36 



18 



D 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



565 



h— of their former inhabitant*— the birds, It is a 



T *°\gj 2 ht to view them in all the pride and majesty 



Zi their new and becoming plumage, and no less pleasant 



it to Bfffr* to their song. It seems to savour, by its 



and sweetness, of gratitude and thankfulness to 



At 



or* 



is 



rTcreator ^ or tQ ' s renewal of ** is g reat power. 

 !fl events, we may harmlessly imagine so. 



It is with regret we have to record, as faithful his- 

 Arfians of what is passing in the field, that with the 

 Sent of September man's better nature has, as usual, 

 -^jed to the overpowering seductions of the gun, 

 'Mc\i is now heard loudly recording its butcheries. 

 p 1 rtrid< Te s, which have hitherto been luxuriating with 

 i fcpir hippy families in the corn, and enjoying the prescrip- 



tive privileges of freedom unmolested, are nowsavagely and 

 — iL mirlv hunted from morning till night ; and their 



n S 



fas either taken by a well-aimed shot (merciful, this !), 

 their limbs are shattered by some cockney sportsman, 

 who his accidentally contrived to bring some part of 

 their extended person within the radius of his well- 

 oniding and heavily- charged gun barrel : 



■ See ! in the sun the circling covey bask 

 Their varied plumes? and, watchful every way, 

 Through the rough stubble turn the secret e\e. 

 Csoght in the meshy snare, in vain they beat 

 Their idle wings, entangled more and more ; 

 Nor on the surges of the boundless air, 

 Though borne triumphant, are they safe; the gun, 

 Glanced just, and sudden, from the fowler's eye, 

 O'ertakes their founding pinions ; and again, 

 Immediate, brings them from the towering wing 

 Dead to the ground ; or drives them, wide-dispersed, 

 Wounded, and wheeling various, down the wind." 



Manly sport this, truly ; especially when wereflectupon 

 the very many maimed sufferers which escape, and 

 which groan out their final agonies under cover of the 

 brushwood ! 



But, as our own Thomson sweetly sings, when be- 

 wailing the ravages made by these boasting, blood- 

 thirsty Cossacks 



" These are not subjects for the peaceful Muse, 

 Nor will she stain with such her spotless song ; 

 Then most delighted, when she social sees 



The whole mix'd animal creation round 

 Alive and happy." • 



Let us then at once resume the thread of our dis- 

 course, and speak of our little hero the white-throat. 



This bird, commonly known in our southern parts as the 

 Peggy White-throat, somewhat resembles the black-cap 

 in its appearance ; but it has a longer tail and shorter 

 wings. Its head, too, is dissimilar, being of an ashy 

 grey colour. Its throat and under parts are of a greyish 

 white colour (sometimes a clear white), and its legs are 

 pale brown. The hen differs little from the male ; she 

 .§, however, of smaller proportions, less sprightly, and 

 her colours are more dingy. 



The white-throat (Sylvia cinerea) visits us about the 

 middle of April, and at once takes up his quarters in 

 our hedges, fields, and coppices. He is a familiar little 

 fellow, and very soon after his arrival he sets about the 

 one great business of his life — the building of a house, 

 and the rearing of a family. He generally selects, as 

 the most convenient site for his nest, a quiet, lone, or 

 unfrequented field. Here, in a thick, low bush, he sets 

 «■ architectural ingenuity to work, and constructs a 

 local habitation of the fibres of roots, goose-grass, and 

 moss | the interior being lined with horse-hair. The 

 nest, I should observe, is very slight, and rather useful 

 than elegant. As regards the provision made for warmth, 

 the architect seems to leave this to the sun. The eggs 

 vary m number from four to six ; they are of a whitish 

 colour, inclining to green, and are marked with delicate 

 ■fipots of olive green. 



These birds are seen to far more advantage when at 

 wrge, than when they are confined in a cage. They are 

 of a lively, joyous disposition ; and whilst singing, they 

 «e on the wing, describe a circle in the air, and again 



2S 111 ? t? p . seat upon the bush from whence the y 



verv aotes ' thou g h of moderate compass, are 



ery sweet, and rapidly uttered, and when you are near 



«ough to them to judge of their vocal abilities, you 



wui pronounce them first-rate. They seem quite aware 



* weir excelling powers, and take a proud stand among 



1 h ther , or ? h f estral performers of the grove. 



Bnem f i time t0 time > man y of this tpibe in con " 



mem, aim can give them good characters for temper, 



bein° gT | eSS t0 please > and sincere affection,— this latter 

 all fL yS e Y ldenced in a grateful, graceful song, for 

 recomm r8 /? f f rred > and ^1 attentions paid. I should 

 mTpf fi the,r bein g P laced ^ a cage, similar in every 

 J2TJ5 ^ ° f the black -<*p ; for they love plenty of 



them mi °, t0 see what is g° in S forward. Hang 

 ^em moderately low, and feed them on German paste, 



their ca5 g ' T' 6 ?* bun> and bruised hemp-seed. Let 

 bear in £?r pt P articularl y cle *n and sweet ; and 



*pider p° • remem t>rance how they love a mealworm, 

 «hoW aT Wlg ' -° r woodlouse - All these luxuries you 

 distant iL ° ccasi ? n offer s> bring mysteriously under their 

 how thev .|7 atl0n - You will be highly diverted to at* 



*orms in v * ^^ their little necks t0 kee P the meal " 

 ^e tablp 16W ' wb *' e tbe tatter are creeping along upon 



*8ectionAt ; n ° r - WiU J. 011 be less Phased to note their 



great ornithological emporium, which we have already 

 immortalised— the Seven Dials. You "must, whilst 

 selecting your little prisoners, exeivise the same dis- 

 cretion as I have before recommended. Alwavs choose I 

 leisurely, and never decide until you have had ample on 

 opportunities for forming a correct judgment Whether 

 you will procure old birds, or " branchers," it is for your- 

 self to determine. It must of course depend much upon 

 circumstances. 



round a large mound of earth, so that each sp ies can 

 receive the requisite quantity of light and air. Orange 



trees are common. 



cut leaves &c. ; the weeping Lime, Service tree, double- 

 flowered Peach. In a good collection of Conifers «** 



As with the black-cap, you will find the "bath" a 

 luxury looked for, and highly appreciated by the white- 

 throat ; nor are his gambols, whilst bathing, one whit 

 less diverting. He must not, however, enjoy himself 

 in this way oftener than twice daily, in the summer ; 

 in the winter, never. Cramp would follow such an 

 ill-judged indulgence, and his career would speedily 

 terminate. 



When I whisper that Elder berries, boiled milk and 

 bread, soaked grocers' currants, a soft roasted Apple, 

 and occasionally a little piece of raw, scraped beef, are 

 amongst the delicacies in which this bird delights, — I feel 

 sure he will be accommodated with each and all in turn. 



Then can we, with the more pleasure, solace ourselves 

 with the luxuries of the season 

 'Tis now 



j _--. — 



all so tempting ! 



Cf 



- The sunny wall 



Presents the downy Peach, the shining Plum, 

 The ruddy fragrant Neearine; and dark 

 Beneath his ample leaf, the luscious Fi^." 



Never^ has Nature, in her bounty, shown herself 

 more lavish of these grateful gifts to man, than at the 

 present time of writing. William Kidd. 



saw Abies Pichta, which deserves a place in all landscape 

 gardening. Hothouse plants occupy a considerable space ; 

 many specimens of Cycads and Musads were very fine. 

 The Date Palm is in considerable demand, from tile use 

 made of it in Jewish religious ceremonies. In this 

 establishment we found some of the finest tree Roses we 

 ever saw. There are many with stems two or three 

 yards in height, and two or three inches in diameter; 

 when we were there, these plants were the object of 

 much attention. 

 From M 



. Wagner brothers may be obtained seeds 

 ot ail the Conifers, and of the Haricot Beurre, which is 

 cultivated very largely. 



The country between Riga and Vindau is notions but 



GARDEN SYRINGES AND ENGINES. 

 Few things are of more importance in 

 than good syringes and garden engines. We 

 and had experience of many, but we 

 would be dim* cult to find more efficient 

 of the kind than those exhibited in 



No. 

 of 



ardening 



ave seen 



89, 



in the Great Exhibition, from 



Tho improvements 



presume it 

 implements 

 Class IX., 

 Mr. Read, 



in " Read's 

 of the 



Regent-circus, 

 engines " consist in a peculiar arrangement 

 valves, leverage, &c, by means of which the power is 

 considerably increased. The tubes, which are made 

 either of vulcanised India-rubber, or of metal, with 



universal joints, are more durable than any hitherto 

 invented. 



His syringes hare likewise been greatly improved by 

 the addition of a new angle branch (or universal joint), 

 turning in all directions, for the purpose of washing the 

 under surface of the leaves of plants, &c, which will be 

 found of much value in freeing them from insects. 



The only objection that we have ever heard made to 

 Mr. Read's syringes, &c., is, that they are expensive. 

 They are, however, the best that can be manufactured ; 

 and many think that their durability and economy in 

 working prove them to be cheapest in the end. 



FOREIGN GARDEN GLEANINGS. 



Revel (Esthonia).— Market gardening is carried on 

 at Revel on a large scale ; most of the garden 3 are 

 situate in the Faubourg des Marexhaux, and are very 

 well kept. We were sorry that we were unable to 

 examine them properly. 



The park and chateau of Revel deserve attention ; 

 like all other places founded by the Empress Catherine II., 

 the palace and gardens are very magnificent. Long 

 avenues of Lime and Horse Chesnut trees, of a large 

 size, cross each other continually, and wide borders edged 

 with Hemerocallis flava, Campanula, Aster, and other 

 perennials, produce a very pretty effect. The park is a 

 fashionable Sunday promenade in the fine season. 



Riga Gardens. — The city of Riga contains 

 several fine private gardens ; there is no botanic 



a series of sandy plains, enlivened here and thereby a 

 few white Willows, but where the country becom 

 slightly hilly, the dreary red or golden aj arance of 

 the sand is replaced by beautiful verdant prair 



The isle of Gothland is for the most part covered with 

 Pine forests, of wild appearance, and so far as we could 

 judge, apparently thinly peopled. It is far otherwise 

 with the island of Bornholm, a little to the south of the 

 last ; here there is a fertile soil bearing heavy crops of 

 all descriptions, but more particularly of corn. The 

 island is Inhabited and cultivated by Danes. 



From Bornholm to Pomerania the passage is short, 

 but the vegetation again changes, especially near I olbcrt 

 and Stralsund, where great skill is shown by the in- 

 habitants in the decoration of the outsides of their 

 houses by plants of all sorts. The favourite plant for 

 this purpose is the common European Bindweed. 



The small river Suiwmun leads from Colbert to 

 Stettin ; the whole of the southern slopes of the hills 

 near this town are eov< I with Plum trees to such 

 an extent that one might imagine some Armenian 

 forests had found a natural zone in the North of Europe. 



Masson's Report* 



Home Correspondence. 



Tlit Raspberry Case. — Having read the artiele on tho 

 subject of seed discovered in opening a barrow or 

 tumulus in this neighbourhood (Wareham) with con- 

 siderable interest, I hasten to forward my recollections 

 of the circumstance, which may perhaps satisfy you that 

 no imposition was practised by the gentleman who 

 supplied you with the account at the time of the discover}-. 

 I was acquainted with many persons who took a deep 

 interest in the matter at the time, among whom was tho 

 late Mr. John Sydenham, of Poole, then residing at 

 Dorchester, and connected with the Dorset County 

 Chronicle, whose deep research and accurate acquaint- 

 ance with all such matters are too well remembered to 

 render any passing tribute to his memory necessary, 

 A barrow was, at the period named, opened on Ridge- 

 way Hill, near the very ancient British hill fort, Maiden 

 Castle, and seeds of the description named, found, some 

 of which I saw at the time ; and I then, as I do still, 

 placed implicit faith upon the account which my friend 

 gave me of the discovery. Some time afterwards I was 

 informed that the experiment of trying whether the 

 seed would vegetate, was conducted with great care, 

 and the result had been that of producing thee mmon 

 Blackberry plant, upon which, in all probability, the 

 warrior had breakfasted, and, ere the stomach had had 



power to act upon the seed, been slain on some neighbour- 



M _ # o ing battle field. Being curious in such matters, I find 



fine" establisiiment "belonging to Mr. "Henry ! I have preserved the Dorset County Chronicle of the 

 The plants which are most commonly culti- period named, and from which I transcribe the followm 

 vated are of an ornamental description; there is, however, _« It is a remarkable fact connected with the remair 

 a fine collection of the best sorts of fruit trees taken 



Wagner. 



Nearly all 

 They 



*nav iw£ e . gra J itude > ^ return for any little favour you 



iS m the wa ^ of such a treat. 

 ^rm n iKn d . ellCat , ebird 'y ou must keep them snug and 

 SCf!i ! L 8t moultin S 5 and I should recomme 



ecommend their 



•fcinff fed H • — 6 ' siiouiu recominenu uieir 



fteApJ v! Ur, f g \ his ai, ment on liver gentles, of which 

 WiR& Th - time for lca b vin " 



th 



S 



this country 

 ini * season k r e ° r end of September. They will, at 

 fe * weeks J-n d Ver y rest less in their cages ; but a 



kfore Ph Jy re8tore them to their usual serenity, and 

 The C n r Stmas they will be in song. * 



P™per place to purchase these birds, is that 



partly from the rich nurseries of M. Jamiu. 

 the trees are grown in tubs, like Orange trees 

 are all bushy, and were, when we saw them, loaded with 

 fruit ; plants 6 to 8 years old sell for 30 to 40 shillings. 

 We were shown a collection of 100 sorts of Gooseberries, 

 which are grown for the houses in the north. Dahlias 

 are cultivated up*on a large scale here, as in most other 

 Russian gardens ; many of these plants are also sent 

 to the north, where the fine season lasts but three 

 mouths. In order to obtain early flowers, a stronger 

 sort than the common one is cultivated. They are 

 multiplied in autumn, kept through the winter in pots 

 under sheds, and at the beginning of the fine season, they 



are sent away ready to flower. 



Fuchsias and Pelargoniums are plentiful ; Camellias, 

 Rhododendrons, Azaleas, and other showy plants, are 

 cultivated with nearly as much skill as with us. Some 

 genera are even better represented, and are grown with 

 greater simplicity and ease than is usual in our own 

 gardens. Calceolarias, for example, which we torment 

 so much, are grown here in the open ground. We saw a 

 collection of herbaceous tree Paeonies of the best sort ; 

 the indigenous yellow flowered- variety, Peeoma Wittman- 



! 



Lilies, especially L. longiflorum, are grown in large 

 quantities ; Ericas, too, are common. 



There is also a large assortment of choice herbaceous 

 plants, classed according to their importance, and grown 

 in beds from one to two yards square, according as they 

 are little or much in demand. The plants from New 

 Holland and temperate climates are arranged in stages 



emams 

 in this tumulus, that amongst the bones of one of the 

 persons interred was found a portion of the contents 

 of the stomach in an undecomposed state ; and 

 on examination this was found to contain a great 

 number of small kidney-shaped seeds, in all pro- 

 bability the contents of berries which constituted 

 part of the food of the tribe. The seeds are in fine 

 preservation, and contain Jhe entire pulp in which 

 the vegetating principle resides." As connected with 

 the present subject, I may perhaps be permitted to 

 remark, that no part of England is more rich in relics 

 of our aboriginal ancestry than Dorset, and the counties 

 immediately surrounding it ; but, it is a source of daily 

 regret that the hand of the improver (?) should so ruth- 

 lessly destroy that which the withering hand of time 

 has scarcely altered through a period of more than 

 2000 years. In the neighbouring Isle of Purbeck, there 

 are parts of Druidieal circles scattered about, some of 

 which have, in mv own memory, been split into frag- 

 ments and employed to construct a dram on a bye-road 

 across Jhe heath, within a mile of the very ancient 

 British fastness from which I now address you, Wareham, 

 whose earthen ramparts, though so unique, are 

 shamefully and wilfully destroyed ; a barrow was opened 

 not long since, solely for the purpose of usmg^ the 



roads — mill 



of excellent gravel lying at the same moment nearer at 

 hand, for the trouble of digging it In this barrow 

 upwards of 30 urns full of calcined bones and ashes 

 were deposited, and most of them recklessly destroyed. 

 Speaking of the length of time that the germs of vege- 

 tation may be retained in seed-have not bulbous roots 

 been found in the hands of mummies, buried thousands of 



