257 
March  28, 1901.  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Hanging  Gardens. 
Ancient  Babylon  has  furnished  us  with  many  a  theme  for 
research  and  enthusiasm,  but  none  perhaps  more  attractive  than  the 
wonderful  horticultural  arrangements  which  were  practised  in  those 
dim  and  distant  times  of  the  days  that  are  no  more,  in  this  long  lost 
city.  Could  we  transport  ourselves  across  the  vista  of  years  to  that 
era  of  the  mighty  Nebuchadnezzar,  what  should  we  find  ?  At  that 
time  Babylon  possessed  what  has  been  ever  since  recognised  as  one  of 
the  seven  wonders  of  the  world.  In  modern  times  the  United  States 
profess,  as  in  most  things,  to  break  the  record  with  the  tremendous 
heights  attained  by  their  buildings.  Thus  in  New  York  there  may  be 
seen  houses  numbering  any  amount  of  stories  up  to  twenty-five  and 
even  thirty.  Though  they  had  nothing  approaching  to  this  in  ancient 
times,  yet  many  are  probably  unaware  that  in  Babylon  itself  three, 
and  even  four-storied  houses,  were  tolerably  common,  while  in  Tyre 
and  Rome  the  same  system  was 
also  much  in  vogue. 
But  the  particular  reason  for 
the  extraordinary  erection  in  the 
city  under  notice  was  as  follows. 
King  Nebuchadnezzar  had 
married  a  wife  from  the  Medes. 
It  was  necessary  for  political 
reasons  to  keep  on  good  terms 
with  these  same  people.  Accord¬ 
ingly,  to  please  his  Median 
princess,  who  amongst  the  vast 
streets  of  tnis  great  city  yearned 
for  the  natural  hills,  flowers,  and 
trees  of  her  native  land,  the  king 
conceived  the  project,  and  caused 
to  be  carried  out  the  work,  of 
piling  up  a  huge  structure,  half 
masonry  and  mortar,  and  half 
earth,  in  the  very  midst  of  the 
metropolis,  thus  causing  a  mag¬ 
nificent  semi-natural  lung  and 
pleasure  resort  in  medias  res. 
For  Babylon  was  at  that  time  the 
very  Chicago  of  the  period,  an 
exceedingly  busy  town  wrapt  up 
in  the  industries  and  pursuits  of 
the  age,  of  vast  population,  and 
covering  a  considerable  area  of 
ground.  Its  configuration  was 
exceedingly  flat,  and  there  was 
no  park  or  open  spot  in  its  centre. 
Accordingly  economy  of  space 
was  a  main  object,  and  to  effect 
what  was  desired  the  horticultural 
effort  had  to  be  spread  out  up¬ 
wards  towards  the  heavens.  So 
daring  a  project  was  nevertheless 
consummated  and  crowned  with 
the  utmost  success,  and  its  renown 
has  been  handed  down  through¬ 
out  the  ages  for  all  time. 
Erected  close  to  the  banks  of 
the  Euphrates,  which  flowed 
through  the  city,  this  enormous  pile  was  divided  into  four  terraces,  each 
100  feet  in  width,  which  rose  by  steps  of  20  feet,  the  vaulted  passages 
which  ran  underneath  being  supported  by  piers  of  masonry.  Upon 
these  were  placed  massive  blocks  of  stone,  and  with  cement  and  sheet 
lead  to  prevent  the  moisture  oozing  through,  the  whole  being  filled 
with  rich  loam,  in  which  were  planted  all  the  trees,  flowers  and  other 
growths  available  to  those  times,  and  embracing  the  rarest  shrubs  and 
blooms  to  give  forth  their  colour  and  perfume  to  the  sight  and  senses. 
In  due  time,  moreover,  the  saplings,  thus  introduced  into  their  airy 
bed,  struck  in,  and  increasing  in  girth  and  stature  become  full-grown 
trees  of  considerable  size  and  vigour.  To  further  beautify  the  gardens, 
to  refresh  the  eye,  and  to  aid  the  luxuriance  of  the  vegetation,  water 
from  the  Euphrates  hard  by  below  was  obtained  by  means  of  a  shaft, 
and  laid  on  to  sparkling  fountains  and  seductive  rills  ;  while  beneath 
these  beautiful  terraces  in  the  vaulted  passages  below  would  be 
congregated  the  money  changers  and  others  pursuing  their  various 
callings  among j  the  passers-by.  Beheld  at  a  distance,  so  that  the 
whole  of  the  marvel  might  be  taken  in  at  one  glance,  the  sight  was 
not  only  a  very  superb  one,  with  its  varied  appearance  of  every  size, 
colour,  and  form  in  vegetation,  including  lovely  creepers  trailing  about 
over  parapetB  and  walls,  but  also  a  peculiarly  striking  coup  d’oeil,  and 
from  all  accounts,  and  every  point  of  view,  must  be  considered  to  have 
been  a  perfect  masterpiece  of  art. 
In  mediaeval  and  modern  times  there  are  many  fair  towns  which 
have  more  or  less  in  common  with  the  hanging  gardens  of  Babylon 
of  old.  With  this  important  difference,  however.  In  the  former  case 
Nature  lent  no  aid  to  the  undertaking;  all  was  done  by  the  energy 
and  work  of  men’s  hands ;  while  in  the  latter,  from  the  very 
configuration  of  the  ground,  the  disposition  and  laying  out  became  an 
easy  and  natural  one  in  itself.  Thus  Genoa  presents  a  very  fine 
appearance,  especially  on  approaching  it  from  the  sea.  Here  the  rich 
luxuriance  of  the  garden  plots,  bright  with  gay  flowers  on  terrace 
walks,  mingling  with  the  stately  white  marble  palaces,  affords  the 
most  striking  feature  of  the  place  itself  ;  while  approached  more  in 
detail,  the  cool  open  patios  within  the  building,  often  containing 
statuettes  and  fountains,  are  exceedingly  delightful  to  the  eye. 
Algiers,  too,  on  the  further  shore  of  the  Mediterranean,  presents  a 
like  prospect.  Built  and  disposed  all  about  the  slopes  of  the 
mountain,  of  much  similar  gradient  and  contour  to  Genoa,  Nature 
again  largely  aids  in  creating  in  spots  of  such  a  character  pleasure- 
grounds  and  gardens.  At  all 
heights  and  positions  may  be 
traced  levels  deftly  excavated  or 
built  up  to  form  tiers  or  terraces, 
whereon  appear  the  gorgeous 
wealth  of  the  semi-tropical  climate. 
Superb  Roses,  especially  Tea,  all 
the  winter  through  ;  the  beautiful 
feathery  yellow  Mimosa,  Anemo¬ 
nes  of  varied  colours,  Geraniums, 
and  a  host  of  other  flowers,  vie 
with  the  numerous  flowering 
shrubs,  Bananas,  Pine  Apples, 
Orange  and  Lemons,  all  being 
largely  represented  and  adding 
their  charms  of  ornament  or  use 
to  the  beauties  of  the  villas  of 
which  they  form  a  part.  Perhaps 
more  striking  still  is  the  blaze  of 
creepers  trailing  in  all  directions 
over  arches  and  against  walls,  the 
queen  among  which  must  surely 
be  the  exquisite  purple  Bougain¬ 
villea. 
As  viewed  from  the  ocean, 
the  landscape  of  this  wondrous 
Mohammedan  and  Moorish  town 
is  a  very  remarkable  one,  the 
intense  dazzling  whiteness  of  the 
villas  and  domes  and  minarets  of 
the  mosques  standing  out  in 
striking  relief  against  the  abun¬ 
dant  luxuriance  of  verdure  and 
foliage  growing  naturally  or  arti¬ 
ficially  all  around,  and  embower¬ 
ing  them  here  and  there  along 
the  hill  sides.  Naples  in  parts 
may  be  said  to  possess  some 
effective  hanging  gardens,  but  in 
this  respect  can  hardly  compare 
with  the  other  places  treated  of, 
nor  indeed  with  yet  another 
beauty  spot  in  a  very  different 
quarter  of  the  world,  the  magnifi¬ 
cent  and  unrivalled  Peak  of  Hong-Kong,  in  the  bar  East.  Here, 
indeed,  |you  will  find  rare  exotic  blooms  and  Palms  in  bewildering 
variety  in  all  their  tropic  grandeur.  From  the  very  ground  floor, 
as  it  were,  directly  you  leave  the  crowded  and  cosmopolitan 
streets,  as  you  commence  your  ascent  up  this  perpendicular  moun¬ 
tain,  you  cannot  fail  to  be  impressed  by  the  wonderful  gardens, 
so  happily  built  up  and  arranged  to  accommodate  themselves 
to  their  peculiar  circumstances.  Perhaps  Azileas  among  larger 
growths  and  Orchids  among  smaller  ones  are  as  much  in  evidence  as 
anything,  the  latter,  of  course,  of  every  colour  and  form,  though  they 
hardly  come  up  to  the  more  fertile  and  luxuriant  specimens  found  in 
the  indigenous  soil  around  the  full  tropic  region  of  Singapore. — 
J  A.  Carnegie-Cheales. 
Profit  in  Forced  Rhubarb. — On  January  30th  Mr.  Miohels,  a 
Detroit  (Mich.)  gardener,  picked  and  marketed  176  dozen  Rhubarb 
at  2s.  Id.  per  dozen,  or  86  dols.  for  the  load.  This  was  taken  at  one 
picking  from  a  dark  oellar  constructed  of  old  planks,  boards,  and 
ooarBe  manure.  The  oellar  is  still  good  for  three  or  four  more 
pickings.  This  makes  pretty  good  business  for  these  cold  days. 
Miss  Ormerod,  ll.d.,  v.m.h.,  etc. 
( See  note  on  page  260.) 
