CHAP. III. CONTINENT OF EUROPE. 163 
The promenade of the Isle of Barques, at Geneva, at the exit of the Rhone, 
has several fine hornbeams; the largest of which was, in 1831, 8 ft. in circum- 
ference at 3ft. above the soil. In the same year, a lime tree in the country 
seat of Vieusseaux, at Chatelaine, had a trunk 18 ft. 4 in. in circumference. 
Two elms situated at Pré-l’E’véque were, in 1833, at 3 ft. from the ground, 
17 ft. in circumference. The largest beeches in the country were situated 
at the entrance to the Abbey de Pommers sous Saléve. One of them was, in 
1833, at 2ft. from the ground, 15 ft. 6 in. in circumference, and the other 
15 ft. 4 in. 
Among the foreign trees we may notice the horsechestnut of Mr. Charles 
Martin at Molagnore. It passes for one of the most ancient in the country, 
and is 13ft. 3in. in circumference, with a top which projects very far over the 
adjacent road. The park at Ferney does not present any remarkable exotic 
tree; but they show an elm, planted by Voltaire in 1763, of which the trunk, 
in 1831, was 6 ft. 4 in. in circumference at 4 ft. from the ground. Since that 
time the tree has been so ill-treated by visitors, who have stripped off portions 
of its bark as a memorial of the great poet of Ferney, that it has been found 
necessary to surround it with stakes. The park of Bossiére, near Geneva, has 
some fine trees, and had, a few years since, some CY¥tisus alpinus [Scotch la- 
burnums] which were nearly 40 ft. nigh. The finest of these trees perished 
some years ago, but the remainder are still well worth visiting. 
Near to Geneva, the country seat which presents the greatest number of 
old exotic trees is the residence of M. Gaussen, at Bourdigny: it is there 
that grows the female salisburia, the only old specimen in Europe. M. De 
Candolle having discovered the sex of this plant, by observing that it bore 
fruit, about the year 1818, hastened to send cuttings and grafts of it to all 
the principal gardens in Europe. He published some remarks on it in the 
Bibliothéque Universelle, vol. vii. p.38. The precise epoch of its being 
planted is unknown. The former proprietor of Bourdigny, M. Gaussen of 
Chapeaurouge, was a zealous samateur, who exerted himself to procure 
foreign seeds, and generally obtained his plants of foreign trees from England. 
He began his plantations in the year 1767, and he continued planting during 
30 years. The female salisburia, when measured in April, 1835, at 1 ft. 10 in. 
from the ground, was precisely 4ft. in circumference. The head was de- 
pressed, and did not reach higher than 12 ft. or 15 ft.; but it spread out, late- 
rally, to such an extent as to cover a space 25 ft. in diameter. 
This tree is perfectly healthy, and produces fruit (pommes) every year; 
which, however, do not contain any fertile seeds, because there is no male tree 
in the immediate neighbourhood. M. Gaussen has latterly grafted some male 
branches on his tree, but the grafts have not taken. The only male salisburia 
which grows in the neighbourhood of Geneva, is three leagues from the female 
one, at Philosophes, the seat of M. Alexandre Prévost, formerly Swiss 
consul in England. This tree is 2 ft. 8 in. in circumference, and its habit of 
growth resembles that of the specimen at Bourdigny. If the grafts do not 
ultimately succeed, branches of the male plant, in flower, may be brought to 
fructify the female plant, in the same manner as the caprification of the date 
palms is effected in Egypt. 
In the same country seat belonging to M. Gaussen, there are, also, a cork 
tree, the trunk of whichis above 3 ft. 4 in. in circumference, at 3 ft. from the 
ground; a female Negéndo fraxinifolium, which is 3 ft. 3in. in circumference at 
4 ft. from the ground, and at least 40 ft. high ; a Juniperus virginiana, 3 ft. 2 in. 
9 lines in girt; a beautiful chionanthus, some fine platanuses, and other well- 
grown trees. 
The celebrated De Saussure planted several exotic trees on his terrace in 
the town of Geneva; and persons passing along the Rue de la Corraturie 
may remark the fine effect produced on this terrace by an old catalpa and a 
Jiglans nigra. 
The oldest Taxodium dfstichum in the neighbourhood of Geneva is not 
more than 30 years old; it exists on the grounds of M. Rigot, at Varembé 
03 
