41G THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, March 17, 1857. 
very early without any other protection than that of an 
ordinary greenhouse, and having at the same time the 
odour of the violet.— ( Horticultural Society’s Journal .) 
NOTES FROM PARIS. 
In some places, and especially in the long, spacious street, 
Rue Lafayette, all the line young trees have been cut down, 
and it appears that the authorities intend doing away with 
trees here altogether, as the pavement is not so wide as on 
the Boulevards. It has been hinted, however, that some of 
the Coniferse will be introduced in place of other kinds 
which do not thrive very well on the promenades. 
While on this subject I may just notice that Platanus 
occidentalis, Bawlownia imjperialis, and Rhus typhina, appear 
to grow with the greatest luxuriance wherever I have seen 
them : the first in particular is fresh and green long after 
the more common sorts have lost their leaves. 
M. Saint Hilaire, professor of zoology at the Museum 
d’Hisloire Naturelle, has for some time been discussing the 
merits of horse-flesh as an article of consumption, and he 
argues strongly in favour of its introduction at the present 
time, when the ordinary kinds of butchers’ meat are so dear 
as to be almost beyond the reach of the working classes. 
The learned professor dwells at considerable length on the 
importance of animal food for the proper sustenance of the 
human body; and he pays a singular compliment, while 
on this point, to what is commonly called the “ pluck ” of 
Englishmen, whom he contrasts with the soft and effeminate 
inhabitants of India, who live, he states, chiefly on a 
vegetable diet. 
“Look,” says M. Saint Hilaire, “ at those people who live 
entirely on vegetable food like the Hindoos. Their manners 
are very gentle, it is true, but they are incapable of energy. 
A handful of Englishmen have subjugated them, and now 
rule them. Would the inhabitants of India, numbering one 
hundred and fifty millions, obey a few thousand Englishmen 
if they nourished themselves as Englishmen do?” 
An agriculturist, M. Delpuech, writing in the Siecle, 
remarks, in support of the same doctrine, that when farm 
labourers and others engaged in out-of-door work consume 
enough of animal food, they have more courage at their 
work, they are stronger, and more robust than when they 
are deprived of it. 
Every practical man knows that in circumstances which 
call for unusual effort, as in hay-making or harvest, the 
best economy is to spend an extra sum in feeding the work¬ 
people, because it is well known that such outlay is amply 
repaid by a proportionate amount of work. 
Except, perhaps, among vegetarians, this proposition 
would be accepted without proof or explanation. Most 
people, I should think, in whatever part of the world they 
live, are quite satisfied that plenty of food is not a bad thing; 
but M. Saint Hilaire is, perhaps, arguing too much in 
attributing British dominion in India to so trivial a cause 
as animal food. 
Now, let us hear what is the condition of farm labourers 
and the peasantry in general throughout France. 
According to statistics drawn out by M. Le Play, a great 
number of the peasantry in France only eat meat once a 
year, that is, on the day of the fete patronale* of their 
commune. Others only eat meat on that day, and also on 
the first day of Easter, called here Mardi gras. In Paris 
the butchers celebrate Mardi gras by making a grand 
procession, in which a number of oxen are led through the 
principal streets of the capital with music, and the men 
and women in fancy costumes. This procession is kept up 
for three days, and closed by a grand ball. 
The great majority of the rural population, about twenty- 
five millions out of thirty-six millions, is divided by M. 
Saint Hilaire into three classes, thus :— 
1. Those who eat meat at marriage feasts, at Easter, and 
on the principal fete days, about six times a year. 
2. Those who eat meat twice a year, that is, on the day of 
the fete patronale and at Easter. 
3. Those who only taste meat once a year, that is, on the 
day of th e> fete patronale. 
But M. Le Play goes further, and says that the great 
* The fete patronale is a holiday kept in honour of the patron saint of 
the town or village. 
majority of the agricultural population seldom or never taste 
butchers’ meat. M. Saint Hilaire proposes to reduce the 
present high price of meat by sending all the old horses to 
the slaughter-house, and it is stated that even now horse¬ 
flesh is consumed in Paris to a greater extent than people 
suppose. M. Lucas, at the Garden of Plants, as well as 
several other scientific gentlemen, are cited as among the 
number of those who can testify to its excellent nourishing 
qualities. 
It is also stated that horse-flesh is consumed in several 
German states, where the horse-meat markets have been 
quite successful. 
It is calculated that, by using horse-flesh, more than 
50,624,000 kilogrammes might be yearly added to the 
quantity of butchers’ meat at present consumed throughout 
the whole of France.—P. F. Keir. 
NATURAL HISTORY OF THE HOUSE MARTIN. 
Since writing the paper which you inserted at page 86 of 
the present volume I li ave, in Southey’s “ Common-place Book,” 
vol. ii., met with the following, which is quoted by him from 
Henderson’s “Account of Honduras,” and which clearly proves 
that the Martin or Swallow habitually resorts at night to 
rushes or sedges in watery places, and particularly in hot 
climates, or in very warm seasons here, as has been the case 
in the past summer. 
“ Myriads of Swallows are the occasional inhabitants of 
Honduras. The time of their residence is generally confined 
to the period of the rains, after which they totally disappear. 
There is something remarkably curious and deserving of 
notice in the ascent of these birds. As soon as the dawn 
appears they in a body quit their place of rest, which is 
usually chosen amidst the rushes of some watery savanna, 
and invariably rise to a certain height in a compact spiral 
form, and which at a distance often occasions them to be 
taken for an immense body of smoke. This attained, they 
are then seen separately to disperse in search of food—the 
occupation of their day. To those who have had an oppor¬ 
tunity of observing the phenomenon of a waterspout the 
similarity of evolution in the ascent of then- birds will be 
thought surprisingly striking. The descent, which regularly 
takes place at sunset, is conducted much in the same way, 
but with inconceivable rapidity, and the noise which accom¬ 
panies this can only be compared to the falling of an im¬ 
mense torrent, or the rushing of a violent gust of wind. 
Indeed, to an observer it seems wonderful that thousands of 
these birds are not destroyed in being thus propelled to the 
earth with such irresistible force.” 
I may hero remark that Wood, in his “ Natural History,” 
says that the Chimney Martin or Swallow builds its nest 
“ with mud against a wall or other convenient situation.” 
Now, this is the manner and situation in which the House 
Martin builds its nest; but the Chimney Martin or Swallow 
described by Mr. Wood builds its nest, so far as I have 
noticed or ascertained, invariably in chimneys.—T. M. W., 
Bishop's Waltham. 
NEW AND RARE PLANTS. 
Hoya coronaria (Garland Hoy a). 
This “ fine Hoya ” is a native of Java, whence it was sent 
to Messrs. Veitch by their collector, Mr. Thomas Lobb. Its 
flowers are pale sulphur yellow-coloured. Dr. Wallich 
found it in Sylhet, and called it, as had Dr. Wight, Hoya 
velutina. It bloomed in November, 1856, at Messrs. Yeitch’s. 
In Java it is called Aroy Kilampahan.—(Botanical Magazine, 
t. 4969.) 
Dendrobium heterocarpum, var. Henshallii ( Henshal/’s 
variety of the various-fruited Dendrobe). 
Two other varieties are figured in the “ Botanical Ma¬ 
gazine,” and a third is known at Kew. This species is 
found all over Peninsular India from Ceylon to Nepaul, as 
well as in Java, from whence Messrs. Rollison imported 
the variety now noticed. Pale straw-coloured flowers, with 
two crimson spots at the base of the lip.—( Ibid. t. 4970.) 
Eucharis grandiflora ( Large-flowered Eucliaris ). 
This is in the collection of Messrs. Veitch under the name 
