THE GARDEN. l3y 



gerie considered as the abode of animals, etc. ; each 

 of which must be the object of a separate visit. 



Proceeding then from the head of the great 

 avenue of lime-trees planted by Buffon in 1 740, 

 on the southern side of the garden, we see on 

 the right, plantations of forest-trees and a culti- 

 vated square ; and on the left, two enclosures 

 separated by a circular basin, the nursery, the 

 square basin already mentioned, and several par- 

 terres : reserving the last for our return, we shall 

 at present notice only what lies between the 

 avenue and the rue de Buffon. 



The four first squares are composed of trees of 

 every species and every country, which pass the 

 winter in our climate : among them are a gle- 

 ditschia without thorns, sent from Canada by 

 M. de la Galissonniere in 1748, which is one of 

 the largest trees in the garden ; a sophora of 

 Japan, sophora Japonica, the first received in 

 Europe ; and the first acacia obtained from 

 North America, which its possessor Yespasian 

 Robin planted in the King's Garden in i635. 

 A few years ago this tree was more than 60 feet 

 in height, but the summit beginning to decay it 

 was lopped, that it might sprout anew from the 

 trunk. From this stock has been propagated one 

 of the most useful and agreeable among trees, 

 to which the name of Robinia was given by 



