James Forbes

“ I was happy to learn that the produce of the establishment was sufficient to meet all the expences, attending its cultivation. In the pleasure ground, or rather nursery, a great quantity of the more common sorts of shrubs is cultivated. I observed a fine tree covered with fruit of the Prunus cirrhifera, an excellent plum, quite round, and of a purple colour. I also saw a fine specimen of the Tilia alba, that was planted by Duke Charles the Fraxinus juglandifolia, was a particularly noble plant, as well as the Quercus macrocarpa, and various other species of this genus. ”

“ Being confined all this day at Dieppe by contrary winds I made an excursion round the vicinity of the town, which is very picturesque and considerably varied, I also visited the nursery garden of M. Racine, which contained a very fine collection of dahlias, standard roses, a fine assortment of pears, and other hardy plants; and a small greenhouse, in which a few good Cacteæ, and other showy plants, were cultivated and in good order.
The cathedral in Dieppe is an ancient building, and worth the notice of the stranger. ”

“ The pleasure ground belonging to this palace contains about two hundred and sixty German acres; it is tastefully planted, and laid out in numerous drives and rides, forming a pleasant promenade for the public.
A very fine orangery, with dark roof, is situated at a considerable distance from the Botanic gardens, and near it a very complete flower house was erecting, the rafters of which were of metal, and the sashes all wood, heated with smoke flues, that pass under the pit, where an arched cellar is formed, so that mushrooms or other vegetables may be accelerated. ”

“ Arrived at Darmstadt at half-past one o'clock. I was much pleased with the cleanliness and elevated situation of this town, which is said to contain above twenty thousand inhabitants; the houses are handsomely built, the streets wide, and in good proportion to the height and size of the houses; they have also flag pavements, which is a rarity in Germany. The opera-house is a splendid building, as well as the cathedral. The palace is also a fine old building, and has attached to it an extensive pleasure ground and kitchen garden. ”

“ The numerous species of New Holland and Cape genera were quite astonishing, as well as the hardy and Alpine species. As to the Cacteæ, there can be no hesitation in saying that the collection in these gardens of this curious tribe of plants really comprises the most beautifully grown specimens that I have ever seen; the different species that have grown to a considerable size have a very interesting appearance, particularly the Mammillaria and Echinocactus tribes; with their numerous spines and angles, they form a pleasing object either in or out of flower. ”

“ Leading from the palace to a royal chateau that has been lately erected, is a very fine carriage drive, winding through a flat piece of ground, which is laid out principally after the English fashion. This residence is also inhabited by one of the royal princes. I was much pleased with the quantity of grapes growing on a double terrace, or rather covered walk, which was completely crowded with vines and its fruits; the lower walk ran alongside of a wall, and the trellis and arches projected about twelve feet from it, and were twelve feet in height. ”

“ Apple-trees, however useful, are not in character with a botanical collection; more especially as the apple is so common by the road sides through Germany; a collection of this fruit should find a place elsewhere than in the botanic garden, where the space of ground is already much too limited for the collection of plants. A lofty range of hothouses about five hundred feet in length, has a very good effect; they are only furnished with upright sashes in the front, the back and roof opaque, the latter finished in the semi-cove form, and neatly plastered. ”

“ In the mode of forcing fruits and management of the kitchen garden department, the English gardener will find but little abroad superior to what he is daily accustomed to see at home. It must however be observed that the zeal and anxiety displayed throughout Germany in the cultivation and increase of their collections of plants are in no way inferior to our own. In fact, in succulent plants they far surpass us; more particularly in their collections of Cacteæ, which appeared to be a favourite tribe in the principal establishments on the continent. ”

“ At a short distance from the avenues is the orangery, which is of large dimensions, with an opaque roof; The orange trees were very healthy, and formed an avenue in front of the house. M. Bedinghans, the gardener, informed me that they only shifted them once in five years, in a mixture of loam and leaf-mould, with a little cow-dung intermixed. At the back of the orangery are several arched walks, formed by hornbeam hedges, with arborial windows cut in them; they form a pleasant and shady promenade during the summer months. The park is also very extensive and considerably varied in its surface. ”

“ In most parts of Germany the pleasure grounds are very deficient in evergreens, frost being so intense in that country that the Rhododendron ponticum, Arbutus, Laurustinus, Daphne, Portugal, and even common Laurel, require the protection of the greenhouse during the winter season. If these grounds, however, are deficient in evergreens, they are richly decorated, in most instances, with ornamental vases, statues, and numerous groups of fine sculpture, which contribute greatly to the embellishment of a pleasure-ground. ”

“ At a contracted part of it a wooden bridge is constructed across, springing on both sides on elevated well-formed artificial pieces of rockwork. In the pleasure ground are three very pretty curvilinear iron-bar hothouses, erected by Baily, of London, and devoted to the growth of exotic plants and pine-apples, which evidently fully answered in that climate their intended purpose. Here is also a good kitchen garden, with numerous low houses and pits for the growth of the pine, vine and peach, as well as one devoted to orchideous plants, a collection of which was just then forming. ”

“ The front of those for the vine and peach has no front wall, only piers and boards fixed betwixt them, for the facility of removing and taking in the trees, which are planted betwixt the piers, when the boards are again placed in their former position over the stem of the trees, the roots running in a border on the outside of the pit.
On my return in the afternoon to Brussels, I visited the Museum, the collection in which is well deserving of notice; there is a numerous variety of insects, a large collection of birds and animals, as well as minerals. ”

“ This garden, although small, is pleasantly situated, and well arranged. In the centre is an oblong piece of water, the banks around which are considerably elevated, and planted with standard fruit trees, such as peaches, apricots, plums, and pears. The garden forms an oblong square, with a range of hot-houses and gardener's house at the north end, close to the Heidelberg Gate. These hothouses were the best and neatest-built that I had met with in Germany, and contain a pretty fair collection of plants, with some very fine species of Cacteæ. ”

“ The objects of cultivation, the routine of cropping, the periods of forcing fruits and flowers, and the hothouses employed for such purposes, are nearly the same in all large gardens; and a well-digested and accurate account of what is found most useful or beautiful in one, will serve as a rule of practice in nearly all the others. The Duke of Bedford's Garden is one of the best in England, and Mr. Forbes is one of the most experienced Gardeners ”

“ I observed some fine paintings in the interior.
The several celebrated mineral springs in this town are nearly as hot as those at Baden; leading from the Baths, is a handsome street and a number of good houses, that appeared to have been recently erected. At a short distance from the town is a prettily planted hill, which must command a fine prospect from its top of the surrounding country and scenery; but my time would not permit a visit to it. In the vicinity of Aix-la-Chapelle are numerous market gardens, but I observed no nursery stock. ”

“ In the environs are large tracts of ground under vegetable culture, but I was unable to learn of the existence of any botanic garden or good nursery establishment in the immediate neighbourhood. Large fields of tobacco were cultivated in the suburbs, as well as extensive plantations of the Hop, which appeared very prolific. The soil we passed from Nuremberg to Munich was more sandy than it previously had been; the scenery is also more flat and less varied than in our preceding stages. ”

“ At a considerable distance from the palace, some very extensive fruit terraces were forming on the slope of a hill, near the town of Carstadt; nearly two hundred men were busily employed blasting rock, and forming the terraces, which are intended for the vine, fig, peach, apricot, &c., and from the fine sheltered situation in which they are placed, I imagine the success will be fully equal to their expectations. ”

“ This building is surrounded by numerous walks, and columns with vines trained against them. Ascending a flight of steps, that leads to a point of view looking down upon a fountain, playing with great force. This spot is tastefully laid out, and in very neat order. Several other ornamental erections are placed in these grounds, but to attempt to describe them all would require an actual residence for some weeks. The royal palace of Potsdam is a magnificent building, in the form of a quadrangle. ”

“ The peach trees are planted inside the house, within one foot of the front wall, and are trained perpendicular to the trellis, to the height of six feet, being as high as the upright glass. A rider is then carried in general, close under the roof lights, trained to a lath trellis which is nailed to the underside of the rafter.
As soon as the frosty nights are over, the houses are generally stripped of the sashes, and the trees and fruit left fully exposed to the sun and weather, while the fruit is maturing; but such fruits as are wanted at an early period, are of course not thus exposed. ”

“ We cannot conceive of any means by which the majesty and power of the Almighty is to be so easily and forcibly impressed upon the uninformed mind, as by putting this little tract into the hands of such. ”

“ The town of Liege is situated in a beautiful valley, at the junction of the river Meuse with the Ourthe, and surrounded by hills and fertile pasture, the latter being watered by three rivers, the Ourthe, the Vestre, and the Meuse.
This city contains a great many very fine built houses, and is much celebrated for its various manufactories, which principally consist of marble, coal, iron, and various other hardware articles. The old palace is a fine antique building of the Ionic order; the different apartments in it were then undergoing a thorough repair. ”

“ I here observed a good collection of Pæonias, but the prince excels most in the Succulent tribe of plants, such as the Cacteæ, Mesembryanthemum, and Aloes.
Although the Cacteæ are very numerous they were not such fine specimens as in the Berlin garden. A sheet of water encloses, in a manner, the greater part of the palace and its offices, and from the windows it has a very fine effect, with its bold sweeping banks extending along the arboretum, where a pretty wooden bridge appears in view. The hothouses are rather in a decayed state ”

“ After satisfying myself with what was to be seen in this department, I returned to Potsdam, from whence the diligence to Dresden, my next place of destination, did not start till twelve o'clock. The time I had to spare before my conveyance came up, was employed in inspecting the town, which consists, it is said, of 2000 houses, and 16,000 inhabitants. The streets are in general very clean; one leading from the palace to Sans-souci is inlaid with planks for the wheels of the different vehicles to run on, similar to the Russian manner. ”

“ The collection of Cape and New Holland plants is pretty extensive, and numerous species of the Genus Erica are also cultivated. In the kitchen garden various pyramidal-formed pear trees are grown; and the hothouses are of a better description than are usually to be met with in Germany ”

“ The pipes branch right and left from the boiler and appeared to be only two inches in diameter, yet, I was informed, they were found quite sufficient for the heating of this conservatory. Undoubtedly the boiler being so very large rendered pipes of greater dimensions unnecessary. The frost is, however, much more intense in Germany than in England; the Lauristinus, Arbutus, Rhododendrons, Portugal and Common Laurel, were cultivated at Nymphenburg as green-house plants; they are too tender to endure the winters there. ”