Sir, I had an opportunity of witnessing at Paris, in October last, an exhibition of fruits, flowers, and vegetables, that seemed to me to be so remarkable, that I feel that I cannot do better, as a subject for a letter, than attempt to give you some account of it. This exhibition was given in connection with the International Exposition at the reserved garden in the Champs de Mars, in some of the glass structures erected there, occupying several of them for its purposes. It was remarkable for its extent, for the quality of the articles exhibited, and for the great number of varieties of them that were shown; so remarkable, that I do not believe an exhibition like this ever before occurred, or that this could be repeated anywhere but in France, and probably nowhere but in Paris or its vicinity. With the exception of one or two from Belgium, all the contributors were, I believe, French; and, with this exception, all the articles the growth and produce of France. I wish it were in my power to give you a somewhat detailed account of this exhibition; but, to enable myself to do this, it would have been necessary for me to have devoted to it more labor than I was inclined to do, and more time than I had at my disposal. It was so large, the fruit alone filling at least five of the glass structures (some of them very large) above alluded to, the flowers and plants an equal number, and the vegetables as many more, — that, although I devoted the whole of one day to it, I could do no more than give a partial examination to a part of the fruit and a portion of the flowers; contenting myself with a glance at the residue, and at some of the plants and vegetables, many of which I did not see at all. This exhibition was very well arranged for the convenience of its spectators; for, being divided among several houses, this prevented a throng in any one, that, had it been held in one (could such sufficiently

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large have been procured), would probably have prevented a considerable portion of it from being seen by any; and, the houses being mostly of glass, ample light was afforded for viewing it distinctly. The general arrangement was like similar exhibitions that I have witnessed in the United States; and it seemed to be conducted in very much the same manner as is there usual. Most of the articles were displayed upon tables or shelves; the fruit in dishes of from half a dozen to a dozen specimens of each kind. The exhibition of fruits was mainly of grapes, pears, and apples, with a few peaches and plums.

The show of grapes was very large in quantity and number of varieties, and exceedingly fine. Partly by actual count, and partly by estimate made very carefully, I am confident that I am within bounds in stating that there were considerably more than a thousand dishes of this fruit upon the tables, besides a great many branches loaded with fruit, that were hung up on the sides of the building where the display was, for the purpose, as I supposed, of exhibiting the bearing properties of the variety so shown. The grapes were of both the white and purple varieties, the latter largely predominating. It was not, of course, to be presumed that from vines grown, as I suppose these were, in the open air, specimens could be selected where either the bunches or berries would be as large and fine as from vines carefully cultivated in grape-houses, not seldom with a view of exhibition, as could not here have been the case; yet the bunches and berries in this exhibition of some few of the varieties that I thought that I recognized, as the Black Hamburg for instance, were of good size, and all seemed ripe and well colored. This exhibition of grapes very far exceeded any that I had ever before seen, or even imagined, in extent, quality, and variety; and seemed to me to be highly creditable to the growers of them.

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Pears were shown in great profusion, and seemingly in endless variety. From such notice as I could bestow, it appeared to me that every variety whose name is borne on the nursery-men's catalogues must have been here present by its representative. The exhibition of this fruit as here made seemed to me to be exceedingly good. So far as I observed, there were no poor or indifferent specimens on the tables; but all were smooth, fair, and handsome: but at the same time I thought, that, of some varieties, I had before seen specimens that were larger or more overgrown than any here exhibited, though here sufficiently large to satisfy any reasonable expectation; the uniform excellence of the specimens being that which largely contributed to the superiority of the exhibition. should have liked, if it had been in my power, to have gone carefully over this show of pears, with a view to making a comparison of such of the varieties as I knew with my recollections of the same varieties as I had seen them in the United States; and thus, perhaps, arrive at more correct conclusions with respect to the comparative merits of some kinds when grown in France or the United States. But this, from the extent of the exhibition, was entirely out of the question. Among the specimens that struck me as particularly fine were those of the following varieties; viz., Buerré Six, Prince Impérial, Soldat, Laboreur, Conseiller de la Cour, Docteur Lentier, Josephine de Malines, Prince Camille, Clemence, Emile d'Heyst, and others that it seems unnecessary to name, being in a collection of fifty varieties that received the award of a first

prize. Among others that I noticed as fine were specimens of St. Vincent de Paul, Belle de Septembre, Belle de Fouquet, Grand Soleil, Buerré Superfin, Buerré Hardy, Doyenné Jamain, Prince Albert, Lieut. Portevin, Nouvelle Fulvie Marie Jallais, Fondante du Bois or Flemish Beauty, Buerré Merode, and Buerré Lucon. The largest pears that I observed were of the Belle Angevine variety. The specimens of Beurré Diel, Duchesse, Marie Louise, Clairgeau, and De Tongres, although good, were hardly equal to some that I had before seen in the United States; while those of the American varieties—the Swan's Orange and Seckel- were much inferior to some of each that I had before seen. Among the principal contributors of fruit were the following, whose names are well known to American cultivators, — M. André Leroy of Angus, who showed five hundred and sixty varieties of apples and pears, principally of pears; MM. Jamin and Durant of Bourg le Reine, and M. Duprey Jamain of Paris, wlio both had large collections of fine specimens. One exhibiter from Belgium showed four hundred and sixty-eight varieties of pears, including sixty-four different seedlings of his own raising, a single specimen of each variety.

But the part of this exhibition that struck me with most surprise was the show of apples, that much exceeded any thing of the kind that I had supposed possible in Europe. They were here exhibited in large quantity and very great variety the specimens were generally very fine, and well grown; many very large, smooth, fair, and of great beauty. I have before seen large and fine collections of apples exhibited in America; but I have never seen a show of them, that for the number of varieties, and the beauty and excellence of the specimens, would compare with this. As I am not fond of apples, and but seldom eat them, I am not, perhaps, fitted to judge of the quality of this fruit as grown in France; but, so far as I have tasted them, it appears to me that apples grown in France compare very favorably with those generally raised in Massachusetts.

Upon the tables were some plums of Coe's Golden Drop, and of a few other late varieties; and a few dishes of very large, and, in appearance, very magnificent peaches. It was too late in the season for a large display of these fruits.

The show of flowers was composed of plants in pots, and of cut-flowers: among the latter, the most noticeable were roses, gladioli, double zinnias, petunias, and dahlias. Of the plants in pots I can say but little. I made but little examination of them. There was a large quantity, although but few were in flower; and I can now only recollect some air-plants, whose flowers, from their singular forms or their delicate hues and marking, attracted attention.

There was a great display of cut roses, arranged in long rows: these were of all colors, although red from light pink to dark crimson was the prevailing hue. As I walked down the long file, I noticed many that were large, of fine form, and very double. I particularly noticed a large double yellow rose, marked Marshal Neil, that was very conspicuous; besides many fine blooms that were very beautiful, but which I cannot now designate by their names.

There was a large show of petunias of different colors; besides those of one color, many that were variegated. Some of the kinds exhibited were entirely

new.

The double zinnias were very remarkable. They were of different colors,

very large and very double, as large and as double apparently as a medium-sized dahlia. I happened to see double zinnias before in Europe when they were first produced, and have subsequently seen those in America that were considered fiue; but these were very far superior to any that I have ever before seen.

The dahlias made a beautiful show. Although there were a good many of these flowers, they would not, perhaps, be considered as very numerous in proportion to the extent of the exhibition. But, if there was a deficiency in the quantity, there was none in the quality, of the flowers: these seemed to me as near perfection as possible. They were of all colors, from pure white to the darkest crimson; and, besides selfs, there were some tipped, striped, or variegated they were very double, of perfect form, with no depression in the centre, but a complete circle, making a magnificent show. A pure white, a light yellow, and a bright scarlet, struck me as especially beautiful even where all were fine.

But the flowers that at this show most excited my admiration, were, I think, the gladioli. They were very numerous, entirely filling a good-sized house; and, the bottles in which the flower-stalks were inserted being sunk in the ground up to their neck, the flowers appeared as if growing in a bed. They were of every hue, and shade of color, that the gladioli ever assumes; and many were distinguished by the most beautiful and delicate marks or pencillings, that in the bright sunshine made a most gorgeous show. Many of the flowers were new, blossoming for the first time the past season. Until I saw them on this occasion, I had no idea of the number of the different varieties of this flower. I can remember when the introduction into our gardens of the G. Psittacina a variety that would not now, I suppose, be admitted into any good collection - made quite a sensation; but I was not aware, until I saw it here, of the very great improvement that had been made since then in this flower.

The vegetables were very fine, and in great abundance; but I was unable to give to them more than a very slight and imperfect examination: indeed, it was only a portion of them that I saw at all. One part of them that I did see was a house completely filled with specimens of different varieties of the potato, shown in dishes, five or six specimens of each to a dish. I do not imagine that there were as many varieties as dishes, but, on the contrary, suppose that many were duplicates or triplicates of others. Yet, making all allowance, I find that the number of varieties of this vegetable is vastly greater than I had supposed it to be.

This show lasted several days; indeed, until the decay of the fruit and some other of the articles exhibited brought to a termination the largest exhibition of this kind, that, as I think and believe, has ever been made.

JAN. 30, 1868.

Joseph S. Cabot.

POTATO-GROWING IN MAINE. The State of Maine is one of the largest potato-producing States in the Union; many hundred thousand bushels being raised annually, and exported to Western and Southern markets. The greatest potato-shipping dépôts in the State are Bangor, Portland, and Belfast; and, during their season, vessels are loaded and sail daily, bound to ports all along-shore from Boston to New Orleans. The average price in this market, Belfast, has

been one dollar a bushel to the producers during the winter; though at times they have risen as high as a dollar and twenty cents.

The variety almost wholly grown here for market and transportation is the Orono, or, as it is locally termed, the "Foote " potato. When they arrive in market, and are sold, they are quoted "Jackson Whites;" but the fact is, of the many thousand bushels of potatoes which are sent out of this market annually, not five hundred bushels are Jacksons. The reason why the Oronos are raised in preference to the Jacksons is that they are more productive, and command the same price in market. In general appearance, the two resemble each other. The Jackson is of the better quality, especially if grown in a wet season. It is also a little earlier, and, as before stated, not so productive. The Orono is said to have originated in the town of Orono, in Penobscot County, in Maine; while the Jackson originated in a town of that name in our own county. So you see they are both local varieties, though they have obtained a wide-spread signifi

cance.

The potato-crop in Maine last year was light, being at least one-third less than an average. The cause of this falling-off was a wet, late spring, and an early rust, which killed the tops while the tubers were about two-thirds grown. The average yield in this State is about a hundred and fifty bushels per acre; but last season it was not a hundred. The average price is about fifty cents a bushel in this market; but this year it is double that sum, so that the farmer who raised more than required for consumption gets about as much money as though there was a full crop.

The method of cultivation pursued here differs somewhat with different farmers. A common method is to break up an old sward in the fall or spring, harrow, furrow, drop a shovelful of barnyard manure in hills two feet apart, and plant the potatoes upon it. They are hoed once, and no other care given till harvesting. Others plant on old ground in the same manner. Others, again, use ground plaster in addition to the manure; and a good many raise large crops with only plaster, or sulphate of lime, as a dressing. The method of applying the plaster is to first mix it with the seed as the potatoes are cut their bleeding, and some of the plaster adheres to the cut potato. then dropped without manure, and a tablespoonful of plaster put on it before covering. After the sprouts have just broken through the soil, and the first leaves are formed, another spoonful of plaster is applied; and this is all the manuring the crop obtains. Fine crops of potatoes are obtained by this method: though the system is not one to be recommended; for the soil must be left much poorer from each crop taken off.

this stops The seed is

In their cultivation, the horse-hoe and cultivator are extensively used; and, in many cases, the hand-hoe is not used either in planting or hoeing. A man and boy with a cultivator will plant and cultivate as many acres as ten men with the hand-hoe. No machine for digging has yet come into general use. They are dug by hand, sorted in the field, put into the cellar, and marketed during the winter season.

Geo. E. B.

BELFAST, ME., 1868.