January 27, 1863. ] 



JOURNAL OE HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



79 



bird-fanciers know one from the other. The habits, however, 

 are totally different. Hedge sparrows are sweet song-birds, and 

 are to be seen in almost every garden, but never in large flocks 

 like the common or house sparrow. The latter lives entirely 

 upon seed ; and I am sure that any bird-fancier will bear me 

 out in saying that no one ever saw a common sparrow eat a 

 grub, a slug, or any other insect, save and except in their 

 breeding season. They will then sometimes eat a very few small 

 .green insects, suoh as are to be found upon Rose trees (I think 

 then more as a medicine than for food) ; but the number they 

 take is so few that a thousand of them would scarcely clear a 

 small Rose tree if much blighted with these insects. If any 

 dispute what I say, let them try the experiment by putting up a 

 score of these birds in a room, give them plenty of grubs or any 

 other insects they please (if nothing else can be got, mealworms 

 can always be procured from the bird-fanciers), with plenty of 

 water of course, and they will not find one of them alive in three 

 days ; but let them put up the same number of hedge sparrows 

 (whioh have been mistaken for the common hen sparrow), give 

 them the same food in abundance — for they are great devourers 

 of insects of almost every kind — and they will find these birds 

 will live, in a short time sing, and do well. If fresh-caught 

 birds, some few of them may die from confinement, as is the 

 caBe with all wild birds, but enough will survive to prove the 

 truth of what I have written ; and it is surprising to me that 

 farmers, who have been so condemned for a supposed folly, 

 should not have thought it worth while to disabuse the public 

 mind upon this (to them) important subject. I say important, 

 for I have seen fields of Wheat, particularly along the hedge- 

 rows, almost entirely destroyed for many feet in by these mis- 

 called " farmers' friends." So much for our British farmers. 



Now with regard to colonists. You say that the Governor of 

 one of our colonies imported sparrows at a cost of £6 per dozen. 

 I hope they were not the common house sparrow. Should any 

 oue wish to introduce birds into colonies — and many of our 

 British birds would be very useful in destroying insects — they 

 may easily tell which would be most suitable for this purpose by 

 the beak ; those that live upon insects have a much softer beak 

 than those that live upon seeds. The seed birds have a hard, 

 sharp-edged beak like that of the common sparrow, canary, or 

 any of the finches, linnets, &o., none of which ever eat insects. 

 —J. V. 



[Your pages have for some time past contained many most 

 able letters, pro and con., regarding the cruelty or expediency of 

 house-sparrow extirpation, in corn-growing districts especially ; 

 and, as truth alone is your object in all Buch practical dis- 

 cussions, I enclose this letter, which appeared in the Standard, 

 and which I fully endorse, after many years' study of the 

 habits of both the hedge and house sparrow genus. I have 

 here scores of the former, and hundreds of the latter ; the first 

 enlivening my garden hedges and shrubberies with their cheer- 

 ful notes, the last Bwarming in my evergreens and Ivy-matted 

 walls and outbuildings ! Indeed I have encouraged these colonies 

 of merry chirpers, never allowing any to be killed, nor their 

 nests to be taken, in the fond belief that I was harbouring an 

 insectivorous bird in so doing ! But alas ! I must now record a 

 verdict of graminivorous against my old petB, and, partial as I 

 am to birds of all kinds, must fain condemn the house sparrow 

 and tomtit as destructive to buds, grain, Peas, and bush-fruit. — 

 Audi Alteeam Paktem, Aldwick, Sussex. 



P.S. — I hope you will find room for " J. Vs." letter, were it 

 only to plead the cause of that sweet songster, the hedge- 

 sparrow, which, with the robin, cheers our eight and ear alike in 

 this leafless season as they hop in our walks and flit in our 

 hedgerows, melodious all the while !] 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GAEDEN. 

 As market-gardeners very generally bow their early crops upon 

 sloping ground it would be advisable for others to adopt the 

 same practice, by which, among other advantages, more heat and 

 shelter are obtained. The slopes, of course, should run east and 

 west, and are most convenient when about 3 feet 6 inches wide. 

 They should, if possible, be close to the frame-ground, as many of 

 the articles — viz., Radish, Early Horn Carrots, Lettuce, &c, will 

 require occasional covering with litter, and frequent attention. 

 Slopes of this kind, after carrying their spring and early summer 

 ■orops, will be equally eligible for autumn ones, more especially 



for Endive, autumn Carrots, or for raising the stock of winter 

 Lettuces. Asparagus, the sooner the beds are manured and soiled 

 the better. Cauliflower, sow a little seed, if not already done, in 

 a box to be placed in a hou9e at work. Callage, bow a Bmall 

 quantity of any early dwarf sort — the Vanack or Nonpareil — on 

 a warm slope, also some white Spanish and Portugal Onion3, 

 and a pinch of Early Dutch Turnip. Parsnips, prepare ground 

 by trenching or deep digging for sowing shortly. Potatoes, 

 follow-up planting, at leaBt the early kinds, soil them over 

 8 inches deep, and draw-off with the rake or hoe 2 or 3 inches 

 in the early part of April as a clearing process. Sea-lcale, plant ; 

 also Horseradish and Jerusalem Artichokes as soon as possible. 



FLOWER GAEDEN. 



The season altogether has been most favourable for out-door 

 improvements and alterations ; but tender plants are in a very 

 forward Btate, and, therefore, will require to be carefully pro- 

 tected from frosts. A small piece of ground would be useful as 

 a reserve-garden for rearing evergreen shrubs — such as Laurels, 

 Aueubas, Laurustinuses, Berberis, Rhododendrons, Box trees, 

 &c. — which may be propagated at home or bought in from the 

 nurserymen when a year or two old at a very trifling cost. They 

 will come in very useful for filling-up beds or borders in winter, 

 or for making improvements in the pleasure grounds. Many 

 collections of Tulips are now so forward that unlesB protected in 

 case of frost serious consequences would inevitably result to the 

 embryo blooms, which, though below the surface, would be in- 

 juriously affected by it. Ranunculus-beds may be thrown-up in 

 ridge3ofabout4 inches, taking care that the lower part of the bed 

 remain undisturbed. By this means advantage can be taken of the 

 first fine day for planting, should the weather prove fickle about 

 the 14th of Eebruary ; as when Buffered to lie in that Btate the 

 surface soil becomes sooner dry, and by Bimply raking level is 

 immediately ready for putting in the roots. Polyanthus seeds 

 may be now sown in pans. Some florists start them in a slight 

 heat, and when up gradually harden them off. Look over and 

 correct the general outlines of ornamental plantations. Break 

 into all hedge-like lines, form bold recesses where space will 

 admit of it, and endeavour to create variety. Biennials may be 

 planted in flower-borders or beds. As there is no appearance of 

 frost, Moss, Provence, and other hardy Roses may now be pruned ; 

 cut-out as much of the old wood as can be conveniently spared, 

 and shorten-back young wood to the most prominent buds. 

 The sooner that all RoBes are planted now the better, except 

 the more tender Chinese kinds. Roll gravel walks, sweep and 

 clean as often as practicable. Weed Box, Gentian, and other 

 edgings in mild weather. 



FECIT GAEDEN. 

 Follow-up pruning and nailing. Thin orchard trees. Scrub off 

 American blight with a hard brush. Clean off moss, lichen, &c. 

 Make cuttings of choice Gooseberries, Currants, &c, taking care 

 to pick out the buds at the lowest end of the shoot, in order to 

 avoid suckers. 



GEEENHOTJSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



Keep up a mild and sweet atmosphere in the conservatory. 

 If any plant is a prey to insects remove it immediately, to be 

 thoroughly cleaned. Slightly increase the supply of water to 

 the plants in the greenhouse. Keep down green fly. Give 

 plenty of air, but beware of draughts. Cut down, number, and 

 remove decayed Chrysanthemums ; let them go dry in a cold pit. 

 Cinerarias, if cramped in their pots, to be shifted into larger ; 

 likewise Chinese Primroses for spring work. 



FOECLNG-EIT. 

 Introduce bulbs, Roses, Pinks, American shrubs, Lilacs, &c, 

 in Bteady succession. Keep up a bottom heat of 75°, and an 

 average surface temperature of 60° at night and 70° by day, with 

 air occasionally. 



PITS AND FEAMES. 

 The whole of the Verbenas, Petunias, Ageratums, Heliotropes, 

 Salvias, and all the softwooded plants for planting-out in the 

 flower-beds, except the Scarlet Pelargoniums, are best from spring 

 propagation. Those in the store-pots may now be introduced 

 into heat for that purpose ; but many of them this mild season 

 can be left till the first crop of cuttings is taken off, as they are 

 in active growth. If the sorts are not scarce it is rather soon yet 

 to begin with them, as they will require too much room before 

 they can be planted-out in May. Auriculas to be top-dressed 

 with two-year-old decayed hotbed manure and leaf soil. Poly» 





