422 Foliage of Sallows and Osiers destroyed 



Art. V. On the Injury produced to Plantations of Sallotvs and 

 Osiers (Salices), and Loss of Gain to the Proprietor, by the 

 Ravages, on the Foliage of these Plants, of the Caterpillars of 

 the Insect Nematus caprece F. : voith a Notice, in Sequel, of the 

 very great Importance of a Scientific Knovoledge of Natural 

 Objects to those engaged in the Practices of Rural Economy. 



I OBSERVE, in p. 265., a short notice of Nematus capreae. 

 I am very little, indeed, of a naturalist; but, having suffered 

 from the ravages of this insect, my attention has been drawn 

 to its acts and habits ; and the results of my experience may be, 

 perhaps, useful to others. I have a piece of moist ground, in 

 a low sheltered situation, highly favourable in itself for the 

 growth of osiers. I remember it, as first known to me about 

 thirty years ago, when some straggling osier bushes were 

 growing upon it, and it was covered in other parts with weeds 

 and brambles. On the offer of an opportunity, about twenty 

 years since, I determined on cultivating the spot well, and 

 then planting it with osier plants. A sort of tradition pre- 

 vailed, that osiers would never succeed there. This I disre- 

 garded, deeming it absurd, since they grew freely in very 

 inferior situations in the neighbourhood. The ground was 

 thoroughly dug and then planted. After a few years, the 

 osiers had disappeared, we hardly knew how. The spot was 

 again planted, and with a like result. The ravages of the 

 insect were now noticed, indeed, but still they did not suf- 

 ficiently attract our attention ; and osier plants were actually 

 put in a third time. My attention being now strongly drawn 

 to the subject, I discovered that which ought to have been 

 perceived half a century sooner, namely, that Nematus ca- 

 preae, favoured by the peculiar localities, was the cause of 

 all this devastation. The spot is low, moist, shut in by wood, 

 and very near the southern limit of England. The species 

 of willow planted was chiefly one of those with broad leaves, 

 woolly underneath,* The warmth of the situation, and the 

 nidus for eggs afforded by these woolly leaves, were, I pre- 

 sume, the combined cause of the insect being so remarkably 

 attracted to this spot. Some of the plants were of a species 

 with smooth narrow leaves f: these escaped much longer 



* [Most probably the 5alix caprea L. " The name caprea seems to 

 have originated in the reputed fondness of goats for the catkins." — Smith. 

 The specific epithet of the insect, Nematus capreae F., was doubtless in- 

 tended to teach the fact, that the foliage of Sii\ix caprea L., and, it may be 

 assumed, that of allied species, as well (all called sallows in some parts of 

 England), is the favourite food of this insect in the larva state.] 



f [5'alix triandra, «mygdalina, Vorhydna, rubra, purpurea, ^elix, and 

 Lamberti«?i«, are species of osier, natives of Britain : of this kind, the first 

 four include the species more extensively cultivated in English osier plant- 

 ations, called, in some places, holts.] 



