320 
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 w^ind off the hop plants. From their produce is made the 
English " Yin du pays," i.e., beer, and from them is brewed the 
noted Alton ale. 
I called upon Mr. BroniAvich 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 can 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 comimanding 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, wdth 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 by 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 w^as just reading the following passage from White : 
— " This lonely domain is a very agreeable haunt for many sorts 
