The Largest American Trees

The largest specimens of wood so far received by the New York Museum is a section of the white ash, which is forty-six inches in diameter and one hundred and eighty-two years old. The next largest specimen is a section of the Plantanus occidentalis, variously known in commerce as the sycamore, but-tonwood, or plane tree, which is forty-two inches in diameter and only one hundred and seventy-one years of age.

Wood Of The Black Jack Oak

The Florida Dispatch says the wood of the black jack, (Quer-cus nigra, we suppose,) takes the place in the South of bird's eye maple.

Timber Of The China Tree

In the South, the Melia Azederach, or China tree, grows to perfection, and the Florida Dispatch says is of excellent quality in cabinet-makers' work.

Pine Trees In Texas

The last census report gives Texas the first rank among the States producing pine trees, estimating the number of feet of that species of 67,508,500,000, nearly double that of Michigan, which has 35,000,000,000 feet and occupies the fifth rank. Maine occupying the lowest on the list, with 475,000,000 feet - all in board measure.

Sun Dried Wood

A correspondent of the Massachusetts Ploughman finds that wood which is dried slowly in a cool place is better than that which is dried quickly in the hot sun, even though cut in the summer.

Variability Of Duration In Timber

The average life of a railroad sleeper in our country is seven years. There are 2,211 in a mile. The average cost is 50 cents each. Thus our sleepers are costing us $1,105.50 a mile for each of the 40,000 miles in the Union. The sleepers on the English roads last on an average fourteen years, and when properly treated with preserving substances, they last for a century.

Parsley Leaved Hawthorn

According to the Florida Dispatch this pretty hawthorn, Crataegus apiifolia, is known in the South as " 'possum haw."

Some Plants Of Montgomery Co., Kansas

In making a botanical survey of this county, I have found, unexpectedly, several plants rarely found in this latitude, 370 and others so interesting and beautiful that the fact of their growing here may be of general interest.

Gilia Coronopifolia

This beautiful plant, the "standing cypress" of the gardens, I. have seen in one locality only in this county. It is a common inhabitant of the Southern States, extending westward through Texas.

Acacia Filicina (Frilled)

A fine little shrub that has worked its way up from a more southern habitat. With us it does not grow more than two feet high, though further south it is said to attain a height of five or more feet. Its leaves are as finely cut and beautiful as those of a fern. Its flowers are whitish and globular in form.