April 15, 1905. 
THE GARDENING WORLD, 
321 
dgantic hike in the park. This will give the park an attrac¬ 
tion which, excellent as it is as a place of recreation, it hitherto 
did not have. Besides its value as a feature of landscape, its 
utility for skating, curling, and model yachting-must be a matter 
of very great moment to the citizens. There are at present 
nearly 100 unemployed labourers engaged in the excavation, and 
their thanks are due the Corporation for their sympathy in thus 
creating a really useful source cf work—a benefit to them and a 
lasting benefit to the citizens.—D. C. 
* * * 
Antiquity of the Bracken.- —It is well known to most gar¬ 
deners—or, at all events, to those who have travelled over much 
of this country—that the Bracken is a widespread and repre¬ 
sentative plant. All those who go further afield will find the 
same plant thriving in different parts of the world. All this 
coes to prove that the Bracken (Pteris aquilina) is a plant of 
great antiquity. Many places in England and Scotland have 
names that have been derived from the common Bracken or 
Fern. All these facts were commented upon in a recent number 
of the “ Scotsman ” by a writer who has given much study to 
the subject. This Fern, then, is found existing throughout the 
Continents cf Europe and Asia, from Japan to Scotland, and 
also occurs in North and South America, as well as in the forests 
if New Zealand. Several others of our Ferns enjoy an equal an¬ 
tiquity, judging by the fact that they have a somewhat similar 
distribution to that of the Bracken. We refer to Hymenophyl- 
lum tunbridgense, the Ophioglossum, and the Botrycliium. 
The two latter would seem to represent an ancient and early 
type of Fem to be found in situations suitable for them, and 
where they were not likely to be overgrown by their more 
vigorous and bulky relatives. . Some attempt is made to ex¬ 
plain the distribution of these'Ferns by the spores being lifted 
up in the wind and carried across the Equator in a high current. 
We do not think it necessary, however, to explain their dis¬ 
tribution in this extensive manner, as it is more than probable 
that it has been done gradually by such plants travelling for 
limited distances from place to place. Time, as well as space, 
has to be taken into consideration in discussing these matters, 
and it is more than certain that the configuration of the 
globe was not always identical with that existing at the present 
day, but that land areas once existed which have now dis¬ 
appeared under the waters of the oceans. 
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. 
The Editor invites enquiries for reply in this column. Th“s° 
enquiries may cover any branch of gardening. Questions should be mil 
as briefly as possible, and written on one side of the paper only; u 
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 
enve ope 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. 
Bindings for Fruit Growers' Guide. 
Would you please let me know in the “ G.W.” where I might 
obtain bindings of “ Wright's Fruit Growers’ Guide,” and oblige ? 
(John Glavin.) 
Tour best plan would be to apply to the author of the work, 
Mr. John Wright, V.M.H., 8, Rose Hill Road, Wandsworth, 
London, S.W., who would be able to give you exact information 
where bindings would be obtainable. 
Scale on Peach Trees. 
I have been a constant reader of your valuable paper for a 
number of years, and during that time I have gained much 
useful information from your open page (“ Questions and 
Answers”). Having lately taken charge of some gardens, I find 
the Peach trees in a very bad state with scale. I have done my 
best to get rid of them by washing the trees with Gishurst 
compound last autumn, but now they are coming on as bad 
as ever, and I find it difficult to do anything to them owing to 
the trees being in leaf. Could you, or some of your readers, 
give me a safe remedy to prevent them spreading ? I should be 
very much obliged. (Peach Tree.) 
TVe presume that by this time the trees are in full leaf, so 
that you would have a difficulty in applying anything to the 
trees that might not affect the young leaves or the fruit. 
Petroleum emulsion would make an excellent insecticide for 
destroying the scale, hut we should not think of applying it 
while the trees are in fruit, as the fruits might get tainted with 
the emulsion, if you could exercise a little patience you coubl 
do much to check the multiplication of the scale by using a 
brush dipped in lather from the cake of Gishurst compound. 
You could also employ methylated spirit in the same way, 
dipping the brush in the spirit and brushing the affected parts 
°l the shoots, being careful not to touch either leaves or truit. 
If you have a careful boy that could work under your instruc¬ 
tions, it would be worth while spending some time on the 
trees, applying the insecticides we have mentioned to the shoots 
that are affected. No doubt these are young scales hatched out 
from eggs since you commenced forcing the trees, and if you 
had been able to observe them when the eggs hatched out a 
dilute solution of paraffin emulsion should have been applied 
to the trees then previous to their coming into bloom. We think 
it would be worth your while using the paraffin emulsion after 
the fruits have been gathered, at which time you could not hurt 
the foliage. At the same time every part of the interior of 
the house, including glass and woodwork, might also be sprayed 
with the emulsion, so as to make sure of reaching all the scales 
that may be about. 
Ampelopsis Veitchi not Growing. 
Some plants of Ampelopsis Veitchi put into the ground 
against the front wall of the house about three years ago have 
made little headway and appear stunted. Can they be made 
to grow more rapidly by watering, manuring, etc. ? (W. H. I).; 
Situations close to walls of houses are often very hard, as well 
as dry, and almost impenetrable by roots. It would have been 
worth your while, therefore, to have taken out a good-sized hole 
when you planted the Ampelopsis, and to have put in some 
good soil. Even if the hole was only of moderate dimensions, 
it would have given the plants an opportunity of making a good 
start in their new situation, and if the hole is made 3 ft. in 
diameter the roots would be able to make vigorous growth in 
it for a number of years. Provided the plants have not started 
into growth you can even now lift them with a ball of soil and 
make good-sized holes to be filled as above directed. * You can 
then tread down the soil rather firmly, and cover it over with 
gravel if that is the condition of the front area at present. 
Aphis on Peach Trees. 
We have fumigated our Peach trees several times, but still 
there seem to be considerable numbers of live aphis on the 
young shoots. Next morning we syringed the trees well, hut 
this seems to favour the pest by sweetening the foliage again. 
A good remedy would be much appreciated. (A. R.) 
it is probable that the fumigation and the syringing scarcely- 
reached the aphides at all. What is very likely they simply 
crawled into the curled or half-opened leaves, taking shelter 
there till the danger was past. They then resumed their opera¬ 
tions. We should advise you to give the trees a gentle spraying 
sufficient to wet the leaves ; then get some tobacco powder, and 
dust the points of the shoots where the leaves are only half 
opened, as well as any other leaves which may be curled up 
owing to the previous operations of the aphides themselves. 
There are distributors for blowing the tobacco powder into 
such places, so that a considerable number of trees can be 
operated upon in a short time. Even if it is necessary to apply 
the tobacco powder by hand,, it is astonishing how much can 
be done in a short time. Do not syringe it off, but leave it 
there at least for some days, and you will find it very effectual. 
Propagating Primus triloba fl. pi. 
Could you let me know how the double pink Prunus triloba 
may be propagated? Say what stock might be used if it is to 
be grafted. (L. W.) 
This tree is sometimes propagated by grafting or budding, 
and we should think that there are several stocks which would 
answer the purpose. Being an Apricot, it might be propagated 
upon seedlings of that or upon some stock which is used for 
that tree. Some of the other Plums would probably answer 
the purpose equally well. For instance, the Myrobalan might 
be used as a stock, or if you have trees of the variety known 
in gardens as Prunus Pissardi., that would probably answer 
the purpose as well. If you have any stocks used for grafting 
Plums, they might be employed. The Malialeb stock would 
probably answer equally as well and have a dwarfing effect 
upon the tree. On the other hand, you can propagate it by 
means of cuttings of half-ripened shoots in July. Insert the 
cuttings in light sandy soil, and cover with a bell glass in a 
greenhouse or similar structure. Possibly the ripened cuttings 
would answer the same purpose if inserted in sandy soil in the 
open, any time after the leaves are off, and certainly before 
they are produced in spring. There are several methods open 
to yon of increasing this beautiful subject. 
