March 14, 1903. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
£41 
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 of 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 un dertaken. 
Anonymous communications are treated in the usual editorial manner. 
Address letters: The Editor, “The Gardening World,” 37 and 
38, Shoe Lane, London, E.C. 
Palin Seed from New York (ET. Gordon). 
You are quite right in supposing that your Palm will be 
different when older. Seedling Palms in mostly all cases are 
very different in appearance from the adult tree from which the 
seed was procured. It takes some years for the seedling to 
acquire strength in order to develop the ultimate form of tlje 
leaves. Like many other things, seedling Palms have to pass 
through a period of babyhood and youth before they develop 
leaves anything like what those of the mother plant were. There 
are few Palms with leaves so decidedly thready, so that it is most 
likely to turn out to be Washingtonia filifera when it has 
attained some age. 
Stock for Dwarf Apples (A. T P.). 
There are several varieties of dwarf stocks, including the 
English and French Paradise. The former would be most use¬ 
ful for trees to be planted in the open border. It has the effect 
of dwarfing the trees and keeping the roots near the surface, as 
well as inducing early fruitfulness, which is what is generally 
required in gardens. The French Paradise is of very little 
service except for trees intended to be cultivated in pots. It is, 
indeed, too restrictive to be of much value for outdoor trees, and 
would be unprofitable to plant whether in a private) garden or 
for market purposes. 
Aspidistras of Different Habit (H. W. D.). 
Most of the Aspidistras in cultivation belong to two species, 
namely, A. lurida and A. elatior, of which there are variegated 
forms. The last named is a stronger grower, attaining a height 
of 2ft. to 3ft. when well grown. The variegated form of this 
is perhaps the best and most ornamental of all the forms in 
cultivation. At any rate, it is the most popular with those who 
grow plants for market and for general decorative purposes. The 
next best is A. lurida, which is very similar in habit, but 
dwarfer. That named A. punctata is similar to A. elatior, but 
the variegation consists of small creamy white markings, and, 
in our opinion, is by no means pretty or attractive. 
Hot-water pipes Buried in Soil (W. M.). 
Anything that comes in contact with the hot-water pipes of 
the heating apparatus is likely to carry away and waste the 
heat. You cannot be too careful in isolating the pipes as far 
, as possible from contact with anything that would reduce their 
efficiency in heating the house. Soil in contact with pipes 
abstracts a great deal more heat than an equal surface of wood, 
because soil or anything of that character is a more rapid con¬ 
ductor of heat than wood. All accumulations of soil and of 
other matter coming in contact with the pipes should be removed 
at the earliest opportunity, and the hot-water apparatus could 
i thereby be rendered more effective and at the same time more 
economical of the fuel consumed in maintaining the necessary 
temperature. It is evident that top-dressings have been more 
frequently applied to the border than any attempts to remove 
accumulations of material. Where top-dressings are annually 
given it would be advantageous to first of all remove 2im to 
, of the surface soil, which is generally the most infertile 
an.l useless on account of the treading upon it, but more par- 
ticularly by washing with the water applied to keep the roots 
oi the Vines moist. By removing a portion of the soil like this 
you can prevent the material of the border from accumulating 
against the hot-water pipes. 
Grubs at the Roots of Chinese Primulas (D. Wilson). 
Without actual specimens we can only surmise that the gri 
P,lI!uvr 0Se ° f 7 som , e s P ecies of otiorhynchus, most probably : 
ln : fl - e ^t 6V1 ’ m ° st fre( iuently frequents glass hou 
m arrlens. This would be 0. sulcatus, which you might rec 
- nnm by its being black and having furrowed wingcases, witl 
short snout and antennae attached to the sides of the same. 
When the grubs are hatched in the soil at the roots of plants 
the only remedy is turning out the soil, it may be too late, in 
order to destroy the grubs. It will be more effective as a pre¬ 
ventive to hunt for the old Weevils, or even to lay traps for 
them. To begin with, however, you should cement all cracks 
and crevices in the walls of the house where you are troubled 
with the pest, and to clear away all articles not directly neces¬ 
sary in the house, so as to leave no shelter where the Weevils 
may hide. At the same time it will be legitimate enough to 
lay down pieces of board at night which will act as traps by 
enticing the Weevils to hide beneath them, when you could 
destroy them in the morning, removing the traps till night. If 
there are any trees or other plants on the roof of the house 
overhead, it is just possible that you could utilise them as traps 
by laying a white sheet beneath them before leaving off work, 
and then coming into the house at night and suddenly turning 
the light of a lantern upon those plants, when the Weevils will 
drop on tire cloth, and they can then be caught and destroyed. 
It might be well to bake the soil before using it for potting- young 
plants on the next occasion, so as to destroy any eggs of the 
Weevil it may contain. 
Hardy, Half Hardy, and Tender Annuals (S. W. R.). 
The term hardy is generally applied to those annuals which 
may be sown directly in the open ground for flowering where 
sown. These may be sown in autumn, and if left in the open 
ground will live through the winter, and bloom earlier than 
they otherwise would. This would make them appear like 
biennials, but tihe question at issue is that of hardy annuals. 
Instances of the latter are Collinsia bicelor, Silene pendula, 
Centaurea Cyanus, Malcolmia, Shirley Poppies, Sweet Peas, etc. 
Half hardy annuals is a term applied to those species of annuals 
which require the assistance of heat to bring them forward suffi¬ 
ciently early to bloom in the open air when afterwards planted 
out. The term is generally applied to Stocks, Asters, 
Helichrysums, some species of Amaranthus, and similar things. 
Certain annuals, particularly those from hot countries, require 
to be flowered, as a rule under glass, either in a greenhouse or 
stove. Good instances of tender annuals are Celosia cristata, 
C. pyramidalis, Thunbergia alata, and similar annuals which 
are flowered under glass. It must be remembered, however, 
that these distinctions are very often arbitrary and of con¬ 
venience, because some of those things generally termed tender 
may be utilised in the open, after being raised in the same way 
as half hardy annuals. On the other hand, we often speak of 
Scarlet Runners and Tropaeolum as if they were half hardy 
annuals, whereas they are really tender perennials, because they 
very quickly get destroyed by frost in our climate. Nevertheless, 
they are true perennials, which can be conveniently grown as 
annuals in this country. 
Names of Plants. 
(T. H. D.) 1, Boronia heterophylla; 2, Acacia Drummondi ; 
3, Olivia miniata var. ; 4, Primula verticillata ; 5, Pteris longi- 
folia.—(H. S.) 1, Prunus triloba flore pleno ; 2, Caroms Mas ; 
3, Pernettya nmcronata ; 4, Prunus Pissardi ; 5, Rhododendron 
dauricum ; 6, Erica mediterranea.—(P. T.) 1, Dendrobium 
crassinode; 2, Odontoglossum Rossii majus ; 3, Dendrobium 
Pierardii ; 4, Billbergia zebrina; 5, Tradescantia bic.olor ; 
6, Aralia elegantissima ; 7, Aralia Victoriae.—(M. W.) 1, Cliiono- 
doxa sardensis ; 2, Saxifraga Oppositifolia ; 3, iScilla sibirica ; 
4, Scilla bifolia; 5, Saxifraga cordifolia; 6, Iris reticulata ; 
7, Erica carnea alba.—(H. W. J.) 1, Oestrum elegans ; 2, Salvia 
Heerii ; 3, Prunus japonica alba plena. (G. H.) 1, Isoloma 
deppeanum ; 2, Acalypha macafeeana ; 3, Jacobinia magnifica 
carnea ; 4, - Cytisus fragrans ; 5, Arabis albida variegata ; 6, 
Stachys lanata. 
Communications Received. 
AV. Bukinsha’w. —K. M.—Cal.—T. S.— H. E. C.—J. K. D.— 
H. B. Lett.—Mrs. Holmes.—James Preece.—AY. Higgs.—AY. J. 
Bonnington.—G. H.—A. J. D.—AV. M.—R. A. S.—T. E.— 
A. C—H. AV. D.—R. T. S—E. F.—A. N. R.—T. AV. J. 
Trade Catalogues Received. 
John Hepwobth and Co., 9, Church Gate, Loughborough, 
Leicestershire.—List of Insecticides, A r aporisers, Fumigants, 
AVeed Killers, Manures, etc. 
Geo. Jackman and Son, AVoking Nurseides, Surrey.—Hardy 
Alpine, Herbaceous, Bulbous, and Border Plants. 
