The Warwickshire Herald. — 1885-10-08 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

WIDEAWAKE NOTES  BY " NEMO."  Horticultural Societies, it is said, are of comparatively late origin, dating only from about the beginning of the present century, but in the present day they have become very numerous, almost all the smaller villages having their annual show, the occasion generally being accepted as a jour de fete. An example of this took place , recently in the village of Erdington, and although the society of that place has had one or two adverse seasons it has become more stable through the show of the present year, and notwithstanding the discouraging and damping results in the past— damping to be used in a dual sense—it still exists. Furthermore it has not prevented the organising of another society in the village, not in opposition to, but to supply something which the older : society does not allow—the admission of market gardeners to compete with their own products. As an initial movement the show of Friday and Saturday week is considered a fair success, taking into account the lateness of the season. The idea of utilising the old floral decorations used at the Harvest Service in the Parish Church was a novel one, and shows the innate originality of Mr. J. J. Turner. I wish the show every success, as it is an inducement to market gardeners to look to the quality of their produce ; in addition to this the practice of horticulture not only promotes that art, but tends to inculcate habits of order, neatness, and regularity.  The new Franchise Act appears to have found an immense amount of extra labour for the overseers, and has made a busy time of it for the assistant overseers according to the accounts of the doings of most of the Revising Courts. At, Sutton Coldfield the occupiers' list, already previously a heavy one, has been increased to over 150 per cent.  One would think that almost any agricultural implement, especially of the Smaller kind, could be found in or near a rural place like Little Aston. But this it appears is not so, for on the occasion when the Harvest Services were held there two reaping sickles were required to hang in conjunction with the scythe. Enquiry was made, when to the surprise of most not a single sickle could he found in the place, one worthy remarking that he hadn't one, and didn't know where any ' could be found. Is this the effect of the increased use of machinery If so, the once familiar instrument of the waving cornfield is one of the relics of bygone ages.  The other day Mr..H. G. Reid, the Liberal candidate for the borough of Aston, invited the members of the Birmingham Press Club to spend a few hours at Warley Hall, and a large number of pressmen, I understand, accepted the invitation, and had a very pleasant time of it. It was very generous of Mr. Reid to act in the manner he did. No doubt the reporters who attended the gathering, will not forget this fact when the election meetings commence at Aston. It is always well for political candidates to keep in with the pressmen—they may he useful some (lay, and probably Mr. Reid had this in his mind at the time he sent out the invitations. Someone said it looked very much like an attempt to " nobble" the press, but it is rather hard to construe an act of generosity in this light. Mr. Reid probably appreciates the company of fellow pressmen, and this was no doubt the only reason why the members of the Press Club were invited to IVarley  It was very late —or rather early—last Saturday morning when I kit the ottice and proceeded towards my humble abode- at Aston. The whole of the way from Birmingham until I reached Aston the lamps were lighted, but as soon as I crossed the boundary the road was in total darkness. This is economy with a vengeance, and is a great assistance to these who follow the occupation of the late lamented Charles Peace, Probably when someone has been garotted or murdered this state of things will be altered. Aston is not very brilliant at best. of times, and surety it would not hurt the ratepayers much if the lamps were kept burning at least as long as those in the borough.  VISIT OF AN EARLY MoIZNING