338 ilOK TIC l l CUEAL TOUR. 



arranged according to the natural orders of Jussieu: many 

 blanks occur, the specimens having apparently died out, 

 and not been renewed. A variegated-leaved Bignonia 

 radicans, covering a large portion of wall, seems to be 

 the best plant in the garden. Passiflora coerulea was^ 

 here fancifully trained around a large hollow trellis of 

 wire, of an oval shape, and now displayed its flowers 

 m this situation. We were informed, that lectures on na- 

 tural history in general, are here delivered by Dr Les- 

 tiboudois, well known as the author of the " Botanographie 

 Belgique ;" and although the public garden is at present'in 

 a neglected state, Lille may boast of possessing another dis- 

 tinguished phytologist in M. Desmazieres. This gentle- 

 man, about four years ago, published a work, entitled, 

 " Agrostographie des departmens de Nord de la France," 

 in which the botanist may find an account of the native gra- 

 mina, and the agriculturist of the cultivated grains and grass- 

 es in Artois and Picardy. In turning over the pages of the 

 book, however, a curious morsel of information for Scotsmen 

 presented itself, shewing that the author does not always 

 write from observation or experience, and that he partakes 

 of some of the prejudices of Dr Samuel Johnson. Speaking 

 of the Avena sativa, he mentions, that bread may be made 

 from the seeds, but he affirms that it is " noir, amer, vis- 

 queuse, et se digere difficilement ! w We may safely con- 

 clude, that M. Desmazieres has never been in the Land of 

 Cakes, nor seen good oaten bread, which is certainly nei- 

 ther black, bitter, tough, nor difficult of digestion ; even 

 tames made of bigg-flour and pease-meal not deserving all 

 these objurgatory epithets. The Scottish peasants, he im- 

 mediately adds, although they use no other grain, " sont 

 pourtant tres-robustes et tres-forts," — a fact which might 



