and Part of France in 1833. 9 



Apples, pears, cherries, plums, &c, thrive well, produce 

 abundantly, and remain healthy. The apples are grafted chiefly 

 on paradise stocks, the pears on quince stocks, which limits their 

 growth, and renders them productive at an early age. The mode 

 of culture here, as in France, is worthy of imitation; a well- 

 arranged fruit-garden being an object of great profit as well as 

 amusement. The trees are planted at 10 ft. or 12 ft. apart, and 

 trained and pruned in the pyramidal form, by which means 

 abundant crops of good fruit are obtained from small trees. 

 Among the conveniences which attend on this mode of training 

 may be reckoned, that it allows space to remain for inspecting 

 the fruit, and performing all the operations required. 



The pleasure-grounds of the rich here, in Holland, and in 

 France, appear meagre and cold, when compared with those of 

 England, being nearly destitute of laurels, phillyreas, alaternus, 

 arbutus, bays, laurustinus, &c. The general opinion is, that 

 these plants will not survive the Continental winters ; but I have 

 seen some proofs of the contrary, and am of opinion that the 

 plants mentioned might be inured to all these countries, and I 

 nave no doubt but many of the Chinese plants would be found to 

 thrive well there ; as camellias, pittosporums, &c. &c. 



Beyond Ghent the land is rather light; but near to and 

 beyond Aloste the quality improves, and hops are cultivated. 

 About Brussels the country is slightly undulated ; the land is 

 tolerably good, and the market-gardeners are rather numerous ; 

 but they are of the old school, and do not appear desirous to 

 improve either in their mode of culture, or in the quality of their 

 stock. Brussels sprouts, dwarf savoys, dwarf red cabbage, and 

 a few other articles, are very good. There is here a new bo- 

 tanic garden, which, in external appearance, is a noble establish- 

 ment, and is seen from the Boulevards to great advantage [a 

 view of this garden will be found in V. 327, and a ground plan 

 and description in VIII. 401.]. The collection of plants is not 

 modern, but the director, M. Woters, and the head-gardener, 

 M. Bresurs, are both very anxious to improve. 



About four miles from Brussels, on the left of the road to Ant- 

 werp, stands the palace of Lacken, upon a gentle eminence, oc- 

 cupied by the king of the Belgians, who is fond of gardening, and a 

 promoter of it. To accomplish his objects, and establish some of 

 the British principles of gardening at Lacken, he has had his gar- 

 dener, Mr. M'Intosh, from Claremont, who is carrying on great 

 improvements in the erection of hot-houses, green-houses, pits, 

 &c, upon the most modern and best English construction; and 

 it is reported to be the intention of His Majesty to erect conser- 

 vatories, &c, and to have a good and general collection of 

 rare and ornamental plants, to which he is very partial. The 

 orangery here is a large, noble-looking, well-proportioned build- 



