2*8 



The Canadian Horticulturist. 



AN AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL IN THE FLOWER 

 GARDENS OF SOUTHERN FRANCE. 



francs the kilo of 2 ! 



|N the Grasse County, acres of regions are laid out for the growing 

 of the hosts of different flowers which go to make the numerous 

 perfumes for which the town is noted. Violets and the 

 narcissus are especially cultivated and brought in by tons. 

 As a rule, only the unequalled Parma violets are sent into 

 the still ; all others are considered too weak odoriferously, to 

 merit the steaming process. These pale blue, fragrant 

 " Parma " violets do not come from Italy, but are grown in 

 the immediate neighborhood. According to the supply 

 and demand, or according to whether it is a good or bad 

 season for their growth, these choicest of flowers modest, 

 are bought wholesale at from 2)4 to 10 francs the kilogram- 

 Sometimes even 16 francs is paid — (so the retailers, who 

 are not particular as to truism, will say). But at, say 3 

 pounds, a private person on the spot might, if so favored by 

 the grower (who may hesitate to sell to single particular individuals) — have 

 enough violets to form 40 or 50 of the small bunches, for which he pays from 30 

 to 75 centimes for bouquets to the sidewalk vendor. These retailers, big and 

 little, make money while the flowers last. Of course, when they buy them of 

 the producers at 3, 4, or 5 francs per kilo, the violets are in a confused, entangled 

 heap. They have to make them into neat and pretty groups to make them 

 salable, and manage to dispose of them for at least an advance, in all, of 25 

 to 30 francs. If they sell all, they have a profit of from 20 to 23 or 26 francs. 

 Their risk in having any over, which may wither and become unsalable as fresh 

 flowers, is now reduced to a minimum, for all the old and stale violets are 

 disposed of cheap to sweet manufacturers, who steam them in, and coat 

 them pretty thickly with flasked sugar, and then sell such at a high price as 

 " confitures of violets." 



Recently, a visit was paid by the writer to Grasse, the celebrated flower- 

 producing land of the Riviera. Thrice previously the neighborhood had been 

 visited, but not the town itself, nor its blossoming uplands. The train is taken 

 from Cannes, and in about forty-five minutes the district of perfumery-makers is 

 reached. The railroad is a climb nearly all the way, so that the dozen or so 

 miles to be covered takes time for the train to rumble over. 



Grasse gained, an inspection was made of some of the principal flower- 

 distilleries. Among the more important is the concern of Roure-Bertrand fils 

 (son), noted as a house for the pureness of its extracts of flowers and essences. 

 Mons. Roure, junior, acted as guide over the extensive establishment, explaining 



