222 The Journal of Foi'cstry. 



Again, in the spring of 1873, about 30,000 more trees of different varieties of 

 Eucalypiiis were added to the two plantations, making in all about 135,000 

 trees, and covering an area of about 170 acres. Mr. Stratton commenced his 

 enterprise for the purpose of growing wood for fuel alone, not dreaming that 

 a tree of such rapid growth as the Eucalyptus would prove valuable as a timber 

 tree ; but experiments recently made demonstrate that it will successfully 

 compete with any of the imported hardwoods, hickory alone excepted. An 

 inch-square stick of blue-gum taken from the sap, suspended horizontally on 

 supports two feet six inches apart, sustained, at the centre 260 pounds, without 

 breaking, being bent by that weight only one inch, showing a strength equal 

 to the average of imported ash. Its specific gravity is 680, that of eastern 

 ash and maple, about 750. 



Pines on the Alps, and in South Gekjiany. — The northern slopes of the 

 Alps and the secondary mountains in the south of Germany abound in pines, 

 and the mode of conveying timber on the Ehine in great rafts is worth 

 recording. A little below Andernach the Rhine forms a little bay where the 

 pilots are accustomed to unite together the small rafts of timber floated down 

 the tributary rivers into the Rhine, and to construct enormous floats, which 

 are navigated to Dortrecht and sold. These machines have the appearance of 

 a floating village, composed of twelve or fifteen little wooden huts on a large 

 platform of oak and deal timber. They are frequently from 8O0 to 900 feet 

 long, and from 60 to 70 feet in breadth. The rowers and workmen sometimes 

 to 700 or 800, superintended by pilots and a proprietor, whose habitation is 

 superior in size and elegance to the rest. The raft is composed of several 

 layers of trees placed one on the other and tied together. A raft draws not less 

 than from six to seven feet of water. Several smaller ones are attached to it, 

 by way of protection, besides a string of boats loaded with anchors and cables, 

 and used for the purpose of sounding the river and going on shore. The 

 domestic economy cannot be more complete; poultry, pigs, and other animals 

 are to be found on board. The dinner hour is announced by a basket stuck on 

 a pole, at which signal, the pilot gives the word of command, and the workmen 

 run from all quarters to receive their messes. These rafts are not of modern 

 invention, and are not confined to Europe. Evelyn, on the authority of Le 

 Compte, says that the timber merchants of China ti-ansport immense trees or 

 floats, upon which they construct huts or little cottages, where they live. 



Scandinavian Pines. — -The summit of the mountains of the Gulf of Bothnia 

 may be taken as the limit of the Scandinavian pines, as from thence to ISTorth 

 Cape there is nothing to be met with but dwarf birch. The principal rivers by 

 which these pines are brought to the seaboard for the purposes of commerce, 

 are the Gotha in Sweden, and the Glommen in Norway. The Gotha issues from 

 the large lakes of Wener in the centre of the southern part of Sweden ; and the 

 lake receives many streams from the mountains, some of which are of gi-eat 

 length and pass through forests of the finest pine. 



We are pleased to see by the announcement in the London Gazette that Dr. 

 Hooker, C.B., Director of the Royal Gardens, Kew, has been appointed a Knight 

 Commander of the order of the Star of India. Wo congratulate Sir Joseph 

 Hooker on this well-merited distinction. 



Rendeking Fence Posts Durable.— A mixture of charcoal and linseed oil 

 as recommended by some, will not enter the posts to any extent, and in the 

 absence of information as to its tried value, the preparation appears to be that 

 of a mere theorist. The common mode of soaking the portion which enters 



