156 Qiieries and Answers. 



of art, and more especially of high art, ought to be introduced in the shrub- 

 bery ; but, according to the same principle, variegated-leaved, double-flowered, 

 or other artificial varieties of all these species might be introduced. In a 

 botanic garden or arboretum, of course, the principle will not apply; because 

 the object there is not to produce a work of elegant art, but one of botanical 

 science. Cases may occur in which it is desirable to imitate a plantation 

 already existing : for example, where two estates join, and both parties are 

 desirous of disguising their boundary. In this case, the trees in the plant- 

 ations on the margin of the one estate must be imitated in the plantations on 

 the margin of the other, without reference to the trees being either indigenous 

 or foreign. Cases of this kind, however, and other cases that might be men- 

 tioned, have nothing to do with planting as an elegant art; or with reference 

 to landscape-gardening as an art of taste. — Cojid. 



The Turkey Oak and the Korwai/ Oak. — Is not the specimen of oak sent 

 herewith, which bears rough-bearded acorn cups, the Turkey oak ((^uercus 

 Cerris) so highly recommended in Useful and Ornamental Planting, p. 130., 

 in the Farmer's Series of the Library of Useful Knowledge? I have nev^r 

 heard this kind called by any other name than the Norway oak ; and was very 

 near ordering some Turkey oaks at \s. each, from town ; till, on referring to 

 book, I could find no such thing as Norway oak, and began to discover that 

 the so-called Norway must be the Turkey. Js it not so? See the evil of 

 wrong names. — W. T. Bree. Jan. 3. 1835. [The specimen sent was of Q. Cer- 

 ris. We have, in X. 336., given Mr. Richardson's high recommendation of this 

 species, and his reasons for it. — Cond.'] 



What is the best Time to sow Acorns? and honi they may be best preserved 

 till sown? are questions which admit, perhaps, of considerable difference of 

 opinion. No doubt, nature seems to dictate that the acorns should be com- 

 mitted to the ground as soon as they are perfectly ripe ; for they will often 

 begin to chit, i. e. sprout, even before they fall from the parent tree. But, 

 then, if sown immediately in autumn, they run great risk of being devoured 

 by birds, mice, or other vermin; while, on the other hand, if kept till towards 

 spring, and in too dry a state, many will perish : and, again, if in a moist one, 

 many more will sprout out to a considerable length, and thus (as is supposed) 

 exhaust their strength by premature vegetation. From an experiment, how- 

 ever, which I made this year, quite accidentally, it should seem that neither 

 the late sowing nor the sprouting of the acorns is at all prejudicial to the 

 future growth of the young plants. Of the acorn crop of 1833, I had occasion 

 to sow a considerable quantity : several beds were sown in the end of autumn ; 

 others in the early part of winter ; and some acorns were reserved, to be dib- 

 bled in among newly planted quickset fences. After all were disposed of that 

 I had an inunediate occasion for, a large garden-potful still remained : instead 

 of throwing them away, I had them sown in rows in a bed. I regret that I 

 did not note the exact time ; but think I am safe in saying it was not before 

 the latter end of February, or, perhaps, the beginning of March : and the 

 acorns, I am sure, had sprouted out, many of them, to the length of several 

 inches ; and the sprouts were so entangled one with another, that it was difficult 

 to separate them without injury. These late-sown sprouted acorns, contrary 

 to my expectation, came up well, and have made the finest seed-bed of any 

 sown on the premises. Many of the young plants now measure 16 in. and 

 17 in. above the ground, and some few 18 in. In the autumn or earlier sown 

 beds, with the exception of a single plant about 17 in. high, very few have 

 attained to l^in. The late-sown ones, in short, are decidedly the tallest and 

 finest plants. The acorns in question, I should state, had been kept in a 

 common garden-pot placed in a rather damp situation. Does the experience 

 of other planters correspond with the above result ? — W. T. Bree. Allesley 

 Rectory, Dec. 4. 1834. 



Is the Mnrgil Apple so named from the resemblance of its pulp to marrow, 

 that being the meaning of the word marg, margil, or marie, according to 

 Whitaker? — Juvenis. London, Jan, 15. 1835. 



