n8 POT-POURRI FROM A SURREY GARDEN 



eggs are a little longer and narrower in shape than 

 the Hedge-sparrow's. A pair of Robins have hatched out 

 three families this year in my greenhouse fourteen 

 young Robins ! They began early in March, and built on 

 a top-shelf ; when the little ones were hatched, the old 

 birds were so tame that they did not mind at all our 

 putting the nest into a deep pot and placing it near the 

 window for them to feed their young more conveniently. 

 We also thought that in the pot it would attract less the 

 attention of a terrible bird-killing old cat we have. He 

 stays near a nest, scratching, till the parent birds are in 

 such a frenzy of agitation and fear that they kick the 

 young ones out of the nest ; he then devours them at his 

 leisure. 



To those who have room I recommend the Venetian 

 Sumach (Ehus cotinus), but it is not worth growing if it 

 is crowded up. The most perfect way to grow it is to 

 put the young plant in a well and richly made hole in the 

 lawn, or at the edge of a shrubbery, the formality of which 

 you wish to break. As it grows, cut away the turf from 

 under it, and mulch it every winter ; this makes it grow 

 quickly. When it gets into a good big plant, leave off 

 mulching, and dress it with chalk, which will make it 

 flower and bear its lovely feathery seeds in July. In a 

 good sunny situation it will turn a flaming red colour, 

 which is the reason for its English name of the ' Burning 

 Bush.' It does better in moderately damp soils than with 

 us, but a little care will make it grow anywhere. It is 

 well adapted for picking and putting into water, as the 

 leaves have a faint aromatic smell ; but it is not suited to 

 very small gardens, for it spreads and takes up too much 

 room. Crowding spoils its great characteristic of rooting 

 into the ground all round. 



The finer sorts of Clematis (see ' English Flower 

 Garden ') only do fairly well in our soil ; and till I gave 



