90 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July £0, 1*91. 
in extent from 10 acres to sometimes 50 and 60, and on every holding 
in the lowlands are to be seen rows of the Prunier d'ente. The rows 
are separated from each other by long strips of cultivated land where 
the mild fawn-coloured oxen lazily drag the most old-fashioned and 
primitive implements over the easily broken soil. The Plums are long 
shaped, the end to which the stalk is attached being very much the 
more pointed ; colour red, deepening into a rich violet as the Plum 
ripens ; the skin is extremely tough, without being very thick or hard ; 
the flesh very firm, containing a large amount of saccharine ; the specific 
gravity much less than that of several varieties of English Plums with 
which I made comparison. 
(To be continued.) 
PEACH TREES IN POTS. 
In a heated orchard house I have at this time Peach trees in 15-incli 
pots of Nectarine (Rivers) and Princess of Wales,.(Rivers), Sea Eagle 
(Rivers) bearing on trees from 6 to 8 feet high thirty to forty fruit, 
from 9 to 12 inches in circumference, and 9 to 12 ozs. in weight. The 
aliment given to the roots twice per week is fish manure (Jensen’s), soot, 
and liquid manure ; at other times the trees are contented with pure 
water. I should like to know what amount of nourishment may be 
apportioned to the leaves, as it is absurd to suppose that the spongioles 
can supply all that is required to develop and sustain the extraordinary 
weight of fruit, the soil in the pots being no more than a healthy man 
can take up in one hand. The fruit will be on the trees for a few days, 
and can be seen by those w T ho care to verify my statement by a personal 
examination.—T. Francis Rivers, Sawbridgeworth. 
THE FLOWER TRADE IN PARIS. 
[Notes of a Conference held at the hall of the “ Association Fran^aise pour 
l’Avancement des Sciences, by M. H. L. de Vilmorin.] 
A Parisian of the present time can remember that a few years ago 
flowers did not play so conspicuous a part in commercial horticulture as 
they do now. They undoubtedly have always had an important place 
in the home life of the individuals and the symbolical accompaniment 
of the great events of life, but never until recent years have they 
assumed such an important position. A lar^e quantity of flowers is 
every day of the year brought together in Paris, to be re-forwarded to 
distant parts or distributed throughout the city. 
Whence comes that graceful harvest, renewed every day of the year 
in spite of storms and frosts ? By wdiom are these flowers produced, 
despatched, received, preserved and placed in all quarters of the City 
within the reach of the buyers? How many people live by that industry, 
and sometimes acquire a competence for themselves and their families? 
These are useful and interesting matters, and the French Association 
has selected an important subject. 
The central flower market (Les Halles) is between the fish and the 
vegetable markets, under a broad and spacious passage, and there fully 
open to the wunds the flowers land in Paris. The carts of the horticul¬ 
turists and market gardeners bring them in the evening from the suburbs 
of the city. At the same time and during the w r hole night the heavy 
railway trucks convey in osier and reed baskets flowers from more 
distant sources. At eleven o’clock, in all seasons, begins the distribu¬ 
tion of the places and the ranging of the packing on the footpath ; the 
centre is left free for the latest arrivals and the buyers. At 3 A.M. 
in summer and 4 a.m. in winter the wholesale market begins, but there 
are certain festivals (St. Charles, St. Louis, &c.) which give exceptional 
briskness to the transactions, when the sales open at 11 p.m. and last the 
whole night. 
The importance of the supplies of flowers varies considerably 
according to the season, the temperature, and accidental circumstances. 
Last winter the relaxation brought about by the epidemic influenza 
greatly affected the flower trade. On an average about 2000 baskets 
arrive every day at the central market. Of that number some 800 are 
brought by 200 to 300 horticulturists and market gardeners, these beiDg 
more numerous in summer than in winter. Forty commission agents 
receive and sell daily from 1000 to 1200 baskets, which during winter 
mainly consist of supplies from the South of France. These commission 
agents, through whose hands pass a large part of the flowers which 
arrive here, perform a very useful office. They assort the flowers, which 
are usually sent in a hurry by the producers. The choicest, which often 
pay for the whole consignment alone, are delivered to the large florists 
or re-forwarded to the provinces or to foreign countries; the remainder is 
disposed of at a low rate to the sellers in the central market or to the 
street vendors, and this explains the fact, at first sight surprising, that 
southern flowers are often sold in the Parisian streets for less than the 
price they fetch at Nice or Cannes. 
Just as a floral deck has been composed of flowers which open at 
the different hours of the day and night, one might establ.sli the calendar 
of the flowers in Paris by noting the arrivals in the different seasons. 1 
will give a sketch of this when speaking of the street vendors, who, 
running after cheap articles, or, in fewer words, hunting a bargain, hawk 
each kind at the time of its greatest abundance. 
Let us return to the wholesale trade at the central market. Whether 
it is held in its usual “ passage ” or in the cellars (in bad weather) the 
sale lasts in summer until 8 A.M., and in wunter until 9 A.M. The usual 
buyers are the retailing florists, either those occupying stalls in the 
special markets or keeping stands at the stations established by authority 
in hundreds of parts of Paris, or the numerous individual who are per¬ 
mitted by the Prefecture of Police to drive small carts with which they 
introduce fresh products of the season. There are also the florists who 
have shops, but who mostly receive their supplies direct from the pro¬ 
ducers ; and lastly, the forwarding agents, who send to the provinces or 
to foreign countries large quantities of flowers. Wc can safely es imate 
that from 300 to 400 persons are daily engaged with the cut-flower trade 
at the central market alone. 
The special flower markets or shows in Paris, eleven in number, are 
not counterparts of the central market. Although a good quantity of 
ready-made bcuquets or of cut flowers are sold in the former, their main 
object is the sale of living plants in pots. Some of these markets are 
very old. That of the “ Cit£,” near the Hotel Dieu, which has cccupied 
since 1809 the site called “ Quai aux Fleurs,” existed last century on the 
Quai de la MAgisserie. It was regularly constituted for the first time in 
1799. The market of the Madeleine dates from 1834; that of the Chateau 
d’Eau, now the Place de la R6publique, dates from 1836; that of.the 
Place Saint-Sulpice from 1845 ; the seven others have been opened since 
1870. An essentially Parisian picture is afforded by the assemblage of 
coverts or temporary booths, open on all sides or partially sheltered 
against the wind and rain, gaily d'corated with pot plants wrapped in 
sheets of white paper. With some varation the scene is repeated every 
day of the week, and in various parts of the central quarters and suburb, 
according to the annexed table :— 
Name of the 
markets. 
Date at which 
they 
were opened. 
Num¬ 
ber of 
places. 
Super- 
fices of 
the 
places. 
Rent for 
market day. 
Days of the week 
when the markets 
are held. 
Marche de la Cite .. 
„ de la Madeleine.. 
19 Primaire of 
the year VII. 
of the Republic 
(autumn, 1799) 
May 2, 1834 
About 
300 
182 
Meters. 
6 & 2 
6 
Centimes. 
30 and 15 per 
15 [meter 
Wed. & Saturday. 
Tuesday & Friday. 
„ de Ia Place de la 
Itepublique .... 
April 14, 1836 
130 
5-61 
70 per place 
Mon. & Thursday. 
„ de la Place de la 
Saint Sulpice .. 
May 1,1845 
73 
6 
10 per meter 
a »» 
„ du Boulevard 
Clichy . 
Nov. 1, 1873 
84 
6 
» » 
„ de l’Avenue des 
Ternes . 
Aug. 1, 1874 
93 
6 
10 „ „ 
Wed. & Saturday. 
„ de la Place Vol¬ 
taire . 
Aug. 1,1874 
97 
6 
10 „ „ 
Tues., Fri., & Sun. 
„ de Passy. 
April 30,1877 
20 
4 
11 11 1» 
„ des Batignolles.. 
April 2, 1879 
50 
4 
10 „ „ 
Wed. & Saturday. 
„ de la Chapelle .. 
April 4, 1888 
40 
5 
10 „ „ 
Wed. & Sunday. 
„ du Boulevard 
Raspail. 
June 30, 1890 
40 
4 
10 „ „ 
These markets are in all their beauty during the fine spring days, before 
Paris becomes empty, and the amateurs, then numerous and eager, are 
rather puzzled as to a selection between the bulbous plants, spring Roses, 
Deutzia gracilis, favourite ornament of the mois de Marie ; the first 
Carnations, Chinese Primulas, and the Cinerarias ; the innumerable 
Stocks, Myosotis alpestris, the Indian Azaleas ; the Spirseas, Gardenias, 
Pinks, and a hundred other plants. At the same time armfuls of Lilac 
flowers, Mignonette, and N arcissus poeticus attract notice by their perfume 
and the small hampers (French, bourrichcs ) of Pansies, double Daisies, 
Anemones, and Ranunculus are prepared for the city gardens and 
window cases. 
In the height of the summer season Asters take the lead with Carna¬ 
tions of every shade ; the Gladiolus embracing such a variation of 
colouring; the Agapanthus, Gaura Lindheimeri, similar to white butter¬ 
flies ; the dark brown leaved Perilla nankinensis, Lilium speciosum, 
with their white and red varieties ; the golden Japanese Lilies, the 
Tuberoses, not less fragrant; Plumbago capensis, Rhodanthes, Vincas, 
the Gypsophila and Stevia, which combine so gracefully with other 
flowers and give such a lightness to bouquets. Then in the small 
hampers we find Mimulus, Verbenas, Balsams, Ageratum, Lobelias, 
and Nemophilas ; all annual charming open ground flowers. 
The autumn is devoted to the Chrysanthemums. Either grown in 
pots or offered in clumps or as cut b’ooms they come everywhere to 
the front, and nobody thinks of complaining, so beautiful and pleasingly 
varied are they. From the small flowered Pompons or Liliputians to 
the large Japanese they provide a grand display of varied forms. They 
adapt themselves to every use and present a great range of the freshest 
colours. They are dwarf or tal', slender or bushy, from 12 inches to 
6 feet high. They may be grouped in mixed borders, in flow r er beds, or 
planted in masses or singly, and lend themselves to every combination with 
the great merit of lasting very long. No wonder the Chrysanthemum is 
the queen of the autumn. Some Asters may, however, still be seen, 
charming miniature plants ; then some Laurustinus, Christmas Roses, 
soon followed by Cyclamens, which commences the series of the wunter 
flowering greenhouse plants. Towards Christmas appear the foliage and 
winter beriies, the bronzed Mahonia, the red-berried Holly, the spring 
Ruscus aculeatus, clusters of Mistletoe, sprays of Japanese Fuonymus, 
and of Schinus Molle with their bunches of rosy seeds. The sharpest 
cold does not deter the vendors in the open air markets, for we may see 
some closing their shops with thick cloth, and by means of a stove main¬ 
tain a sufficient temperature to preserve the flowers and plants from 
injury.— Eug. Schaettel, Paris. 
