THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, July 7, 1857, 
217 
getting out of order, alike trying the patience and 
ingenuity of the manager. 
5. It does not economise time when worked by hand 
alone, as two good mowers will cut more grass with the 
scythe than they could with the mowing machine in a 
given time, ie., Jetting each party choose bis own time; 
but if a pony or donkey be used a mowing machine 
may then be a useful thing. 
0. It will not cut long grass, neither will it cut it 
when it gets laid fiat down. Some hard weeds and 
grass seed-stems are left at times as well. 
More points might be added, but the above are 
sufficient to indicate the principal features of the 
machine. Of the scythe it is needless to speak, further 
than that it is still the most continually-used implement 
to cut the lawns in the most extensive places. Little if 
any machine work is done at the Crystal Palace, though 
I believe it is used at Kew; but the number of places 
in which the mowing machine has been abandoned 
speaks strongly against its utility, while in some of those 
in which it is used it has been employed to a manifest 
disadvantage; for, as before stated, it cannot be driven 
under the boughs of a shrub or tree hanging near the 
ground. These places have to be cut with the scythe, or 
are left as unsightly objects, thus adding to the other evils 
attending the machine. Most people not enraptured 
with the term “ machine” (which carries some influence 
with it) have got tired of it. After many puzzling jobs at 
altering screws, wheels, rollers, pins, &c., the scythe has 
to be resorted to again, to the great exultation of the 
labourer, who has an inveterate dislike to machinery, 
and after all, perhaps, his prejudices against it are not 
greater than those of many of us for its adoption ; but 
we may buy gold too dear, for, however usefully 
machinery may be applied to the arts and general 
purposes of manufacture, it has made little progress 
in lessening labour in the garden; and if the advocates 
of new machines would but test them against skilled 
labour, and report the result fairly, we might then have 
a more correct notion of their utility. Not but that 
mowing machines are useful in some cases. The 
amateur who is, perhaps, shut up for several hours in 
the day is anxious to have a little laborious exercise, 
and the mowing machine offers a useful way of 
obtaining it, as lie can leave it off at leisure; and 
when there are extensive ranges of grass walks the 
mowing machine may be profitably used by having a 
steady pony or donkey to draw it. A bowling green or 
cricket ground may also be cut in like manner with 
advantage, or, in fact, any open space that is tolerably 
level; but where a lawn is scattered over with trees, 
shrubs, or beds, which most lawns are, the utility of the 
mowing machine is with me a questionable matter; in 
fact, I have no hesitation in saying the scythe is 
better. J. Robson. 
NOTES FROM THE CONTINENT.—No. C. 
MOABIT. 
Decidedly the best garden within a considerable distance 
of Berlin is that of Herr Borsig, the celebrated railway- 
engine manufacturer, at Moabit, about two miles distant 
from that city. It is thrown open to the public two days a 
week on the payment of five silbergroschen (sixpence 
English) each person, the money being, it is said, used for 
the benefit of the poor of the village during winter. Every 
one connected with gardening is, of course, admitted free. 
The garden is visited by great numbers of people, sometimes 
as many as six or eight hundred in a day. Herr Geardt, the 
very skilful gardener, has paid several visits to England, 
and that he has brought back many ideas upon horticultural 
matters is evident in Ids management of the place; several 
Englishmen have, too, from time to time, been employedthere. 
Following the carriage-drive from the lodge, after passing 
some groups of Conifers planted out in summer, but during 
winter removed to a cold house, and some bronze figures of 
great beauty, we arrive in front of the noble mansion. On 
the left is the conservatory, a half-span house, a hundred 
feet long; it is parted into three divisions for the sake of 
keeping different temperatures. A gallery runs along the 
back, and the wall is there completely covered with different 
sorts of Camellias. Greenhouse plants, such as large Acacias, 
Azaleas, Ac., are arranged as a semicircular belt, as it were, 
and the space between these and the front walk is covered 
with a turf of Selaginella denticulata , upon which stand 
isolated specimens of Lophosoria De/ceriana of Dr. Klotsch, 
a rare tree Fern from the mountains of Venezuela ; the fine- 
foliaged Rhododendron argenteum and R. Rdgworihi, which, 
though it had only one of its delicately pink-tinged white 
flowers open, perfumed the whole house; the gracefully 
pendulous Dacrydium cupressinum, and some others. A 
shelf running along the front of the house was gay with 
Schizanthus (autumn sown), Rliodanthe , Acroclininm , and 
other annuals, with Fuchsias and Pelargoniums, the pre¬ 
ference, among the latter, being given to the gaily-coloured 
French varieties rather than to the English, which excel 
them in form. Ivy is used to cover the end wall, and to hide 
from sight the hot-water pipes under the front shelf. 
Passing on into the warmer division, I found the same 
manner of arranging the plants. Here were specimens of 
the large pinnate-leaved Stadmannia Australis ; Clerodendrum 
Kcempferi, with its noble spikes of flowers; the fine Oak-like 
foliaged Stenocarpus Cunninghamii; and Ropala Corcova- 
densis, with its plume-like tuft of brown velvety young 
leaves. On the front shelf was a collection of the best 
Gloxinias, Achimenes, Begonias, and young plants of the 
new Aralias brought into cultivation by Mr. Linden. 
The Palm house stands at a right angle with the conser¬ 
vatory; and between the two, above the commodious potting 
and boiler rooms, is the Fern house, which is approached 
from the gallery of both houses. Against the walls little 
baskets made of bark are thickly placed, and in these Ferns, 
Lycopods, trailing species of Ficus, Tradescantias, Cissus, 
&c., are planted, and cover the wall very prettily. Here 
and there a few Achimenes have been added, and by their 
flowers serve to enliven the whole. Rising out of masses of 
rOckwork are some good tree Ferns, with stems from three 
to eight feet high; below these are many smaller species. 
The Palm house is as long as the conservatory, and 
broader; it is ridge-and-furrow roofed, and a light gallery 
runs all round it. This, like most of the other houses 
here, is of iron. A bronze and marble fountain occupies the 
centre, and around it are many remarkably fine, healthy 
plants. The largest are Phoenix farinifera , Corypha aus¬ 
tralis, Latania Borbonica , Sabal umbraculifera , and 8. Blac/c- 
burniana. There is also a very fine Encephalartos Alten- 
steinii , with a magnificent crown of leaves (it has made 
nearly a hundred young ones this year) ; and a tree Fern 
( Cyathea excelsu), with a stem fourteen feet high, and a 
dozen fully expanded fronds. Below these are many 
smaller Palms, Cycadaceous plants, Ileliconias, Marantas, 
Crotons, &c.; and the soil is covered with different species 
of Lycopods. I noticed in this house a fine specimen of | 
Medinella magnifica, the flowers of which were considerably j 
past their best; but it had produced two dozen of its large j 
drooping panicles. 
In the circular aquarium I found a young Victoria thriving j 
very well, and some hybrid Nymphaeas not yet in flower, but } 
said to be very fine. In one of the smaller hothouses seed¬ 
lings of Begonia diver si folia , the best of all for autumn use, 
were coming up very thickly. Some persons find a difficulty 
in raising this plant from seed; I think it is because they 
are too impatient with it. This had been sown eight months, 
and though a few came up within a week or two after sowing, 
yet the pans were now covered with young plants. 
A range of four span-roofed houses were devoted to the 
Orchids, and, although there are larger collections in Ger¬ 
many, there are few gardens which possess better specimens ; 
of the best kinds. Mr. Hanbury’s collection, so well known 
in England, was purchased by Herr Borsig last year, and all 
the best of the new species added. Those in bloom were too 
numerous for me to mention now. There are many other 
things in the garden worthy of notice, but want of space 
prevents my alluding to them. The flower garden is small, 
but, with the pleasure grounds, fountains, and terrace over¬ 
looking the river Spree, very pretty.— Karl. 
