276 
s 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
quinquefolia and trifolia are the names generally 
applied to the “Ginsengs,” beloved “medicine of 
the Chinese. They are not of much use ornament- 
ally, but have clusters of white flowers in early 
June. A. Californica and several others are natives, 
and a number of handsome sub-tropical forms do 
well in the southern parts of Florida and California. 
Acanthopanax is in six or eight species, from 
tropical and eastern Asia. A. ricinifolium and A. 
spinosum (known as aralia pentaphylla) are in gar- 
dens. 
Trenton, N. J. James MacPherson. 
THE HERCULES BRIDGE, BERLIN. 
In gauging the artistic decoration of Berlin, it 
must be borne in mind that the city is, so far.as be- 
ing the reunited fatherland’s capital and asbeing 
structed of recent years. Some of these sculptures 
are notably fine, such as Hercules Bridge, situated 
in one of the most aristocratic quarters of the West 
End, but other bridges which are located in the 
poorer districts or in the business quarters such as 
Gertraudter Bridge and the Muehler Damm, are 
nearly as pretty. Hercules Bridge is 110 feet long, 
35 feet wide, of a single arch, and is constructed of 
solid sandstone of a high grade. There is a hand- 
some balustrade of polished stone. The centre 
groups on either side portray mythological scenes 
from the life of that fabled Greek hero, Hercules, 
one of them showing him slaying the Lernaean 
snake, the other his successful wrestling and chok- 
ing match with the lion. Berlin’s popular wit, which 
halts before nothing, interprets the last mentioned 
feat in a laughable manner. Hercules has pushed his 
HERCULES liKlDGE. 
one of the metropolises of the world is concerned, of 
recent growth. That is a fact which is being lost 
sight of by many who pose as judges Territorially 
considered, three-fourths of Berlin dates since 1871, 
and the population has more than doubled during 
that brief period. All the more, however, is it to 
be praised that there is such a wealth of sculptural 
decorations in the Berlin of today. And another 
thing, nine-tenths of these sculpturesbeing theprod- 
uct of but a quarter of a century’s growth, they 
very faithfully portray the style and gifts of the 
younger generation of artists in Germany. The 
modern sculptor may, therefore, advantageously 
gather modern ideas and suggestions more plentiful 
here, I think, than in any other large city. 
Of late, for instance, the Berlin municipal coun- 
cil has made special efforts to adorn old bridges 
spanning the river Spree and its canals within the 
banlieu, and likewise that score of new bridges con 
brawny fist down the throat of the royal beast, and 
the Berlinese say: “Raus muss er!” looking upon 
the hero as a dentist trying to extract a decayed 
tooth. At the four approaches to the bridge 
sphinxes have been placed, each accompanied by 
some symbolical personage typical of the uses 
and benefits of water. Altogether this bridge is 
one of the artistically finest in Berlin. 
Gertraudter Bridge, in the very heart of the 
business quarter, has only recently been finished. 
It is of about the same length as the above, but only 
32 feet wide. The balustrade running on either side 
is of polished granite, the small pillars being of 
purely Romanesque style. The bridge takes its 
name after a fine statue of St. Gertrude, a sainted 
Berlin woman of the early medieval days, who was 
the wife of a staunch burgomaster and beloved for 
her charity. She is shown in the act of quenching 
the thirst of a parched gooseherd passing her house. 
