February 24, 1863. ] JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



155 



I presume that if poultry did not scratch and tear everything, 

 they -would do very much good by destroying insects of various 

 sorts, and, I presume, that much good may be done by birds, 

 judiciously ohosen, in. that way. Nothing like hand-picking in 

 the main ; but how many small insects are there that cannot 

 be so dealt with — ants, for instance, which abound occasionally. 

 If bantams could be kept without injuring growing crops they 

 would be very handy. It is said that guinea fowls do not scratch, 

 and are, therefore, good helps, as they swallow everything living. 

 Then, again, some fancy a domesticated sea gull for the purpose, 

 the bank and the owl, too, are useful so far as mice, and, probably 

 snails are concerned ; and an observer of the habits of the birds, 

 who has eat by the hour and watched starlings bring to their nest 

 a slug or snail every three minutes for hours together, may well 

 think it possible that a pair of those birds domesticated, and with 

 a wing cut, might be very useful. But practical gardeners must 

 have some experience upon such a matter, for it is difficult to 

 believe that the references to birds' habits scattered through 

 books of natural history, have not been somehow gathered up for 

 practical purposes by practical men. I have been greatly amused 

 by seeing a pair of ducks hunt a piece of Box-border for snails or 

 slugs, and was very much amused onoe by seeing a house sparrow 

 chase, and with much difficulty catch, a butterfly, in Chancery 

 Lane — a circumstance brought to my recollection by a sug- 

 gestion in your pages that the house sparrow will not take 

 insects. If 'the subject has not been already treated on in your 

 paper, I fancy it is one upon which an article might be very 

 usefully written. — H. 



[We refrain from making any reply to this inquiry, because 

 we should like to have all the information upon the subject 

 which our readers will be kind enough to send us. Any one 

 who has kept successfully a feathered help of any species in a 

 garden, will oblige us much by sending particulars of the 

 vermin it destroyed, what damage it did, whether it required a 

 constant supply of water, and any other particulars necessary 

 for its successful management. — Eds. J. OF H.] 



APPLE OF AMASSIA. 



Amokgst the fruits exhibited at the Society's Great Inter- 

 national Show in October, was an Apple bearing the name of 

 the " Apple of Amassia," sent by Mr. Edward B. B. Barker, 

 H.M. Consul at Samsoun. 



It is fully medium size. Its general form is roundish, without 

 angles ; eye partially open in an evenly rounded depression ; the 

 stalk, of medium length and thickness, is deeply inserted in a 

 regularly formed, rather narrow cavity. The skin is glossy, 

 pale yellow on the shaded side, with a delicate blush next the 

 sun. Flesh white, juicy, very sweet ; but the specimens tried 

 did not possess that rich brisk flavour which is considered 

 requisite in what would be considered a good dessert Apple in 

 this country. It is fit for use in October. In appearance it 

 resembles the Mela Carla Apple, described and figured in " Hor- 

 ticultural Transactions," vol. vii., page 259, but the Apple of 

 Amassia seems to ripen earlier. 



In answer to inquiries addressed to him on the subject of this 

 Apple, Mr. Barker has replied : — 



"This variety has long been known at AmaBsia, but in no 

 other town or district of Asia Minor, or anywhere else that I 

 can leam. 



" There are fourteen other varieties of Apples at Amassia, all 

 inferior in every respect ; proving that it does not owe its 

 superiority to the climate or soil, although these last may be 

 predisposing causes to its perfection. 



" It is propagated by grafting ; the fruit invariably the same. 

 Young trees produce, however, finer fruit than the very old ones. 



"It is always a standard at Amassia, and grows to the height 

 of 15 feet. 



" It is a great bearer, and a vigorous healthy tree. 



" [There is every reason to believe that this variety is indigenous 

 to the town and gardens of Amassia ; no one of the present 

 generation remembers its having been introduced ; and this is 

 not a likely thing to have occurred in this part of the East. I 

 have seen Apples from all the towns in Asia Minor and Syria, 

 all very inferior. The moment I tasted it, I wrote and procured 

 scions for grafts, and sent them at two different times to my 

 gardener at Suedia, in Syria, and the more I know of this Apple 

 tbe more I appreciate its qualities, which are these : — 



"1, High colour; 2, Sweetness, with quite sufficient acidity 



to be agreeable ; 3, Plenty of juice when not over-ripe ; 4, Fra- 

 grant perfume, in which most Apples are deficient ; 5, Crispness 

 without hardness, which enables it to travel to great distances 

 without injury. 



" It flowers and ripens at the same time as other Apples at 

 AmaBBia, flowering in April and ripening in September and 

 October ; and would probably do the same in England. 



" In regard to the name of this variety, it is called at Amassia 

 Muskett or Musk Apple. Four years ago a Swiss merchant 

 established at Amassia, Bent a box of these Apples to Bale in 

 Switzerland, to his brother. At a meeting of the Pomological 

 Society in that city, some were exhibited, and they were called 

 Rose Apples of Asia (Asiatischer Rosenupfel.) It has been 

 remarked that the flesh of some of these Apples, when ripe, is of 

 a Blight rose colour. I have not learnt of its having before or 

 since been sent to Europe farther than to Constantinople, to 

 which city about a hundred boxes are sent yearly, principally as 

 presents. Its travelling so well is a remarkable feature. If I 

 could have gathered the Apples here (Samsoun) at this port, 

 they would have reached you in fine condition ; but they had to 

 travel on horseback (three days journey, about ninety miles) 

 before they reached my hands, over very bad roads. 



" AmasBia is on land much elevated above the level of the sea, 

 and consequently very cold in winter, and very hot in summer. 

 The soil is calcareous, mixed with fine sand ; exceedingly dry in 

 Bummer, and the trees are watered by hydraulic wheels. The 

 trees are never pruned nor manured ; indeed no care whatever 

 is taken of them, except watering them — an absolute necessity in 

 the great heats of summer ; but they would not require that in 

 England. 



" I will send you scions for grafting, so as to be in England 

 in February orMarch next, by two expeditions — by steamer 

 from Constantinople via Liverpool, by sea, and by the overland 

 route, via Tienna, through the Foreign Office, by the messenger. 

 They will be cut in January, during the coldest weather, so as to 

 insure their freshness till May. 



" I Bhall be very happy at all times to be able to give you any 

 other information, if required, having inherited from my late 

 father, John Barker, Esq., a great taste for horticulture, and 

 having had some little experience in these eastern climates." 



So far as beauty is concerned, the Apples exhibited at the 

 Show in October bore out all Mr. Barker's encomiums, but the 

 taste had been deteriorated by keeping and carriage. It had 

 become too sweet, and the Apple had loBt the crispness of which 

 he speaks. But if the grafts which he promises prosper, we 

 shall by-and-by have an opportunity of testing its value more 

 fairly. — (Proceedings of the Royal Horticultural Society.) 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GABDEN. 



Taee advantage of dry days to stir the surface of the ground 

 among growing crops, and to keep down weeds. Cabbage, sow 

 early sorts and a few Red on a warm border. Carrots, make a 

 sowing of Early Horn. Cauliflower, make a fresh sowing in a 

 frame, and prick out those already up. Celery, another sowing 

 may now be made in heat. Dwarf Kidney Beans, sow a few 

 Early White, Negro, or Dun-coloured in boxes for planting-out. 

 Lettuce, sow Cos, when required, in warm situations. The beds 

 to be looked over and blanks made good, after which they should 

 receive a carefid hoeing, not too deep, and have ashes, sharp 

 sand, or sawdust strewn thickly among their stems. A similar 

 application to the stems of Peas and Beans will he some pro- 

 tection from the attacks of slugs. Onions, take advantage of the 

 Erst fine day with the ground in working-order to put in the 

 main crop. Select a piece of land in good condition ; and if the 

 surface is not naturally firm, render it so before sowing by tread- 

 ing or rolling. Parsnips, prepare the ground by trenching or 

 deep digging, and sow. 



IIOWEE GAEDEN. 



Proceed with Rose-pruning. The late mild weather has already 

 advanced the buds of many sorts ; an exception, however, may 

 be made of Roses recently moved. Plant and lay Rhododen- 

 drons. Edgings required for flower-borders, Buch as Box, Thrift, 

 &e., should at once be planted, and Box-edgings cut. Plant 

 Pinks, Pansies, Wallflowers, Canterbury Bells,, Foxgloves, Car- 

 nations, &c. 



EBTJIT GABDEN. 



Proceed with pruning and nailing in favourable weather. If 

 any planting BtiJi> remain to be done, let it be performed as soon 



