THE LIBRARY

OF

THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA

FROM THE LIBRARY OF
COUNT EGON CAESAR CORT1

MAIN LIB. -AGRI.

}l¥.

*

REPORT

FRUIT AND KITCHEN GARDENS NEAR PARIS,

FROM OBSERVATIONS MADE DURING A VISIT IN
THE SPRING OF 1847.

BV

MR. ROBERT/ THOMPSON,

1B*<**^^**^*

SUPERINTENDENT OF THE ORCHARD AND KITCHEN GARDEN.

llAIN LIB. -AGRi;

London : Printed by WILLIAM CLOWSS and Seme, Stamford Street.

FRUIT AND KITCHEN GARDENS, ETC.

THE Garden Committee having considered it desirable that I
should proceed to France for the purpose of reporting to the
Council what I might observe most worthy of notice in the
fruit and kitchen gardens there, it was deemed expedient that I
should proceed thither early in the spring, on account of seeing
the operations of pruning and training, as well as to embrace
the opportunity of availing myself of the important assistance of
Mr. Francis Rauch, which might have been lost by delay : the
period of his stay at Paris being then uncertain. Having re-
sided four years in and near Paris for the purpose of accurately
observing everything connected with horticulture, he was
eminently qualified for the task he kindly undertook of con-
ducting me to places most important to be seen in regard to the
object of my mission, and likewise for obtaining the best
possible information, on all essential points, from the various
horticulturists whose establishments we visited.

I accordingly went from London to Southampton by railway,
February 27th, and sailed the same evening for Havre, where I
arrived next morning. Here there was little to be seen inter-
esting in a horticultural point of view. I observed, in passing
through the market, some good specimens of the Easter Beurre
Pear, exposed for sale under the names of Bergamotte de la
Pentecote and Doyenne d'Hiver. This, with some Old Col-
mars, St. Germain?, and Catillacs, were the only kinds of Pears
worthy of notice. Of Apples they had some good Reinettes du
Canada, which they call Reinette du Canada, or Reinette de
Bretagne ; some Nonpareils, Reinette Grise, Pigeonet, Reiuette
Franche, Reinette de Caux, or Belle Reinette de Caux, a very
handsome variety, and, from being generally exposed, its cul-
tivation must be rather extensive in this part of Normandy.

B 2

M812420

4 REPORT ON THE

There were several varieties of Apples named Reinette Franche ;
the one so called at Havre is the same as the Reinette Franche
Grauwe of the Dutch, and is an excellent late dessert Apple.

Of vegetables, Salsify and Scorzonera were very plentiful ; so
much so that it may be inferred the demand must be much
greater than in London. Cabbages and Savoys were rather
indifferent, but Brussels Sprouts were good. The excellence of
this green is certainly not sufficiently appreciated in England,
where it is apt to degenerate in many situations, but in others
there is proof of its seeds having been saved for years as genuine
as any imported from the neighbourhood of Brussels ; the plants
producing abundantly jets, or sprouts, as round and compact as
they possibly could be.

The weather at Havre was quite as cold as that experienced
on the other side of the Channel — clear and frosty, with keen
north-east wind. To this the fruit and vegetable market at
Havre was much exposed, it being more adapted for coolness in
summer than shelter in winter. The women, sitting at their
stalls, had small charcoal fires in earthenware pans on their laps.
It appeared that, in consequence- of the substance of which these
open chaujfferettes were composed being a slow conductor of
heat, they could be supported on the clothes without danger of
the latter taking tire ; but burning charcoal, placed in such a
position, the individuals respiring almost directly over it, must
have very pernicious effects. The inhaling of carbonic acid
under such circumstances cannot be avoided ; in fact, its pro-
fusion was indicated by the frequency of abrupt stifling coughs,
and the bad consequences may be considered as more than a
counterbalance to the comfort. But the carbonic acid gas from
dry beech wood, burned in leaky stoves in rooms, and evolved
so pure as to be unseen — but not the less insidious — is a much
more dangerous affair ; and the circumstance is of too frequent
occurrence in France.

I went from Havre to Rouen by diligence, March 1st. The
vast number of apple-trees along the sides of the road, and in
single rows between the fields, are, I believe, chiefly cider varie-
ties. Although these trees are at considerable distances from
each other, and have consequently plenty of air, yet they are ge-
nerally covered with moss even to the tips of the branches. The
soil does not appear to be wet, and it is cultivated close to the
trees. It seems to be in many places a light-coloured clayey
loam, but not too stiff; and frequently it is very calcareous. The
subsoil in the latter case must be dry enough, but this circum-
stance does not appear to prevent the trees from being infested
with moss. It has been stated by some in this country, that
they have cleared their trees of moss by syringing them with

FRUIT AND KITCHEN GARDENS NEAR PARIS. 5

lime-water, which is a cheap and easily applied remedy, the
efficacy of which may be readily ascertained.

The extensive lines of fruit trees, and the disposition of the
numerous plantations of trees for fuel, give a peculiar aspect to
the part of the country between Havre and Rouen. Wherever
there is a farm-house, or patch of houses, such are generally en-
closed, on three sides at least, by a plantation of trees, for shelter
partly, but chiefly for fuel ; and these plantations exhibit so
much uniformity, that one is led to suppose their formation and
maintenance must be regulated by a special law. An embank-
ment is formed near the habitations on the north side, and usually
at right angles with this, on the east and west sides. Some re-
cently formed appeared to be about four feet high, and as many
in breadth on the top, which is flat ; and on this two rows of
trees, chiefly beech, are planted. I observed no sweeps formed
by the plantations, probably because such would have interfered
more with the ploughing of the adjoining fields. It has doubt-
less been proved for ages, that in thin soil such embankments
favour the growth of trees.

Rouen. — The Botanic Garden at this place, or " Jardin
des Plantes de Rouen, et a 1'Ecole Normale primaire du De-
partement de la Seine-Inferieure," is situated on the south side of
the town, and so far distant as to be sufficiently out of the reach
of smoke. It is on the site formerly occupied by Calvert's
Nursery, and, together with the Arboricultural department,
occupies, it is said, upwards of twenty acres. The cultivation of
this and the former garden has been for more than forty years
under the direction of M. Du Breuil, senior. The Arboricul-
tural, including the Fruit-tree department, is superintended by
his son M. A. Du Breuil, Professor of Agriculture and Rural
Economy, and of Arboriculture, &c. The arrangement of
plants is on a level part of the ground. The plants are disposed
in beds five feet wide, and according to a modification of the
Jussieuan system. The tallies are supported on iron stems
about three feet above the ground.

Lectures are given by Professor Du Breuil on vegetable
physiology, the agents of vegetation, soils, &c., budding,
grafting, pruning, training, and, in short, everything connected
with the management of fruit-trees. There are specimens of
trees to illustrate both good and bad practice in these matters.
The trees are very neatly pruned and trained, and exhibit almost
perfect examples of the various modes of training figured in
Professor Du Breuil's Cours EUmentaire Theorique et
Pratique cT Arboriculture.

There are some specimens of trees against walls, which are

6 REPORT ON THE

•left to their natural growth. The trees illustrating the Mont-
reuil mode of training the Peach are well managed ; but here,
as elsewhere, the difficulty of repressing over-luxuriance in the
centre, whilst the lower horizontally inclined branches become
weak, is apparent.

A Peach-tree was trained with a central upright stem, from
which the branches are trained horizontally, with bearing shoots
inclined forwards on the upper side only of the horizontals. In
another tree the branches likewise proceed from a single
upright stem, but are wider apart, so as to admit of bearing
shoots being laid in from both the upper and under sides of
the branches ; the main branches having an elevation of about
20°. This mode admits of the wall being covered sooner
than by the preceding. At present the trees are doing very
well, but they are apparently not above six years old, scarcely
covering the wall, which is about ten feet high. In this Society's
Garden, where the soil is much richer, trees of Peaches arid
Nectarines trained on the above principle, namely, with branches
proceeding from a single upright stem, did not succeed ; the sap
flowed with too great force into the vertical stem, and the
horizontally inclined branches had, on the other hand, a great
tendency to die off.

In other specimens of training-, modifications of the fan method
were exhibited. In that called Eventail a la Dumoutier, ou a
la Fran$aise, the stem is made to form two ramifications, and
each of these is subdivided into two, within a few inches of
their bases. After these have grown to nearly their full extent,
two more shoots are allowed to push from near their bases ; and,
by cutting back, these produce others to furnish the centre of
the tree ; but this leads to the objectionable necessity of having
there two vertical and nearly parallel branches ; which, although
among the last produced, would, in many cases, be apt to be-
come too strong, from being in the direction of the strongest
flow of sap.

The great inconvenience attending the Montreuil mode of
training will be readily understood by any one who has observed
with what force the sap flows into an upright shoot, compared
with one in a horizontal position ; all other circumstances being
the same. Now, if two lines be drawn like a V, each at an
elevation of 45°, representing the two main branches (branches
meres), and if from either side of each of these other lines are
drawn, forming angles of 45° with them, it is evident that those
on the under side will have a horizontal position, and those on
the upper side will be quite perpendicular. These lines give
the relative positions of the branches of a tree trained according
to the Montreuil system, with the exception that those produced

FRUIT AND KITCHEN GARDENS NEAR PARIS. 7

on the upper sides of the branches meres are inclined forward ;
but then others from them must be perpendicular, or the greater
portion of the space included by the two main branches, or half
the wall, must remain void.

Professor Du Breuil has commenced the training of some
trees, in which two main branches are laid off according to the
Montreuil mode, as are likewise the branches from the under
side of these ; but the branches for filling the centre are reversed
till they are brought to an angle of 45°, thus forming right
angles with the main branches from which they spring. By this
mode there are no upright branches, and consequently no un-
equal competition between such and those in a depressed position,
requiring the frequent application of the knife to maintain the
balance of force in the flow of sap. That mode of training
must be good in principle which gives a position to the branches
that will ensure an equal distribution of sap with the least
possible interference by the knife. In the mode under con-
sideration, the branches occupying the centre have an elevation
of 45°, whilst those produced on the under side of the main
branches have only 20° ; but the latter are allowed two years'
growth before the former are allowed to spring ; besides, the
branches from the upper side, although they have a greater
elevation, yet in them the sap has to turn at an angle of 90°
from its direction in the main branches ; but from these main
branches the lower diverge at an angle of not more than 35°.
The sap will accordingly pass more readily into these than into
the others where it has to turn at a right angle. The trees
under training according to this mode are not so far advanced as
to furnish absolute proof of its merits, but it will doubtless
answer. The same principles were adopted many years ago,
with trees that had proved unmanageable under the Montreuil
system, in a rich border in the Society's Garden at Chiswick.

Amongst various other forms for training the Peach some trees
were set off with two stems, like the letter U, from the outsides
of which branches are trained horizontally. In one of these the
two lowest horizontals are continuations of the two main stems ;
and from the upper side of these, about 18 inches apart, shoots
are trained upright and parallel, from which all the other
horizontal branches proceed ; also, from both sides of these ho-
rizontals, bearing-shoots, about 18 inches apart, are trained with
an inclination forwards. By this mode it is sometimes difficult
to maintain an equal degree of vigour in both sides of the tree.

Another tree is intended to be trained with a wavy central
stem. When in the state of a young shoot, this stem is bent
first to the left, then to the right ; and where it commences to
turn from left to right a shoot is encouraged on the outside of

8 REPORT ON THE

the bend, and trained straight to the left in a direction a little
above the horizontal. Where the stem shoot is again turned
from right to left, another branch is extended to the right ; and
so branches are intended to proceed alternately, on either side,
from every outward bend of the stem till the wall is covered.

Trees were trained in the Society's Garden with wavy stems,
according to the systems of Hitt and of Hayward ; the former
having strictly horizontal branches from the bends, with perpen-
dicular bearing shoots ; the latter with gently curved branches,
with the bearing shoots inclined. But each tree, in both systems,
had two straight naked stems, elevated at an angle of 45°, and
4^ feet in length, before they took an upright wavy direction.
These naked stems invariably became scorched on the sides
exposed to the sun, and the upper portions of the bends were
also more or less affected in the same way. Professor Du
Breuil's mode is unquestionably far preferable to either of the
above, inasmuch as the tree has only a single stem, from which
the wall is furnished from bottom to top, instead of being un-
furnished to the height of 4 feet, above which the naked stems
only begin to branch, according to the systems of Hitt and
Hayward. In Professor Du Breuil's tree there are no long
naked stems exposed to the scorching influence of the sun's
rays, and even the bends can be protected by foliage. On the
whole this mode is considered highly deserving of trial in
Britain.

Another mode of training the Peach seems to have no claim
to such recommendation as has been given to the preceding.
Two stems are trained horizontally, and from these branches
are trained perpendicular at sufficient distances to admit of the
bearing wood being laid in between them. The danger is that
these horizontal stems being more liable to accident, such as
gumming and scorching, than the other parts of the tree, there
is. constant risk of losing the whole. It is not natural for the
Peach to support a number of perpendicular branches on a
horizontal stem. The mode here disapproved of is called Can-
delabre d branches droites.

Some maiden plants of Peaches have been recently planted, in
rather poor soil, 2^ feet apart, and trained, without heading back,
at an angle of 45°, on an eastern aspect. The inclination of
the whole is accordingly equal ; and northward. By this mode
the wall is speedily covered, and a modification of it might be
advantageously adopted in richer soils ; on this principle a wall
could be completely covered in a very few years — even before
a shoot to form a branch could be safely permitted to grow, lest
it should form a gourmand, in the centre of a tree laid off in the
V form. Can there be any objection against planting Peach-

FRUIT AND KITCHEN GARDENS NEAR PARIS. Q

trees against a south aspect, at 6 or 8 feet apart ; and, as
they grow, incline their stems and branches westward or east-
ward, but not both ways ?

Peaches trained en cordon horizontal, like the vines at
Thomery, may succeed for some time ; but the plan is not likely
to be at all suitable for the climate of England.

The Thomery method of training the Vine is exhibited here,
and, I believe, specimens of every mode of training practised
in France, may be seen in a more less advanced state at Rouen.
The Pyramid Pear-trees have their branches more thinned out
than is generally the case about Paris ; and more in accordance
with what I should consider necessary for admitting sufficient
sun and air in the climate of England.

I observed a cheap construction of wall for fruit-trees, which
I have no doubt might be advantageously adopted in cases where
the erection of brick or stone walls would not be once thought
of. The wall to which I allude has a stone foundation carried up
a little way above the surface ; the rest is composed of a mixture
of clay, straw, and a little chalk. It is about 18 inches thick,
and 10 feet high, surmounted by a slate coping, projecting se-
veral inches. This wall has been built six or seven years, and
is in good condition, with a fair surface, against which I have
no doubt fruit-trees will find themselves very comfortably si
tuated.

Horticulturists who may have an opportunity of visiting the
garden at Rouen will not be disappointed; and under the
scientific superintendence of M. Du Breuil, it will doubtless
become more and more interesting. I again availed myself of
that gentleman's kind invitation to see the Garden on my return
from Paris ; and my first impressions of the excellence of its ar-
rangements were fully confirmed. I must add, the great atten-
tion bestowed by M. Du Breuil in explaining these arrange-
ments deserves my best acknowledgments.

I left Rouen, March 2nd, by the 11 o'clock train for Paris.
The frost still continued, and the ground could only be worked
where well exposed to the sun's rays. The vineyards seen from
the railroad were not dressed, nor even pruned. The stakes
pulled up in autumn were lying in parcels on the ground, in
general piled horizontally between two uprights ; but in some
instances they were placed upright with the end uppermost
which had been in the ground the preceding summer.

In some of these vineyards, early Peas are sown between the
rows of vines in December, and are usually far advanced by the
beginning of March ; but this season none were to be seen above
ground.

JO REPORT ON THE

Proceeded, March 3rd, to the Jardin des Plantes, and saw
the arboretum, the plant-houses. Ecole botanique, and nurseries
for ornamental plants ; and afterwards the Economical and
Fruit-tree departments, which are exceedingly well managed
under the superintendence of M. L. P. Cappe.

The pyramidal-trained Pear-trees are from 10 to 15 feet
high, or more, having a regularly tapering outline from the
base to the top, where they terminate in a single shoot. The
young plant is stopped according to its strength, and so as to
furnish side branches. These are not in stages at uniform
distances along the stem ; on the contrary, almost every shoot
which breaks out from the stem is allowed to grow ; but the
laterals produced on these are pinched in summer, and even such
of the leading shoots as appear likely to become too strong for
the others are stopped. All the cultivators from whom I had
an opportunity of obtaining their opinion on the subject, ad-
mitted the advantages of summer pinching ; whilst some
regretted that circumstances prevented them from practising it
to the extent they could wish. It is, however, well followed up
by M. Cappe. He pinches all the young shoots, not required
to form branches, when in a very young state ; when they have
scarcely pushed a finger's length, they are shortened to about an
inch, or from that to an inch and a half. The portion left forms
the basis of one or more fruit-buds, bearing fruit in the following
season, or a spur on which blossom-buds are formed for bearing
in the second season.

The advantages consequent on properly managing fruit-trees
with regard to summer pinching, are so important that attention
to the subject cannot be too strongly urged. On the whole
it occasions little or no loss of time ; for the confusion which
would otherwise accrue is prevented ; and this being the case, it
is only doing that in summer which, if neglected, would occasion
as much loss of time in winter. I am aware that many have
more time to attend to trees in winter than in summer; but
let the advantages of summer pinching be experienced, and
doubtless, in most cases, due provision will be made for its per-
formance. By the operation, the shoots necessary to be retained
have the great advantage of more light and air than would be
the case if crowded by a multiplicity of laterals, retained till the
time of winter pruning, when they must obviously be cut off,
either so close as to leave no bud to push, or shortened to within
a few eyes of their bases. In the former case the branch is left
naked ; in the latter, when the tree is sufficiently vigorous, the
eyes left generally push other shoots, to be again cut back in
winter ; and thus crops of shoots are annually produced, instead

FRUIT AND KITCHEN GARDENS NEAR PARIS. H

of fruit, for nuiny years, or until the tree approaches the state of
old age.

The plan which M. Cappe pursues succeeds admirably in the
climate of Paris. The fruit on the pyramid Pear-trees under
his management is stated on competent authority to have been
last year exceedingly abundant, large, and fine. This season the
trees are healthy and vigorous, and well furnished with blossom-
buds. It may be said that the generally dry, clear air of Paris
is very different from the cloudy and moist climate of many
parts of Britain ; the one being favourable for the formation of
fruit-buds, whilst the other favours the growth of wood and
leaves ; and therefore, circumstances being different, the same
practice may not be equally proper for both. There are, more-
over, instances of circumstances differing so widely as to require
opposite methods of culture. But this does not hold good as
regards summer pinching. In England the drawback is a dull
atmosphere ; the shoots and foliage want more air and light.
Summer pinching affords this, inasmuch as it prevents the
crowding and shading of wood and leaves necessary to be re-
tained, by that which is superfluous ; arid therefore it must be
considered of still greater utility in dull climates than in bright,
more necessary in England than in France. It is generally
admitted that " where nature does most, man does least ;" but
with regard to the management of fruit-trees an exception
must rest till summer pruning receives as much attention in
England as it does in the Jardin des Plantes, and elsewhere in
France.

Supposing the branches of a tree are properly thinned and
regulated at the winter pruning, and that so far as they extend,
their number is quite sufficient for the space they occupy ; pre-
suming, also, that the tree is in good health, a number of laterals
are sure to spring. They are, of course, superfluous ; and every
one of them should be pinched as already mentioned. If the last
year's shoot has been shortened at the winter pruning, then,
besides the terminal one on the part left, one, two, or three next
to it are almost sure to push ; and these M. Cappe commences
to check by pinching when about three inches in length ; but
those nearer the base of the shoot he allows to grow till they
attain the length of six or eight inches before he shortens them.
The terminal bud is of course allowed to go on for the pro-
longation of the branch. It frequently happens in France, and
the liability will be still greater in the climate of England, that
after a shoot is pinched back, the newly-formed buds on the part
left will push a secondary shoot in the same season. When this is
the case with those under the care of M. Cappe, he also pinches
these secondary shoots to an inch or an inch and a half from

12 REPORT ON THE

where they originate. They rarely push again ; but if they do,
their growths are again reduced as before.

The winter pruning of pyramid Pear-trees is almost reduced
to a mechanical operation, when the summer management has
been properly attended to. Keeping the tapering form in view,
it consists in cutting each shoot a little shorter than the one im-
mediately below it, taking care to cut to a bud situated on the
side of the shoot towards that direction in which it would be
most desirable the prolongation should proceed. Shoots that are
too vigorous for the rest are not cut to a bud on the upper side,
but to one situated below.

Some trees appeared to be much admired by every one on
account of the introduction of another feature of regularity in
training, besides that of a merely tapering contour. These had
what is called a tutor, — that is, a straight perpendicular stake,
to which the stem is trained ; and from the top of this stake five
wires are stretched to as many equidistant points on a hoop near
the ground, or in one instance to five short stakes. These wires
represent the angles of a five-sided pyramid — a pyramid appa-
rently fifteen feet high on a pentagonal base. Branches are
trained directly from the stem to each of the wires. In order to
convey some idea of these trees, one may imagine five upright
trellises or screens projecting from a central upright, forming
the partitions of as many equal recesses, widening outwards.
The branches form such partitions with good effect as regards
regularity ; and when they become ornamented with leaves and
fruit the whole must prove an interesting sight. The trees had
a fruitful appearance.

Instead of the branches radiating from the stem in five direc-
tions, it might be found more convenient to train them out to
four points, say east, west, north, and south. It may, however,
be observed, that, in the Pear-tree, five buds form a spiral once
round the shoot or stem ; or, in other words, supposing the lead-
ing shoot to be perpendicular, every fifth, tenth, fifteenth, &c.,
bud will be in the same vertical plane. Therefore, if the num-
ber of buds between one branch and that next above it be always
a multiple of five, the branches radiating in each of the five di-
rections will originate exactly above each other.

The trees above described had been formerly grown as pyra-
mids in the usual way, with branches extending promiscuously ;
but M. Cappe is of opinion that by commencing with a young
tree, the tutor and wires may be dispensed with. In exposed
situations the wires form excellent stays ; and where they are
employed, a comparatively slender stake will be sufficient.

A curious specimen of trellis-work was standing against the
end of one of the sheds adjoining the plant-houses. It had been

FRUIT AND KITCHEN GARDENS NEAR PARIS. J3

formed by crossing and inarching the branches of apple-trees, so
as to form rhomboid interstices. The piece had been grown
from three stems, and was three or four feet high. The branches
were so completely united, that although the bark was partly
off, and the wood somewhat fissured by exposure, it was impos-
sible to say with which stem in particular the vegetation of the
respective branches had communicated. I am of opinion, that
if any one of the stems had been sawed over, the branches it
supported would have derived nourishment to keep them alive
from the other roots. It appeared to have been removed from
the place of its growth many years ; but previously it must have
formed part of a very strong living espalier.

Several of the hot-houses are very old, and will probably be
pulled down as soon as the contemplated additional new ranges
are finished. At present there is not half sufficient room for the
large collection they contain. The new palm-house is lofty ; and
in it there are some magnificent specimens.

In some of the hot-houses, heat is derived from large stoves
of white stoneware, placed inside. They have apertures at the
sides for supplying heated air, somewhat resembling the Polmaise
system. They are adapted for burning wood, and appear to
have been in use for many years. The state of the weather re-
quired them to be hard at work when I had the opportunity of
seeing them.

In the Ecole de Botanique, the plants are named on different
coloured labels : Red, indicating plants used in medicine ; Green,
alimentary; Blue, those employed in the arts; Yellow, orna-
mental ; and Black, poisonous plants. I may here mention that
M. Neumann, who has the superintendence of the plant-houses,
was for some time in the Mauritius. He informed us that the
Aerides odoratum is there used as tea, a very few leaves being
sufficient for infusion. I thought it might be employed merely
for imparting a flavour to the tea ; but he said they used the
Aerides leaves without employing any other along with them.

Keteleer's Nursery, Boulevard des Gobelins. — In this there
is but little space for fruit-trees ; but grafting of Piriuses and
other ornamental plants is performed very successfully. M.
Keteleer finds the Abies religiosa does much better grafted upon
the Abies canadensis than it does upon the Abies excelsa. He
possesses excellent collections of Conifers, Azaleas, Roses, and
Camellias, and amongst the latter a fine new variety called Ca-
mellia Saccoi nova.

The Nursery of M. Dupuy Jamin, Barriere d* Italic, Route
de Fontainebleati, contains extensive assortments of fruit-trees

14 1 I;KI'<>I:T <».\ rm<;

and Roses. Pyramidal-trained Pear-trees were here plentiful.
Tin.'. demand (or these must l>c great, judging from flu; quantity
observed to have been recently planted, more especially in the
numerous small gardens. On observing tli;il the branches were
not sufficiently thin for the due exposure of the fruit, the reply
was that this was eertainly the ease, yet the nurserymen found
that their customers generally preferred having plenty of wood,
and they had to suit them accordingly.

Parallel tO a long Central Walk in this nursery, a. small zinc
pipe was snpporled by stakes about two feet above the surface of
the ground. Such an aqueduct could be formed at a trifling ex-
pense, compared with the saving it might be made the means of
cllecling in a dry season. It is eertainly an object of pecuniary
importance to supersede the labour of several men by merely
turning a, cock, and allowing the water to run quietly along to
reservoirs at a distance from the source, instead of wheeling it in
tubs, and frequently tearing up the walks in the course of the
proceeding. It may be said that the pipe might as well be laid
in the ground, as the water would rise to a level; but in that
case the pipe would only be available in one lixed direction,
instead of being easily moved to where it may be requisite.
Such pipes might be made; at .no great expense, ii convenient
lengths of about ten feet, with flexible India-rubber connexions.
The lengths could be tied together in bundles when not wauled ;
and when required, they could be readily extended in any di-
rection.

The Jkfub/.is/uHcnt of M. dc Gonticr, Barriers d'Uu/'rr,
Route cF Orleans, contains many varieties of Pine Apples, among
which are a number raised from seeds recently obtained from
Gruadalonpe ; and a very large assortment of Camellias, exceed-
ingly well grown.

The Pine Apples are cultivated as follows: — The suckers are
potted in .small pots in October; and in March following they
are planted out of the pots into peat soil, 12 plants under each
light, the lights being each 4 feet by 4 feet 4 inches. In October
the plants are taken up, and repotted, with all their roots, in pots
7 inches wide. In March, the finest plants are taken out of
these 7-inch pots, and planted in peat in a fruit ing-house, where
they mature their fruit in the course of the summer and autumn.
Those not planted out remain, and are fruited, in the pots. It
thus averages about two years from the time the suckers are first
potted, till the plants reared from them mature their fruit.

In a small compartment, with top and bottom heat supplied
from the same source as that from which the Pine-house is
heated, there were two plants of the Musa Cavendishii, earh

FEU IT AND KITCHEN GAKDENS NEAR PARIS. 15

bearing a large fruit cluster, one consisting of 300 fruits, the
other 250. They had been planted in March, 1846; and in
April, 1847, the fruit was expected to be ripe. The stem of
one measured 31£ inches in circumference. They were growing
in leaf mould, the extent for each plant being 4 feet by 4 feet
6 inches, and about 15 inches deep. When the fruit is ripe,
the plants are taken up, and the places prepared for fresh
suckers.

The Strawberries here forcing were the Comte de Paris and
the Princesse Royale.

At the Establishment of M. Cels, Chaussee du Maine^ noted
for large collections of Camellias and Cacti, and amongst the
latter many thousand seedlings, there is a wall of Peach-trees,
planted about six years ago by M. Alexis Le Pere, of Montreuil,
and has been since managed by him according to his system, a
modification of that usually practised at Montreuil. The trees
extend about 12 feet each way, two main branches diverg-
ing at an angle of 45° of elevation ; subsidiary branches are
trained from the under sides of these ; but no branch has been
suffered to grow to any extent on the upper sides of the main
branches, a number of fruit-bearing shoots only being there en-
couraged, consequently a large portion of wall still remains
uncovered between the two V formed main branches.

Gardens of the Luxembourg. — We proceeded to these gar-
dens, March 5th, to hear the lecture on pruning, by M. Hardy,
at 8 A.M., in the open ground. M. Hardy delivers two lectures
every week, free to the public, on pruning, grafting, planting,
and in short, every thing connected with the management of
fruit-trees, finishing the course in the end of April. He has
generally from 300 to 400 hearers, among whom are young men
employed in the Luxembourg Gardens, the Jardin des Plantes,
and other establishments, by permission of the respective direc-
tors. In various instances the young men afterwards make up
for the time they are thus absent. But the greater number of
those who attend are amateurs. M. Hardy also lectures in the
afternoon to gentlemen wishing to obtain a knowledge of the
management of fruit-trees. The admittance for each person to
any one of these is, however, 3 francs. From fifteen to twenty
gentlemen usually attend the afternoon lectures.

In his first lecture, I was informed, M. Hardy explained the
physiology of the tree, the action of the sap, the names of the
different parts of the tree ; the stem, branches, and the technical
distinctions of the latter, such as Rameaux d bois, Rameaux d
fruit, Brindilles, Lambourdes : branches for wood ; branches

16 KEPORT ON THE

for fruit ; fruit-bearing twigs, and spurs. The term brindille
requires however a little more explanation : — Pear-trees recently
raised from seeds are usually armed with thorns, a provision for
the defence of the young plants ; but naturally, as the trees get
older, and more especially when influenced by cultivation, the
thorns are produced less abundantly, and by degrees they dis-
appear. The thorns latterly produced lose their original cha-
racter. Instead of being naked, one, two, or more very small
buds may be observed upon them ; but still they are pointed,
and this being the case, they yet retain the characteristic of a
thorn, and cannot elongate in the following season. Some after
productions may however be seen to terminate in a small bud,
and the substance throughout is much softer, but still harder
than the regular shoots on other parts of the tree. These
growths may be then looked upon as thorns modified ; they be-
come capable of elongation, and are what the French term
brindilles. They proceed at right angles from the branches
producing them ; and are not inclined to grow upright. They
sometimes bear fruit before the other branches ; but when the
trees get into full bearing, these brindilles are not required.

M. Hardy concluded by showing how to handle and properly
apply the knife.

The second lecture, he took a maiden plant, and explained how
it ought to be dealt with according to the modes of training for
which it might be intended ; then a plant two years old ; another
three, and so on.

For the third lecture, at which I was present, he had a pear-
tree, intended for a pyramid, planted in the centre of a circle,
formed by a rope, about 50 feet in diameter, outside of which
the people stood to hear the explanations, and see the mode of
operation. In the tree selected for illustration, M. Hardy
pointed out faults from not pinching the shoots in the previous
summer; and some others in consequence of former winter
pruning. The reasons for cutting each branch as he did, were
successively given, as well as an explanation of the bad effects
of cutting otherwise ; and ultimately the pruning of the tree
was completed in good style. We had an opportunity of closely
examining it after the lecture was over.

We then inspected the different quarters planted with pyramid
Pear and Apple-trees, and those containing Cherry and Plum-
trees. As there is no wall for Peach-trees, these are trained
against a trellis, backed with straw mats ; and with this assist-
ance the fruit ripens perfectly well.

All the quarters containing fruit-trees are surrounded with
borders, planted with Cherry, Plum, and Apricot-trees, as
standards ; and some with excellent effect are trained in form of

FRUIT AND KITCHEN GARDENS NEAR PARIS. 17

a Vase, or en Gobelet, dwarf, or with a stem 5 feet or rather
more in height. The head is formed hollow, in shape like a
goblet, the shoots being annually tied to hoops of wood, adapted
to the circumference required to give the desired form. Two
hoops are sufficient, the two-year old wood being tied to one ;
and the equidistant regulation of the one-year old shoots is
effected upon the other. As the vase or goblet widens, of
course hoops of greater circuit must be prepared, either of new
materials, or by introducing an additional piece. In some in-
stances the hoops were formed of round, apparently J inch, iron
rods; but wood is preferable to iron, for vegetation in contact
with the latter is apt to be injuriously affected by the rapidity
with which it heats and cools. Shoots are apt to spring up in the
centre of the goblet ; but they must be pinched in summer ; arid
so all other irregularities of growth appear likewise to have
been. The form is very ornamental ; it can be produced at
little expense; and the trees were well furnished with fruit
buds. Suppose a tree to have 6 shoots, let them be tied at
equal distances to a hoop placed horizontally, and then shortened
a few inches above it, or so as to leave them a foot or more in
length. From each of these, two shoots may be trained to the
outside of a somewhat wider hoop in the following season ; and
thus by annually introducing hoops of a width proportionately
corresponding with the respective diameters of the vase intended
to be imitated, the desired form will ultimately be produced.
The head of the tree will be completely balanced; and the
branches will be more nearly equidistant than they could be by
any other mode of training as a standard. I should prefer wooden
hoops to iron ones. If weak, or if two or more pieces must be
employed for the hoop, its circular form may be preserved by
two small rods, secured diametrically across it.

Adjoining the Fruit-tree quarters there is a compartment
used as the Experimental Garden of the Royal Agricultural So-
ciety of Paris. The space, however, is too limited for any
extensive experiments being undertaken ; and the backwardness
of the season had prevented any thing interesting from being
commenced.

The Botanic Garden of the Ecole de Medecine lies in a low
situation ; but this is doubtless an advantage in the hot dry
weather. The plants are disposed in straight beds.

In one of the quarters there is a collection of 1800 Vine plants,
from all the departments. This was chiefly formed by Chaptal,
when Minister of the Interior, in order that their nomenclature
might be settled, and their respective merits ascertained. I
am not aware that the original intention has been fully carried
out ; but the vines are still kept in good order.

c

18 REPORT ON THE

It may be interesting to mention, that in the Gardens of the
Luxembourg, and Jardin des Plantes, the best collection of
fruit-trees in France, that of the Chartreux, was preserved ; and
also that from these gardens the sorts were obtained by the So-
ciety when the collection was forming for the Garden at Chis-
wick. This was the best source whence the identical varieties
described by the celebrated Duhamel could be obtained, as ap-
pears by a communication from M. Thouin, appended to a list
of grafts sent to the Society in 1820, and of which the following
is a translation : —

" Various causes having prevented my worthy colleague,
M. Bosc, from taking off the grafts requested for the Horticul-
tural Society of London, from the nursery of the Luxembourg,
he begged of me to make the collection. This I undertook
with the greatest pleasure, as, in obliging my friend, I may also
render a useful service to an honourable body to which I am
proud to belong.

" The Society may be assured that the names of the grafts
precisely correspond with the varieties described by Duhamel
(Traite des Arbres Fruitiers, Paris, 1768). The following are
the means which were employed, by which we are able to ac-
complish so important an object.

" In 1793, when the question was agitated of suppressing the
monasteries, and placing their property at the disposal of the
State, foreseeing the destruction of the garden of the Chartreux
at Paris, and anxious to preserve to horticulture the originals
on which Duhamel had established his nomenclature, I begged
and obtained permission from the minister Roland to remove
whatever trees I pleased from the complete collection which
that garden contained. They were labelled according to the
Catalogue of the Chartreux, and transplanted in the garden of
the Museum, where they were arranged in such a way as to form
a school for the instruction of nurserymen, gardeners, country
gentlemen, and even botanists and physiologists.

" The garden of the Chartreux was soon after destroyed ; there
remained no vestige of it ; and it was not till ten or twelve years
after, that it was re-established in the Luxembourg, by rooted
plants or grafts taken from our school of the Museum, in the
Jardin des Plantes.

" On the formation of that school I invited Christopher Hervy,
gardener to the Chartreux, a man well informed on the subject
of fruit-trees, and who supplied Duhamel with a great portion
of his nomenclature, to make a general examination at the pe-
riods of the flowering and fruiting of the trees, to prove the
identity of the names of our varieties. This labour was pursued
during the first six years of our plantation in the school, in such

FRUIT AND KITCHEN GARDENS NEAR PARIS. ]Q

a way as to correct errors which might have crept in. There
now, therefore, remains no doubt on this head. But this is not
the case with many of the varieties obtained from various parts
of France, and more particularly from abroad, since the publi-
cation of Duhamel's work. The nomenclature of these is
vague ; in many cases the sorts have proved synonymous with
those already known ; and it is necessary to wait till the trees
have fruited in order that they may be correctly named."

It thus appears that the collection of the Chartreux, made
during a period of 150 years, was preserved by the exertions of
M. Thouin ; and of that collection the Horticultural Society of
London received with the above communication, grafts of 48
varieties of Plums, 99 of Apples, and 145 of Pears. Peach and
other kinds of fruit-trees were subsequently forwarded from the
same source.

M. Lqffay's Nursery r, Rue du Bel-air -, Montee des Capucins,
Bellevue. — From the Luxembourg we proceeded to Meudon,
but did not find M. Pelvilain at home. We then called on
M. Laffay, Bellevue, well known as a rose cultivator, and who
possesses thousands of seedlings of the Perpetual Moss Rose.
Here, the aspect being northerly, the ground was still frozen
(March 5) to the depth of 6 inches, which is very rarely the
case in England so late in the season. M. LafFay had the kind-
ness to give cuttings of various kinds of fruit-trees for the
Society, among which were the Belle de Havre Apple; the
Muscat Noir Hatif Grape, although not the very earliest, yet
the earliest, he said, of all Muscat Grapes ; also cuttings of
Malus Sieversianus, originally from the Caucasus, and named
after a Russian general. Mr. Knight's seedling, the Elton
Strawberry, succeeds well here, producing large fruit in great
abundance, and it affords a late succession.

Sevres. — Here, on our way to Boulogne-sur-Seine, we passed
the King's Flower Garden, whence the supply of bouquets for
the palaces is principally derived. It is laid out in straight
beds. We then traversed the Park of St. Cloud. The ele-
vation where the " Lanterne " is situated commands a very fine
view of Paris.

At Boulogne-sur-Seine, the seat of Baron James Roths-
child, there is extensive forcing of fruits, flowers, and vegetables,
under the direction of M. Bergmann, a native of Holland ; and
he seems to prefer the usual practice adopted in his country of
forcing under low structures. The fruits being forced were
Pine-apples, Grapes, Peaches and Nectarines, Apricots, Cherries,

c2

20 REPORT ON THE

Plums, Melons, Raspberries, and Strawberries. All these had
a very promising appearance. The forcing houses are mostly
wooden structures, about 11 feet high, and 8 feet wide ; they
are heated by hot water in copper pipes. The pits for Melons,
Cucumbers, French Beans, &c., are heated by hot water, aided
by dung linings. The boilers as well as the pipes for this pur-
pose are made of copper. This substance appears to be gene-
rally preferred to iron for the hot water mode of heating about
Paris, even by market gardeners. On the score of economy,
they say, that although it is somewhat dearer than iron in the
first instance, yet it is ultimately cheaper, inasmuch as it wastes
but little, and it is always saleable. As regards adaptation,
they can obtain heat much quicker from it than from iron.
This property is more especially an advantage in such a climate
as that of Paris, where the general clearness of the air admits
of a large amount of sun-heat being suddenly accumulated ; and
consequently, the quicker the heating apparatus parts with its
heat the better. On the other hand, in proportion nearly as the
clearness of the air favours a sudden rise of temperature by
sun-heat, so does it facilitate the rapid escape of heat by radiation,
as soon as the sun's influence is withdrawn ; and hence a
promptly heating apparatus is again the most eligible.

Parallel to a range of forcing-houses, on the opposite side of
the walk in front, there are two rows of vines about 4 or 5 feet
apart ; outside of these, over half the length of the rows, a move-
able frame is placed, with sashes inclined so as to rest below the
edges of a board at the top, and high enough to admit of a person
walking along between the rows of vines, trained upwards on
both sides. When the vines have been grown one year under
this structure, it is removed and placed over the other half of
the plantation. By this arrangement the vines are grown, one
year under glass, and the next in the open air, and so on alter-
nately. Finer grapes are thus obtained than by constantly
keeping the vines under glass. This fact deserves further con-
sideration.

Supposing a vine is planted in a rich border, and that it is
introduced into a house where it is successively forced with
abundance of heat and moisture, but with some deficiency of
light and air; the foliage may be ample and the shoots gross,
but it does not follow that this luxuriant growth is a substantial
one, although, under the circumstances, the best system has been
pursued. The growth may have progressed steadily under a
gradual increase of temperature, like that of the natural climate
of the vine. So far as heat and moisture are concerned, the vine
under glass need be no sufferer ; but, as regards light, it must
suffer to a greater or less extent. That this is unquestionably

FRUIT AND KITCHEN GARDENS NEAR PARIS. 21

the case will appear evident from an inspection of Bouguer's
table of rays reflected from glass. According to this, the ave-
rage amount of rays reflected from glass at various angles of
incidence from 1° to 87^°, or, we may say, from morning to
night, is upwards of 22 per cent. This calculation is on the
supposition that the roof is all good glass. But an additional
privation of the rays of light must be taken into account, in
consequence of their total obstruction by the rafters, &c. ; and
sooty laps have no small share in producing obscurity. Alto-
gether we may reckon that, in the course of the day, vines under
a glazed roof are deprived of more than 30 per cent, of the rays
of light which they would enjoy if growing in the open air.
This privation must weaken the constitution of the plants, espe-
cially when they are year after year subjected to it.

I do not suppose any one ever saw grapes badly coloured on
the open wall, provided they at all approached the state of
ripening. When yet sour, they may be seen as black as sloes ;
and whether the border is rich or poor, or the fruit exposed or
partially shaded by the leaves, still the colouring is good, if the
climate is only sufficient to bring the fruit to the stage of growth
in which the colouring process is effected, and although too cold
for perfect ripening. The superiority, as regards colour, of grapes
on the open wall, may therefore be fairly ascribed to the free
action of light on the foliage.

The influence of light, however, goes much farther than the
mere colouring of the fruit. By it the constitution of the whole
plant is affected, from the foliage to the very extremities of the
roots : the latter, in fact, cannot long continue to be produced
unless the leaves effectually elaborate sap, and this they cannot
do without free light and air. Even in this country vines grow-
ing in the open air maintain their roots in any soil that is not
excessively bad ; but with all appliances, how generally do they
fail in borders when their tops are kept under glass ! There the
heat may be well regulated, greater perhaps than out of doors,
but not greater than where the vine lives for centuries, and a due
supply of moisture may be afforded ; but the natural constitution
of the plant becomes impaired for want of sufficient light ; and
sometimes to such an extent that, with a little mismanagement
in other respects, the vine is scarcely able to bear fruit at all.

From the above remarks it may be inferred that M. Berg-
mann's plan of alternately forcing and exposing his vines is
highly advantageous. Were it not so, he would not likely be
at the trouble to move his glazed structure annually. I have
endeavoured to explain the principles on which, as it appears to
me, the merit of the plan rests ; that is, the beneficial influence of

22 REPOKT ON THE

unobstructed light on the foliage. The renovating effects of
this for a whole season must undoubtedly enable the vines to
produce a superior crop to any that could otherwise be obtained.
The principle will hold good in England, or anywhere else, pro-
vided the heat of the climate is sufficient to ripen the wood
without artificial heat and covering. This indeed must limit the
full adoption of the method ; but the latter may, notwithstanding,
be usefully borne in mind, and the principle may be acted
upon wherever circumstances will permit. For example, I
believe it will not be denied that better grapes have generally
been produced in old vineries with sliding sashes, than in those
with fixed roofs, and ventilating holes in the front, and back walls
for admitting sufficient draught of air. Sliding sashes not only
admit air, but likewise the free light to a considerable quantity
of the foliage, during portions of the brightest days ; and thus,
to some extent, the advantages of M. Bergmann's method are
ensured. Fixed roofs, on the contrary, entirely preclude the
admission of light except through the medium of the glass, and it
may be concluded they are not the best construction for the vine.

A number of men were employed trenching a large extent of
lawn. The grass, when laid down after the soil has been trenched
and manured, keeps longer green when the heat and drought
become excessive, than would otherwise be the case. This
process, repeated in the course of several years, is an expensive
mode of maintaining verdure ; but it is doubtless the best. In
kitchen-garden cropping it is well known that they who trench
in winter save much time as regards watering in summer, and if
plenty of manure can likewise be afforded, most crops will re-
quire but little watering, even in very dry seasons. They are
also better than where the ground, from not being so prepared,
requires daily large supplies of water during a long period of
drought, and hence occasioning perhaps much more expense than
would have been incurred by previous trenching.

Trees and shrubs appeared to thrive well, but more ever-
greens might be introduced with good effect, together with
additional species of ornamental trees. I observed, as worthy
of particular notice, a remarkably fine specimen of the Juniperus
virginiana, var. pendula.

Nursery of Messrs. Jamin et Durand, Rue de Buffon,* —
M. Jamin's nursery here is but small, and may be considered
chiefly as a depot for trees to supply his orders. Along the
sides of the walks some fine tall specimens of pyramid Pear-trees
were remaining ; but the greater part had been just removed to
his new nursery-grounds, of considerable extent, at Bourg la

FRUIT AND KITCHEN GARDENS NEAR PARIS. 23

Heine, route cT Orleans, about four miles from the Barriere.
Here we found them about to be planted in good soil, duly
prepared for their reception. Many of them were well formed,
to the height of sixteen feet in six years ; some were on pear-
stocks, others on quince ; M. Jamin is rather partial to the
former.

The trees were planted deeper than is considered advisable in
England ; but this was said to be necessary in order that the
roots might not suffer during the very hot weather. The holes
for the trees were made as they ought to be, not like a basin, or
half sphere, but with the sides perpendicular, and the bottom
convex, a slight mound of prepared soil being there formed, over
which the roots were spread.

M. Jamin does not shorten the shoots of trees worked on the
pear stock so much as he does those on the quince ; and none of
them were so much thinned as he would recommend and practise,
were it not for the preference which his customers give to those
trees that are furnished with plenty of wood. He generally
commences pinching the young side-shoots in the end of April.

In another part of his new ground a number of the hardiest
varieties are planted as standards ; those that are less hardy he
prefers growing as pyramids. On each side of a long central
walk he has commenced planting a collection of the different
varieties of Pears and Apples, in the order of their ripening.
The Society obtained from him, several years ago, a number of
varieties reputed the best at the time ; and in going round he
again supplied grafts for the Society of such as he considered
the finest new kinds in his collection, such as the Suzette de
Bavay, Baronne de Millot, Fondante Millot, Beurre Starkmann,
and Arbre courbe Pears ; the latter is so called from its pen-
dulous habit of growth. Altogether, 20 varieties were at this
time received from him.

Fruit and Kitchen Gardens of the Palace of Versailles. —
We proceeded to Versailles, March 8th, with the intention of
confining ourselves to the inspection of the fruit and kitchen
gardens only on that day. These, with the buildings apper-
taining to them, occupy about 30 acres. They were originally
laid out, as regarded their internal arrangements, by Jean de la
Quintinye, in the time of Louis XIV. They are said to have
been much neglected during the revolutionary period, and until
the restoration of the monarchy. They are now, however, under
good cultivation. The forcing department is under the immediate
superintendence of M. Grison ; the fruit trees on walls, espaliers,
&c., are managed by M. Puteaux.

The forcing of fruits and vegetables in houses, pits, and frames

24 REPORT ON THE

is extensive; this department occupies nearly two acres. In a
long range of houses, 10 feet high at back, and between 6 and 7
feet wide, Peaches are trained horizontally against the back wall,
and sometimes the extremity of one branch is inarched to some
part of a branch of the adjoining tree, thus forming a continuity.
Along the front, Peaches, Nectarines, Plums, and Cherries were
being forced in pots. The fruits on these were just set. The
varieties of Cherries in forcing were the May Duke, and another
said to be a new variety, called the Reine Hortense. The Plums
were in 13-inch pots, and their shoots are pinched in summer,
so that little winter or autumn pruning is required.

Many of the forcing-houses have evidently been constructed
on economical principles, but independently of this, small houses
appear to be still preferred ; for a new house, on which expense
in well fitting up has not been spared, is only 8 feet high at
back, 4 in front, and 10 feet wide ; the length, 20 lights, about
80 feet. Peaches are planted against the back wall, and trained
to horizontal iron wires, 8 inches apart, running through eyed
holdfasts. From iron uprights, by the side of the footpath at the
back, very neat wire trellises extend across towards the front ;
against these Peach-trees are trained and kept to their limited
space by pinching, the trellises being only about 4 feet high
even at the footpath, and the distance from one trellis to the
other is only 4 feet ; the trees, one at each trellis, are planted
almost close to the footpath, and their branches are trained hori-
zontally towards the front.

In an older house, Figs were trained in the same way against
trellises similar to those above described. They were planted
close to the south side of the footpath at the back, and had all
their branches trained horizontally towards the front. They
had a very promising appearance for fruit. The young shoots
are pinched early.

A number of Fig plants were observed that had been raised
by layering from plants in the open ground. They were layered
in small pots in May, 1846, and in October last they were re-
moved, shifted into 12-inch pots, and taken into the house for
forcing. They were studded with a profusion of young fruit.

In the Peach-house, the horizontal mode of training along the
back wall has been generally adopted, the bearing wood being
encouraged on the upper side. The Apricot-trees in houses
were also trained in this way. In one of the houses a Peach-
tree has been budded on the apricot as a stock, and is yet thriving
very well.

Some of the fruiting Pine-houses appear not to have been
originally constructed for that purpose. They are more than
10 feet high. The back wall is perpendicular to the height of

FRUIT AND KITCHEN GARDENS NEAR PARIS. 25

about 6 feet, and then curves gradually forward over the foot-
path. The back was formed to a considerable height of arches,
the openings of which are closed in with sheet iron, in order to
transmit heat the more readily from dung linings when neces-
sary. But the heating is now generally effected by means of
hot water in flat copper conduits, 10 inches deep, and 2 centi-
metres, scarcely an inch, wide. They consequently occupy but
little space in the width of the house, or horizontally. Copper,
either as round pipes or in the flat form, is here preferred,
chiefly on account of its being a more rapid conductor of heat.
In some cases open troughs, for a supply of moisture, are
formed on the tops of the copper conduits.

In one pine-house, consisting of Queens, the fruit was nearly
ripe, and a fair size. The plants were grown in small pots in
sandy peat, and in shifting the plants were not disrooted. In
another house the plants were growing, not in pots, but planted
in a bed of peat soil, laid on stable litter, well beaten, for bottom
heat. They had a vigorous appearance, and will be two years
old when they mature their fruit in the ensuing summer. The
Cayennes, and other large sorts, were those so planted out.
Some were planted out of pots into peat soil in January last,
after their fruits were formed ; the plants were thriving, and
the fruits were swelling exceedingly well. The number of Pine
Apples annually fruited in these gardens must be immense.
The houses we had already passed through were extensive, when
we came to four more fruiting ranges, each 100 feet in length,
6 feet wide, and 7 feet high at the back.

A seedling Pine Apple was shown to us by M. Grison. It was
a monstrosity, preserved in spirits, with a cockscombed crown,
a line following the wave of which was no less than 6 feet in
length ; another fruit, diverging from the same stalk, was of the
usual form.

In a house heated by a flow and return copper conduit, there
was a Musa Cavendishii in fruit. It was not quite a year old,
and was planted in leaf mould, resting on a bed of stable litter
and leaves.

Vines were being forced in wooden pits, surrounded with dung
linings. These pits were certainly of a very cheap construction,
merely some posts and boards nailed together, and only 3£ feet
wide ; but the quantity of grapes produced in that limited width
was astonishing. The vines were trained horizontally along the
back, which was apparently not more than 3 feet high. A 3-inch
earthenware pipe was laid along the front for hot water, sup-
plied by means of a small boiler placed at the end of the range.
The variety in forcing was the Chasselas de Fontainebleau, or
Royal Muscadine, as it is generally called in England. The

26 REPORT ON THE

crop was excellent, and would most probably be ripe about the
third week in April. M. Grison does not force the same vines
successively ; he only forces them every other year.

In such pits, similarly heated, Peaches were also growing well,
and the fruit was further advanced than any in the houses.

Extensive ranges of pits were occupied with the forcing of
vegetables, such as French Beans, Peas, Carrots, and Lettuces ;
of the latter a variety called the Laitue George was preferred.
The Peas in the pits were not in pots. The pits for French
Beans were furnished with copper pipes for supplying heat, in
addition to that derived from the dung linings. The variety of
Melon then forcing was the Cantaloup Petit. Eight ranges of
pits were chiefly occupied with the Alpine Strawberry, that
being the sort preferred at the royal table. M. Grisori found
that seedling plants of this sort, when forced, ran much to leaf,
but did not fruit so well as plants from runners. He accord-
ingly sows every year, and instead of employing the seedling
plants themselves, he pots, in August, the plants from the
runners which the seedlings produce.

Vines on the open wall are managed according to the Thomery
system ; but they make much stronger growths, the soil being
richer than at Thomery, and also rather damp below. M.
Puteaux informed us he had pruned the vines on those walls for
forty years. They were planted 6 feet from the wall, and the
shoots laid towards it at the depth of 15 inches. By the Thomery
method, each plant has only one stem, branching into two arms,
extending horizontally right and left. The shoots from buds
along these horizontals are trained upright ; they bear the fruit,
and in the winter they are cut back to the lowest eyes. M.
Puteaux cuts them back to one eye if weak, sometimes to
two if strong. In pruning he always studies next year's wood
and fruit more than the present. He hesitates not to sacrifice a
fruitful but misplaced shoot, in order to obtain one more eligibly
situated in the following season ; acting according to the spirit of
a line in Rapin : —

" Nor spare the boughs, for sparing spoils the tree."

He spares no shoot, however promising for fruit, if it interferes
with the principles of the system he has adopted. So promptly
has he uniformly dealt with all such, that it was not an easy
matter to find a perverse shoot for exemplifying in such a case
his mode of proceeding. The principle is, to cut back all the
upright shoots to the lowest eyes that can be observed ; and
although the lower of two adjoining shoots be the weaker, yet,
because the eyes at its base are the nearest to the main branch,
they are preferred, whilst the upper shoot, although the most

FRUIT AND KITCHEN GARDENS NEAB PABIS. 27

promising, is entirely cut back. The whole wall was furnished
with fine bearing wood, the pruning of which had been but
recently commenced.

Fruit-trees in some of the quarters and peach-trees on walls
suffer from the dampness of the soil, or more especially the sub-
soil. The site is low and flat. Probably, the ground had been
dug out to raise the terraces of the palace. Peach-trees against
the walls do not long continue to thrive ; but the mode of
training them, somewhat like the Thomery vines, is not con-
ducive to the health of the peach-tree. There are some good
pyramid pear-trees in the quarters, and some have their branches
curved downwards, like those in the Society's garden. M.
Puteaux ties the pears on the branches of these pyramid trees,
to prevent them from being prematurely blown down.

The quarters are surrounded by espaliers six feet high.
Wooden posts are driven into the ground as supports for the
trellising, and the whole has a neat appearance. By the side of
the central walk in this part of the gardens the espalier is partly
constructed of iron, strong bars forming arches from post to
post, surmounted by an iron top-rail. This contrasts strangely
with the simple upright and horizontal lines which the adjoining
espaliers exhibit.

In some of the quarters inside these six-feet high espaliers
there are very dwarf ones, about sixteen feet apart, the spaces
between them being cropped with vegetables. These dwarf
espaliers are scarcely four feet high ; they are formed by posts
driven into the ground, and to these four small wooden rails are
fixed horizontally. Pear and apple-trees were trained against
them. Some of the trees appeared to be fifteen or twenty years
old.

What is done at Versailles as regards espalier-training might
be very advantageously imitated in other large gardens, and for
small gardens no mode is so proper. If the trees be well managed,
they will almost support themselves by the time the first, and
not expensive, woodwork decays. They occupy comparatively
little space ; some crops can be grown almost close to them ;
and their appearance, loaded as they ought to be with fruit,
cannot certainly be deemed unsightly.

We observed some pear-trees trained on espaliers, horizon-
tally it may be said, but with an important peculiarity. On
remarking them we were informed that their branches were
originally trained from the stem at an angle of 45° of elevation ;
but that they were afterwards brought to a horizontal position,
excepting the parts near the stem, which still retained almost
the original position. Although lowering the branches was, I
believe, an after- thought as regards these trees, yet I believe a

28 REPOBT ON THE

better principle than that of allowing the branches to ascend at
the above angle for a little way from the stem, could not be
adopted.

The orange-trees are magnificent. Their winter-quarters are
below the terrace of the Palace ; consequently, they have only
light in front, which, of course, is lofty, otherwise trees thirty
feet in height could not be admitted. The number of orange-
trees is 1500. Some are 300 years old, with stems thirty-nine
inches in circumference. One has the inscription " Seme en
1421." Its age must, therefore, be 426 years, and it is probably
the oldest exotic in existence. The trees are planted in boxes
made of oak ; and these boxes are said to last from fifteen to
twenty years.

Market Garden Establishment of M. Trujffaut, Rue des
Chantiers, Versailles. — This we visited after leaving the Royal
Gardens, March 8th. Forcing, particularly of pine-apples, is
here carried on extensively. The pine-suckers in autumn are
put in three-inch pots. In the following April they are turned
out of these pots into a bed, where they remain till the end of
October. They are then taken up, disrooted, potted into seven-
inch pots, and then placed in the fruiting pit till March or
April, when they show for fruit. They are then turned out of
the pots into a bed of sandy peat soil, newly prepared for their
reception. This bed is heated underneath by hot water in open
copper troughs, six inches wide and only two inches deep. The
chamber in which these troughs are placed is eighteen inches
deep. Over this chamber the soil in which the plants grow is
supported by wood and tiles. The boiler is copper.

In two compartments, where bottom heat for the pine-apples
is supplied by means of hot water, top heat is obtained from a
six-inch cast-iron pipe, serving as a flue from the same fire
which heats the water for bottom heat. From the fire at one
end it uniformly ascends along the front, till it terminates in a
brick chimney at the farther end of the compartment. The joints
of the cast-iron pipe are merely cemented with clay. There
is a fire at each of the opposite ends of the two compartments ;
and the chimney where the pipes terminate is in the middle, at
the front. Hot water was previously employed for top heat ;
but the tubular cast-iron flue was found to be more effective,
with less fuel, than was required for the hot water. This mode
certainly deserves to be made the subject of experiment in order
to ascertain exactly its advantages, so as to be able to state them
in numerical terms. In the first place, it will be necessary to
take into consideration the expense of one cast-iron pipe of six
inches diameter, compared with two four-inch pipes, flow and

FRUIT AND KITCHEN GARDENS NEAR PARIS. 29

return, for hot water. The circumference of the six-inch pipe
is to the sum of the circumferences of the four-inch pipes as
18-857 to 25-142, or within a fraction of 15 to 20. It there-
fore appears that about one-fourth less metal is required for the
flue than for the pipes ; and if it were possible to get the larger
casting at the same rate per Ib. as the smaller, the cast-iron flue
would be, in the first instance, a saving of 25/. per cent. This
alone is an important object ; and when the saving of fuel and
more effective heating are stated to be the results, certainly no
more arguments need be adduced in favour of the plan. It is
necessary, however, to make a few remarks with reference to
the position of the cast-iron flue. It was stated above that it
uniformly ascends along the front. This being the case, the
heated air also ascends naturally towards the farther end, thereby
causing a less pressure in that part of the pipe next the fire.
This part would become excessively hot if the pipe were level,
and would even give out a greater excess of heat next the fire
than the old flues, iron being a more rapid conductor than the
materials of which they were composed. Probably one foot in
twenty would be a sufficient^gradient ; those observed appeared
to rise more than this.

M. Truffaut prefers the Queen Pine-apple, because that variety
best suits the market, grown to the weight of 2 Ibs. He sells
the whole to a fruiterer a little before the fruit is ripe for twelve
or fourteen francs each.

He forces vines in wooden pits or frames 4 feet wide, 3 feet
6 inches high at back, and 1 foot 6 inches in front. Heat is
obtained from copper pipes and dung linings. The vines in
these wooden frames are forced every second year* In such
frames strawberries are forced ; ten ranges, each sixty or seventy
feet in length, for vines and strawberries cost about ninepence
each range per day for fuel, which is wood. The boilers are
copper. The varieties of Strawberries forcing were Keen's
Seedling, British Queen, and Elton. The latter, although a
late variety, is employed with advantage, because it is a great
and certain bearer, and answers well for coming in after the
other forced sorts, and before those in the open ground. The
ranges for forcing French beans are extensive, the variety
being the Nain hatif de Hollande.

Potatoes, the Marjolin, considered the same as the Ash-leaved
kidney, had an exceedingly healthy appearance, growing in
frames. Those which M. Truffaut forced last season had no
disease ; but those he grew in the open ground were much
diseased.

M. Truffaut expressed himself as having been much gratified
with his visit to England some years ago, when he had an oppor-

30 REPORT ON THE

tunity of seeing the Society's garden; and he most kindly
afforded us every information he possibly could.

/

We next called at the Establishment of M. Souchet, Ver-
sailles. It occupies exactly an acre ; and this is nearly covered
with glass, chiefly for the cultivation of Camellias. In grow-
ing these the different kinds are arranged together, and the
whole establishment is conducted with great attention to order.
About 1000 large bell-glasses are employed for the purpose of
propagation.

Royal Gardens at Meudon. — We proceeded, March 9th, to
Meudon, chiefly for the purpose of seeing the Pine-apple cul-
ture, in which M. Gabriel Pelvilain surpasses all competitors of
the present day ; and, judging from the vigorous and healthy
appearance of the plants, they certainly bid fair to maintain the
celebrity which he has already acquired. We saw at various
establishments very healthy plants ; but none equalled in luxu-
riance those at Meudon. We obtained the following details
respecting the mode of culture : — .

The suckers are potted in four-inch pots in August or Sep-
tember, the earliest period after the fruit is cut being preferred,
and in these four-inch pots they remain till spring.

In March or April following a bed is prepared, half dung and
half leaves, and covered with ten inches of peat soil, and into
this the rooted suckers, turned out of the four-inch pots, are all
planted for the summer.

In October the plants are carefully taken up with a little soil
at their roots, which are not at all cut, and potted into seven-
inch pots, in which they remain during the winter.

In the following spring, about March, when the plants show
fruit, a number of the strongest are selected for the purpose of
being turned out of the seven-inch pots, and finally planted,
free, in a bed of peat soil, in houses, where they remain to ripen
their fruit in the course of the season.

The remainder, not so planted out, are fruited without being
shifted out of the seven-inch pots. Beds of half dung and half
leaves are prepared about March, and when the heat has been
properly regulated the plants are plunged, and there in the
seven-inch pots they are fruited.

It thus appears that the plants are always in pots in winter.
The suckers are in small pots ihejirst winter. The plants are
turned out into peat soil, free, during the first summer. All
are repotted into seven-inch pots, and so kept during the second
winter. In the second summer the strongest are planted out of
the pots into peat soil for fruiting, and the remainder are

FRUIT AND KITCHEN GARDENS NEAR PARIS.

31

fruited in the seven-inch pots, plunged in beds of dung and
leaves.

There is certainly no great mystery as regards this simple
mode of procedure. But the extraordinary size of the fruits of
those planted out in peat soil, as mentioned in the ' Gardeners'
Chronicle,' vol. for 1846, and likewise the present luxuriant and
remarkably dark green foliage of the plants, do not appear to
be sufficiently accounted for by anything very peculiar in the
routine, although perhaps a better could not be adopted. The
effect must be produced by some powerful agencies which we
have not yet traced out. It will, therefore, be necessary to
enter minutely into details respecting the position of the plants,
and to direct attention to circumstances likely to influence their
growth.

The plants, as already stated, are planted out in the fruiting-
houses in a bed of peat soil. The depth of the soil is about
fourteen inches, placed on a wooden flooring, consisting of
boards laid side by side, and supported by iron bars.

The arrangement of the fruiting-houses will be best under-
stood by a plan and sections, which I have the satisfaction of
being enabled not only to refer to as published in the ' Gardeners*
Chronicle,' 1846, p. 820, but to introduce.

There are four fruiting-houses, which are heated with hot
water and stable litter combined ; the stable litter for bottom-
heat, and the hot water for surface-heat.

No. 1, with 11 lights, each light 4 feet 4 inches wide, is the
largest, of which fig. 1 is the ground plan, and figs. 2, 3, and 4
different sections of it.

Nos. 2 and 3, with 15 lights. They are in one line, and the
middle light is occupied by the furnace, &c.

No. 4, with 10 lights. The whole are constructed upon the
same plan.

Fig. 1.

Fig. 1. Ground Plan of fruiting-house, No. 1 ; figs. 2, 3, and 4, sections of it. In fig. 3 is
shown the manner in which access is had to the hot-bed. Fig. 4 shows the entrance and
the furnace, with a side view of the house.

a, furnace; 6, hot-water pipes; c, chimney; d, concealed pit to get at the hot-bed;
e, hot-bed ; /, door, which is shut up after the stable litter has been removed ; g, air-holes,
furnished with a cover to regulate the bottom heat ; h, bed filled with peat soil, in which
the pine-apples are planted ; t, iron bar covered with boards to hold the peat soil ; k, foot-
path ; I, door; m, water cistern ; n, shelf for strawberries ; o, ground line; f>, iron railings
for hanging the straw mattings upon, which serve to cover the houses.

32

REPORT ON THE

Fig. 2.

Air is given to all the pits when required by lifting up the
lights.

The following analysis of the Meudon peat, Bruyere de
Meudon, is stated to have been made with great care" by M.
Payen : —

FRUIT AND KITCHEN GARDENS NEAR PARIS. 33

Fine sand ... 62-

Roots and vegetable remains . . . . 20 •

Humus . . . . . . . 16«

Carbonate of lime . . . . . . '0*8

Matter soluble in cold water . . . . 1-2

100 -0

The above can only be called good sandy peat with a mere
trace of lime in the form of carbonate. The water employed is
spring water. These substances apparently constitute the only
source whence the plants derive their luxuriance; but in this
respect they so far exceed others in similar soil, that it is evi-
dent they must have an additional large supply of nourishment
to that afforded by peat soil and water nearly pure.

The large stone-built vault below the beds happened to be
empty when we were at Meudon, and we had an opportunity of
satisfactorily examining it. The boarding over-head was, of
course, somewhat decayed, from the action of the gases arising
from the dung, and in various places the old roots of the pine-
plants were hanging where they had insinuated themselves be-
tween the boards. When this vault is filled, or nearly so, with
fermenting dung, an immense quantity of ammoniacal and car-
bonic acid gases must be constantly generated ; and they must
as constantly find means of escaping, not readily by the stone
walls, but very easily by the boarding under the soil. Ammo-
niacal gas passes through the pores of wood much quicker than
common air or other gases do. Liebig states, ' Organic Che-
mistry/ p. 86, that ammonia, rt When in a volatile state, is in a
great measure lost before it can be imbibed. When fixed, in
the state of salts, its volatility is overcome, and not the smallest
portion of the ammonia is lost to the plants, for it is all dis-
solved by water and imbibed by the roots." From the quantity
of carbonic acid gas evolved with ammonia during the con-
tinued fermentation of the materials, carbonate of ammonia must
be abundantly formed. This smelling salt every person knows
is very volatile ; but it will be in great measure absorbed by the
moisture of the soil as it ascends into the latter. It has been
proved that water is capable of absorbing 780 times its bulk of
ammoniacal gas.

It was stated that the water employed wa§ spring water,
nearly pure. Unless distilled, no water is perhaps absolutely
pure, since it always dissolves more or less of the substances
with which it comes in contact. The water near Paris owes its
hardness to the presence of gypsum. This circumstance may be
of some importance as regards the Pine-growing at Meudon.
" Gypsum (sulphate of lime) and other sulphates convert the
carbonate of ammonia into the more fixed sulphate, which re-

34 BEPORT ON THE

mains in the soil till absorbed by the roots " (Turner's ' Che-
mistry,' p. 1256). It is impossible to say how much water the
beds of peat soil may have received in the course of the summer,
neither is the proportion of sulphate of lime which it holds in
solution accurately known. For an approximate calculation it
may, however, be assumed that the quantity supplied would not
be less than that of rain which would fall on an equal surface
out of doors, say two inches in depth per month, or six inches in
three months : this, during the latter period, would give 9350 Ibs.
for a bed 50 feet by 6 feet. If we, then, estimate the proportion
of sulphate in the water to be only one two-thousandth part, we
shall have in the above quantity of water upwards of four pounds
and a half, which would fix double the quantity of ammonia
applied to wheat crops in the garden of the Society, and which
produced the remarkably dark green, luxuriant foliage which
many will recollect having there seen in successive seasons for
some years past. Ammonia, however, in any form, in solution
with water, produces luxuriant dark green foliage.

From what has been stated it appears evident that the large
Meudon pines feed chiefly on the products of decomposition,
supplied by fermenting materials in a capacious vault below the
peat soil, in which they are planted.

The Peach-trees at Meudon are trained on the same principle
as the Vines at Thomery, the shoots being trained upright
from the upper sides only of the horizontal branches. Each tree
has two such branches, extending, one right, the other left. The
distance of the tiers formed by the horizontal branches of the
different trees is about 2J feet. The young shoots, trained up-
right in summer, are shortened to less than a foot in length at
the winter pruning ; and whilst they bear fruit in the following
summer, a shoot for succession is trained from the base of each j
or, if a shoot spring still closer to the horizontal, it is preferred.
The trees are planted 4 feet apart ; and are furnished with ex-
cellent bearing wood.

From Meudon we went to the Palace of Versailles, having
only seen the Fruit and Kitchen Gardens there on the previous day.

The Nurseries of the Petit Trianon, under the management
of M. Briot, are chiefly occupied by American plants, and other
ornamental trees and shrubs. Grafts of an apple called the
Reinette de Trianon were obtained for the Society. Some young
Apricots were observed which had been budded on the Myrobalan,
on which stock, it is said, the Apricot-tree is not apt to gum.

There are here a number of Arbor-vitas hedges, chiefly the
Thuja orientalis. The T. occidentalis can be kept thinner than
the other ; but its roots are found to extend more into the soil

FRUIT AND KITCHEN GARDENS NEAR PARIS. 35

of the beds. These hedges are about 12 feet apart, and 9 feet
high, cut perpendicularly. They afford shade as well as shelter,
and American plants thrive very well between them.

The severity of the winter had served to test the hardiness
of a number of seedling Rhododendrons, hybrids between the
R. arboreum and catawbiense. Some, having taken much of the
character of the arboreum, were injured ; but many, partaking;
of the hardiness of the catawbiense, were, under the same cir
cumstances, not affected.

Montr euil. — Snow and sleet rendered the 10th of March un-
favourable for horticultural excursions. At night it appears the
thermometer in the Society's Garden at Chiswick was 25°
Fahrenheit below the freezing point, or within 7° of zero. What
the degree was at the same time at Paris, I had not the means
of ascertaining ; and I believe they have not registering thermo-
meters in the Jardin des Plantes. The windows, however, were
richly foliated with frost ; and when we went to Montreuil, on
March 11, the thermometer there indicated as low as 20° Fah-
renheit in the morning. Towards noon, the difference between
the extremes of a keen frosty wind experienced on the north side
of the walls, and a hot sun beaming through a very clear sky,
reflected also from white walls with a southern exposure, was
remarkable.

Montreuil is situated about 5 miles east from Paris ; but the
road to it from the Barriere de Montreuil lies in a north-east
direction. Between 1400 and 1500 acres of the Commune are
occupied by walled enclosures, chiefly for the growth of Peaches.
It appears a walled country, without houses or tall trees to in-
terrupt the view, apart from the village, which lies lower than
where the gardens extend. The gardens are generally parallelo-
grams, with cross walls, the latter about 30 feet apart, and from
8 to 10 feet in height. The walls are 40 centimetres, about 15£
inches thick at bottom, and 30 centimetres, or 11£ inches at top.
Three metres, about 9 feet 10 inches, is now considered a suitable
height ; but in England, particularly in the northern parts, the
walls cannot be too high ; for the higher the wall, the better the
peaches will ripen. The walls at Montreuil are generally plas-
tered on both sides, rather more than an inch thick. Instead of
tying the shoots to wooden trellising, the Montreuillois now
prefer training to the naked wall, driving the nails into the
plaster. The walls covered with this substance afford one pecu-
liar advantage ; they can be kept free from insects by frequent
whitewashings without being thereby disfigured. They have
permanent copings, projecting from 5 to 10 inches, according to
the height of the walls, or the fancy of the proprietor. For the

D 2

36 REPORT ON THE

Peach, the south-east aspect is considered at Montreuil the most
favourable.

The soil appears a poor yellowish-brown calcareous sandy
loam, such as would be unfit for wheat or other corn crops. In
the Peach culture it gets occasionally some Paris street-manure.

We called on M. Alexis Lepere, Cultwateur de Peckers,
Rue Cuve-du-Four, 40, a Montr euil-sous-bois, who has pub-
lished a very good work on the pruning and management of the
Peach-tree. We found him at his grounds, where on certain
days he gives practical instruction, each person attending paying
three francs. To make sure of meeting him, we went on one of
those days.

Before describing his mode of training, considered the latest
improvement of the Montreuil system, it may be proper briefly
to explain what that system was. Its principle originally con-
sisted in checking the perpendicular flow of the sap by diverting
it into two channels, right and left. This was effected by means
of the two main branches, laid off like a V. But branches taken
from the under sides of these invariably became too weak, whilst
those allowed to grow at the same time from their upper sides
soon exceeded the original main branches in point of vigour.
The under branches frequently died, or became useless from
weakness, and those above them had to be lowered in their
places. This was the case for two centuries at Montreuil.

Butret published a treatise entitled Taille Haisonnee des Ar~
bres FruitierS) which was considered the vade mecum of the
cultivators. In it the physiological details connected with the
management of the Peach-tree are excellent, and led to the
mode of allowing the branches on the under side of the main
branches to be a year in advance of those on the upper. This
was considered the best system of Montreuil training when the
Garden of the Society was formed, and accordingly it was there
adopted. But it was found not to answer ; for although the
under branches had the advantage of being started a year before
those springing from the upper side, yet in two years the latter
not only exceeded those secondary branches, but likewise, in
most cases, the main branches themselves. It was therefore
found impossible to follow the system with advantage, and con^
sequently its adoption was never recommended by the Society.
The Montreuillois now condemn that mode themselves on the same
grounds.

In order to remedy the evil as much as possible, instead of
starting the under branches one year in advance of the upper,
they give them several years' advantage, as will be understood
from Fig. 1, which represents the number and direction of the
principal branches forming the charpente or frame-work of a

FRUIT AND KITCHEN GARDENS NEAR PARIS.

37

Fig. 1.

tree trained a la Montreuil, as now practised. The figures re-
present the years in which the respective branches were origin-
ated, reckoning from the plantation of the tree. From this it
will be seen that no branches are permitted to grow on the upper
side of the two main branches (branches meres), marked No. 1 ,
till the fourth year ; and then the branch No. 4 is allowed to
push ; in the fifth year No. 5 is originated ; and finally, in the
sixth year No. 6. It must be observed that Nos. 5 and 6 will
still be apt to appropriate more sap than Nos. 2, 3, 3, although
these have been three or four years longer established. Aware
of this, M. Lepere has acted on the principle of allowing the
under branches a still longer period to establish themselves before
any are encouraged on the upper side. He has the east aspect
of one wall covered with trees managed according to his Pra-
tique Raisonnee de la Taille du Pecker en Espalier carre. The
trees were 16 years old : one of them extended 40 feet, others 30
feet, on the wall, which is 8^ feet high.

Fig. 2.

38

REPORT ON THE

Fig. 2 represents the branches of one of his trees, trained en
Espalier carre, so named from the branches terminating in
points, lines drawn through which would form an oblong square.
The marks indicate the places where the leading shoots were
shortened, and the figures indicate the years from the plantation
of the tree, in which the cuts on the respective branches were
made.

Suppose the tree planted and headed back to two eligible buds
for producing the two main branches (branches meres} A A,
then at the end of the

First year, the branch A is cut at 1, at the winter pruning ;
and the branch B is originated.

Second year — The branches A and B are cut at 2 ; and the
branch C is originated.

Third year — The branches A and B are cut at the marks be-
yond 2 ; the branch C is cut for the first time at 3 ; and the
branch D is originated. The tree has now all its lower branches
established.

Fourth year — The branches A B C D have their leaders
shortened, as indicated ; but no more branches are encouraged
for this season.

Fifth year — The leaders are shortened, as usual ; and the
three branches, E E E, on the upper side of the branch A, are
allowed to push.

Sixth year — All the branches, with the exception of F, which
is not yet in existence, are shortened, as indicated by the marks 6.

Seventh year — Shortened, but no more branches originated.

Eighth year- — Same process as in the preceding year ; and a fruit-
bearing shoot is selected for the commencement of the branch F.

Ninth year — All the branches for constituting the frame- work
of the tree have now been originated; and, this being the case,
no shoots are afterwards allowed to assume the character of
branches. At each winter-pruning shoots of the preceding
summer's growth only are left. In the following summer these
bear fruit ; whilst the lowest shoots which push at their bases are
trained for succession.

Fig. 3.

FRUIT AND KITCHEN GARDENS NEAR PARIS. 39

Fig. 3 represents a portion of a branch of one of M. Lepere's
trees, not pruned.

Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 — Another portion, on which the operation of winter-
pruning has been performed.

It will be observed that he prunes the bearing-shoots very
short ; and unless this be done the Peach-tree will not long con-
tinue to thrive. In consequence of leaving the fruit-bearing
shoots too long, or in some cases not shortening them at all, very
many Peach-trees in this country become worn out, even in their
youth, and that too in richer soil than is to be found at Mon-
treuil. M. Lepere, it will be seen, has plenty of fruit-bearing
shoots : he shortens them to 6 inches ; is satisfied with one or
two fruits on each ; and so from each of his trees he obtains on
an average 40 dozen of fine large peaches. This certainly ought
to induce people to shorten sufficiently the bearing-shoots, what-
ever the mode of training may be.

It is necessary to remark that, on the main stems, A A, of Le-
pere's trees, the spaces between the origin of one secondary
branch and that of another are not naked. On the contrary,
they are all along furnished with bearing wood, on the upper
as well as the under sides. Shoots produced in one season
bear fruit the next, and then, at the winter-pruning, they are
cut back close to the base of the successional shoot. A large
quantity of fruit is thus obtained along these main branches ; but
there is another advantage, as regards the health and duration of
the tree. When branches are naked to any great extent, they are
liable to become sunburnt, as was found to be the case with those
of a tree trained according to Seymour's mode, in the Society's
Garden. The bearing-shoots on this were from 12 to 15 inches
apart, and on the upper sides only of the branches. When fur-
nished with shoots at closer intervals, to draw sap, and better
shaded by foliage, scorching is not apt to occur.

From what has been stated, and by referring to Figs. 1 and
2, it will be perceived that M. Lepere's method differs essen-
tially from the Montreuil, as regards the greater length of time
which elapses before any branches are permitted to grow on the
upper sides of the two main branches. That the principle is
good, there can be no question. A great objection to its adop-
tion in this country would doubtless be, the large space of wall
between A A and the centre of the tree remaining so long

40 REPORT ON THE

uncovered. At the end of six or seven years after planting the
tree, there is still a large void ; were it not for this, M. Lepere's
system would be perfection. He has a thorough practical know-
ledge of all the operations connected with the culture of the
Peach-tree, and his treatise Pratique Raisonnee de la Taille du
Pecfier, I consider the best that has ever been published on the
subject. He has other modes of training in progress ; and it
would be well if any were found to equal in principle the above,
which he greatly prefers at present, and at the same time afford
the means of filling up the centre.

Fig. 5.

On a west aspect wall, a tree is trained as represented by Fig.
5. The mode is termed Chandelier training — Taille en Cande-
labre. It extends 40 feet along the wall. The two branches,
A B, from which the uprights spring, were first laid off like a
V, and were annually lowered till, by degrees, they acquired
their nearly horizontal position. In the second year after the
tree was planted, the two branches, C D, were commenced. At
the end of the sixth year, the uprights were all started. Pre-
viously to this, however, fruit-bearing shoots were encouraged
along the four horizontal portions. The uprights are nearly 3
feet apart, arid the bearing-shoots are trained between them at an
angle of 45° elevation. The tree was a good example of what
may be done with the Peach-tree in regard to maintaining the
equilibrium of both sides, when in such hands as M. Lepere's.
Those possessing less skill would find some difficulty in managing
such a form. I remarked that his admired tree, en Candelabre,
would probably soon die, some slight symptoms of gumming on
the horizontals being discernible. That such would be the case
I suspect M. Lepere himself had some forebodings ; however, he
declared, if it should die, he would then nail it to the wall.

On the same west aspect, a number of fine Pear-trees had
been much cut by a hail-storm in June, 1845. By keeping the
wounds covered, fresh bark had closed over many of them ; but
some branches were still in bad condition.

In shortening a leading branch, he cuts to a bud situated next
the wall. The consequence is, that the branch goes on straight,
and the section, although exposed, soon heals over, so that it

FRUIT AND KITCHEN GARDENS NEAR PARIS. 41

becomes almost impossible to tell where the shortening was
effected. This is contrary to the rule usually laid down and fol-
lowed in this country, which is to cut behind the bud. A bend
is the consequence. But the thickest layers of wood are formed
in front of the branch : the wound is in fact longer in healing
over where this depends on the convergence of thin layers, than
where they are thick ; consequently, a wound in front is sooner
healed over than one at the back.

For pruning wood under two years of age, the instrument called
a Secateur is chiefly employed ; and this I saw plied with great
dexterity. For summer-pruning, and shortening one-year-old
shoots, it is far preferable to the knife, particularly in the case
of the Peach-tree, where the part left is, at the next pruning,
entirely cut away. In cutting close to the main branch, it is
necessary to use the knife. If secateurs could be obtained as
well made as those I saw in use, I am certain they would be
much more employed in this country.

The borders for the Peach-trees are prepared to the distance
of 5 or 6 feet from the wall by trenching 2 feet deep, mixing the
soil well with manure. The trees are planted 6 inches from the
wall. In many of the enclosures the rest of the ground is occu-
pied with vines. In summer, the labour of watering must be very
great. The Almond is much employed as stocks for the trees.

Although the soil is not rich, yet the trees are vigorous enough,
with the little manure that is occasionally forked into the borders
when the trees come to bear heavy crops. The cultivators attend
well in summer to the equal distribution of the sap ; and they adopt
means to prevent it being wasted by over-luxuriant shoots, or
gourmands. To this, and to the shortening of the bearing-shoots
to 6 or 8 inches, is to be attributed the success which attends the
cultivation of the Peach at Montreuil. To M. Lepere we were
much indebted for the full details which he obligingly furnished
of all particulars connected with the different modes of culti-
vation.

Fontainebleau and Thomery. — We reached Fontainebleau
March 12, about noon. The inhabitants say its name is a cor-
ruption, by contraction of Fontaine-belle-eau — there being fine
springs of exceedingly pure water at this place and its vicinity ;
doubtless from being filtered through fine sand, which is said to
be valuable for making flint-glass. Snow commenced falling
thickly in broad flakes, so that we only saw the water in a com-
paratively turbid state, from the influx of the former.

Notwithstanding the unfavourable state of the weather,
M. Souchet, of the Royal Gardens at the Palace of Fontaine-
bleau, had the kindness to conduct us to the vine-walls, which

42 REPORT ON THE

are under the management of M. Brassis, jardinier en chef du
Pare et de la Treille da Roi, at Fontainebleau. Part of the wall
has an eastern aspect, and is about 20 feet high, forming the
wall of barracks. More recently built, a long extent, with a
south-east aspect, is 12 feet high. The whole length is 1400
metres, or 1531 yards — nearly 7 furlongs.

Part of the wall, where highest, is occupied with vines planted
2^ feet apart ; but this was said to be too close. These were
trained with a single upright stem, with the bearing shoots
diverging from both sides — en palmette, as the mode is termed —
or like the leaf of a palm. The leafstalk and leaflets of the
Cycas revoluta afford an example of the manner in which the
bearing shoots are trained from the upright main stem ; or the
same rnay be represented by fish-bones. The bearing shoots
were not strong, but firm and well matured ; they were about
2 feet in length ; and at the winter pruning they are cut close to
the lowest eyes. The upright leading shoot is cut to three eyes
when the plants are young, but as they get older it is cut to
only two.

Where the principle of the Thomery system, en cordon, has
been adopted, the plants are here 3 feet apart. Each plant, as at
Thomery, has only one horizontal branch to the right and ano-
ther to the left, forming the cordon ; but at Fontainebleau each
of these extends 6 feet ; at Thomery only 4 feet. The cordons
formed by the horizontal branches are about 2 feet apart. With
regard to the comparative merits of these two modes of training,
there was no decided opinion. The first, with the bearing
shoots diverging from an upright stem, is the more easily ma-
naged ; but, in this country, it is questionable whether the eyes
on the lower part of the stem would push sufficiently well ; for
in vineries it is sometimes necessary to bend down the upper
part of vines trained upright, in order to ensure the pushing of
the lower eyes.

The soil where the vines have an eastern aspect is naturally
unfavourable, and rather wet ; in fact, it was so bad that it had
to be dug out to the depth of 2 or 3 feet, and replaced with
better soil, mixed with some leaf-mould. Manure occasionally
afforded, consists of a compost, of equal portions of horse-dung
and cow-dung, and turf-parings, in alternate layers, turned
several times over before being applied. Dung alone has been
tried, but the compost was found preferable — the quality of the
vines manured with it being much better than where dung only
was employed. Along the portion of wall facing the south-east
the soil is of a more favourable nature.

The vines are tied to wooden trellis-work. The wall is fur-
nished with coping, projecting about a foot. Both here and at

FRUIT AND KITCHEN GA11DENS NEAR PARIS. 43

Thomery, projecting copings are considered of great import-
ance : in England they would doubtless prove equally beneficial.
Under glass, projecting like a coping, it has been proved that
grapes ripen, colour, and retain their bloom, much better than
they otherwise do on the open wall.

M. Souchet having ascertained that there was an intelligent
proprietaire cultivateur, M. Larpenteur, from Thomery, in Fon-
tainebleau, he intimated our object to him. M. Larpenteur
accordingly undertook, very obligingly, to conduct us by the
nearest route through the forest to Thomery.

On reaching the outskirts of the forest we found ourselves
considerably elevated above the Seine, and had then a good view
of the village of Thomery, stretching along the side of the river
and the base of the slope ; and of 600 acres of walled enclosures
for the cultivation of the vine. Such an assemblage of walls is
perhaps nowhere to be seen, if we except Montreuil. It appeared
as if the walling-in system was proceeding upwards to the pre-
cincts of the forest. Plantations of vines, in the open vineyard
mode of culture, were seen verging close upon it, almost in
proximity with the common heath, which grows abundantly in
the forest.

From this locality Paris is largely supplied with grapes. We
were informed by M. Larpenteur that the quantity forwarded to
Paris, by barges down the Seine, from Thomery is not less than
30,000 Ibs. daily, during the grape season ; and the quality of
the Thomery grapes is well known to be excellent for the table.
This it may be readily supposed is owing to the steep slope on
which the vines are planted. " Bacchus amat colles" is a
quotation frequently introduced by writers on the vine ; and the
south sides of hills are recommended. But what is remarkable
in the case of the Thomery vines, they are not grown on the
south side of the declivity, nor does it face the east or west :
the ground actually slopes to the north and north-east. I in-
quired the reason why the acclivity, equally steep in appearance
on the opposite side of the Seine, and facing the south, had not
been preferred ? The answer was, it was found to be too hot
and dry. Probably, the circumstance of the ground sloping as it
does first induced the inhabitants to commence building walls, in
order to counteract the effects of their northern exposure. At
all events, we were informed that the walls were first built with
the view of affording the vines an aspect directly south ; but
this was found too hot. They then tried the south-east, which
proved the best point, as regarded the perfection of the fruit.
But now, in order to suit the market, or, in other words, their
own interest, the cultivators wish to have the walls still farther
to the east, or even to face due east. They say there are now so
many grapes brought early in the season to Paris from the south

44

REPORT ON THE

of France that it is more profitable for the cultivators of
Thomery to retard theirs till the glut of the others is over.

The different properties form long slips, separated by walls.
Interiorly each is subdivided by cross walls, about 30 feet apart.
Formerly the walls were composed of clay, plastered over ; but
they now build them of stone. They are about 8 feet high,
furnished with a coping of flat tiles, projecting about 8 inches,
and worked up to a ridge-top, in order to throw off the wet.
The projecting coping is considered of great importance by the
cultivators, on account of its keeping the fruit dry, and preserv-
ing the bloom. Wooden trellises are affixed to the wall, and to
these the vines are trained in the following manner: —

FRUIT AND KITCHEN GARDENS NEAR PARIS. 45

Formerly the vines were planted 4 feet from the wall, and
layered till they reached it. This mode is not now strictly
adopted. The plants are 16 inches apart. The plant A having
reached the first horizontal bar of the trellis, which is 6 inches
above the surface of the ground, it is there cut at the winter
pruning ; and shoots are trained from it to form the cordon,
right and left. The distance between the cordons is 18 inches ;
and when the vine S has extended so far above the cordon
formed by A, it is likewise cut, for the second cordon. In this
manner the vines (7, Z>, 22, are treated at the winter pruning,
after they have attained the respective heights. At F is repre-
sented the mode of introducing a vine, to form a cordon, from
the other side of the wall.

It will be seen that each vine has two arms, extended in oppo-
site directions ; and that their utmost extent horizontally is only
8 feet ; whilst the bearing shoots are not allowed to pass the next
cordon : consequently, each vine is limited to 8 feet by H of trel-
lis, or 12 square feet. We had the opportunity of seeing the vines
at Thomery winter-pruned, as in the lower cordon of the above
figure ; and not pruned as in the four other cordons. At the
winter- pruning the upright shoots which have borne the fruit
are cut close to the small eyes situated at their bases ; and from
these eyes, only two shoots are allowed to grow up to bear fruit,
to be stopped in summer below the next cordon, cut back, like
their predecessors, at the next winter-pruning ; and so on for
perhaps half a century. We saw some old knotted subjects
occupying no more space than that above mentioned, that had
been planted by the grandfather of the present proprietor, fifty
years ago. Their space indeed seemed ample enough for their
apparent vigour. They would certainly form the greatest con-
trast imaginable with the vines described by travellers in the
East, having stems 1 J foot in diameter, with branches, supported
to form a canopy 50 feet in length and breadth, covering 2500
square feet. Yet, on such a portion of wall as is represented
by the figure, being only 8 feet in length and as much in height,
it is calculated that not fewer than 320 bunches would be pro-
duced.

The soil is not rich, nor does it get much manure ; only a
little when the shoots become very weak, once in three or four
years. It is a poor light brown sandy soil, such as would not
be supposed capable of supporting anything like a crop of grapes.
We obtained some of it, which has been analyzed by Professor
Solly, and gave the following result.

46

REPORT ON THE

Analysis of Thomery Soil.

Silica . 81-0

Alumina .

Oxide of iron

Lime

Magnesia .

Saline matters

Organic matters

Water

7-0
3-0
1-5
0-5
0-5
3-5
3-0

100-0

It may prove interesting to contrast the above with an
analysis of the soil in the Society's Garden at Chiswick, by the
same eminent chemist, and which was published in the ' Trans-
actions of the Horticultural Society,' Second Series, vol. iii.
p. 36:—

Analysis of Soil in the Garden of the Horticultural Society.
Silica . 78*730

Alumina
Oxide of iron
Lime
Magnesia
Potash and soda
Chlorine
Sulphuric acid
Phosphoric acid
Organic matters
Loss

5-182
8-250
0-640
0-107
0-047
0-004
0-007
0-018
7-000
0-015

100-000

It appears from these analyses, that the Thomery soil contains
a greater proportion of silica, alumina, lime, and magnesia, than
the soil in the Society's Garden ; but nearly one-third less oxide of
iron, and only one-half the quantity of organic matters. The latter
circumstance proves that the soil is not highly manured. The
manure preferred consists of equal portions of horse-dung and
cow-dung mixed. The dry soil is easily moistened through-
out.

Vines are also trained, en cordon, against low espaliers in the
ground forming the central plot of the respective enclosures.
In some seasons the fruit from these is said to be excellent in
quality ; but wind and rain often render it unsaleable, except as
inferior produce. Some of the espalier vines were 60 years
old, and were even partially overrun with moss. Against a wall
16 feet high, vines were trained en palmette, as at Fontaine-
bleau.

Outside the walled enclosures, in the open ground approaching
the forest, vines were observed cultivated according to the vine-

FRUIT AND KITCHEN GARDENS NEAR PARIS. 47

yard system. The shoots are trained to stakes in summer ; and
at the winter-pruning all the shoots are cut down to two eyes.
The plant then resembles a stumped willow-stool. The stakes
here employed measured 4 feet 3 inches in length.

The variety of grape cultivated almost exclusively at Thomery
on walls, espaliers, and in the open ground, is the Chasselas de
Fontainebleau, which is the same as the Royal Muscadine. The
cultivators are particular in propagating only from such vines as
are the most healthy, and which produce the finest fruit. They
do not say that such are varieties absolutely distinct from the
Chasselas de Fontainebleau ; but they do maintain that there is
decidedly a constitutional difference amongst the plants. M.
Larpenteur had the kindness to cut some shoots for the Society
from vines recently planted against a wall, and which had been
propagated from vines producing the finest fruit growing at
Thomery.

We tasted some of last year's crop of grapes, still fresh. They
keep them on broad stages, occupying the middle of an upper
story, leaving a passage all round between the stage and the
walls. A board along the edges gives the stages the form of a
shallow box, in the bottom of which is placed a layer of well-dried
fern, upon which the bunches are laid. M. Larpenteur was of
opinion that very dry straw would answer as well as the fern.

Having seen the mode of training the vine at Thomery, and
received, through the kindness of M. Larpenteur, full informa-
tion respecting its cultivation, we retraced our steps through the
forest, and reached Fontainebleau at dusk.

Corbeil. — From Fontainebleau we proceeded by diligence to
the rail-road station at Corbeil. Near this some Pear-trees have
been managed in a peculiar way by M. Fourke. In order to see
these trees, and get back in time for the train, there was not a
second to be lost, for the probability was very doubtful. How-
ever, we did see them with astonishment, without which, I
think, no gardener in England could. They were fine trees,
covering a wall, and trained horizontally. But they were not
planted when young, and trained progressively in order to pro-
duce this regularity. On the contrary, they were planted when
large and irregularly grown, having in some places a redundancy,
in others a deficiency, of branches. Various means are fre-
quently resorted to with the view of supplying branches where
wanting ; such as notching, budding, or side-grafting the stem ;
but here the desiderata were obtained by in-arching the growing
extremities of adjoining shoots to the parts of the stem whence
the horizontals should proceed.

Supposing the branches of a tree are trained horizontally a foot

48

REPORT ON THE

apart, with the exception of some where the buds intended to
produce branches did not break, as is often the case ; then a
shoot, <z, is trained up, and, when growing in summer, a small slice
is taken off near its extremity, and a corresponding extent of sur-
face immediately below the inner bark of the stem is exposed ;
the two are joined together, and the point of the shoot a is in-
clined in the direction to form the branch c.

The most remarkable feature in the trees at Corbeil was the
uniformity of vigour in the respective branches. It appeared as
if the supplied branches, ccc, had been allowed to grow in con-
nection both with the stem at b b, and the branch from which they
originated at a a a, till their length and thickness corresponded
sufficiently with that of the branches above and below them. This
is a great advantage which the mode possesses over budding or
side-grafting. At the distance of a foot apart for the horizontal
branches, it takes as many years to cover the wall as the latter is
feet in height ; for although the leading shoot may grow three or
four feet in length in a season, yet by shortening it to two feet,
although the branches dd would be produced, the buds at b b, to
furnish the intermediate stage, most probably would not. In
fact, the attempt to form two tiers of horizontals in one season is
generally followed by more or less disappointment. The inter-
mediate stage might, however, be readily supplied by the method
above detailed ; and a wall twelve feet high might be covered
as well in six years as it otherwise would be in twelve.

We had not time to ascertain the name of the place where
these Pear-trees are growing, nor that of the gentleman who
owns the property. He is said to be enterprising, and carries
on some manufactory closely adjoining. The place is situated
some distance south from Corbeil. Thither, in all haste, we re-

FRUIT AND KITCHEN GARDENS NEAR PARIS. 49

turned, hearing by the way the time-bell of the station, to us a
very unmusical sound. However, we got into the train for
His.

Pare du Fromont, a Ris. — This was laid out by M. Soulange
Bodin in the English style ; and, although not kept up as for-
merly, one could scarcely divest himself of the idea that the
scenery was not in France. We observed some Cedars of Le-
banon which had thicker stems, and were considerably taller,
than the Abies excelsa, planted at the same time, upwards of 30
years ago. The soil of the garden is rich. The coping of the
walls projects a foot ; and vines are trained upon the Th ornery
system, with the exception of being planted 4^ feet apart. One
of the plant-houses sloping considerably from one end to the
other was heated by a cast-iron flue, about 8 inches in diameter,
the fire being at the lower end of the house.

Market- Garden forcing Establishment of M. Josseaume,
Rue de Reuilly, Faubourg St. Antoine. — The articles in forcing
here, March 16, consisted of Asparagus, Lettuces, Carrots, and
Cauliflowers. Asparagus was then selling for 15 francs, about
12*. per bundle of 80 sticks or shoots. We measured some of
these shoots 3 inches in circumference, and nearly 18 inches in
length. They were grown in beds the soil of which appeared to
be chiefly composed of decayed dung. The beds, 3J feet wide,
were covered with frames, the sashes of which were almost flat.
The spaces between the beds were 2 feet wide, and 2i feet deep,
filled with fermenting dung. M. Josseaume commenced cutting
Asparagus in November. It is forced for ten or twelve years ;
but the beds forced early one year are later forced the next.
Cauliflowers, Cabbage-lettuces, the Laitue noir, and Carrots,
were grown also in frames. A number of large bell-glasses were
employed. Under these, Cabbage-lettuces were planted next the
outside, and one Cos-lettuce in the centre. Between the Lettuce
plants in frames, some litter is put on the surface of the beds
during severe weather.

Forcing Establishment of M. Dulac, Rue de Picpus, Fau-
bourg St. Antoine. — Melons, Cucumbers, Lettuces, Cauliflowers,
Carrots, Radishes, &c., were here forced. The Cantaloup Melon
and White Cucumber were the sorts employed. The Laitue Ro-
maine verte is grown under bell-glasses on beds, with trenches
between the latter 15 inches wide, filled with dung. The Laitue
Crepe, a small early Cabbage-lettuce, sells, when forced, at about
a penny each. The Laitue rouge is planted out for the earliest
crop in the open ground. After the forced Cauliflowers, Let-

•30 HEPORT ON THE FRUIT AND KITCHEN GARDENS NEAR PARIS.

tuces, Carrots, &c., are over, the beds are stirred up a little, and
some soil, chiefly decayed manure, is put on ; and Melons are
then planted. They ripen without glass. The soil of the enclo-
sure here appeared to be composed chiefly of decayed dung, in
which Melons grow planted out in summer. The soil, open and
light in substance, but dark coloured, is readily heated by the
sun's rays. Two young men were planting Cos-lettuces in a
border in front of a wall with a south-east aspect ; and one of
them was experiencing the immediate warmth of the soil, without
either shoes or sabots. On the preceding day, when we were
in the Jardin des Plantes, I remarked that the frost was then
but just out of the walk on the north side of the mound.

Establishment of M. Coccomier, fils, Avenue de Bel Air,
faubourg St. Antoine. — The establishment of M. Josseaume is
noted for what is termed Asperges blanches; but M. Coccomier
produces on an extensive scale another description, the Asperges
vertes, the shoots being green. He purchases roots annually to
the amount of 20,000 francs — about 800/. He prefers plants
of 3 years old ; those of four years are generally once cut, and
then they do not answer so well for forcing. The plants are
packed close on the beds, and the roots covered with light de-
cayed dung, the buds of the crowns being scarcely covered. With
a brisk bottom heat, kept up by linings, the shoots are soon fit to
cut, green and tender.

Establishment of M. Moreau, Rue de Charonne. — The forcing
here consisted chiefly of Lettuces, on dung-beds, as at some of
the places already noticed, some being covered with frames, and
others with bell-glasses. The number of these glasses was nearly
4000. Each glass covered five Lettuce plants, consisting of four
Cabbage-lettuces, and one Cos-lettuce in the centre.

I left Paris, March 18, by railway to Rouen. Proceeded next
day, by diligence, through Normandy and Picardy to Boulogne,
and arrived in London on the evening of March 20.

In concluding this account, I have to acknowledge the kind-
ness I experienced in France from every one engaged in horti-
culture to whom we had occasion to apply for information. I
found all intelligent and obliging, anxious to avail themselves of
improvements in horticulture, and willing to communicate a
knowledge of their modes of cultivation to others.

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