Queries atid A7is*wers. 6 1 1 



We took one of the apples to Mr. Ronalds of Brentford, who had not 

 before heard the name, and who did not know the apple, though he thought 

 it an excellent one. The other apple we have kept, and it is still (July 7.) 

 in excellent preservation. — Cond. 



Can a Vinerj/ be forced from the 1st of January, with the certainty of a 

 good crop, under the following disadvantages ? The length of the house 

 is 27 ft., breadth 18 ft., with one fire, the flue of which is in front, and 

 passes close by the stems and roots of the vines once round the house. 

 The vines are planted partly inside partly outside, in very light soil, and, 

 I believe, are through to the subsoil, which is little better than sand. 

 From the intervention of a large dwelling-house, and a wall lift, high, 

 close in front of the vinery, I may say the sun does not shine on it for 

 the first month in the year : in the second (Feb.), it receives between 

 three and four hours' sunshine in the middle of the day; but the border 

 in front receives it only as the season advances : the house receives very 

 little more sun, as the wall in front, even in summer, has always some 

 shadow. Yours, &c. — A Correspondent. Si. Andrew's, Alarch 3. 1832. 



So7ne delicious Wild White and Red Berries, not unlike small grapes, and 

 ripe about the middle of August, are mentioned in Jones's Travels in 

 Norway, Sweden, &c,, as growing on the banks of the river Langen, ia 

 Norway. What are they ? — J. X Feb. 8. 1832- 



Insects infesting Cucumbers. — I herewith enclose you a few insects which 

 have dropped, as it were, like rain upon my forcing ground, and which 

 seem inclined to claim all in and all out of the frames as their own, bidding 

 defiance to every expedient I can think of to get rid of them. If you or 

 any your readers can give me any information respecting these insects, I 

 shall feel very greatly obliged. As far as I can describe them, they are a 

 kind of caterpillars, concealed under a fine web, on both the upper and 

 under sides of the leaves. They are green at first, afterwards changing to 

 black ; and the cucumber plants attacked by them seem at once to stop in 

 their growth, producing fruit scarcely fit to be seen. On other plants these 

 insects appear to act like those caterpillars which eat through rosebuds ; 

 they have attacked some georgina cuttings in my frames, beginning at the 

 top of the cutting, and making separate holes, or rather tubes, down to 

 the root. Though these insects generally conceal themselves under a web, 

 they are sometimes found on small leaves, the edges of which they have 

 caused to curl over them. They are very destructive, and scarcely any 

 thing in my garden has entirely escaped then- ravages. — R. T. May 3. 

 1832. 



We saw nothing in the letter but a few green and yellowish stains, and 

 conclude that the insects must either liave escaped, or been crushed into 

 fluid. — Cond. 



Mr, Oliver's Cross of the Cucumber with the Maltese Melon (Vol. IV. 

 p. 314., Vol. VI. p. 302. and 727., and Vol. VII. p. 87. 622. and 718.).— Sir, 

 I beg to inform your correspondent J. C. K. of Levant Lodge (Vol. VII. 

 p. 720.), that my cross of the cucumber with the Maltese melon was ob- 

 tained in the following manner : — I have for many years been in the habit 

 of making a late melon-bed, on which I put three plants, under a hand- 

 light, the hand-lights being placed 4 ft. apart. As soon as the hand-lights 

 are full, I take the cucumlDer-frames which were first put to work in Janu- 

 ary and February, and place them over the melons ; and, by so doing, seldom 

 fail of getting a good crop in September and October. In performing this 

 operation in the year in which I obtained the hybrid, it so happened that I 

 had not plants enough by one pot to fill up my bed; but had plenty of a 

 long sort of cucumber that I had previously gi'own, but more to look at 

 than for use, except for mangoes, &c. &c. Soon after the fruit began to 

 swell, I observed several of them very unlike the others ; they got verj 



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