Consequently when these districts are built up in the course of years and traffic has developed, the street is wide enough for its accommodation. People would say it is a waste to purchase superfluous ground in advance, but this is not the case, for that portion at present not used for a street or sidewalk is rented to the house owner to be used as front gardens. They are compelled to do this by law or they do not receive the concession to build their houses. Thus in most new sections of the German towns we see long alleys with pretty front gardens. When necessity arises all these or only a strip of them are removed and used for the new sidewalk, the old one having been turned into the widened street.
Much attention is given to a belt of forests and meadows for excursions, picnics, etc.
A notable example is the Austrian capital with its wonderful natural surroundings, as we had a chance to see by maps, drawings and an immense model in the Berlin exhibition. Yet in Germany the Vienna example will not be entirely adopted, as those forests and parks make a perfectly closed geometrical ring, forming a drawback to transportation and to the extension of the city. Berlin owns considerable areas of forests and large playing fields close to the city borders. Much valuable work has been achieved by them and hundreds of acres of forest area has been saved. Railways and fine smooth country roads are laid through these surroundings, insuring good transportation and pleasant drives.