544 FLOWER, FRUIT, AND VEGETABLE MARKETS. 



our great towns ; yet few could be more agreeable or useful. 

 They are in themselves, as Mrs. Browning remarked, the 

 " sweetest spots in Paris,''^ and certainly do good by enabling 

 the poorer classes to freely enjoy things that are generally 

 admitted to have an ameliorating influence. In Paris the 

 larger flower-markets are not in permanent buildings, but 

 occupy spaces which may be compared to that in Trafalgar- 

 square — ^the plants being placed in groups on the gravel or 

 flags, and the flowers and choicer plants under temporary 

 tents. The market once over, the space is cleared. In the 

 great central market and in the minor markets there are 

 also rows of stalls for flowers; shops vending them are 

 numerous, and occasionally a solitary stand with abundance 

 of them is seen here and there in the streets. The regular 

 flower-markets are held at the Place de la Madeleine, the 

 Chateau d^Eau, the Quai aux Pleurs, and in the Place St. 

 Sulpice — twice weekly in each place. 



They usually show in abundance all popular flowers — from 

 spring flowers to Chrysanthemums ; but Palms and fine-leaved 

 plants generally — Cactuses, Mesembryanthemums, &c., in va- 

 riety, are also to be seen; as well as young vegetable plants, pot- 

 herbs. Shrubs, Eoses, Oleanders, and Pomegranates. Oranges 

 are also sold in quantity. Flowers ready cut for bouquets and 

 room decoration are particularly well done and very abundant. 

 The distinctive feature of the whole of these markets of cut 

 flowers consists of flower-buds — these are sold in quantities, 

 and arranged in a way that is unknown to us. Bunches of 

 Roses may be seen all of one kind and colour, and all young 

 unopened buds. Of some of the very dwarf Roses they pick 

 buds little bigger than a half-developed Fuchsia flower. All 

 are very pretty, from little pink and white ones to the large 

 golden cones of such Roses as Marechal Niel. Sometimes 

 the white Roses are surrounded by a band of Forget-me-not 

 flowers ; oftener the Myosotis is sold in bunches alone, and 

 so is nearly every other pretty garden flower ; sometimes 

 they are mingled with grasses and the spray of such small 

 profuse flowers as Gypsophila, and common, but none the 

 less pretty flowers, such as Forget-me-not, Lily of the 

 Valley, and Woodrufi". 



