236 THE NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [i, 5, sept. 1905 



bright, sunny day is recommended by keepers as a sure cure for the 

 restlessness. It is doubtful whether thousands would venture out and 

 perish if the hive allowed freedom of exit at all times and was prop- 

 erly managed and protected so as to prevent intestinal disorders of 

 the bees. The case appears to have nothing to do with " stupidity." 



Tree Planting by Railroads. The rapidly diminishing supply of 

 timber for wooden cross-ties, as a substitute for which metal has so 

 far failed, has led the managers of several great railroads to under- 

 take the planting of trees to supply ties. The Pennsylvania is plant- 

 ing the yellow locust and certain western railroads the catalpa. Dur- 

 ing this year the Pennsylvania plans to extend its plantations to more 

 than 100,000,000 trees; but these if fully grown would supply ties to 

 this single railroad system for less than three years. It is said that 

 in order to have a constant supply for the future this railroad must 

 set more than a thousand acres with trees each year. 



The Oldest Oak. The famous old oak at Cowthorpe, England, is 

 the subject of an interesting article in the August Plant World. The 

 tree has long been supposed to be over 1600 years old. In 1700 it 

 was 80 feet high and 78 feet in circumference at the ground. It is 

 now smaller, owing to decay, and probably can not live much longer. 

 Comparing with other oaks, the trustworthy evidence is that the tree 

 is not over 500 years old, instead of 1600, estimated on the theory 

 that oaks grow one-twelfth inch per year — a statement now known to 

 be inaccurate, because individual trees vary and young trees grow 

 faster than old trees. 



The Gypsy Moth. This imported (1868) insect which has for 

 years been a pest in eastern Massachusetts, the caterpillars destroy- 

 ing the foliage of fruit and shade trees and causing great annoyance 

 to human individuals with whose skin they came into contact, is 

 again attracting attention. In 1900 the State Board of Agriculture 

 abandoned the war against the moth, which in ten years (1890-1900) 

 cost the State over a million dollars. As competent entomologists 

 expected, the insect has developed rapidly since the work of suppres- 

 sion was stopped. It is scarcely possible to exterminate this intro- 

 duced species, and " eternal vigilance " will be necessary. To ensure 

 this there is needed legislation which will organize the fight on a 

 permanent basis, and a bill which has been introduced to the legis- 

 lature provides for cooperation of the State municipalities and prop- 

 erty owners. 



Quacks Among Plant Doctors. Professor Bessey, writing in the 

 August Plant World, on Plant Pathology, advises that all patent 

 medicines advertised to cure plant diseases be avoided. Write to 

 your State Agricultural Experiment Station for free and the best 

 advice. Among the causes of common plant diseases, the author 

 cites (i) thirst — deficiency of water, (2) starvation — lack of proper 



