Porcsi JVork for the Monl/i. ^5 i 



Scaitciml suushiiic, sliuw -where the new liow ul' sap in •Julyguvua 

 fresh start to portions of the foliage. Southey says, — 



"For o'er the leaves, before they Tall, 

 Such hues hath nature throAVU, 

 That the ■woods wear in sunless daj^s 

 A sunshine of their own." 

 riiU'kh !J, Kciil. AlI'KED J. JJUKUOWS, 



SCOTLAND. 



The luonlh of August, 1877, will be long remembered in Scotland^ 

 on account of the almost unprecedented rainfall experienced over the 

 greater part of the country. Bridges have been swept away, houses 

 have been inundated, and many fields of promising grain have been 

 damaged to an almost incalculable extent. AVe are also sorry to hear 

 that in some quarters a considerable portion of the bark harvest has 

 been overtaken by these rains, and, as a consequence, has been 

 rendered almost useless, especially where it has been set up to dry 

 too near the ground. It is to be hoped that the last month's 

 experience will have led landed proprietors to see what an immense 

 boon it would be to their foresters to have sheds where the oak bark 

 could be safely dried. At present a great many foresters have to 

 hurry off their bark to the tanner as quickly as possible for fear of 

 the rain, and it is thereby quite evident they are not in a position to 

 stand up for a good price, as they must either take what is offered or 

 °lse run the risk of having their bark spoiled by wet weather. If 

 this rain had unfortunately fallen a few weeks earlier, as it (juite 

 possibly might have done, it would have entailed a loss of a hundred 

 pounds or more to all those who engage to any extent in oak peeling. 

 Well, a good deal less than that sum would erect a very substantial 

 shed, which, with a little attelrtion, would last for many years, where 

 the bark could be dried even in the most unfavourable weather. 

 Eoresters Avould also be enabled to make sure that they got good 

 value for their bark, instead of disposing of it in the haphazard Avay 

 that many have to do at present. 



In connection with these rains it is of the utmost impitrtance iu 

 inspect and repair where found necessary the sides of open ditches 

 running through plantations, as the great force of water will lie 

 found to have damaged them to a considerable extent. ]\Iany closed 

 drains will also be found to have burst ; these must also be looked to, 

 and put right at once. 



As the ground is completely saturated with moisture just now, the 

 planting of evergreen shrubs, conifers, &c., can be carried on M'ith 



