280 



The Garden lias been successively known as Garden of Mon 

 Plaisir, or Mon Plaisir, Jardin des Plantes, Royal Garden, and 

 is now known as the Botanic Garden of Pamplemousses. 



Tlie Garden, which now covers an area of about 90 arpents 

 (about 130 acres) started on modest lines, and its present condi- 

 tion of importance is due to the distinguished men who have been 

 associated with its development. 



- 



Mahe de La Bourdonnais. — One month after his arrival at the 

 lie de France (June 5th, 1735), the Governor, Francois Mahe de 

 La Bourdonnais, together with M. Pierre d' Albert, member of the 

 Conseil Superieur, bought from M. de Maupin the property of 

 Mon Plaisir in the Pamplemousses District. 



In the following year, having become sole proprietor, La 

 Bourdonnais erected in the grounds a chateau and numerous other 

 buildings, i.e., a Chapel, where M. de Cere (later second Director 

 of the Royal Garden) was baptized in 183T. 



At the same time he planted a large part of his domain with 

 vegetables to supply the needs of the " Camp," as the budding 

 town — afterwards Port Louis — was called. A fairly large space 

 was then sown with i'atak grass for the raising of cattle, mid 

 another area near his residence was cleared for the cultivation of 

 Mandioca, which he had just introduced from Brazil. 



These cultivated grounds were soon transformed into a pleasure 

 garden, enriched by fruit trees from Europe and India, to which 

 he gave his special care, until he sold Mon Plaisir to the (French) 



East India Company on February 14th, 1737. 



After La Bourdonnais' departure the whole of the grounds were 

 planted with Chinese mulberry trees, with a* view to establishing 

 a silkworm industry. This attempt failed and was abandoned, 

 but it was no easy matter to destroy the useless mulberry trees 

 30 years later, when it was decided, on Charpentier de Cossigny's 

 resolution, to replace them by a plantation of " black wood," a 

 species ^ of Acacia introduced from the Malabar Coast, and 

 furnishing timber as well as charcoal for the manufacture of 



o 



gunpowder. 



The gardens were entirely neglected until the arrival in 1753 

 of the naturalist Fusee Aublet, whom the India Company had 

 commissioned to instal a central pharmacy and botanic garden 

 on the He de France. 



M« Aublet, though an eminent horticulturist and botanist, was 

 unfortunately a man of suspicious and morose disposition, who 

 made himself thoroughly unpopular from the first. 



His character and prejudices appear in the preface to his 

 book: "History of the Plants of French Guiana," followed by 

 " ]N T otes on the Plants of the lie de France " : 



u It was considered odd at the He de France that I should have 

 been sent there for no fault. I was asked if I had come for a 

 change of air. Immediately I became suspect, and was supposed 

 to be condemning others, while only occupied in fulfilling my 

 professional duties." 



Soon after his arrival (August, 1753) Aublet took up his 

 residence at Mon Plaisir, which he wn axed Pampelxnonze. 



