LETTER XXXV 



Railway Banks Conflagrations Wild Clematis : its Incombustible 

 Character Theories of Evolutionists as to Flowers Flowers : 

 their Glory and Beauty. 



i$th August 1892. 



DEAR MARCO In travelling lately by rail- 

 way during the very dry weather, I could 

 not help noticing the destruction caused by 

 sparks from the engine amongst grass, 

 weeds, and hedges on the banks at the sides. 

 On the Great Western the banks are gener- 

 ally bordered by a quickset hedge and 

 posts and rails. The hedge in dry, hot 

 weather catches fire very easily, and men 

 have sometimes to be placed along the 

 line to watch the hedge, in order to whip 

 out the flames and prevent them spreading 

 through to the standing corn. In many 

 places one sees burnt patches and gaps, the 



