72 



IRISH GARDENING. 



Notes and Abstracts. 



Of great interest to gardeners is an article in the 

 March issue of the Journal of thr Boonl of 

 Agriculture and Fisheries. 



Dr. Walter Collinge, of St. Andrew's University, 

 has for many years made a clo^e study of the 

 habits of our wild birds, particularly as to their 

 food. This is a question of much importance to 

 gardeners, as it is undoubtedly difficult to estimate 

 fairly whicli are beneficial and which are not. 

 Undoubtedly some birds do consideral)le damage 

 to fruit buds, and also to fruit, but numy also de- 

 vour insects and cattMpillars, which are even more 

 inimical to fruit and vegetable crops. Dr. 

 Collinge's article goes into the matter thoroughly. 

 and while too long to reproduce in its entirety we 

 give below the sunnnary. 



" After exauiining the stomach contents of 798 

 adults and lOfi nestlings embracing 8 species of 

 wild birds, the opinion has been formed that : — 



" I. The Jackdaw. Yellow Bunting, Great Tit. 

 Blue Tit, Song Thrusli and Fieldfare are distinctly 

 beneficial. 



"2. The Great Tit, Blue Tit and Fieldfare are 

 beneficial to such an extent that their protection 

 is advisable. 



" 'A. In spite of the injuries it commits it would 

 1)6 unwise to recommend any repressive measures 

 for the Chaffinch. 



" 4. The Starling has been allowed unduly to 

 increase. At the present time it is far too 

 nxunerous, and the injuries it commits are far 

 greater than the benefits it confers. Temporary 

 repressive measures would, no doubt, help to re- 

 store a more normal population of tliis l)ird with 

 considerable benefit to l)ot]i the faruier and tlie 

 fruit grower." 



It is to be hoped that the whole article will be 

 is-ued as a leaflet. 



articles from wood. Owing to the importance of 

 the beekeeping industry we venture to draw our 

 readers' attention to the illustrated instructions 

 on the construction of a \V. B. C. hive. Many 

 other useful articles as well as toys are dealt witli. 



As a supplement to the March number of the 

 .Imintd] of the Board of Agriculture find Fisheries. 

 the Board lias issued a companion copy entitled 

 The f'ultirnfion, Composition and T)isetise.-< af fjic 

 I'litoto. The important matter of cultivation is 

 very fully and exhaustively dealt with from start 

 to finish, including preparation of the soil, uuuuir 

 ing, spraying, choice of variety, change of seed, 

 sprouting, whole versus cut " seed," time of plant- 

 ing, depth, distance apart; in fact no detail is 

 omitted. Potato diseases are ably dealt with by 

 the Board's expert in fungus diseases, and 

 coloured illustrations are given of diseased Potato 

 leaves. Photographs of sprayed and unsprayed 

 plots are instructive, and the dread Wart Disease 

 is illustrated and described.' Other diseases are 

 dealt witli p(|\uilly fully. Practical hints on .spray- 

 ing anfl the results of spraying trials are of great 

 value, while not the least interesting and valuable 

 feature of the supplement is the report of the 

 famous Orrnskirk trials. 



Tlie whole publication is one every gardener and 

 farmer should liave by him, and it can be c)l)taineil 

 from the Board of Agriculture and Fi-heri(>s. 

 .■; St. .lames' Scpiare. London, S.W.I, fur the 

 modest price of sixpence, post free. 



Beekeepers will l)e interested in tlie April num- 

 ber of 7'he Wiiiidirorler. a useful and instructive 

 publication issued at the small price of ff)urpence. 

 and obtainal)le from Messrs. Evans Brothers. I,td. 

 Montague House. Russell Square, London, W.C.l. 

 The object of The WoodirorJcer is to give plain 

 practical instriictions in the making of simple 



The arrival of the March number of Berger's 

 Mercury is a reminder that the spraying season 

 is not yet over. After fruit trees have been 

 sprayed for the caterpillars of the Winter Moths 

 there will still be Potato spraying to carry out, 

 and it will be well to have the materials in stock. 

 Berger's make a speciality of such materials and 

 su])ply them in any quantity ready for dilution. 



Irish Reconstruction Problems. 



IIOJiTICULTUR.\L IvESOUItCES. 



Under the auspices of the Royal Dul)lin Society 

 a series of lectures was delivered during the winter 

 and early spring months. To Sir Frederick Moore 

 was entrusted the duty of dealing with Ireland's 

 Horticultural Resources, and the text of his 

 lecture is now published by tlie Society and sold 

 at the price of sixpence per copy. 



The author has gone fully into the possibilities 

 of fruit and vegetable culture, and from long ex- 

 perience is able to give definite advice and instruc- 

 tion as to the lines along which development can 

 take place. His remarks on fruit growing are of 

 especial importance in view of the work of the 

 Department of Agriculture in encoiu'aging fruit 

 growing in Ireland. Sir Frederick has lieen 

 closely identified with the movement from the 

 beginning and can speak with first hand know- 

 ledge of the results and probable development. 

 We cannot reproduce the whole lecture here, but 

 the gist of his remarks may be summed up as 

 follows : — 



" Grow a limited number of varieties, and these 

 in as large numbers as possil)le in each individual 

 case; cultivate thoroughly on tlie most up-to-date 

 lines, grade fruit carefully, and adopt standard 

 receptacles for marketing, and make f|uality the 

 watchword." 



In conclusion he says : — " I regard the great 

 liope of the future to be small areas, intensively 

 worked, the work being done largely by the owner 

 and his family with as little hired labour as 

 possible. Horticultural methods, not agricul- 

 tural ! The gardener expects to get more out of 

 the soil than the farmer, and he succeeds in doing 

 so." 



Journal of the Kew Guild. 



This annual pu])lication is again before us, and 

 will be eagerly read l)y all those who have been 

 employed in the famous gardens at Kew. 



The fr()ntis})ie(^e is a fine photograph of Mr. 

 George Stanton, an old Kewite for many years 

 head gardener at Park Place, one of the finest 

 estates in the Thames Valley. Mr. Stanton is 

 President of the Guild for the current year. 



The letters from soldier Kewites are of great 

 interest, as are tho-e from old Kewites in various 

 j)arts of the world. 



No less tlian 24 Kew men made the great 

 sacrifice during the war. The obituary list is 

 altogether a heavy one. Let us hope that never 

 again will the pages of the Journal contain so 

 many sad records of young men lost through war. 



Next year we hope to see the Directory of old 

 Kewites restored ; it is invaluable for keeping in 

 touch with old friends. 



The task of the Editor has been a heavy one 



