512 THE MAGAZINE OF HORTICULTURE. 



and Portugal laurels, placed intermediate. In the centre is a 

 fine old fountain, with dolphins, sea horses, &c., throwing a 

 stream of water 64 feet high. Beyond is another lawn, with 

 an avenue of gigantic lime trees on the west, and an ancient 

 grove of beeches on the east ; in the centre of this lawn is a 

 large oblong sheet of water ; at the north end of which is a 

 jet, throwing water 94 feet high ; at the south end are five 

 jets ; in the centre is the Emperor Fountain, which is the 

 most magnificent jet in the world, throwing a stream to the 

 prodigious height of 267 feet. These fountains, when in 

 action, create sensations of a sublime nature, in a much higher 

 degree, than any other human production I ever witnessed. 



On the east the ground rises considerably, and in the im- 

 mediate vicinity of the mansion, is terraced and ornamented 

 with Italian and geometric gardens ; farther on, the ground 

 rises faster, and a cascade, built at the same time with the 

 older part of the mansion, forms a conspicuous object. The 

 head is a rustic temple, surmounted by a dome, and profusely 

 ornamented with lion's heads, dolphins, sea-nymphs, urns, 

 &c., through which the water rushes with great force, cover- 

 ing it with one broad mass of foam and spray, which, on 

 falling into a basin, in front, rolls down a great number of 

 steps and ledges for about three hundred yards, and is tlien 

 engulphed, passing under the lawn, and appearing in the old 

 circular fountains near the mansion ; after which, it reap- 

 pears at the Tazza Fountain, on the west part of the man- 

 sion. Still farther east the hills grow steeper and wilder, 

 and are clothed with dense woods, forming an admirable 

 background to the picture. East of the Emperor Fountain, 

 is the Great Conservatory, 277 feet long, 123 feet wide, and 

 67 feet high in the centre, which is by far the largest struct- 

 ure of the kind in the world. As this building has such a 

 world wide renown, it seems unnecessary for me to say more 

 than that it fulfils the most sanguine expectations of its pro- 

 jectors, and already has several plants, reaching to the roof, 

 in the highest point. 



Around the conservatory is a broad space planted as a 

 flower garden, then a low terrace wall, from which the 



