AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 261 



The condition of its agriculture fifty years ago is well worthy 

 of notice by way of comparison with the modern advance. 



A Prefect made the following speech about it, viz : 



" Half a century ago, there were few of the departments of 

 France which had made more than a feeble progress — I may say 

 that among them agricultural science was an infant ! and it is to 

 be feared that in many places, it will still remain so for a long 

 time to come ! 



^' Indomitable routine ! wretched old habit ! repels all new prin- 

 ciples, discoveries and experience, without even an examination, 

 rule, or even an answer ! except perhaps ' well it's our way.' 

 Now there is a tendency to amelioration — of recent date — a course 

 of planting a rotation of crops — artificial pastures — Lucerne that 

 marvel of the fields — various forage plants and flocks of sheep, 

 &c. — crossing of breeds with the Southdown race, augmented 

 wool and fat — some good efforts in improving cattle, horses &c. — • 

 good agricultural implements, tile drainage, sub-soil plowing, the 

 railroads — the new capital invested in larming, more intelligence, 

 order and true economy are creating prosperity and securing a 

 happy future." 



Mons. Lucas, a member of the Imperial and Central Societies 

 of Paris, and of those of Marseilles, Havre, St. Germaine, &c., 

 writes June 6th last, to President Pell, stating that he has dis- 

 covered a process by which all plants and flowers can be pre- 

 served with all their colors as fresh and beautiful as when alive, 

 so as to enable any person to form albums and herbariums which 

 will keep without loss of beauty indefinitely. The scientific jour- 

 nals say of it — " The flowers of Mons. Lucas sleep, but never die." 



Mons. Lucas, desiring to render service to horticulture, and to 

 those of its amateurs who possess a decided taste for it, to present 

 gratuitously to all societies in France and abroad, his process, 

 with proper directions for making up their albums and herbari- 

 ums so ornamental and so agreeable to those who grow the flowers. 

 He desires that every society which approves and adopts his pro- 

 cess, shall give him a medal of honor, and admit him an honorary 

 or corresponding member. 



A conversation ensued relative to the strawberry, it's character, 

 natural and artificial. 



