December 24, 1891. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
585 
especially fruit trees, quite as much for the purpose of encouraging 
surface roots and inciting the emission of active feeders as for 
enriching the soil. 
The concentrated or artificial manures contain as much manurial 
matter and readily available plant food in as many pounds as is 
contained in as many hundredweights of stable or farmyard 
manure, and in a form productive of the best results in the current 
crops. This is because they are soluble in water and at once taken 
up by the roots, assimilated by the leaves, and stored in the fruit, 
wood, and buds for next year’s crop. Suppose a quart of pigeon 
or fowl manure—the richest in ammonia—is applied to a square 
yard of ground, it at once absorbs moisture from the air, and the 
ammonia becomes volatile and takes to itself wings. If the appli¬ 
cation be followed by moist weather the manure will be saturated 
and its volatile matter be washed into the soil, and at once be 
available as plant food, the soil holding it until the roots abstract 
it therefrom. There is a great difference between applying 
manures to benefit the trees and using them so that their fertilising 
properties are wasted. 
But instead of applying the pigeon or fowl manure in solid 
form it is formed into liquid—say 21 gallons—ten times more than 
the solid ; the whole of the ammonia is then placed in the soil 
without loss of time or waste of substance. One remarkable thing 
about the! e manures is that one kind pursued continuously pro¬ 
duces a sort of surfeit, and changes, with alternations of clear 
water, are advantageous. It is a mistake to be always giving 
liquid manure and surface dustings, for it amounts to frittering 
away plant food. 
The plantsman mixes phosphatic and potassic elements through 
the soil used in potting, and troubles no further about the plants 
as regards feeding until he wants to get enlargement and fix some 
desirable property in the flower. The fruit-grower mak'-s sure of 
his crop as far as can be determined by promise in the shape of 
buds, and then applies manures that will act simultaneously with 
the feeders that are pushed to sustain the setting fruit-, following 
this up with another dressing when the fruit is half swelled, 
whereby it is enabled to perfect, and thus secures a maximum of 
benefit from the smallest means, because given at the time when 
the trees display the greatest degree of health and luxuriance, 
and are most benefited by abundant food. Trees treated in this 
manner seldom give indications of over-feeding ; but strewing pho-!- 
phatic and potassic manures in highly soluble form when they 
cannot be utilised serves to produce sterility. — G. Abbey. 
THE FLOWER TRADE IN PALIS. 
[Notes at a Conference held at the Hall of the Association Pranipaise pour l’Avancement 
des Sciences by Mr. H. L. DU VlLMOllIN ] 
0 Continued from pages 90 and 157.) 
Ip the flowers which are sent to the “Halles Centrales,” and 
other special markets constitute the largest part of the daily arrivals 
they do not represent the whole quantity that reaches Paris, nor 
do they include all the best. Nearly all the choicest flowers and 
plants go direct from the producers into the hands of the shop¬ 
keepers. The latter now constitute a numerous class, increasing 
every day. The shop windows, so prettily and tastefully dressed, 
so attractive, particularly in the evening when brightly illuminated 
by the fairy electric lights which peep out of the flowers, con 
tribute materially to embellish the streets and boulevards of the 
city. It is difficult to estimate the exact number of florists. A 
directory, which certainly does not include them all, mentions 
about 200, whereas it only named 104 in 1880, and forty-five in 
1870. But if we judge the whole city by the Boulevard St. 
Germain, where at least eight florists are established and only one 
is mentioned in the directory, we may say, without exaggeration, 
that their number in Paris is about 500, and a proof that the 
business is yielding a satisfactory return is afforded by the fact 
that the number is annually increasing. 
Is it not a delight to pay a visit to the charming, well lighted 
shops, where, on entering, a delicious odour strikes you ? But the 
chief attraction is for the eyes. On every side of the windows, on 
shelves and stands, vases or hanging baskets are exhibited, fresh, 
bright, graceful and perfumed. The Palms and large Ferns, whose 
fronds reach the ceiling, shelter the handsome Azaleas and forced 
Rhododendrons, the Dracaenas with their coloured leaves, the 
charming Bouvardias and Stephanotis, the Olivias with their broad 
ribboned leaves and orange flowers, and the Poinsettias so beautiful 
with their brilliant scarlet bracts. In the high narrow vases sprays 
of white Lilacs alternate with bunches of Safrano or Souvenir de 
la Malmaison Roses. In the windows between the small symme¬ 
trical Araucarias and Cycas are bunches of Hyacinths, Anemones, 
Narcissus, &c., according to the season, whereas a number of varied 
receptacles, dressed with the most refined taste, contain the forced 
bulbous plants, Lily of the Valley and Cyclamens, Br meliads, such 
as Tillandsias, Vriesiasand -ZEchmeas, with Epiphyllums and Sedums 
or Begonias, garnish the hanging baskets. Everywhere are the 
beautiful and fantastic Orchids, which are taking first rank for 
floral decorations ; and every where the greenery of the Selaginellas, 
Ferns, and Isolepis combine agreeably with the brilliant shades of 
the flowers. 
Towards Christmas or New Year’s Day is the time when the 
shops of the florists are in all their splendour. For the Parisian 
florists there is, however, no absolutely slack season. The whole 
year through there are birthday offerings and festivitif s, and re¬ 
ceptions or entertainments afford opportunities for fPral gifts, 
bouquets, baskets, and decorations of all kinds. In the spring and 
in summer the Iris, Gladiolus, Lilies, Paconies, Foxgloves, perennial 
Larkspurs, and large Poppies furnish from the open ground a large 
contingent of flowers of grand effect. But the influence of the 
seasons is far less felt by the shopkeepers than by the street 
vendors. The former supply the wealthy, who willingly pay the 
prices of luxuries, and the money enables them to heat glass 
houses and hotbeds by means of which we can increase the pio- 
ductions. 
As intimated above, the shop florists receive their supplies 
mostly direct from the producers, but they also secure their re¬ 
quirements at the Halles or in other markets. One of their prin¬ 
cipal duties is setting up the materials which are furni-hed 
by the gardeners or horticulturists. The taste and talent of the 
Parisian florist is seen in the arrangement, the combination and 
contrast of the colours, their light, thin, and neat disposal afford¬ 
ing a saving of materials, give at same time a more graceful appear¬ 
ance to the whole. One should think that our bouquet artists 
know how at will to fix air amidst the flowers which they set up 
or group. 
It is usually in the afternoon or in the evening that the flowers 
reach the florist from the producer’s hands. They are immediately 
unpacked, sorted, and displayed either in the window or in other 
floral decorations. All are placed in water during the night, 
and employed the following day when duly refreshed. 
The ingenuity by means of which they make up for what the 
flowers lack in sturdiness of habit, size of stem, and boffm-ss of 
structure and growth are infinite. The reeds which lengthen, the 
imperceptible wires which support, and the small bundles o' moss 
are all employed by turns or together. The more handsome flowers 
are the easier is the florist’s work, so that in the costly or aristo¬ 
cratic bouquets the highest art is shown in the most perfect sim 
plicity. The ribbons serve in a large measure as companion to the 
flowers, and if some florists make a too free use of them, yet with 
the majority Chevreuil’s studies have evidently helped them to 
associate the colours tastefully and harmoniously. 
Besides the sale of flowers and plants, the florists under¬ 
take for a sum agreed upon for the whole season to decorate 
apartments. They have numerous customers of that class, but 
most probably only a few who are disposed to pay £1000 for that 
service—a sum which, some affirm, not to be extraordinary in New 
York City.—(Translated by Eug. Schaettel, Paris.) 
(To be continued.) 
MARECHAL DE COUR PEAR. 
I was pleased to notice in your last issue a good word for 
Marechal de Cour Pear. It is certainly one of the deceptive 
varieties while in the fruit room to those who are not acquainted 
with its exquisite flavour. This, with Winter Nelis, are two of 
the best Pears for flavour and bearing qualities with which I am 
acquainted. The Marechal is perfectly at home either as a pyramid 
or against a wall; indeed, it makes one of the best pyramids I am 
acquainted with, bearing well nearly every year; but this time 
unfortunately it was overtaken by the memorable Whitsuntide 
frost, being at that time in full flower. Consequently we had & 
very light crop of fruit. 
I am of opinion that this class of Pears will ultimately take the 
places which are at present occupied by Duchesse d’Angoulerne, 
Pitmaston Duchess, Beurre Diel, and other fine looking Pears, but 
w hich have no other qualities to recommend them. On more than 
one occasion I have seen the Pitmaston placed before Marie 
Louise at exhibitions, but I fail to see why this should have been 
in most of these instances. Certainly the Duchess has been of 
enormous size this season, and it assumes a very attractive colour, 
but in my opinion most of its qualities end there. With me it is 
very gritty and devoid of flavour. Certainly public taste points to 
size and appearance in the present day. An instance of this has 
just occurred. Latterly we have had some rather large shooting 
parties staying here, and having some fine bunches of Gros Colman 
