Chapter VI: Preface (5)

Left Paris at seven o'clock in the evening for Rouen, where I arrived on the morning of the 10th, about ten o'clock. I immediately proceeded to the nursery garden of Mr. Calvert, where I found an extensive range of hothouses rapidly falling into a state of dilapidation for want of paint and other repairs. The nursery ground was also principally in a waste state, except a part in which dahlias were cultivated, and which were certainly very fine, containing both the French and English collections. Mr. Calvert's son informed me that his father was then clearing the ground of the stock with the intention of removing it to England, where he intended commencing the nursery business.

I was also informed that the Rouen Botanic Garden was contemplated to be formed on the site of this nursery, which is unquestionably a fine situation for it.

I then visited the nursery of M. Vallet, which contains a large quantity of very fine orange trees, that he was very anxious to dispose of at £10 per tree. There is likewise a good collection of greenhouse plants and hardy shrubs, as well as standard roses; the latter M. Vallet frequently brings to England to be disposed of in the London markets.

I next proceeded to the Botanic Garden, which appeared to contain about an English acre of ground, with two or three old hothouses for plants, with but a limited stock in them. There appeared to be a pretty good collection of hardy perennials and annuals, but few shrubs, or ornamental trees.

I then made the best of my way to M. Prevost's nursery, which is undoubtedly the most extensive and contains the best collection of plants about Rouen. The quantity of standard roses cultivated in this nursery is immense; a priced catalogue of them has been lately printed, the prices specified in it are very moderate. The blood peach was here with plenty of fruit on it, but it evidently will not get soft or fit for use in the open air. I also observed several other ornamental trees in this establishment; it was likewise well stocked with a large assortment of fruit trees.

The scenery about Rouen is very beautiful and picturesque, and is varied by some large white chalk hills: the river, with numerous small vessels, tends greatly to enliven the scene.

Oct. 11th. Went to see the ancient cathedral, said to have been commenced by William the Conqueror. I was much pleased with its fine Gothic appearance, as well as with the paintings, stained glass, and other ornaments. There is another church in this town, called St. Ouen, deserving of the stranger's notice, which appeared to me but little inferior to the cathedral. The _Palais de Justice_ is also a curious old building.

Left Rouen at eleven o'clock for Dieppe, where we arrived at five in the evening, passing through a fine varied country, richly clothed with fruit trees and agricultural produce, which appeared to be in a very flourishing state.

Oct. 12th. Being confined all this day at Dieppe by contrary winds I made an excursion round the vicinity of the town, which is very picturesque and considerably varied, I also visited the nursery garden of M. Racine, which contained a very fine collection of dahlias, standard roses, a fine assortment of pears, and other hardy plants; and a small greenhouse, in which a few good _Cacteæ_, and other showy plants, were cultivated and in good order.

The cathedral in Dieppe is an ancient building, and worth the notice of the stranger.

Oct. 13th. Left Dieppe at two o'clock in the morning for Brighton, when we experienced a pretty tossing for the space of twenty-five hours, in consequence of contrary winds. The passage is generally performed in ten or eleven hours when the weather is favourable.

Oct. 14th. We arrived about three o'clock this morning at Shoreham, a small port, about three miles from Brighton: as soon as day dawned I made an excursion through the town, and got my luggage ready by ten o'clock, when I started for London, where I arrived at five in the afternoon.

Upon the whole, in regard to the general state of Horticulture in the countries which I visited, the following conclusion must be drawn: The plants in the hothouses are in most of the establishments kept in excellent order and in a healthy state; the _Succulentæ_ also appeared to be much more extensively cultivated than they have hitherto been in England; But the general order and neatness of the grounds (with only a very few exceptions) were but little attended to. Nor did they appear to me to well understand the forcing of fruits, except in one or two places in France; neither did I perceive that nicety in the training of fruit trees that is thought indispensable in this country. Vegetables are, however, in large establishments, more extensively grown; but there certainly did not appear to be such a general spirit for horticultural improvement as is now prevailing in this country. At no period was gardening and the collecting of plants ever pursued with greater spirit in England than at this moment; insomuch, that we can scarcely visit a nobleman or gentleman's gardens without observing very extensive improvements and alterations proceeding in every direction. And this we cannot but regard as an indication of application and attachment to rural improvements highly honourable to our nobility and gentry, as superseding many of those pursuits that used to prevail to a great extent with gentlemen residing in the country, which had but little tendency to the improvement of their grounds or estates.