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264 
THE GARDENERS 
CHRONICLE. 
[APRIL 22, 
sun could penetrate; and it was also heated by stoves in 
the German fashion. In the spring, when the weather 
became mild,- this temporary erection was removed, and 
not replaced till the autumn. By this means he was 
enabled to enjoy an agreeable promenade amidst flowers 
and fruits at all times of the year. Liebaut and Olivier 
de Serres both speak highly of the invention, and describe 
it as most wonderful. 
The former writer says, ‘ Nothing of this kind was 
done at the Court of France; no doubt the low ebb of 
the finances of our kings, crippled as they were by foreign 
and civil war, was the reason. But he adds, that some of 
the nobility had movable or flying galleries, like the 
Elector at Heidelberg, less magnificent it is true, but con- 
structed upon the same principle.”’ 
lore economical methods were also employed, one of 
which is thus described by Liebaut :—‘*‘ Plant your trees,” 
says he, ‘‘ near a south wall, which may be little better 
than 18 feet high ; 12 paces distance raise pilasters or 
stone columns, 13 feet high and 8 feet apart, connecting 
upon the joist, and the other against the wall. In the 
south it will suffice to close your Orangery on both sides, 
leaving the front facing the south entirely open. It would 
be better also to have small lights in the roof, in order to 
facilitate the entry of the sun; but in the north the whole 
building must be inclosed, and it must be heated either 
with a coal fire or small faggots of wood, which consumes 
without smoke, unless you choose to imitate the munifi- 
cence of the Elector Palatine. At the return of spring 
you may remove this apparatus, and your trees may remain 
exposed.”’ 
P. Ferrari, an Italian Jesuit, after eulogising in his work 
the French people for their industry and skill in having 
found means not only to preserve their Orange-trees, but 
even to make them bear flowers and fruit in a climate not 
adapted for the tree by nature, adds, “ In the month of 
October they were removed into a large building erected 
for the purpose, and protected from the cold by double 
windows—the exterior of glass, and the interior of paper. 
Attached to this building was a much smaller one, in 
which was built a fire-place, with a thin plate of iron let 
into the wall at the ba a fire being lighted in the 
grate, the iron plate gradually became hot, and a genial 
warmth was thus diffused over the entire building.” 
It is surprising that instead of the imperfect methods 
of heating already described, stoves had not been adopted, 
since they were in general use in Germany. They began 
to use them in France however towards the end of the 
seventeenth century. La Quintinye mentions them, but they 
were either found to bei ient, or their ig 
was not understood; since he advises lighted lamps and 
torches to be kept in hot-houses, to keep up the necessary 
temperature. It is also still more astonishing that the 
French having adopted a kind of hot-house for preserving 
Orange-trees, did not employ it for other trees, for the 
purpose of producing early fruit. But it has been already 
said, that the Orange-tree was so highly prized among the 
nobility, was considered so luxurious and magnificent, that 
no expense was spared in its cultivation ; whilst other 
plants requiring no extraordinary care and being within 
every body’s reach, were thought nothing of. It must 
moreover be remembered that espaliers or wall-trees were 
not known, and the invention here mentioned could 
scarcely be applied to anything but espaliers; thus the 
use of both were adopted about the same time. 
“‘When we wish to grow Fig-trees in boxes,” says 
Quintinye, ‘‘in the month of January a pit is dug at the 
foot of a wall frcing the south, in which the boxes are 
then placed ; tle whole is afterwards covered with large 
square glass frames seven feet high, placed) against the 
wall, and these again covered up with great care, to pre- 
vent the frost from penetrating.’’ This is truly a hot- 
house analogous to those now in use. 
In the works of St. Gelais, 1719, will be found verses 
addressed to some ladies, with a present of Cherries on the 
first day of May. Iam ignorant as to how they could 
procure such early fruit without the aid of hot-houses. I 
find only in Champier, (De re cibaria) that the inhabit- 
ants of Poitou sent every year to Paris, by coach, early 
Cherries ; and that they procured them by putting lime to 
the foot of | » tree, or by watering its roots with hot 
water. Ic: scarcely believe that such a proceeding 
would produce ripe Cherries by the end of April; but in 
any case, if they were thus procured by St. Gelais, he 
would have little reason to boast of an invention which 
makes a tree bear fruit at the same time that it kills it. 
It is only by the use of the hot-house that early fruit can 
be constantly obtained without injuring the tree. 
After all, those who feel curious to know what art has 
enabled us to accomplish in later years, have only to com- 
pare it with what it was in the hands of Quintinye, who 
was the most skilful Gardener of his time, and had all 
imaginable assistance at his command. He boasts of 
having supplied the table of Louis XIV. with Strawberries 
at the end of March; Green-peas in April; Figs in June; 
Cabbages, Lettuces, and Asparagus,, in December and 
January. 
Among the good foreign fruits that have been made to 
grow in hot-houses, one of the first is the Pine-Apple. 
It was brought from our American colonies in the seven- 
teenth century, and at first was transmitted from thence 
as a preserve, Labat speaks of it under the year 1694, in 
his Voyage des Antilles. Certain curious coliectors finally 
procured some of the plants to be sent home; placed them 
Bae et and notwithstanding the expense connected 
enatratmeicn ee the gardens of the capital and its 
peiolelbben eel eay tiplied them, that Pines soon came to 
public markets, 
The common opinion as to the Orange-tree is, that it 
originally came from China, and was introduced into our 
climates by the Portuguese. Several modern books, and 
particularly the ‘ Dictionnaire d’Histoire Naturelle ”’ 
states, that even now there may be seen at Lisbon, in the 
gardens of the Comte de Saint-Laurent, the first Orange- 
tree planted in Europe, which became the parent of all 
those we now possess. The fact is not absolutely impos- 
sible. Few trees live so long as this ; and we know that 
about the middle of the eighteenth century there existed 
at Fontainebleau, the famous Orange-tree seized in 1523, 
from the Constable of Bourbon, when, after the defection 
of that Prince, his effects were confiscated. It is, however, 
unfortunate for the Portuguese story that we have evidence 
of their existence in France long before the Portuguese 
went to India. In a household account of the year 1333, 
belonging to the House of Humbert, is mentioned a cer- 
tain sum paid for transplanting Orange-trees. 
Henri 1V. caused an Orangery to be built in the garden 
of the Tuilleries, which was not destroyed until the time 
of Louis XIV.; when Le Notre altered the plan of the 
garden and adopted that beautiful arrangement which is 
still so much admired, But Henri who had just esta- 
blished the silk-manufacture in France, and was desirous 
to encourage everything connected with that branch of 
commerce, originally intended this building, says Sully, 
“not to cultivate Orange-trees, but to raise silk-worms 
from eggs, which he had imported from Spain.’’ 
Louis XIV. was passionately fond of this tree, doubt- 
less the first in our gardens for its elegance, its pleasing 
verdure, its perfume, its flowers, ‘and its fruit. The mag- 
nificent Orangery that he built to preserve his trees during 
the winter is still considered as one among the many curi- 
osities of Versailles. This building, from the designs of 
Mansart, formed a gallery of 480 feet in length and 38 feet 
in height, with two wings, each 360 feet in length. In the 
Spring, when the mildness of the season permitted the ex- 
posure of those delicate trees to the air, they were placed 
in low borders, composed of Roges, Honeysuckles, and 
Jasmine, which, hiding the boxes, and allowing only the 
tree with its head full of blossoms to appear, exhibited the 
appearance of an enchanted forest. Whenever the Monarch 
gave those brilliant fétes in his gardens, which among 
foreigners made his reign almost as celebrated as his con- 
quests, the directors, consulting his taste, always employed 
Orange-trees in decorating the vestibules, arbours, and 
similar embellishments. One of the principal ornaments 
of the grand Gallery of Versailles was Orange-trees, every 
partition between the windows held four of them, each 
furnished with a silver box and a foundation of the same 
metal. Some were also placed in the billiard-room; in 
fact, the Monarch would have them in his private apart- 
ments ; and, to gratify him, the gardeners found out the 
secret of making them bear fiowers all the year round. 
They selected for this purpose certain trees, which they 
allowed to shrink or wither for want of water ; when the 
leaves had fallen off, they reanimated them by a secret 
and peculiar process; in a short time they began to put 
forth fresh leaves and flowers, and were then taken to the 
Palace. These could always be replaced, by employing 
14 or 15 days of the same treatment to others. 
Great lords and rich private persons adopted the same 
style of magnificence in their gardens, ‘We went to 
Clagny,’”? says Madame de Sevigné, (in 1675,) ‘ the 
palace of Armidus. The building progresses rapidly ; the 
gardens are finished. You know the style of Le Notre; 
he has left a little dark wood, which has a pretty effect. 
He has a forest entirely of Orange-trees in large boxes, 
where persons walk in the shade; and in order to hide 
the boxes, there are on both sides palisades of the same 
height, decorated with Tuberoses, Roses, Jasmines, and 
Carnations. It is assuredly the most beautiful, the most 
surprising, and the most enchanting novelty that can be 
imagined.’’ The same lady (in 1679,) speaking of the 
marriage of Mlle. de Louvois, on the 24th November, 
says,—‘‘ They had made Spring return once more—every- 
where abounded Orange-trees in full blossom, and flowers 
in boxes.” At another féte, given the 9th February, 1680, 
tr d 
fruit),” says he, “but it is not worth eating, and is only 
used to clean and scent the hands.” ‘This distinction still 
exists, but each of the four classes has its varieties. 
Porta, the Neapolitan, in his ‘¢ Ville,” published in 1592, 
says that they reckoned in Italy only one sort of Poncire, 
two of Citrons, and three of Oranges—that is to say, the 
sweet, the bitter, and those which were neither one nor 
the other. L’Instruction facile pour connaitre toutes 
sortes d’Oranges et de Citrons (in the year 1680) 
reckons in the four classes 80 varieties : we now reckon 126. 
According to Lemery, 1705, the ladies of the Court, 
in the 17th century, carried in their hands sweet Citrons, 
of which they bit small pieces occasionally, in order to 
improve the vermilion hue of their lips. 
In the play of ‘* The Miser,” by Moliere (1667), Harp- 
agon, excusing himself to his mistress, who had come to 
his house, for not having prepared a collation, his son 
answers, ‘‘I have provided, my father, and have caused 
to be brought here some basins of China Oranges, some 
sweet Citrons, and some confectionery, that 1 have sent 
for on your account.” 
The students of the University were also in the habit 
of presenting to their Professors early in June a Citron, 
in which they had inserted six or seven crowns of gold. 
The offering was presented in a crystal glass, and was 
called Laudat, from the holiday granted to the students at 
the fair bearing that title, held at St. Denis, near Paris. 
This custom was abolished fabout 1700. — Latracted 
Srom Grand @’ Aussy’s Vie privée des Francois. 
HOME CORRESPONDENCE. 
Draining.—Your correspondent “J. J. M.” has acted 
judiciously in regard to his own interest, and generously 
towards his tenant. Ihave no personal knowledge of 
that gentleman, but I probably am well acquainted with 
the farm to which he refers ; and I am desirous to sug- 
gest to him and others a few remarks on the very im- 
portant subject of draining. His difficulties are common 
to many others, having on his farm to deal with bottom as 
well as surface-water ; with wet gravelly peat-soil, and 
with very tenacious clay; both circumstances requiring 
great judgment and care, and very different modes of pro- 
ceeding. In the former case, wet gravels are seldom im- 
proved, except by deep drains placed on a firm bottom 
under the springs of water, often from 5 to 10 or more 
feet deep, and requiring a much larger tile placed upon a 
sole where the bottom is not sound, and it often happens 
that one drain so constructed will effectually drain several 
acres, costing much less than frequent top-drains. In 
the case of very tenacious clays as a subsoil, it is 
useless to pla the pipe or tile in the body of the 
clay (into which the water will not percolate with 
nt readiness), and to be effectual they mustbe placed 
as near the plough as may be done with safety. And fur+ 
ther, to prevent disappointment, it is sometimes absolutely 
necessary, and always judicious, to have the incline of 
the drains, directed by a spirit level, and not left to the 
eye of either master or labourer. I have, this spring, 
been deep draining some wet meadow land, and sub- 
sequently irrigating it under the direction of a person 
from Warwickshire ; and the extreme accuracy and effect 
with which this has been done, both above and below, 
induces me, through your Journal, to invite your corre- 
spondent, ‘J. J. M.’’ or any other gentleman to whom 
an inspection may be convenient. The expense of irri- 
gation, when the water can be conveniently placed, or 
the plan of level floats is not more than from 2/. to 3/. 
per acre, and but a very trifling annual outlay is in- 
curred. A two hours’ ride by the Hastern Counties 
Railway to Witham will accomplish this object.—Henry 
Dixon, Witham, April 19, 1843. 
Effect of Manures upon Insects.—In several of your lead- 
ing articles you have alluded to the subject of manures. It 
appears to me, that in all discussions on this important 
subject, two points of great consequence have been 
omitted—or, perhaps I should say, one subject with two 
branches—namely, the effect which manures or artificial 
applications to the soil have on the insect world, whose 
t 
at the Hétel de Condé, she mentions “ O. s loade 
with fruit and fiowers.’’ Indeed, the fashion became so 
universal, that among the infinite number of entertainments 
given by the nobility during the last 30 years of the reign 
of Louis XIV., and of which ample records still remain, 
there is not a single one in which this favourite decoration 
is not mentioned. 
The Orange-tree still bears the same character; there 
are few gardens now without them; but the climate sel- 
dom allows the fruit to ripen. The Oranges sent from 
Languedoc and La Provence are of very inferior quality ; 
while in our northern provinces they seldom gather any- 
thing but the flowers, which forms an excellent source of 
profit, being much used in preserves, pastilles, marmalade, 
comfits, ices, and liqueurs. 
The Maltese Orange is now considered the best, and 
those from Portugal the next. The latter in the 17th cen- 
tury were so esteemed that a present of them was consi- 
dered worthy of being offered to the King’s children. 
‘* Monsieur (the King’s brother) came to see me,” says 
the Duchess of Montpensier, in her Memoirs, “ and gave 
me some Oranges from Portugal.” Moliere, in describing 
the comedy which formed part of the celebrated entertain- 
ments given at Versailles, in 1688, by Louis XIV., men- 
tions that in the first scene appeared a magnificent dis- 
play of Oranges from Portugal, and all sorts of fruits in 
36 baskets. 
De Serres observes, that in his time, evenin Italy, only 
four different kinds of this fruit were known, viz., the 
Orange, the Citron, the Lemon, and the poncire, a 
variety of Lemon with very thick rind; ‘‘ We may i 
strictness reckon a fifth, called Adam’s Apple (Forbidden 
is found in the different forms of vegetation. 
There can be no doubt of the correctness of the principle 
Guano.—At p. 52, a correspondent suggests that 
guano might be procured on our own coasts. I fear your 
remarks on that subject are too true ; my opinion is, that 
our climate is too moist, for which I will give the follow- 
Ing reasons :—1. I planted, in the month of February, 
few trees on a small island about G60ft. diameter, which, 12 
the breeding season (from April to June), is literally 
covered with the nests of the smaller gull and duck. 
found nothing on it but fine light and black vegetable 
mould, at least 15 inches deep, with a few Nettles, and 
