IG 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



tlieir fruit dropped off. I can recom- 

 mend Field's pumps for this purpose, 

 and I Vielieve it absolutely necessary to 

 spray trees with poisons to counteract 

 the ravages of these fruit pests. 

 Yours truly, 



H. S. Chapman. 

 Lockport, Dec. 15, 1883. 



THE ENGLISH SPARROW. 



To THE Editor of the Canadian Horticulturist. 



Dear Sir, — When it was decided at 

 our last winter meeting that the Eng- 

 lish sparrow is an evil-doer and as such 

 should be banished from our shores, I 

 remember friend Gott, of Arkona, 

 pleaded earnestly to spare the little 

 emigrant. Mr. Brooks, of Milton, in 

 an aljle letter in your March number, 

 did the same. I came across a third 

 advocate in a Scotch piece, so Scotch I 

 doubt if our Editor can understand it, 

 but so beautiful I would have him give 

 it for the benefit of his Scotch readers 

 of whom among these three thousand 

 there are doubtless many. It is from 

 the pen of a Montrealer. 

 Yours truly, 



John Croil. 

 the sparrow. 



When tbo cauld wind blaws snell wi' snow and wi' 



sleet, 

 An' the immigrant sparrows hae naething to eat, 

 Open your wiiinocks, an' tlirow out your crumbs, 

 Au' they'll chirp their blythe thanks round your cozie 



auld lums. 



Come here, boniiie birdie, I'll do ye nae harm. 

 Your cliirpin" to me has sic a hame charm ; 

 Whar cam ye frae, and whar hae ye been ? 

 Ken ye " auld Reekie," or ken ye "tlieDean?" 



Aiblins ye've chirp't on my dear mother's grave. 

 So for y )U, puir wee birdie, my moolins I'll save. 

 Gin you come every day, your gebbie I'll fill. 

 An' I'll shelter ye weel frae the frost au' the chill. 



But tho' I show pity, I maun tell ye the truth, 

 I ne'er lo'ed ye, birdie, in the days of my youth ; 

 Na, na, your bold deed.s brought the tears frae my 'ee. 

 For ye killed puir Cock Robin " as he sat on a tree." 



Yet I'll no let ye starve, tho' a bird o' ill name, 

 Tho' may be 'tvvar better ye had bidden at hame. 

 It's weel kent ye hae cam o' a murderous race, 

 An' I never could see ony guid in your face. 



But gif ye tak tent, an' earn a guid name, 



We'll lei by5anes be byganes, we're baith far frae hame; 



Ah ! ye care na for counsel, I see at a whup. 



As ye chirp i' my face, dight ye'r neb, an' flee up. 



Gae wa' ye prood birdie, sin advice ye'll hae nane, 

 111 birdies like you are safest at hame, 

 Ye thrawart auld carlin ! what maks ye sae prood, 

 riLget twa for a farthing, the best o' your brood. 



Oh, come back, puir wee birdie, an' peck up your fill. 

 An' mak a guid breakfast, on my window sill ; 

 I forgot when I scolded, and bade ye gae wa', 

 That our Heavenly Father tiiks tent gin ye fa', 

 An' tenderly cares for baith you an' 



Grandma. 



REGARDING BEANS. 

 We do not "live up to our privileges " 

 in the matter of beans. Custom has 

 established the arrangement that cer- 

 tain varieties of beans, as the " Early 

 Valentine," "Golden Wax," and otherS; 

 are good for " snaps " or " string beans;" 

 that the "London Horticultural," the 

 "Lima," and others are good when shell- 

 ed green; and that the "Blue Rod,'' 

 " Medium," " Navy," and several others 

 are proper for winter, or as ripe beans. 

 All of this is very well, so far as it goes. 

 But it restricts the usefulness of some 

 beans. As the best of all green beans 

 are the Lima, so are they the best of 

 all ripe beans. In the localities where 

 the season allows of their I'ipening, they 

 should be collected. If frost threatens, 

 pull up the poles, with the vines attach- 

 ed, place them under cover, and allow 

 what will, to ripen in this manner, and 

 when the pods are dry, shell the beans. 

 If any one likes the Yankee dish of 

 "pork and beans," let him try the 

 Limas, treated in the same manner as 

 the ordinary white bean, and he will 

 have a new experience as to the utility 

 and excellence of this bean. The riyie 

 Lima l)eans, soaked or parboiled until 

 quite tender, and then fried in butter, 

 make a pleasing variety in winter. — 

 A mericmo Agriculturist. 



