JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
303 
April  7,  1904 
ing  upon  grain  and  seeds  of  weeds.  Great  numbers  of  buntings 
are  caught  in  nets  or  shot  for  the  price  they  will  fetch  in  the 
markets,  hut  chiefly  of  the  common  hunting.  Sparrow-pie  is 
also  said  to  he  excellent. 
The  Skylark  (Alauda  arven.sis)  charms  alike  by  its  song  or 
by  its  flesh  at  table.  It  sometimes  makes  sad  havoc  of  seed 
corn,  especially  late  autumn  sown,  hut  it  lives  principally  upon 
small  seeds  and  grasses,  and  feeds  largely  on  small  slugs  and 
worms,  caterpillars,  and  various  insects  or  larvae.  Immense 
numbers  of  tliese  birds  are  caught  annually  and  sent  to  the 
London  and  other  markets. 
The  Starling  (Sturnus  vulgaris)  lives  principally  about 
buildings  during  breeding  time,  and  the  immediate  neighbour¬ 
hood  derives  great  benefit  by  the  insects  collected  and  consumed 
in  rearing  the  young.  After  breeding  it  repairs  to  the  fields, 
and  the  large  flocks  scour  the  land  in  a  very  systematic  manner 
for  pests,  such  as  leather  jackets  (grubs  of  Tipula),  woodlice, 
millipedes,  worms,  snails,  or  slugs,  and  other  ground  insects  or 
their  larvae,  passing  the  whole  year  in  search  of  animal  food. 
Albeit,  the  starling  is  very  destructive  to  Cherries,  apart  from 
this  it  is  one  of  the  most  useful  of  British  birds.  In  a  few 
instances  it  has  been  known  to  destroy  plantations  by  roosting 
in  a  particular  part  in  great  numbers  by  its  droppings. 
The  Jackdaw  (Corvus  monedula)  will  almo.st  eat  anything: 
imsects  and  their  larvae,  grubs  being  much  relished,  also  grass¬ 
hoppers  and  beetles,  kills  and  eats  mice,  eggs  and  young  birds, 
fish,  Crustacea  and  mollusea,  worms,  Ac.  As  it  builds  in  church 
towers  and  steeples  it  must  clear  the  country  around  of  many 
injurious  pests.  At  other  times  it,  along  with  rooks,  exercises 
its  benign  services  over  the  whole  country.  It  is  recorded  as 
taking  Cherries,  but  I  have  not  noticed  this,  yet  its  iiroclivities 
for  seed  corn  and  Potatoes  ecpial  that  of  rooks. 
The  Rook  (Corvus  frugilegus)  lives  in  semi-domestication, 
usually  inhabiting  a  grove  of  trees  near  a  house,  or  in  a  park 
during  breeding  time,  and  termed  “rookeries.”  Where  these 
exist  in  pleasure  gi’ounds  the  Utter  of  sticks  and  the  droppings 
whitening  everything,  not  to  mention  the  smell  of  ammonia,  are 
great  nuisances.  Shooting  the  newly  fledged  birds  affords  some 
compensation,  besides  gives  the  birds  not  .slaughtered  an  intense 
horror  of  guns,  this  aiding  .scarers  immensely,  or  the  .sight  of  a 
gun  is  enough  to  make  the  rook  clear  off.  The  rook  is  said  to 
have  an  “  eye  and  tooth  ”  for  Cherries  and  Pears,  things  I  have 
not  seen,  but  it  dearly  loves  Walnuts,  and  will  carry  off  mo.st  of 
the  crop  in  many  ca^es  unless  prevented  by  the  sight  and  dis¬ 
charge  of  a  gun.  In  the  fields  the  rooks  pull  up  young  corn  and 
newly-set  Potatoes  :  indeed,  unmolested,  would  leave  little  for 
a  crop.  The  idea  that  this  is  done  to  get  at  grubs  and  wire- 
worm  is  pure  prejudice,  for  the  rooks  kept  from  their  depreda¬ 
tions  the  crops  are  had  in  due  season.  Nevertheless,  the  rook 
is  decidedly  beneficial.  It  devours  countless  imsects:  beetles, 
moths,  wireworms,  leather-jackets,  slugs,  snails,  worms,  wood- 
lice,  millipedes,  and  caterpillars,  of  the  winter  and  other  moths. 
Indeed,  the  good  it  effects,  especially  in  breeding  time,  is  incal¬ 
culable  and  beyond  compare  with  its  depredations  on  useful 
crops.  But,  as  with  sparrows,  there  may  be  too  much  of  a 
good  thing,  for  certain  ends  are  not  effected  by  the  same  means, 
and  too  many  rooks  may  lead  to  depredations  in  poultry  and 
pheasant  rearing,  as  I  have  noticed  in  a  few  cases,  grounds  that 
are  disastrous  to  these  cultures,  both  poultry  and  pheasant 
rearers  complaining  of  rook  and  jackdaw  ravages.  So  with 
farmers,  too  many  rooks  may  entail  so  much  expense  in  scaring 
as  to  prejudice  the  profits. 
Migratory. 
Partly  Insectivorous,  and  Partly  Frugiferous. 
The  Garden  Warbler  (Sylvia  salicaria  or  hortemsis)  arrives 
in  England  in  April  and  departs  towards  the  end  of  August  or 
the  beginning  of  September.  Almost  every  part  of  England  is 
visited  by  this  bird,  and  especially  those  counties  where  there  are 
thick  woods  and  plenty  of  water.  It  is  one  of  our  sweetest 
songsters,  esteemed  for  its  melody,  and  thus  pardoned  by  most 
people  for  its  occasional  depredations  on  fruit.  Its  nest  is  built 
in  hedges,  and  situated  near  the  ground.  Eggs  four  or  five,  of 
a  whitish  grey  colour,  spotted  with  brown  towards  the  large 
end.  It  chiefly  confines  its  attacks  on  fruits  to  late  Cherries,  or 
wished  to  be  kept  some  time  against  walls.  Raspberries,  and 
Currants.  Small  mesh  (pilchard)  netting  is  the  only  safe  pro¬ 
tection.  It  lives  mostly  upon  insects,  feeding  its  young  with 
them. 
The  Blackcap  Warbler  (Sylvia  atricapilla)  pours  forth  its 
sweet  notes  from  the  concealment  of  some  thicket  or  tuft  of 
trees,  and  among  bushes  and  brambles  builds  its  nest  of  dried 
grass,  moss,  and  hairs  ;  eggs  five,  reddish  brown  marked  with 
dark  spots.  It  feeds  the  young  entirely  upon  insects,  chiefly 
small  caterpillars,  and  lives  itself  more  upon  insects  than  on 
fruit,  though  it  is  rather  fond  of  Cherries,  Raspberries,  Ac.,  and 
only  small-mesh  netting  can  exclude  it. — Geo.  Abbey. 
(To  be  continued.) 
Societies. 
Royal  Horticultural,  Drill  Hall,  April  5tli. 
The  exhibition  on  Tuesday  last  was  again  of  an  interesting 
and  varied  character,  but  the  attendance  was  meagre,  accord¬ 
ing  to  expectations.  The  Narcissus  Committee  made  one  award; 
the  Orchid  Committee  four;  the  Floral  six;  but  the  Fruit  and 
Vegetable  Committee  had  no  single  exhibit  before  them.  Thirty- 
nine  new  Fellows  were  elected.  A  lecture  on  the  “  Suburban 
Garden,”  by  Mr.  P.  G.  Maule,  was  treated  from  the  designer’s 
point  of  view. 
Orchid  Committee. 
Present  :  Mr.  Norman  C.  Cookson  (in  the  chair) ;  with  Messrs, 
.Tames  O’Brien,  de  B.  Crawshay,  R.  Brooman-AVhite,  H.  M. 
Pollett,  H.  Ballantine,  AValter  Cobb,  James  Douglas,  F. 
Wellesley,  W.  A.  Bilney,  H.  T.  Pitt,  A.  A.  McBean,  F.  W, 
A.shton,  M.  Gleeson,  AV.  Boxall,  AV.  H.  A'oung,  H.  A.  Tracy, 
H.  G.  Alorris,  and  H.  Little. 
Orchids  were  not  numerous.  Me.ssrs.  H.  Low  and  Co.,  Bush 
Hill  Park,  Enfield,  had  a  group  iu  which  were  Dendrobium 
Boxalli,  Lycaste  costata,  Odontoglossum  Harrjmno-crispum, 
Cattleya  intermedia  aiba,  and  C.  i.  superba. 
V  Air.  AW  Thompson,  of  Stone,  Staffordshire,  contributed  a 
group  of  Odontoglossums  ;  and  Air.  H.  T.  Pitt  had  a  large  and 
varied  group  for  which  he  obtained  a  gold  medal.  His  spotted 
varieties  of  Odontoglossum  crispum  were  of  high  merit. 
The  committee  made  the  following  medal  awards :  Gold  to 
Air.  Pitt,  Stamford  Hill;  silver  Banksian  to  Alessrs.  Hugh  Low 
and  Co.,  Enfield;  silver  Flora  to  AA^  Thomp.son,  Esq.,  Stone. 
Narcissus  Committee. 
Present  :  Rev.  G.  H.  Engleheart  (in  the  chair);  with  Messrs, 
S.  Eugene  Bourne,  Charles  Alacmichael,  Charles  T.  Digby, 
Arthur  R.  Goodwin,  R.  Dean,  E.  A.  Bowles,  George  S, 
Titheridge,  AA\  AI.  Copeland,  J.  D.  Peanson,  A.  Kingsmill,  E. 
AAJIlmotf,  R.  Sydenham,  John  Pope,  AA^alter  T.  AA’are,  A'’on  de 
Graaff,  P.  Rudolph  Barr,  James  AValker,  and  Charles  H.  Curtis. 
The  gioups  of  Narcissi  were  generally  admired,  but  they 
strike  one  on  the  whole  as  being  below  the  standard  of  last 
year.  Probably  a  little  later  we  shall  see  them  in  better  form. 
Messi’s.  Barr  and  Sons,  King  Street,  Covent  Garden,  made  a 
nice  display,  having  most  of  the  popular  varieties  present — 
Aladame  de'^Graaff,  Gloria  iNlundi,  ATctoria,  Bridal  A^eil,  Princess 
Ida,  C.  J.  Backhouse,  Osiris,  Constance,  and  King  Alfred;  while 
in  the  newer  varieties  Henri  A^ilmorin,  Alonarch,  Peter  Baiw, 
Lucifer,  and  Lord  Roberts  Were  greatly  admired. 
Alessrs.  Hogg  and  Robertson,  Dublin,  contributed  an  exten¬ 
sive  displav  which  proved  attractive,  for  the  blooms  were  as 
fresh  as  when  gathered.  In  the  large  sections  Sir  AVatkin, 
Empress,  Brigadier,  ATctoria,  and  Madame  Plemp  were  amongst 
the  best,  and  in  the  smaller  flowered  section  were  AA'.  P.  Aliiner, 
Airs.  G.  F.  Brooke,  Princess  Ida,  C.  J.  Backhouse,  and  Com¬ 
modore. 
Air.  Chas.  Dawson,  Roremorran,  Gulval,  Penzance,  staged 
a  collection  which  attracted  a  great  deal  of  attention.  Some  of 
the  be,st  were  Kittywake,  Puritan,  Homespun,  AAJiite  Slave, 
Citron,  AVeardale  Perfection,  Flambeau,  and  Siren.  All  the 
flowers  were  well  developed,  and  if  one  might  judge  from  the 
manner  in  which  the  fanciers  gathered  round  the  group,  to  the 
exclusion  of  the  “  general  public,”  they  must  have  been  unique. 
Alessrs.  F.  AA".  Currey,  The  AVarren  Gardens,  Lismore, 
Irefand,  made  an  extensive  display,  the  blooms  being  well  deve¬ 
loped  A  few  of  the  most  striking  comprise  Ard  Righ,  henry 
Irving,  Golden  Rose,  King  Alfred,  Duke  of  Bedford,  Sir  AVatkin, 
Emperor,  and  Horseneldi.  In  the  smaller  sections  Amabilis^ 
Duchess  of  Connaught,  cernuus  plenus,  and  Leda  were  good. 
The  committee  made  the  following  awards— Silver  Floras  to 
Air  C  Dawson,  Gulval,  Penzance,  and  Messrs.  Barr  and  Sons, 
kina'  Street,  Covent  Garden.  Silver  Banksian  to  Aliss  Currey, 
Lisniore,  Ireland,  and  to  Alessrs.  Hogg  and  Robertson,  Mary 
Street,  Dublin. 
Floral  Committae. 
Present  •  Air  AA".  Marshall  (in  the  chair)  ;  with  Alessrs.  R. 
Dean,  John  Green.  AV.  Howe.  R.  Hooper  Pearson,  John 
Jennings,  C.  R.  Fielder,  Chas.  Dixon,  G.  Reuthe,  H.  J  Cut- 
bush,  Chas.  E.  Pearson  J.  AV.  Barr,  Geo.  Gordon,  H  J.  Jones, 
W  P  Thomson,  E.  H.  .Jenkins,  AAin.  J.  James,  C.  E.  Shea,  Geo. 
Nichohson,  James  AValker,  Geo.  Paul,  and  Chas.  T.  Druery. 
Messrs  F  Cant  and  Co.,  Braiswick  Rose  Gardens,  Colchester, 
made  a  beautiful  display  of  cut  Roses,  some  of  the  blooims  being 
excellent.  The  chief  varieties  were  Commandant  helix  haure. 
Lady  Roberts,  Madame  Hoste,  Peace,  Aladamo  A"iger,  Niphetos, 
and  Dainty.  m  -.t-  t  j.  i 
Clematises  in  flower  were  staged  by  Alessrs.  T.  S.  AVare,  Ltd., 
