236 
NATURE NOTES. 
ought to be severely boycotted, and our country gentry would do good service by 
refusing to deal with any country tradesman guilty of such nefarious proceeding. 
Anerley. Joseph Halsey. 
[We entirely sympathise with our correspondent, as we are sure do all true 
Selbornians. One Selbornian of our acquaintance carries his principles so far as 
to refuse to wash with the soap advertised by a notorious offender in this way. So 
many soap-makers advertise, however, that this mode of protest has its incon- 
veniences. — E d. yl'.A'i] 
Nature Pictures. — The following important letter from the IMarchioness 
of Lothian appeared in the Norfolk Chronicle for September 17th: — “iluch 
has been written of late on the comparative merits of nature pictures and painted 
pictures. There need be no question of such rivalry, but it must be a matter of 
rejoicing that our rapidly vanishing rural beauty should be valued and preserved 
as far as possible. There is one way in which some lovely nature pictures, or 
rather vignettes, might be saved to us wdthout going the length of buying estates, 
and which would save from destruction much of our native flora, our wild birds and 
butterflies. Much has been said of the depredations of holiday-makers as destroy- 
ing the botany of our hedgerow's ; but the lover of the fern and foxglove must blame 
still more the present mutilation by the road-makers of the banks and braes of our 
pretty country roads. The pleasant grass margins — pleasant to the rider or foot 
passenger, especially agreeable to the eye, in this county of plough — are now being 
cut aw'ay, leaving a border of morass in winter, and mud heaps ; in summer a 
crop of unsightly coarse weeds. How' lovely it was to see the white road like a 
stream winding through the green of rich old turf, a subject for Crome or Consta- 
ble. Now, the banks are cut half-way up, leaving a crumbling mass whence the 
wet trickles over the mud on to the road, and the scrapings, instead of being left 
in the road and quickly carted away, are piled and plastered on the banks to the 
destruction of everything that grows there. Moreover, in summer the scythe 
mows ruthlessly every blade of lovely grasses, of fern, and harebell. 
“ Can nothing be done to arrest this wholesale destruction of natural beauty? 
We are told to train our children in natural history, but where can the w ild 
flowers, wild berries, wild birds exist, accessible to all, now that our hedgerow 
life is thus annihilated? Is it necessary on roads where there is little traffic, and 
in others where there is room for three carriages abreast? The beautiful roads in 
the Black Forest, where mud does not exist, have a well-kept border of grass 
where road sweepings are not allowed to encroach. The richness of our land- 
scape, which has few bold features, depends much on old hedgerows, and it 
seems a serious matter to destroy the beauty and attractiveness which belong 
to country-lile unless absolutely necessary. Many visitors to the coast have 
lamented the devastation of the last year or so, as destroying the beauty and in- 
terest of the drives."’ 
Oban. — Visitors to Scotland will be sorry to hear that the hill behind Oban 
(on which the unfinished hydropathic establishment stands), which commands 
one of the finest views in the neighbourhood, has this year been entirely closed 
against the public, in consequence of the conduct of various persons in gathering 
flowers, staring in at the windows of the adjacent house, and giving general 
annoyance in other ways. While fully admitting the right of the owners of property 
to defend themselves against intrusion and annoyance, and greatly regretting that 
the misconduct of visitors should render it necessary, we might be permitted to 
ask whether this could not be prevented by some less sweeping method than 
by excluding all comers. It appears to me that any of the following schemes 
would be found sufficiently effectual. (l) Where several paths (as in the case 
mentioned) lead to the same point, one might be left open, away from the house 
and garden. (2) Visitors might be admitted (if not daily, at least at stated times) 
on signing their names and addresses in a book at the lodge gate. (3) .V small 
charge might be made for admission, for the benefit of some local charity. 
W. F. Kirby. 
“What shall do with Our Scholars ? ” (p. 210)— It may interest 
Mr. Rawnsley to hear that “Sunday School Wild Flower Classes” have been 
formed in various parishes in Dorsetshire since 18S9, initiated by the Bishop of 
