MISCELLANEuCS INTELLIGENCE. 21 



ANSWERS. 



On Destroying the Wire-Worm. — In answer to an inquiry respecting 

 Wire-Worms, contained in the October Number of the Floricultural Cabinet, I 

 beg to send the following Extract from Kirby and Spence's Introduction to 

 Entomology. "A very simple and effectual remedy for that destructive insect, 

 the Wire- Worm, was mentioned to me by Sir Joseph Banks. — He recommended 

 that slices of potatoes stuck upon oceneers, should be buried near the seeds sown, 

 examined every day, and the Wire-Worms, which collect upon them in great 

 numbers, destroyed." 



On Competition in Exhibiting Tulips, &c. — In replying to the Query 

 which was forwarded to us by Mr. Figgans, and inserted in the November 

 Number, page 260, we give the following as our opinion. Supposing that dis- 

 tinct prizes are offered as follows :— The first Rose 20s.; second do. 15s. ; third 

 do. 10s. ; and fourth do. 5s. In this case, A would be entitled to 20s. and C to 

 os. In the same manner A would be entitled to 10s. in Biblcemi.ns, and 10s. in 

 Bizards ; and C to 15s. in Biblcemans, and 15s. in Bizards. A would thus ob- 

 tain 40s. and C 35s. From which it is evident that A has the advantage over C, 

 in the first prizes, viz. 20 to 5, whilst C has the advantage in the second prizes 

 over A of 30 to 20. If A and C were to compete where there were prizes only 

 given to firsts and seconds, then the first would be obtained by A; but if no 

 thirds were offered prizes, A would not be entitled for the third Bibloemans, or 

 third Bizards; C would not be entitled for the fourth Rose, but would claim the 

 prize for the second Bib. and second Biz. Thus A would get the first prize, and 

 C the seconds. 



(None of our Correspondents having replied to Mr. Figgans's Query, and an 

 answer being desired in the December Number, we have inserted our opinion of 

 A and C's claims in such a competition.) Conductor. 



On the Culture of Cactuses. — A Correspondent requesting instructions 

 on the Culture of the Cactus, I herewith send you some practical observations 

 taken from the Horticultural Transactions, they are part of an excellent com- 

 munication by Mr. Green, gardener to Sir Edward Antrobus, Bart. — " The 

 compost that I use," observes Mr. Green, " is an equal quantity of light turfy 

 loam, and pigeon's dung, and one-third sheep's dung, exposing the mixture one 

 year to the influence of the summer's sun and winter frost to mellow. When 

 wanted for use, I add one-third of sandy peat, in both cases mixing them well 

 together. I grow the young plants from February to July, in the forcing flower- 

 house kept from 55° to 60° Fahr. I afterwards remove them to a shelf in an 

 airy situation in the greenhouse, exposed to the midday sun, giving them plenty 

 of air and little water. The plants that I want to flower the following Septem- 

 ber, are placed in the forcing-house the first week in December, giving them 

 very little water for the first ten days, and gradually increasing the water as the 

 plants advance in growth. About the 1st of February I stop all the young 

 shoots, which soon become well ripened ; from this time I decrease the quantity 

 of water until they become quite dry, in order to throw the plants into a state of 

 rest. In the beginning of March, I replace them in a cold shady situation in 

 tin- greenhouse, treating them as before. For plants to flower in August, I 

 place a quantity more in the forcing-house the first week in January, treating 

 them the same as those for September; only they are put to rest in the green- 

 house a fortnight later, and replaced in the forcing-house one week sooner. — 

 The lirst flowering plants are put in the forcing-house the end of January, and will 

 come in flower about the middle of March. When these plants have done flow- 

 ering, and are removed from the drawing-room, or greenhouse, I pruno out most 

 of the old shoots that have flowered, so that the plants are furnished regularly 

 with young shoots for flowering the ensuing year; these plants are also placed 

 in the forcing-house for ten days, to ripen the young wood and dry up the mois- 

 ture, and are then put to rest in the greenhouse as usual : «uch plants will 

 flower a second time in October. Others put in the forcing-house the middle of 

 February will (lower about the end of April; if then pruned, and dried, and put 

 to rest a before, they will (lower a second time in November, and so on in pro- 

 portion. I repot them at all seasons whenever the plants may require it, always 



