424 HORTICULTURAL TOUR. 



as of promising character were shown to us, now in fruit 

 for the first time. There are, scattered up and down the 

 grounds, a few good specimens of ornamental forest-trees* 

 of large size : one of the most remarkable is a Gleditschia 

 triacanthos, about 30 feet high, with a stem 3^ feet in 

 girth. — Little attention, we may remark, is paid to general 

 neatness in the keeping of Vilmorin's grounds. The nur- 

 sery-gardens near Edinburgh, particularly those of Dick- 

 sons and Co., Eagle and Henderson, and Dicksons Bro- 

 thers, are incomparably superior in that respect, to similar 

 Parisian establishments. 



At the Place du Trone, in the neighbourhood of Vilmo- 

 rhVs nurseries, we procured a fiacre to take us to Mon- 

 trcuil sous-le-bois, about three miles distant to the east- 

 ward, on the rising ground above Vinccnnes. On this ex- 

 cursion we were accompanied by Mr Wood, from Kew 

 Garden*. 



Peach- Gardens of Montr euil. 

 This place presented a very uncommon scene, being 

 wholly covered, to the extent of several miles, with small 

 walled gardens, and the walls in general being of a dazzling 

 whiteness. As the production of peaches for the supply 

 of Paris is the great object of the cultivators, and as the 

 different kinds of peaeh-trecs require the aid of walls with 

 different aspects, the number of walls is intentionally mul- 

 tiplied ; one garden sometimes being subdivided or inter- 

 sected by four or five or more walls, besides those neces- 

 sary for its enclosure. The aspects preferred are general- 

 ly those turned somewhat from the south ; indeed S. E., 

 K. and S. W. may be regarded as the favourite aspects. The 



• Now gardener to Charles Cooke, Esq. of* Upper Toole House, Here- 



f •)'! tun . 



