GARDENS OF VARIOUS NATIONS. 565 



formed into a series of bowers ; but they do not appear to have been 

 ever trained, as in Italy, upon trees. In the sculptures of Thebes, 

 monkeys are represented in the fruit-trees handing down the figs to the 

 gardeners below ; from the same source we see these animals refresh- 

 ing themselves for their labour, much to the annoyance of the men. 



Though the ancient Egyptians paid such regard to the cultivation 

 of plants, yet at the present time but little love is shown for them 

 by that nation ; trees and plants being principally grown merely for 

 the purposes of food, and but rarely for the ornamentation of grounds ; 

 indeed few timber-trees are now to be seen in that country. Some 

 of the richer inhabitants have gardens, yet they are indifferently kept 

 up, showing that no enthusiasm is manifested for them. There is one 

 at Schoobra, belonging to the Pacha, which is the most interesting of 

 all of them. Its situation is about four miles north of Cairo, and 

 it is approached by an avenue of mulberrry and acacia trees, which have 

 been recently planted. This garden is laid out in a formal manner, 

 the walks radiating from centres to different parts of the grounds. 

 Around a fountain is a covered corridor, with " kiosks " or summer- 

 houses projecting into the water. Near the palace is the " E Gebel," 

 or "the Hill," where there is another kiosk. This hill is ascended 

 on two of its sides by a flight of steps, and the summer-house 

 rises above a series of terraces planted with flowers and commands a 

 view of the whole garden, of the Nile, and of the hills in the distance. 

 But there is no considerable beauty in the arrangement of this garden, 

 neither is there any great variety of flowers growing in it. I have simply 

 mentioned it as showing the low ebb to which the cultivation of plants 

 has sunk in the same nation that in former times took so deep an 

 interest in them. And this leads one to infer that climate has not 

 so much effect on the art of gardening as has the disposition of the 

 people themselves. 



Certain great nations of antiquity, such as Assyria, and more 

 especially Babylon, constructed their gardens on a stupendous scale. 

 These may be strictly termed architectural gardens, and, of all others, 

 present a complete antithesis to "My Garden." In all their works 



