AJVIERICAN INSTITUTE. 315 



[From the Revue Ilorticole. Extracts translated by Henry Meigs.] 



THE GREAT HORTICULTUEAL EXHIEITION NEAR THE 

 CRYSTAL PALACE OF PARIS, JUNE, 1855. 



The exhibition opened on the 3d of May last, to a great con- 

 course of distinguished persons, among whom were the Emperor 

 and Empress. 



Tlie garden of this exhibition is an oblong square lying from 

 north-west to south-east, with its great monumental iron gate in 

 front of that of the crystal palace. On all sides it is concealed 

 by a trellis and. thick curtains of green trees; all this is not in 

 symmetrical order but seems so disposed by chance. They in 

 fact look well in connexion with the green turfs and massive 

 verdure and flowers which they enclose ; among which the sinu- 

 ous walks and alleys pass. All monotony is broken up. The 

 garden is to last fv.'r six months, and the plan serves to keep 

 alive the interest in it. 



There are four glasses. One of which shelters the Aquarium. 

 But the largest glass (conservatory) is in the north-west part of 

 the garden, and is entirely devoted to palms, cycadeas and other 

 tropical plants. On one side is a ditch (with an artificial rock), 

 for a smaller aquarium — a cascade falls from the summit of this 

 rock, occasionally it forms showers to refresh the mosses, kc. 

 of the rock. The visitor admires this, but feels the small scale 

 on which this, like all other works of man, appears when com- 

 pared with nature. 



The collection of plants is superb. An elliptical conservatory 

 in the middle of the garden is consecrated to Pelargoniums, 

 among which are many exquisite specimens. In the midst of 

 these Pelargoniums which are raised by successive stories or 

 stages, on a mound stands tlie finest sample of Chamoerops we 

 ever saw, A third glass (or conservatory) shelters Rhododen- 

 drons and Azaleas, magniflcient Calceolaria of every shade and 

 variety. The fourth glass is devoted to aquatic plants. The 

 Victoria Regia with its vast leaves surrounded by a numerous 

 cohort of Nymphea. Open pavillions and kiosks are ready for 

 the visitors as shelters from the weather. The most beautiful 

 collection of roses ever seen in Paris. 



We must stigmatize that famous green rose which is puffed as 

 coming from New-York. It has been trumpeted as a green rose 

 by almost all our political journals. It should by good title 

 belong to the collections of the celebrated Barnum, and not to a 



