laid out the prolongation of Louvre street in a
straight line to Coquilliere street.

Our engraving shows the present state of the work. What is seen of the
wheat market will be preserved and utilized by Mr. Blondeau, the
architect, who has obtained a grant from the commercial exchange to
construct two edifices on two plots of an area of 32,220 square feet,
fronting on Louvre street, and which will bring the city an annual
rent of $60,000.

[Illustration: THE NEW COMMERCIAL EXCHANGE, PARIS.]

Around the rotunda that still exists there was a circular wall 61/2 feet
in thickness. Mr. Blondeau has torn this down, and is now building
another one appropriate to the new destination of the acquired
estates. As for the trussing of the cupola, that is considered as a
work of art, and care has been taken not to touch it. It was
constructed at the beginning of this century, at an epoch when nothing
but rudimentary tools were to be had for working iron, and it was, so
to speak, forged. All the pieces were made with the hammer and were
added one to the other in succession. This cupola will be glazed at
the upper part, while the lower part will be covered with zinc. In the
interior this part will be decorated with allegorical paintings
representing the five divisions of the globe, with their commercial
and industrial attributes. It was feared at one time that the hall, to
which admission will be free, would not afford sufficient space, and
the halls of the Bordeaux and Havre exchanges were cited. It is true
that the hall of the wheat market has an area of but 11,825 square
feet, but on utilizing the 5,000 feet of the circular gallery, which
will not be occupied, it will reach 16,825 feet.

As for the tower which stands at one side of the edifice, that was
built by Marie de Medici for the astrologer whom she brought with her
to Paris from Florence. On account of its historic interest, this
structure will be preserved. On either side of this tower, overlooking
the roofs of the neighboring dwellings, are perceived the summit of a
tower of St. Eustache church and a campanile of a pavilion of the
markets.--_L'Illustration._

* * * * *

THE MANUFACTURE OF COCAINE.

Cocaine is manufactured from the dry leaves of the _Erythroxylon
coca_, which grows in the valleys of the East Cordilleras of South
America--i.e., in the interior of Peru and Bolivia. The fresh leaves
contain 0.003 to 0.006 per ce