82 Foreign Notices : — Trance. 



bracteas, and in the entire freedom from hairs of every part of the surface of 

 the plant, the margins of the sheath alone being ciliated." It is a native of 

 Texas, where it was found by Mr. Drummond. In the Glasgow Botanic Gar- 

 den, it flowered in August and September, under a cool frame. i^Bot, Mag., 

 Jan,) 



MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. 



Art. I. Foreign Notices. 



FRANCE. 



The exotic Trees bloivn down in the Park at Versailles are not very nu- 

 merous ; because some of the largest trees in that park are deciduous cy- 

 presses, and these are among the most powerful of all trees for resisting 

 storms of wind. A good many white poplars and elms have been blown 

 down, and some lime trees j but, on the whole, I believe the damage in 

 France has been less than in England ; because, the truth is, we have few old 

 trees of any kind. — J. B. Paris, Dec. 21. 1836. 



Si72gular Phenomena in the Vegetation of Trees. — More than a month ago, 

 the trees of the pubhc walks and gardens in and about Paris had ripened 

 their wood and lost all their leaves ; but they have now budded afresh, and 

 are covered with a fine green velvety foliage like that of spring. (^Hermes, 

 Nov. 19. 1836.) 



A Lime Tree in Lorraine, in a village near Salins, is supposed to be 

 800 years old. It is 10 ft. high from the ground to the commencement of the 

 branches, by 35 ft. in circumference. Its trunk is hollow, and a door has been 

 cut in it, by which means eight people have dined within it, seated at a round 

 table. {Hermes.) 



Parish Libraries. — The Minister of Public Instruction is at present occu- 

 pied with measures the result of which will be the establishment of a small 

 library, not only in every town, but in every village, in France. {Hermes, 

 Nov. 26. 1836.) 



BELGIUM. 



Ghent, Dec. 1831. — Our new local for the exhibition of plants is now 

 completed, and, I believe, will be capable of containing 8000 plants. The 

 building itself consists of a cafe, an exhibition-room, and concert and 

 ball-rooms j to all of which members of our Society are admitted. On the 

 10th of next March our first exhibition will take place, when upwards of fifty 

 prizes will be distributed ; and, it being the first exhibition in our new build- 

 ing, it will be very grand. Most of the prizes are open to all the world ; and 

 there will be a splendid banquet. The Brussels Botanic Garden is now under 

 the direction of M. Van Houtte, who has lately returned from Brazil ; and, 

 the funds not being very well supplied for the carrying on of the establish- 

 ment, a kind of flower bazaar is established in the houses for the sale of 

 plants. Of this the gardeners in the neighbourhood complain, and with 

 reason : nevertheless, unless such were the case, the establishment would run 

 the risk of being ruined; for the municipality of Brussels is too much in debt 

 to be more liberal, and the government will not advance a sufficient sum of 

 money. At Ghent, we have got M. Donkelaar for our director and gardener 

 in chief. The garden is much improved ; and the town has built a new span- 

 roofed propagating-house, to be heated with hot water, much too large for 

 the garden ; but, as only about 30/. is allowed to the head gardener, I believe 

 it is intended to permit M. Donkelaar to sell, for his own profit, such plants 

 as he himself propagates, provided specimens of each plant are kept for the 

 botanic establishment. This is, certainly, better than being without a botanic 

 establishment, but, at the same time, gives poor encouragement to the com- 

 mercial gardener, who, at Ghent and still more at Brussels, has the govern- 



