July  25,  1895. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
81 
“W.  S.”  asks,  Are  there  any  means  of  trapping  hawfinches?  Yes;  I 
have  caught  scores  at  my  Peas,  and  have  two  now  in  a  cage  caught 
about  a  month  ago.  In  giving  a  course  of  lectures  on  horticultural 
subjects  I  endeavour  to  run  in  at  least  one  on  birds  destructive  to 
agriculturists  and  horticulturists,  and  I  have  illustrated  with  a  vermin 
trap  how  hawfinches,  jays,  sparrows,  and  the  larger  tits  may  be  caught 
on  or  near  rows  of  Peas  by  running  a  wire  through  the  boles  on  the 
treadle,  and  on  these  fix  a  few  Green  Peas  threaded.  This  may  appear 
to  some,  as  it  usually  does  at  a  class,  cruel. 
I  think  it  a  matter  of  sentiment  v.  sense.  If  we  cultivate  our 
ground,  buy  seeds,  plant,  tend,  and  finally  find  all  our  efforts  thrown 
away,  it  is  not  only  aggravating  but  senseless  to  allow  hawfinches  to 
destroy  crops,  as  mine  were  again  this  year  until  I  caught  four  of  the 
depredators ;  three  are  left,  and  that  is  quite  enough  for  breeding  next 
year  around  here.  The  two  I  have  now  were  caught  in  traps  not 
sufliciently  strong  to  kill  the  birds,  but  held  them  by  the  neck  until  I 
took  them  out,  and  they  appear  none  the  worse  for  their  perilous 
position  and  will  become  pets.  The  present  is  also  a  good  time  to 
commence  trapping  bullfinches  where  they  are  troublesome  in  winter 
among  the  buds.  I  have  usually  had  some  by  this  time,  but  have  not 
troubled  so  far.  I  had  commenced  this  time  last  year  and  caught  over 
sixty  in  my  garden  in  the  season  without  special  effort.  A  few  weeks 
ago  a  list  of  birds  appeared  in  the  “  Worcester  Herald  ”  for  special 
protection  under  the  new  Wild  Birds  Protection  Act,  and  among  others 
the  hawfinch  was  mentioned,  the  writer  adding,  “  A  large  increase  in 
these  is  desirable,”  What  have  gardeners  to  say?  I  have  sent  in  a  list 
for  the  guidance  of  the  County  Council,  but  I  certainly  did  not 
advocate  a  large  increase,  interested  as  I  am  in  all  wild  birds  accordiag 
to  circumstances  and  habits.  As  the  new  Wild  Birds  Protection  Act 
will  affect  gardeners  to  a  considerable  extent  in  its  operations  if  carried 
out,  would  it  not  be  a  suitable  subject  to  ventilate?  Some  twelve  or 
fifteen  years  ago  we  used  to  get  more  correspondence  on  birds  in 
relation  to  horticulture  in  the  Journal.  From  remarks  I  have  frequently 
heard  from  excellent  head  gardeners  ornithology  does  not  always  receive 
sufficient  attention. — James  Hiam,  Astwood  Bank,  Worcestershirb. 
Events  of  the  Week. — Now  that  the  Bose  shows  are  practically 
over  horticulturists  will  be  rather  more  quiet  for  a  little  time.  On 
Saturday  the  Carnation  and  Picotee  Union  will  hold  'its  annual 
exhibition  at  The  Cottage,  Stanley  Road,  Oxford,  while  on  Wednesday 
and  Thursday  next  the  Woking  show  will  be  held  in  the  Horsell  Cricket 
Ground. 
-  Weather  in  London. — The  long  wished  for  rain  has  at  last 
appeared.  Copious  showers  have  fallen  in  all  parts  of  the  metropolis, 
and  good  results  are  already  noticeable.  In  the  parks  and  public 
gardens  vegetation  presents  a  fresher  appearance  than  has  been  apparent 
for  many  weeks,  while  in  the  streets  the  dust  has  all  disappeared  and 
the  air  is  clear  and  invigorating. 
— -  Medals  and  Special  Prizes  at  York  Show. — In  addition 
to  the  awards  of  gold  medals  to  Messrs.  Charlesworth  &  Co.,  Messrs. 
Sutton  &  Sons,  Messrs.  Cutbush  &  Sons,  and  Messrs.  F.  Sander  &  Co.,  as 
notified  in  our  report  of  the  exhibition,  we  are  requested  to  state  that 
the  “Veitch  Memorial”  medal  and  £5  for  Orchids  was  won  by 
T.  R.  Jessop,  Esq.,  Roundhay  Mount,  Leeds  (Mr.  T.  Tyson,  gardener), 
and  the  “Turner  Memorial  ”  prize — a  silver  cup  and  £5  for  Pelar¬ 
goniums — by  J.  T.  Kingston,  Esq.,  Clifton,  York  (gardener,  Mr.  R. 
McIntosh). 
-  The  Third  International  Agricultural  Congress  is  to 
be  held  at  Brussels  from  September  8th  to  16th.  It  is  under  the 
patronage  of  the  King  of  the  Belgians,  and  consists  of  twelve  sections. 
There  are  sections  for  agricultural  education  and  for  agricultural  science, 
the  latter  to  include  chemistry  and  physiology  so  far  as  these  apply, 
besides  manure  manufacture  and  food  stuffs.  There  is  also  a  section 
for  plant  production  to  consider  seed  selection,  the  cultivation  of  Barley 
for  malting,  irrigation,  drainage,  and  the  management  of  both  peaty 
*  and  mossy  soils.  Another  section  treats  on  colonisation,  giving  the 
condition  of  the  countries  to  which  emigrants  might  go  ;  describes  the 
various  crops  for  warmer  climates,  and  methods  of  cultivating  Grapes, 
silk,  perfume  and  oil  plants.  Coffee,  Tea,  Sugar-cane,  and  many 
similar  products.  A  section  is  devoted  to  forestry,  all  other  divisions 
embracing  strictly  agricultural  pursuits,  stock  farming,  dairy  work,  and 
pisciculture. 
-  Southampton  Summer  Show. — The  schedule  of  this  show, 
which  will  be  held  in  Westwood  Park,  Southampton,  on  Saturday, 
August  3rd,  and  Monday,  August  5th,  contains  particulars  of  numerous 
classes,  in  many  of  which  excellent  prizes  are  offered .  As  the  date  of 
entry  is  July  29th  there  is  still  time  for  those  who  desire  to  compete. 
Full  particulars  may  be  had  from  Mr.  C.  S.  Fuidge,  17,  New  Alma  Road, 
Southampton,  the  energetic  Secretary. 
-  Shirley  Gardeners’  and  Amateurs’  Mutual  Improve- 
MENT  Association,  —  At  the  monthly  meeting,  held  at  Shirley  on 
the  15th  inst.,  Mr.  R.  D.  Spencer  gave  an  interesting  lecture  on 
“  IJritish  Herbs  and  Their  Uses.”  There  was  a  fair  attendance  of  the 
members,  and  at  the  close  of  the  meeting  a  cordial  vote  of  thanks  was 
accorded  to  Mr.  Spencer.  On  the  17th  inst.  a  large  number  of  the 
members  and  their  friends  had  their  first  annual  outing,  visiting  the 
Royal  Gardens,  Kew,  The  President  (Mr,  W.  G.  Spranger)  accom¬ 
panied  the  party,  and  by  his  kindness,  and  that  of  a  few  other  friends, 
luncheon  and  tea  was  provided  for  the  members  at  the  Pavilion  in  the 
grounds. 
-  Calochorti. — I,  too,  have  made  a  start  with  these  Mariposa 
Lilies,  but  it  is  a  feeble  one.  Still  enough  of  their  great  beauty  and 
quaint  appearance  has  been  seen  to  make  one  long  for  many  more.  It 
is  a  pity  the  flowers  all  droop  so  persistently,  thus  hiding  the  quaint 
markings  of  the  inside  of  the  flowers.  Thinking  our  soil  was  of  too 
retentive  and  cold  a  nature  to  trust  the  bulbs  in  the  ground  all  the 
winter,  I  had  some  wintered  in  a  frame  and  put  out  in  the  spring  when 
growth  was  apparent.  I  had  holes  1  foot  square  dug  out  for  each  bulb 
and  filled  with  peat,  leaf  mould,  and  sand.  Abundance  of  water  this 
dry  weather  has  been  supplied  to  the  plants,  most  of  them  have 
flowered,  and  have  interested  all  who  have  seen  them. — E.  M. 
-  Practical  Gardening  in  Egypt.  —  Mr.  Walter  Draper 
has  been  giving  a  course  of  lectures  at  Ramleh  on  this  subject.  The 
lectures  treated  of  the  following  matters  : — Botanical  classification  of 
plants,  climate  and  soil,  trees  and  Palms,  arrangement  of  a  garden,  the 
planting  of  shrubberies  and  borders,  lawns,  and  flower  beds,  climbing 
plants,  plants  for  windy  and  sheltered  positions,  Roses,  annuals, 
hedges,  conservatories,  specimen  isolated  plants,  water  gardening  and 
aquatics,  potting,  bulbs,  Chrysanthemums,  Cactus  and  succulents, 
garden  economic  plants.  Vines,  fruit  trees,  pruning,  grafting,  and 
propagating.  Mr.  Draper,  who  is  an  old  Kewite,  has  been  appointed 
Director  of  the  Government  gardens  at  the  Barrage,  near  Cairo.  A 
book  on  “  Gardening  in  Egypt  ”  may  shortly  be  expected  from  Mr. 
Draper’s  pen. 
-  A  Week’s  Rainfall, — The  total  rainfall  for  last  week  was 
in  excess  of  the  average  in  nearly  all  parts  of  the  kingdom,  the  only 
localities  with  any  general  deficit  being  the  east  and  south-east  coasts 
of  England.  In  other  districts  the  amount  varied  greatly  in  different 
places,  and  even  at  closely  adjacent  stations,  the  heaviness  of  some  of 
the  falls  being  due  in  not  a  few  instances  to  local  thunderstorms.  The 
largest  amounts  of  all  appear  to  have  been  experienced  over  our  mid¬ 
land,  western,  and  south-western  counties.  At  -York,  Loughborough, 
and  Oxford  the  total  fall  was  considerably  more  than  double  the  average, 
while  at  Hurst  Castle  it  was  just  two  and  a  half  times  the  normal.  The 
least  favoured  region  was  again  the  extreme  south-east  of  England,  the 
total  for  the  week  at  Dungeness  and  the  North  Foreland  being  consider¬ 
ably  less  than  half  the  average. 
-  Poppies. — Although  Poppies  are  with  us  to-day  and  to-morrow 
fled,  still  from  the  great  variety  in  form  and  colour  they  form  a  beautiful 
and  interesting  class  of  flowers.  By  cross  fertilisation  for  many  years 
I  have  obtained  several  very  fine  fixed  sorts.  Amongst  the  Icelanders  , 
there  are  numerous  forms  and  shades  of  colouring ;  cupped  and  flat 
flowers  of  clear  lemon  to  rich  orange,  the  same  alternations  with  the 
whites  and  terra-cotta  varieties,  all  the  sorts  having  a  tendency  to 
become  double.  I  have  not  seen  a  double  crimson  in  bloom,  but  I  have 
a  double  white,  and  the  yellows  are  making  a  strong  and  rapid  effort 
towards  it.  Some  three  or  four  years  ago  I  grew  one  weakly  plant 
of  the  Tulip  Poppy  with  but  one  flower,  so  cannot  think  it  would  have 
any  influence  in  crossing  other  varieties.  This  year  amongst  my  French 
Poppies,  perpetuated  from  a  penny  packet  of  seeds  for  upwards  of 
thirty  years,  there  are  several  fine  dark  crimson  Tulip  Poppies.  These 
are  large,  and  show  distinctly  the  black  white  laced  cross  inside,  while 
underneath  or  outside  are  two  black  markings  so  characteristic  amongst 
the  French  varieties.  The  foliage  of  these  Tulip  Poppies  is  robust  and 
truly  French  in  character. 
