339 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, September G, 1859. 
and I have often seen Melons and Vines, covered with fruit, 
growing along the sides. The poorest vendors in the street have 
usually some notions of ornament; if it is only a few Cherries 
that are sold for a sou they are always displayed in the form of 
a small bouquet, worked up with the leaves of Lily of the Valley, 
one or two Pansies being stuck in at the top. Two or three 
leaves are left open at the summit, but all the others down the 
sides have their points tied in. I enclose you a drawing of this 
Cherry bouquet, should you think it worth an engraving on a 
smaller scale. 
THE SQUARE LOUVOIS. 
This pretty little square is now, after some considerable delay, 
in the course of being finished. It is open to the public ; but the 
walks are scarcely completed on one side, and the men are 
occupied in layering Cotoneasters all round, just within the 
railing. The clumps, however, are well filled with Rhododen¬ 
drons about two feet high, Rockets and China Asters. It is not 
the custom here to lay turf, but to sow the ground, and, of course, 
there will be no green lawn for a week or two, and that will be 
chiefly round the magnificent fountain in the centre. This is one 
of the smallest public gardens in Paris ; but, no doubt, it will be 
enlarged in the course of a year or two, when the leases of some 
houses on the w r est side shall have expired. The high dead wall, 
however, of the Imperial Library, which extends more than a 
hundred yards on one side of the Rue Richelieu, is by no means 
an ornament to the place, and makes the garden look smaller than 
it really is. Yet it seems almost impossible that this unsightly 
wall can be permitted to remain much longer when all the rest of 
Paris is being changed and embellished. 
“COFFEE AS IN FRANCE.” 
This was, and perhaps still is, the heading to an advertisement 
in some of the London papers : and if I had no other guide, it 
would be sufficient to lead me to the conclusion that English 
people believe that coffee in France is much better than coffee in 
England. But I do not speak of coffee that is bought at the 
grocers and made at home, and which is, perhaps, as good here 
as in London. It is rather the made coffee of the cafes and 
restaurants to which I allude, and which is a black ugly mixture, 
having no resemblance to what English people are accustomed to 
drink at home, or in the coffee-houses. Several cups of coffee, as 
made in England, may be taken at breakfast. But here one 
small cup of cafe noil-, as it is well named, is considered sufficient; 
and then, as if to make it palatable, it is the practice to put three 
or four lumps of sugar and a glass of brandy in it. This is called 
a gloria. For my own part, I have found that such coffee has an 
injurious effect on the system : yet, whether at the table of the 
Bourgoii, or at the public cafe, it is the same,—black, strong, 
exciting, and unwholesome. Except among a fow of the wealthy, 
tea is not used here; and it is not astonishing when we consider 
that the most inferior quality costs six and eight francs a-pound. 
There are only a few dealers who sell it at that price. The usual 
prices are ten, twelve, and fifteen francs a-pound. So much for 
custom-house duties about which Mr. Cobden has just spoken so 
eloquently. Although people here have nerves for the strongest 
gloria , they are quite amazed when they see tea properly made ; 
for what they call tea is just so much hot water slightly coloured, 
and which has not the least flavour. In cases of headache and 
similar ailments, they are accustomed to drink what is called 
tisane , which is simply a decoction of herbs. The dried flowers 
of the common Mallow and Orango leaves are generally used in 
this way in vast quantities. The roots of Couch Grass arc also 
highly esteemed for the same purpose. Whatever healing effects 
the tisane may have, it does not cost much, and it is easily made, 
as many of the flowers and leaves may be had for tw-o sous as 
will servo several times, and it is only necessary to boil them a 
minute or so in a pint of water. The use of herbs here is in great 
favour, and, of courso, a great many people are occupied in 
gathering and selling them. 
FRENCH WINE. 
In speaking of tea and coffee, I may, perhaps, be permitted to 
make a few remarks on what forms the most important article of 
consumption here in the way of drink. In the first place I may 
observe, that there is but very little difference between the com¬ 
position of breakfast and dinner in Paris. It is always the same 
round of bread, soup, meat, vegetables, and wine, with salad, fruit 
and cafe noir. Ham and eggs are seldom used; tea and toast 
never. About eight or nine in the morning it is the custom to 
take a cup of cafe noir mixed with milk, and this is called cafe au 
lait. It is taken with a little bread, to which butter is sometimes 
added. This forms the first meal. What is called breakfast is 
taken in the middle of the day, and, as I have just noticed, it is 
more like a dinner than anything else. 
Now, what is the wine of which we have all heard so much, 
and which, morning and evening, takes the place of our tea ? Is 
it anything like the port or claret that is drunk at the tables of 
the well-to-do people in England ? Decidedly not. On the 
contrary, it is a sour, unpalatable drink, and seldom fails to pro¬ 
duce drowsiness or other unpleasant effects, especially during the 
day, and from which even those who are accustomed to it rarely 
escape. It is, perhaps, true that such are the effects of wine in 
general, whatever the quality may be ; but it is particularly true 
of the wine in common use here, called Vin ordinaire, and which 
may be had as low as ten or fifteen sous a litre. It is considered 
very good in Pans at a franc, but this includes the duty. In the 
provinces, where there is no duty, the price is much less. The 
Vin ordinaire is the common drink of the French people; but 
there are several other sorts which are also common enough—as 
Vin de Bordeaux, Vin de Macon, Vin de Bourgogne, &c. These 
are of a much finer quality, and, of course, they are dearer. The 
Bourgogne, especially, is pleasant enough, having a flavour some¬ 
thing between claret and port wine; Bordeaux, however, is more 
popular among the people, because it is stronger, and it is to be 
had very good at two or three francs a litre. 
In summer there is what is called la petite Here, or Biere de 
Paris —a wholesome and refreshing drink, which I think prefer¬ 
able to wine for everyday use.—K. 
SPIUNG-FLO WERING BULBS BOB A 
RHODODENDRON-BED. 
“ Are there any spring-flowering dwarf bulbs that would do 
well planted as an edging to a Rhododendron-bed which is entirely 
of sandy peat P If so, could you give me a list of say twelve 
sorts, and also say how deep they ought to be planted ? Would 
the Scilla tribe, Crocus,and Snowdrop answer?”— Paul Ricaut. 
[Every one of the spring bulbs will bloom and grow, ripen, go 
to rest, start again and again in blooming vigour in Rhododen¬ 
dron beds, whether they be in boggy spongy peat, in sandy peat, 
