VERSAILLES. 411 



we had been led to form. The large orangerie below, in- 

 cluding perhaps a space of three acres, as seen from the 

 palace terrace, completely overwhelmed us with surprise. 

 We looked down at once upon eight hundred orange trees ! 

 Even the extreme formality of such an assemblage of trees 

 planted in tubs or boxes, and regularly disposed in a square 

 formed by an architect, did not at first detract from our 

 delight. We descended several flights of stairs, of elegant 

 structure, and walked among the orange-trees. They con- 

 sist of different varieties of Citrus Aurantium, Grangers 

 and b?garadiers, or our sweet and bitter oranges ; of C. 

 medica, citrmiiers, Unions, and cedrats, or our lemons and 

 citrons ; and of C. decumana, the pampelmous, or our 

 shaddock. They are disposed along the sides of the walks, 

 which pass diagonally through the square ; and as the on- 

 ly ornament in their immediate neighbourhood consists of 

 grass-plats, the eye is not distracted from these fine plants. 

 In the centre of the compartments, however, is a piece of 

 water, with a jet, and two very large and richly carved vases. 

 Around are placed some very old specimens of those orna- 

 mental trees which generally formed a part of the furniture 

 of ancient orangeries; pomegranates, both single and double- 

 flowered, laurels or sweet-bays, neriums or oleanders, Cata- 

 lonian and Azorian jasmines, and narrow-leaved mastick- 

 trees. We measured the stem of the largest pomegranate- 

 tree, and found it to be no less than three feet three inches 

 in circumference. 



One venerable orange-tree deserves particular notice. It is 

 designated The Bourbon, having belonged to the celebrated 

 Constable of that name in the beginning of the 16th century, 

 and been confiscated to the Crown in 1522, at which time 

 it was a hundred years old. A crown is placed on its caisse t 

 with this inscription painted below, u Seme en 1421 ." The 



