320 



The Canadian Horticuctnrist. 



large size will make it popular in the 

 market, coming in as it does about the 

 first of October, when good peaches 

 are scarce. 



The Steven s Rareripe is a white 

 fleshed peach, resembling in almost 

 every respect the Old Mixon tree, 

 but later, coming in about the first 

 week in October ; it is not quite free- 

 stone, but would com.e under that 



class. The quality is excellent, and 

 the tree productive. 



Smith's Extra Late seems to be 

 all he claims for it. This sample 

 measures about eight inches in 

 circumference,is yellow flesh and skin, 

 a perfect free stone. It is of the 

 same season as the others, and in our 

 judgment a valuable market peach and 

 superior to Centennial, except in size. 



THE SPARROW NUISANCE. 



SIR, — I send you a clipping from the Star, 

 on the sparrow. You will see by it that 

 the " old farmer " deals as harshly with the 

 sparrow's friends as with the wee birdies 

 themselves. We agree with him, however, 

 that they are a nuisance, far more destructive 

 than useful. Our American cousins are 

 wude-awake in the matter, and I am told by 

 one of themselves that a bounty of two cents 

 for every one shot is now paid or proposed 

 to be, as also a" sparrow day "to be appointed, 

 when every one able to handle a gun is ex- 

 pected to go sparrow shooting. We would 

 do well to follow suit. From the same 

 source I learned that in the crop of one 

 sparrow, he shot, he found sixty-four grains of 

 oats. — John Croil, Aultsville. 



DOWN ON THE SPARROW. 



Sir, — Two parties write in favor 

 of the sparrow introduced by some 

 spooney into this country some years 

 ago to please a lot of children and old 

 women. These destructive birds are 

 held up as being useful in Canada by 

 two writers, one Chas. Hughes and 

 the other " Aliquis." 



The latter speaks of a proverb 

 that the strongest man has a weak 

 place somewhere. To come to the 

 point I would say that both these 

 men are troubled in their top garret 

 when they plead for the safety of the 

 most destructive bird that ever was 

 made. The extermination of the 

 sparrow in England could never be 

 accomplished, there being such facili- 

 ties for breeding under the eaves of 

 houses, also in the stacks of grain, 

 which stand sometimes for several 

 seasons before being sold, and the 

 number of young ones in a nest is 



from ten to fifteen, with three and 

 sometimes four nests in a year. Yet 

 you find men who advocate the safe- 

 keeping of these destructive pests, 

 who know as much about the spar- 

 row as the sparrow knows about 

 them. I can inform these two if they 

 want knowledge about the sparrow 

 that they need not appeal to authors 

 or bojjks, but go and get information 

 from the practical English farmer 

 who can tell with certainty that they 

 destroy millions of bushels of wheat 

 while soft in the ear, for they won't 

 eat anything that is hard. That 

 being the case they then fly to the 

 gardens, making destruction on the 

 various fruits when nearl}- ripe, par- 

 ticularly white and red currants. 

 They cut the bunches ofT with their 

 bill and these, falling to the ground, 

 are left to rot. Let these two 

 enquire round the outskirts of our 

 city and you will find the same com- 

 plaint existing in Canada. Having 

 been in Canada for thirty years I 

 can say they have been the means of 

 nearly exterminating all our pretty 

 song birds. We also have in our 

 woods the red squirrel. These little 

 animals can't rest for them, for they 

 pursue them in scores, driving them 

 from tree to tree until they find 

 refuge in some hole for safety. I 

 hope and trust that the praiseworthy 

 petition of Alderman Prefontaine will 

 pass the board without a dissent. — 

 Retired Yorkshire Farmer, Age 



73- 



