444 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ November 21, 188!>. 
great measure lies my success. I have still a better one “ in my 
head,” which I may carry out in the garden before long, when I 
have more leisure. 
Mr. Davidson will probably get a trap cage at a bird dealer’s 
without the expense of sending away'; if not, he will find some 
advertised under “ Appliances ” in Poultry. I have not seen them, 
therefore cannot speak as to their adaptability. If not painted I 
would recommend at least two coats of green paint both to wires 
and woodwork for two reasons—protection, and to give as natural 
an appearance to the birds as possible. When thoroughly dry and 
the paint is hardened—this .is important, as the birds are apt to 
peck it off or rub it off with their bills and get poisoned—put in 
your call-bird, which should, if possible, be one accustomed to cap¬ 
tivity. I use one caught two years ago, because they become very 
docile and do not flutter like a new bird. The drinking tins are 
also painted green to take off the brightness so as not to frighten 
the wild ones. Hang the cage against a wall out of the reach of 
cats in a quiet place ; my most successful spot is near an Apple 
tree, into which a wild bird readily comes at this season to the call 
of the decoy. 
The trap part of the cage should be baited with Blackberries in 
bunches, and if a little Lettuce seed is sprinkled in so much the 
better. I carry a box of it in my pocket at this season. Having 
caught a bird it should be taken out as carefully as possible, as 
they are naturally terribly frightened. These birds should be first 
placed in a cage with wires on one side only, and they should be 
shallow, G or 8 inches deep ; water may be placed in a shallow tin 
inside the cage at first, or many will die from not having the notion 
of getting at it if put outside. Feed on hemp and canary seed. If 
they take to this they are soon all right, but they must be watched, 
and if they do not place in some Blackberries or Privet berries, of 
which they are very fond, later in the season. In a day or two 
they will be reconciled, and may be taken out of the low cage and 
turned in a large stock cage or an aviary, always giving plenty of 
water for bathing and drinking. A handful of grjundsel thrown 
in occasionally will be much appreciated, and of course they 
require rough grit. It is a very pretty sight to see a score or so, 
as I have at present, with their handsome red breasts. 
There is always a demand for these birds for pets as cage birds, 
and they are readily disposed of to bird dealers in towns. Many a 
country cottager might pay his rent with a little insight into this 
matter, which I have repeatedly pointed out, and have given 
practical illustrations of how to carry it out at horticultural 
shows, besides freeing a neighbourhood of a universal pest in the 
spring at the fruit bloom. 
I gave particulars as to the food of Bullfinches in a wild state 
for mcst of the year in the Journal some years ago. As there 
are many new readers perhaps it would be worth a reprint. Good 
bunches of Blackberries should now be procured and kept until 
food becomes scarce in the fields later on, for baiting trap cages, as 
a bird soon clears out all when shut in. If I have not made all 
plain I will give any further information. Up to the present I 
have taken twenty-two birds this autumn against twenty-three all 
last winter.—J. Hiam. 
thickly populated, it is no remedy to throw open the ventilators, and 
admit a moist, murky, and smoke and soot-laden atmosphere. In case 
of pot plants grown on the large bloom system, as distinguished from 
decorative or for cutting, the best precaution against damping is thorough 
ripening, and exposure of the plants in the summer and autumn. 
Excessive stimulants, especially sulphate of ammonia, lead to damping. 
GOOD NEW VARIETIES. 
I am going to the Waterford district exhibition, and shall learn 
further on this head ; but here in this locality we have found Sunflower, 
Mrs. J. Wright, Avalanche, Edwin Molyneux, Mr. and Mrs. H. Oannell, 
Agnes Flight, Amy Furze, Theodore Bullier, and Florence Percy first- 
rate exhibition large flowers when taken on the crown bud. Terminal 
buds of the above and the following with me are almost useless : — 
Japanese : Mr. Garner, Mrs. F. Thompson, W. II. Burbidge, Mons. 
Bernard, R<se Beauty, Charlie Sharman, Gladiator, Yokohama Beauty, 
and Bombardier. Anatole Cordonnier promises well, but curiously enough 
there is not a single good bloom of Belle Paule in any direction here. 
Lady Dorothy, James Weston, Goldfinder (late), and Ralph Brockle- 
bank late but promising, Nelson and Sabine (large Anemones) are not 
large with me. On the whole the blooms are rather above the average 
in the general collections.—W. J. Murphy, Clonmel. 
MRS. MARSHAM AND ELATNE. 
I CAN assure “ Chrysanthemum” (page 387) that Mrs. Marsham and 
Elaine are synonymous. When the supposed improved Elaine Mrs. 
Marsham was first sent out, I procured a cutting at a good price. I 
thought if we had really an improvement on Elaine, as stated, that it 
would be an acquisition worth looking after. The cutting was rooted 
with other varieties and well cared for, as most new varieties are at 
first. When the flowering time arrived I could see that I had been 
duped. All there was to distinguish Mrs. Marsham from Elaine was 
the label in the pot. That is one of the many instances in which the 
National Society has been of great benefit.—A CHRYSANTHEMUM 
Grower. 
MRS. CARTER. 
Messrs. J. Carter & Co. have had an interesting display of Chrys¬ 
anthemums this season at their Perry Vale Nurseries, well representing 
all the best of the old and new varieties. Some of the novelties were 
exhibited at the Chiswick Conference on November 5th, amongst them 
being blooms of the variety Mrs. Carter, of which one is depicted in the 
woodcut (fig. 5G). This is a pretty and graceful Japanese, with exceed¬ 
ingly fine threadlike florets of a soft clear straw colour. It will pro¬ 
bably prove useful for cutting purposes, as li.ht flowers like these are 
admirable for arranging in vases. 
A BLOOM HOLDER 
In the illustration of a Chrysanthemum bloom holder, page 419 
in last week’s Journal, is shown a modified form of my holder for cut 
flowers (patented in 1884). I enclose a sample, the same as is used for 
Chrysanthemums ; also a tube which is made rather deep so as to allow 
the blooms to be raised a good height above the board, without anything 
being seen except the stem. The coils at the top of the support can 
be raised or lowered to suit any bloom.—II. F’OSTER, Watchmaker, 
Ashford, Kent. 
[The sample sent is very similar to the one figured, except that there 
is a double coil at the base of the bent wire in the tube, and a horizontal 
ring to hold the stem near the mouth of the tube.] 
THE WEATHER. 
So far November has been singularly mild, and we have got half 
through without the thermometer once going below the freezing point—■ 
32° Fahr. Several nights I have gone out in my garden, where I have a 
hinged framework over my outdoor wall Chrysanthemums, at 10 P.M., 
and the thermometer stood at 55°. If this could always be guaranteed 
no one would house their plants. On the other hand the atmosphere 
has been saturated with moisture. 
DAMPING OF BLOOMS. 
This mild weather and atmospheric moisture naturally lead to 
damping of blooms, but it must be distinctly noted the damping is 
only noticed indoors, and is not so conspicuous there when there is a warm 
buoyant atmosphere, not much above or below 00°. At least that is my 
experience, as I keep a few dozen pots inside for experiment, the vast 
majority of my pot Chrysanthemums being in front of and forming 
a sloping bank with my wall plants. 
As I have already intimated, if Chrysanthemums could be grown 
wholly in the open a : r there would be no damping. Then it follows 
the more nearly we can in Art approach the perfection of Nature the 
nearer we approach success. At the same time in manufacturing towns 
CHRYSANTHEMUM SHOWS. 
PEMBROKESHIRE.— November 12th. 
The fourth annual Exhibition of this Society was held in the Market 
Hall, Pembroke, on the 12th inst., and proved in every way most satis¬ 
factory. Although a young Society, it has become firmly established, 
and the Show is one of the best held in South Wales. The majority of 
the exhibits would compare most favourably with those of larger pro¬ 
vincial societies, and nowhere have we seen cottagers and amateurs show 
better produce, both in plants and cut flowers. The arrangement 
throughout was admirable, reflecting much credit on the courteous Hon. 
Sec., Mr. Treweeks, and those of the Committee working with him. 
Plants .—For groups of the largest size arranged for effect, quality 
also to be considered, Mr. French, gardener to Colonel Saurin, Orielton, 
Pembroke, was a very easy first with dwarf plants, tastefully arranged, 
and carrying extra fine flowers. This group was one of the features of 
the Exhibition, and was much admired. Mr. Crichton, gardener to 
Colonel Lambton, Brownslade, was second. Many good trained plants 
were staged. For three Japanese, Mr. Dumble, gardener to Sir Charles 
Phibips, Picton Castle, Haverfordwest, was first, having freely flowered 
plants of Bouquet Fait, La Nymphe, and Yal d’Andorre. Second, Mr. 
French. Mr. Dumble was also first for three incurved or reflexed 
varieties ; but for a single specimen Japanese, Mr. French was a good 
first with a superbly flowered plant of Avalanche, and this in addition 
was awarded the National Chrysanthemum Society’s silver medal as the 
best plant in the Show. Amateurs exhibited strongly, six competitors 
staging good groups. Splendid plants and cut blooms were also good. 
For the former Mr. Croft was first, Mrs. Rowe being a good second. 
Cut Blooms .—With thirty-six blooms, for which a special prize was 
given by Sir C. Phillips, Mr. Dumble was easily first, having decidedly 
the best flowers in the Show. They comprised (Japs) Baronne do 
