40 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



3. The presence of an abundance of statuary and interesting 

 architectural features was the key-note of the garden. 



4. A closely matted vegetation of Ilex, Myrtle, Cypress, Olives, 

 and Pines, together with many smaller shrubs gave the dense shade 

 which was required in this country of sunshine and intense heat. 



It may seem that I am placing too much importance upon these 

 gardens of Italy. I do not believe that the student of continental 

 gardening can place too much stress upon the value of an intimate 

 knowledge of the art as exemplified in Italy. These villas of Italy 

 moulded through design to a nicety, combine use and convenience 

 with art for art's sake to a degree which is rarely seen in an Ameri- 

 can garden. 



There is another type of continental gardening widely varying 

 from its predecessors in this Italian country. This type is well 

 illustrated by one excellent example, namely, the great Chateau of 

 Versailles. I might also mention the Chateau Vaux which together 

 with the foregoing consummate two of the masterpieces worked 

 out under the guiding hand of the celebrated landscape artist, 

 Le Notre. The last-named Chateau is much less pretentious; but 

 still equally as well worthy of careful study provided the time 

 permitted. Versailles is the monument to the memory of King 

 Louis the 14th and an emblem of his reign. A description of this 

 wonderful park may give to us a clearer conception of the principles 

 underlying the art in France, which are typical of the tendencies 

 at the present day. 



Here, unlike Italy, is a country of an entirely different character. 

 It is a country with broad expanses of fertile lands marked by 

 slight undulations admirably adapted to gardening on a scale of 

 grandeur not to be seen in any other portion of the continent. 

 King Louis the 14th established here just outside the City of Paris, 

 early in the 16th century, these gardens of Versailles which consist 

 of an immense park covering thousands of acres elaborately laid 

 out and completely finished in every respect. This great park was 

 allowed like other art creations of this kind to slowly decay after 

 the great ruler's death, until the time of the French revolution when 

 it was secured by the French government and preserved for the 

 admiration of thousands of tourists every year. To describe 

 adequately its interesting features would require a small volume; 



