BRUSSELS. 301 



a deficiency of good bearing wood, the shoots, even in this 

 fine climate, requiring some degree of artificial shelter, 

 especially to bring them to a state fit for being forced ear- 

 ly in the following summer. Here, and in most of the 

 grape-houses which we have seen, the vine-shoots are train- 

 ed too close to the inside of the glass, so that the leaves are 

 burnt and shrivelled. In this forcing-house, as is usual, 

 the front of the roof extends over the sloping glass, till it 

 reaches the perpendicular of the parapet. Mr Gillet had 

 no doubt that the object of this sort of structure is to help 

 to save the glass from the heavy falls of hail, which fre- 

 quently accompany thunder-storms. 



Just as he had made this observation, we perceived me- 

 nacing thunder-clouds approaching : the gardener hasten- 

 ed to secure his glazed frames ; Mr Gillet took his leave ; 

 and before we could get home, the whole horizon was over- 

 cast ; lightning flashed incessantly ; the streets seemed to 

 have been suddenly swept of the inhabitants, the shop-doors 

 were shut, and we could scarcely find a person of whom to 

 inquire the way. — The day has been altogether sultry ; 

 and at 10 o'clock p. m. the mercury in the thermometer 

 still remains at 72° Fahr. 



Professor Van Mons. — New Pears. 



Sept. 11. — M. Van Mons is well known as a chemist, 

 and he has likewise distinguished himself by his labours in 

 horticulture, particularly in raising new varieties of fruits 

 from the seed. Since the establishment of the present 

 Government, he has been appointed to a professorship in 

 the University of Louvain. At this time, however, he still 

 had his principal residence at Brussels ; and to-day when 

 we called at his laboratory, we found him busied in some 

 pharmaceutical operations/ He received us very kindly ; 



