I. AGRICULTURE AND RURAL ECONOMY. 365 



I. AGRICULTURE AND RURAL ECONOMY. 



USES OF PRODUCTS OF THE STONE-PINE TEEE. 



The stone-pine of Europe is applied to a great many uses, 

 some of which may suggest a similar employment of the 

 well-known piiion, or stone-pine of Colorado, New Mexico, 

 and the central portions of the United States. The seeds 

 are considered preferable to almonds, in consequence of their 

 more delicate and aromatic taste, and they are said to be 

 chiefly consumed on steamboats during long voyages, and 

 for dessert at the principal hotels. In portions of Europe 

 the investing pellicles are used for filling mattresses for hos- 

 pitals, and they are said to make very wholesome beds. The 

 unopened pine-cones are believed to be eflicacious in preserv- 

 ing cloth garments and furs from moths. 11 A,Jicfy,lS75, 

 105. ' 



COVERING THE SLOPES OF THE ALPS WITH FORESTS. 



Among the objects exhibited at the recent Geographical 

 Exposition in Paris is a series of maps illustrating the prog- 

 ress in reclothing the slopes in the Department of the Basses- 

 Alps with a growth of wood, this relating especially to the 

 basin of the torrent of Bourget, commenced in 1869. Consid- 

 erable time was occupied by the preliminary surveys, but the 

 process of replanting has already been begun with such effect 

 as to insure the protection of the hamlet of Bourget, which 

 had been threatened with destruction by being washed 

 away. The influence exerted upon population and human 

 existence by deforesting or the destruction of the woods is 

 shown by the fact that in 1846 the population of one De- 

 partment in the Alps of France amounted to 150,000 persons, 

 while in 1872 only 137,000 could be enumerated, 13,000 hav- 

 ing been forced to remove elsewhere in consequence of the 

 decreasing quantity of fertile land. 1 ^, 348. 



THE PROPER TIME FOR CUTTING TREES. 



An extensive inquiry has been made in Prussia into the ef- 

 fect upon the durability of woods of the season at which the 



