170 Annates des Sciences Physiques et Naturelles. 



stated that grounds sloping to the west suffered less than those exposed to 

 the south and east; and that elevated situations suffered much less than 

 the plains. Insects were not destroyed, and only some of them slightly 

 injured. 



An article on O'xalis Deppez, by M. Henon, describes the plant as at once 

 ornamental and useful ; the leaves forming a good substitute for those of the 

 common sorrel. The plant, according to this author, has not been correctly 

 fio-ured, either by Loddiges or Sweet ; and it is still worse delineated in Les 

 Annates de Flore et de Pomone, for 1834-5. A very elegant figure in outline, 

 with various dissections, illustrate this paper. 



The most interesting article in the three livraisons before us is, a Report on 

 the Gardens and Nurseries in and about Lyons, by a committee appointed for 

 that purpose; but this we have made the subject of a separate article, in a pre- 

 ceding page. 



At a meeting held Feb. 16, 1838, M. Seringe, a botanist whose name often 

 occurs in De Candolle's Prodromus, read a memoir on the advantage of pruning 

 the mulberry at the same time that the leaves were gathered from it, in which 

 he argued, from physiological considerations, that this would produce a hand- 

 somer and a longer-lived tree, and a greater return of leaves. 



March 9. The purple laburnum was the subject of discussion. It was sup- 

 posed to have been raised from seed in 1828 ; a mistake, as will be seen by 

 our Arboricultural Notices, p. 122. ; and M. Seringe, M. Hamon, curator 

 of the Botanic Garden, and M. Henon, secretary to the Society, expressed 

 doubts as to whether the appearance of the purple cytisus on this supposed 

 hybrid was not effected by some trick. 



" March 30. Notwithstanding the immense quantity of mushrooms brought 

 to market at Lyons, the supply is not sufficient for the demand, and they are 

 brought from Paris, where they cost one franc a pound, and the carriage 

 amounts to another franc. M. Chaine, the only market-gardener in Lyons 

 that ever grew mushrooms, and whose cellars and forcing-houses produce them 

 every day in the year, has this season, up to this date ( March 30.), sold early 

 radishes to the amount of 12,000 francs. Such is the effect of commercial pros- 

 perity upon horticulture, (p. 241.) The silver medal was adjudged to M. Chaine, 

 for having been the first to cultivate the mushroom at Lyons. The founder of 

 the Society, in 1761, l'Abbe Rosier, proscribed the use of mushrooms, on 

 account of the accidents which sometimes happened to those who ate them. 



At the exhibitions of the 24th, 25th, 26th, and 27th of May, 1838, a great 

 many rare and handsome plants were brought forward by about forty indi- 

 viduals. The majority of the plants were in pots or boxes, from the hot- 

 house, green-house, or pits ; but there were also many cut flowers, and 

 branches of hardy plants. At this exhibition there were also various imple- 

 ments of horticulture and agriculture ; and among these were included figures 

 in copper, or in sheet-iron, and painted in oil in imitation of nature. Calla 

 aethiopica and Agave were so well executed, that a "very great number" of 

 the spectators took them for living plants. Imitations of this kind, more 

 particularly of the Agave, are common in Italy, where they are put in vases on 

 the piers of gates, parapet walls, &c. An instrument named " une approche" 

 was exhibited by M. Guillermin, the use of which is to hold together two 

 branches that are to be grafted by approach. Rustic tables and flower- 

 stands were also exhibited. The number of articles in all, plants in- 

 cluded, were about 1,500, of which 200 belonged to amateurs. Of the plants 

 supplied by commercial gardeners, 517 were purchased by the Society, and put 

 into 362 lots, represented by an equal number of tickets, which tickets were 

 purchased, and the plants drawn for in the manner of a lottery. Every lady, 

 as she entered the exhibition room, was presented with a nosegay. A Memoir 

 sur les Fruits de Geraniaceae, by M. Seringe, contains some curious matter 

 respecting the monstrosities which occur in the geranium, &c. 



We have passed over a number of other papers, relating to geology, the 

 vine, the silkworm, and agriculture, as being unsuitable for this magazine. 



