Having called on the Baron de Meyendorff, the Russian ambassador at Stuttgard, his excellency accompanied me to a small nursery garden, which contained some good specimens of plants of the more hardy sorts of the New Holland and Cape species, but little of novelty amongst them. From hence we proceeded to the chateau of General Spizenberg, which has been lately erected on the side of a hill, commanding a most delightful and extensive prospect of Stuttgard and its varied scenery. I was much gratified to find that the old warrior, after undergoing the fatigues of many campaigns, was now devoting his leisure hours to the pursuit of botany and horticulture. Baron Meyendorff informed me that the general acts entirely as his own gardener, and he has certainly succeeded in forming a very choice collection of plants, consisting of hardy shrub, perennials, and exotics. There are grown in this small spot, sixty sorts of _Camellias_, a good variety of _Ericas_, and numerous other Cape plants, with some very curious _Cacteæ_. In a little stove, divided in two divisions, I observed also a few pine apples, but of a very inferior size, and not worth the trouble even of eating, let alone rearing. The other description of plants looked healthy, the peach-trees against the low wall were very well managed and neatly trained. The vines were also judiciously trained to a wooden trellising against the wall. On the whole it is an interesting collection, and well worth the stranger's notice. On my return I proceeded in the afternoon to Rosenstein palace, which is about two English miles from Stuttgard; but his excellency having the kindness to send his carriage, and being again accompanied by M. Hertz, we soon arrived there, and again met with M. Bosch.
This palace is a magnificent building, placed on a fine situation, commanding beautiful views of the Swabian Alps, also of Carstadt, where there are found buildings of the Romans, and large pieces of fossils, particularly of the mammoth. The Necker also forms a fine feature from this palace.
The grounds are very extensive, and the drives and walks well kept; the ground is now formed into beautiful sloping turf, which I understood was formerly in a very unlevel and rough state. It is beautifully diversified with various fine drives, which I could not but admire, being destitute of the fantastic twists, that are so often thrown in without the the least meaning.