October 21, 1905. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
823 
hazel nut to each gallon of water; failing 
this, a few grains of citrate of iron. 
II ion's Feathers not Growing (11. B-, 
Turnham Green).—There is something wrong, 
not with the bird herself, but with one of the 
others. You evidently have a feather-eater 
in the run. Watch your birds carefully from 
a distance, and you will doubtless see one of 
them plucking at the growing tail of the bird 
you mention. Having plucked a feather she 
will proceed to eat all the soft end. Having 
spotted the culprit, catch her and place in a 
box by herself; feed her on barley meal for a 
week, then kill her. This is the only cure. 
To prevent feather-plucking let your hens 
have plenty of green food, and scatter their 
corn about well, so that they have plenty of 
scratching to do. Feather-eating is often 
the result of birds having nothing to employ 
themselves with, and thus they seek to en¬ 
force the old proverb of “ Satan still finds 
mischief for idle hands to do”-—only that it 
is beaks in this case. 
ON THE EDITOR’S TABLE. 
Peas and Raspberries from Bridehead. 
Our correspondent, Mr. W. Birkinshaw, 
Bridehead Gardens, Dorchester, sends us a 
box of Raspberries and Peas to show what 
useful garden products are still available in 
in that district. The Raspberry he gives no 
name to, but simply , describes it as the 
autmmn Raspberry. The fruiting branches 
showed undoubtedly a very fruitful state of 
the plants. The bunches carried berries in 
all stages of development, from the un¬ 
expanded flower buds to the ripe berries, the 
latter being abundant and of good size and 
flavour. Usually Raspberries get insipid and 
flavourless in the autumn on account of the 
low temperature and rain, but those sent were 
still of excellent flavour, and could be used 
for dessert purposes as well as for preserving. 
The Peas sent us were Veitch’s Autocrat, 
with pods about 3in. to 3gin. long, firm, well 
filled, and containing six or seven Peas 
each. The pods were of a beautiful rich 
green, and in that condition just suitable for 
the table. We also have information from 
Scotland that this standard variety of Pea is 
very reliable for a late supply. 
Sweet Peas, etc., from Bathgate. 
Mr. David Mitchell, The Gardens, Boghead, 
Bathgate, Linlithgow, sends us a box of "Sweet 
Peas and other flowers to show how late in the 
season they keep in beauty in that part of 
Britain. The Sweet Peas were cut from plants 
sown indoors last February, so that fresli 
fiowers at the present time speak well for the 
durability of the favourite annual at Boghead. 
They include a large number of choice varieties, 
and are evidently keeping the garden gay even 
at this late period of the year. The Sweet Pea 
is a favourite with Mr. Mitchell, and he con¬ 
trives to have flowers very early in the year, 
and the same sowing keeps on till the frost 
destroys them. An Antirrhinum sent was a 
dark velvety-crimson self, and would appear to 
be propagated by means of cuttings judging 
from the uniformity of colour amongst the 
flowers, which were quite fresh and looked like 
side shoots with good racemes of flowers. 
Pentstemon Scarlet Bedcler was a decorative 
variety with bright scarlet flowers of moderate 
size and graceful slender habit. This type of 
Pentstemon would be more suitable for cut 
flowers than those with very large blooms. 
• SOCIETY DOINGS.® 
The Editor will he 'pleased to receive particulars of the Fixtures, Meetings, Lectures, die, oj 
Horticultural Societys. Secretaries or Members willing to send us brief notes of general interest are 
invited to forward name and address to the Editor, who will gladly send supply of stamped addressed 
contributors' slips. 
Applause. 
One lights upon queer expressions from 
time to l ime in newspaper reports of flower 
shows as of other matters. Recently we read 
that Messrs. So-and-So’s display “excited the 
applause of the visitors. ’ lo come across a 
crowd of people staring at a group of exhibits 
and hurrahing and clapping their hands 
would suggest the idea of escaped lunatics. 
Inoffensively meant doubtless, but not well 
put, was the phrase used by another scribe : 
“Mr. - read a paper before the X.Y.Z. 
Horticultural Society which received all the 
applause it deserved.” That is at least am¬ 
biguous. The, applause may have been only 
very slight, in which case we are to under¬ 
stand that the paper was correspondingly 
inferior. 
Country in Town. 
A proposal was considered, at the monthly 
meeting on the 5th inst. of the Metropolitan 
Public Gardens Association, for holding a 
“ Country in Town ” Exhibition in London 
next year for demonstrating, by means of 
models, plans, pictures, plants, and lectures, 
how much people can themselves do to bring 
back flowers and greenery into the heart of 
the city, and it was agreed that the associa¬ 
tion should express its readiness to co-operate 
with the organising committee, of which 
Canon Barnett is chairman, in rendering the 
scheme successful. The efforts of the associa¬ 
tion during the past summer to encourage 
window gardening have been increasingly suc¬ 
cessful, competitions having been held in 
thirteen centres in London, producing about 
250 entries, seventy of which were deemed 
worthy of the association’s prizes. It was 
decided to continue this excellent work next 
year, and it is believed that the movement 
will spread. 
Sheffield H.S. 
Some remarkably fine collections of Dahlias 
and Chrysanthemums were brought together 
at the headquarters of the Sheffield Floral and 
Horticultural Society on the 4th inst., the 
occasion being the annual meeting of the 
society. It may be mentioned that a. Silver 
Gilt Medal was awarded to Messrs. Artindale 
and Son for some splendid exhibits of Cactus 
and Show Dahlias and Penstemons, and a 
Silver Medal to Mr. S. W. Seagrave for early 
Chrysanthemums. The Duke of Norfolk was 
re-elected president, and Sir J. E. Bingham 
was added to the list of vice-presidents. Mr. 
W. Lewendon, who was re-elected secretary, 
reported that owing to the severe gale on the 
show day they had not been able to add to 
their reserve. He appealed to those present 
to put forth a special effort to make known 
the educational value and interest of their 
monthly meetings, and to endeavour to secure 
an increase of membership during the coming 
year. 
The Glasgow Seed and Nursery A ssistants 
Association. 
The inaugural meeting of the above associa¬ 
tion was held in Robertson’s Rooms, West 
Nile Street, on Monday, October 2nd, Mr. 
William Leighton in the chair. After a very 
instructive and interesting address from the 
Chairman, Mr. J. H. Parker moved that the 
time had now arrived when an association in 
connection with the seed trade should be 
formed, and this being the unanimous feeling 
of the large and representative meeting, the 
business of appointing the office-bearers was 
proceeded with. The following were ap¬ 
pointed:—Hon. president, Air. A. Cross, 
M.P.; president, Mr. William Leighton ; 
vice-presidents, Messrs. J. Cairns and J. H. 
Parker; treasurer, Air. S. B. Kerr; secre¬ 
tary, Air. .J. Dobson. From the enthusiastic 
feeling that pervaded the meeting the success 
of this association may be assured. Tt is in¬ 
tended that lectures dealing with subjects of 
interest to the members will from time to 
time be delivered, and that in all probability 
excursions will be arranged for during the 
summer months, which should also prove of 
great advantage. All communications should 
he addressed to the hon. secretary, Air. -T. 
Dobson, 36, Renfield Street, Glasgow. AYe 
understand the first general meeting of the 
association was held on Monday last, the 
16th inst. 
Subscribing to Charity. 
It is highly creditable to the hearts of llioso 
engaged in more or less harassing horticul¬ 
tural society work when they devote some of 
their attention to benevolent objects. Some 
societies give liberally in this way ; and 
some which are well able to do so give 
nothing. Perhaps the latter believe in'the 
dictum that charity begins at home, and a 
balance in hand is not to be despised when 
the literal or metaphorical rainy day comes 
along. 
A Generous Resolve. 
Air. Wm. D. Skinner, lion, secretary of 
the Woolton (Liverpool) Clirysanthemum 
Society, informs us that the members of this 
society have decided on a new way to raise 
a subscription to the Gardeners’ Royal Bene¬ 
volent Institution. A concert was at first- 
suggested, but this idea was abandoned as no 
one seemed anxious to accept responsibility 
should the venture prove a failure. “ How¬ 
ever,” writes Air. Skinner, “ at a meeting 
held on September 28th it was unanimously 
agreed to recommend the winners of prizes at 
the annual shows to devote 5 per cent, of their 
winnings to this object. Seeing that those 
present at the meeting represented a very 
large percentage of the prize takers, it speaks 
well for their generosity in coming to this 
decision. AVould it not be a grand thing,” 
concludes Mr. Skinner, “ if all the kindred 
societies in the country could be induced to 
take this matter up and so swell the in¬ 
comes of our horticultural and other chari¬ 
ties.” The admirable resolution of the Wool- 
ton gardeners we commend to the notice of 
other societies. 
Losses that Prove Gains. "wwirsy-to 
Over seventy members of the Charlton 
Kings (Cheltenham) Horticultural and Cot¬ 
tage-Garden Society met at the society's head¬ 
quarters the other evening to listen to an 
address by Air. G. H. Hollingsworth on 
“ Some Lessons from the Summer Flowc; 
