The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1874-11-19
Extracts or
LETTERS FROM EUROPE.

had French gardeners brought over
here to Berlin during his reign, in
tending to introduce the French taste
in landscape gardening, but these
quick-spirited Frenchmen called it
'the land of Moab" and returned
without so much as making an effort
to cultivate the sandy soil. The en-
tire city, as I have mentioned before,
is built on a large drift deposit
There is very little fruit, and vege-
tables seem to be scarce. The medi-
ma classes use potatoes as the Irish
do-as the second "staff of life"
1 have told you of the houses of
Berlin-how they are constructed.
I think, however, I have forgotten to
say, that when a house is almost
completed they decorate it with ever
green and raise crown on the roof,
and then the masons have a grand
jubilee. Every one who builds in
Berlin must own the property. There
are no leases here, as in England,
''for 999 years" or as in America.
It seems wrong system here, for
ground is SO dear that very high,
and consequently expensive, house
must be put up, and usually, we are
told, the man who undertakes it must
mortgage his property before he has
ever enjoyed his home, and that they
never own more than 30 per cent.
The houses are generally four and
five stories high, and on each floor
there are rooms enough for a large
family. The front doors are massive
and handsome, and give an imposing
entrance to all houses, but they are
not the property of one man, who has
the right to open and close them as
he pleases. The bell is answered by
PORTER, who lives in the basement
rooms. Then every one who dwells
in these large houses Immediately
seek their own floor; their respective
doors are closed, and the different
halls are as silent and vacant as if
there was no one inside, but there
are generally from 10 to 100 persons
under one roof in Berlin. Even Mr..
Bancroft, our Minister, lives on the
second floor of one of these houses.
The population of Berlin is 1,0O0,-
| OOO-35, 900 q year immigration. At
ter the war it was hardly possible to
get dwelling. Houses went up to
fabulous prices - 10000 thalers
were asked for house in the morn
ing, and in the evening $4,000!
There is a great crash expected
next year in property.
There is little fuel near Berlin.
Coal is scarce. I wrote of the fine
forests they plant to use for fuel.
Peat is used-also charcoal.
The iron manufactures of Berlin
are very celebrated. Berlin iron can
be made into the mostponderous ma
chinery, or the daintiest chain for
lady's neck. The chemical establish
ments are numerous. 'tPrussian
Blue" that I have always used in my
painting so much, I find is made
here, and the art was discovered here.
Then there is the leather trade, fur
niture manufactures, porcelain, silks,
cotton, tobacco, &c. &c.
The great success of Prussia and
its present prosperous condition is
attributed by thoughtful men, to OBJ
Jgatory education and obligatory
military seroice. DIR. Thompson,
Prof. Boyle, Prof. Hernholtz, and all
the distinguished men whose opinion
1 have had the pleasure of listening
to, have agreed on this one point
The system of education in Ger.
many is, as every one understands,
very thorough. Allpersons engaged
in teaching are under the control of
the Government-(ther are really no
private schools in Germany The
whole course of a teachers life must
be drawn Up in the school papers,
and after the diploma is obtained
their ability is never questioned.
Young people are educated from
their youth to whatever their tastes
in childhood lead. Parents here do
not say as they do elsewhere, 30,
give them a liberal education, and
then they may choose what they pre-
fer" Nor is boy allowed to study
geometry six years, and afterwards
sent to Spain to trade, where a few
words of Spanish would be of more
service to him.
I confess it is a subject of much in
terest and thought to me, and upon
some reflection I see how greater
perfection can be obtained by their
system, but I can also see how minds
run in certain track may be worn
out, when variety" would be the
"spice of life" and the preservation
of it. In other words, I love Ameri-
ca and her institutions more since I
have been able to learn of others and
compare them with our own. After
having received the liberal education
we boast of there, I think it is de-
lightful to come here and prosecute
some one branch of study, and be
taught in some one department, by
those whose lives have been spent for
- o1oya