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favourite object. Not only is this the case with fruit, 

 but equally so with flowers and plants. Montreuil- 

 aux-Peches is about four miles east of Paris, and, to- 

 gether with the adjoining village of Bagnolet, has 

 long been renowned for its peaches and nectarines ; 

 so much so, that Paris and the country for 50 miles 

 round is almost entirely supplied from these two 

 places. It is, in fact, their staple article of trade, 

 and one by no means inconsiderable, if report speaks 

 truly of the amount, which is stated to be, on the 

 average, 80,000 francs a year, independent of other 

 fruits. An exact estimate of a produce so entirely 

 regulated by the state of the weather is very difficult 

 to ascertain. The year 1841 was unproductive, and 

 the long continuance of wet and cold also materially 

 checked the consumption: 1842, on the contrary, 

 was exceedingly prolific, and the excessively hot wea- 

 ther in August augmented the demand in an equal 

 ratio ; and it is said that the sale that season realised 

 more than 120,000 francs. Large as this sum may 

 at first sight appear, it will not, upon reflection, be 

 found exaggerated, when the number and extent of 

 gardens is taken into consideration. The markets 

 and streets of Paris were literally glutted at the end 

 of July ; and in August, fine fruit was sold at one 

 penny, and very good at a halfpenny each. The 

 gardens vary in size, from one-half to a whole acre, 

 and are surrounded with walls about 8 ft. high, rising 



