136 HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY OF TREES. TART I. 



Lorraine. Nevertheless, the fig and the vine ripen their fruit, and many de- 

 ciduous foreign trees flower far better in the open air in the neighbourhood 

 of Paris than they do in that of London. There are probably few plants that 

 will endure the open air in the south of France, that might not be kept alive 

 in the open air all the year in the southern extremity of Ireland, or in the 

 neighbourhood of Penzance in Cornwall, though they would, probably, never 

 flower at either of these places. The cause is so well known as to be hardly 

 worth repeating : the summers in France have, proportionately to the latitude, 

 more light and heat than those of Britain, and the winters less heat. 



The first foreign trees introduced into France were, in all probability, those 

 fruit-bearing species carried thither by the Romans ; among which may doubt- 

 less be included the grape, the olive, and the fig, unless these and other fruit 

 trees existed there at a still earlier period. In the progress of civilisation, many 

 ages elapse before barren trees are planted either for timber or ornament. 

 Charlemagne is praised by historians for eradicating the forests, and planting 

 in their stead orchards and vineyards. He left a catalogue of certain plants, 

 among which are some ligneous species, which he desired might be planted in 

 all his gardens ; but these, with the exception of the rose, were entirely for 

 medicinal purposes. The earliest positive information that we have been able 

 to obtain, respecting the introduction of foreign trees into France, is from the 

 catalogue of Robin, gardener to Henry IV., which was published in 1610. It 

 contains some few ligneous plants, such as the orange, pomegranate, the usual 

 fruit trees, and a few of the ornamental trees and shrubs which are indigenous 

 to Spain and Italy. Henry IV. was succeeded, in 1610, by Louis XIII.; and 

 the botanic garden of Paris was begun by the latter king, about the year 1626, 

 though the letters patent establishing it were not executed till 1635. Of this 

 garden a catalogue was published by Guy de la Brosse, the first intendant, 

 and who was also physician to the king, in 1636. In the letters patent, 

 Vespasian Robin (son to the Robin who v/as gardener to Henry IV.) is men- 

 tioned as arborist to Louis XIII. ; and the first Robim'a Pseud-acacia that 

 was brought to Europe from North America was planted by him, in the 

 Jardin des Plantcs, in 1635. It is still in existence, and is now (1835) 78 ft. 

 high. About 1815 it began to show symptoms of decay, but, the branches 

 being lopped, the trunk has shot out with redoubled vigour. The edict of 

 Louis XIII. also directed that pharmacy and chemistry should be taught in 

 the garden, and illustrated by the demonstration of plants. It is said that the 

 faculty in Paris were strongly opposed to this edict, " and especially desired 

 that chemistry might not be taught." (Deleuzc's Hist.,fyc. p. 10.) The garden 

 continued gradually increasing in its collection of foreign trees and shrubs, 

 under numerous successive intendants, till 1739, when the celebrated Buffo n 

 was appointed intendant; and he, among other improvements, planted, in 

 1740, an avenue of lime trees, which still exists. 



The principal accession to the ligneous flora of France, however, dates from 

 the connexion of that country with North America, which may be said to 

 have taken place about the middle of the 18th century. Of the foreign trees 

 planted in the garden about that time, the following still exist : Gledftsch/ 

 triacanthos var. ine'rmis, 80 ft. high, sent from Canada by M. de la Galisson- 

 ni ere, the friend of Du Hamel, and governor of Canada, in 1748; Sopliora 

 japonica, the first plant sent to Europe from Japan about the same time, and 

 now 64ft. high; Ailantus glandulosa, brought from China about the same 

 time, 68 ft. high ; Juniperus excelsa, male, planted by Tournefort, who brought 

 it from the Levant in 1702, 62 ft. high, with a clear trunk of 15ft; Gymno- 

 cladus canadensis, male, 58ft. high ; and a number of others which will be 

 found enumerated in a description of the Paris Botanic Garden, in the Gar- 

 dener's Magazine, vol. xii. The oldest trees at present in the garden, and 

 some of which appear to have been planted soon after its establishment, arc, 

 A^ccr monspessulanum, 45 ft. high; Celtis occidentals, 68 ft. high; (^uercus 

 /'lex, 42ft. high; Platanus orientalis, 74 ft. high ; and 6'edrus Libani, 80ft. 

 high. This tree is the oldest and largest cedar in France : it was given to 



