May i, 1876. 1 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



345 



said, double as a Petacia or Balsftm ; Charles Turner, a light 

 mottled variety, splendid flower; Flambeau, brilliant; and 

 Beveral others. The remarkable double variety has been pur- 

 chased, wo believe, by Mr. Turner of Slough. 



Ghent Azaleas (Azalea pontica) are also admirably exhibited, 

 demonstratiDg how eftective are these plants for forcing and 

 decorative purposes. Large specimens, plants 2 to 4 feet in 

 diameter, are exhibited by Mr. Van Houtte. There were 

 splendid plantain his varieties. In these Dr. Auguste Cambeer, 

 Xiouis Oiime Van Houtte, Davisii, Louis Bloramaat, Minerve, 

 Aurantiaca variegata, Straminea, Louis Hellebuyck, Sang do 

 Gendbrugge, and, best of all, Diamant, are conspicuous by their 

 excellence. The gold medal tvas awarded. 



Azalea mollis in variety is also exhibited in splendid con- 

 dition by Mr. Van Houtte. No one who has not seen well- grown 

 varieties of this type can appreciate how distinct and imposing 

 they are. The best were Comte Papadoli, Baron Ed. de Roth- 

 schild, Chevalier Ade Reali, Seedling, Raine des Beiges, Comte 

 de Gomer, and Caroline Legrello d'Hamis. These are recom- 

 mended to the notice of all growers of gay spring decorative 

 plants. 



Bhododendrona are nnmerouB and excellent, the plants being 

 healthy and remarkably well bloomed. 201 exhibited an ad- 

 mirable collection, the best being Vesuvius, crimson ; Deoo- 

 ratum, rose ; Limbatum, Madame Wagner, Lord Broughton, 

 Bylesianum in several tints of rose and pink. The best lilacs 

 were Rosea superba, Eliae,and very delicate and good Evelynse. 

 203 had a good collection ; The Grand Arab, Michael Waterer, 

 Sir C. Napier, Minnie, Mr. John Waterer, Elfride, Lady Alice 

 Peel, Everestianum, Quadrona, Prince Camille de Rohan, and 

 Mrs. John Glutton being very superior. A new variety exhibited 

 by Mr. de Coninck, Frederick de Coninck, purple with brown 

 spots and orange band, was splendid. Mr. Van Hoatte and Mr. 

 Beit also exhibited successfully. 



Camellias are not numerous, but some small plants were 

 admirably cultivated. The plants were about 2 feet high and 



1 to 2 feet in diameter, and for healthy foliage and number and 

 quality of blooms we have not seen them equalled. Lemichezi, 

 Bubens, Alba plena, Auguste Delfosse, Valtevareda, Unica, 

 Eose de la Eeine, Lavinia Maggii, and Aspazia were the varie- 

 ties most compact in habit and most floriferous. Plants in tubs 

 3 feet high and through with rich green foliage and fine blooms 

 are also exhibited ; Mr. de Coster and Mr. Van Eckhante ob- 

 taining the chief prizes. 



Some admirable groups of ornamental-foliaged plants are 

 exhibited. The most noticeable were Curmeria picturata, Ma- 

 ranta fasciata, Dichorisandra argenteo-marginata, Bertolonia 

 Van Houttei, very fine ; and Phyllotsenium Lindeni. Ex- 

 cellently exhibited also are Anthurium crystallinam, leaves 



2 feet long, the plant being 5 feet in diameter ; Maranta Mazelli 

 was 3 feet across and very handsome ; Sphsorogyne latifolia, a 

 noble specimen, the leaves being 18 inches long and 15 inches 

 across, with good Crotons and Dieffanbachias. 



We now come to Mr. Linden's collection of twenty-five Dra- 

 c^nas and fine admirable examples of culture. Some of the 

 plants are 6 feet in height furnished with foliage to the pots, 

 some of these leaves being 4 feet in length. The specimen of 

 D. Toungii was splendid, and almost equally fine were D. Shep- 

 herdii, D. Baptistii, and D. Mooreana. Smaller but vigorous 

 were D. Reginre, D. Cassanovae, D. Reali, D. magnifica, D. albi- 

 cans, D. hybrida, D. splendens, &c. For size and good culture 

 these plants were remarkable, but they had really no chance of 

 successfully competing with the equally healthy though smaller 

 and striking new varieties from Mr. Wills, and that the Anerley 

 seedlings should defeat a collection like Mr. Linden's is the 

 most powerful testimony of the value of the English varieties. 



We have now to note a magnificent group of Gloxinias from 

 France. We have never before seen varieties to surpass if 

 equal these ; the forms of the flowers, the great substance of 

 their petals, their rich colours and chaste markings, and the 

 massive foliage of the plants were alike remarkable. 



Mr. Van Houtte exhibits a collection of Caladiums, a rich 

 case of Bertolonias, Sonerilas, Peperomias, Ancectochiluses, 

 Dichorisandras, &c., and a striking group of Gesneraceous plants, 

 the most remarkable being Persea hypocyrtiflora, Gesnera rosea 

 Baesi, G. refulgens, G. regalis, and other varieties, also Cyrto- 

 dorea metallica. 



Plants of Kalmia latifolia in tuba were 3 feet in diameter, 

 and were healthy and floriferous. They were exhibited by 

 Mr. Vuylsteke. Eriostemons, Boronias, and hardwooded plants 

 generally are not numerous or equal to the best English-grown 

 plants; and nothing of this nature in the Exhibition could 

 approach the specimens sent by Mr. B. 8. Williams. Agaves, 

 Yuccas, and Dasylirions were well exhibited by Mr. Linden and 

 other cultivators. A grand plant of Imantophyllum miniatum 

 is exhibited by Mr. Van Schoor. It was 4 feet in diameter, 

 and crowded with fine heads of flowers. 



A collection of Marantas from Madame Legrelle d'Hamis con- 

 tained plants of remarkable size and vigour. They ranged from 

 2 to 5 feet in diameter, the leaves being in splendid condition. 



The finest of these is perhaps M. pacifica, green with silvery- 

 grey bars; M. Wallisii, tricolor; M. orbifolia, M. Porteana, 

 M. vittata, M. rosea picta, M. Leemannii, M. Mackoyana, and 

 M. coreifolia. A splendid plant of M. fasciata, which is very 

 similar to if not identical with M. pacifica, is exhibited. The 

 plant was 3 feet in diameter, in perfect colour and markings. 



Tuberous-rooted Begonias are exhibited by Mr. Van Houtte 

 in great excellence. We have seen none to equal these gay yet 

 elo'-'ant flowers. Some of them were not named ; others were, 

 as Pearcei, superba, Madame Oscar Lamarohe, Madame Zimmer- 

 man, Emeraude, Charles Raes, and Topaze. Aspidistra lurida 

 variegata is exhibited in splendid condition by Mr. Linden, the 

 green of the massive leaves being rich and the white pure. 



Hyacinths. — Mr. J. H. Krelage, Haarlem, produced a grand 

 effect by exhibiting in masses, ten bulbs of distinct varieties 

 being grown in pans 9 inches in diameter. The spikes were not 

 only fine, but were uniform in height and substance. They 

 have been grown and selected for this mode of culture with 

 special care. All varieties are not adapted for growing in this 

 way. Of the sorts exhibited the best were — Whites ; Madame 

 Vander Hoop, Prince of Waterloo, Miraudoline, Paix de I'Europe, 

 La Belle Blanchissense, Miohael Angelo, Nectar, and Mont 

 Blanc. Blues : Kronprinz Von Schweden, Lord Palmerston, 

 Nimrod, Benjamin Franklin, Laurens Koster, and Justus Von 

 Liebig. Reds: Queen Victoria Alexandrina, Oscar Von Redwitz, 

 Prosper Alpini, Princess Clotilde, Von Schiller, Princess Royale, 

 and Duchess de Richmond. These masses were exceedingly 

 fine, producing a much greater effect than the plants with single 

 spikes, and are admirable for purposes of decoration. Several 

 collections in single spikes were exhibited, the pots being roughly 

 hidden by moss. Although fairly good collections were staged 

 they were not equal to the productions of Messrs. Veitch, Cut- 

 bush, and others which have been seen at the London exhi- 

 bitions. Messrs. Veitch had a collection sent to Brussels, bat 

 the plants were injured in transit and oould not be staged. 



Tulips were generally superior to the Hyacinths, the varieties 

 being similar to what have been exhibited in London. Nar- 

 cissuses were poor. Cinerarias were far behind such plants and 

 varieties as we find exhibited at home by Mr. James. Tricolor, 

 Bicolor, and Zonal Pelargoniums were not equal to plants of 

 Mr. Laing's and Mr. Pestridge's cultivation. Amaryllises were 

 very attractive. Many of the varieties were splendid in their 

 markings, the central band in some and the edgings of the petals 

 in other flowers being most clear and distinct. They do not, 

 perhaps, contain the fulness of flower and the substance of 

 English-raised seedlings, but their beauty is unquestionable. 



Mr. Van Geert, Antwerp, exhibited Conifers not for compe- 

 tition, amongst which were examples of his new variegated 

 Weeping Yew, Taxus pendnla aurea. 



We have now noted many collections submitted by foreign 

 exhibitors, and given them the credit which they deserve, and 

 we must now devote some attention to the consignments of 

 plants from England. We shall not be accused of permitting 

 our patriotism prejudicing our judgment when we say that the 

 English plants for rarity, quality, and beauty were worthy at 

 least of being exhibited in Belgium. If the Belgian Palms and 

 Ferns were imposing, and the Azaleas almost startling by their 

 perfectness, we had amongst English productions the splen- 

 didly arranged groups of a hundred Orchids and other rare and 

 choice plants from Messrs. Veitch, also Roses and Clematises. 

 We had the rich group of Orchids from Mr. Williams, which 

 won the President's grand gold medal and 1000 francs ; also 

 Mr. Williams's fine Ferns, stove and greenhouse plants, and 

 miscellaneous collections. We had Mr. Bull's new, rare, and 

 beautiful examples, which received the honours they deserved. 

 We had Mr. Wills's unrivalled Dracaenas, the raiser of which — 

 M. Baase — has, as was well said by one of the greatest of Bel- 

 gian horticulturists " written his name for ever in the history 

 of fertilisation;" and last but not least, the extensive coUec- 

 tion of Roses in pots from Messrs. W. Paul & Son of the famed 

 Waltham Cross Nurseries. These several groups represented 

 England in a manner to which no exception could be taken, and 

 that they have contributed immensely to the success of the 

 Exhibition is willingly admitted and recognised by all visitors. 

 It was gratifying to notice the freshness and perfect condition 

 of these plants after their long journey by land and sea. Fragile 

 Orchids and other tender stove occupants arrived in the struc- 

 ture at the Place du Petite Sablons at Brussels almost as fresh 

 as the plants usually appear at the London exhibitions. It is 

 not possible to enumerate the plants composing the several 

 English groups, but may say that the highest prize — the prize 

 of honour offered by His Majesty the King — was won by Mr. 

 B. S. Williams. This was the grand gold medal offered to the 

 stranger who contributed most to the splendour of the Exhibi- 

 tion. Truly Mr. Williams's consignment was a splendid one. The 

 twenty-five Orchids formed one of the finest groups ever staged. 

 The twenty stove and greenhouse plants were far in advance of 

 other plants of the same nature. 'The gold-medal collection for 

 twelve plants introduced since 1873, and the gold-medal group 

 for twelve plants of recent introduction, the splendid Ferns, the 



