March 11. 
COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION. 
4:27 
I 
I 
I 
! 
clown ill the autumn, and the plants remain dormant 
through the winter. This is the reason why all such 
plants sliould be potted in spring, in order that root- 
action and top-action should go on simultaneously, and 
the fresh soil, with all its nutritive elements intact, and 
unwashed away by freguent waterings, be placed ready 
for the fresh roots to strike into, and take up the 
greatest quantity of stimulating food, just at the time 
the plants require the greatest amount of encouragement 
to grow healthily and vigorously. Some days previously 
to the actual performance of potting, the portion of the 
compost required on that occasion should be brought 
under cover, in a temperate shed, or room, to become 
partially dry and warm. Also, a considerable cxuantity 
of broken pots should be broken up into three sizes ; 
the first, large ones, to cover the holes at the bottom of 
the pots; the second, rather smaller ; and the last, as 
small as the large marrow Pea. Then the pots, while 
the compost is airing, may be looked out. If new from 
the pottery, they should be soaked in cold water for 
twelve hours, and then placed to dry in the shed ; if old 
ones, they should be put into a tub of water, soaked a 
few hours, and then washed and scrubbed quite clean, 
and set to dry, a couple of days previously to the potting 
day. Lastly, if it can be had, a (Quantity of ciiarcoal 
should be procured, and broken into pieces about 
the size of pigeons’ eggs. ’These are the materials 
necessary to be got in readiness for the operation of 
pottiug. A day being fi.xed upon, the plants should 
be brought into the potting place, and one taken on 
the bench. Turn the ball carefully out of the pot; 
pick out all the old drainage, and shake off all the 
old soil. 'L'his is important; for, generally speaking, 
the old soil has lost all its nutritive powers, and is an 
exhausted mass, ’i’he roots of the Cypripediums are not 
fibrous, and therefore the soil readily separates from 
them ; then carefully examine the roots, and cut away 
all those that are dead. Some will not be dead their 
entire length; these should have the dead part only 
cut olT 'Then prepare a pot of the proper size to 
contain the roots, without cramping or bending, by 
draining it artistically; that is, lay one or two of the 
largest-sized crocks at the bottom, over the hole ; upon 
them lay a thin covering of the second size, and, finally, 
the third layer of the third-sized broken pots. Mi.x a 
few pieces of charcoal amongst the compost, and put 
sufficient of the compost in tlie pot, upon the drainage, 
to raise the crown of the plant just level with the rim; 
then put the plant in the pot, holding it with one hand, 
and with the other fill in the compost amongst the 
roots; being careful not to bruise or break them, nor 
yet to rub off the buds on the crown of the plant. 
Proceed so till the pot is full, then press it down 
gently, but not hard; for these plants love an open 
medium for iheir roots to run amongst. Then give the 
pot a smart stroke or two on the bench, and the 
operation will be so well done as to afford a reasonable 
expectation that the plant, with proper after-manage¬ 
ment, will flourish in its new pot and soil. Give the 
remainder the same treatment, and they are ready for 
the next section—Position. ’T. Ai’i’LEny. 
{To be continued.) 
NOTES FROM PARIS. 
AVe have had such warm weather lately that there has i 
been an luiusually good supply of flowers. At present, j 
Camellias, Azaleas, Hyacinths, Spring Heaths, Primroses, ; 
Ciner.arias, and Roses, are somewhat plentiful. Of Violets, t 
in particular, there is a wonderful display, done up, too, like i 
railway literature, pretty easily got through, and very cheap, j 
The Hyacinths are, fijr the most iiart, fair samples of the i 
early forcing sorts. There are, also, some neat plants of j 
the common Azaleas, a few quickly-flowered Rhododendrons, | 
two or three orchids, such as Phains firundi/ulius, plenty of 
forced Lilac, J'un Thai Tulips, with Wallflower, purple 
Stocks, and Pansies. 
Bouquets are, of cour.se, composed chiefly of Camelliars; 
the best samples I have seen are formed almost entirely of 
this favourite flower. 
'iTm.j:—Centre, a large white Camellia. 
1st circle, Variegated ditto. 
2nd do. Lilac fwhite) raised, 
did do. Red Camellias. 
-1th do. Blue Violets. 
Roses are placed at certain distances between the circles. 
In another style, the circles of Camellias are not all of one 
colour, but alternating. Heliotropes and Heaths are also 
used w'ith the Roses at certain distances between the circles. 
This style of bompiet is very rich and elfective, but must 
be somew'hat large to be well done. 
I do not recollect if I mentioned, when noticing this 
subject more particularly, that in making bouquets the 
jlcnri.'ihs here use a small wire frame in which the flowers 
are placed or arranged so that their eifect may he seen 
before tliey are tied together. 'This is not frequently used; 
but it is worth recommending for the use of beginners. 
'The French way of making bomiuets is, at the present 
season, adroitly turned to advantage by the flower-girls of 
the Boulevards, who purchase Camellia flower-heads for the 
merest trifle, trim the petals a little, give them artificial 
stalks, surround them with A'iolets and Lilac, and then sell 
them at six-times their value. 
'The principal flower depots in Paris are in the Palaise 
Botjal and the Passage dii Jonjf'roif, also the Passage de 
rOpera. All the jienristes sell fancy vases, pots, baskets, 
and flower-stands. My last sketch, it is right to say, was 
made from a model furnished me by M. Baron, 10, Passage 
dc rOpera, 
M. Couturier, of the Boulevards des Iluliens, has at present 
several samples of forced Strawberries, which are a decided 
improvement on what I mentioned in a former dispatch ; 
but, of course, they make a better show than they w'ould 
make a dessert; and most probably they will never be eaten. 
Yet there always are some people who seek to create a sen¬ 
sation by being able to announce that in February they have 
eaten ripe Strawberries for tlieir dessert. 
I find that the garden in the Place da Carrousel has been 
divided, and there, are now in reality two gardens, each 
about forty yards long, and neatly laid out. 
It would be interesting to look over the fashions in orna¬ 
mentation which have prevailed, from time to time, during 
the last century or so. At present, the popular taste is de¬ 
cidedly in favour of fruits and flowers with the artists and 
decorators of every shade. The new buildings of the Louvre, 
and even private houses, are set off with rich carvings, such 
as might almost warrant the designation of a “ Horticultui-al 
order” of architecture. The buildings of the Louvre, espe- 
pecially, are literally cpvered with embellishments of this 
kind. In old times, carvers in wood and stone, as well as 
designers, such as they were in Catholic countries, were 
engrossed with the delineation of Saints, or the illustration 
of remarkable incidents in ecclesiastical history. 'The same 
subjects are, more or less, kept up at the present day, though 
greatly improved in form and expression; but now. Nature 
is tlie real school of every artist who tries to excel. Flowers 
and fruit, branches with birds’ nests, even the mosses and 
lichens w hich grow on stones and wood—all these are care¬ 
fully studied and copied by the sculptors and carvers, as 
well as designers for calicoes, carpets, paper-hangings, and 
porcelains. Flower-stands, window-boxes, garden-benches, 
and rustic work generally, are also embellislied with flowers 
and foliage made of wood. Indeed, nothing relating to or- 
, nament can be finished here without these rich materials, 
i which, happily, are as inexhaustible as they are varied. 'To j 
be sure, designers sometimes take most unwarrantable liber- j 
ties with Nature, or, at least, they show proofs of entertain- | 
ing whimsical notions of taste. No matter; cttect is their ; 
object, and, with them, the “ end justifies the means.” AVe | 
may thus sometimes see a group of Blephanotis Jlorihunda '• 
with bright crimson flowers; or a swfitchiug of climbing | 
Roses flung gracefully over a downy cloud. ' 
One of the most striking of the park improvements here 
is the Avenue de I'lmperalrice, oi>eued last year as a kind of | 
i 
t 
