186 Queries and Answers. 



Urge, and should be well drained. During summer, the plants should be 

 placed out of doors, in a situation where they are shaded from the midday 

 sun. They should be kept rather moist, and frequently watered lightly over 

 head. In winter, thej^ may either be placed in a cold frame or in the green- 

 house. The plants ought to be divided once or twice during every season. 

 With this treatment, the plants grow freely and flower profusely. There 

 must, however, be some defect in the treatment of the Houstom'a, as generally 

 practised, otherwise this beautiful little plant would not remain so scarce. 

 When treated as a hardy border plant, it requires to be planted in a light peat 

 soil, and to be kept rather moist ; it should be occasionally divided. It requires 

 to be narrowly observed during winter, as the frost frequently throws the 

 plants out of the soil, when they ought to be immediately replaced; as a few 

 hours' sun or cutting wind would completely dry up the small fibrous roots. 

 Most of the plants of Houstom'a caerulea, which are left in the borders during 

 winter, are killed from this cause, and not by the severity of the winter. — 

 E. B. March, 1834. 



Chimondnthus frdgrans, — In reply to the query of your correspondent F.F. 

 (IX. 630.), I may state that I have found a Chimonanthus fragrans planted 

 in a mixture of leaf mould, peat earth, and dung, thrive exceedingly well. It 

 is trained against a wall of a southern aspect, and has had no protection in 

 winter since it was planted, now four years ago, except some straw pegged 

 round the lower part of the stem. It is at present six feet high, and extends 

 eight feet in width, and is showing' most profusely for blossom. The snails 

 were very fond of it ; but by surrounding it while young by a trench of soot, 

 I have succeeded in saving it from destruction. — E. P. Surrey, Dec. 1833. 



To preserve any Plant from Slags or Snails, I always throw some soot in a 

 circle a few inches distant from the plant ; and I have never found the soot 

 injure any plant when used in that way. — Id. 



Roses for Hedges. — I see some queries on hedges in your Magazine, and in 

 reply I may state that I think no plant more ornamental for hedges than the 

 .Rosa villosa. I have had a hedge of this species these twenty years, about 10 ft. 

 or 8 ft. high, which is a sheet of bloom every May ; and throughout the 

 rest of the season flowers with the Boursault, Noisettes, and other hybrid 

 ' China roses, which are budded on it. — J. Robertson. Kilkenny, January 6. 

 1834. 



A small Caterpillar which attacks Rose Bushes. — Sir, I shall be much obliged 

 to you if you will inform me, through the medium of your Magazine, of any 

 method of destroying a small caterpillar, which has for the last three summers 

 infested the rose bushes in my garden. It makes its appearance early in June ; 

 it is small, about as long as my nail, and of a yellowish-green colour; it eats 

 away the under side of the green leaf, causing the upper side to turn brown, 

 and appear as if it were scorched with fire ; thereby disfiguring the plant ex- 

 ceedingly, and injuring the bloom. I take great delight in my garden ; and, 

 having been much annoyed at this continual depredation, my gardener has 

 tried every means we can think of to get rid of it : such as putting soot in the 

 ground, strewing the leaves with brimstone, &c, but without effect. Can 

 you, or any of your correspondents, help us to attain our object ? I am, Sir, 

 yours, &c. — Frances Barnard. Gosfield Hall, Essex, Feb. 15. 1834. 



Hand-picking is one of the most effectual modes ; but, unfortunately, it 

 cannot be resorted to till a great part of the mischief is done. Has not our 

 correspondent confounded together two distinct insects ? The insect which 

 most " injures the flowers " of roses, by eating into them while in the bud, is, 

 we believe, the caterpillar of one of the sawfly tribe. The insect which eats 

 a ringworm-like course, that afterwards turns brown, between the two sur- 

 faces of the leaves of rose bushes, is Microsetia ruficapitella ; of whose habits 

 a description is given in the Entomological Magazine, vol. i. p. 422. — .7. D. 



Have any hybrid Varieties of the various Species of Cyclamen been originated? 

 — I have for some years past taken great pains to cross the C. coum and C. 

 vernum with the C. persicum and C. repandum; and the latter with the C. 



