Queries, Answers, Remarks, ^c. 
227 
and prevent much disappointment to those, who, like myself, (I trust a numerous 
class of your readers,) are novices in the practical part of gardening, and merely 
cultivate a small spot, as a healthy relaxation from the cares and toils of mercan¬ 
tile and mechanical pursuits. I remain. Gentlemen, your obedient servant, 
Hackney, Sept. 1, 1831. N. 
Vegetable Marrow. —Gentlemen, the Vegetable Marrow is said to be a very 
wholesome vegetable, of which little use is yet made. Would it be possible for 
cottagers to cultivate it, or does it require much care or skill? Perhaps in the 
next number of your very valuable work you will kindly give some hints on the 
subject. 
(SV/Rf., 1831. * A Constant Reader. 
Propagating the Cactus by Seed. —All the works on Horticulture that have 
come within my reach I have examined, in order to ascertain what is the method 
of propagating the different species of Cactus by seeds ; however, I find nothing 
mentioned by any of them in these works. 1 have just collected a quantity of .seed 
from the Cdctns Jenkhisdnia, perhaps some of your Correspondents will inform me 
what method I shall pursue with it? 
S-. 
Gabriel-Hounds. —At night, particularly towards the latter end of Autumn, 
there are sounds in the air very similar to the cry of a pack of hounds; they appear 
to me to proceed from some kind of birds, they are called by the country people 
here ‘‘Gabriel-Hounds,” and there is a popular tradition amongst them, that when¬ 
ever these are beard, it is a sure token of death to some person in the village.— 
Pray what birds are they ? > 
Sept. 14. S. H. 
Gooseberries. —We particularly recommend Mr. Muscroft’sarticle on the Cul¬ 
tivation of the Gooseberry, (in our present number, page 202) to the attention of 
our correspondent J. B., at the end of which, he will find a list of the most valu¬ 
able Gooseberries, which we consider may be purchased at almost any nursery. 
We visited Mr. Muscroft this last summer, and we conceive him to be tinques- 
tionably, the best Gooseberry-grower we ever saw. 
Conductors. 
Strawberries. —Is it true, that the plant nearest the parent, on a Strawberry 
runner, is not by any means so productive of fruit as those near the extre¬ 
mities of the runner. A friend of mine who has tried the experiment, assures 
me that such is the case ; if any of your readers have adopted the same 
experiment, the I'esults I am sure would be very acceptable to your readers. 
If it proves to be correct, what a field of enquiry will it open to the Physiolo¬ 
gist, and how valuable will be the discovery, to the lovers of this exquisite 
fruit. I am satisfied a great deal has yet to be learned respecting the straw¬ 
berry. W. S. 
Answer.—It seems to us, that the friend of our correspondent must be quite 
in error, it has always been the practice of experienced gardeners to choose the 
first runners, being the strongest and best plants for making new plantations, 
however, we will not contradict the statement until we have proved it by ex¬ 
periment, we hope to receive other opinions on the subject.—C onductors’. 
