Étienne Soulange-Bodin
Encyclopedia
Étienne Soulange-Bodin was the French agronomist
and army officer who is commemorated by his hybrid magnolia
, Magnolia × soulangeana
. Though he is otherwise scarcely remembered today, he played a major role in the organization of professional horticulture
in France, 1815–1845.
Born at Tours
(Indre-et-Loire
) he followed a course in medicine and grounded himself in the still closely related field of botany
. In 1796 he served for a year as secretary to the French embassy to Constantinople, and then fulfilled several administrative functions upon his return to France. In 1807 he was nominated Intendant in the cabinet of advisors to prince Eugène de Beauharnais
, viceroy of Italy, whom he followed in his diplomatic campaigns. Napoleon conferred upon him the cross of the Légion d'honneur
and that of the Iron Cross.
Retiring to France in 1814 with the first exile of Napoleon, his Beauharnais service recommended him especially for superintendence of the gardens at Empress Josephine's Malmaison
. He purchased the château de Fromont
with 70 hectares at Ris-Orangis
(Essonne
), where he laid out what was virtually a botanical garden
, which gained him the breadth of horticultural experience that informed his publications. He planted an arboretum
of exotic trees and amassed a collection of broom
s, then little employed in horticulture, and assembled every new vegetable
he could find, raising the quality of the gardens to the highest level set by the English at Kew. founded an Institut horticole, which Charles X declared royal on the occasion of a state visit in 1829; it dissolved with the Revolution of 1830
, but Soulange-Bodin remained a member, and then perpetual secretary of the Société royale d'agriculture. He was a founder of the Société d'horticulture de Paris, and organised the first of the floral expositions at the Louvre
(1832).
He died at his château of Froment in 1846.
Among his publications are his Notice sur une nouvelle espèce de magnolia (Paris, 1826), which brought M. x soulangeana to wide attention, a Discours sur l'importance de l'horticulture (Paris, 1826), his annual catalogues of the plants at Froment, published from 1822, the editing of the Annales de l'institut royal horticole de Fromont (Paris, 1829-1834), a Catalogue des dahlia
s nains d'origine anglaise (Paris, 1831) and a Rapport sur le reboisement
des montagnes (Paris, 1842), recommending afforestation of high slopes too steep for effective agriculture.
Agronomist
An agronomist is a scientist who specializes in agronomy, which is the science of utilizing plants for food, fuel, feed, and fiber. An agronomist is an expert in agricultural and allied sciences, with the exception veterinary sciences.Agronomists deal with interactions between plants, soils, and...
and army officer who is commemorated by his hybrid magnolia
Magnolia
Magnolia is a large genus of about 210 flowering plant species in the subfamily Magnolioideae of the family Magnoliaceae. It is named after French botanist Pierre Magnol....
, Magnolia × soulangeana
Magnolia × soulangeana
Magnolia × soulangeana is a hybrid plant in the genus Magnolia and family Magnoliaceae. It is a deciduous tree with large, early-blooming flowers in various shades of white, pink, and purple...
. Though he is otherwise scarcely remembered today, he played a major role in the organization of professional horticulture
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
in France, 1815–1845.
Born at Tours
Tours
Tours is a city in central France, the capital of the Indre-et-Loire department.It is located on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines, the alleged perfection of its local spoken French, and for the...
(Indre-et-Loire
Indre-et-Loire
Indre-et-Loire is a department in west-central France named after the Indre and the Loire rivers.-History:Indre-et-Loire is one of the original 83 départements created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
) he followed a course in medicine and grounded himself in the still closely related field of botany
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
. In 1796 he served for a year as secretary to the French embassy to Constantinople, and then fulfilled several administrative functions upon his return to France. In 1807 he was nominated Intendant in the cabinet of advisors to prince Eugène de Beauharnais
Eugène de Beauharnais
Eugène Rose de Beauharnais, Prince Français, Prince of Venice, Viceroy of the Kingdom of Italy, Hereditary Grand Duke of Frankfurt, 1st Duke of Leuchtenberg and 1st Prince of Eichstätt ad personam was the first child and only son of Alexandre, Vicomte de Beauharnais and Joséphine Tascher de la...
, viceroy of Italy, whom he followed in his diplomatic campaigns. Napoleon conferred upon him the cross of the Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
and that of the Iron Cross.
Retiring to France in 1814 with the first exile of Napoleon, his Beauharnais service recommended him especially for superintendence of the gardens at Empress Josephine's Malmaison
Malmaison
Malmaison may be:* Château de Malmaison, Rueil-Malmaison, France* Greenwood LeFlore's home, Greenwood, Mississippi, USA* Malmaison, a UK hotel chain....
. He purchased the château de Fromont
Fromont
Fromont is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. Demonym: Fromontais.-External links:* * * *...
with 70 hectares at Ris-Orangis
Ris-Orangis
Ris-Orangis is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.Inhabitants of Ris-Orangis are known as Rissois.-History:...
(Essonne
Essonne
Essonne is a French department in the region of Île-de-France. It is named after the Essonne River.It was formed on 1 January 1968 when Seine-et-Oise was split into smaller departments.- History :...
), where he laid out what was virtually a botanical garden
Botanical garden
A botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
, which gained him the breadth of horticultural experience that informed his publications. He planted an arboretum
Arboretum
An arboretum in a narrow sense is a collection of trees only. Related collections include a fruticetum , and a viticetum, a collection of vines. More commonly, today, an arboretum is a botanical garden containing living collections of woody plants intended at least partly for scientific study...
of exotic trees and amassed a collection of broom
Broom (shrub)
Brooms are a group of evergreen, semi-evergreen, and deciduous shrubs in the subfamily Faboideae of the legume family Fabaceae, mainly in the three genera Chamaecytisus, Cytisus and Genista, but also in many other small genera . All genera in this group are from the tribe Genisteae...
s, then little employed in horticulture, and assembled every new vegetable
Vegetable
The noun vegetable usually means an edible plant or part of a plant other than a sweet fruit or seed. This typically means the leaf, stem, or root of a plant....
he could find, raising the quality of the gardens to the highest level set by the English at Kew. founded an Institut horticole, which Charles X declared royal on the occasion of a state visit in 1829; it dissolved with the Revolution of 1830
July Revolution
The French Revolution of 1830, also known as the July Revolution or in French, saw the overthrow of King Charles X of France, the French Bourbon monarch, and the ascent of his cousin Louis-Philippe, Duke of Orléans, who himself, after 18 precarious years on the throne, would in turn be overthrown...
, but Soulange-Bodin remained a member, and then perpetual secretary of the Société royale d'agriculture. He was a founder of the Société d'horticulture de Paris, and organised the first of the floral expositions at the Louvre
Louvre
The Musée du Louvre – in English, the Louvre Museum or simply the Louvre – is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a historic monument. A central landmark of Paris, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement...
(1832).
He died at his château of Froment in 1846.
Among his publications are his Notice sur une nouvelle espèce de magnolia (Paris, 1826), which brought M. x soulangeana to wide attention, a Discours sur l'importance de l'horticulture (Paris, 1826), his annual catalogues of the plants at Froment, published from 1822, the editing of the Annales de l'institut royal horticole de Fromont (Paris, 1829-1834), a Catalogue des dahlia
Dahlia
Dahlia is a genus of bushy, tuberous, perennial plants native to Mexico, Central America, and Colombia. There are at least 36 species of dahlia, some like D. imperialis up to 10 metres tall. Dahlia hybrids are commonly grown as garden plants...
s nains d'origine anglaise (Paris, 1831) and a Rapport sur le reboisement
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
des montagnes (Paris, 1842), recommending afforestation of high slopes too steep for effective agriculture.