FLOWER FARMS OF FRANCE. 
291 
immense pepper plantations exist, the cultivation is chiefly carried on by Chinese settlers, 
who, owing to the heavy impost in this country, to which the hulk of their produce is 
shipped, find it a very poor and scarcely profitable speculation, requiring, as the plants 
do, so much care and attention. From the foregoing facts it is easy to see that, were 
the present duty of 6cf. per pound reduced, we might expect a corresponding increase in 
our importations, which would probably add to, rather than diminish the public revenue, 
for we might safely depend upon the use of pepper becoming more extended, so gene¬ 
rally appreciated as it is. 
The plant which furnishes melaguetta pepper, or grains of Paradise, now pretty well 
known to botanists, seems remarkable for its variable size, especially as shown in its 
fruit. According to Dr. W. F. Daniell, the variety grown at Accra is the largest. The 
smaller, which grows on higher ground, is called in Fernando Po, Toholo M’Pomah, or 
M’Pomah pepper. 
Specimens of the flowers of each variety are desirable to ascertain if they belong to 
one and the same species. 
Of bastard or false melaguetta peppers there are several beautiful species, quite distinct 
and different from each other, and very imperfectly known to botanists. The fruit of 
some of them is used by the blacks for the sake of its acrid pulp, which is agreeable to the 
taste. They are tall, flag-like plants, with handsome flowers and fruits produced near 
the roots. Melagueta pepper, true or false, belongs to the botanical genus Amomum .— 
Technologist. 
THE FLOWER FARMS OF FRANCE. 
The growing of flowers for the production of fine essential oils and for medicinal 
purposes, is an important branch of horticultural industry in those departments of 
France bordering upon the Gulf of Lyons and the Mediterranean Sea, and especially in 
the southern portion of the Department of Var, adjoining the former Italian, but now 
French, province of Nice. There are extensive factories in Nismes, Montpellier, Mor- 
bihan, Nice, and some lately established across the sea in Algeria. Smaller establish¬ 
ments are found at Mentone, and all along the Genoese Riviera; but the great and 
acknowledged centre of this branch of industry, is the town of Grasse, situated about 
seventy-five miles E.N.E. of Marseilles, a few miles inland, and its seaport Cannes, well 
known as the winter residence of Lord Brougham. It would be difficult to state, with 
any degree of accuracy, the product of the flower-fields of this interesting region. 
There are over sixty factories in Grasse, which is a flourishing place of 12,000 inhabi¬ 
tants, giving employment in the various departments of field and in-door labour, to 
fully 5000 "persons. Many manufacturers grow their own flowers, others buy them 
daily in the market, and still others are supplied by contract. The latter system pre¬ 
vails among the leading houses. Contracts are made, at a fixed price for a term of 
years, for the total product of a farm, at rates varying from 8 to 10 cents per kilo¬ 
gramme (2£ lb.) of Rose leaves, up to 1 dollar for Tuberose leaves, and even higher for 
Violet leaves ; the latter being mainly produced at Nice. The average prices are about 
as follows:—Rose leaves, 8 to 10 cents the kilogramme; jasmine leaves, 40 to 50 
cents the kilogramme ; orange leaves, 50 cents the kilogramme; acacia buds, 60 to 80 
cents the kilogramme ; tuberose leaves, 1 dollar the kilogramme; violet leaves, 80 cents 
to 1 dollar 30 cents the kilogramme. 
These are the leading garden-flowers used in Grasse; only small quantities of the 
jonquil, narcissus, hyacinth, mignonette, etc., are produced. A great breadth of land 
is devoted to Lavender, Rosemary, Thyme, Sweet Marjoram, Cherry-laurel, Sage, Balm, 
and other medicinal and culinary plants, which are sold at much lower rates than the 
products of the above-named flowers. 
The preparations derived from all these plants divide themselves into four classes 
essential oils, distilled waters, pomades and oils, and dried leaves and flowers. It is 
true that considerable quantities of extracts of the pomades are manufactured and 
sold, but they are generally of inferior quality, and will not compare with those pro¬ 
duced by the great perfumers of Paris and this country. 
The great bulk of essential oils produced consists of lavender, rosemary, thyme, sage, 
spike lavender, and sweet marjoram. The most valuable products, of any considerable 
