Richard Geering (Vol. viii., p. 504.).—I thank Julia R. Bockett for her Reply, and if H. C. C. will send me a copy of the Geering pedigree and arms, I shall feel much obliged, and should I succeed in discovering any particulars of Richard's ancestry, I shall willingly communicate the result to him. I have already sent you my name and address, but not for publication; and I added a stamped envelope, in case any person wished to communicate directly with me. I can have no objection to your giving my address privately to any one, but being "unknown to fame," I prefer retaining in your pages the incognito I have assumed. I quite agree with the remarks of H. B. C. and Mr. King, Vol. viii., pp. 112. 182.
Y. S. M.
Grafts and the Parent Tree (Vol. vii., pp. 365. 436. 486. 536.).—I was equally surprised with H. C. K. at the dictum of Mr. Ingleby, that "grafts after some fifteen years wear themselves out," but the ground for such a belief is fairly suggested by J. G. (p. 536.), otherwise I am afraid the almost universal experience of orchardists would contradict Mr. Ingleby's theory. The "Ross Nonpareil," a well-known and valuable fruit, was, like the Ribston Pippin, singular to say, raised from Normandy seed. The fact has been often told to me by a gentleman who died several years since, at a very advanced age, in the town of New Ross, co. Wexford. He perfectly remembered the original tree standing in the garden attached to the endowed school in that town, where it had been originally planted by Sir John Ivory, the son or grandson of a Cromwellian settler, who raised it from seed, at the commencement of the eighteenth century; and who left his own dwelling-house in New Ross to be a school, and endowed it out of his estates. The tree has long since decayed, but its innumerable grafted successors are in the most flourishing condition. The flavour of this apple lies chiefly in its rind.
Y. S. M.
Golden Tooth (Vol. viii., p. 382.).—I recollect very well, when a boy, trying to keep my tongue out of the cavity from whence a tooth had been extracted, in the hope of acquiring the golden tooth promised to me by my old nurse, and after several attempts having succeeded in refraining for four-and-twenty hours (the period required to elapse), and no gold tooth appearing, I well remember my disgust and disappointment. This
folk lore (query lure) was, and I believe still is, in full force in the south of Ireland, and probably elsewhere.
Y. S. M.
Cambridge Mathematical Questions (Vol. ix., p. 35.).—These are so far put forth "by authority" as the publication in the Cambridge Calendar, and the two local newspapers goes; a collection of the Senate House Papers for "Honours" from 1838 to 1849, has also been published, arranged according to subjects, by Rev. A. H. Frost, M.A., of St. John's College.
P. J. F. Gantillon.
Lichfield Bower or Wappenschau (Vol. ix., p. 242.).—In answer to Mr. Lamont's question, I have to inform him that in this city a similar wappenschau, or exhibition of arms, has been annually maintained, with a short intermission, from time immemorial. The Court of Array held on Whit Monday was anciently commenced, according to Pitt, by the high constables of this city, attended by ten men with firelocks, and adorned with ribbons, preceded by eight morris-dancers, and a clown fantastically dressed, escorting the sheriff, town clerk, and bailiffs from the Guildhall to the Bower at Greenhill, temporarily erected for their reception, where the names of all the householders and others of the twenty-one wards of the city were called to do suit and service to "the court of review of men and arms." The dozener, or petty constable of each ward, was summoned to attend, who with a flag joined the procession through his ward, when a volley was fired over every house in it, and the procession was regaled by the inhabitants with refreshments. Those inhabitants who, on such summons, proceeded to the Bower, were regaled with a cold collation. Those who did not attend (for the names of each ward were called over) were fined one penny each. The twenty-one wards require a long day for this purpose, and it is concluded by a procession to the market-place, where the town clerk informs them that the firm allegiance of their ancestors had obtained grants to their city of valuable charters and immunities, and advises them to continue in the same course. The dozeners then deposit their flags under the belfry in the adjacent church of St. Mary's. This ceremony still continues, with the exception of the armed men and the firing.