Mahaleb Cherry As A Timber Tree

The Bullettino della R. Soc. Toscana di Orticultura says this tree grows spontaneously on the calcareous hills near Vienna, and is extensively cultivated in Austria, Bohemia and Hungary. It is much valued for its timber, which has not only a pleasing tint of color, but gives out a delicate and agreeable odor.

Rain-Fall In England

England is a moist country through the atmosphere carrying so much vapor, but the rain-fall is not remarkable; it is very irregular but never large. A correspondent of the Gardeners' Magazine, at Reigate, gives the fall in 1883, from January 1st to December 1st, 30.40 inches; 1884, in same time, 19.49. This is less than Philadelphia, which in an average of ten years is about 41.00.

Preserving Railroad Ties

It is at length found that it is profitable to creosote railroad ties in Europe, and large establishments for the pur-pose of so preserving them are getting common. In our country where we burn thousands of acres of timber annually, ties are yet too cheap to lead railroad men to think of it.

Weakened Vital Power Through Continuous Forcing

Mr. Charles Henderson makes a good point in his essay on the carnation disease. We all know how it was with the grape a quarter of a century ago, when by the forcing process grape vines were tossed into the market by the million, with the result that nothing but the Concord became " hardy enough," and scarcely that one. Grape culture received a set back from these weak vines that took many years to recover from.

Flowering Of Brownea Grandiceps

People go in crowds to see the Victoria lily, and it is a flower well worthy of a rush to see; but a much rarer beauty is the Brownea grandiceps, which at this writing (March 9) is showing flower buds in the Fairmount Park conservatory, Philadelphia. Those who want to see a rare and beautiful flower should not miss the opportunity to see it. It is of the pea-shaped or leguminose family, crimson we believe, with bunches similar to a Wistaria.

Cypripedium Insigne With Two Flowers

Mr. John F. Clark, Maud P. O., Pa., sends us a specimen of this orchid with two flowers. They are not twins, but the plant, usually with one flower, has attempted to make a spike. It will be very interesting to botanists as showing that the one-flowered orchids were designed to be spicate, but by some law of arrested development, have not the power in these days to do so. They may in the future, or have had the power in the past.