GLADIOLUS GROUNDS OF M. SOUCHET. 253 



one of those wilds where huge rocks and indigenous trees 

 are scattered in about equal profusion,, the visitor will 

 hardly ask himself why Rosa Bonheur resides in the neigh- 

 bourhood. 



But the most beautiful of those glorious wilds in the 

 forest does not present a greater charm to the landscape 

 artist or the lover of the picturesque than M. Souchet^s 

 collection of Gladioli affords to the horticulturist. It 

 is by far the finest collection in the world, and a remark- 

 able example of high cultivation. M. Souchet is the Em- 

 peror's gardener, and has been so for many years. He has 

 been cultivating the Gladiolus for more than thirty years ; 

 and it was cultivated also here by his father. This is the 

 most noble of our autumnal flower garden ornaments, and 

 one comparatively neglected by us. There is no flowering 

 plant so well calculated to improve the aspect of the 

 autumnal garden, of no matter what style. M. Souchet 

 grows it in fields, surrounded by white stone walls. His 

 ground was for the most part formerly occupied by market 

 garden cultivators, and these usually surround their 

 gardens by such walls. He altogether occupies, with the 

 culture of his favourite, from eight to nine hectares of land, 

 or say about twenty acres English. 



The first thing noticeable in this ground is that about 

 half of the land is unoccupied for the current year. That 

 bare portion is ploughed^ and manured, and cultivated 

 throughout the summer as well as in winter, and thus he 

 has fresh land in capital condition for his bulbs every year. 

 Besides, the fact that the ground is bare for a year helps to 

 counteract to some extent the particularly vicious insect 

 enemies with which he has to contend, as, having no food on 

 the ground for the summer, they are not attracted ; and when 

 the ground is rolled between the ploughing and manuring 

 the tracks of the courteliere are easily seen, and it may be 

 readily destroyed. This idle ground is thoroughly tilled, 

 ploughed^ or in some way disturbed six or seven times 

 during the season, and he would like to do it a dozen 

 times if time or labour would permit. The ground planted 

 this year will of course be empty next_, and so on. Over 



