40 HORTICULTURAL TOUR. 



cd up and down the grounds* A bust of Clusius is appro- 

 priately enough placed under the sliade of* a fine horse- 

 chesnut tree (iEsculus hippocastanum), a tree which he 

 first introduced into Holland and Flanders; but the effect 

 is Lessened by the conceit of planting potatoes around the 

 pedestal, because (as the botanic gardener supposed*) Clu- 

 sius was the first also who made known that esculent to 

 the Flemings. 



Two fine plants of a very curious variety of Salix babylo- 

 nica, with the leaves curled up, " foliis retortis," attracted our 

 notice. This variety was not produced in this garden, but, as 

 we learned, was received, in J 81 5, from M. Cels, botanist 

 and nurseryman near Paris. The Sumach-trees are tall, and 

 now in full flower, a thing seldom to be seen in our most 

 sheltered shrubberies. But the Larch (Pinus Larix), 

 which flourishes so admirably oil the hills of Scotland, has 

 here a sickly aspect : the soil may possibly be too rich and 

 too damp, but it seems as likely that the climate is too 

 warm. As an evidence of the superiority of climate here, 

 beyond what we can boast even in the south-west of Eng- 

 land, it may be mentioned, that the beautiful Commelina 

 tuberosa, var. coelestis, which with us is treated as a stove 

 plant, here remains in the open border all the year. 

 Some of the old stools, or tuberous roots, we were told, 

 perish during winter; but as the seeds ripen every au- 

 tumn, there is a constant succession of young and vi- 

 gorous plants. A border was now covered with it, and 

 it- brilliant blue flowers produced a fine effect. In the 

 open American department, where a light heathy soil had 

 been prepared, Lilium euperbum appeared in great glory, 

 producing large crowns of splendid (lowers, and eclipsing 



" Musius himself informs us, that being at Vienna, he first received 

 tubers of the pQtM&O from Flundcrb. 



