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HORTICULTURE. 



Marcli 28, 1908 



SOME NEW THINGS IN AN OLD 



COUNTRY, OR ONE MONTH'S 



OBSERVATION BY LAND 



AND SEA. 



Read before the Philadelphia Florists' 



Club, March 3, 1908, by J. Otto 



Thllow. 



To give a recital of current events 

 and tlie routine of everyday life with 

 its spechil happenings in parts of Eu- 

 rope would be only a repetition of 

 what you often read or have known; 

 and that which is historic or prehis- 

 toric we can glean from the unending 

 list of novels and magazine sketches 

 contributed from time to time by those 

 who have visited Europe and have 

 studied the quaint and ever-interest- 

 ing points and general conditions, and 

 through their enthusiam, which is 

 usually incited after a first visit, some 

 very interesting descriptions are given. 

 These might be termed pilots for those 

 who contemplate a trip abroad, and a 

 fair guide to points of interest. 



The average American maps out the 

 territory he wishes to cover, and in 

 this particular his judgment is rarely 

 commensurate with his desires, and 

 upon his return he can. always find one 

 who has been over the same ground 

 who can tell of entirely different 

 scenes and incidents which have been 

 overlooked. It all depends upon with 

 what enthusiasm and zeal one starts 

 out on a sight-seeing trip for enjoy- 

 ment, recreation and knowledge. We 

 are assured of one fact, however, that 

 traveling broadens the mind, ripens 

 experience and adds to life's category 

 interesting events, and we thereby 

 learn in part how the other half of the 

 world is living. 



It is true that even the ordinary con- 

 ditions as they confront the average 

 American when traveling in Europe 

 are to him new; in particular the an- 

 cient landmarks and objects of in- 

 terest, and every wonder of which 

 history, ancient and modern, is elabo- 

 rate in its description. Customs, con- 

 ditions and the general routine of 

 everyday lite in Europe, so vastly dif- 

 ferent to American methods, make a 

 lasting impression. 



Horticulture Abroad. 



To the horticulturist there is much 

 of Interest, especially so when it ap- 

 pears that the conditions seem to 

 be so favorable for the development 

 of plants, some of which we try to 

 bring under subjection to our varying 

 conditions, to which they unwillingly 

 yield. The methods of cultivation fol- 

 lowed in the production of plants are 

 the same methods which have been 

 applied for many years, or even de- 

 cades, with but few variations. We 

 have either not yet learned how to do 

 it, or the system coupled with the con- 

 ditions will remain where it is. This 

 much, however, can be said of our 

 European brother horticulturist: his 

 training is much more thorough, his 

 early association with plant life, which 

 in some degree is tutored in his home, 

 stirs a more intense love for the art 

 and an untiring interest for the voca- 

 tion. Men and women in the homes of 

 city and country regard the most hum- 

 ble domicile incomplete for themselves 

 and families without plants, flowers or 

 shrubbery under their ' own personal 

 care. This inborn love for the adorn- 

 ment of the home has been handed 



down to posterity, so that it has be- 

 come a part of the nature of children 

 to busy themselves with the care of 

 plants. A much greater impetus to 

 the advancement of horticulture is 

 given by the personal interest of the 

 nobility and the people of means in 

 that they are surrounded with the best 

 taste in the horticultural art, and 

 perpetuate the estates of their an- 

 cestors with even more elaborate out- 

 lay and show, aud do much by per- 

 sonal contribution to perpetuate the in- 

 terest among those who are engaged 

 in the pursuit of horticulture as a 

 business. 



It was my good fortune to have the 

 privilege of making an interesting 

 journey across the ocean with one who 

 knew just how to "do" Europe, and we 

 did it as best we could in the short 

 space of tour weeks. Therefore, there is 

 much of interest yet to be told from 

 a more extended tour than could be 

 gleaned from so short a stay in the 

 places of interest as this sketch will 

 afford. Having had the honor of be- 

 ing the traveling companioti of Mr. 

 Jacob D. Eisele, who is not only known 

 to the most of our trade fellows here, 

 but also to the horticultural craft of 

 Europe, our reception was with a pomp 

 and courtesy in which I undeservedly 

 participated, and which permitted me 

 to penetrate some of the so-called 

 Meccas of Horticulture. Just what we 

 saw and did would be so little in- 

 terest to you, yet to tell how we did 

 some things might be wholesome to all 

 interested. 



Ocean Comforts. 



The newest thing belonging to au 

 old country was the magnificent ocean 

 palace, the "Kronpriuzessin Cecile," 

 the North German Lloyd's crowning 

 effort of ocean comfort. This ship we 

 boarded September 17, leaving Hoboken 

 at 11 o'clock that day for what we 

 hoped to be a delightful trip across 

 the Atlantic. At no time during this 

 short journey of six days was there a 

 moment unprofitably spent, and having 

 become accustomed for many years to 

 a simple mode of living, so far as food 

 was concerned, it was quite natural 

 for the digestive organs to resent such 

 great surprises as one is enticed to 

 indulge in, especially when you musi 

 pass in the attitude of a cake walk 

 before seated observers on deck. 

 Everything of an entertaining nature 

 is afforded a tourist to employ the 

 time, not excepting the comforts of the 

 extensive and cozy smoking room. 



On Monday, September 23, at 10 

 A. M., we were unloaded on the tender 

 at Plymouth, England, remaining long 

 enough to have our cigars inspected 

 and reduced, then entered the train on 

 the London and Southwestern Railway 

 for London, passing through Devon, 

 Somerset, Surrey and Middlesex, then 

 reaching the world-famous, and Eng- 

 land's historic city, London, where the 

 concourse of the masses through the 

 ages have learned by discipline and 

 practice to pass and repass on foot or 

 by vehicle without friction. 

 In London. 



As much as a part afternoon and 

 evening would afford was profitably 

 Indulged in; an evening ride on a 

 bus seated near the front, and close 

 to the driver, who, for a slight recog- 

 nition, was willing to point out and 

 call out the noted places, and if the 



trip did not include some of the dis- 

 tant places of interest, they were num- 

 bered among those of the passing 

 thoroughfare. After retiring and a few 

 hours of sleep it was quite in place 

 for a stranger to be aroused to wit- 

 ness a London fire in the neighborhood 

 of the hotel. A few moments watch- 

 ing and anxiety as to our safety as- 

 sured us that the firemen were bet- 

 ter able to cope with the conditions, 

 and the hazard seemed to be lessening, 

 so we were constrained to retire again 

 for the balance of sleep due us. 



Fortune seemed to lurk about us, 

 and for the full enjoyment of the fol- 

 lowing day we had the best of weather, 

 and at no time during our stay in this 

 great city did we encounter the well- 

 known and dreaded fog. A trip to 

 the outskirts and among some of the 

 well known horticultural establish- 

 ments filled the two days with pleas- 

 ant experience, and very pleasant re- 

 collections; enjoying while riding 

 through the country the homes of the 

 cottagers and their surroundings; 

 many litle homes in bowers of vines 

 and bloom, and every inch of the en- 

 closure rich in bright flora. 



Kew and Covent Garden. 

 Having already determined upon a 

 visit to the pride of England's horti- 

 cultural school — Kew Garden, our de- 

 sire was intensified by what had al- 

 ready been enjoyed. Starting from 

 Charing Cross Sub, we were soon at 

 Kew Gardens, which well deserves the 

 name of a perfect Eden in good order. 

 The botanical department is of more 

 than ordinary interest in that it is 

 attractive and under a splendid sys- 

 tem and care. Many beds were 

 planted with such stock as we could 

 never venture a trial, and were there 

 in full glory. The roses and dahlias 

 were clothed with a wealth of bloom, 

 and a promise of more. The arrange- 

 ments for studying trees and shrubs; 

 in fact, all plants, were minutely con- 

 fined to proper labeling, which even 

 to the novice is an incentive that there 

 is need of system and classification In 

 horticulture. 



Many other places of great and noted 

 interest were to be seen, but our stay 

 permitted only a few; viz.: the noted 

 St. Paul's and Westminster Abbey. An 

 early start was made the next morn- 

 ing for the renowned Covent Garden 

 to watch and study the trend of com- 

 merce in plants and flowers. Much is 

 done in a very short time and at an 

 early hour. At this time, September 

 2G, cut chrysanthemums are in abund- 

 ance, with the almost glut of roses 

 cut from field-grown plants, and hardy 

 asters (Michaelmas Daisies) in masses 

 of color. The fruit and vegetable mar- 

 kets were equally active, and afforded 

 much interest. We returned to the 

 hotel in time for breakfast, and then 

 to train for Dover, embarking there 

 on a modern turbine steamer for Os- 

 tc-nd, Belgium. Conditions were cer- 

 tainly of the best — lunch uninterrupted, 

 and the balance of time on decit. 

 In Belgium. 

 Ostend (Belgium's Atlantic City, or 

 Newportl was reached in early after- 

 noon, and after the customs depart- 

 ment oflicers had made their usual ex- 

 aminations, we were under way for 

 Ghent, arriving there in good time 

 to see part of this historic city — among 

 quaint conditions and interesting peo- 



