i88s.] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



is 



might be spent on happy homes. The lesson may 

 be useful to people grappling with the sewage 

 question everywhere. 



Clematis from South America.— Mrs. J. S. 

 R. Thomson, of Spartansburjr, South Carolina, 

 sends us a White Clematis flower which we thought ; 

 to be one of the numerous varieties of Clematis 

 crispa, but she describes it as having a tuberous 

 root, and states that it is herbaceous, the stems dying \ 

 wholly every year. It is probably some other 

 species which only good specimens with leaves, 

 flower and fruit would decide. She also sends 

 some very nice bulbs of Amaryllis Treatas, 

 superior to those we have seen from Florida, | 

 where it was first discovered by Mrs. Treat, whose 

 name it bears. It, and its neighbor Atamasco 

 Lily, are well worthy of universal culture. 



Economic Use of Wild Cherry Kernels. — 

 The Gardeners Chronicle tells us "that in a report 

 by Consul Biliotti on the trade and commerce of 

 the district of Trebizond for the year 1883, it is 

 stated that the kernel of a diminutive species of 

 Wild Cherry, having an aromatic flavor, is known 

 by the name of " Mahlep," and is little used in 

 Turkey, but greatly so in Egypt, by bakers to 

 sprinkle over bread. It is supposed to be a pre- 

 servative against ague. The tree grows to a large 

 size, especially in the vicinity of Niksarand Flerek, 

 and also at Amassia and Tokat. The values of 

 the kernels exported amounted to ^^1902 to Turkey, 

 and ^2238 to Egypt." 



-Although this is evidently not the variety of 

 Cherry known to nurserymen as Mahaleb, it looks 

 as if we may look here for the origin of the name 

 at any rate. 



A Plea for the English Sparrow.— Some 

 one who has a very tender spot in his heart has 

 been writing to the Gardeners' Magazine a plea for 

 the English Sparrow. Among other things he gets 

 off the following ; 



"The love-call is certainly more ot a chirp than 

 a yelp, but it needs long and frequent observation 

 to determine the varieties of sparrow language, as 

 expressive of passion, alarm, or domestic felicity. 

 In the early days of spring they will begin their 

 courtship ; then listen for the loud ' chirk, chirk,' 

 and you may discover that it proceeds from the 

 throat of a lusty cock in the full beauty of his 

 wooing dress ; the black on his head having the 

 richness and depth of velvet, and his whole action 

 as sleek and sprightly as becomes a gallant lover, 

 rejoicing over the sober dame who is presently to 

 become his bride. But, alas ! the course of true 

 love does not always run smooth. She may have 

 cast a favorable glance upon another, or a bold 

 rival may give the challenge to fight for the 



maiden's hand. Then the chirk ceases ; a sharper 



note, more quickly repeated, and accompanied 

 with fearful jerkings of the head and tail, impetu- 

 ous hoppings from side to side, and a general 

 displacement of those lately well-preened feathers, 

 pronounce the quick approach of war. These 

 love-battles are generally conducted on the princi- 

 ples of true chivalry. The rivals have it all to 

 themselves; the conflict is short, sharp, and san- 

 guinarv, and the victor claims the subject of it for 

 his bride. The war-note is sounded by both 

 parties throughout the fight, until the moment of 

 conquest arrives, when the defeated gallant gets 

 out of the way as quickly as his buffeted wings 

 will carry him, and the champion returns to his 

 chirking ten times louder than before. ' None 

 but the brave deserve the fair.' 



"Scarcely a day passes, where the colony is of 

 any extent, without one of these sanguinary con- 

 flicts; but as the season progresses, and all the 

 swains have won their wives, there is no fair 

 excuse for their continuance. And here I must 

 admit, to the damage of my client's character, 

 that he prefers to make excuses for mischief, 

 rather than live in the prosaic enjoyment of con- 

 tinual peace. Not that green-eyed jealousy ever 

 shows its face in a sparrow's home. No ! the 

 connubial tie is never broken by infidelity ; no 

 duels arise because of faithless spouses or truant 

 lords. For the sake of the favor with which every 

 description of heroism, however romantic, is re- 

 ceived, I could almost wish it were so : but I must 

 confess with sorrow that all the subsequent 

 disturbances are not for love, nor for principle, nor 

 for political triumph, but for meat ! The song 

 which Leigh Hunt gives to the fairies might, 

 leaving out the suggestion of 'stolen kisses,' be 

 just as well given to our neighbors for their own 

 national melody : 



'Stolen sweets are always sweeter : 

 Stolen kisses much completer ; 

 Stolen looks aie nice in cliapels ; 

 Ktolen, stolen be your apples ; 

 Truth the fruit were scarce worth peeling, 

 Were it not for stealing, ste.aling.' 



" I must own that my client prefers ill-gotten to 

 honest gain. When the liberal cook has strewn 

 the yard with the debris of the bread-basket, and 

 the pavement is spread like a groaning board with 

 enough for all, there is sure to be more fighting 

 , than feeding ; and the possessor of a pellet of bread 

 will be pursued by an inveterate army of savage 

 beaks and claws, all of which might have been 

 better employed in helping themselves to the 

 general bounty. But how different are these 

 turmoils to the displays of true chivalry in early 

 spring. Then the brave combatants met to utter 

 mutual defiance, and fight it out. The battle was 

 a test of bravery and power. Now it is a con- 

 temptible row, and nothing more ; and Paddy's 

 prescription for the enjoyment of Donnybrook is 

 carried out to the full — ' Wherever you see ahead, 

 hit it." What a confusion of angry voices. What 

 a yelping from the thick of the elder tree, the 

 1 slope of the thatch, or the remote corner of the 

 ] yard, where, as if by magic, half the company at 

 least have got together in a scrimmage, and each 



