2S4 



FOREIGN NOTICES. 



to those who are about to plant within the influence 

 of the sea. to know that they may safely include 

 the Laurustiniis as a shrub whieli will succeed well 

 in such places. Here it is used in some instances 

 as a hedire y)lant, and in this capacity, it stood 

 throughout the last severe winter without bein^ in- 

 jured. 



Tiie whole sylvan picture at this seat forms a 

 profitable stud}'. The lesson is, this <>reat wood- 

 land, its beauty, the shelter it gives to bleak lands, 

 and the splendid revenue derived from it. may bo 

 repeated elsewiiere through diligence and perse- 

 verance. Nature is the same to all without distinc- 

 tion ; and if we find her in any instance wearing a 

 richer or more valuable garb than she displays over 

 other lands similarly circumstanced, it is only be- 

 cause her favors have been in that instance sought 

 in a more liberal spirit. Draining, subsoiling and 

 manuring", are amongst the petitioners whom she 

 always answers. — G., in Gard. Chron. 



What Green Tea is ? — Mr. Fortune's Wan- 

 derings in China has reached a second edition, as 

 it deserved. The present issue contains some im- 

 portant additions relating to tea, the chapter on 

 that subject having been rewritten, and much ex- 

 tended. Mr. Fortune is of opinion, that in China, 

 the home consumption of tea may be estimated at 

 eighteen hundred millions of pounds, and states, 

 that in addition about ninety-five millions of pounds 

 are exported. 



Among other useful matter, we are glad to find 

 Mr. Warrington's valuable and interesting paper 

 on the chemical analysis of tea, reprinted from the 

 " Memoirs of the Chemical Society," where it only 

 meets the eye of chemists. This gentleman has 

 not only removed the w^hole of the colouring mat- 

 ter, or glazing, from green tea, but be has been 

 able to analyze the matter removed, and to prove 

 it, by chemical evidence, to consist of Prussian blue 

 and gypsum principally. So that in fact the drink- 

 ers of green tea, as it comes to the English market, 

 indulge in a beverage of Chinese paint, and might 

 imitate the mixture by dissolving Prussian blue and 

 plaster of Paris in hot water. The Chinese them- 

 selves do not drink this painted tea ; they only sell 

 it! — Lond. Chron. 



Crops in France. — Paris, ith .August, 1847. — 

 The appearance of the Potato cro))s in this neigh- 

 borhood is everything that could be wished, the 

 vegetation is everywhere luxuriant, and promises 

 an abundant harvest, scarcely any signs of disease 

 have appeared, and even where seen so modified as 

 to cause little or no alarm; at any other time it 

 would have passed altogether unnoticed ; in fact, 

 there was but very littletast season, compared with 

 1845, and now it is almost unknown, — I speak of 

 the present moment, and the cultivation round Pa- 

 ris. My own observation leads me to believe that 

 there has been a very considerable increase of 

 ground planted this year ; this was to be expected 

 from the high price tliey fetched in the autumn and 

 winter, the probable increased consumption in con- 

 sequence of the high price of provisions and the 

 many purposes to which they are applied in France; 

 the enormous rise in the price of bread since the 

 autumn was another inducement to plant as largely 



as possible ; the result has justified the experiment ; 

 the yield of the early sorts is fully equal, if not 

 more than an average ; at the present time the very 

 best new potatoes are selling at about Is., 6d. the 

 English bushel, while bread is lOd. the four pound 

 loaf; whereas, in the early part of the winter, they 

 were selling at 3s. and 4s., and bread was then 9d.. 

 a diflerence so considerable as cannot fail to have 

 elfect in still further reducing the price of the main 

 stair of life. The markets are abundantly sup- 

 plied with both round and kidneys of good quality ; 

 it is doubtful if they|ever were finer. I have not seen 

 a single diseased Potato in the markets, although 

 I have been on the constant look out ; in most of 

 the country markets they are equally good. As to 

 the late kinds, I have, from time to time, carefully 

 examined the growing crops, and assert, without 

 fear of contradiction, that they are as fine as it is 

 possible to desire, and that, at the time I write, 

 there is no appearance of disease, or scarcelv none; 

 the loliage is everywhere green and luxuriant, a 

 tainted leaf is rarely found, certainly not more than 

 are usually seen from the eflects of thrips and other 

 invisible insects. I am in almost daily intercourse 

 with persons from different parts of France, who 

 fiom their position, are well acquainted with the 

 subject, and the general belief is, that there has 

 been, and is, but very little disease this year, that 

 it is not upon the increase, and almost entirely con- 

 fined to damp and cold soils, and entailed by plant- 

 ing diseased tubers. I think it is the universal 

 opinion here that the crops of Potatoes throughout 

 France are — 1. But very little affected by disease ; 



2. That there will be more than an average yield ; 



3. That there has been a far greater quantity 

 planted than usual. 



So far the prospects are cheering ; and should it 

 please Providence to continue the fine weather for 

 another six weeks, all hearts will have cause of 

 thankfulness ; for almost every species of vegetable 

 production is equally abundant. The Wheat har- 

 vest is over in the south, and commenced in the 

 north, and was never known finer. The Minister 

 of Commerce has just made publicly known, by 

 ofEcial returns, that there is more than an average, 

 and the present splendid weather will permit it to 

 be housed in good condition. As to the fruit crops, 

 they are absolutely superabundant ; the quantity of 

 Apples, Pears, Grapes, Apricots, and Plums, are 

 incredible; the trees are falling under them. The 

 vintage will be abundant and of first-rate quality ; 

 the early Black Grapes are now changing color in 

 Paris, and will, no doubt, be in the markets by the 

 middle of the month. Good Apricots have been 

 selling at 3 and 4 francs (2s. and 6d. and 3s.) per 

 100 ; fine green figs are now sold in the streets at 

 less than id. each ; it was the same with the earlier 

 fruits, such as Strawberries, Cherries, Raspberries, 

 Gooseberries, and Currants. During last month 

 fine May Duke Cherries were often sold at ^d. and 

 Id per lb., and Currants at Id. and l^d per pint. 

 Gardener's Chronicle. 



Saving Seeds. — It has often occurred to me, that 

 sufficient care has not been exercised in saving 

 seeds of vegetables from the finest parts of the 

 crop. If we breed live stock of whatever kind, we 

 invariably select the parents from the best of o u 



