472 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
September 25. 
Of Pears, M. Leroy liad twenty varieties, also on the 
young tree. In general, though admirably grown, they 
would have been much improved by a few days more sun. 
The best samples were la Belle de Bruxelles, de Tongres, 
Colmar d’ete, aud Ohaumontel. 
In another collection of Pears, shown by MM. Jamin and 
Durand, at Bourg-la-Reine, the best were Bergamotte de 
Bruxelles, Theodore d ele, William's Bon Chretien, and a new 
variety called Beurre Lcstre. 
A collection of fruits, seeds, and roots from Algeria, such 
as Melons, Oranges, Maizo, and cereals of different kinds, 
was sent from the War Office shortly after the opening of 
the exhibition. These, at first, were arranged in what is 
called the Tent of Industry, but they have lately been trans¬ 
ferred to the Fruit Pavilion. 
M. Gaultier et fils, Avenue de Suffren, Pans, had a sample 
of Grapes called Raisin de Madeleine, which, as was stated 
on a card, were slightly tainted with the vine disease. With 
these were some good examples of Tond’s seedling Plum ; a 
dwarf tree, in pot, of the Belle Poire de Bruxelles, having 
ten finely-ripened fruit; a small round Melon, called ike/oa de 
Arkangel, grown in the open ground, together with twelve 
coloured drawings of different varieties of Strawberries. 
M. Noye, of Lyons, has contributed several samples of 
alimentary substances, such as Vermicelli, prepared from 
Potatoes Rnd Spanish Chestnuts. These are in the form of 
small pearl barley, tightly corked in bottles, like glasses ; 
the Potatoes having been simply cut into small, thin pieces, 
and dried by some particular process, so as to resume, when 
cooked, their natural appearance or colour. These are 
something in the same way as the prepared vegetables com¬ 
monly sold here under the name of Julienne, and which, 
when cooked, cannot be distinguished from vegetables just 
brought from the market. 
M. Lioret, Paris, has contributed a few unnamed samples 
of Grapes and Pears. 
Some of the roots, as well as the plants in pots of 
Dioscorea batatas, the especial protegee of M. Decaisne, 
have been contributed by M. Paillet, Rue d’Austerlitz, Paris. 
These roots, or tubers, are fully eighteen inches long, with 
an average diameter of two inches. Their general appear¬ 
ance as candidates in succession to the throne of Solanum, 
should that well-founded dynasty ever become extinct, is 
not very cheering. It is, indeed, very doubtful whether this 
new claimant will, in the end, fare better than hundreds of 
others, which, of late years, have been brought forward by 
different parties. The fork with which it is proposed to lift 
these tubers is of proportional length, and if we take into 
account the length and thickness of the handle, or shaft, 
required to “ prize ” it up when fully inserted, we have an 
implement of formidable dimensions. 
Of the Artificial Fruits, the best collection is that shown 
by M. Humbard de Molard, Rue de Meslay, Paris. This 
comprises about fifty different sorts of tropical fruit, such as 
the Mangifera domestica, Limonia trifoliata, Sapindus 
saponaria, Euphoria punicea, Garcinia mangastana, Barring- 
tonia speciosa, Caryophyllus animations, Carica papaya, 
Annona muricata, Gookia punctata, Piper nigrum, and Arcto- 
carpus incisa. These models are admirable works of art; 
for it is not the fruits merely which have been imitated, but 
a branch showing several stages of growth, from the 
flower bud to the ripe fruit, together with carefully pre¬ 
pared sections, and all of the full natural size. It is sin¬ 
gular that the Directors of the Exhibition have not thought 
fit to attach the name of the owner, or of the artist, to 
the case of modelled fruit. The name of M. Humbert de 
Molard is given in the catalogue of the Society as the exhi¬ 
bitor of a “ collection de fruits de l’lnde," that is—col¬ 
lection of Indian fruits. The botanist knows that a most 
instructive and interesting volume could be written about 
these fruits, respecting their use in commerce, or in the arts. 
It is, therefore, matter of regret, that something like a suc¬ 
cinct account is not given with them for the information of 
the public. People say, as they look at them, that they are 
very singular, curious, or beautiful; but they are left to 
form their own conjectures as to what they really are, how 
they grow, where they come from, what they are used for, 
the revenue they yield, the labour they employ. What is 
the use of such an exhibition if it is not to afford in¬ 
struction ? 
The next contribution of artificial fruit is that belonging 
to MM. Jamin and Durnand, at Bourg-la-Reine. Here we 
have ouly the common garden fruits, as Apples, Pears, 
Peaches, Plums, Apricots, Strawberries, Gooseberries, &c., 
and all we require to know is their names, which are given 
in every case. These models, comprising several hundreds 
of different varieties, are very faithful copies, and in many 
instances it would be exceedingly difficult to distinguish 
them from the natural fiuit. They are neatly arranged on 
narrow shelves, so that they can be readily examined, and 
their names ascertained. A miscellaneous collection of the 
same kind occupies a large basket, about four feet long, and 
of proportional width, apparently full, but, in reality, only 
full at the top. This is more an ornament for the saloon 
than anything else; but in most cases the names are 
written on very small parchment labels, attached to such 
kinds as have stalks. Apricots and Peaches are never 
modelled with their stalks (for what reason, I do not know), 
and, therefore, when the names are given, as in the collection 
of MM. Jamin and Durand, they are pasted on the surface 
of the fruit. This contribution is the gift of M. Chevet (or 
Brevet), Rue de l’Universite, Paris, to the members of the 
Society. So much for the Universal Exhibition of fruit. 
During the last few weeks the Victoria Regia has been 
in flower, but it has not attained its full development. The 
leaves are just about four feet in diameter, and some four 
or five flowers have appeared. 
A collection of novelties from Messrs. Standish and Noble, 
Bagshot, and another from M. Linden, of Brussels, have 
lately been added to the Exhibition. I shall notice these 
by-and-by.—P. F. Keir. 
THE APIARIAN’S CALENDAR.— October. 
By J. H. Payne, Esq., Author of “ The Bee-Keeper's 
Guide,” dc. 
The Season. —I must still hold, from the information I 
am gaining, that the season has not been a good one, but 
only a middling one ; there are, no doubt, in the worst of 
seasons, certain localities in which a fair portion of honey 
is collected, as in the vicinity of large breadths of white 
clover, or heather, this is sure to be the case. Although 
the stocks are comparatively few, owing to a succession of 
bad seasons, yet the remaining ones, in some favourable 
districts, have done tolerably well, and it is hoped that 
amateur apiarians will not be disheartened, but look forward, 
with hope and confidence, to more propitious times, to make 
up for the discouragements of the last few years. 
Stocks. —It is now full time for the stocks to be put in 
order for the approaching winter; defending them effectually 
from wet is of the first importance ; narrowing the en¬ 
trances to prevent the ingress of mice is also necessary, 
as well as their destruction in the neighbourhood of the 
apiary. 
Pedestals. —Where hives are placed upon pedestals of 
wood, it is necessary to examine them very carefully before 
winter sets in, and if they are found at all unsound to replace 
them with new ones; for want of this precaution, I already 
know of one excellent stock, this autumn, in a Taylor’s bar- 
hive, being quite destroyed; the late winds snapped the 
pedestal at the surface of the earth, where it was found to 
be decayed nearly through ; the stock was not only destroyed, 
but, from its great weight, the hive also much broken. 
Bee-books. —Since writing my last Calendar, another 
valuable addition has been made to the already large 
number of books in circulation on the subject of Bees, by a 
fifth edition of Taylor’s Bee-keeper's Manual. It contains 
a large portion of new matter and new illustrations; it 
contains, also, all the latest improvements made in bar-hives, 
dividing hives, &c.; in short, the book brings down the 
subject of apiarian practice and experence to the present ! 
time. I have read it with much pleasure; it will not j 
mislead the novice in bee-keeping, and the experienced | 
apiarian may read it with profit. The author lias, very 
properly, in my opinion, placed his shallow bar-hive, although 
the last invented, first in his illustrations of bar-liives (see 
page 53). This hive, as I have before said, is, in my 
j estimation, the best amateur’s hive that has ever been 
