SELDORNIANA. 
^55 
nuisance to the highway, and enacts a procedure for its abatement or removal. 
So that within a few months, if the local authorities do their duty, people should 
be able to walk along a narrow country lane without risk to their clothes, and 
valuable horses should be spared the danger of injury to which they are now 
subject. — Daily Chronicle, July 19th. 
Artificial Edelweiss. — Like the notches on an alpenstock, a sprig of 
edelweiss pressed between the leaves of a “ Ba:deker” is presumed to be an out- 
ward and visible sign of the owner’s intrepidity and endurance in mountaineering. 
Frequently, however, it is nothing of the sort. Tourists are saved the trouble of 
climbing for it by purchasing specimens grown and cultivated on suitable soil in 
Swiss cottage gardens. Some enterprising persons, however, presumably fearful 
of the possible extinction of the favourite mountain-flower, and deeply imbued 
with sympathy for the aims of the Association pour la Protection des Plantes, 
which is a specialised .Swiss edition of our owm Selborne Society, have hit upon an 
ingenious plan for supplying the express-train tourist (as distinguished from the 
Alpine climber) with unlimited specimens of edelweiss, wdrich at the same time 
saves the trouble of growing and rearing them. The white woollen felted material 
of military coats, worn chiefly by Austrian soldiers, when cut into suitable strips, 
very much resembles the characteristic upper leaves of the plant, more particularly 
of course when the colour is somewhat mellowed by exposure and the natural 
process of wearing out the material. So that the happy thought has suggested 
itself of buying up quantities of these discarded military coats, and manufacturing 
from them edelweiss “ wholesale, retail, and for exportation.” My attention was 
called to the matter in June of this year by a resident in Lucerne, who possibly 
was unable to dispose satisfactorily of his garden-stock, owing to the manu- 
facturers in the rival method of production making the plant a drug in the market. 
I therefore bought a specimen, and on dissecting it with two mounted needles, 
found as my informant had stated. It appears that the strips of cloth are care- 
fully cut out and skilfully grafted on a foundation of any w'eed that comes handy, 
which may have a superficial resemblance to the edelweiss in habit ; the speci- 
mens ate then pressed and dried, and the pious fraud is complete. 
F. N. Williams. 
Gilbert White’s House. — Will you inform me whether any photograph 
(platinolype or some permanent process suitable for framing) has ever been pub- 
lished of Gilbert White’s house at Selborne, and if so, by whom, and where it is 
obtainable? C. O. 
Lodgings at Selborne. — For the benefit of those wdio may wish to spend 
a few days at Selborne, I would like to mention that very comfortable and 
reasonable lodgings may be had in the village at Miss Phillips, Myrtle Cottage, 
with a very pleasant view of the Zig-zag and the Hanger Woods from the windows. 
Address Miss Phillips, Myrtle Cottage, Selborne, Alton. 
A. Martelli. 
A Protest. — We have more than once had occ.asion to complain of the 
appropriation, without acknowledgment, of the contents of Nature Notes by 
other periodicals. We are most willing that our pages should be quoted freely, 
but it is only courteous, not to say commonly honest, that the source of the cita- 
tions should be acknowledged. Three times within the last few w’eeks The Rural 
World has reprinted communications from Nature Notes in such a manner as 
to appear as though originally sent for its owm columns. The Rural World is an 
organ of that political party which has strong views as to the sacredness of the 
rights of property, and we shall be glad if it will carry its principles into practice. 
By permission of His Grace the Duke of Northumberland, the Selborne Field 
Club (Lower Thames Valley Branch) will visit Syon House and grounds. Isle- 
worth, on Wednesday, August 9th, to meet at Isleworth church at 2.45 p.m., 
near to the new lock, weir and foot bridge in course of construction. Members 
of the Selborne Society desirous of joining this party are requested to give an early 
intimation to Mr. John Allen, Flon. Sec., 8, Clarence Road, Kew, as but a 
limited number can be admitted. 
