400 



surrounding country. The Neptune basin at the base of the hill 

 is a large and ornamental tank with a fountain at each end and a 

 fine group of statuary in the centre — Neptune with Tritons and 

 sea-horses. There are also some elaborate Roman ruins (artificial), 

 and a lofty obelisk terminating one of the avenues and built on a 

 kind of rockwork in which are "planted" some Agaves, palms, etc., 

 done in metal ! A large portion of the grounds at Schonbrunn is 

 thickly wooded. In the lower-lying areas they form part of the 

 garden design and are trimmed more or less, but on the hillsides 

 east and west of the "Gloriette" are some tine natural woods in 

 which the prevailing oak is a form of Quercus sessiliflora with 

 very rugged bark. The Schonbrunn gardens are open to the 

 public every day, and these shady portions are favourite resorts of 

 the Viennese. On Sunday, June 14, I found the place thronged 

 with people soon after 9 a.m. 



Schonbrunn Botanic Garden. June 14. 



Whilst 



visiting as representing a really extraordinary example of its 

 particular style, its monotony soon becomes wearisome. Some of 

 its walks are | to 1 mile long— deserts of gravel. But on its 

 western side there is a narrow strip of ground, called the Botanic 

 Garden, which is full of interest. This garden is said to have 

 been instituted by the Emperor Francis I. in 175:5. It possesses, 

 indeed, the dignity of age, and its magnificent trees, green lawns, 

 and winding walks are an inviting contrast to the arid formalities 

 close by. There is a fine Palm house of a design somewhat similar 

 to that of Kew, but with more architectural ornamentation ; on 

 the day of my visit 1 krone (lOd.) was charged for admission. 

 The collection of Australian and other greenhouse plants is very 

 extensive. 



To the English visitor there is, perhaps, no tree so striking in 



•hbourhood 



in this 



garden there was a very fine specimen clothed with innumerable 

 elegant pendent racemes. A striking tree also is a small-leaved 

 form of Uhnus campestris, here called U. angustifolia, with a 



supported 



and very elegant with its slender feathery twigs. A specimen of 

 the American white ash (Frazinus americana) has a trunk 7 ft. 

 in circumference. I was struck by the fine development of Corylus 

 Colurna at Herrenhausen, but the tree there is surpassed by those 

 at Schonbrunn . One I measured has a trunk girthing 10 ft. 

 .5 in. at one foot from the ground where it divides into five great 

 limbs. This tree is probably 65 ft. high. Sophora japonica is 

 represented by a splendid old specimen ; its trunk branches low 

 and not far from the ground level measures 18 ft. in girth ; and 



srronnd 



™°* cn V r v Space 1()5 ft * across - This tree appeared to be from 

 70 to 80 tt high. A handsome tree of Qleditschia caspica is 40 ft. 



High, and the cut-leaved variety of the Norway maple {Acer plata- 

 noules, var lacunufwn) is here as elegant in its foliage as some 



tomis of Acer mnn n i m m »»..,,*.».,,*...•». .7._ ^ .., • i_. ?i_. :„„.! 



Acer jap 



m England for its misses of large rose-tinte'd double flowers, but I 

 have not seen so fine an example anywhere as one in this garden 



