“The Press” In 1864

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30592, 7 November 1964, Page 14

“The Press” In 1864

November 8 HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY—The monthly meeting of the Horticultural Society was held yesterday evening in the Town Hall; Mr W, Wilson in the chair. Mr Duncan, the secretary of the Society, read a very interesting and instructive paper on Gardens—their condition and prospects, in the course of which he spoke at some length upon the various duties which the practice of their profession imposed upon gardeners, and which, as requiring abilities and education of a high order, ought to give them a status superior to that which they usually enjoyed in the colony. At the same time he had great pleasure in bearing witness to the interest that was manifested in Canterbury

towards everything relating to horticulture; greenhouses were becoming general, good practical gardeners were in request, and inducements were held out which could not fail to be productive of much good and mutual benefit to the employers and employed. At the conclusion of this paper the Chairman invited the gardeners present to express their opinions on the views put forward by Mr Duncan. Several of them complied with the request, and, while they agreed in the main with Mr Duncan’s views, mentioned particular points in which they differed from him. Mr Greenaway then exhibited some fine seeding cinerarias and fancy pelagoniums, which were inspected by a sub-committee appointed for that purpose, and first and secondclass certificates awarded. Votes of thanks to Mr Duncan and to the Chair-

man concluded the proceedings. DESTRUCTION OF WILD FOWL—Our attention has been called to the barbarous practice of killing the ducks and other wild fowl during the present time, when the birds are breeding. Every poulterer's shop in the town is full of these birds, many of them probably shot from off the nest to the destruction of the young ones. If this is to be allowed, the island will in the course of a few years be destitute of game. The subject is well worth the attention of the Acclimatization Society; they are working hard for the introduction of foreign birds into New Zealand, and it would at the same time be advantageous, if through their instrumentality, a law could be passed for the preservation of those species with which Providence has blessed the country.