M^-: 



lUNF. 





P: 





To the Editor of "The American Journal of Horticulture and Florist's Companion." 



Sir, — I had an opportunity of witnessing at Paris, in October last, an exhi- 

 bition of fruits, flowers, and vegetables, that seemed to me to be so remarkable, 

 that I feel that I cannot do better, as a subject for a letter, than attempt to give 

 you some account of it. This exhibition was given in connection with the Inter- 

 national Exposition at the reserved garden in the Champs de Mars, in some of 

 the glass structures erected there, occupying several of them for its purposes. 

 It was remarkable for its extent, for the quality of the articles exhibited, and for 

 the great number of varieties of them that were shown ; so remarkable, that I 

 do not believe an exhibition like this ever before occurred, or that this could be 

 repeated anywhere but in France, and probably nowhere but in Paris or its 

 vicinity. With the exception of one or two from Belgium, all the contributors 

 were, I believe, French ; and, with this exception, all the articles the growth and 

 produce of France. I wish it were in my power to give you a somewhat detailed 

 account of this exhibition ; but, to enable myself to do this, it would have been 

 necessary for me to have devoted to it more labor than I was inclined to do, and 

 more time than I had at my disposal. It was so large, — the fruit alone fiUing at 

 least five of the glass structures (some of them very large) above alluded to, the 

 flowers and plants an equal number, and the vegetables as many more, — that, 

 although I devoted the whole of one day to it, I could do no more than give a 

 partial examination to a part of the fruit and a portion of the flowers ; contenting 

 myself with a glance at the residue, and at some of the plants and vegetables, 

 many of which I did not see at all. This exhibition was very well arranged for 

 the convenience of its spectators ; for, being divided among several houses, this 

 prevented a throng in any one, that, had it been held in one (could such sufficiently 



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