January 9. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
285 
Marchioness of Douglas and the Duchess of Hamilton. 
The weather was fine, and the operations of lifting tho 
several trees selected were performed in a very short time, 
to the entire satisfaction of all present, and tho Emperor 
was pleased to order the machines used, consisting of a set 
of four, of different sizes. 
A second exhibition took place under the auspices of tho 
Imperial Society of Agriculture, at tho Jardin des Plantes, 
in the presence of a commission appointed to report upon 
the merits of the invention. On this occasion, by the 
express'desire of the Emperor, Mr. Me Glashen was per¬ 
mitted to use the same machines as employed at St. Cloud. 
The smaller trees, chiefly evergreens, were lifted and trans¬ 
planted very easily in a few minutes. The largest tree had 
been chosen by M. Decaisne, to test tho strength of the 
machine used. It was a Kcelrenteria, about forty years old, 
with a stem eleven inches diameter at three feet from the 
| ground. To all appearance it was firmly rooted, for its 
position was near the centre of one of the avenues which 
\ form the promenades of the Garden. Besides, it was 
evidently too large for the machine, the “ fulcrum frame ” 
of which was not more than fifteen inches from the stem, 
and, therefore, the roots, at the point of cutting, must have 
been more than usually thick. However, as soon as the 
apparatus was fairly placed, a few turns of the screws 
detached it from its bed, and in less than an hour the whole 
operation of lifting and transplanting it, at a distance of 
180 yards, was completed, to everybodys satisfaction. On 
the whole, Mr. Me Glashen seems to meet with much en¬ 
couragement here, and had his invention been known eight 
or ten months sooner, when so many trees were being lifted, 
his machines would have been most likely used to aeon 
siderable extent. 
ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 
The general meeting took place on the 18th of December, 
when several biographical discourses were delivered by M. 
Guizot, and other distinguished members. In the botanical 
section, M. Payer was elected to fdl the place of M. Gou- 
dichand, lately deceased. Besides M. Payer, who obtained 
a large majority, M. Trecal, M. Chatin, and M. Duchartre, 
were also nominated. 
I may notice, in this place, that the death of Dr. Webb, 
and, latterly, Professor Forbes, has been painfully felt in 
learned circles here. 
JARDIN DES PLANTES. 
The Victora Regia , and also the Euryale ferox , in the 
Aquarium, have both died, though it was hoped they would 
live through the winter. The circumstance lias led botanists 
here to regard these fine Aquatics as merely annuals. An 
opinion which has for some time been entertained among 
the best authorities in England. 
THE MARKETS AND FRUIT-SHOPS. 
Since my former dispatch, a few Pine-apples and Plan¬ 
tains have appeared in the shops of one or two of the prin¬ 
cipal dealers ; hut Apples and Pears are the chief commodity 
in the fruit way, though even they are now very deal’. Of 
the former, the Reinette dc Canada takes the lead, on 
account of its size, beauty, and ilavour. The best samples 
of this Apple measure fully four inches in diameter. The 
most noticeable of the Pears are the Bcurrt Ranee, the 
B curie d'Areniberg, and the Poire du Cure. The last 
has the general form of the Jargonelle, but it surpasses all 
I have yet seen for size, most of the samples measuring 
six inches long, and I have seen some fully seven inches 
! long. When well ripened, it is beautifully coloured, and 
dotted with red. Apples and Pears, however, of any merit, 
are not to be had at present for less than ten or fifteen sous. 
Truffles and Mushrooms are now becoming plentiful. 
The popular way of cultivating Mushrooms here, is in vaults 
and caverns under the ground, where seldom a single ray 
of natural light enters, and where the workmen are fur¬ 
nished with lamps and torches. This plan was first, adopted 
by a market-gardener named Chambry, and his example is 
now generally followed. The Mushroom-beds are arranged 
in long parallel rows, about two feet in height, and rounded 
olf at the top similar to a Celery ridge. In other respects, 
the mode of culture differs hut little from that generally 
practised in England. It is stated, on good authority, that 
more than eight millions of baskets of this esculent are 
sold yearly in the Paris markets, and the value of which is 
not less than sixteen hundred thousand francs. It is also 
found that a Mushroom-bed in the open air will produce a 
supply during two or three months ; but under ground, the 
same amount of surface will furnish a supply for four or 
five months. 
Beet roots are in much demand, at present, for salads, 
and mixed with the other ingredients used in this way, are 
much liked, cut in thin slices. There is no lack of Cresses 
and Endive, but the favourite for a choice salad, just now, 
is the common Dandelion, the leaves of which, when 
' properly blanched, and dressed with oil, make a very palat¬ 
able dish. I cannot very well explain why this plant is 
selected for such a purpose, at such a season, but there it is, 
as crisp and yellow as the heart of a Lettuce. 
Another vegetable in particular favour with the Parisians 
is the Cardoon, and it is just in season. It is boiled and 
served with sauce, as a separate dish. Some excellent 
samples of Brussels Sprouts and Savoys are also plentiful 
at present. French Beans, called here Haricots, are like¬ 
wise in great abundance, and much used amongst the people, 
as they are both cheap and wholesome. But Chesnuts are 
the greatest favourites of all with the lower classes at 
present, and they are cheaper than Filberts in London. 
The popular way of cooking Chesnuts is that of roasting 
them on a hot plate, and in the streets here there are 
people at every turn, with this apparatus, roasting Ches¬ 
nuts for all comers. There is scarcely a Caberet but 
has its Chesnut-roaster at the door, not on the pavement, 
or at the gutter, but inside, under shelter, and the patronage 
and protection of the landlord. The Chesuut, then, is 
clearly the crack fruit of the day, and well it may be, for, 
when properly cooked, it is very pleasant to the taste, 
besides being wholesome and nutritious. It is often used, 
too, in broils and stews, but only after being roasted. I 
have even seen Chesnuts prepared with sugar, as a kind of 
sweetmeat, and served as a dessert. 
The best samples of Chesnuts here are more than 
usually large and well flavoured, and vast quantities of 
every quality and description are every year received 
from the more southern departments, as Lyons and Nantes. 
Chesnuts seldom or never attain anything like the usual 
I size or flavour when grown in the latitude of raids, and 
though the tree is allowed to be a native of Spain, it is 
! found to thrive as well in the south of France, as in the 
■ neighbourhood of Barcelona. 1 am told, by oue of the 
1 principal exporters here, that the Chesnuts sent from Paris 
I to England, and other countries northward, are almost 
| without exception grown in the middle and southern depart- 
. meuts of France. No doubt, both Spain and Portugal also 
i export largely, hut, as it would appear, not by the overland 
i route. 
The fruit of a Mespilus, vary like Germanica, is also at 
I present much eaten, and the Quince is prepared in a 
! particular manner as a preserve.—P. F. Kelli. 
MANCHESTER POULTRY SHOW. 
This was held in the Free Trade Hall, from December 
29th to January 2nd. It is probable, that in no part of this 
country have poultry amateurs and breeders more difficulties 
to contend with than in Lancashire. The general ungenial 
character of the spring season, and natural coldness of the 
clay soil, are greatly detrimental to the production of strong 
and early chicken; and tho great value of the land, in most 
cases, prevents amateurs having extensive, or even con¬ 
venient walks, to say nothing of tho injury done to all 
light-coloured birds by the soot and smoke produced by 
the over-spreading manufactories of that wealthy county; 
besides, but few can find leisure to devote such time to the 
poultry fancy; still, a small band of ardent amateurs does 
exist, and though their first essay last season was an 
unremunerative one, they determined to hold another this 
year ; and as an incentive to public support, determined to 
devote all the surplus arising for the Show to the Royal 
Patriotic Fund, and we sincerely trust that they will have a 
j 
1 
