JEtouen. \ 499 



in the most ornamental part of the garden, are a basin and 

 fountain, with water-lilies, flowering-rush, sagittarias, &c., and 

 gold fish; and around them was a collection of chrysanthemums 

 in pots. Near this are a parterre of roses and other flowers, 

 and a sun-dial, meridien a detonation^ for indicating midday 

 by the firing of a small cannon, the gunpowder being ignited 

 by the concentration of the sun's rays. We have already 

 observed that all the public gardens are under the direction 

 of M. Dubreuil. The planting and high order and keeping 

 of this one does him the greatest credit ; its being open to 

 all manner of persons, at all times, afforded us the highest 

 pleasure. 



Mr. PuglCs Villa, Sept. 2. — This is the first suburban 

 residence at which we called. It is situated in a street, con- 

 tains about IJ acres of flat surface without distant prospect, 

 is not badly laid out, and is tolerably well kept. Near the 

 entrance a short avenue, terminating in a painted landscape, 

 at once characterises it as French. The principal feature is 

 a collection of large orange trees, some of them with their 

 boxes above 17 ft. high, and it is estimated, that they must 

 be at least several centuries old, since the fathers of old per- 

 sons still alive recollected that in their youth the trees were 

 much of the same size as they are at present. There are a 

 hundred of these venerable and beautiful trees, set out at 

 regular distances, in a square hedged enclosure laid with 

 gravel. In winter the trees are kept in a barn-like building, 

 85 ft. long, 30 ft. wide, and 18 ft. high, with a few small 

 windows, and a large carriage-entrance in one end. They 

 are taken out and in by Vallet's diable (p. 377.), with one 

 horse and three men ; and each box, which is 4 ft. square, out- 

 side measure, is with this power lifted up or set down in 

 exactly two minutes. Two men will work the machine, but 

 not so well as three ; and four render the work so perfect in 

 point of rapidity, that the whole of these 100 heavy boxes 

 may be taken in or out in one day. The materials of the 

 boxes are oak or chestnut, which, when well painted, last 35 

 years. These 100 trees, in 1823, produced 1400 lbs. of blos- 

 soms, which sell, on an average of years, at Sfr. per lb., to 

 the apothecai'ies and confectioners, and to private families who 

 distil their own orange- water. This sum of 4200/r. is sup- 

 posed to pay something more than the expense of keeping 

 these trees, a circumstance which will account for the num- 

 ber of orange trees in France. There is a small green-house, 

 the sashes glazed with panes cut curvilinearly at one end, and 

 square at the other ; a bad plan, which causes a black seg- 

 ment of dirt, and a fracture up the middle of each pane. 



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