GLADIOLUS GROUNDS OF M. SOUCHET. 



255 



presence is detected in a closely planted bed of Gladiolus 

 at Tontainebleau^ they generally press the ground quite 

 smooth with the foot^ so that his track and halting-place 

 may be more distinctly seen the next time he moves about. 

 This had been done in the present instance in the case of 

 a young bed of seedlings. We saw his tracks and a work- 

 man^ who brought with him a jar of water and one of 

 common oil, opened a little hole with his finger above the 

 spot where the enemy lay. Then he filled it with water 

 twice, and on the top of the water poured a little oil. The 

 water gradually descended, and with it the oil, which, 

 closing up the breathing pores of the mischievous little 

 brute, caused it to begin to suffer from asphyxia, and in 

 about twenty seconds we had the pleasure of seeing it put 

 forth its horns from the water, go back a little when it saw 

 us, but again come forth to die on the surface, hindered 

 for ever from destroying valuable bulbs. Being very strong 

 and well armed, a single mole cricket can do a deal of damage 

 in a bed of Gladiolus, and therefore the moment the work- 

 men of M. Souchet see a trace of the pest they take means 

 to catch it as described, jars of water and oil being always 

 kept at hand. 



The mole cricket is only one enemy — the ver blanc is 

 worse. Of what a vile oj)ponent this is, 

 some idea may be formed when I relate the 

 precautions M. Souchet is obliged to take 

 against it, even for the sake of enjoying a 

 few Rhododendrons. He has built a pri- 

 vate house near his Gladiolus grounds, and 

 wishing to have a couple of beds of these 

 shrubs within view of the windows, he has 

 had to build strong cemented walls deep ^ 

 into the earth around each bed, and fill \l^e "cockchafer) 

 in the bottom with a deep bed of fine 

 sand, so as to guard against the entrance of this dreaded 

 worm into the bed. But it is among his bulbs that most is 

 to be feared. He employs a great number of people to gather 

 the parent insect at the egg-depositing season, has the larvee 

 picked up after the plough, and one way or another avoids 



