On 2009-06-17 23:18:44 +0100, moghouse said:

On Jun 17, 6:19*pm, Sacha wrote:


No wish to appear callous, but I find snails have an aversion to being
stamped on. Would you care to hire one of my younger grandsons for a
weekend?

What's the going rate per snail?

Well 3xGreat Grandfather Zachariah, the molecatcher used to charge 6d
a mole. That was back in the early 1800s. At today's rates that would
be.... err...ummm....very expensive! But then there is the retainer to
be negotiated and the cost of disposing of slimy squashed bodies less
the income derived from the sale of shells to the jewellery trade.
Then there are the fees for the accountant and the tax estimator. On
second thoughts you would be better off with a packet of slug pellets!

And 3 x Greatgrandfather probably kept the moleskins to make a pair of
trousers! ;-) Actually, 6d was quite a lot back in the 1800s, too!
--
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

On 2009-06-18 08:11:58 +0100, "Ophelia" said:

Sacha wrote:
On 2009-06-17 17:23:27 +0100, moghouse
said:
On Jun 17, 1:38 pm, "Kate Morgan" wrote:
The contents of 4 troughs have been gobbled up despite all the
usual tric ks to keep the snails off. Is there anything that they
don't like, I am thinking of using plastic flowers :-)


No wish to appear callous, but I find snails have an aversion to
being stamped on. Would you care to hire one of my younger grandsons
for a weekend?

What's the going rate per snail?

lol trust you to ask!

Boostiing the local economy - that's all!
--
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

On 2009-06-18 09:58:35 +0100, Martin said:

On Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:54:21 +0100, Sacha wrote:

On 2009-06-17 23:18:44 +0100, moghouse said:

On Jun 17, 6:19*pm, Sacha wrote:


No wish to appear callous, but I find snails have an aversion to being
stamped on. Would you care to hire one of my younger grandsons for a
weekend?

What's the going rate per snail?

Well 3xGreat Grandfather Zachariah, the molecatcher used to charge 6d
a mole. That was back in the early 1800s. At today's rates that would
be.... err...ummm....very expensive! But then there is the retainer to
be negotiated and the cost of disposing of slimy squashed bodies less
the income derived from the sale of shells to the jewellery trade.
Then there are the fees for the accountant and the tax estimator. On
second thoughts you would be better off with a packet of slug pellets!

And 3 x Greatgrandfather probably kept the moleskins to make a pair of
trousers! ;-) Actually, 6d was quite a lot back in the 1800s, too!

Stealing sixpence got you a free single fare to Australia.

Pity it doesn't work now!
--
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

On Jun 18, 9:54*am, Sacha wrote:

And 3 x Greatgrandfather probably kept the moleskins to make a pair of
trousers! *;-) *Actually, 6d was quite a lot back in the 1800s, too!


When I first discovered that Zachariah was a molecatcher I wondered
how on earth he could afford to raise a family of 10 children on the
income. I then found out that the molecatcher was the best paid man in
the village - he had a retainer from the parish council of £100 per
annum as the pest controller (the PCC had to have a retained pest
controller by law).Then he had retainers from as many landowners as he
could get.Then he charged 6d a mole caught. Then he sold the pelts to
fur dealers who shipped them to USA by the million. Zachariah was also
the parish clerk. What I want to know is where did all the family
fortune he made go to?

On 2009-06-18 11:50:21 +0100, moghouse said:

On Jun 18, 9:54*am, Sacha wrote:

And 3 x Greatgrandfather probably kept the moleskins to make a pair of
trousers! *;-) *Actually, 6d was quite a lot back in the 1800s, too!


When I first discovered that Zachariah was a molecatcher I wondered
how on earth he could afford to raise a family of 10 children on the
income. I then found out that the molecatcher was the best paid man in
the village - he had a retainer from the parish council of £100 per
annum as the pest controller (the PCC had to have a retained pest
controller by law).Then he had retainers from as many landowners as he
could get.Then he charged 6d a mole caught. Then he sold the pelts to
fur dealers who shipped them to USA by the million. Zachariah was also
the parish clerk. What I want to know is where did all the family
fortune he made go to?

Obviously an early example of a SKI. ;-) On a site called Measuring
Worth, I found this
Current data is only available till 2008. In 2008, £100 0s 0d from 1800
is worth

£5,409.30
using the retail price index.

£79,773.79
using average earnings.

--
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

On Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:54:21 +0100, Sacha wrote:

On 2009-06-17 23:18:44 +0100, moghouse said:

On Jun 17, 6:19*pm, Sacha wrote:


No wish to appear callous, but I find snails have an aversion to being
stamped on. Would you care to hire one of my younger grandsons for a
weekend?

What's the going rate per snail?

Well 3xGreat Grandfather Zachariah, the molecatcher used to charge 6d
a mole. That was back in the early 1800s. At today's rates that would
be.... err...ummm....very expensive! But then there is the retainer to
be negotiated and the cost of disposing of slimy squashed bodies less
the income derived from the sale of shells to the jewellery trade.
Then there are the fees for the accountant and the tax estimator. On
second thoughts you would be better off with a packet of slug pellets!

And 3 x Greatgrandfather probably kept the moleskins to make a pair of
trousers! ;-) Actually, 6d was quite a lot back in the 1800s, too!
--
We remember it well

--
®óñ© © ²°¹°-°¹

"moghouse" wrote in message
...
On Jun 17, 6:19 pm, Sacha wrote:


No wish to appear callous, but I find snails have an aversion to being
stamped on. Would you care to hire one of my younger grandsons for a
weekend?

What's the going rate per snail?

Well 3xGreat Grandfather Zachariah, the molecatcher used to charge 6d
a mole. That was back in the early 1800s. At today's rates that would
be.... err...ummm....very expensive! But then there is the retainer to
be negotiated and the cost of disposing of slimy squashed bodies less
the income derived from the sale of shells to the jewellery trade.
Then there are the fees for the accountant and the tax estimator. On
second thoughts you would be better off with a packet of slug pellets!


But then, what abut the birds?? and other desirable wildlife rround the
garden? agonizing death for them. I used to find that going round slugs and
snails favourite places armed with plenty of common salt, sprinkle on slugs,
round base of pots etc for snails, worked well. The old tip of little pots
of beer round sluggie areas worked, too.The slugs love that, they go up the
pots to their own little *pubs*, drink some, fall in and drown... Now isnt
that a nice way for them to go????

Marg

Kate Morgan wrote:

I have never had so many as this year but most are concentrated in one
area, tonight I looked and they were all crawling around on the wall,
all tiny ones, I don't know, goes off to bed scratching head

kate

Kate - For years my hostas have been decimated by snails whatever I
tried - even laying slug pellets before the shoots opened.

This year I tried a garlic wash which was posted on Martin Lewis' Money
Saving Expert web site and so far have had very little damage to the leaves.
Obviously not a scientific test but it may be worth a try?
I have posted the recipe below.
I use a house plant mister to spray them rather than a watering can as I
find this sticks to the leaves better.
I also make it a bit stronger than suggested and spray every week
Good luck!
Jeff
NE England

'Get two bulbs of garlic, and smoosh them with a rolling pin...take out
your frustration on them. Put them in 2 pints of water, and simmer for
one hour. Let the liquid cool, and strain into a container. Use one
tablespoon of the liquid to one gallon of water. Use first thing in
spring as the hostas are peeking through the ground. One use of this is
supposed to be sufficient, but I use it maybe every two months. Use it
on any plant that is suseptible (spelling?) to slug attack'

I have never had so many as this year but most are concentrated in one
area, tonight I looked and they were all crawling around on the wall, all
tiny ones, I don't know, goes off to bed scratching head

kate

Kate - For years my hostas have been decimated by snails whatever I
tried - even laying slug pellets before the shoots opened.

This year I tried a garlic wash which was posted on Martin Lewis' Money
Saving Expert web site and so far have had very little damage to the
leaves.
Obviously not a scientific test but it may be worth a try?
I have posted the recipe below.
I use a house plant mister to spray them rather than a watering can as I
find this sticks to the leaves better.
I also make it a bit stronger than suggested and spray every week
Good luck!
Jeff
NE England

'Get two bulbs of garlic, and smoosh them with a rolling pin...take out
your frustration on them. Put them in 2 pints of water, and simmer for one
hour. Let the liquid cool, and strain into a container. Use one tablespoon
of the liquid to one gallon of water. Use first thing in spring as the
hostas are peeking through the ground. One use of this is supposed to be
sufficient, but I use it maybe every two months. Use it on any plant that
is suseptible (spelling?) to slug attack'

Thank you Jeff, that is well worth trying :-)

kate

"Kate Morgan" wrote in message
o.uk...

I have never had so many as this year but most are concentrated in one
area, tonight I looked and they were all crawling around on the wall,
all tiny ones, I don't know, goes off to bed scratching head

kate

Kate - For years my hostas have been decimated by snails whatever I
tried - even laying slug pellets before the shoots opened.

This year I tried a garlic wash which was posted on Martin Lewis' Money
Saving Expert web site and so far have had very little damage to the
leaves.
Obviously not a scientific test but it may be worth a try?
I have posted the recipe below.
I use a house plant mister to spray them rather than a watering can as I
find this sticks to the leaves better.
I also make it a bit stronger than suggested and spray every week
Good luck!
Jeff
NE England

'Get two bulbs of garlic, and smoosh them with a rolling pin...take out
your frustration on them. Put them in 2 pints of water, and simmer for
one hour. Let the liquid cool, and strain into a container. Use one
tablespoon of the liquid to one gallon of water. Use first thing in
spring as the hostas are peeking through the ground. One use of this is
supposed to be sufficient, but I use it maybe every two months. Use it on
any plant that is suseptible (spelling?) to slug attack'


I'd forgotten all about this garlic method and I'm now glad to be reminded.
It was once featured on GW when the show visited a Hosta specialist nursery
somewhere and the proprietor said she used this method to ensure her plants
were always slug free.
Wish I'd remembered cos my hostas are now bare-stemmed uglies.
vsop