Vegetables are extensively cultivated in the gardens, and a good collection of the hardy fruits, which were all gathered by this time, consequently I had not the pleasure of seeing the quality or produce from the different trees.
On my return to Paris I visited the Luxemburg Gardens, which contain some fine old orange trees and Nerium oleanders, arranged on the side of the walks; the grass-plats are surrounded by flowerbeds and various avenues of horse chesnuts, ornamented by sculpture, which lead in different directions, forming a pleasant promenade.
Oct. 8th. This morning I proceeded to M. Boursalt's, who was then residing out of town; his collection of plants was formerly very celebrated, but he has lately disposed of the greater part of them, and an extensive range of plant houses: there being now only two small flower houses left, which contained some fine specimens of Camellias, and some beautiful marble statues. The Noisette and Chinese roses were in great beauty, as well as some fine Magnolias. This spot of ground, although apparently not above two acres in extent, is prettily varied with rock-work, water, and artificial banks.
From hence I visited the Burying-ground at Montmartre, which is thickly planted with trees and shrubs. I then proceeded to the Louvre, where I was much gratified by the magnificence of the gallery of paintings, as well as the incomparable marbles.
I next visited the cemetry of Père la Chaise, which is an extensive piece of ground, with numerous walks leading through it, and the different tombs enclosed by the upright cyprus, thujas, and other shrubs. On my arrival a funeral service was performing in a small chapel, situated about the centre of the ground, and which was then lit up by candles. After taking a cursory view of this cemetry I made the best of my way to Montreuil, to see the celebrated peach-tree gardens; on my approach to it, I was surprised at the extent of white walls in this part of the country, which were all chiefly covered with peach trees and grape vines. After ascertaining that the most celebrated garden at Montreuil belonged to the Préfet, and was situated at the top of the hill, I made the best of my way to this spot; I found the owner a good practical gardener. He took great pains in pointing out to me his method of pruning and training his peach trees: the English gardener, however, has nothing to learn in France in the management of the peach tree; in fact, we can hardly enter into a garden in England that we cannot find trees more tastefully trained, and fully as well furnished from the bottom of the wall to the extremity of the tree, as any that I met with in the neighbourhood of Paris. The peaches on the walls in this country are much larger than any in France or Belgium, although the soil and climate in these countries are more congenial to the growth of this tree, and maturity of its fruit, than our more northern atmosphere.
The roots of the peach tree and vines were all covered this season with half rotten dung, for the space of from three to four feet from the wall, which kept the roots in a moist state; the walls generally averaged from eight to nine feet in height, and were well sheltered by the number of cross walls that were in the different gardens. I visited one or two other gardens in the vicinity of the Préfet's, but they appeared very similar to the one already described.
On my return from Montreuil I made a cursory visit to two small nurseries, which attracted my attention by the quantity of large orange trees exhibited for sale, and were to be sold at a very trifling sum in comparison to what they cost in England.
I also made a hasty visit through Messrs. Vilmorin and Andreux' seed ground, where there was a large stock of annuals growing for seed, and a good collection of hardy perennial plants.
Oct. 9th. Started for the Vitry nurseries, which are about six miles from Paris; the extent of nursery ground under fruit-tree cultivation in this part of the country extends nearly five miles in length, and the number of nurseries amount to about two hundred. The Paris markets are principally supplied from this part of the country. M. Chatenay is considered the most extensive grower in that line, and has certainly a fine collection of peach trees and other hardy fruits, which were in a very healthy moveable condition, as also numerous fine standard rose trees, these being out of flower I was unable to judge of their merits. The prices of the fruit trees were very little less than in the London nurseries for similar sized trees. I observed but little new in ornamental trees or shrubs, these nurseries being chiefly devoted to the culture of fruit trees, the soil being peculiarly adapted thereto, being a rich reddish loam, yet it was in some cases undergoing a strong manure and fallow. A portion of what was previously occupied by nursery stock was under the plough. M. Chatenay informed me that they found great difficulty in procuring a suitable soil for their different fruit trees. I did not observe any hothouses about Vitry for tender plants. The nursery grounds extend as far as Choisey, over a large tract of beautiful ground. I saw large crops of grapes which were used in making the wine, which is produced in considerable quantities at Vitry.
On my return from these nurseries I proceeded to the nursery establishment of M. Cels, which contains a fine collection of stove and greenhouse plants, as well as many rare and hardy species; in short the collection here is more choice than extensive, and the plants were very well grown. There are several hothouses and low pits well stocked with good plants, and a range of new houses then building. This nursery is considered to contain the best collection of plants about Paris; the extent of ground is but limited, and not very well kept.