SOME ASPECTS OF THE EXCURSION TO GERMANY. 163 
XIV. Some Aspects of the Hxcursion of the Royal Scottish 
Arboricultural Society to Germany, July-August 1895, 
By Anprew Starter, Haystoun, Peebles. 
To those members of the Royal Scottish Arboricultural Society 
who were fortunate in being able to join the Excursion to the 
forests of Northern Germany, the opportunity was afforded of 
gaining much valuable information, not only in forestry, but also 
in agriculture as well. Those interested in municipal and county 
government were also able to draw valuable information from 
what was to be seen and learned in the various cities and districts 
visited, which might be beneficially applied at home. 
In the cities and towns, advantage is taken of every available 
spot for the growth of trees, and these, along with the open 
spaces and gardens, which are freely utilised for arboreal and 
floral growth, combined with the general cleanliness of the 
surroundings, add to their attractiveness. Such vegetation seems 
to be religiously protected by the inhabitants, as in the busy 
thoroughfares it seems as perfect and undisturbed as could be 
found in any private domain in this country. 
In forming streets of new buildings, among the first operations 
appears to be the planting of a line of deciduous trees on each 
side, these being chiefly limes, and, owing in a great measure to 
the absence of smoke during the summer season, they, when in 
leaf, look fresh and vigorous. 
Country roads are treated in a like manner. Trees, frequently 
fruit, are planted at intervals along their margins, and while shading 
the traveller from the summer sun, yield heavy crops of fruit, which, 
owing to the forbearance of the public, come to full fruition. 
The physical features of the provinces of Hanover, Brunswick, 
and Brandenburg which were passed through, may be charac- 
terised as a series of sandy plains interspersed with tracts of 
marsh and loam, and with slight undulations nowhere rising 
more than 1300 feet above sea-level, excepting the Harz moun- 
tains—the Brocken, which is 3747 feet, being the highest peak. 
These plains have, where possible, been rendered fertile by culti- 
vation, and, as a rule, fairly luxuriant crops are reaped. They 
consist chiefly of rye, barley, oats, beans, beet, and hay; and 
adjoining or convenient to large towns considerable breadths of 
asparagus are grown, Cattle, owing probably to the absence of 
fences and the limited size of the holdings, are mostly all “ soiled ” 
