279. The provincial nurseries of France are not numerous; the largest is that of Messrs. Baumann, freres, at Bollwyller, on the Rhine, who deal extensively in fruit and forest trees, and have a catalogue of them in French, German, and Italian. The nursery of Audibert, at Tonelle, near Tarascon, in Languedoc, is also extensive, and is noted for fruit trees, especially figs and vines. M. Audibert, being a scientific botanist, has published a very accurate catalogue, with authorities for all the names and references to published figures of most of the fruits. The nursery of M. Gabriel Simon, at Metz, is extensive; and when we saw it, in 1829, he had commenced an arboretum. That of M. Leroy, at Angers, is very extensive. The principal of the fruit and forest tree nurseries of Orleans is that of Dauvesses. The principal nursery at Bordeaux is that of M. Catros. Hodell's nursery, at Strasburg, is one of the best in the north of France; it contains a general collection, and is rich in New Holland and Cape plants, American trees and shrubs, and the varieties of Switzerland. M. Hodell, jun., has been some time in England, is a scientific botanist, and possesses an herbarium of the plants of all countries, classically arranged. The nursery of Mesdames Bruzot at Orleans is an ancient and extensive establishment, which has long dealt extensively in timber and fruit trees. The timber tree most extensively cultivated in all the Orleans nurseries is the common birch; and next, the Italian and Carolina poplars. M. Jaques (Annales de la Soc. d 'Hort. de Paris, tom. ix. p. 302.) saw in this nursery, in 1831, a cut-leaved common oak, and a cut-leaved lime; also Spartium multiflorum and radiatum, grafted standard high on the common laburnum; Pinus Cembra, grafted on Pinus sylvestris in the herbaceous manner: this last species of grafting is generally practised at this and most of the Orleans nurseries. The nursery of M. Dauvesses contains the best collection of roses at Orleans, and a great many American shrubs. The compartments in this nursery are sheltered by hurdles on which are trained fruit trees.
