40 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, October 19, 1858. 
and it is not likely they will risk the chances of an experiment. 
Many a time, to be sure, I have had my organ of hearing put 
out of tune by the hoarse braying of old trumpets at the shows 
of tire Horns Tavern , while the large silver cup (not the loving 
one) was being handed round; and “ the Red Cross Knights ” of 
the Surrey Gardens’ baud was tiresome enough. But no matter, 
you go to the Horns Tavern, Kennington, or the Surrey Gar¬ 
dens, and, if you do not see more people sitting and standing 
round the band than you see admiring the flowers and plants, 
then, I can only say, there must be something very extraordinary 
to be seen. What, then, must we expect, when we speak of the 
choice morceaux by the great composers, and which our military 
bands perform so well. Many a time have I noticed, when the 
Fusileers and the Coldstreams were beginning to peal forth some 
of the pieces from Her Freischutz, or Lucia di Lammermoor, that 
there was scarcely anybody in the tents to admire Tom Brown’s 
astonishing collection of six Heaths, or Harry Jones’ wonderful 
brace of Cucumbers. 
Now, 1 have said this much respecting the financial success of 
horticultural exhibitions, to show that it must depend, to a 
considerable extent, on extraneous agencies, and that, if the Paris 
Society is to be self-supporting, there must be some change in its 
mode of securing a fund. 
The Exhibition of the season was opened on the 26th ult., and, 
according to the programme, it is to close on the 3rd inst., hut it 
is likely to be continued for a day or two longer. 
The summer Exhibition occupied the centre of the Palais de 
VIndustrie, which was laid out as an English garden, studded 
with statues and ornaments, having a pretty lake, fountaiu, rustic 
bridge, and rocky ford,—all admirably designed and executed. 
At present, there is no garden, lake, or fountain, and the pro¬ 
ducts are arranged on some sixteen or twenty large square tables, 
which occupy, in two rows, the greater part of the north gallery. 
There are several small collections of flowering plants and shrubs, 
besides Roses and Dahlias ; but in this way there is nothing worth 
particular mention. Some of the fruit-growers in the vicinity of 
Paris have sent collections of fruit trees in pots. These, chiefly 
Pears and Apples, are well grown, and, for the most part, loaded 
with fruit. Some side benches are occupied with field and 
garden products,—such as seed and roots. 
Of course, the articles which have most interest on this 
occasion are the large and beautiful collections of fruit, which 
have come from all the great fruit-growing departments of France. 
One or two collections have also been sent from Belgium, and the 
nearer States of Germany. 
To give anything like a detailed notice of the sorts and va¬ 
rieties exhibited is obviously out of the question, even if it were 
desirable ; for most of the growers have sent several hundred 
different sorts, and some of the collections contain, perhaps, 
more than a thousand dishes. It is to be regretted, however, 
that a great many of the Grapes have been sent in a very un¬ 
favourable condition to judge of their merits. For want of a 
little attention, in the way of thinning, the fruits are pressed 
against one another ou the branches to such a degree, that they 
are not only flat, but much smaller than they would have been 
with timely care. By far the best collection shown is that of 
M. Rose Charmeux, of Thomery, whose sorts are—Muscat of 
Alexandria, Oros Lumas, FranJcenthal; Oros Jlilier, the fruit of 
which is at least an inch in diameter; Valencia, a lusciousjwliite 
sort, and nearly as large as Oros Jlilier; Superb du Canada, a 
pretty red variety; Chasselas Napoleon, of a rich light yellow 
colour, and quite transparent; Gromier du Cantal, nearly round, 
red, and of good size. There is, also, an incomparably fine black 
variety, called Squiras, which is of an oval form, tapering at 
the lower extremity, and beautifully bloomed. 
Of the vast number shown by other growers, I shall only 
enumerate a few of the best sorts, and the best grown ; but I may 
first observe, that the Chasselas de Fontainebleau, among the 
whites, and t FranJcenthal among the blacks, seem to oocur most 
frequently. The best of the others are— Orosse Perle, large, 
oval, white ; Florence, very black, and apparently a fine variety ; 
Verjus, of a greenish-white colour, and remarkable for its large 
bunches; Farogone, black, large fruit, and finely bloomed; 
Cornichon, violet, long, and tapering at the extremities; Oros 
Coulard, a fine, large, round, white sort; Cornichon Blanc, more 
than an inch long, and tapering ; Cornichon Bose, a remarkably 
large, oval sort; Malvoisie, a beautiful white variety, of good 
size ; Corinthe, a pretty, yellowish sort, with long bunches of 
fruit, about the size of Peas. 
Of Apples, there is a fine display, but the principal sorts are— 
Beinette du Canada, Belle d’ Orleans, Beinelte d’Angleterre, 
Belle Hubois; Api Noir, about the size of Pumme d'Api, not 
uncommon in the London markets, but, as its name implies, very 
dark in colour; Api Oris Bouge, Beauty of Kent, Cceur de 
Baeuf a large deep red sort. 
The Pears, which seem to be most in favour among the different 
growers, are—the Beurre Clairgeau, a fine, richly rose-coloured 
sort; St. Germain d’Hiver, Colmar d'Aremberg, Huchesse 
d'AngouUme, Belle Angevim, Belle de Bruxelles, Poire de Cure, 
Louise Bonne d Avranche, Calebasse Monstre ; Fsperine, a good- 
sized, and richly - coloured sort; Hoyene, finely rose-tinted; 
Beurre Superfin, a desirable table variety ; Beurre Magnifque, 
Beurre Capiaumont, Calebasse Bose, C. Imperiale, Belle et 
Bonne de Zees. All these are first-rate sorts. They are of good 
form and colour, and a few are remarkable for their large size. 
About a score of Pine Apples occupy the centre of one of the 
tables. These are mostly large, and w r ell grown. The sorts are 
Providence, Smooth-leaved, Cayenne, and Montserrat. I havo 
not seen any British Queens. But these samples are equal to 
what I have seen in England. 
A few samples of other fruits, such as Nectarines, Peaches, 
Figs, Beine Claude and Golden Prop Plum, fill up a spare 
comer here and there. 
I may add, in conclusion, that there has been a Meeting, or, as 
it is called here, a Congress of Pomologists, and, if there is any¬ 
thing interesting to be said, I shall send you a few notes as soon 
as I learn the result of its deliberations.—K. 
QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 
HEATING A ROW OF NINE HOUSES. 
“ Will you have the goodness to give me a few hints respect¬ 
ing the heating of nine houses in a row ? The three centre ones 
have been built some time. One is heated by a small conical 
boiler, the other two by smoke flues. I intend putting up three 
more houses at each end,—three to be attached and three to be 
detached. Shall I have one boiler to heat the -whole ? or Bliall 
I have two, or even three ? How would it answer to have a 
boiler at the back of the fernery to heat those three,—the small 
one, perhaps, that is now up, and put a larger one in its place 
to heat the other six ? By the latter plan we should avoid 
wasting heat in the gravel path. I would like to have bottom 
heat in 2, 3, 5, and 6.”—A Subscriber erom the First. 
[The mode of heating is purely a matter of taste and choice. 
Your proposal of two boilers, or even of three, would answer 
admirably, and you could hardly ever calculate on all giving way 
at once. The loss of heat, however, in passing a gravel path is a 
mere bagatelle, and, providing the main pipes there are placed 
in a hollow tube, or drain, little or no heat would be lost. Were 
we to heat such a range, and future economy in fuel and manage¬ 
ment an object, we would have one large boiler where your pre¬ 
sent small boiler is, or opposite No. 6, and have a second boiler 
placed near it for security, in case anything should suddenly 
happen with the other. We would then take a main flow and 
return pipe to each end, and work from them each individual 
house at will. If your boiler is low enough you can then give 
bottom heat to any house you please. But, consulting economy 
in heating, we would so far alter your present arrangement as to 
have all the houses requiring bottom heat, and the greatest top 
heat, together. For instance, even supposing you had a boiler 
to heat the tender fernery, which is all right, you would require 
to pass through a comparatively cool house, to giro bottom heat 
to No. 5. Now, if the tender fern-liouBe was taken from the east 
end to No. 4, west end, or to No. 3, you would havo thoso 
requiring most heat together. On the same principle, No. 1 
might be made a hothouse for plants, and No. 5 a cool-house, by 
which means the whole of the east-end division would require 
less heat than the west end. These matters would equally apply, 
if, for convenience, you had three separate smaller boilers. The 
risk is less than having only one large one.] 
ADMITTING AIR TO A GREENHOUSE. 
“ Will you please tell me which of these two plans you consider 
best,—letting air through the front lights directly on the plants, 
or letting air under the stage, and so into the greenhouse ? My 
