FRENCH GARDENS: LATER 17TH AND i8th CENTURIES 151 



botanical collections, and that the gardeners here grew the only coffee 

 that was successfully matured in France. The Chateau of Ram- 

 bouillet (illus., p. 

 150) is situated 

 some twenty miles 

 south of Versailles ; 

 it was one of the 

 favourite residences 

 of Louis XVI and 

 the gardens, which 

 are now quite de- 

 stroyed, were laid 

 out by Le Notre. 

 They were famous 

 in their day for 

 their beautiful par- 

 terres of roses 

 which were grown 

 in very great 

 variety. Great 

 canals were cut 

 after the prevalent 

 fashion of the day, 

 to allow the ladies 

 of the Court to be 

 rowed in their 

 gilded barges to all 

 parts of the grounds. 

 In 1780 an experi- 

 mental farm was 

 laid out with small 

 farmhouse and 

 dairies ; flocks of 

 sheep with their shepherds were brought from Spain. There is an im- 

 mense park where the President of the Republic now hunts, though in less 

 grand style than did the courtiers of Louis XVI. 



Scs yetct ibntlermes an i our 

 Connne ion coeor a L amour . 



A GARDEN SCENE, AFTER MOREAU LE JEUNE (1774). 



