122 Queries and Anders, 



been given to a gentleman who both chews and smokes. He thus reports 

 on it: — " In the mouth it is devoid of that pungent acid which in the 

 common tobacco stimulates the tip of the tongue so gratefuUyj and in the 

 pipe it is deficient in strength, so that an habitual smoker could not so 

 well satiate himself with two or three pipes of this as with one of the 

 tobacco of the shops." However, from burning a little of it, we think it 

 likely to prove satisfactorily effective in the destruction of insects or plants ; 

 and this is the main point in question. — J. D, 



Burnt Tobacco stronger than unhurnt. — Sir, A great saving might be 

 made, in using tobacco-water for the destruction of insects, by first burning 

 the tobacco; as I find, while enjoying my pipe in the evening, that the 

 tobacco which is half-burnt has nearly double the strength of the other. 

 The waste which burning on purpose would occasion might be obviated 

 by having the tobacco baked on a cast-iron plate, or girdle (a Scottish 

 utensil for cooking bannocks). This may be easily accounted for by the 

 fact, that all liquors, when heated, are much stronger. — R. Bay&water^ 

 Jan. 17. 1833. 



Art. VI. Queries and Answers. 



Refuse Putty as a Kind of Manure. — - Has any correspondent ever tried, 

 in any way, the refuse putty cut out of old lights, as a manure ? Two 

 years ago, I had a heap accidentally placed on a piece of turf, whence it was 

 afterwards cleared off and burnt. Since that time, the grass in that place 

 has required to be mown thrice to once in the other parts, and the grass 

 is of a much better quality; and, notwithstanding the past summer has been 

 so dry, it has continued to grow luxuriantly up to the present time. I 

 intend to apply some putty of this kind to plants in pots, as I think it 

 contains nourishment for plants in the absence of watering ; and should 

 this prove the case, it will certainly be of great use to plants thus con- 

 ditioned. I hope correspondents will try similar and other experiments, 

 and communicate the results. — E. S. Oct. 23. 1832. 



Chemical Terms relating to Horticulture. (Vol. VIH. p. 735.) — Sir, In 

 answer to Mr. Taylor of Aberdeenshire, I would ask, what are the 

 chemical terms which do not relate to horticulture ? There are none ; for, 

 wide as is the scope of chemistry now-a-days, there is no part of it that 

 may not lie within the field of horticulture. To write the glossary, then, 

 that your correspondent requires, would be to produce a chemical system ; 

 and, without having read some systematic work on chemistry, the know- 

 ledge merely of the popular meaning of a few terms will not be worth 

 much. A knowledge of the learned tongues is not necessary to the full 

 comprehension of chemical nomenclature; but I regret to say, that our 

 English popular works on chemistry are defective in one most important 

 point, viz., that of explaining the language which they speak. There are 

 some differences between our nomenclature and that of the Continent ; but 

 the best exposition of the principles upon which ours is founded is, I 

 think, to be found in that first of chemical books, Berzelius's Traite de 

 Chimie, Paris edition, now publishing, and not yet, I believe, translated into 

 English. For horticultural purposes, Henry's System will be, in general, 

 comprehensive enough ; but he who aspires to a thorough knowledge of 

 the science must study Berzelius. There are many books upon particular 

 branches of chemistr}', as applied to horticulture, farming, &c., such as 

 Sir H. Davy's Agricultural Chemistry, &c., which are worth the attention 

 of those who enter more deeply into the matter, I am. Sir, yours, &c. — 

 Robert Mallet. 94. Capell Street, Dublin. 



The Glastonbury Thorn (Cratce'gus Oxyacantha proe'cox). — Sir, The 

 unsatisfactory, and even contradictory, statements which occur in various 



