February  17,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
147 
-  Stockport’s  Fossilled  Oak. — We  referred  to  this  ancient 
relic  a  few  weeks  ago.  Some  newspaper  cuttings  have  been  sent  to  us 
concerning  it.  It  seems  Mr.  Bailey,  “  a  local  geologist,  whose  opinions  in 
technical  circles  is  often  sought,”  has  pronounced  this  tree,  the  age  of 
which  he  estimates  at  some  2500  years,  a  “male”  tree.  Mr.  James 
Percival  is  anxious  to  ascertain  how  Mr.  Bailey  has  arrived  at  the 
wonderful  discovery  !  and  wishes  to  show  him,  when  Oaks  are  blossoming, 
that  both  male  and  female  flowers  are  produced  by  the  same  tree.  “The 
result  of  evolutionary  process,”  he  may  perhaps  explain  ;  all  the  same, 
determining  the  sex  of  t  tree  that  has  been  buried  2000  or  3000  years 
does  seem  a  little  mysterious. 
-  The  Beckenham  Horticultural  Society.— This  Society 
has  arranged  an  interesting  course  of  lectures  to  supplement  the  ordinary 
weekly  meetings  at  which  various  papers  are  read  and  discussions  follow. 
The  fjprst  lecture  took  place  recently,  and  Mr.  .James  Martin  gave  an 
interesting  and  instructive  discourse  on  the  Gloxinia.  The  meeting  was 
held  in  the  Public  Hall,  and  the  room  was  well  filled  with  gardeners 
employed  in  the  neighbourhood.  The  lecturer  reviewed  the  history  of 
the  Gloxinia  from  its  earliest  known  date,  1739,  to  the  present  day. 
Mr.  Martin  interspersed  his  remarks  with  many  witty  anecdotes.  The 
chair  was  taken  by  Air.  H.  J.  Jones  of  Ryecroft.  A  really  charming 
group  of  Cyclamens,  brought  by  Air.  T.  Croswell,  created  much  interest, 
and  drew  from  both  Chairman  and  lecturer  the  highest  compliment  for 
cultural  skill. 
-  AIorden  Gardeners’  Society.— The  third  of  the  series  of 
lectures  which  it  has  organised  this  season  was  given  by  Air.  H.  Aider- 
man,  gardener  to  G.  Hatfield,  Esq.,  Alorden  Hall,  Surrey,  and  was 
entitled  “Practical  Hints  to  Cottage  Gardeners  and  Exhibitors.” 
Dealing  with  the  class  for  the  best  kept  and  best  cropped  gardens,  he 
gave  some  sound  advice  as  the  general  arrangement  of  the  ground  and  the 
position  of  the  rows  of  crops  ;  the  bush  fruit  trees,  the  rubbish  heap,  and 
the  clean,  tidy  effect  which  should  always  be  aimed  at.  Then  the  lifting 
of  crops  for  show  was  touched  upon.  Roots  should  never  be  scrubbed, 
as  is  so  often  done,  but  carefully  washed  in  lukewarm  water  with  a  little 
softsoap  in  it,  and  allowed  to  dry.  Exhibitors  were  advised  not  to  be  too 
much  elated  at  their  successes  in  the  show  tent,  and  on  the  other  hand 
not  to  be  discouraged  if  they  do  not  take  a  prize  at  the  first  trial,  but  to 
remember  that  those  who  try  again  are  the  winners  of  the  future.  A 
hearty  vote  of  thanks  to  Air.  Alderman  brought  the  meeting  to  a  close. 
-  Squirrels. — Of  the  habits  of  these  animals  in  the  matter  of 
lYalnuts,  as  referred  to  by  Air.  G.  Dyke,  I  have  no  experience  beyond 
observing  that  they  left  them  severely  alone  when  on  the  trees,  and  had 
little  chance  of  securing  any  when  “  hulled.”  Of  all  fruits  the  squirrels 
prefer  Cob  Nuts  and  Filberts,  attacking  them  whilst  “  milky.”  They  will 
carry  off  Nuts  for  eating  at  leisure,  as  they  will  also  Plums,  especially 
Coe’s  Golden  Drop,  and  even  Nectarines  from  walls.  Spanish  Chestnuts 
they  sometimes  “pie”  in  the  ground,  and  after  a  time  unearth  them, 
either  carrying  them  off  elsewhere,  or  disposing  of  them  on  the  spot. 
The  animals  also  proceed  in  a  similar  manner  with  acorns  and  Beech 
Nuts,  and  appear  to  be  guided  solely  by  smell  “in. finding  the  solitary 
Nuts”  or  acorns  after  a  period  of  severe  weather.  The  “instinct”  of 
the  squirrel  partakes  of  the  cunning  of  the  fox,  which  kills  in  abundance 
in  order  to  carry  off  and  bury  solitarily,  and  thus  have  a  feed  another 
day  when  fresh  food  is  scarce.  The  dog  buries  a  bone,  the  fox  a  rabbit) 
and  the  siiuirrel  a  nut  or  acorn  ;  each  animal  returns  with  unerring  steps  to 
the  deposited  article  on  the  pressing  demands  of  hunger.  Instinct  1  It 
is  memory,  reason. — G.  Abbey. 
-  Instruction  in  Botany  and  Horticulture.— It  has  been 
arranged  by  the  Department  of  Science  and  Art  to  hold,  at  the  Royal 
Botanic  Gardens,  Glasnevin.^Dublin,  a  practical  course  of  instruction  in 
applied  botany  and  horticulture,  for  the  beneflt  of  the  young  gardeners  in 
training  there.  Dr.  T.  Johnson,  the  Professor  of  Botany  in  the  Royal 
College  of  Science,  will  give  a  course  of  practical  lessons  in  the  scientific 
principles  of  applied  botany,  followed  by  a  course  under  Air.  F.  W.  Aloore, 
the  keeper  of  the  gardens,  on  horticulture  and  floriculture,  with  explana¬ 
tion  of  the  scientific  arrangement  of  plants  in  the  different  houses  and 
beds  in  the  gardens.  The  training  offered,  says  the  “Irish  Farmers’ 
Gazette,”  is  on  the  lines  of  that  given  in  the  Royal  Botanic  Gardens  at 
Kew  and  Edinburgh,  and  in  connection  with  the  Durham  College  of 
Science,  as  described  by'  Professor  Somerville  when  he  pointed  out  to  the 
Commissioners  of  Manual  and  Practical  Instruction  the  need  for  such 
courses  for  teachers  of  Irish  schools.  It  may  be  expected  that  the  young 
men  after  receiving  such  a  thorough  training  in  both  the  theory  and 
practice  of  gardening  will  be  more  than  ever  sought,  after  by  those  who 
own  fine  gardens  in  this  country. 
-  Fruit  Buds  and  Birds.— The  abnormally  mild  weather 
experienced  this  winter  has  had  the  effect  of  causing  early  swelling  of  the 
buds  on  Gooseberry  and  Currant  bushes.  Birds  are  not  slow  to  recognise 
this,  and  unless  some  means  are  adopted  for  checking  them,  they  will 
soon  entirely  strip  the  bushes.  Sparrows  are  the  worst,  and  with  them 
it  seems  a  question  of  mischief,  as  many  of  the  buds  are  simply  pecked 
off  and  fall  to  the  ground.  Alany  ways  are  adopted  for  scaring  them, 
but  sparrows  are  by  no  means  bashful,  and  soon  get  on  intimate  terms 
with  webbing,  shavings,  and  other  scares.  One  of  the  best  preventives 
is  to  mix  soot  and  dry  lime  together,  and  thoroughly  dust  it  over 
the  bushes,  taking  care  to  repeat  the  operation  if  rain  washes  off  the 
mixture.  This  renders  the  buds  distasteful  to  the  birds,  and  also  acts 
as  an  insecticide,  destroying  pests  and  obnoxious  growth  that  infest 
the  trees.  -  G. 
-  Green  Grass. — As  another  evidence  of  the  mildness  of  the 
winter,  quite  as  remarkable  in  its  way  as  are  most  of  the  diverse  evidences 
furnished  to  the  papers,  I  may  mention  that  the  gardener  at  the  County 
Hall,  Kingston,  was,  on  January  31st,  mowing  the  lawn  there,  and  when  I 
saw  it  on  the  next  day  I  thought  I  had  never  at  anytime  seen  grass 
greener  or  more  beautiful  than  it  was  then.  How  delightful  a  feature  a 
smooth,  clean,  well-kept  grass  lawn  is  at  any  time  we  all  know,  but  I  do 
not  remember  ever  to  have  seen  the  grass  greener  or  more  attractive  than 
it  has  been  of  late.  This  is  a  tribute  to  the  mildness  of  the  season  that  is 
rather  unusual.  I  have  helped  in  winter  grass  mowing  in  pre-lawn  mower 
days  by  running  a  scythe  over  it  when  covered  with  hoar  frost.  How 
easily  it  would  shave  off  then,  but  how  clogged  would  the  scythe 
become.  Certainly  the  grass  was  shorter  afterwards,  but  it  was  not  too 
green. — D. 
-  Artificial  Manures. — Air.  Dyke  must  excuse  me  from 
following  him  in  a  discussion  re  the  use  of  artificial  manures.  These 
things  seem  to  be  like  patent  medicines.  Everybody  has  his  own 
favourites  in  which  he  believes,  and  it  is  difficult  to  show  that  the  world 
is  one  whit  the  better  for  them.  Artificial  manuring  as  advocated  by 
certain  manure  vendors  is  rapidly  degenerating  into  cant,  from  which 
I  hope  to  be  saved.  Such  experiments  as  I  have  conducted  and  observed 
have  led  me  to  realise  their  practical  worthlessness.  As  to  killing 
the  eelworm,  the  latest  specific  seems  to  lie  found  in  tickling  its  tail 
with  superphosphates  to  make  it  laugh,  then  choking  it  with  a  big  dose  of 
basic  slag.  I  have  had  no  experience  of  eelworm,  and  amongst  my 
gardening  friends,  who  are  good  cultivators,  the  same  ignorance  prevails. 
It  seems  to  be  very  easy  in  these  days  to  get  artificial  manuring  and 
eelworm  on  the  brain. — A.  D. 
-  Fish  Manure  and  Weevils. — Recently  a  market  gardener 
in  Kent  applied  a  heavy  dressing  of  fish  manure — the  putrid  carcases  of 
sprats  and  starfish — on  to  a  piece  of  poor  land  with  the  idea  of  enriching 
it.  Soon  after  the  ground  appeared  to  be  alive  with  small  brown  weevils, 
very  similar  to  the  Vine  and  Raspberry  weevils,  which  played  dreadful 
havoc  with  the  vegetables  which  formed  the  crop.  Now  the  gardener  is 
at  a  loss  to  know  how  to  destroy  the  hard-backed  marauders,  and  ques¬ 
tions  the  advisability  of  using  putrid  fish  as  a  manure  if  it  is  the  means  of 
introducing  pests  of  this  kind.  In  many  Raspberry  and  Strawberry 
growing  districts  fish  manure  is  largely  used,  and  the  Raspberry  weevil 
is  the  common  enemy,  and  a  hard  one  to  fight.  Is  this  pest  introduced 
in  the  manure  '!  because  if  such  is  the  case  it  would  pay  Raspberry 
growers  to  let  it  severely  alone.  Perhaps  other  readers  can  throw  some 
light  on  this  matter. — Kentish  AIan. 
-  A  Caution. — A  man  called  on  me  a  few  days  ago  in  answer  to 
my  advertisements  of  businesses  lor  sale,  stating  he  wanted  one  for  his  son. 
I  asked  him  where  he  came  from.  He  gave  an  address  which  I  have 
since  found  was  a  bogus  one.  He  described  himself  as  a  dealer  in  cattle 
staying  at  the  King’s  Cross  Hotel.  Then  came  the  old  trick,  at  least  to 
me.  In  a  bland  way  he  said,  “  I  did  a  foolish  thing  this  morning,  left 
all  my  money  at  the  hotel  except  a  shilling,  which  I  thought  was  a 
sovereign  ;  can  you  lend  me  one  ?  ”  He  had  in  return,  “  What  !  Get 
out  quick  as  you  can  or  1  shall  help  you  ;  this  game  won’t  do  here.” 
Needless  to  say  he  went  away  quicker  than  he  came.  He  has  paid  other 
people  a  visit  I  learn,  but  with  another  tale.  Should  he  pay  anyone  else 
a  similar  visit  the  following  description  may  be  useful.  Age  about  fifty- 
two  ;  height  about  5  feet  4  inches  ;  shabbily  dressed,  bald-headed, 
whiskers  getting  grey,  cut  in  short  all  over  his  face  and  chin  ;  good 
address  ;  limps  a  little  when  walking,  The  only  regret  I  have  now  is 
that  1  did  not  help  him  to  leave  my  premises  by  kicking. — Alfred 
OUTRAM,  E.R.H.S.  [A  kick  with  seventeen  stone  behind  it  would  be 
no  light  matter,  and  it  is  not  surprising  that  the  would-be  swindler 
“went.”] 
