152 Hints on Landscape Gardening 



ter they have been grounded in their specialty, 

 and naturally, therefore, the more competent they 

 are technically than their masters, the more are 

 they inclined to assume as well their superiority 

 in aesthetic questions, and thus spoil 'everything 

 by thinking to do everything better, instead of 

 energetically supporting and furthering the suc- 

 cess of the artistic ideas of others by means of 

 their technical science. An adaptable, patient, 

 and at the same time clever, practical man is not 

 at all so easy to find as one may think, and it 

 v7ould be a good thing if particular stress vv^ere 

 laid on these requirements of education in our 

 new schools for gardeners. Young men who 

 from the beginning think too much of them- 

 selves and want to be too important are of no 

 use; and I would say, half in jest and, half in 

 earnest, a gardener to my taste must have more 

 of the character of the good Wagner in him 

 than of the restless Faust, and very rarely kick 

 against the things of this world, least of all 

 against patience, and especially obedience. 



The flight of steps, where we last paused, is 

 also built after Schinkel's drawing. From both 

 sides of the landing-stage extends a series of steps 

 ten feet wide alongside of the building, where 

 orange trees are set, and between these on each 

 step are iron pillars surmounted with lanterns. 

 Festoons connect these pillars and at the same 

 time give the trees the very necessary support 

 which their exposed situation requires. On fes- 

 tive occasions, moreover, they serve for stringing 



