178 Notes and Gleanings. 



it is in the former place. Let us have the experience of all ; but let us remem- 

 ber that the lessons of Boston experience may need considerable modification 

 before being taught at Baltimore, and vice versa. 



The Gardens of the Chesapeake. — How is it that we have never heard any- 

 thing about the horticultural capabilities of these islands before ? I for one 

 thank Mr. Lodge for introducing us to them, and I hope that as they gain the 

 intelligent labor, which is the only thing needed to make them the most produc- 

 tive and profitable gardens in America, he will keep us informed of their progress. 



Fine Orchids. — What can be more gorgeous than some of these orchids, and 

 what can be more grotesque than others ? The strangeness of a plant growing on 

 a block of wood, gives the impression that it must be something rare and diffi- 

 cult to cultivate ; and so I am glad to know that Mr. Barker is going to tell the 

 readers of the Journal how to grow orchids, for I have no doubt he will show 

 them that it is a much simpler and less expensive thing than is generally sup- 

 posed. Bismarck. 



The Effect of Coal Gas on Trees. — In our January number we printed 

 a statement, from the Gardener's Chronicle, that Dr. Poselger had shown, by 

 repeated experiments, that the escape of coal gas, in any quantity, was not in- 

 jurious to trees. A correspondent of the Worcester Spy, commenting on this 

 paragraph, thinks that Dr. Poselger's views are widely at variance with the re- 

 sults of experience with gas in that city. We remember well that soon after gas 

 was introduced into Salem, Mass., several elm and other shade trees in the 

 streets were killed, as was supposed, by the escape of gas. And the editor of 

 the Gardener's Monthly thinks that if Dr. Poselger should come to Philadelphia 

 and try the gas, his experiments would take a different turn. We can only ac- 

 count for his conclusion by the supposition, that the gas which he used was per- 

 fectly pure, which is not apt to be the case with that supplied for lighting cities. 

 There is probably but little gas from which sulphur in some form is entirely 

 absent, and a very small amount of sulphurous vapor is injurious both to animal 

 and vegetable life, as is well known to all who have attempted to cultivate plants 

 in a room lighted with gas, or warmed by a stove from which gas escaped, — that 

 is, when mineral coal was used. We are glad that the publication of Dr. Posel- 

 ger's views has brought out the comments which we have given above, and we 

 must conclude that leaky gas-pipes near trees should by all means be avoided. 



Decay of Orchards. — Even from the Pacific coast we hear complaints of 

 the decay of the apple orchards. A correspondent of the Willamette Farmer 

 ascribes this decay to too heavy crops on too young trees, and the propagation 

 from these decayed trees. He considers about ten years the average period 

 during which the apple tree in Oregon will grow vigorously and bear fruit. 



Planting Forests in Maine. — An exchange says that the people in Maine, 

 from whence such immense quantities of pine and other timber have been drawn, 

 are talking about sowing the seeds of forest trees for lumber, and especially 

 those of the white pine. 



