§ II. THE BOTANIC GARDEN. 



The Botanic Garden, which is encompassed with 

 an iron railing, extends east and west from the 

 ascent between the level grounds and the two 

 hills, to the square planted with fruit-trees ; and 

 north and south, from the avenue of horse-chesnuts 

 to that of lime-trees. It contains 3,o64 square 

 fathoms, divided by longitudinal and transverse 

 alleys three feet wide, into sixteen compartments, 

 forming one hundred and forty-four beds of un- 

 equal size, but generally 60 feet in length and 5 in 

 breadth. In the main alley are four basins at equal 

 distances, which furnish water for the garden. 

 Two of its gates are always open, except when 

 the gardeners are at their meals, though few 

 persons are seen in it besides students (1). 



This section of the garden, which is the founda- 

 tion and most essential part of the whole, con- 

 nects all the portions destined for cullure by 

 fixing the nomenclature of the vegetables and 



(1) Children are kept at a distance on account of the damage they 

 might do, and the danger to which they would be exposed from n oxious 

 plants. 



