296 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
EDITORIAL WANDERINGS V. 
Germany and Holland. 
After being on the move for seven weeks the madam was 
well content to come to rest for a period, when a comfortable 
hotel and agreeable surroundings appeared. Such condi¬ 
tions were fulfilled in Freiburg, the principal city of the 
Black Forest of Germany. For a genuine loafing place well 
supplied with beer gardens, apart from disturbing elements 
of any kind, it is highly to be commended. The environs of 
the city are replete with shady walks through pleasant val¬ 
leys along mountain sides or rushing streams and always 
perfumed with the aroma of fir and spruce. This forest 
region is thoroughly and systematically regulated. It is 
run on the “cut clean and replant” plan. When the trees 
are ripe they are harvested - and the ground replanted. 
Small nur¬ 
series are 
main t a in ed 
at convenient 
places where 
the necessary 
trees can be 
promptly se¬ 
cured. 
Nurseries 
and Seed 
Growing in 
Germany. 
The trade 
in these lines 
is not concen¬ 
trated in any 
particular 
place, a 1 - 
though there 
are several 
noted seed-growing centers. Perhaps the most interesting 
of these is that found near the ancient town of Erfurt. 
This lies just outside of the Thuringian mountain region, 
an interesting wooded section in central Germany. 
The Erfurt seed farms are located on the expanded river 
bottom contiguous to the city and extend for some miles 
along the stream. The soil is generally a mellow sandy 
loam though occasionally it stiffens into clay loam. The 
seed-growing industry has been established here for many 
years. It differs materially in method from American seed 
growing centers in that the majority of the firms grow all 
their seed on their own farms or land immediately controlled 
by them—at least that is the claim. Nowhere, except in 
California, the land of big things, have I seen such gorgeous 
stretches of color as these flower fields presented. Imagine 
acres of sweet peas, pansies, phlox and the like, and all in 
bloom. Most firms supplement their field equipment with 
extensive ranges of glass houses and of course well appointed 
storing and drying houses are / essential. A great deal of the 
field labor is done by women. The laborers are divided 
into gangs headed by a leader who sets the pace and “keeps 
up the gait.” 
In the Thuringian region, Fonst tree seeds are a special¬ 
ty. The supply of native tree seeds is large and the oppor¬ 
tunity for growing seedlings excellent. 
One cannot help noticing the influence of the large city 
upon the nursery trade and Germany is a country of large 
cities, for in the environs of every city of any size the grower 
of ornamental trees is to be found. The growing of fruit 
trees is a minor line altogether. It is quite safe to say that 
there are half a dozen or more wholesale nurserymen in the 
United States any one of whom produces more fruit trees 
than are to'be found in the combined nurseries of Germany. 
The German 
nurseries pro¬ 
duce special¬ 
ized types of 
trees. They 
are trained 
for particular 
purposes. 
High stem s, 
middle stems, 
low stems, 
cordon, espa¬ 
lier, dwarfs 
of different 
kinds can be 
obtained. 
These all re¬ 
quire special 
treatment in 
the matter of 
propagation 
and training. 
They are for the gardens of the amateur, for walls for 
‘borders, and Tut rarely for orchard purposes. As a 
matter of fact, Germany has no commercial orchards as 
we understand them. I imagine it would be difficult, if not 
impossible, to purchase a carload of one variety of apple in 
any one locality, nor is it likely that the American system 
of orcharding will ever obtain a foothold. Custom, tra¬ 
dition and methods of farming are all against it. The 
peasant farmer is not easily moved. The German fruit 
market is likely to remain open to American and Australian 
shippers for many years to come. 
If the German nurserymen grows limited quantities of 
fruit trees he makes up for the deficiency in the line of orna¬ 
mentals. These are grown not only in great variety but in 
great quantity. In the vicinity of Berlin, where the great 
Spatho nursery is located one may see ornamentals by 
hundreds of species as well as acres. The demand for park, 
street and private planting is large and of a specialized 
character. While the demand -for fruit trees calls for 
relatively small quantities, yet the labor and skill needed to 
