34 Foreign Js^tices 



to' 



tainly hope that some of our enterprising nurserymen in New York or 

 Boston will attempt it. In our opinion carnations, pinks. See. could be 

 received without the loss of a plant. — Cond. 



FRANCE. 



Floral Commerce of Paris. — In a paper read before the Horticultu- 

 ral Society of Paris by the president, on the 2d of March last, a 

 lengthy account is given of the floral decorations made use of during 

 the winter months, at the soirees and balls of that metropolis, and a de- 

 tailed estimate made of the quantity of cut flowers sold in the shape of 

 bouquets, flower-baskets, jardinieres, &c. during eight days of the 

 month of January, between the 23d and 30th of that month. From 

 this account it appears that no inconsiderable trade is carried on by 

 hiring out handsome plants, in boxes and pots, which are in general use 

 for the decoration of the peristyles, vestibules and stairways of the 

 houses. The vases or pots of plants being hired for a single night, 

 not unfrequently serve to embellish, in succession, a dozen or twenty dif- 

 ferent mansions in the course of a month. The extent to which this 

 is carried in some instances may be estimated from the fact, that 

 more than 1500 francs were paid for the plants used at a single enter- 

 tainment, given by the Baron Rothschild, in February last. The effect 

 of these decorations, converting the passages and ante-rooms into a 

 garden of verdure, is described as being quite magical. Immense quan- 

 tities of camellias are used for bouquets, and bouquets composed of the 

 common fragrant violet, with a bud or two of the Bengal rose, are sold 

 to the amount of 1000 francs, daily, during the winter months. The 

 other flowers principally used are hyacinths, primroses, cyclamens, 

 lauristinus, orange and citron, daphnes, heaths, pittosporums, strelit- 

 zias, &c. The following is an abstract of the estimate given of the 

 amount produced, by the sale or hire of flowers and plants, diiring the 

 eight days of January : — 



1st. Hire of boxes, pots, and vases of plants, shrubs. Sac. 



transported from one ball to another . . . 10,000 fr. 

 2d. Flower-baskets, wreaths and jardinieres, for the 



soirees ........ 6,000 



Sd. Single cut flowers of camellias, (250 dozen, at 10 to 



24 fr. per dozen) 3,600 



4th. Bouquets de tete, and flowers for the head-dress, 



consisting of the choicest camellias, with flowers, buds 



and leaves 1,000 



5th. Pots of beautiful camellias in bloom, (200 at an 



average of 10 fr. each) 2,000 



6th. Bouquets for balls, at from 2 and 3 to 15 and 20 



fr. : average, 5 fr 20,000 



Total commerce in flowers, for the balls • 



and soirees of eight days . . . 42,600 fr. 



The above is exclusive of the great sales constantly made in the 

 Marche aux flews, or flower-market of Paris, which covers the area of 

 two acres on the Quai Dessaix. The large amount of the above sale 

 is easily accounted for, when we consider the great number of balls, 

 public and private, which take place in Paris during the winter months. 

 From the report made to the prefecture of the police, it appears that 

 there had been, on a single night of February (Shrove-Tuesday), 875 

 private and 183 public balls. At the public court balls there are often 

 assembled between 3 and 4000 persons. — A. J. D. 



