DOI issue:
June 14, 1862
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16869#0243
Juke 14, 1862.]
PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
235
FARMERS KILLING THEIR FRIENDS.
ow glad we should be if an
article in the Journal of Hor-
ticulture on the Utility of
small Birds were printed
on a card for circulation
amongst all clowns and
country bumpkins that are
able to read! It supplies
information which would give
them to know better than
to set a price upon the heads
and eggs of sparrows and
other small birds, and poison
the pretty warbling quire,
and feathered vocalists, as
we say at a penny a line.
Are the ’Squires asleep that
they allow barbarous rustics
to scatter arsenicated wheat
about? What is death to
small birds can do no good
to partridges and pheasants.
Is there no Conservative
landowner in the House to
protest against the destruc-
tive policy thus pursued by
clay-brained agriculturists,
instead of allowing himself
to be dragged through the
dirt of subservience to fo-
reign absolutism and popery
by the Benjamin who is
trying to involve his party
in that Benjamin’s mess ?
Farmers and gardeners
will gape and stare when
they come to learn the fact
that grubs and caterpillars are now doing immense mischief in many places, and
especially in the neighbourhood of Liverpool, all because the fools who cultivate
the soil have had nearly all the little birds killed that- would have kept them
under. And what will the British Farmer think of himself when he finds that
this practice of destroying small birds is one which has been imitated from the
French, whose Government have been obliged to put a
stop to it in order to stay the plague of insects which it
has brought upon France? He will surely be ashamed of
himself for having taken a lesson in folly from foreigners,
who, as he well knows, wear wooden shoes, and are accus-
tomed to eat frogs. Our clodhoppers labour under a sad
mistake in supposing that small birds live chiefly upon fruit
and grain, thus consuming large quantities of human food.
The grub which they eat most of is not good for man;
it is a maggot, and a noxious one, which devours an
amount of produce very much exceeding their little pickings.
The bushels of corn, currants, raspberries, and cherries
which used to be swallowed by them, are few in number
compared to the bushels of caterpillars which abound in
consequence of their destruction.
Goldfinches, hedge-sparrows, and other small birds; have
actually been imported into Australia from this country for
the express purpose of consuming a troublesome weed;
for little birds, be it known to Johnny Raw, not only eat
worms but weeds also. The particular weed which they
were wanted to check, is the thistle, of which nuisance
a Scotchman, out of nationality, had sown some seeds at
the Antipodes, where, consequently, it is overrunning the
land. He was an ass, and deserved to reap the crop of
what he had sown, for food, and to eat no other; but the
farmer is as great an ass who tries to extirpate the spar-
rows, and finches, and warblers that snap up the blight
insects, the cockchafer grub, the slugs and snails, the
wireworm, the green caterpillar, and the daddy-longlegs.
THE CAPITAL OF TURIN.
A Letter from Paris, describing a banquet given by
the Yiceroy oe Egypt to the Emperor of the French,
says:—
“The display of plate made by Said Pacha on this occasion w is
something wonderful. The tureen in which the soup was served to
their Majesties is said to be worth £16,000.”
From which we may infer that the afore-SAiD Pasha
possesses not only an ample supply of the circulating
medium, but also a fabulous amount of Souptureeniaa
wealth.
SINGING FOR SOLDIERS.
A good deal has been said about the evil state of Aldershott, and the
ill condition of all our garrison towns. The vices rampant there, are
in chief degree assigned to the want of fit amusement to fill up leisure
time, of wmich our soldiers, when in garrison, have much more than
enough. We know who it is finds mischief still for idle hands to do;
and doubtless soldiers are, when idle, not more proof against temptation
than are other mortal men. What then is the remedy ? What whole-
some recreation can be devised for the amusement of our soldiers’
leisure time ? Reading rooms, says one; athletic games, another;
music and part-singing is the answer of a third. Well, all these hints
are good, and the two first have been acted on in so many cases and
with sucli success, that Hunch may well be spared more writing in their
favour. But in teaching soldiers music no great deal has yet been
done, and as the practice of part-singing is a wholesome, healthy exer-
cise, Hunch most willingly will give it what encouragement he can.
Used to obey orders, and accustomed to be led, soldiers, properly
instructed, would soon learn to sing together, and Hunch feels sure
that their so doing would soon become a pleasure to them. Learning
to keep time is a pleasant way of spending it; and when men have
studied harmony, there is surely the less chance of their giving vent to
discord. Nothing lightens labour so well as a good song. It makes a
long way short, and would therefore be invaluable to troops when on a
march. Singing Mendelssohn’s part-songs and similar good vocal
music would be a better pastime for our soldiers when at leisure, than
sitting in a pot-house bidding Sally to come up, or squalling other
specimens of stupid nigger nonsense. Men whose business is to kill
are often troubled to kill time ; and in this respect the practice of part-
singing at least would be a help to them.
With this faith in his mind, Hunch would fain direct the notice of his
fifty million readers to the fact that now among the thousand and one
concerts which are almost daily advertised, Soldiers’ Concerts are at
no far distant intervals announced. In his programme the Conductor
oi these Concerts “ begs to state,” and Hunch hereby accords him full
permission so to do, that they are given “ with a view to create a taste
tor good choral music in the Army, and to encourage the practice
oi singing on the march, and the formation of choral classes in
garrisons, whereby much of the soldiers’ leisure time might be usefully
occupied.”
Held in Exeter Hall, these Concerts were by no means the least nice
of the May Meetings which have this year been assembled. At the
last which Hunch received an invitation to attend, free admission was
accorded to a couple of thousand soldiers now garrisoned in London ;
and this gift, to Hunch’s thinking, was by no means the least pleasant
of the charitable donations which have this May been announced.
Without disparagement of orators who plead for funds to furnish tracts
to niggers who can’t read, Hunch must own a sneaking preference to
listen to the voices that “ discourse eloquent music ” to the soldiers at
these Concerts ; and at the risk of the displeasure of all Truly Pious
people. Hunch will own he thinks encouragement of Music in the Army j
quite as laudable an object for the bumps of the benevolent as the [
supplying straps and braces to nude natives of Natal, or providing
moral polish for the black king of Japan.
A NICE WORD FOR BRIBERY.
The subjoined advertisement, which has appeared in a morning-
paper, is really worthy of the “ Man in the Moon : ”—
T IBERAL THANKS will be GIVEN for introducing the Advertiser
L to a GOVERNMENT APPOINTMENT, in London or the Country, of not less
than £350 per annum. Applicant’s age under 40, of good education, and some
property. Address, —, care of the Post Office, Kennington Park, S.
Liberal Thanks may be said to mean literally free gratis; but in the
above advertisement probably signify fee gratis. At future election
committees perhaps we shall have witnesses swearing that they received
liberal thanks in the form of five-pound-notes, or gold, in Sovereign
Alley, and it is likely as not that those liberal thanks will he offered to
Liberal rogues on behalf of the Conservative candidate.
A Frenchman’s Geography.—“ Londres est la capitale de I’Angle-
terre, et Leyssesture Squar est la capitale de Londres.”—Monsieur
Assommant.
PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
235
FARMERS KILLING THEIR FRIENDS.
ow glad we should be if an
article in the Journal of Hor-
ticulture on the Utility of
small Birds were printed
on a card for circulation
amongst all clowns and
country bumpkins that are
able to read! It supplies
information which would give
them to know better than
to set a price upon the heads
and eggs of sparrows and
other small birds, and poison
the pretty warbling quire,
and feathered vocalists, as
we say at a penny a line.
Are the ’Squires asleep that
they allow barbarous rustics
to scatter arsenicated wheat
about? What is death to
small birds can do no good
to partridges and pheasants.
Is there no Conservative
landowner in the House to
protest against the destruc-
tive policy thus pursued by
clay-brained agriculturists,
instead of allowing himself
to be dragged through the
dirt of subservience to fo-
reign absolutism and popery
by the Benjamin who is
trying to involve his party
in that Benjamin’s mess ?
Farmers and gardeners
will gape and stare when
they come to learn the fact
that grubs and caterpillars are now doing immense mischief in many places, and
especially in the neighbourhood of Liverpool, all because the fools who cultivate
the soil have had nearly all the little birds killed that- would have kept them
under. And what will the British Farmer think of himself when he finds that
this practice of destroying small birds is one which has been imitated from the
French, whose Government have been obliged to put a
stop to it in order to stay the plague of insects which it
has brought upon France? He will surely be ashamed of
himself for having taken a lesson in folly from foreigners,
who, as he well knows, wear wooden shoes, and are accus-
tomed to eat frogs. Our clodhoppers labour under a sad
mistake in supposing that small birds live chiefly upon fruit
and grain, thus consuming large quantities of human food.
The grub which they eat most of is not good for man;
it is a maggot, and a noxious one, which devours an
amount of produce very much exceeding their little pickings.
The bushels of corn, currants, raspberries, and cherries
which used to be swallowed by them, are few in number
compared to the bushels of caterpillars which abound in
consequence of their destruction.
Goldfinches, hedge-sparrows, and other small birds; have
actually been imported into Australia from this country for
the express purpose of consuming a troublesome weed;
for little birds, be it known to Johnny Raw, not only eat
worms but weeds also. The particular weed which they
were wanted to check, is the thistle, of which nuisance
a Scotchman, out of nationality, had sown some seeds at
the Antipodes, where, consequently, it is overrunning the
land. He was an ass, and deserved to reap the crop of
what he had sown, for food, and to eat no other; but the
farmer is as great an ass who tries to extirpate the spar-
rows, and finches, and warblers that snap up the blight
insects, the cockchafer grub, the slugs and snails, the
wireworm, the green caterpillar, and the daddy-longlegs.
THE CAPITAL OF TURIN.
A Letter from Paris, describing a banquet given by
the Yiceroy oe Egypt to the Emperor of the French,
says:—
“The display of plate made by Said Pacha on this occasion w is
something wonderful. The tureen in which the soup was served to
their Majesties is said to be worth £16,000.”
From which we may infer that the afore-SAiD Pasha
possesses not only an ample supply of the circulating
medium, but also a fabulous amount of Souptureeniaa
wealth.
SINGING FOR SOLDIERS.
A good deal has been said about the evil state of Aldershott, and the
ill condition of all our garrison towns. The vices rampant there, are
in chief degree assigned to the want of fit amusement to fill up leisure
time, of wmich our soldiers, when in garrison, have much more than
enough. We know who it is finds mischief still for idle hands to do;
and doubtless soldiers are, when idle, not more proof against temptation
than are other mortal men. What then is the remedy ? What whole-
some recreation can be devised for the amusement of our soldiers’
leisure time ? Reading rooms, says one; athletic games, another;
music and part-singing is the answer of a third. Well, all these hints
are good, and the two first have been acted on in so many cases and
with sucli success, that Hunch may well be spared more writing in their
favour. But in teaching soldiers music no great deal has yet been
done, and as the practice of part-singing is a wholesome, healthy exer-
cise, Hunch most willingly will give it what encouragement he can.
Used to obey orders, and accustomed to be led, soldiers, properly
instructed, would soon learn to sing together, and Hunch feels sure
that their so doing would soon become a pleasure to them. Learning
to keep time is a pleasant way of spending it; and when men have
studied harmony, there is surely the less chance of their giving vent to
discord. Nothing lightens labour so well as a good song. It makes a
long way short, and would therefore be invaluable to troops when on a
march. Singing Mendelssohn’s part-songs and similar good vocal
music would be a better pastime for our soldiers when at leisure, than
sitting in a pot-house bidding Sally to come up, or squalling other
specimens of stupid nigger nonsense. Men whose business is to kill
are often troubled to kill time ; and in this respect the practice of part-
singing at least would be a help to them.
With this faith in his mind, Hunch would fain direct the notice of his
fifty million readers to the fact that now among the thousand and one
concerts which are almost daily advertised, Soldiers’ Concerts are at
no far distant intervals announced. In his programme the Conductor
oi these Concerts “ begs to state,” and Hunch hereby accords him full
permission so to do, that they are given “ with a view to create a taste
tor good choral music in the Army, and to encourage the practice
oi singing on the march, and the formation of choral classes in
garrisons, whereby much of the soldiers’ leisure time might be usefully
occupied.”
Held in Exeter Hall, these Concerts were by no means the least nice
of the May Meetings which have this year been assembled. At the
last which Hunch received an invitation to attend, free admission was
accorded to a couple of thousand soldiers now garrisoned in London ;
and this gift, to Hunch’s thinking, was by no means the least pleasant
of the charitable donations which have this May been announced.
Without disparagement of orators who plead for funds to furnish tracts
to niggers who can’t read, Hunch must own a sneaking preference to
listen to the voices that “ discourse eloquent music ” to the soldiers at
these Concerts ; and at the risk of the displeasure of all Truly Pious
people. Hunch will own he thinks encouragement of Music in the Army j
quite as laudable an object for the bumps of the benevolent as the [
supplying straps and braces to nude natives of Natal, or providing
moral polish for the black king of Japan.
A NICE WORD FOR BRIBERY.
The subjoined advertisement, which has appeared in a morning-
paper, is really worthy of the “ Man in the Moon : ”—
T IBERAL THANKS will be GIVEN for introducing the Advertiser
L to a GOVERNMENT APPOINTMENT, in London or the Country, of not less
than £350 per annum. Applicant’s age under 40, of good education, and some
property. Address, —, care of the Post Office, Kennington Park, S.
Liberal Thanks may be said to mean literally free gratis; but in the
above advertisement probably signify fee gratis. At future election
committees perhaps we shall have witnesses swearing that they received
liberal thanks in the form of five-pound-notes, or gold, in Sovereign
Alley, and it is likely as not that those liberal thanks will he offered to
Liberal rogues on behalf of the Conservative candidate.
A Frenchman’s Geography.—“ Londres est la capitale de I’Angle-
terre, et Leyssesture Squar est la capitale de Londres.”—Monsieur
Assommant.