August 15. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
381 
I this year, and even so early as the middle of May they 
were plentiful in the markets of Paris. At present, large 
quantities of Figs arrive from the provinces every other 
! day, and they are selling at about (id. a quart. These 
figs are quite green, hut the flavour is not unpleasant, i 
I am not yet satisfied as to their real name and origin, | 
though some dealers tell me, perhaps from want of better 
information, that they are indigenous to the south of . 
France. Most probably, however, they have been j 
| introduced from the east, and in form they have some 
resemblance to the common Turkey Fig grown in the 
1 gardens of England. Of Grapes, grown under glass, I 
, there is a very good supply, and I have seen some few 
samples of out-of-door produce from the more southern 
departments, but even there it will be some time yet 
! before the crops are ripe. So far as I can learn, there 
is no great causo for apprehension as to the disease this 
year, though in some places it has been rather de¬ 
structive. In the gardens near Paris, sulphur is 
generally applied where this pest shows itself, and the 
common process is that adopted and first introduced 
here by M. Gontier, market gardener, at Montrouge, near 
: the capital. The process consists of first washing the 
vines by means of a force pump, arid then applying 
flower of sulphur through the spout of a bellows. This 
bellows, if I recollect rightly, was exhibited two or three 
years ago at a meetiug of the Horticultural Society. It ' 
may be shortly described as an ordinary bellows, having 
a long, flat, metal tube, on the top of which, and near 
the mouth of the blower, is a tin box pierced at the 
bottom, so as to let the sulphur fall into the tube. ! 
There is a thin iron band fixed underneath, and having 
a piece of iron about half an inch -thick at the end, 
nearly under the tin box. This, by constantly beating 
against the under surface of the bellows as it is used, I 
keeps the sulphur in continual motion. For this 
contrivance M. Gontier has been awarded several valu¬ 
able medals by different societies in France. 
The force pump used is also an invention of M. j 
Gontier. Itcoutaius from three to four gallons of water, 
and is supported on the back of the workman who uses 
it. With one hand the water is pumped, and with the 
other it is applied in any direction, either upwards or 
downwards, by means of an India-rubber tube, having 
a metal -spout at the end. It is called the Pompe ] 
Gontier, in honour of the inventor, who has taken ! 
out a patent for it, and who has published a treatise ! 
on the disease of Vines. M. Gontier, in his work, 1 
does not throw much light as to the cause of the 
malady, but it is only fair to say, that he rather 
endeavours to point out the remedy, and in his own 
case he has been quite successful. 
The fruit growers here spare no pains to get their 
produce ipto market as early as possible; and 
even the espaliers in the open ground, are covered 
with glass in the spring, and forced by means 
of hot-water pipes. The process of forcing the 
espaliers in this way is simple enough. The pipes 
are laid permanently on the ground, nearly right under ! 
the trees, and in beginning to force, frame-lights are : 
placed on each side of the espaliers in a slanting i 
position, meeting at the top thus—A This practice, in 
effect, somewhat resembles the “ glass walls” introduced 
some time ago by Mr. Ewen, of Anglesea. It is not 
much used, however, except for the finer sorts of fruit, 
Bitch as Vines, Apricots, Teaches, and Cherries. The vine 
in most common cultivation near Paris is the Black 
Hamburgh generally known here under the name of 
Frankenthal. This fact is worthy of note, as agreeing 
with the decided preference shown for the same variety 
by all the best fruit growers in England. 
By the by, there are two vegetables in common use 
I here which I think must be unknown to most of your 
I readers, and I do not recollect having seen them else¬ 
where, except in Belgium, where, if T am not mistaken, 
they were first raised. One is a R adish, in size and form 
not unlike a beetroot; the interior is white, but the skin 
is invariably almost quite black. It is used as a salad, 
and is very palatable, especially when of a moderate 
size. The other is a white Turnip, measuring from four 
to eight inches long, and from one inch to three inches 
thick (diameter); this variety is attbe present season, as 
it has been for some months, in very commoir use every¬ 
where, and scarcely any other is to be seen in the 
markets. It is called 'Rare. In my next communi¬ 
cation I shall forward a packet of seeds, with further 
particulars as to the real names and origin of these 
vegetables. 
All classes here occupy themselves in the culture of 
flowers. The comfortable Rentier, as well as the poor 
Ouvrier, who works six days and a half out of the seven 
—all must have their flowers, whether in a plot of 
ground, or in boxes and pots at the windows and 
balconies. Some of the balconies, indeed, at the present 
season, even so high as the sixth or seventh stage, may 
be likened to so many miniature hanging gardens. But 
then, such balconies, for strength and durability, are 
only to be found in France, where the houses are built 
to stand for centuries. No one here need ever be afraid 
of a balcony giving way,- and, accordingly, all Sorts of 
boxes, pots, and ornamental vases, full of flowers, crowd 
most of the balconies during the greater part of the 
year. Flower markets, therefore, of one kind or 
another, may be seen in every quarter. The best, how¬ 
ever, are near the Church of the Madeleine, along the 
Quai Napoleon, and also in different places on the 
Boulevards. Here the flower-dealers, chiefly females, are 
to be found every day, with their plants and bouquets 
neatly arranged under light canvass frames. It is sur¬ 
prising to see the amount of exposure some of our green¬ 
house plants will endure here. Even so early as March, 
young Oranges, Myrtles, Eriosfemons, Pelargoniums, and 
Chorozemas, all in flower, were to be seen every day 
exposed to the weather. The French, as is well known, 
excel in the arrangement of their bouquets, and I have 
been curious enough to try to find out the secret of their 
successes in this way. I think I have attained my 
object, but as a satisfactory account might occupy too 
much space, I shall reserve what I have to say on the 
subject for my next dispatch. 
Allow me to state, in conclusion, that according to an 
article in the Moniteur, the other day, some clever 
German has invented a steam digging-machine, which, 
as far as I can make out from the description, has 
something in common with that of Mr. Samulson. 
But it is ho easy matter, at any time, to obtain a clear 
idea of a complicated machine from a mere descrip¬ 
tion. It is stated, however, that the results of certain 
experiments have been highly satisfactory. In seven 
minutes, says the official report, this machine dug a 
piece of ground measuring 148 square feet, or 1188 
superficial feet in an hour.—P. F. Keir 
SAWBRIDGEWORTH NURSERIES. 
If the early garden literature of this country hacl been 
of a periodical kind, and supplied by practical men, what an 
insight it would have given U3 to the manners and customs \ 
of our ancestors, and what a record we should have pos¬ 
sessed of thiugs and places and people which have long ago 
passed away, and leaving no more tract behind them than if 
they had never been. If, for instance, we could gather 
together a history of all the Nurseries which have existed, 
and do exist; of the men who founded and possessed them ; 
if we could read of their mode of cultivation and manage¬ 
ment, and of the subjects they introduced and cultivated ; 
what an interesting volume it would make! Such a volume, 
after a fashion, might bo got together by much painful 
