392 HORTICULTURAL TOUR. 



As soon as the silting broke up, I got into a fiacre, and 

 soon rejoined mv companions in the Jardin. After dining 

 in one of the garden cafes, we resumed our examination, 

 beginning where we had left off, or exactly at the centre. 

 The cross central walk, we may notice, is distinguished by 

 rows of Sophora japonica, tulip-tree, Koelkreuteria, and 

 hawthorn ; the last two having their heads pruned to the 

 shape of balls and umbrellas, so as to afford specimens of 

 the almost exploded topiary work of a former age. 



The central quarter is occupied as a nursery for fo- 

 rest trees and shrubs, the rarer of which are sent to every 

 part of the kingdom as wanted ; and particular beds are 

 appropriated for exemplifying the different practices resort- 

 ed to in propagating them ; such as layering, budding, 

 grafting by approach, &c. Several beds have been pre- 

 pared with a light heath-soil, and planted with Rhododen- 

 drons, Azaleas, and Kalmias, all of which are included, 

 in the language of French gardeners, under the name of 

 r usages. The climate of Paris does not seem well suited 

 to such plants ; for it is certain that the rosages of the Jar- 

 din des PJantes are excelled by those which may be seen 

 in the " American ground" (as it is called) of many a Scot- 

 tish garden. 



On the side next to the Rue de Buffon, there is, first, 

 a small quarter employed also as a nursery for fruit-trees 

 and shrubs, or rather intended to exemplify the raising of 

 these from the seed. Then, a space is dedicated to hardy 

 biennial plants, and to some perennial flowers peculiarly 

 adapted to parterres. Another space is set apart to an- 

 nual plants. The number of these last is very great; 

 many species from the; Levant, and from Peru and other 

 parts of South America, ripen their seeds here, and can 

 thus be reproduced from year to year; while, in Britain, 

 •• haw not, in general, sufficient climate to bring the seeds 



