April 11, 1908 



HORTICULTURE 



481 



SOME NEW THINGS IN AN OLD 



COUNTRY, OR ONE MONTH'S 



OBSERVATION BY LAND 



AND SEA. 



Read before tUe Philadelphia Florists' 



Club, March 3, 1908, by J. Otto 



Thilow. 



(Cotitinufd /rem page 411) 



We arrived at Bineen in the evening 

 In good time for dinner, and thereafter 

 took a trip through the town follow- 

 ing its circuitous streets and winding 

 courts. Early next morning we 

 crossed the Rhine to Rudeshelm, 

 mounting the steep hills by cog roads, 

 through the vineyards to the Nleder- 

 wald, where a few hours sojourn and 

 a walk through the woods, and then a 

 study of the monster Denkmal, Ger- 

 many's Victor Pride, satisfied us that 

 the points of interest had been cov- 

 ered. As water was scarce, and we 

 were not sure of its analysis, it wab 

 quite in keeping to indulge in a light 

 lunch and pay homage to this historic 

 spot by imbibing its famous pro- 

 duct — Rudesheimer clear and refresu- 

 ing. Another glimpse from the edge 

 of the precipice and wall, the base sup- 

 port of this great monument, down the 

 Rhine, with a panoramic view of this 

 winding stream hemmed in by the an- 

 cient vineyards on its sides, gave us a 

 deep and lasting Impression of what 

 Germany has cause to be proud of — 

 "The German Rhine." 



Frankfort. 

 We parted from this scene by noon 

 on October 1st, leaving Bingen for 

 Frankfurt Germany. Two hours walk 

 through the business streets of this 

 city was pleasast, and quite con- 

 vincing that it was an active, business 

 city, and up-to-date. The evening was 

 spent at the Palmen Garten, enjoying 

 an occasional visit to the vast glass 

 structure covering some monster 

 palms, and a beautiful garden. The 

 rest of the evening was one of de- 

 lightful music listened to by a large 

 audience of Frankfurt's music-loving 

 people. Early the next morning we 

 returned to this beautiful garden, and 

 took a critical look at everything of 

 horticultural interest. For precision, 

 order and cleanliness the Palmen Gar- 

 ten is equal to the best. The glass 

 houses are well stocked with interest- 

 ing plants and a wealth of flowersi 

 The grounds are beautifully laid out, 

 and well broken up by groups of trees, 

 shrubs and beds, which are kept in 

 perfect condition through the growing 

 season. The admission is one mark, 

 and it is well worth this pittance for 

 so instructive a lesson to a stranger, 

 and so much enjoyment to one '.vho 

 can appreciate the vigilance it requires 

 to maintain it in good condition. 

 Erfurt. 

 We left Frankfurt October 2, arriv- 

 ing in Erfurt that evening after pass- 

 ing through some very interesting 

 country, which showed that agriculture 

 was carried on in the modern way, 

 close cultivation in intense form. The 

 long strips running toward the hills 

 from which the crops had just been 

 cleared, looked as though the soil had 

 been run through a sieve; no weeds in 

 evidence, all the available land was 

 ready For its cover crop. 



When reaching Bebra, a junction, 

 the road takes an angle course over 

 high elevations, directly east, which 

 afforded opportunity to get a long view 



of the Thuringlan Forest In the dis- 

 tance to the eastward. Many villages 

 and towns lay along the valley between 

 the railroad and the ranges of hills. 

 Nearing now the Saxon country gave 

 me a slight inspiration, it being the 

 land of my father's pride, and which 

 1 had for the first time the pleasure to 

 look upon. The city of Erfurt needs 

 no minute description, as it is known 

 well to horticulturists the world over. 

 The fostering of the seed-growing in- 

 .dustry identifies this ancient German 

 city with the whole world. My visit 

 to Erfurt was the result of many a 

 determined effort, this being the only 

 opportunity I had of meeting face to 

 face my numerous relatives, whose 

 anxiety to see their American cousin 

 was quite mutual. All that could be 

 done to cover the ground in the fony- 

 eight hours' stay was most courteously 

 afforded by them. An auto trip througn 

 Gotha, Coburg, Friedricksroda and to 

 the Thuringian Forest was sufficient 

 evidence that motoring is a delightful 



.T. Otto Tnii.ow 



pastime, because of the splendid roads 

 and the freedom accorded the autolst. 

 The Germans might well point with 

 pride to the well-kept forests, of which 

 nearly 35,000,000 acres are in the Ger- 

 man empire alone, 32 per cent, belong- 

 ing to the State, apparently not a mis- 

 happen tree to be seen from the roads. 

 The resorts in these forests, or rest 

 spots, are cozy and delightful to the 

 tourist, offering the much craved-for 

 refreshment and rest. This auto tour 

 covered 110 miles in three hours: re- 

 turning to Erfurt in the evening. 

 Sixty minutes to the hour was hardly 

 enough for so strenuous a time as was 

 put in with these big-hearted people. 



Beside the visiting of the historic 

 points, a general look through the city 

 was of intense interest. The next aay, 

 October 4th, we were invited to go 

 with our friends to the historic city 

 of Eisenach, west of Erfurt, and visit 

 the famous "Wartburg" on the crest 

 of the mountain, which has been stand- 

 ing for centuries overlooking the beau- 

 tiful Saxon hills and valleys. After 

 the winding road upward had been 

 covered we responded to the call to 

 make the inspection tour. Following 

 the guide along the halls, through 

 towers and narrow ways was a lesson 



in very ancient history, concluding 

 with a visit to the room once occupied 

 by Martin Luther, and from his win- 

 dow the view down the mountain and 

 along the valley is a panorama of rare 

 beauty. After light lunch at the cafe 

 we started on our winding descent 

 down the mountain, and through the 

 perennial garden, finally reaching 

 Einach, where we again took train for 

 our northeastern journey to Berlin. On 

 our way we halted long enough at 

 Erfurt to have our luggage thrown in 

 through the open window, and bid 

 farewell and separate from those with 

 whom so short an association had 

 made a deep and lasting Impression. 



Berlin. 



Starting out early on the morning 

 of October 5 we were at once struck 

 with the order and cleanliness which 

 seems to pervade this well-known city, 

 and were reminded of the words ct 

 Burton Holmes in his introduction to 

 his lectures on Berlin. "It were well 

 if some of our American cities would 

 send some of their councilmen, and 

 mayor too, to Berlin and learn how 

 they manage to keep a city clean." 

 The ever-ready and present German 

 cabby with taximeter was summoned 

 for a ride through Brandenburger Thor 

 to the Mausoleum at Charlottenburg, 

 then back to the Sieges AUee— a mar- 

 ble congress of Kings. Prussia's rulers 

 from Albert, the Bear, in 1170, to Will- 

 iam the Great in 1S61. The most no- 

 ticeable features along this avenue 

 and nearby were the well-kept beds of 

 chrysanthemums with borders of 

 ageratum. lobelia and alyssum. The 

 most striking was the absence of the 

 faithful French cauna— it seems not 

 to have the congenial oondititms for 

 its growth and development. K trip 

 to the Court of Statuary facing the 

 Palace ended that part of the day's 

 sight-seeing in Berlin, the afternoon 

 being spent at Potsdam, which is quite 

 interesting, being the summer home of 

 the Emperor. A trip to rian Souci, 

 and along the extensive gardens and 

 glass structures out on the road lead- 

 ing to the old and new Palaces, and 

 just before reaching the main entrance 

 we saw the large iron grille gates, 

 which were at the Chicago Fair, at 

 cne of the entrances to the grounds. 

 Quite an interesting feature connected 

 with this royal estate was the artificial 

 ruin, built on a prominent point, rather 

 effective, and at the same time trans- 

 porting a scene as along the Rhine. 



Hamburg. 



The effort and exertion of trying to 

 do Berlin in a day was quite a strain, 

 but we were quite ready the next morn- 

 ing, Sunday, October 6, to leave for 

 Hamburg, arriving there at 1 P. M. 

 It might be said of Hamburg, a city 

 of three-quarter million inhabitants, 

 that its business activity, its brilliam 

 stores, fine displays and very courteous 

 clerk service and attention exceeds 

 that of most other cities. The shop- 

 ping districts are well supplied with 

 florist shops, and what can be said 

 of them as being of modern type and 

 up-to-date in their display, is also true 

 of the florists' !=hops in all the cities 

 we had been through in Belgium, Ger- 

 many and Holland. Most striking to 

 an American visitor is their free use 

 of the dahlia in even the most artistic 

 designs, adhering mostly to solid, one- 

 color effects, with ribbons and dyed 



