254 Editors' Lcttc7'-Box. 



Mr. Editor : I notice in a horticultural journal an inquiry as to the derivation 

 of the word " pippin," which is applied to many varieties of apples. There are 

 various terms applied to classes of fruit of which I know the meaning, such as 

 " Beurre," or butter ; " Doyenne," signifying dean or deanery ; " Bezi," or wilding, 

 etc. ; but I am as ignorant as the inquirer above mentioned of the meaning of 

 Pippin, and, if possible, should be glad to have you enlighten me. S. L. 



The word. pippin is commonly derived from the spots or " pips " on the skin of 

 an apple ; but we are disposed to think the original signification was a seedling, 

 as the seeds of apples, pears, and oranges are often called " pips." The word 

 probably comes to us through the French, " pepin " being a seed in that language. 

 This view is confirmed by the fact that " Pepin d'Or " is a French synonyme of 

 the English Golden Pippin. We have also Pepin Cels, Pepin Flagelle, Pepin a 

 Porte, etc., all names of apples ; and in German the kindred term " Pippeling." 

 We have heard a bed of pear seedlings spoken of as "a fine lot of pippins." 



Mr. Editor : I saw in the Journal, Vol. vii. No. 2, a communication signed by 

 W. C. B., and headed, " Beat this who can." The writer says he picked forty-five 

 pounds of Delaware grapes from a vine four years old, which, I think, is a large 

 pick ; but I also think I beat that some. I picked from a Concord vine, last fall, 

 of the same age, sixty pounds of as good berries as I ever saw on a vine of that 

 variety ; the September gale destroyed quite a number of pounds, besides. 



Lynn, Mass. J- ^' 



We are much obliged to J. P. for his communication, but we think he will have 

 to try again before he can claim to have beaten W. C. B., for sixty pounds of 

 Concords is not any more, indeed not as much, as forty-five pounds of Dela- 

 wares from a vine of the same age. We should like to hear from J. P. as to 

 how his vine is affected the coming season by the heavy crop of last year. 



Inquirer : Best Wash for Fruit Trees. — A solution of potash in 

 water is commonly used to destroy insects, and is effectual ; but care must be 

 taken that it is not too strong, else it will injure the tree. Just strong enough to 

 be tasted will be sufficient for young trees with tender bark, but for old trees it 

 may be stronger. A solution of sal soda in the proportion of one pound to a 

 gallon of water is recommended to destroy insects and moss without injuring 

 the bark ; but we have not tried it. We would not advise whitewash, for we dis- 

 like the appearance, and we believe that the crust which it forms, by excluding 

 the air, injures the tree. For old trees the best thing is the wash described in 

 our vol. vi. p. 63 ; but if you have not time to mix this, you may plaster over the 

 bark of your tree with fresh cow-dung. But don't fancy that you are going to 

 make an unthrifty tree vigorous by merely washing the bark. It probably wants 

 a generous manuring ; and if you can't do both, you had better omit the washing 

 than the manuring. 



Mrs. F., Boston. — Your fern leaf is Lygodium palmatum — the climbing 

 fern, one of our more delicate and beautiful native plants. 



