Paris. 447 



which we have never seen in Scotland, but which is pretty 

 common in the Paris market in the autumnal months. We 

 also ordered a few of the rarest seeds of ornamental plants, 

 Vilmorin's collection of which is very considerable *. 



Vitry Nurseries. 

 In the afternoon Mr Macdonald returned from his ex- 

 cursion to Vitry, much pleased with what he had seen. 

 The neighbourhood of this village has long been celebrated 

 for its nurseries. They are extremely numerous, extend- 

 ing continuously for several miles, without any kind of 

 inclosure; but they are individually small, the proprie- 

 tors being, almost without exception, persons of very 

 limited capital. Frequently the nursery-gardens form mere 

 patches, surrounded by vineyards. Young peach-trees 

 form one staple article of culture at Vitry. They are 

 all what are technically called maiden plants ; and trained 

 to two principal branches, destined to form different modi- 

 fications of the fan-shape. Some rows are worked on the 

 muscle-plum ; others on the almond. The former are in- 

 tended for gardens which have a rich moist soil ; the latter 

 for such as have the soil light and dry. Young pear-trees 

 form another staple article of produce. They are uniform- 

 ly on quince-stocks ; the cultivators alleging, that grafts on 

 wild pear-stocks or free stocks, do not take or succeed in 

 the soil of Vitry. Apricot and plum trees are also propa- 



• On account of the Society having no appropriate garden, we were 

 obliged to disperse these seeds among different individuals, who expressed 

 their willingness t» cultivate them, Several of them were raised with much 

 care and attention by Mr Macdonald, at Dalkeith House gardens, and were 

 brought to great perfection in the seasons of 1818 and 1819. Others were 

 raised, under less favourable circumstances, by Mr Neill at Canonmills. But 

 the want of a public experimental garden, prevented their being generally 

 seen by the members of the Society. — It may be mentioned, that M. La» 

 croix, a clerk at Vilmorin's warehouse, speaks English fluently. 



