226 State of Gardenmg in France : — 



high road ; there being comparatively no cross roads, hke those 

 of England, by which a constant and ready communication is 

 kept up throughout the country between one town and another. 

 The country for miles is altogether under the plough and spade 

 culture. There are no meadows, nor any rivers of the least 

 consequence by which a communication by water could be kept 

 up. At this season (late in April) the whole surface appeared 

 under cultivation, there not being any portion set out for sum- 

 mer fallow. All the ground was more or less occupied, having 

 apparently had but little labour bestowed upon it ; and I could 

 not observe anything like the preparations for manuring which 

 constitute so large a portion of the labour and expense in our 

 rural districts. I here first noticed a rural guard, which is a 

 species of armed police, stationed in the fields to prevent depre- 

 dations, and, I believe, to observe closely all foot passengers who 

 mav attempt to cross the country without passing through the 

 principal towns, where they would be required to produce 

 their passports ; those of the natives being, I am told, more 

 rigorously investigated than even those of foreigners. As 

 I had again to travel during the night, it was not till the fol- 

 lowing morning that I could resume my observations. About 

 thirty miles from Pciris I first noticed the culture of the vine, 

 which was planted in rows like our garden currants, and tied 

 to short stakes, say about 4 ft. high, which, after the vintage, are 

 taken up and stowed away, like hop poles with us. The vine 

 being then cut down to an eye or two, ample space is given to 

 clear, dig, or manure the soil. The sorts usually cultivated 

 hereabouts are those which yield the ordinary wine of the 

 country; which, from the opportunities I had of tasting it, is not 

 at all better than the cider of some districts in England. As 

 we approached nearer to Paris, fruit orchards began to prevail, 

 consisting of cherries, plums, gooseberries, and currants, with 

 some of the better sorts of vines ; but no distinction appears to 

 be made in the distribution, as they are all without any marked 

 division to distinguish the properties; and there is no appear- 

 ance of there being any protection from depredation. The im- 

 mediate approach to Paris from the Fauxbourg St. Denis 

 resembles very much the way to London through Battersea 

 Fields : it is certainly a larger and much more extensive plain, 

 but cultivated, like it, in grain and vegetables for the more im- 

 mediate supply of the capital. 



Although my purpose, in visiting Paris, was more that of 

 recreation than business, I lost no opportunity of observing that 

 which interested me more particularly ; and I accordingly visited 

 the markets every morning during my stay in the city. Paris, 

 not having the advantage of a river navigable to the extent of 

 the Thames, is supplied almost exclusively for its daily con- 



