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being protected by walls up to a height of 10,000 feet. These walls 
are 44 feet wide on the top and more below and cost about 64 francs a 
cubic metre. Already about 320,000 francs have been spent and 
100,000 Cembran pines have been planted. 
In addition to the forest areas above mentioned, protective works 
at Thusis were examined, and a visit was paid to one of the town 
forests of Lucerne. The botanical gardens and town gardens of 
Zurich and Berne were visited, also the experimental forest garden 
at Adlisberg and a paper factory at Landquart. ae 
e forest garden at Adlisberg is under the direction of 
Prof. Engler, and he is conducting numerous experiments with 
seeds of Scots pine and spruce. Seeds have been collected from 
ment with seed from the same regions is being conducted in 
Scotland. Other trees under observation are oak, sycamore and 
arch. 
A very interesting group of abnormal spruce was pointed out by 
Prof. Engler. ese plants are now 13 years old and all originated 
from seed from one mother tree. This tree had a normal leader 
with a curious bunchy branch system. The seedlings are of three 
distinct types. About 16 per cent. are of normal habit with single 
trunks, 31 per cent. have developed several trunks from the base, 
whilst 53 per cent. form dense, round, cushion-like plants. There 
are minor variations which make it possible to select forms which 
could be substituted for almost all of the named garden varieties. 
e Botanic Garden of Zurich, over which we were conducted 
by Prof. Schinz, is arranged solely for teaching purposes and 
plants exhibiting different peculiarities of growth, leafage, flowering, 
&c., are arranged in distinct groups. e Garden, however, 
appears to be much too small for what is required of it and a con- 
siderable amount of overcrowding is apparent. 
The Zurich town gardens are interesting and contain a number 
of fine trees, notably Acer dasycarpum, Paulownia imperialis, 
Catalpa bignonioides, Cedrela sinensis and Tilia argentea. 
In conclusion I have to express my gratitude to the various con- 
ductors, who were unsparing in their attentions and always ready to 
respond when explanations were required, 
XLVI—MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 
Mr. J. W. Matraews.—We learn that Mr. J. W. Matthews, 
who, on leaving Kew in 1895, was appointed to the post of 
Assistant in the Municipal Gardens, Cape Town, 8. Africa, has 
been appointed. Curator of the newly founded National Botanic 
Garden of S. Africa which is being established at Kirstenbosch. 
Economic Notes, Hull_—To those interested in the commerce of 
this country a visit to any large shipping port offers much of 
interest, 
