l88 DESCRIPTION OF THE MUSEUM. 



temperate climates: at each end are vases of 

 water for the seeds of aquatic plants. 



Under the wall is a bed, divided in the middle 

 by the subterranean passage to the botanic gar- 

 den, which receives the rays of the rising and 

 setting sun, and is perfectly sheltered at mid-day, 

 where the shrubs and large vivacious plants of 

 very cold regions are sown and nurtured : here 

 are seen beautiful ferns from the north, vera- 

 trums, umbelliferous plants, daphnes, gentians, 

 and alpine geraniums. 



Along the terrace wall on the west is a mound 

 composed of five stages, each 10 inches high and 

 a foot wide, divided into compartments of 8 feet 

 10 inches in length, which is exposed to the 

 north-east, and visited by the sun only till ten in 

 the morning. Preparatory to its construction a 

 fosse was scooped out and plastered over with 

 impervious mortar; it was then filled with 

 stiff mould, upon which were placed shelves of 

 oak plank, supported by stakes and covered with 

 bog-mould : in this manner a constant humidity 

 is preserved, by preventing the water from los- 

 ing itself in the sandy under-soil. 



Here are reared with success the plants of the 

 polar regions, and those which grow on moun- 

 tains in the vicinity of the snow. They are 

 almost all of low stature, and arc covered in the 



