1992. on Turkifh gardens. - <6r 
tan, and the ladies of the imperial haram, as marks, on his’ 
part, of homage, submifsion, and respect. Every Wednes- 
day the aga of the janifsaries, and on certain occasions 
the grand treasurers, are equally obliged to comply with 
this etiquette towards the sovereign and his first minister. 
An ancient usage requires the grand vizir to adhere to 
the same, with respect to the ministers of foreign powers 
on. their first arrival; and on the day of their first public 
audience the grand master of ceremonies takes care that 
these marks of respect be not omitted, to which the public 
opinion has affixeda considerable value. Hence the esta- 
blifhment of two officers, known under the names of ye- 
wmuschdjy baschy, and tschitschexdy baschy one of whom 
has the superintendance of fruits, and the other of flowers, 
The first furnifhes annually the fruits necefsary to the 
table of the sultan and the Jadies of his haram. He always 
takes care to preserve the rarest kinds in proper conser- 
vatories, that he may be able at all times to gratify the 
fancies of the favourite sultanas during their pregnancy. 
It is him who provides all the presents of this sort to the 
first minister and the grandees of the empire, | The in- 
tendant who performs the same office with regard to 
flowers, has the charge of furnifhing what is necefsary 
for the apartments of the seraglio. 
_ Among flowers, the tulip, here, as in many other places, 
holds a very distinguithed rank. ‘The peculiar taste for 
this ower among the Turks, is said to have been intro- 
duced by the famous lérahim Pacha, grand visir and son- 
in-law to Achmet u1. in the following manner; Ibrahin: 
had, by some unknown means, collected a vast number of 
roots of the finest flowers of this sort, which he reared 
with singular care in the garden of his country seat, si- 
tuated om the borders of the Bosphorus beyond Baschia:~ 
sasch, When they were in their highest degree of per- 
