Sec. 31.] THE FLOWER-GARDEN. 511 



across; truss large, elongated, forming a fine bead ; color pink, with darker 

 eye ; desirable for its size and color. 



Mrs. Abbott.— llahit and foliage good, truss small; color very dark, 

 velvety purple, liglit eye; fine. 



Eve7iing Star. — Color dark-crimson, with well-defined whiiioh-pink eye ; 

 growth small; a decided novelty, and a very striking flower. 



Ilosij Gem. — A lovely verbena, foliage and llower of medium size; color 

 rosy lake, with light eye ; extra tine. 



For an ordinary purpose, however, somo that have been long in use, that 

 can be bought for a tenth or a hundredth part of the price of these new 

 sorts, might give equal satisfaction, for the varieties have been so multiplied 

 that it is difficult to tell which are tlie favorites. 



578. Flowers Grown as a Farm Crop.— Tiierc are many persons in France 

 Avho grow llowers as an exclusive crop. It is their sole dependence. " The 

 growing of flowers, for the production of fine essential oils and for medicinal 

 purposes, is confined mainly to tiie southern portion of the department of 

 Var, lying on the Mediterranean, adjoining the late Italian, but tiow Frencli, 

 province of Xicc. There arc extensive factories in Nisnies, Montpelicr, 

 Nice, and in Algeria, but the great center of this brancli of industry is tlio 

 town of Grassc, lying some few miles inland, and its sea-port, Cannes, the 

 winter residence of Lord Urougham. 



"It would be impossible to state, even approximately, the product of the 

 flower-fields of tliis interesting region. Tliere are no lei^s than sixty factories 

 in Grassc, giving employment, in tiic various departments of field and in-door 

 labor, to 5,000 persons. Many man\ifacturers grow their own flowers, otliers 

 buy them in the open market daily, and still others are supplied by con- 

 tracts. The latter system prevails among the leading houses. Contracts 

 are made at a fixed i)ricc for a term of years for the total product of a farm, 

 at rates varying from S to 10 cents per kilu'^ramme (^2] lbs.) of rose leavi-;, 

 up to $1 for tuberose leaves, end even higher rates for violet leaves, which 

 last are mainly grown at Nice. The average prices are about as follows : 



Rose leaves 8 to 1 cents tlic kilogramme. 



.I.s.samine 40 to 60 •' 



Oiauge 40 " " 



ActicU 00 to 80 ccnU the Ulogiamme. 



Tul^roM 100 



Violet 80 to 1 30 



" These are the leading garden flowers used in Grassc ; only small quanti- 

 ties of the jonquil, narcissus, mignonette, etc., are cultivated. A great 

 breadth of hind is devoted to lavender, rosemary, thyme, and other medic- 



loflsos: 



inal plants, wliieli are sold at much lower rates tiiati the above. 



" The preparation of all these i>lant8 divides itself mainly into four c 

 essential oils, distilled waters, i>omade8 and oils, and dried flowers, mo 

 great bulk of essential oils produced consists of lavender, rosemary, »ajp«, 

 thyme, spikenard, and others of a tercbinthine nature; the mi»st vuluablo 

 oils produced in any quantity arc those of Ncroli and IVtits (Jrains. llio 

 former is the result i.f the distillation of orange-flower water fron^i tho imjIuU 

 of the flowers of the IJigarade, or bitter orange (the sweet or Tortugul or- 

 anrrc yielding an inferior j.roduet), and the hitter is obtaiucU frv.m tho grwii 



