256 HORTICULTURAL TOUR. 



ramparts. On one side, the ramparts formerly afforded a 

 delightful promenade, being shaded with a double row 

 of lofty lime-trees, on which numerous nightingales used 

 to perch and sing during the early part of summer, while 

 the view of the circumjacent country on the open side was 

 rich and extensive. These lime-trees were held sacred by 

 Louis XIV. ; but the ruthless Napoleon, — impelled by 

 want of cash, or perhaps by sheer pique at his good-natu- 

 red brother, whose favourite walk they shaded, — or- 

 dered them to be cut down and sold. The walk still re- 

 mains in the ruinous state in which the cruel imperial man- 

 date left it ; great holes and great roots every where appear- 

 ing. So firmly and deeply had some of these trees been 

 rooted, in the course of two centuries, that, in their fall, 

 they tore up masses of the ponderous stone and brick wall. 

 Below, or on the outside of the rampart, are many small 

 gardens, belonging to the inhabitants : these are, in gene- 

 ral, neatly kept. We ascended a building on the ramparts, 

 called the Observatory, and enjoyed a fine evening pros- 

 pect from the summit ; but we saw no astronomical instru- 

 ments, nor any observer but an obliging garrulous old 

 Dutchwoman. 



The neighbourhood of Utrecht, we may remark, is cele- 

 brated for the culture of such forest-trees as are best adapt- 

 ed for forming avenues and groves. Limes are reared in 

 great numbers, and the true Dutch elm is here to be found 

 in perfection. This elm is the Ulmus major of Sir James 

 Smith's " English Botany," described under the name of 

 U. Hollandica in Miller's " Gardener's Dictionary." As 

 this tree is, in our Scottish nurseries, frequently confound- 

 ed with U. montana, we think it right to give, in the Ap- 

 pendix, No. V., the characters of both, as well as of the 

 other ipeciefl commonly cultivated in Britain. 



