Having read several articles in the Monthly in regard to the injurious effect of gas tar on hot-water pipes, also the one in the March number from the Superintendent of Government Grounds, of Ottawa, Canada, I think the writers wrong in warning all never to use gas tar in any connection whatever in greenhouses, as I consider the proper use of it a great saving in the building and repair of houses, and will give you my experience in support of my belief. First, will slate my houses are bank houses, the walls being of stone and about level with the ground, the sill of wood resting on the wall. Five years ago I rebuilt one house that had been built four years; the sill ends of rafter, also rail of sash resting on the sill, were rotten. Having seen the effect of gas tar in preserving wood when exposed to dampness, I determined to try it; having my frames prepared before placing it, I gave the sill ends of rafters, also lower rail of sash, two heavy coats of hot tar; building new benches I treated the ends of posts and the bottom of benches, - in short, all the wood where moisture was liable to remain, - the same, and today, after five years, the parts thus treated are apparently as sound as ever.

Since then I have used it in repairing of benches and keeping it on hand for that purpose, have never experienced detriment from its use, and after two or three days all traces of unpleasant odor disappear. I would say that in connection with the tar I give it a heavy sprinkling of coarse sand. I am satisfied that the use of it has saved me many dollars as well as much hard labor. I can readily understand that it might injure by being on the heating pipes where the heat was sufficient to melt or burn it off, but if used as I have mentioned there is no danger, and it is certainly a great saving in time and money in the building and repair of houses. Foliet, Ills., March 15th, 1885. [It is too often the case that evils incident to the use of an article, obscure the real good it may do. The worst decay in lumber comes from fungus, or as some would say dry or wet rot. But this fungus cannot grow when gas tar is present. Mr. Starr makes a good point here for gas tar. But it must also be remembered that the dark color of tar absorbs heat, and therefore tar is only a preservative when it is used in the shade. A tarred fence or a tarred roof will not last as long as one untarred, because the sun's heat really chars the wood, and causes it to crumble very fast. The charring is worse than fungus.

For fence posts under ground, as well as for the purposes noted by our correspondent, gas tar is a very useful article. - Ed. G. M].