210 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN'S COMPANION.— June 17,1850. 
NOTES FROM PARIS. 
The month of May here has greatly belied its old re¬ 
putation, for even during the last two or three winters, the 
weather was never at any time so cold and miserable as it 
has been, on the whole, during the month that has just 
expired. For several days and nights near the end, rain 
fell in torrents for fifteen, twenty, and even thirty hours, 
without intermission. Frightful inundations have occurred 
in many parts of the country, more particularly in the 
vicinity of the Rhone. Not only have the crops been much 
damaged and destroyed in several quarters, but cattle and 
farm produce generally have been swept away by the irre¬ 
sistible floods; while towns and villages have been sub¬ 
merged, and a great number of houses destroyed. The 
loss of life and property, when the full accounts are given 
in, will be very great. But as the darkest hour of the night 
is just before the dawn, so the last three days of May 
exceeded all the others for rain and cold wind; but June 
lias come in like a timely deliverer, sending his voice forth 
above the noise of the combat, and calming the strife of 
fierce passions. 
M. Gustave Heuze, in a recent number of the Revue 
Ilorticolc, has a notice of a new variety of Radish, called 
“ Radis de Chine," which is somewhat remarkable, on 
account of its unusual size. It is said to have been intro¬ 
duced by a French clergyman, M. l’Abbe Voisin, to whom 
seeds were sent, one or two years ago, from a member of 
the Chinese Mission. This novelty is nearly cylindrical in 
general outline, but it swells considerably at the lower ex¬ 
tremity, where its diameter is about two inches. It is from 
three-inches-aud-a-half to four-inches-and-a-half in length, 
and of a clear carmine colour. It is recommended as an ex¬ 
cellent variety for winter, having an agreeable flavour, and 
in every way superior to the winter sorts in general cul¬ 
tivation. 
In the same number there is a figure of the Oignon jaune 
de Danvers , which I mentioned in my Notes inserted in your 
number for February 5th, page 332. If the figure is correct 
there seems no good reason for applying the name jattiie 
(yellow) to this variety, which, in other respects, would 
appear to deserve all the merits ascribed to it. 
In connection with these novelties, M. Heuze recommends 
a trial of Indian Corn, in a green state, as a substitute for 
garden Peas at the end of the summer, when the latter 
become too dry and hard for use. It appears that such is 
the custom in some parts of the American Union. The 
climate in the south of France is warm enough for ripening 
Indian Corn, and it is warm enough round Paris for getting 
it to that state of maturity in which the seeds might be 
employed as recommended. Already several experiments 
have been made here, and the results are satisfactory, for it 
has been found that Indian Corn, in a green state, is fit for 
use by August and September, according to the degree of 
latitude. For this particular purpose three distinct varieties 
have been cultivated, all having a sugary taste, viz .:—Mais 
sucre, Mdis sucre a rttjle rouge, and Metis sucre a rgfle blanche. 
The Agricultural Exhibition was duly opened on the first 
of the month. It will very likely be open till the 15th or 
10th, allhough the prizes will be awarded on the 10th. 
The charge for admission is one franc. The 11th and 12tli 
are fixed for the sale of the live stock and implements, 
either by private bargain or auction. But 1 may observe 
that a great number of the cattle were bought up at the 
very outset. This was particularly the case with some of 
the Ayrshire cows, which fetched handsome prices. The 
trials of machines and implements are to take place on the 
11th, but only such as can be tried in the Palais or its in¬ 
closures. The other machines will be tried on the 12tli, in 
the open ground near Villiers. A number of artists are 
occupied every day in taking the portraits of the principal 
subjects in the various departments. 
The vicinity of the Palais is like an immense farm-yard— 
all animation and activity ; I mean that quiet, jog-trot 
activity which becomes the well-fed, heavy countryman. The 
daily produce, such as eggs and milk, are sold over the 
wooden pailings to the people of the neighbourhood, and 
even many come from a distance to make a purchase in this 
way. There is generally a bit of a scramble to get the 
milk, which is supposed to be pure and undefiled. In any 
case, most people are willing to admit that the milk of those 
beautiful cows, certain to have been fed on the richest 
pastures, as certain to fetch a prize to their owners, and 
which have, no doubt, already realised fine prices, must be 
infinitely superior to the chalk and water which is manu¬ 
factured by the milk dealers round Paris. 
The outside of the Palais, as well as the poultry-yard, has 
been tastefully ornamented with plants and flowers, and 
agricultural devices have been erected at the principal 
entrances. Even the light canvass sheds and booths are 
painted, so as to look like so many rustic houses. In front 
of the building several large statues (in metal, I presume) 
have been erected lately : one represents the great naturalist, 
Button, and another “ the father of French agriculture,” 
Olivier des Serres, born in 1539, and died in 1019. Another 
of the statues, certainly the best as a work of art, is that of 
Cardinal Fesch; but what the Cardinal has to do with a 
cattle-show I cannot learn or understand, though it is rea¬ 
sonable to suppose he had some considerable knowledge of 
Roman Bulls. 
With the exception of one day (the 5th), which was a 
day of continual rain, the weather has been fine since the 
opening of the Exhibition. As might be expected, great 
numbers of people go to see it every day. I have heard 
many say that it is, if not so grand and beautiful, at least 
more inviting than the Exhibition of last year. There can 
be no doubt that the Parisians are well satisfied with it, for 
it gives them a convenient, view of country life. They can, 
at any time, see pictures and statuary, with no end of gold 
and silver ornaments—indeed, almost everything of which 
last year’s Exhibition was composed, and that, too, in only 
walking along the Boulevards and the other principal streets. 
But they cannot, every day, have the pleasure of walking 
among such fine animals, and inhaling the very atmosphere 
of a farm-yard. It is no ordinary treat to see the farm- 
servants working among the hay and straw, as they do in 
their native villages, and nearly in their every-day costumes. 
Then there is the occasional'grunting and squeaking of the 
fat, unwieldly pigs, the bleating of the large and thickly- 
woolled sheep, the subdued roar of some enormous ox, or 
some moderate-sized good-milking cow, with no end of 
gabbling, crowing, and cooing from the poultry-yard. The 
galleries are full of implements, and those things which 
belong more particularly to what are called farm products; 
that is, everything not included in the class for live stock 
which a farm is capable of producing, as cured bacon, home¬ 
made wines, cyders, beers, and other beverages. There are, 
also, innumerable collections of roots and seeds, with 
samples of grasses and cereals. One- of the best collections 
in this way is from Algeria; another, equally good, is shown 
by Messrs. Lawson, of Edinburgh and London. But most j 
of the exhibitors of farm products belong to France. 
Looking down from the gallery along the nave, the visitor j 
has a good view of the admirable display got up by the I 
‘Imperial Society of Horticulture, and which, in forming a 
distinct exhibition, is a powerful auxiliary to the other. The 
whole of the large space, bounded by the galleries all round, 
has been transformed into a fairy garden, having gracefully 
winding walks, beautifully fresh lawns studded with statuary, 
large, ornamental evergreens, and clumps of the gayest 
flowers. About 0000 superficial yards of turf were brought 
for the purpose from the plains of Issy and Auteuil some 
weeks ago, and now the grass is of the richest green. It is 
not improbable that this delightful Exhibition will be kept 
open some days longer than the time fixed for the duration 
of the Agricultural Show. Among the more striking objects 
which meet the eye at a first glance are large Magnolias, of 
M. Leroy, of Angers. These are fine, healthy trees, of from 
twenty to twenty-five feet high. There are, alsof several 
handsome Conifers, about thirty or thirly-five feet high, 
planted here and there, and apparently quite fresh. Some 
half-dozen of standard specimens of Lauras nobilis claim 
notice, not only because of their own merits as ornaments, 
but also because they are stated to have been given by the 
first Emperor to Marshal Massena after the battle of 
Essling, in 1809. The elegant fountain in the centre of the 
building has been effectively set off with circles of Hy¬ 
drangeas, Roses, Verbenas, Forget-me-nots, and miscella¬ 
neous annuals. Plants of Richardia JEthiopica, in bloom, 
are placed near the centre-piece in the water. Some elegant 
