12 MEMOIR OF 



ascertain, have not changed their dates of arrival or departure 

 since White's time, one hundred years ago. 



For the reason that White was so cut off from populous places 

 his attention was greatly devoted to the manners and habits of 

 birds and their arrival and departure. In fact Selborne was a 

 big birdcage in which White himself was inclosed even more 

 than the birds. It will be observed that White does not go far 

 from home for his descriptions; his observations were taken 

 within a small radius of his house. He had great opportunities 

 of making observations, as the place was so secluded and quiet. 

 White says little or nothing about fishing, there being no river, 

 and the ponds more or less dried up. 



The landlord of the " Queen's Arms" kindly drove me round 

 Selborne to show me the principal objects mentioned by White. 

 I first examined some hop gardens : one side of one of these pretty 

 English vineyards was protected by gigantic walls of hurdles, 

 four hurdles high, one above the other. These are placed to keep 

 the wind off the hop plants. From their produce is made the 

 English " Vin du pays," i.e., beer, and from them is brewed the 

 noted Alton ale. 



I called upon Mr. Bromwich at his farm on the Selborne 

 estate, where I was most kindly received. The view from 

 Mr. Bromwich's lawn, over a vast extent of hop gardens, in which 

 the foxes cau be heard barking at night, is exceedingly beau- 

 tiful ; if an enemy should attempt to attack London, Mr. Brom- 

 wich's farm would probably be chosen as a commanding position. 

 Mr. Bromwich showed me a capital invention for sulphuring the 

 hops ; dust sulphur is blown about to kill the mildew. 



This machine is made of iron; it is drawn by a horse be- 

 tween the rows of hops ; and the wheels, as they run along, turn a 

 fan. This fan blows out, with very great force, jets of finely pow- 

 dered sulphur, through two iron funnels that look like horses' ears. 

 The sulphur is sometimes driven twenty feet high, and covers 

 every leaf of four rows of hops at one time. 



I examined the place where the big oaks stood, in a place 

 called Losels Wood (see page 5) in White's time. The cultiva- 

 tion of oaks still goes on at this place, and seems to be very 

 successful. 



Shortly afterwards I passed the splendid residence lately 

 erected hy Lord Selborne, and all of a sudden I came in view of 

 Wolmer Pond (see page 15). I was amazingly surprised to find this 

 grand pond nearly dried up a pitiful sight to a fish-culturist. 

 The culture of fish-ponds is a subject to which I have paid great 

 attention. I was just reading the following passage from White : 

 " This lonely domain is a very agreeable haunt for many sorts 



