222 



REPORT ON THE 



tunity of seeing the Society's garden ; and he most kindly 

 afforded us every information he possibly could. 



We next called at the Establishment of 31. Soucket, Ver- 

 sailles. It occupies exactly an acre ; and this is nearly covered 

 with glass, chiefly for the cultivation of Camellias. In grow- 

 ing these the different kinds are arranged together, and the 

 whole establishment is conducted with great attention to order. 

 About 1000 large bell-glasses are employed for the purpose of 

 propagation. 



Royal Gardens at Meudon. — We proceeded, March 9th, to 

 Meudon, chiefly for the purpose of seeing the Pine-apple cul- 

 ture, in which M. Gabriel Pelvilain surpasses all competitors of 

 the present day ; and, judging from the vigorous and healthy 

 appearance of the plants, they certainly bid fair to maintain the 

 celebrity which he has already acquired. We saw at various 

 establishments very healthy plants ; but none equalled in luxu- 

 riance those at Meudon. We obtained the following details 

 respecting the mode of culture : — 



The suckers are potted in four-inch pots in August or Sep- 

 tember, the earliest period after the fruit is cut being preferred, 

 and in these four-inch pots they remain till spring. 



In March or April following a bed is prepared, half dung and 

 half leaves, and covered with ten inches of peat soil, and into 

 this the rooted suckers, turned out of the four-inch pots, are all 

 planted for the summer. 



In October the plants are carefully taken up with a little soil 

 at their roots, which are not at all cut, and potted into seven- 

 inch pots, in which they remain during the winter. 



In the following spring, about March, when the plants show 

 fruit, a number of the strongest are selected for the purpose of 

 being turned out of the seven-inch pots, and finally planted, 

 free, in a bed of peat soil, in houses, where they remain to ripen 

 their fruit in the course of the season. 



The remainder, not so planted out, are fruited without being 

 shifted out of the seven-inch pots. Beds of half dung and half 

 leaves are prepared about March, and when the heat has been 

 properly regulated the plants are plunged, and there in the 

 seven-inch pots they are fruited. 



It thus appears that the plants are always in pots in winter. 

 The suckers are in small pots the first ivinter. The plants are 

 turned out into peat soil, free, during the first summer. All 

 are repotted into seven-inch pots, and so kept during the second 

 winter. In the second summer the strongest are planted out of 

 the pots into peat soil for fruiting, and the remainder are 



