Chips and Slips, 



o / o 



as a living Colorado beetle. On being examined the box was found to contain 

 a dozen of these dreaded insects. The postmaster at once telegraphed to the 

 Surveyor-General for instructions. A reply was wired informing him to de- 

 stroy the beetles immediately. This was done by administering chloroform. 

 As the box was seen to contain several eggs, in order to ensure that the 

 destruction was complete, it was burned. We believe a couple of the dead 

 insects have been sent to the County Museum in Banff. 



Laege Walktjt and othee Trees. — Allow me to bring urder the notice of 

 your readers a very fine walnut tree growing at Edmonstoue, near Edinburgh, 

 the seat of Sir J. D. Wauchope, Bart. Its girth at 3 feet above the ground, where 

 it divides into three limbs, is 10 feet 9 inches ; the girth of the limbs severally 

 is 8 feet 8 inches, 8 feet 6 inches, and 6 feet 2 inches ; the branches cover a 

 circumference of 242 feet. At the same place there are also some fine 

 Spanish chestnuts. The girth of one of these at 3 feet above the ground is 

 15 feet 3 inches, and at 6 feet 6 inches from the ground, where it divides into 

 two limbs, it is 18 feet 9 inches. Another of these at 3 feet above the ground 

 measures 14 feet 6 inches. I may also mention that there is at the same 

 place an oak grown from an acorn planted by the present proprietor's grand- 

 father, about 110 years ago, which now measures 12 feet 6 inches at 3 feet 

 from the ground. There are also two handsome tulip trees in the grounds, one 

 of which has flowered profusely every year for certainly upwai'ds of fifty years. 

 Unfortunately this was much damaged last year by an unusually early snow- 

 storm in November before the leaves were oif the tree. — SlCoHci. 



There is a large walnut tree at Leversdown, near Bridgewater. Its girth 

 2 feet above the ground is 1 7 feet ; and at 5 feet, 14 feet 8 inches ; the length 

 of the stem up to the crown is 10 feet ; girth of first branch, 10 feet ; circum- 

 ference of branches, 275 feet. The branches would have covered a greater 

 circumference, but a huge limb was blown down a few years ago. — D. K. T. 



PiiESERViNG Posts. — I notice in your paper the advocacy of coal tar as applied 

 to the ground end of fence-posts, making them equal to cedar. I will give 

 you my experience. Years ago I bought a number of sawed chestnut posts, 

 5 inches square at the butts. I applied the coal tar, and gave it time to dry 

 before planting them. So particular was I to make them last, that in place of 

 filling up the hole with the soil dug out, I built them in with small stones and 

 rich mortar, thinking by this extra expense to make them last equal to cedar. 

 But my labour was in vain ; in seveu or eight years they rotted ofl" at the 

 surface of the gi'ound. 



If I had it to do again, I would buy a barrel of coal oil (kerosene in its crude 

 state), take one end out of the cask, set the posts in it, butt end three feet 

 deep, as many as it would hold at a time, and let them remain till well 

 saturated, the longer the better. I would then take out and let dry, not 

 exposing to the sun; then give a good smearing with coal tar boiling hot, and 

 then a good dusting with fine dry sand ;, this would form a body or 

 coating to the post. Two applications of this would be still better, giving the 

 first time to dry ; theu let both become dry before planting. This coating 

 should extend at least six inches on the post above the surface of the ground 

 when planted. Care must be taken not to injure this coating in pounding in 

 the earth in planting the post. Crude oil should be placed in an out-of-the- 

 way or isolated place, away from dwelling or farm buildings. — Country 

 Gentleman. 



To PiiESEiivE Fence Posts. — The American Ghcmiat says that a western 



