNAL OF HOBTIOULTUBE AND OOTTAGB GAEDENER. 221 recommended to plant at least one tree, and the State Board will award a premium to tlio person who plants the largest number. It ia now the custom of the Board to give a premium to the landowner who has planted the most trees on any given day in April, and at a recent meeting of the Board the prize WPS awarded to a farmer who set out 27,800 trees on the 28th of April, 187j. — [American Horticultural Journal.) PKIMDLA CORTUSOIDES AMCENA. Notices of this very beautiful Primrose have from time to time been made in this Journal. Its great beauty and easy culture ought to make its presence welcome in every green- house, where it- cannot fail to be appreciated. The much- vaunted Primula japonica is not to be compared to it in beauty, though it, too, is a fine Primrose ; and although both come to us from Japan, I have no hesitation in claiming for P. amojna priority and extended culture. I have no experience of it planted outdoors, though the Messrs. Veitch who introduced it state it to be perfectly hardy. As a pot plant it is quite charming for the greenhouse, and is admirable for window culture, it blooms so freely and requires little care or attention. In an ordinary greenhouse — one having a temperature of 40° to '15° at night, and 4.5° to 50° by day from fire heat — it commences to grow in February or early in March, and is in ilower at the close of that month or in April. It continues a considerable time in flower, the colour a rich rosy purple. In a cold pit or frame it flowers later ; but it is as a greenhouse plant that I wish to note it. Being herbaceous, or losing its leaves some time after flower- ing, it ought up to that time to be kept watered, so that the leaves do not flag, and when they begin to turn yellow water should be withheld, removing the leaves as they decay. It is the best of slight shade, as all the Primulas are. I place the pots amongst those of Heaths and other hardwooded plants, whose heads afford the Primula plants an agreeable shade. The pots remain in such a position from the decay of the foliage without water, or only a little occasionally to keep the soil with a certain amount of moisture in it, though to all appearance dry. When they begin to grow (as they will however dry the soil), at their proper season the plants are potted, turning them out of the pots, and removing any soil not occupied by roots. The smallest size of pot used is 4-inch, and the largest (j-inch. The former size will suit plants of one, two, or three crowns, which are iproduced at the end of short creeping stems just below the surface, lower than which they should never be potted. Keep the crowns as much in the centre of the pots as practicable. In the smaller size of pot I put one large or two and three smaller crowns ; and these are a very useful size of pot and plant for working-in between larger-sized pots and plants, and for margins of stages, &c. The larger size of pots takes the plants entire which were grown in 4-inch pots the year previously, and these give plants with a profusion of liloom as large as I care to have them. They of course may bo shifted annually into pots 2 inches larger in diameter, and in a few years magnificent clumps will result, luxuriating all the better for the increased depth of soil. When potting from the C-inch pots I divide the plants into as many divisions as the plants have crowns at greater distance than 2 inches apart. The pots are well drained, with a little of the rough of the compost placed over the drainage. The compost used is three parts turfy loam, one part leaf soil, and a half part sandy peat with a half part of silver sand, well mixed. I pot moderately firm. Water is given in proportion to the growth, always keeping moist after growth commences, and liberally when in flower. If at a distance from the glass the foliage and flower stems are liable to be drawn, but on the front shelf of a green- house they are all that could be wished. There are now three varieties besides the one named — viz., alba, in habit and stylo of flowering the same as the original, only the flowers are white and rather more drooping ; grandi- tiora, which has much larger flowers than am(Lna, concave or cup-shaped, slightly drooping, the exterior of the flower deep rose, inside white, forming a very pleasing contrast ; and lila- eina, which is similar to the type in habit, the ground colour of the flowers is greyish white, beautifully marked and streaked with lilac. I have tried to cross the beautiful amosna with the Abys- sinian Primrose (P. verticillata) with a view to scent, but failed ; but the Japanese Primrose does not resist the pollen of that variety, and I am in hope of obtaining a break, and securing perfume for both amo-na and japonica. — G. Abbet, NOTES AND GLEANINGS. A Fruit Snow on the same extensive scale as before is to be held again at EuiNiinRon on the 15th and IGth of Sep- tember next. The premier prize of £10 for Grapes is for eight varieties, one bunch of each. There is a second class, for which those who show in the first class shall not enter. In the collections of fruits the number of dishes is reduced to sixteen, and the collection of sixteen to twelve. There are several pre- sentation prizes offered : Messrs. Sutton & Sons of Reading offer three prizes of five, three, and two guineas for four varieties of Melons and the same of Cucumbers ; Messrs. Boyd, the horticultural builders. Paisley, offer a silver cup for stand of six varieties of Grapes ; Mr. Munro of London, three prizes of three, two, and one guinea for the best brace of his new Cucumber Duke of Edinburgh. We record, as most worthy of imitation, that on the evening of the 2nd inst. G. S. Boulger, Esq., gave the first of a series of Educational Lectuiies on Window-gaedening in St. James's School-room, Norland Square, on behalf of the Notting Hill Flower Show Society. Mr. Boulger entitled his lecture "Window-gardening and Floral Culture," and gave a practical exposition of the domestic arrangement of plants adapted to the capacity of the non-botanical, of whom, as may be imagined, the Society consists. The Commission for the regulating of National and International Horticultural Exhibitions in the Palace of Industry at Amsterdam has resolved, in conjunction with the horticultural establishments and similar societies and associations in Holland, to hold in 1870 in Amsterdam an International Horticultural Exhibition and Congress on an extensive scale in the Palace of Industry. A CORRESPONDENT Writing from Chicago informs us that on February 8th the thermometer was C° below zero, and had during the winter been as low as 2'J° below zero. Nurserymen have suffered severely, some losing all their plants. Let us hope by this contrast we may not speak too hardly of the severe English winter from which we are just emerging. NOTES ON VILLA and SUBURBAN GARDENING. Propagating Bedding Plants. — Having last week made some remarks on the raising of seedlings, I this week take up the kindred subject of raising plants from cuttings. This mode of propagation ought now to be in full activity, and where good stocky plants of young and free growth are in request for the flower garden means should be provided to give them every encouragement to that end. It is much more satisfactory to put out a well-grown plant which will under ordinary circumstances give a good effect at once than to plant one that has been badly grown, and per- haps in a starved condition, and which requires considerable time to recover itself. I advocate spring propagation as much as possible, ensuring as it does plants with good health and vi gour to withstand sucoessfally the ordeal of a summer's sun alternately with the smoky atmosphere so prevalent in and around large towns. I do not advocate the growing-on of autumn-struck stock plants for summer bedding of such things as Verbenas, Petunias, and several other softwooded plants (the Geranium class ex- cepted), which have been for months cramped thickly into pots till their roots are matted together, and the wood has become hard and the plants altogether out of character. Rather would I advise that all such things be placed where a young growth can be made from which to raise the stock of plants, throwing the others away when that is done ; and it is surprising how soon a stock of plants can be raised from such growth if proper attention be devoted to them. The conditions are very simple — viz., a moderate heat with a close atmosphere, not too dry nor too damp, but such as would be secured by placing a handUght or two on the bed, in the vinery, or even in the greenhouse or heatetl frame or pit. This done, the mode of putting in the cuttings may be as follows :— Prepare pots of a moderate size, say 48's or large CO's. They must be clean inside and out. Fill up one-third with a suit- able drainage, coarse at the bottom and fine on the top, consist- ing first of broken pots and then small pieces of charcoal ; cover this with a very thin layer of moss, or in the absence of this some fibry turf, to prevent the fine soil from running down among the drainage. Next prepare the soil, which ought to be fairly dry so as not to bind when handled; it may consist of loam one-half, the remainder leaf soil well rotted, and good 222 JOUENAL OP HORTIODLTUEB AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ March 18, 1875. Band. All this should be sifted fine and thoroughly well mixed together with the hand. Each pot should now be filled up to within half an inch of the rim, pressing the soil moderately firm ; upon this add a layer of good silver sand. After preparing as many pots as are likely to be required for the first batch of cut- tings take them into the house and water the whole with a fine- rosed watering pot, so that the soil may be moderately soalsed without washing the sand off the surface. In putting in the cuttings, which may be about an inch apart, it is a fact worthy of observation and practice that each cutting should be thrust into the sand without previously making a hole for it. This ensures the base of the cutting being placed firmly in the soil, but in order to do this easily and without injury to the cutting every pot must be again watered just as it is going to be used, which renders the sand soft, and consequently the cutting is easily thrust down into it. After the pot is filled with cuttings it must once more receive a gentle watering sufficient to float the sand, which when the water drains otit settles closely round every cutting, fixing it firm. The after-treatment of these cuttings must not be forgotten, for wherever they are placed they Bhould have the lights taken off once a-day, generally in the morning, and allow them to dry themselves. This should be done regularly, because it is a pre- ventive against dampiug-off, which so frequently occurs among such tender things as these. During the time they are rooting they will grow considerably, but after that has taken place the tops should be pinched-off, which will make another cutting, and so the stock may be quicklyincreased. The rooted cuttings thus treated will soon break into growth at each joint, when no delay should take place in having them potted-off. I may here remark that the preparation of the cutting is very simple. There is no need for it to be cut to a joint, provided it is tlirust into the soil up to the first pair of leaves, when it will soon throw out roots. Almost every kind of softwooded plant may be propagated in the above way, and it enables so many more cuttings to be taken from a plant, and a stock is thus raised more expeditiously. The growth must be young and healthy, otherwise the system will not be so successful. Hard wood seldom roots freely, let it be propagated which way it may, neither is it so likely to make a good plant at any time as a cutting from crisp young growth. — Thomas Record. DOINGS OP THE LAST AND PRESENT WEEKS. KITCHEN OABnEN. Maech is proverbial for its changes. It came in boisterous enough this year, with frost every night for the first week. On the first day of the second week it was very mild, the wind blowing gently from the south, and for two days more we had western breezes. The wind then suddenly changed to the cold quarter, and the night temperature, which had risen to 48° and 49°, as quickly fell to 2(1" ; yet the winds have been drying in their nature, and gave us an opportunity to fork over the sur- face of the ground wherever it had been lying as it was dug or trenched in the autumn. Ran the hoe through autumn-planted Cabbages. The ground had become hard and required to be broken up to some depth, and for this purpose a swan-necked draw-hoe is much better than the Dutch tool. We have tried different sorts of Cabbages for this crop, and find the Dwarf Early York to be the best. Enfield Market will give the largest produce from a given space, but they are coarse-looking. Even the farmers who grow for market plant large breadths of Early York. Some Cauliflower plants in boxes will be planted out as soon as the weather is favourable. The ground has been turned over and is now quite dry on the surface, and will be in good condition for the crop. Pricked out Onions from the rows where they had been sown thickly iu autumn. The plants are put out in rows about 9 inches apart and from 4 to C inches between the plants. Autumn-sown Onions are seldom attacked by the maggot, and this system should be adopted in gardens where the maggot is troublesome. Sowed Brussels Sprouts on a piece of poor soil : this is one of the most valuable of our winter vegetables, but the plants often club with us when sown late, and early-sown plants are more free from the maggot. Forked over the ground lightly between rows of Peas in preference to hoeing. Planted out Lettuce. A little seed of Hicks' Hardy White Cos had been mixed with the autumn-sown Onion seed, and some of the plants had been put out in the autumn. This year those planted last season are a comparative failure, while the plants that were not moved are in good condition. Sowed Celery in a warm border out of doors. The soil was wet and unsuitable, but by placing some fine dry loam on the surface an excellent seed bed was obtained. Sowed more Radish seed also in a sheltered place ; the first sowing in the ground vineries has been thinned out. Any glass protection that can be placed over early vegetable Beeds at this season is of great advantage to the crop. Planted out some Seakale plants on rich and well-worked ground. The old plants that have been forced may be used for this in addition to the seedling plants of last year, which were too small for potting-up for forcing. Coal ashes placed over the crowns is of some advantage to the plants. About the end of this month or early iu April is a good time to sow the seeds of Seakale. FRUIT AND FORCING HOUSES. Pineries. — But little can be added to the remarks in the num- ber for March 4th. Plants that have ripe fruit or fruit that is nearly ripe ought to be taken out of the house where the tempera- ture is 7U° at night with a moist atmosphere, as in such a place the fruit soon shows symptoms of decay. The most convenient way is to cut the fruit, and remove it to a dry room where the temperature does not vary much in the twenty-four hours. If the fruit is not quite ripe, and is also sound when it is cut, it win keep for a month after being cut from the plant. Those plants that are furnished with suckers ought to remain in heat until the suckers are large enough for planting out; they grow more quickly on the parent plant than they do if they are removed and potted in a small state. Those who grow only a very limited number of plants will find it a good plan to plant the suckers just when they can be obtained ; and when the plants have well filled the pots with roots, though they must not become pot-bound, let them be potted into the fruiting pots at once. We used to pot the plants into 9-inch pots first, and then into the fruiting pots, thus making two shifts ; after trying both ways it has been found that the greatest advantages are in favour of the one-shift system. We have some autumn and winter-struck plants of Smooth- leaved Cayenne and Charlotte Rothschild that will be potted as soon as possible. The compost which has been described in previous numbers is mixed up and placed in the house for a day or two to become warmed before using it. Dwarf Kidney Beans. — A succession of these can be kept up by sowing a box thickly with them, and potting them off when the seed leaves are fully developed. We have found them bear most abundantly and continue the longest in bearing when four or five plants are put into 7-inch pots. They are kept free from insect pests by daily syringing, and the minimum temperature is not less than CO '. It is marvellous the quantity of pods that can he gathered from two or three dozen pots of the little New- ington Wonder if none of the iJods are aUowed to become too old. The soil should be four parts good turfy loam and one part rotted manure. Strawberries. — The whole of the pots of Black Prince have been removed from the forcing houses, to be succeeded by Keens' Seedling. Some of the most extensive growers have told us that their plants have not thrown-up so freely as usual. Probably this was more owing to the unfavourable weather at the time than to the fact that the crowns were not thoroughly matured last autumn. We had an abundant crop of Black Prince, though the fruit was not so large as usual. Keens' Seedling is now in flower, and the abundance of well-developed blossoms seems to ensure a good set. Alternate waterings with weak liquid manure are very beneficial to the plants as soon as the first young leaves are formed. MUSHROOM HOUSE. The details of work in this department are so much alike from week to week that frequent remarks are only a repetition. The spent manure from the beds is very useful for mulching newly- planted trees, Roses, shrubs, &c., or it may be laid-up in a heap, when it will be equally valuable for mulching all growing crops during the summer mouths. None of the beds need be empty at this time. But as soon as any of them are quite exhausted fresh beds should be made up. Our own experience has been in favour of mixing a portion of cow manure and a little flbry loam with the horse droppings. Splendid large fleshy Mush- rooms have been produced by mixing horse droppings, cow manure, and loam in equal proportions. The most important matter in making-up Mushroom beds IB the state of the material at the time. This must be thrown-up in a heap sufficiently long to aUow of the rank steam being thrown oil. If it is too wet it must be spread out on the floor of an airy shed for a few days until the superfluous moisture escapes. It the bed heats violently after being made up, this will show that the material has not been well prepared. The quality of the spawn should not be doubtful, and expense should not be spared to obtain the best in the market. The bricks should be broken-up into pieces about the size of a pigeon's egg, aud the bed may be spawned when the tempera- ture has fallen to 80'. The surface of the bed should be pressed down firmly, aud when in the course of a week after spawning the dressing of loam is put over the bed, this must also be beaten down firmly with the back of a spade. PLANT STOVE. The sun has now begun to act very powerfully upon the glass, and it has been necessary to put up the shading, not as a fixture, but to roll up iu dull weather, and to he used only in hot days. A little sunshine in such cold weather as we are enjoying at present will do good instead of harm. Again, some plants re- g,mre all the sanshine they can get ; but as it is necessary to March 18, 1875. ] JOURNAL OP HORTIOOLTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. Rrow them ou the same stage with others that would be injured by it, a compromise must be made. Plants of Ixoras that were in flower at midwinter, after being cut-back a few weeks ago, are now starting freely ; they must be exposed to the light and freely syringed. Stephanotis, Allamaudas, and other climbers are now making free growth, and require tying-in to the trellis. Those in pots intended for specimens should not be tiedin closely ; the young growths should be tied-out until the flowers are nearly opened, when they should be regularly arranged on the trellis intended for them. Dendrobiums that flower in the spring and summer months, such as D. Bensonifo, D. densiflorura, D. Farmeri, D.Dalhousi- anum, D. McCarthias, and many others, are now throwing out their flower trusses after being kept dry at the roots all the winter. Tiiey now require to be well soaked with water at the roots, but not overhead. The water should be warmed by stand- ing in pots close to the hot-water pipes for a few hours. Some of them are very liable to be attacked by red spider, and the young growths are sometimes totally ruined before it is noticed. D. Devonianum is generally attacked first. In the case of this species the best treatment is to syringe the plant every day, or, if this is not convenient, the leaves must be washed with a sponge and soapy water on the first appearance of the spider. Oncidiums, such as 0. ampliatum, O. phymatochilum, itc, that throw-up the flower stems shortly after the pseudo-bulbs are formed, must be watched, as slugs, should any be in the house, have a particular fancy for the young flower spikes as they rise from the base of the bulbs. In the house devoted to cool Orchids it is more necessary to shade from sunshine than it is in the more tropical department. About 45^ at night is the temperature maintained at present. The flowers of Odonto- glossum crispum had become infested with green fly, and as fumigating is very dangerous they are swept off with a small camel-hair brush. The flowers are also very easily damaged by spotting, but this may be avoided by judicious airiug and an atmosphere not saturated with moisture, but only of moderate humidity. — J. Douglas. HOBTrCULTUBAL EXHIBITIONS. Secretaries will oblige us by informing us of the dates on which exhibitions are to be hold. OLAsonw.— Morch 24th, Jane 16th, September 8lh. Mr. F. O. Dougall, 1C7, Oaaninti Street, Sec. Jersbv. — May 5'.h, R'jR03.Tuno 16th, Autumn October 13th, Chrysauthemumg Novernber 10th. Mijor Ilowell, Spring Grove, St. Lawrence, Hon. Sec. Bath.— j\lay 12th, September 1st and 2(i'l. Mr. B. I'earion, l.i, Milsora Street, Sec. Coventry. — May 31st. Mr. T. Wig^tou, 3, PorLlaad Ton-ace, Lower Ford Street, Sec. Durham and Nortiii-mberland.— To b3 held at Elswick Park, July 7th and 8th. Mr. It. Revely, Sec. Leeds. — Juno 9th, 10th, auil llth. Mr. J. Birkbeck, Dclph Lane, Woodhouae, Leeds, Sec. Fareham.— June 23rd. Mr. H Smith Sec. Exeter (Rose Show). — June 25th. Mr. J. N. Gray, Queen Street Chambers, Hon. Sec. WisBEACH.— June 30th. Mr. C. Parker, Hon. Sec. \ViMyi.EDO». — July loth and 16th. Mr. P. .Vppleby, 5, Linden Cotta^tes, Sunnyside, Wimbledon, Hon. Sec. Brecon.— July 22ad. Mr. W. J. Roberts. Sec. Cleckueaton. — July 21th. Mr. S. H. Williamson, Hon. Sec. Southampton. — July 3l3o and August 2ad. Mr. C. S. Fuidge, 32, York Street, Lower Ayenue, Sec. TR.\DE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. Satbori & Sons, Reading. — Fanners' Year-Book ami Graziers' Manual. Ewiag & Co., Norwich. — List of NewBoses. Downie, & Laird, 17, South Frederick Street, Ediuburj^h. — Descriptive List of Garden, Flower, and Aqricidticral Seeds. William Montgomery, 19, Gordon Street, Edinburgh. — List of Garden Seeds and Bedding Plants. TO CORRESPONDENTS. Advice (Crito). — We aro mach obliged by your sufji^estions, though wecan- nnt adopt them, ^^'e long since concluded that a brother editor was right when he wrote, " Edifiu;^ a paper is Uke carrying aa umbrella on a windy day. Everybody thinks; he could manage it better than the one who has hold of the handle.'' BooK3r,r,T,RR's Error (Inquirer). — Yon should have returned the book at once and refused to pay for it. Even now, if you have not cut the leaves, aad OS you told the bookseller of the mistake, if you return the book we think he could not make you pay for it. Think whether it is worth the trouble and annoyance. Tou have a good book. Lists of New Plants (J. F., Haddinrt ton). —There ia a Hat down to 1855 in the second supplement to Loudon's " Encyclopn'dia of Plants." A list of all new plants of the previous year is pablished by us annually in Hogg's " Gardeners' Year Book." Various (Af(7r;<\v).— We cannot tell who would purchase the New Zealand Ferns. Write to some of the florists who specially advertise Ferns in our colnmus. Melon seeds forty years old have been known to germinate, and gardeners think the plants are not so liable to bo ovor-vigorous if the seeds are two or throe years old. The seeds of a Cjmiiosito plant which you oncloso may germinate ; you can easily try them. Mildew on Plants (H. A. P.). — Dust them and the Vines al«o with flowers of sulphur ; it will kill the fungi and prevent the sporos spreading the infection. MaLCH OVER Uosc UnoTS [A. D. r/.).— Kemove the nndocayed straw, fork-in the remainder shallowly, and mulch again in the spring. Hollyhock SEEDHNtss Diseased IR. L.). — Itiathe " Hollyliockdiseaso." No remedy is known. Cut them down iramodiately, and sprinkle flowera of sulphur thickly over tho stumps and snrfa^-e nf the soil. The experiment is worth trying, aa the leaves are only slightly affected. Chloride of lime would kill the plants. Hollyhock Leaves Piseased (J. L.). — They are attacked by the para- sitic fungus Puccinia malvacearum; a ihrawinp and description are in our No. '>87. No remedy is known, and tho bfl.'^t cnur.^n is to cut down and burn every plant affected, for the spores of the funL,'U^ will spread the infection. Ferns lA Lover of Fcrit.^). — In our vohimos sxii. to xxvi., both inclunive, are a series of papers on them. If you need a book on the subje'^t you will find full information on the species and culture in our " Fern Manual." Arum (J. TT/i-Av/f,?).— What you caU " tho White Arum" wo suppose is tho Richardia rethiopica. One flower bein-,' within anithor is an uncommon sport which most flowers produce occasionally. Your Rtchariia will not do so again nest year. HtTMEA elegans (Amafntr). — The proper tim^ to sow the seed ia the fir.^t week of May in a gtintle hotbed. Pot the plants off singly when large enough to haudle, and grow them on in a cold frame during the summer. In tho autumn remove them to the greenhouse, assigning them a Ught and airy position. Deut7,ia gracilis Unhealtiiv (IF. S. B.). — It is likely from the descrin- tion you give that the plant has received some injury at the neck or collar just above or at its junction with the soil, which has caused the decay of tlie bark, and prevented sap bsing trau'^raittod to the shoots and leaves. It will not, we think, recover, but we should keep rather drp, as heavy waterings will only hasten the decay. It may, however, be only the result of a chill, and in that case it will be enfeebled, but will recover. Celeriac Ccltdre (Wifiton).~Hovf the s'>ed in a seed pan early in April, and place in a house with gentle heat, and when up remove to a cold frame and harden off, prick out when tho rou^h loaves are an inch high in cood rich soil in an open yet warm situation, and shade from bright sun. Keep the plants well watered, and when large enough plant out in weU-manured trenches, putting in the plants in double rows 0 inches apart, and water thoroughly. It doiis not require to be earthpd-up Uke Celery, but should have a little earth to protect the Turnip-liko root from fro^t. It is useful for soups, and is by somo considered a 'nice addition to salads. In severe weather it should be protected from frost by a covering of litter. The best stowing Celeries are the reds, and good alike for any purpose is Leicester Pved. Destroying Daisies (J. P.). — Salt will not destroy Daisies, at least not unless it be applied in such quantity as would also destroy the (rrass. Yon may, however, apply this month a dressing of salt at tho rate of 20 bushels per acre, which is a preventive of slugs and worms. It will encourage the growth of the grass aad kill the moss. The sand will be of no use, but a dressing of short manure or rich compost — if the latter adding to it one-sixth lime — would be highly beneficial. After clearing off the rough partirles sow with Grass seeds, not omitting Clovers — ^Trifolium repcns H lbs , Tiifolium minus 2 lbs. if the land be strong loam, and if light reverse the quantities of tlie Clovers named. Roll well after sowini:. These, however, will not hanish the Daisies. The best remedv is to gnib-up tho roots, employing boys or women, who with knives will grub up a great many in a day ; this perdistel in is the most certain moans of eraiicating these pretty weeds. Gardenia Treatment (A. D.). — The plants ought now to have brisk moist heat to start them into bloom ani growth, and are the better of bottom heat. They should be moderatelv watered at first, but kept moist, increasing the supply as the buds swell. When the plants have done blooming cut-in any straggling growths if it be required, and sprinkle with water overhead, repotting if necessary, and bv a moist and brisk heat encourage growth. When that is complete gradually withdraw from the bottom heat, keep drier and cooler, and in autumn and winter give water only to keep the leaves fresh. If the plants are sickly from a sodden sour soil repot at once, providing good drainage, plunge in bottom heat, and water carefully until the roots are work- ing freely in the fresh soil, then water more copiously. Plants for the Back Wall of Vineries (Mr. John TT''/;'/).— Camel- lias, also Orange, with its allies the Citrus family, are good. Both may be planted 12 feet apart, but it will bo a number of years before they meet unless you can put out large plants. Luculia gratissima is also a. line plant for a wall, and one of the best flowers for cutting in autumn and early winter. If the plants are small they ought to be planted at half the distauae apart. Vines Bleeding (Id'-m). — Dry the cuts with a hot iron, and at once dress with Thomson's styptic or the patent knotting used by painters. The tempe- rature you name will not stop the bleeding now it has begun. Lily of Valley (Iclem). — Flowers without leaves is the result of being hrouHht on too quickly by high temperature and the plants not being suffi- ciently near the glass. They are, however, subject to this when forced early, and more so this year than usual, probably by the drought of last year ripen- ing the crowns more thoroughly and developing the flower buds to a higher degree than when the season is more moist. Mr. Bull of King's Road, Chelsea, as well as Mr. Linden, deals in economic plants. Potato for Main Crop (Portcullu). — For your purpose we advise Walker's Regent. You will require about three bushels. It is a heavy cropper, a capital keeper, and of excellent quaUty. It will not, however, be in use until September ; you will therefore require a few earlies and second early, about half a bushel of each. The early may be Myatt's Prolific, the second early Lapstone. The early may be in rows 2 feet apart, and 1 foot asunder in tho rows; the second early 2 feet 3 inches, and 15 inches; and the main crop 2 feet 6 inches, and IH inches in the rows. The seed would be most economi- cally purchased of some neighbouring grower. Sweet Williams lldrm).— It is a good time to plant nice plants with good balls for this year's flowering, but seed sown now would not fljwer this year. The first week in April ia a proper time to sow Sweet Peas and Mignonette. Thorn and Privet Hedge (J. Jl. IF.).— Tho Privet would overgrow the Thorns or quicks, and it would not as a fence against cattle be so good as a quickset hedge only, though from its evergreen character is preferable as a shelter lor gardens. To give a Beiui-overgrcon character to the hedge you 224 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ March 13, 1875. may plant a common Ilolly along with the Thorns one in every yard, it being much better &(^ a fence plant than Privet, which is too weak for resisting cattle; but nothing can be better than a good qoickset hedge. Allamanda Schotti (Amateur). — The treatment to which the plants have been subjected is proper, providinp they have not been kept so dry in winter as to cause the wood to shrivel. If the wood be plump and sound you may safely purchase the plants. Economising Old Lights (Amateur Vinedresser). — Cool vineries oufjht to have a eouth aspect; an east one would not. we feir, receive the requisite Bolar heat nor retain it so as to ensare the ripening of the fmit. It would answer better as an orchard house than as a house for Vines. The lean-to would be the best firm of house. We should pUnt the Vines in front, and ran up each Vine with four rods at about 3 feet distance apart, Chasselas Vibert (white), Esperione (black), and Cambridge Botanic Garden (black) arc the most hkcly kinds to succeed in such a house. We do not, however, advise them, but instead we should form of the lights an orchard house, having the lights fixed perpendicularly at 7 feet distance from the wall, having about 18 inches of boarding at bottom, one half of it to open for ventilation, and an entirely new roof. By having this fixed beneath the coping of the wall you will have about 2 feet 6 inches of fall in the 7 feet of width. A row of bushes and pyramids in front and the walk at back will leave the wall available for fruit trees, and suitable for Peach, Nectarine, or Apricot. The front will be admirably suited for Plums, Cherries, and Pears. Fobeman's Qcteries is. H. G.).— You cannot do better than write to the gardener. You are certain to receive a courteous reply, and the information will bo authentic. NA3IES OF Plants [J. W.). — 1, Woodwardia radicane: 2, Aspidium angn- lare; S, A. coriacenm (capense, WlUd.). (DoHoKd).— Pomaderris elliptica. {W\n. Eock) i 15 20 „ Absence of white shaft from the hen's feathers „ 5 10 „ Want of condition n 15 25 ,, White earlobe „ 1 3 „ All deformities, bad bumble feet, spurs right outside, and very dark feet are fatal disqualifications, and I think badly- crooked breastbones should be so too. HOUDANS. LncE "D., Deal," I am exceedingly disappointed with my Houdans as regards laying, although iu other respects they far exceed other breeds except the Grove and Dorking, and they surpass them in hardiness. Having read in your Journal of the excellent laying properties of these birds, I determined to obtain a yard of them, and pro- cured four Houdan hens with a cock (not related) in January 1874. From these I reared twenty-nine pullets, all of which are now above ten months old ; with these pullets I put sis cross- bred hens in order to have in the yard exactly the same number of hens as I had last year, which consisted of thirty-five farm- yard hens. Last year's result from thirty-five crossbred fowls during the months of January and February (nine months old) was 621 eggs. This year's ditto (ten mouths old) Houdans, 301 eggs. The eggs I now obtain from this yard are half of them irom the crossbred hens; their eggs being easily distinguished by their brown tint. Besides the Houdan yard I have one of Light Brahmas (nine hens and a cock), these have laid this year 307 eggs. I have another yard of Black Red Game, twenty-three pullets which have laid since Christmas 421 eggs; also I have three Black Hamburgh pullets, which have laid this year 103 eggs. — J. Shelswell, Banbury. . THE ENGLISH OWL PIGEON. I FIND, after reading " Wiltshiee Rector's " remarks on this Pigeon, I must add something lest I be misunderstood. The Rector's analogy as to the African being to the English Owl as the Short-faced Almond is to the well-bred flying Tumbler will not, in my opinion, hold good. Flying Tumblers are fancied and bred for their performances in the air, and he who will have them nearest perfection must not be too particular about feather or appearance. Short-faces, on the other hand, though un- doubtedly bred down from common Tumblers, are bred entirely for appearance and fancy points. If the Rector's analogy is good, then E nglish O wis, like those of the present day or similar birds, are the progenitors of the fine Africans now imported. From this idea I must dissent, and rather hold with "Bubo " that the English bird has degenerated iu English hands from unskilful breeding. To the proof of my assertion I first mention the article on the Owl in the Treatise on Pigeons (1765) :. " The Owl is, according to Mr. Moore, a small Pigeon very little larger than a Jacobin, which might be their size in his time ; but at present they are brought to such perfection that they are hardly if anything larger than a very small Tumbler. Its beak is very short, and hooked over at the end like an Owl's, from whence it takes its name ; the shorter it is the better. It has a very round button head." If a fine African Owl and what is reckoned a fine English one (such as comes to the front atl the best shows) is taken up and compared with this description written in 1765, I hold It will not apply to the E aglish bird at all, but eminently to the African. Leaving out mere size, there is little left but the frill or purle to indicate what the English bird is. Some of the crossed dusky- coloured birds have certainly fair heads, but can a real powder- blue English Owl be produced with the formation of head and beak as described in the foregoing quotation ? If it can, then I will allow it to be an O wl, although double the size of the African. At the same time it is clear that the size is a sign of coarseness, and that altogether the breed has lost that finish so well de- scribed by the writer ot the Treatise (1765). Returning to the Rector's analogy of Short-faces to African Owls. The former if very fine could not be trusted to fly, leaving out the risk of loss, beoauBO they are not able ; while, on the other hand, the African bird has his wings clipped up, and is as smart on the wing as his English very distant relation, which I have proved. When iu India I had a very fine pair which I had from Mr. Jamrach, who brought them out on one of his expeditions in search of tigers. He had them from Messrs. Baily, the importers. The climate, being something like their native one, suited them so well that they bred as freely as common Pigeons, and so true to points that I was convinced the breed is a well-estaljlished one, not like the Euglish Owls that I had beside them, and from fair-headed specimens of which the greater number came very mousey-faced. As I said before, the English bird is worth preserving for colour's sake, in the hope that that may be engrafted on the finer bird; but he is not in my opinion worth preserving for anything else, having evidently had the bar sinistej engraved on his escutcheon some time between 1765 and now ; at least I judge so when I read what he was and look at what he is.^ J. C. Lyell, Monijicth, Dundee. CLASSES FOR THE MEALY POUTEB. The prevailing colours of semi-wild Pigeons inhabiting field dovecotes and ruined buildings in this country and the continent of Europe, also the Hindoo temples and mosques of Himiostan, are blue with black bars, and blue-chequer. Amongst all these it is no unfrequent thing to observe some mealy and red- chequered birds. These latter colours, then, seem the first varia- tion nature makes in half domesticated Pigeons, and next an occasional albino or pure white. It is therefore owing to the fact that they are the most natural, that Pouters of these colours have always been perhaps hardier and generally finer developed as to style and size than the artificial black, red, and yellow. I think late writers are agreed that blue and mealy do not give the breeder one tithe of the trouble as to colour that the artificial colours do. On going back to the earlier writers, I find Moore places the black before the blue, and the yellow before either. Thirty years later the writer ot the Treatise (1765) values them in the same way, and places red between black and yellow. Circumstances may alter cases, as for instance at Ihe present time reds of the best tint are so scarce that they are more valu- able than yellows, birds of which are still to be met with ot very good colour though also scarce. Yet I think we may take for granted the respective values placed on the colours by the old writers, and we shall, no doubt, find when reds of colour become more common that the difficulty of keeping to the right tints will make the colours stand — first, yellow; second, red; third, black ; fourth, blue. After these the only others worth breed- ing for themselves are the barred colours — viz., silver, yellow mealy, and the common or red mealy. Both as regards beauty and from the fact that silver and yellow mealy are scarce and artificial colours, they would in my opinion stand far before the common or red mealy it they could be produced equal in Pouter points with it. Whether they ever will bo bred so is another question. I therefore put— fifth, silver ; sixth, yellow mealy; seventh, red mealy. After these there remain blue, red, and yellow chequers ot various shades, sandies of the same, dun and dun chequers (colours I never saw, though I believe they have existed). Splashes all the way from those with only a grizzled tail to half-coloured or badly pied birds, and last pure whites, which should in my opinion come eighth on the list ; for should any of the seven colours I have numbered be not only equal in style and size to a white, but well marked be- sides, it is a more valuable bird. Here, then, is what I would consider a good schedule for a Pouter show, the sub-divisions into classes of cocks and hens, old and young birds, being made according to circumstances. First, yellow; second, red; third, black; fourth, blue; fifth, silver and mealy (yellow or red). Of course the red mealy has the best chance here, yet yellow mealies have been bred very fine; sixth, white; seventh, any other colour to include dim, sandy, chequers (blue, red, yellow, or dun), and Splashes with not more colour than a marked tail, and ticked about the head and neck. The attempt on the part of some to wipe out and utterly ignore at shows some of the ofi-colours found in Pouter Pigeons will never succeed. At the same time is there not a danger of carrying the recognition of them too far ? as for example at the last Kilmarnock Show, where I find the following extraordinary classification : — First, blue or black ; second , red, yellow, or mealy ; third, any other colour. I understand from this that reds and yellows to beat mealies must be at least as good in the first four Pouter properties. Where are such reds and yellows to be had ? Without particularising birds it is well known that there have been, and perhaps yet are, mealies so fine that no black, red, or yellow could stand a chance with them. The only fair schedule where there were only three classes would be — ■ first, yellow, red, or black ; second, blue, silver, or mealies ; third, any other colour. Perhaps it is the idea of some who have waded through the late Pouter controversy that those who took the part of the off-colours have plenty of them and produce many. Out ot thirty birds I have only two off-colours, and no fancier I know has a greater proportion, but some have less. They are used according as they are bred. In the hands of 22G JOURNAL OF HOBTICUIiTOBE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. ( March 18, 1875. their owners they are of great value, while in the hands of others who did not know their breeding they might be of as great loss if wrongly matched. Success in breeding depends on the knowledge of how all one's stock is bred. In conclusion, I do not believe that the late Pouter contro- versy has done anything to alter the position of off- coloured Pouters in the least. I believe those who wrote most against them know their value, and would give as much for good speci- mens, and perhaps more, as those who sided in their favour. Old Moore says, " The plumage of the Pouter aifords a very great variety. The pieds are most universally esteemed. Under these may be ranked " (for mark, there were other colours) " the blue, black, red and yellow pied." — J. C. Lyell, Monifieth by Dundee. In the pages of a contemporary I was surprised to see a letter from Mr. Wallace of Glasgow, in which he uses very tall lan- guage about a mere nothing. He says, " To Mr. Huie's assertion I give the most unqualified contradiction. Neither he nor Mr. Ure were ever members of the North British Cnlumbarian Society." I feel it to be my duty to remind Mr. Wallace that the North British Columbarian consists of the mere remains of (with a few honorary names added) a Society of which Mr. Huie was one of the original founders, and no member did more to establish the reputation of that Society than he did, the name of which has been of late years only altered to '* The North British Columbarian." I know that Mr. Huie wrote articles for three of the Glasgow daily newspapers when connected with that Society, which was the means of bringing out the public to a large extent to its exhibitions, and placing it on a footing of 1 respectability, which Pigeon shows in Glasgow had never before 1 enjoyed ; and I do think Mr. Wallace acts a small part in making nse as he does of the mere change of the name of a Society of which the mainsprings are now gone. The editorial note following the letter in question is behind the times. It is certain that Mr. Huie and Mr. Ure advocated the Mealy Pouter and bred them to perfection many years before your contemporary was dreamt of, and for aught that I know years before its editor siw the light of day. — James Bruce, Duvfermliiie. NORTHAMPTON SHOW OF POULTKT, &c. We have received another report of this Show, from which we extract the following: — Rabbits. — The Lops in the Self coloured class were not nume- rous, but good, and one pen empty. The first was a Fawn doe, ■very good in all properties, 21 J inches by 4S in ear. Second was a Black buck, partially moulted, small in eye, but trood in all other points : ear, 21J inches by 4|. Third was a Silver Fawn buck, 21} inches by 4}. Lops, Broken-coloured, was a good class and the competition close. First was a Black-and-white doe, perfect in style, marking, and eye; ear, 22 inches by 4. J; rather small in size. Second, a Tortoiseshell doe, not a good colour, but right in all other respects, 22^ inches by 4J. Third, a Black-and-white buck, a little short of marking, very grand style and carriage, good eye; 21} inches by 4^. Pen 1214, very highly commended, Black-and-white, too gay in colour; 21'i inches by 4^. 1208, Fawn-and- white, very highly com- mended; 20 inches by 45. 1212, a good Babbit in all respects, and would have been first, but one leg was crooked. Angoras were a very good class. Mr. Swetman's very large doe first. Second, a smaller Rabbit, but very fine in wool, and with such ears for shortness and shape as we have not seen in the show pen before, and it is quite a moot point with ns as to whether this Rabbit's fine qualities should not have been placed before mere size, other points being equal. The third, from Mr. Swet- man, was also large and good. Mr. Thompson's highly-com- mended buck also a near run. Himalayans formed a large class, but, as a whole, nothing out of the common, although there were some really good specimens, as the one shown by Mr. Mason ; the second, which was small and young ; and Mr. Pick- worth's buck. Dutch were not good, and the first award was to a very young Rabbit grey in colour but perfectly marked if we except that the line in front did not extend through the ears; the second and third, adult. Blue, and good. Silver-Greys were the class of the Show — such a class, in fact, as we have never seen equalled, and every pen mentioned separately; six being selected as the recipients of the prizes, were taken out and placed in separate pens in an equal light, the remainder, as a rule, losing only in the extremities being a little too dark, the heads especially. Of the above-named six the first was one of the most equal Rabbits we have ever seen, the feet, nose, and especially the ears, being exactly like the body, and the surface silvering of the most correct shade, and neither mossed nor mealy. Second was a large Rabbit, perhaps the lai'gest in the Show, but rather gaunt-looking, showing want of condition, and not of the same nor as correct a shade of silvering. Third a little smaller than above with grand body colour, but not as light on feet, nose, and ears as on body, but the next best in silvering. Fourth not as good in silvering, and rather darker on feet and nose ; and pen 12G0 close upon thelast-named. From the above remarks it will be seen that evenness and silvering take the lead over sheer size, which agrees with our opinion from long experience ; colour, as in the Silver-Grey Dorking, being far ahead of size, although the latter is a very desirable property as enhancing tho value of the skin. In the Variety class Belgian Hares won the prizes, the winners being quite clear of the rest, most of the others being good in fore quarters, but only a common wild-rabbit colour on the hind quarters. In the Selling class for any breed. Lops excepted, the first was a better Belgian Hare doe than the first-prize winner in the above class; the second a fair Silver-Grey, and third a Black-and- white Dutch. In Selling class for Lops the first was a Fawn- and-white buck, 21 inches by 4J ; second, Black-and-white, 20 inches by 4J ; third. Fawn, 20 inches by4|. In the Local class was first a Fawn buck, 21J inches by 4; ; second Angora, and third Dutch. Mr. Hutton judged the Rabbits and Pouter Pigeons. CRYSTAL PALACE BIRD SHOW.— No. 2. Delightful as were the Canaries, equally so were the Mules and those birds in the other portion of the Exhibition. I always had a very great fancy for Mule birds, and my curiosity was much appeased after going through them and admiring the beauty and respective qualifications of the prizewinners. There is something exceedingly smart and aristocratic about Mole birds, more particularly in those brea betwixt Goldfinches and Canaries. One cannot fail to become ardent admirers of them, close as they are in plumage, and so very vivacious and amusing in their ways compared to Canaries. Some were faultlessly marked and pencilled about their eyes and smaller flights, and others nearly clear, throwing up that splendid Goldfinch flush around their faces and on their wing-bars and breasts, that each bird with its delicate lovely garb and ancestral form brought to mind the words of our poet laureate — "Half 18 his, and halt is thine ; it will be worthy of the two." Mr. James Djel of Stonehouse, Plymouth, was the fortunate possessor of many of the prizetakers, he having won ten prizes out of the eighteen the Judges awarded, thus becoming the winner of the silver cup offered (in classes 30 to 33 inclusive), to the exhibitor gaining the greatest number of points. Mr. Doel took first and second and extra third iu three of the classes (30, 31, and 32), and first, third, and extra third in class 33. The whole of his birds were in fine condition, and were sent to the Show wonderfully clean considering the distance thev had travelled. In class 30 Mr. Hawman's Evenly-marked Yellow played a good third to Mr. Doel's pair. In classes 31 and 32 the chief competitors to Mr. Doel were Messrs. Bunting, Stevens, Caplin, and 'Tomlin. Class 33, which was justly specified a " very good class," contained some birds very nearly clear. Had they been clear it was stated that special prizes would be awarded, but they were not, and so they had to go without. The two nearest approaching to clear were those numbered 770 and 778, exhibited by the Messrs. E. & J. Baxter and Mr. S. Bunting, the former exhibitors' specimens being marked very distinctly but slightly about each eye, and the other slightly grizzled upon one of the flight feathers: two superb birds. By some slight error the equal second-prize ticket was placed upon Mr. Boatwright's cage instead of Mr. Bunting's. This, however, was rectified during the second d»y of the Show. The Mules were continued with a couple of classes for Dark Mules (Jouqua and Mealy), a class for Linnet Males, and one for Any other variety of Canary Mule. In these four classes there were sixty specimens, but the more interesting ones were those exhibited in classes 36 and 37. The Dark Jonqnes must have been a troublesome lot, for I could not see very much difference betwixt the first three or four birds, still I think Mr. Hawman's bird was rightly placed. In the Mealy class Mr. Cox won first with a fine-made bird full of quality, Messrs. Bunting and Moore & Wynn following well up with birds far beyond a middlina quality. Mr. Spence took first and second for Linnet Mules, Jlr. Stevens being third. I have seen a better class than this, the birds not being quite up to ray expectations. In class 37 Mr. Hawman's Greenfinch and Canary Mule ap- peared to be at home ; it is a fine bird and will take a lot of beating. Mr. Alwin's second-prize bird was in good plumage ; and the third prize, a very prettily pied Siskin and Canary Mule, was won by the Messrs. Baxter. Betwixt the Mule classes and British birds the cages of sixes were shown. Eight sixes of Norwich of varied sorts were entered, the best of the lot being the six in spanking plumage exhibited by Mrs. Maria Judd of Newington Causeway. Messrs. Mackley, Norwich, were second, third, and extra third— three good lots. There were but three Lizard sixes, and not much difference betwixt either. First was given to 819 (Fairbrass) ; second Bunting, and third Cleminson & Ellerton. The sixes for Goldfinch and Canary Mules only reached two entries, and one prize only was given, that to Mr. Doel's cage, which con- tained half a dozen birds fit to compete Vith singly. March 18, 1875. ] JOURNAL OF HOBTICDLTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 227 Class 41, Miscellaneous, for any other variety of Finch Mules. In this class several entries were made in error — namely, a Black Mule, a couple between Siskin and Canary, Linnet and Green bird, and five Cinnamon Mules. The class was judged as they stood, and a second prize was given to Mr. Doel's Black Mule, but another exhibitor raising an objection the bird was withdrawn. The first prize was awarded to Mr. John Brown's Bullfinch and Goldfinch cross, a bonny specimen. The appear- ance of several of the cages in this class was somewhat marred through being partly covered with printed papers denoting the respective breeds of the occupants. Why they should have been made so conspicuous I am at a loss to know. The particulars in the catalogue ought to have sufficed. The classes for British birds were well supported. Bullfinches numbered thirty-one. Goldfinches forty-nine, ChaSinches ten, Linnets eleven, Bedpoles and Siskins eight. Skylarks sixteen, Robins thirteen. Thrushes twelve, Starlings nine, one Magpie, one Jay, three Jackdaws, and nineteen of various other breeds in class 55. Those of especial merit were Major Edwards's Bull- finch; Messrs. Doel's and Hawman's Goldfinches, the former in particular an exceptional good one; Mr. T. Al win's Chaffinch; Messrs. Cannon's and Cleminaou it Ellerton's Brown Linnets; Mr. Newmarch's Siskin; Mrs. Judd's Skylark; Mr. Cox's Robin; Mr. R. J. Troake's Blackbird; Mr. Newbold's famous Thrush (one of the best plumed in the British classes), and Miss Emma Hawkins's two very learned Starlings, one of which was stated to whistle an air from " Madame Angot." In class 55 — Any other variety of British birds — aWhite Gold- finch belonging to Mr. AUoorn, headed the lot for honours which were freely given. Miss Norah Mohr and Mr. John Young had equal firsts awarded, the former two prizes for a couple of pairs of smart Bearded Tits, and a cage containing a Grey or Dun "Wagtail Blue. Mr. Young's equal first was won with a very good feathered Nuthatch. Birds of Passage formed three claaaes, half a dozen Blackcaps making up the class, Mr. C. Varetti being the winner of first and second prizes. There were six Nightingales, Mr. 0. A. Watts being foremost with an interesting bird, which occasionally treated the visitors with its vocal power. The other class was represented with a Cuckoo, a Titlark, a Yellow Wagtail, and a lesser Whiiethroat. Mr. Tilney's Wagtail was to the front; Mr. Walker's Titmouse and Mr. Watts's Whitethroat equal seconds. Foreign birds were likewise numerous, and besides those entered in the classes was a splendid collection exhibited by A. F. Wiener, Esq., Belle Vue House, Heme Hill, Dulwich, comprising thirty-one birds of various breeds. Although not for sale or competition they did not escape the notice of the Judges. Altogether there were eighteen classes for Foreign birds, and there were 147 entries, consisting of Widah Birds, Red-headed Cardinals, Virginian Nightingales, Waxfeills, Java Sparrows, Diamond Sparrows, Doves, Love Birds, Parakeets, Cockateals, Parrots, and Cockatoos of various kinds, besides a large entry in the last class for Foreign birds of any other variety, " too numerous to particulaiise," as an auctioneer would say. The Selling class and the class for exhibition cages terminated by far the finest show of Cage Birds ever held. — An Eye-witness. SQUIRRELS ARE EGG-SUCKERS. In your notice to correspondents, page 20(5, you write, *' Squirrels do not suck Rooks' or Partridges' eggs." Perhaps not; I do not know, but I do know that they suck Woodpigeons' eggs, having seen them do it. I was induced to watch by finding fre- quently at the foot of fir trees on which the Woodpigeons nested egg shells empty, with an opening on the side about the size of a shilling, jagged as if made by the teeth of some rodent. — R. F. P. Bath and West of England Society and Sodthern Counties Association.— Croydon Meeting, 1875. — The General Post-office will extend the telegraph wires to the Show Ground, and make such other arrangements as may be desirable. For the Meeting of 1876 the Council haveacoepted the Hereford invitation. LIGURIAN AND COMMON BEES. Some fourteen days ago the desirability of having a public trial of strength between Ligurian and common bees was suggested. It was hoped that some one would propose a few simple rules and regulations to be observed in a trial of this kind. I now venture to state what I think would be a fair and satisfactory way of testing whether Ligurians are in any sense better than common bees. Five swarms of each sort, all equal in weight, say 5 lbs. each swarm, put into hives alike in size and materials, placed in one garden at the same time, and re- main together till examined and weighed by the judges. Of course the hives would be placed under the care of an honourable person, and never be visited by their owners. If a more satis- factory trial can be suggested I shall be very glad. Thomas Bagshaw, Esq., of Languor, called here the other day, and as he is a young, energetic, and intelligent apiarian, and better able than myself to undertake the activities of the pro- posed contest, I am glad to say that he is ready to make arrange- ments for a public trial. His bees are the common sort, and if he has not swarms enough at the time that may be fixed on I will gladly lend him some of mine. I shall be gratified if any gentleman, or number of gentlemen jointly, will arrange to produce five swarms of Ligurians where- with to enter the arena to meet those of Mr. Bagshaw. If five Bwarms of hybrids be entered as well the experiment would have a wider sweep and be much more important. Shall we not indulge the hope that the admirers and patrons of Ligurian bees will now embrace this opportunity of proving the truth of their assertions as to the superiority of their favourites ? If the projected trial establish or prove the superiority of Ligurians all right-minded apiarians will encourage their pro- pagation and sale all over the country ; and if they are not better in any sense poor people will be instructed not to expect greater results from Ligurians than are realised by common bees. In such a contest there is nothing to fear. Though I believe now that the common bees are inferior to none in their breed- ing and working powers, I shall be delighted to see them fairly beaten. If a contest cannot be arranged without stakes and prizes, let me say that, if any of the patrons of Ligurians will intimate their willingness to enter the arena of contest on condition that a handsome prize be given to the winner, the best shall be done to raise subscriptions to cover a fair share of the prize-money. If our friends wish to convince the bee-keepers of Great Britian that the common bees are inferior to theirs, they have now an opportunity offered to them of doing so. And if they come forward in an honest manly way to have this matter settled, they will do something to advance apiarian science and benefit the bee-loving community. — A. Pettigrew, A VISIT TO HAN WELL. Not to the Asylum, although some would perhaps say I was mad enough over flowers to be qualified for it; not to the Central Schools, although I did go there, and should be quite prepared to take the defendant's side in " Senior v. Tufnell ;" but to the Editor of the " Bee Journal," the well-known Hanwell bee- master, Mr. Charles Abbott: for amongst my cultures I have for many years, in a bungling sort of way, kept the little busy things. But I have been very much dissatisfied with my keeping. I had built a bee house, into which the wax moth had come and destroyed two of my best hives, and which I had demolished accordingly. I have long thought that if I kept bees at all it should be in not quite so unscientific a way as I had done ; and this feeling was intensified by seeing the wonderful Exhibition at the Crystal Palace last year, and hearing, and indeed behold- ing, the amazing results produced by bee-keepers in various parts of the kingdom, more especially in Scotland. And so, as business led me to Hanwell, I determined to utilise the visit for this purpose; and having corresponded with Mr. Abbott felt sure, from the tone of his letters, that I should be received with courtesy and initiated into everything that I as a novice might require information upon. There were some three or four things I wished to get evidence upon : — Ist, What sort of hives were the best, wood or straw; 2nd, whether the use of the quilt was advisable or not; and 3rd, the value or oiherwiae of the Ligurian bees. I found, as I have often done with the most successful growers of flowers, that the place where Mr. Abbott "cultivates" hia favourites was not at all a likely place to look for them. There was no fine and open space, no fragrant dell or brilliant parterre, but I turned into a small cottage yard in the street of the long straggling village of Hanwell ; and there, in a small square back garden, were in all directions hives of all sorts, and here have the experiments been made which have been recorded in the " Bee Journal," and which, while they have produced so much controversy, have also led to such good practical results. And now as to the question of hives. Of course now-a-days nothing but bar hives will do ; but the question is. What sort of bar hives shall they be — of straw or wood ? and it of wood which is the best ? The wooden bar hives are all more or less a modi- fication of the old Woodbury hive ; and as I am not inviting a buzz about my ears, and probably a sting or two into the bargain — [for writers on bees seem sometimes as if they bad stolen some of the poison bags of their little pets and dipped their pens in theip) — by disparaging this or that hive, I am only going to say what I saw that pleased me. There was first of all the wonder- fully cheap Woodbury that gained the prize at the Crystal Palace, and which is made for 3s. : this ought to be largely used for the purpose of trying to induce our cotta:;ers to give up their barbarous practice of destroying the bees. Then there was Mr. Abbott's own hive, which strueli me as being a most admirable one, and which is made for 25.9. complete, or with some further improvements for 35s. This hive seems to me to have all the advantages of a Woodbury, and to be superior to it in some 228 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ March 18, 1875. points which it will hardly be necessary for me to enter npon here. So hishiy did I think of it that I am going to have one for my new start in bees this jear. And now as to the quilt. I have seen some very hard things said against it, while others have been equally loud in its praise. Now I examined several hives here, and I saw no trace whatever of the damp which is said to be engendered by it. The corners of the hives were perfectly dry, and there it anywhere damp would collect. I had, too, an opportunity of contrasting it with the ordinary board covering. A hive had been sent to Mr. Abbott in which the combs were all crooked, and which he was going to straighten. This had not been opened ; and so, as there was a gleam of sunshine, he opened it in my presence. A great deal of damp had collected on the floorboard aud on the crowns : so that on this point, therefore, I was quite satisfied. And then in the facility which it affords for examining the bees I think there is a great advantage : there is no unscrewing of boards, but by just simply lifting up the piece of carpet you have a com- plete command of the hive. So hf^re again my visit had the effect of determining me to adopt the quilt — which, by-the-by, is a queer name to give it, for it is in reality simply a tidy square of carpet. You can of course put anything else on this for warmth, and either cover with a boarder the old cottagers'tplan of an inverted pan. And now with regard to Ligurians. It would ill become one who is anodce to enter into any dispute on this point, or to decide between Mr. Pettigrew, who I see has strongly decried them, and others who approve of them ; and yet I gather from his letter that greater results have been obtained from them than from the Britishers. There is one advantage they possess — they are so much more gentle, aud to timid bee-keepers this is an advantage not to be despised; and from what I could see with Mr. Abbott I should decidedly give a vote in their favour. They are also very pretty, but I do not think my decision was influenced by the " prisoner at the bar being of a very prepos- sessing appearance." There is no doubt that bee-keeping is entering on a new phase in England. "We have had stores which we have wasted, and continued practices which are barbarous and wasteful ; but care must be taken that we do not go to the other extreme by over- refinement. Bee palaces such as I saw at the Crystal Palace are. I think, abominations; and if this is avoided and a kindly and teaching spirit manifested by those who are adepts, I am Bure great benefit to the community at large will be the result, and amongst those who are helping to this end we may safely reckon Mr. Abbott and his "Bee Journal." — D., Deal. hung out in clneters for weeks last year without swarming, it is presumable that they may not swarm or do better this year if not treated differently. Take or part the hives asunder and examine both. If the comba in the nadir are chiefly composed of worker cells (not much drone comb) we would drive the bees from the hive of black comba into the other, and feed them twice or thrice a-wesk for a month. If the combs in the nadir are chiefly ot the drone kind better let the beea remain amongst the old combs, and uwarm them artihcially when the hive becomea full. It would not be safe to put the bees into au empty hive at this season. Hives ( W. It. F.).— Write to Mr. Pettigrew, Priory Vineyard, Sale, Cheshire. Two Hives of Bees (Triceps], — You want to know how best to manage your two strong hivee, so as to get one swarm out of them and no more, but plenty of honey. We advise you to drive the strongest of them into a new hive about the second week in May, or as soon as they begin to hang out. Put the new swarm so driven in its new hive in place of the parent hive out of which they were driven. Be sure you drive out or otherwise dislodge every lull-grown bee, so us to make the swarm as large as possible. Having thoroughly emptied of its bees the old stock, put this over your other strong stock, taking care to open the commuuicaticu between the two hives. The bees from below will ascenl into the empty driven stock, and after hatching out all the young bees will proceed to hll the ceils with honey as fast as they become vacant. The fresher the comb in the supered stock the finer will be the honey stored there. The swarm in a good season and a good locality ought to give you some honey too. OUR LETTER BOX. Chickens Weak (Miss Evelyn).— Breed, food, and their day home should all tend to make your chickens strong; but your arrangement for them at night is a very bad one. Young chickens should never he on straw. Nothing could be better than the dry earth of the barn floor and an old sack thrown over the coop. The chickens of the cross grow very fast — indeed often too fast for their strength, and then appears the k-g-weaknes3 you mention, which can only be cured by a good diet of easily digested natural food. We should for young chickens feed entirely without meat, substitute fine meal rubbed with bread ciumbg and chopped onion for the grits, and keep on with the bread and beer. Henhouse and Yard (Edith v4.).— Your|very good sketch is the design of a very good miniatuie run and house. The red line partition i§ not necessary. Where ycu have but little space to spare the laying house must form part of the ron'pting house of your birds, and the nests would do well as you have drawn them. If made in blocks and moveable so mtich the better. Your carjienter would make the lean-t) and put on the felt, and any of our wire- workers, on being furnished with a scale of measurement, would make you panels of galvanised frames to meet exactly your requirements. Canaries and Cayenne Pepper (Curioso).— Canaries are made high- coloured with the free use of cayenne pepper in their food. Some breeders mix it with egg and bipcuit ; others use It in a cake with which they freely feed the birds the whole of the moulting period. To one egg, when hard bfjiled and chonped fine (or it mav be more effectuully done by pressing through a sieve), add two teaspoonfuls of cayenne pire and mixed wf^ll to- gether. Then add one small biscuit reducad to a powder. Mix the three ingredients together and supply your (say some half-dozen) birds with the diet two or thres times daily. No green food during the moult. The more of the pepper food the birds partake of. and the less of see'ls, the deeper the colour of the plamage will be. You need not fear your birds feeding upon the above food. Commence with the pepper diet when the young have at- tained the age of six weeks. There will be no necessity to put the whole ot the young birds npoa the cayenne diet. Select for the purpose the boldest and most likely-lonking c^ck birds. Young Canaries bred from pepper-fed birdswill rot be high-coloured in first or nest feathers. To make them high- coloured they must be moulted upon cayenne. Kedlock Seed (Comtant Rrader). — See Journal of last week for advertise- ment aanonncin,' the sale of Keylock seed. Stimulating Food for CANAniES iSuhKcriber). — Any extra diet or food (heyond the u^uai supply of canary, hemp, millet, rape, and flax), such as egg and biscuit, with a pinch of pepper in it, dandelion, small salad, cress seed, German paste, or a little biscuit slightly soaked with sherry wine, or a few drop^ in the fountain, will each and all tend to prepare or stimulate Canaries for breeding purposes. Driving Bees {W. W.). — Without seeing your hive it is difficult to decide •whether the bees should be allowed to remain in tbc top hive or be driven into the bottom one. As the combs in tho top hive are very old and the bees METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, Camden Square, London, Lat. 61^ 32' 40 " N. ; Long. 0° 8' 0" W. ; Altitude, 111 feet. Date. 9 A.U. Is THE DAT. i%a I Hygrome- c<«a>-JI ter. §•2 ... Shade Tem- Radiation s 1875. a.9 ".'"1^ perature. Temperalare. K hit E^ §|- March. In On BSg-',Dry. Wet. Q" f Max. Mm. san. grasB ■ 100 Melons each 8. d. s. d. „ l^lb, 0 OtoO 0 „ 0 Nectarines doz. 0 0 0 0 0 0 Oranges ^100 8 0 12 0 fl. d. s. d. 1 0 to 3 0 MalberrieB 0 0 0 0 10 0 20 0 Peaches doz. 0 0 0 0 0 0 Pears, kitchen doz. 2 0 0 0 0 0 dessert doz. 8 0 0 0 0 0 PineApples lb. 2 0 10 16 Plums I sieve 0 0 16 2 0 Quinces doz. 0 0 0 0 Raspberries lb. 0 0 0 5 0 6 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 0 Strawberries ^Ib. 0 0 0 0 12 0 Walnuts buHhel 8 0 ditto ^100 1 0 12 0 1 6 VEGETABLES. Artichokes doz. B 0lo6 8.d. Asparagus.. it' MO 6 20 2 French.. ..per bundle Beans, Kidney.. ..per lOi Broal bushel Beet, Red doz broccoli bundle Brusdeis Sprouts i sieve CabDa«e doz. Carroia bunch Capsicums !;'■ 100 Cauliflower doz. Celery., - bundle Coieworts.. doz.buncbes Cuoumbere each pickling doz. Endive do«. Fennel bunch (iarlic lb. Herbs bunch Horadrauieh...... bundle Leeka Lettuce.... doz. MasUrooma pottle Mastard & Cresa.. punnet Unions bushel pickling quart Parsley perdoz.buncn. s Parsnips doz Peas quart Potatoes buM' t*l Kidney do Radishes,, doz. bunches Rbubarb buuuie Salaafy bundle Scorzonera bundle Sea-kale basket SbiiUots lb. S]iinach bushel Tomatoes doz. Turnips..,. bunch Vegetable Marrows,, doz. 8. d. B. 0 4to0 1 0 a 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 e 1 0 2 0 0 R a 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 March 25, 1873. 1 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 220 WEEKLY CALENDAR. Day Day ot 1 of Month Week. 23 Th 26 F 27 S 28 SCN 29 M 30 To 31 W MARCH 23-31,1375. Lady-day. Slessrs. Vcitch & Song' ExhibiUou of Good Friday. [ Spriup Fl.iwers at Chelsei. Eoyal Horticulfcuiiil Socier.y, :\Ir. W. Paul'.^ Es'iibitiou Ea'stkr Sunday. [ of Spring Flowers to .Vpril 3nl. BanklloliiUy. Mr. Ciitbiiati's Spring Show at High- Chemical Society Anniversary at S P.M. [gate. Royal Botauio Sooioty's Spring Show. f Average p„„ Temperatare near maea. Sets- Day. 50.9 618 51.1 53 0 53 7 63.7 5J.3 Niffht. iMean. m. 32,8 82.6 311 310 3J.4 34 3 33.9 419 42 2 441 43 5 43 6 4t0 44.6 51 49 40 44 43 40 Sun Moon Clock Day Sets. Elses. Sets. Abo. Sun. of Year. m. h. m. b m. h. Days, m. B. 19 af fi 4()aflO 48 6 18 6 5 e4 21 6 64 11 3 7 19 5 46 85 22 6 morn. 24 7 20 5 28 86 24 6 5 1 53 7 21 5 9 8V 23 6 10 2 31 8 22 4 61 88 27 6 5 8 31 9 ( 4 sa 89 29 6 40 8 41 10 24 4 14 90 From obsermtions lako/. near LonJon during forty-three years, the acerago day terapcrataro of the week is 52.9-; and its night temperature SHANKING: ITS CAUSE AND CUEE. HANKING, like many other so-called dis- eases, is rot a disease at all, it is merely a reminder — and not always a gentle one — ou the part of Nature that we do not (inder- stand her teachings. I believe outdoor Grapes do not often shank, and we know they do not always have the most skilful treatment, but put a glass covering over them and they are at once liable to shank- ing, imperfect setting, and all sorts of bad behaviour. Why is this ? Why should they, like most recipients of charity among the .genus homo, behave badly in proportion to the amount of kindness lavished on them ? tiimilar cases occur with many other plants besides Vines ; they do tolerably well left to themselves, but immediatoly they are nursed their constitution seems impaired, and they require all sorts of indulgences. The reason is, we only possess a jiartial knowledge of the plant's requirements. We perhaps understand per- fectly what is required above ground to produce vigorous growth, and even tolerably well-ripeued wood, and flatter ourselves that all must be right, and picture in our mind's eye the well-finished Grapes we shall have to astonish our friends with in the coming summer. This illusion is kept up through the greater part of the following season of growth ; the Vines break regularly and stronglj' ; they show three times as many bunches as are required ; they set well, if they are Hamburghs or Sweetwaters, and swell rapidly ; they commence colour- ing. All must be right this time ; but no, many of the berries which should turn blue-black turn to a very ugly red, and never ripen at all. On esamination it will be found that the st.alks of such berries have shrivelled and ceased to perform their func- tions. Sometimes the shanking will be visible before this time, and occasionally it is delayed until the berries colour tolerably well, but they will not become sweet ; yet at whatever stage it is visible chronic cases always occur from the same cause — viz., insufficient root action in proportion to the growth at the top during the early part of the season. There may be slight temporary cases resulting from overcropping, denuding the plants of foliage or from in- Buflicient watering, but the progress of shanking is then easily arrested by a change of treatment. On the other hand, let the roots of a Vine be in a cold outside border, and its head comfortably housed in an average tempera- ture of 711 during the cold spring months, nothing on earth will prevent its fruit shanking after a few years of Buch treatment. I am aware that most people who have to produce early fruit from Vines which have their roots outside profess to cover their borders, but are they always sure the principal roots are under the covering? They may be a hundred yards away. Shanking also occurs on Vines which have their roots wholly inside the house, and even on those which are No. 731— Vol. XXVIII., New Series. unforced : can it then be said to arise from the same cause ? Most assuredly. The Vine is like no other plant with which I am acquainted, for it makes considerable growth at the top, and even forms full-sized leaves, before it commences to root ; and in the case of small cut-down plants which are only allowed to make one shoot, the said shoot grows from 9 to IH inches in length before a single rootlet begins to move ; the length of such growth depends mainly on the temperature in which it is made. If, then, it is clear that this growth is made from the stored-up sap and the stored-up sap is limited, there is no advantage in distributing it over 18 inches of growth instead of confining it to 9 inches. For this reason I prefer the growth to move as slowly as is consistent with healthy growth till the roots commence action, and as I know there must be a certain amount of foliage before the roots can commence, I never disbud till the leaves assume a darker green and plainly tell that they have a new supply of nourishment. The growth made after this will be more solid, and when ripened the wood will be round and contain but little pith, instead ot being flat, as it often is on young Vines which have been cut do^vn. I have alluded to young cut-down Vines to make my meaning clear. In the case of older Vines making numerous growths it is very similar, only the growths from being numerous are not so long. They also come into full leaf before root- action commences, and the length of growth thus made also mainly depends on atmospheric conditions. The embryo bunch is already formed in the plump bud of the previous year ; its supply of nourish- ment till such timo as root-action commences is limited, a high temperature as soon as the buds have started will bring it out quicker than a medium one, and the bunch will also look larger. This deceptive appearance is owing to the flower stalks being longer than they should be ; in- stead of being a quarter of an inch they are, perhaps, three- eighths long, and of course weak in proportion. They will never recover this, and though they may grow luxuriantly till colouring time, they will most as- suredly shank. It must not bo thought that the length aud strength of the flower stalks are determined after these are visible, it is much earlier than this that the mischief is done, although continued ill-treatment may aggravate it. If my readers will agree with me as to the cause of shanking, the cure will suggest itself — viz., a healthy medium for the roots and a moderate temperature tiU the flowers are set. They will probably find this cure for shanking also a cure for bad setting. 5.j" is the mini- mum atmospheric temperature aimed at for all Vines, including Muscats, till the flowers are set ; •'j° lower occa- sionally will do them no harm at any timo. After they are set they will bear almost anything short of roasting. My earliest Grapes are produced on pot V^ines, for which the atmospheric temperature is about the same as that given above, but they have a bo'tom heat of 80 to 95°. If the roots of a Vine are in a greenhouse, the border is often covered with plants all through the spdng months No. 1332,— Vol, LIII., Old Series. 230 JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTDEE AND COITAGE GAEDE^EE. [ March 25, 1873. SO that not a ray of light can reach it. Eoots so situated are probably in a lower temperature, and altogether worse off than they would be in an outside border. — William T.\ylor. EOSES. " Cue .lournal" without some Eose notes is to me always like the play of Hamlet without tlia prince, and of late, somehow, this melancholy arrangement has been in vogue. " How to grow them and how to show them " is a theme which will defy exhaustion, even at the hands of those reverend amateurs whose Rose knowledge of which we have now and then such pleasant glimpses. Eeviewing the Eose contribations during the past year, nothing, it seems to me, has appeared having more practical value to a large section of Rose-growers than the published election lists so carefully collected and summarised by Mr. Hinton. Nothing is more bewildering to a novice, or to one whose limited leisure, means, or space precludes his growing more than a few varieties, than to wade through the pages of a nurseryman's list, where the glowing adjectives vie with the flowers they are supposed to describe, driving him at last to feel that " Cajsar and Pompey are very much alike, especially Pompey." After Mr. Hinton's yearly lists have been fairly compared such an amateur need be under no difficulty in selecting a reasonable number of what ought to turn out satis- factory kinds, and this is a real gain. Shows are somewhat fallacious standards, as to a tenant farmer on a poor estate is a high-pressure lot of shorthorns from the herds of titled breeders at the "Royal" as a guide for what stock he had better invest in. The best collection of cut blooms I had the chance of ex- amining last year was at the Exeter Show held the 3rd July ; and as an example it will doubtless be remembered by some who were there, at least by the Eev. Jlr. Camm with whom I had the pleasure of a short gossip over the boxes, that a bloom of Centifolia Rosea, shown by Paul I think, was one of the finest Eoses in the Show. This of course could only be looked on as a fluke, and so a bad guide to buy from. It is nowhere in the election list for the best fifty. But no Show has ever yet surprised me as do the lists of the Eev. Mr. Radclyffe which frequently nppear. I have hardly ever been able to verify his recommendations by experience. On the 20th August " C. P. P." and the Rev. Mr. Camm specify objections to the Roses named by him and demur to his omitting certain well-known high-class varieties, and I am at one with them in what they have said. As to Felix Genero, I have not only never succeeded in growing a decent flower from this Rose, but I have never found anyone else that had. And Madame Margottin is probably the last Tea Eose I should recommend ; it is as ragged as a Falstaff recruit. I should really like to know Mr. Radclyffe's secret for growing satisfac- torily Edward Morren. I have, moved by his eulogies, done my best with it on the Mauetti and on the Briar, but it will open badly ; and if two or three blooms in a season condescend to expand, they are so loosely made and so susceptible of being spoiled by sun, wet, or wind, that I should class it as one of the most unpromising Roses for the amateur who cannot afford to run a race of experimental selection. On the 13th August he says, " I specially recommend to persons liking dark Roses Louis Van Houtte, Caron Chaurand, Maxime de la Rocheterie, and Baron de Bonstettin." He omits from his general list of desirable Roses La France and Marie Baumann because of their weak growth. The fact with me is that both these Eoses are more robust and free-blooming than Louis V. Houtte; and in "our Journal" of the 2ith Sep- tember there appears an election list made in the north, which shows that even there both these Eoses stand amongst the highest. Now take Prince Camillo de Rohan, a Rose I have never known him recommend. It was in every show stand of general colk ctions in Exeter ; and my proof of it is that, all points considered, it has no superior as a dark Rose; and for vigour simply — Mr. Radcljtfe'a great point — it is difficult to find an equal. I am somewhat surprised to find Mdlle. Marie Eady does not have a better place in the election lists. As a late bloomer especially it is an admirable Rose ; and take the season through, on the Manetti it gives as many perfect blooms and such substance in them as any I could name. It would be included by me in the best twelve. ;\Iarquise de Castellane by the voting has retrograded this year. This I think is only temporary. It is fine in colour. vigorous in habit, and free-blooming ; and I believe the ordi- nary grower will not regret having it in his collection. Etienne Levet has had a successful year and bids fair to be a good Eose; but I have found Frani.ois Michelon so far to run thin. Of Madame Lacharme's shortcomings I can endorse all the bad things Mr. Beachey and others have said about her. Comtesse d'Oxford , both on Briar and Manetti, retrograded with me in 1874 ; it has the knack of fading rapidly, which is not in its favour. Lyonnais is a good Rose. Mdlle. Eugenie Verdier though shy is worth trouble. The old veterans hold their own in the far west. Alfred Co- lomb, Charles Lefebvre, Duke of Edinburgh, Baronne de Eoth- Echild, Camille Bernardin, Souvenir de la Malmaison (specially valuable in autumn), John Hopper, Pierre Netting, Marguerite de St. Amand, Jules Margottin, Gunoral Jacqueminot, Abel Grand, and Fisher Holmes. Nevertheless, after admitting to the full all the glories of the Perpetuals, I quite share Mr. Camm'a enthusiasm for Teas : they are the true Perpetuals. What after all can be, not only more lovely but more certain as a matter of culture over a laige part of England, than the "oceans of blooms" a good collection of Tea Eoses fairly attended to will give ? Take trellised lines of Gloire de Dijon, Souvenir d'nn Ami, Safrano, Catheiine Mermet, Madame Willermoz, Souvenir de David, Marie Van Ploutte, Madame Falcot, Devoniensis, Adrienne Christophle, Canary, Homoie, Vicomtcsse de Cazes, Eubens, Madame Bravy, Perfection de Montplaiser, with their half-sisters Triomphe de Eennes, Lamarque, and Celine Fores- tier leading from and to these, " through many a bowery turn,"' of wire or wood arcades with blooms of Rive d'Or in profusion mingling with Clematises Jackmani, Prince of Wales, or others of that ilk ; and if a bit of wall can be had cover it with Marechal Niel, Climbing Devoniensis, Perfection de Lyon, and the Banksians. What a feast for the senses ! One need not be morbidly poetic for the radiance of such a sight heralded by the gentle air " full fed with perfume," to recall to his mind that bower whose " Flowery roof ehowfred Roses ^^'h^ch the mom repaire«2 ;'' or that pavement " That lilie a spa of jasper shone ImpnrpkHl with celestial lioses, smiled." To those who lead busy lives in these busy times I recom- mend sirch pleasures ; they will find in their refining influence a fit counterpoise to the tenor of their daily occupation. If on trying it anyone should fail to find this relief in the hobby of Rose-growing their case is a bad one ; and I do not think they can do better than seek out the "Wiltshike Rector," " open their grief," and seek of him the secret of that alchemy by which genuine pleasure and a healthy mind are to be de- rived from natural objects and harmless tastes.— Coenueh. PEACH FORCING.— No. 2. BoRDEKS. — These as shown in the sections, pages 09, 70, and 71 of the present volume of this Journal, are within and out- side the house. Inside borders should extend the whole width of the house if there are trees against the wall as well as against the front trellis. The outside border should at least be equal in width to half that of the trellis to which the front trees are trained. In any care the border should be of the same width as the trellis the trees are to cover. For early forcing the principal border should be inside, whilst for those not started until a later period the main of the border may be exterior. Why I prefer part outside to all inside is that the former is always certain to be thoroughly moistened by the autumn and winter rains, and the roots in it are always capable of meeting any demand upon them for moisture by the head when the wood is ripening and the trees are at rest. This is more than can be said of inside borders, andover-dry- ness of the roots at that time is one of the chief causes of the buds dropping. There is no fear of the roots in an outside border sufteriDg any injury from frost, for, though the Peach be an exotic and tender, the Plum upon which it is woiked is very hardy, sur- viving the severest weather uninjured, even when the surface soil is matted by its fibres. I do not, however, advise leaving them exposed to hard frost, but insist upon a few inches' thickness of short littery dung and leaves being placed on the border when forcing is begun, and that serves every needful purpose of protection for the roots. Deep borders have been advised, but I do not see the utility March 23, 1875. J JOURNAL OF HOBTIOOLTCRE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 231 of tliem, for the Plnm is a surface-rooter, and does not descend beyond a depth of 2 to 2} feet. Everything is gained by a border '3\ feet deep, and of this '.) inches will bs taken np by drainage, leaving 2i-feet depth for compost. Beneath the drainage should be drains ',1 to 12 feet apart, having proper fall and outlet. Soil. — Though the Plum succeeds best in rather light soil, it is not the case with the Peach upon it. In poor light eoil growth is weak, and the fruit correspondingly poor in (juality ; whilst if light soil is made rich the wood produced is slender though long, and wood rather than fruit buds result. Scil most suitable for the Peach is a medium-textured loam, neithf r sandy nor clayey, and if of a calcareous nature all the better. The soil, known as yellow or hazel loam, taken from a pasture, the top 3 inches, chopping it up in siiuares of about 2 inches, and to this add a fourth part of marl— that known as chalk- marl is mo?t desirable for soil of the above description — the fihe?l-marl, leing very little, if at all, inferior, is a good compost. For sandy loam clay-marl is a beneficial addition ; whilst for a heavy loim sandy-marl is good, in both cases adding the respective marls in proportion of ono-fourth of the loams. An admixture of chalk we advise in every instance, excepting, of course, with soils of that formation. This should form one-eighth of the compost, and should bo broken up moderately small, say in sizes from a hazel nut to an egg. Flint (silica) also broken up, or better crushed in a pugmill, in the same iiaautity as the chalk, is a welcome addition to a compost for the Peach, and, in fact, all stone fruits. The whole to be well mixed and be in a moderately dry state when used. On no account must the border be made with the com- post in a wet condition. I recommend the above mixture because the best trees and finest fruit I ever saw under glass were produced by such com- post ; at the same time I am aware that good fruit has been grown in plain loam. Those who cannot well procure the in- gredients named above I advise them to mix with the loam one-fifth of cow dung and a sixth of old mortar rubbish. The materials to compose the border should be put firmly together, and it is hardly necessary to say that the lighter the compost the greater necessity for solidification, and the more adhesive the materials the less need is there to make firm. A light soil should be made hard and all firm. Selection of Teees. — For very early forcing it has been recommended to have the trees in pots as pyramids, bushes, or standards. I can vouch for their answering well, the pots being about half plunged in a border of good rich soil the roots leave the pots and have extra feeding ground. Such trees are, however, more trouble in watering, and require very liberal treatment in top-dressings, and liquid manure if the fruit is expected to equal in size that of trees in borders. They also answer very well when the pots are not plunged, but the watering requires to be more frequent, and the feeding must be high. The trees should be of a fruiting size, and the growth ripeued-o£f early in the previous year if the fruit is to be ripened early in the year following. For starting early in December the trees should have the wood ripe in September, and may be plunged outdoors in a sheltered yet open situation. Trees so exposed suffer no damage, but are, I think, every way benefited. Not a bud drops, and they swell the buds more regularly than those kept inside ; they start into growth Booner, and appear to be thorough cUaosed of insects. It will not be needful to make any extended remarks on the trees which are to be planted out ; they should be of fruiting size, having been two or three years trained against a wall, and have a good extent of head to begin with, with some pro- spect of fruit the first season. The trees chosen should be well furnished, and it is better they be moderately strong, yet by no means haviug long luxuriant growths, as these receive too great a check in removal, and often lose some of the branches by gumming. The mode of training the trees should be on is that known as the fan, selecting such trees as have evenly-balanced heads, clean healthy bark, and stiff, short-jointed, well-ripened wood. If young trees are planted they will require at least a year before they come into bearing, and ought not to be allowed to bear heavily the first two or three fruiting years. All this, however, is best avoided by planting fruiting trees in the first instance, such as will cover at least a third of their allotted space at once. There is no risk of the trees receiving any great check from removal if the work be done carefully, for the Plum ia the best of stoeks to lift with a mass of fibres. I may say just a word in favour of bushes, pyramids, and standard trees planted out. They are no more trouble ia watering than fan-trained trees, and a span roofed house wiU accommodate them admirably. In this way it is more natural thau trniaiug them flat to a trellis, and they answer quite as well, only for very early forcing the shoots are best near the glass ; and as some of the parts of the bushes and pyramids must be at a considerable distance from it, they do not receive so much light as the upper part of the trees, consequently the growth and fruit there is not equal to that nearer the glass. Sorts. — Royal Gcori/e. — This is the best of all for early forcing, being a certain setter, a sure sweller, and ripening off well. Whatever the weather — sun or no sun, this kind in- variably sets well, and is unquestionably the very best forcing kind. Grosse Mipymnne. — This I consider the next best forcing Peach, being a first-rate setting kind, swelling kindly, and ripening off perfecSly. The fruit is larger than Royal George, and comes in a few dsys later. Nohlesst\ — A free setter, but the fruit does not swell so kindly as Royal George or (irosse Miguonne, but is neverthe- less one of the best forcing kinds, and the three aforenamed I consider the three best kinds for early forcing. Molette HAtive is a good setter and excellent kind for forcing. It ripens a few days later than Grosse Mignonne. Harrington sets well, and is every way desirable, being a little later than Noblesse. Bdlcgarde sets freely, but the flowers do not open well in sunless weather. It is a grand Peach, yet I do not recommend it, Birrington, or Violette Hative for early forcing, but all are excellent for starting after the new year. I have omitted Early Beatrice and Early Louise (the latter only a few days later in ripening than the former), because they are an entirely new race, and one certain to upset our notions of early Peaches. The fruit of these is of fair size, but their merit is their earlinoss, ripening five to six weeks before Koyal George in the same house. Early Louise is the better fruit, and both are very desirable. With these we recommend the earliest house to be planted, the second with the three first-named, and any or all of the six first-named for the third house, and each house to be taken at a month's supply, though it will usually be longer continued. Early York and Early Grosse Mignonne with others I do not recommend, as they do not either set well, or the fruit drops after setting. Almost any kind answers if not started until after February ; but some kinds evidently have great aptitude to make wood when under the influence of high and continued artificial heat, and usually, though promising well, disappoint in the end. Nectarines. — Stauwick Elruge, a few days earlier in ripen- ing than the Elruge, is a capital setter. It is a very desirable forcing kind. Lord Naiiicr sets well, and ia the earliest and best for early forcing. Elruge is a good setter, even in dull weather, and one of the best kinds. It is desirable to associate it and Stanwiok Elruge with Royal George, Noblesse, and Grosse Mignonne Peaches; whilst Lord Napier is suitable for the same house as Early Beatrice and Louise Peaches. Pitmaston Orange and Rivers' Orange Nectarines are both free-boarers, and those with Elruge we recommend for the second house, as is also Stauwick Elruge. For the third house any of the four last-named and Violette Hative, Pine Apple, Victoria, and Albert Victor, the three last having large fruit, and are most excellent. The above are all good kinds for their purpose, and will not disappoint. — G. Abbey. GERANIUMS FOR BEDDING. Now that the season is at hand for potting the above (where they have been wintered in their catting boxes) many will be at a loss to find pots for that purpose, when thousands are required ; and if potted, at a greater loss to find a suitable place in which to put them. As we are among that numerous class who have a great deal to do with comparatively little means and accommodation, I will just detail our usual practice with Geraniums. The cuttings are struck iu the usual cutting boxes, and wintered in any suitable place. About this time, the begin- ning of March, the plants are taken carefully out of the boxes with a hand fork, a little tough sod is then wrapped around 232 JOUENAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. t llaich 23, 1875. the roots, and tied with any handy material. We use the leaves of the New Zealand Flax, the fibre of which is very strong, a leaf being sufficient to tie three or four dozen plants. Since the Russian mats have become so expensive we have turned the leaves of this highly-ornamental plant to many useful purposes. I fancy I hear many of your readers say. What a pity to destroy this plant for tying Geraniums ; but we have it growing here by thousands in the wildest profusion, and consequently have plenty to use. I fear I am digressing. I will now return to the sodding, as we term it. This is capital employment for the outside men in inclement weather (I am no advocate for keeping men out when it is wet). When we have not had turf at command we use moss, with a handful of fresh soil around the roots. They are then planted out on a slight hotbed of leaves in pits or frames. When removed to their summer quarters the balls are a mass of roots, and can be planted with the greatest safety. By adopting the above plan much time is saved in watering, and they start into growth and cover the beds sooner than when turned out of small pots.— W. Oseokxe, Fota, Cork. EEMOVING LARGE TREES. As inquiries are occasionally made on this subject, my ex- perience may, perhaps, be useful. I have removed trees of froija 4 to C tons weight which have re-established themselves quickly and given the utmost satisfaction. I am not sure that I can make my mode clear, simple as it is, as I am more at home with the actual work than in describing the plan for others. I am, however, willing to make the attempt, and perhaps those who may be particularly interested will by a little study be- come conversant with what I endeavour to explain. We will take the case of a Wellingtonia 15 to 18 feet high. The first thing is to tie all the lower branches carefully up- wards to the trunk, so as to clear the base and afford clear room to work. When this is done decide which way the tree is to be drawn, and that side we will call the front. Now at i feet from the stem mark-out a trench at the least 5 feet wide or long, and dig-out the soil to the depth of 5 feet. This trench next the tree must be cut straight and square down, the opposite side of course being sloped to facilitate the draw- ing of the tree from the hole to the level ground. When this is done dig-out a similar trench on the opposite or back side of the tree. New, suppose these two trenches are cut and we commence to undermine. But first have six or eight sound and strong 9-inch deal planks ready, and aa many blocks as there are ends of planks. Commence to make a hole through the lump of earth at S feet from the surface. The top of this hole, which will be the bottom of the ball, must be perfectly level. The hole may be 2 feet wide or more as is convenient, but the nature of the soil must be the guide. When ready put through one of the planks and tighten it up with a bottle- jack in order to put a block under— that is, one under each end of the plank, having the front block somewhat the longest. Proceed the same with the other planks, blocking each securely as it is put in. When all are screwed-up level, and safely blocked, see to the rollers. There must be three of these of at the least 6 inches in diameter, and 2 feet longer than the platform on which the tree rests is wide. These rollers must have two holes near each end in which to put crowbars as levers to move them by. Lay two planks under the platform for the rollers to work on. Now take four other strong planks, placing two under the ball of earth and two on the top exactly over them, and bolt these together by iron rods with screw and nut at the end of each. Four of these are required, one at each corner, which will grasp the ball from above and below, and keep all firm and tight. Care must be taken that the tree is in the centre of the platform. Now place the rollers under the platform, one as near to the front as possible, and the other two-thirds under. After making certain that the platform is level and secure, proceed to cut the sides, and the whole weight is on the rollers. The mass must now be drawn from its place. This can be done by men and ropes. I use stout waggon ropes. Fasten these round the ball, then try the length of the ropes, and at or near their extremity drive into the ground two stout stakes. These must be square with the frame of the tree and must be put in with a sharp slant from it. These stakes must be very firm (as everything depends on them), so that they are not drawn back and upright by the weight of the tree. To secure this strength other stakes are sometimes necessary with a coupling chain, which an intelligent labourer wiU know how to fix. Now have another roller quite 4 feet long and 8 inches in diameter with a hole through each end. Place this roller on boards behind the slanted stakes and fasten the ropes to it. The tree is now ready to be moved. Two men must be at the stake rollers, and a sufficient number at the tree. As soon as the word of command is given the crowbars are put to work both at the tree and stake rollers, when the bulk moves and the ropes wind round the roller at the stakes. It is now a question of moving and blocking the rollers and steadying the tree, and with plenty of strength (men should never be limited at this work), the tree will soon be on the level ground. The stake roller and long ropes are now done with, and the tree is moved by the platform-rollers to its new site if that is near. If, however, it must be taken some distance, horse labour and wheels are requisite. In this case my plan is as follows ; but to simplify the matter I assume that most people who are at all acquainted with trees have seen a felled tree removed from the wood to the carpenter's yard by a " pair of wheels," as they are called in some counties, or the " wood gin " in others. The wheels are simply run astride of the tree which is fastened to the axle by a chain underneath. The shafts during the operation of fixing are elevated, which lowers the axle. The shafts are now used as a lever, and by drawing them down the tree is raised from the ground and is drawn easily away. That being understood I lay two trees side by side, yet not quite closely. They should be straight and strong enough for the purpose. On these trees I place the tree requiring to be moved, lifting the mass by the aid of a screw-jack until I can roll one of the trees underneath. Then treat the other side the same, and the platform rests safely on the two prostrate trees. These should be wedged to prevent them rolling. Now two pairs of wheels or gins are placed astride the trees, running them back to back until they reach the tree and bulk of soil which is placed on them. By fastening as above described and draw- ing down the shafts the weight is safely suspended. Nothing remains now but to yoke the horses and draw the wheels — one pair of course running backwards — and the home-made tree- moving macbine is complete. To remove the mass from the wheels, ropes and rollers are again used. When the tree is in the hole, its correct depth having been previously ascertained, unscrew the holdfasts at the corners and take away the cross planks. Block the other planks at the ends except the middle one, draw this away, and then the next and next, finishing at the sides, and the work is complete so far as regards the moving. With due attention to firming and watering, trees of great size can be moved by this simple means. My practice is not given because it is the best, but as en- abling anyone to make his own tree-lifting machine from materials which are found in nearly every village. Properly- constructed tree -lifters are often a hundred miles from the place where they are required, and by making known this efficient substitute it can hardly fail to meet the rtquiremeuts of some of the readers of the Journal, and, perhaps, of " T. S.," who on page li8 of the present volume seeks advice on this question. — A. M., Essex. GLOXINIAS AT M. LOUIS VAN HOUTTE'S. Mr. Lucehuesi in hia seasonable remarks on raising these beautiful plants from seed reminds me of a display I have seen in the famed Belgian establishment of M. Van Houtte. This collection certainly merits notice, as being probably the most extensive in the world and of unsurpassable merit. The mode of culture adopted is exceedingly simple and alto- gether different to that commonly seen and described in England. It may not be adapted to our wants and ways, yet in a more limited manner it may possibly be successfully car- ried out by those desirous of raising the finest corms in the quickest manner and with the smallest amount of cost in attention. The collection in bloom at the time of my visit consisted of 50,000 plants, each plant carrying twenty to fifty flowers, and set in foliage of the most perfect health imaginable. The period was in September, and every plant was raised from seed sown in the spring, and not one plant was potted, or ever had been, during the period of its existence. Betides this collec- tion there were numbers of plants grown in pots for the decoration of the different glass structures, and these were fine, yet they did not equal in freedom of growth and size of blooms the immense stocka planted out to raise roots for ex- March 25, 1876. ] JOUKNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 233 portation, and as a nursery ground from which to select new varieties to add to the catalogue collection. The appearance of this immense plantation of Gloxinias was a sight which can never be forgotten, not only as to its novelty, Imt of the indescribable beauty and richness of the million of blooms. There would be at the least that number, and their effect in all the varied colours which the species down to that time bad been capable of producing may be in some measure imagined, but cannot be clearly described. Now this extraordinary collection of seedlings was not planted out in heated houses or pits, but only in unheated en- closures, which some might call an apology for cold frames, so exceedingly simple was the arrangement of the shelters, for structures they can hardly be called. They consisted of 2 to 3-inch deal planks set on edge, enclosing a width of about 7 feet of space, and on these planks the lights rested alter the manner of improvised frames for the use of hardeniug-off bedding plants. The back ranges of planka might he about 15 inches in height, and the front rows something less than a foot — in fact, just sufficient to provide an ample slope to carry off the water from the glass. Had these rows of frames been placed in one length they could not have reached far short of a mile. Now, fancy a border of Gloxinias a mile long and 2 yards wide. Bstter, however, not exaggerate, but see what that represents; well, at a foot apart it would contain 31,080 plants ; but the number in bloom I was positively assured — and I inquired of three different men — was upwards of 50,000. The glass, however, was not in a row, but was arranged in a sheltered square of the nursery, and appeared to cover an acre. Well, then, an acre of Gloxinias, what does that represent ? At a foot apart it will be 43,500, which does not reach the number within 6400 ; but as they were planted about 0 inches apart, and there were paths between the frames, the Gloxinia garden may be fairly set down as an acre in extent. But to see the plants in such perfect health it was almost incredible that no artificial heat was used. That there was neither hot-water piping inside nor manure linings outside is certain, and I was further assured there was neither one nor the other used beneath the soil to afford bottom heat. The only heat used to grow the Gloxinias eo splendidly was from the sun alone. The soil in which the plants were growing was mainly leaf mould, of the same nature as that in which Camellias and Azaleas luxuriate in so remarkable a manner. The seed of the Gloxinias is sowed in February, and when large enough the seedlings are pricked out in pans. As they grow they are allowed more room, and when the weather is favourable, about the beginning of June, they are planted in their bloomiug quarters. The principle of culture is to keep them growing and to suffer them to receive no check, or want of food or room, from the first period of their vegetation. They certainly were blooming magnificently, and many of the flowers were of great size. Out of this immense number of plants less than a dozen were selected to add to the catalogue collection and for propa- gating purposes. The rest are all sold. They are classed in categories of quality, and sent in a dry state by the hundred and thousand to all parts of the world, and the purchasers name them or not as they choose. The corms ate by this mode of culture brought to perfection the first season, and will produce plants of any size required. They are produced better and at a smaller cost in labour than if grown in pots, and are consequently sold at lower prices than would other- wise be remunerative. Now in raising Gloxinias in quantity and for testing seedlings, surely some modification of that mode is adaptable to many parts of England. I am not con- versant with the mean temperature of Ghent, but as being the same latitude as the south cf England the plan, with the same care that is given in Belgium, should hardly be considered im- possible here. If, indeed, a little material for bottom heat were required, it would be as well applied as in growing bad Melons. Useless frames could be utilised, and a beautiful flower supplied at a cheaper rate and remunerative to the producer than is the case at present, and its cultivation would spread into every garden in the land that afforded convenience for its culture. The Gloxinia would, furthermore, be in more general use for summer and autumn decorative purposes in towns and cities from where it is in a great measure excluded by the costliness of the present mode of production by artificial heat and potting. At auy rate, if it is not practicable to thus cultivate them in England, it may not be devoid of interest to hear how they are so freely, easily, cheaply, and perfectly produced in other lands, and hence these remarks of — An Ex Visitor. LOOK OUT FOR QUEEN WASPS. Now that the time is at hand when every wasp that may be seen will be in search of a location for a nest, and if unmolested will become the parent of thousands, I would ask all gardeners — yes, and bee-keepers too— to kill every wasp they possibly can ; for by killing the early wasps we can expect to gain a victory over such pests during the fruit and honey season. There are few insects more annoying to the gardener than wasps. They attack the best fruits in the garden, although the gardener tries all preventives he possibly can think of — such as bottles containing sweet syrup, gauze over the aper- tures for ventilation, gauze bags made to fit each bunch of Grapes, &c., which bags to my miud do not look well in any vinery, as they hide the beautiful fruit when the eyes should be feasting thereon. Now I think if gardeners, or horticulturists in general, were to form unions in their several districts, and offer a reward to all those who might choose to kill wasps from as soon as seen until the end of May, they would destroy hundreds of queens and prevent thousands of wasps that otherwise would come forth. — William Laurie. OUK BOEDER FLOWERS -PENTSTEMONS. In this as in some other tribes of plants a little confusion exists in regard to their names. Pentstemon pubescens has been called Scouleri, and P. Eichardsoui confounded with P. venustum ; when such is the case it is an unfortunate cir- cumstance. I know that it is a very difficult matter to keep plants true to name, as sometimes in changing hands mis- takes are made, and perhaps not at once discovered. To enumerate the family is not my object, yet I would direct attention to a few neglected varieties that ought to be more fre- quently seen in collections of border flowers and for rockeries. Pentstemon ovatus is one of the most desirable plants we possess ; it has beautiful blue flowers, and grows about IJ foot high. It seeds freely, but is kept true by division. It is de- sirous also for pot culture. The white variety of the above is a perfect gem in its way. These, I am inclined to think, are the best of the race. P. Scouleri is a plant seldom seen ; it is of rather prostrate habit when left to itself, but with care may be made a very effective plant for all purposes. It strikes readily from half-ripened shoots, and grows well in sandy loam and peat, but must have thorough drainage. When in bloom its lavender-coloured flowers are very attractive. It is indispensable as a rock plant, and will repay any amount of care Ijestowed upon it. P. Richardsoni is a very useful border flower continuing in bloom most of the summer ; it requires attention in tying-up, and is best raisel from cuttings. It is quite hardy. P. venus- tum is of graceful habit, and is one of the earliest bloomers of the family ; it is of light purple colour, and is very desirable. It should be raised from cuttings. Pentstemon glabrum is of dwarf habit, is of purplish blue colour, and ought to be more cultivated than it is. P. pulchella is a very graceful plant of good habit, the colour being rosy lilac. It is best increased from cuttings yet seeds freely, and from a small packet of seed many different coloured flowers are obtained. There are many more of this interesting family which require to be better appreciated. CHELONE. This is a small family of plants allied to the Pentstemon ; I like, however, to have them to themselves. They will succeed well under the same treatment as the Pentstemon, and are best increased by division in spring or autumn, but may be raised from seed if desired. They are of slender habit, but being generally tall-growing plants they require care in staking. They continue a long time in bloom ; they are desirable as cut flowers. Ghelone barbata is the most frequently met with, and is said to have been introduced from Mexico. C. glabra is a very desirable American species. C. obliqua should find a place in all borders where herbaceous plants are cared for ; its colour, which approaches to purple, contrasts favourably with the scarlet and white varieties. G. Lyoni is a very useful plant in open spaces in the shrubbery. The soil should be well broken up, and have an admixture of loam, peat, leaf mould, and sand, and the site should be well drained. When thus 234 JOURKAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, [ March 25, 1875. cared for they will well rf pay any extra lalonr bestowed upon them by their beanty through the Bummer. — Veritas. FOECING RHUBARB. I AM BO stranger to the putting of long dung on the top of Rhubarb roots in November, having covered np some scores of acres in my time, and have a vivid recollection of puUiug it in the locality of Woolwich on cold frosty mornings. But this kind of forcing is beside the question ; yet I may add that this very season I covered up a largo bed here, which is now 5 inches long, March Ifith. Mr. Saunders may say I have not the early variety, but mine is Champion, from the best Rhubarb-growerin London, Mr. W. Myatt. The question is simply. Is Rhubarb best grown in cellars or forced under tubs with leaves ? My experience tells me that the latter is a long way the best ; in fact, the two compared together is best described by using a Covent Garden Market term : — cellar Rhubarb is "thirds," or what is put in the middle of the "firsts" when being tied up for market. I may add, in conclusion, that Asparagus, Seakale, Rhubarb are all best forced without being lifted, and that at all seasons. — R. Gilbeet, Burghhy. NOTES RELATIVE TO THE POTATO. In yonr Journal, No. 7"26, page 157, X read with interest " Notes Relative to the Potato " from Mr. Luckburst, and, as he suggests, willingly contribute my practice, and also that of my employer, whose experience has extended over forty years. He Eays, previous to 1847, the year of the great failure, as they call it, in this country (Ireland), that degeneration wag very rapid ; it was scarcely possible to have Potatoes for a very few years. Sets taken from the same lot of Potatoes and grown in the same ground were most decided in their degeneration, and only about half of them would grow satisfactorily. Now in this district (Ulster) this degeneration has entirely disappeared, and Potatoes having proper care never fail to grow. Our reasons for this are, the blight comes on before the tubers are quite matured, and make better and surer- growing sets, as has been proven by myself, by lifting the tubers long before ripe. Mr. Luckhurst says he does not believe in blight-proof Potatoes. I think most people must agree with him ; the nearest we can come to prevent it is suit- able soil, dry situation, which the Potato is very fond of, and lift the crop as soon as possible. I admit the tubers are often affected after being stored, but not so much so as when left in the ground exposed to autumn showers and fogs, the latter being very injurious to them. The soils best suited to their culture here are light loams and sandy soils mixed with peat. The manures are farmyard and common seaweed in equal quantities ; but better still is Wrack (Zostera marina). I believe the Potato is very fond of potash, and the latter is possessed of a large proportion of it. I hope to hear soon from more able pens the experience of long practice, which would be highly acceptable to amateurs on this most important matter. — James Kennedy, Gardener, Cornier, Co. Doicn. SOIL-mXING FOE POTTING PURPOSES. The remarks on mixing soil by " A Pkactical Gaehenek" are good and to the point, and are made at a very opportune time. Oae can hardly say too much in favour of the plan recommended. I daresay that many gardeners have often felt the need of such a preparation as that described on page 155, when a little of this and a little of that has to bo collected, perhaps some being soddened with wet or frozen to such an extent so as to be really unsuitable for immediate use. How often I have felt the necessity of such a store ia hard to say, but more times than I care to mention. I will mention another good plan — that is, whenever any alterations are going on, such as relaying turf, save every shovelful and pack it away. I would also take the parings of walks wherever the soil ia of a loamy nature and would pack it up in fquare heaps, as follows : First begin with a layer of turf, then have some well-rotted manure and make alternate layers of turf and manure, of course having a less quantity of the latter, after the fashion of preparing sandwiches. On completing the heap there would be no need to protect the sides from the weather, but the top might be made weather- proof according to the taste of the builder. If such a heap is put together at the present time it would be in fine con- dition in a year hence, or in less time if needed. Many of us know that in well-ordered gardens provision is made for all these necessaries — viz , a compost yard where such matters are carried on in a systematic order; but every gardener cannot boast of such a place, hence the difl'iculty arises where to make these stores. Now thero is more import- ance attached to this than many people imagine, and I think a word or two on that point will not be out of place. I have seen similar preparations carried on in some out- of-the-way place under large trees ; but I say advisedly. Avoid such situations it possible, and for this reason — that the store in question would act as a magnet to the roots of surrounding trees, which would be sure to eat up the sandwiches. I have so suffered through not giving the subject any forethought. When such a heap is iu a fit state to use there is no need to take the soil from off the top of the heap, but merely begin at the end or side as the case may be. A sharp spade will chop it down in slices keeping a perpendicular face, when all will blend nicely together, and would form such rich food that the queen herself — the Rose — would not object to the fare. — G. R. Allis. ROSE TREES AND FROST. As " P." wishes the experience of others on this matter, I write mine. My experience and treatment of Roses that have suffered from intense cold is precisely the same as his. I do not, however, cut away old wood unless it is injured. I ob- served what he has stated — namely, that the old wood suffered, and not the new twigs, in the spring of 1851. I wrote to Mr. Henry Taylor, of Fencote, Bedale, Yorkshire, an experienced rosarian, for an explanation of this, and nearly as I can re- collect he replied, " Sap is a non-conductor of both cold and heat. It is certainly a non-conductor of heat : hence the iron- smelters stir the liquid with green wood and branches, and not with dead wood." The Roses here have suffered but little this winter ; but wherever there is injury it is in the old wood and not in the new twigs, which are only injured at their ex- treme points. — W. F. Radcltffe, Okeford Fitzpaine, Dorset. I DO not think that your correspondent " P." is correct in attributing the death of the older wood of his Rose trees to the effect of the frost alone. There are two ways of growing Roses. One, that which is described by " P." — viz., the encou- ragement of young wood from the base and the annual cutting away of the old at pruning time ; the other, the preservation of the main shoots and the removing of all buds from the base as soon as they show themselves. These two methods can- not be combined in the same plant. If the first be followed and gross shoots are allowed to grow from the base, the older wood above the point from which those shoots proceed will gradually become unhealthy, the bark will lose its fresh colour, the buds will break the first year unwillingly and produce weak shoots ; if left another season they probably will not break at all, and the wood will gradually become quite dead. This will take place whether the winters be severe or the reverse. The cause of it is not the temperature to which the plants are exposed, but the diverting of the main stream of sap from the older into the younger and more vigorous growth. The old wood dies, not because the sap in it is frozen, but because it has not been able during the preceding autumn to store up a supply of vigour sufficient to enable it to withstand a winter temperature; and any unusually severe weather only hastens what has already become inevitable. Now if " P." will select a dozen of his plants and carefully cut-off every shoot proceeding from the base as soon as it shows itself, the main stock may be kept in perfect health and sufficiently hardy to withstand severe frost for almost any number of years. I have plants which have been so treated for seven or eight years, and the old stumps produce clean and vigorous shoots and perfect flowers every season. This latter method must be followed if you wish for specimen plants. When you have got your head into shape, the only way to keep it so and to preserve its health and vigour, is to prevent gross shoots from pushing from the base. The moment one of these is allowed to grow (and they are always the most vigorous), that moment the health of all above is impaired, and decay commences. There is nothing, then, extraordinary in the fact that these strong, green, robber shoots, which are usually twice as thick and twice as long as any other on the tree, should be able to withstand the cold better than the half-starved older wood. &t»roh 25, 1875. ] JOURNAL OP HORTlOULTlJltB AlitD C0TTA(JE GARDENER. 23S Keep the sap flowing through the oU wood by allowing only those buds which proceed from the extremities of it to grow, and it will stand any frost as well as the young. Is well-ripened wood hardier than that which is immature ? Certainly ; but then it depends upon what you mean by " well- lipened." The shoot which " P." speaks of as having pushed from the base of his Marochal Niel is no doubt to all intents and purposes " well- ripened." Though, doubtless, succulent for the first month of its career, if it has grown some 5 or 6 feet it can be succulent no longer. The pulp has ere this changed into woody fibre throughout a considerable portion of its length, and this being the case, it is as frost-proof as if twelve months old. Possibly the extremity for a foot or 18 inches may be still pulpy : in that case it is most likely frostbitten, but the rest of the shoot has a better chance of life than the remainder of the tree which this gross shoot has robbed of a considerable supply of winter food. Some may aek, Which is the better of these two ways of growing Roses ? It all depends what you want them for. If you require trim shapely plants for ornamental purposes or specimens, and do not mind the trouble, keep down your gross shoots. The quality of the flowers as to size will not be quite so good, but you will make up for it in (luantity. If yon grow a large number, you must of necessity allow them to grow pretty much as they will, and select the best shoots at pruning time. If yoia grow for exhibition, encourage your strong shoots from the base, and cut out your old wood every year. Properly managed, these produce the best and largest blooms, but you must content yourself with a less number. — E. W. Beachey. NOTES FROM NICE. The wild flowers are certainly in great " abundance," and though from the increase of buildings and consequent en- closure of land, they are not to be now met with so near to the city, yet the market is profusely and cheaply supplied with them, and also with cultivated floral beauties. The leading sorts are Anemones of various colours. Hyacinths, Narcissus, Stocks, Wallflowers, Primulas, Violets, Eoses, Lilac, &c. It has been ascertained at Nice that the leaves of the large scarlet Geraniums, which grow there so extensively in the open air all the year round, have very useful healing properties when applied in various forms to wounds and bruises. The leaves are placed over the parts afl^ected, or made up into a plaister and laid on as may be needed. ^Icdical Dulnj. — This title sounds rather oddly, but it is nevertheless a fact, that there has, amongst other novelties at Nice, been recently established a dairy under this name, and it is stated that it has introduced a new system of taking medicine homa?opathically, so as still further to carry out the minimisation of infinitesimal doses. Goats are kept, and when any patient requires a particular medicine it is first ad- ministered to the animal, and some of the milk afterwards taken by the invalid. Some goats are kept for particular medicines, so that there is the belladonna goat, arnica, camphor, &a. COMFAR&TIVB TEMPERATURE. 1875. London. Nice. Mas:. Min. Max. j Min. 38 42 44 49 58 57 65 81 29 27 31 40 49 49 „ 4th 62 49. .. nth „ 6th „ 7th 11 54 57 67 41 38 44 „ 81h 42 „ 9lh Totals 843 256 382 294 Mean Average diHerence in favour of Nice 49 5 36 6 54 1 42 — E. CorLAND. BOYAL HOKTICULTURAL SOCIETY. I WAS much surprised to hear from the Chairman at the adjourned meeting of this Society on the 9th inst. that the opinion of the larger exhibitors at the four minor shows had been taken, and a committee formed for the purpose of inquir- ing into this special matter. Now I think it is pretty well known in the horticultural world that the firm of which I am the so le surviving partner were the originators of the spring exhib itions at the Royal Horticultural Society, and farther, I personally made out the first schedule issued by the then Council, and we have been very large and successful exhibitors at these shows, as their prize list will testify, and for the past two seasons we have not been out in the cold at the Chrysanthe- mum Shows, and I have the presumption to assume that if anyone had been consulted amongst the exhibitors that Wm. Cutbush ct Son of Highgate would have been in the party. I do not desire to add fuel to the already fierce fire at South Kensington, but having had a message conveyed to me from one of the leading members of the Council through my good friend and neighbour Mr. B. S. Williams only one day after the Council had decided to withdraw the four minor shows, already advertised in the schedule for 1875, that the Hyacinth Show would not be held, and to save any expense or inconve- nience to me the information was thus kindly conveyed. Not being fully patisfied, I wrote to the office, and received a reply from the Assistant Secretary, dated 13th of February, that it had been decided not to hold the Shows in March, April, Septem- ber, and November. Placing full confidence in this and sub- sequent advertisements, I at once arranged to put back our collection of Hyacinths and early Tulips for an exhibition here at Easter, and which will, if all is well, be carried out. Judge, then, of my astonishment, one week only before the original date announced for the Hyacinth Show, to hear that the Council had changed their minds, and would, with certain reductions, hold this and the other three Shows. I ask. Does the Council consider this justice to an old ex- hibitor and staunch supporter of the Society ? Had the Council condescended at the first to have called the exhi- bitors together and stated the position they were in, I am quite sure there would have been found but one opinion amongst the trade exhibitors — " Hold all your Shows, pay the prizes you offer to the amateurs, and we will for this season do our best and support you con amorc." It is very hard upon amateurs as well as ourselves in the case of the Hyacinth, for, relying upon the fact of a schedule being issired, purchases were made of expensive sorts on pur- pose to exhibit, as they are of little use after. In general, for decorative purposes, a nincpenny or shilling bulb produces as good an effect, and I know many of our own clients are exceedingly indignant at the vacillating policy of the Council. If this is to be the course the Council mean to adopt — play at battledore and shuttlecock with the exhibitors — there can be no unanimity betwixt horticulturists and themselves. — Jahes Cutbush, Highgate Nurseries. ECONOMISING FLOWER POTS. How to enclose a little bit of mother earth in which to grow a plant, and at the same time keep it in a portable state, seems at first sight a very simple problem indeed, and one which may be solved in a multitude of ways. Where only a few plants are concerned little difficulty is experienced, but when the few become thousands the accumulated little difficulties go to make up one so great that with many a flower-pot famine is an event which happens almost annually about this season, and it may therefore be worth while to take stock of some of the ways and means of meeting it. In the case of bedding Geraniums — and it is to them only that my remarks will apply in the meantime — many methods have been tried with the view of economising pots and space. But the best of them seem to me to be failures so far as true economy is concerned, pots being in the end by far the cheapest, entailing the least labour, and giving the most satisfaction. One of the best substitutes are long narrow boxes about 7 inches wide by 0 inches deep, made of three-quarter-inch boards. This width will hold two rows of Geraniums, each row being placed about an inch from the side, and it is best to plant them not triangularly, but in pairs. The great dis- advantage attending this boxing system is, or rather was, that at planting time it was almost impossible to remove them with anything like good balls, but this is now obviated in some measure by a variety of ways. One is to have a quantity of good sound turf about 2 inches thick, and free from perennial weeds, laid up in autumn and allowed partially to rot, though not to such an extent as to destroy the fibre. In preparing the boxes place a layer of this in the bottom with what was once the grassy side downwards, keeping it as whole as possible. Over this place a little soil, and then put in the plants in the usual way, and in due time they will root into the turf. At planting time pretty good balls can thus be obtained by making a cut along the middle of the box, and across between 236 iOUBNAL OP HORTIOULTtJBB AND OOTTAQB GARDENEB. ( March 25, 1^5. each pair of plants. For greater convenience at this time the boxes should be made with the sides nailed on the outside of the bottoms and ends, and in one side at least as few nails be used as possible, which side can be removed to allow of the plants being more easily removed. It is also a good plan to cut off a number of the largest of the leaves a few days before they are to be planted. Another way is to cut up good tough turf into cubes of about .3 inches, and scoop a hole in each with a knife to re- ceive the plant and a little fine soil, placing them afterwards closely packed together either in beds or boxes. When it is found necessary to increase the stock of Geraniums by pro- pagating in spring, this method of afterwards accommodating them is preferable to the other. A plan more satisfactory in its results, although giving more labour in the first instance, is to treat them as follows : — Provide a quantity of green moss, not sphagnum, for that is too retentive of moisture for the purpose, but some of the Hypnum species which is found growing plentifully in the woods, on trees and stones, and which can be removed in thin fleeces. If the plants to be treated are shaken from store pots, the surest way is to take a 4-inch pot and line it with a flake of the moss, then pot the plant in it rather firmly, and when this is done cover the surface of the soil with another thin flake, and then turn out the now moss-enveloped ball by giving the pot a smart tap on the edge of the bench. It is afterwards bound together by winding a strong strand of bast three or four times round it. These being packed in beds or boxes with a little soil between them are not unhandy at plant- ing time, and do not experience much of a check. Of course the moss is never removed. With plants that have been potted off in the autumn, two in a pot, the same end is more easily attained, as the balls only require to be halved and each wrapped up in moss, care being taken that they are not too dry at the time. Some very curious vessels are sometimes met with in cot- tagers' gardens and windows doing duty as flower pots, yet feats of plant-growing are often performed in these, which for grandeur of results as compared with the grotesque unsuit- ability of the appliances, may be compared with the feat of the tuneful French fiddler who could extract exquisite music from a wooden shoe. One of the best Petunias I saw last year was a balloon- trained plant grown by an amateur in an Australian meat tin, and a worthy farmer with floricultural tastes whom I know, grows fairly good Zonal Pelargoniums in old sheep-dip jars. Not long since I saw in Glasgow a hoary Saxifraga sarmen- tosa luxuriating in an ancient brass kettle suspended in a shoemaker's window. Doubtless this kettle had in its day done duty in many a stiff toddy brew, but its steaming days were done, and here in its old age it was calmly, usefully, beautiful. ■ — EoBEKi D. Taylok. PORTRAITS OF PLANTS, FLOWERS, AND FRUITS. GnsTAVii CRACiLLiJiA. Nat. onl., Myrtaceic. Liun., Mon- adelphia Polyandria. — Flowers light rose-coloured. " It is a native of Now Grenada, where it was discovered by Purdie in the woods of Carmin, in 181.5, forming a singular small tree flowering on its slender lofty trunk in July. In Mr. Bull's establishment at Chelsea it flowered in September of last year." —{Bv!. Maij., t. (iir,!.) Masdevallia ciii-m.-era. A''(t(. onl., Orchidaoefc. L'nw., Gynandria Monandria. — Flowers yellow, densely spotted with crimson. "It is a native of deep valleys in New Grenada, where it was discovered by Roezl, and imported by M. Linden in 1872. Mr. Bull flowered it in December last."— {/J'irf.,/.ei52.) CoLCHicuM LnTEr.-u. Nut. onl., Melanthacea;. Linn, Hex- andria Trigynia. Flowers pale yellow. " It is a native of the mountains in the extreme West of India beyond the Indus, in Hazara, at an elevation of 7000 feet, where it flowers in Decem- ber and January. An apparently identical plant has been gathered by Dr. Thomson, F.R.S., in the valley of Kashmir, at an elevation of .5-7000 feet, flowering in June; by Stocks in Beluehistan ; and by (Iriflith, who is the discoverer of the species, in Kafferisthan, near Olipore, about the year 18-10, flowering in April at an elevation of C-700(i feet. It has also been gathered by Stocks in upper Beluehistan, and by Hender- son in the Zoji pass in Kashmir."— (ftid., (. 0153.) It is hardy, and flowered at Kew in January. Thekopogox pallidus. Nat. ord., Liliace*. Limi , flex- andria Monogynia. — Flowers very pale pink. " A very common Himalayan plant, from Kumaon, alt. 6000 feet, to Nepal and Sikkim, in which latter country it ascends to 10,000 feet ; also common in the Khasia mountains, where it is found at .5-6000 feet towards the tops of the hills. It prefers mossy rocks and the bases of old trees, when the roots run rather superficially in the loose soil." — (Ihid., t. 6154.) W.inLENBEitGL\ TUBEEOSA. A'a(. orrf., Campauulaceaj. Linn., Pentandria Monogynia. — Flowers white with pink streaks. " The tuberous rootstock resembles a cluster of small Potatoes placed on the top of the pot; the contrast of these grotesque ocjects, with the exquisitely graceful threadlike stems and profusion of pearl-white rose-streaked blossoms is exceedingly striking, and recommends the plant as a most desirable one for greenhouse and probably out-of-door culture. Of course care must be taken not to overwater the plant when past flower, or the tubers will soon rot. " Messrs. Veitch had it in full flower in September of last year. They received it from Juan Fernandez, where it was discovered by their collector Mr. Downton in 1873." — (fbid., t. 6155.) CvDONiA Maulei. — A hardy deciduous shrub. " It is a native of Japan, and was first publicly made known by Messrs. Maule on the occasion of the visit of the Royal Horticultural Society to Bath in June, 1873, when a drawing of the plant, with samples of the conserve made from its fruit, was shown under the name of a Japanese species of Crataigus or Pyrus, and received a first-class certificate. The yellow fruit is roundish, slightly depressed both at the eye and stalk, and bluntly but indistinctly ribbed, while the five-celled interior contains numerous seeds or pips. " The affinity of this charming plant is obviously with Cy- donia japonica, the Japan (Juince, one of the most ornamental of flowering shrubs, but it differs from that well-known species in the form of its leaves, and in the structure of its flowers and fruits. Mr. Maule informs us that it will not take when grafted on the Pear, but will do so on the Apple, and also on the Thorn. "As a hardy ornamental deciduous flowering shrub this plant has few equals, its brightly -scarlet flowers being so abundant and so remarkably effective. They are freely pro- duced early in May, and as we learn from Mr. Maule, the plants go on blooming without intermission till June, so that in the event of frosty weather there is always a succession of blossoms, some of which' must escape injury." — [Florist and Poniologist, 'A s., viii., 49.) ArrLE. — Laforme, backed by a curcle of Polemonium variegatum. From this circle the bed is divided into six panels, fiUed with Irtsiue Lindeni and divided by Polemonium running up to the centre, which is finished by a fine plant of Yucca aloifolia variegata. That is a grand bed, the luxuriance of the Iresine and Polemonium being strikingly effective. We yet come to another walk with its flanking borders even longer and finer in effect than the others. In these the brilliancy of Trop-Tjolum Cooperi was the telling feature. Even now I have not half enumerated the brilliant borders of Dalkeith, but some idea is given of their extent and richness. We now take a rapid run through the kitchen-garden department, extending to eleven acres under crops, and containing a large collection of all the best sorts of hardy fruits. There had been a fine crop of Pears on both walls and standards, some of the best sorts being in 1874 fully as fine from the standards as from the wall trees, such as Beurre Diel, Beurri; Ranee, Marie Louise, Williams's Bon ChrLtien,Duehessed'AngouU-me, Beurre de Capiaumont, Ac, of which the fruit room contained good specimens. Apples were only a light crop, but the fruit was good in size and quality, although the light soil is not naturally well adapted for Apples, Plums, or Cherries. Small fruit had also been a very good crop, and large quantities of all kinds are grown, principally for supplying Iruit for preserving. With a liberal supply of manure, fine crops of vegetables are raised, the leading sorts being grown in large breadths to meet the wants of the establishment. Very few sorts of a kind are grown, good crops of good quality being more an object than mere variety. Most new vegetables of merit, or supposed merit, have a fair trial, but very few of them stand the test against older and well-tried sorts. Prominent amongst the newer vegetables is Veitoh's Autumn Giant Cauliflower and Osborn's Forcing French Bean, both of which do well here, and have taken the place of older sorts in pse at the same time. We noticed a large breadth of the "Dalkeith" Brussels Sprouts, a compact-habited and very prolific variety, that has been grown here for many years, and which has been found to keep in a bearing state longer than any other sort grown. We observed a commodious gardener's house had just been erected, and further and better conveniences for the young men are contemplated, the Duke being proverbial in providing for the dwelling and comfort of all his dependents. The town of Dalkeith is of pleasant aspect, and evidences more than a common display of window gardening. This is at all times a pleasing feature, and a sure sign of the cleanliness, thrift, and intelligence of the inhabitants. The taste for domestic flori- culture is no doubt fostered by a judiciously-managed Horti- cultural and Industrial Society, and the numerous gardens, both large and small, in the neighbourhood. This closes our notes of what is undoubtedly one of the best, and best managed, gardens of Britain— a garden which a holiday gardener would do well to visit ; he will see sound thorough practice rather than mere show, and will receive a courteous welcome from one of the most able and worthy members of the craft — the intelligent superintendent — Mr. Dunn. — J. Weight. NOTES AND GLEANINGS. The Potato being a product of national importance, a Committee has been formed to give the utmost encourage- ment to its cultivation and improvement, and to promote the production of new and improved varieties, and to bring these more prominently before the public an exhibition is proposed to be held in London. We have seen the schedule of prizes, which are liberal, and when advertised, so that growers may see that the promoters are trustworthy, we have no doubt they will heartily respond. De. Kalendee of Linderhiihe, near Cologne, gives an elaborate account, in the Kulnisclie Zeitiimj, of the new enemy to the Potato which has caused such ravages in the Potato plantations of the United States — namely, the Colorado Beetle (Doryphoradecemlineata). The general opinion on this beetle is rather uncertain ai present, some considering it almost harmless, while others attach great importance to its being prevented from visiting Europe. Dr. Kalender applied to the Prussian Miniiter for Agriculture, and obtained the most reliable information, which is based upon a report of Mr. C. Riley, in the "Annual Report on the Noxious, Beneficial, and other Insects in the State of Missouri." It appears that the insect passes the winter in the ground, but as soon as the Potato plants have developed their first shoots the beetle shows itself. The females then deposit their orange-coloured ova, in lumps of ten to twelve, upon the under surfaces of the leaves; the larvie appear after five to eight days, and begin their destructive work, which lasts two or throe weeks, after which period they transform into nymphff ; ten to fourteen days later the young beetles appear ; thus one summer can see three or four generations, of which the last one passes the winter in the ground. The jusect does not couilue its devastations to the March 25, 1875. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND OOTTAQE QARDENER, 241 Potato only, but haa also been found to attack the young shoots and leaves of Cirsium lanceolatum, Amaranthus retro- flexus, Lisymbrium officinale, Polygonum hydropiper, Solanum nigrum, Ohenopodium hybridum and album, and even of Hyoscyamua niger. This variety of plants shows that the insect has great powers of adapting itself to its food, and to this it must be ascribed that it can only with the greatest difficulty be got rid of. The home of the insect was in the Rocky Mountains ; with the westward progress of agriculture the cultivation of the Potato approached the birthplace of the insect, and it transferred its dwelling to the Potato fields, which of course were welcome food ; thus in a short time it became a general plague. In 18.j9 it began its eastward pro- gress, and has now reached the coast of the Atlantic ; whether it will cross this ocean and begin its devastations in Ireland remains to be seen ; much may, however, be done to prevent its appearance in Europe. The means used for its destruction are various; the most successful one has been the so-called Schweinfurt green (arseno-acetate of copper). This is mixed with flour and water, and the plants are sprinkled with the mixture. Although highly poisonous to animal life, the Schweinfurt green does not poison the soil, as it is perfectly insoluble in water, and the destruction of the noxious insect is almost complete. Dr. Kaleuder finally draws the attention of agriculturists to another Potato enemy, the Brystopha solanella, a minute moth which has made its appearance in Algeria ; its larviB completely destroy the Potatoes themselves, so that they become unfit even for pigs' food. The Journal de la Societe Ccntralc d' Horticulture en France warns seriously against the importation of Algerian Potatoes. — (Nature.) Among the late Prince Consort's many excellencies was a love and a superior taste for gardening. How highly appre- ciated is thus well told in one of his letters in the interesting "Life" just published. "As an art modelling is even more attractive than painting, because in it the thought is actually incorporated : it also derives a higher value and interest from the fact that in it we have to deal with the three dimensions, and not with surface merely, and are not called upon to resort to the illusion of perspective. As the artist combines material and thought without the intervention of any other medium, his creation would be perfect it life could also bo breathed into his work ; and I quite understand and feel with the sculptor in the fable, who implored the gods to let his work descend from its platform. We have an art, however, in which even this third element of creation — inward force and growth — is present, and which has, therefore, had extraordinary attrac- tions for me of late years, indeed I may say from earliest childhood — namely, the art of gardening. In this the artist who lays out the work, and devises a garment for a piece of ground, has the delight of seeing his work live and grow hour by hour; and while it is growing he is able to polish, to cut and carve, to fill up here and there, to hope and to love." Every member of the vegetable world in California is de- scribed as " vast " or "gigantic," and the following is another example published in the San Francisco Alta. "It has been supposed that the Sierra Sequoias, or big trees of California, are confined to a few small and isolated groves. It was dis- covered last summer that a body of big tree timber in Fresno county is not properly a grove, but a forest extending for not less than seventy miles in a north-west and south-eastward direction, with a width in some places of ten miles, and inter- rupted only by the deep canons which cut across the general course of the forest. Different persons have traced the forest from the basin of the Tule river in latitude 3fi' 20' across those of the Kaweah and Kings to that of the San Joaquin. The elevation has not been carefully measured, but is supposed to vary from 4000 feet to 0000 feet. Unlike the groves further north, this forest consists mainly, and in some places almost exclusively, of the big trees, and there are also a multitude in all the ages of growth, some just sprouting and others saplijigs only 2 or :> feet through. The largest standing tree as yet measured is 40 feet in diameter ; a charred stump — the tree itself having disappeared — measures 41 feet across. A tree '24 feet in diameter 4 feet above the ground is precisely the same thickness 00 feet higher. A fallen trunk is hollow throughout its length, and the hole is large enough to drive a horse and buggy 72 feet in it as in a tunnel. The wood is similar in general character to the coast Sequoia, or common Redwood, straight in grain, splitting freely, even enough in grain for furniture, and far superior to Oak in its keeping qualities in positions exposed to alternations of drought and moisture. The Sierra Sequoia does not throw up sprouts from its stump as does the Redwood, and can therefoi'e be felled out more readily. It was wise in Congress to make a reservation for pleasure purposes of the Mariposa Grove, which is near Yosemite, small and conveniently accessible to tourists by the present routes of travel ; but the Tulare-Fresno forest — it is all in those two counties — cannot be converted into a public reservation. Nu- merous sawmills will be built on its line, and flumes will carry the lumber down to the consumers." NOTES ON VILLA and SUBURBAN GARDENING. Kitchen Garden. — If previous advice has been acted upon — that is, if the soil of the garden has received its preparation by digging, trenching, manuring, c^c, it will be found in an excellent condition to receive the seeds of various crops which ought to be now sown. The plan still adopted by many, not- withstanding that instructions are given to the contrary, of digging and manuring the ground at the time of cropping, is not giving the crops a fair chance. The aim of the owner of ever so small a garden should be to so work his soil as to have it in the best possible condition at cropping time, and this cannot be well done unless it is turned up in a rough state during the autumn, when it becomes pulverised and cleansed by the severity of the winter. A soil so treated will now be found to work down admirably, and it will not be bound down or thrown out of con- dition by being trampled upon during the process of cropping. There is another matter I ought to mention, which is that some crops, such as Potatoes and Onions, do not turn out so well with manure applied at the time of cropping, especially if that manure is at all green or not much rotted down. The oljject should be to apply the manure at the earliest opportunity, and in such a state of decomposition that it can be appropriated by the crops at the time it is needed for their development. But there are some who will not move out of their usual track to benefit themselves, even though there is the prospect of in- creased produce from other and better plans which have been advised. It is now time to make sowings of the general crops, to bo grown whether the garden be large or small. If early Potatoes have been planted on warm borders watch for their coming up and protect them from frost, a little of which we are having every night. Plant Myatt's Prolific, American Early Rose, Brezee's Prolific, Early Shaws, York Regents, and Lapstono Ividuey as soon as possible ; the later sorts, such as Flukes, may be deferred later on if, as I presume, that all the space intended for Potatoes is not yet vacant, but if it is I would advise that all sorts be put in immediately. As to the manner of planting Potatoes most of it is under- stood, but I do not advise anyone to adopt the plan of dibbling them in. It may save time, but it is the worst plan of any. The hole is made and the soil is compressed at the sides, which in a stiff soil is a greater disadvantage, because the roots are unable to obtain that freedom they need at starting into growth, and which is given them by adopting the plan of planting them either in drills or putting them in with the spade. And further, unless a very peculiar dibbler is used, the Potato does not go to the bottom of the hole, which is another disadvantage. Of Peas there are many good sorts, both tall and dwarf growers. I should now sow a row of Veitch's Perfection and Williams's Emperor of the Marrows; the former grows 3 feet, and the latter 0 feet or more in good soils. If sown both at the same time they come in good succession, and are most excellent croppers and good in flavour. Sow also the main crop of Onions on well-prepared ground, the White Spanish and .James's Keeping are two good standard sorts. If it is necessary to manure the ground now use any old manure, but I prefer using the space occupied by Celery, as that being manured the year previously, and the ground being well worked. Onions generally do well. It being a deep-rooting plant a deeply cultivated soil is indispensable. Sow the seed in drills about an inch deep, and if the soil is light tread the seed in as it is covered. Those who grow the Giant Rocca and other autumn-sown sorts must now stir the soil between the rows and thin out where thick, and fill up vacancies by picking out some of the best. Some early Horn Carrots to succeed those sown in frames or sheltered places may now be sown, leaving the main crop till the beginning of next month. Plant a few rows of Broad Beans, either the Broad Windsor or Longpod ; there is also the Dwarf Fan and Beck's Green Gem, both branching kinds and do not exceed 15 inches in height. These are excellent in quality and prolific. If Spinach is required a few rows may now be sown, but this, being a crop which soon comes to perfection, should be sown between rows of Peas, yet on good rich soil. As its produce de- pends upon the size of the leaves, it requires thinning out to about 8 inches from plant'to plant. Make sowings in small beds or narrow borders of Brussels 242 JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ March 25, 1875. Sprouts, Ulm Savoy, Couve Tronchuda, Cauliflowers, Enfield Market Cabbage, Paris White Cos Lettuce, Leeks, Kadishes, and small salading. This may be followed up in another fort- night with small sowings of Snow's Winter Broccoli and other winter and spring sorts ; also the autumn sorts, such as the White and Purple Cape, and Veitch's Autumn Giant Cauli- flower, Drumhead Savoys, and several sorts of Kales, such as Scotch Cabbaging, Tall and Dwarf Green-curled, and the Buda Kale, which is a most productive variety. Plant out Lettuces that have stood in frames daring winter under a wall or on a border of rich ground. The same may be said of Cauliflowers that have been so preserved, and those under handlights must have the soil stirred among them and be encouraged to grow as fast as possible.— Thomas Record. DOINGS or THE LAST AND PEESENT WEEKS. HARDY I'-RUIT G.IBDEN. Notwithstanding the continued cold weather the flower buds on Apricot and Pear trees are rapidly swelling, and a few mild days will cause the blossoms to burst open. On south walls Apricot blossoms which are already open require to be care- fully sheltered from the biting blast by canvas screens, rolling these up in the middle of the day. In our variable climate wall trees require much watchfulness at the time of flowering; keeping the protecting material down when it is not required weakens the trees and is injurious to the blossoms. The enthusiastic amateur or careful gardener will watch for the opportunity to roll-up the canvas and allow the sun to act upon the trees. After a frosty night, some time between the hours of 9 and 10 a m. is early enough to uncover the trees in exceptionally bad weather, such as snow or hail ; indeed, we have sometimes had it so cold in March that the rain drops have frozen on the trees. They ought to be effectually protected. We have commenced to run the Dutch hoe through the borders of pyramid and bush trees. The surface had become caked by the rains, and seedling weeds are appearing above ground. If the hoe is kept well at work at this season weeds are effectually destroyed, and require birt little trouble to keep them in check in the summer months. Those who are much troubled with the maggot that eats into the centre of the fruits of Apples and Pears, would do well to throw some dry lime over the trees after wetting the branches with soapy water thrown from a syringe or garden engine. Pruned Apple trees that were planted in the winter. The best time to prune newly-planted young trees is when the buds begin to move in the spring. If they are wall trees they ought to be nailed at the same time. FBUIT AND FORCING HOUSES. Vineries. — The inside borders of late houses have been watered now that the buds are starting into growth. The plan always adopted with early houses is to water the borders at the time of starting ; but this is done to warm the soil a little,^ aa if the border is moderately moist, as it ought to be, there is not much to be gained by watering it before the Vine is quickened into action. Vine roots are not like those of Pears and other fruit trees of the same character, which are forming rootlets in fine weather all through the winter months. The Vine does not seem to make any fresh roots until the leaves are formed, the first start being made from the elaborated and stored-up sap of the previous season. There is no danger now of the Vines bleeding from late prun- ing. The system of cutting the fruit with the branch attached is not only a convenient one but also commends itself, because it prevents the fruit from exhausting the Vine, which it does by draining the sap from it. The splendid Alicante Grapes that gained the first prize at South Kensington last week had been cut from the Vine for a considerable time, and some of the other exhibits which were in good condition had been cut for more than three months. The unfavourable weather, as was to be expected, has brought some signs of red spider into the early vineries. In the early stages of the attack the best way to get rid of the spider is to wash the leaves with a sponge and soapy water. This requires much care, as the berries are easily damaged by rubbing the arm against them. Applying sulphur to the hot- water pipes will kill the pest if the pipes are hot enough ; but all tender-skinned Grapes are liable to injury from the fumes, and great care is necessary when it is being applied. Slaking a 10-inch potful of lime in the house and throwing a handful or two of sulphur on the smoking mass has also been tried, but this operation is much more hazardous than the other. Many gardeners who produce good Grapes syringe the Vines up to the time of colouring. If this is done thoroughly the spider will be destroyed, but the appearance of the Grapes is also spoiled. Tying the shoots and stopping the growths in succession houses and other routine. work has been given in detail in previous numbers. CUCUMUEB AND MELON HOUSES. Some growers of Cucumbers recommend at this season a minimum temperature of from 60° to OJ', but one of from 70° to 7-5° is much preferable, as if the fruit is not grown quickly it is sometimes bitter. Jn our houses there are sufficient hot-water pipes to maintain a minimum of 75° even in cold weather. The same plants continue in bearing for a long period by periodically cutting-out the old exhausted wood and renewing with the young growths. During the winter season once in ten days is often enough to go over the plants ; in summer they require attention every week. When the plants are not growing freely they have a tendency to produce a very large number of male blossoms, and as these still further tend to check the growths they must at once be pinched-off. Preparing plants for planting-out in frames is not included in our "Doings," as the house is much more convenient. There is not much to bo gained by planting in frames too early in the season ; but if good sturdy plants could be put out now and the frames double-matted at night, the plants would start fairly into growth. The fermenting material of which the beds are com- posed should be well prepared. Stable manure and leaves in equal proportions make a lasting bed. Melons are making good growth, but the plants are not grown enough to require stopping. This is done when they have grown-up to about half the length of the trellis. A watchful eye is kept for spider, which soon makes sad havoc with the plants. Syringing it off is the best treatment. Figs. — These, being grown in pots, are moved from the house where they are started to the back stages in the Cucumber house. When the trees are dormant at midwinter it would not be judicious treatment to introduce them to a temperature of 05° or 7.5° all at once, but they are started with the Vines and are removed from the house before they receive injury from the shade of the Vine leaves. It has been said that Figs will do well under the shade of Vines ; they may do so if the roof is not well covered, but when the Vine trellis overhead is covered as it ought to be, any Figs that may be produced underneath are not worth the trouble of growing. . Tomatoes have been potted-on into 9-inch pots, and it la always worth while to devote some space in the forcing houses to them. Excellent fruit is produced in May and June by sowing a pinch of seed with the Melons in January. The plants should be stopped when they have grown about a foot high, and no more stopping is required. GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. Insect pests seem to increase so much more rapidly during the prevalence of east wind that some persons have concluded that they come with it, and not a few have been driven to the theory of spontaneous generation ; but all observant gardeners know well that anything which causes the growth to receive a check is the means of introducing aphis more rapidly to the plants. Fumigating with tobacco smoke is the most effectual preventive as well as remedy. The Hyacinths are now in great beauty, and with the gorgeous early-flowering Tulips serve to make the houses very gay. To grow Hyacinths and Tulips well they ought to be placed in a house near the glass until the flowers are nearly open ; this causes the spike to stand up boldly above the foliage. Neat sup- ports made of wire and paiHted green are the best means of supporting the spikes. The wires should be bent at the end that is thrust in the mould to preserve the bulbs from injury. Stage Pelargoniums must also be attended to now by being kept quite free from green flv, and the plants must also be quite close to the glass if the finest health and quality are desired. Specimen plants must be tied-out carefully. It the shoots aro strong they readily [snap-off at the base. It is best to bring them down a little at a time, and rather go over the plants more frequently. Primula amcena and) the white and Ulac varieties should be grown more frequently for the greenhouse. The white variety is now in flower, and the others wUl soon be in. It is a plant requiring but little attention. At or before the flowering period the leaves are frequently attacked by red spider, and if this is not kept off untU the crowns ripen a good bloom cannot be ex- pected the following season. The shadings have been put up, as the sun had begun to act with considerable force on the glass. FLOWER GARDEN. Boiled the lawn with a heavy roller, and as soon as possible will run the lawn mower over it. The grass is always rough and uneven before it is mown for the first time. , , ,, , Have put up a turf pit for the bedding plants, and shall lose no time in getting them into it, as the late vineries now require a little heat and the house to be shut-up early, which is quite the opposite treatment to that required for the bedding Potting of Coleus, Alternantheras, and other half- stove plants. Indeed, it is best if the more tender of the above are not placed in the cool house until May, and then only if the weather is fine. Moved bedding Calceolarias from a cold frame to the March 25, 1875. ] JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAPDENER, 2n earth pit. The plants will be planted in the trench when tbey have been inured to their new situation.— J. Douglas. HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS. SECREriRiES will oblige us by informiQg us of the dates on which exhibitiona are to be held. Jersey.— May 5th, Roses June 16th, Antumn October 13th, Chrysanthemuma November lOth. Major Howell, Spring Grove, St. Lawrence, Hon. Sec. Bath.— May 12th, September let and 2ad. Mr. B. Pearaou, 13, Milsom Street, Sec. Coventry.— May 31st. Mr. T. Wig^ton, 3, Portland Terrace, Lower Ford Street, Sec. Durham and NoRiiirMBERLAND.— To be held at Elswick Park, July 7th and Sth. Mr. R. Revelr, Sec. Leeds.— Juno 9th, 10th, and 11th. Mr. J. Birkbeck, DelphLane, WoodhouBe, Leeds, Sec. GLAsao\v.— June 16th, September Sth. Mr. F. G. Dougoll, 167, Canning Street, Sec. Fareham —Jane 23rd. Mr. n Smith. Sec. Exeter (Rose Show).— June 2ath. Mr. J. N. Gray, Queen Street Chambers, Hon. Sec. WrsBEACH.— June 30th. Mr. C. Paiker, Hon. Sec. Spalding.— July 1st and 2nd. Mr. U. F. Barrell, Hon. Sec. Tonhridge.— July 14th. Mr. "W. Blair, Free Press Office, Hon. Sec. WmnLEDON.— July 15th and 16th. Mr. P. Appleby, 5, Linden Cottages, SunnjHido, AVimbledou, Hon. Sec. Brecon.— July 22Qd. Mr. W. J. Roberts, Sec. Cleckheaton.— July 2Uh. Mr. S. H. Williamaon, Hon. Sec. Preston.— July 28th and 29th. Mr. ^Y. Troughton, 4, Church Street, Hon. Sec. Southampton.— July 3lsc and August 2nd. Mr. C. S. Fuidge, 82, York Street, Lower Avenue, Sec. Ramsgate.— August 25th, C. D. Smith, Esq,, 8, Marine Terrace, Margate, Hon. Sec. DoNDEE.— Augnst 26tb, 27th, and 23th. Mr. R. McKelvie, 51, Reform Street, Sec. TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. Charles Green {late Gardener to W. Wilson Saunders, Esq.), Botanical Nursery, Holmesdale Road, 'Reiga.ie.^List of Green- Jioiisc, Hcrbaceo'is, and Alpine Plants. William Paul, F.RH.S., Waltham Cross, London, ^.—List of Moses {New)f Geraniums, Phloxes, li-c. James Backhouse & Sons, York. — Catalogue of Alpine Plants and Hardy Perennials. James Carter A Co, High Holborn, London. — Illustrated Catalogue of Prize Farm Seeds and Potatoes. TO CORRESPONDENTS. •,* All correspondence should be directed either to *' The Editors," or to "The Publisher." Letters addressed to Mr. Johnson or Dr. Hogg often remain unopened unavoid- ably. We request that no one will write privately to any of our correspondents, as doing so subjects them to un- justifiable trouble and expense. Correspondents should not mix up on the same sheet questions relating to Gardening and those on Poultry and Bee sub- jects, and should never send more than two or three questions at once. All articles intended for insertion should be written on one side of the paper only. We cannot reply to questions through the post. *;ic"'' We have many valuable communications \\'liich we are obliged to omit until next week. Books (J. iTe/^y). —Keane'e "Indoor Gardening" may suit yon. You can have it free by post if you enclose twenty postage stamps with your address. Constructing Cucumber Pit {M. A. H. B. L.). — We should have the honse sunk about 2 feet, and the walls about the same above ground. A span-roofed house would be best ■with a bed on bath aides of the house and a walk up the middle. If you require one bed only, a half-span would be moat Bnitable, having a walk along the back. The front wall we should have of the height named, and the back wall the height required to meet the back part of the roof. Not knowing the width we cannot give the height of the back wall. The roof only we should have glass, with one or both ends level with the front brickwork. Ventilating should be provided at the upper part of the roof. You will need two pipes for bottom heat to each bed. and four for top heat. The surface of the bed should be about 2 feet from the plafs, and the trellis a font from it. Your boiler will not beat more than 200 feet of 4-inch piping. We should have one a size larger, as it is hotter to have one above rather than under its work. Such a i oiee wo believe would not be portable, and it is well to bo certain on that point before you erect. Seakalk after CrTTii^G {C, KiUarncy). — The Seakale not having been forced, should have the blanching material removed when the weather is mild, yet before the growth is advanced. In cutting, the cut should be ju^t at the base of whence the new growth proceeds. Ju^t below tliis will proceed shoots which will give the crowns for next year's crop By kcepiog the crowns covered you will certainly secure a second crop of weakly stalky, but the growth afterwards made will be poor, and the produce resultiug another year vei-y indifferent. Purple Broccoli {Idem). — These are not so desirable as the white, but are by many esteemed. The Purple Cape is ready for use in autumn. Dwarf Danish Purple and Sprouting come in during March and April, and Howden's Dwarf Purple in May and June. The seeds should be sown at tha c'oBe of April or early in May. Heating House.s (J. P. of 5'or7:).— We do not approve of the 2-inch Uow- and-return pipe from and to the boiler. We know the water will cuter the huiler in a similar ratio as that passiiig out of it, but we maintain tho water has not bo free an egress and ingress to the boiler when 2-iuch pipes are em- ployed instead of 4-iuuh. The 2-inch pipes we should alter to 4-inch, and take them tho entire length of the cold pit, across its end through into the stove, and through the stovo in tho way you show, but with the water llowing the reverse way to what is represented in your ekotch. This will give you four rows of active piping, whereas by your plan half of the piping would bo of no use only when you have heat in the vinery, and that will be in suromei, when you want least in the stove. The advantage of the change will be equally grtat in the winter, as the vinery will then need to be cold. The flow pipe after entering tho stove b.s far as you show may have a branch to the right and left, the tight for stove, and left for cool vinery, upon which should bo a valve, and the like arrangement of the return pipes of those houses will give you all you require. Wo should have the pipes in the vinery as shown in stove and greenhouse— i <:., 4 inches from the eJge of border insteod oj 8 inches, and they must be raised so as to be on the same level as those in the stove, or the circulation of the water will be sluggish, if not altogether arrested. Three-inch pipes will be ample for the vinery, but all the others ought to be 4-inch. Adiantdm farleyense not Tiirivinq {R W. B.).—lt is a stove FerL» and to having been kept in a greenhouse wo should attribute its present sickly appearance. Remove to a stove, affording a moist atmosphere, and shade from bright sun. Repot when it is growing freely. The bad appear- ance may, however, have been caused by fumigating witii tobacco, of which it is more susceptible of injury by than any plant we know. If in a pot, as we presume it is, remove from the house whenever the house ia fumigated. It does tolerably well in a warm greenhouse, being kept in the moistest part and shaded, but to have fine it requires a stove. Orchabd-house and Greenhouse Arhangements (H. W.). — The height of the back wall for a house the width you name, with a height in front 7 feet ought to be 15 feet, and you will need to provide efticient top and front ventilation. This is a very important point iu greenhout-e and orchard-house construction. You can have pipes put in on the opposite side of the boiler — ■((?., branching from tho flow of the greenhouse for the orchard house, and taking it along that house, returning by the return pipe from the greenhouse. The pipes, as you have an open cistern, must all be on the same level. An aii pipe on the highest part of the orchai-d -house piping will allow of air passing out of the pipes. The pipes in both houses when cold need not be more than three-quarters filled with water in the flow pipes, so as to allow for ex- pansion, but taking care to have them so full as to insure the circulation of the water. Two pipes 4 inches in diameter along the front and across one or both ends of each house will be suflicieut to exclude frost in severe weather, and by having valves on the orchard-house pipes you will be enabled to work them separately or together. We consider it a mistake to have Vines in the orchard house, especially on the roof, for though you may havo good Grapes it will ha had at the expense of the trees beneath. We should not have any on the roof, but you may have them as pot plants or planted out, but trained upright. You can have Viues in tho greenhouse trained to wires 15 inches from the glass, and at 4 feet apart you will have room for five Vines. You will have space in your house for two rows of trees at 5 feet apart, which will be quite close enough. This will give you sixteen trees, and having the frees not nearer the back wall than 5 feet, and the pathway about 18 inches from it, and 2 feet 6 inches wide, enough light will be admitted to make the back wall available for Peach trees. We should have two — viz.. Royal George and Grosse Mignonne, with an Elrugo Nectarine in the centre. This plan will leave the front space available for other fruit trees. Hedge fob Hollow (VaUnmhrosa). — It appears you intend to make a ditch or trench, and you want to know what to plant in the ditch, and not upon the bank or side of the ditch. If the former we can only recommend Birch, which will grow well and does not make a bad fence, but is not good against cattle, though answering well as a screen. If upon the bank we advise Thorn or Quick, which is unquestionably the best of hedge plants. We think you mean in the trench, and therefore advise Birch, which kept well cut will meet your requirements. Birch, Alder, and Willow are the only trees suitable for such a position. WiRE3 FOB Pear Espaliers (J. E.). — Six whes 10 inches apart, the first afoot from the ground, will be proper for your trees; but wo should have had the trees vertical traiued and planted 5 feet apart, each tree with six branches, and the trellis 6 feet high, and the wires a foot apart. Horlzon- tally-trainel Pears on the Quince have the lower branches very often weak. Fig on Greenhouse Wall (TiJ-:m). — With Viues on the roof at 3 feet apart you will have little chance of fruit from a Fig tree against the back wall. We have, however, known them do fairly, the Brown Turkey bsiog most suitable. The wall, if you have the tree, which we do not alvise, would be best wired. Drainin'g Fern Case (Cryplogamia). — At the bottom there should b3 a clear space of an inch; at this height have a second bottom of perforated ziue. A small pipe at one end coming outside the case from the open ppice will enable you to run off at will any surplus water, the end of the pipe being fitted with a thumb screw. Over tho perforate! zinc you will still need an iuch of drainage ; the best is charcoal broken up in pie-:e3 from tho size of a hazel to a walnut, and passing it through an eighth-of-an-lnch sieve to free it of the dust, and over this a thin layer of cocoa-nut fibre, or thfe rougher parts of the compost. The fioo charcoal siftings will do to mis with the compost at the rato of one-sixth charcoal to the other parts of the soil. The Ferns have not hitherto grown because they are waterlogged. Ribbon Border (A. F. N.).—T\i^ arrangement would look welL The best blue ARcratum ia Chater's Imperial Dwarf. It comes readily from seed, hut we prefer raising our stock fr.^ra cuttings taken from plants selected for that purpose last season. Little Trot is by far the best ond most compact white- edged Geranium, but as it is only just now being sent out you had better take May Queen or Miss Kingsbury for the present season. They are both excellent varieties. Auriculas in House Facing North (A. C. S.).— The Auriculas might do in the situation proposed during the summer and autumn months, but I question their doing so during winter and spring. I never saw the varieties named, and so can say nothing of their merits. — D., Deal, Hardy Rhododendrons (C. T. S.).— The following twelve are good:— Atrosangulneum, dark crimson; Titian, reddish pink; Queen, white; StelU, 244 JOUENAL OF HORTICULTDBE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. [ March 25, 1375. pale rose; Purity, white, jellow-ejed; Eriareus, rose; ChanceUor, lilac ; Fcr- mosum, Mhite; OberoD, purple ; The Gael, piok and yellow; Incomparable red; Lord Clyde, criniBcn; and Columbus, flesh-coloured. Tbacing P.irER (Anne P.). — You niay make and unmake the tracing paper you with to employ tor copying portraits ol llowtrs, and then placing the copies in your album by thus prepaiins the paper. One measure of castor oU disEolved in two or three measures o£ spirits of wine renders paper transparent, and when the spirit has evaporated the paper soon becomes lit lor drawing upon. It the paper is subsequently placed in spirits the oil is aiflsolved out, and the paper is restcred to its original condition. Pjssio.n FtowEiis (C. J.).—v,-e do not know where the flowers can ho now obtamed. Panicum (A. E.).—'We do not know a species called Panicum capillocenm. There is P. capiUare. It is a hardy annual, native of America. Its botanical characters are.panicles capillary, erect, spreading; peduncle straight ; glumes acuminate, smooth ; sheaths very haiiy. Seedling Briar Stocks {il. P.).—! hey are raised from seeds of the common hedge Briar. The plants are two years before they are large enough for budding. Leave Ihe heps tn the Briars until FebruaiT, and then sow r?,?"; "K '""''' '^" it''i:lia frcm cuttings are as good as ihcse from seed. Ihe lower buds of the cuttings should bo rubbed oft. Seedlikq PiiiurLA lA. J.).~\\e do not discern any difference frcm a variety of the same colour to be obtained of florists. Verbena Melimjres (E. Cullinsi.—Any of tho florists who advertise in our columns could supply you. Pine Apple Leaves Shrivelled (B. S.).— The leaf yon sent is spotted from water having lodged upon it, and the sun faUing powerfully upon the leaf whilst in this state has so heated the water as to destroy the tissues of the leaf. Such mishaps usually follow a period of dull weather, a few hours' powerful sun being sufficient to cause the mischief. The only remedy is more careful and earlier air-giving; better have them dry under bright sun, mois- tnre being kept up by other means than syringing overhead. PASsirLORAS in Greenhoose IH. E.). — The Passifloras you name are TCpy free glowers and equally hee flowering, and would cover a large extent of TOOf in a year or two. They may, however, be kept within reasonable bounds ty frequent rtenlation of the growths. They would be best planted out in the border as yi n show at R. Ihey are likely to suffer from the heat of Ihe hot-walerpipej unless they are close to the stems of the plants; ifGinches distant from the pipes the stems of the plants will be quite sale. Names of Plants {J. LurA-).— Adiantum capUlus- Veneris and Adiantum Farley en se. POULTEY, BEE, AHD PIGEON OHEONIOLE, BEOODY HENS. We fear good chickens at the early chicken Bhows -will tie very scarce this season. \\'e tever remember such disaatrous accounts from our friends of their early chickens as we have had this year. From all we receipe these reports, and these from all over England. One gentleman of wide fame writes from Lancashire, " We have had a terrible winter and lost many valuable birds, and have not a chicken." Another writes from Devonshire, " We have never had such a winter, we are all be- hind," and from Kent, Surrey, Suffolk, Shropshire, and other counties come the same bad tidings. Some attribate the failures to the severity of the weather, others to the want of eggs, a third party to its being such a bad hatching season, but the large majority assign as the cause being unable to procure broody hens. There are exceptions to every rule, and so here, for we saw the other day two bonny lots of 187^) Malays, and we hear of a few Dorkings at Early Wood and Micheldever, and of Brahmas at Greeting, and Black Cochins at Baschurch, but still these are the exceptions, and the rule is a total failure in early chickens. There is plenty cf time yet for those who, like the worthy Stoke Park manager, do not go in for early chicken showing, but in the yards cf those fanciers who do usually support such exhibitions we hear of a perfect absence of 1675 chickens, and this, as we said befcre, principally frcm Ihe want of broody hens. We know of one gentleman who has offered in his neighbour- hood 10s. each for sitting hens and offered in vain. Keally an exhibitor needs to keep a stock of an hundred or so birds for sitting purposes, only to ensure broody hens in the early year. We conclude it is in consequence of this great demand for sitting hens, which increases yearly, that the " broody hen trade " ns we will term it, seems to thrive so well in places : we repeatedly see advertised "broody hen, china egg, nest and all for .5s." This sounds charming, and we know cf two parties, unknown to each other, though well known to us, who answered such an advertisement, and enclosed 5s. and ordered the sitting beauties to be sent forthwith. The baskets came with the china eggs and Ihe nests, and the hens are there, but they are not broody ! And they look as if they had not laid an egg for a month, or were likely to do so for two or three more to come. This happened in both cases. One of the purchasers in a fit of indignant anger wrote to the vendor and complained, saying the hen would not sit, and had never wanted to sit ! To him came back the cool reply, " Sometimes I find they do fail, so I return you Is. in stamps." And, N.B. the man had got 4s. for a hen who had doubtless had many a brocd, but would not have another for many a long day to come, and which would be very dear to buy at Is. (id. We mention this to show that all those tempting offers in cheap advertisements are not to be accepted. We do not say but that many of the hens advertised do want to sit when sent away, and do sit when they arrive, and sit well. We know of one gentleman who has bought such and done well with them, but we cannot think the plan a satisfactory one, and it makes ua long for an incubator warranted to hatch. We wonder if there ever will be such. When we say warranted, we mean of course, provided all ordinary trouble and care are taken. Mrs. Cheshire has shown ua how to take care of the chickens when we have them by her most ingenious and simple apparatus. Now we want someone to show us how to hatch them. We are fully aware that during this season new incubators on simpler prin- ciples have come out, but we have not heard of anyone who has been really successful with them. When we say snccesfful we mean for six or seven eggs out of every dozen to hatch. We feel it would be a real boon, a real benefit to Ihe fancy, for soma incubator to be introduced which will bring about with ordinary trouble and care the desired end. We have tried incubators, and our friends have tried them, but always without real success. We have had them or seen them in use from many makers, and burning everythii.g conceivable from paraffin oil down to night lights, but always without success, and yet those who have tried them are leally practical people, who have spent much time and money over them. Talking of incubators, however, as an example cf how very foolish some people must be, we heard of one lady, and know it to be a true story, who had just been taken with the fever, and hearing of an incubator, or as she called it a hatching machine, sent for one, and on its arrival placed eggs in it with the greatest possible zest, and expected thereby to do away with the tedious period of three weeks' incubation, and that the eggs would hatch out at once by machinery ! This may seem incredible, but it is true. It is a parallel case to the gentleman who bought a Carrier Pigeon, tied a good thick letter to its wing, and having whispered to it to fly to his wife in London (he was at Kamsgate) let4t fly !— W. HODDAKS AS LAYERS. My experience is something similar to "D., Deal's." On April 5th, 1873, 1 hatched a brood of Houdans, out of these I had three pullets. I had the first egg from these ou the 13 th of December, and I had eggs constantly from these three puUeta up to September 27th, 1871. The three pullets averaged in this time about 120 eggs each. They then began to moult. Last spring I bred from these three pullets and a cockerel (not re- lated), two broods of chickens in April. Out of these I had about eleven pullets. I had the first egg from these on Novem- ber Gih. From November 6th to December 27th I had thirty- six eggs, and then they left off altogether until January 2oth, 1875. Since then up to this date (March 5th), I have had seven- teen eggs. The two-year-old hens that I have spoken of as averaging last year 120 eggs each, have never laid since they left off to moult. They have an enclosed grass run, and are fed on good barley aud a feed of scraps and pollard every now and then. I may say that I have now only four of the pullets and two of the two-year-old hens, having parted with the rest on account of their bad behaviour. I have a pen of Black Hamburghs which I bought about Christmas time (a cockerel and two pullets). These began to lay on February 7th, and since then I have had seventeen eggs from them. I also know a pierson who has some Black Sp.auish and also some common hens in fall lay, despite the severity of the weather. — Edwahd Smith, Maldon. THE EXHIBITION DORKING.— No. 12. BY T. C. BL'KNELL. The SiLVEK-Gr.EY Dorking is really a beautiful variety, and combines Ihe useful points of the Dark Dorking with most at- tractive plumage. It is to be regretted that this breed is so little patroniseci, as I am sure no other purely fancy breed can compete with it where fowls have to find their own food ; nor do they ever look to greater advantage than when working hard for Ihtir living in a hedgerow or homestead. The shape of the Silver-Gir;/ Dorking cock differs in no respect from that of the Dark Dorking : the difference is solely in the colour ; and as this is a fancy breed, colour is of greater import- ance than in the Dark variety. The comb of the Dark Dorking may be either double or single, but the comb of the silver- Grey must be single. This is well recognised, though I have never seen it mentioned. The plumage of the Silver-Grey cock must be solely of black and white feathers, any red or parti-coloured feathers being a disqualification. The neck hackle should be a clear white, but a slight pencilling of black down the centre of each .'eathcr is allowed, provided it dees not produce a dark March 25, 1S75. 1 JOUENAL OF HOBTICULTOBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 24 C appearance. Tlie back, shouUlers, saddle, and saddle backlea should also be of a pure white, while the breast, toil, and thighs should be black, any white in these parts being a disqualifica- ti m, except ou the tliishg, where a little grizzliuf; in au old bud will pass. The black wingbow should be cleanly cut, and this makes a pleasing contrast to the white of the remainder of the wing. The plumage of the Si!i'cj--Gi-ci/ lien is exceedingly pretty, the whole of the body feather and wings being of a clear silver- grey colour, while the breast is a rich robin red. As in the Dark Dorking, the shaft of each feather should be distinctly white, only in the Silver-Grey variety this should not extend to the wings and shoulders, or it rather spoils the general appear- ance. The neck hackle should be white, with a narrow and dis- tinct black stripe dosn each feather. Fig. 53. — Silver-Grey Dorking Cock. Although good Silver-Grey hens are by no means easy to breed, the cocks are far more difficult to obtain perfect; and I often think when I see judges withholding prizes in the Silver- Grey classes while they give prizes to Mealy Cochins and \yhite- throated Brahmas, that they do not make due allowance for the very great difficulties which Silver-Grey Dorking breeders have to contend against. By far the worst point in a Silver-Grey cock is a yellow hackle or saddle ; it spoils the whole beauty of the breed. The smallest speck of white in the breast of the cock or in the tail is con- sidered a disqualification, though I would far rather see this than a yellow hackle. The back and shoulders must be free from red or chestnut feathers ; this is positive. The earlobes should be red. The defect most difficult to avoid in breeding the Silver-Grey hens is a ruatinesa or dullness of the plumage, especially on the wings. Birds showing this dtfect should be avoided either for breeding or the show pen, as cocks bred from them would be sure to breed rusty-winged pullets. I should not discard a bird altogether if large and only slightly ruddy on the wing, as this will wear away a little with age, but a white breast or tail in a cock will infallibly become worse with the moult. The Silver-Grey Dorking seldom or never attains the size of its darker brother; but cocks of 10 lbs. in any breed are quite large enough for all useful purposes, and I should be glad to see the judges look more to feather, shape, comb, and feet than to mere size. " Sooty feet " are not uncommon, and they must be carefully avoided. I have seen it remarked that the "sooty" feet now so common in Dark Dorkings have been caused by the overbreediug for dark feather; but if so, how is it that dark feet are quite as common with the Silver-Greys ? To breed Silver Greys perfect birds must be obtained, though they be small, and the importance of obtaining cocks of a good strain cannot be over-rated. Birds of different strains some- times produce very badly-coloured chickens if the two strains do not amalgamate or "nick," as it is called; and in com- mencing a strain it will be far better to procure the cockerels and pullets from the same yard, and afterwards to buy hens of the correct colour to cross with, as by this means size may be kept up with less danger of the whole yard being spoilt. To obtain early chickens it will be necessary to breed from cockerels, as I have found from painful experience that two-year- old cocks are not to be trusted till the warm weather appears. The Eeh SPECKLED DoKKiNG is now almost obsolete, having given way to the more fashionable Dark and Silver-Grey varieties. Specimens may still be seen in the farmyards of Surrey and Sussex, but of no great excellence. The principal peculiarity is found in the hens, which are of a brown or chocolate colour, spangled all over with distinct white spots as large as a large pea, giving them the appearance of having been out in a fall of snow. This colour is I think more curious than attractive. Cocks to match such hens should have a good deal of red and chestnut on the back and shoulders, their breasts should be spotted with white or red, and white in the tail is not objectionable. I believe they are a hardy breed and very readily fatten. HULL SHOW OP PIGEONS, &c. The first Show, which is proposed to be annual, was held in the Albert Hall in Hull on the 11th and 12th inst. Financially it was a rare success, and the visitors were very numerous. The room was small, but the most was made of it; yet there was not much space for visitors. The animals were well attended to, and fed with correct food except the cats, which had each a portion of raw bullock's lights, to which we would draw the attention of committees, this being the most indigestible of food, and smells disgustingly, and is generally voided ; while if well boiled it is an excellent diet for Ihcm while in confinement. This can be easily excused, as the management of the cat in the show pen is scarcely understood as yet. Pigeons were first on the list, Pouters taking the lead. These classes, though containing some good birds, were not good as classes. lu Blue or Black, Mr. Nottage won first with his grand Blue cock ; the second, a Blue hen, being also very good in style and limb; third a large Blue cock. In any other colour the first was a large bird, capital in style and shape, but very bad in colour (Red); second was a stylish White cock of last year; but we thought that gentleman ought to have taken third with his White hen in place of the Red cock to which the award was made, the latter bird being very shaggy in appearance, and altogether out of condition, although said to show well in a large pen. In Carrier cocks the first was a Black, good in style and beak wattle, but bad in eye wattle; second a good all-round bird, but not so heavy; third Dun, but rather broad-skulled; aud extra third Black. In hens Mr. Tardley won with a grand Black; the second going to a Black almost devoid of beak wattle, but good in eye ; the third much better, but rather spouty. In Barhs (Black) we did not agree with the awards, the winners being very spouty in eye aud in bad order, except the second-prize bird, which we should have placed first. In the next class equal firsts were awarded, but we had no hesitation in marking the best of the two (Baker) Yellow; second should have been Mr. Spencer's Dun. Mr. Yardley won third with a capital Yellow hen. In Owls the English were passed entirely unnoticed, the preference being given to the foreign variety. First was a very small White ; second a large Blue, with a perfect head; third White, and good extra white as well; but one of the best, a neat Black, shown by Mr. Shillitoe, was passed unnoticed. This bird would not have been wrongly placed if the first award had been made to it. Turhits were a fair class, the first going to an excellent Silver; second to a White one, superb in all Turbit properties except colour, and we must confess we never saw a White one admitted in good competition before as the leading property seems to be altogether lost. Third was a Silver, but not as good as some others in the class, particularly a Red shown by Mr. G. S. Stephenson. Jacolins not a good class, first a capital Red ; second White, but coarse; third Red, and good all round. In Tumhlers all were noticed, and were a capital class, first was a Kite, perhaps the best in existence; second Mr. Yardley's Almond cock; and third a good Agate, all well placed. Fantaih were good, the first about perfection ; second a fair bird ; third Blue, good in carriage, but tail too narrow at bottom. The awards in Antici rps-viere not in accordance'with our experience, the first was a Blue medium- faced cock, with a sandy eye, a bad fault; second a good Short- face, except that his colour was two mealy and bars bad ; the third, a Blue cock, had a small frill. In our opinion the first ought to have gone to Mr. White's Silver Dun Short-faced ; second to Mr. Stanley's Red Chequer ditto; and third to Mr. Yardley's Silver Dun. Dragoons were almost all of the London Fancy, three of the four awards going to Yellows, and one to a Blue, all well placed from the London stand-point. This was a large class. In the Variety class the first was a perfect Arch- angel; second au almost equally good Grey Frillback; extra 216 JODBNAL OF HOKTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ March 25, 1875. second a grand Tmmpeter; and third to a good Bloudinette. This class was thoroughly well judged. Two Selling classes containing upwards of eighty entries wound up this section. There were five pieces of plate awarded as point prizes, and the whole were won by Mr. Baker. Eleven classes, with four pieces of plate, brought together a splendid entry of Rabbits ; but unfortunately the awards were not made by the advertised Judges. In the first case we know not why, but in Mr. Allison's case through serious indisposi- tion. In Li.p-eared Bucks Mr. Boden was rightly placed first with his Black, which was second at Northampton, and which has mightily improved since that time; length 22J, Second was a good Fawn-and-white, 22J ; third a thoroughly crooked- legged Eabbit, Tortoiseshell ; and extra third a Fawn, 22 inches measuiement. In Does Mr. Irving won both first and third with Black-and-whites, the first taking the cup also, this being a little short of marking, but a really grand Babbit, ear 23 inches; the third being 22J and better in marking, we thought should have been placed before the second, which, though a grand Eabbit, wants condition. Mr. Cranch showed a Black-and-white, which we thought should have been noticed. Angoras were a good clkss, and Mr. Swetman beaten with an excellent Rabbit quite as large and much finer in far; the third going to a small but well-woolled animal. Silcer-Grctjs were a bad class, although the prize Rabbits were good ; but it is quite certain that Mr. Firth's buck, which has attained fine condition, should have been first, and Mr. King's second. Mr. Hallas won three thirds, the silvering of the bodies being good, but the beads a little too dark. jlr. Hudson's buck (not for com- petition) spoiled the lot. Belgian Hares were a good class, and the awards well made. Any other variety followed with a very pretty so-called Siberian (which is neither more nor less than a cross between the Himalayan and Angora) first, and Silver Creams second and third. Dutch v era next, with Black-and- white (rather large) first and cup; a small neat Blue second; third Blue; and extra third Black. if/??m?aya«s were a good class, and the winners pretty well chosen, (he Secretary purchasing and awarding an extra himself to the first, although we confess a preference for the second-prize Rabbit; the third also very good. There were two Selling classes, and some good Rabbits shown, the special going to a capital Fawn-and-white buck. In the next class the first was a Silver-Grey ; but this was nothing nearly so good as one shown by Mr. Hincks, nor that by Mr. King, and should not have been in the list; second was a nice Angora ; and third Belgian Hare. In Cats there were no entries for Tortoiseshell. In Any other variety the Tabby Lion wasplaced first, but was evidently ill at ease in his den ; second and third were also Grey Tabbies, but in marking, which we understood to be the point expressed in the schedule, the third was far ahead, although the first was best in other points. FozTEis.— Blue or Black.— Cock or Ben —I smd c, W. Nottage, Northampton. 2. J. Baler, Kew Bridge. 3, H. Yardley, BirmiEghani. vhc, J. Batter; H. Severs, Middle tiborcugh. /iC, J. Baker ; P R.Sptnter, Htreford; W.Nottage: J. 1 icbmoDd. Aicrirgtf n ; R. H. Btaekloeli, irunderland. P0VTER3.— Any other colour. —Cock or Hen.— I and c,. I. Baker. 2, J. E. Spence, BroughlvFerry. S, T. Wood, York, udc, A. Spencer. Driflield. (ic, W. Nottage (2): O.Eobinson, Sunderland: 1,. 4 W. 'Walkin, Notthampton. Cashiers.- Cock.~1, 9, and vhc, J. Baker. 2, H. Yardley. Extra 3. H. Yard- ley; P. K Spencer, he, B. Hudaou, Driffield; P. R. Sptncer: R. H. Blacklock. c, E. Hodfbuc, Driffield; W. Blacker, Hull. Hcn.—l snd vhc, H. Yardley. 2 and 3, P. R. spencer, c, F. Hodgson ; J. Baker. Barbs.— Black.- Cock or Hen.— I, J. Stanley, Blackburn. 2 and 3, H. Y'.ardley. vhc, J. G. Adams, he, W. Brjdone. c, J. Baker; H. Crosby; J. C. Adams ; (j. W. Dutlon; J. Holden. Babbs.— ^1".!/ other colour.— Cock or Hen. — Equal 1. J. Baker; J. E. Spence. 3, H. Yardlev.' 2, J. Stanley, /ic. J. Baker, c, J. C. Boot!. by. Owls -Cock or Hcn.—l and Extra 3, G. Anderson, \Vest Hartlepool. 2, G. N. Lythe, Cotlingham, Hull. 3, J. Baker, vhc, J. Baker (a) ; J. Stanley, he, J. C. Adams; R. Shillitoe. r, J. Baker. TcBisiTS.— Coc/.- or Hen.— I, 2, and 3, J. Baker, vhc, "W. Brydone ; T. S. Stephenson (2); J. Baker: E. A. Thornton, he, C. N. Lythe; C. Vf. Wash- bourne : E. Heath, c, W. R. Rootes. Jacobins.— 1 and 2, J. Baker. 3, T. Holt, Bradford n/ic. W. Brydone; G. E. North ; T. Holt, he, J. Baker (2) ; J Banks, c. VI. Notlage. TCS1BI.ERS.— Cocfe or Hen.- 1, J. Baker. Sand 3, H. Yardlev. r/ic, J. Baker (2): R. Micnitt. he, H. Yardley; J. Stanley; J. Baker, c, W. Brydone; G. Ho.loway. Fantails.— Coc/c or Hen. — 1, A. Smith, Broughty Ferry. 2, S. Laweon. Preston. Extra 2, J. Warhi.r&t. Stalybridge. 3, J. Walker, Newark, vhc. .T, Baker; 3. E. Spence: T. & W. Pcirsun ; J.Warhurst. he.l.C Boothby; J. F. Loversidge; J. Bak*r. c, J. G. Boolhby; J. F. I.oversidge; J. Baker. ANTWEBP3,- Cocfc or Hen.— \, G. Blakev. Driffield. 2, R. While, i\Ianchester. 3,F. Eastwood, Littlebcrougb. vhc, H. Yardley; J. C. Boothby; H. Yardley; R. "White, he, H. Yardley ; O. Jackson ; J. Gowley ; J. Stanley. Dragoons.— Coc^ or Uen.—\, J. Baker. Exira 1, H. Yardley. 2. Extra 2. and S, B. Woods. vhc,i. Baker; J. Richmond, he, A, McKenzie; R. Woods 12); J. C. Boothby. r, J. Baker; J. Stultard; H. Crobby ; G. Halt; D. Way- nard ; R. Woods. Any otber Variety.— Cocfc or Uen.—\ and Extra 2, H. w. Webb, Lower Sydenham (Archangel and Frillback). 2. J. Baker. 3, E. Heath, Blackburn. Extra S. H. Yaidlev. i(ic. H. Varolt v ; G. F. & W. B Umideby (Red Pricsll. ;ic. H.W.Webb (Mngpiel: J Richmond, c, E. W. & S. W. Anderton (Arch- angel); J. Baker; H. W. Webb (Pigmy Pouter); J. Banks (Magpie). Sei,lino Class.- CocA: or Hen.— Price not to exceed 25^.-1. P. R. Spencer. 2. J. W. Harling, Burnley (Barb), fl, J. Baker, vhc, W. A. P. niontgoinery (Trumpeter); W. Brydone (Owl); J. Nottage; J. C. Adams: H. T. Hiccks. hc.H. Yardley; J. Baker (2): J. Nottage; J. Banka {Red Swallow); W. Dug. dale; E.A.Thornton (Almond), e, T. i W. Peirson (Tumbler); E. A. Thorn- ton (Red Jacobin). Selling < lass.— Pric? not to erceed 60.* per Pair.—], L. Allen, London Road, London, S.E (Black Bcardt). 2. H. Yaidley. 3, W. A. P. Montgomery, Belfast (Yellow Owh). vhc, L. Allen I Yellow Oivls); J. Baker: G. W. DuUon (Yellow SarbB); G, Stephenson tTumblers). kc, U. Crotby (White Dragoons); W. Brydone (Tumblers): G. Destner (Tumblera); J. Nottage (2); G. Stephenaon (Magpie, Fantails, and Nuns); R. Stabler; R. White, e, J. Walker; G. E. North ; J. Baker ; H. T. Hincks ; J. W. Harling (Pigmy Pouters). RABBITS. Lop-eared.— Bucfc.—l, Dr. Boden, West Haitlepool. 2, Mrs. H. Pickworth, Spalding. 3, T. Schi. field, Manchester. Extra 3, J. Ashley, Hull. he. T. Scho- field, jun. c, J. FaUdiug. l)oe.—Cu-p, 1, S. and he, J. Irving. 2, Dr. Boden. c, C- King. Lop-eared.— Special 1, T. Myton, Y'ork. 2, T. Schofield. Jan. 8, J. Wharton, York, he, J. Ballas : A. Canty ; J. Wharton, c. J. Graham. Angora.— 1, A. Atkinson, Hudde-sfield. 2 and /ic, H. Swetnam, York. Sand c, J. Hallas, Huddersdeld. txtra 3, W. Kuasell. Silver-Gkev.— 1, C. King, Henrv Street, London. 2, J. Firth, Leeds. 3, J. Hallas. Extra 3, J. Hallas (2); J. H. Brand, Barton-on-Humber. /ic, F. J. All- press ; A. Canty ; T. Scbofield. c, B. Greaves ; R. A. Bossier. Belgian Hare — 1, B. Greaves, Cleethorpea. 2. J. E. Pilg'im. Hinckley. 3, J. Hallas. E,\tra 3, G. C. Livett, Soham. he, T. H. Dowa. c, J. Ballas ; G. G. Livett. Any other Variety.— 1, B. Greaves (Siberian). 2 and 3, J. Hallas. c, J. Boyle (Silver Cream). Dlich.— Cup and 1, B. Greaves. 2, W. Donkin. Driffield. 3, Sirs. H. Pick- worth. Extra 3, A Lund, York, c, T. Scholield, juu. HiJiALAYAN.- 1, G. C. Livett. 2. A.Atkinson. 3, J. D. Fames, Great Driffield. Extra 3, T. Garner, Northampton. he,C. G. Masnn, Rochdale, c, J. Pickworth. Any other Vahiety except Lops.- 1, A. Whitehouse, Northampton. 2, H. T. Bincks. Leicester. 9, G. 0. Livett (Belgian Hare). Local Class.— 1 and 2, J. Ashley. 3, W. Rnasell, Hull, ftc, A. Wokes. OATS. Any Variety except Tobtoiseshell.— 1, G. Baxter, Bath Place, London. 2, J. Hallenhy. 3, Misa Shepherd, Hull. Extra 3, J. Piatt, HuU. ftc, H. Witty. c, W. Lumb. Mr. Dobson judged the Lops, and, Mr. Fletcher the other varieties. Peesestation. — On the 11th instant the members of the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Poultry, Pigeon, and Canary Show and a few friends presented Mr. H. O. Blenkinsop with a testimonial, consisting of a beautiful marble timepiece, with the following insciiption: — "Presented to Henry 0. IJlenkinBop by the members of the Newcastle Poultry, Pigeon, and Canary Show for his past services as honorary secretary." 0"WL PIGEONS. " WiLTSHiKE Rectoe" in your Journal of the 25th makes oat as good a case as is possible for his favourites, but still to me it is not convincing. The main point is still untouched. What is an English Owl '? Is it a fancy bird with a standard of its own, or is it a coarse form of the genuine high-bred bird ? As there is no standard we must conclude that it is the latter — that is, a bird bred halfway to excellence, and then its ad- mirers for some reason I cannot imagine come to a stand and say this is our favourite. I will not dispute that they are not beautiful birds (I cannot conceive of Pigeons being otherwise), but as there are degrees of beauty I contend that they would be much more beautiful still by endeavouring to rival the foreiga birds. " WiLTSHiEE Rector" says they were beautiful birds a hundred years ago. I have no doubt of it, and that they were also finer in Owl points than the English birds of the present day. How the foreign bird might be considered as the degenerate form I cannot think. If so, then one might think of the English Carrier as a degenerate form of the old Horseman. As to colour, if we look at the gentle expression of the fine white foreign birds and their equally gentle retiring ways, I think no colour so suitable as white, as it gives the idea of purity and innocence so fully. The blue birds lose half their charm by their colour. There is wildness in their appearance from the dark beak that tells greatly against them. The powder blue the old writers do not say a word about ; but admitting that they had mentioned them, no good fancier , would sacrifice other far more valuable properties for it. Next to white, I should say that a genuine yellow would be the most beautiful if good in other respects. Baton says in one of his quaint notes that " the Owl does not derive its name from colour." He also says it ought to "rank third among the Toy birds." Not in the least too high for its merits. Before leaving colour I may state that the so-called powder- blue colour is of very recent introduction in Owls. 1 have a confused recollection of an article that appeared in your Journal I think, less than twenty years ago, describing how it was first produced. The late Mr. M. Wickiug of London was one of the parties concerned, but I cannot recollect particulars. However, I am convinced that nothing can equal the fine white Owls. They look like creatures not of this earth and yet are on it. The case of the flying Tumbler and the Almond I do not think analogous to that of the Foreign and English Owls. The Tumbler, if we want tumbling birds, must be kept in ita original form, and this is the great point in those birds. The Almond, on the other hand, is not meant for flying or tumbling, it is a mere fancy to show the breeder's power over form and colour, and this power is here made strikingly manifest, it is quite out of the way ; whereas the Foreign and English Owl is only a halfway difference. Instead of the common Tumbler and Almond, I would say that the English and foreiga Trum- peters make a case quite analogous to the Owls, though no one March 23, 1873. ] JOUBNAL OF HOBTICDLTUBB AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 2i7 has yet openly espoused the cause of the English binl; it is rjuite as good in its way as the English Owl. " ■Wiltshire Rector " says the English bird can make good use of its wings, and so can the foreign when tiowu, which I have done. I am, therefore, still of the same opiuiou, that to give prizes for English Owls is only offering a premium for mediocrity. In a general way I am not for " furriu " things or ways, but here we are beaten by those whom in our national conceit we look upon as barbarians, or something not far off that state. They have given us a lesson in the fine arts (for such I hold high-class fancy Pigeon breeding to be), that we ought to profit by. — Bubo. THE PBIZE CAGES AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE BIRD SHOW. FIEST-PKIZE CAGE. The Judges were unanimous in t heir selection of the cage 14G5, exhibited by Mr. Thomas Alwin of Deptford. It speedily met with their entire approval, owing to its adaptability for the show room not only during the daytime but during gaslight, the wire construction of it, especially at the roof, allowing sufficient held at the Bramall Lane Cricket tirouud in July last, the money being the amount of first and second prizes in the classes for Brahma fowls. Plaintiff exhibited ten pens of Brahma fowla at the Show, and obtained prizes amounting to £2 .55., which the defendants had refused to pay him. In defence it was con- tended that the plaintiff had forfeited his prize money because he had infringed the rtgulatious of the Show \>y puiloiuiug eggs produced by the fowls of other exhibitors. Plaintiff denied the offence of larceny, and said he had taken no eggs except those which had been produced by his own fowls. The Judge did not consider there was anything in the regulations of the Show to entitle the Committee to withhold the prize money from the plaintiff, and therefore he gave a verdict for the amount claimed. He thought the defendants had accused the plaintiff with larceny in an unfair manner, aud was of the opinion that the charge ought either to be withdrawn or prosecuted. THE NORTH BRITISH AND THE SCOTTISH ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETIES. In your issue on March 11th, Mr. Huie makes a very inoorrecli statement, which, as au office-bearer of- the North British Co- light to enter the cage and the bird not beiug shaded, as in the ordinary box cages now generally used. Being of a compact shape aud handy size, similar to the cages in use, it maj easily be packed. One very ingenious advantage is in the construction of the receptacles for seed and water, which are made to fit in the woodwork on each side of the cage, with mouthpieces or cups the size of the first joint of the thumb to enter each side for the bird to supply itself with seed and water. This is shown by the engraving a (fig. 59). The one for seed has a square hole at the top part, by which the receptacle is supplied with seed ; and it is calculated to hold sufficient seed for one week for a single bird. The receptacle for water has no hole iu the upper part, it being necessary that it should be kept air-tight. When the latter has to be supplied with water it has to be detached and tilled at the mouth where the bird drinks from. Altogether it is well adapted to meet all requirements. It is 12 ( inches in length, 12} inches in height, and 5i inches iu width. The cost is stated to be about 2s. Gd. ; but even supposing it to be a trifle more, it would well answer the purpose required. This cage was awarded the silver medal, and is well suited for most small birds. Action for Prizes at a Poultry Ssovf. — Whiteley v. Harvey iiid Others. — This was tried in the Sheffield County Court on the 13th inst. The plaintiff, William Whitely, of Clough Place, St. Mary's Road, sought to recover the sum of ±'2 5s. from Messrs. W. Harvey, Edward Brown, W. W. Ronton, aud A. Silvester, the Committee of Management of the poultry Show lumbarian Society, held in Glasgow, I feel it to be my duty to correct. He states "that the North British Columbariau Society is only the remains of the Scottish Ornithological, which was the original name, and only after he and Mr. Ure left it (they were the last of its members) the name was changed to the North British Columbariau." Having acted as Secretary for ten years to this Society from its origin, Mr. Huie will allow me to refresh his memory. The North British Columbariau Society was formed early in the year 18G2, nearly two years before the Scottish Ornithological ceased to exist; and Mr. Huie, by turning to the list of prizes awarded at the competition held by the Scottish Ornithological in 1863, will find in print a presentation of silver plate from the members of the North British Columbariau, as a Society, to be competed for as extra prizes. — James Kuthven. [The Mealy Pouter has now been lost sight of in these letters and it scarcely needs disputing whether one society was born before another was defunct. — Eds.] CAUSE OF HONEY CANDYING. A correspondent of "The Scientific American" has been experimenting to prevent honey candying, and states his ex- perience as follows :— During the past autumn I have experi- mented as follows : I put up six 1 lb. cans of beautiful huden honey, being careful to make it into one homogeneous mass by stirring. It was thrown from the combs by an extractor on 248 JOUENAL OF HOBTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GABDENER. [ ilarch 25, 1875. July 20th, and put into cans on August Ist. The cau3 were placed respectively as follows : — One in a dark dry cellar, one each under shades of red, yellow, preen, and blue glass, and the sixth can in full light. On November 8th the honey in the cellar candied to a white. November 22Lid to December 10th honey under coloured shades candied, first in the red, nest in the yellow, green, and blue ; while the honey in full light re- mained transparent until January, when it soon candied, after exposure to intensely cold weather. From my experience an equal temperature would preserve certain kinds of honey, while other kinds would candy under almost any circumstances. I think that candied honey, instead of being looked upon with disfavour, should he recognised as evidently pure. I hope, however, that the above experiments will lead others to follow up the light theory with beneficial resulta. THE HUNNY BEE. EV JOSH BILLINGS, The hunny bee iz about 10 times the size of the hous fly — i never meazured them— they won't stand still long enuff, but i think i hav got their dimenshuns about right. If i hav made a blunder in this matter i am ready to repent and be forgiven for it. They are as bizzy as a type-setter on the JV. T. Weekly, in thoze couutrys whare hunny iz skarse, but whare sweet meats are a drug they wont work at all. I dont kno az we kan blame them for this, for if beefsteak lay hot and well buttered bi the roadside all the time, and bivalves were running around on the half shell, peppered and salted, cry- ing "Who will eat me?" i would like to see the man yu could hire to thrash out rye that was wet in the bundle for 10 shillings a day. Hunny bees are built with a sting, which is quicker than a ghost when a good bizziness chance offers ; but i never knu one to use it just for the deviltry ov the thing. Theze little workers travel about five miles a day during the sweet seazon, and bring their hunny home stuk unto their legs. If thare is a lazy one in the hive he gits lynched at once. Lynch law iz the hunny bee's justiss. Man stole this code from the hunny bees, just 8z he haz stole pretty mutch everything else he haz got. Killing oph the lazy may look a little tuff, but after all thare is sumthing like mercy in it, for it iz the only way known az yet to put an end to their torments. Hunny bees have a queen, but never a king; this iz a grate kompliment to the sex, and iz an argument for Wimtnin'a Bights," which the beleavers in this doktering are welkum to use without giving me kredit for it. The hunny bees are the only nation i kno ov who have all- ways had a queen for their ruler, and who hav been more prosperous and have existed longer than enny people we kno ov. I luv the hunny bees bekauze they are allwuss bizzy, and hav a stinger allwuss hot and reddy for the lazy, and for those who poke their noze into their bizzaeas. — (N. Y. Weelclij.) "TnE H.\KDY Book of Bees." — The second edition of Mr. Pettigrew's book is just published. Its object is to show how they may be kept profitably. He says in the preface — " lu bee- keeping I reckon the question of profit is of first importance. Stings do not seem half so painful to the man whose annual proceeds of bee-keeping amount to I'lO, or *20, or £.50. It is my desire, therefore, in this work to show how bees may be kept with both profit and pleasure. In addition to the profits of bees there is a fund of interest and enjoyment derived from keeping them, uplifting in its nature and tendencies." OUR LETTER BOX. Ruiir AuscESS on Fowls (Pnultrif-kfipcr). — You have been feedinfr yonr fowls wrong. They Jiave had heating food and are suffering from it. Tour first treatment most be a table-spoonful of caHtor oil to each. Wash and foment the vent and hiader parts with hot (not scalding) water. After you have done to, if you find a cheesy tumour, which you may in some of them, ynu may disperse it by squeezing', or it will perhaps fovoe its way through the Bkiu. iu thi.'i latter case wash it out with a spnage aud warm water, and draw the lips of the opening together with a coarse thread. When you have doDO BO, rub Bome ointment into the aperture, covering the stitchc3. Feed on ground oats or boileymcal mixed slack. All that have suffered will require to be watched for a day or two. EoG-EATrsa Fowls (E. C. 0.). — It is generally believed and we think ro, the eggs are first eaten for the Rako of the shell, in consequence of the absence of the necessary material from the haunts of the fuwlg. If they have no accei^s to lime, throw down a barrowload of bricklayers* rubbish for them. If they are in confioement give them Home heaps of fresh-dug mould. If it has grass among it ao much the better. This tiresome habit is generally begun by one bird, but the otbcr.s Boon learn it. If only one or two have acquired the vice they may he detected by close obBervation, as after their cannibal's meal they generally have Bome of the yolk Rticking round their beoka. Ilemove them at once. It is a good plan to watoh the hens when they go to nest, aud to drive them off as soon as tbcy have laid. Another plan is to pnt some hoi-d composition egga in the nests, and to let one or two lie about on the run. They get tired of peeking at them. As a rule, fowls at liberty seldom eat their eggs unless a hen drops one without going to nest, they will then run at it. Whether confined or not they are not half so much given to eating eggs that are lail in nests as those that are dropped about. Weight op Hotidans {Jane). — A thorongh-bred Houdan cock may weigh, from 8 to 10 Iha. We hear of them weitjhing 12, but have never seen one. A cock weighing 9 lbs. ia a good one. Hens about the laying time will weigh THbs. If you have these weights you may rest and bo thankful. Canary {M. F.).— The bos was smashed and nothing in it. Certainly no signs of tapeworm. Two Hives of Bees [Triceps).— Yoxl wish to get a swarm for a friend out of your two hives, and so manage them as to have no more swarms hut plenty of honey. Yoiv can easily contrive this. Drive a swarm, as we said before, and having got rid of all the adult bees and sent away th^ swarm, transpose your hives, putting the denuded stock in place of the hitherto un- touched hive. This will equalise the population and delay, if not entirely prevent, after-swarming. Of course the denuded stock will have to raise a queen. Give supers as soon as the bees want room. METEOROLOGICAIi OBSERVATIONS, Cauden Square, Londok. Lat. 51° 32' 40" N.; Long. 0^8' 0" W.; Altitude, 111 feat. DATS. 9 4.M. In the DAT. , 0 Hygrome- "■3 0*a Shade Tem- Radiation .9 1875. Barom and Se Level. ter. t perature. Temperatore. n March. In On Dry. Wet. o-S ^ Max. Mm. sun. gra?8 Inches. deg. deg. deg. deg deg. deg. deg. In. ■We. 17 30 259 S7.2 35.2 N.N.E. 40.0 ii.t 85 0 78 8 33.0 — Th. 18 S 0.603 35.0 31.2 N.B. 89.5 43.8 3)6 es.2 27.1 — Fri. 19 SO 146 40 0 88 S W.N.W 39.0 47.8 82 5 615 81.1 0.077 Sat 20 SO. 129 37.2 33.7 N. 33.2 43.7 31.2 72.2 28 8 — Sun.21 SO 166 S9.0 35.2 N. 38 0 42.6 31 4 72.0 32.8 — Mo. 23 30.072 39.2 37.3 W. 38.6 50.5 83.0 79.1 30 4 o.eio Tu. IS 30 312 36 0 33 8 N.N.E. 39.0 48.8 S0.3 87.8 28.1 — Means S0.245 37.7 35.1 38.9 16.1 82.4 75.9 80.2 0.087 BEMABKS. 17th. — Dry but very cold day. 18th.— Very bright sunehiny day, but extremely cold wind. 19th, — Damp with very slight rain in the morning; dull day; the wind not quite so cold as yesterday. 20th. — A dull cold day, only a few gleams of sunshine. 21st.— Another dull cheerless day, with but little sun and cold north-east wind. 22nd. — Katber dull early, hut very bright afterwards all day; and a most beautifully bright moonlit night. 23rd. — Splendidly bright from sum-ise till 4 P.ii., then rather less so, and the wind etill cold. Temperature very much the same as last week, but the air much drier, In fact on some days remarkably dry. — G. J. Syhons. COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— March 24. A MODERATE Bupply and prices rather advancing, especially in first-class goods. Hothouse Grapes of good quality are beoomiug scarce ; the only variety now worth notice is Lady Downes' Seedling. Some fine Pines from St. Michaels have lately pii.'^sed under the hammer, and are extremely usefuL Frame Potatoes from the Channel Islands and Rounds from Malta and Goza are coming into general use. FRUIT. s. d. d. 6 to 8 0 0 0 0 Apples \ sieve 2 Apricots dozen 0 Cherries lb. 0 Chestnuts bushel 10 0 20 Currants J sieve 0 Black do. 0 Fi gs dozen 0 Filberts lb. 0 Cobs lb. 1 Gooseberries quart 0 Grapes, hothouse.... lb. 12 Lemons %'»' 100 8 Melons each 0 Mulberries lb Nec'arines dozen 0 Oranges li* ICO 8 Peaches dozen 0 Pears, kitchen.... dozen 2 dessert. dozen 8 Pine Apples lb. 2 Plums J sieve 0 Quinces — dozen 0 Kaspberries lb. 0 Strawberries ^*^ oz. 2 Walnuts bu&hel 8 ditto 1>100 1 B. d. 8. d. 0 OtoO 0 0 0 Artichokes dozen 8 Abparagus ^> 100 8 French bundle 15 Beann. Kidney ^i- 100 Broad bushel Beet, Red dozen Broccoli bundle Brasaela Sprouts J sieve Cabbaiio dozen Carrots bunch Capsicums ^100 CauliHower dozen Celery bundle Coleworts.. doz. bunches Oucnmbers each pickling dozen Endive dozen Fennel bunch Garlic lb. Herbs bunch Horseradish bundle TEQETABLES. d. js. d. ; OtoG t) Leeks bunch 0 12 0 1 Lettuce duzeu 0 20 0 Mushrooms jtoltle 0 , Mustard & Cress. .punnet 0 Onions busbcl 0 1 pickling quart 6 ' Parsley.... doz. bunches 0 Parsnips ... dozen 0 Peas quart Potatoes. bushel Kidney do. Radishes., doz. bunches 0 Rhubarb bundle 0 Salsafy bundle 0 2 0 Scorzoncra bundle 0 0 0, Seakalc basket 0 0 0 Shallots lb. S 0 0 Spinach busbel G 0 0 Tomatoes dozen 3 0 0 Turnips bunch 0 4 0 I Vegetable MarroWB.. doz. 0 0 0 d. B. d. 4 too 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 '0 6 iprU 1, 1875.1 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 219 WEEKLY CALENDAR. Day of Month Day of Week. Th F S SuH U To W APBIL 1—7, 1875. Linnean Society at 8 p.m. Geologists' Association at 8 f.u. 1 Sunday after Easter. Entomologiisal Society at 8.30 P.M. Zoological Society at 7 p.m. Eoyal Horticultural Society, Fruit and Floral Com- [ mittee at II a.m. Average Temperature near London. Sun Eises. Day. 56.0 67.8 67.1 56.7 67.0 67.0 67.7 NiRht. 34.4 36.7 35.7 35 7 36.7 36.9 Mean. I m. h. 44.7 ! 87af5 8.5 5 83 5 40.6 46.4 46.2 40.0 47.2 47.3 30 28 Sun Sets. Moon Rises. Moon Sets. 30 aJ 6 I 16 a( 4 Hoon'8 Age. Clock before Sun. Days. 25 27 28 O 1 2 44 2 26 Day of Year. 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 86.1°, From obseryations takeia near London during forty-three years, the average day temperature of the week is 56.9°; and its night t&mperatore THE OKCHID-HUNTER IN BURMAH.— No. 1. 0 inuGh has been written, and well wi'itten, about Orchids that it seems difficult to break fresh ground and note anything new about them useful and instructive to the horticul- turist, to the lover of Orchids, and to all interested in this charming tribe of plants. The observations of the Orchid-hunter made at their places of growth may, how- ever, prove to be of considerable use both to the professional cultivator and the amateur. The habits of the different species, their situation, the mode in which they grow, the special circumstances of temperature to which they are exposed, their time and mode of flowering, are all matters which the Orchid-hunter has special opportunities of observing ; and it is probable that there are stni many small points on which the horti- culturist remains uninformed, the elucidation of which may furnish valuable hints to all interested in their cultivation. The subject is not one easily exhausted, and a more per- fect appreciation and knowledge of these plants and their wants maybe gained from observations made on the spot. The notes on Orchids, epiphytal and terrestrial, will specially include the chief abodes of the different va- rieties, regarding which more errors are extant than on any other point connected with them — errors partly caused by the people to whom they were first consigned considering them as natives of the ports from whence they were dispatched to England, and partly from the jealousy of the collectors, who were not at all desirous that their Eldorado should be discovered by the general pubhc. A remarkable instance of an error of this kind occurs in that carefully-written and admirable work on Orchids, " The Orchid-Grower's Manual," by Mr. WUliams, where it is stated that Cypripedium niveum is a native of Moulmein. Cypripedium concolor, a plant very nearly allied to it, comes from the neighbourhood of Moulmein, where it grows on the limestone rocks ; but Cypripedium niveum has never been found there nor in any other part of Burmah. It comes from the Straits of Malacca, and finds its way to Moulmein by the coasting steamers, where it is much in request in exchange for Moulmein Orchids. It is thus that Moulmein has the credit of being the home of this Orchid, one of the most beautiful of the Cypripediums. A knowledge of the correct geographical distribution of these plants is very valuable to the horticulturist, as from this he gains a good idea of the different kinds accustomed to the several circumstances of climate. In his remarks on Orchids, the description of their haunts and manner of growth, the Orchid-hunter cannot well do better than commence with a description of the Dendrobiums, the most numerous class of all the Burmese Orchids. The nigro-hirsute Dendrobiums, a genus having small dark hairs on the new growth, and which, as a rule, flower before shedding their leaves, claim early attention, both from their beauty and the sweetness of many of then- flowers, and from their not having the objection of being No. 731.— Vol. XXVIU., New Series. denuded of their leaves during the season of flowering, as is the case with such a large number of other plants of the same genus. All these individually caused a sensation when they were first introduced, and they are still fa- vourites with all cultivators of Orchids. The special home of Dendrobium formosum is on the hills to the south of the road running from Moulmein to Amherst. They are found sparingly scattered over other parts of Burmah, but here they are in thousands. The first sight that meets the Orchid-hunter travelling down the road to Amherst during the summer months is large baskets full of the flower shoots of this splendid plant being brought into the Moulmein market, where they are sold to the Burmese women to wear in their hair, the market price of each flower spike being about sixpence. Sometimes as many as ten men at a time are seen, each carrying two baskets slung on a bamboo full of these flowers, so that the air along the road is quite perfumed with their scent. These Dendrobiums almost invariably grow on the Pedonk tree ; and besides the two varieties commonly known to gardeners as Dendrobium formosum and Den- drobium formosum giganteum, there is a very distinct variety known in Burmah under the name of Dendro- bium formosum Amherstianum. This is a charming plant, more dehoate than the two preceding kinds, the yellow in the throat and on the labellum being of a pale straw colour. The racemes of this variety are slender, and the plant is quite wanting in that robustness of habit which characterises the common Dendrobium formosum. This variety is scarce, and likely to continue so, as it is not so easy of cultivation as the other varieties. It grows on the trees near the sea at Amherst, and has not at pre- sent been found anywhere else. All these varieties of formosum grow on the branches of trees in the most exposed situations, subject to the influences of a blazing sun in the summer and to a con- tinual downpour of rain during the rainy season ; the rainfall in this part of Burmah averaing 200 inches, during the season. Were it not for the dews at night during the summer months the plants would undoubtedly die. Thousands of the small seedlings, and some of the larger plants, as it is die every season. This shows that, although this like other Orchids requires a season of rest, it is necessary for the cultivator to imitate the nightly dews during the resting season, which is best dune by giving a very slight watering at the roots in the early morning; by this means the horticulturist can not only insure the plant keeping in a robust and healthy condition, but he can improve on the circumstances of Nature by supplying during the scorching months that shelter which the plant does not have in its native jungles. During the season of growtla it is unnecessary to say that plenty of water is essential to its well-being. — E. S. B. CUPBESSUS LAWSONIANA. Of the many evergreen trees and shrubs of late years in- troduced there are none in my estimation so beautiful as No. 1383.— Vol. LIU., Old Series. 250 JOCENAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. [ April 1, 1875. this Cypress. It is graceful in appearance and varied in habit ; a close dense evergreen growth prevails in all whether the habit be upright or spreading, the former rising erect like a pointed pillar, while the other sweeps the ground with its semi-pendant arching growth. At no time is it so beautiful as in spring, when aglow with the deep ecarlet of its flowers, which are dew- drop-like, suEpended by the matchless green of its graceful branchlets. Especially is this the case with specimens which have been transplanted, the removal one year converting its spray into clusters of red the year following. This leads me to point out its claims as a subject for spring floral display, if not in the parterres at least in such positions where something is required to take off that flat monotony and stiff formality which characterise present attempts at floral effect. As a tub plant it has merits which are overlooked ; whilst for large vases, which in the winter months often go empty for want of fitting plants, there is none in all the class of hardy plants that for fitness can compare with a low spread- ing bush of Cupressus Lawsoniana. Its roots do not suffer in the least from frost. I know one in a tub about 18 inches square and 12 inches deep upon a portico of north aspect which has stood the winds, drought, and cold of the past four years without attention of any kind, and it is now as hale and beautiful as when placed there, a position that would have brought grief to a majority of plants. For vases it may be made to assume a spreading habit by taking out the growths which have a tendency upwards, and selecting those which are decidedly spreading and pendulous, the form known as gracilis being very suitable. For tubs any of the varieties are suitable, and grown in pots for decorative purposes in halls, corridors, &a., it reminds one of a tree-like Fern, having the grace and elegance of those plants without their liability to injury from the draughts of such positions. It is, however, to its merits as an ornamental evergreen tree or shrub that I wish to direct attention, and may be allowed to say that its introduction to this country dates no further than 18o5, its discoverer being Mr. William Murray, who named it in compUment of the spirited firm who purchased the results of his researches amid the vegetation of the Sierra Nevada. Mr. Andrew Murray states, " it was found on the banks of a stream in a mountain valley, growing to the height of about 100 feet. The foliage is most graceful, and the branches hang down at the tip like an ostrich feather, while the top shoot droops like that of a Deodar." This handsome tree is now plentiful, and its fitness for general decorative purposes in pleasure grounds is apparent in many ways, and in none more than as an avenue tree along the sides of drives and approaches to mausoleums, whilst for churchyards or cemeteries it stands pre-eminent. Its hues are more evergreen than that of the Deodar, and it stands wind better, though the Cupressus Lawsoniana assumes in very bleak positions more of the character of a bush — low and spreading — than a towering tree, yet its aspect is of that grace and elegance which befits its association with monuments, and exhibits an unmistakeable sympathy with the feelings of the spectator. As a lawn tree and in the foreground of shrubberies it stands out in contrast and relief with the trees and shrubs of broader foUage, and contributes an air of lightness to other- wise heavy groups. As a screen it has no equal in ornamental grounds. Its growth is dense, and is not so liable to spUt or divide as that of Arbor- Vitfo. It also bears cutting well, and grows quickly, and may be kept of any height or width. Though there are many varieties the plants vary very much in character, both from seed and cuttings. Its diversity of habit is due also to situation. In warm and sheltered places the growth is erect and tree-like, the disposition is to tower upward rather than spread outward, and yet there is no disposition to sparseness of branch and spray at the base. Do not, however, misunder- stand me, for I do not intend to convey an idea that it is tender ; it succeeds in positions that the Deodar does not, and yet the best growths are made where slight and distant shelter is afforded. In exposed positions it becomes more of the character of a bush than tree, its upward tendency being checked by the winds, and this causes its vertical growth to be slow, and side growth to take place more than in a sheltered situation. It does well in any soil, growing more quickly in light loam than those which are heavy and wet, and delights in a moist station, yet freed of stagnant water in the subsoil. There are many varieties. Erecta, which grows up a close and compact pyramid, and of this there are two sub- varieties — viz., lutea with yellowish young growths ; and glauca, which, as its name implies, has the habit of the species with glancone foliage ; gracilis, slender, and a more drooping habit; nana, a pigmy of the species with very compact growth, and useful for beds in winter ; stricta, growing into a fine pyramid, not nearly so bush-Uke as erecta ; argentea, with white variegation, another argentea with very pale foliage, almost silvery ; and variegata aurea, with gold variegation. In fact there is a great variety of forms, which, however, are not apparent at a distance, and we have one which I do not see in lists, a perfect balloon shape, and not more than 3 feet in height, and yet not compact in growth so far as relates to nana or compacta, but having more the habit of gracilis. — G. Abbey. NOTES BELATIVE TO THE POTATO. I FCLLv agree with Mr. Luckhnrst that in investigating the Potato blight we must not take the experience of one year as a basis on which to rest our deductions. In this remote por- tion of the country artificial manures have not yet come into general use. We have many farmers of the old-fashioned class who are content to work on in the lines laid down for them by their fathers. These old stagers continue to use farmyard manure for their Potato crops, and farmyard manure alone, and not too much of that even. They invariably grow the soundest crops, and I can assure Mr. Luckhurst that what they take up are slightly larger than ordinary marbles. No man of common sense could be so bigoted as to say that the seasons exercise no influence upon the blight. Where the predisposing agents are already in existence, a wet or dry autumn will cause a greater or lesser blight ; but what we all want to find out is the primary cause of the blight. If Mr. Luckhurst's theory of atmospheric cause is correct, then why does he not attempt to show that our climate underwent a change in 1845, and that that change has existed to the pre- sent time ? On this hypothesis only can I reconcile that theory. I have not seen the pamphlet he alludes to in his last com- munication, nor any other treating on the view of over-culti- vation. My deductions are based upon experience in observa- tion of the nature of the esculent in question. Going back to the year 184(j, I knew a field in which the two extremes of manuring were in operation. The richly- manured half had scarcely a sound Potato in it, whilst the other half, which had been manured with almost dry, Ught, farmyard litter, were fairly good. Year by year I have been more and more convinced that in our great anxiety to produce heavier crops we have been working on a suicidal policy, and have killed the goose with the golden eggs. A naturally hardy robust constitution has been fed upon confectionery, pastry, and condiments until its constitution has given way under the strain. Virgin soil may act as a corrective to the invaUd, but one year's treatment will not wholly eradicate ills the growth of many, especially when that soil is mixed with the destroying element. That the evil is wide-spread and universal is evident from the fact that offers of large money rewards fail to produce disease-proof seed. As I said in my first communication, my belief is that in order to effect a cure it will require combined and long-con- tinued effort. To be effectual it must be combined, and a matter which is now troubling our meadows in this division of the country affords me an illustration of the sort of co-opera- tion required. Since the introduction of railways into the Lake country of England our meadows have year by year be- come more and more infested with the Ox-eye Daisy. Some time ago a writer in the Ayricidtural Gazette called attention to this matter, and said that as the plant was only of three years' growth, and as sheep were particularly fond of it, united action of sheep-pasturing on the part of farmers would soon eradicate the pest. Some acted on the advice, others did not ;. the seed was carried from the neglected meadows to those of others who were trying to rid themselves of it, and the latter found their efforts futile, and for lack of this co-operation a large proportion of our hay crop is only fit for bedding pur- poses. For lack of this same co-operation a large proportion of our Potato crop goes to feed our swine, or is utterly wasted. If agriculturists wait for some specific which will suddenly restore to us sound crops of Potatoes, I am afraid they will be doomed to wait in vain. God helps those who help themselves, and I am confident in the belief that we have the remedy within our hands. Let us take care that our high-pressure system of farming does not lead us into the same fix with other necessities of ApriJ 1, 1875. ] joubnaIj op horticulture and cottage gardener. 251 life. The reflection whether we may not behave so well to the land as to endanger onr grain and root crops is not so Utopian and visionary as some people may be apt to suppose. Already the cry of raking-up subsoils is raised, as though the surface matter was satiated with its feast. We are doing away with our old system of allowing the earth to recruit exhausted nature under fallow. Are we, or are we not, preparing ourselves for " a famine of the land ?" History oft repeats itself, and it may be as well to pause before we have advanced too far, and ask ourselves the question, " Wm the soil bear the constantly increasing strain we are placing upon it?" — Beta. CALADIUM CULTURE. This beautiful and easily-cultivated genus of ornamental foliage plants has of late years become very numerous and popiJar. They should be potted when growth commences, using a com- post of two parts peat, one part turfy loam, one part silver sand, and plenty of drainage, and be placed in a brisk bottom heat, and a moist temperature of 70°. By frequent potting theysoon make large plants. Slight shading is necessary during strong sun, yet they should at aU times be fully exposed to the light, as too much shade and strong heat produces drawn and thin foliage, so that if removed to a cooler temperature or the exhibition tent they have a flimsy appearance. Syringing is beneficial to these as well as most other foUage plants ; rain water should be preferred. We labour under the disadvantage of having to use spring water rising from chalk, and the conse- quence is that plants present the appearance of having had a sprinkling of whitewash. Sponging is a benefit to such plants as Crotons, Dracieuas, A-c, as it dislodges insect pests ; but it does not do for Caladiums, for it injures the beautiful bloom on the leaves. When their beauty begins to fade, gradually dry them oft by giving less water, but on no account should the soil be dust-dry all winter, or when starting time arrives the bulbs may be found to have disappeared from " dry rot." — G. P., jun. seakale forcing. Now that the Seakale question has cropped up, and as " H." asks, " Can Seakale pots be dispensed with?" I will give two instances where good Seakale has been forced without the aid of pots or boxes. A plan was in operation more than twenty years ago, and was carried out as follows : — The beds were raised a little above the level of the surround- ing ground, and between each bed was a trench about 2 feet deep and 2 feet wide, with, I believe, a single brick wall on each side built pigeon-hole fashion. These trenches were for the fermenting material, which was filled up to the level of the walls, and the crowns were then covered with the common Bracken Fern to the depth of 18 inches. This plan produced some of the best Seakale I have ever seen. The next plan was on the level ground in quarters, not merely beds, but planted at equal distances ; in this case sticks were merely stuck round the crowns, and their tops brought together cone-shaped, then a little long Utter placed round the sticks, then the fermenting material. This plan also answered very well. This was in a large forcing estabUshment. Many people, I believe, force their earUest batches in Mush- room houses, which is a saving of labour, and may be very convenient, and the Kale quickly produced ; but still I am no convert to that system. I am of opinion that No. 1 plan is commendable for early forcing. I cannot clearly see that pots or boxes can be dispensed with, even if sticks are used, which seldom last more than one year ; and as pots are so Uable to be broken, I think boxes are the next best, and perhaps the cheapest in the end. Having a lot of spare drain tiles of a large size, I place two of these together on their ends ; the bottom edges coming together form a sort of oval, the top is covered with a piece of slate. This plan answers very well. I usually place a stick on the top of the fermenting material just over the tiles ; this is a guide, and saves that probing process with the fork tines, which in the case of pots is the primary cause of breakages. Now, No. 1 plan always struck me as a step in the right direction. If the heating material can be more equally divided between root and branch it must be a more natural way of forcing. What could be better than such a plan for Asparagus, the beds of course to be covered with glass ? I believe a good deal of the best forced Asparagus is grown in France on a similar principle. I think that many of us have for a long time been forcing Seakale and Rhubarb at the wrong end. Even if these roots are taken up to be forced there is a great mutilation, which must to some extent weaken the roots, and as a matter of course the forced heads cannot reasonably be expected to be so fine as from the outdoor forcing. — G. R. Allis. GERANIUMS FOR BEDDING. I WANT to induce all to obtain and none to throw away the following: — Gloire de Corbeny, salmon; Lady Kirkland, Bon- fire, Warrior, Vesuvius, Lucius, the best bedder ever raised ; Claude Lorraine, Maia, Creed's SeedUng. Bronze — Black Douglas, Emperor of Brazil, Marcchal McMahon, Kentish Hero (for large beds), Sybil, Dwarf. Whitr-edgcd — Beaton's Nosegay, Flower of Spring. Silver Tricolor — Mrs. John Clutton, Charming Bride. Golden Tricolor — Mrs. Pollock. Edging for Iresine : Crystal Palace Gem. In leaving out Jean Sisley I do it with regret, but no one will obtain a mass of bloom from her. A really good white is yet to be found, and Madame Vaucher had better be kept. All your readers are glad to learn the name of any really good plant. We know the best Roses now, would some one have an election of bedding Geraniums ? It would save much money and time. — Age. ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. Mr. Cdtbush has very ably exposed the miserable vacillation of the Royal Horticultural Society's Council and the injury thereby inflicted on those on whom, after all, depends the future of the Society, for 1 suppose it will be allowed that if there are no exhibitions there will be an end of the Society ; and I think we must come to the resolution not to send anything more until the prizes of last year are paid and a schedule worthy of the Society acted upon, for it seems that issuing one and acting on it are two different things at South Ken- sington. I allude to the prizes of last year, because I hear it is coolly debated whether they shall be paid or not. If there is any hesitation upon the subject it wUl be the duty of the exhibitors to at once try whether the Council cannot be com- pelled to pay. There is nothing that I am aware of in their charter to enable them to act dishonestly. I know that there is one reason that keeps some exhibitors from acting on this suggestion — lest it might appear that they had less confidence in Mr. Barron than in his predecessors ; but let it be clearly understood that, on whatever other point the exhibitors may differ from the Council, they are unanimous in their approval of the step which placed the management of their exhibitions in the hands of one bo generally liked and so thoroughly competent as he is. In him at any rate they would be sure to find no dilatoriness, want of courtesy, or firmness. — An Exhibiiok R.H.S. I HAVE informed myself of the numerical strength of the several classes or parties, so to speak, who, divided against each other, and, indeed, against themselves, have been and are working out the ruin of that great Society which it was their bounden duty to support. I was happy to find that the number of those who remain attached to a legitimist poUcy, and ready to support the few leaders of horticulture proper which are left to us, is greater than I expected ; in- deed, I cannot otherwise account for the singular transaction which occurred with regard to the report at the anniversary meeting when that document was virtually condemned, to- gether with the framers thereof. On that occasion the Council were saved from resignation, not upon the merits of the case, but by the charming manner and high gentle- manly bearing of their chairman. After this occurrence I own to having cherished a shadow in the form of a hope that something of the following kind might have been effected — to wit, that a fusion between the old independent horticultural party and that of the local Fellows might result in the forma- tion of a CouncU containing a good proportion of the former. Thatlthese two'partiesj(in Council) having agreed to act honestly together might have together gone to the Commissioners and so entered into arrangements of such a nature {upon the basis of cancelling the lease) as to leave all parties in the possession of their desired privileges. The thing is, I believe, still possible •252 JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. [ AprU 1, 1875. in some shape or another. Should anything feasible of this kind turn up, I and my friends will be ready to give it their support. If not, and the Council stick to their policy of making use of these usurper's powers to retain the lease and starve the Society, then I counsel on the part of my brother horticulturists a firm, compact, and persistent opposition to an evil and selfish influence. — B. Tketob Claeke, Wclton Place. EARLY WRITERS ON ENGLISH GARDENING. No. 4. SIE HUGH PLATT. An inventor who devotes himself to the completion of some one work which if effected will be of national importance is worthy of admiration — such men were Arkwright perfecter of the spinning jenny, Watts of the steam engine, Wedgewood of porcelain, and Stephenson of the railway system; but a schemer — a man who potters over small things, all insignifi- cant, and flitting from one to others as unimportant, is one who is usually an annoyance and too often a mere waster of his time and money. Such a man was Sir Hugh Piatt. I have vainly sought to discover his parentage and the place and date of his birth, but it is evident that early in life he was in the metropolis, for he tells in one of his prefaces that "he had drawn the longest line of his life within the lists and limits of London." In the Eegister of Lincolns Inn is recorded that on the 4th day of May in the thirteenth year of Elizabeth's reign he was admitted a student, introduced by John Pinkerynge and Thomas Lodge. He was therefore entered as a student in 1571. He probably was then about twenty, and if so would be only fifty-seven at the time of his death in 1608. This date last named is certain, for he executed his will on the 19th of October, 1608, and he died between that day and the 1st of November of the same year, on which day the will was proved. He describes himself as of Stepney in the county of Middlesex, knight, and wisely, being a lawyer, made his will very plain and brief. Having previously provided for his sons, he left his wife Judith all his property and sole executrix, relying that she would pro- vide for their daughter of the same christian name, and speci- fies none of his property except a brewhouse in the City with other houses thereto belonging. Charles Bellingham, who edited the sixth edition of Sir Hugh's "The Garden of Eden," speaks in its dedication of his " near alliance " to Sir Hugh, and it is not improbable that Bellingham had married the daughter mentioned in his will. The sons seem to have been well provided for and prospered, for in Hornsey Church is a monument to the memory of William Piatt, founder of some fellowships in St. John's College, Cambridge. He died in 1637; and the inscription tells that he was son of Sir Hugh Piatt of Kirby Castle, Bethnal Green, which then was included in Stepney parish. That monument, kept in repair by St. John's College, bears testi- mony to the good position of the Piatt family, for on it are blazoned more than thirty coats of arms of families allied to it. The wife of Sir Hugh had pre-deceased that son two years, for in the register of the same church is this entry, " The Honourable Judith Piatt, wife of Hugh Piatt, Knight, buried January 28th, 1635." 'The wife of Robert, another of Sir Hugh's sous, was also there buried in 1656. Lysons thinks that it was also Sir Hugh's burial place ; but there are no registers of the date when his death occurred. In 1594 Sir Hugh resided at Bishop's Hall, about a quarter of a mile eastward of Bethnal Green, a residence of Bishop Bonner's, if he was not also its builder. But Sir Hugh at the time of his death resided at Kirby Castle. It was built in Queen Elizabeth's reign (1570) by Thorpe, the architect of Holland House, for John Kirby, a Loudon citizen, and who seems to have suffered from the over-expenditure. He, as well as other sufferers from a similar cause, was satirised in a doggerel rhyme — " Kirkeby's Castell and Fidher's Follia, Spiuila'a Pleasure and Mease's Glorio." Kitby Castle was built on the site previously known as " The Blind Beggar's House." That " beggar," believed to be a son of Simon do Montfort, Earl of Leicester, was left for dead at the Battle of Evesham in Henry Ill.'s reign ; but a baron's daughter searching for her father's body found young de Montfort, married him, and for safety they assumed the character of beggars. Their only child was the " pretty Bessie" of the ballad in the Percy " Eeliquea." ' " My father," shee said, " is soone to be seene, The sOly blind beggar of Bednall Green, That daylye sits begging for charitie, He is the good father of pretty Bessie." ' In those days no societies existed for the promotion of botany or gardening where those who delighted in their cultivation could associate. The only substitute for such societies was acquiring an intimacy and correspondence with congenial fellow students. This was done by Sir Hugh, who, Bellingham says, had communications with every gardener of any note in Eng- land who tested his suggestions, and among them were Hill, Taverner, Pointer, and others who are also mentioned by Gerarde. They deserve a brief memorial here. Sir Hugh directs how Carnations, Gilliflowers, and Pinks may be grafted " upon one root of Carnations ;" and he says this was imparted to him by " Mr. Jarret, the chyrurgeon in Holborn." Gerarde also knew him, and describes him as " a curious searcher of simples." Tulips were one of his especial favourites, propa- gating them by seeds and offsets for twenty years, and every season producing "new plants of sundry colours not seen before, all which to describe particularly were to roll Sisyphus's stone or number the sands." Jarret was also a correspondent of the botanist Clusius, who speaks of him with praise and acknowledgements of the plants received from him. The authority Sir Hugh most frequently quotes is " T. T.," and this was evidently 'Thomas Tusser, who was his contem- porary, of whom you published my memoir some months since. " Master HiU " was also one of his authorities, and probably the Thomas Hill whose portrait and biography were the first of this series. " Andrew Hill " is a different authority quoted by Sir Hugh. He quotes (Garden of Eden, i., 36) "Gardiner's Kitchen Garden, printed 1599," a book unknown to me. Although Sir Hugh derived from others most of the garden knowledge he published, yet much of it was from his own ex- perience, and lie had more than one garden. He tells of the results of pruning frost-bitten Roses " upon divers standards at Bednal-green," and that by cutting down Beans he had from the same plants a second crop — " This I l^ave proved in my garden in St. Martin's Lane." In the same volume there is the " old, old story," of dishonest seedsmen and poultry dealers, for Sir Hugh indignantly writes, " I would there were some fit punishment devised for these petit coseners, by whose means many poor men in England do oftentimes lose not only the charge of their seed, but the whole use and benefit of their ground after they have bestowed the best part of their wealth upon it. Cheapside is as full of these lying and for- swearing huswives as the shambles and Gracechurch Street are of that shameless crew of poulters wives, who both daily and most damnably, yea, upon the Sabbath-day itself, run headlong into wilful perjury almost in every bargain which they make, selling cocks for capons when they have pared their combs and broken off their spurs ; old hens for pullets when they have broken their pinions and brestbones." If space could be allowed much more I should like to quote, but let me conclude with a list of his very varied works, and for the most part published after his dto;a5e. " The Jewel House of Art and Nature ; Experiments in Hus- bandry, Distillation, Chemistry, &c. 1594. Edited by D. Bryant in 1653." " H. P. Manuale, &c. 1594." A Selection of Moral Sentences from the Fathers and Patriarchs. " A Discoverie of certain English Plants. 1595." " Delights for Ladies to Adorn their Persons, Tables, Closets, with Bouquets, Perfumes, and Waters. 1602." In the Preface he hopes that it will not receive the same unkind acceptation as his first fruits, " The Jewel House of Art and Nature," and his hope was realised, for I know four subsequent editions. " A New, Cheape, and Delicate fire of Cole-balls. 1603." Is merely recommending coal dust to be made into a paste with loam and formed into balls for fuel. "Florae's Paradise Beautified with Sundry Sorts of Delicate Fruits and Flowers. 1608." This contains much good gar- dening information, combined with much mysticism and re- liance on planetary influence. " The New Founde Arte of Setting Corn. 1650." This was a decoy publication. It advocates spade husbandry, and " the new founde arte" probably was dibbling, but it is not revealed, and the reader is informed that of the secret more might be heard by inquiring at the printer's. " The Garden of Eden or an Accurate Description of all April 1, 187S. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUKK AND COTTAGE GAEDSNER. 253 Flowers and Fraits Growing in England, with Partienlar Pailes How to Advance their Nature and Growth. 1652. Edited by C. Bellingham." The sixth edition ia dated 1675. It is only a reprint of " Florae's Paradise." The second part of the " Garden of Eden," all from MSB. left by Sir Hugh, was pub- lished in 1059 and 1675.— G. MR. W. PAUL'S EXHIBITION OF SPRING FLOWERS. For a few days longer this Exhibition invites inspection at South Kensiugton, and those amongst flower lovers who have not yet seen it would do well to do so, as it is a display worthy alike of public patronage and of the reputation of the able and apirited proprietor of the "Waltham Cross Nurseries. When Mr. Paul exhibits something good is expected, and is invariably provided, and it was the unanimous opinion of the many spec- tators on Saturday, the first day of the Show, that the collection is fully equal if not superior to those of former years. The plants are arranged in the western arcade and reach nearly its entire length. They comprise Roses, Camellias, Hyacinths, Tulips, Narcissus, and other popular flowering plants, with a background of Palms and foliage plants. The Camellias are excellently-bloomed plants in the per- fection of health, and comprise besides those we have previously noticed, Dante, white ; Madame Lebois, fine salmon red ; Ceuti- folia Rosea ; Jargioni, white ; Archduchesse Augusta, crimson, fine deep colour; Perpenti, rose; Pius IX., rose, very free; Lucretia Guzarrini, rose, white-striped, good form and free; Belle Jeanette, red, shell-like petals; Teutonia, var. amabilis, rose and white, attractive ; Souvenir d'Emile Defresne, white and red, very striking and free ; La Reine, fine white ; Valta- varedo, rose, &c. All these are varieties of sterling merit. The Roses both in plants and cut blooms are an attractive feature and receive a good share of attention. Well-bloomed plants of John Hopper, Celine Forestier, "Victor Verdier, Duke of Edinburgh, Princess Mary of Cambridge, and Mdlle. Marie Eady make the principal show; still the smaller plants of the newer varieties possess a maenet-like influence in attracting attention. Of these Richard Wallace is good; St. George is a rich velvety crimson with a good substance of petal ; Diana is of the type of Jules Margottin, but richer in colour. It is evidently very free and gives promise of usefulness. Star of Autumn is a flower of fine build and full. It is of the John Hopper type, but deeper in colour than that Rose. Peach Blossom is a new Rose of globular form and delicate colour. Amongst Tea Roses Anna Olivier is a fine light flower with coppery centre and good substance of petal ; Catherine Mermet has lovely blooms ; President is charming ; Souvenir d'un Ami is fine, as are Comte Taverna, Souvenir d'Elise, and others. In boxes of cut blooms which have many admirers, were John Hopper, Prince de Portia, Mdlle. A. de Rougemont, Fisher Holmes, Mdlle. de Stella, Pierre Netting, Paul Verdier, La France, Lord Clyde, Mdlle. Bonnaire, itc. These were excellent for the season. La France being especially admired. We now turn to the Hyacinths. These are a show in them- selves. To this flower Mr. Paul devotes special attention, and has been instrumental in introducing some of the first varieties of the day. The plants are characterised by sturdy vigour rather than mere length of spike — that is, they have breadth as well as length, and, as a rule, the bells are remarkably fine. Of the Reds, Vurbaack is the best, being of high colour with a fine spike; Garibaldi is exceedingly rich, as also is Prince Albert Victor, and Linnieus. Solfaterre, Koh-i-nnor, Fabiola, Princess Clothilde, Prince of Orange, Macaulay, Von fclchiller, and the old double Waterloo have just claim to honourable mention. The Blues are well represented by robust spikes of King of the Blues, General Havelock, Mimosa, Baron Von "Tuyll, and Haydn (mauve), amongst the darks ; the lighter shades having as the best Lothair, very good ; Lord Byron, Princess Mary of Cambridge, fine bells ; Admiral de Ruyter, silvery bells of good form and substance; Czar Peter; Blomdin, extra; La Candolle, Charles Dickens, and Couronne de Celle. The best of the new sorts are Von Moltke, dark blue and white ; Baron Beust, light blue and white ; and Christy Minstrel, very dark. Amongst Whites the best are La Grandesse, the first white Hyacinth of the day; L'lunocence, fine; Miss Nightingale, pure; Paix de I'Europe, fine spike; Baronne Van Tuyll; Snowball, massive bells; Mont Blanc, Leviathan, Alba. Maxima, Madame Van der Hoop, and Snowspike (new). This is very pure with beautifully formed bells and a nice spike. It is a very promis- ing variety. Of the Yellows, Bird of Paradise and L'Or o'Australe are the best, the bells of the latter being as fine as those of the light blues, which is not the case with yellow Hyacinths generally. Tulips were a very gay bank, and comprised Proserpine, rose purple, fine ; Bride of Haarlem, crimson and white ; Cardinal Gold, scarlet and gold; Cerise Gris de Lin, chocolate and favm; Bacchus, red ; Belle Alliance, glowing red, dwarf ; Rosa Mnndi, rose and white ; Grootmeester Von Maltha, crimson and white ; Standard Royal, fine, white and bright rose; Leonardo da Vinci, glowing scarlet; Lady Palmerston, Brutus, and Standard Golden were very distinct and brightly striped with red and gold ; Cottage Maid and Rose Luisante, rose and white ; Chris- solora, yellow ; and Pax Alba and Pottebakker, white. The Narcissus are remarkably good, the best being Bathurst, Queen of the Netherlands, Glorious, Florence Nightingale, Bazelmau Major, and Sir J. Paxton. 'These are the best of the fine collection. The groups enumerated with Primiilas, Cinerarias, Deutziaa, Spirseas, Cyclamens, LiUes, &c., constitute a display worthy of patronage, and of the gay period of Easter week. ROYAL BOTANIC SOCIETY. The lingering winter reaching far into spring has not hitherto brought flower-show weather, but Wednesday the Slst, for the first Regent's Park Show, was mild, yet dull. But the dulness without was atoned for by the brightness within, for the Show was a good one, nearly all the classes being filled with excellent examples of culture. We were obliged to leave before the awards were completed, but a general idea of the Show may be gathered from the following jottings. The plants were arranged in the eorridor reaching its entire length, and occupying a por- tion of the conservatory. In the class for twelve stove and greenhouse plants (open), Mr. Ward had Anthurium Scherzeriannm, with the finest spathes perhaps ever seen ; a good Erioatemon, Franoiscea, Cytiaus, Lycaste Skinneri, with upwards of twenty blooms ; a fine Cypri- pedium villosum. Azaleas, Heaths, &c. Mr. Wheeler had a good group containing a large Chorozema, Paocratium fragrana, Imatophyllum, &c. ; the same exhibitor had also a mixed group of plants. In the class for six greenhouse Azaleas in 12-inch pots (amateurs) Mr. Ward's plants were dense masses of fine blooms. Stella, punctata omnicolor, A. Borzig, Model, Roi des Beauties, and Madame Vander Cruyssen. Nice plants also came from Mr. Wheeler, and a larger half dozen from Mr. Child, gardener, Garbrand Hall. Six greenhouse Azaleas in 12-inch pots {nurserymen), Messrs. Cutbush & Son had small but well-bloomed plants. In the class for six Chiuese Primulas (open) Mr. James and Mr. Wheeler aent plants which had been finer a fortnight ago than now. They were large, with fine blooms, but were lacking in freshness. In the class for nine Cinerarias (open) Mr. James had splendid plants of William Reeves, Attraction, Treasure, Right Hon. B. Disraeli, Purple Gem, very fine; Agrippa, Pandora, Floribnnda, and Admiration. He also exhibited a group of smaller plants of remarkable substance of bloom and distinct colours. The Lilies of the Valley were very good, the pots from Mr. James being vigorous in foliage and bloom. Those from Mr. Child being also good ; while Mr. Tom'a were more floriferoua than eithaul staged well-bloomed plants of Camellias, and a box of beautiful cut blooms ; also a collection of Waltham White Primula with gigantic flowers. Messrs. Carter & Co. staged a collection of fifty Hyacinths with many good spikes and well- finished trusses, a glowing bank of Tulips, and excellent plants of Spirica japonica. Messrs. Barr & Sugden had similar groups with a showy collection of Narcissus. Thus was composed the first Exhibition at Regent's Park, and which will compare favourably with its predecessors of the same period of the year. THE MULCHING OF FEUIT TREES. It is a common and a good practice to cover the surface of the ground in autumn over the roots of newly-planted fruit trees with good manure, both to act as a protective against tho weather, and as conveying nourishment to the soil by the rains washing down its virtues. Now, at this period of the year should that surface-covering remain over the roots, or should it be removed ? There is no question as to its benefit during winter, but it is not at aU certain that its removal during the spring is an advantage or not. Probab.'y nine persons out of ten would say, " Oh ! leave it on, of course." Now, in ordinary free-growing trees, as Apples, &a., the point is not of great moment ; but in the case of trees planted on a south wall, Peaches, Nectarines, itc, it is absolutely necessary that the best possible practice be adopted to induce their free growth. The first condition to secure to that end is root-action as early in the spring as possible to continue the supply of sap after that stored np in the branches has been appropriated by the bursting buds. For this there must be earth heat, as, until a certain degree is reached, the roots will not move at all. Now is it not reasonable to suppose that this necessaiy earth heat is imparted by the sun sooner and quicker when the surface is exposed than when it is covered ? The difference in heat of the surface of a south border between (in April and May) being covered and uncovered is very great. Last year out of six newly-planted Peach trees the surface- mulching was drawn off five of them every morning, and pushed on again at night. It was only the work of five minutes a-day. The five trees flourished admirably, but after the first break of the buds the growth of the covered tree was stubborn, it became infested witii insects, and it never did any good. This is a simple but important subject for abler men than — A Young Gardenek. NOVELTIES IN THE ROYAL GARDENS, KEW. In the house No. 1 must be mentioned PhrjTiium sau- guineum, chiefly beautiful from the scarlet bracts subtending the branches of the panicle. The colour is similar to that of Rhubarb leafstalks when in the most brUliant condition. In contrast to these the flowers are white, and the entire in- florescence would be most attractive in the choicest bouquet. Novelty is ever desired, and this could be used with good effect from its singular form as well as for its colour. It lasts in perfection a considerable time. In gardens it was first called Maranta sanguinea, and the well-known cultivation for that genus is the best for this. Out of flower it is ornamental, not only from its peculiar habit of producing tufts of foliage on long leafless stems, but from the purple under-surface of the Maranta-like leaves. It was figured in the " Botanical Maga- zine " of 1852 ; a volume, we may remark, which contains many plants of special interest introduced about that time, and now established in our gardens — Jasminum nudiflorum, Lilium gi- ganteum, Calanthe vestita, Paulownia imperialis, Nymphiea gigantea, N. Devoniensis, Rubus biflorus (R. leucodermis), and several others. The blue Meconopsis Wallichi is there also, it has recently been re-introduced after being lost for many years. In the Conservatory we observe Podalyria calyptrata, an old plant seldom seen, though very ornamental from its pro- fusion of pink and white Pea-like flowers. It is easily grown, and flourishes well in soil consisting of rather more than half peat, and may be increased from seeds or cuttings. Orobus vernuB is here very attractive, and is well worth forcing for its flowers of purple turning with age to a kind of steel blue. The foliage ia very pretty, and of a lovely green. Some pots of Lachenalia tricolor var. lutea are very orna- mental in the Cape house. This genus has been sadly neg- lected, though, perhaps, not more so than bulbous plants in general. Interest in this class is certainly reviving, and ia taking the special attention of several cultivators. The cul- tivation of the above is very easy, and by a little management may be had in succession for a considerable time. They are grown best in rich sandy loam, and requiring a season of rest, must always have water according to their condition. On the same shelf is a plant of Soilla peruviana var. glabra. The colour of the flower is very good, almost like S. siberica. It differs from S. peruviana by the leaves not having a ciliated margin, though quite distinct from the common glabrous va- riety Ughi. Gardenia Stanleyana rarely exhibits flowera ; recently, how- ever, it has been conspicuous in the stove with a number of its extraordinary trumpet-shaped blossoms, altogether unlike its well-known congeners. The corolla is about 9 inches long, the slender tube expands into a bell-shaped month, with a spreading limb of five ovate segments, about 4 inches across from tip to tip. Its colour is white, spotted with purple, and a band of the same colour runs down one side of each lobe. To cause it to flower we advise that plants be at once potted, using a mixture of rather more than half peat with fibrous loam, the whole enriched with dung ; then plunge in bottom heat of about 85" during the time of growth, after the com- pletion of which remove from the bed, and during winter give as little water as necessary. If the plant intends to flower, buds will form about the early part of next year, and may be perfected about this time. Rich feeding seems im- portant in the cultivation of Gardenias. OUR BORDER FLOWERS— BARRENWORTS. Much might be said respecting this charming group of spring and early summer flowering plants. A collection — or may I say a selection?— needs only to be seen to be appreciated. Had they been an expensive and difficult tribe to cultivate perhaps they would have attracted more attention. I regard them as among the neglected occupants of our rockeries and herbaceous borders. In many places you look for them in vain ; you may go from place to place and peer into every nook, but you see no plant of Epimedium. Why is this ? Is it because they are unknown, or that they are beneath the cultivator's notice ? If we want to see those gems of spring we must look for them where herbaceous plants are cared for and are carefully tended. With this as other plants, it ia not enough to just thrust them into the ground and leave them to chance. We have one at least that is called native by us — Epime- dium alpinum, but it haa not been my good fortune to the present time to stumble on it at home. I have found these plants of great service in the spring time a? pot plants in the spring garden, and in the borders they are not difficult to manage, and when once well established they last a long time, AptU 1, 1376. 1 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 255 and will bear a considerable amount of hardship. Generally speaking they are a moisture-loving race, but should on no account be exposed to stagnant water. They are very usefal where cut flowers are in request, their lovely flowers and beautiful foliage commending them for all purposes that flowers can be put to. I find that good drainage, a moderately moist exposed situation on rookery or border, a compost of good loam, sandy peat in equal proportions, a little leaf mould, with a little coarse sand and grit is essential to their well-domg. They require a depth of 18 or 20 inches of soil to develope thGir cli&.r9iCf)Gr If required for pot culture they can be kept plunged in any eut-of-the-way corner when they have matured their growth ; but thoy should be attended to with water when they require it. Epimedium rnbrum is to my mind one of the foremost of the train, it is of free growth when well established, and in bloom it has a grand appearance; E. sulphurea is a very desirable plant, especially on the rockery ; E. pinnatum elegans affords a fine contrast, and is one of the best of the family; E. maoranthum is a very desirable plant, and when well established presents a pleasing feature on the rockery or in the border; E. grandiflora should be in all herbaceous borders. This variety affords a grand contrast in colour among the red and yellow kinds ; being white makes it still more desir- able. E. alpinum should have a moist situation at the foot of the rockery. It will also do well in a moist peat bed. Fig. 60.— Epimedium alpinum. The Epimediums are a widely distributed but interesting famOy, increased chiefly by division after they have made their growth. I have not been able to secure seed from any of the kinds. The early blooming varieties are well adapted for the spring garden, grown in pots and plunged where they are required, to be removed when the bloom is passed. Some- times they suffer from frost in the spring. I find that a good- sized pot inverted over them is asuffioieut protection. — Veritas. THE VICTORIA AND PAEADISE NURSERY, UPPER HOLLOWAY. Mk. B. S. WiLLUiis' establishment is known as amongst the first of its kind in this country. Its prominent standing has been secured by the thorough knowledge of its proprietor in practical plant-culture, and the enterprise he has brought to bear in commercial horticulture. His policy has not been to bury himself in his nursery and, hermit like, to shut himself out from the world, but he has by every legitimate means sought not only to make the charms of plants known, but has taught how they may be successfully grown. Ho has by this means achieved honourable fame, and has established a name which is familiar in home and continental garden literature. There are establishments where the glass structures are more numerous than are to be found in this nursery, but very few where they are larger and better adapted for their purpose, and fewer stiU which contain better examples of skill in plant- growing and superior choice specimens. In Palms and tree Ferns the nursery is especially rich, such, indeed, as we have not seen in any corresponding establish- ment in Britain, and only in one or two of the great con- tinental plant emporiums. In the hardwooded department the Azaleas are superior specimens of health combined with size. When in bloom, or out of bloom, these splendid plants are worth going a long journey to see, so remarkable are they for their general ex- cellence. The Camellias are also in exceedingly good order ; indeed, no collection could be more thoroughly healthy and clean. Their first blush of beauty is over, yet fine blooms of the following good varieties are still more or less plentifully dis- tributed over the plants :—Etoile Polaris, small red; Lemi- ohezi, fine rich pink; Comtesse Eostans, pink and white mottled, good ; Henri Favre, fine rosy salmon ; II Cygno, white; Jubilee, white marbled, very fine plant; Montironi Rosea, fine; Madonna, blush ; Resplendens, Imbricata, Arch- duchesse Marie, Due de Bretagne,'W'ilderi, Ac. The collection of Heaths is extensive, and the plants are in thorough good trim. It is not often that such plants of the good old Erica. Cavendiahi are to be found now- a-days with health and size going so well together. There is an enorrnons plant of E. depressa — not, however, to be there much longer — said to be nearly a hundred years old, yet as healthy and vigorous as a young plant. It is not necessary, however, to enumerate, as all the best varieties are here in all sizes that can be wished for and vigorous. The Orchids here are represented by a collection of plants which, as might be expected, are unsurpassable in quality, and embraces the choicest varieties, as well as the more popular kinds which are commonly grown in quantity. Ada aurantiaca is in bloom, and the high-coloured flowers are very telling. AKrides Sohroe.deri is noticeable, and a splendid plant of A. Fieldingi throwing-up several spikes is prospec- tively grand. A. Veitchiamim is also attractive. Cymbidiuni eburneum displays its wax-like flowers; and Lffilia Turneri is exceedingly rich. The Cypripediums contain beautiful plants of which C. Lowii, C. vUlosum, C. barbatum, and C. Eoezli are flowering. Dendrobiums in bloom are repre- sented by D. infundibulum, D. macrophyllnm, the lovely D. lituiflorum, and D. Wardianum. Masdevallia Lindeni is strikingly efiective, its rich and distinct colour rendering it very conspicuous. Amongst the Odontoglossums in bloom are 0. cordatum, 0. luteo-purpureum, 0. Uro-Skinneri (fine spike). Amongst Oncidiums are the almost ever-blooming 0. cucul- latum, and the pretty Uttle 0. anomalum. Phala?nopsi3 SchUleriana is charming as usual, and Zygopetalum crinitum and Sacoolabium prsemorsum giganteum arrest attention. Galanthe Turneri has nice spikes of flowers, and ought to be more generally cultivated, as it is ahke beautiful for cutting and for mixing with Ferns and fine-foUaged plants. The stock of Calanthes is very extensive, especially C. Veitchii ; this and C. vestita luteo-oculata are two of the best varieties. They are now just showing signs of growth, and are being potted for next winter's blooming. These plants should be grown by all who have the means to grow them. Palms and Cycads are a great feature in the estabUshment. A fine stock of that most elegant of all Palms Cocos Weddelliana is kept in a small state for table decorative purposes, and a number of plants of Geonoma gracilis are but little less elegant. Kentias, Verschaffeltias, and Martinezias are well represented in various stages of growth. Fine plants of Dioon ednle and Phcenicophorium sechellarum are prominent, and there are striking examples of Cycas circinalis, Encephalartos Lehmauni and E. villosa. Ferns are also grown largely in this nursery. The Filmy Ferns are in beautiful order. The Todeas, especially T. superba, are very fine, and Trichomanes, Hymenophyllums, &o., are growing luxiiriautly. We noticed some very fine plants of Gleichenias, especially G. Mendeli and G. semivestita. A new greenhouse Fern Polystiehum Lepidocalon is being raised in quantity in anticipation of a brisk demand. Amongst the Tree Ferns are some extraordinary specimens high enough almost for a chief to ride under on his elephant, and sufficiently spreading to afford shelter on a grand palaver day to a retinue of dusky followers. The most striking are Alsophila Leichardtiana and the handsome Cyatheas — C. Burkei and C. Dregei. We noticed amongst these the very distinct Lomaria cycadoides. We expected to find here a tine stock of the new Maidenhair Adiantum graoilUmum, and we found it. This might weU be styled the Gauze Fern, so exceedingly delicate is its structure, and so clearly can a bouquet of flowers be seen through its net- work of fronds. The popular A. Farleyense was " becoming scarce " in the Nursery, so said the guide ; but he did not define what he means by plenty; his "scarce," however, ia half a houseful of plants in all sizes. In passing through the stoves we found a grand plant 256 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COirAGE GARDEtjER. [ AprU 1, 1S15. of Authurium Seberzeriauum, aud a boat of the same yala- able variety in small youug stock. The newer white form of this is also opening its spathes, which bid fair to be larger in size than previously. Tillaudsia Lindeni major is ex- tremely beautiful, and the stock of this lovely flower is being increased rapidly. Abutilon Selowianum marmoratum is very fine, and Ficus ParcaUi is particularly clear in its markings. Pandanuses are numerous and in first-rate form, and Dracajnas are represented in splendid condition and id fine variety. Phyllotajnium Lindeni is very attractive, and a nice stock is being raised of Antherioam variegatum. This is a new plant not yet, we believe, sent out, and is admirably adapted for table decorative purposes. It is a Pandanus-like plant, yet with soft graoefuUy-arched green foliage clearly striped with ■white. It is evidently of quick and easy growth, and is likely to become popular. Amongst the collection we noted a good stock of Sarraoeuias, and the best of the Platyccriums were growing freely. But we must stop to conclude somewhere, and it may well be in the house first entered — the entrance conservatory. Here the towering Ferns, the arched Palms, the rigid Aloes, and the stately Dracajnas combine to each set off the charms of the other. The Cyatheas dealbata, Cunuinghami, princeps, and Smithii are splendid specimens, with fine trunks and expansive heads, aud the Dick^onias are equally large. A fine plant of the good greenhouse Palm, Sabal umbraculitera, is noticeable, aud there is a good specimen of the hardy Palai Chamrerops Fortune!. Dracsena lineata aud Cordyline indivisa are worth attention, and a grand plant of ImatophyUum miniatum is throwing up its gay flowers. In the packing-shed are immense Aloes and fine standard Bays in tubs for outdoor decoration in summer. Packing of plants was being proceeded with for exportation, something like twenty thousand being in course of transit from the nur- sery. Mr. Burton continues to superintend with his proved ability and uniform courtesy to all. WHITE AND CLUSTER EOSES. As the shows for the cDming summer are now being arranged, I would, with all diffidence, put in a plea for white and cluster Roses. It is very seldom one can find the former well represented at shows, owing, I presume, to exhibitors not caring to cripple their stands with the smaller blooms of the white kinds. In schedules, for instance, where they have usually a class for twenty-four blooms of any one kind, might not that with advantage bo substituted by one for the best twelve, or any other number of white Roses in distinct varieties ? I think if such a class were introduced wherever possible it would prove an attraction, aud also encourage what might well be fostered — the improvement of our white Roses. Cluster Roses, again. Cannot something be done that Rose- lovers may see them at the shows ? Many kinds are little known to most people ; they are very lovely, and if exhibited in full cluster, would agreeably relieve the somewhat flat same- ness of the present orthodox mode of showing separate blooms. — CoKNUBIA. P.S.— In my notes published on page 230, " Perfoolion do Lyon " should be " Perlo de Lyon." FLOWEE MISSION AMONG THE SIOK-POOE IN EAST LONDON. Depots are now opened at the Home of Industry, Commer- cial Street, Spitalfields, E., and Conference Hall, Mildmay Park, N., for the supply of the hospitals and missions nearest them. Flowers and fruits of all kinds would be most thank- fully welcomed if sent addressed to the Secretary of the Flower Mission at either of the above depots before 11a.m. on Tuesday and Thursday mornings throftghout the season. The following extract from a letter of thanks for flowers will show how greatly they are needed and appreciated ;— "From the Discliarr/ed Female Prisoners' Aid Sooieiy. "Nine Elms House, Vauxhall. "When the DufEodils arrived they really made quite a sen- sation in the wash-house, that a kind lady thought of them in the Isle of Wight! Then the beauty of the flowers! Every woman aud girl got a bunch. We have about tweuty-6ix girls in our school here, and they were so pleased to have them to lend for the Sunday evening mission service, to put on the Itthle to show to and please our other congregation of waifs that comes in then. It was really very touching ; aud a week later when I was at the class the remains of some were carefully treasured and put before me. So think of us occasionally again. I visit in the cancer ward at the Hospital occasionally. What a boon your flowers would be there ! At present they have a few artificial ones — very pretty to look at — on the table, but that is all. The air of the ward would be all the better for them, for though the ward is very clean and neat, the disease necessarily causes malaria." THE NEW HOETICULTURAL CLUB. As Secretary of the new Club I write to state that the difli- culties which existed as to obtaining suitable accommodation have been, I hope, removed, and that our Committee have every prospect of, within the next fortnight, concluding an arrangement for a place in every way desirable, situated within three minutes' walk of Charing Cross, and overlooking the Thames Embankment. It will comprise reading room, draw- ing, dining, smoking and billiard rooms, and all the adjuncts of a west-end club, and on terms exceedingly favourable, in- volving no risk or responsibility. It is earnestly hoped that it will afford & point d'appui for all who are interested in the pursuit we love so well. It will, we trust, be especially valu- able to our country members, for whose accommodation a number of bedrooms will be provided. The subseriptiou will he two guineas, with two guineas entrance fee. — H. Honevivood DOMBRAIN, Sec. THE BANANA. There are several varieties of this fruit cultivated iu the Island of Jamaica. Of these the Martinique, as named there, but called here the Jamaica, is considered the best, as being hardier in growth, easier to cultivate, not easily blown or broken down, and the nicest for eating. They bear in one year after plant- ing. The bunches are very large. We have seen some that a man could not lift. The fruit is long, and is of a rich yellow colour. They are often brought here from Nassau. Once planted they require no care, but will continue growing, sucker- ing-out, and bearing in the high woods. They will grow in any soil, but prefer gullies or damp places close to a river or spring. All other sorts of Bananas have been cast aside since these were introduced into the island. Another long Banana called the Tiger, from the skin of the fruit being striped with black, is grown in some places, but the fruit is not considered sogood. The Otaheite is another of the same class of the long Bananas. The fruit must be very ripe before flt to eat. The flesh is of a rich strawberry colour. They are seldom grown, as they root-up very easily and cannot bear the weight of the bunch. They are not a profitable kind to grow. Of short Bananas, first is the Dsvarf or Chinese, not growing more than i or 5 feet high, with a strong stout body. They bear largo bunches of fruit hanging nearly to the ground, and stand firm, but the fruit is of no account, and is usually used as a vegetable, the same as a Plantaiu. Second, the Redskin. This is a strong-growing plant, bear- ing large bunches of handsome-looking fruit, and is most saleable in this country, but not considered equal to the Mar- tinique in Jamaica. Third, the Apple. This is not a profitable Banana to grow. The bunches are medium size, and the fruit about the length of a person's finger and very delicious, but the stalks root-up easily, aud they require more cultivating. Fourth, the triangular Banana, usually grown here, is the meanest of all the Bananas. The bunches are of medium size, but the fruit is not a nice one, being too slimy. They should be baked before eating. There are some other varieties grown, but those we have mentioned are the only kinds that are commonly mot with in the West Indies. Every negro hut has Bananas growing around it. They are manured with ashes from the kitchen. As the bunches are fit they are cut off' and taken into the house to ripen, for Bananas that ripen on the stalks are not near so nice, as they contain a strong alkaline juice, which exudes from the stalk when cut off. The fruit should be allowed to fill out and bo fully grown ; the bunch is then cut off and hung upside down to ripen in the house. The green fruit can be used as a vegetable by peeling off the skin, washed and boiled, aud mashed up with butter and lard, and pepper sprinkled over it. A favourite way in the \\'est Indies is to boil them with salt beef or pork, AprU 1, 1875. ) JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 257 and mashed np with some of the fat skimmed off the water. When ripe the fruit can be made into pios, same as Apple pies, or a pudding, by peeling them ; then place in a dish and pour butter and sugar that baa been rubbed together over them, and bake. They are very delicious done in this manner. Many inquiries have been made to us about protecting the plants from frost. We do not think that any Bananas wiU stand the frost and cold ; the leaves are so thin that they are sus- ceptible to any extreme, but some of the species may do better than others liere. lu the West Indies when the stalk comes up spindling and weak it is cut off just below the leaves; this does not kill it, but has a beneficial effect in making it thicken out and become stronger. We think that if this plan was adopted with those that had been affected by frost it might have the same tendency ; but it should not be done until the cold weather has entirely passed away and the plants show an inclination to grow. As the bunches are cut the stalk should be cut down to within a foot of the ground, cut into pieces and placed around the roots ; the same with the leaves. This is returning to the laud a part of what has been taken away. The juice of the stalk is good for clarifying sugar. The young leaves of the spire are used for dressing blisters ; very cooling and soothing when placed on after the blister is clipped. We would not advise flooding the roots in the winter, for the frost is seldom severe enough to injure them ; it is the leaf that suffers. When plants with young fruit are caught by the frost before coming to perfection we think it is the best plan to cut down the whole stalk at once and chop it up, covering the roots with it. This will enable the plants that are standing to receive the full nourishment on return of spring, instead of wasting its strength on a part that will never come to any good. In the West Indies if the Banana plant is highly manured, tho stalk, or body as it is called there, will grow very large and succulent, but at the expense of the fruit, the bunches being small. Ashes have been found to be the best manure that can be given, with an occasional spriakling of salt. — [California Horticnlturif^t.) NOTES AND GLEANINGS. Mr. W. a. Lindsay, Secretary of the Royal Horticultural Society, has represented to the Governor of the Fiji Islands the desirability of obtaining their Plants new to horticulturists. The Governor, Sir A H. Gordon, has courteously responded to the representation. We find the following paragraph in the BriKe Herald (New Zealand) of January 5th : — " A new species of a vegetable- devouring pest has lately been observed in Napier for the first time. It is a very small black-red insect, like a beetle, and can be seen on the bills in swarms. Through whatever pad- pock or garden these insects travel they leave nothing green behind them. From the country, also, we learn that grass- hoppers are in myriads." A SCHEME, we understand, is in contemplation for the formation of Manley Hall, Manchester, with its conservatories and grounds, into a Winter Gaeden, on a scale of magnitude and completeness hitherto unattempted in this country. Manley Hall and grounds comprise an area of eighty acres. The Linnean Society, like many another great in- stitution, had its origin in an accident. The late Sir John E. Smith, then a medical student, was breakfasting one day with Sir .Joseph Banks, when the latter told him that he just had 'an offer of the memoranda and botanical collections of the great Linnfeusfor £1000, but that he had declined to buy them. Young Smith, whose zeal for botany was great, begged his father to advance to him the money, and at length persuaded him to do so, though not without difficulty. It may appear strange that Sweden should consent to part with the treasures of her far-famed naturalist ; and indeed the king, Gustavua III., who had been absent in Franco, was much displeased on his return at hearing that a vessel had just eailed for England with these collections. He immediately dispatched a vessel to the Sound to intercept it, but was too late. The herbarium books, MSS., ifcc, arrived safely in London in 1781, packed in twenty-six eases, and cost tho purchaser £1088 5s. In the following year Smith was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, and devoted himself more to botanical studies than to his prufeEsiou as a physician. In 1792 he had the honour of being engaged to teach botany to Queen Charlotte and the princesses, and he was knighted by the Prince Regent in 1814. At his death in 1828 the celebrated coUostion, with Sir J. E. Smith's additions, was purchased by the Linnean Society. — {CasseU't Old and New London.) On the 23rd ult. the freehold estate well known as Meredith's Vineyard was ofiered for sale by public auction by Messrs. Protheroe & Morris, auctioneers, London. The estate comprises upwards of six acres of land applicable to Vine- growing, or for tho purposes of building land. There was a fair attendance, and amongst those present were several of the leading horticulturists and florists connected with the district, and others from a distance. In opening the sale the auctioneer stated that he had gone carefully over the estate and made an estimate of its value as a going concern, which he considered should be about £21,000. He then went into particulars as regarded the breaking-up of the estate, and stated that the freehold land might be put down at £6500 ; 50,000 feet of glass at £.3125; dwelling house, £1400; three miles of hot- water pipes, £792; boilers, £100; brickwork, &c., £.S00 ; stonework, sheds, tables, &c.,£250; making atotal of £12,500. The bidding then proceeded, the first offer being £7500. This amount was increased by £50 upon each offer up to £8650, when the bidding rose to £9000. The advances then proceeded by gradations of £50 until the amount reached £10,000, at which sum the estate was knocked down to Mr. John Cowan of London. The Cowan Patents Company, propose not only to make use of the property as an exhibition of their patent apparatus, where it can bo seen in full working order, but will use their best endeavours to mnintain its well-earned fame, and, if possible, increase its reputation. It was stated by the auctioneer that there were certain plants, &o., which, in accordance with the conditions of sale, did not go with the estate ; and if not taken by the purchaser at a valuation they would be sold by auction at a future day. INCREASED POWER IN PLANTS TO KESIST COLD. At a meeting on February 9th Mr. Thomas Meehan referred to a tuber of Solanum Fendleri, exhibited by him some mouths ago, and which had taken a departure towards those of the common Potato. He had oft'ered Eome suggestions in relation to the possibility of a common origin of these two species, but among the improbabilities he had classed the power of resisting cold, as, while the common Potato was easily de- stroyed by frost, Fendler's Potato endured without injury a temperature of zero. He had been under the impression that whatever changes plants might experience in the course of ages, the adaptation to special temperatures was nearly if not quite unchangeable. A recent experience, however, suggested the possibility of more change than he had supposed. During the very low temperature, with the high wind, of a week ago, the frost to the extent of 2° or so, and for a short time, got into a greenhouse with blooming plants, some of which were injured by it. Among these were Calla tethiopica, Browallia elata, Bouvardias, Begonias, and some others. The light frost, in the case of all but the first-named, destroyed the leaves, but left the flowers uninjured. The flowers in their several parts are but metamorphosed leaves, and thus we sea that with the morphological advance of the leaf to a petal came an increased physiological power to resist cold. In the case of tho Calla the flowers as well as the leaves were de- stroyed, illustrating the same law, as the spathe of this flower is but a leaf very slightly differentiated, and consequently more subject to the laws regulating leaf life. There was nothing quite new in these observations, as all must remember that when the first light frost killed the Dahlias, Chrysanthe- mums, and other tender plants, the petals would often remain uninjured after the leaves had been blackened by frost; and also the fact that when the leaves of plants become stUl more highly metamorphosed and become seeds, those of the tenderest plants would often endure considerable cold. Thus the seeds of the common Convolvulus or Morning Glory, and of the Balsam, or Lady's Slipper, as it is called in American gardens, would live out in the earth wtth us and grow in the spring, though the plants would be killed by a single degree of frost. — [American Monthly.) Auriculas Growinq Tall. — I know Mr. Tjmous to be a thoroughly practical and enthusiastic Auricula grower, but I must only repeat that if the stem is cut off where there are no rootlets I do not see the least chance of its rooting. I have never — (but then it may be my bungling) — been able to root 258 JOUENAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE QAEDENEE, [ April 1, 1875. even an ofiaet which had not a tiny root attached to it. It may be very small, but that is sufficient ; but if it have none it has ever been with me an ineffectual attempt. — D., Deal. PASSIFLORA EDULIS. This is an interesting species of an extensive and beautiful family of climbing plants. Most of them require a stove tem- perature to bring them to perfection, although P. ea!rulea and its varieties will flourish on a south wall in the open air in the southern counties. But P. edulis while being a native of India will still succeed in a lower temperature than many of its allies — that is, it will cover a roof and flower freely in a warm conservatory, yet to perfect its fruit it requires, and is worthy of, stove temperature. Its flowers are not nearly so beautiful Fig. Gl.— Passiflorft edulia. as those of some other varieties, but its handsome plum-Uke fruit, which are so easily and freely produced, add an interest to the plant to which its more gay compeers can have no claim. The fruit, besides being decidedly ornamental, has a flavour which is particularly agreeable to some palates ; and where such is the case, and means are provided, it is specially grown for dessert purposes. In the gardens of Drumlanrig Castle a house is solely devoted to the culture of this fruit, and large crops are produced. The fruit has a pleasant aroma, is cooling, and has a refreshing subacid taste, and is parti- cularly adapted for allaying thirst in the tropical countries to which it is indigenous. As an ornamental roof-covering plant it is to be feared that P. eduUa has frequently given place to less worthy objects. It ia not easy to find a plant more beautiful than this with its elegant pendant shoots laden with flowers and fruit, which hang with an airy gracefulness from the roof of a suitable glass structure ; the plant is, moreover, of very easy culture. It should be raised from cuttings in preference to seed. Seedling plants grow freely enough, and soon cover a large space, but they are sparse in blooming compared with plants which have been struck from cuttings. Short-jointed young shoots strike quite easily any time during the summer if put in sand under a bell glass, and attended to by the requisite amount of heat, shade, and moisture. A enitable compost for established plants is turfy loam two- thirds, the remainder leaf mould, peat, and old decayed cow dung, this to be liberally mixed with sand and broken charcoal. Although the plants require an abundant supply of water during the summer season, any approach to stagnancy is per- nicious, and consequently the drainage must be very complete. It is well, too, in potting to place some crooks or rubble round the neck of the plant, as it is apt to canker and decay at the surface of the soil ; but to grow it well it should be planted out. Corners of bark pits, walled-oft from the bottom, form fitting receptacles in which to plant. In these, with due at- tention, plants will flourish for many years. In the summer season a free use of the .syringe is necessary, as a dry atmo- sphere, and especially if dry at the root, if only occasionally, at the same time, will certainly invite a crop of red spider. Syringing must be less frequent pending the setting of the fruit, which is aided by each bloom being artificially fertilised with its own pollen. On this point the same treatment that is given to Vines is applicable. In the winter the roots must be kept somewhat dry, yet even then the boU must always be perceptibly moist. A minimum winter temperature of 45° is safe, and a plant has been pre- served for some years at a lower temperature than this, but it is not advisable. In training, a vital point is to gnard against overcrowding. If the young shoots are suffered to cling together and become interlaced, the plant will lose vigour and only produce useless spray. The aim should be to have the young growth thinly disposed, so that each shoot can have the benefit of light and air and become matured. It is only by this means that fruit can be expected. Spring is the best time for pruning, just when the plant is commencing to grow. The shoots can then be thinned-out and shortened, so as to cover the space re- quired. Taking out old wood by degrees and laying-in young is the necessary mode of prolonging the vigour of the plant, and to preserve it in a flowering and fruiting state for many years. Besides P. edulis, the fruit of P. quadrangularis is eatable. This variety perfects a larger fruit, and has a more beautiful flower than the foregoing. It is also more robust in habit and requires a higher temperature. It is one of the most hand- some of the entire genus, and is worthy of being cultivated where a suitable position is at command. The following is Lady Dorothy Nevill's receipt for the preparation of Passiflora jelly :— Peel and cut the fruit before it becomes over-ripe, cover with spring water and allow the fruit to boil till quite tender. Then strain through a jelly-bag, measure the juice, and to one pint of juice put half a pound of loaf sugar, the rind of four Lemons and the juice of six, then boil very quickly till stiff enough to turn out of the mould. A pot of this jelly made from P. quadrangularis was some years ago submitted to the Fruit Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society and was highly approved of. HARLAXTON. Harlixton is situated about three miles from Grantham, and its manor house may imquestionably be classed amongst the finest of English mansions. Its erection may be regarded as tbe life-work of the late Gregory Williams Gregory, Esq., who died in 1851, just as his great work was completed. For a period of twenty years £10,000 to £15,000 annually were expended on the fabric and its surroundings, and in order to secure perfectness of detail Mr. (rregory made periodical visits to the Continent to note and subsequently carry into execution the most elaborate examples of architectural ornamentation he could find, and which he could adapt to his magnificent man- sion, for that is a term that may justly be applied to this sumptuous pile. Its interior arrangements had the same lavish care bestowed on them, and everything that could be collected in rich and rare furniture and works of art was arranged with consummate taste. On its completion Harlaxton was regarded as one of the wonders of the time, and an hotel had to be erected for the accommodation of the numerous visitors who came from all parts to see it. Its tapestries were rich, its furniture superb, and statuary inside and in the grounds extensive and costly. So great was its fame that Her Majesty honoured it with a visit of inspection, and there was a general feeling of surmise that it was destined for a Royal residence. This was not to be; but instead, its riches were to be scattered, as the then owner had strangely devised the furniture and works of art to April 1, 187C. ] JOURNAL OP HOBTICULTURB AND OOXTAGB QABDENER. 259 one, and the mansion and SBtates to another. The phrase at- tributed to Marshal Blnchcr in reference to London, " What a place to sack!" might at that time be applicable to Harlax- ton. It became a matter of contention as to what was legiti- mately to be considered as furniture, and expensive litigation was the result. In the end, however, its treasures were re- moved, but the present owner, Mrs. Gregory, has laboured to restore, refurnish, and redecorate ; and Harlaxton, if a kingly mansion once, is a princely residence now. But the statuary of the grounds cannot be replaced, and only a fine marble bust of Mr. Gregory remains in the gardens. The conservatory adjoining the mansion is an elaborately finished structure, the stone dressings being especially ornate, and full of costly and superior workmanship. The edifice is in five compartments, the interior dressings being of marble. It is heated so that some portions are devoted to tropical plants planted out and some as cool oonservatories. It is filled with good plants in an excellent state of health, and by Mr. Vindeu's ' care is alike interesting and attractive. The mansion being erected on the side of a steep decUvity, and well backed by woods, afforded a fine scope for landscape treatment, and full justice has been done in making the grounds ornamental. They are laid out in broad bold terraces and massive Yew hedge boundaries rising, as it were, mountain-like tier beyond tier, and are reached by broad walks and fine flights of steps. Now we are on a level with rich flower beds and looking down on highly-coloured panels spread out several feet below. The several stone staircases, as they may be called, and balustrades which abound in the grounds are a study for the architect. They are extraordinarily massive, yet exhibit a delicacy of treatment such as can only be seen in miniature in fine art exhibitions. 02.— HiELiJiTo:;, The Yew hedges mentioned are a fine feature of the place, and so are the isolated pillars of this evergreen, which are interspersed with vases in different parts of the grounds. As a groundwork Berberis (Mahonia) is extensively used, out of which columns of Irish Yews tower sombre and stately, yet toned by the associated stonework. The flower beds are skilfully managed , and last year, although in one of the driest spots of Britain, they were filled with the best varieties of bedding plants, and (it i-ouUl only be by un- remitting care and labour) presented a mass of beauty quite worthy of this establishment. The view from the terraces is exceedingly fine, being an almost unbroken panorama of trees, out of which the spires of distant village churches emerge, and bounded by the sweeping woods of Denton and Belvoir. The kitchen gardens are about half a mile from the mansion, and are unlike any others to be found in Britain. The walls alone cost £10,000, and are extraordinary examples of masonry. They are built of brick with very substantial copings and elaborate stone dressings, and have niches at intervals which had been intended for statuary. The walks are paved with bricks, and are flanked by flower borders bordered by marginal lines of the beautiful blue Gentian. The main walks converge to the point of entrance, and the visitor is almost startled by the extreme noyelty of this garden, its walks and walls, when taking his first view. That the effect may be seen in the drive-past on the main carriage way iron latticework openings are made in the boundary wall, and none can pass without an admiring glance. The walls are well clothed with fruit trees, especially Pears, which are admirably managed. Worthy of especial note also are two Morello Cherry trees, the finest trees and bearing the finest fruit we ever saw. They are not pruned after the ordi- nary manner of laying-in young wood, but are closely pinched and spurred, and the crops and quality are quite extraordinary. The glass structures are devoted to Grape, Peach, and Cucum- ber culture, in which Mr. Vinden excels. He is also equally at home as a grower of plants, of which many are required for the mansion ; he is also successful as an exhibitor. We have only given an outline of this exceedingly fine and well-managed place, but have a hope of being enabled to fill-in the details on a future opportunity. PEARS-WINTER NBLIS. I WISH to draw attention to another old Pear, Winter Nelis. which my experience leads me to place at the very top of the list. It possesses every quality which the most fastidious Pear critic could desire. It is a sure cropper, the fruit is fine, on 260 JOURNAL OP HOETIOULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. [ April 1, 1875. well-estabHshed trees contiderably over middle size, of the moBt delicious flavour and texture, second only, if second, in these respects to the very best Marie Louise. Then it remains in season longer than any Pear I know of. I have had it in use from the end of November to the present time, and I have still a few left which look as if tliey would keep tOl next month. Another great point in its favour is, that it never decays at the core, it begins to go always from the outside. It deserves a wall and should have one if possible ; but I have it as a pyramid and the fruit ia very good, hardly dis- tinguishable, save in size, from that grown against a wall. But the pyramid is rather dehcate and apparently liable to canker. My opinion of this Pear is so high that were I doomed to grow only one sort, it would certainly be Winter Nelis. Easter Beurre, the crack winter Pear of the French, is worthless here. Whether from a wall or from trees in the open, it is by far the worst Pear that we grow in these parts. My experience of Knight's Monarch is the same as that of your late correspondent's. The fruit refuses to ripen. Glou Mor(;'eau, though it does fairly well in neighbouring gardens, is worthless with me, though a noble-looking Pear. I have given it a good trial on a south wall. I am trying a good many other kinds, but oannot as yet give an opinion as to their merits.— L., Cheshire. NOTES ON VILLA and SUBURBAN GAEDENING. CoNTiNciNc. my remarks from last week upon the work to be now done in the kitchen garden, I advise that a crop of TuENips be now sown ; and although much cannot be expected from this crop, becauEe, being early, there will be a probabiHty of a portion of them running to seed, nevertheless, a few dishes of yonng early Turnips are worth trying for. The Early Stone and Early White Dutch are trustworthy sorts to sow both for the first and second crops. Sow in drills rather than broadcast, which gives a better opportunity to clean the ground. Celekt.— Of this most people grow some. Sow the seed in the following manner: — Make-up a small bed of prepared soil, and place a frame or two or three hand-lights upon it, and keep the sorts separate. Cover the seeds thinly, and gently water them, and not once allow them to become dry afterwards. This is very injurious to all small seeds, because when once the seed has_ begun to germinate, if allowed to suffer from the want of moisture its vitality is destroyed. There are now too many sorts of Celery before the public, ar,d in my opinion very little difference exists between them. There are tall and dwarf reds, and tall and dwarf whites, in many so-called varieties. I am satisfied with growing the following:— Williams's Matchless Red (tall) and Ivery's Red (dwarf). Cole's Crystal White (tall) and Saudriugham or Tom Thumb (dwarf). After the plants are up and can be handled conveniently they may be pricked out in rows on a border of rich soil or manure, aud grow there until wanted to plant in the trenches. In sm all garden?, where space is an object, it is best to dig out the trenches at this time of the year, aud fill them with manure pressed down and covered with soil. The space be- tween the trenches can be cropped with Peas or Beans, or any vegetables which will come off before the soil is wanted for eartbing-up ; and again, if the trenches are dug 18 inches wide there will be room for two rows of Celery in each, thus by tUat plan space will be made the most of. . P-iKSLEY. — That which has stood the winter will now be start- ing into growth freely, but this soon runs to seed ; therefore make a full sowing at once, either in drills by the sides of the walks or m a bed or border by itself. It is a crop which takes some time to come into use from seed, therefore it should be pushed on with all baste to succeed the winter crop. There are many good sorts of curled Parsley; Hyatt's Garnishing seems to be about the best. The plants must be tllinned-out in time and be highly cultivated to produce fine foliage. Heues. — If those are required in any quautity it is advisable to make plantations of them by deeply digging the soil and divide the ground into narrow beds according to the number of sorts to be sown; it is always best to have them all together. The seed may be sown and the plants allowed to establish them- selves after being properly tbiuned-out. The sorts I allude to are Sweet Marjoram, Sorrel, Savory, Sage, Borage, Burnet, Thyme, Fennel, and Chervil, all hardy sorts; next comes Basil, which from being rather tender should be sown under cover and afterwards planted out. Many of the sorts may be raised from cuttings put in under hand-lights, aud be afterwards transplanted. These are Sage, Tarragon, Thyme, and Savory; while others maybe propagated by division, such as Mint, Tarragon, Tansy, Pennyroyal, and Camomile. Asp.iKAOUs. — Where it is necessary to make new beds this should be done at once ; and if they are likely to be permanent considerable pains should be taken in their formation. Asparagus likes a deep rich soil and plenty of moisture, yet the site must be well drained, therefore the soil should have plenty of manure trenched-in deeply and be well worked-up ; if the soil is stiff add roadside sand to it. There are two ways of planting. One is to strike out the beds 4 feet wide, with alleys 2 feet wide or more between each, and the plants put in rows ; biat another plan, and a good one, is to plant in single rows about 4 feet apart, and the plants 1 foot in the rows. They grow remarkably strong this way, and the shoots therefore come up large for cutting. Old beds that have been covered up during winter should now have their spring dressing. Take off the soil down to the coating of manure, then dig that in carefully so as not to injure the crowns. Let the soil remain for a few days to dry, then rake it down and leave it even on the surface. Keep the beds very free from weeds during summer. Globe Aetichokes. — Like Asparagus, these must have a good, rich, and deeply-cultivated soil to grow in, and now is the best time to make a plantation. Plant in rows 3 feet ap.irt, and the same from plant to plant. Rooted suckers should be taken from the old plants. They must be taken off very carefully, and after planting be well watered until they become established. A plantation will last seven or eight years. They produce their heads in .Tune and July ; but if they are wanted longer a few should be planted every spring, which will produce heads to- wards autumn. C.1BBAGES. — Fill-up the winter bed with plants from the seed bed, and afterwards earth-up the rows, as they are now begin- niag to grow; but before this the ground should have been pointed-up with a fork. Tomatoes should be soxn in mild heat and be grown to a good size for planting out in May. The same may be said of Capsicums, which ought to be planted in May iu the warmest part of the garden. . S.VLSAFY AXD ScoBzoxEHA need uot b(J sown till the middle of April, or the plants will run to seed; and the sowing of Beetroot should also be deferred to the same time for the same reason.— Thomas Recobd. DOINGS OP THE LAST AND WORK FOR THE PRESENT WEEK. KITCHEN QABDEN. Allusion was made two weeks ago to the drying winds ex- perienced this spring, and a continuance of them has allowed us to push forward operations without interruption; indeed, cultivators would be glad of a shower to moisten the ground which is being prepared for Potatoes. We have just planted-out the Potatoes for earliest crop on a warm border. The sets had been placed in boxes, and ust covered with cocoa-nut fibre refuse, so that young roots had been formed, and as the house was airy the eyes started strongly. Care was taken in planting them not to injure any of the young sprouts. The ground, which had been dug and manured in the winter, was forked lightly over, planting the Potatoes with a line as the work progressed. The sorts are Myatt's Early Ashleaf, Veitch's Improved Ashleaf, and Extra Early Vermont. This last is said to be so similar to Early Rose as not to be distinguished from it. It was very promising last year, having produced a very large crop with a disproportionately dwaif haulm. The Kidneys were planted 2 feet apart, and the American variety 18 inches only between the rows. Made another sowing of Peas, dwarf sorts, such as Carter's Premium Gem, not requiring any sticks, and varieties requiring sticks — viz., Dr. Hogg, Fillbasket, and G. F. Wilson. Fillbasket is an excellent cropping sort, and will be the standard for all who prefer quantity to quality. G. F. Wilson is an early form of Veitch's Perfection, being ready for gathering quite a week before that excellent dwarf marrow sort, and in other respects it is equal to it. The dwarf Peas are being rapidly improved. Premium Gem is a decided advance on Little Gem, and Blue Peter is an excellent cropper; also, Mr. Laxton has Unique, which he says is 1^ foot higli. They are sown half the distance apart that the other sorts are, and being put in the same time their relative cropping qualities will be determined. If the Asparagus beds are not forked over they ought to be done at once. The usual way is to mark off the alleys be- tween the beds, just forking very lightly between the rows, and adding to the surface of the beds any mould required from the alleys. Sow Celery for the latest crops in an open place. In the northern districts Beet, Scorzonera, and Salsafy may be sown at once ; but the middle or end of April is a better time in warmer latitudes. We are (in Essex) two or three weeks earlier with all crops that require a season to mature, if they are sown April 1, 1875. ] JOURNAL OF HOBTIOULTURE AND COTTAGE QARDENEB. •261 at the same time, thau in the south of Scotland or northern districts of England. A secoud sowing of Broad Beans should now be made. If Brussels Sprouts, Savoys, and Broccoli for the earliest crops ai'e not already sown they ought to bo put in at once. FRUIT .IND FOBCINO HOUSES. Pineries. — A high degree of temperature can be kept up in the fruiting bouse now if it is necessary to push on the fruits that are swelling, with a minimum of 70°, rising to 90^ with sun heat; but the quality of the fruit is deteriorated by a high temperature, as it necessitates the house beiug kept pretty close, much artificial heat in cold nights, and proportionately more atmospheric moisture. Under such circumstances the crowns are frequently drawn-up out of proportion to the fruit. Should a day or two of bright sunshine occur after a dull period, it it as well to shade any fruits swelliog-off with a sheet of paper during the hottest part of the day, say from ten to two in the afternoon. The fruit should also he tied to sticks to prevent it from falling over, for unless the fruit is quite upright the crowns will be one-sided. OECHAKD HOUSE. The Peach and Nectarine trees will not be in flower for a few weeks yet ; the house has been well aired, and no artificial heat has been required at night, so that the lateness of the bloom will in all probability be the means of a good set. Plums and Pears have only been taken-in this week; however, a week or two of fine weather would cause all blossoms to open rapidly. A little care is ueccssarj' in watering the trees, and there is more danger of the flowers dropping through the roots becom- ing too dry than if too much water should be applied. Thorough drainage is of the utmost importance, and there is but little danger to be feared from superfluous water when it drains away freely. Should the trees not be quite free from brown scale, now is the best time to look over them and have the scale re- moved, afterwards washing the place with strong soapy water. Strawberry plants on the shelves do not as yet make much growth ; the pots are watered alternately with weak liquid manure. They ought also to be watered with care, as the B-inch pots are crammed quite full of roots ; there is not much danger of ovorwatering any of them unless the drainage has be- come choked through worms working. When this is the case it is best to turn the plant out, aud after clearing the crooks from mould carefully replace the plant as before. Worms may be destroyed by watering with clear lime water. Remove succes- sion batches of plants to the forcing house as they are required. Any variety will bear rapid forcing now. President and British Queen are the best for late crops. PLANT STOVE. Climbing plants are growing freely, and if neglected now will be materially injured for the ensuiug season. Those trained to the roof should not be allowed to twine into each other, not should the young growths on the same plant be allowed to do this. Those growths that coil round the wires must also be untwined in order to train the plants as they ought to be done. Stephanotis, Ipomcea, Hoya carnosa, and all rapid-growing creepers should be looked over once a-week. Pot plants of the same climbers should be trained in the same manner. The flowering growths must not now be trained round the trellis but to string, cue end of which is attached to the trelUs and the other to the roof of the house ; this allows the leaves aud flowers ample space to develope themselves, aud when the flowers begin to open, the growths may then be tied into their proper places. The splendid plants of Stephauotia florihunda and other stove climbers exhibited at the metropolitan exhibitions are obtained in this way. Not a single mealy bug should be allowed in the house. We can only recommend hunting them up with soft soap and water. It is mere waste of time and money to fancy that this pest can be destroyed by merely syringing the plants infested with any decoction. Thrips are also very troublesome in the stove. Tobacco smoke will destroy them if it can be applied strong enough, but the leaves of many stove plants are very tender, and the young fronds of Ferns will not stand smoke. The best treatment is to wash the insects off with a sponge and soapy water. Eed spider is kept in check by syringing the plants ; those that cannot be syringed must be washed off by hand. FLOWER GARDEN. We have run the mower over the lawn aud cut the grass edgings. It is now time that all the pleasure grounds should be in first-rate order, as a badly-kept lawn spoils the best place. If any shrubbery borders have not yet been forked over it ought to be done at once. It may not be desirable to fork or dig where choice herbaceous plants are, but the Dutch hoa at least should be run through the ground, making the surface neat with a small rake. Ehododendron beds should be hoed and raked, and a dressing of rotted manure be placed over the surface. This practice is especially needful in dry districts, as it not only nourishes the plants but retains moisture. Hoed beds of spring. flowering plants, and also stirred the surface of Pink beds for the second time. Auriculas are now throwing up their flower trusses, and it is desirable to shelter them from the east wind ; in fiae days the lights may be removed for a few hours in the middle of the day. Do not allow the plants to be exposed to raiu; a slight shower would not injure the Alpine section, but the more tender florist varieties are much better under shelter. Carnations aud Picotees will be potted into the flowering pots as soon as we can attend to them. In the meantime the plants have been looked over, the withered leaves picked off, and a few plants that were attacked by aphis dusted with Scotch snuff. Planted-out the first batch of Gladiolus bulbs. We have planted as early as the first week in March and once in B'eb- ruary, but it is not desirable to do so, as the plants grow through the ground too early, aud though they may not be cut down by spring frosts they are sometimes injured. To have a continuous display of this fine autumn flower until the end of October a succession of bulbs must be planted every fortnight until June. Do not neglect to place a little sand under and over the bulbs, nor should they be planted too deep; 2 inches of mould over the top of the crowns is quite deep enough for the largest bulbs. Small bulbs should not be quite so deep in the ground. — J. Douglas. HORTICULTUBAL EXHIBITIONS. Secretaries will oblige us by informing us of the dates on which exhibitions are to be held. Jersey. — May 5tb, Roses Jano 16th, Autumu October 13th, du-ysautbemums November 10th. Major Howell, Spring Grove, St. Lawrence, Huu. Sec. Bath.— May 12th, September 1st and 2ad. Mr. B. Peai'sou, 13, Milsom Street, Sec. Crystal Palace Company. — Flower Show, May 22nd ; Rose Show, Jane IDth ; Autumn Fruit and Flower Show, September 7th to 9th — Sec, F. W. Wilson. Bees and their appliances, September 2Ut to 23rd — Sec, J. Hunter. OoVEKTKY.— May 31st. Mr. T. Wigston, 3, Portland Terrace, Lower Ford Street, Sec. Leeds.— Juno 9th, lOtb, and 11th. Mi-. J. Birkbeck, Delph Lane, Woodboaee, Leeds, Sec. Burton-upon-Tkent.— Juno 16th. Mr. Wm. Shave, Bond Street, Sec. CiLAsao\v.— June 16th, September 8th. Mr. F. G. Dougall, 167, Canning Street, Sec. Fareham.— June 23rd. Mr. H Smith, Sec. Exeter (Rose Show). — June 25th. Mr. J. N. Gray, Qaeeu Street Chambers, Hon. Sec. WiSBEACH— June 30th. Mr. 0. Parker, Hon. Sec. MiiDSTONE.— (Roses), June 30lh, at Vinters Park. H. Bensteal, Esi-, Huu Sec, Rose Club, Mill Street. Maidstone. Spalding. — July 1st and 2nd. Mr. G. F. Barrell, Hon. Sec. Durham and Northcmberland. — To be held at Elswick Park, July 7th and 8th. Mr. K. Bevely, Sec. Nottingham. — Rose Show, &c., July 9th and 10th. Apply to Alfred Kirk, Municipal Ollices, Nottingham. ToNBEiDGE. — JiUy 11th. Mr. W. Blair, Free Press Office, Hon, Sec. Wlmbledon. — July l;jth and 16th. Mr. P. Appleby, 5, Linden Cottages, Sunnyside, Wimbledon, Hon. Sec. D.UILINGTON.— July 16th, at Southend, William Hodgson, Sec. Brecon.— July 22nd. Mr. W. J. Roberts. Sec. Cleckheaton. — July 21th. Mr. S. H. Williamson, Hon. Sec. Preston. — July 28th and 29th. Mr. W. Troughton, 4, Church Street, Hon. Sec. Southampton. — July SIso and August 2na. Mr. C. S. Fuidge, 32, York Street, Lower Avenue, Sec. Ra:msgate. — August 25th. C. D. Smith, Esq., 8, Marine Terrace, Mai-gato, Hon. Sec. Dundee.— August 26th, 27th, and 23th. Mr. E. McKelvio, 51, Reform Street, Sec. South of Scotland. — To be held at Damfrics, September ilrd. Mr. J. Eloimt Diuwiddie, 11, Bucclouch Street, Dumfries, Hon. Soc. TRADE CATALOGUES BEOEIVED. Louis Van Houtte, Koyal Nurseries, Ghent, Belgium. — Gata- loQiLC of Gcsneriaceous^ BtUboas, and T liberous-rootecl Plantts. Ch. Huber & Co., ;i Hydros (Var.-France). — Priced List of Uniamental Plants. J. Linden, 52, Eue du Chaume, Ghent, Belgium. — Illustrated General Plant Catalogue. John Saul, Washington City, 'D.C.^Descriptive Catalogue o} New and Bare Plants, and General List of Florists' Flowers. TO CORRESPONDENTS. ',* All con'espondence should be directed either to "The Editors," or to " The Publisher." Letters addressed to Mr. Johnson or Dr. Hogg often remain unopened unavoid- ably. We request that no one will write privately to any of our correspondents, as doing so aubjeots them to un- justifiable trouble and expense. Correspondents should not mix up on the same sheet questions relating to Gardening and those on Poultry and Bee sub- jects, and should never send more tbi>i? two or three 262 JOUKNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ April 1. 1875. questions at once. All articles intended for insertion should be written on one side of the paper only. We cannot reply to questions through the post. Potatoes (C. B. Q,). — The Lapstones you euclosod ai-e affected by what is called "the Potato disease," about which bo much has been written but no remedy ascertained. Cankered Fruit Treks (Jane).~lQ the caao of 'aged trcea there is no cure for chronic canker. When it oecara on young trees a thorough draining of the soil and a thin training of the shoots in the growing season to secure wood-ripenins, are vital points to be attended to. Gas-heated Boiler. — A correspondent, "J. H.," wishes to know the dimensions of the gas-boiler mentioned by " J. W." on page 178, and whether he thinks it wouU be capable of heating 150 feet of 2-inch pipe, also the amount of heat he was able to maintain in his greenhouse during the severest of the recent weather. PaiMCLA SINENSIS METAMORPHOSIS {R. R. T7.),— We novtr before saw such a total change of the flowers. All are green ; the petals are like the calyx. Stamens and pistils are all green, and even the ovary is leafy and green. We do not think the sport will be permanent. Garden Engines {E, B.).— Any one of those advertised in our columns does its work well. Mowing Machine {M. ^.).— Write to Messrs. Green and tell them your difficulty with the chain. They will give you the information you need. Bone M\n-l'res (F. J,).— All in the list are good manures. We believe No. 6 the most durable. IRISE3 [W. A , Corc/j/r.'/).— Anyof theflorists who advertise in our columns could supply fifty varieties if you explain to them what you require. Potatoes for Seed (fl". if,).— In the neighhouvhood of Liverpool and Manchester all the varieties you name are grown. Inquire of the dealers iu Potatoes there. Victoria Savoy (A Suhscrlbcr).~Th\s is merely a form of tlie Dwarf Green Curled, and may be only a good selection. It is the best Savoy for general crop. Cauliflowers (fdem).— Walcheren, Lenormand's, and Veitch's Autumn Giant. Broccoli {rJs?^).— Snow's Superb Winter White, Perkins' Leamington, Cai'ter's Champion. Gooseberries (/(fern).— Rough Red, Whitesmith, and Warriugton. Plants fur Screen (iJ/. C.)-— Having a hedge which will indue time give you the desired seclusion we should not go to the expense of a permanent fence of wire with climbers to cover, but content omselves with a summer screen or two of such subjects as Scarlet Kunners, Sweet Peas, and Nasturtium, the two last giving very useful flowers for cutting, and the first is one of the most useful vegetables. We should have all three, a row of each as follows, com- mencing from the back: — Scarlet Runners, a double row sown eai-ly in May, sowing rather thickly 3 inches apart iu the rows, and providing with a double row of stakes, the stakes a foot apart every way, and in quincunx order, and with 7 feet stakes there will be little seen through it when covered. A double row of Sweet Peas mixed, and containing about half Scarlet Innncible, being sown at once and furnished with stakes tl feet high, completing with an inner row of Nasturtium Tall mixed, and furnished with stakes 6 inches apart 6 feet high. This wiU give yon a complete block by attending to the growths, tying and training to the stakes as required. Surface Plant for Fernery (Idtm).— The *' small pointed-leaved Ivy" would grow luxuriantly in a stove fernery, but better far is Ficus repens, a very close-growing and rapid evergreen, it clings to walls or stone remaikably weU, in fact will cover speedily any surface. Grafting Magnolia (T. V.).—1he proper time to graft is in April just when the plants commence swelling the buds, and the safest mode is by inarching, which will take a year if not two to efiect a complete union, the union of Magnolia scions with the stock being notoriously slow. Budding may also be accomplished in July or August. Cover the ligature with graft- ing wax, which is more neat, and is not so liable to crack as the usual grafting pigment of clay and cow dung. The leaf you sent is one of the forms of M. grandiflora, we think exoniensis, but the leal is too small to judge with certainty. Cucumbers and Melons (A*. Y. Z.].—Tht Box-like border will be better than pots, but the depth ought to be not less than 0 inches, as in a shallow soil the roots are subject to suffer from drought. We should not give them all the soil at once, but add to it as the plants advance in growth. The netting, which we presume is wire, wo should have fixed at a foot distance from the glass, and train the Vines to it. Ordinary netting we fear would not answer, and wire is not more costly than netting. It should be painted- Telegi'aph is a good Cucumber; more prolific but smaller is Munro's Duko of Edinburgh ; Blue Gown is larger and very free ; Tender and True has a vei-y fine fruit, and is free-bearing. Melons: Meredith's Hybrid Cashmere, Cox's Golden Gem, Duke of Edinburgh, and Read's Scarlet-flesh ; but if you have only sun heat Munro's Little Heath. Echeveria PU3IILA (C. TF.).— Judging from the small offset you sent ns, the preceding is its name. It is one of many succulents at present so ex- tensively in use for flower gardens, and is very suitable for an edging to beds. It is easily grown in light turfy loam, with a fourth of well-rotted manure ftnd a sixth of sand or old mortar rubbish broken up small, good drainage being necessary. Water in winter carefully, keeping only from shrivelling, and during growth water more. It is a greenfiouse plant, and should have a light airy position. Thinning Grapes (Idem).~lt is difficult to describe this operation, there is so much diversity in the shape and size of berries, in their setting, and form of bunch. The shoulders of the bunches should be tied-up, and the smallest berries ought first to be taken out, and leave the largest and best three-quarters of an inch apart for the small round and oval-berried kinds, and an inch for those which have large berries. The berries inside the bunch should be removed, leaving them as much exteriorly as possible, and with plenty of room to swell. The earlier they ai'e thinned after setting the greater prospect is there of large berries; hut it must not be practised until it is clear which berries are taking the lead (some are email, and will be always so from being seedless), and those that ate certain to attain a full size. SEAK4LE— CacuMOERS (Idem).— It is not proper to blanch Seakale the season of planting, but it should bd allowed to make a good growth, and in the winter following it may be forced, or blanched by covering with pots, and then with litter, or it may be blanched by covering with ashes or any light material. Liquid manure for Cucumbers may be made by a peck of sheep droppings to thirty gallons of water, and the same quantity of cow dung, horse droppings, and soot to twenty gallons, or lib. of guano to the latter quantity of water. Cyclamen persicum Planting Outdoors in Summer (G. S.).— We do not recollect iu what number the plauting-out of these plants is recommended. After the middle of May the plants may be turned out of the pots in the open border in light soil, and there thoy may remain until August or early iu September, when they should be potted and placed iu a cold frame. Musk Tr'EZ (Idem). — The spray is, we think, Guarea Swartzi, which is a stove tree from Jamaica. The whole plant has a strong odour resembling Musk, and so has Guarea grandiflora, neither of which are in general cultiva- tion. Its foliage is good, and its perfume renders it vcrj- desirable. Propaga- tion is effected by cuttings of ripe shoots in April or May in sand under a bell-glass in brisk bottom heat. It is not at best other than a tardy-rooting subject from cuttings, and even layers root slowly. Ci'CLAJiEN 1'ERSicu.M (All Amat' ut). — 3ow the seed at once in turfy loam, leaf soil, sandy peat, and silver sand equal parts, and cover about a quarter inch deep with fine soil. Place in a hotbed and keep moist. The plants will soon appear, one leaf first, then two, and when they are showing the second pot them off singly in 3-inch pots in the same compost, but with only a sixth of silver sand. Pot so that the corms are just covered with soil. Return to a hotbed, or place on shelves in a house where there is a brisk heat and moist atmosphere; keep moist, but avoid making the soil sodden by too heavy and needless watering. They do well in a stove, a Cucumber house, or anywhere near the glass iu a warm and moist bouse. When they fill the pots with roots shift into 4t-inch pots, and again as these fill with roots into fJ-inch, selecting the largest for this size. If kept gi-owing during the winter they will flower well next spring, hut to do this they require a cool stove or warm greenliousa temperature. PropA(.ating Shrubs (IFcs/ Coast). — Your soil will grow almost any and all kinds of shrubs. To give you names would he to enumerate an extensive list, which you may do quite as well as om-selves from any catalogue. Peat is the best soil for Rhododendrons, and they will flower this season if trans- planted now. Sweet Bay cuttings under hand-glasses in a shady border at the end of August or early September. Portugal Laurel by cuttings, with about an inch of old or last year's wood, in a shady border iu a sheltered situation about the middle of September. Aucubas same time and position, but better under a hand-light or glass. Luurustiuus in sandy soil at end of September in a sheltered shady border. Pyracantha, layers in autumn. Pyrns japonica, suckers, whieh spring freely from the root ; layers in autumn; or ripe-wood cuttings after the leaves are fallen. Slahonia, Berberis Darwini, B. dulcis, all three from seed sown in spring, of which you may save plenty of weed, only keep from birds ; or by suckers, but seedlings are every way pre- ferable. Box by cuttings about (J inches long in sandy soil in a shady border in September. Euonymus japonicus, cuttings of ripe shoots in August under a hand-glass in a shady border in sandy soil. Ai-bor Vitic, cuttings in sandy soil under a band-glass in a warm shady border, hut better by seed sown iu April in a warm border. Junipers by cuttings in September in sandy firm soil in a ahady border under a hand-glass; or seeds, which do not vege- tate under a twelvemonth, often two or more years. Yews, cuttings in sand in a shady border, and a heel of old wood ; better by seed, which will not appear until the second or third year. Esoallonia, cuttings of shoots in August in sandy soil under a hand-glass. ■ Roses — Primula japonica (Idrm). — For your soil we should have the Roses on Manetti ; upon own roots they do not grow nearly so vigorously. They will not answer upon Manetti stocks for standards ; those will need to be on Briar stocks. Primula japonica flowers at this time of year, April, and May, and it is perfectly hardy. Primula cortusoides amuena is increased by division, as you will see particularised in the article to which you allude. DtiUBLE White Violets (i^ora).— The double white Violets mentioned in Bacon's Essays as flowering at Easter were no doubt the same as those now cultivated under that name, and which may be had of any of the principal florists advertising in our columns, t^ueen of Violets is large, white with purple blotches, and very sweet. Geranilm Leaves Crumpled (Idtin). — The leaf sent is not diseased, but the atmosphere in which they are growing is too cold and dry, the crumpled state of the leaves being caused by a chill or sudden check to growth. There is also an appeai-ance of thrips having been active upon them, which may be destroyed by fumigation with tobacco. Sfaraxis not Thriving (Idem).— Tho treatment of these plants in pots is as foUows :— Plant in September or October five or six bulbs in a 5 or 6-inch pot, using a compost of equal parts turfy loam, sandy peat, and leaf soil, with a sixth of silver sand. They should have the soil made fii-m about the bulbs, inserting them about an inch deep, and place iu a cold pit or frame, plunging in ashes, and keep cool, no water to be given untU the foliage appears, then give it spai'ingly, increasing the supply with the growth. Early iu March they may be removed to the greenhouse, placed on a shelf near the glass, and be duly attended to with water until iu flower. We apprehend youi- plants have been kept at a distance from the glass, have been too heavily watered, and not had enough light and air. POULTRY, BEE, AJJD PIGEON OHEONIOLE. A VISIT TO MR. VANDER MEERSCH. " I u-V^E over four hundred birds to show you, and shall be very pleased for you to see them. Balham is the best station to reach me by, as more trains arrive there than at Tooting. Just drop me a line." Thus wrote Mr. Vander Meersch many months ago, but no opportunity came for my accepting the invitation until recently. Now, there are many stations at which the traveller's only wish is to get on, and the wish to get out never enters his head. Many such are around London, but there are others where the country looks so pleasant, or the town or village looks so bright, that one quite longs to get out and take a ramble. Such a one AprU 1, 1876. ] JOUBNAL OP H0BTIG0LTDB3 AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 263 ia Balham. Often and often had I passed it in spring, and autumn, in summer, and especially in winter, but it always smiled a welcome. Pleasant-looking treey Balham ! for after all the fine trees were what had captivated my eyes, and made we wish to see the place. But what a winter we have had ! How cruel to man and beast, and bird ! Oh, that snowy freezing December, and Feb- ruary still worse to bear because of the mild January preceding. Surely March will make amends ! but March 1st piercingly cold, with north-east wind, no sun, no cheerfulness. March 'iai just the same. March ^rd rather worse, because of little spiteful snowflakes that almost blind one. What days to walk up Picca- dilly with the wind in your face ! Metropolitan railway stations usually cheerful, bat cheerless now, with shoeblack boys having no customers, for people dare not stand still and take bronchitis. March 4th comes, and — " Why, really, you don't mean it, do you? there you are at last, my old friend, Sol." Positively there at ten o'clock is a little sunshine, more at eleven, and by noon, when I reach Balham station, it is really a pleasant bright March day. Now has come the time at last to walk through the place I had 80 often admired in passing. How broad, and bright, and pleasant the street is ! how well kept the houses and gardens ! There is my friend, a butcher's boy (N.B. — Always ask your way of a butcher's boy, for he is a walking, or rather driving, local directory). I pause till the said boy, rosy and plump as his beef, has ceased his flirtation with that pretty maidservant. Just as a hungry man is an angry man, so an interrupted lover is liable to be cross. " Will you tell me where Mr. Vander Meersch lives?" "Why, sir, at Lower Tooting." "Well, ia this Tooting?" "Some calls it so, but I call it Balham, and TJpper Tooting begins at the ' Wheatsheaf.' Gc straight on for a mile, cross a broad way, and on the left opposite, a big red- brick house, is Mr. Vander Meersch's." Now, there's a butcher's boy for you ; his imformation clear, concise, and easily remem- bered. Had I interrupted his love-talk I should not have had such a good direction. Note. — Always be judicious, and do not speak at wrong times. Attention to this and like matters make a man get on comfortably in life. Discretion oils the wheels of life and makes the machine run on smoothly. Thanks to that butcher boy my troubles are at an end. I stroll on in enjoyment, not in doubt. Presently I come to the " Wheatsheaf," for there is its sign, and there in the door the host. I come soon after to the broad crossway. There's the large red-brick house, just one of those you rarely see anywhere except near London. Why it is I know not, but around London there are grand red-brick mansions, their colour toned by time, most pleasing to the eye, giving an idea of warmth and comfort which no stone can give. Some stone for dwellings chills, as, for in- stance, all who know Aberdeen feel chiUed when walking the streets by the cold grey granite of the houses. Would that men would now make such good red brick as in the years when Hampton Court was built, or when many such houses were as the one I now look at. Directly opposite I see Mr. Vander Meersch's name on a wicket, and walk in through a nice roomy garden to a most snug old-world romantic home (for home is the only word), named " The Walnuts " — suitable name, for walnuts came to England in Henry VII. 's reign. Soon I enter a regular cosy parlour ; and though I am as yet alone I know it is Mr. Vander Meersch's, for on a side table is a stuffed Black Trumpeter, a bird that in life I remember well, and a grand bird it was. There, too, on a table in the window ia a stuffed White Jacobin, another grand bird ; but as yet we Pigeon fanciers have not found a bird-stuffer who is a fancier, and therefore no dead specimen has justice done to it. Above me chirps a good Norwich Canary; at my feet is a toy terrier, while a black retriever makea love to my hands. Around me are glorious hyacinths, and I sit and wait for the master's arrival, feeling a fancier in a fancier's home. I do not wait long, for Mr. Vander Meersch soon arrives, and with him I begin the tour of bis premises. He is particularly fortunate in having so much space, and yet so near London. Before the house lies a square of lawn all — house and lawn — within walls. On the lawn are fowls enjoying a ramble. Two sides of the lawn running around the interior of the outer wall are wooden poultry houses and runs, each a semi-detached villa, with a run at either end of the block ; two houses and their runs, then two more, and so on all round the two sides. They are very neat erections and do not look awkward, as they are low-roofed. Mr. Vander Meersch manages to keep thirteen different varie- ties of fowls, in size varying from Black Cochins to Game Bantams. There were Hambargha, too, of every variety. I waa glad to aee the Black Cochins, for they are a class which need much to be taken up by fanciers. We have plenty of good Whites, but Blacks are few indeed. I stroll round admiring the neat arrangement of the houses and the excellence of their inmatea. Indeed the whole plan is admirable, including the •exercise-lawn in the centre, with flower beds protected by wire. Come we next to the Pigeons, looking up as we pass to a loft above a stable — a deserted loft now, for it brought sad reflections, for the rats forced their way in and destroyed many birds. First within an enclosure I come upon Pigeons kept on the pen system, almost as Rabbits are, the birds sitting in one part or division and living in the one adjoining. In these I found good Fantails, tame as cats from constant companionship with tbeir owner, large Kunts, small African Owls, alao Jacobins, and they were Mr. Vander Meeraoh's Jacobins that I particularly wished to see. He is breeding not only for Blues but Silvers, and is on the way to success. These colours will be a very agreeable addition to our shows. We have Red Jacks and Yellow Jacks in abundance and of admirable quality. Then come Blacks, striking by the contrast of the white head and black hood, but other colours there might be. Now, as I said, Mr. V. is breeding for Blues and Silvers, and what we have begun to see good— viz., Whites, as witness that beautifal White Jack shown by Mr. Fulton at the Bristol .Show. The difficulty with the White is of course getting rid of the bull eye and obtaining a good pearl eye in its place, as bull eye and white feather will go together ; this, however, may be done. There is another colour which I used to see — viz., Mottles, which I should again like to be shown. A correctly mottled Jack would be as good a colour as in Tumblers, and the old fanciers had Reds, Yellows, Blacks, Blues, and Mottles. Duns would hardly be a desirable addition, but a clear Blue as good in colour as a Dragoon would be a great addition, for I fully believe in old Girton when he says " Jaco- bins are by far the prettiest Pigeons of the Toy kind." We may look for first-class Blues, Silvers, and Whites in a few years from Mr. V.'a stock. Next I come into the largest compartment of all for the Pigeons, some 30 feet long by perhaps 10 wide, all roofed in, and with a close wire front. Around me are the shelvea, on the old principle of being open, save having a blind to hide the nests. All sorts of Toy Pigeons are before me, and some that are not Toys — ^Turbita, Nuns, Barbs, Trumpetera, and Hragoons, and a few Shortfacea. I handle several, and see Mr. V.'s plan of matchiug-up for the season. To show the difficulties which fanciers have to contend with, and true fanciers overcome, I am shown a most perfectly Shortfaced Jack, but — it has orange eyes ; then a Black with a chain and hood of marvellous length, but — half its face ia black and the beak very pleasant-faced. But these birds will form ingredients from which will come grand and perfect prize birds. And herein lies the ceaseless pleasure of Pigeon fanciers ; they have always a " Hill Diffi- culty " to meet and surmount. I go on to other like, but less lofts, and see many birds, upwarda of thirty varietiea being kept by Mr. Vander Meersch. Among the Fantails was a blue-laced hen, a rara avis indeed. Wiltshire met me too, for among the White Pouters was one from Mrs. Ladd of Calne. Having made the tour of the premises to the great disgust of a most savage bull-terrier, who regarded me probably as the well-dressed head of a gang of burglars who had come disguised as a clergyman in order to spy out the weak point for attack. Oh, that bull-terrier, with his chain shortened to save my calves, which quivered with fear, as I had to pass very near him once or twice ! Returning to the house, having perambulated the whole pre- mises and seen everything down to horse, Alderney cow, and that terrible dog, I sit down to lunch in a room hung round with old Mr. Wolstenholme's portraits of prize Pigeons ; almost every fancier has them, and some of them are still good, although time and fanciers have made great strides onwards since they were drawn, as in the Trumpeter and Pouter; but the Lance Fantail and the Black Short-faced Tumbler are excellent, and will please for ever. Chattering over luncheon and talking Pigeon-talk, I am next shown by Mr. Vander Meerach his prizes, cups, and, what are much more useful, a silver tea-apparatus, &c. I3ut the day wears, and I must be in Wiltshire by night. On my way to the station I am shown peeps into the vast houses for orchids, azaleas, heaths, &c., in BoUisson & Son's nursery, with which Mr. Vander Meersch is connected ; thus he is a sort of walking Journal of Horticidtiire, for hia life is spent among flowers and birds. Happy man to be situated, and not " pent in a populous city." But time and trains wait for no man, and with a hearty shake of the hand with my pleasant Belgian friend I hasten to Balham station, having enjoyed greatly the best part of a fine March day with Mr. Vander Meersch. — Wiltshire Eectob. TuE Bath and West of Engl.ind Society meet this year at Croydon. The Exhibition opens on May Slat, and closes on June 4th. Croydon being so quickly accessible from London, if the weather proves favourable the visitors will be numerous. The poultry prizes are liberal, and there are fifteen £5 cups. We are sorry the Society adheres to the injurious rule of re- quiring the birds to be delivered on the Saturday. We know to our cost that the Sunday frequently spoils the looks of many of the birds before the judges come round, for the pens are made very dirty. We wish the Society would admit the birds on 264 JOUBNAL OP HORTICULTOBB AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. [ April 1, 1875. Monday, to be judged on Taesday. Is it too late even now to have this remedied ? The schedule, too, in other ways is behind the times. Every pen must be sent in a separate basket. We had hoped this rule was to have been obliterated from all schedules. Then, Black Hamhurghs, which generally muster strongest of the Hamburghs, are left out entirely. Game Bantams are huddled into one class with only two prizes, and there is no Bantam variety class. Pigeons have sixteen classes, and no cups. "We are glad to see one of those sixteen is for our friends the Archangels. No colours are divided; but Turbits of all colours. Tumblers of all breeds, and Dragoons of all sorts have each to go to their one class. — W. POULTEY-SHOW EXPENSES. We are frequently asked whether poultry shows usually are self-snpportiug, and what expense a show of a fair size entails ? We have before us the balance-sheet of a show held during January last, and from it we may gather some of the items of expense connected with such exhibitions. We must first, how- ever, say that we do not think shows are usually self-supporting. The expenses are legion. The outer world and exhibitors generally have no idea of the large expenditure a poultry show entails. Looking over the lists of shows held during the past ten years we find very many which only continued two or three seasons. They collapsed from the mere fact that the committee would not endure loss year after year. There are, however, so many towns and villages ready to have a show whenever a suitable date occurs, that those discontinued are not missed. Of course many summer shows have been going on for many years, and seem to thrive, but they are generally connected with an agri- cultural association, and conduce to each other's prosperity. Then there are some shows which, perhaps, from careful general- ship and genuine hard work do succeed and fight their way well, and become annual events. Of such a show we cannot have a brighter example than that held at Oxford. The Crystal Palace, Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol, and such-like shows we look now upon as national institutions ; but poultry exhibitions generally we do not think are profitable. They commence with poultry, then a few Rabbits are added, then cage birds, and then cats to make the family party happy. But all these latter pets are merely added as elegant baits to tempt in the outside world, who, busy in the daily avocations of life, pass the very doors of the exhibition without turning in, regardless of cocks crowing and of Canaries singing. Even these baits are short-lived, and the people, when it ceases to be a novelty, neglect to come. Then the show puts up its shutters from waot of local support, without which shows cannot live. We often think the inhabitants of some places are more energetic than others ; what else can account for the extraor- dinary manner in which some poultry show rooms are filled with visitors, and others literally empty? For examples take Bristol and Oxford. We have been in the Drill Hall in the former city and not seen more than a score of people, and the whole of them almost fanciers from a distance — strangers to the town, and this is, we fear, the state of things generally at Bristol ; while we have been present at every one of the evenings of the three Oxford Shows, and on each occasion found the buildings so filled to overflowing that literally it was impossible to move, and the whole crowd kept surging round the rooms unable to see a feather. This we should like to see at all shows. We do not mean an inconvenient crowd, but each show well supported by its townspeople. Ari exhibition causes much money being spent in the town, and in return the residents should all do their best to make it a success. When we are asked for advice about establishing a poultry show we always strongly recommend having two com- mittees : the one composed of a few working fanciers who really know what to do and are willing to do it, and the other consist- ing of as many members as possible, each to guarantee X'l in case of loss. This stimulates them to promote the interests of the show and to enlist visitors. By it a large sum of money is guaranteed in case of debt, which falling on many pockets makes the sum for each to pay quite a nominal one, and so does not prevent another trial being made. This is a good plan, and we have known it to work well. Too large a working committee is most disastrous. Everyone thinks he knows best, and nothing is arranged to the satisfaction of all ; but on the working committee there must be some real fanciers — men who know the ways and movements of exhibitors ; a committee of novices fall into all kinds of mistakes and need- less expenditure. The show of which the balance-sheet we have before us was a first exhibition, and comprised poultry. Pigeons, cage birds, Babbits, and Cats. Wo find the entries amounted to very nearly a thousand, which is a fair, though by no means a large, number for the amount spent in cups and prizes, which amounted to £196. The entry money came to about £170, making £25 difierence between the two. We always like to see the fees pay the prizes, and this should be the case. Here, however, the dates were badly chosen, and a Sunday absurdly included, which of course lessened the number of entries. We find the charges for about eight hundred pens came to close on £40, nearly Is. each. Judges' fees amounted to £19, which we think reasonable, for the stall was a large one and good, con- sisting of no less than six gentlemen. Labour, materials, attendants, and food came to about £S0, and printing, advertis- ing, and posting, £40 more. The rent of rooms and refresh- ments for judges and staff about £30, making a total expendi- ture of nearly £400. We must remember that the secretary was an honorary one, and did not cost the society anything. This, then, is the expenditure for a show of about a thousand pens. We do not consider that it was extravagantly worked, nor peculiarly economically; but it was well done, and the arrangements were good. Against the outgoings we find £143 taken at the doors on the three days of the show, £170 for entries, and about £32 collected in the neighbourhood for cups and pieces of plate, a great part of which was contributed in half-crowns, the energetic houorary secretary having opened a ladies' subscription list of 2s. ISd. eich, and so collected a goodly part of the £32 without any especial call on anyone's pocket. We can recommend very strongly this most useful and success- ful plan of obtaining some prize plate to give a schedule a healthy look; and then, lastly, there were about £10 commis- sion on sales. Thus the receipts only came to £350 against an expenditure of £-100, and a debt of £.50 remains. Now, had there been only a small committee this debt would most likely have prevented their holding another show ; but the two com- mittees existed, and the second being a large one, the loss will be equally distributed among all of them, and so no one wiU really feel much inconvenienced, and they are, we believe, already looking forward to holding their second exhibition. One word in conclusion to exhibitors and the fancy generally. We think all should do their best for shows, not only in sup- porting them with entries, but by being as courteous and civil as possible to the show authorities, for they are mostly men who from genuine love of the feathered world glee much valu- able time and a large outlay of money to promoting the welfare of the fancy, reaping, in many cases perhaps, as a return only rude treatment from those whose interests they have been serving. — W. HOUDANS LAYING. I AM sorry to see in the last two numbers of the Journal com- plaints of Houdans not laying. From twenty pullets I have had an unfailing supply of eggs since November; only two or three a-day in that month and December it is true, but always some eggs. Now they are in full laying. , i j I feed on bruised oats, small wheat, and corn dust slaked with pot hquor, and mixed with kitchen scraps, given warm in the early morning and again at noon, their last meal being the best whole oats. They have a large grass run, but it has proved a snow run mostly this winter for them, yet they have laid well, fine, large, rich eggs. — Sabkina, Aherdeen, N.B. 1 AM much obliged to your correspondents for their notice of my questions about Houdans. Would not some more breeders give us a fair and candid statement on this point ? for I wish to be assured about it before I break up my yard. They have other good qualities, and I admire their appearance ; but if they are faulty in this respect I must change for some other breed. — D., Deal. STANHOPE (NEAR DARLINGTON) POULTRY AND PIGEON SHOW. This was held in a large tent near the railway station on the 20th inst. The Show, although only small, contained some very good birds. The Game were excellent and the entries large. In single cocks there were thirteen; both prizes being taken by the same exhibitor with Duckwing and Brown Red, each superior, stylish birds. The three highly-commended pens were Brown Reds. In Black or Brown Reds (cock and hen) both prizes went to the latter colour, very good close- feathered birds. The Dackwings were a good class, and besides the prizes two pens were highly commended. The first-prize Spanish won the cup for the best pen in the Show, and also the cup for the best pen within three miles of Stanhope. They wer3 very good, and shown in fine condition. The cup for the best pen of Dorkings went to Darks. Neither of the Dorking classes were good, and the cup certainly was of more value than the birds. The Hamburgh classes were very fair for the locality, but they might have been better; many of the combs were faulty. The Game Bantams were of medium quality. In pairs of hens a capital pair of Brown Red Game were first, a perfect match, and good in all points; second went to Grey Dorkings; April 1, 1876. ] JOUKNAIi OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 2G5 and four pens were highly commended. The Duck class was a very creditable one with thirteen entries, Aylesburys were first and Eouens second; and sis pens highly corumeuded. The first-prize Turkeys were very good, and in capital condition. The PioEoNs %ver6 not large entries. The cup for the best pen went to a very good Carrier, and the next best was a Barb belonging to the same exhibitor. The R.iBBiTS were not first-class with one or two exceptions. The total number of entries was 165. SpimsH.— Cup, J. Craig, Bridgend, Frosterley. 12, T. Flintoff, Kuby, Stockton on-Tfes. ^. , DoEKiNoa.— ITftitc.— I, Master J. Morley, Stanhope, i, H. Pease, Stanhope Castle, he, W. Love, Wolaingham. Any other i'nrie^y.— Cup, J. Lodge, Woodcroft. , „ ^ Game.— i;l(tc/fc.))?-cas(f(! ailti other Reds— I, M. Bainbridge, Stanhope. 2, J. Gibbon. Jji;/ oOier rariefj/.—l, J. Gibson. Stanhope. 2, J. Fenwick. ftc, M. Bainbridge; J. Rowell. Jiii/ coio»T,— Cocfcerel.— 1 and 2, M. Bainbridge. he, G. B. Bell, Layton ; J. Sanderson (2). Hambdhohs.— Go!(Ji;i!-s;)(iii(7led —1. W. Simpson, Pyeclose. 2. W. Urwin, Edmondbywra. Silvergpangted.—l, G. Barkas, Crawleyside. 2, J. Sanderson. }ic, G, Barkas; H. Surtees, Kdmondbyers; J. Hutchmson. UiUBUROHB.— Golden-pencilled.— 1, A. G. Michel, Bishop Auckland. 2, G. English, Frosterley. lie, G. KngUsh ; J. Foster, Hedleyhop-s, Towlaw. Sili'er- liencWed.—l, J. Foster. 2, W. JopUng, Bridgend, Frosterley. he, W. Simpson ; M. Ridley ; W. Jopling. PoLiNDs.— 1, J. Jackson, Hedleyhope, Towlaw. 2, W. D. Maddison, Sunni- side. Game Bantams.— BI(ic!c-6recisfe. M. S.),~-The price of the book you mention ia 3«. 6(i.,and is pub- lished by Blackwood & Sous. DiEECTiON (D. H. W, f.).— Mrs. Cheshii-e, Avenue House, Avenue, Acton, Iffiddleees. Guinea Pigs (A Venj Little Boy). — They will eat all the fresh vegetables that Ivabbitu eat ; lettuce and cabbage leaves, and slices of carrot. They are especially fuud of parsley and apples. Canary Bpeeding (Blue Bell). — We imag:ine you have selected a pair of Canaries to breed from, and that by this time they are paired or are pairing. If thorooghly paired place them in a roomy clean catje furnished with food, materials for building with, a ne^t box or batket, and all will go on well no doubt; at least we hope so. Some breeders scarce ever prepare their birds by pairing them before placing them in the breeding cage or compartments ; then much squabbling and turbulence ensues until one or the other becomes subdued. Inmost instances, however, the temporary fits of fretfulness ter- minate in harmony aad love. When *' Greek meets Greek " and the " tug of war" appears endless, the pair must be separated. Keep your birds well at iiU times, but more particularly before they begin to breed, letting the pair have chopped egg, and bun or bread crumbs, and green food, which will much encourage the male bird to feed the hen. The same kind of food may be con- tinued during breeding time, care being taken that a supply be in readiness to feed the young with when cliipped. Examine carefully tbe eggs in the nest, when they have been eat upon for six or seven days, to see if they appear dull or of a leaden hue. Always lay hold of an egg lengthways ; if the eugs appear transparent against a strong light they will be useless, and with the nest must bo removed. Time will thus bo gained in recruiting the hen for again going to nest. Hens vary in temperament. Some are as easy as an old shoe, and will allow you to pry about their nesting operations, and ex- amine their eggs and young without btcoming discomtitoil thereby; others will forsake either eggs or young if meddled with. After a hen ha« completed her nest and commenced to deposit therein her oggs, remove all superfluous building materials, clean and scrape the cage bnttom, and after supplying it with grit Baud, let the cage so remain during the sitting and chipping of the eggs, which latter will take place on the thirteenth day from the commence- ment of sitting. Clean the cages well out when the young are about ten days old, and again before the hen begins to sit her nest lot of eggs. During building the hen would be much benelitod with an occasional bath, a supply of green food, and some old crushed mortar or chalk. It is a good plan to make your birds familiar with you before breeding time, and then any little piying curiosi on ;our part will not bo much disconcert them. Our plan is METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONSi CAMnsN Sqoare, LoNnoN. Lat. 51° 82' 40" N. ; Long. 0^ 8' 0" W. ; Altitude, 111 feet. Date. 9 A.U. In the Day. ,» Hygrome- "■S o^ Shade Tem- Radiation 1 1875. ter. S.9 So a o" perature. Temperature. March. Dry. Wet. Max. Mln. In sun. On grass Inches. deg. deg. deg. S deg. deg. deg. deg. In. ■We. 24 30 869 S9.4 37.4 ■w. S9.1 ! 5S.4 S4.2 65.7 30.5 Th. 26 iO.S76 4.';.S 43.4 ■w. 40.3 66.5 88.8 98.2 86.6 _ Fri. 26 SO 241 49.5 45.0 s.w. 42.0 66.3 44.4 94 4 416 Sat 27 80.1)89 45 0 41.0 N.W. 42.0 55.8 .37 5 106.2 34 6 0.015 Sun.28 80 2(16 42.1 37 0 N. 419 47.8 84 9 96.5 83.0 Mo. 29 80,459 43.8 41.3 W. 41.2 53.2 S7.3 91.3 332 — Tu. SO 30 483 48 2 45 5 N. 42.0 55.6 429 82.2 40.1 0.010 Means S0.313 44.8 .41.6 41.2; 64.1 88.6 90.6 35.7 0.026 BEMABES. 24th.— A rather dull day, but warmer and more pleasant than the preceding one. 25th. — A fine day throughout, and much wai-mer, especially towards night. 26th. — A very beautiful morning, the after part fair and warm but dull. 27th. — Very tine morning ; cloudy at noon ; fine afternoon, but a slight shower between 5 and 6 pm. 28th. — Squall very early; fine morning; dull noon; then bright for two or three hours ; but dull after 4 p.m. ogtii. — Fine till noon, then becoming rather dull, occasional sim, but a rather dull though fair day. 30th. — Fine morning, very bright at times, and pleasant all day. Though the wind has changed to the west, and the temperature has risen about 5° this week, its general character has been very similar to its predecessor, being dry and fair, but with only short bursts of sunshine. — G. J. Svmons. COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— March 31. The influence of the holidays has had itd effect here, the markets not being so well supplied this week, or yet so good an attendance of buyers; the trade liaving bought pretty freely on Saturday is no doubt the cause of their absence. Importations have also been Hght, and, with the exception of con- signments from Paris of salading and Asparagus, offers no cause for remark. FRUIT. a. d. s. d. Mulberries lb. 0 OtoO 0 B. d. 8. d. Apples i sieve 2 6toS 6 Apricots dozen 0 0 0 0 Cherries lb. 0 0 no Cbestnuta bushel 10 0 20 0 Currants i sieve 0 0 0 0 Black do. 0 0 0 0 Figs dozen 0 0 0 0 Filberts lb. 0 0 0 0 Cobs lb. 1 6 2 0 Gooseberries quart 0 0 0 0 tirapeshothouse.... lb. 12 0 20 0 Lemons ^100 8 0 12 0 Melons each 0 0 0 0 Nec'ariues dozen 0 0 0 0 Oranges ]:* 100 8 0 12 0 Peaches dozen 0 0 0 0 Pears, kitchen.... dozen 2 0 3 0 dessert dozen 8 0 18 0 PineApples lb. 2 0 6 0 Plums i sieve 0 0 0 0 Qiunce'i dozen 0 0 0 0 Raspberries lb. 0 0 0 0 Strawberries ^t*' oz. 2 0 8 0 Walnuts bushel 8 0 12 0 ditto 1*100 10 16 Artichokes dozen B Awparfigus 'U*" 100 8 Kreniih bundle 15 Beanrt. Kidney.... T 100 2 Broad bushel 0 Beet, Red dozen 1 BroccLiU bundle 0 Brussels Sprouts i sieve 3 Cabbase dozen 2 Carrots bunch 0 Capsicums ^100 0 0 Cauliflower dozen 4 0 Celery bundle 1 6 Culeworts.. duz. bunches G 0 Cucumbers each 1 0 pickling dozen 0 0 F-ndive dozen 2 0 Fennel bunch 0 3 Garlic IK 0 G Herbs bunch 0 3 Horseradish bundle 0 0 VEGETABLES. s.d. d. 0to6 0 0 12 Leeks bunch Lettuce dozen Mushrooms pottle Mustard & Cress. .punnet Onions bushel pickling (luart 0 6 Parsley.... doz. bunolius 6 0 Parsnips dozen 0 9 Peas quart 0 0 Potatoes bushel 2 6 Kidney do. d. s. d. 4 too 0 1 0 0 9 0 2 0 Radishes., doz. bunches 1 0 Rhubarb bundle 0 9 Salsafy bundle 1 6 Scorzonera bundle 1 0 Seakale basket 2 0 Shallots lb. 0 8 Spinach bushel 0 0 Tomaioes dozen 0 0 Turnips bunch 0 6 Vegetable Marrows. .doz. 0 0 April 8, 1873. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE QAEDENER. 269 WEEKLY CALENDAR. Day Day ot of Month Week.' APRIL 8-11, 1876. 10 11 12 13 14 Th F S Son M To W Roynl Society at 8.30 p.Jl. Literax7 ouil Artiatic Society at 7 P M. Koyal Botaoic Society at 3.45 p.ai. 2 SONDAY AFTER EaSTER. Royal Gtofiraphical Society at 8.30 P.M. Royal Medical ami Cliirurgical at 8.30 p.m. Society of Arts at 8 p ii. Average gun Temperatare near i {^^bqb London. Day. INiKht. 60.1 35.8 65.0 55.9 66 0 65.8 65.6 57.0 35.3 33 5 35.2 36.4 33.9 36.1 Mean. m. h. 46.0 , 22af6 45.2 I 19 6 447 I 17 6 45.G ' 15 5 461 ! 13 6 44.7 10 5 46.6 ! 8 5 Sun Sets. m. h. 42 a( 6 44 6 46 6 47 6 49 6 60 G 52 6 Moon Rises. Moon Sets. Sal 6 26 10 26 10 48 H 7 7 9 13 1 57 11 raorn. 18 1 a B 29 3 Moon's A(te. Clock San. Day of Year. 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 36.2'. From obseryations take'A near London during forty-three years, the average day temperature of the week is 55.9''; and its night temperature THINNING GRAPES. ANY an amateur must have looked at bis bunches of Grapes in bewOderment imme- diately after the flowers have fallen, when the berries are little larger than a pin's head, and so closely packed that it seems impossible to cut one away without damag- ing the rest, and while he looks and wonders and waits for advice, they rapidly swell to the size of a pea, and every hour the task before him becomes more difficult. Grapes swell so rapidly at first, and every day they are left un- thinned takes so much away from those which are to be finally ripened, that it would be well to get a httle theoretic knowledge of thinning before the time comes for actual practice. Eules cannot be laid down for thinning perfectly every bunch of Grapes, but every large practitioner has rules — it may be unknown almost to himself — by which he in- variably begins thinning, and beginning well is more than half the battle. Thinning Grapes is not at all difficult when the operator can once see clearly before him what it is that he intends doing and begins methodically to do it. On the other hand, if it is haphazard work — if he merely begins by cutting out berries where they are thickest, then leaving them for a time to see if thej' are likely to be too thick again, going over a bunch three or four times at intervals of several days, he will make him- self a large amount of needless labour, and, after all, the bunches will not be satisfactory. I wiU mention (from memory) what I consider the principal points whereby to judge a bunch of Grapes, and name them in the order of their relative importance, when it will be seen at a glance that considerably more than half depends on the time and manner of thinning. Ist, Evenness of berries as to size. 2nd, Regularity of berries as to distance apart, and whether they are just so close that they will neither crush each other nor fall about loosely when the bunch is handled. 8rd, Colour. 4th, Bloom. .5th, Size of berries. Cth, Form of bunch. Last and least. Size of bunch. Now the 1st, 2nd, 5th, aijd Cth of these points (sup- posing the Vine to be in a healthy condition) depend entirely on the thinning. All the other points are also liable to be affected by it, the 3i-d and 7th by not thinning early and sufficiently, and the 4th by rough handling. Thinning should be done as early as possible after the berries commence sweUing, which is from ten days to a fortnight after the first flower opens. By this time, if the Vines are vigorous, the branchlets which bear the berries on the upper portion of the bunch will have raised themselves so as to be at right angles with the main stem of the bunch. Supposing there is a good set, it is these branchlets I commence operations on by cut- ting away unflinchingly every berry from the under side of them ; I mean the side nearest to the point of the bunch. Next, all undersized berries are cut out ; these have not been properly fertilised, and will only disappoint No. 732.-yol.. XXVIIl., New Sebies. if left in. The centre of the bunch as soon as it can be done is thinned severely ; and in the case of Grapes for late keeping, all berries which are not likely to be visible when ripe are cut entirely out. After proceeding thus far, if the berries are still too thick, leave, in preference, those which stand out boldly and have the most direct communication with the principal stems. The berries on the upper side of the uppermost branchlets may be left closer together than they are anywhere else ; it is rarely they require thinning at all beyond cutting out imperfect berries. These branchlets in the course of growth turn up round the main stem, and if they are well furnished with berries, completely hide it and give a very compact appearance to the bunch. Do not be too particular about the berries being at equal distances apart, rather look to the berry stalks. If thinned pro- perly thus early the berries when they swell will push each other into their proper places, if the stalks which bear them are so situated as to admit of this. The thinning of a bunch must as much as possible be all done at one operation. The eye must be able to see prospectively the full-grown berries and the position they will take. A bunch cannot be thinned properly if it is operated on three or four times at a week's interval ; at the most there ought to be only an odd berry or two to take out three or four days after the first thinning. A bunch of Grapes, like an ill-fitting garment, once cut wrongly can rarely be made perfect afterwards. The thinning of the bunches to within one or two of the required number should take place before they come into flower, or a loss of size in the berries of the remain- ing ones will be the result. — William Taylor. SPEING-FLO'WEEING CLEMATIS. No one who saw the small plants of this gay class of flowers which the Messrs. Veitch exhibited at South Kensington on the 17th ult. could fail to have been struck with their extreme adaptability to conservatory and other purposes of decoration. Although well enough known in some circles how admirably the Clematis will force and bloom in a small state, the general idea is undoubtedly to regard it as a summer or autumn-bloom- ing plant alone for growing in the open air, or if grown in pots, to consider that immense plants and large houses are indispensable to bring out its beauties. That is, be- yond doubt, a very prevalent idea, and many with small houses are deterred from the cultivation of the Clematis in pots on account of their supposed want of convenience. As Messrs. Veitch's, and subsequently Mr. Paul's, plants showed, they need have no such fear, for if they have room to grow a Pelargonium or an Azalea in a G-inch pot, they have room to grow Clematis. No plants are more easy to force nor are more beau- tiful in March than these. Imagine a group in 7-inoh pots, the plants from 15 to 18 inches high and a foot through, and each clothed with from twelve to twenty fine blooms of the most charming colours, and what at the time can equal them ? Truly, few plants can corn- No. 1384.— Vol. LIII., Old Seeies. 270 JOUENAL OF HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. [ Apr 8, 1875 pare with them, and we do not hesitate to say that they ought to be grown as forced plants in every garden where a Bpring display of flowers is coveted. The flowera last a long time in beanty, and the plants are admirably adapted for room-decora- tion, for which no plants are more effective. To their nnijuestionable beanty it is pleasant to add that they are of the easiest culture, and with ordinary care the cultivator cannot fail to succeed in having a display of a most satisfying kind. In preparing for next season's flowering small plants which have bloomed this season should be placed in any sheltered position for a few weeks' rest. They should then be pruned — that is, have the old flowering wood cut away, and be repotted in light, rich, fibrous loam, taking care to have the pots clean and well drained. They should be plunged in the open ground, and to ensure good growth mulch the pots with cow manure, and keep the plants well watered during the summer. Choose a good position exposed to the full sun in order that the wood may be well ripened. During the month of October the plants must be removed under shelter to protect them from heavy rains. They can be trained into any desired form by a few stakes or wires ; this may be done any time before forcing com- mences. No plants are more easy and certain to force. They will be blooming in six to eight weeks after being placed in heat. They require a light house and an ordinary tempera- ture of 50° at night, and 70" to 80" by day according to circum- stances, but a few degrees of heat more or less is of no conse- quence, the plants being anything but miffy and tender. A vinery just being started would suit them well, as the plants would be in bloom before the roof became covered with foliage. Thus those who have not a regular forcing house need not deny themselves these beautiful plants. When they are in full growth a little liquid manure should be given them, which will increase the size and texture of the blooms. The double varieties do not flower so freely as the single, but their individual blooms are massive and fine. C. Jack- manni and its allied dark varieties wUl force, but will not bloom quite so early as the following, which have proved to be the best forcing varieties at present in cultivation, and should be included in all collections. Albert Victor. — Deep lavender or light mauve colour ; a very free bloomer and good. Fair Rosamond. — Blush white, with slight red bar down the centre of each petal. Lady Londeshurotii/h. — Silver-grey, with white filaments bearing chocolate-purple anthers ; a free bloomer and ex- cellent. Lord Londeshorough. — Eich mauve, with a maroon stripe down the centre of each petal. Miss i3a(t'mart.— White, with a cream-coloured stripe down each petal, the stamens being of a pretty chocolate red with white filaments ; an excellent variety. Mrs. S. C. Baker. — Delicate pink, changing to French white, with a claret band down each petal ; very free and good. Lucie Lemoinc (double). — White, fine ; far superior to For- tnnei or any other white variety. John Gould Veitch. — Beautiful soft lavender-blue, with pale- coloured stamens. There are many other varieties, but this short list embraces the best for early blooming whether small or large plants. Not one of them can disappoint the most exacting critic of floral beauty amongst forced flowers in March and April. — W. THE ORCHID-HUNTER IN BURMAH.— No. 2. Befoee closing the observations on the different varieties of Dendrobium formosum, it may not be out of place to note that there is an unusually magnificent variety of this plant common in the Andaman Islands, where it grows on the trees in the Mangrove swamps. These islands lie in the Bay of Bengal, almost in a line with Moulmein, and having much the same climate as that place, abound in Orchids and plants almost identical with Moulmein species. One of the most curious of all the Dendrobiums — Den- drobium revolutum — is generally found growing on the same trees and under the same circumstances as Dendrobium for- mosum, and therefore claims attention in this place. This plant has the stem clothed with evergreen leaves, which grow remarkably closely together up the stem on either side. Though not allied to the nigro-hirsute Dendrobiums in some respects, it should no doubt form one of this division. It differs from them in generally bearing its flowers on the sides of the stems after the manner of the deciduous Dendrobiums. It has a very remarkable mode of growth, totally unUke that of any allied species. This peculiar manner of growth may not have been noticed ; it is this, that the old stem continues at its extremity to grow for years, and it is this fact that causes imported plants to present such a straggling and ugly habit. The flower of this plant also being small, it is one little esteemed by Orchid growers. If, however, having a knowledge of the peculiar habit of this plant, the horticulturist steps in and prevents the prolonged growth of the old stem by cutting the old stems back judiciously so as to encourage new growths, he very shortly changes the plant into one of the prettiest and most noticeable evergreen Orchids in the house. Under this treatment also the plant flowers more freely ; and although some may still be found to object to the dullish-white colour of the flower, most people will be attracted by the great peculiarity and distinctness of its form. The next species of nigro-hirsute Dendrobiums, and as far as the climate and circumstances under which they grow being alike, the nearest allied to those already noticed is Den- drobium hedyosmum. To see this charming Orchid growing in masses on the trees in the country near Pegu is to see a sight not easily forgot. Pegu herself has not yet recovered from the effects of war ; her town and pagoda are still in a state of ruin. In the midst of all this desolation Nature has treasured up some of her richest gems, for this district not only abounds in Orchids, some of which will be noticed here- after, but it contains forests of Butea frondosa, next to the Amherstia the most gorgeous of flowering trees, making the whole district a blaze of flower in the spring months, and the Butea is the special abode of that splendid JFern Platycerium grande, which completely covers the stems of some of these trees. As regards Dendrobium hedyosmum it is pretty widely spread throughout this district, and also in the districts lying some sixty miles from Moulmein in the interior. The plant has a very compact habit, it produces its flowers in pairs from the top of the last growth, and in very flourishing plants throws out several flowers from the sides, towards the top of the plant also. It bears pure alabaster white flowers of waxy substance, having the labellum tinged with green and yellow, and marked in the throat with very bright orange stripes. In consequence of the great substance of the flower it keeps in blossom a very long time — over two months, which makes it an especially desirable plant. It is very easy to cultivate, and there is no Dendrobium equal to it for sweetness of scent, the perfume being very like that of Wallflowers. Dendrobium Jamesianum is the next of the nigro-hirsute Dendrobiums worthy of observation. It is more conspicuously marked with black hairs than any of the same species, with perhaps the exception of Dendrobium infandibulum. It is commonly said to come from Moulmein. Whether it grew there formerly, and now escapes observation, or whether Moul- mein enjoys the credit of its coming from the interior it is difficult to say, at any rate it cannot in the present day be fouad anywhere near Moulmein. In the interior, Tonghoo, Thaye- tinyo, Siam, and Bhamo in Western China it is frequently found. It is scarcely to be excelled by any other Orchid of this class. It lasts almost as long in flower as Dendrobium hedyosmum, it has more substance than Dendrobium formo- sum, with flowers very nearly as large, and the brilliancy of the colour of the lower portion of the lip is very striking, and as a whole it will always be among the most favoured of its tribe. The flower is pure white, the labellum being marked with the brightest brick red, the edge of the lip is very much fringed, and there is a rough texture in the throat. This plant is not well cultivated by all Orchid growers, the cause probably being that the plant in its native districts is accustomed during the winter to very cold nights, with the thermometer as low as 10' in the early morning, and is accus- tomed to heavy dews. The plants of this Orchid in our stoves are very apt to acquire a shrivelled appearance unless carefully attended to, and it is probable that they require more moisture at the roots during the resting season than the other sorts o£ the nigro-hirsute race of Dendrobiums. — E. S. B. Violets. — I beg leave to publicly thank your old and worthy correspondent Mr. Smith, late of Extou, and now at Ment- more, for not only teaching me how to grow these sweetly pretty harbingers of spring, but also with supplying me with a stock of plants. For a month past we have been gathering them by the basketful, and still they come in great profusion. April 8, 1875. ] JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTORK AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 271 1 am quite sure Mr. Smith's system would bo read greedily. We all know Mr. Smith can use the pen as well aa the spade, and let us hope he will favour the readers of your Journal with an exposition of his mode of growing Violets. — E. Gilbert. ROSE TREES AND FROST. I AM sorry I cannot altogether agree with Mr. Beachey about injury done by frost to Rose trees. Old wood, no doubt, may be enfeebled by encouraging the growth of young wood from the base, but it will not account for the frost killing old wood still strong and vigorous, and producing young wood from the ends of its shoots as strong as that springing from the base. Moreover, in 1860 I lost ninety-eight standards out of one hundred, where the system of pruning, consequent on theii- being standards, was precisely such as Mr. Beachey describes, no suckers being allowed from the base of the Briar, and the heads pruned to form symmetrical bushes. In the case of the MarCxhal Niel I referred to, the young growth at the base was quite recent, and the strength of the main stems, shoots, and branches quite unimpaired. It would be scarcely possible, I think, to see more vigorous or healthy growth, the tree having in the course of four seasons covered a wall 20 feet long and 8 feet high. The young shoot from the base sprung up at the end of August owing to a redundance of sap, but it certainly could not have impaired the strength of the main stem, which was nearly 2 inches in diameter, and many shoots on the extremities of the branches were quite as strong and thick as this succulent one at the base, and I feel confident if Mr. Beachey were to see it he would agree with me. As to the comparative merit of the two systems of growing Roses, one of which produces quality, the other quantity, there will always be diijerences of opinion. Having a fair amount of Rose trees — not to be reckoned by the thousands as some amateurs, but between seven and eight hundred — I prefer to be able to pick for my drawing-room during the Rose season from thirty to fifty really choice blooms every day fit for an exhibition table. There is no way, as a rule, one enjoys Roses so thoroughly as when cut and arranged in specimen glasses or in suitable vases, and one really good Rose is, in my opinion, worth twenty inferior ones ; but, as I said befoie, this will always be more or less a matter of taste. As to the question of the maturity or immaturity of shoots there seems to be also great diversity of opinion. I cannot accept the fact that young green shoots are as mature as older shoots that have stood a whole summer's sun and winter's •sold, nor do I see sufficient evidence that the strong growths of two and three years have been injured sufficiently by the younger growth from the base to account for the action of the frost. I find the inner pith in the old shoots more injured than the inner pith in the young, and I find old wood injured where, owing to the strength of the shoots, no young wood had been allowed to grow from the base. That sap, like water, may be a non-conductor of heat is, no doubt, partially true, but in such a severe frost as we had last year every particle of sap would be frozen ; so the question still remains. Why is the sellular tissue more injured in the old shoots than the young ? I am very much obliged to Mr. Beachey for his remarks, and as I, as a general rule, quite agree with what he has at different times written in the Journal of norticultitrc, and in his •estimate of Roses, I am sorry I cannot agree with him now ; and till someone else can bring some other suggestions to bear, am still inclined to believe that the effect of frost on cellular tissue is very mechanical, and that the younger wood, with softer pith, and less indurated bark, has more power of expan- aion, so that the cell walls are not burst by the expansion of the sap. Other plants, such as Delphinium formosum, can stand an immense amount of cold when in their young state, but which die in autumn with a much less degree of oold. I must thank " CoRxtjEii " for his letter, especially as he agrees with what I said under the initials " C. P. P." I think h'a hails from the sunny south, and not from a climate like mine, where Tea Roses are killed to the ground every winter, and Celine Forestier has to push afresh from the base nearly every year. I can, however, quite enter into his enthusiasm for the true Perpetuals — the Teas, where they can be grown. Gentifolia Rosea is a very favourite Rose with Mr. George Paul, and he has sometimes shown it splendidly, but I never could feel any enthusiasm myself for it, as its beauty soon fades away under either a summer's sun, or two hours in a hot tent ; the petals are much too flimsy. Etienne Levet was certainly grand last year, and I have great hopes of Francois Michelon, but I cannot say any new varieties I saw last year impressed me greatly. I must acquit Mr. Radolyfie of never having recommended Prince Camille de Rohan, as I remember at one time it used to be a favourite of his ; but why it was discarded for Empereur de Maroc, Baron Chaurand, Maxime de la Bocheterie, and others like th^se, I fail yet to understand, anymore than I can understand why he refuses to see the merits of La France and Marie Baumann. I am somewhat inclined to think that Mr. Radclyffe does not see enough of other persons' Roses as well as his own, and that when once he has issued a verdict in favour of a Rose he does not like to alter it afterwards, and so Edouard Morreu and Felix Genero will remain amongst his select Roses for some time to come. I agree with " GcrKNUBiA," an election such as that conducted by Mr. Hinton ought to give every amateur a good and safe guide to select from, and it surprises me that so many should still write to the Journal of Horticulture for lists of Roses.— C. P. Peach. THE GREAT HORTICULTURAL SHOW AT ANTWERP. [From our Special licporter.) The hundred aud twenty-fifth Exhibition of the Boyal Horti- cultural and Agricultural Society of Antwerp was held in that city from the -Ith to the 7th of this month. The locality chosen for it was the spacious suite of buildings belonging to the SociCtc Royale d'Harmonie, and for an indoor exhibition we never saw anything better done. There is a diversity of opinion as to whether plants look better in a large well-lighted building or in a tent; each has its advocates. And then there is the other aspect of the question — whether an exhibition confined to one large space which may be all seen at once, or one which is distributed over several apartments, is most satisfactory. No doubt the effect produced by the former is very striking when first seen, but it soon passes off; while in the latter ca^e the interest is kept up in passing from one part to another, each furnishing its own special aud varied interest. It was so in this Exhibition at Antwerp. A great hall, very much larger than St. James's Hall in Loudon, but arranged much in the same way, with spacious galleries on either side, was filled most taste- fully with groups of flowering aud flne-foliaged plants, and this was the chief part of the Exhibition; but there were smaller halls and apartments, which were devoted to smaller subjects than those exhibited in the large one. The centre of attraction was, of course, the large hall. The centre of the floor was occupied with three large groups of Azaleas, which were masses of bloom, and were grown in a hemispherical shape. They were handsome healthy plants, but there is the same objection to them that used to be urged against the large specimens grown in England, and which were so long the chief attractions at our exhibitions — that they are too stiff and artificial, and wanting the grace and freedom of plants allowed to grow more naturally. The corners of the hall were filled with large specimens of Palms, Tree Ferns, Cyoads, Dracfcnas, and other ornamental-foliaged plants. Those who seemed to contribute most to the decoration were Madame Le Grelle d'Hanis, M. de Ghelliuck de Walles, M. Van Houtte, M. Vervaen, M. Charles Van Geert, aud others. At the extreme end of the hall was a group of Camellias, the most extraordinary plants we have ever seen. They were from 18 to 2-1 feet high, and none of them more than 2J feet through. They were re- markably well grown, full of health, aud covered with bloom. These plants are seventy years old, and the gentleman who propagated them was present in his eightieth year to testify to the truth of this statement. They are exhibited by M. Edmond Le Grelle. The CamelUas generally, of which there were numerous groups distributed over the Exhibition, were well grown. . Under the galleries we remarked soma good exhibitions. Among them a wonderful collection of Aralias from Madame Le Grelle, a group of ornamental-fohaged plants from Baron Osy de Wychen; a group of Agaves, Bonaparteas, and Liliads from M. Beaucarne ; and well-grown plants of Camellias from M. Jean Vervaen and M. Vuysteke. In the gallery on the right the first object which attracts attention is a pretty lot of Azalea indica, exhibited by M. de Ghelliuck, which for fine cultivation were not excelled in the Exhibition. Among the most striking were Comte de Flandre, Punctulata variegata, Eclatant, Magnifica, Charmer, and Grande Duchesse de Bade. Occupying the corner opposite there was a fine collection of thirty Hollies, fine large specimens in baskets, exhibited by M. Charles Van Geert of Antwerp, and they unanimously re- ceived the first prize, as they well deserved. Among them we observed a very pretty species called crenata, with small leaves of the size and shape of the dwarf edging Box. In the corre- sponding corner opposit) M. Van Geert had a collection of thirty large Conifers, specimens of perfect cultivation, which 272 JOURNAL OF HOBTIOULTUEE AND COTTAGE GABDEKEK. [ April 8, 1875. received the first prize of a framed silver-gilt medal. In a col- lection of variegated plants exhibited by M. Hillegeer of Beveren -we observed a purple-leaved Peach, which if intro- duced to shnibberieB Tvould form an object of interest and pro- duce a good effect. Generally speaking, the Camellias were very fine well-grown plants in rude health and abundance of bloom. Where, if not in Belgium, can we expect to see such Camellias exhibited, where they form an article of such extensive commerce ? Bel- gium is as much the home of the Camellia and Azalea as Hol- land is of the Hyacinth and the Tulip. Those who were most successful in the classes for Camellias were M. Ed. Le Grelle already mentioned, who received the framed gold medal, or three hundred francs, for his tall specimens ; and M. Jean Ver- vaen of Ledeberg was second with some well-grown bushy specimens, which obtained the framed silver-gilt medal. The other successful exhibitors in the other classes were M. Beau- came, M. Joseph De Coster, and M. Louis Van Houtte. Azaleas, as a matter of course, we expected to see in their perfection at a Belgian show, and we were not disappointed. We have already referred to the great groups that were on the floor of the hall, and these were contributed by M. de Ghellinck de Walle of Ghent, whose splendid group of thirty carried off the first prize of the framed gold medid, value 400f. ; and the second prize of a gold medal of 200f. value was awarded to M. Jean Vervaene. M. de Ghellinck was again successful in the collections of fifteen plants, and obtained the gold medal value 200f., while M. Beaucarne was second. For the finest specimen M. de Ghellinck was again successful. Rhododendrons were well represented. Orchids were very sparingly exhibited. Amaryllises were shown by M. Van Houtte of Ghent, M. Van der Linden of Antwerp, M. Louis Eeckhaute of St. Denis-Westrem. M. Van Houtte took the first place in every instance, but we could not but remark that the style of flowers cultivated in Belgium would not find favour with us in England, in consequence of their narrow-pointed petals, which contrast unfavourably with the fine, stout, flat, and broad petals of our English strains — those sent out by Messrs. Veitch and Mr. B. S. Williams for instance. Hyacinths and Tulips were much fewer in number than one might have anticipated. The season here as well as with us is unusually late, and no doubt the fewness may be attributable to this cause. But it did not prevent Messrs. Krelage & Son of Haarlem coming forward with a very fine exhibition of a col- lection of one hundred varieties. They were in good condition, with long, stout, densely-bloomed spikes, and worthily received the gold medal or 200f. For a collection of fifty Tulips, single flowers, Messrs. Krelage were again first. Cyclamens were well represented by Madame Jean Everaerts of Antwerp, and M. Van Houtte. The exhibition of the former was a fine collection of twenty-five varieties of Cyclamen persicum, which reminded one of the same plants as are exhibited at South Kensington. They were examples of superior cultivation and worthily re- ceived ((i Vunanimitc), the first prize of a silver-gilt medal. M. Van Houtte's collection comprised principally hardy species, such as Atkinsii, ibericum, hybridum, carneum, itc. Forced Roses in pots were here, as they always are at our own exhibitions, objects of attraction and admiration. The great gold medal offered by the Queen was very appropriately given for the queen of flowers, and the successful candidate was M. A. A. Peeters, St. Gelles, near Brussels. These were all standards and shown in a close group forming a mass of green foliage with the flowers standing well above it. Being standards they cnme up well to the eye. The second honour fell to Madame Jean Everaerts for a lot of remarkably well-grown plants, which for vigour and luxuriance of foliage surpassed all the other collections. These were dwarf plants of large size on their own roots, well bloomed, and in greater variety of colour than the last-named collection. Palma were well represented, and the gold medal or 500f. for the collection of twenty was carried off by Madame Le Grelle D'Hanis, and they were certainly very fine. Madame Le Grelle was also successful in obtaining the large gold medal offered by the King for a collection of twenty Marantas, which filled the whole of the extreme end of the smaller hall. For ten orna- mental plants of different kinds Madame Le Grelle was again successful in carrying off the gold medal, and Baron Nottebohm of Antwerp was second, both having obtained their awards as the prize list says par acclamation. In speaking of the gallery on the right we omitted to notice a very rich collection of Ivies in pots shown by M. Charles Van Geert, which received the silver gilt medal par unanimite. The most charming plant in the whole Exhibition, and that which attracted most attention as a novelty, was a seedling Bertolonia exhibited by M. Van Houtte of Ghent, having in its venation one of the most beautiful pieces of colouring to bo met with in the vegetable kingdom. The leaves of the plants, which are shown in fine condition under bell glasses, are G to 7 inches long, and about half as broad as they are long, of a dark brownish-green ground, relieved with veins of bright ani- line purphsh pink. This is sure to become a popular plant in England. It would be impossible, or at least not profitable to our readers, for us to notice the exhibitions that were made in every class. We have cursorily gone over the leading collections and given a general sketch of the Exhibition. We will now conclude by noticing a collection which attracted much attention in the Ex- hibition, which was brought by our own enterprising country- man Mr. B. S. Williams of Upper Holloway. This occupied the whole of one division on the side of the smaller hall, and con- sisted chiefly of new and rare plants in bloom. They were not entered for competition, and consequently no prize was awarded, yet Mr. Williams had the satisfaction of knowing from every evidence that his contribution to the Show was highly valued. The gold medals of honour of the value of 300f. each, one for the exhibitor living within and the other for the exhibitor living without the Arrondissement of Antwerp who had coutributed most to the embellishment of the Exhibition, were respectively awarded to Madame Le Grelle D'Hanis and to M. Louis Van Houtte. Aftek the opening of the Exhibition a grand banquet was given to the Jury in the hall of the Flemish Theatre. The chair was occupied by the excellent President of the Society, Baron de Caters, whose father was president before him. On his right were the Burgomaster of Antwerp, Dr. Hogg, the Burgomaster of Ghent, M. Krelage, M. Kegeljan, and Professor Morren. On his left were M. de Cannart d'Hamale, M. Ronnberg, M. de Ghellinck de Walle, Vicomte de Forceville, M. Alph. de Cock. Among the guests were representatives of all the garden- ing nationalties, such as Mr. B. S. Williams of London; Vil- morin & Thibaut of Paris ; Dr. Mulder, Mr. Van Lennep, and Mr. Willink from Holland. This was one of those sumptuous entertainments with which we have been made familiar by visits to Ghent and to Brussels; and we oanonly say that Belgian hospitality appears to be universal, for the reception we met with at Antwerp was a repetition of those which had already won our hearts years ago, and which have caused them to beat responsively in sympathy with the Belgian people. EOYAL HORTICULTUBAL SOCIETY. Apkil 7th. No fruit was submitted for judgment in the Council-room on this occasion. Flor-il Committee.— E. B. Postans, Esq., in the chair. Not extensive but interesting groups of plants were staged at this meeting. Messrs. Veitch sent a very attractive collection, com- prising three distinct Crotons, which had been received from A. H. C. Macaffee, Esq., of Sidney— viz., C.Disraeli, with foliage of great substance, and reminding one by its bold, rigid, and curiously-divided leaves of the Platyceriums. In colour it is deep green with yellow bands. It received a first-class certifi- cate. C. Lord Cairns is similar in colour, and C. variabilis exhibits a mixture of pink, green, and buff. The same firm sent Anthurium violaceum, a dwarf variety with good dark green foliage and clusters of berries, arranged after the manner of a miniature head of Maize, but pendant, and of a delicate lavender violet colour. It received a botanical commendation. Spathi- phyllum Wallisii, an Anthurium-like plant of vigorous habit, and showing several spathes, one of which is expanded ; it is ivory white in colour. Croton appendiculatum, a remarkable green variety of dwarf habit; from the extremity of each leaf is subtended , by a delicate filament of 1 to 2 inches in length, another or sub-leaf, which renders the plant very distinct and curious. Croton tortile, a spiral-foliaged form, of great substance and of dark metallic hue. Dracajna Hendersoni, a plant having the elegant habit of D. Cooperii, with leaves of a singular yet not irregular mixture of colours — white, pink, green, and brown being closely blended. Interesting Droseras — viz., D. dichotoma and D. spathulata (first class certificate), Darlingtonia cali- fornica, Cephalotus foUicularis, and Sarracenias, purpurea, psittacina (vote of thanks), and Stevensii; also Drosophyllum lusitanicum, which had a botanical commendation. These were in remarkably good order, and were exceedingly curious and attractive. Messrs. Veitch also sent Camellia Mathotiana rosea, a very free bloomer and good; and Hyacinth e'na (first-class certificate). This is a semi-double variety of fine substance of petal and of a glowing salmon pink colour. It is very bright, and promises to hold high rank amongst the best of its class. Mr. Bull sent a plant of Crinum brachymeua with two spikes surmounted with a dozen flowers, a small Odontoglossum Roezlii, Dracienas insignis (dark), and Candida, which has a large proportion of ivory white in its foliage— both these had first- class certificates awarded ; they are distinct in colour, excellent in habit, and stout in texture of foliage. Mr. Bull also sent a small plant of the curious Masdevallia amabilis. Mr. B. S. Williams sent a plant of the graceful Palm Geononitk gracilis ; a plant also of the prickly-stemmed Palm, Martinezia eroaa — both had first-class certificates ; also a nice Orchid, April 8, 1876. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICOLTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 273 Warscewiczella discolor, with four very richly coloured flowers ; Enrycles Cunninghami, resembling a miniature Crinum, it had a stem 18 inches high surmounted with a corona of white Nar- cisaus-like flowers ; and Pteria Williamai, a distinct Fern of robust habit with two shades of green in the fronds. Paul ct Son, Cheshunt, had a standard plaut with five blooms of the tine llose Hippolyte Jamain ; also a bos of cut Roaes, of which the best were Annie Laxton, Etienne Levet, and Captain Christy. A standard plant of Comte de Serenyi was also exhi- bited. It is a Rose of the type of Marguerite de St. Amand. From Mr. Perkins, the Gardens, Thornham Hall, came a box of splendid blooms of Marcohal Niel, and received a vote of thanks. A basket of very fine Primula sinensis, Fern-leaved, of robust growth and deep carmine blooms, was sent by Mr. Eckford, Coleshill Gardens, Highworth, who sent also finely-laced blooms of Polyanthus ; a vote of thanks was awarded. Mr. Dean contributed a very showy and attractive group of hardy apring-flowering plants, comprising a fine variety of Aubrietia with deep violet flowers, named A. Eyreii ; Pansiea, Yellow Boy and White Swan, a great variety of Primroses, and a charming margin of Myosotis dissitiflora. Most of these Primroses are admirably adapted for frame culture, and, some of them being diatinct, are spring bedding plants. The group consisted of single and double varieties, both selfs and laced, and ranged in colour from pure white to a deep blood crimson. They weli merited the vote of thanka which was awarded. G. F. Wilson, Esq., F.R.S., sent plants of Alpine Primulas — P. pulcherrima, a beautiful variety, like a globular and gigantic trass of Verbena on an exceedingly stout stem; and P. viacosa, of a closer habit of growth. A splendid plant of Dendrobium nobile, i feet high and through, carrying many hundreda of fine blooma and an abund- ance of healthy foliage, was exhibited by Mr. F. Moore, gar- dener to W. C. Pickersgill, Esq., Blinden Hall, Bixley, and had worthily attached a cultural commendation ; also an equally splendid plant of Dendrobium densiflorum, with twenty-four fine spikes, from Mr. J. Staples, gardener to Mrs. Candy, Chip- stead Place, Sevenoaks, had alao a cultural commendation. Both these specimens bore unmiatakeable impress of excellent culture. From the Society's gardens were densely-bloomed plants in pots of the smaU light Clematis C. montana. MY HOME PLOT. Mine is emphatically a cottage garden, and as that is also one of the titles of your paper, I thought I might venture to place mine and yours together, as I have done before. Bat while I freely admit that my garden has often been benefited by yours, I am not at all certain that I can confer any benefit on you in return. I will not, however, aim so high as that, but will think rather of (my and your friends) people of my own order, who have little plots of their own, and who derive a great deal of pleasure, if not much profit, from their essays at gardening. I have a flower plot and a vegetable plot, a few window plants, a haudlight, and a Email frame. My windows are always at this season crowded with plants which I have managed to keep through the winter. My frame is filled mostly with Calceolarias, the cuttings of which I put-in in the autumn, with a few plants of Pentstemons, Antirrhinums, and young Carnations which are not safe to leave out all winter. These are always safe under a little glass, while they can be planted-out early, and always do well in my garden. Now all these I plant out at once — in fact, this sets at liberty my frame, and my overcrowded windows are thinned out by filling it with a portion of the plants. This hardens them — the Geraniums and Fuchsias — either for planting out or for flowering in pots. If I have more than my frame will hold I place some under the shelter of a wall and cover them at nights, and also shade them for the first few days from blight sun. That I find very necessary, for as their leaves are tender, the sun has much the same effect on them as frost when they are first turned out, so to make sure I shade from frost and sun too. It is surprising how nicely these plants come on. They do not look bright at the first, but they grow, if slowly, yet surely, and in the end always do better than the plants that are left too long, and so are drawn, in the windows. At this time of the year I always shake my window plants out of their pots. Of course I do the work very carefully. My reason is this— the soil has become hard by repeated water- ings, and besides it is exhausted, as some of the plants have been feeding on it the most of last summer. I give them fresh soil — food. I never put them in larger pots at this season, but rather repot them in smaller pota, as I find them do better. I have tliese pots clean, especially inside, as I am sure it is beneficial to the plants. I should as soon think of eating my dinner oft' a dirty plate as giving a plant a dirty pot, so I always wash the pots and have them dry before using. I drain my pots well. My neighbours are generally careless on this point, and thereby make a great mistake. Draining is the be- ginning—the alphabet of potting. If it is not learnt properly the next steps are all wrong together, and the work goes for very little and must be done over again before success can bo reached. Therefore by way of a good beginning, as I said bjfore, drain well. If I have not a piece of broken pot I obtain a flat oyster shell and lay it over the hole. I break others and lay them nicely over in layers, and break some bones fine and put over the shells. For a 1-inch pot I have an inch of drain- age, and for a C-inch pot nearly '-' inches, and all put in systematieally. Before I put in the soil I cover the drainage with tree leaves or moss— anything to keep the soil from choking it, for it is of no use draining and spoUing it the next moment as— I had almost said moat people do, but of course I do not mean good gardeners. I am not so particular as to soil as some people, so long as it is in a nice state as to moisture — that is, neither too wet nor too dry. I find the surface scraped off my garden (if I have no better loam) mixed with pounded shells, and cocoa-nut fibre, in the place of leaf mould, answer well for almost all plants ; but I have an opinion that careful drainage, potting, and watering makes up for the lack of dainty mixtures. I mean the soil is often blamed when the real "fault is in the management. In potting I take nearly all the old soil from my plants, and pot them in the fresh, pressing it into the pots rather firmly, as light potting I have long since proved to be faulty. I never fill my pots level full ; that would be a great mistake, but always allow fully an inch from the surface of the soil to the rim of the pot to hold water. For a time I water care- fully, for until plants have active leaves they require to bo slightly watered. Now, with this care the plants root into the new soil freely, and forthwith begin to make healthy steady growth. I always go over all my plants at this season, and give a general potting as above described, and I feel the benefit of the work throughout the whole season. Those that are to be kept in pots flourish well, and those that are to be planted- out in six weeks' time always establish themselves more quickly and grow much better than if the old winter's soil had been left clinging round their roots after the manner of balls of plaster or cement. I may now leave my plants, being sure that they are all right, and attend to sowing a few seeds for my flower garden. I like raising these in pots. For seeds I drain my pots extra well, and fill with light rich soil made very fine and smooth on the surface. I then before, not after, sowing the seeds water thoroughly. I sow a pot of Beet for dark fohage (if sown out of doors the sparrows eat it) ; this is a fine contrast to the Calceolarias. If my Musk is dead I sow a pot of seed, and raise hundreds more. I always plant this in my garden ; it does so well, and is so sweet. I sow a pot of Golden Feather, and have plenty of plants for edging. I also sow Asters — the Victoria and Dwarf Chrysanthemum-flowered, Ten-week Stocks, Marigolds, Zinnias, Indian Pinks, a little Ice Plant, and Phlox Drummondi. For tall plants I sow the Variegated Maize. These seed pots I often keep in the window until the soil lifts, not a moment longer ; they are then placed in the frame. I always shade the surface of the pots until the seedlings appear, which prevents drying, as if the soil is dry even for an hour or two the seedlings go off. I cover all the seeds their own thickness with soil and no more, and by always keeping moist, and yet never really wet, I seldom fail, except I sow too thickly. Too thick sowing is one of the most common errors of the day. Plants are seldom spoiled by being too thin in the pots, but are frequently ruined by close crowding in their young state. Now, by sowing at the present time the plants are ready to prick-out just as the weather ia warm enough to receive them outdoors, aud my frame is at liberty again, and the plants are in much better order than if they had been sown earlier aud made tender by longer nursing under glass. But I must glance at the vegetable plot. I sow now dwarf Peas in rows 15 inches apart, aud Beck's Gem Beans the same. I sow a little seed of Paris White Cos and Drumhead Cabbage Lettuce, a little Early York Cabbage (it is deUcious in autumn), Walcheren Cauliflower, Snow's Winter Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Savoys, and Cottager's Kale. I sow all these in drills very thinly — more thinly, in fact, than do many gardeners, and long experience tells me I am right. I also plant my early 271 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. ( AprU 8, 1875. Potatoes at this time in kilc-dust; eg other mannre is so good for them. As a background of green I plant Jerusalem Artichokes, and have a useful vegetable in winter. Under my handlight I now sow a pinch of Celery seed, digging the ground out (5 inches deep and filling with old mouldy manure. In this I sow the seed very thinly, and I know of no better way of raising a few sturdy plants. Preferring dwarf sorts I grow Tamer's Incomparable White, and Hood's Dwarf Red as the best suited to my small garden. I should say I cover my palings with Nasturtiums and Sweet Peas by sowing the seed now. I also have Gourds, Marrows, Canary plants, Convolvuluses, and Scarlet Runners for the same purpose, but seldom sow them until the 1st of May, or late frosts ruin my plants. This is in some measure how I proceed in April. If my simple plan can be of use to others like myself who have home plots which they cherish and try to make pleasant I shall not have written in vain, but shall feel to have made a slight re- turn— as I have often wished — for the many hints and advan- tages I have derived from your long-familiar pages, and their ever-growing attractions. — J. \f. C, J'ine Cottage, N.W. NOVELTIES IN THE ROYAL GARDENS, KEW. Amongst the Orchids the new Cypripedium Argus of Messrs. Veitch is in flower, it is a beautiful kind and finely spotted. C. Hookerfe is extremely pretty; the flowers vary in colour, ana it is observed that with the finest-marked foliage come the worst flowers, and vice versa. The rare C. biflorum is also in bloom. Ccclogyne flaccida is very attractive ; the flowers are numerous, and creamy whiteor pale yellow, except the labellum, which is tinged with orange and marked with brown lines. Here is a very dark and fine form of Lycaste Skinneri, the darkest ever seen by several Orchid cultivators. Dendrobium euperbum, sometimes known as D. macrophyllum, is very hand- some in baskets. It is a splendid plant for exhibition, producing rose-coloured flowers 1 inches across in two rows, along stems 2 feet long. Angrieeum pertusum is extremely curious and pretty ; the white flowers are densely set on the stalk, look- ing down which, the several parts are seen in exact lines. A plant of Phalajnopsis Schilleriana has a fine panicle, and another bears one of less size. Saxifraga Stracheyi is flowering on the rockwork. It has been cultivated in the Koyal Gardens for the last four and twenty years, but is not, however, widely known in commerce. It comes near S. ligulata, and is, perhaps, a form of that plant, though quite distinct and desirable from a horticultural point of view. It is a native of the Himalaya Mountains. I have not seen it ; perhaps some of the readers of our Journal could give us information respecting it. — Veritas. OUR BORDER FLOWERS— FRANCOAS. Though introduced many years ago this family of plants has not been brought into that general cultivation which its merits as a border flower deserve. We have no representative of our own, but are indebted to Chili for what we possess. The varieties vary little in appearance, but their sowthistle- like leaves have a rather pleasing effect. They are easily culti- vated, but sometimes die off unexpectedly, whether it is from some enemy at the base of the leaves or not I am unable to say. To keep up the supply they should be frequently renewed by division after flowering or from seed. Thoy are a beautiful race of plants and ought to be in all collections. They are not particular as to soil, but to see them at their best they should have liberal treatment. - I find them do well in a mixture of good sandy loam, a little_ peat, and well decomposed dung and coarse sand well incorpo- rated with the soil of the border, which is broken up to the depth of 18 or 20 inches. They require thorough drainage, as stagnation from' water is fatal to them. Being of slender habit they require staking to prevent them from being broken by the wind. They continue in bloom for a long time. We only have some four or five kinds enumerated, and variation in colour appears to be the only distinguishing feature, yet few as they are I am inclined to think that some of them only exist on paper. Francoa sonchifolia is the most commonly met with, and that is but seldom seen. A good plant in bloom is a very pleasing object. F. ramosnm is also very scarce; F. appen- dicnlata is a very desirable border flower and ought to be more generally cultivated. It is well worth careful tending and con- tinues long in bloom. There is said to be a white variety of the above which must be an acquisition to this small group, but COCKSCOMBS. My object in writing is to direct attention to what I consider a very fine strain of the dwarf crimson Cockscomb which I had last year in McLachlan's Glasgow Prize. I thought I had one of the finest strains of the dwarf crimson extant, but this excels it. It is said to be a cross between an American variety and the old Scotch kind, and is the finest dwarf crimson Cockscomb I have grown or seen. The plant is very sturdy, the foliage ample, the leaves having great substance. The combs are fine, symmetrical, half-globe heads, the lobes grace- fully curving to the stem. There is no disposition to flatness or straight tops, and the stem of the plant is as round as a Bamboo, which is a great point gained, many plants of some strains of the Cockscombs having stems as flat as a malformed Asparagus head. The outline is smooth, and the colour bright velvety crimson. The flowers proper are not numerous. If seed be wanted the flowers must of course be left ; and yet for fine heads and to continue long in beauty the less flowers retained the better. The advent of this variety will give us, it is anticipated, equally fine forms of other colours ; and who will be the first to raise a "striata," a crimson one with a central stripe of yellow across the comb, or a yellow one with a crimson stripe ? Collections offered in six colours are generally a delusion, and as ugly as anything for a Cockscomb well can be. They are not worthy any attention, a majority having crooked split combs and flat stems. A word as to culture. The seed may be sown early in April. To grow a good comb about twelve weeks is necessary. Full- sized combs will keep in good condition six to eight weeks. I have had them three months in good order in a cool house. Damp is injurious, and they keep best in a dry and cool atmo- sphere, but not below 50' at night. In a room I have had them for weeks, but moss placed on the surface of the pots and watered heavily will rot the stem, and the saturated soil will kill the roots and the heads will fall over. Sow thinly in light rich loam, and place in a gentle hotbed, and keep near the glass and moist, but avoid heavy waterings. The " gentle hotbed " may mean anything ; therefore to be explicit bottom heat 75° to 80", top heat 65" at night, 70° to 75* by day without sun, and 85° or 90° with sun and air. Pot-off singly when the plants have two or three leaves in addition to the seed leaves and return to the hotbed, shading from bright sun for a few days. If bright and hot, sprinkle overhead every afternoon at closing time, and have the leaves dry when the sun shines powerfully upon them ; or if not, shade slightly until dry, or they may become scorched and spotted. Shift into larger pots, small shifts at a time ; and as there is no need to wait until the combs are formed with Glasgow Prize, they may be shifted onward into larger-sized pots as the pots fill with roots, 8-inch or Sl-inch pots being the largest size that need be employed, whilst for general purposes 0 or 7-inch are most desirable. At each potting the plants may be sunk a little lower in the soil. This, however, is not desirable it the plants are not leggy ; and if they are, throw them away, for a leggy plant is not worthy of room. To look well the height of the plant should be about that of oue-half the measurement over the comb from tip to tip, or the same height as the comb is in breadth. The last potting should be givea whan the combs are clear of the leaves. Water carefully after each potting, and yet on no account allow the plants to become dry so as to cause flagging : first make sure that they reaUy require water, and then apply it thoroughly. After the last potting water with weak liquid manure, and turn the plants round if they are growing crook- edly, placing opposite sides to the light. After May they succeed admirably in a cold frame, which, by closing early and admitting air moderately, may be converted into a moist stove — one admirably suited to this class of plants. A suitable compost for these plants is tiirfy loam about six months laid up, with a fourth of old cowdnng or well-rotted manure added. It should be chopped up fine, not sifted, be well incorporated, and have moderate drainage provided. — G. Abbey. Cologne International Horticultural ExniBiTioN. — Wo are requested to state that the ground allotted for planting shrubs for this Exhibition is now at the disposal of intending AprU 8, 1873. 1 JOURNAli OF HORTIOOLTDIiE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. exhibitors, who oan at onoe commence to make use of it. charge will be made for Bpace. No THE BOUQUET, AND HOW IT IS MA.DE. It haa been an object of curiosity to many how such an arrangement is effected. I will inform them. Procure a quan- tity of the finest wire (copper preferred), such as is used in making artificial flowers. With this the bouquet should be tied ; no string or matting is required. The wire should be kept in a coil for tying, but some portion of it should be cut into lengths of about 6 inches. The following flowers it well arranged have a good effect. The centre a double white Camellia, the florets of a good double pink Geranium, and Stephanotis floribunda, and donble bine Violet or Forget-me-not ; these arranged in concentric circles, round the centre, with a few fronds of the Maiden-hair Fern regularly arranged between them, with a few of the fronds placed round the outer edge projecting about 2 inches, to act as guard to the other flowers, and about 3 inches of lace paper, or, as it is better known with ns gardeners, as bouquet paper. In making the bouquet one end of the coil wire is fixed to the stalk of the centre flower, and every single flower which is added is secured by a twist of the wire. A little moss should be placed just where the wire is bound round to prevent cutting the stalk. To supply the want of a long stalk the 6-inch lengths of wires are twisted round the short stalk of the flowers and bent downwards to serve in place of stalks. By the use of the wire not nearly so many flowers are required, and they will have a much lighter appearance and can be arranged in their places much more regularly than if large trusses are used, which always look stiff and heavy. I have often remarked to my fellow gardeners that this branch of our profession does not obtain the attention that is due to it, inasmuch as that the prizes are small and not paying for the time, trouble, and expense. This is not all my com- plaint. A great many are shut out from competing, not be- cause they have not the good taste to arrange a bouquet, but because they have not a supply of choice flowers, snch as Orchids and other stove-blooming plants. I have watched with a great amount of interest, and found that the prizes are nine times ont of ten taken with that bouquet which has the choicest of flowers. I think if the committees of flower shows were to be a little more liberal in this class of competition and divide the prizes into two classes — say prizes for the best hand bouquet of choice flowers, and prizes for the best arranged bouquet — this would open the door to many that have hitherto been shut out. — J. H., Gardener to the Lady C. Lerjge. TRANSPLANTING LAKGE TREES. The moving and transplanting of large trees and shrubs is one of those matters which every now and then come before the horticultural world as some new invention is brought out to effect the object ; but a much more useful purpose is served by correspondents like your ingenious one " A. M." from Essex, who accomplishes his purpose without the aid of those costly contrivances called tree-lifting machines, bat merely applies such homely materials as are generally met with in most places where works of a moderate kind are going on. His description of the mode of tree-moving cannot fail to be under- stood by all who read it, and I strongly recommend it to the attention of those who have large trees to transplant. Having had experience in this work, I also give the mode that I adopted , which, like that of " A. M.," is also homely; ndeed, my plan and his are much alike, differing only in some details which when explained will enable the next operator, perhaps, to glean assistance that may be serviceable in his own case. First of all I may observe that I am not in general an ad- vocate for removing large trees, but there are times when it is advisable to do so. One of the most difficult of these that I had to operate upon was an Araucaria about 23 feet high, and branched to the ground, but growing near another tree a greater favourite than itself. It was decided to transplant it, and towards the end of the dry summer of 1868 a trench, about 10 inches or a foot wide and about 2 feet deep, was dug round it at the distance of somewhat over 5 feet from the collar of the tree, leaving the tree standing on a circle of about 11 feet or more in diameter. Tbis ditch was left open, contrary to the usual practice, which is to partly fill-in with loose leaves, or Bomething that will tempt fresh roots into it ; but a.i the circle was larger than is often the case with trees about to be re- moved, we thought the portion of earth left sufficient for it to exist upon until the time came for its removal. This was de- layed until the beginning of October, 1872. The site to which it was intended to remove it to being exposed to south-west winds, our first duty was to adopt means to secure it in an upright position while travelling, and more especially when it arrived at its destination. Now as every- one is aware, an Araucaria in a healthy state is an awkward thing to handle, baffling even the active monkey, it required some little tact and not a few scratches to accomplish our purpose. At the proper height upwards we fixed a wooden collar round the tree formed of several pieces of wood about the length that reached from one tier of branches and another. To this collar was fixed four strong wires of the kind used for strained wire fences, and these acted as gye or stay ties during the travelling of the tree, and as permanent braces when it was fixed in its place. This done, and the lower branches being tied up the same as " A. M." recommends, we next cut away a portion of the ground on the side it had to travel, and also on the opposite one, deepening sufficiently to be able to undermine the bole of the tree from both sides. Eventually a tunnel was made, and as soon as it was possible to pass a plank through it was done, and some litter being put upon, it was pressed upwards against the bottom of the ball. Earth was rammed tightly underneath it so as to keep it in its place until another plank could be put in, which was treated the same, and so on until the tree was completely isolated from the surrounding ground without any movement whatever in itself. The planks were simply builders' strong scaffold planks, and care was taken in placing them to allow about halt an inch space or more between each, so that when the whole were in their places a stout piece of oak timber was laid across them on the side the tree had to travel, and the planks were tied to this cross piece with stout wke. A loop of the same wire two or three strands thick was next worked round the cross piece, and the mass was now in readiness to move, the ground being cut in a convenient slope for the purpose. We had no rollers under the mass to begin with, but wo had strong tackle in the shape of a very strong rope and a set of four-sheaved pulley blocks ; and there fortunately was a tree to fix the block to as a beginning. With a strong pull the tree was moved, and we then had rollers put under the ball, and when once it was fairly out of the hole and upon these rollers it moved with much more ease. The distance it had to travel was upwards of 200 yards, and as the ground was moderately dry and firm, we did without planks, except in a few places. We used the pulley-and-block plan the whole way, a sort of crowbar forced into the ground, with a man to hold it, answering the purpose of an anchor to secure the block to. The movement as a whole was not a tedious one. The hole for its permanent abode being prepared the tree was drawn into it, and the wire-fastening of the planks to the cross-piece being undone they were drawn out one at a time without disturbing the ball, which settled itself into its position. The wire braces that were fastened near the top of the tree to keep it in its place were firmly secured to the ground, nothing more was to be done but to fill-in the soil. Favourable weather succeeded, and the tree looks as well now as it did at the time it was moved. The check given to the tree by digging around it four years before it was removed had a good deal to do with its after- success, added to which was the mild but wet winter which followed that operation ; while not the least important item was the fact that the heavy mass was settled into its new place with little damage, there not being a crack in it. 1 ought also to have stated that a fastening around the ooUar of the tree was made to the cross-piece that bound the planks together at the first, otherwise I am not sure but the planks might have drawn from underneath it at the first start, which was necessarily up an incline, when drawing the tree out of the hole. In giving the above details about transplanting large trees, I may add that notwithstanding the success above alluded to, I would, as a rule, much rather plant small trees, and, ex- cepting in very special cases, the smaller the better, provided that attention is paid them for a year or two afterwards to prevent weeds and other rough herbage overtopping them. It is but seldom ol' trees that have been transplanted look healthy and well ; perhaps the best example I can at present call to memory are the large deciduous trees that form the boundary of Hyde Park, London, adjoining Park 276 JOURNAL OF HORTIOULTDRE AND OOi'TAQE GARDENER. [ April 8, 1876. Lane. These trees do the planter great credit. Tree-lifting tnaobines taken at their best are eimply remarkable for their mechanical powers, and as such are capable of removing very great weights, regardless of the injury to the roots of the trees operated upon. The removal of large trees has been less popular of late than it used to be, yet I trust I have said enough to make it understood that a very large specimen may be removed with very homely materials. Small trees will always repay the planter in a better way than large trees, and the chances are that at the end of ten or a dozen years the emaller trees will have overtaken those which were of great size when removed. It is well, however to know how large trees may be successfully removed when such special work is required to be done. — John Eodson. CAPTAIN COOK'S OR KERQUELEN LAND CABBAGE (Pkinglea antiscoebutila). In the interesting despatch from Captain Fairfax, of H.M.S. " Volage " (dated from Kerguelen Island, or as Captain Cook happily termed it, the lele of Desolation), among other items there is one of some horticultural interest. It is this, " the Kerguelen Cabbage, which grows in great abundance close to the sea, is issued to the men several times a-week." Many of our horticultural friends doubtless stood up from the perusal of the despatch with their curiosity somewhat on edge to know something more of the Cabbage which merited from Captain Fairfax this specific and honourab'e mention, and which more- over as yet finds no place among the varieties enumerated in the exhaustive lists of the fattest of spring catalogues. In view of the foregoing, and the fact that (thanks to the " Chal- lenger " Expedition) living plants of this most interesting of Cabbages are now amongst us, a few words regarding this curious plant may not be unacceptable to our readers. A century or so has elapsed since Captain Cook touched at Kerguelen Island, which had been discovered by a Frenchman of that name in 1772, By reason of its unmitigatedly desolate and inhospitable aspect Captain Cook would have called it the lele of Desolation, but did not wish to rub Mr. Kerguelen of the honour. On approaching these de.solate shores not a single tree or shrub, nor the least sign of any such met the eye of the navigator, but at some short distance there was some appearance of verdure. With respect to this, Mr. Ander- son, who accompanied Captain Cook as surgeon and naturalist, wrote, "The verdure which appears when at a little distance from the shore would flatter one with the expectation of meet- ing with some herbage, but in this we were much deceived, for on landing it was found that this lively colour was occasioned only by one small plant, not unlike some sorts of Saxifrage, which grows in large spreading tufts up the hills." Mr. Ander- son then introduces our plant on the scene. " There is," he says, " another plant plentifully scattered about the boggy de- clivities, which grows near the height of 2 feet, and not much unlike a small Cabbage when it has shot into seeds ; the leaves about the roots are numerous, large and rounded, narrower at the base, and ending in a small point. Those on the stalks are much smaller, oblong and pointed. The stalks, often three or four, all rise separately from the root, and send up long cylindrical heads of small flowers. It has not only the appearance, but the acrid, watery taste of the antiscorbutic plants, and yet differs materially from the whole tribe ; so that we look on it as a production extremely peculiar to the place. We eat it frequently raw, and found it almost like New Zea- land Scurvy Grass ; but it seemed to acquire a rank flavour by being boiled, which, however, some of our people did not per- ceive, and esteem it good." He then adds — " If it could be introduced into our kitchen gardens, it would in all probability improve so far by cultivation as to be an excellent pot herb." We give this extract in full, because it is the earliest descrip- tion of the plant that we know of, as also an account of botanical acumen which it shows the writer of it to have possessed. The practical suggestion with which it closes re- mains yet to be put to the test ; for until the naturalists attached to the " Challenger " Expedition succeeded in pro- curing and sending home seeds of it last year, no previous scientific visit to the Isle of Desolation was paid at a time when seed was procurable. When during the Antarctic voyage of the " Erebus " aud "Terror," the island was visited by Dr. Hooker, it was at a season when, as he tells us, he failed in seeing the flowers ex- cept in a broken and fragmentary form. In that magnificent work, his " Botany of the Antarctic Voyage," he alludes to this plant as being perhaps the "most interesting " procured during the whole voyage, " growing as it does upon an island the remotest of any from a continent, and yielding, besides this esculent, only seventeen other flowering plants." Dr. Hooker describes it as having " a long, stout rhizome, very similar to that of the Horseradish, and not altogether unlike that of the common Cabbage, which is, however, annual, while both Pringlea and Horseradish are perennial." In the form of the head of leaves to the common Cabbage Dr. Hooker says the resemblance is " most striking," and so is " the use both are put to," but here, he adds, the " analogy ends," as the in- florescence and the part of the plant from which it proceeds are quite distinct. Describing further on, Dr. Hooker says the rhizomes are from 3 to 1 feet long and 2 inches in diameter, full of a spongy, fibrous texture, having a horseradish flavour and bearing at the end " an extremely large head of leaves, sometimes 18 inches across, so like common Cabbage that if growing in an English garden in company with their name- sakes they would not excite any particular attention." As in the ordinary Cabbages, the inner leaves form a dense white heart, which Dr. Hooker says tastes "like Mustard and Cress, but much coarser," the entire foliage abounding with an essential oil, " pale yellow, highly pungent, aud confined in vessels which run parallel to the leaf, and are very con- spicuous if the head be cut transversely." During the entire stay of the " Erebus " and "Terror" in the dreary abode of the Pringlea, Dr. Hooker tells us daily use was made of the plant either cooked by itself or boiled with ship's beef and poik. The essential oil above alluded to, he adds, gives a peculiar flavour, which, however, "neither officers nor men disliked," and which rendered it more wholesome than common Cabbage, " for it never causes heartburn or other symptoms, which the latter does." As remarked at the commencement of this article, it is to the " Challenger" Expedition we are indebted for the seeds from which the young plants now iu Britain have been raised, as also for the more intimate knowledge of the botanical structure of its flowers, perfect specimens of them, forwarded by Mr. Mosley, having reached England for the first time in the course of last year. The chief peculiarities of the flowers, as compared with others of the order, appear to be the ab.»ence of petals and of the usual glaads between the bases of the stamens. Through the kindness of Dr. Balfour one or more young plants are iu possession of Dr. Moore at Glasuevin, and from the same quarter Dr. Edward Perceval Wright, Pro- fessor of Botany, T.C.D., also had a couple of plants, which, kept in a cold frame iu his garden, have, we are glad to say, come safely through the winter. Of these we hope to see and say more by-and-by.— (Zrts7i Farmers' Gazette.} PORTRAITS OF PLANTS, FLOWERS, AND FRUITS. PuYLLOcACTCs liiroEMis. Nat. ord., Cactacca;. Linn., Icos- andria Monogynia. — Flowers crimson. " A native of Honduras, whence it was introduced by G. Ure Skinner, Esq., in 1839. He sent it to the late Sir Charles Lemon, who had a famous collection at Carcleugb, in Cornwall ; and it has been long cultivated at Kew, where it flowered in January 1874." — (Z?o(. Man., t. ()15C.) PtNTSTE.MON ANiiBBUixoiDEB. Nat. ord , Scrophulariaoeoo. Linn., Didynamia Angiospermia. — " A very charming shrubby half-hardy plant, discovered in California by Dr. Coulter nearly half a century ago, and, as far as I am aware, found by no one since till Bolandcr gathered it in the Santa Maria Valley, San Diego. It is remarkable for the lemon-yellow colour of its flowers iu a genus of which most of the species are red, violet, purplish, or blue, colours which rarely occur along with yellow in one group of closely-allied vegetable forms, though instances do occur, as Gentian. " Pentstemon antirrhinoides flowered at the Itoyal Gardens, Kew, in September, 1S74, from specimens sent by Mr. Niven of the Hull Botanic Gardens."— (/ii'i?., (. (5157.) Pyhus I'BUNiroLiA. Nat. ord., Kosacese. Linn., Icosandria Monupynia. — " It is singular that no good figure should exist of so beautiful and well-known a tree as this, and one intro- duced before 1758, which can only bo accounted for by its being usually confounded with the P. baccata, which was not introduced till 1781, and from which its connate styles and totally different fruit, crowned by the persistent calyx, at once distinguish it. I have seen no native sf-ejimens, and though stated by the earlier authors, including De Candolle, to be a native of Siberia, Ledebour does cot seem to have known it, Apiil 8, 1875. 1 JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. •277 for ho quotes De CandoUe aud Willdenow's desoriptiou, giving Siberia with a tjuery as its habitat; and, though described by Miller in 1760, is a native of Dahnria, whence it was intro- duced into the St. Peterburgh Gardens. It is not inohlded in Turczaninov'a Flora Baioal-Dahurica. " Pyrus prunifoliahas been an inhabitant of Kow for upwards of a century, and flowers in April and May, fruiting in October." —{Ibhl, t. 6158.) Masdevallia Pebistekia. Nat. ord., Orehidaeero. Litnt., Gynaudria Monandria. — Flowers yellow, dotted thickly with crimson. " The lip ia, as Reichenbach remarks, very singularly coloured, being covered with innumerable close-set amethystine papillto on a white ground. The name is given in allusion to the likeness of the top of the column and petals to those of the Dove Plant (Peristeria elata), where the anther case represents a dove's head, aud the outstretched tips of the petals its wings, as in the Church's symbol of the Holy Spirit, whence the name of El Spirito Santo was given to the Peristeria by its discoverers the Spaniards. Masdevallia Peristeria is a native of New Grenada, whence it was imported by Messrs. Veitch. The plant flowered in April." — {Ibid., t. 0159). FounCROYA UNDULATA. Nat. Ord., AmaryllidacetB. Linn., Hexandria Mouogynia. — Flowers green. " It is a native of the provinces of Chiapas and Tabasco in Mexico, where it was found by the traveller Giesbrecht, who sent it to Verschaftell's splendid establishment in Ghent (now incorporated with the no less celebrated Brussels one of Linden). The Kew speci- men flowered in the Royal Gardens in November, 1871, rather later than the other species, than which it may want a warmer climate, as that of Chiapas and Tabasco is described as hot, damp, aud its hills as clothed with a tropical forest. It was re- ceived from the rich collection of W. W. Saunders, Esq., F.R.S." —{Ihhl, t. C160.) CvRTOPEni SANoniXEA. Nat. ord., OrchidaoesE. Linn., Gyn- andria Monandria. — " The colour of the flower as shown in my own sketch is a dull reddish-purple, extending over the short spur, with a rose-red limb to the lip ; colours which induced Dr. Lindley to name the species sanguinea, a name hardly justified by those hues. " C. sanguinea inhabits the tropical region of Sikkim, aud is found in dense forests at :i-5000 feet elevation. The Kew plants flowered from tubers which have been received both from the late Dr. Anderson of the Calcutta Botanical Gardens aud Mr. Gammie of Darjeeling." — (Iliid., t. ClCl.) Pear. — Lucy Grim-c. — " This variety ia remarkable for its long, narrow, willow-Hke leaves, which give the tree a peculiar appearauO'5. The fruit is fall medium size, oblong pyriform, broadest just above the middle, its average weight exceeding 7 ozs. The stalk is over half an inch in length, set in a very shallow depression, the sides of which are slightly unequal ; the eye is closed, and set in a shallow even cavity. The colour is a clear deep lemon-yellow, thinly marked with russet dots, and having a small russet patch about the eye and the stalk. The flesh is moderately firm, fine-grained, tender, and melting, very juicy, with a rich luscious flavour, and a slight and agreeable dash of acidity, such as is occasionally met with in the Glou Morc;ean. The odour of the fruit is penetrating and agreeable, and its appearance something like that of an elongated Glou Mor^^eau. \ first-class oerlificate was awarded to this fine new Pear by the Fruit Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society at its meeting of October 23rd last. Ripe and in excellent condition about the middle of October." — {FInrii-t and Pomologist, S s., yiii., 85.) NOTES AND GLEANINGS. We are glad to hear that there is no chance of the con- templated Exhibitions of Amsterdam and Bruasela interfering with each other. At a meeting of delegates held at Antwerp during the Exhibition just closed it was decided that Brussels will celebrate its centenary next year, and that Amsterdam will hold its Great Exhibition in 1877. Will London be ready by 1878? Let us hope so. TnEfollowing candidates have beendulyelected Fellows OF THE Royal Horticoltcral Society since the 1st of January last— viz., B. Bate, Hon. and Rev. J. T. Boscaweu, Mrs. A. Cnmberbatch, Mrs. George Hamilton Dundas, J. Godman, Captain F. H. Hamilton, Mrs. Harrison, Charles F. Haywood, Mrs. C. Kemble, Mrs. E. S. Kuipe, Thomas Charles Perceval Lefroy, Thomas Alfred Logan, Major-General P. L. Macdougnll, R. L. Pemberton, Miss R. Pennell, E. J. Reed, C.B., M.P., F. Ricardo, William Scott, Thomas Shedden, James Tedder, Earl of Wicklow, John A. Clarke, Major-General P. Conybeare, Mrs. Dansey, J. A. FuUarton, Vice-Admiral W. W. Hornby, Charles G. L. Kelso, J. L. P. Lebi^-que, Mrs. Lloyd, James Murray, W. C. T. Padday, Hon. Leopold W. H. Powvs, Mrs. Young, Hon. Evelyn Ashley, M.P., I. de Salles, Mrs. C. D. F. Philips, Thomas William Angell, Hon. W. Lowther, M.P., Ac. To avoid clashing with the Manchester Show, that to be held at the Crystal Palace is postponed to the 29th of May. Our correspondent Mr. J. Wright, on retiring from the service of the Hon. A. Leslie-Melville, had a handsome barometer presented him by the family as a tribute of the esteem in which he was held by them ; also for his servicea inthevilloge he was further presented with a valuable time- piece. Mrs. Wright and family had also gratifying tokens of goodwill from the Melville family. The cultivation of the Tobacco plant in Algeria has been carried out very successfully, the soil and climate of that country being well suited to the growth of the plant. In 1874 no less than 9,700,000 lbs. were produced and passed through the State warehouses. The value of this crop was £141,224, or nearly double that of 1873. The experiment — though it is no longer merely an experiment, but a practical industry — has been carried on since 1847, and during the past twenty- seven years about 140,000,000 lbs. weight.of Tobacco has been produced and Bold. It is stated that the Italian Government, following the course it has already adopted on previous occasions, will gratuitously distribute this year five titodsand plants of Eucalyptus olobulus for cultivation in the Agro Romano, especially in the spot infected by malaria. — {Nature.) Professor Vooel of Munich has lately published, says GaUgimni, some curious experiments on camphor and its physiological action on plants. In 1798, Benj. Smith Barton first announced the stimulating action of camphor on vegetable organisms. He stated that a Tulip with its stalk dipping in a solution of that substance withered much later than others kept in common water; and that a yellow Iris that was about to fade was reinvigorated for a few hours by means of camphor. Barton therefore came to the conclusion that this drug acts upon plants as a stimulant, much as spirits do on the animal frame. These all- but-forgotten experiments have lately been resumed by Professor Vogel, who has lately communicated his results to the Academy of Munich. Ha first prepares a homo- geneous solution of camphor by triturating it with distilled water, and then shaking it up with a larger quantity of the same; and into this he puti his plants. Two branches of Syringa (common Lilac) in blossom, of equal tize and vigour, were selected ; one of them was put into common water, the other into the camphorated solution. A remarkable difference was soon noticed. After the lapse of twelve hours the former was already drooping and nearly faded, while the latter was still erect and apparently as fresh as ever, some of its buds having even opened in the interval ; and this healthy condition lasted three days. In another experiment a branch of Lilac which was nearly dead was put into camphorated water and revived for a short time. The action of camphor is less power- ful on the Vine, aud scarcely of any e-ffect on Black Elder. The idea now presented itself that this drug might also have some action on seeds, and accordingly some of Lepidium sativum, or garden Cress, were subjected to this treatment. They were chosen very old, because in that state their germi- nating power is much weaker than when they are new. The seeds were placed on blotting paper in porcelain plates, one portion being wetted with the camphor solution and another with common water, another piece of blotting paper was laid over each. The germinating power of these seeds is considered not to extend beyond three years, and yet, under the influence of camphor, some of 18fi9 germinated in the course of twenty- four hours, and others of 1871 in seven hours, while those exposed to the action of pure water either did not give signs of life, or, at least, very imperfectly. From these and similar experiments it may be concluded that camphor is a valuable agent in horticulture. Planting Potatoes. — Now is the time (April 4th) to plant early Potatoes. The whole of our Potato borders were deeply dug, and even manured in November, and now the soil is like a bed of ashes. Draw the drills 2i feet apart, and plant the Potatoes 18 inches. Give them a top-dressing of burnt ashes 278 JOURNAL OF HORTIOULTOEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ April 8, 1876. mixed with rotten leaves ; plant near the surface. When up earth them over until about the middle of May, and you will, season being favourable, be rewarded with fine, large, clear, and good Potatoes. — B. Gilbert. THE CASTOR-OIL PLANT. RiciNus ooMMCNiB, or Castor-oil Plant, is a native of India, and was introduced to our stoves in 1548. It has long been cul- tivated, and from the supposed resemblance of its beautifully mottled seeds to an insect known as the tick or ricinus, the ancients applied that name to the plant. Seeds have also been found in ancient Egyptian mummy cases, and it has been known as a medicinal plant from time immemorial. It is cultivated as a commercial product in the Levant, Spain, Brazil, and other parts of the tropica. Some of the species are found growing spontaneously in Italy, choosing as their habitat the moist thickets on the southern coast. From the province of Verona the largest supplies of both seeds and oil are now drawn, and from nowhere can such pure oil be had as from the manufactories of that province. The plants are grown in fields of rich soil in rows i to o feet apart, and 3 feet distant in the rows. They are earthed-up as they grow, and in September the seeds are gatliered by women. It is stored and manufactured with great care, and good seed will yield about sixty-six per cent, of the commercial oil. As ornamental plants the different varieties of this genus are largely cul- tivated. The large, broad, palmate leaves, from which is derived its popu- lar name, Palma Christi, are very effective by their rich glaucous purplish hue and the metallic lustre of their surface. It was for- merly grown only under glass, but since subtropi- cal plants for our gardens have become popular, the Castor-oil Plant has form- ed an important part of this extremely ornamental mode of garden decoration. When well grown few plants are more stately than this, or form a more distinct feature amongst the occupants of the garden. R. sanguineus, E. Obermanni, and E. purpureus are amongst the most effec- tive varieties ; where one only is required, that first named may be selected. They are easily raised by sowing seed at the present time. To insure a free germination the seed must be placed in brisk bottom heat, such as is afforded by a Cacumber or Melon frame. It may be sown one seed in the centre of a small pot, or several in a pan, the seedlings to be afterwards potted. The plants must be grown in a genial temperature of 60° at night, and be shifted into larger pots as they require, and be kept in a light place near the glass. By this means they will be fine plants by the let of .Tune, when, after being duly pre- pared, they may be planted out. The soil suitable for potting them is rich tnrfy loam with a little peat and leaf mould. The plants require copious supplies of water when in active growth. The soil in which they are planted should be rich and deeply worked, and the site sheltered from strong winds, which cause injury to the foliage. A point of importance to bear in mind in the raising of these plants is for the cultivator to correctly calculate his con- veniences for growing them on without check. February is not too early to sow the seed in one garden, but March sowing may be premature in another. The time for sowing is to be decided by the means of growing the plants freely afterwards. By attention to this, those having no other convenience than a warm frame and cool structure or two may have attractive Castor-oil Plants. In this case the end of April will be suffi- ciently early to sow the seed, and by the time the plants are established the weather will permit their being removed to an unheated structure with- out injury. Plants from seed sown in AprU and having no obstacles to free growth will have a better appear- ance in August than those from seed sown two months earlier, and which had become drawn and obstructed in growth by lack of suitable conveni- ences. This is a rock on which many a wreck oc- curs. Safety lies in cal- culating means, and from this determining the right time to sow seeds of tender plants. Those who have beds filled with annuals which are not off the ground until July, may at that time have the beds re- filled with Castor-oil Plants from seed sown in April, or even as late as the first week in May, and the plants be grown on, liberally and freely, in frames heated by the sun alone. By rich ground and an abundance of warmed water the plants, if not tall , will be highly ornamen- tal through the autumn months, and will increase in beauty until destroyed by frost. Single plants in suitable places always look well. Plants from seed sown late will not flower, but that is of little or no importance, as the orna- mental appearance of the plant is due to its noble growth and beautiful foli- age ; yet in the hot sum- mer of 18C8 we saw plants flowering out of from seed which had been Fig. C3.— Castor-oil plant (Ricinus communi'i). doors in the midland counties sown in April. — W. AQUAEIUM AND FLOWER STAND, How TO Fill the Aquakium. — First cover the bottom of the tank to the depth of one half-inch with pure fine sand, on the top of which put an equal quantity of fine gravel ; over this gravel sprinkle small ornamental stones, sheila, coral, &i. Everything put into the tank must be thoroughly washed. Next put in position an ornamental central piece of coral, stone, or any- thing out of which yon can construct an arch through which the fish can readily swim. Now fill the tank one-third full with pure cold water from a lake, river, or well. Plants. — The best aquatic plant for aL-rating the water in the aquarium is Anacharis canadensis, found growing (in America) on the bottom of nearly all sluggish streams and ponds. The Valisneria spiralis is the next best, after which comes the April R, 1876. 1 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 279 Myriaphyllum verticUlatum. There is a species of Conferva found in rapid streams attached to stones that is an excellent aerator, valuable especially during the winter when other plants do not flourish. If you have the Anacharis remove all its decayed stems and leaves, wash it clean, and arrange in groups of ten to fifteen. Make a hole in the sand, insert the root end of the plants, and secure in this position by press- ing small stones about them. Insert in this way about six to eight groups, and be careful to make them secure at the bottom. Boots are not necessary, as the cuttings will soon send out fine white rootlets. Now fill up the tank with water to within IJ inch of the top. Wait two or three days before in- troducing the fish, that the plants may have time to commence growing. The Fish. — Almost any small species of fish may thrive in the aquarium ; but we think the best for the purpose are the red- bellied minnows and sticklebacks, all found in small streams. Se- lect small fish ; from four to eight for a tank holding from eight to twelve gallons. Such a tank will support four small ones better than one larger. In- troduce also ten or twelve water snailH. The Lymnte are the best ; yet the Planorbia and the Physa are in- teresting. Better, how- ever, have a few of every kind you can find in the ponds and stagnant pools in your vicinity. They feed on the softest parts of aquatic plants, and do not exhaust the oxy- gen mixed with the water, for they are air- breathing, and have to come to the surface to take in a supply of air to be used while they go about cleansing the plants and glass of the tank with their curious- ly-constructed jaws. Food.— The best food for the fish are angle worms and flies in summer, and fine bits of fresh raw meat in winter. Never give the fish more than they can eat at one time, for whatever is left will injare the water. Position-. — The best place for the aquarium is where it will be exposed to the sun at least one hour each day, in order that the plants may exhale oxygen, which can only take place under the stimulus of light. Too much light, however, is to be avoided, as the fish do not thrive when exposed to the sun, and the glass will be soiled by conferva;', a green vege- table matter. In summer an outdoor position is best if there be suflicient shade. It is well to cover the aquarium, both for the shade and to keep the fish from leaping out of the tank. Clkansino the Aqtjaeicm.— It well balanced with plants, fish, and fhells, the water will remain sweet for an indefinite time. We have an aquarium that has been in service for the last twelve years, and which does not require a change of water oftener than once or twice a year, and then only to renew the sand which becomes filled with excrementitious matter. Amphibiocs Animals. — If lizards, frogs, or other amphibious ani- mals are introduced, they should be pro- vided with some sur- face above the water to climb upon. The rocks may be built above the water, or a piece of flat cork may be allowed to float upon it, on which the animals will climb. Gold Fish may be kept tenor twelve years (their average period of existence) by using the following precautions : 1st. Allow not more than one fish to two quarts of water. 2nd. Use the same kind of water, whether well or river ; change it every other day in summer and twice each week in winter. 3rd. Keep cl«an sand and pebbles at the bot- tom, washing it oc- casionally or replacing with a fresh supply. 4th. Use a small net rather than the hand while changing the water. .5th. Feed with plain biscuit, yolk of egg, lettuce, and flies, once each week, except in cold weather. Feed but httle at a time. Re- move any crumbs that may remain on the surface after feeding. Gth. Do not feed at all from November to the end of February, and but little during the following three months. 7th. If there are growing plants in the aquarium water need be changed but rarely. 8th. Keep from sun- shine and in the cool- est part of the room. — (Nm Yorl- riralc.) FIf,'. 111.— AcifARirM AND FLOWER STANH William Austim. — The obituary notices which have from time to time appeared in the Journal have recorded the passing away of men famed as amateurs, as f;ar deners, or as patrons of horticulture; I will add a pass ng tribute to one in* a more humble rank of hfe, who foi^.the qualities which I shall presently alluie to was, I think out an equal. But who was he ? it may be aEked who had frequented our metropolitan shows will i have noticed wherever my friend Mr. Turner's plants were put up, busy amongst them, diving-m where others I to tread," and looking at all with a critical eye, the active form of William Austin. He was really only Mr. Turner s carter, but I never met anyone who bad a better taste for arrangement than he had, nor one who could detect any little faultinesa with- Anyone not fail to ts were ' feared 280 JODRNAIi OP HORTIODLTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER ( AprU 8, 1875. either in those belonging to Mr. Tarner or others. He was, moreover, an excellent judge of plants and flowers, and I have often, when the plants were staged and I had nothing to do in the way of judging, said, "Now, Austin, come round and tell me where the prizes ought to go," and rarely have I found him at fault ; and when I add to this that he was a faithful and honest servant, and had lived with his employers for thirty years, I think I have established his claim to this brief notice. — D., Deal. WHITE AND CLUSTER ROSES. " ConsuBiA " (page 25fi) has done well to direct attention to this enjoyable type of Roses, and to the scant attention they receive at our exhibitions. If their individual blooms are less imposing than those of the Perpetuals, the clusters render the plants admirably adapted for garden decoration. We seldom find them cared for except in very old or cottagers' gardens, yet how cheery and sweet and homely they are ! They are excellent for shrubbery cultivation, rich soil being not at all essential to their free growth, and their profuse blooming and lively colours show to advantage in the dark evergreen setting which the shrubs afford. They are extremely suitable as summer screens in covering bowers, rustic fences, and piles of roots, and possess an easy airy gracefulness and a delicate perfume which cannot fail to be enjoyed. Their finely-wroathed clusters of blooms may, too, be gathered by armfuls without robbing the plants, and the free natural arrangement of these tresses are ever attrac- tive in our dwellings. The tendency of the times is to foster the increase of massively-formed highly-coloured Roses — and splendid they are — yet at the expense of perfume and elegance of habit of the clustered-flowering varieties. Burely, as "Cobnuhia" has suggested, means may be afforded to bring the cluster Roses into our exhibitions, and thus add diversify to the shows ; also to let the public see how attrac- tive they are in themselves, and how eminently they are suited to meet the special requirements of a flower-loving world. I hope "Cor.NCBiA" will take up the theme again, and tell us more about this charming class of Roses.— Anr^E Y:bert. RUSSELIA JUNCEA. JnnaiNr, from the miserable starved appearance which Ruseelia junceahas in some gardens, one would think that it was difficult to grow, and from the way in which it is in others "stuck" in any out-of-the-way corner of the house, to be hardly worth growing. Now my experience of this plant is, that it is very easy to grow, and, when well grown, one of the handsomest and most useful early-winter-flowering green- house plants we have. I have had splendidly-flowered plants of it from 3 to .5 feet high, one mass of bloom from top to bottom, and continuing in flower from three to four months. The way I recommend it to be grown is as follows: — Sup- pose the plants to be just done flowering, keep them rather dry for six weeks or two months ; by this time it will be early spring. The plants should be then shaken out of the pots, and the balls carefully reduced and repotted in the same-sized pots, which should be well drained. The compost ought to be a good fibry loam, with a good allowance of half- rotted stable- droppings, that from an old mushroom-bed does very well. A few of the branches ought at the same time to be cut off close to the neck of the plant, which will encourage new shoots to make their appearance from the base, and it is to those new shoots we must look for our future plant. The plants ought to have a good position in the house, and be carefully and sparingly watered until the new shoots make their appearance, when water can be given more freely. As soon as the young shoots are an inch or two in length, a few more of the old branches can (if an old plant) be cut away, leaving enough of the freshest of them to nicely cover the pots. The plants at the same time ought to have a good shift, and no more shifting will be necessary. The old wood ehould be allowed to hang down, and the new shoots encouraged to grow upright; but they must not by any means be closely tied, as at this period they grow very fast; they should only have as much support as to keep them from touching the glass, or coming in contact with anything else, as they are very brittle, and would snap off like young Asparagus tops; in fact, if growing very strong they somewhat resemble that plant : care should also be taken that they are not broken by the hand when watering, as it is ruin to them to be stopped ; neither must they be allowed to suffer for the want of water ; for one need not expect to have very nice specimens if checked in any way when making their growth. As soon as they have nicely established themselves in their new pots they ought to have plenty of liquid manure. I find they are very partial to soot. The point I strongly recommend is to get a fresh growth from the bottom every year. My experience of this plant con- vinces me that this is by far the best way of growing it. Grown upon this system, it will be useless to expect large well- bloomed specimens if they are half starved. They must have fair pot-room, and be grown as vigorously as possible. They can do with as much liquid manure as almost any other plant. Most cultivators keep the old wood year after year, as they would that of a hardwooded plant. This, I am convinced, is not the beat way of growing them, for they seldom flower so well a second time upon the old wood. The flowering period will be considerably prolonged by giving them a good top- dressing of very rich compost. After they have completed their growth they can be neatly tied to an upright stake ; two of the leaders will be quite enough to take up their full length ; the others can be tied half-way up, and allowed to hang down. Treated in this way, they will make handsome specimens, by no means to be de- spised as exhibition plants at a provincial flower show. — R. Reid (in The Gardener). THE POTATO DISEASE. In the issue of your .Journal of date 14 th January, under the heading, ".Jottings of Last Year's Gardening," it is ob- served, " Culturally the Royal Agricultural Society has, to its own satisfaction no doubt, proved there are no kinds of disease- proof Potatoes. It is hoped the public, and especially the ninety-four essayists, will be convinced that the prize of Earl Cathcart was ' justifiably withheld.' " On what ground the public could have come to such a conclusion I am not aware, but as one of the ninety-four essayists I most emphatically deny that all the essayists have been shown any valid cause for admitting that the prize was " justifiably withheld." As an essayist I consider the decision a very shabby one, and the essayists have been treated with but curt justice and courtesy. I, however, exonerate the distinguished nobleman who bo generously offered the prize from participating in the pro- ceedings. It may be true that the essayists did not succeed in working a miracle by the "prevention of Potato disease" — a feat, I venture to thiulv, beyond the power of man — neither is it in our power to " prevent " frost ; but although the " prevention " of the latter is not within our power, we can, by the adoption of suitable remedial measures, render its injurious effects com- paratively harmless. Precisely so, I presume to think, will be the case with regard to Potato disease. It appeared to me that the essayists were thrown overboard to meet the bright idea which was conceived of inventing a kind of miraculous Potato which was to be a "disease-proof Potato!" which, if successful, would no doubt have caused a sensation, and made the fortuue of the lucky person who could make the public believe in its efficacy. I along with, I presume, the other essayists, was invited to be a competitor in testing the efficacy of this golden Potato, being given to understand that a considerable number of agri- culturists had agreed to do so ; but having had no faith what- ever in this miraculous tuber, nor in the conditions of compe- tition, I made no response. Since then I understand the project has been abandoned, but it is to be hoped the essayists, notwithstanding their rebuff, will prosecute their respective theories, the investigation being of incalculable national im- portance, and by no means a hopeless one. I feel assured that if " prevention " is impossible, satisfactory remedial measures will ultimately be found. One hundred and fifty years ago he was reckoned a very olever farmer who could from his scanty and precious stock of seed spare a dish for his " Christmas dinner," a scarcity arising from causes which experience and skill afterwards re- moved, as it is to be hoped will be the case with Potato disease, on which I do not mean to inflict on you a lengthened dis- quisition. I cannot close those remarks without expressing my con- currence in the very able, practical, and judicious views relative to Potato disease expressed in the article in your issue of the •1th ult. signed " Beta," whose views I thoroughly endorse. April 8, 1876. J JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 281 Altbuiigb the locality therein referred tu had the greatest rainfall in Eoglaud, it did not follow that Potato disease must have ensued there, something more than excess of rainfall being reijuired to produce Potato disease, which in all pro- bability we may have periodically, like the somewhat analogous diseases of pleuro-pneumonia — foot-and-mouth, and grouse disease. — C. TREE MIGNONETTE. There seems to be an idea among some gardeners that Tree Mignonette is difficult to grow. Sijch, however, is not the case ; for if it received half the attention that other things have, such miserable objects as one often sees called Tree Mignonette would not be met with. We have six pyramids and two standards, the largest pyramid being 4 feet through and 3 feet high, the standards having heads 2 feet through. We have out abundance of bloom from them since the beginning of October, and shall be able to continue doing so until there is plenty outside. Mr. Wood's treatment is briefly as follows : — Sow the seed, two or three in the centre of thumb pots, the beginning of April, and as soon aa the seedlings are large enough thin them out to one in each. Aa soon aa the pots are filled with roots give them a small shift, and continue doing so until the size of pot is reached in which you mean your future specimens to remain. Pinch all the flower buds out as soon as they make their appearance until the end of August. When they are in flower weak manure water may be given them two or three times a week. Loam, peat, and leaf mould in equal proportion, with a good sprinkling of ailver sandjBuits them well. — LocKHARTM'lNTOSH(in 'Tlie Gardener). NOTES ON VILLA and SUBURBAN GARDENING. G.iRDEN W.1LKS — At this time, which may be considered the beginniog of a season of pleasure to be derived from a garden, it would be difficult to find more important work to be done than by having the walks in good order. If they are formed of gravel the surface should be turned over to the depth of at least li inches, which will not only destroy both weeds and moss, which is very desirable at the commencement of a season, but the walks will present a fresh and lively appearance, and bo more agreeable to walk upon during the summer. But, like most other things, the work must be done with judgment — first, if the edges of the walks are of either Box or grass they should be neatly trimmed, the former by clipping and filling up all vacancies, and the latter by being smoothly pared with the edging iron ; and if there are borders beyond these they ought to be first dug and all completed before the walk is touched. By first completing this heavy work of border-digging a con- siderable time is afforded for the walk to settle down firm again before being much used, which is important as contributing to its smoothness and beauty. In turning gravel walks let the work be done in dry weather, and as the turning goes on do not go far before you rake the surface even and to its proper shape, rolling it regularly as you go on, say about every 40 feet, for gravel always binds best when it is first turned up, because it is then moist on the surface. It may be necessary to rake the walk both lengthways and cross- ways, and work the surface free from holes and make it all even alike, this must be done before any rolling. For some time after the walks will need frequent rollings. If the walks are of turf, which is seldom seen in this part of the country, they must be first swept and well cleaned, then pare the edges and keep the grass well rolled and mown during the summer. The Lawn. — Everyone knows and appreciates clean and well- kept lawns, and to have them so requires labour and good management. This time of the year is the most important, for what is to be done in the way of levelling should be done now. The grass should be well swept when dry, and also rolled, and the first time it is mown, which is not always the easiest, it should be cut rather close and again rolled to compress the sur- face ; after that the grass which grows is young, consequently the machine or scythe works easy and well. Flo\\ek Beds. — Take the first opportunity to arrange the plan of bedding for the season if it has not already been done, particularly as the preparation of the soil for any particular or choice bedding plant must be now considered. I advise that the soil in the beds be once more tureed up to the original depth advised for the winter digging, and all additions as to soil or manure be now completed. As a rule, the most usual sorts of bedding plants do well in ordinary soil, but a change is bene- ficial, and I question if it would not ba an advantage in the case of the amateur or occupier of a small garden situated near the town who cannot, without considerable expense, obtain an entirely fresh or new soil, to half empty his flower beds and transfer the soil to his kitchen garden, and make up the differ- ence from that garden in return. I am satisfied he would find this mutual exchange beneficial to his plants ; and again, although it is not to be expected that an amateur can make any very special preparations such as a professional gardener has the chance to do, yet if he cannot do as I suggest above, he can study and provide a little difference in the soil according to the requirements of different plants. Many complain of and have discarded the Calceolaria. There is no better plant for free-flowering than this, yet it needs special treatment. As to soil, it enjoys a firm, rich, deep loam; but in hundreds of cases it cannot have it, but instead, if the soil is light, it can have a layer of rich manure placed about a foot under the surface, and the surface itself pressed firm almost to treading during planting. Plant out early, say by the last week in April, and do not allow them to stand in close quarters till the plants are drawn up and the wood become hard, and the eyes which ought to produce shoots are all dead. This is not likely to be satisfactory. I do not believe this plant likes to be inter- rupted at the root after a cortaiu staf,e ; hence my reason for advising early planting. I do not think they can ba overgrown in the beds. Pelargoniums of the Zonal class may be overgrown in a very rich, damp, heavy soil. In such soil they are pretty sure to make too much leaf and erowth rather than a profusion of bloom. This is rectified if the soil is less rich and lighter ; whereas the variegated sorts, which are grown more for their leaf-colouring, require a rich soil and to be grown vigorously, as witness the benefit such a soil imparts to Flower of Spring. Enough has been said to illustrate what I mean by special preparation for different sorts of plants, a matter which is too little thought of by many who are admirers of the usuil kinds of bedding plants when well grown, but who lose the chance of doing the work at a time when it can be most conveniently done, which is during this month. — Thomas Record. DOINGS OF THE LAST AND WORK FOR THE PRESENT WEEK. HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. Bur little work can be done in this department now, except to protect the trees from frost and feathered depredators. So far the weather has been exceptionally fine, clear days, with a little sun, and a night temperaluru sufficiently high to dispel all fear of injury from frost. Wo would rather have the days cloudy than continuous sunshine, which hurries out the blos- soms on wall trees too rapidly. The Apricots have not required shelter so far, and the pistils pushing out prominently show that the blossoms have set well. Peaches aud Nectarines will soon ba in blossom on the walls. t is easy in small gardens where but few trees are grown to look carefully- over the young shoots before the blossoms expand, a-id with a small sponge and soapy water remove any aphis or ec i' e . It is hopeless to attempt this after the blossoms are open, aid before the syringe can be used the aphis has attacked the young leaves and caused them to curl up. It cannot be too much impressed upon all who would be suc- cessful gardeners that all insect pests should be destroyed as soon as they are observed, and a watchful eye should be kept upon all trees that are likely to be attacked. If the present tine weather continues the protecting material will not be re- quired, but it ought to be in its place in case a sudden change should occur. Not only on the walls, but in the open garden, all sorts of hardy fruit trees give promise of being covered with blossoms. We have again run the Dutch hoe through the Strawberry quarters. It is just the surface that requires to be stirred. If the hoe is pushed into the gi-ound too deeply a large proportion of the roots will be destroyed. When the plants have grown well and the crowns are fully developed the whole body of the ground from the surface downwards is a mass of roots, and quite close to the surface will be found a network of active hair-like fibres, ready to absorb the manurial properties of the surface- dressings which are appUed as soon as the flower trusses are thrown-up. Now is a good time to put in Strawberry plants. If the run- ners have been thickly placed in beds in autumn they remain in the same position through the winter, and are now starting into growth. Many persons have not the opportunity to plant their beds at the proper time— that is as soon as the runners can be obtained. The plants put out now will, if strong, throw- up flower trusses, but these must be cut off, as wcjU as any runners that may be formed. Those who forced Black Prince or Keens' Seedling early will now have a quantity of plants from which the fruit has been gathered. As these plants are taken out of the forcing houses they may be removed to a cold frame for a week or ten days, the frame to be kept close for day or two, so that the leaves formed in a high temperature may not suffer. They ought to have a large supply of water a the roots, so that the ball is quite moist to the centre. If such 282 JOURNAL OP HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. t AprU 8, 18?5. plants can be planted on well-prepared ground they will produce a crop of fruit in the autumn. The roots, being matted firmly together, forming a ball impenetrable to water, must be loosened out with a pointed stick, and the mould ought to be very firmly pressed round the roots when planting. FRUIT AND KOECING HOUSES. Vineries. — We have finished thinning the Grapes in all the houses. This is an operation that will not stand over. The berries in their early stages swell so rapidly that unless they are thinned-out, as soon as ready, the quality of the fruit ia "deterio- rated. Blacli Hamburgli, Buckland Sweetwater, and all free- setting varieties are ready for thinning in ten days after the first flowers on the bunch are observed to open. Muscat of Alex- andria, Canon Hall Muscat, Golden Champion, "nd all the shy- Betting section cannot be done until it is perceived what berries are set ; this will be about four or six days longer than the others. It requires some experience to know how many berries may be removed, and it is much the best way to thin-out the whole at once. Many persons make a second thinning just before stoning, and it is desirable to look over the bunches at that time, as even with the best management some of the berries maybe too much crowded, or a few badly-formed berries recjuire to be removed. The growing shoots are now tied down into their places, and it is necessary to look over the Vines once in ten days, and to stop back any growths that have been formed ; but if the Vines are carrying a good crop of fruit but little growth will be made after the berries are thinned-out. Late houses that have not received any artificial heat, except so much as kept the frost out, are now starting into growth. No bedding plants should be in the house at this time, but if it ia required a few pot Roses, or any other plants requiring to be forced, may be placed in the house until they ai"e likely to be injured by shade from the leaves. Camellias that have finished flowering may also be started into growth here; the moist atmosphere and daily syringing is congenial to them, causing a healthy vigorous growth. Pot Vines intended for early forcing next year should now be pushed along with a high temperature, the leaves to be freely exposed to the light, and suQioient space allowed for them to develope themselves. Plants crowded together in a tin bed will not give satisfaction. The strongest and best-ripened canes are produced if the pots are placed on a stage over hot-water pipes, not plunging the pots at all, and they will be strong enough, ii the compost is good, without any manure water being used. The cines ought to be traiued-up close to the glass, but not so close that the leaves come in contact with it. Syringe the leaves daily to keep them free from spider. Orange Trees in Pots. — As it is not necessary to have a house entirely devoted to Fig trees to obtain a small supply of Figs, in the same way a few dishes of delicious home-grown Oranges may be obtained from half a dozen pot plants placed in a house with a high temperature, the only stipulation being that they are not under the shade of Vines or other dense-foliaged plants which are trained to the roof. Tangierine Oranges are the eirliest to ripen, but fruit that is just now set will not be ripe until November ; and later sorts, such as St. Michael's and Maltese Blood, will not be ripe iintil Christmas. The only insect pest that is any trouble to us is the brown scale, and the best way to bluish it is by hand-washing. If the trees are pretty well free from it now, vigorous syringing daily will keep the leaves clean and the plants healthy all through the summer months. CJREENHOUaE AND CONSEKVATOIIY. There ia no lack of flowers at present in this department. Tae late Camellias are unusually fine, and any Azaleas that have been forced retain the flowers in good colour ao much longer now than they do if allowed to open without any forcing in June. Deuti;ia gracilis with its clustering sprays of snowy white flowers lasts long in beauty if the plants are kept cool and shaded from scorching sunshine. Much of our time has been taken up in preparing Hyacinths, Tulips, iVc, for exhibition. Tulips require nothing more than a slender stick to support the flower stalk ; the flowers are also tied round with a strip of matting to prevent the petals from being shaken off during transit. The Hyacinth spikes are tied to a wire support, and no dressing is allowed except to arrange the bells with a cedar pencil. Many of the sorts have the bells naturally drooping, but the best exhibition varieties are those that have them stand out in a horizontal position, ao that the spike forms a cone narrower at the top than the base, and regu- larly covered with perfectly shaped bells. Stiff healthy foliage is quite as essential to success as well-formed large spikes. any of the Hyacinths exhibited this year were faulty in this respect, the foliage being so weak that it hung quite over the pots. Thia is caused by keeping the plants in a house badly ventilated or too far from the glass. Even it it is necessary to push on the plants to have the flowers open before a given day they ought to be placed quite near the glass, and a little venti- lation ahoald be allowed ia the house all night, and the atmo- sphere of the house should not be too much charged with moisture. Stage Pelargoniums are now growing vigorously, the most forward cf them showing their flower trusses. The plants are not large, being such as are best adapted for decorative purposes. They will each produce from ten to thirty trusaes of flowera. They are in 7 inch pots; each of the branches ought now to be supported with a neat stick. Smaller plants propagated in the autumn will produce better truasea of bloom in flinch pots than if they were potted into those of a larger size. Green fly has been detected on the young growths, and the house will be fumigated with tobacco amoke the first calm night. It is great waste of expensive material to fumigate hothouses in a gale of wind. Wetting the roof of the house with water from a syringe closes many of the laps on the glass. Remove all decaying flowers at once; brush the stages at least once a- week; study cleanliness and neat arrangement, avoiding overcrowding the plants, which to the initiated is always suspicions, aa it ia generally a cloak to hide badly cultivated plants. Plants that are no longer required in the house, such as Roses, Deutzias, and, indeed, any flowering ahruba that have been forced, though hardy enough in themselves, must not be placed out of doors, or the yonng growths will be injured. If no cool glass house is available for them they ought to be sheltered from cold winds and frost by a canvas house, turf pit, or some similar arrangement. When cold east winds prevail with sun- shine it is best to admit but little air, rather using the shading to keep down the temperature. Summer-floweriug, New Holland, and other hard wooded plants should be examined daily. They must not be crowded with the more rapid-growing softwooded subjects, and particular care is required in applying water at the roots. — J. Douglas. HORTICULTUBAL EXHIBITIONS. Secretaries will oblige us by informing us of the datea on which exhibitions are to be held. Jersey. — May 5th, Roses June 16th, Autumu October 13th, Chrysanthemums November 10th. Major Howell, Spring Grove, St. Lawrence, Hon. Sec. Bath.— May 12th, September Ist and 2u(i. Mr. B. Psaraon, 13, Milsom Street, Sec. CavbTAL Palace Cosipanv.— Flower Show, May2;ilh; Boso Show, Jane 19th; Autumn Fruit and Flower Show, September 7th to 9th— Sec, F. W. Wilson. Bees and their appliances, September 21st to 23rd — Sec, J. Hunter. CovESTRV.— May 31bt. Mr. T. Wigslon, 3, Portland Terrace, Lower Ford Street, Sec. Leeds.— Juno 9th, 10th, aud llth. Mr. J. Blrkbeck, DelphLane, Woodhouse, Leeds, Sec. Burton-upon-Tkent.— June 16tb. Jlr. Wm. Shave, Bond Street, Sec. Glasgow.— June 16th, September 8th. Mr. F. Q. Dougall, 167, Canning Street, Sec. Farehaji. — June 23rd. Mi-. H Smith, Sec. ExETEB (Rose Show). — June 2oth. Mr. J. N. Gray, Queen Street Chambers, Hon. Sec. Wisbeach.— June 30Lh. Mr. C. Parker, Hon. Sec. Maidstone.— (Roses), June 30th, at Viuters Park. H. Benstead, Esq., Hon Sec., Rose Club, Mill Street, Maidstone. Spalding. — July 1st and 2nd. Mr. G. F. Barrell, Hon. Sec. SouTHGATE. — July 3rd. John Miles, Esq., Hon. Sec, Southgate, K. Durham and Northumberland. — To be held at Elswick Park, July 7th and 8th. Mr. B. Eevely, Sec. NoTiiNGH^si. — Rose Show, &c., July 9th aud 10th. Apply to Alfred Kirk, Municipal Oflices, Nottingham. Tqnbridge. — July 14th. Mr. "W. Blair, Free Press Office, Hon. Sec. Wimbledon.— July 15th and 16th. Mr. P. Appleby, 5, Linden Cottages, Sannyside, Wimbledon, Hon. Sec Darlington. — July 16th, at Southend. William Hodgson, Sec. Brecon.— July 22ud. Mr. W. J. Roberts. Sec. Cleckheaton. — Julv 24th. Mr. S. H. Williamson, Hon. Sec. Preston.- July 28t'h and 29th. Mr. W. Troughton, 4, Church Street, Hon. Sec. SouTHA.MrTON.— July 3l3c and August 2nd. Mr. C. S. Fuidge, 32, York Street, Lower Avenue, Sec. Bahsoate.— August 25th. C. D. Smith, Esq., 8, Marme Terrace, Margate, Hon. Sec. Dundee.— August 26th, 27th, and 23th. Mr. R. McKelvie, 51, Beform Street, Sec. South of Scotland.— To be held at Dumfries, September 8rd. Mr. J. Blount Dinwiddle, 11, Buccleuch Street, Dumfries, Hon. Sec. TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. J. Wills, F.R.H.S., Onslow Crescent, South Kensington.— Catalogue of Noio and Choice Stove and Greenhouse Plants. G. Van Geert, Rue de la Province, Antwerp. — Hardy Trees and Shrubs. TO CORRESPONDENTS. *,* All carreapondenoe ahould be directed either to "The Editors," or to "The Publisher." Letters addressed to Mr. Johnson or Dr. Hogg often remain unopened unavoid- ably. We request that no one will write privately to any of our correspondents, as doing so subjeets them to un- justifiable trouble aud expense. AprU 8, 1875. ] JOURNAL OF HOKTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 283 Correspondents Bhould not mis up on the same sheet questions relating to Gardening and those on Poultry and Bee sub- jects, and Bhould never send more than two or three questions at once. All articles intended for insertion should be written on one side of the paper only. We cannot reply to questions through the post. Strawberries Cankered (Hrad GanhruT). — TieBch the grouud and manore liberally with charred refnse and bone dust. Pears' Blossoji Buds on Leading Shoots (I. S.).— This is not an iil- common occurreuce, and cannot be prevented; leaf buds will start further down on the young wood, and must be traiucd in the same place that the leaiiiuK buds would have been trained. We have seen walla 14 feet hiyh furuished from the base to the summit with trees trained as yours are, but they were on the Pear stock. The Quince Btoek is uped when dwarf trees are required ; but ©Ten on the dwarf stock the same height may be attained. Jerusalem Artichokes {H. r.).— Plant at once fully 2 inches deeper than usual, and if towards the autumn the ground cracka by the swelling of the tubers surround the stems with soil. Exposure of the tubers to light and air is, we believe, the main cause of their not boiling tender. KosES for Bleak Heavy Soil (Amntrur).—Yoxix only chance seems to have strong sorts on seedling Briar, but you must not expect really good Roses under the conditions mentioned. AVa recommend Cbarles Lefeb\Te, John Hopper, Madame Clemence Juigneaux, Stnateur Vai^se, Boule de Neige, Gloire de Dijon, Gtncral Jacqueminot, Fibher Holmes, Marechal Vaillant, Baroness Rothschild, Abel Grand. Counters of Oxford, Victor Verdier, Madame Victor Verdier, Madame Eugi'nie Verdier. AucoBA Beriues {H. H. B.).—\oMr old Aucuba did not produce berries because it was a female plant; bo soon as you planted a male plant near, fertility became a matter of course. No Aucuba berries were produced in this country until Mr. Fortune brought a male plant from Japan a few years since. Honey Locust Seed {J. GranO-— Apply to the seedsmen who advertise in oar columns. Apple (J. E.).— A variety to precede (he Blenheim Orange— that is, to be ripe in September, you may grow the Wormsley Pippin. Name of Grafton {A Gardener).— \Yo do not think the name originated from any practice in your craft. The sign of "Grafton" the chronicler and publisher in Elizabeth's reign was a graft issuing from a tun ; and Stowe, his rival chronicler, patirically obt-crved that it was "the noise of an empty tun and an unfruitful graft." Grafton retorted that Stowe's Chronicle was com- posed of " lyes foolibiily stowed together." Ink for Zikc Labels (E.G.). — Make a saturated solution of sulphate of copper in gum water. Write with a quill peu. When quite dry give the labels a coat of white hard vartish, the labels being slightly warmed before applica- tion,— (English Mechanic.) Flo^\t:rs for Button Holes (A Beginner). — Amongst forced flowers — Lily of the Valley, Pinks, Tree Caruations, Bouvardias, Spirfea japonica, and Koses are Buitable; also Gardenias, Ericas, EpaQrises, Heliotropes, Luculia gratissima, Rogiera gratiesima, Burchellia capensis, Clerodendron Balfouri, Eranthemum pukhellum, Eucharis amazonica, Euphorbia jacquiui:i.flore, E. splendens, Hoja curuosa, H. bella, Ixora acuminata, I. javanica tloribuuda, 1. amabilis, Ja^minum gracile, J. Bambac tlorepleno, Pancratium fragrans, Pentas kermesina, Roudeletia Bpecioea major, Stephanotia floribunda, Taber- E.-emontana corouaria Ilure plenu ; the last are stove plants. The fuUowing greenhouse plsintB are uteful:— Adenandra fragians, Bouvardia afurecamed, Camellias, Citrus (Oraugei, Cyclamen persicum, Daphne indica alba and rubra, Dracophylluni gracile, Habrothamnus aurantiacum, H. faRcicularis, Jaaminom graudidnrum, Lautana vars., Mandeviila suaveolens, Myrtles, Per- guJaria odoiatipsima, Pelargoniums, especially the double-flowered, Pimelea decuesata, P. Piicctabilis rotea. Plumbago capensis, Polygala opposiiiftlia, PolygaJa Dalmai.-.iaua, Primula cortusoides amoena and vars. alba, grandi flora; Rhododendron fragrantissiraa, Jasminiflorum, Prince of Wales, aud Princess Royal, Rhyncospermum jaeminoidcs, Statice profusa, double Primula biueusis, the double varieties of Azalea. There are also Roman Hyacinths, Narcissus, Tuberose, and Violets. There is no work on "forcing flowers." Surplus Seed {Idem). — To mix old with new seed is not honourable — nay, it is adulteration, an imposition upon purchasers, and one that cannot he too Beverely censured. Kew seed germinates more surely and strongly than old, but we should not, nevertheless, destroy old seed until we had tested its growing qoaUty, and if that proves equal to new seed, then feel justifled in using it. Cucumber House ( T. H.).— Place the plants 2 feet 6 inches apart, or have five plants in each of your beds. For the Cucumbers a hghter description of soil is requu-ed than for Melons, light turfy loam for the former, and strong loam for the Melons, with a fifth of manure intermixed, or if the loam be rich omit the manure. The wires are bebt secured to the roof by an angle iron at each end, guide irons at about every 3 feet or beneath every rafter, the angle iron secured to the ends by bolts, aud the guide bars at the top and bottom, with holders screwed into the rafters to have them the'proper distance from the glass, aud all to be pierced with holes for the wires to pass through. Something of the kind you want is given in the Journal for January 2Sth, this year, page 70. Rose House (K E.).—lt you have Roses upon the roof so as to cover iti the space beneath will be made too dark for the successful cultivation of dwarfs. One uj) each laftcr would be a different thing to covering the roof, hut even those ought not to have a greater spread than 12 to 15 inches, leav- ing a clear space between each of 2 to 2^ feet, which will admit of light to the dwarf plants. Cocoa-nut fibre refuse is not, unless thororghly reduced, good for pot Roses, and in that state is a desirable addition. Passiflora eDulis (il/rs. H.).— It will succeed in a vinery if it can have hght, but not beneath the shade of the Vines. The vinery wc presume is heated sufliciently for the Grapes to ripen in July or August. The Passion Flower would be best planted out, and the foliage must have light, the shoots being trained at about the same distance from the glass as the Vines. The fi-uit will ripen about August. The new fruit from Japan is a kind of Quince, and is said to make an excellent conserve. Hardiness of Primulas (Hawkshead].—AM the Primulas you name are hardy, but not as border plants, for many of them are alpine, and require the treatment of alpines, having the shelter of rock from drought in summer and wet in winter. W'e think yours havo gone off from damp, and the pots not btiug plunged their roofs may havo been destroyed. The atmosphere also may have been too ckse, which is pernicious. Mushroom Bed (A Suhscriher).— Make ihe bed of fresh horse droppinga, aud not a " little firm" but very hard, the firmer the better, and about a foot deep. We like the droppings better when they have a small quantity of short Utter, but this is not mateiial for so small a bed. The droppmgs ought not to be wet, but be kept under cover. In about a week the Iieat will be at its highest; spawn it when it is reduced to 75' at 2 inches deep, and at this deplh put in the spawn, pieces about 1 I to 2 inches square, and 0 inches apart, aud covtr-up, beating firmly. In about a week you may earth the bed 2 inches thick of good loam, aud beat very firm. In six weeks you may expect Muehruoms to appear, but duriug that time the bed is not to be watered, or not until they Bhow, and then keep only just moist and regularly so. If they do not appear at the sis weoks' end you may commence watering, but lightly at a'l times, yet keep moist, the extreme either way will destroy them. Cyclamens [Lilla).— Your plants will bloom as usual next year by the following treatment : Water sufliciently to keep the fohage frewb, withholding the water as it shows signs of decay, yet when the plants are quite at rest do not permit the soil to become dust-dry. They will start into fresh growth towards the autumn, and must then be repotted, carefully removing a portion of old soil, and adding fresh. A cold frame is the best pla^e for them, or they may be stood in a shady place out of doors in May. Sparaxis and IxiAS (Anxioit.t Inquirer). — In last week's answers to correspondents you would see particulars of treatment. After flowering they are to be kept dry, and potted in September. When at rest they may be kept in the soil in any cool place. Cyclamen persicum (Jt^m).— Keep the seedlings moist until they show indications of going to rest, when they may be placed in a cold frame or ba planted-out in a bed in a sheltered open border, aud they should not be watered, the moisture afforded by the soil being ample. In September, or earlier if they begin to grow, they "should be taken up aud potted, and placed in a frame, keeping rather close, and in October be removed to a greenhouse. If kept in pots in a frame see to watering occasionally, so as to keep the soil from becoming dust-diy, but avoid makiug it sodden. Repot when they are commencing growth, and do it without injury to the fresh rootlets. Neapolitan Violets (Wcm).— Divide the plants into as many parts a3 you can, preserving a Httle root to each division or sucker, and these plant out in good rich hght soil in a shady border, a foot apart every way. V^^ater weU during dry weather. Keep all runners cut off as they appear, or if you want stock they may be layered; but the plants will not be so good for flowering as those which were not allowed runners. Remove with balls to a frame at the close of September, or they may be potted. Solancm Capsicastrum (J. W. L.)— Cut the plants in now with a view to compactness, and keep rather dry until they are breaking freely, then tiirn out of the pots, reduce the ball, and return to the same size of pot ; place in a pit, keeping rather close and moist, and in June put them outdoors in an open worm situation, housing in September, or grow-on in a cool airy light house. They are, however, much cleaner and healthier for an outdoor sojourn in summer. Sparrows Eating Peas (/dcju).— They wUl eat Peas a foot high, much more when 3 inches ; and even a yard high we have known them eat the growing haulm. Dust them with quickhmc, which will not injure the Peas, whilst it will keep off slugs, beetloy, and other predatory vermin as well as the sparrows. Geranium Leaves Dotted (OW SH'jsr;-i(>fr}.— The traces of insects upon the leaves are those of thrips, which may be destroyed by fumigating wi:h tobacco, choosing a calm evening, and having the foliage of the plants dry. The plants are suffering from the cold ungenial weather. Brighter and warmer weather will put them all right ; but you must admit air earlier in the day so as to dry up any deposition of moistmre on the leaves during the night, before the sun falls powerfully upon them. Zonal Pelargoniums Dying {R. B. T.).— No cause other than that of a disorganisation of the plant's tissues can be assigned as the malady by which you lose your plants. It is common to aU plants, and especially those in a high state of cultivation, and is mainly a consequence of the treatment being too liberal in the plant's early stages, which causes an imperfect development and undue vigour, and this results in disorgaaised tissue ; the young growths suddenly blacken and snivel, dimply because the roots are inert, and the stem incapable of transmitting to them a sufficient supply of sap. There is no remedy other than lees rich soil, more air, and a drier atmosphere. Gas-heated Boiler.— In answer to " J. E.," p. 262, the size of my boiler is as follows :— Diameter, 14 inches; height, 4 inches at centre; and 3 inches at sides. The case is 15 inches diameter, height IGJ inches to bottom of flue, and 26 inches to top of flow pipe. I have no doubt but that it would heat 150 feet of 2-inch pipe sufficient to keep out any frost, as I could keep my house up to 48"' during the severe weather without tuining the gas fully on.— J. W. Beetle Injuring Vine Shoot3 [A. B.).— It is the Pitch-coloured Weevil, Curcuho picipes. Spread a sheet under the plants attacked, aud go at night with a lantern aud shake the plants. The weevils are then feeding, and will fall on the sheet. Names of Plants (6f. S.) —The Begonia is probably a hybrid. (Edtcin)' — Hypoestea sanguinolenta. (A. B.).— Sparmaunia africaua. (F. B.). — B;pc'kea vtrgata. (P. W.). — Hypoestes sanguinolenta. {Mrs. Oliver). — Htbbertia dentata. (J. S.).— 2, helagiuolla sp. ; 3, Abutilon sp. ; 4, Cono- clinium ianthinum. [W. T.). — 2, Ficus stipulata; 3, Gyranogramma calome- lanos; 4, G. ochracea. {W. J. W.). — 2, Aspidium angulare ; 3, A. coriaceum. {iV. £).).— Erica carnen. Early-flowering Heath. (Fred, and L. M. H.).— Erytbronium dene-canie, Dog's-tooth Violet. The specific names allude to the shape and colour of the roots. POULTRY, BEE, AlTD PIGEON OHKONIOLE. EGGS. We have only to glance at the advertisements to see how great a trade goes on in egg-selling. It ia perhaps the only busi- nesB in which membere of every lank of life can meet on the 281 JOUENAL OF HOBTIODLTUEE AND OOTTAQB GAEDENEK. ( April 8, 1875. same ground, consequently it thrives apace. Even in back yards of large cities we frequently find prize poultry kept, while in many localities nearly every villa garden has its portion wired off for the chickens. We rejoice to think that it is so, and that our feathered friends are daily being more appreciated. Not- withstanding the great number of poultry fanciers of the present day we often wonder where the purchasers of eggs can come from. Many egg purchasers are, we believe, fanciers in embryo who, seeing week after week the names of successful exhibitors at our shows, go to an exhibition for the first time, and catching the fever inwardly, burn also to win prizes and ornament their sideboards with silver plate. Perhaps these good people think the cheapest way of winning poultry glory is to buy eggs from a great and successful exhibitor, and so they despatch a post-office order, and order a sitting of eggs. In due time they arrive and are placed under the hen, and many expect to obtain from the dozen eggs at least nine or ten birds as good as the vendor is in the habit of exhibiting. Perhaps they hatch only four or five, perhaps less, that is the first disappointment, and at once they imagine they have been swindled; still when these which they have hatched grow up, they are often sent to a show in the full hope of winning the silver cup— in fact, people think for a few shillings' worth of eggs to win cups and prizes. The birds go to the show and are beaten, or perhaps some friend says they are not worth sending; then comes disappointment number two, and with it epithets of the strongest nature are heaped on the unhappy vendor's head. These egg-purchasers buy in ignorance and are not genuine fanciers. Many do not take into consideration that the exhibitors who win so much generally breed scores of birds either at home or at neighbouring cottages and farms from which they select their winning specimens, and that a small fortune is,' spent in their rearing. It is a lottery almost whether the dozen eggs Mr. Jones buys contain the egg to produce the best bird of the year or no; and even if Mr. Jones does draw the winning egg, whether he knows how to make the most of it in the way of feeding and management. We are able to testify to this from two cases in which we have been concerned. First, many years ago we saw some eggs advertised at 10s. Gd. the dozen; we sent for a sitting, and hatched one chicken, and that bird won something like five cups and twenty prizes. Secondly, we sold a dozen eggs for 1.5s., from which four were hatched ; one of those turned out to be a celebrated hen. In this case the gentleman gave Is. 3(J. to us for the egg, and we purchased the hen back again for £15 lus. from him. Egg-bujing and egg-selling will always be, however, unsatis- factory between strangers. The purchaser always thinks the vendor is a swindler if he does not have at least half a dozen birds for his few shillings. We really do not wonder so many decline to sell eggs. We are repeatedly told by those who do not sell that they only refuse to do so from feeling it must be unsatis- factory to all parties. Then we are often asked about the packing of eggs. Some write to us and say if the eggs had been packed in a box they would have hatched ; others, if they had only been in a basket we should have had better success. A third party cays the eggs should not have been in hay, and others that they should. Ex- perience, though, seems to show us that hay, from its elastic property, is more suitable than bran or sawdust, as these are shaken close in the transit, and the eggs are disturbed and cracked. We think a wrapper first cf strong soft paper and then wisps of hay round each egg should answer all purposes, and baskets or boxes may be need according to the distance they have to travel. Egg-buying people, no doubt, think they only have to bear the misfortune of an unsuccessful sitting. They very likely think when the great exhibitors send eggs to each other success can Boinehow be insured. We can only say that last season we reckoned the chickens from bought eggs had cost us 22s. Gd. each by the time they were hatched. We know of one party who finds egg-purchasing answer. He makes a rule of buying £20 worth every season, and always goes again to those who used hini best. This party hatches what eggs he can, and sells their produce. When all expenses of every kind were paid connected with the £20 worth of eggs this man cleared in 1h73 £27 1.5s., and m 1874 £38 16s. Gd. Now this is all straightforward and pleasant, but as we wrote in another journal, from which article we have here taken many passages, there is one kind of egg- purchasing from which all would do well to steer clear. We heard of such a one only this time last year. This party purchased sittings of eggs from noted exhibitors, and then having waited three or four weeks wrote and said all the eggs were clear, and he would indeed be obliged if the seller would send a fresh lot, or even half a sitting, free. We know of an instance in which this was done, and it afterwards transpired that there were nine chickens walking about in this party's garden which were the produce of the first dozen eggs, and which were described as all clear, and about which the purchaser had written so piteously. There is another point many are hazy about : the difference between rotten and clear eggs. Many think rotten eggs are unfertilised eggs, while it is the reverse. Clear eggs are those which have never had the germ developed in them. For instance, the eggs laid by hens running without a cock will be all clear, and as clear many days after being sat upon as the day when first placed under the hen. Rotten eggs are eggs in which the germ, after being placed under the hen, develops tiU being accidentally chilled becomes putrid. In egg-purohasiug there is always risk. We are entirely at the mercy of porters and railway officials whether the packages are thrown about or moved carefully ; but on the other hand sittings which people have come and personally chosen from our egg drawers and carried away have not hatched so well as those sent by train at the mercy of railway officials to Ireland, Scot- land, and Jersey. — W. THE EXHIBITION DORKING.— No. 13. BY T. C. EUBNELL. WHITE DOEKIKGS. These are great favourites in all country places, their snowy plumage and coral combs never showing to greater advantage than when contrasting with the green of a country meadow. They do not do well, however, for a large town, as their bright plumage very soon becomes soiled. C.^-B7ittan-^ Fig. 65. — Cucloo Dorkiug Cocli. A White Dorking's comb must be rose-shaped (double), firmly fixed on the head, and without any tendency to lop on one side. A single comb is a disqualification, but is now rarely or never seen. The ear-lobe, as in all Dorkings, should be red, and the feet white. The legs and feet are frequently found of a pinkish tinge, but white is the proper colour for the leg of a Dorking. The colour of the feathers should be a bright spotless white, and it is here where the difficulty occurs, as so many birds show a yellow tinge in theii' plumage. Many birds will moult-out white, but if exposed to the influence of the sun will rapidly turn yellow. The cocks especially will become yellow on the hackle and saddle, their feathers being brighter in colour are more prone to absorb the sun's rays. Some cocks will keep much purer in colour than others, and, for breeding, we must be careful to select birds with this peculiarity in addition to their possessing a good comb and all the Dorking characteristics. Yellow beaks and toe nails should be avoided, as clearly show- ing a cross. White Dorkings are not very great favourites with the show community, owing to the great difficulty found in keeping them AprU 8, 1875. ] JOCENAL OP HOBTIOULTURB AND COTTAQK GABDENEB. 285 white and clean enough for the show pen. As soon as tlie sun attains any power the cocks to be shown are better kept out of the sun, or their plumage will soon become tanned, but with every care white birds occasionally req^uire washing before exhibition. The simplest plan for washing fowls is to fill a large crockery- pan or tin vessel with about 8 inches depth of warm soft water, BOUse the bird well in it, and wash thoroughly with a soft sponge and white curd soap till the dirt is all out, then pour in fresh water and wash-out the soap, and remember that as long as any soap remains the feathers will never web properly. After rinsing thoroughly squeeze-out as much water as possible. The bird should be lightly and quickly dried with a soft Turkish towel, and then be placed on some clean straw to dry. Each bird should be placed in a separate basket before a bright fire or in the sun, and in about twelve hours they should be quite dry and beautifully white. Sour milk is a capital thing to remove sunburn— that is, if the yellow tinge is caused by the sun and is not natural to the feathers. White fowls should not be allowed to eat maize, or, aa I have before stated, it will be very difficult to keep the plumage white. The best dust-bath for them is a heap of white drift sand or road grit. The eggs are generally white in colour, but Mr. Cresswell informs me that some birds of his well-known strain lay pink eggs, and these must certainly look very pretty on the breakfast- table. The chicks when hatched-out should be of a yellowish- white colour. CUCKOO DOEKINGS. During the last two or three years these have advanced much in public favour. They have now a class allotted them at the Crystal Palace and at two or three of the other principal shows, and as several fanciers are taking them up we shall probably see more of them in future. They are ciUed Cuckoo Dorkings on account of their feathers being somewhat similar to those found on the breast of our summer visitor the Cuckoo ; but they are also called Blue Dork- ings. The term " speckled Dorking " is sometimes applied to them erroneously. They appear of a blue or dark blue colour, but on examination it will be found that every feather is evenly marked with broad bars of dark blue or dark grey, on a whitish- grey or light blue ground. In breeding these birds many chickens will come ao darkly marked as to be almost black ; these must be discarded, as we must not forget the original blue-mottled breast of the Cuckoo, to which we have to breed. The chief point to look to in ex- hibiting them is, that the cock and hen are of the same shade of colour, and that both are evenly marked all over. Bose combs are correct in this variety. The principal faults in the cocks are yellow hackles and saddles. They are too commonly found with white in the sickle feathers. A perfect cock with a Cuckoo tail is a rarity, but as size is one of the principal points in a Dorking it will not do to sacrifice an otherwise good bird for this slight blemish. The hens are really wonderful layers, in fact quite equal to Hamburghs ; while, though for the table they do not reach the size of the Dark Dorking, their full breasts and juicy flesh, com- bined with very early maturity, render them most acceptable in the larder. They are decidedly a hardy breed. In conclusion, I will mention what I consider are the proper classes to be given to Dorkings in a poultry.show schedule. If only two classes are given they should be for Dark Dorkings and for " Any other variety." If three classes are given they should be for Darks, Silver-Greys, and for Whites or Cuckoos. Many committees do not receive as many entries as they should do by classing the Silver-Greys with the Dark birds, the result being that the Silver-Grey birds are never entered in the class, for their defeat is certain. If there is only one class for Dorkings it is very rare to see anything but Darks, the result being that the Committee lose the Silver-Grey, White, and Cuckoo entries, which if three prizes were given would be sure to make good classes. COMING POULTRY SHOWS. Epwokth (Lincolnshire). — This Society holds its Show on May 7tb. The Committee will send the birds on to Otley for that Show, which is to be held on the 8th. The prizes are £1 and lOa., and the classes are only few, neither Cochins, Brahmas, or Dorkings being sub-divided. Polands have a class, and Game Bantams are well looked after. Entries close on April 24th. The fee is 3s. Gd. per pen. SoNDERLAND holds its first Exhibition on May 17th and 18th. We are glad to see the name of the Judge is announced — viz., Mr. Dixon of Bradford. The prizes are 30s. and Ijs. Most of the breeds have classes. There are five £2 2s. cups. Surely it would be best to give the money in cash instead of plate, for a £2 2s. article can only be a poor one. They are given in ad- dition to the prize money. We are delighted to see Malays have a class. Bantams must be favourites in Sunderland, they have six classes and two of the five cups. Entries close May 3rd, the fee being -is. per pen. Crowle holds its Show on June 1st. The schedule is in many ways good, but the classes want more breakiug-up. Cochins of all colours have to compete together, which is absurd. Black Hamburghs have no class. We wonder at this, for they seem to fill the best of the Hamburgh classes very often. Muscovy Ducks have a class, which is a novelty. There are twenty-two Pigeon classes for single birds, and most breeds are provided for. Magpies, Swallows, and Archangels having classes. Poultry and i?igeons have twelve pieces of plate be- tween them, in the shape of cups, tea-services, &c. Both poultry and Pigeons have a point cup. The entries close May i7th. The Judges are announced. PoRTSHouTH. — The Royal Counties meets at Portsmouth ou June 15th to the 18th. This town truly is rich in poultry shows. This will make the third show within six months. The prizes are 30s., 20s., and 10s. in Dorkings, Brahmas, Cochins, and the Variety class. The other classes have 20s. and 10s. Cochins are again lumped together, and as this class was one of the best filled at Reading last season they most certainly should have been divided this year. Polands have two classes. We hope we shall find them better filled than last time. The Pigeons have seven classes, whioh are very badly allotted, Magpies having a class, and Trumpeters, while Jacobins, Pouters, Turbits, and Dragoons go without. The Judge is not announced, but we may generally rely on meeting our friend Mr. Baily ofiiciating as Judge at this Society's meeting. The entry fee is 3s. Gd., and entries close on May 15th. — W. ScABciTY OF Chickens this Tear. — In my poultry book I find noted that last year at this time (March 30th) I had 130 chickens and this year only fifty-two, but I hope to have sixty more in a few days. I lost but one chicken last year, which the hen trod on, out of 176. This year I have lost two. I have good neigh- bours that supply me with broody hens. The difficulty has been with the eggs, which have hatched out badly in consequence of the cold weather. — P. Harris, Diss. RUSSIAN TRUMPETERS. I MUST take up my pen in defence of my especial favourite the Russian Trumpeter. Your able correspondent " Wiltshire Rector," whose opinions on the Dragoon controversy, by the way, are entirely in accordance with my own, says in his letter oi April 1st, " Unfortunately the Foreign Trumpeters will not breed in England." Now I bought two pairs of imported Russian Trumpeters from a well-known dealer two years ago, and bred from them nine young birds that season, five of which are now alive, and hatched-out as many more, but having un- fortunately no feeders the earlier nests died of cold. Far from what he states being the case, I find that when they do breed they do so freely ; but the young birds are delicate and hard to survive the first moult ; that over, they are in my experience as hardy as any other high fancy breed. I am anxious not to leave your correspondent's remark un- noticed, as I look upon them as quite aa well worth cultivation as any fancy Pigeon we have, not excepting the Pouter and Carrier, and fear that such an assertion if passed over might deter others from attempting to breed them. I should be very glad if anyone would tell us where they really come from, and how they are fed and treated in their own country. Northern Russia is a large place, but that is all the information I have been able to obtain as to where they are bred. — John H. Hutchinson. RUFFED GROUSE. In your Journal of March Ith, 1875, 1 see the question of im- porting Ruffed Grouse has been raised. Perhaps as I reside in a country where they abound, a few remarks may not be thought out of place. The woods and barrens of Nova Scotia are covered with berries of various kinds growing on plants and shrubs, and in the former, abundance of cones of the several' species of fir : all these are food for the Grouse. The question of introducing them into Scotland would not be one of climate, strictly speaking, but of food suitable to their wants. After the first fall of snow the greater number of these berries are covered, then the grouse becomes poisonous, being obliged to eat berries at other times avoided. Several cases of severe collapse with fainting fits have occurred, to my knowledge, to people who had eaten Grouse, particularly the back and legs, after midwinter. But I have never heard of a fatal case when a mustard emetic, followed by stimulants, was given in time. 286 JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAKDENEB. t ApiU 8, 1875. From their habits of running and treeing on any alarm they seldom give a chance of a flying shot, and I doubt their being much appreciated by sportsmen at home. They are easily potted on the ground, or in trees, by those patient enough to watch for them, 80 the Halifax market is fall of them in early winter at Is. Gil. to 2s. per brace. As they are very quaint pretty birds when strutting about, a few would be a pleasing addition to the game of a home park. — J, Sheldon Fuhlosg, Surgeon Major, Halifax, Nova Scotia. LONDON FANCY CANARIES.— No. 1. Of all the varieties of the Canary none are more beautiful than the breed known as the London Fancy. They have not only an exceedingly silky, gay-coloored plumage, but the contrast of the rich-coloured body feathers and black wings and tail are very striking. They are compact in form, and reqmre more art and skill at the hands of fanciers in the bringing of them out than other kinds. In this instance nature is assisted by art. For years past pure-bred London Fancy Canaries have been mostly confined to very few breeders, chiefly those residing in and about the metropolis, from which the breed takes its name. As to when or how the breed derived that particular name the oldest inhabitant would be at a loss to say, as much so as to when or how the terms Nor- wich, Manchester Cop- py, Yorkshire, Scotch Fancy, or other particu- lar breeds, each and all of which have striking contrasts, were applied. I am not Darwinian enough to determine the knotty point as to how the supposed natural law of selection, climate, interbreeding, or food, may have brought about the peculiar forms or shapes of the different breeds. But one thing is clear — various kinds of food with artificial means of casting the feathers will produce various shades of colour, but not any new colour. Frequent instances have been known of the Lon- don Fancy birds having been bred and moulted in other parts of Eng- land, but not with that success generally as in the hands of the London fanciers. As a rule the palm for exhibition birds has been mostly held by the London exhibitors. Still I have known ex- ceptions, more especially of late years, and some of the most noted fanciers of London Fancy birds in and about the metropolis have sustained defeat, their conquerors being superb specimens from South Devon. I believe that a southern climate is conducive to the success in breeding and moulting of these birds. Some few years back I saw it asserted that there is a secret how to breed and moult the London Fancy Canaries, of which there are two kinds — Jonque and Mealy, and that such secret was held alone by the London breeders. This amused me much. In justice to the London Fancy breeders (several of whom I became acquainted with many years ago, but who have since departed from this world), I must say that when seeking for knowledge from them it was freely rendered. Now the supposed secret just amounts to this : that if one fancier is an adept at his work, and brings forth something striking to the eyes of other fanciers, those who are not proficient at their work conclude that there is a something of which they are ignorant. London Fancy Canaries in their first or nestling feathers much resemble young Lizard birds, having dark plumage, ex- cepting the cap, which is mostly clean or light in colour, but sometimes they are broken capped. Although resembling Lizards in first feathers, I consider them of an entirely distinct breed, but how brought about will no doubt remain a mystery. Upon this point, however, there is some diversity of opinion. From one breeder of nearly half a century's experience I elicited the belief that the breed of the London Fancy was of a distinct kind. This I am inclined to believe. Another fancier of great experience and repute says, " With regard ta the breed I cannot tell as to the origin of it, but it is supposed to have come from the Lizard Canaries." There is just this marked difference betwixt the moulting of a young London Fancy bird and a Lizard— the former when undergoing the moalting pro- cess in one of the cages adapted for the purpose (and upon which I shall remark hereafter), if properly moulted, will cast its entire dark body feathers, whereas the Lizard bird under- going a similar process in the moalting cage will retain its dark, although improved, plumage throughout. The drawing we publish in this number represents a London Fancy bird in its exhibition plumage, having a clean body and black wings and tail. The bird was exhibited by Messrs. J. & W. ■Waller, of Tabernacle Walk, Finsbury, London, who carried off both the first prizes in classes 17 and IS at the recent Crystal Palace Show. — Geo. J. Barsesbv. Fig. 66.— London fasct. WEATHER UNFAVOURABLE FOR BEES. DcRi.s-G the whole month of March the weather and wind have been so bitterly cold that the bees at Sale have seldom come out. I cannot remember a year in which the month of March was so unpropitious as the last one. In February the queens began to lay, and patches of brood could be found .in almost all hives in this locality. I have seen no young bees yet, neither have we seen any bees carrying pol- len on their legs, the ^ ^-, weather being so cold. Whether the bees have succeeded in hatching all their brood during the cold weather or not, I have not had time to examine; if not, foul brood will be prevalent this season. In cold weather in early spring brood may be, and is sometimes, chilled to death, and it may perish from want of attention and nourishment. Bees are very helpless crea- tuies in cold weather. Brood, chilled or starved to death, becomes foul, putrid, and pestilential in hives of bees. It is destructive of health and prosperity, and ia incurable. The bees of hives con- taining foul brood are invariably sitting more loosely amongst their combs than the bees of healthy hives. In ex- amining hives at this season to find those most likely to be affected, I gently remove their covers and then turn the mouths of hives upwards so that I can see the bees amongst the combs. If the bees of some are more easily disturbed, and run more rapidly over their comba than the bees of others, I note them for further examination by the use of fustian smoke. In bar-frame hives the bars containing the brood can be taken out and examined. If small compact patches of brood be found they should be cut clean out, and pieces of empty comb fitted in their places. This is very easily done, and it is better to sacrifice some healthy brood amongst the foul than let one cell of foul brood remain in a hive. If cells of diseased brood be found widely spread over the combs we have evidence that the malady began last year, and should have been found out in the autumn. All healthy hives will require kindly treatment now, and should be fed thrice a-week till the fruit blossoms appear. Half a pound of sugar is enough for three feeds a-week at present for a hive. By-and-by more will be needed if honey cannot be gathered by the bees. , Both the numbers and activity of bees increase the consumption of food. The fact that bees have been greatly hindered in their work of breeding and develop- ment during the whole of last month should make apiarians endeavour now to stimulate and encourage them as much as possible, otherwise this year will be like the last one, very re- markable for late swarming. Heavy mantles and warm muffs and woollen to the chins worn by ladies up to the present time, and winter overcoats on the backs of gentlemen, should taach bee-keepers that warm coverings for hives are necessary during cold springs like the present one. Bees cannot ba too well and warmly covered AprU 8, 1875. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICUIiTURE AND COTTAaE GARDENER. 287