

To the Editors of "The American Journal of Horticulture and Florist's Companion." 



Sir, — I spent part of the last summer in Switzerland and Germany ; but, 

 about countries so generally visited and often described, I can tell you but little 

 that you probably do not already know from descriptions that are much better 

 than any that I am capable of making. Switzerland, and the watering-places in 

 the neighborhood of the Rhine, are, in the summer season, more generally resort- 

 ed to for recreation or amusement than, perhaps, any other places in Europe. 

 These, besides their own attractions of beautiful or sublime scenery and other 

 inducements to visitors, have, in addition, those afforded by the beauties of one 

 of the routes, the Rhine, by which they are very frequently and perhaps most 

 easily reached, either by steamers on the river or by railway along its banks. 

 The former is the best mode for seeing all the beauties of the route, as from it 

 views can be obtained of the old picturesque towns and villages along its shores, 

 or the feudal remains that crown the heights on both sides of the river ; while, 

 from the railway, many of these must necessarily be hidden from sight. As, 

 however, on the lower part of the river, the scenery is not interesting, and a 

 passage by rail is much quicker than by boat, many prefer the former, or con- 

 tent themselves with a passage in the steamer on that part of the river where 

 the views are finest and most interesting, — from Coblentz to Mayence. I have 

 frequently heard disparaging remarks from some of our countrymen on the 

 claims of the Rhine to beauty, and unfavorable comparison of it with the Hudson; 

 but I must say, that, without intending to make any compai;ison between it and 

 any other river, to me the scenery along its course was beautiful, and I found 

 much that was of interest. For much of its course above Cologne, the river is 

 bounded on both sides by hills, sometimes high, rocky, and precipitous ; at 



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