164 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ Angnut 24, 1876. 



the noble owner of Castlo Kennedy has taken such delight in, 

 one must bear in mind the useful as well as the ornamental, 

 "for in earnest matter-of-fact England a hobby retains its 

 favour and prestige all the more permanently if it combines 

 advantage and utility with no aesthetic a><d sensuous attrac- 

 tions ;" and if it can be shown that many of these more recent 

 introductions are not only valuable as timber trees, but also 

 attain more rapidly the size required for such purposes, a 

 greater stimulus must be given to their more frequent em- 

 ployment ; and whether one has to improve a property already 

 planted to their hand, or to plant anew for their heirs rather 

 than for themselves, the sight of such places as the pinetum 

 of Castle Kennedy or that of favoured Dropmore cannot but 

 be suggestive of much that is valuable and practical. 



And now coming down to smaller matters, Mr. Fowler, be it 

 remembered, is the raiser of that very pretty novelty in Ager- 

 atums, " Countess of Stair," of which Mr. Peach wrote favour- 

 ably to me. Mr. Fowler is engaged in trying still further to 

 improve the race, and fully impressed with the requirements 

 of the day, is endeavouring to combine with novelty of colour- 

 ing dwarfness of habit, freedom of flowering, and vigour of 

 constitution. There were thousands of seedlings planted out, 

 and there ia no doubt that from the care and skill evidenced 

 by Mr. Fowler we may expect some tangible results, thus show- 

 ing that while he can grasp such subjects as landscape garden- 

 ing in its full extent, he can yet find pleasure in the improve- 

 ment of bo humblo a matter as the Ageralum. 



I have said but little of the parterre adjoining the Castle 

 (shown in the engraving in the Journal of the 10th inst.), be- 

 cause, although planted with great taste, there was nothing in 

 it but what may be seen in every large place, but the planting 

 is so unique that it drives other matters in the background. 

 How one could have lingered on the American valley, rejoicing 

 in the foliage and the few Kalmias yet in bloom, and picturing 

 to one's mind what it must have been when Azaleas and Rho- 

 dodendrons were in their full blaze of beauty ; or marked in 

 the pinetum the various shades of green presented by the 

 different species of Conifers, and thought what a picture of 

 beauty another generation will find in these interesting grounds ! 

 But I must forbear, and have only to express my thanks to the 

 kind friend who planned this day's excursion, and to Mr. 

 Fowler for the courtesy and hospitality with which he received 

 the " Sassenaoh."— D., Deal. 



OTHER FEATHERED HELPS IN GARDENS. 



I say, other, because there are need of other than peewits, 

 inasmuch as their use is limited to walled gardens. What, 

 then, are to be the resources as to feathered helps in unwalled 

 gardens ? This has been a trying year for gardeners in reEpect 

 to birds. The season has been so hot, and that not a damp 

 but a dry heat — not the heat following rain, but day after day 

 and week after week, the earth baking harder and harder, and 

 dampness utterly ceasing in grass and ditch ; so that the birds, 

 the blackbirds and thrushes and other worm and fruit eaters, 

 have been driven to the gardens for fruit alone, as worms have 

 failed. In gardens near to woods the inroad of birds has been 

 unusually great ; and even those who are as a rule tender- 

 hearted and bird-lovers, have bad their patience sorely tried 

 on seeing, not one or two, but dozens of birds fly out of the 

 fruit trees. Where fruit has been protected by nets, and espe- 

 cially nets fastened on rails as mentioned by J. Muir in his 

 excellent article at page 66, July 27th, gardeners have felt safe 

 and comfortable, but it has been woe to the unprotected. 

 Many have shot at the birds and shot some of them. But the 

 gun is an iDJurer to tree and bush ; and there must always be 

 borne in mind that, oheerful song apart, the blackbird and 

 thrush and the rest assist the gardener during many months, 

 while during a few weeks only they are pilferers. I sometimes 

 fanoy that gardeners and others who shoot ruthlessly can 

 hardly be aware of the friends birds are at other times to them. 

 But upon this part of the subject I will not say more, hoping 

 fully to enter upon it in some future papers to be entitled 

 " Our Duty to our Four-footed and Feathered Neighbours." 



To return to the state of things this season. Never before 

 have I seen the cuckoos feeding in the garden and always on 

 the same food — viz., the caterpillars on the Cabbages. Spar- 

 rows also are great devourers of these. But — and I keep for 

 last mention another feathered help in a garden, and that is 

 the bantam. I happen to have a man who has worked in my 

 garden for the last dozen years, and who, unlike his master, 

 has a perfect hatred of animal and bird, which hatred he with 



the privilege of an old servant does not keep to himself. It is 

 always " that dog," with a marked and telling emphasis of 

 dislike upon the word "that;" or it is "They Pigeons" 

 (George's grammar is not good) " have been messing the soft 

 water again and spiling of it." I bear all calmly, for I like 

 strong individuality in character — it amuses me. What, how- 

 ever, was my surprise when the other day George delivered 

 himself oracularly in the following words, " We must have 

 they bantams back again, sir." "Why, George?" "Why, 

 because the garden haB got so full of slugs they eat up every- 

 thing, and when the bantams was here there never was a slug 

 to be Been." " Oh, George, then you have come at last to my 

 way of thinking, have you?" "Well, yes, sir; but the ban- 

 tams must only be few, and let out during part of the year 

 only an hour before their bedtime : then they do great work and 

 pick up the slugs." There is truth in this, for many bantams 

 would do observable harm by scratching, but with few the good 

 entirely overbalances the little damage done by the busy feet. 



A cat is often very usefnl in a garden, end I have known one 

 regularly chained on a Strawberry bed for the protection of 

 the fruit. Pass did not in the least object to being there, and 

 had her box to go into in case of rain. — Wiltshire Recioe. 



ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



As a country horticulturist I regard the position of the old 

 Society more hopefully than I have done for some time past. 

 In that I may be more sanguine than many. I have read the 

 reports of the recent meetings, the general tone of which 

 appears to have been very reassuring. As " heated arguments " 

 and general recriminations are most damaging to any insti- 

 tution, so, on the other hand, sober deliberations have a power- 

 fully beneficial effect. The Society has been racked by con- 

 flicting interests, and weakened by passionate advocacy of the 

 policy in which either party was interested. It has been com- 

 posed of elements that would not blend, and time and money 

 have been wasted in seeking for that which is unattainable. 

 The present Council have recognised this, and they appear to 

 be convinced that the claims of horticulture on the Society 

 which they represent can only be met by the divorcement of 

 the Society from South Kensington. In that they appear to- 

 have almost the unanimous concurrence of horticulturists. 

 In a word the Counoil are trusted, and their policy is generally 

 confirmed as the right policy by all who desire to eee horti- 

 culture flourish. 



Horticulture cannot flourish without a strong, firmly esta- 

 blished, and authoritative head. That head is, or should be, 

 the Royal Horticultural Society. At present it is weak, as 

 many believe by its unfortunate alliance, and the sooner a 

 separation can be effected the better will it be for the Society, 

 and the better also in all probability for the district which is 

 known as its head quarters. There may be, and doubtless are, 

 difficulties in the way of a separation from South Kensington 

 being effected, but surely we may hope that no unnecessary 

 impediments will be placed in the way by the Royal Com- 

 missioners, and no conditions will be imposed which cannot be 

 borne by the Society. It should be remembered that the con- 

 nection with South Kensington was effected primarily for the 

 advancement of horticulture, and had the illustrious Prince 

 who commended and supported the amalgamation been 

 happily preserved to the nation, in all probability the union 

 would have been a happy and a prosperous one. Under his 

 patronage and guidance the Royal Horticultural Society would 

 have been made to flourish, simply because that was tho 

 primary object of the amalgamation. 



The great end in view was not the establishment of a fashion- 

 able garden as such — an enclosure for the gratification of a 

 locality— but for the well-being of the horticulture of a nation. 

 That was the end, aim, and object of the agreements entered 

 into with the Royal Commissioners, and the objects are the 

 same now so far as the representatives of horticulture are con- 

 cerned, but they remain unaccomplished. The policy of the 

 past has failed, the object sought is not achieved, and further 

 efforts are necessary to promote the success of that which was 

 the principal aim of thoBe by whom the present constitutional 

 alliance was projected. The object being still unaccomplished, 

 it behoves all concerned to seek some other way of accomplish- 

 ing it. The horticulturists as a body have representatives in 

 whom they can trust, and these representatives, as I and many 

 others understand the matter, have not and cannot anticipate 

 the antagonism of the Royal Commissioners, but have a sub- 

 stantial and legitimate claim on their co-operation and assist- 



