604 EDITORIAL NOTES. [Feb. 



in India at present. It is proposed to show a collection of Indian 

 ants, some of which are regularly eaten by the hill tribes ; and it 

 will be attempted to add to the interest of this subject by exhibits 

 of ants' nests and hillocks in their complete and natural condition. 



On account of the increasing demand for silk, efforts are being 

 made, under the extra forest products section, to bring together a 

 complete collection of silk-worms other than the mulberry silk 

 insect, with the view of increasing the source of supply ; and the 

 Eevenue and Agricultural Department offers to place special funds 

 at the disposal of forest officers who will give this subject their 

 special attention. 



Iron versus Wood Eailway Sleepers. — At a Eailway Congress 

 recently held at Brussels, the question as to the economy and 

 desirability of employing iron in the place of wooden sleepers for 

 railways was discussed. The Congress was fairly representative of 

 railway interests in all parts of the world. It was stated that iron 

 sleepers were being used in Holland and in India to a large extent, 

 and to a more limited extent and experimentally in England and 

 Belgium and other countries. In India and in Holland it was 

 considered that the result of the experiments was satisfactory, 

 especially in the former country, where white ants make sucli 

 havoc of the wooden sleepers. In Egypt, on the other hand, it 

 was not considered that iron could be advantageously employed for 

 the purpose, owing to the rapid corrosion of it when brought in 

 contact with sand. The cost of iron sleepers it was found was 

 much higher than tliat of wood ; they required superior ballast, and 

 it was considered that experience as to their duration and mainten- 

 ance was insufficient to enable the Congress to come to a specific 

 conclusion regarding their actual economy and general fitness as a 

 substitute for wooden sleepers. 



