COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION. 
331 
August 7. 
After being applied some days, fresh water may be used, to 
remove any impurities. If this quantity should not be 
used at a time, the sulphur-water had better be kept 
corked, and poured out as wanted to mix. When 
the branches are cleaned, and it is feared there 
are still bugs about, I think they might be prevented 
getting to the bunch by tying a little circle of wadding 
round the stem steeped in a similar solution, only 
having a double portion of size and soap to hold them 
securely. 
There arc a few other matters wortlfialluding to, which 
will receive further attention. R. Fish. 
The Babrahaji Sheep-letting.— Few of our agri-| 
cultural readers are unacquainted with the merits of the 
Babrabam flock, and the annual gathering on the farm 
and under the hospitable roof of Mr. Jonas Webb. 
The anniversary this year was celebrated on July 27th, 
and the whole of the proceedings went off with the 
usual eclat. It would be as gilding refiued gold were , 
we to attempt to expatiate on the merits of the animals ; 
exhibited, as their fame has spread over every sea, and ! 
into every clime in which cultivation has followed j 
civilization; and the name of Mr. Jonas Webb will be | 
revered as a benefactor to his kind by generations yet 1 
unborn when they hear of his indefatigable exertions | 
aud success in rendering perfect a breed of animals | 
which are so important a necessary to the aliment of I 
man. The Babraham gathering, too, is important in 
another point of view; for here are to be found the 
leading agriculturists from all parts of the world, and j 
such of them as are foreigners have the opportunity of 
witnessing the English agricultural character in one of J 
its most favourable lights. Mr. Webb, too, has lately j 
turned his attention to the improvement of the breed of I 
short-horns, and his herd on Friday was also a great 
attraction, many of its members passing into the pos¬ 
session of their admirers. In the field there were at 
least 000 persons, and the letting commenced about two 
o’clock; Mr. King, of the firm of Nockods and King, of 
Saffron Walden, officiating with the hammer. Among 
the company were Viscount Falmouth; Eliot Yorke, Esq., 
M.P.; 0. A. Smith, Esq., M.P.; Hon. and Rev. Henry j 
Yorke, Hon. aud Rev. Vernon Harcourt, Revds. S. ' 
Feudal! aud G. Greene; with Farquliarson (Dorset 
shire), E. Hicks, 8 Jonas Bradshaw, W. P. Hamond, 
B. Wortham, C Wilkinson, C. Barnett, C. Crawley, 
Esqs., also Sir Robert Baker, and M. Robiou de la 
Trehonnais, the latter of the French “Journal d’Agri- 
culturo Pratique.” There were present also the agents 
of II.R.H. Prince Albert (Mr. Wilson), the Dukes of 
Manchester and Richmond, the Earl of Yarborough, 
Mr. Kekewitch (Wilts), and F. Pym, Esq., of the 
Hasells, Beds. 
There were 207 tups penned, and the second led into 
the ring excited a most spirited competition, the last : 
biddings being between the agent of the Duke of Rich¬ 
mond, and Mr. Overman, a tenantffarmer of Weasen- 
ham, Norfolk; the first-mentioned was successful, and 
the sheep was kuocked down to him for the unpre¬ 
cedented price of 170 guineas. Mr. Overman, however, 
secured the second highest priced tup for 130 guineas, 
and between the two animals there was but little j 
difference in the points to be detected by the eye of a j 
non-agriculturist. The weights of the clips of wool of ! 
each sheep were posted in the field, and from this we 
learned that the last fleece of the Duke’s sheep weighed 
81b. 8oz.; one sheep, a three-year-old, yielded 101b. 12oz. 
to the shears. 77 sheep fell under the hammer, the 
average price being £25 15s. 2d., and the total produce 
of the letting ,£1,983 9s. The average price of the 
previous four years was as under : 
Year. 
No. let. 
Average 
41 s . 
1851 . 
. 62 . 
. 22 2 
1852 . 
. 69 . 
. 22 3 
1853 . 
. 71 . 
. 22 6 
1854 .. 
. 25 4 
In 1853 a sheep fetched 130 gs., and the top price in 
1851 was 102 gs. 
At the conclusion of the lotting, rather more than 
300 gentlemen partook of a most excellent collation, 
prepared as usual in the tent adjoining Mr. Webb’s 
house, and which had been most tastily decorated with 
evergreens and flowers, under the superintendence of 
Mrs. Webb aud her daughters, who throughout the day 
gracefully presided over Mr. Wehb’s hospitality. The 
Hon. Eliot Yorke, M.P., presided, and was supported 
by Lord Arthur Ilervey, Sir R. Baker, Hon. aud Rev. 
II. Yorke, Major Lucas, Colonel Wall, with S. Quintin, 
R. Smith, E. Hicks, — Bradshaw, W. P. Hamond, C. 
Barnett, C. Crawley, F. Pym, and — Fordham, Esqs. 
The remainder of the company comprised the leading 
agriculturists from all parts of the country.— Mark 
Lane Express. 
HARDY HEATHS. 
(Concluded from page 274.) 
In my last paper on this subject, I hinted at grouping 
of the species aud varieties. This, to one supposed to 
be iguorant of the height, colour, aud time of flowering 
of any considerable tribe of plants he may wish to 
cultivate, is very desirable and welcome information. I 
propose, therefore, to give a list of Hardy Heaths, 
arranged in four groups, according to the average 
height each group will attain to in moderately favour¬ 
able circumstances, commencing with the tallest. 
Whenever I plant a shrub where it is to remain till it 
arrives at its full magnitude, I always picture in my 
mind that shrub when it roaches its ultimate height 
and breadth, and allow space accordingly; but us the 
shrubbery, plantation, or bed would be, when the plants 
were small, exceedingly thin and meagre, 1 plant, first, 
the shrubs I intend to be permanent, aud then fill 
up with others, by way of covering the ground aud 
sheltering the standards till they (the permanents) 
require more room. Then the others (nurses, we may 
call them) are gradually removed, to make the necessary 
room for the permanents to spread. Let this idea be in 
the mind of the planter of Hardy Heaths, with this 
difference—in a mixed shrubbery, or group of shrubs in 
a bed on a lawn, we fill up with various shrubs of dif¬ 
ferent species; whereas,'a Heathery ought to be filled up 
with nurses of the same genus. He may be allowed, 
for instance, to fill up bis tall-growing Heath-bed with 
all the varieties of that tribe that reach to the specific 
height, but it would be very bad taste to fill up the 
wide spaces with broad-leaved shrubs, merely because 
they will grow in his prepared bed or beds. Rhodo¬ 
dendrons, Azaleas, and Kalmias, would grow amongst 
Heaths, but they would be very incongruous, aud, 
besides, would shade the lower branches of the Heaths 
too much, and thus injure their figure aud beauty. With 
these preliminary cautions, I now proceed to give 
Group 1st.—IIaruy Heaths from three to four 
FEET HIGH. 
Erica arborea; white. Native of the South of 
Europe. February to June. 
E. arborea squarrosa (Squarrose); white. South of 
Europe. February to June. 
E. arborea stylosa (Long-styled); white. South of 
Europe. February to June. 
E. Mediterranea (Mediterranean); purple. Portugal. 
March to May 
