February 7, 1903. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
131 
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. 
The Editor invites enquiries for reply in this column. These 
enquiries may cover any branch of gardening. Questions should be 
put as briefly as possible, and written on one side of the paper only ; 
a separate sheet oj paper should be used for each question. 
Readers are also invited to give their fellow gardeners the benefit 
of their experience by sending supplementary replies. 
Replies cannot be sent by post, even if a stamped, addressed 
envelope is enclosed, and the return of specimens cannot be undertaken. 
Anonymous communications are treated in the usual editorial manner. 
Address letters: The Editor, ‘‘The Gardening World,” 37 and 
38, Shoe Lane, London, E.C. 
Horticultural Directory for 1903 (J. C. Dick). 
You can get a “ Directory ” from this office at the usual price, 
Is., with stamps to cover postage. 
Fixtures and Coming Events (C. B. Myers). 
We intend making out a list as usual, which will appear in, 
due course when a requisite number of fixtures have been deter¬ 
mined and sent in. 
Angle of Elevation for Span-roofed House (Omega). 
Any angle of 35 to 40 degrees would be quite suitable, and the 
last figure would be a very useful angle of elevation for a span- 
roofed house running north and south. We have seen lower and 
higher angles, but fail to see that they serve any good purpose. 
Angle of Elevation for Peach House (Omega). 
The angle of elevation that would prove suitable for vineries 
that are not particularly eaiTy nor particularly late, would also 
answer the purpose for Peach houses. In fact, we have often 
seen them forming a continuous range at exactly the same pitch 
of roof. 
“ Journal ” of the Hew Guild (Interested). 
There is now such a run upon this “ Journal ” that no copies are 
obtainable except for the members of the Guild itself. The 
number of members who annually apply for the “ Journal ” has 
greatly increased lately, so that is the reason it is impossible to 
get one as easily as formerly. 
Proper Name of Fiery Thorn (G.). 
The name of the original Fiery Thorn is Crataegus Pyracantha, 
but there is a better variety named C.P. Lalandi. We do not 
think you should have any difficulty in getting either the old 
one or the variety under the above names ; but we should advise 
you to get the variety as it fruits much more freely than the 
type, and at an earlier stage of growth. You will have to apply 
to nurserymen who deal in fruit trees, and we should think you 
would ifind no difficulty in ascertaining where it is catalogued. 
The photograph you sent was very well executed, but is hardly 
suitable for our purpose ; all the same, we thank you very much 
for it. 
Raising Peaches from the Stones (W. W.). 
It is just possible that the seedlings will germinate next spring 
if they have been kept moist, and under conditions that favour 
their germination. We think, however, it would have been a 
more natural course to sow them in the open air, so as to expose 
them to the weather. We think they would have more rapidly 
germinated under those conditions than when kept under glass.. 
We should not subject them to bottom heat, otherwise the 
embryo may get killed before the joints of the stones are ready 
to burst open anl liberate the seedlings. You may frequently 
notice the process of germination of wild or garden Cherries from 
stones that have been accidentally thrown about or dropped 
by the birds. Peaches should germinate freely enough under 
similar conditions. 
Practical Pollination (W. W.). 
We cannot say why you failed to lift pollen with a camel's 
hair brush, except that both the pollen and brash were quite dry. 
In the winter time or autumn a. brush would usually be moist 
enough to lift the pollen, but a new brash would naturally be 
dry, and we think it would.be a good plan to moisten the brush 
in the mouth before commencing to transfer pollen from one 
flower to another. We have frequently done this, and the 
practice answers perfectly and with precision. Therefore in very 
careful work we see no reason why you should not adopt a 
similar practice. Are you quite sure the Begonias you mention 
eai peifect anthers? Many Begonias do not produce pollen ; 
an under certain conditions other flowers are imperfect, it mav 
be for lack of sunshine ; but if you are a careful observer you 
can determine all these things easily, even if you have to use a 
magnifying lens to do so. 
Calceolarias Sutton’s Perfection (J. P.). 
There is no necessity for pinching Calceolarias, because if you 
pot them when necessary, and give them sufficient room, they 
are naturally of branching habit, and will assume their proper 
form if given the requisite treatment. If the plants are in 4in. 
pots, and the leaves are covering the surface of the same, it will 
be time to shift them into a larger size. Replace them in the 
frames, or other cool structures where they may be growing, as 
close to the glass as possible, and keep them cool and airy. B 
particularly careful never to allow the plants to become crowded 
at ally time. As soon as the leaves touch one another have the 
pots removed arid rearranged, so as to leave a wider space between 
each. This ought to be done whether the plants require re¬ 
potting or not. Under such treatment your plants ought to 
become well branched by May ; and if they are inclined to grow 
tall you must stake out the main branches, so as to give sufficient 
room for the foliage and flowers to develop properly. 
Lawn Tennis Ground (Lawn Tennis). 
We should cerfcainlv have the grass mown with a scythe before 
you attempt lifting it, otherwise it would be difficult to get the 
turves of regular thickness. The long grass would also render it 
difficult to level the turves properly, or to see when it is level, 
owing to the inequalities which it would produce. All things 
considered, it is certainly the best plan to mow the grass before 
cutting the turf. If it were to lie long in the heap before being 
relaid, with a thick foggage of grass upon it, it would be sure to 
heat and injure the grass. After the turf has been laid and well 
beaten it should be rolled from time to time. It would be well 
to give the turf a top-dressing of some rich mould, which should 
be scattered about with a wooden rake, so as to fill up all the 
interstices and broken places in the turf. This could be done 
immediately it has been beaten down, so as not to impede the 
work of beating. There is no necessity for using the scythe 
previous to the lawn mower, jmovided the grass is level and 
smooth, because if necessary you can elevate the knives of the 
machine slightly at the first mowing. 
Winter Moth (Hybernia brumata) (J. J.). 
In any attempt to eradicate the Winter Moth, you should com¬ 
mence operations in the autumn, from October to the beginning 
of January at least. That is the period during which the female 
moths climb up the trees to lay their eggs. They are wingless 
and can get on the trees in no other way. In order to check 
their advance you must use grease-proof bands of paper, tying 
them on to the trunk of the tree about twelve inches from the 
ground. These must be plastered over with good cart-grease, 
and looked over every ten days or so, not only to remove the 
moths, but to renew the grease if necessary, or see that it is moist. 
By thus intercepting them you will save a deal of trouble by pre¬ 
venting them from laying their eggs upon the trees. Pruning 
the latter about this time will destroy the eggs of any that may 
have escaped the tar. These pruning® must be burned. When 
the buds are opening is a good time to spray the trees, in order 
to destroy the young caterpillars which devour the opening 
flowers and young leaves. We should think the emulsion might 
prove serviceable in destroying the young caterpillars, but Paris 
green at the rate of one piound to two hundred gallons of water 
is usually employed for this purpose. The trees might be 
svringed just when the buds are about to open, and again when 
the young leaves are advancing. 
Hollies (W. W.). 
The Holly you mentioned as having grafted (page 96) must 
have reverted to the ordinary green type. If it has remained 
green for five or six years it is not at all likely that it will ever 
become variegated again. If you have no other specimens of 
the tree, you may regard it as being lost. Hollies do sometimes 
revert, like all other classes of plants ; but you can check then- 
tendency to do this by removing any green shoots that may be 
produced, leaving only the variegated ones to continue growth. 
When a plant reverts the shoots producing green leaves are 
always too powerful for the variegated ones, and for that reason 
vou must cut them off as soon as they make their appearance. 
You can raise seedlings from berries of variegated Hollies, and 
although seedlings sometimes come variegated, we cannot 
guarantee that you will get any in your sowings, though you may 
get a few. The variegated Sycamore gives rise to a large per¬ 
centage of seedlings with variegated foliage, and other plants 
do the same to a greater or lesser extent. It would be worth 
