The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1857-08-13
The Boise de BouIOgncJ and its
.WaterwOrks.


One of the triumphs of modern landscape
gardening is the Bois de Bologne, in the out
skirts of Paris, on which for fhe last five wears
all immense amount Of skill and labor has been
! expended, with view of making it the most
splendid pleasure ground in the world. The
extensive scale on which the improvements
have been conducted, as we'll as the taste and
ingenuity which converted an ordinary piece
of park land into a sort of terrestrial paradise,
combining almost every beautiful or striking
feature in nature, are characteristic of the
French people, and the result, consi sidering
some of the obstacles which had to be over
come, is so surprising that we are induced to
offer brief sketch Of the present condition
of the Park, from which our readers may per-
haps derive some hints for the improvement of
our own long promised, but not yet realized,
Central Park.
1t forms part of the old forest of Rouvray,
the hunting ground Of the Merovingian kings,
and the resort Of many later monarchs, and
was first enclosed by Francis /. 1t remained
a part of the national domain antil the revo-
luton of 1880, when it was attached to the
civil list of the citizen king, but it was restor-
ed to the State by the republic in 1913. In
1852 it was transferred to the city of Paris,
by whom total Transformation in its appear
ance was at once commenced. OF all the grand
avenues which once traversed it, but two
Longchamp's and the Alice de la Refine Mar
uua IN, ha oil
roads have disappeared entirely, and in their
place have appeared net work of new ones,
winding at caprice amidst beautiful and ever
aiying scenery, which seems to have sprung
up like magic under the hands Of the landscape
gardeners.
An idea of the number of these roads may
be obtained, when we state that person can
travel for It's miles on them without going
over the same ground twice. They are from
II to 2i0 feet in width, and in almost every
Instance side-path, for the accommodation Of
foot passengers, follows them. The happy dis
position Of the trees, rocks, flower beds, grot-
tos, and other ornamented works along these
paths, give charm to the landscape; but one
additional and important accessory was found
to be wanting, and that was water.
The dry and sandy soil gave no hopes of pro-
curing supply by sinking wells, and although
the park might seem sufficiently attrae tive
without the introduction of water, it was de-
termined to have it at any cost. The hill Chal-
liot was accordingly made into sort of reser-
voir, to which were conducted the waters of
the Seine, pumped up by powerful engine,
stationed on the Quai de la Conference. From
this eminence they burst forth with all the
force of an artesian well, into two series Of
cascades, whence they pass into long, deep
verge into number of rivulets, flowing among
the trees, between green and mossy banks
The skill with which these rocks have been
a ranged around the cascades, almost rival na-
ture, and the spectator, within a few minutes
walk of the gates Of Paris, might almost imag-
inc himself in the depths of some primeval for
est, from the dense, confused, and savage veg
citation which meets his eye. Looking in an
other direction the smooth exPanse of the lake,
with green fringed banks and glimpses of
charming landscapes beyond, offers contrast
of scenery which ii is dificslt TO imagine, is
the result IF human industry.
After leaving the FIRST lake, the water flows
through subterranean passages, and issuing
in misty cloud amidst mass Of rocks, pass
es away in a river, on which are islands COW
cred with wild and luxuriant vegetation
A feet Of little pie asure boats navigate these
waters, whose transparent appearance is due
to the experience of Mr.. Cost, the distinguish
ed propagator of FISH by artificial process, who
has placed fifty thousand salmon and trout in
them. The water. leaving the second lake
leaps over another ledge Of rocks, and travers-
es portion Of the old forest of the Bois de
Boulogne, which fortunately escaped the axes
Of the Prussians in 1915. Here the natural
solitude of the place has been increased by
planting groops OF gloomy trees, and by dispo-
sing. in the middle Of the stream, huge and
ragged masses Of rock In confused heaps
Some Of these rocks, brought from the forest
of Fontainbleau, are % feet in height. A vista
opening through the rocks affords another
wonderful combination Of rugged and cultiya.
ted scenery.
The other details Of the park, such as the
plantation Of rare and curious trees from all
parts of the world, the paddocks Of deer and
other graminivorous animals, the admirably
arranged garden plats and well made roads,
are of kind not unfamiliar 70 those CONVEX
SAINT with the subject Of landscape gardening.
But the introduction Of the waters Of the Seine
from considerable distance, and under great
disadvantages, in such abundance and with
such accessories as we have described, is one
OF the wonders Of modern engineering. The
facility with which the Croton water could
be made to subserye the same purposes in the
Central Park will at once strike the reader,
and when this undertaking is really commence
ed, we hope we may have our cascades, rivers
and lakes also.-N. Y. Evening Post.
Buchanan and Webster.
Soon after the great expounder had dis
charged one of his heavy guns in the United
States Senste, gentleman was extoling him