Paris'. 423 



preserves the pyramidal form with the utmost symmetry 

 and regularity, caught our notice : it is called the cixoux 

 palmier^ or palm-cabbage. Large plants, now in flower 

 and seed, were from 6 to 8 feet high ; but even young 

 plants look very pretty. This curious variety is much 

 more ornamental than useful ; and it is not very perma- 

 nent : When raised from the seed, therefore, only the most 

 genuine seedlings should be preserved, all those which shew 

 a tendency to sport being cast out : it is evident, also, that 

 seed should be collected only from the most characteristic 

 specimens. — There were here trained against a south wall, 

 many plants of the curious papilionaceous flower, Phaseo- 

 lus Caracalla, or snail-flowered kidney-bean: the plants 

 were in pots ; but so backward, that unless they be speedi- 

 ly transferred to the stove, they cannot be expected to ri- 

 pen their seed this season. — Festuca glauca is a good deal 

 used in this garden for forming an edging, and it makes a 

 very pretty one. — Several of the borders were still covered 

 with chopped straw, which is thrown on, during the heats 

 of summer and autumn, to keep the surface of the soil 

 from being over-parched by the drought and heat. In- 

 deed, this is not an uncommon practice in gardens near 

 Paris, where neatness of appearance is sacrificed to the 

 more important object of keeping the surface loose and 

 somewhat moist. — The collection of roses is large ; but the 

 season of the flowers being wholly past, we could judge on- 

 ly by the number of the stools and tallies. Several quar- 

 ters are occupied with Robinias, varins, cypresses, &c. in 

 nursery lines ; and others with young seedling forest-trees. 

 These, when sold by tale from the lines, are technically 

 called pouretteS) a name originally applied to young mul- 

 berry-trees. Some attention is here paid to the raising of 

 new pear-trees from the seed, Several seedlings regarded 



