The sloe season is upon us. Actually, it has been upon us for a few weeks, with reasonably ripe fruit around since late August. However, it is late September through to early November when much of the rural — and some of the more fortunate urban — population venture forth with baskets and sticking plasters.
Sloes are, of course, the fruit of the blackthorn. The blackthorn is a small tree that adorns hedgerows, waste ground and wood edges, which occasionally forms small spinneys if one turns one’s back.
As a hedgerow tree, it is a visual delight, especially in the winter with its black bark and in early spring with its dazzling white blossom. A delight it may be, but it is seldom planted intentionally because of its boorish habit of producing vast numbers of suckers. If you want to lay a hedge that contains blackthorn, your first job is to hack your way through the forest of young plants that have staked a claim on either side.
Thorny issue
The Latin for the blackthorn, Prunus spinosa (spiny plum), will come as no surprise, for its spines are notorious. They were once considered to be poisonous, but the inflammation that often follows a wound is the result of a bacterial infection introduced via a thin, flaky layer of bark on the spines. Leather gardening gloves, for one hand at least, are a must.
Denne historien er fra September 15, 2021-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
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Denne historien er fra September 15, 2021-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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United we stand
Following United Utilities' decision to end grouse shooting on its land, Lindsay Waddell asks what will happen if we ignore our vital moors
Serious matters
An old gamebook prompts a contemplation on punt-gunning
They're not always as easy as they seem
While coneys of the furry variety don't pose a problem for Blue Zulu, he's left frustrated once again by bolting bunnies of the clay sort
Debutant gundogs
There's lots to think about when it comes to making the decision about when to introduce your dog to shooting
When the going gets rough
Al Gabriel returns to the West London Shooting School to brush up on his rough shooting technique
The Field Guide To British Deer - BDS 60th Anniversary Edition
In this excerpt from the 60th anniversary edition of the BDS's Field Guide To British Deer, Charles Smith-Jones considers the noise they make
A step too far?
Simon Garnham wonders whether a new dog, a new gun and two different fields in need of protection might have been asking too much for one afternoon's work
Two bucks before breakfast
A journey from old South London to rural Hertfordshire to stalk muntjac suggests that the two aren't as far detached as they might seem
Stalking Diary
Stalkers can be a sentimental bunch, and they often carry a huge attachment to their hill
Gamekeeper
Alan Edwards believes unique, private experiences can help keepers become more competent and passionate custodians of the countryside