Republican Calendar : The days of the year and agriculture. Extract from the report made to the National Convention, in the session of the 3rd of the second month of the second year of the French Republic, on behalf of the Commission responsible for the preparation of the Calendar, Imprimerie Nationale, 1793.
"The first idea which served us as a basis, is to devote, by the calendar, the agricultural system, & to bring back the nation there, by marking the times & the fractions of the year by intelligible or visible signs taken in agriculture & rural economy. (…)
The calendar being something that is so often used, it is necessary to take advantage of the frequency of this use, to slip elementary rural notions among the people, to show them the riches of nature, to make them love the fields, & to point out to him, methodically, the order of the influences of the sky and of the productions of the earth.
The priests had assigned to each day of the year the commemoration of a pretended saint: this catalog presented neither utility nor method; it was the repertoire of lies, deceit or charlatanism.
We thought that the nation, after having driven this crowd of canonized people from its calendar, should find there in place all the objects which make up the true national wealth, the worthy objects, if not of its worship, at least of its culture; the useful productions of the earth, the instruments which we use to cultivate it, & the domestic animals, our faithful servants in these works; animals much more precious, no doubt, in the eyes of reason, than the beatified skeletons taken from the catacombs of Rome.
Accordingly, we have arranged in order in the column of each month, the names of the real treasures of the rural economy. The grains, the pastures, the trees, the roots, the flowers, the fruits, the plants, are arranged in the calendar, so that the place & the date that each production occupies is precisely the time & the day when nature gives us in fact present. "
Fabre d'Églantine (French actor, playwright, poet and politician, 1750 - 1794).
This calendar fu abolished the year XIV which corresponds to the years 1805 and 1806 of the Gregorian calendar.
National productions and rural instruments associated with the autumn months:
Vendemiaire
(September 22 ~ October 21)
Grape September 22
Safran September 23
Chestnut September 24
Colchicum September 25
Horse September 26
Balsamine September 27
Carrot September 28
Amarante September 29
Parsnip September 30
Tank October 1
Potato October 2
Immortelle October 3
Pumpkin October 4
Réséda October 5
Donkey October 6
Belle de nuit October 7
Pumpkin October 8
Buckwheat October 9
Sunflower October 10
Wine press October 11
Hemp October 12
Fishing October 13
Turnip October 14
Amaryllis October 15
Beef October 16
Eggplant October 17
Pepper October 18
Tomato October 19
Barley October 20
That's itnneau October 21
Brumaire
(October 22 ~ November 20)
Apple October 22
Celeri 23 October
Pear October 24
Beet 25 October
Goose October 26
Héliotrope October 27
Fig October 28
Scorsonère October 29
Alisier October 30
Plow October 31
Salsify November 1
Mâcre November 2
Jerusalem artichoke 3 November
Endive November 4
Turkey November 5
Chervis November 6
Watercress November 7
Dentelaire November 8
Grenada 9 November
Harrow November 10
Bacchante November 11
Azerole November 12
Garance November 13
Orange November 14
Pheasant November 15
Pistachio November 16
Macjonc November 17
Quince November 18
Cormier November 19
Roll November 20
frimaire
(November 21 ~ December 20)
Rapunzel November 21
Turneps November 22
Chicory 23 November
Medlar November 24
Pig November 25
Lamb's lettuce November 26
Cauliflower November 27
Honey November 28
Genever November 29
Pickaxe November 30
Wax December 1
Horseradish December 2
Cedar December 3
Christmas tree December 4
Deer December 5
Gorse December 6
Cypress December 7
Ivy December 8
Sabine December 9
Hoyau December 10
Sweet maple December 11
Bruyère December 12
Roseau December 13
Sorrel December 14
Cricket December 15
Pinion December 16
Liège December 17
Truffle December 18
Olive December 19
Pelle December 20
National productions and rural instruments associated with the winter months (Nivôse, Pluviôse, Ventôse):
Nivose
(December 21 ~ January 19)
Peat December 21
Coal December 22
Bitumen December 23
Sulfur December 24
Dog December 25
Lava December 26
Topsoil December 27
Manure December 28
Salpêtre December 29
Scourge December 30
Granite December 31
Clay January 1
Slate January 2
Sandstone January 3
Rabbit January 4
Silex January 5
Marne January 6
Limestone January 7
Marble January 8
Van January 9
Plaster stone January 10
Salt January 11
January 12th
Copper January 13
Cat January 14
Pewter January 15
Lead January 16
Zinc January 17
Mercury January 18
Screen 19 January
Pluviose
(January 20 ~ February 18)
Lauréole January 20
Mousse 21 janvier
Fragon January 22
Snowdrop January 23
Taurus January 24
Laurier tin January 25
Amadouvier January 26
Mézéréon January 27
Poplar January 28
Banged January 29
Ellébore January 30
Broccoli January 31
Laurier February 1
Avelinier February 2
Cow February 3
Boxwood February 4
Lichen February 5
If February 6
Pulmonary February 7
Serpette February 8
Thlaspi February 9
Thimele February 10
Quackgrass February 11
Trainasse February 12
Hare February 13
Guède February 14
Hazelnut February 15
Cyclamen February 16
Celandine February 17
Sleigh February 18
Ventose
(February 19 ~ March 20)
Coltsfoot February 19
Dogwood February 20
Violier February 21
Privet February 22
Goat February 23
Asaret February 24
Alaterne February 25
Violette February 26
Marceau February 27
Spade February 28
Narcissus March 1
Elm March 2
Fumeterre March 3
Velar March 4
Goat March 5
Spinach March 6
Doronic March 7
Mouron March 8
Chervil March 9
Cordeau March 10
Mandragore March 11
Parsley March 12
Cochlearia March 13
Daisy March 14
Thon March 15
Dandelion March 16
Sylvie March 17
Capillary March 18
Ash March 19
Planter March 20
National productions and rural instruments associated with the spring months (Germinal, Floréal, Prairial):
Germinal
(March 21 ~ April 19)
Primrose March 21
Platane March 22
Asparagus March 23
Tulip March 24
Hen 25 March
Bette March 26
Birch March 27
Daffodil March 28 (the favorite flower of the author of this site)
Alder March 29
Registrar March 30
Periwinkle March 31
Charm April 1
Morel April 2
Beech April 3
Bee April 4
Lettuce April 5
Larch April 6
Hemlock April 7
Radish April 8
Beehive April 9
Gainier April 10
Romaine April 11
Chestnut April 12
Arugula April 13
Pigeon April 14
Lilac (common) April 15
Anemone April 16
Thought April 17
Myrtile April 18
Hatchery April 19
Floreal
(April 20 ~ May 19)
Rose April 20
Oak April 21
Fern April 22
Hawthorn April 23
Rossignol April 24
Columbine April 25
Lily of the valley April 26
Mushroom April 27
Hyacinthe April 28
Rake April 29
Rhubarb April 30
Sainfoin May 1
Baton-d'or May 2
Chamérisier May 3
Silkworm May 4
Comfrey May 5
Burnet May 6
Corbeille d'or 7 May
Arroche May 8
Sarcloir May 9
Statice May 10
Fritillaire May 11
Borage 12 May
Valériane May 13
Carp May 14
Charcoal May 15
Civet May 16
Buglosse May 17
Séneve 18 May
Houlette May 19
Prairial
(May 20 ~ June 18)
Alfalfa May 20
Daylily May 21
Clover May 22
Angélique 23 May
Duck May 24
Lemon balm May 25
Fromental May 26
Lis martagon May 27
Serpolet May 28
False May 29
Strawberry May 30
Betony May 31
Peas June 1
Acacia June 2
Quail June 3
Carnation June 4
Elder June 5
Poppy June 6
Tilleul June 7
Fork June 8
Barbeau June 9
Chamomile June 10
Honeysuckle June 11
Caille-lait June 12
Tanche June 13
Jasmin June 14
Verbena June 15
Thyme June 16
Peony June 17
Chariot June 18
National productions and rural instruments associated with the summer months (Messidor, Thermidor, Fructidor):
Messidor
(June 19 ~ July 18)
Rye June 19
Oats June 20
Onion June 21
Véronique June 22
Mulet June 23
Rosemary June 24
Cucumber June 25
Shallot June 26
Absinthe June 27
Sickle June 28
Coriander June 29
Artichoke June 30
Clove July 1
Lavender July 2
Chamois July 3
Tobacco July 4
Redcurrant July 5
Gesse July 6
Cherry July 7
July 8 Park
Mint July 9
Cumin July 10
Bean July 11
Orcanete July 12
Guinea fowl July 13
Sage July 14
Garlic July 15
Vetch July 16
Wheat July 17
Chalemie July 18
Thermidor
(July 19 ~ August 17)
Spelled July 19
Bouillon-blanc July 20
Melon July 21
Ivraie July 22
Aries July 23
Horsetail July 24
Armoise July 25
Safflower July 26
Ripe July 27
Watering can July 28
Panic July 29
Salicorne July 30
Apricot July 31
Basil August 1
Sheep August 2
Marshmallow August 3
Lin August 4
Almond August 5
Gentian August 6
Lock August 7
Carline August 8
Caper August 9
Lentil August 10
Elecamp August 11
Otter August 12
Myrtle August 13
Rapeseed August 14
Lupine August 15
Cotton August 16
Windmill August 17
Fructidor
(August 18 ~ September 16)
Plum August 18
Millet August 19
Lycoperdon August 20
Escourgeon August 21
Salmon 22 August
Tuberose 23 August
Sucrion August 24
Apocyn August 25
Licorice August 26
Scale August 27
Watermelon August 28
Fennel August 29
Barberry August 30
Walnuts August 31
Trout September 1
Lemon September 2
Teasel September 3
Buckthorn September 4
Tagette September 5
Hood September 6
Rosehip September 7
Hazelnut September 8
Hops September 9
Sorghum September 10
Crayfish September 11
Bigarade September 12
Goldenrod September 13
Corn September 14
Brown September 15
Basket September 16