Foreign Notices : — France. 205 



" About the time that the trees are coming into leaf they make their escape : 

 but they do not now commence spinning webs; they cannot yet eat the 

 epidermis of the leaves, and they require some protection from the cold and 

 rain, which their tender frames are not yet fitted to endure ; to effect which 

 they mine into the leaves, eating the parenchyma [cellular tissue] only, and 

 leaving the epidermis untouched. 



" Having acquired sufficient strength to withstand the vicissitudes of the 

 atmosphere, and to devour the epidermis of the leaves, they make their way 

 out; and the anxious gardener,.who has hitherto only observed the brownness 

 of the leaves, caused by the mining, but which is by him attributed to the 

 withering blast of an easterly wind, is astounded when he perceives myriads 

 of caterpillars swarming on the trees, and proceeding with alarming rapidity 

 in their devastating course. The fact of their mining sufficiently explains the 

 reason of their sudden appearance : it shows how one day not a single cater- 

 pillar may be visible on the trees, and the next they may be swarming with larvae 

 of so large a size as to rebut the idea of their having been recently hatched." 

 Besides, their latter habit of feeding on the leaves externally is so little like 

 their former one of feeding on them internally, that any one who had not 

 satisfied himself by examination that both habits are proper to the same 

 caterpillars would scarcely suppose this to be the case. While the cater- 

 pillars are within the leaves, they are " of a yellowish colour, though they 

 become darker at each change of skin. It is in this state that I would recom- 

 mend their destruction, by gathering and burning every leaf which by its 

 outward appearance betrays the internal ravages. Their nests are so difRcult 

 to discover, that searching for them seems entirely out of the question, and I am 

 much afraid that, could any wash be conveniently applied to the small twigs, 

 whatever might be sufficiently powerful to penetrate the glutinous covering 

 would at the same time injure the tree. 



" The future proceedings of the insects, while they cover the trees with 

 their webs, have been so well described by others, and are altogether so well 

 known, as to need no description here. 



" Having satiated themselves with the growing hopes of the gardener, who 

 endeavours, but in vain, to stop their destructive career, they prepare for the 

 pupa state by spinning strong white cocoons of an ellipsoidal form. In a 

 short time they emerge from their pupae, and may be seen in the evening, but 

 more particularly in the early morning, flying by hundreds round those de- 

 voted trees which are, in the following year, to be the scene of similar ravages, 

 unless circumstances for which we cannot account should prevent their mul- 

 tiplication." 



Art. II. Foreign Notices. 

 FRANCE. 



A Catalogue of the Plants cultivated by J. Sisley-Vandael, horticulteur- 

 commissionaire, Rue de Vaugirard, Paris, has been sent us by its author. The 

 prices are given for 1835. This Catalogue is chiefly rich in roses. The other 

 hardy trees and shrubs only include eight genera. 



Rambouillet, Dec. 23. 1834<. — Though there were formerly very accurate 

 accounts kept of the trees planted in the gardens of Rambouillet, with all 

 desirable details respecting them ; yet, as there is no sort of classification of 

 these papers in the archives of the demesne, it would require a long search to 

 find them. Before undertaking this search, I will give you some information, 

 which I have obtained from two old gardeners belonging to the place, thinking 

 it will be satisfactory as far as it goes. 



The great park at Rambouillet contains about 2200 English acres, includ- 

 ing the dairy grounds ; but not those known as the Jardin Anglais, the par- 

 terre, the canal, and other dependencies more particularly belonging to the 

 chateau. These grounds contain nearly 150 acres. The great park was 

 planted in 1704 or 1703. Though Le Notre died about that time, it is sup- 

 posed to have been commenced by him, or, at least, to have been laid out 



