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forenoon I made a hurried trip to the greenhouses of the firm of 
Haage and Schmidt, where I saw a fine lot of Coleus of several 
varieties new to the trade. Leaving Erfurt on the noon train, 
I reached Niirnberg in the evening. Here I found the hotels 
crowded with Americans and English who were hurriedly leaving 
the continent. During the next day, which was the first day 
of mobilization of the German army, there was much uncertainty 
regarding train service and as the day progressed it was evident 
that there might be considerable difficulty in reaching Holland. 
In the afternoon Mr. Arzberger arrived at Niirnberg several 
days ahead of our schedule, as I had already done. We took an 
evening train for Amsterdam, which we reached about ten o'clock 
the next night. The next day (August 4) several hours were 
spent at the Hortus Botanicus where the most interesting 
feature was the experimental garden of Professor Hugo de Vries 
in which the cultures of Oenothera were in excellent condition 
for observation. Many plants of special botanical interest were 
seen in the g h and in the display gardens. We returned 
the next day and spent several hours with Professor Stomps who 
showed us through the laboratories of the institution. A visit 
was also paid to the American consul at Amsterdam, from whom 
we learned that England had declared war against Germany. 
Acting upon his advice, we left Amsterdam by rail that afternoon, 
crossed the channel from the Hook of Holland to Harwich that 
night and from thence age by rail to London, where we 
arrived on the afternoon of the 6th. The 7th was aualead in 
securing satisfactory hotel Sa con and in arranging for 
steamship transportation to America. We had purchased pas- 
sage some months before on the S. S. Caronia of the Cunard Line 
for its sailing August 25. This boat was however commandeered 
t war service and the Cunard officials at London were unable 
or ee to provide passage on other boats of their line before 
October. This was decidedly beyond consideration, so we 
secured passage on the S. S. St. Louis of the American Line, 
sailing the 15th of August for Liverpool. This arrangement 
left a week which was fully utilized in visiting places of botanical 
interest. The entire day of the 8th was spent at the Royal 
