238 SCIENTIFIC NOTES. 



economical adaptation oi it. When the Prussian Government shall 

 have wholly emancipated its industrial interests from the fiscal restric- 

 tions still imposed on imports, and of this there seems to be an early 

 probability, we may expect from the genius of the country a progress 

 such as has already obtained in those producing countries which have 

 adopted the principle in all its integrity and fulness. 



Algeria, Belgium, &c. — Having now noticed at some length the 

 present condition of this class of manufacture in the ten principal con- 

 tributing countries, it remains that a few words should be said of some 

 others which are only nominally so. These are — Algeria, from which 

 there are 38 exhibitors, which appear under one number, viz., 3613 ; 

 Belgium, from which there are 6 ; China, 2 ; Greece, 10 ; India, 1 ; 

 Portugal, 19 ; Rome, 3 ; Sweden, 3 : making together 82 exhibitors, or 

 only about one-eighth of the whole contribution to this department. 



It would not, however, be just to these countries not to mention that 

 some of them, as India, China, and Algeria, exhibit collectively under 

 one or two numbers, and that the goods shown, especially by the first, 

 are worthy of special inspection : that some, as Portugal, Sweden, Bel- 

 gium, and Borne, either from climate or political impediments, cannot 

 yet enter the field of competition with countries more favourably 

 situated ; and that of Greece, though the promise of future commerce is 

 great, it is yet, as a silk-producing country, in its infancy. 



Medals were awarded to six, and Honourable Mention made of seven 

 of these eighty-two contributions. 



The whole result of the awards in Class XX., is that out of 639 

 exhibitors, Medals are assigned to 204, and Honourable Mention made 

 of 193. 



Irirtiiiiir Jte. 



Paper. — Among the botanical specimens sent over from Japan to the 

 Societe d'Acclimatation by M. Eugene Simon, there are a few young 

 trees, out of the bark of which the Japanese make very good and strong 

 paper. In China the bark of the Broussonetia papyri/era, a kind of mul- 

 berry tree, is used. That of Japan is a variety of the species to which 

 Von Siebold has given the name of the Broussonetia Kaminoki. Consi- 

 dering the difficulty of meeting the demand for rags, which are sold at 

 about 21. per cwt., the bark of this tree imported from Japan would prove 

 extremely valuable to the paper trade, inasmuch as it would not cost 

 more than half that price. The Broussonetia Kaminoki might be easily 

 acclimatised in various parts of Europe ; it prefers a stony soil, especially 



