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JODENAL OF HOBTICTJLTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



( May 18, 1876. 



Floral Committee.— W. B. Kelloek, Esq., in the chair. 

 Messrs. Veitch & Sons exhibited what cannot bo described as 

 less than a magnificent collection of Orchids. For cleanliness 

 and health of the plants, and for the splendid condition of their 

 flowers, these plants were alike remarkable. OdontoglosBum 

 nivopnm had twenty-seven fine spikes of lovely-spotted flowers; 

 Aerides Fieldingi had five spikes, 15 to 18 inches in length; 

 Odontoglossum prismatocarpnm was represented by an ad- 

 mirable variety. The Cattleyas were gorgeons. They com- 

 prised G. MosBiae, C. Mossiie Dawsoni, in grand form ; C. Men- 

 delli, a variety of surpassing beauty; 0. Warneri, and the pure 

 ■white- and-yellow C. Wagneri. Lffllia Wolstenholmia) had two 

 vigorous spikes and thirteen handsome flowers. Dendrobiums 

 were represented by D. Bensonise in admirable form, the spike 

 having twenty flowers ; and equally fine was D. thryeiflorum. 

 Oncidinms compriBed O. Marshalli, anoble spike of thirty flowers ; 

 and O. conoolor, beautiful canary yellow. Of Cypripedinms 

 a pan of the chaste C. niveum contained twenty-four flowers. 

 C. Dayanum was fine alike in foliage and blooms, and C.Dominii 

 towered aloft in its distinctness. Of Masdevallias were M. Lin- 

 deni and M. Veitchiana, both extremely rich. Noticeable also 

 were Vanda Parishii and Anguloa Buckerii, but perhaps most of 

 all attractive were the grand examples of Odontoglossum vexil- 

 larium. The blooms of those were nearly 3 inches across, of 

 stont texture and charming colour. A variety with a pure white 

 lip, delicately-tinted sepals and petals, and yellow centre is un- 

 doubtedly a gem of the purest water — an acquisition to be 

 cherished by its owners and to be coveted by all growers of 

 Orchids. In the exhibition of this rich collection Messrs. Veitch 

 have almost surpassed themselves, for a group so perfect and 

 complete is rarely to be seen at any exhibition. 



Messrs. Veitch also exhibited plants of Bor«nia elatior, which 

 will prove a fine companion plant to B. megastigma. B. elatior 

 is of slender growth, and is profusely covered with pale carmine 

 flowers sweetly scented ; it received a first-class certificate. 

 First-class certificates were also awarded to the same firm for 

 Aralia Veitchii (nnanimonsly), a plant infinitely smaller in all 

 its parts than A. Veitchii, the leaves, indeed, being almost 

 thread-like by their slenderness ; for Azalea indica Jean Ver- 

 vaene, a rosy-tinted scarlet-flaked flower with a white edge 

 breaking into the body colours ; for Cattleya Mendelli; and for 

 Cypripedium selligerum, a fine cross between C. barbatum and 

 C; Ijevigatum. A gold medal was awarded for Odontoglossum 

 nivsBum, and a Davis medal was recommended to be given for 

 the excellence of the collection. 



Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., M.P., exhibited a group of five 

 Orchids of great merit. A plant of Aerides Mendelli was awarded 

 a first-clasB certificate. It is a very beautiful variety after the 

 style of A. LarpentoB, but with buff sepals, the labellnm being 

 bine and white. It is very sweetly scented. A cultural com- 

 mendation was also attached to the plant, it being in superb 

 health and bearing five fine spikes. The same exhibitor also 

 submitted Masdevallia Harryana violacea, a vigorous plant with 

 fourteen fine flowers ; Odontoglossum crispum, Promenasa 

 citrina, and Dendrobium carniferum. A vote of thanks was 

 awarded for these plants. 



Messrs. E. G. Henderson & Son, Wellington Road Nursery, 

 St. John's Wood, exhibited double Cinerarias Prince Imperial, 

 pnrple, and King Alphonso, magenta. For the latter a first- 

 class certificate was awarded. These are perfectly double, and 

 will be useful and lasting decorative plants, also valuable for 

 affording cut flowers. The same firm also exhibited a remark- 

 able collection of forty Slimnlnses. The plants were in 2i.inch 

 pots. Some of the flowers were more than 3 inches in diameter, 

 and in a great variety of gorgeous colours. This is the finest 

 strain of MimuluEes we have ever seen, and for cool moist 

 places no plants can produce so rich an effect as these. They 

 were highly commended by the Committee. 



Mr. C. Noble, Sunningdale Nursery, Bagshot, exhibited 

 Clematis lanuginosa violacea, and received a first-class certi- 

 ficate. It is a splendid variety, the flowers being 6 inches in 

 diameter, the petals very stont and of a purplish blue colour. 

 This belonging to the hardy section of Clematises cannot fail 

 to become highly useful. 



Sir G. Macleay, Bart., Pendell Court, Bletchingley, exhibited 

 two remarkable native fronds of Neottopteris anstralasica, 

 these fronds being G feet 7 inches in length and 7 inches in 

 ■width, and no doubt were larger when perfectly fresh. A vote 

 of thanks was awarded. Mr. Green, The Botanical Nursery, 

 Holmesdale Road, exhibited a basket of Iris pumila Intescens 

 elegans, and Mr. Boothby, Louth, Lincolnshire, a double seed- 

 ling Polyanthus. 



Watebino Steawbebeieb. — "A Market Gaedener" ■writes, 

 " Unless the weather changes and Bhowers fall, it will be 

 ntcefsary to apply liquid manure to the Strawberry beds, or 

 the trusses will be weak, flowers small, and fruit inferior." He 

 states that " by the long continuance of the cold and drying 

 easterly wind the plants are throwing up their tmeses stub- 

 bornly, and other crops are nearly at a etandstill." Cauli- ' 



flowers, he further adds, show appearances of " buttoning," 

 owing to the check received by ungenial weather. 



LOUIS VAN HOUTTE. 



A GUNT in horticulture is gone — Van Houtte is dead. On 

 the 30th ult. we held converse with him at the Brussels Show, 

 and on the 3rd inst. we shared the hospitalities of his table in 

 his home at Ghent, regretting his sinking frame, but admiring 

 his energetic horticultural spirit, and enjoying his sparkling 

 wit over the social meal. We know somewhat of the habits of 

 this remarkable man, having sojourned with him in response 

 to the following invitation : — " Come and see me. You dine 

 with us, yon sleep with ns; you go into my nursery and into 

 my house when you like ; you have all you want ; you stay as 

 long as you like;" and then with definite earnestness — "yon 

 stay a month." That is an example of the heartiness of the 

 welcome which he gave to strangers — a specimen of the hospi- 

 tality for which he was proverbial. Of that visit which occurred 

 three years ago the following was written :— M. Van Houtte is 

 a gentleman of robust physique and vigorous Intellect, and 

 subjected to his penetrating vision a nervous man might feel 

 himself the subject of stock-taking and being read all through. 

 He has not much time for polished ceremony or to press 

 courtesy to an unpleasant extreme. Like many another 

 eminent man he is a great listener, and seems content for hia 

 friends around him to do the conventional talk, himself sitting 

 and speaking only to the point. His characteriatio is soon 

 seen to be matter-of-fact exactitude, which is one of the 

 greatest acquisitions any man can inherit or acquire, and 

 which in the end will serve him the best. Van Houtte's is a 

 house of work. Each one has his or her duties in conducting 

 this great bneinesB. Even the daughters of the honBehoId — 

 of charming manners and genial — have their share in foreign 

 correspondence, their maternal parent being chief cashier. 

 Van Houtte spends his whole time in his business bureau. He 

 has not been all round his narsery for three years, yet ia 

 cognisant of everything in every part of it. From five to 

 eight every morning is occupied in arrangements with different 

 foremen, and if it is never seen, still the governing head ia 

 felt in every corner of the eBtablishment. Surrounded by a 

 large staff of clerks every detail of management is arranged 

 in the bureau, the chief himself commencing work between 

 one and two o'clock every morning, and working incessantly 

 until 8 P.M. with less than one hour's intermission, and thia 

 not at any particular season, but constantly from one year's end 

 to another. What a lesson it teaches, that there is no royal 

 road to success, and is one more example that those who have 

 won have worked — worked with rare zeal and perseverance 

 irresistible in presBing to the goal of sucoess. That is a brief 

 sketch of hia character and position tlieii, but now he is dead. 



This excellent man and highly skilled horticulturist died at 

 his residence in Gendbrugge-Iez-Gand on the 9th inst. He 

 was nearly sixty-six, being horn at Ypres in the Jane of 1810. 

 The mere enumeration of the ofEces and honours conferred 

 upon him are a suiEcient testimony to his great merits. He 

 was Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Brussels ; Director 

 and Founder of the Horticultural School at Gendbrugge ; Ad- 

 ministrative Member of the Royal Agricultural and Botanical 

 Society of Ghent ; Member of the Royal Botanic Society of 

 Belgium, and of a great number other horticultural and scien- 

 tific societies, &o. ; Mayor of Gendbrugge ; Kuight of the Royal 

 Order of Leopold of Belgium ; of the Imperial Order of Saint 

 Anne of Russia ; of the Royal Order of Portugal ; of the Im- 

 perial Order of the Rose of Brazil ; Commander of the Spanish 

 Order of Charles III., &o. At the recommendation of M. Alex- 

 andre Versohaffelt M. Van Houtte settled at Ghent in 1839, 

 and he commenced the publication of the " Flore des Serres " 

 in 1815, and continued without any interval its editor aa well 

 as proprietor until the time of his death. 



He was the son of a military engineer who was eng.aged on 

 the fortifications of Antwerp, and dying when his son was 

 young the training of the latter was confided to his mother, but, 

 as is very usual, had an inclination for studies very different 

 from those of his father. He was devoted to floriculture, and 

 being a good botanist was engaged as a botanical traveller to 

 setrch for now plants worthy of cultivation in South America, 

 the coast of Central Africa, and elsewhere. He was subse- 

 quently Curator of the Royal Botanic Gardens of Brussels, 

 and afterwards joined an EngUshman with a view of establish- 

 ing a business in Britain. To this enterprise he was too con- 

 fiding, entrusting his capital to his colleague with the result 



