The Fruit and Kitchen Gardens, near Paris. 55 



obtain a knowledge of the management of fruit trees. The 

 admittance for each person to any one of these is, however, 3 

 francs. From fifteen to twenty gentlemen usually attend the 

 afternoon lectures. 



"In his first lecture, I was informed, M. Hardy explained 

 the physiology of the tree, the action of the sap, the names of 

 the different parts of the tree; the stem, branches, and the 

 technical distinctions of the latter, such as Rameaux a bois, 

 Ramcanx a fruit, Brindilles, Lamhourdes : branches for 

 wood; branches for fruit; fruit-bearing twigs and spurs. The 

 term brindille, requires, however, a little more explanation : — 

 Pear trees, recently raised from seeds, are usually armed with 

 thorns, a provision for the defence of the young plants ; but 

 naturally, as the trees get older, and more especially when 

 influenced by cultivation, the thorns are produced less abun- 

 dantly, and by degrees they disappear. The thorns latterly 

 produced, lose their original character. Instead of being 

 naked, one, two, or more, very small buds may be observed 

 upon them ; but still they are pointed, and, this being the case, 

 they yet retain the characteristic of a thorn^ and cannot elon- 

 gate in the following season. Some after-productions may, 

 however, be seen to terminate in a small bud, and the sub- 

 stance throughout, is much softer, but still harder than the 

 regular shoots on other parts of the tree. These growths may 

 be then looked upon as thorns modified ; they become capa- 

 ble of elongation, and are what the French term hrindilles. 

 They proceed at right angles from the branches producing 

 them ; and are not inclined to grow upright. They sometimes 

 bear fruit before the other branches ; but when the trees get 

 into full bearing, these brindilles are not required. 



" M. Hardy concluded, by showing how to handle and 

 properly apply the knife. 



"The second lecture, he took a maiden plant, and explain- 

 ed how it ought to be dealt with, according to the modes of 

 training, for which it might be intended ; then a plant two 

 years old ; another three, and so on. 



"For the third lecture, at which I was present, he had a 

 pear tree, intended for a pyramid, planted in the centre of a 

 circle, formed by a rope, about 50 feet in diameter, outside of 

 which the people stood to hear the explanations, and see the 



