488 Foreim Notices, — France. 



to' 



layers, and by inarching on the mountain ash {S. aucuparia), and produces 

 blossoms and fruit the first or second year. The curator of the botanic 

 garden of Naples sent a letter on the Destruction of Insects by a Powder 

 composed of pepper, nux vomica, and tobacco. This powder was supposed 

 to be eaten by the insects, and to act as a poison ; but it was suggested by 

 some gentlemen present, that it probably acted only by the smell of the 

 pepper, which, it was well known to housewives, .drove away the moth from 

 clothes, and was consequently put in wardrobes for that purpose. It was 

 recommended to the committee of experiment to try the ingredients of the 

 receipt separately, and to report on their effects. 



The flowers exhibited were chiefly dahlias, from the gardens of M. Four- 

 cheron, at Passy, M. Godefroy, at Ville-d'Avray, M. Soulange-Bodin, and 

 M. Boursault; the finest flowers seemed to be those of the Dahlia Thoui??. 

 A very large pear was exhibited, produced by a seedling tree, which had 

 sprung up in a garden accidentally ; the gentleman who sent it proposed 

 that it should be named by the Society the Poire d" horticulture. A plate of 

 pears of a smaller size was exhibited, which were said to be of the melting 

 kind, and of very excellent flavour ; the time of eating about the end of 

 October. The tree stood originally in a natural wood, and its fruit having 

 been observed by the country people to be excellent, when the wood was 

 stocked up by the proprietor, two or three years ago, this tree was left at 

 their suggestion. Grafts have been taken from it by different persons, 

 friends of the proprietor or his gardener. 



We see here the origin of most varieties of fruits in France till the time 

 of Van Mons, and Coirtte Coloma, who raised trees from seeds on purpose 

 to procure new sorts ; and we learn also the manner in which different 

 names come to be applied to the same fruit. 



Societe (T Agfonomie Pratique. — From the time of the establishment of the 

 Horticultural Society of Paris, an adverse party has existed, chiefly of prac- 

 tical men, at the head of which seem to be M. Noisette and M. Boitard. 

 The latter is the editor of the Journal des Jardins (of which we shall give 

 an account in a succeeding Number), which has appeared in monthly num- 

 bers since January last, and contains a critical review o( the Aima/es de la So- 

 ciete d' Horticulture, as published. This horticultural opposition, as it may be 

 called, has begun to organise itself, and its first Meeting was held on Octo- 

 ber 6th, under the name o? La Society d" Agrohomie jyratique ; the president. 

 Lieutenant General Comte Coutard. This Society proposes to embrace all 

 the sciences which have relation to agriculture and horticulture ; it will 

 publish a journal entirely consecrated to subjects which contribute to the 

 progress of culture ; its members will also give public and gratuitous courses 

 of lectures on botany and vegetable physiology applied to horticulture, and 

 on all the branches of the natural sciences which bear relation to agricul- 

 ture. M. Boitard, who will be an active member of this Society, has pro- 

 mised to report its progress to us from time to time. In all probability the 

 two societies arid the two journals will end in a union ; either in conse- 

 quence of a greater regard, in the leading members, for the prosperity of 

 horticulture, than for the display of party feeling ; or from that comparative 

 indifference to both, which is the necessary result of powerful exertion. 

 After both societies arid journals have spent their first fires, they will cool, 

 and in all probability settle down, like other societies and journals, into a 

 state of routine. In the inean time a stimulus will be given to horticulture 

 in France, from the zeal and emulation of so mariy persons connected with 

 that art, or interested in its progress. 



Of the good to be effected in France, or any where else by horticultural, 

 agricultural, or, we might almost say, any other societies, except always 

 that great society the government of the country, we have not, nor ever 

 had, any very sanguine idea. If we examine into the causes which have 

 contributed to the eminence of any particulai- class of men in any country, 



