TIIH FLORIST. 



THE DESTRUCTIVENESS OF HARES AND RABBITS. 



But few persons have experienced the devastations committed by 

 these pests of the country in an equal manner with myself. The 

 nursery being exactly opposite to a large game-preserve, for many 

 years it was overrun with them, and being in my youth what is 

 called a " good shot," their destruction formed a large share of my 

 amusements. In severe winters, from fifty to sixty brace of the 

 former, and as many couples of the latter, would fall before my gun 

 by night and day ; for in the clear, moonlight, frosty nights, the 

 ground covered with snow, it was, according to my ideas, capital 

 sport to lay them low ; but what trouble they gave, for besides this 

 watching by night, all the apple-trees were smeared with lime, and 

 soot, and train-oil, to prevent their ravages, often without avail. 

 And then Plums and Apricots, Brooms and Laburnums, Picotees 

 and Pinks, Carnations and Roses, and 1 know not what, all came 

 in for a nibble, bringing on disease and death. What a number 

 of remedies were tried, and how few were of any efficacy ; only one 

 of them deserves recording. 



A few years ago, a friend in Suffolk pointed out to me what he 

 called his " Brimstone Flags," and assured me that, if placed round 



