4-70 



Queries and Suggestions. 



Mr. Gray, Mr. Mason, or from Mr. Bates, the celebrated and ancient horti- 

 culturist of High Wickham, who died there some few years ago, at the great 

 age of eighty-nine ! 



" This work might include many scattered and curious gleanings from our old 

 gardens. I will mention only one : " Talking of hedges," says Mr. Cobbett, 

 in one of his Rural Rides, " reminds me of having seen a box-hedge just as I 

 came out of Petworth, more than twelve feet broad, and about fifteen feet high. 

 I dare say it is several centuries old. I think it is about forty yards long. It is 

 a great curiosity." In some of the villages near Northampton, are some elder 

 trees of singularly unusual size. About the year 1688, many gardens would 

 then have furnished one with what is now suggested, if we may judge from what 

 Worlidge then wrote : " Neither is there a noble or pleasant seat in England, 

 but hath its gardens for pleasure and delight. So that we may, without vanity, 

 conclude, that a garden of pleasant avenues, walks, fruits, flowers, grots, and 

 other branches springing from it, well composed, is the only complete and per- 

 manent inanimate object of delight the world affords. " 



" 3. A Biography of some early Horticulturalisls would diffuse much curious 

 matter." 



We should be much gratified if Mr. Felton would supply some of the above 

 interesting desiderata himself. Though we have not the advantage of his ac- 

 quaintance, and do not know his address, we can infer from his communication 

 that few are so capable of instructing and entertaining the curious horticulturist. 

 A biography of Mr. Bates, or any anecdotes respecting him, would be very ac- 

 ceptable. — Cond. 



Sweet Mace " Sir, I have inclosed 



a specimen of what is called ' sweet 

 mace,' a herb very much used in this 

 part of Nottinghamshire ; it appears to 

 me to be a species of achillea, perhaps 

 the ageratum : I am induced to send 

 it you because it appears to me to have 

 escaped your notice in the Encyclo- 

 paedia of Gardening, and I do not 

 find it noticed by its English name 

 either in ' Domestic Cookery,' or the 

 4 Cook's Oracle.' 



" I am, &c. 

 ' " T. C. Hutolestone." 

 *' Newark, Aug. 2. 1826." 



The specimen sent was the achillea 

 serrata (Eng. Bot. 2531.) {fig. 100. a.); achillea ageratum (b) has smaller and 

 more finely cut leaves, and the flowers are of a deep yellow. (I. D. C. S.) 



Insects on Wall-fruit Trees. «' Suburbs of York, July 20. 1826. — Dear Sir: It 

 appears to me from the inquiries which I have lately made, that an effectual 

 method to destroy insects on wall-fruit trees is very little, if at all, known to the 

 gardeners employed in this part of the country ; and if you will be so obliging 

 as to insert in your next " Gardener's Magazine" the most practical and efficacious 

 remedy for attaining this object, you will confer a favour, not only on myself, but 

 on several individuals in this neighbourhood. 



" About fourteen years ago a nectarine tree was planted against a brick wall in 

 a south aspect ; it is now from twenty-five to thirty feet high, and has been regu- 

 larly pruned. In consequence of its having invariably been attacked every spring 

 soon after the buds burst out into leaf, with thousands of green flies, which 

 generally make their appearance on the commencement of northerly or easterly 

 winds, the tree has never had a ripe crop of fruit upon it since planted. These 

 insects continue upon the leaves and shoots until the former turn yellow, shrivel 

 up, and drop off, soon after which, the young fruit, of which there has almost 

 every year been plenty, likewise drop off. About Midsummer, on the rising of 



