The French, we all know, are adepts at rearing and managing trees; but if we are to believe an able writer on "French Forestry at the Paris Exhibition," in the 'Journal of Forestry,' the Frenchman does not entertain that respect and veneration for fine trees which we do in England: and the consequences are, it appears, very noticeable in their parks and gardens, which are comparatively destitute of old and noble trees.

The wealthy Englishman lives out of town, if he can; but the wealthy Frenchman lives in the city by preference, and in Paris if possible, and eschews cricket and other manly games, field-sports, and the like, and turns his attention to dice, dominoes, and frivolity; and hence, observes the writer just mentioned, there is a general neglect of the country, and, consequently, of the objects of the country - " hence their unfortunate specimens of gardens in the ' natural' style, and of parks. Trees share in this neglect, and speaking as a general rule, they are looked upon even by the more refined part of the community as any other crop is looked upon - i.e., for use, and in no way for ornament. Hear the complaints of a French gentleman - Baron Marochetti - as reported in one of the late Mr Senior's conversations. Mr Senior had been admiring the Baron's park at Vaux, where he was staying, but remarked on the absence of fine trees. His guest answered, ' It is impossible to persuade a Frenchman that trees are anything but a source of profit. My intendant values them according to their cubic contents. As soon as my back is turned he finds an excuse to cut down every one which he thinks has reached its maturity, for sale; so does every one else.

There are more fine trees in Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens than in all France.' If, therefore, the mass of the French people do not value trees as an ornament, and few have the means of cultivating them for profit, it follows of course that but a small part of the community will know anything about them. Contrast this with the state of things in our own country, where every one is anxious to surround his dwelling with trees, if they are not already there, and to learn a little at any rate as to their management".

A discussion which has been going on lately in the same paper sheds some light upon that humdrum body, the Scottish Arboricultural Society. One who seems to know something of the Society compares it to "a strong man fast asleep," and draws a somewhat amusing picture of its doings. It is asserted that competitive essays, upon arboricultural subjects, have been sent into the Society, and been awarded high premiums, that have afterwards, "for some inscrutable reason, been consigned to the depths of oblivion" instead of being published in the 'Transactions,' as they ought to be. It is hinted, however, that possibly the gentleman appointed to judge the essays and the "publishing committee" may have differed in opinion as to the merits of the papers sent in, and pleased themselves, accordingly, as to what should be done with them. It does seem a little queer, however, that the Scottish Arboricultural Society should give premiums to essays which it afterwards sends to the waste-paper basket. Another member of the Society, Mr France, who describes himself as "a member and councillor of some years' standing," endeavours to explain the apparently amicable relationship thus existing among the different sections of the Society, by stating that, "while certain awards may be granted by the judges as an encouragement to young or inexperienced writers to persevere and improve themselves," the publication of the papers may be a question of their "practical worth;" from which it can only be inferred that one of the objects of the Scottish Arboricultural Society, in offering premiums for papers on practical forestry, is to teach "reading, writing, and arithmetic;" and we may assume that pupils who have passed in the "three Rs" will then be further encouraged by the prospect of their papers being printed.

Really one cannot sufficiently admire the energy and enterprise of an already over-burdened Society like the Scottish Arboricultural Society charging itself with such a task, and surely there can be no tendency to go to sleep under such circumstances.

A recent feature of your contemporary, 'The Garden,' is its excellent articles on " Plant-culture for Market," which cannot fail to be acceptable to its gardening readers. Gardeners who visit Covent Garden for the first time are impressed, not more by the extent of the supply of decorative plants in pots than they are by the superiority of the plants themselves. It may be safely asserted, we think, that the plants exposed for sale in Covent Garden are, as a rule, much superior to those of the same kind usually grown in private gardens for similar purposes, and also that they are grown more cheaply and expeditiously, as might be expected; for the market growers confine themselves to specialities, and spare no pains to do them well. Their methods of culture may be rougher and readier, but they are effective; and these ' The Garden ' endeavours to explain in as succinct a manner as possible. Nothing more practical or instructive has appeared in the horticultural journals for a long while, and we commend the papers to those who wish to be posted up in what is now an important branch of the gardener's business.

It may not be generally known to gardeners that these exceedingly well-grown little plants of Erica hyemalis, gracilis, Willmoreana, and others, which we see towards the end of the season for sale in nurseries, are very often Covent Garden plants, or, at least, from the growers for Covent Garden; and the following account of their propagation and management from ' The Garden,' may interest your readers:- "Probably as large quantities of Heaths are disposed of about London as of any other kind of plant. One grower alone sells yearly 200,000 plants, and I believe some grow even more than that number. The large houses devoted to Heath cuttings in some nurseries during winter are alone a sight worth going miles to see. Here, on stair-like stages, are thousands of 6-inch pots, each containing some fifty cuttings, covered with small bell-glasses. In sheds adjoining may be seen men making cuttings with pairs of scissors, and others deftly inserting them in the pots, which are surfaced with finely-sifted silver sand; others, again, are watering and setting the pots in their places and putting on the bell-glasses, whilst others are removing such as are already rooted to make room for those that are newly inserted.