COUNTRY LIFE
WE enjoy—or/and grumble at—a wonderful climate. Official spring is not due for another five months or more ; yet it is present at least in the sense that certain spring flower, have just come out. One of these is the inestimable lungwort, which nothing, except drought, can quench. We have, of course, a number of weeds that pay the very smallest attention to the season as defined by the almanac, of which the deadnettle, the yarrow and, of course, poa annua are as good examples as any. And we have bushes of a like courage. Many of the viburnums form their next year's blossoms during the summer, and often cannot resist the temptation to open some of the buds at any congenial invitation. So today the laurustinus is in flower on its south side. The essentially spring-flowering rock rose is enjoying—like the roses—a very generous second flowering, which appear all the more surprising as they look out from a quilt of leaves fallen from lime 'and poplar. " St. Luke's Summer," beginning on October ath, is often a warm spell, but the warm days are as often prefaced by sharp frosts. WE enjoy—or/and grumble at—a wonderful climate. Official spring is not due for another five months or more ; yet it is present at least in the sense that certain spring flower, have just come out. One of these is the inestimable lungwort, which nothing, except drought, can quench. We have, of course, a number of weeds that pay the very smallest attention to the season as defined by the almanac, of which the deadnettle, the yarrow and, of course, poa annua are as good examples as any. And we have bushes of a like courage. Many of the viburnums form their next year's blossoms during the summer, and often cannot resist the temptation to open some of the buds at any congenial invitation. So today the laurustinus is in flower on its south side. The essentially spring-flowering rock rose is enjoying—like the roses—a very generous second flowering, which appear all the more surprising as they look out from a quilt of leaves fallen from lime 'and poplar. " St. Luke's Summer," beginning on October ath, is often a warm spell, but the warm days are as often prefaced by sharp frosts.
North versus South What strange and unblushing mistakes even serious historians can make when they deal with country things. Mr. Emil Ludwig, for example, in praising the Mediterranean climate says that wheat ripens there in 17o days but needs 30o days in the north. I have seen in the colder part of this northern island wheat sown in May and reaped in August or very early September, though this is, of course, quite unusual. We can sow wheat as well as barley and oats in spring ; but the autumn is preferred for the very good reason that the establishment of the plant in autumn is the best way to increase yield. We may get as much as seven quarters to the acre when more southerly countries are content with three. Wheats ripen at particular speed in the north, notably in Canada, because of the long hours of sunshine. On this subject, next year's wheat is already a strong plant in my neighbourhood, and already the straw of the stubbles ploughed under in September has wholly broken down and become an agent of fertility.
A Great Athlete It is surprising, and regrettable, that writers of obituaries—in The Times as elsewhere—have recorded little or nothing about Mr. Fowler Dixon, who died last week at the age of 93. He was not only one of the greatest athletes in our athletic chronicles: he was a discoverer in the biology of birds. He ran a mile in quite good time when he was sixty years old, and I believe that his record for go miles, made in his salad days, remains unbeaten. In a recent widely extended discussion on the effects of athletics on longevity I saw no reference to him ; but his case is of quite peculiar interest, because he continued to indulge his athletic prowess into comparative old age. The one near parallel to his accomplishment that I know of is the athletic career of Sir Charles Wittevvronge (the son of the famous founder of Rothamsted), a sculptor, who was capable of doing bicycle records at or about the age of sixty.
Bird Tables Those who feel it may be a little unpatriotic if they devote food to the feeding of wild birds may like to be reminded that almost the most popular dish on the bird-table is the head of a sunflower, and it has this advantage—to quote one experience—that it is as dear to the beak and stomach of the finches, including goldfinches, as of the tits, whom we are apt to encourage to the exclusion of other birds. Any sort of nut, including the acorn, if ground is enjoyed by a great number of species of bird. We are, of course, using good poultry and pig-food for the little birds, but that is perhaps a venial offence: the total sum is very small.
In the Garden More examples have come to my notice of the success of country house owners in making their walled and other gardens self-supporting. Two whom I know have performed the miracle largely through the cultivation of one sort of flower, the blue scabious, a lowly flower still in its glory. Bunchei containing twelve stalks have been sold retail for as much as 3s. 6d., and though the gardener will not receive half this sum, the profit is very high. It is not fair statistics to compare a garden plot with large- scale cultivation ; but the estimate of a yield of £600 an acre is certainly under the mark. Some who grew in their gardens sweet corn or maize—for the sake of American troops—had returns of an estimated L480 an acre. Any good walled garden should pay handsomely. The wall, of course, represents a very heavy capital expenditure by the original builders, and it may yield big dividends at this unexpected
Postage on this issue : Inland and Overseas, id.
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