French Works. 181 



in this catalogue ; and there are more than that number of mixed roses. Of 

 Auriculas Anglais, there are between 50 and 60 sorts. Of dahlias and chry- 

 santhemums no lists are given, but the sorts for sale are stated generally to 

 be very numerous. The favourite house plant seems to be the Camellia, of 

 which no fewer than 213 sorts are named. Of pelargoniums there are about 

 150; of Cactus, 89; of Jcacia, 15; A'\oe, about as many ; Azalea, 70; .Rho- 

 dodendron, 16; 2?rica, 36 ; and Magnolia, 24 sorts. 



Notice sur la Culture des Oseraies dans le Departement del 'Aisne. Par M. C. Millet 

 d'Aubenton, Garde-General des Forets. Lue a la Societe dAgriculture, His- 

 toire Naturelle, et Arts Utiles de Lyon, et imprimee par ses ordres. Notice 

 on the Culture of Osier Grounds in the Department of 1' Aisne, &c. Pamph. 

 8vo, pp. 19. Lyons, 1837. 



The culture of willows, in France, differs little from the practice in England. 

 The basket trade in the department of 1' Aisne, and particularly in the arron- 

 dissement de Vervins, is carried to a great extent. The baskets, hats, hurdles 

 (or wickerwork trays for drying fruit), open work, damask or square work, 

 and various other kinds of manufacture, amounting to more than 200 varieties, 

 being annually produced, to the amount of upwards of two millions of francs. 

 These articles are not only sent to the different towns of France, and the ad- 

 joining countries, but exported to London, New York, Lisbon, and the Indies. 

 The culture of willows for the kind of fine work chiefly manufactured at Ver- 

 vins, differs from that of the willows used for making common baskets and 

 crates, in not requiring so rich and moist a soil. Alluvial meadows, sufficiently 

 above the level of the rivers not to be overflowed by them, are preferred to all 

 other soils and situations. The willows grown for common coarse basket- 

 making are planted along the margins of rivers, especially the Meuse, and they 

 are also grown on pollards, in moist places. The species for this last purpose are, 

 the Salix viminalis and S. alba. Those grown for fine work are, S. purpurea L. 

 (S. monandra Hoffm. ; Arb.Brit., p. 1490. and figs. 1294. and 1603., and Hort. Lig. s 

 p. 96.) and S. vitellinal,. (Arb.Brit., p. 1528. fig. 20. and p. 1606., and pi. 21., and 

 Hort. Lig., p. 97.), and S. viminalis L. (Arb. Brit., p. 1549. and fig. 1329., and 

 Hort. Lig., p. 100.). The last two species are most esteemed. Of the £. viminalis, 

 which the French call osier vert, or franc, there are two varieties, noir and blanc, 

 and both require soil rather more humid than the two other species. The 

 osier brunette, or branch, S. cinerea L. {Arb. Brit., p. 1558. and fig. 1332., and 

 Hort. Lig., p. 100.), springs up naturally in the osier-grounds, and is extirpated 

 as much as possible. The purple willow, which the French call osier rouge, 

 or osier des tonneliers, is commonly used with the bark on ; but the two other 

 kinds, after having been cut, are put into shallow muddy water; and, when they 

 begin to grow in spring, are peeled by the same process as in England. A 

 plantation is considered to last between 40 and 45 years, after which it is 

 rooted up, the ground sown with oats for three or four years, and then laid 

 down in grass, to be broken up for willow plantation at some future period. 

 Nothing is said of the attacks of insects ; but hailstones, especially when they 

 happen in August, do great injury. Every hailstone that touches a twig pro- 

 duces a wound, and the twigs so wounded sell at half-price, because they can 

 only be employed in the coarsest work. The manufacture employs from 4500 

 to 5000 persons, of every age, and of both sexes. Every family works separately 

 at home, with its children and workmen, on its own account; and takes the 

 produce weekly to the basket-merchant, who deposits them in his magazine, to 

 be sold as wanted. Children are employed in the manufacture as soon as 

 they are seven or eight years old. 



De VHybridite dans les Plantes et les Animaux. Par N. C. Seringe. Lu a la 

 Societe Linneenne de Lyon, le 15 Juin, 1835. Pamph. 8vo, pp. 9. Paris, 

 1838. 

 M. Seringe is of opinion that hybrids are much more rare among plants, 



particularly in a wild state, than is generally thought to be the case. He ad- 



