PARIS. 393 



to maturity, which must, therefore, either be ripened in 

 greenhouses or yearly imported. Great attention, we may 

 remark, is even here paid to promote the ripening of the 

 seeds of the more tender and late flowering kinds, by co- 

 vering them with hand-glasses. The brilliant dark orange 

 flowers of Cacalia sonchifolia appeared under glass; but 

 some of the South American species were, even at this late 

 period of the season, in singular beauty, without any kind 

 of protection. 



Next to the collection of annuals, we found a rural cafe, 

 with its little garden, a neat lawn, and a series of small 

 woods or groves, with shady walks, extending to near the 

 Museum buildings. In these pleasing retreats, family par- 

 ties, accompanied by numbers of lively well-dressed child- 

 ren, may almost always be seen amusing themselves. 



An extensive nursery for hardy perennial plants, suited 

 to the open air in France, occupies the rest of the central 

 part of the garden, extending from the cross-walk bordered 

 with tulip-trees already mentioned, all the way to the court 

 of the Museum, and including within its boundaries the 

 circular pond, already noticed, for the culture of aquatic 

 plants. From this rich store of duplicates, collections of 

 plants are occasionally sent to public gardens in different 

 parts of France. A botanic garden newly established at 

 any provincial town, can thus be furnished at once, by an 

 order of Government, or by the bounty of the immediate 

 directors of the garden, with a great assortment, accurately 

 named. 



Opposite to, and parallel with the nurseries for trees, 

 shrubs and perennial plants, which have now been mention- 

 ed, and next to the serre temper ee and other garden build- 

 ings, is situate the General Botanical Collection, arranged 

 according to the Natural Method of Jussieu. This is the 



