NOTES AND QUERIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1751, 13 June 1885, Page 17

NOTES AND QUERIES.

Ranunculus LtaiiU.— The efforts made to acclimatise ibis rema kable specimen of Zealand Flora at Home should be of interest to readers of Notes -and Q series. Mir James M'lndoe, cf New Zealncd, havi"g inquired if auy ol the attempts to o Itlvato this plant in Britnu have yet provrd eucceceful, '•W.W." iv the G.M.'deners' Chtonlclo, replied ao follows:— "So far noihiß* very satisfactory has beeudore; the pl&n'S introduced a Jc-w j ears ajrn by MeearH Veitch all perished, and as no second attempt to brim; Inii'g plants o' it <o Knulaud appears to have bom made, the only other mean-*, that of scedc, has pnrforce to bn lookoitofor h» introduitlou of this remarkable 'nd- boauiiful plant to gardens on this side of tha world. Iho la'e Mr Anderson-Henry succeeded in raißiDg plants of It from tmporte.il seeds, which if still alive, it is to bo hoped have passed Icto careful h nd 3 . Mr Max t eieh'lin, of Baden Badao, p^Btosaes, fir di recently po.nesa, a youug plant of 16; ai.d in the Rojal ■ ardena, Kosv, tiieje are two >ounpf p an'B which we>e raised from eeeds obtiined tnr'-ugh M&pr ;'e<keri i alrer, Svdenham. These two pants are at pre enfc growing; in a cool 01 chit hou-o. whore the ore shaded from dirpefc malign*, and ke»t in a, temperature of 45d"tj to SDdeg in winter The seeds w. re sown about two ye \b 9^o In • loamy soil and placed in a warm house, who'u two of them gerininne*} 10 month* ofier date of aoninjy. Tljo charicter of the seed leaves was bo remarkably like that of (hi common field rauuiiculua that it waa feared thoy were not the right thing They were, however, e^ved and grown on, and in time b^jtan to show that thav were Bonaeihmjr unfamiliar, as the leavts thicken* d and assumed a nieoßn apvv arance. Till i econtlv all the !ea\ es developed by thepe two plan is were eemirotundate, with a w de oinus at the biso axtendlni; to the l«-ftf stale Now, however, the loaves aro almost orbicular in outline, and iho r-iuus is comparatively short and narrow, f-n tlmt iv appearance the leavoH are distinctly peltito This character < f the peod-leiu es, differing bo markedly from the matiuro ones, is somewhat s'ngular, and" I have not met with a similar instance amo" gt,t the numrxoua and vari-us setdlinf; plants which have come under my observation It M? M Indoe or smi other Now Zealand friend could supply vi witn particulars as to tho conditions under which thia rAnunculuß grows, both na*u ally and when in cultivation, ho w uld afford valuable asa'atanca to thovn of uh who aro tr ing- to succeed with this plant What wo want to know is whe her tho position most favourable for it ig one exposed to eun light tr shade, and if the plan* w pemiaquatic, as etatod by some, or genuine'y terrestrial, as \ am incltnea to beiieve it is frnrn information recently received. The description of this ranunculus in Hooker's " New Zealand Flora," together with the interesting ooservationo from Mr M'lndoe, are sufficient to mako ua nee long to succeed m its cultivation. A plant with thick, fleshy concave peltate leaves, 4(6 high, aud bearing tall aoapes, each with aflbuli a dozen dazzling wbite ftowors 4in in diameter, and which, moreover, is likely to prove perfectly hardy in England, would be a most welcome addition to jrarrlenf. We havo the beginnings of the plant; what we wtill waut io Bonicf reliable information on the condition's most amiable fui their Jtill development." Amateur Farmer asko : — (1) Which kind of Timothy eri>Bs saed is boßfc for ary loamy soil? (•.!) How much per ac^e? (3) Does it seed tbe first jear? - There is only cno variety of Timothy, but there aro p:irctla on silo of American and v - looial vro«n; the latter, if in pritno coi.ditu.n nri'i thoronglv cleineil, is to be preferrod. About 151b of soed will bo sufficient for an ncre, and if sown early tha crop, on moderately good coil, will ripen tho firs'*. It would ray hotter in the end, howover, to grazo it with light eWk tho first te.ison, Maori asks whether turnips ran ha g-own co as to come in frr fattonint; purposo* In December, and if thoy cannot what soiling crop is boat auiU.d for fattcnint: old ewes on in Docom bur and Jiuunry ?— If you ha^e a warm Jtiabb aoll, and not liable 'lo savere spring iroatt or gales, early-aown turnipp of wYea-aitrl the q\ib?ogrcr.'.ing ttrtd aa4 large gardea

variefes would give good roota ia Jauuarv. 'Your wi cr ciur.^a will be to put in only a emil! portion In turr.ip, snn<her in rape and the largor portion of the l%nd iv sDwines of Capo barley, barley or oats. By thin ratan^ jou will have a 'uocoaqion ot fee 4, for the j;reen stu»t will I oar repea'od fettling down if \ou hurdle it oil un'J mo7S the Ghoop oft™. 'You will ha c (he fu-ther opportunlCy of obtaluinjr another crop in the season of lye tti'nipa ot i**po to follow the eirly-fed green fctufE We presume tho ewoo will roar lambs, und if j'iu hivo ea ly ereen Bluff fur them theii cond ton a<i w nmini? tira-i aid tln^ f the lambi 100, wl 1 bo mc .mpmbly letter than is usual. Wo wou d recommend a mixture of tares wlih griVn oiwn, tud tho pr cc of the aeed is too high, aud you must provide cheap feed. J H. E. writes : -I have a younsr hone which when trotting ei'her in saddle or hameao overreaches and strikoo tho fors shoes nearly evary step, unless when ho haa a heavy load behind hlfn He has been ehod carefully by a man who once bad a home do the same, but ho still strikes hard. la there suy remedy for it ? S^me horsoa ara incUrable, others - young one*— tret rid of tho habib as thoy eucDgthen. In your caee, have the fore e.hoea made convex inetoad of concave ; the hind shoes clipped at til* sides instead of in front, the toea of tho hind feet projec"tirj> as much aa possible over the shoes. Do not hesitate fco leave the projo tions, as they will only too quickly weat down, but in tho meantime the objectionable noise will cease /. m atkur writes : —About this time of the year according ti ga'denine cilendw?, rhubirb bedsbht,uld be dressed ancr liberally supplied with strong loose manure, whoreas Homo (tardonors rocommoml the rh ibarb roots to be 'ifle'i and 'ett exposei to the wr athor In a d*y place for two cr three months, aliegit g that the latter plan will sivo an earlier crop. 1b thia a> ? Certainly not. It rhubarb roots are left in a dry p'aco without the space between each beiog filed in with srnl they will shrivel and dry up. rhn moUfiure fir /ege'ativn poB-i''S«d i>y tho root in itself will soon be oxhauifed. MoUturo a<& heat are indibpon"ablo. Pull information as to forcing -will be p.iven iv next Garden Hotes. R , fiamaru, writes :- You r^fer tn " dloveland is our President " In the 'VVi'.ne^s o! 30 h M»y as an "inponious m»ao " Ido not ccc aoythiiKrincrenioua in it. Any numbor of words p'-»ced in the same way wi'l tlo the same and tho mode h a°, old as the art of writing. To maliO acom\ile lifiaquaTe1 ifiaquaTe tho number of lofctora in tho w>rds must bo old ; if evon thero muit be two 1 no 3 longer one way than the oi-hor Oars must be taken to keep t'io lettors in diamoud fihaped p- sitions, the flrat let'ex^ being in the centre and tho lust alwayj at tho f ur corners. " Ot i go WitnOs-s " makes quite a3 good a tnazo, but being only 18 b^era instead of 2'i makna a smallor maze, and cannot be read ia so many d ffefont ways. SSBNT I TNBBS BBNTIWITNBS KN<IIWO W I T N X KTIWOOOWITN T IWOGASOWIT I WOOATAGOWI WOGATOTA&OW IWOGATAGOW T IWOGAGO\ri«T NT IWOGOWITN BN T IWOW ITNB BBNTIWITNBS SSBKTITNES3 Sdbsor'ber, Oamaru, asks:— Can j'ou inform mi if any oij.saac Pitmiin'apublicaiions in phennstic lont;hand and phiuoßraphj'are to be procured in Dunedin, an'l where? Also, fcho Phoanetic Jonrnal — The Phonographic Te^cter, 9.1; Exe-cisfS li Phonof?ravhy, 21 ; Manual of Phonography, containing a complete exposition of the syatcm 3? ; Koportora' Companion, 3i; Phonoijraphic Phraso Book, 23; | Key to Ropoitiujr Bxorcfaes, 2». Phosaetic Journal, ! 10s per annum ; pasted, )3j. Old Idbntity. — The loc»l authorit'es have no idea I when thin year's guide fl ill be published. Tho only w*v for ! ou to find out is to comumuicata with the RYith'jrHieß at Wcli'ogcon. [ Ikquirer, Tuapska Fiat.— Our garden contributor ! aodls with the gumming of plums and cherries ia hl« notes tbij week. R. J —(I) Dr Coutrhtrey. (2) We do not know, but wo BhouM think not. R., Oamaru, asks : Can vmi kindly inform me (1) whi was tha author of "Tbe O!d Identifies of the Province of Ocago "—by an old idont ty— published by Mills, Diolr, and Co , Dunedin, 1879 ; (2) if \on could I oxplaid (ho crtTtoon or caricature facing papo 143, termed "Rcc> eotiom on tho Town B 'It," and who t.ho j three i erson 1 * in ii are ? — (') T'.e lato Mr J imoa Bwr, (2) We shall b i «ted to publish aa explanaiiun from »ry i f our readers Inquirer, Invercftrgill.— (l) No induce-nent^hwe been offe fed so far for eeitleme'it in New Guinea. (?( The olimafft la ot course exceedingly hofc- (3) We tlo not know, unless you thould address ono of the missionarleg sta'ioned thero. Snowdrift —(1) The shorteaf; day in New Zealand is tho 21st Juue. (?) Yes ; if it is in our power to do so. Lbx — Orlving stock on Sunday h nod an oEEenee ; but mu.tering or flrafting 'heep or cittle on Sunday in view of a public pi tee would bo &n offonco, and hawkinpr would be an offencs. (2) Yes. Old 'dentitt afks: — A perpeiual lease section being partly (o< ced on the bounda-y by defnrrcd payment settle?' (1) when' would iho e^fi of eai'l faiciog he fayahl?, supnote tho "ecfciou t^ ba taken up next month ; and (2) what would bo tho nilure of the v»]uition of the fencing? — (1; Within a month after. (2) Half tho pn-nent vr.lue X. y. Z., Kenlcy.— We think not. Ixquiker, Winton.— (l) The shipping companies havo tho matter under consideration, butnorhinK definite has as jet been decided upnn. No doubt, however, fuhs'aniial conceoaiona will bo made- (2) DuriDg May of next year. Tuobnbort asks:— What is the hi^bcßt chimntiv in the •> orld ? Wo are uot ay/are, but will bo happy 4o publish a-y i«.formation on th-a subject that may be supj) icd v*. Constakt Beader.--(1) Yos. (2) No (3) Yes ; the only argument mcraioaft a young lady pursuing this c uvbo t'littt we have over heard, ig that it ia tuppo'fd to be " unlucky "so f-.e as her own man'al hot'ea are concornsd (4) No. (5) T*>ey are sup-p-sed to meet a* fcl;e church for the lira", thao on tho weddlifr d»y, but thi* custon. in quite aa much honoured in tin l.reach as in the observance. («) Yo3 ; anything oithor in the shape of personal adornment, or adornment, or utility for the houso.