December  21,  1899. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
545 
-  Birds  and  Fruit  Buds. — In  reply  to  an  inquiry  by  “R.  M 
page  475,  as  to  a  dressing  to  prevent  buds  being  taken,  I  would  recom¬ 
mend  making  limewssh  in  which  petroleum,  half  pint  to  2  gallons,  is 
well  mixed  by  forcible  agitation  with  a  rather  coarse  nozzle  syringe 
before  applying.  Lime  alone  soon  washes  off.  A  friend  tells  me  he 
adds  cow  manure  to  help  the  wash  to  adhere.  Soot  also  is  useful,  but 
washes  off.  There  are  not  so  many  bullfinches  visiting  me  this  autumn. 
I  have  only  trapped  about  twenty,  but  last  season  it  would  probably  be 
fifty. — J.  HlAM,  Astwood  Bank.  _ 
.  It  has  often  been  recommended  by  your  correspondents  to  tie 
black  cotton  round  the  Currant  bushes  to  frighten  off  the  sparrows.  I 
have  tried  it,  and  if  plentifully  used  it  will  do  this.  And  it  will  do  more, 
it  will  strangle  the  shoots  round  which  it  is  tied,  and  they  will  either  die 
or  break  off.  I  examined  some  Red  Currant  bushes  which  had  a  year 
or  two  previously  had  cotton  twisted  round  the  shoots  to  keep  away 
the  sparrows,  and  to  my  surprise  I  found  many  branches  almost  cut 
through  and  ready  to  snap  off  ;  nothing  could  save  them,  and  the  bushes 
afterwards  hsd  a  very  irregular  appearance  from  this  unforeseen  method 
of  pruning.  Those  who  have  used  thread  or  cotton  twisted  round  their 
bushes  will  find  if  they  examine  them  carefully  what  I  have  stated  to 
be  correct.  At  present  I  know  of  no  royal  road  to  prevent  birds  eating 
out  the  fruit  buds  except  destroying  the  birds,  which  there  is  no  harm 
in  doing,  as  those  which  winter  ‘with  us  are  not  insectivorous,  and  do 
little  good  in  gardens. — F.  Boyes,  Beverley. 
-  Christmas.  —  A  great  landmark  in  the  year’s  progress  is 
Christmas.  Festival  as  it  may  be  to  some,  a  delightful  social  time  as  it 
may  be  to  others,  a  period  of  feasting  and  drinking  to  many,  a  time  for 
all  descriptions  of  amusement  to  others  ;  it  is  yet  to  thousands  a  wearying 
time,  simply  because  it  interferes  with  the  ordinary  courses  of  their  lives, 
their  vocations  and  comfort,  and  these  always  rejoice  when  the  season 
is  past,  and  the  world  has  settled  down  to  its  ordinary  comfortable 
routine.  We  shall  in  thousands  of  homes  this  Christmas  find  weeping 
and  mourning,  and  intense  sadness.  He  will  be  a  poor  patriot  who  does 
not  in  his  hour  of  complacency  and  enjoyment  find  some  room  for 
earnest  feeling  and  practical  sympathy  with  those  whom  the  war  has 
bereaved  of  loved  ones.  The  gardener  probably  regards  Christmas  as  to 
him  at  times  a  season  of  severe  trial.  He  has  often  to  find  products  that 
are  not  just  then  too  plentiful,  for  Christmas  falls  with  us  in  midwinter, 
when  garden  products  are  none  too  abundant.  But  he  regards  the  season 
all  the  same  somewhat  thankfully,  because  it  marks  that  turning  day  by 
which  we  gradually  pass  from  out  of  the  gloom  and  cold  of  winter  into  the 
sunshine  and  warmth  of  spring.  Christmas  is  his  pons  asinorum,  that 
bridge  of  the  winter  over  once  he  has  safely  passed  he  travels  forward 
with  better  hope  into  the  promised  land  of  a  generous  time.  Given  this 
festive  season,  so-called,  has  for  the  gardener  great  responsibilities,  which 
intense  cold  renders  all  the  keener;  still  he  knows,  once  passed,  every  day 
brings  him  nearer  to  the  paradise  of  summer. — A.  D. 
- Ancient  Society  of  York  Florists.— On  Thursday,  Dec.  14th, 
the  annual  dinner  of  the  members  of  the  Ancient  Society  of  York  Florists 
was  held.  Mr.  Alderman  McKay,  J.P.,  President,  occupied  the  chair. 
The  usual  loyal  and  patriotic  toasts  were  duly  honoured.  The  Lord 
Mayor  proposed  the  toast  of  the  evening,  “  The  Ancient  Society  of  York 
Florists,  the  President,  Vice-Presidents,  Officers,  and  Committee  of 
Management.”  In  doing  so  he  said  he  was  glad  to  note  the  continued 
success  of  their  ancient  society.  He  said  he  would  yield  to  no  one  in  his 
desire  to  put  it  on  a  firm  and  substantial  basis,  and  he  hoped  it  would  go 
on,  and  prosper  as  it  deserved  to  do.  Looking  back  to  the  past,  be  remem¬ 
bered  when  the  Society  was  not  so  prosperous  as  it  was  at  present.  It 
had  always  been  served  faithfully  and  efficiently  by  its  officers,  and  he 
thought,  having  regard  to  the  circumstances  as  they  existed  at  that 
moment,  that  it  had  a  long  life  before  it.  It  was  the  launching  out  of  the 
Society  which  had  placed  it  in  its  present  position.  They  started  the  great 
Chrysanthemum  Show  with  fear  and  trepidation,  but  it  was  that  show 
which  had  brought  grist  to  the  mill,  and  advertised  it  in  such  a  way  as 
to  baing  a  large  number  of  recruits  to  their  ranks.  The  Society  was 
doing  a  good  work,  and  he  was  sure  the  company  would  join  him  in 
wishing  it  continued  success.  The  President  responded,  and  said  he  was 
assured  on  every  hand  that  the  last  show  was  the  most  successful  they 
had  ever  had,  and  in  every  way  superior  to  its  nineteen  predecessors. 
One  of  the  most  remarkable  features  was  that  the  number  of  groups 
shown  had  increased  on  the  previous  year  from  five  to  fourteen.  The 
President  announced  that  the  Lord  Mayor  and  Sheriff  had  intimated  that 
they  would  offer  prizes  during  the  coming  year,  and  the  Rev.  Gordon 
Salmon  had  also  announced  his  intention  of  giving  several  special  prizes. 
-  Protecting  Trees  from  Hares  and  Rabbits  — Various 
dressings  have  been  recommended  from  time  to  time  with  the  object  of 
preventing  hates  or  rabbits  from  barking  trees.  The  latest  in  this  line, 
says  a  contemporary,  comes  from  New  South  Wales,  where  excellent 
results  are  said  to  have  been  obtained  by  painting  the  stems  of  the  trees 
with  a  mixture  of  blood  and  lime.  The  proportions  in  which  these 
ingredients  were  mixed  are  not  stated. 
-  Technical  Education. — This  has  been  tried  and  found 
wanting  so  far  as  this  county  (Gloucester)  is  concerned.  Some  months 
since,  however,  a  few  influential  gentlemen  took  a  kind  of  vote  in  the 
neighbouring  villages  as  to  the  subjects  the  villagers  would  like  taught 
in  lectures  given  during  the  winter  evenings.  Five  or  six  of  the  villages 
selected  gardening,  and  Mr.  W.  Iggulden  was  engaged  for  the  purpose. 
Two  lectures  were  given  on  November  28th  and  December  5th  at 
Stratton.  On  the  first  date  Mr.  Iggulden  dealt  with  fruit  growing — viz., 
preparation  of  soil,  choice  of  trees,  pruning,  planting,  stalking,  budding, 
and  grafting.  In  the  second  lecture  he  dealt  with  vegetable  culture, 
pointing  out  the  importance  of  deep  cultivation  and  its  advantages  ;  also 
surface  stirring,  pointing  out  the  why  and  wherefore  of  frequent  hoeings 
in  hot  and  prolonged  droughts  Mr.  Iggulden  again  gave  demonstrations 
during  the  following  days,  dealing  with  the  planting  and  pruning  of 
fruit  trees,  methods  of  deep  cultivation,  and  other  useful  gardening 
routine. — T.  A. 
-  Cardiff  Gardeners. — An  interesting  gathering  of  horti¬ 
culturists  and  gardeners  took  place  at  Cardiff  on  Wednesday, 
December  13tb,  the  occasion  being  the  first  annual  dinner  of  the 
Cardiff  atd  County  Horticultural  Society,  the  Cardiff  and  District 
Chrysanthemum  Society,  and  the  Cardiff  Gardeners’  Association,  who 
for  the  nonce  amalgamated,  the  results  being  most  satisfactory.  The 
dinner  was  held  at  the  Park  Hotel,  when  just  100  sat  down  under  the 
presidency  of  Mr.  A.  W.  P.  Pike,  Chairman  of  the  Horticultural  Society, 
and  who  was  supported  by  the  Mayor  of  Cardiff,  Councillor  Gerhold, 
the  Chairman  of  the  Chrysanthemum  Society,  and  the  Chairman  of  the 
Gardeners’  Association,  and  many  well  known  nurserymen.  The  toast 
of  the  evening — “  The  Three  Societies  ” — was  given  by  the  Chairman, 
who  stated  it  was  a  very  happy  idea  to  finish  up  the  year’s  work  with  a 
reunion.  Mr.  J.  W.  Boon,  an  active  promoter  of  eleven  years’  standing 
of  the  Horticultural  Society,  first  responded,  followed  by  Mr.  F.  G. 
Treseder,  representing  the  Chrysanthemum  Society.  Mr.  J.  J.  Graham 
of  the  Gardeners’  Association  also  responded,  and  sketched  the  educative 
work  of  the  Association  he  represented.  The  Mayor,  Mr.  Councillor 
Brain,  in  responding  to  his  toast,  said  it  was  a  pleasuro  and  a  privilege  to 
be  invited  to  meet  so  many  well-known  gardeners  and  the  gentlemen  of 
the  Committee  of  the  two  shows,  and  he  promised  not  only  to  promote 
their  interests  during  his  term  of  office,  but  to  do  all  he  could  when  he 
returned  to  private  life  again.  The  Secretaries  (Mr.  Harry  Gillett, 
Horticultural  and  Chrysanthemum ;  and  Mr.  J.  Julian,  Gardeners’ 
Association)  were  proposed  by  Councillor  Gerhold,  and  duly  honoured. 
During  the  evening  Councillor  Gerhold  recited  “  The  Absent-minded 
Beggar,”  and  the  sum  of  £3  10s.  was  collected  and  handed  over  to  the 
Mayor’s  Fund.  The  musical  programme  was  heartily  enjoyed,  and  a  most 
enjoyable  evening  was  spent. 
METEOROIiOGXCiVIa  OBSERVATIONS  AT  CHISWICK. 
— Taken  in  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  Gardens — height  above 
sea  level  24  feet. 
Date. 
s-» 
O 
Temperature  of  the 
Air. 
Temperature  of 
the  Soil. 
At  9  A.M. 
<D 
u 
*3  5  ” 
1899. 
ection 
Wind. 
At  9  A.M. 
Day. 
Night 
Bain. 
At 
At 
At 
Lowes 
mperai 
in  Gras 
December. 
U  r 
*3 
Dry 
Bulb. 
Wet 
Bulb. 
Highest 
Lowest. 
i-ft. 
deep. 
2-ft. 
deep. 
4-ft. 
deep. 
H 
Sunday  10 
S.E. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
ins. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
34  0 
30-3 
36-2 
30-9 
— 
39-7 
44-5 
48-9 
21'2 
Monday  11 
N. 
30-8 
29-8 
33-5 
28-3 
_ 
38-7 
44-5 
48-8 
21T 
Tuesday  12 
E.S.E. 
33-7 
32  0 
33-9 
26-6 
0-04 
37-9 
43-9 
48-5 
21-6  . 
Wed’sday  13 
S.E. 
32-0 
29T 
32-5 
31-8 
_ 
37 '9 
43'1 
48T 
29-5 
Thursday  14 
N.E. 
28'8 
27-0 
31-7 
21-9 
_ 
37-3 
42-8 
477 
12-7 
Friday  ..15 
N.  W. 
27-1 
27-0 
34  T 
24-1 
_ 
36  8 
42’2 
47-4 
13-3 
Saturday  16 
S.K. 
34 '8 
33-2 
42-9 
24  T 
— 
36-5 
41-9 
47  T 
12-5 
Means  .. 
31-0 
29*8 
35-0 
26-8 
Total 
0-04 
37-8 
43-3 
48T 
18-8 
The  weather  during  the  week  ha3  been  very  cold,  foggy,  and  frosty. 
Snow  fell  on  the  evening  of  the  12th  inst.  to  the  depth  of  1  inch.  A 
partial  thaw  set  in  on  Saturday,  followed  by  a  sharp  frost  at  night. 
