232 



A VISIT TO THE JARDIN DES PLANTES. 



develops new leaf buds, immediately be- 

 low the part removed, which grow more 

 rapidly than the original branch. 

 E^These reflections suggested the remedy to 

 be applied — by removing a large portion of 

 the foliage which now fulfils its office so 

 imperfectly. By adapting, in this manner, 

 the capacity of the instrument to the labor 

 demanded of it, I conceived that the object 

 might be acomplished. I directed the gar- 

 dener, therefore, to cut away unsparingly 

 all the upper portion of the head, leaving but 

 a few branches here and there. This was 

 done on June 26th, and the very next day I 

 felt convinced, from the fresh, firm, erect 

 aspect of the few leaves which had been 



left, that the tree would survive. Some 

 refreshing rains about this time fortunately 

 assisted the progress of the cure, and I had 

 the satisfaction of beholding the plant, dur- 

 ing the past summer, studded with its large 

 and fragrant pink racemes, the admiration 

 of all visitors, to whom, as you. may ima- 

 gine, I enjoyed the pleasure of relating the 

 experiment. 



As it may serve to illustrate the true 

 principles of pruning, or, perhaps, suggest 

 a practice which may be found useful in 

 some cases, I take the liberty of transmit- 

 ing it to you, agreeably to your request to 

 amateurs, through the columns of your 

 Horticulturist. Your obt. s'v't, 0. L. 



A VISIT TO THE JARDIN DES PLANTES AT PARIS. 



BY L. B. PARSONS, FLUSHING, L. I. 



It was on one of the most clear and beau- 

 tiful days, which an early spring can boast, 

 that, crossing the Pont d'Austerlitz, we ex- 

 changed the glittering showof thePaysages 

 and the bustling crowds of the Boulevards, 

 for the quiet beauty and fresh verdure of 

 the Jardin des Plantes. Passing through 

 avenues of large Linden trees, trimmed, 

 and presenting the appearance of beauti- 

 ful green arches, we wound our somewhat 

 devious path among the shrubs and flowers, 

 the well pruned hedges and noble forest 

 trees, that contribute to make up the tout 

 enseynhle of one of the most interesting ob- 

 jects in the vicinity of Paris. The con- 

 trast was indeed striking ; we had just left 

 the crowded streets and confusion of the 

 city, and suddenly found ourselves in the 

 midst of quietness. Nature was here in 

 her most varied form, and although we did 

 not quite like her clipped and distorted ap- 

 pearance, yet there was sufficient untrim- 



med beauty and varied objects of interest 

 to occupy many days very pleasantl}'-. 



This garden was founded by Louis XIIL, 

 and its prosperity much advanced by the 

 efforts of Tournefort, Jussieu, and other 

 eminent men. To Buffbn, however, it owes 

 its present perfect state, who was appointed 

 its superintendent in 1739. He gathered 

 around him many eminent naturalists, and 

 devoted himself zealously to the interests 

 of the Garden. Owing to the popular be- 

 lief, that it was used for the culture of me- 

 dicinal plants, it escaped the destructive 

 excesses of the French Eevolution, but was 

 much neglected until Bonaparte's accession 

 to power, when it received a fresh impulse. 

 By a special agreement, it was protected 

 from injury when the allied armies entered 

 Paris in 1815, and since that period it has 

 been continually advancing in prosperity, 

 under the fostering care of the government. 

 It is -under the control of the Minister of 



