260 ON WOODS AND MANUFACTURES OF WOOD 



of Gascony, the soil of which is very little more than loose sand, similar 

 to that of the dimes along the shores of the Bay of Biscay. Upon this 

 unpromising land M. Javal has encouraged the growth of such plants as 

 fern (Pteris aquttina), rushes, heather, gorse, &c, and has thus added to 

 the vegetable mould ; he has, of the land so improved, planted nearly 

 80,000 acres with seedlings of the sea-side pine (Pinus maritima, W.), 

 and these, when large enough, are cut for various purposes, as railway 

 sleepers, wood pavement, palings, &c., or they are treated, on the prin- 

 ciple of Boucherie, with solution of sulphate of copper, and are used for 

 telegraphic poles and other purposes, while great numbers are tapped 

 and the turpentine is collected in large quantities and distilled on the 

 estate ; the fuel used is the loppings of the trees and refuse of the saw- 

 mills. The produce of turpentine, resin, and other products of distilla- 

 tion is very considerable, and the quality is excellent, as seen by the 

 specimens exhibited. 



M. Chambrelent's collection is of a similar kind, but on a much 

 smaller scale ; still it is a gigantic effort to subdue the vast desert of 

 the " Landes/' and it is pleasing to witness these momunents of success- 

 ful enterprise shown by MM. Javal and Chambrelent. 



The collection of Dr. Eugene Robert is one of great importance to the 

 forester, for it indicates a valuable course of investigation. The speci- 

 mens, he has exhibited are collected for the purpose of showing th e 

 ravages of insects, and the methods he proposes for destroying them, and 

 restoring the vigour of the tree. As this depends upon a sort of surgical 

 treatment of the tree, the jury can only recommend it for trial, the spe- 

 cimens exhibited seeming to prove that it is very beneficial. Dr. 

 Robert's plan consists in making horizontal and longitudinal incisions in 

 the bark of the infected trees, these incisions being determined by ex- 

 perience. One of the curious results of his experiments, as shown in the 

 specimens exhibited, is to entirely alter the form of the stem almost at 

 will, the future growth being greatly modified by the direction of the 

 cuts in the bark ; thus four equidistant longitudinal cuts in the bark, by 

 relieving the pressure, admit of a greater expansion of the wood below 

 the cuts, and the tree thus assumes the square instead of the round form. 

 Many other highly interesting results are shown by the specimens in 

 this very curious collection. 



Amongst the curious applications of wood exhibited in the French 

 department may be mentioned the " Bois durci," or preparation of the 

 finely-powdered sawdust and turnings of hardwoods, such as rosewood 

 ebony, mahogany, &c, with blood. The paste formed of these materials 

 is pressed into moulds or dies, and receives most beautiful impressions ; 

 when hard it will take a polish equal to jet, which it much resembles ; 

 the exhibitors, Latry, Sen., and Co., of Paris, have a beautiful series of 

 medallions and other interesting objects in bois durci. Very elegant 

 snuff-boxes and pipe bowls, made of the root of the tree-heath (Erica 

 arlorca), are shown in the case of Hochapfel Brothers of Strasbourg. 



