COUNTRY GENTLE^rAN'S COMPANION. 
snr 
January 22. 
I calculate that one of these boxes can bo put togetliev in 
a very sliort time, if dispatch be an object; and witli the 
most insignificant expenditure of material, if economy be 
another. Suppose you have no boards, then twenty or thirty 
I indies of a stout branch would serve the purpose. Suppose 
you liave no laths, then short lengtlis of thickish willows 
! would do. But where there is no lack of time or materials, 
then the boxes may be made, not only strong, but neat and 
i sightly. 
I Fig. 2 is another form of the same contrivance, which I 
propose to be made by a potter. I have drawn it round, ■ 
liut it might have any other form ; perhaps a square would ' 
be found the most convenient. I have supposed the cir- | 
cumference of this form to be about six inches from the J 
stake which passes through the centre, and on which it is i 
supported by a nail, or wooden peg, driven into the stake at ' 
the point chosen. 
I propose distinguishing these several contrivances by 
different names thus :— 
High-layering Pot. 
I High-layering Box. 
High-layering Pan. 
These names, I think, will sufficiently indicate the parti¬ 
cular purpose for which the objects are intended, as well as 
their different forms. In this way, we may know what we 
are talking about. 
Since the 20th of December, or thereabouts, the weather 
has been uniformly wet or damp, the glass averaging 40“: 
the lowest temperature was on the last day of the year, when 
the glass stood at .‘1")° Fahr. But we have had several fine 
days at certain intervals. New Year’s-day, for instance, was 
as clear and sunny as could be wished for on such an 
auspicious occasion. 
In the centre of the Plncc dn CarrouaeJ, formerly quite 
open, a garden of about fifty yards wide lias lately been 
formed, inclosed with a neat railing, and planted w’ith orna¬ 
mental trees and shrubs. This will certainly be not the 
least attractive of the many pretty things in this quarter, 
where, in summer time, the glare of tlie white sculpture 
and carvings is rather fatiguing for the sight. 
Formerly, the Pl<(cc dn la Concorde w'as laid out in gardens, 
and I cannot but think it was bad taste to remove them. 
Now, there is nothing but polished stone, which, for eight 
months in the year, makes la place almost insufferable. 
People cross it as famished Arabs cross the burning sands 
of a desert, not caving to look much about them. 
The open air markets, at present, are chiefly supplied 
with young fruit-trees, ornamental shrubs, and miscellaneous 
plants, bulbs, roots, &c. 
It may seem strange that people in the eountry should 
come to Paris in order to buy trees and shrubs; Imt such 
is the fact. It may be that nurseries are not nuraerous in 
the country, at least, beyond the limit of one or two miles ; 
but it is certain that these things are sold cheaper in Paris 
than on the other side of the barriers. But this is not the 
case with most of the articles of household consumption. 
I have observed among the people generally, in this quarter, 
a marked fondness for the Ivy. It is by no means “ a rare 
old plant” in Paris, where it is considered equally capable 
of luxuriating with or without light. I have seen it trained 
up the carvings of large mirrors on the mantlepiece, and 
even over the walls of saloons, in which there was but little 
daylight at any time. The Ivy, like the sparrow, appears to 
be equally at home in all circumstances. Large quantities 
of it are sold in the markets, during the winter months, for 
training up the sides of windows both inside and outside; 
also, for covering trellises on balconies and similar places. 
Flowers, such as bouquets and plants in pots, continue 
rare and high priced. The principal kinds are still Heaths, 
Neapolitan Violets, forced Lilacs, white and variegated 
Camellias, Roses, Hyacinths, Van Thol Tulips, and one or 
two more early greenhouse sorts. Within the last few days 
some Ranunculi and small forms of Rhododendron have 
appear-ed ; but a great many bouquets are composed simply 
of Neapolitan Violets, Wallflower, and Heaths; sometimes 
a single Camellia is added at the centre. For ten or 
fifteen francs, however, a good large bouquet may be had, 
though, of course, it is but limited as to variety. 
There have been, lately, several fresh cargoes of Cocoa- 
nuts, from America, and of Citrons, Urauges, and I’omogra- 
nates, from Spain. Within the last few days, also, I have 
seen one or two dislics of forced Strawberries, which, how¬ 
ever, make but a sorry exhibition.—P, F, Keik. 
P.S. .Ian. 12lli. —The medals awarded to the principal 
exhibitors of the Horticultural Exhibition were only dis¬ 
tributed the day liefore yesterday. I have not obtained 
particulars, simply because no particulars have been pub¬ 
lished ; but the following list contains the names of those 
to whom medals have been given :— 
Messrs. 'N ilmorin, Andrienx, and Co.; Messrs. Thibant 
and Keteleer; M. A. Dufoy; Messrs. Pele and Son; M. 
LTIomme, curator of the Botanic Garden belonging to the 
School of iMedicine; Messrs. Verdier and Son, nurserymen ; 
Messrs. Jarnier and Durand, nurserymen; M. Charles; 
M. Chautin, nurseryman; M. iMargotin, nurseryman; M. 
Paillet, nurseryman. The preceding are all of Paris, or its 
environs. 
The following are from a distance M. Fontaine, nursery¬ 
man, Chatillon; Mr. Linden, nurseryman, Bi’ussels; M. 
Pescatore, amateur, Celle-Saint-Cloud ; iM. Langlois, market- 
I gardener, Vaugirard; M. Eugene Souchet, head-gardener at 
i Fontainbleau; M. Cochet, nurseryman, Suisness; M. Miellez, 
nurseryman, Esquarmes-les-Lille; Messrs. Truffant and 
I Son, nurserymen, Versailles ; M. Lavalle, secretary to the 
Horticultural Society de la Cote d’or, Dijon ; M. Luizet, 
nurseryman, Ecully, ne.ar Lyons; M. Millet, President of 
i the Committee Horticole, Angers. The Minister of War 
was also awarded a medal for his collection of Algerian 
products. , 
Since yesterday, we have had an acceptable change of 
weather, which h.as been dirty and dismal enough for several 
weeks. Now it is clear, cold, and dry; but, as yet, the mer¬ 
cury has not fallen much below 40° Fahr.—P. F. K. 
THE BREDALBANE RADISH. 
In The Cottage Gardener of December 25, page 225, 
“F. S., IVilts,-’ inquires the way of cultivating Radishes 
without a fibre. I grew some Radishes, last suinmei-, which 
weighed 3 lbs., but, as you say, I am afraid there is no 
way of growing the Radish without a fibi’e. The said 
Radishes were grown on sandy loam, without any manure, 
and the most of them were free from an excess of fibres. 
I never saw the Bredalbane Radish grown before, nor heard 
of it until last summer; but perhaps some of our old 
friends, such as iMr. Beaton, have seen it. It ought to be 
grown in every garden of any extent. I had the seed from 
Dickson’s and Co., 1, Waterloo Place, Edinburgh; and, to 
use the words in their Seed Catalogue, “ The Bredalbane 
Radish requires to be sown in .Tune, and to be thinned to the 
same distance as the garden Turnip. It grows very large, 
but retains its good quality till spring, if kept among sand, 
and proves a useful winter salad.” I have kept a few, and 
find them to be quite tender to-day—January 3rd.— 
Alexander. 
IS MORE OR LESS LIGHT ADMITTED BY A 
lUDGE-AND-FURROW GLASS ROOF? 
I TEEL obliged by your reply to my question, “ Is loss or 
more light admitted by having a ridge-and-furrow glass roof? 
but I must say the real point in question is left open to 
further consideration. 
You say, the fact is, the mere quantity of heat admitted 
is not so much tlie question, as the time and mode of its 
admittance; and that the sun’s rays strike a lean-to house, 
facing direct south, more powerfully at twelve o’clock, and 
sometime afterward. I admit, the sun’s rays strike a greater 
degree of heat at, and just after passing, the meridian, but 
no more light; that is always the same, if unobstructed, on 
a plane surface. Then you say you can, to a great extent, 
get a more subdued light at mid-day without shading, when 
the sun is brightest, and a more direct brighter light in the 
morning and afternoon, than were the snrface of glass on a 
plane. “How can Ihot he I ” If it were possible to cover a 
lean-to roof with one sheet of glass on a plane, could there 
bo more light admitted by any possible means ? The sun’s 
