66 Gardening and Botany of Spain. 



now followed by his heirs, and by several other enlightened 

 pharmacopolists, whom he himself had taught, and who have 

 similar gardens there. 



The royal palaces of Aranjuez, Escurial, and San Ildefonso 

 have also their respective gardens for medicinal plants, whence 

 the apothecaries who are attached to these royal establishments 

 are supplied. The one now existing at Madrid was well 

 situated, attended, and provided, especially before the war of 

 independence. 



Pleasure-Gardens. — There are few gardens of this descrip- 

 tion in the peninsula; for even those that are so called are 

 more of a mixed character, spots within them being set apart 

 for culinary vegetables. I shall, however, include in this class 

 all those which are considered ornamental, notwithstanding 

 they partake of the utile as well as didce. 



Considered in this manner, there are many in the king- 

 dom ; and, generally speaking, I may say with certainty, that, 

 besides the magnificent gardens of La Granja and Aranjuez, 

 and others of less consideration in Madrid and its vicinity, 

 and that of the Escurial belonging to the king, the archbishops, 

 bishops, wealthy prebendaries, the grandees, all the monas- 

 teries, many convents of friars and nuns, the titled nobility, 

 and some rich commoners and meixhants, all have pleasure- 

 gardens belonging to their palaces and country houses. It 

 may also be said that, in general, there are more of this class 

 of gardens in the maritime provinces than in those of the in- 

 terior, in the eastern and southern still more than in the 

 northern and western. 



The royal gardens of La Granja and Aranjuez are so v/ell 

 known, that it is useless to attempt a description of their mag- 

 nificence here, because they have already been described in 

 various celebrated works. With respect to those of La Granja, 

 it will be sufficient to mention that many persons believe their 

 tout ensemble superior to the gardens of Versailles. In the 

 former are found symmetrical and Chinese gardens ; compart- 

 ments for fruit, vegetables, and medicinal herbs ; various nur- 

 series of fruit and forest trees, which serve not only to replace 

 the decayed plants of these gardens, but likewise to make 

 presents to private individuals. There they cultivate various 

 species of saxifrage, anemones, and ranunculuses, peculiar to 

 cold climates, which cannot be cultivated in the other royal 

 grounds, nor even at Madrid. There also they have the Ery- 

 thronium dens canis, and other northern bulbs. Among the 

 culinary vegetables and fruit for the royal household, they have 

 the red and common cabbage, broccoli, and French beans with- 



