PARIS. 395 



Seldom docs a plant appear without a tally, either tell- 

 ing its name or indicating its number in the garden cata- 

 logue ; the greatest attention being every where paid to 

 the conveniency and advantage of the student. In some 

 instances, the tallies are of wood, with an iron-stalk ; in 

 others, they are of hammered iron. In general they stand 

 about a foot and a half high, and the surface is made to 

 slope at such an angle, that the writing can be read with 

 ease. 



A kind of large hand-glasses, or small frames, which are 

 much in use in this garden, being of a commodious form, 

 deserve to be noticed. They are made wholly of iron, 

 are generally square, and at the base have four prongs, 

 which sink into the soil, and prevent their being overturn- 

 ed by the wind. The roof slopes ; so that, in the centre, 

 the height is about three feet, while the sides are only a 

 foot and a half high, There are four handles at the sides, 

 for the conveniency of lifting the frame. Air is admitted 

 by means of one hinged pane in the front, and another in 

 the roof, on opposite sides. These glazed frames are fre- 

 quently employed for promoting the ripening of the seeds 

 of the more tender kinds of annual flowers, and for pre- 

 serving the seeds of other plants from being destroyed by 

 wetness in rainy weather. At this time, several were in 

 use for a very different purpose, — to prevent the ripe 

 seeds of the covered plant from being wafted over the gar- 

 den by the autumnal breezes. 



After a fatiguing but pleasantly spent day, we found that 

 still another visit would be necessary to this admirable esta- 

 blishment. — We felt much pleasure in passing part of the 

 evening in the house of Professor Andre Thouin, along 

 with him and his brother M. Jean Thouin. There is a 

 third brother, whom we did not see, M. Gabriel Thouin, 

 who is regarded as the first artiste jar dirtier of France. 



