Queries and AttsWers. 723 



We shall be glad to hear more frequently from this esteemed friend and 

 correspondent, than we have done for some time past. — Cond. 



Tubers of P(S07iies eaten into by the Grubs of a Moth ; of ivhat Species? 

 — The plants of my collection of pseonies, which consisted of upwards of 

 twenty-seven kinds, had been planted some few years, when several of 

 them died, and others began to decrease rather than increase in size. This 

 led me to transplant, this autumn, the plants remaining, when I found, to 

 my great surprise, the tubers eaten away in an extraordinary manner by 

 the larvae (grubs) of some insect ; and, as I did not find the grubs about 

 other kinds of plants in the same plot of ground, I suppose they may be 

 peculiar to paeonies. The grub is flabby, of a bluish white, from 1 in. to IJ in. 

 in length, with a yellow head. Of what insect is it ? Has any correspond- 

 ent observed the tubers of pseonies similarly ravaged ? — E. London. 

 Oct. 23. 1833. 



1 have known the tubers of pseonies, the rootstocks and fibrous roots 

 of veronicas and of other plants ravaged by the grubs of one or more spe- 

 cies of moth of the family iV^octuadBe. Veronicas, and other freely growing 

 herbaceous plants, in two or thi"ee years form a tuft or little hillock of 

 matted fibres, which afford fine pasturage for ground grubs, the effects of 

 whose ravages are soon shown in the plant. Transplantation, and killing 

 the grubs, are the only remedies I know of. It is just possible that E.'s 

 grubs were of the cockchafers (ilf^elolontha vulgaris and M. solstitialis) or 

 of the rose-coloured beetle (Cetonia aurata). — J. D. 



The Moorfarh Apricot is subject to a disease by which its branches die 

 suddenly, without any previous indication of want of health or strength. 

 Can any of your readers say what is the cause ? — J. S. H. Oct. 28. 1833. 



Packing Fruit. — Wliat is the best way of packing fruit to travel ; par- 

 ticularly strawberries, grapes, and peaches ? — A Constant Reader. Oct. 10. 

 1833. 



Nets for Gardening and Fishing, and other Purposes ; that is, that have 

 to be much exposed to the weather ; what is the best preparation for pre- 

 serving them ? Tar is too sticky. — B. 



Mr. Main has told us that some fishermen send their nets to a tanner's, 

 to have them tanned previously to using them. — Cond. 



Gold and Silver Fishes. — How are these managed in glass globes or in 

 basins, during the winter and the summer ? — Wm. GodsalL Hereford, 

 Oct. 16. 1833. 



Some information on the management of gold and silver fishes has been 

 previously given in Vol. III. p. 382. and Vol. IV. p. 191. 319. 



Filtering Machine. — What is the best filtering machine, adapted from 

 its pi'ice, for cottages, in a situation where the water is totally unfit for 

 use? — A Constant Reader. Oct. 10. 1833. 



Take a large flower-pot, and put either a piece of sponge or some 

 cleanly washed moss (iSphagnum is to be preferred) over the hole at the 

 bottom. Fill the pot three fourths full with a mixture of equal parts of 

 clean sharp sand and charcoal broken into pieces about the size of peas. 

 On this lay a piece of linen or woollen cloth, large enough to hang over 

 the sides of the pot. Pour the water to be filtered into the basin formed 

 by the cloth, and it will come out pure thi-ough the sponge in the bot- 

 tom. The cloth must be frequently taken out and washed, as must the 

 sand and charcoal, and the piece of sponge or moss in the bottom. 

 The larger the pot, the more complete will be the filtration. The charcoal 

 is easily procured, by burning a few pieces of wood in a slow fire. This 

 is the cheapest description of filter which we know of. In the Mechanics'' 

 Magazine, and in our Encyclopcedia of Cottage, Farm, and Villa Architec- 

 ture, will be found several others calculated for cottagers and farmers. — • 

 Cond, 



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