242 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
March  17,  1904. 
quite  like  being  told  to  “  shut  up  in  our  o^vn  little  corner  if  I 
may  so  call  it.  Evidently  “  Northern  Gardener  ”  has  become 
confused  in  the  discussions.  I  never  did  at  any  time  pa.ss 
remarks  about  “  the  drunkenness  which  prevails  in  bothies  south 
of  the  Border.”  What  I  did  say  was  that  “  nine-tentlis  of  the 
young  men  in  England  spend  too  much  time  in  public-houses  and 
pleasure  seeking.”  Drink  and  drunkenness  was  not  in  my 
thoughts  when  I  penned  my  article  on  “Principles  of  Propriety.” 
The  dominating  word  is  time-  I  congratulate  “  Northern 
Gardener”  on  his  attaining  to  good  age,  and  I  hope  he  will  be 
spared  to  read  his  Journal  for  many  years  to  come.  But  I  am 
afraid  that  his  statements  that  he  “has  seen  more  drunkenness 
in  Scottish  towns  and  villages  than  in  similar  places  in  England  ” 
must,  and  will,  be  taken  with  great  reserve. 
On  page  128  I  have  another  critic  disagreeing  with  the  second 
version  of  the  meaning  of  teetotallers,  i.e.,  “  Terrible  Tipplers.” 
“  Englishman,  Berks,”  says  a  friend  of  his  told  him  that  Scottish 
teetotallers  see  no  harm  in  drinking  whisky.  What  a  revelation! 
Is  it  true  ?  His  friend  also  told  him  that  Scotsmen  are  cheaper. 
What  a  contemptible  statement  this  must  appear  to  the  experi¬ 
enced!  “  Englishman’s”  letter  is  a  good  pen  picture,  in  a  way, 
of  himself,  and  I  think  I  will  know  him  if  I  should  meet  him. 
I  will  now  give  an  explanation  of  my  statement  that  “  nine- 
tenths  of  the  young  men  in  England  spend  too  much  time  in 
public-houses  and  pleasure  seeking.”  In  any  town  or  village  in 
England  we  go  to,  we  shall  find  young  men,  and  old  ones,  too, 
sometimes,  flocking  to  their  favourite  “  pub,”  and  into  the 
“  parlour,”  which  is  very  comfortable.  A  game  of  dominoes  or 
cards  is  indulged  in,  and  the  losing  side  pays  for  the  drinks.  I 
am  not  a  “  T.T.,”  and  I  do  not  see  any  harm  in  that  occasionally, 
but  the  same  thing  occurs  almost  nightly.  Taking  the  “T.T.’s” 
of  any  of  the  two  versions,  they  prefer  the  Working  Men’s  Club 
or  Institute,  and  in  them  it  mu.st  be  confessed  that  there  is  very 
little  reading  done,  with  the  exception  of  the  dailies  for  cricket, 
football,  Ac.,  Ac.  Games  are  preferred  to  serious  study.  I  say 
nothing  against  games.  I  ajn  fond  of  games  myself ;  hut  fonder 
still  of  satiating  my  thirst  for  knowledge.  Night  after  night, 
week  after  week,  the  same  thing  goes  on,  nine-tenths  of  the 
young  men  in  England  spending  too  much  time  in  public-houses 
and  in  pleasure  seeking.  I  might  give  my  opinion  that  if  Engli.sh 
gardeners,  young  and  old,  would  but  give  their  brains  something 
more  to  do  in  the  way  of  study  there  is  no  reason  why  they  would 
not  in  time  become  as  good  as  their  northern  brethren,  who  have 
been  proved  over  and  over  again  to  be  better  managers,  more 
practical,  and  more  methodical  in  their  work.  There  are 
exceptions,  but  exceptions  prove  the  rule.  In  conclusion,  allow 
me  to  say  that  I  hope  the  ardent  readers  of  the  Journal  will  try 
to  appreciate  the  efforts  of  a  friendly  “Scot”  to  induce  young 
gardeners  to  fall  in  love  with  their  work,  and  search  for  hidden 
treasures  therein.  Tlie  success  of  the  Journal  and  my  kind 
critics  is  the  best  wishes  of — Scot,  Berks. 
The  Scottish  v.  English  gardener  is  an  old  theme,  and  as  far 
as  I  am  concerned,  I  am  not  impressed  by  Scottish  gardeners. 
True,  I  only  know  two  personally,  one  being  a  coarse,  heavy 
drinking,  and  very  objectionable  man,  with  an  inordinately  high 
opinion  of  his  prowess  as  a  gardener,  Tlie  other  is  a  pleasant 
man,  but  pos.sesses  the  gabbling  habit  to  a  degree.  Boastfulne.ss 
appears  to  be  general  among  Scottish  gardeners,  and  the  second 
man  referred  to  fairly  reeks  with  it,  yet,  as  a  practical,  all-round 
gardener,  I  would  not  place  him  high  on  the  list.  A  certain 
journal  that  devotes  itself  much  to  the  interests  of  northern 
gardeners  is  ever  the  scene  of  warfare  ;  and,  candidly,  I  must  say 
that  never  have  I  seen  such  meanness,  ungentlemanliness,  and 
bitter  spitefuluess  displayed  as  is  frequently  displayed  in  the 
letters  from  the  Scots.  Anyone  differing  from  their  views  has 
been  reviled  as  much  as  journalistic  laws  allow,  and  having  some 
little  acquaintance  with  such  matters,  I  have  no  doubt  that  the 
letters  ai’e  considerably  scored  with  blue  pencil  before  they  are 
fit  for  publication.  It  is  apparent  that  many,  if  not  all,  Scots 
gardeners  are  animated  with  an  extraordinary  amount  of  self- 
conceit  and  bumptiousness,  coupled  with  a  ill-displayed  contempt 
for  otliere  of  the  ilk  from  south  of  the  Tweed. — Grower. 
Trade  Catalogues  Received. 
Barr  and  Sons,  King  Street,  Covent  Garden,  W.C. — “  Spring,  1904." 
Cooper,  Taber,  and  Co.,  Ltd.,  90  and  92,  Southwark  Street,  London, 
S.E. — Wholesale  Catalogue  of  Farm  Seeds. 
Alexis  Dalliere,  Chauss6e  de  Bruxelles. — “  Spiring,  1901." 
Dickson  and  Robinson,  Manchester. — Dahlias. 
Dicksons,  Chester. — Fwm  Seeds. 
Kent  and  Brydon,  Darlington. — Farm  Seeds. 
Amos  Perry,  Hardy  Plant  Farm,  Winchmore  Hill,  London,  N. — Parts 
1  and  9  General  Catalogue  of  Border  and  Rock  Plants. 
Ran  somes,  Sims,  and  Jefferies,  Ltd.,  Orwell  Works,  Ipswich. — Lawn 
Mowers. 
Thomas  S.  Ware  (1902),  Ltd.,  Feltham,  Middlesex. — Hardy  Perennials, 
(fe. 
All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should  be  directed 
to  “The  Editor,”  12,  Mitre  Court  Chambers,  Fleet  Street^ 
London,  E.C.  It  is  requested  that  no  one  will  write  privately 
to  any  of  our  correspondents,  seeking  information  on  matters 
discussed  in  this  Journal,  as  doing  so  subjects  them  to  unjustifi¬ 
able  trouble  and  expense.  In  naming  plants  we  only  undertake 
to  name  species,  or  well-marked  varieties,  and  only  six  on  any 
one  occasion.  Florists’  flowers  we  do  not  name. 
TO  OUR  READERS. — Both  editor  and  publisher  would 
accept  it  as  a  personal  service  rendered,  if  those  of  our  readers  or 
their  friends  who  have  at  any  time  been  unable  to  obtain  the  Joicrnal 
from  the  ordinary  sources,  would  kindly  communicate  with  us.  In 
the  ease  of  a  special  number,  such  as  last  Aveek,  it  is  advisable  to 
notify  agents  beforehand  Avhere  extra  copies  are  desired. 
CONTRIBUTIONS  RECEIVED.— (G.  C.,  Byfleet).— With 
thanks,  and  shall  print  it  shortly.  (B.  E.  N.,  Feltham). — We 
shall  return  MS. ;  meanAvhile  accept  our  sincere  thanks. 
A  QUERY. — “J.  D.  A.”  says:  “I  Avould  be  greatly  obliged 
if  you  or  any  of  your  readers  could  inform  me  of  the  best  method 
to  fertilise  the  Anona  or  Custard-apple.” 
BOOKS  (M.  MoonisaAvmy  and  Sons). — You  Avoiuld  find  stove 
plants  and  ferns  treated  upon  in  Baines’s  “  Greenhouse  and  Stove 
Plants,”  the  price  being  Ids.,  Ave  think,  from  John  Murray,  pub¬ 
lisher,  London..  “Trees  and  Shrubs”  (Geo.  Neivnes,  Ltd.)  is  a 
good,  up-to-date  book. 
MOLLUSC  FOR  IDENTIFICATION  (W.  R.).— It  is  a 
member  of  the  Mollusca,  and  one  of  the  Gasteropoda  or  “  belly¬ 
footed,”  the  long,  flat  muscular  foot  running  along  the  under 
side  of  the  animal.  It  is  a  very  lean  form  of  the  little 
carnivorous  Testacella  haliotoides,  and  in  a  young  state  the 
shell,  small,-  ear-shaped  and  situated  at  the  extremity  of  the 
body,  Avhich  you  probably  have  mistaken  for  the  head,  and  refer 
to  it  as  the  “  bud  ”  not  being  developed,  though  the  back  has 
the  double  furroAv  characteristic  of  the  Testacella.  It  feeds 
chiefly  upon  earthworms,  and  is  usually  found  in  the  loose  soil 
of  gardens,  though  not  uncommonly  in  the  loAver  part  of  the  soil 
of  plants  in  pots.  It  is  not  in  any  respect  destructive  of  plants. 
CATERPILLAR  TO  NAME  (J.  M.).— The  caterpillar  is 
that  of  the  Vine  Tortrix  or  moth  (Tortrix  vitisana),  Avhich  is 
closely  related  to  the  Grape  Moth  (Tortrix  angustiorana).  The 
former  eats  the  blossom  buds  or  the  floAvers  out  of  the  shoots, 
and  in  this  Avay  does  a  considerable  amount  of  mischief,  but 
is  only  occasionall.v  met  Avith  in  this  countrAu  The  caterpillar 
of  the  Grape  Moth,  on  the  other  hand,  preys  on  the  ripening 
or  ripe  Grapes,  and  sometimes  does  considerable  damage  by  not 
only  eating  the  berries,  but  by  setting  up  decay  in  others  of 
the  bunch.  The  only  remedj’  is  to  caiiture  and  destroy  the 
caterpillars. 
FAHRENHEIT  AND  CENTIGRADE  SYSTEMS  OF 
RECORDING  TEMPERATURES  (D.).^In  Fahrenheit’s  ther¬ 
mometer  the  freezing  point  is  at  32deg,  and  the  boiling  point 
at  2I2deg,  zero  being  at  Odeg,  or  32deg  beloAv  freezing  point. 
The  Centigrade  thermometer  has  zero  or  freezing  point  at  Odeg, 
and  the  boiling  point  at  lOOdeg.  Fahrenheit’s  thermometer  is 
used  chiefly  in  Britain,  Holland,  and  North  America,  and  the 
temperature  is  recorded  at  the  figures  or  degrees  above  or  beloAv 
zero.  When  above  simply  at  the  particular  heat,  say,  50deg 
Fahr.,  or  Avhen  heloAv  zero  Avith  a  short  line  prefixed,  say  Ideg, 
or  33deg  below  freezing  point.  Centigrade  thermometers  arc 
used  everyAvhere  by  men  of  science,  and  the  temperature  above 
zero  or  fi-eezing  point  in  this  instrument  is  simply  recorded  as 
the  particular  temperature  at  the  time  of  observation,  say 
50deg  Cen.  ;  if  beloAv  zero,  say  Ideg,  then  it  is  recorded  as 
— Ideg  Cen.  This  — Ideg  Cen.  corresponds  to  nearly  30deg 
Fahr.,  SOdeg  Cen.  to  I22deg  Fahr.  The  recording  of  the  tem¬ 
perature  by  different  scales  is  someAvhat  confusing,  especially 
to  gardeners,  but  the  degrees  of  temperature  of  a  Centigrade 
thermometer  are  readily  reduced  to  degrees  of  Fahrenheit’s  scale 
and  coiiA^ersely  by  the  folloAving  rules: — I.  Multiply  the  Centi¬ 
grade  degrees  by  9  and  divide  the  iiroduct  by  5  ;  then  add  32 
to  the  quotient,  and  the  sum  is  the  degrees  of  temperature  on 
Fahrenheit’s  scale.  -2.  From  the  number  of  degrees  on  Fahren¬ 
heit’s  scale  subtract  32,  multiply  the  remainder  by  5,  and  tlu* 
product  being  dixuded  by  9  Avill  give  the  temperature  required 
in  Centigrade  degrees. 
