THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, August 3, 1858. 279 
the early ones, bring long prices. This sum even, is not had, 
derived from trees grown for sale. 
This village of Montlignon is quite a curiosity in its way ; 
almost every other house is a nurseryman’s, and bears its 
signboard, “ Pepineriste, Arbres Fruitiers,” and all men well- 
to-do in the world. Some are great in one thing, some in 
another. Their principal markets are the United States and 
Belgium. To the first place Monsieur Boisson shipped, last 
autumn, 60,000 one-year-old Pear trees. 
In the open country, I saw two rows of Apple trees grown 
to a large extent; and if, as I believe, I was correctly informed, 
they are peculiar to this neighbourhood; at all events, they 
do not figure in the catalogues of the nurserymen of other 
parts. The one is called the Ravaillar , and the origin of the 
name, as told by one of the learned blue-aprons of the village 
(they do not wear blue aprons there) was amusing. The 
name came, he said, from Ravaillar, the assassin of Henry IV., 
and was called after him in consequence of the blood-red 
colour of its fruit! The worthy was not to be daunted by 
the remark, that the assassin’s name was Ravaillac. His 
answer was prompt—Ravaillac was not his real name, but 
Ravaillar. Y our readers will judge of the value of the informa¬ 
tion. We allowed him to please himself with the idea that he 
had convinced us. There is, however, an Apple tree, which 
figures in the catalogue of the Royal Nursery of Velvorde, 
named Ravaillac; but it is described as a dwarf tree, antago¬ 
nistic to the one in question, which is very large and very 
handsome when in blossom, at which state it does not arrive 
until the end of May, and sometimes not until June. It is, 
consequently, never touched by frost, and rarely blighted. It 
bears abundantly. Its fruit is tolerably good for dessert; 
most excellent for pies, puddings, and preserves ; and a capital 
keeping Apple, specimens being common in June of the 
following year. The deep red colour of its fruit, with which 
its branches are almost always laden, presents a singular 
appearance. 
The other is called Jean Uure t named after the rearer, Jean 
Hure, of Franconville, a village two leagues from Mont¬ 
morency. It possesses the same advantages as the Ravaillar; 
but, as a tree, is still more rustic, its branches trailing on the 
ground laden with fruit, which, however, is smaller, not so 
red in colour, and not quite equal in quality. The country 
people make cider of it when they cannot sell it for a fair 
price, which is rare; for, as they say, “ the Parisian eats up 
everything.” 
Surely these trees could be acclimatised here, where, from 
their late blossoming, they would be valuable as a kitchen fruit. 
The wine made from the Grapes here cannot be so poor 
as I thought, since I find that the vintage of 1857 is worth 
at the present moment sixty francs for 220 litres,—say 48.?. 
for forty-nine gallons,—whereas that of the same year’s growth, 
in the neighbourhood of Nancy, is selling for 26.?. 6d. for the 
same quantity. Labourers wages vary according to their 
ability and the season, ranging from 2,?. to 3,?. per day. 
The value of land has much increased in all this neigh¬ 
bourhood. I was offered a piece of freehold containing two 
arpents, say an acre and a half, for 20,000 francs (£800). 
The price was not considered exorbitant, and it is probable 
that its value will be much greater in a very few years ; for 
the whole valley and district of Montmorency may be con¬ 
sidered as, par excellence , the best spot for country residences, 
as it is decidedly the most beautiful one in the environs of 
j Paris. 
This prico is by no means a maximum one, land of first- 
rate quality, and well placed for building, having been sold as 
j high as 24,000 francs the acre—very nearly £1000! 
The forest belongs to four or five proprietors, and contains 
about 5000 acres. It runs from eight to nine miles in length, 
by two to two and a half in breadth. It offers walks and 
rides of the most pleasing and varied kind, but it is deficient 
in roads, and the few that exist are almost impracticable. 
From the eminences and the cultivated grounds, where the 
forest has been cleared, called “ Champcaux ” (a corruption, 
probably, of Champs liauts), very fine panoramic views of 
Paris may be discovered. 
There is a drawback as regards Enghein and Montmorency. 
These places attract so large a portion of the citizens of Paris, 
that families must keep to the quietude of their own gardens 
on the Sundays, as the roads, footpaths, and bridleways are 
peopled with visitors,—equestrians on every sort of animal of 
the horse and donkey genus,—lame and spavined, halt and 
blind, all find amateurs. The donkeys, by the way, are first- 
rate, fine, large animals, equal to mules in size. 
I spent the few days I had allowed myself most agreeably, 
and on my return home by the Chemin du Nord , which runs 
across the valley, as I threw a last look on the spot thus 
favoured by Nature, I thought that I could live most happy 
amidst its pleasant scenery, and amongst its agreeable and 
cheerful inhabitants, if it were only under a Queen Victoria 
instead of an Emperor Napoleon. A reflection which will 
be pardoned by your readers, I feel quite sure,—H. S, W., 
Tollington Parle. 
THE HAY FEVER. 
t 
The Cottage Gardener lately inquired for a remedy for 
liay fever, and, though I cannot exactly give one, possibly the 
information that a tonic in a friend’s case led to nearly com¬ 
plete success, may be useful for others. Tincture of bark was 
tried, and the yearly attack was much slighter than usual; 
it occasioned very little inconvenience. A dessert-spoonful at 
eleven every morning was the quantity used. Probably quinine 
would answer still better. It is many years since the trial 
was made, and the latter preparation of bark was not so well 
known. The idea of trying it occurred from seeing in a well- 
known medical work, that bark, given for some more serious 
complaint, had entirely removed a cold in the head of many J 
weeks duration. The very close resemblance of my friend’s 
constant attack at the hay season to the severe cold, we now 
term influenza, seemed to justify the trial of the bark; and it 
certainly relieved him surprisingly. I have thought it pro¬ 
bable that, had it been used earlier, as a preventive, it might 
have been the means of warding off the attack altogether.—S. 
QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 
DRYING PLANTS FOR THE HERBARIUM. 
“ I shall feel much obliged by a statement of the best 
method of drying the leaves and flowers of stove and other 
plants, Ferns, &c., so as to preserve the colours for specimens. 1 
—E. D. S. 
[The following are the directions given by Dr. Withering, 
and Dr. Lettsom :—“ The plants should be gathered in a dry 
day, after the sun hath exhaled the dew; taking particular 
care to collect them in that state wherein the generic and | 
specific characters are most conspicuous ; the specimens ; 
should be suffered to lie on a table until they become limber, 1 
and then they should be laid upon a pasteboard, as much as 
possible in their natural form, but, at the same time, with a 
particular view to their generic and specific characters : for ! 
this purpose, it will be advisable to separate one of the flowers, 
and to display the generic character: if the specific character 
depends upon the flower, or upon the root, a particular dis¬ 
play of that will be likewise necessary. When the plant is 
thus disposed upon the pasteboard, cover it with eight or ten 
layers of spongy paper, and put it into the press. The press 
may be prepared by the following directions :— c Take two 
planks of a wood not liable to warp, two inches thick, eighteen 
inches long, and twelve inches broad. Get four male and four j 
female screws, such as are commonly used for securing sash j 
windows. Let the four female screws be let into the four ! 
corners of one ol the planks, and corresponding holes made 
through the four corners of the other plank, for the male 
screws to pass through, so as to allow the two planks to be 
screwed tightly together. It will not be amiss to face the 
bearing of the male screws upon the wood, with iron plates; 
and if the iron plates went across from comer to corner of the 
wood, it would be a good security against the warping.’ Exert , 
only a small degree of pressure for the first two or three days ; 
then examine it, unfold any unnatural plaits, rectify any 
mistakes, and, after putting fresh paper over it, screw the press 
harder. In about three days more, separate the plant from 
the pasteboard, if it is sufficiently firm to allow of a change of 
placo; put it upon a fresh pasteboard, and, covering it with j 
fresh blossom-paper, let it remain in the press a few days j 
