The record-union., 1897-10-03
CALIFORNIA AT HAMBURG.
LETTER FROM A SACRAMEN-
TAN AT THE EXPOSITION.
His Ideas Concerning a Market in
Europe for California
Fruit Products.

gives the observations and views OF
young Mr.. Simmons at the Hamburg
Exposition and is so charged with intel
lgent interest that the Record Union"
commends it to its readers:
Hamburg, Sept. IL, 1897.
Der Hamburger Gartenbau Austel-
lung, having been in operation for SIX
months, closes october 3d. It may be
voted q complete success, both finan-
cia1ly and for it's having been the means
of introducing to this section Gn fact
to the North of Europe) much in the
way Of horticultural products and in
dustries of which otherwise this ex-
ceediugly thrifty and commercial coun-
try might be more or less ignorant.
That this city should be chosen as
Ehe spot for such an exhibition was
fortunate. With nearly 100000 popula-
1ion, and ranking next to London, Lly-
erpool and New York as a commercial
center (no fewer than II 900 vessels en-
1ering its port, a majority of them
steamships with foreign loadings); and
connected, as it is, by railroads with
every part of Europe and being so adj
Tantageously placed in the lower Elbe
<25 feet tide water), none should Won
der at the immense imports it makes
in spirits, hides, iron, fancy goods and
grain, and, let me add, home products
In the future.
Thus you see that Hamburg is quite
ideal rs the place where the latter
should be exhibited. The grounds for
. the "Austellung'' are situated a five
minutes walk from the best and most
populous portion of the city, and cover
space to the extent of 100000 square
feet, being of irregular rectangular
form, about 900 meters by 800, and not
Dne inch of which is unutilized ground.
Picture to yourself the central por-
tion, mainly occupied by a sheet Of
water curved like the letter S, and in
which several fountains play to an I'M
usual hight This little lake was a por-
tion of the moat which once surround
ed the free Hauseatic town of Ham
burg. It's banks, beautifully sloping
and terraced, extend upward toward
the "anlage'' or promenade. The lawn
forming the sides Of this cup-shaped
depression or basin, is extensively stud
ded with groups of flowers, rich in
colors and rare in quality-in fact, quite
an exhibition in itself.
I am told that these designs are reg
nlarly changed at intervals of two
weeks, and give place to new colorings
and forms. Here may mention that
while walking in a little sloping by
path I noticed a small group of peo-
pie looking admiringly at a plot of
lovely sweet peas" The attention be-
dng thus attracted, was delighted to
read on the sign Sunset Seed Co., San
Francisco
Reaching the promenade, which at a
distance of thirty yards from the lake,
encircles it, we gain the level portion,
which in turn is surrounded, or, rather,
Enclosed by more stretches of green
sward and florist displays. All this is
more or less completely surrounded by
the exhibition buildings, both large and
small, but all architecturally we'll built,
even TO the smallest "trink halle" rich
ly coated with paints of bright colors.
One must picture to ones self large
trees, irregularly interspersed through
out the grounds, for when the exhibi-
tion ceases this will be a public park,
as it formerly was.
A stroll along the east side, the prin-
cipal attraction in the evening (for the
sindustrie hallen" on the opposite side
are then closed), takes one through pa
vilions devoted chiefly to the exhibition
of vegetables, mostly local, though here
and there are bowers and retiring
places formed by potted date palms and
other tropical growths from the far
south, as Smyrna Italy, etc.
1t is quite impossible to make a con-
5inuous walk through the exhibition
buildings, for the pathway slzillfully
leads to refreshment stations, than
which there are no fewer than twenty
six, seven Of these being very Jorge and
capable of seating from $50 to 500 per-
sons. and in the evenings almost COM
pletely full, for here the inhabitants of
Hamburg and visitors sit, drink,
or eat and listen to the harmonious
strains of well-drilled bands, three
bands and one orchestra situated in
different parts of the grounds, and SO
playing in their shell houses that one
cannot hear two pieces simultaneously.
Thus sightseers to the exhibition may
have this means for diversion, and the
pleasure seekers who attend for the
purpose of watching the promenade,
drinking or listening to the music, are
drawn unconsciously to the display.
Sucn an institution in our own country
would be an impossibility; but here fills
1his double purpose. But let me leave
the west, and the halls of industry"
which remain open only during the day
Beginning at the south end of this
group of buildings Chere again all flank
ed with grass plots. trellises and all
kinds of plants and shrubs), and direct
iRg ones way northward, displays are
passed such as are seen ait our own
State Fair, minus the art gallery and
The motive 1lOvvas- m 77acIY.y~xr Aro41.,,~~
especially new or interesting until that
section is reached prominent to Ameri-
cans by the display of several United
States flags.
Aside from that portion which treats
of the biology and mophology of plants,
there is nothing in the exhibit one needs
TO inspect so closely as the ~Califormshe
produekte." Germany, like other places
In the old world. fancies California to
do all things on the big scale, yet skep-
1ical and eonservativewhen they gaze at
our peaches and pears in those big glass
Jars, until Mr.. Hector removes one, and
thus demonstrates they are not magni-
Hed-that these really are peaches, they
viii hardly believe.
This California exhibit seems always
TO draw more than its share of specta-
tors, most of them wondering in ignor-
ance of the exact character of the fruit
displayed. There is, of course, no per-
ishable fruit shown; the reason being
obvious: Frst-the great length of
transportation. Second-The six months
duration OF the exhibition. France.
Hungary, Spain and Italy being able
TO receive fresh invoices of fruit almost
daily