266 Foreign Notices : — France^ Belgium. 



Art. II. Foreign Notices. 



FRANCE. 



Paris, 5. Rice des Vignes, March 6. 1836. — I was pleased and surprised to 

 see, by an article from M. Alphonse De Candolle, p. 381., that his father had 

 discovered, fifteen or eighteen years ago, in a garden at Bourdigny, near 

 Geneva, a tree of the female Salisbun'a ; but, when he adds that all the female 

 salisburias in Europe are from that tree, I imagine, he is wrong. It was at 

 Bourdigny where I resided in 1775, when I was collecting plants upon the Alps, 

 and I deposited them in the garden of M. Gaussin, the proprietor of Bourdigny, 

 until I could send them to England, which I did, to Drs. Pitcairn and Fother- 

 gill, the same year. When I returned to France in 1776, I continued in cor- 

 respondence with M. Gaussin ; and, when employed in forming the gardens at 

 Bagatelle and Monceau, T always sent to M. Gaussin some of all the new 

 plants that I got; and these were numerous, as I was then forming a collection 

 of trees and plants at Monceau for the late Duke of Orleans. The last 

 packet of trees that I sent to M. Gaussin was in 1790; and amongst them 

 was a plant of the Gin/cgo biloba (Salisburk), which I reared at Monceau. 

 I have M. Gaussin's letter, wherein he writes to me from Geneva, " I have re- 

 ceived a parcel of plants, twenty-nine species, by M. Merlin, for which I beg 

 your acceptance of my sincere thanks," &c. ; dated, " Geneva the 11th Xbre., 

 1790;" and signed, " Gaussin de Chapeauroiigey Now, this tree, when M. 

 De Candolle observed it, as he says, must have been nearly twenty-nine years 

 planted. This is what I can certify; but, whether the trees at Monceau were 

 male or female, I cannot say, as the revolution in France began about this 

 time, and I was forced to leave Paris, and all the plantations that I had made. 

 Part of these plantations were afterwards destroyed, but some were saved. 

 For this reason, I think it cannot be from Bourdigny that all the female 

 salisburias have sprung. There was cut down, about two years ago, to build a 

 house in the garden of Marbceuf, a fine salisburia, above 40 ft. high. This tree 

 was planted about fifty years ago, by Mr. Jansen, an English gentleman, who 

 laid out the garden, and who was very curious in plants. The garden is cut up 

 for building all round; and many fine trees that were in it have been destroyed. 

 A beautiful sophora was cut down near the same place where the)' cut down 

 the salisburia. The gardens at Bagatelle have been sold, and purchased by 

 Lord Yarmouth, who, they say, is going to restore the house and gardens, but 

 how I do not know. 



The winter here has been long, but not severe": we have had no very hard 

 frost to kill the plants; so that now many evergreens, which formerly could not 

 be purchased, can easily be had in the nurseries about Paris, and may orna- 

 ment the gardens. I have been executing some works lately at Mortefontaine, 

 the seat of the Baronne De Feuchere. This place, I dare say, you saw when you 

 went to Ermenonville. A great part of it was laid out when it belonged to 

 Joseph Bonaparte, when there were many things badly placed, which cannot 

 now be changed. There was a long and narrow dark passage from one park 

 to another, which I proposed to enlarge, so that the two parks might join. 

 This the lady saw the propriety of; but former arrangements rendered it im- 

 practicable. I would have sent you grafts of the early-flowering horsechest- 

 nut; but Mr. Gordon, the ambassador's gardener, who was bred up at Kew, 

 told me they had an early-flowering horsechestnut there. I asked him if the 

 ailantus bore seed in England. He said he never had seen the flower. However, 

 you may. If you have not, and would wish any seed, I could send you 

 plenty, as there are several trees here loaded with seeds. — Thomas Blakie. 



We have seen flowers of the ailantus frequently, and also seeds, at White 

 Knights; but the latter, when we saw them, were not quite ripe. — Cond. 



BELGIUM. 



Ghent, March 1. 1836. — I have been expecting plans of gardens from dif- 

 ferent gentlemen for your Suburban Gardener, but, as yet, have not received 



