a?id of Cultivation generally^ in Belgium. 347 



goes by the name of the Pays de Waes, and is universally admitted 

 to be one of the most productive sandy soils in existence. But, 

 on leaving Beveren to proceed towards Antwerp, the charm 

 immediately ceases ; and nothing strikes the traveller so much 

 as the contrast between the opulence displayed on the Ghent 

 side of Beveren, and the destitute misery which is to be seen 

 after leaving Beveren for Antwerp. In the commencement of 

 the year 1830, the country between Beveren and Antwerp was 

 covered with a productive crop. The September following the 

 revolution came, and whole parishes were thrown under water by 

 the cutting of the sea banks; and at present, though the country 

 is somewhat drained from the water, yet it is to be feared that, 

 from the quantity of sand left by the sea, it will be an immense 

 period of years before it can be brought into its former state of 

 cultivation. In looking upon this scene of desolation, one cannot 

 help saying that revolutions '•'^ cost sometimes a little too dear" 

 The country, also, round Antwerp suffered dreadfully from the 

 occupation of the French during the late siege of Antwerp. 

 The siege taking place in December, the proprietors in the 

 neighbourhood of the citadel were obliged to allow the French 

 soldiers to cut v^hat wood they pleased; and M. Parthon de 

 Von, an amateur, with an extensive garden at Wilryck, had a 

 whole regiment encamped in his park, and the officers to dine 

 every day with him for a month. Had the siege endured one 

 month more, he would not have had a timber tree remaining on 

 his estate; as they had already commenced cutting down his 

 fine avenue. As it was, I understood him to say he lost up- 

 wards of 6000 fine trees. True it is that the government repaid 

 him the value of his trees; but all the money in the world 

 cannot restore the beauty of his park. His garden and 

 pleasure-grounds, which are laid out partly in the French and 

 partly in the English style, contain some fine shrubs and timber 

 trees. The garden is surrounded by a grove of large sweet 

 chestnuts and beech trees, the greater part being upwards of 

 12 ft. in girt, and from 60 ft. to 80 ft. in height. It is planted 

 in the French style, and is an excellent screen to his garden 

 from the high winds. The park, in which the French regiment 

 was encamped, contained many large trees ; but it is now little 

 more than an open plain. If M. Parthon was sure never to be 

 again visited by the French, I know of no place better adapted 

 for an arboretum : but to plant rare trees in the neighbourhood 

 of a citadel would be rather too dangerous a plan to pursue. 

 His garden contains some very fine specimens for a country 

 where property changes hands so often. He has also a small 

 pinetum ; and his American, or rather peat-earth, shrubs thrive 

 very well. Among these I observed the true i^hododendron 

 ferrugineum flore albo ; a Zyilium superbum, 8 ft. high, with 42 



