NATIVE BIRDS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 46, 24 February 1937, Page 16

NATIVE BIRDS

MRS. DU PONT'S PLEA

An interesting talk on "Birds" was given by Mrs. A. J. dv Pont at the first meeting of the Garden Circle of the Pioneer Club yesterday afternoon. Miss M. Cooper presided over a good attendance of members.

Mrs. dv Pont spoke of the value, of our native birds as being insect destroyers, pollen distributors, and seed sowers, and stated that it was a matter of much regret that the imported birds were now consuming so much of the native bird food during the winter period, when food is scarce. This could be overcome if more berry-bearing and nectar-producing trees were planted (particularly kotukutuku, puriri, titoke, kowhai, and pohutukawa), and urged members to plant a tree for the native birds each May. If they could not carry out the suggestion in their own grounds, the Wellington Beautifying Society would gladly accept suitable trees or donations for this purpose.

The Hon. Mr. Parry was commended for calling a meeting next month of till bodies interested in the preservation of native bush, and she hoped that the circle would be represented at "this important gathering.l Miss M. Cooper thanked the speaker for her instructive discourse.

Extracts from a letter to Mrs. Knox Gilmer from Mrs. H. R. Fisher were read. Mrs. Fisher stated that she had had the privilege of seeing thousands of carnations at the Carnation Show, Old Hall, Vincent Square, London. Some of the exhibits were so perfect in shape that one would think they had been made in a mould. Although the writer was of the opinion that in New Zealand we were miles behind. England in the matter of staging exhibits at flower shows, in the decorative work, clever Wellington women handled flowers much more ■ effectively and attractively than. they did in the Old Country. ' Day sprays of polyantha roses and sulphur coloured pansies from Mrs. S. T. Silver's garden, Karaka Bay, were presented to Miss ,M. Cooper and Miss E Isaacs, the- acting president and secretary respectively. Outstandingly fine hydrangeas from Miss M. H. Archibald's and Mrs. George Cooper's gardens were • much admired. Beautiful dahlias were displayed-by Miss Hall, Wadestown, crab apples and spindle berries, chiffon daisies and spurs of the coral shrub by Mrs. E. J. Righton, York Bay, penstemon, love-in-the-mist, forget-me-nots, and companulas by Mrs. S. T. Silver, Karaka Bay.

A competition for a collection .of hydrangeas was won by Mrs. E. Henderson. Seatoun, the ■ prize being hyacinth bulbs, and afterwards the members were entertained to afternoon tea by Miss Cooper, who was accorded a vote of thanks..

Visits were made during the month to the very attractive gardens of Mesdames F. B: Bolt, A.-R. Gower, and W. Smith. Mrs. Bolt entertained members to, a delightful afternoon tea. '