730 Queries and Answers, 



given to each of the widows of the poor gardeners you have mentioned, 

 Mr. Davidson and Mr. M'Leish, I am sorry I cannot afford to send more; 

 but having a large family, and being in narrow circumstances, I must, Sir, 

 beg your acceptance of this trifle for them. I should be happy to see a 

 fund established for the relief of gardeners' widows and sick and infirm and 

 superannuated gardeners. 1 am persuaded that the thing might be prac- 

 ticable. Perhaps, Sir, you will give it your consideration. I am, Sir, 

 yours, &c. — JD. French. Harlow, Essex, March 30. 1829. 



Hedges made of Whins. — I was much interested by a short paper in 

 one of the late Numbers of your very valuable Gardener's Magazine, on 

 the subject offences made of whins (furze). Having frequently observed 

 on commons, the impenetrable face this plant presents where it is cropped 

 by sheep, I have thought it might be made useful in forming hedges, pro- 

 vided it was kept cropped by shears or some other instrument. Without 

 this process furze would soon become naked, and would be extremely mis- 

 chievous by scattering its seeds on the adjacent lands. Having expended 

 much in raising thorn hedges, I should be obliged if your correspondent 

 would inform me through your publication, what is the best plan of raising 

 and preserving in fences the common whin. I am sure any particulars you 

 can present to the public on the subject of hedges, must be highly valuable 

 to the land-owner, and will always add to the interest with which your 

 work is read by your obedient servant, — E. D. April 14. 1829. 



Ants on Peach Trees, in answer to G. M. of Atherstone. (p. 259.) — Ants 

 in this case are not the cause but the effect of injury. Before the ants 

 become troublesome the trees are infested with the A'phis, /jwceroH, which 

 produce what is commonly called honey-dew, and which is their excrement, 

 to which the ants resort for food. To destroy the A'phis I frequently 

 syringe the trees with water mixed with a strong decoction of potato haulm 

 and elder leaves, which I have found to be most effectual. I have often 

 used, as a bait for the ants, the refuse part of melons, sent from the table 

 of the family; when this is not to be had, turnips cut and rubbed over 

 with honey ; by which I have taken thousands. I am, Sir, &c. — W. Boyce. 

 April 15. 1829. 



Effect of the Sea Air on Peach and Nectarine Trees planted contiguous to 

 it. — Sir, The effect prevails to a greater distance than any one would 

 imagine, particularly when the trees are not sheltered from the south-west 

 wind. An east aspect answers well, but a south one is invariably hurtful. 

 In the year 1812,1 was at a garden in the east part of Sussex, from which 

 the sea was visible at the distance of sixteen miles. A south-west wind 

 prevailed during the May of that season which killed the young wood ; 

 the trees, however, made fresh wood, but the season was too far advanced 

 to mature it, and the trees all died away. I was, also, last year in an ex- 

 tensive garden ten miles from the sea where a part of a south wall planted 

 with peach trees was exposed to the south-west wind then prevailing, which 

 entirely destroyed the trees ; those on the east aspect, however, were 

 preserved in a good state. I have seen no other kind of fruit tree injured 

 by it. 



I have had a peach-house for two years, in which the trees have thrown 

 off their buds instead of expanding them: I conjectured it was occasioned 

 by the wood being over ripe and too hard. The subsequent season I 

 shortened none of the wood, intending all the greenest wood to remain ; 

 but, although in both seasons I took care to keep a good degree of humidity 

 in the house, I have not been able to obviate the same occurrence. 



1 have three other peach-houses, two heated by steam, and the other 

 merely covered with glass. 



The first-mentioned house is he^ited by fire ; but I cannot attribute it to 

 that, as I have been careful to keep the air moist. This house being found 

 earlier than the others, I uncovered it earlier, as I always do when the 



