246 EDITORIAL NOTES. [Feb, 



Working-Men's Lectures. — So far as Edinburgh is concerned 

 in reference to this subject, the saying of Archbishop Whately 

 appears to hold good, that a movement amongst working-men is best 

 begun in the classes above them, and allowed to radiate downwanls. 

 In London, Professor Kerr, of King's College, will begin on 

 February 11th a series of free lectures to artisans and others con- 

 nected with the building trade, under the auspices of the Carpenters' 

 Company. His subject is "The Comparative Anatomy of Beams, 

 Trusses, and Arches." 



Wales. — Lord Stanley of Alderley has intimated that he proposes 

 to bring in a Bill to exclude Anglesea from the effects, as to planta- 

 tions, of the Plantation Eating Act, though the loss to the county 

 when the Bill is passed would be ,£947. Landowners, however, 

 desirous of forestal operations to protect cattle and grasses from the 

 sea winds, must at present incur fresh taxes and rates, while the 

 land thus occupied by tree-planting would yield an immediate 

 profit. 



Continental Items. — Peter Asbjornsen, the assiduous collector 

 of Norwegian fairy tales, who was also Government Inspector of 

 Forests, died at Christiania on January 5th. He received many 

 old traditions and tales from the peasantry encountered in his 

 journeyings. 



MM. Eeuss and Bartet, well known to Scottish foresters, have 

 just issued a report of 2 pages, detailing the results of their visits 

 to the Experimental Forest Stations of Germany and Austria. 

 There are now nine such stations corresponding with the various 

 States comprising the German Empire; and since 1872, these 

 different posts of scientific observation exchange hints of work and 

 greetings at an annual congress. At the single forest station of 

 Austria, which is situated near Vienna, observations relative to the 

 various special points connected with the Austro-Hungarian Empire 

 are investigated. 



The production of cider in France has decreased; that of 1884 

 has fallen 755,593 hectolitres from the mean production of the 

 decennial period. In sericulture there has been a decrease during 

 tlie last three years. In 1882, the mean yield obtained from the 

 cocoon in grams was 2 7 kil. 915; it was 2 4 kil. 031 in 1883 ; 

 while in 1884 it was only 22 kil. 16. Prices have also decreased 

 with this diminution in production. 



