94 ^i'he Public Gardens and Parks of Paris. 



matter before an attentive class, consisting of several hundred 

 persons, and elucidates the subject in a way which cannot fail 

 to highly benefit the numerous amateurs who attend the 

 classes. It is a very interesting sight to see such a number of 

 people here at nine o'clock in the morning, taking a deep interest 

 in the matter, and speaks much for the [excellence of the professor. 

 There are many lectures delivered in England on like subjects, 

 but none so directly useful to the horticulturist as these. 



PaRC DBS BUTTES ChAUMONT. 



This is the boldest attempt at what is called the picturesque 

 style that has been attempted either in Paris or London. For 

 my own part I have an opinion — it may be a weakness — that at- 

 tempting expensive and extraordinary works in places of this sort 

 is not wise, at least till all the densely populous places are provided 

 with healthy well-planted parks. Thus I think that in London it 

 is a mistake to devote great expense to a few parks, and leave so 

 many square miles of population without a green spot. But in 

 this instance an unusual attempt was to some extent invited by 

 the existence of a great quarry in one part of the ground. The 

 whole park may be described as a sort of diversified Primrose Hill. 

 Imagine that, with two or three "peaks and valleys," and with an 

 immense pile of rock seen here and there, and you have a good idea 

 of this park. At its hollov/ or lower end there was a quarry, and 

 this has been taken advantage of to produce a grand feature. 

 They have cut all round three sides of this quarry, smoothed it down, 

 leaving intact the great side of stone, and adding to it here and 

 there masses of artificial rock. This forms a very wide and imposing 

 mass of rock, 164 feet high, or thereabouts, in its highest parts, 

 and from these you may gradually descend to its base by a winding 

 rough stair, exceedingly well constructed, and winding in and out 

 of the huge rocky face. At the base of the cliff, and widely spread- 

 ing round it, there is a lake. Then this ponderous cliff — and it 

 is best described by that name — has several wings, so to speak. 



