116 
QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 
worm hole, or the burrow of some animal, or are trodden in by the 
feet of others. Then the first shower covers them with soil, and they 
then germinate, as by observation in the forests of this country I 
have always found the growing seed so covered, or by the decayed 
vegetable matter of the autumn, thus proving that nature has an 
equivalent for harrowing and raking, while the seeds remaining on 
the surface inevitably perish. The seed of the dandelion will not 
strike its roots into the box edging, until its beautiful wings have 
perished, and it has dropt into the dark moist ground, between the 
interstices of the box, and then the gardener may wish it had never 
parted with its parachute. 
To conclude, I will propose a chemical question, and seriously ask, 
do seeds, exposed constantly to the light, germinate, or do they only 
in the darkness of night receive the impulse, upon the acknowledged 
theory, that vegetables extract oxygen from the atmosphere, and ex¬ 
pel carbon in the night, and vice versa in the day ? Perhaps some of 
your intelligent correspondents will favour us with their opinion on 
this subject. In the mean time, spite of “ Jack the giant killer,” 1 
shall not reprobate the “ noble science of chemistry,” for explaining 
phenomena seemingly different to common observation. 
W.M. 
Insects on Pear Trees, Enquiry about ? Pray can you 
tell me the names of the two caterpillars so prevalent in October, and 
which so curl up the leaves of the pear tree : also a scale which ren¬ 
ders the leaves very unsightly by covering with a slimy liquid ? I 
suspect the caterpillars are larvae of moths. How can they be des¬ 
troyed P 
Answer.— The insects enquired about, we suspect, are the same 
as were figured in Vol. 2, p. 487; in addition to what our Correspon¬ 
dent has named, there is a Slugworm (fig. 13, 1.) 13 
The two caterpillars 2 and 3, both form webs, 
and very dexterously make their escape to the 
ground on the leaf being touched. (2) Has 
a black head and tail, its body is brown, and 
the annulations are something darker than the other parts of the 
body. (3) Is considerably larger, with a black head, the ground¬ 
work of the body being cream-coloured: it has three longitudinal 
stripes, of a greenish brown, extending from head to tail, with the 
annulations or rings of the same colour. We regret, that we are not 
entomologists enough to tell the name, but should feel very much 
obliged, if any of our readers would do that favour for our correspon¬ 
dent. To destroy them, see Vol. 2, p. 487. 
S. Turnbull. 
