THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION.— Septembeb 9,1856. 419 
in a temperature from 170° to 180°, and even at a lower 
temperature when exposed as on a wall to the direct 
rays of the sun, this solution is the cleanliest and most 
useful I have met with. 
Though our correspondent has suffered nothing from 
it—having syringed his trees only on three evenings—I 
regret that I should have used such an indefinite term 
as “ syringed several times a day,” not “ four or five 
times a day,” as our correspondent makes it. My chief 
apology is, that these articles must generally be written 
on the impulse of the moment, without the time or op¬ 
portunity to weigh the propriety of each word. All 
such solutions are best used morning and evening, be¬ 
fore the sun has gained strength, or after its decline. 
Of these two the evening would be best, and in a house 
when shut up for the night. In such a case as I alluded 
to, a Peach-house, from which the fruit has been 
gathered. 1 would not hesitate to use it once or twice 
during the day, if the day was a dull, cloudy one; but 
not if it was sunny, as the more the foliage was kept 
wet the sooner would the insects be destroyed or flitted. 
This was the idea on my mind when I used the word 
"several;" but I am well aware of its indefiniteness, 
for, as our friend has made it to mean four ox Jive times 
a day, another may make it a dozen times if it suits his 
fancy. 
In conclusion, for young and tender leaves use less 
than the quarter of a pint for about four gallons of 
water. For older and riper foliage, such as Peach-trees 
out of doors now, use from a quarter to half a pint of 
the stronger solution, but do not mount up to pints and 
quarts, and if the dose proves rather too much, lay the 
blame on my shoulders. 
Our correspondent describes its appearance correctly. 
It is a clear, bright, yellowish fluid, and, when 
mixed with the water, gives it a whitish appearance. 
Madeira, or any other wine, of which gardeners in 
general kuow but little, would be more pleasant to 
handle. Let the young gardener, in using it, roll back 
his shirt sleeves beyond the elbows, and prevent the 
liquid dropping on his clothes, or a common amount of 
self-respect and regard for the comforts of others will 
tell him to avoid ladies’ company for an hour or two 
afterwards. R. Fish. 
NOTES FROM PARIS. 
The 15th of August is observed throughout France as 
the fete of the Emperor, and generally of all persons whose 
Christian name has not a place among the saints of the 
calendar. On that occasion there is an extraordinary 
display of bouquets and flowering plants, as most persons 
avail themselves of it to present their friends with a floral 
ofl'ering. Several days beforehand, but particularly on the 
14th, immense numbers of flowers are brought to Paris, and 
the dealers are allowed every facility for the display and sale 
of their goods. As early as five or six o’clock in the morn¬ 
ing there are large collections in every street wherever 
a spare corner is to be found. Where the pavement is 
not very wide the flowers are arranged along the sides of 
the shops, or in the spacious doorways of the houses. But 
the greatest display is to be seen on the Boulevards and 
along the quais, where there is a continual crowd of people 
during the day; but in every quarter, and at every step, 
you see people carrying flowers, some with bouquets, others 
with plants in pots or boxes. Private carriages, omnibuses, 
and cabs, all have their loads of floral treasures. Porters 
and messengers of every class do nothing all day but carry 
flowers. Husbands, fathers, and brothers have one para¬ 
mount duty to perform that day, the neglect of which 
cannot be pardoned, that is, to bring home a flower. The 
purchase of a gown, or a bonnet, or a shawl, or anything 
else, may be deferred, but not so the purchase of a bouquet 
or a plant on the 15th. Wretched indeed would that man 
be who might affect to despise the obligation, or who, from a 
feeling of false pride, might hesitate himself to cany home 
a large Nerium, Fuchsia, or Orange-tree; but I do not 
believe that any person in Paris could be so unamiable on 
such an occasion. On the contrary, people seem to feel 
that the honour is in proportion to the trouble, for hundreds 
who can well afford to pay for a cab or a messenger, pre¬ 
ferring to be their own servants, may be seen patiently 
toiling homewards with their precious loads ; and really 
some of the Orange-trees and Oleanders in boxes are 
nothing less. 
Of bouquets in particular there is, on such an occasion, 
an amazing variety of forms, and I could send you a list 
that would fill several columns of your paper, if it were 
desirable, or sufficiently interesting. In general, 'the 
bouquets are dearer on grand./e/e days than usual, but at 
this season the largest and best range between three and 
five francs; but there are some which, being composed of 
the more choice flowers, or made up with extra pains, fetch 
about two francs more. A beautiful bouquet is soon picked 
up without the slightest demur, and on several occasions I 
have seen gentlemen alight from their carriage, take up the 
prettiest in the lot, put some money in the flower-girl’s 
hand, and walk off again, without saying a word. Perhaps 
it was a Russian Prince, or a German Baron, or an English 
Lord, who could not speak a word of French. Perhaps it 
was some one accustomed to the presentation of such 
offerings, aud whose long practice had taught him their 
market value. 1 should never suppose that it was a 
bourgeois of St. Germains, for the Parisians are too fond 
of talking to do anything in this silent way. And now, 
would not a good many of the bystanders give something 
to know what Mademoiselle has received? but she is not 
disposed to afford them that satisfaction. On the contrary, 
she quietly slips her hand into her pocket, and is imme¬ 
diately attending to another customer with all the a plomb 
of one who knows very well what she is about. 
At present there is a plentiful supply of almost every 
variety. China Asters (called in French Reine Marguerite) 
are especially abundant. These are favourite flowers with 
the French, and one of the best growers is M. Truffaut, of 
Versailles. Neriums and Pomegranates also find a ready 
sale for tbe decoration of balconies. There are but few 
Hollyhocks, but a great number of Carnations, Roses, 
Dahlias, Fuchsias, Crassulas, young Orange-trees, and 
Myrtles. Although most of the markets are supplied by 
the gardeners in the immediate vicinity of Paris, a great 
deal of produce of every description comes in carts a dis¬ 
tance of ten or twelve miles twice or thrice a week regularly ; 
but where there is a railway many growers come or send a 
much greater distance. Here it is the women that take the 
most active part in the management of the garden and the 
sale of the produce. 
By-tho-by, all the gardeners throughout France, will be in 
jubilee on the 30th, which is the fete day of St. Fiacre, their 
patron saint, whose singular history I noticed in one of my 
communications of last year. I stated on the authority of 
the biographer I consulted, that St. Fiacre was the son of a 
Scotch King, but I have not found the name or title of this 
royal personage, and it is probable that the parentage of 
the worthy saint was never very exactly recorded, or con¬ 
sidered of much importance. Authorities are agreed, how¬ 
ever, that it was either from Scotland or Ireland that lie 
came. One thing is certain, that at the present day his 
name is revered among the French, and it is allowed that 
his fete is one of the most brilliant of the list.—P. F. Keie. 
THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY’S HOUSE 
IN REGENT STREET. 
We and others were wrong about the sale of this 
house. It is not sold yet. I called there on my way home 
from Shrubland Park, to look at some books in the library, 
and I promised to contradict the report, and also to say 
that it never was the intention of the present Council to sell 
the library, which is of far greater importance than the 
Orchard.—D. Beaton. 
I 
