154 
THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 
OUR SOUTHERN PACIFIC STEAMER 
LOADING COTTON AT NEW ORLEANS. 
By Sea to New Orleans 
Are you fond of travel — do you sometimes get that irresistible 
desire to see new lands and new cities, to put many miles between 
yourself and the scenes which time has rendered stale and of 
fading" interest ? This feeling must be a heritage from our nomadic 
ancestors, but whatever its source, it is not to be denied. One 
must go: there remains to be decided only the when and the 
where. 
Those of you who are suffering from the "Wanderlust" or 
"1 telling Foot" as it is sometimes called, will read with keen ap- 
preciation how this traveler solved his problem by a steamer trip 
to New Orleans. 
"It was a bright day, with feathery white clouds festooned from 
the great expanse of blue that away in the West met the New Jer- 
sey horizon. As we stood on the deck of our Southern Pacific 
steamer, waving adieux to friends on the dock, we felt the smell 
of the sea in our nostrils and already were buoyed by the bracing 
air. The spell of the ocean would soon be upon us. 
"Now we were sitting on the deck of an Atlantic Ocean steam- 
ship watching the occasional glimpses of the shore-line and read- 
ing about the quaint South from the books which we had brought 
along. 
"We passed every possible moment in delightful idling on 
the spacious decks. There were days when we sat fascinated, 
feeling the breath of the Gulf Stream, along whose course we 
traveled, and watching the rapidly changing vistas of the shore; 
there were nights when we sat on a moonlit deck and gazed at 
the panorama of towns and cities throwing their lights into the 
ocean. 
"We passed Virginia, the Carolinas, and Georgia, noting the 
increasing richness of the vegetation as we journeyed southward. 
Then came Florida, with the many beaches, palm groves, and 
superb hotels on the east coast, and next the Florida Keys, a 
group of gorgeously arrayed islands set like cameos in the deep- 
tinted waters where the Atlantic meets the Mexican Gulf. 
"Another day and we sailed by the South Pass Light and were 
at the mouth of the 'Father of Waters.' Already in view were 
the vast rich lands of fertile Louisiana. The steamer slowly 
wended its way up the Mississippi River for one hundred miles 
from the mouth to New Orleans, between banks profusely decked 
with ferns. Farther back were palms and great trees draped 
with low-hanging moss; and beyond, here and there, were old 
plantation mansions, great white-pillared houses of ante-bellum 
architecture. 
"We stood upon the deck and watched the changing scenes 
with unabated interest. Now the steeples and roof tops of New 
Orleans were coming into view. An hour more and we were 
approaching the dock. The old French section of the city lay 
nearest us. In the distance we could see the spire of St. Louis 
Cathedral. On the dock thousands of bales of cotton were being 
carted about by negro roustabouts. And then we landed. 
"New Orleans is a city of abandon. Several days we passed in 
seeing the sights of this old-new city. First we drove along St. 
Charles Avenue, flanked by large white mansions sitting behind 
t;ill palm trees, and through Audubon and City Parks. But our 
chief pleasure was drawn from Old New Orleans, lying north 
of Canal Street. Here we found all the charm of an old Euro- 
pean town — quaint shops, picturesque houses with patios, im- 
pressive French mansions gray with age. We entered the vieux 
carre through Royal Street. Passers-by spoke French ; occa- 
sionally Spanish was heard. 
"We passed hours in going through 'Little Italy' and other 
foreign sections lying off the vicux carrC — fascinating places that 
one could ramble among for weeks without tiring." 
Thus one happy traveler expresses himself about this trip. It 
is an experience which many of us will wish to duplicate — five 
and one-half days of delightful steamer life — then quaint old New 
Orleans, most romantic city of the South. Then the return by 
steamer, or by rail if you would prefer, for the "Circle Tour" 
now provides a variety of routings from which to choose. 
Those who plan to attend the Convention of the Society of 
American Florists and Ornamental Horticulturists at Houston in 
August, or the Convention of the American Association of Park 
Superintendents in New Orleans in October, will add greatly to 
the enjoyment of their trips if they include this interesting" voyage 
in their itinerary. 
For beautiful illustrated literature and full information regard- 
ing this service, write L. H. Nutting, General Passenger Agent, 
Southern Pacific Co., 366 Broadway, New York. 
THE CONSERVATORY, AUDUBON PARK. 
AN OLD FRENCH COURTYAKD. 
A VIEW IN THE CITY PARK. 
