364 ACCOUNT OF THE CITY OP HIERfcs, 



lived was covered over with nothing elfe than fuch 

 trees. They all ftood at the diftance of eight feet afun- 

 der ; fo that it was impoflible to rove about for plea- 

 fare in it, as there were no fpaces left for walks. Ac- 

 cordingly, I was never in it but once, and then only 

 for a couple of minutes. The gardens that lie farther 

 from town are upon a better plan ; being divided into 

 quarters, with proper walks between them. There the 

 orange-trees are planted juft as fruit-trees are with us, 

 in our orchards, and room is afforded likewife to other 

 trees, as apples, pears, almonds, figs, and cherries ; 

 but the country around is appropriated to the purpofe 

 of growing culinary vegetables. In all remoter places 

 the orange is but little cultivated, and the grounds are 

 chiefly laid out in greens for the kitchen and flowers. 

 Pleafure gardens, or little fpots deflined merely to 

 amufement and recreation, are not to be met with even 

 in the larger! poffeffions ; all are occupied and cul- 

 tivated folely in a view to profit. For pJeahng the 

 eye, one now and then, indeed, fees a pair of tall and 

 melancholy cypreffes in the entrance to an orchard ; 

 and, where the proprietor defigns to appear truly mag- 

 nificent, a couple of date trees. 



A confiderable trade is here carried on in oranges 

 and lemons. All are packed up in cafes and fent' 

 away from hence. The produce is very great. I was 

 ihewn an orchard, which I fhould reckon at nine, or 

 at the utmofi: ten acres, each of 1 80 fquare roods ; 

 from which are fold, in moderate years, lemons, and 

 oranges to the amount of 8000 to 9000 livres ; but in 

 years that may be termed abundant, the produce of it 

 has fetched 14,000 livres. And yet this fruit is fold 



at 



