Editorial Notes. 151 



In Scotland and in the north of England, so far as we can learn, 

 the season, although late in beginning and soon over, has been an 

 excellent one, and many foresters have been able to strip and save a 

 large quantity of bark in first rate order. In many places the sap 

 did not flow sufficiently to make the bark run till the first week in 

 June, but genial weather having set in during the last week of May, 

 the sap came away with a rusii, and all hands were soon busy felling 

 and stripping with great exi)edilion under very favourable circum- 

 stances ; consequently, the baik has been saved in a superior con- 

 dition, and connnands a good price in the market. 



Our information from Ireland upon the subject is not so full as we 

 hope it will be by another year, but from all we have heard the 

 season has not been too favourable for bark curing in that dripping 

 atmosphere. In the mild and equitable climate of the Green Isle 

 there is generally no diiiicnlty in getting the bark to run freely, but 

 in such a moist climate the curing of it properly is the great obstacle 

 to be overcome, yet with good arraugemejit and prompt energy and 

 activity, we have seen as fine saved samples of Irish oak bark as we 

 have ever seen produced in Great Britain. 



From all tlie information we have been able to gather, the prices 

 realized for bark have been, as we have already stated, fully up to the 

 average of recent years. In a few cases we heard of a rise of 5s. to 

 2O3. per ton upon the prices obtained a twelvemonth ago, but more 

 report a slight or no advance, although in no single instance have we 

 heard of a falling off from last year's prices. We may, therefore, on 

 the whole congratulate foresters on having had a fairly successful and 

 remunerative bark harvest, although the higli war prices that were at 

 one time anticipated have not been realized. 



A CONSIDERABLE auiouut of discussion has l)een going on of late 

 in reference to the distinctive characteristics of three so called 

 species of firs, — AVics Englcmanni, A. Mcnziesii, and A. Parnjana, 

 the difference between which is made out to be sufficiently distinct 

 and permanent to justify naming them, for all useful purposes if not 

 botanically, as perfectly distinct kinds, Abies Pamjana being the 

 most suitable of the three for the climate of this country. The 

 Garde^iers Chronicle, commenting upon the subject, says : '• AVe have 

 just seen and compared in the Knap Hill Nursery the three firs 

 including Abies Parryana, respecting which a discussion has been 

 going on in our pages since we took occasion some time ago to 

 mention the peculiar beauty of a plant of the latter from Professor 

 Sargent's garden, which was then, and is now, in Mr. Waterer's 



