BRUSSELS c 297 



A lime-tree of very venerable aspect bespeaks the anti- 

 quity of the place. The head of the tree is formed by three 

 vast branches, all standing upright, and of course very 

 close to each other. Each of these branches is about forty- 

 five feet high, and as thick as the stem of an ordinary lime- 

 tree. The whole height of the tree is somewhat more than 

 seventy feet ; and, four feet above the ground, the main 

 trunk measures nine feet in circumference. Near the base 

 are two protuberant rings of bark, from each of which nu- 

 merous twigs or small branches have sprung ; but a very 

 large hole in this part of the trunk marks the progress of 

 decay. 



In the open border in the garden, we were agreeably 

 surprised to find several plants of the Tree thorn-apple 

 (Datura arborea), a native of Peru, and generally treated 

 as a stove-plant in Britain. Two of these were at this time 

 covered with their magnificently large and strongly odorous 

 flowers. We measured several of the flowers, each of 

 which was a foot in length. On inquiry, however, we 

 learned, that these daturas are kept in the orangery during 

 winter, and are planted out in the parterres at the ap- 

 proach of summer. A similar mode might, perhaps, be 

 adopted in the southern and western counties of England. 



We must not omit to take notice of a very large sort of 

 hoe used for cleaning the gravel-walks in the Duke's gar- 

 den. It is worked by two men, and is furnished with 

 wheels, which greatly facilitate its movements : one man 

 pulls forward, while the other regulates the hoe, according 

 to the nature or abundance of the weeds to be extirpated. 

 The despatch thus afforded is great ; two men being able, 

 effectually, and without interfering with the other garden 

 operations, to do the work which formerly occupied six 

 men, to the neglect of the ordinary business of the gar- 



