THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



137 



Bingen, surpassingly fair Bingen, came in our line of 

 travel, from Germany to France, and we were awed, as 

 every traveler must be, by the beauty of the scenery. The 

 peculiar deep tone of the green foliage on the heavily 

 wooded hillsides contrasted beautifully with the gray 

 green foliage of the vineyards, and this succession of 

 vineyards, separated occasionally by these wooded iiills, 

 continues along the shores of the Nahe as far as I'rank- 

 fort on the Main. Mere no one fails to visit the I'alm 



VIEW OF G.\RI)I-:X. I'.M.ACE I)i: PKTIT TRI.\NON, VERS.MLLES, 



FRAN'CE. 



garden, which, I believe, is considered tlie hnest in 

 Europe, if not in the world. Certain it is, that here are 

 found specimens of Palms, of wonderful growth and 

 without mark or blemish. This Palm garden or park, 

 is owned and controlled by private individuals, and this 

 accounts for the high character of the place. Absolutely 

 clean in all its phases, and with model cafes, and music 

 such as one hears only in Germany. No rag time, but 

 really gootl music which every German loves and apjire- 

 ciates. The whole tone of the place is highlv educational. 

 Trees are all labeled, greenhouses are models of care ami 

 culture. Each one given over to some special culture, oni 

 for the orchids, another for ferns, near by one for 

 begonias, and bedding plants. The one devoted tn 

 Aquatics and tropical plants, was the most artistic publir 

 greenhouse that it has ever been my pleasure to visit. No 

 crowding together of specimens, hanging baskets, with 

 trailing vines placed so as to give the best effect. But 

 the discordant note was the carpet bedding, in which 

 elaborate scheme, every shade of red was used, and im 

 amount of luxuriant green could drown the discord. 



The Palm garden, or rather the Palm house, in which 

 grew these magnificent palms, reaching to the roof of 

 the great dome, was immaculately clean, and not a l)it of 

 soil showing. Every part of the planting surface was 

 covered with a luxuriant growth of the brilliant green 

 Salaginella. \\'ith the cascades of running water, the 

 blooming orchids hanging from the roof, the statuary, 

 partiallv hidden behind some palm, one thought only of 

 the conservatories of the story books, 



Horticulturally, one associates Nancy, France, with the 

 name of Lemoine, and the Lilacs, Begonias, Syringas and 

 Gladioli he brought to such perfection. The work is still 

 carried on bv the son. Here in Nancy, are also found 

 magnificent specimens of trees, towering testimonials of 

 the work of Stanislaus, The Pepiniere Gardens, or 

 nurseries, make one of the most wonderful parks to be 

 found anywhere in France or Germany. Planted 

 originally by Stanislaus, as an educational nurser>-, years 

 and vears of growth have made it a park with a character 

 all its own. It is to Nancy what the Bois de Bologne is 

 to Paris, but the natural beauties and the trees are far 

 better. 



In a horticultural wav, one looks to Germany for seeds, 



to Holland for Bulbs, to France for Carnations and 

 Chrysanthemums, but it is to Belgium one must go for 

 Orchids, Palms and Bay Trees, Riiododendrons and 

 Azaleas, and for the bulk of liard wooded plants for 

 forcing. The nurseries present much the same appearance 

 as our American nurseries do. Wonderful specimens 

 of orchids were seen, l)ut the manner of protection from 

 theft of cuttings at the establishment of the millionaire 

 grower, was even more interesting than the orchids them- 

 selves. We were escorted by wooden-shod employees, 

 hustled through each of the 20 houses at double quick, 

 each house unlocked at entrance and locked immediately 

 as we passed out. Entrance to the grounds was guarded 

 by two immense black dogs, each chained. Imagine such 

 a state of affairs at any of our American establishments, 

 and in justice to other foreign firms, it is a pleasure to 

 say that this one stood alone for such methods. Horti- 

 cultural militantism might have prevailed at some time 

 in Belgium, to have made such measure necessary. 



In strong contrast to this reception, was that given us 

 at the home just across the street, in a quaint Belgium 

 cottage. In the little tea house, near the entrance to this 

 cottage, over which hung the heavily fruited branches of 

 an immense cherry tree, we had Belgian wine, home 

 brewed, and served in real Belgian glasses. Not an hour 

 later, we had old English tea, in the garden of the most 

 modern home imaginable, and the extremes added to the 

 fascination. In one we were miles and miles from home, 

 and in the other, we seemed to have touched American 

 soil. Modern methods of cultivation in the fields pre- 

 vaileil, acres of Azaleas, Bays, and Rhododendrons, being 

 watered by the Skinner system. 



In Ghent we were impressed with the modern aspect 

 of everything, and yet a little turn into a side street, and 

 we found ourselves in the quaintest, old-fashioned locali- 

 ties. In Belgium, as in Germanv, this admixture of tlie 



INTERIOR, l.;.\K III' SUI), GHENT, liELGIUM. 



ancient and modern was so noticeai)le, but, as mentioned 

 before, there was little of old methods in plant or flower 

 culture. Arriving from Paris, at the (Sar Sud, in Ghent, 

 one has such a delightfully restful surprise on entering 

 the station. Wonder at the immensity of the station and 

 its up-to-dateness seizes one, but wonder is soon lost iiT 

 admiration. It is a long walk from the train to the wait- 

 ing room, but as we enter the court we come upon a most 

 unusual i)lot of ground, about 200 feet long by 60 feet 

 wide, planted with Palms and Rhododendrons, with beds 

 of plants, all growing above a lawn-like surface. Grow- 

 ing perfectly, too, for light, air and sunshine came through 

 the glass of the roof. The same arrangement might find 

 an ideal setting in our .American terminals, but there, 

 stations, train sheds and courts were very neat and clean, 

 for all trains were electrified. 



