NOTES 



Edited by C. A. MATHEWSON 



Instruction in Agriculture. Along the line of the note on page 93 of the 

 March number of The Review, I might say that data furnished me by 

 D. j. Crosbv, based on questionnaires recently sent out by him, show that 

 instruction in agriculture with experiments, school-gardens, etc., is given 

 in nineteen states instead of twelve. It is mere text-book work in some of 

 the normals in some of the above states, and also in others. 



I have records of public high schools giving instruction in agriculture in 

 2 6 states instead of 1 7 as stated. 



Xew York, April 20, 190S. C. H. Robison. 



Edible Trees and Shrubs. Perhaps the most striking feature of the flora 

 of the central portion of Australia is the large proportion of trees and 

 shrubs which are edible. In the western districts of Xew South Wales, 

 where the rainfall is meagre and subject to prolonged periods of dry 

 weather, these trees and shrubs are of peculiar value. One of the most 

 pronounced adaptations is the storage of plant food in tuberous-like 

 structures. This food is drawn upon in dry years. Sheep have been kept 

 alive for many months in this way. Cattle have fattened upon some of 

 the best of these trees. They are practically useless for horses. Goats 

 thrive upon them. Cows milk fairly well and produce good-flavored butter 

 upon a tree diet. Working bullocks work hard when they can obtain 

 nothing else. Camels prefer nothing better. Rabbits are far too fond of 

 manv of the best varieties, and have done much towards their annihilation. 

 Such is regrettable, and if unchecked, these in conjunction with overstock- 

 ing with sheep, must eventually alter the nature of the western flora for 

 the worse. [Agricultural Gazette A 7 . 5. IF.] 



Wood Paving. The first attempts to pave streets with wood, three- 

 quarters of a century ago, were failures, and for years after that no satis- 

 factory progress was made. The blocks were round, which left large, 

 unequal spaces between them. Their edges broke down and wore off, the 

 wood rotted, and the pavement was soon uneven and rough, and, therefore, 

 difficult to clean and unsanitary. At the present time, through the selection 

 of suitable woods, cutting the blocks into rectangular shape so that their 

 edges may lie close together, and treating them chemically to increase 

 their durability, wood pavement is better in many respects than any 

 other in common use. It is smooth, quiet, resilient, easily cleaned, and 

 easily repaired. In wearing qualities it is superior to macadam, brick, 

 or asphalt, and inferior only to granite and sandstone. In sanitary quali- 

 ties it exceeds all but asphalt. [U. S. Forest Service Circular 141.} 



Paper Birch. Practically every spool used for thread in this country 

 is made from this species alone, and about 20 million feet board measure, 

 are cut every year for this purpose. Insignificant as a spool may seem, 

 its manufacture is by no means an easy task. From the tiny spools hold- 

 ing only 200 yards of thread, to the large, three-piece ones holding 12,000 

 yards, there is an almost innumerable variety of shapes and sizes. Yet 

 each of these types must have every single spool belonging to it precisely 



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