FRUIT AND KITCHEN GARDENS NEAR PARIS. 



235 



Thomery, projecting copings are considered of great import- 

 ance: in England they would doubtless prove equally beneficial. 

 Under glass, projecting like a coping, it has been proved that 

 grapes ripen, colour, and retain their bloom, much better than 

 they otherwise do on the open wall. 



M. Souchet having ascertained that there was an intelligent 

 proprietaire cultivateur, M. Larpenteur, from Thomery, in Fon- 

 tainebleau, he intimated our object to him. M. Larpenteur 

 accordingly undertook, very obligingly, to conduct us by the 

 nearest route through the forest to Thomery. 



On reaching the outskirts of the forest we found ourselves 

 considerably elevated above the Seine, and had then a good view 

 of the village of Thomery, stretching along the side of the river 

 and the base of the slope ; and of 600 acres of walled enclosures 

 for the cultivation of the vine. Such an assemblage of walls is 

 perhaps nowhere to be seen, if we except Montreuil. It appeared 

 as if the walling-in system was proceeding upwards to the pre- 

 cincts of the forest. Plantations of vines, in the open vineyard 

 mode of culture, were seen verging close upon it, almost in 

 proximity with the common heath, which grows abundantly in 

 the forest. 



From this locality Paris is largely supplied with grapes. We 

 were informed by M. Larpenteur that the quantity forwarded to 

 Paris, by barges down the Seine, from Thomery is not less than 

 30,000 lbs. daily, during the grape season ; and the quality of 

 the Thomery grapes is well known to be excellent for the table. 

 This it may be readily supposed is owing to the steep slope on 

 which the vines are planted. " Bacchus amat colles " is a 

 quotation frequently introduced by writers on the vine ; and the 

 south sides of hills are recommended. But what is remarkable 

 in the case of the Thomery vines, they are not grown on the 

 south side of the declivity, nor does it face the east or west : 

 the ground actually slopes to the north and north-east. I in- 

 quired the reason why the acclivity, equally steep in appearance 

 on the opposite side of the Seine, and facing the south, had not 

 been preferred ? The answer was, it was found to be too hot 

 and dry. Probably, the circumstance of the ground sloping as it 

 does first induced the inhabitants to commence building walls, in 

 order to counteract the effects of their northern exposure. At 

 all events, we were informed that the walls were first built with 

 the view of affording the vines an aspect directly south ; but 

 this was found too hot. They then tried the south-east, which 

 proved the best point, as regarded the perfection of the fruit. 

 But now, in order to suit the market, or, in other words, their 

 own interest, the cultivators wish to have the walls still farther 

 to the east, or even to face due east. They say there are now so 

 many grapes brought early in the sea>on to Paris from the south 



