January 18,1894 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
55 
our Rose house, and hatched nine young ones. The pair became so 
tame that no notice was taken of our presence, and it was surprising to 
note what a number of insects they found upon plants which were 
apparently clean. They built in a corner, where syringing did not 
interrupt them, and from the time they were noticed we refrained from 
fumigation. If we would make greater friends of birds in the houses I 
believe we might be more exempt from many insect pests. I have had 
both wrens in my houses, and even that shy little bird, the ox-eye. 
Almost all of the hedge-warblers will eat the green fly, and it may 
interest Mr. Garner to know that I have observed the common house 
sparrows with their beaks completely full of fly. Last spring, when fly 
was attacking my Roses in the open, these birds were extremely busy ; 
they did not pick off the fly individually and in the dainty manner the 
wrens adopted, but seemed to scoop off a number at the time. I have 
so often watched birds eating green fly from Roses and other plants, 
that I believe it to be a regular practice with them, and not merely a 
few isolated instances. Both myself and sister are particularly fond of 
birds (not in cages), and two years ago she had a pair of golden crested 
wrens, which would submit to be stroked upon the nest. A pair of 
the common grey linnets allowed me to do the same. These birds were 
frequently in our houses, and from their great tameness we had ample 
opportunities of noting their fondness for green fly.—A. Piper. 
WINTER DRESSING OF FRUIT TREES ON WALLS. 
The present is a good time for disnailing Peach and Nectarine trees, 
thinning out the old wood, where not done immediately after the crop 
of fruit was gathered, shortening back the young shoots a little, and 
then painting any of the trees that were in any way affected with scale 
or thrip during the summer with a solution composed of the ingredients 
mentioned below. The branches of the individual trees should then be 
tied loosely together for safety, and the walls well washed with a solution 
of freshly slacked lime, into which a little fine new soot and sulphur 
may be stirred before being well worked into every hole and cranny in 
the wall so that all insects and their larvae located therein may be 
destroyed. In order to make sure of this measure of extermination being 
effective, the walls should be well syringed with softsoapy water at a 
temperature of about 150°, and petroleum at the rate of half a pint of 
the latter to a gallon of the former, before applying the limewash, 
forcing the mixture well into the crevices and nail holes, spreading a mat 
or two over the trees to prevent any of the solution getting on them in 
the process of applying it to the wall. 
The fact of being able to gather fruits perfectly free from blemish or 
insect disfigurement on the wall side of same next summer and autumn 
will more than amply compensate for the time and labour involved in 
carrying out the above simple details. Most fruit growers know by 
experience what feelings of annoyance and regret are aroused in gather¬ 
ing large, handsome, well-coloured Peaches and Nectarines from trees on 
the open walls on finding a large per-centage of the fruit eaten round 
the stems by woodlice and other creatures that find congenial conceal¬ 
ment in the nooks and crannies of the, in many cases, defaced walls. 
The mixture that I use as a winter dressing for all kinds of fruit 
trees (including Vines) that happen to be affected with scale, thrip, red 
spider, or mildew during the summer consists of about 4 ozs. softsoap 
dissolved in a gallon of warm water, a simitar amount each of flowers of 
sulphur and finely sifted new soot, and one wineglassful of petroleum, 
the whole being stirred well together before adding sufficient clay to 
give the mixture the consistency of thick paint. 
Where a number of trees have to be dressed it is better to make a 
good-sized caskful of the mixture at one time, using the several ingre¬ 
dients indicated at the rate recommended above. I find empty softsoap 
tins, with a piece of wire put across each for a handle, to be suitable 
vessels for applying the mixture to the tree from, the improvised paint 
pots being suspended from the ladder by a short length of wire made 
in the shape of the letter S. A 7-inch flower pot, with the hole stopped 
with clay and a wire handle adjusted thereto, will answer the purpose 
equally well. Each time the pots are being refilled the mixture should 
be well stirred, repeating the operation occasionally in the process of 
applying it to the trees. The solution should be applied carefully to 
every part of the tree, working the brush in an upward direction so 
as not to knock off or otherwise injure the buds. Stiffish brushes made 
of matting are useful for applying the composition to the trees. 
The branches of the individual trees should be secured loosely to 
the wall as soon as painted, so as to retard the flowering period, finally 
arranging and securing all the branches regularly over the wall space 
allotted to each tree shortly before the flower buds open, allowing a 
space of about 4 inches between the individual shoots of last year’s 
growth. 
There can be no question as to the large per-centage of fruit trees, 
especially the Morello Cherry, Plums, and Pears, that annually succumb 
to the ravages of scale and thrip where not dressed in the manner in¬ 
dicated in due time. If a few of the elongated brown scale (Mytilaspis 
conchiformis) once attach themselves to a fruit tree they will, in a very 
short period of time, if allowed to do so, completely cover the branches, 
absorb the sap, the very life of the tree, which, in the course of a few 
years, will dwindle away and die, leaving behind evidence in themselves 
of neglect and of the enemies’ strength. 
Hence it is that all our wall fruit trees are looked carefully over 
every year after they have cast their leaves, and, where necessary, 
dressed with the mixture indicated and in the manner described above. 
—H. W. Ward. 
Chrysanthemum Mrs. L. C. Madeira. 
If I mistake not this was exhibited at one of the fortnightly 
meetings of the Royal Horticultural Society last year, or very late in 
1892. As I then saw it I formed the impression that as a late decorative 
variety it would be valuable, but as an exhibition flower I feared it 
resembled Mabel Ward too much in the manner of its floret formation. 
Types of incurved blooms with very narrow florets are not so valuable 
to the exhibitor in the present day as those having more substance. 
These with extremely narrow florets, too, are more liable to come 
“cross-eyed,” which is a defect on the exhibition table.—E. M. 
Point Judging. 
Like many more of your readers I have taken a particular interest 
in the discussion on judging. After reading the evidenee I came to 
the conclusion that point judging is a mistake. The method may serve 
a purpose elucidating the abstruse secrets to novices, but never to judges. 
What is the use of formulating a table of points, then being at the 
trouble and expense of getting other men to adjudicate on others’ 
opinions ? The whole thing is incongruous. I could cite cases where 
men with no experience whatever had much to say in formulating a 
table for points in honey. I have judged flowers, fruits, vegetables and 
honey at local shows, and I have never submitted to judge by the table 
of points for our guidance. As for judges giving their reasons for 
awards made, I think that should only be done in the way of an 
instructive lecture in connection with the show. 
Competitors should not have any say in the selection of judges, and 
no prize ought to be awarded to articles below a certain standard of 
excellence. When exhibits are all first-class the judging is easy, but 
when all are inferior it is sometimes difficult to say which one should 
have first honours. The foregoing is only a shadow of evils and irregu¬ 
larities I am cognisant of in connection with shows.—W. T. 
Judging at Edinburgh Show. 
Mr. Rushton (page 578, last vol.) has done one of the greatest 
services that could be done to horticultural art by calling attention to 
judging in Edinburgh last November. He has had the courage to make 
a stand against the prevalent rules that give so much power to the 
judges at flower shows. It was time such a stand should be made, and 
this is the spot where it ought to be made. 
If anything has been proved by the controversy going on in your 
columns more than another it is the perniciousness (I had almost said 
viciousness) of the principle of absolute power delegated to the judges 
as such, and the irrevocable finality of their decisions. After these 
powers are delegated the committee are entirely in the grip of the 
judges. They cannot even demand a scrutiny of the pointing whereby 
the sum of points is attained ; they cannot, even in general terms, 
demand the “ how ” or the “ why,” the method or the ground of the 
judges’ decision ; they would “ not dream of doing such a thing.” For 
the judges might reply : “ Gentlemen, we are the absolute adjudicators 
here ; this is our decision, and as we do not admit that you have any 
right to put a question to us—by your own rules you have closed your 
lips—but here is our decision ; it is final ; from it there is no appeal.” 
In this state of matters the committee are powerless—the judges 
all-powerful, the former men of straw, the latter tyrants, if they will. 
Is the position not ridiculous ? I should think it is. The question then 
comes, Can this state of affairs not be amended ? Could not this power 
be duplicated? Could not the absoluteness of the judge and the 
finality of the decision now reposed in the judges alone be reposed in 
some Committee along with the Judges? These suggestions are thrown 
out as a possible way of escape from a very unfortunate position. 
I do this all the more readily as I was at the Edinburgh Show, and 
from what I saw and heard am distinctly of opinion that something 
ought to be done to improve the present method of judging. At the 
stands in dispute several encounters as to the decision of the Judges took 
place. I was embroiled in one myself, as my opinion was asked. In 
fact, Mr. Editor, the matter was widely discussed in Edinburgh, and 
warmly too, both in railway trains and in the streets. From this a 
moral is to be drawn. Once a stand has received the imprimatur of 
the judge’s decision, immediately a fierce and searching light beat.s 
around it. Put otherwise, the public do take cognisance of the judges’ 
decision, and they look for awards in accordance with the principles of 
justice. They will not be satisfied with anything less. They have 
conscience. They are as a light beatin? (silently it may be), yet fiercely 
against any palpable miscarriage of justice. 
When I saw the stand of blooms which was awarded the second prize 
I frankH^ own I could not help a feeling of indignation coming over me. 
My conscience revolted from the official decision, and quietly gave it.s 
verdict in the words, “ It is injustice enthroned.” 
If the Committee of that Show, notwithstanding the powers relegated 
to the Judges, had, after their decision and the protestor’s protest 
had been placed in their hands, said to them, “Gentlemen, we, ton, 
along with an expert, have carefully gone over the said blooms in 
