204 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



Sept. 



I 



Then there are great collections of minerals, class- 

 ed under the head of stones, inflammable materials 

 aiio mineral and geological specimens; the different 

 layors of earths and fossils classed separately. Of the 

 two coi.ections there are upwards of 60,000 speci- 

 mens. Tiien there is a gallery of botany containing 

 specimens of more than 30,000 species. Of dried 

 plants there arc abont 300,000 specimens ; and of 

 woods, fruits, and seeds, abont 5,000. All these to- 

 gether constitute what is called the museum of nat- 

 ural history, and what an almost boundless source of 

 information it is to the student of nature, I turn 

 from it only with the regret that I am permitted but 

 to glance at its treasures. 



But I have said nothing of the library, it is worthy 

 of all the rest. It contains the most interesting 

 works upon natural history and travels to upwards of 

 30,000 volumes, besides upwards of 100 mngnificient 

 folio voluines of drawings of plants and animals. 



The whole extent of the garden is about 40 or 50 

 acres, situated eligibly on the banks of the Seine, and 

 arranged with great skill and taste. It is only too 

 small. On all sides are beautiful cool shaded arenas, 

 some composed of lindens, some of chestnuts, some 

 of maj)lcs, some ornamented by their flowers and 

 others by their foliage or fruits. These are intended 

 to show the adaptability of various species for the 

 formation of avenues. The same experiments are 

 made with all the hedge plants. Around the fruit 

 garden are fine examples. I noted among others a 

 piece of Buckthorn about 5 feet high, and 5 feet wide, 

 cut perpendicular on the sides and flat on the top. 

 It was as dense as it possibly could be. This is the 

 form of all the other hedges. In the fruit depart- 

 ment all methods of grafting and budding and prun- 

 ing and training are practiced for experiment, and it 

 is very interesting to see the results. The support 

 of this institution costs annually about 500,000 francs 

 or sBlOO.OOO. There are six professors. Would any 

 one say that this f 100,000 is not well spent. Only 

 think how many hundred thousand people derive in- 

 struction and recreation here annually, and put that 

 figainst the expense. It is now about 225 years 

 since this institution was founded, under Lours XIII. 

 A cedar of Lebanon, the noblest specimen in the ar- 

 boretum, was planted by Jassieu, and is now upwards 

 of 200 years old, a majestic old tree in full health 

 and vigor. It is interesting to think as I did when 

 sitting in the shadow of this venerable cedar, that in 

 all the revolutions and changes that have happened 

 to the government of France in two centuries, that 

 this garden has always been spared ; and not only that, 

 but nursed and improved with great care. It also 

 increases ones interest in it to think how many great 

 names have been connected with it and contributed 

 toward its support. Among these we think first of 

 Jassiku, BiKFON, and Curier, whose names are fami- 

 liar to all students and readers of natural history over 

 the world. But I cannot say more at present of this 

 noble institution, and can only wish we had one like 

 it in America. 



Next in point of intoscst to me has been the Pal- 

 ace a.nii Garden of the Lurcmbourg. Here we have 

 magnificent examples of architecture and gardening, 

 with one of the finest galleries of paintings in exist- 

 ence. The palace was erected in 1G15 by Maria de 

 Medicis, regent of PVance after the assassination of 

 Henry IV. It is a magnificent building, presenting 

 in its diflferent parts ditlerent styles of architecture. 

 It is now thrown open to the public, and its luxu- 



rious apartments and splendid paintings are daily 

 visited by hundreds of people r.nd students, both male 

 and female, constantly there, copying from the old 

 masterpieces. In the garden we have avenues of 

 lindens, horse chestnuts, mauli's, tulip trees, fcc, 

 that surpass all others I have seen. The great ave- 

 nue is about half a mile long, compo-ed of 6 rows of 

 trees, which make a central wide avenue and two 

 side ones. The central avenue is of lindens, an 1 the 

 others of horse chestnuts, and outside of all, enclosing 

 the avenue, are fine thorn hedges. The trees are 

 pruned into a shape that corresponds with the artis- 

 tic style in which the grounds are laid out. The 

 trunks 10 feet high are branchless, 10 feet above that 

 the branches are cut so as to form a smooth wall, the 

 tops are then above that allowed to meet so that they 

 form an arch,* and so all the avenues here are man- 

 aged, and although the natural form of the tree is de- 

 stroyed, yet the avenue, which is the object, is com- 

 plete and beautiful. Then there is an orange gar- 

 den, a charming little spot of ground, about an acre, 

 of a circular form, a bit of lawn with a fountain in 

 the centre, edged with flowers, around that a wide 

 walk in which the orange trees are arranged in rows 

 in tubs. These trees are ten feet high, with heads as 

 round as a ball, and are now in full bloom, loading the 

 air in all directions with their perfume. This orange 

 garden is completed with a row of statuary all around 

 in white marble ; among other pieces I noted Marie 

 Stuart, St. Genevieve, Duchess d' Orleans. Jeanne 

 Hacheite, kc. There are many fine avenues of 

 minor dimensions. I observed one of pawlonias, 

 and another of scarlet horse chestnuts. There are 

 many flower gardens and borders of shrubs, a botanic 

 garden of the school of medicine, and a nursery and 

 fruit garden. The latter are under the care of Mr. 

 Hardy, who is the professor of arboriculture, and who 

 gives two public courses of instruction during the 

 year. His trees are admirably conducted. I saw 

 splendid pyramids of pears, apples, plums, and cher- 

 ries, also fine vases, espaliers, dwarfs, pentagons, k.c. 

 The trees and the ground are all kept in the finest 

 condition, and afford great gratification to visitors. 

 One might spend several days with pleasure and 

 profit in the Garden and Palace of Luxembourg. 



Next in point of interest comes the Palace and 

 Garden of the Tuilleries, situated on the river bank.f 

 The palace is a magnificent structure nearly 400 

 years old, (a part of it.) It has been enlarged and 

 improved by successive sovereigns and rulers of 

 France. It is chiefly occupied now with the exhibi- 

 tion of paintings and sculpture. The garden is com- 

 posed of I should say 30 or 40 acres of land, laid out 

 in the best possible manner for public gratification and 

 comfort, to which it is wholly devoted — long ave- 

 nues of trees formed into bowers, into which the sun 

 cannot enter, charming flower gardens with fountains, 

 avenues of oranges and pomegranates in boxes, com- 

 fortable seats, and at night all brilliantly illumina- 

 ted with gas. Out of the Tuilleries you pass into 

 the Champs cT Elysee, (Elysian Field,) the great 

 fashionable promenade and drive of the whole fashion 

 of Paris. In this neigliborhood are assembled every- 

 thing that can amuse. Close to the Tuilleries is the 

 Louvre, a magnificicnt palace, famous for its im- 

 mense collections or museum of paintings and sculp- 

 ture. Here every nation is represented, and you can 



• This is called pruQing en berceau. 



tThe river Seine runs through tb« centre of the City. 



e^i 



