GHENT, 59 



trees are common ; and we here fount! the short-stalked 

 variety under the name of the Cherry of Bruges. The 

 apple and pear trees, with very few exceptions, were at this 

 time loaded with fruit : the former are generally middle 

 sized standards ; the latter are frequently of a beautiful 

 pyramidal shape. Such cottages and orchards, however, 

 are not numerous in this part of the country. 



Place of Marie-Leer ne. 



The house of the Baron Dubois de Vroeylande at Marie- 

 Leerne is a fine old Flemish chateau. From engraved views 

 and plans of the mansion-house and grounds, which were 

 shewn us in the library, we perceived that, in past days, 

 the whole had been laid out completely in the formal Dutch 

 style, with embroidered parterres and knots before the 

 door. A great change had been attempted, some years 

 ago, in imitation of the English style. A. grass lawn has 

 displaced the embroidered borders ; and vast quantities of 

 earth have been moved, so as to produce the appearance 

 of banks, sloping gently to a beautiful expanse of water. 

 Owing to the forming of these slopes, the trunks of some 

 fine old walnut-trees have been partly buried, greatly 

 to their disadvantage. We measured the stem of one 

 grand tree, and found it to be no less than 9 feet 3 inches 

 in circumference, at two feet from the surface ; after ten 

 feet of clear bole, magnificent branches are sent off, and 

 extend widely on every side. 



The grandeur and beauty of this baronial seat, consists, 

 in our opinion, in a vast meadow, spreading itself under 

 the windows of the house, to the extent of several miles, — 

 perfectly level, — surrounded with large trees, — and inclo- 

 sed by a very broad canal, communicating, we believe, with 

 the " lazy Scheldt, 1 ' on whose banks we were now sojourn- 



