Chap. V.] 



THE TUILBRIES GAEDENS. 



85 



balloons. The culture of Orange, Bay, and other trees in tubs is 

 a custom more justifiable in those parts of Northern Europe where 

 but few evergreens can be grown in the open air, than in France 

 or Britain. Although now we often see handsome specimens of 

 hardy evergreens grown in tubs, tender subjects alone were thus 

 kept when the system originated. It was found that the Oleander 

 and Orange trees could be grown very well by storing them in any 

 sort of half-lighted, frost-proof structure in winter, and placing 

 them in the open air in summer ; and hence these plants became 

 very popular for that purpose. But the conditions are now wholly 

 altered in the garden, and growing trees in tubs is foolish work. 



Ill the Inner Garden ^ luiterics. 



Uglier still than the Orange-trees in tubs, which after all are 

 not altogether devoid of a sort of picturesque effect, are the wide 

 saharas of gravel and the enormous meaningless water-basins, 

 which interrupt the course of the great central spread of gravel 

 here and have no good effect or use. No doubt the providing of 

 space for the crowds that frequent such a garden must not be 

 neglected ; but that could be done without sacrificing the garden 

 to boulevards of gravel and stone-encircled ponds. The beauty 

 the use of these ponds it is difficult to see. The walks 

 far more capacious than they need be for ordinary use, 



or 

 are 



