Field Market-Garden of M. Cadet de Mars. 261 



laid almost bare, so as to receive the first influence of the 

 sun in spring. As the plants begin to push, they are earthed up. 

 A part of the grounds is planted with vines, in rows about 

 3 ft. apart, between each row of which is a row of as})aragus ; 

 and in the rows of vines are asparagus plants, which alternate 

 with the vines. When the vines are in fruit, the stalks of the 

 asparagus are tied together in bundles, to admit more air to 

 the vines. On expressing our surprise at the practice of laying 

 bare the buds of asparagus during the winter, M. Cadet de 

 Mars acknowledged that highly succulent varieties of aspa- 

 ragus, grown in deep richly manured soil, such as might be 

 seen in some private gardens, and particularly in that of the 

 king at Versailles, would suffer from this practice ; but that 

 field-asparagus, such as that before us, was nearer a state of 

 nature, and suffered no injury. He observed that a covering 

 of earth or litter, while it prevented the escape of heat, at the 

 same time prevented its entrance ; and he gave, as an instance 

 in favour of the practice, the well known early flowering of 

 bulbs planted on the surface, as done with crocuses about 

 Paris, in comparison with those which are inserted some 

 inches deep in the soil. He is of opinion that cold serves to 

 force forward plants as well as heat; having remarked that, 

 after a very severe winter, provided it were short, bulbs 

 flowered earlier, and asparagus was ready to cut sooner. Of 

 course, this doctrine can only apply to very hardy plants ; but, 

 relatively to them, it appears to be one well deserving the 

 consideration of British gardeners. 



In the grounds which M. Cadet de Mars has retained for 

 his own amusement, there is a wall covered with peach and 

 apricot trees, very well trained in the fan manner. Along its 

 top there is a projecting trellis, supported, at an angle of about 

 60°, by struts abutting against the wall, about 2 ft. lower than 

 the top ; and this trellis is covered with vines. The upper 

 parts of the peach and apricot trees were evidently injured a 

 little by the shade of the vines ; but we were told that the 

 latter were of some use to the former in spring, by protecting 

 their blossoms from perpendicular cold. The trellis was 

 loaded with grapes, which, from the path in front, had a 

 very rich appearance. There M^ere a great many dwarf apple 

 trees in this garden, trained eii gobelet ; the sort preferred was 

 the reinette de Canada. Behind M. Cadet de Mars's house 

 is a small walled garden, formerly, if we are not mistaken, the 

 burying-ground of a religious establishment, the church of 

 which is now one of M. Cadet de Mars's barns, and is 

 filled with apples and onions. There are some very large 

 standard apricot trees in this garden, and a very old vine, 



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