in August ayid September, 1835. 227 



to squares of eight or ten acres. Forest trees of large growth, 

 for avenues, and fruit trees, with some standard roses, were the 

 principal objects of culture. I had supposed that from this 

 neighbourhood a great part of Germany and Italy must be sup-^ 

 plied, but was informed by one of the principal men of business 

 that but few trees were sent out of France. 



The soil here is a soapy, tender, reddish loam, on a rocky 

 substratum, in which most trees grow well. Dwarf peaches are 

 raised very expeditiously. Almonds (a peculiar variety, with a 

 very hard and close shell, and sweet kernel,) are sown in March, 

 in rows, and budded the following August, making fine plants 

 the following season. Fi'om the peculiar growth of this stock, I 

 thought it was the bitter almond, but was assured it was not. 

 I had also been previously informed that the bitter almond was 

 the only proper stock, but found that this was wrong also ; and 

 I have this spring imported some of the almonds used in Paris, 

 which are as above described. 



In many of the nurseries here the trees were managed well, 

 and the pears particularly so : they were all tied to stakes, and 

 trained en quenouille. This is an admirable method for small 

 gardens, if the trees can be kept from over-luxuriance. I hope 

 to see pyramidal pear trees in large pots in every small garden 

 in England, as this is the only method, in our moist climate, to 

 check their growth, and make them put forth short well-ripened 

 shoots, covered with blossom buds, so as to give abundance of 

 fruit in a small space. 



The Paris Ntirserzes, — There is not one respectable plant 

 nursery at Paris. That of Cels is much reduced, and is now at 

 a very low ebb. Noisette has retired. Fion's Nui'sery is ex- 

 cessively neat, and in good taste; but it is very small, and 

 orange trees are almost exclusively cultivated in it. It is said 

 that new or rare plants are not patronised, and it is only flowers 

 and flowering plants for the market that are worth cultivating. 

 Another cause for the slovenly and bad state of the French nur- 

 series is, that the instant, by plodding, the proprietor accumu- 

 lates 8000 or 10,000 francs, he considers himself a man of for- 

 tune; and, instead of investing it in improvements in business, as 

 we do, he lives on the interest, and feels proud in being called 

 a gentleman : for, however respectable we think a man in large 

 business, the French do not ; but consider an idle man of 30/. 

 per annum as much his superior. I have found this from ex- 

 perience : as an amateur", you may command anything ; but if 

 you avow yourself un co?nmerfant, ten to one but the tone is 

 changed. When an Englishman is told the amount of property 

 that some of these '' men of fortune " possess, it is impossible to 

 repress a smile at the extraordinary smallness of the sum which 

 contents them : but then soiipe aux choux (cabbage sou^ with- 



s 4 -■^- • • 



