72 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Januarj’  28,  19C4. 
evidence  of  record.”  This  quotation  the  author  introduces  to 
his  vei-y  excellent  pages  on  peat-making.  Peat-digging  is  hard 
u’ork.,  but  “  good  nature  prevails  on  every  hand,  and  often  the 
mysteries  of  rustic  courtship  here  first  exchanged  ends  in  hoch- 
magandy  some  ither  day.”  In  connection  with  peat  we  are  told 
that  some  of  the  whiskies  owe  their  celebrity  to  their  peaty 
flavour,  but  ochone !  Maree — what  Scotsman  spells  whisky  Avith 
an  “  e  ”  ?  And  after  Av  liisky  comes  Heather  ale,  which  proAudes 
a  chapter  of  romantic  narratiA'e.  The  secret  of  the  making  of 
Heather  ale  perished,  according  to  tradition,  with  the  extinction 
of  the  Piets.  It  is  the  inclusion  of  such  pathetic  narratives  as 
AA’c  find  in  this  “  Heather-ale  ”  chapter,  or  the  brisk  descriptive 
passages  on  Heather-burning,  from  Christopher  North’s  “  Tales 
of  the  Borders”  that  makes  this  Avell-printed  book  so  interesting 
to  read.  Had  avc  space,  or  Avere  this  the  place,  we  could  also 
tell  of  Avonderful  adv^entures  at  Heather-burnings  in  southern 
Scotland,  and  to  the  da5's  spent  in  gathering  Blae-berries  on  the 
verdant  hillsides. 
Before  Ave  reach  the  Avell-selected  and  Avidely  gleaned  songs 
and  lays  at  the  end  of  the  book  (and  some  of  them  are  gems  of 
beauty),  thei-e  are  -sections  bearing  such  title-heads  as  Shadow- 
folk  of  Heather  haunts ;  Heather  bells  in  Scottish  scenery ; 
Heather  as  a  clan  badge  ;  Avhite  Heather ;  “  Heather  Jock  ”  ; 
also  the  comrade  of  the  Heather;  grouse,  the  Heather  bird; 
chimings  of  the  Heather  bells;  love  among  the  Heather;  and  so 
on.  in  ipteresting  proces-sion. 
In  his  “White  Heather”  chapter  Mr.  Wallace  does  not  refer 
to  the  Somalis,  Avdio,  according  to  Sir  Richard  Burton,  in  certain 
pastoral  ceremonie.s  “lead  a  ram,  round  whose  neck  a  cord  of 
Avhite  Heather  is  tied  for  luck”;  Avhich  introduces  the  query: 
Does  Calluna  groAv  on  the  Abyssinian  mountains? 
The  author  has  accomplished  his  task  Avell,  and  has  provided 
a  book  of  some  historic  importance,  as  Avell  as  one  that  is 
eminently  readable.  The  translations  of  Ossian  have  been  largely 
quoted,  as  Avell  as  those  by  Barbour,  Leyden,  Logan,  Neil  Munro, 
Sir  Walter  Scott,  Rev.  Hugh  Macmillan,  William  Black,  Robert 
Louis  Stevenson,  Dr.  Chainbers,  and  a  host  of  others.  Though 
published  in  America,  it  is  bound  to  have  a  brisk  demand  in  the 
British  Isles. 
Webster's  Foresters’  Diary  and  Pocket  Book,  1909. 
This  coiiA’enient  pocket-book  contains  a  large  amount  of  infor¬ 
mation  of  fir.st  importance  to  landsmen,  and  especially  foresters. 
The  pages  at  its  beginning  bear  tables  and  notes  on  such  subjects 
as:  Contract  Avork  (prices  of),  bark  stripping,  croquet  ground 
measurement,  land  levelling,  price  of  digging  land,  injurious 
forest  insects,  measurement  of  an  acre  of  land,  average  prices  of 
home-groAvn  timber,  formation  of  plantations,  together  Avith  lists 
of  trees  suitable  for  variou.s  soils  and  positions.  The  chapter  on 
the  uses  British-grown  timber  is  put  to,  is  of  great  interest. 
Besides  these  and  niany  other  references,  the  little  book  contains 
a  list  of  foresters  in  the  United  Kingdom.  Concise  remarks  on 
forestry  for  each  month  of  the  year  are  furnished.  The.  author 
is  Mr.  A.  D.  Web-ster,  of  Regent’s  Park,  and  it  is  published  by 
Win.  Rider  and  Son,  Ltd.,  164,  Aldersgate  Street,  E.C.,  at  2s.  Cd. 
Publications  Received. 
“LaAvns,”  by  Sutton  and  Sons,  Reading.  *  *  Annual  Re¬ 
port,  1903,  and  schedule  of  prizes  for  1904,  of  the  Royal  Horti¬ 
cultural  Society  of  Southainpton.  *  *  Report  of  the  Execu- 
tirm  Committee  of  fhe  National  Chrysanthemum  Society.  *  * 
Annual  Report  of  the  Reading  and  District  Gardeners’  Mutual 
Improvement  Associatio'n.  *  *  Report  of  the  Council  of  the 
Royal  Caledonian  Horticultural  Society  for  the  year  1903. 
*  *  “  Notes  on  Alcohol,”  by  Sir  Walter  Gilbey,  Bart. ;  Vin¬ 
ton  and  Co.,  9,  Ncav  Bridge  Street,  London,  price  6d.  *  * 
“Principles  of  American  Forestry,”  by  S.  R.  Green;  Chapman 
and  Hall,  Ltd.,  London. 
“The  Flora  of  Europe.” — Dr.  Mouner  has  rendered  a 
service  by  publishing  a  French  version  of  his  “Excursions 
Flora”  under  the  title  of  “Flore  Analytique  de  I’Europe  ” 
(Paris:  Bailliere;  London:  Williams  and  Norgate).  It  is  an 
analytical  key  to  all  the  genera  of  flowering  plants  known  to 
occur  in  Europe.  It  is  a  small  volume  of  322  pages,  and  may 
be,  Ave  hope,  the  precursor  of  a  similar  but  necessarily  much 
more  voluminous  Avork  on  the  species. 
- - 
Apples  from  the  Antipodes. 
The  neAv  Apple  crop  in  Australasia  is  excellent  this  -season. 
During  three  months  beginning  in  the  middle  of  February  large 
cargoes  Avill  be  shipped  to  British  ports.  An  unusually  large 
((uantity  of  the  famous  yelloAv-skinned  New  York  Pippins,  the 
finest  Apples  groAvn,  Avill  arrive.  The  total  shipments  for  the 
season  Avill  range  betAveen  2.50,000  and  300,000  cases.  Tasmania’s 
contribution  alone  will  exceed  200,000  cases.  A  special  ship¬ 
ment  of  giant,  richly-coloured  Apples  is  to  be  made  from 
Melbourne,  for  Avhich  fancy  prices  are  expected. 
Annual  Meeting  of  the  N.C.S. 
The  annual  general  meeting  of  the  members  of  the  National 
Chrysanthemum  Society  Avill  take  place  at  Carr’s  Restaurant, 
265,  Strand,  W.C.,  on  Monday,  February  1  next,  at  seven  o’clock 
in  the  evening,  Charles  E.  Shea,  Esq.,  president,  in  the  chair. 
Agenda:  To  receive  the  committee’s  annual  report  and  balance- 
sheet;  to  elect  a  president,  vice-presidents,  officers,  an  auditor, 
and  one-third  of  the  committee  for  the  year  ensuing;  and  to 
transact  such  business  as  pertains  to  the  annual  general  meeting. 
East  Ham  Amateur  Chrysanthemum  Society. 
This  flourishing  society,  one  of  the  most  recently  formed  in 
the  East  of  London,  has  just  concluded  a  very  succes-.sful  first- 
season.  The  .society  Ava.s  started  in  January,  1903,  it  held  an 
excellent  exhibition,  and,  after  discharging  Avorking  expenses  and 
liabilities,  it  has  handed  over  to  the  East  Ham  Hospital  the  sum 
of  £18  15s.  3d.,  and  still  carrie.s  forward  a  balance  of  £2  7s.  2id. 
Tho  Chrysanthemum  has  a  large  number  of  devotees  among  the 
residents  in  the  East  End. 
Appointments. 
Mr.  Robertson  Munro  (late  gardener  to  P.  McLanrin,  E,sq., 
Cartside,  Milliken  Park)  has  been  appointed  gardener  to  Archibald 
Findlayson,  Esq.,  of  Merchiston  Castle,  RenfreAvshire.  *  *  * 
John  Morris,  for  thii'ty-three  years  head  gardener  to  the  late 
Sir  R.  Moon,  Bart.,  CopseAvood  Grange,  Coventry,  ha.s  been 
appointed  head  gardener  to  Joshua  Perkins,  Esq.,  The  Cottage, 
Stoke,  near  Coventry.  *  *  *  William  Edward  LeAvis,  for  the 
last  years  gardener  to  Dr.  Garrod  Thomas,  Clytha  Park,  New¬ 
port,  Mon.,  has  been  appointed  head  gardener  to  C.  M.  Crompton 
Roberts,  Esq.,  Drybridge  Monmouth.  *  *  •*  jyjj.  Martin 
has  succeeded  Mr.  H.  West  as  gardener  to  E.  Behrens,  Esq., 
Bettisfield  Park,  Whitchurch,  Salop. 
Worcester  Branch  of  the  G.R.B.T. 
We  publish  the  foilcAving  from  the  Worcester  branch’s  report : 
“  Tliis  branch  of  tho  Institution  has  been  formed  for  the  purpose 
of  diffusing  information  regarding  its  Avork  amongst  gardeners, 
market  gardeners,  nurserymen,  and  seed.smen,  and  to  bring  more 
prominently  before  tho.se  interested  in  horticulture,  and  the 
benevolent  public  in  Worcester  and  adjoining  district,  its  claims 
for  increased  support ;  and  also  to  help  forward  the  candidature 
of  any  distressed  applicant  fro.m  the  county.  The  society  affords 
permanent  relief  by  means  of  pensions  (of  £20  and  £16  per  annum 
respectively)  to  gardeners  and  others  engaged  in  horticultural 
pursuits  and  their  AvidoAV-s,  in  old  age,  and  Avhen  totally  dfsabled 
through  accident  or  bodily  infirmity  from  folloAving  their  occupa¬ 
tion.  Amongst  the  pensioners  now  on  the  funds  are  fiv^e  who 
reside  in  the  county  of  Worcester.” 
A  Nature  Study  Exhibition. 
Those  Avho  are  endeavouring  to  stimulate  interest  in  Naturo 
study  will  learn  Avith  satisfaction  that  the  Bath  and  West  and 
Southern  Counties  Society  has  arranged  to  hold  a  Nature  study 
exhibition  in  connection  Avith  its  annual  meeting  at  SAvansea  in 
May  next.  The  remarkable  intere.st — as  shoAvn  by  the  number 
of  exhibits  and  the  attendance  of  visitors,  manifested  in  a 
similar  exhibition  held  by  the  society  for  the  first  time  at  Bristol 
last  year — justifies  a  belief  that  the  annual  migratory  shoAV  might 
with  advantage  be  utilised  for  bringing  such  teaching  as  goes 
direct  to  Nature  for  inspiration  under  the  notice  of  agriculturist.s 
and  others.  The  society,  therefore,  through  its  Nature  Study 
Committee,  consisting  of  the  president  of  the  society  (Lord 
Windsor),  the  Marquis  of  Bath,  the  Right  Hon.  H.  Hobhouse, 
M.P.,  Sir  C.  T.  D.  Acland,  and  Messrs.  H.  M.  Cundall,  F.S.A., 
F.  G.  FarAvell,  A.  G.  Legard,  H.M.I.,  J.  C.  Medd,  M.A.,  G.  H. 
Morrell,  M.P.,  and  N.  Story-Maskelyne,  F.R.S.,  invite-s 
educational  authorities  and  institutions  to  contribute,  fer 
exhibition,  collections,  models,  appliances,  Ac.,  illustrative  of  tho 
subject  in  question,  the  desire  being  to  render  tire  exhibition  ai 
representative  as  possible. 
