THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
370 
here, is to be the residence of Queen Victoria when she 
comes to return the memorable visit of the Emperor and 
Empress. I know that during the last two months a con¬ 
siderable number of artists have been touching up the 
decorations, and several other movements would seem to 
iudicate that the rumour is well-founded. For this reason, 
especially, I wished to, send you a few notes about the 
garden ; but just for the very reason mentioned, I suppose no 
person is admitted at present, except by special permission 
of the director, M. Mathieu, who happened at the time of 
my visit to be from home. But the wood, or pare, as it is 
called here, is always open to the public, and, like the Bois 
de Boulogne, Versailles, &c., is a favourite resort. 
St. Cloud stands on the further bank of the Seine, which 
is crossed by an elegant bridge of several arches. The 
grouud is hilly, rising, in some places, to a height of two 
and three hundred feet above the river, and, of course, the 
paths and carriage-ways take a zig-zag direction. The 
trees, chiefly elms, oaks, and beeches, are almost all of large 
growth, and as they have not been spoiled by fantastic cut¬ 
ting and trimming, their general appearance is agreeable 
and even picturesque. In walking under the wide spread¬ 
ing branches of some, and looking down, over the tops of 
others, which I had just passed, at the quiet, smooth waters 
of the Seine below, I was reminded of the country near the 
Lakes of Ivillarney, and of the mountain forests of the j 
Highlands. But the comparison can only be carried a little j 
way. At the summit of the hill is an open plateau, with a 1 
tower in the centre, and either from the tower, or the level 
ground, a good Hew of all Palis may be obtained. From | 
this point, several long, dark, high-arched, straight avenues 
diverge in different directions. 
As at Versailles, there are at St. Cloud some large foun¬ 
tains, which are always in full play on fete days, for the 
gratification of the people, who, besides, are allowed to 
amuse themselves in every possible manner, and to any 
extent they please. On the plateau, for instance, some 
ladies and gentlemen, at certain distances, are throwing a 
large ball to one another; and many more are sitting or 
standing round looking on. Many a merry peal comes from 
the happy circle, especially when some one or other of the 
gentlemen, in running to hit the ball, by a false step over¬ 
balances himself, and falls; or, as not unfrequentlyhappens, 
when, by a misdirected blow, the ball knocks off the hat of 
some of the spectators, just at the moment looking in an¬ 
other direction. There, at a little distance, a gentleman is 
enticing his infant son to chase him down the slope, while 
mamma follows at her leisure enjoying the fun. 
In another direction, a merry band of young people, arm- 
in-arm, have gone scampering down the hill, “ as fast as 
their legs can carry them,” every one trying to make more 
capers and antics than another. When they reach the 
bottom they continue in slow-marching pace, and strike up, 
with well kept time and balanced parts, “ La Heine Hor- 
tense ” or “ Partant pour la Syrie.” It would make no 
difference to them if the Emperor himself were to pass; 
and no doubt it would make as little to him; but he would 
be pretty certain to be greeted with a good heary “ Vive 
l’Empereur.” 
The sides of the long, wide avenue, which forms the prin¬ 
cipal entrance, is freely studded with stalls, at which bonbons, 
trinkets, and toys of every kind, are supplied to children at 
the most moderate price of one sous and upwards. There 
are also several neat erections, with an elegant arm-chair in 
the centre, and the following superscription outside: 
“ Voyons combien nous pesons apres diner.” In addition to 
all these attractions there is, a little behind the avenue, an 
open-air first and second-class ball-room,” and an excellent 
orchestra for those inclined to dance. This is inclosed with 
a neat trellis work, and decorated with flowers, evergreens, 
and statuary. You see that, in regard to pleasure-grounds 
and public gardens, the people here have every facility for 
enjoying themselves ; and I should observe, that I do not 
recollect ever having seen an instance of intoxication or im¬ 
proper conduct. 
THE WEATHER. 
We have had a pretty equal mixture of sunshine and 
shower lately, and sometimes, indeed, it has been unseason¬ 
ably cold; but, on the whole, fine weather has prevailed, 
August 21. 
though now the chilly nights of autumn begin to be felt. 
Some alarming accounts have been published in the English 
papers respecting the Vine crop. It is quite true that 
Grapes are not abundant this year; but, so far as I have no¬ 
ticed in the environs of Paris, there is not the slightest 
trace of the disease. The deficiency is wholly attributable 
to the heavy rains of early summer. Potatoes, as yet, are 
untouched; but several samples I have tried lately are not 
so good as those of an earlier period—not that they are 
tainted in any way, only they are more waxy ; and this effect 
is, perhaps, caused by the greater moisture of the soil. The 
crop of wheat, oats, barley, <fcc., near the capital, is very heavy, 
and a great part of it is already cut. The wheat, in par¬ 
ticular, is beautiful. Reaping is in full operation hi this 
quarter. The common hook and also the scythe are used; 
bu,t the general practice of cutting grain here differs widely 
from anything I have seen on the other side of the channel. 
There are two instruments employed—one for cutting, and 
another for gathering. The former is something between 
a hook and a scythe; the blade is about eighteen inches 
long, from three to four inches broad; nearly at right 
angles to the blade (which I am supposing to be lying 
flat) is a handle of fully the same length, and the ex¬ 
tremity of this handle, where it is held by the hand, takes 
a slightly oblique direction, and is about six inches long. 
The other instrument is simply a hook, about half the 
size of a reaping - hook, having a handle about twenty 
inches long: this is held in the left hand, to gather 
the grain together as it falls under the blade of the other, 
which is plied like a common scythe, but much more 
rapidly. With these instruments, the reaper does not re¬ 
quire to stoop so much as with the hook; and I cannot 
hut think that it is much more favourable to despatch. It 
is perhaps 'worth notice that women, who act a leading part 
in every sphere and occupation here, are rarely seen reap¬ 
ing. This is the more singular, when we consider that in 
most parts of England, but especially in Scotland and Ire¬ 
land, women are much employed in this way. 
An experiment was made, a short time ago, with one of 
McCormack’s Reaping Machines, much to the satisfaction of 
all present. Another experiment, under the auspices of the 
Prince Napoleon, and the Imperial Commissioners of the 
Agricultural Machines and Implements of the Exhibition, 
has just been announced for the 14th. 
There have been but few complaints respecting the fruit 
crop this year, yet people now complain that they must pay 
not only the double of last year’s prices, but even, in some 
cases, five or six times more than they have been paying for 
some years past. This is especially the case with such 
kinds as are used in preserves. The crop of such fruit near 
Paris is certainly below the average; but I think it is some¬ 
what probable that the greater influx of foreigners and 
visitors to the Exhibition may have some influence on the 
prices of these things.—P. F. Keir. 
PLANTING AN ISLAND. 
In No. 357, you ask if any of your readers know, from 
actual experience, of a better plan for planting an Island 
than you gave to a subscriber. Now, I must confess that I 
have had very little experience in planting Islands ; but if I 
wanted to plant an Island with evergreens, and I found it 
too low and wet for the common Laurel, I should mark out 
a space all round it a certain width, according to the size of 
the Island; and then I would dig out the soilfromthe inner 
space as wide, and throw on the top of it, which would raise 
the outer belt nearly as much as you went in depth with the 
other; and, if the Island was large enough, I should con¬ 
tinue another ring the same ; but if not, I should throw up 
a mound as high as I could in the middle, and plant that 
with the tallest shrubs I had; and the outer belt I should 
plant next the water outside with common Rhododendrons 
of as great a variety as I could get, and the other part of it 
with common Laurel, and other hardy evergreens, which at 
a distance would appear as though the Island was planted, and 
would appear so close, too, in a few years. This plan, I 
think, will raise the shrubs above the level of the water 
sufficient to prevent any injury from it. At least, it suggests 
