New-York tribune., 1901-06-16
RAILROAD GARDENS.
THE EFFORTS OF VARIOUS COMPANIES
TO BEAUTIFH THEIR STATION
GROUNDS.
GROUNDS

The New-York Central Railroad ,a,,r,,
"aeed to its corps of officers a landscape arcbi-
lect' whose duty il viii he TO beautify the sta
ions along the line of the road The idea is
h't new one" said railroad man. nor is the
sla1"h garden a new feature Many railroad
'"'i'aiii"s nave recognized the fact that at
tractiNe grounds about a rural station do the
pace much good and help TO advertise the road
also. know that some places near large cities
which We're started 10y land companies were
slow To grow. and all Efforts 10 induce peorle 20
buy land seemed To be fruitless until the land
scape gardener was called in. lie laid o,,t the
grounds about the new station had old fsncss
replaced 10y green hedges and artistic stone
walls and before he had finished the Sob the
people Who came TO visit the place exclaimed
How lovely and not 'Horridr as they did ne
Tore he went 10 work. What is true of the new
town Is equally true Of the established place
ana Tor THAI reason railroad people have become
patrons OF the ART OF landscape gardening. and
their rural stations are taking on a new ana inn
proved appearance"
In most instances the efforts have l.asr i'm m.
direction Of "old fashioned gardening" Plots in
ifont al the stations ana near them We're laid
"ut m Hover beds and these were planted with
lowers and shrubs Carpet patterns and names
we're the main features If these garden improve
ments. and while the results we're pleasing 10 the
eSe Tor a lew months every year THERE was
hJtle permanent Improvement In order 10
stimulate agents 10 their best effort in the Way
~ beauifying their stations. some roads offered
Tfizes for The best arranged station grounds
otheF roads employed a gardener who visited
The various stations and laid out the work for
The season, which the agent and his family or
his assistants were supposed to keep up. Still
other roads employed local florists and garden
ors TO keep the stations in order.
Among the pioneers in ,his line of beauiifying
stations was the Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pany. The Lehieh Valley road and the Chicago,
Rock Island and Pacific Railway also ala much
ln that direction. and the Michigan Central
raised enough flowers I station 10 make
ID possible 10 give hundreds Of bouquets 10
lssergers daly for several months every year
Many Of the suburban stations near Phiadel-
rh.a nave beautifully kept grounds and the
gardens belonging TO the handsome houses are
ecliI sed by the railroad flower shows 4 gar
deaer employed one OF the suburban roads
said:
Most railroad officials look at the question
from an economic standpoint. They do not
question the value of attractive stations along
their lines. provided il does not cost too much.
The matter II cost at first sight frightens
great many. and prevents them from entering
into this Improvement. hut when more carefully
and closely investigated il Is discovered thar
There are ways Of accomplishing the desired
result without a large outlay.
In speaking Of the methods followed 10y the
company. the gardener said:
They plant every season about la0En floMer-
ing and foliage plants as follows. l6tnn ger
aniums 3Ono Cannas. $4,000 alternantheras.
1000 scarlet saEes, 2Ww Begonia Vernon ana
varieties 2tso ageratums, l5.Wm echeTeTias
40.o coleus. 30rD abutilons. eWs, acalyphas.
1000 Cei.taurea candidissimas and i.mO mis-