Queries and Ans'wers-. 503 



the watercourses, and the low situation of the meadow, was and is always 

 moist, except for three months or so in summer. In this soil there are in 

 places numerous pebbles, which have probably been at some time con- 

 veyed to their present places, as a means of filling up hollows which local 

 circumstances declare once existed there : bullocks' horns, too, have been 

 found in some small number. Well, in this situation (" No man's Mea- 

 dow," at the foot of the old botanic garden, at Bury St. Edmunds), the 

 fine young plane trees, planted in about 1825, grew flourishingly up to 

 1830, since which time, from a change of residence, 1 have not had an 

 opportunity to observe them. — J. JD. 



Owe of Canker in young Fruit Trees. (Vol. VIII. p. 696.) — Sir, Allow 

 me to thank Mr. Charles Lawrence of Cirencester, for his communication 

 (Vol. VIII. p. 696.) on the canker in young fruit trees ; the benefits of 

 which I hope to avail myself of, in a i*ecently planted orchard of dwarf 

 trees, which, I am sorry to say, already show symptoms of this hateful dis- 

 ease. My only objection to the system of heading down and new-grafting, 

 recommended by your correspondent, is the retrograde movement one 

 seems thus to make : but perhaps this is more ideal than rational : for, if 

 the trees must ultimately suffer from the disease, it is better to get rid of 

 the old branches at once, and take the chance of what new ones may do. 

 Ofone thing, though, I should wish to be assured before entering too largely 

 into this system of decapitation ; viz., that the new wood is bearing wood ; 

 for, though vigorous and healthy, it may not produce much fruit. At all 

 events, the suggestion deserves attention ; and T, for one, feel thankful for 

 it. — Samuel Taylor. Stoke Ferry, NorfoUi, Jan. 21. 1833. 



Is the Gravenstein Apple a Dessert or a Kitchen Apple? ~~Tn Lindley's 

 Guide to the Orchard and Kitchen Garden, p. 71., it is described as a dessert 

 apple, that will keep till April and May, and that may be reckoned a rival 

 to our Ribston pippin. In the London Horticultural Society's Catalogue, 

 2d edition, p. 15. it is described as as a kitchen apple, in use from October 

 to December. Which of these two statements is the true one? — ilf. Saul. 

 Lancaster, June 17. 1833. 



The Gravenstein Apple may be used either as a dessert or kitchen 

 apple. Its chief merit, however, consists in being an excellent rich sauce 

 apple; some, indeed, prefer it as a dessert fruit, but it is not generally 

 esteemed as such. The season, in this country, is found to be from Oc- 

 tober till December. In the Horticultural Transactions, vol. iv. p. 216., 

 where the first account of it in English is to be met with, it is stated to 

 keep till April. In Sickler's Teutsclie Obstgartner, vol. xxi. p. 119., it is 

 said, when well kept, to remain good till April or May. Such may have 

 been the case in some parts of the Continent where they have a dry air, 

 and a steady cold, throughout the winter ; but, in the varying climate of 

 this country, it will not keep beyond Christmas, without extraordinary 

 attention. In Diel's Pom. vol. viii. p. 8,, it is said to be a good apple for 

 eating raw, as well as for kitchen use. Ripe the end of October, and by 

 Christmas its flavour fades. In the Hort. Trans, vol. iv. p. 523., where 

 there is an excellent figure of it, it is stated that " it does not keep well 

 beyond the end of November." — Robert Thompson. Chiswick Garden, 

 July n. 1833. 



Knevett's Seedling Pine Strawberry. — A small basket of this fruit was 

 exhibited at the Horticultural Society's June exhibition : and so much 

 were they approved of, that both Mr. Munro and ourselves have had letters 

 of enquiry on the subject. In order to give a satisfactory answer, through 

 this Magazine, Mr. Munro called on Mr. Knevett, and the following is the 

 result : — 



" I called at Mr. Knevett's garden myself, in order that I might see this 

 strawberry growing, as I have no great faith in samples of fruit gathered, 



K K 4; 



