3o!J HORTICULTURAL TOUR. 



three or lour small drain-holes in the bottom, instead of 

 one large hole, as with us. This prevents the aecess of the 

 larger earth-worms to the pots ; and no other precaution 

 against worms seems to be taken, except using crocks that 

 are perfectly flat. To attempt to particularize even the more 

 remarkable of the greenhouse plants, would swell our notices 

 beyond all reasonable bounds. We leave them, therefore, 

 with remarking, that great numbers of screens of basket- 

 work, generally of a circular form, and open at one side and 

 at top, are here used for shading such plants as. have leaves 

 of delicate texture, from the direct rays of the sun, which 

 would speedily scorch them. This was the time of the 

 great rcmpotage, or general repotting of these greenhouse 

 plants, the stove plants having been already finished. In 

 performing this operation, the French under-gardeners are 

 not more quick, and not nearly so neat-handed as in Bri- 

 tain. Instead of filling in the earth with their hands as our 

 gardeners do, they lift it with wooden spatulae or palettes ; 

 the advantage of which is not very obvious. The pots are 

 of a clumsy construction compared with ours ; but they are 

 of a soft porous texture, which must be favourable to the 

 plants, though it by no means improves the appearance. 

 The gardeners wear very broad but light straw-hats, to pro- 

 tect them from the sun's rays,during the bright and warm 

 summer months. 



In front of the garden entrance to the Amphitheatre 

 where the public lectures are given, were now placed, in 

 tubs, two specimens of the smaller fan-palm, Chamaerops 

 humilis, each measuring about 20 feet high, and of vener- 

 able aspect. M. Riche mentioned, that they originally be- 

 longed to King Francis the First, who built the palace of 

 St Germain, and formed fine gardens there; but that he 

 believed they had been here since the institution of the 



