146 
JOURNAL  GF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
February  12,  1903. 
In  answer  to  the  communication  from  “  Rusticus,,”  on 
page  128,  quoting  from  a  letter  of  mine  which  appeared  in  a 
London  daily,  I  would  mention  that  there  is  a  movement  on 
foot  in  Birmingham  for  “  re-foresting  ”  the  Black  Country.  It 
is  a  splendid  movement,  and  has  my  entire  sympathy.  In  many 
places  pits  are  entirely  worked  out,  and  surely  it  is  against  our 
very  nature  to  have  to  gaze  upon  the  “  mounds”  for  perpetuity. 
The  Dudley  Parks  are  managed  by  the  Estates  Committee  of  the 
Corporation. — Howard  Dickinson. 
Packing  Grapes. 
Having  read  your  article  headed  “  Packing  Grapes,”  and 
signed  “  D.  T.,”  page  114,  perhaps  you  will  excuse  me  giving 
my  views  on  the  subject.  I  used  to  send  a  good  many  Grapes 
by  rail  to  friends,  and  always  found  the  best  method  was  to 
place  the  Grapes,  as  closely  packed  as  po.ssible  to  each  other,  in 
a  basket  with  a  handle.  No  packing  of  any  sort  was  used,  but 
each  bunch  of  Grapes  was  tied  firmly  to  the  side  of  the  basket, 
and  over  the  Grapes  a  sheet  of  paper  was  fastened.  In  this  way 
they  always  arrived  at  their  destination  as  fresh  as  if  they  had 
been  fresh  gathered.  The  important  thing  is  not  to  place  them 
in  a  basket  larger  than  what  a  man  can  easily  carry  with  one 
hand.  For  instance,  it  is  better  to  put  81b  of  Grapes  in  two 
baskets  than  place  the  whole  of  them  in  one.  If  the  81b  are 
placed  in  the  one  basket,  the  railway  porter  picks  up  the  basket 
with  one  hand,  and,  finding  it  is  a  little  heavy,  gets  rid  of  it 
as  soon  as  possible;  whereas,  give  him  two  baskets  weighing 
41b  each,  he  picks  up  a  basket  in  each  hand,  and,  being  evenly 
balanced,  the  Grapes  are  treated  with  more  respect.  I  do  not 
mean  to  say  you  are  always  to  send  an  even  number  of  baskets, 
so  that  a  man  handling  them  is  evenly  balanced,  but  wdiat  I 
contend  is,  a  man  has  more  respect  for  a  light  parcel  than  a 
heavy  one,  especially  if  an  easy  means  of  moving  that  parcel 
is  provided  such  as  a  handle. — E.  J.  Wootten. 
Ite  Hedgehog. 
Edinburgh  folk  have  recently  had  considerable  opportunities 
to  learn  and  unlearn  many  facts  concerning  this  strange  animal, 
and  a  paper  read  by  Mr.  Tom  Speedy  before  the  Edinburgh 
Field  Naturalists’  Society  was  of  much  interest.  Amusing,  as 
well  as  instructive,  were  the  notes  on  this  night  pig,  all  of  which 
the  speaker  culled  from  his  practical  observations.  He  could 
not  uphold  the  truth  of  such  oft  repeated  stories  of  stoats 
attacking  and  dining  off  hedgehogs,  or  of  foxes  rolling  them  into 
water,  still  less  of  their  being  immure  from  harm  when  violent 
poisons  are  administered.  Nor  did  he  think  that  the  practice 
of  rolling  them  in  mud,  roasting  and  serving  to  taste,  was  usual, 
although  a  corre.spondent  had  noted  that  their  flesh  might  be 
very  delicate.  We  afterwards  learnt  that  this  was  the  hedge¬ 
hog’s  fate  in  Kent,  and,  for  aught  we  know,  this  practice  may 
be  common  amongst  gipsies,  &c.  The  hedgehog  seems  to  be  a 
true  ally  of  the  gardener,  for  many  dissected  by  Mr.  Speedy  con¬ 
tained  no  fruit,  notwithstanding  that  plenty  was  at  hand  and 
in  eatable  positions.  In  such  a  confined  walled  kitchen  garden 
their  food  appears  to  consist  of  slugs,  .snails,  and  beetles.  Outside 
the  garden  the  hedgehog  is  often  harmful  rather  than  helpful, 
as  a  dainty  appetite  for  eggs,  young  pheasants,  and  also  dome.stic 
poultry  does  not  commend  itself  to  praise.  Cats  often  find 
hedgehogs  more  of  a  sorrow  than  anything  pleasant,  for  the 
prickles  do  not  suit  the  padded  feet.  Frequently  dogs  scent 
hedgehogs,  and,  capturing  them,  carry  the  spiny  balls  for  long 
distances  in  their  mouths,  finally  dropping  the  poor  animals  and 
teadng  them  to  bits.  Slow  in  motion,  the  hedgehog’s  chief 
protection  is  his  armoured  coat.  However,  in  the  night,  which  is 
his  working  day,  he  can  proceed  at  a  fair  pace. 
In  the  discussion  that  followed,  evidence  was  given  on  both 
sides.  Some  averred  that  hedgehogs  do  eat  fruit,  while,  in 
opposition  to  this,  we  had  the  story  of  the  Strawberries.  A 
basket  of  fine  fruit,  covered  with  leaves,  was  accidentally  left 
in  a  planthouse  where  a  hedgehog  dwelt,  and,  on  going  to  fetch, 
the  gardener  found  that  the  animal  had  carried  off  the  leaves, 
but  the  fruits  were  untouched.  Intere, sting,  too,  was  the  state¬ 
ment  that  a  pet  fox  and  hedgehog,  being  together,  the  fox  was 
seen  to  push  his  spiny  friend  into  the  water.  These  were  among 
other  interesting  points  elicited.  As  made,  the  statements  are 
contradictory,  and  the  character  of  the  average  hedgehog  is  yet 
+o  be  drawn.  Readers  of  the  Journal  who  can  throw  sidelights  on 
hi  -  garden  ch?.ract?r,  plra:c  notice.- — D.  S.  Fisn.  Edinburgh. 
Staging  Grapes  for  Exhibition. 
Surely  your  correspondent  and  my  critic,  “  P.  T.,”  page  128, 
does  not  expect  that  I  ever  recommended  that  a  “  feather  bed  ” 
of  cotton  wadding  should  be  stuffed  on  to  the  show  board.  If  he 
will  again  look  at  the  illustration  on  page  103,  which  is  from 
a  photograph,  he  will  obseiwe  that  none  of  the  bunch  is  buried, 
and  that  all  I  recommend  is  a  thin  film  of  bleached  wadding. 
Granted  it  may  be  unneces.sary,  but  its  effects  are  not  what 
“P.  T.”  repre.sent.s,  if  properly  done.  Might  I  also  be  allowed 
to  commend  wood-wool  as  an  alternativ^e  to  the  paper  shaving.5 
mentioned  in  my  notes  on  “Packing  Grapes”  last  week?  Wood¬ 
wool  is  a  very  good  and  very  cheap  material  for  all  purposes  of 
fruit  packing. — D.  T. 
The  Royal  Horticultural  Society* 
The  lack  of  an  efficient  and  organised  opposition,  which  would 
have  compelled  the  Council  of  this  Society  to  modify  the  plans 
of  the  new  Horticultural  Hall,  resulted  in  their  being,  passed 
without  any  alteration  whatsoever  at  the  annual  general  meeting 
on  Tuesday  last.  At  that  meeting  there  were  very  many  who 
Avere  dissatisfied  both  at  the  mean  appearance  and  the  internal 
arrangements  of  the  proposed  Hall  (there  being  neither  a  gallerv 
to  the  exhibition  area,  nor  a  museum  to  the  front  building),  and 
yet  no  one  suggested  a  single  alteration,  for  the  opposition  Avhich 
did  exist  Avas  voiceless  for  Avant  of  organisation.  It  is  greatly 
to  be  regretted  that  the  Fellows,  or  thosei  in  a  position  to  take 
the  lead  in  opposing  such  un, satisfactory  plans,  did  not  do  their 
plain  duty  by  shoAving  Avhere  faults  lay  in  the  existing  plans, 
and  proAm  that  they  had  a  real  interest  in  the  Society’s  Avelfare 
beyond  a  mere  attendance  at  its  fortnightly  exhibitions. 
More  than-  this,  it  is  the  progress  of,  horticulture  Ave  desire, 
and  by  assisting  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  in  its  aims,  Ave 
achieve  our  ends  in  respect  to  horticulture.  A  Hall  is  desired, 
and  you,  Mr.  Editor,  have  always  advanced  tliat  object  by  means 
of  your  publication,  but  a  thoroughly  adequate  Hall  Avas  our  hope, 
and  hope  has  been  somew'hat  blighted.  We  build  not  for  the 
Centenary  Year  alone,  but  for  endless  generations  hence,  and 
if  we  do  not  look  forAvard  thus  far,  then  is  our  policy  indefensible 
Better  to  gh^e  up  the  garden  for  a  year  or  twu,  save  £1,500  a 
year  by  doing  so,  gain  £5,000  from  the  surrender  value,  and  have 
a  trulj'  national  noble  Hall  and  buildings,  from  Avhich  a  revenue 
may  be  expected,  and  which  Avould  speedily  return  the  necessary 
capital  for  the  re-establishment  of  an  experimental  garden  of 
recognisable  Amlue  and  profit. — A  Scotch  Felloav. 
Sweet  Peas. 
In  glancing  through  the  spring  lists  of  most  of  our  leading 
seedsmen,  one  cannot  fail  to  notice  that  most  of  them  are 
making  special  offers  of  choice  selections  of  Sweet  Peas,  which 
undoubtedly  shoAvs  that  the  popularity  of  this  pretty  annual 
is  still  increa.sing.  For  their  fragrance,  charming  shades  of 
colour,  and  gracefulness  of  form  they  are  unequalled,  being 
adaptable  for  any  use,  and  one  cannot  wonder  at  their  rapid 
increa.se  in  popularity ;  but  at  the  same  time  they  are  increasing 
in  variety  at  a  rate  that  is  almost  bewdldering. 
One  Avould  expect  Mr.  Eckford,  of  Wem,  Salop,  to  offer  a 
large .  variety,  and  he  catalogues  considerably  over  a  hundred 
choice  kinds,  arranged  in  groups  of  one  shade  of  colour.  To 
him  w'e  are  indebted  for  most  of  the  vei’y  fine  varieties  noAv 
obtainable,  and  again  he  is  placing  before  us  a  feAv  more,  two  of 
Avhich,  Dorothy  Eckford,  a  grand  neAv  white,  and  Mrs.  Walter 
Wright,  a  bright  cserulean  blue,  slightly  shaded  mauve,  promise 
to  be  valuable  additions  to  the  already  extended  list. 
In  perusing  the  long  lists  that  most  firms  are'  offering,  one 
is  really  at  a  loss  Avhat  to  select,  it  being  impossible  to  groAv 
all,  the  A^ariety  being  so  great.  There  are  many  varieties  so 
much  alike  that  only  an  expert  could  detect  a  difference,  and 
one  feels  grateful  to  anyone  Avho  offers  a  choice  collection  of  the 
lest  only.  The  w’ell-known  Irish  firm,  Messrs.  Alex.  Dickson  and 
Sons,  Limited,  of  Belfast,  seem  to  have  grasped  this  idea,  and 
unlike  others  making  Sweet  Peas  a  speciality  this  year,  instead 
of  presenting  a  long  li.st,  they  have  made  a  selection  of  twenty- 
four  distinct  varieties,  AA'hich  embrace  the  best  in  all  shades  of 
colour,  and  is  as  fine  a  collection  as  one  could  wish  for. 
For  ordinary  cultivation  one  cannot  do  better  than  divide 
them  into  classes  of  colour,  and  select  two  or  three  of  each.  Of 
dark  maroons.  Black  Knight  and  Stanley  are  good ;  reds.  Mars, 
Salopian,  and  Firefly;  whites,  Sadie  Burpee,  Blanche  Burpee, 
and  Mrs.  Sankey ;  pinks,  Prima  Donna,  Lovely,  Princess 
Beatrice;  primrose,  Mrs.  Fitzgerald,  Mrs.  Eckford,  Hon.  Mrs. 
E.  Kenyon ;  orange  and  salmon.  Gorgeous,  Lady  Marv  Currie, 
Oriental,  Chancellor;  rose.  Her  Majesty,  Mrs.  Dugdale,  Royal 
Rose;  mauve,  Lady  Grisel  Hamilton,  Admiration,  Lady  Nina 
Balfour;  blues,  Navy  Blue,  Captain  of  the  Blues,  Countess 
Cadogan,  Emily  Eckford ;  other  good  shades,  America,  Triumph, 
Lottie  Hutchins,  Grey  Friar,  Mikado,  Senator,  Coquette,  Aurora, 
Wawnna.  Of  Cupids  Ave  have  now  several  varieties,  but  one 
cannot  say  they  are  very  popular  or  useful,  and  I  do  not  think 
they  will  become  so  Avhile  Ave  haA’e  such  a  choice  variety  of  the 
tad  groAving  kind.- — J.  W.  J.,  Oswestry. 
