264 



JOUENAL OF HOBTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. 



I September 23, 187B. 



desirable; not that all arc not worthy of a place, but though 

 all are gems, our purpose can be served by the Tarieties follow- 

 ing. N. bulbocodium (Hoop Petticoat), which is fine in pots 

 and good outdoors, the fiowers golden yellow ; ond N. bulbo- 

 codium monophylla (White Hoop Petticoat), which are both 

 very pretty, and the latter as yet scarce. N. cernuus (Silver 

 Trumpet), white, is very beautiful, but it pales before the 

 Double White Trumpet (N. cernuus plenus). Then the grand 

 N. pseudo-NarcisEus grandiplenus (Double Lent Lily), and 

 the Double Daffodil (N. Telamonius plenue), both having 

 very double yellow flowers and large ; the Dwarf Daffodil 

 (N. minor) being far less, but none the less pretty ; and 

 Dwarfest Daffodil (N. minimus), with flowers not more than 

 half the size, is very pleasing. 



We now come to the Orange Phanij: (N. incomparabilis 

 aurantius plenus), double yellow, with orange centre ; Double 

 Incomparable (N. incomparabilis), light yellow; Sulphurkroon 

 (N. incomparabilis Bulphurtus plenue), double white sulphur 

 base, large. These are all very beautiful — the Eush-leaved 

 (N. juncifoliue), with its bright yellow flowers, charmingly 

 fragrant, being indispensable for association with flowers of 

 lees size, it being a dwarf small-flowered species ; those fond 

 of the curious will not omit the Cyclamen-like reiiexed, dwarf, 

 pale yellow Narcissus triandrus. Grandest of the genus is the 

 Double Pheasant Eye (N. poeticus plenus), very pure in colour 

 (white), and very sweetly scented. What the Gardenia is to 

 the stove this is to the garden, and should be grown in 

 quantity. 



Of the Polyantlitis Narcissus, the Paper White (N. Tazetta 

 papyraceus), from its earliness is very valuable. It, and the 

 Double Eoman (N. Tazetta romanus), white, orange nectary, 

 potted in September, and plunged in ashes outdoors until 

 well rooted, and then brought forward in a light airy position 

 in a rather warm greenhouse, or gently forced, will flower by, 

 if not before, January. The Polyanthus Narcissi are good 

 alike for indoor forcing or garden culture, and if not very 

 highly forced, they being flowered in an ordinary greenhouse 

 temperature, and taken care of after flowering, the bulbs 

 flower well in pots a second year. Bathurst, primrose, yellow 

 cup ; Bazelman major, white, yellow cup, very fine and sweet; 

 Gloriosa, white, orange cup, and large fine truss; Grand 

 Monarque, white, citron cup, fine flower; Newton, yellow, 

 orange cup, large truss and flower ; and Sulphurine, sulphur, 

 light yellow cup, are all good. 



The whole family of Narcissus are so chaste that no dis- 

 paragement is apparent in their association with the choicest 

 hothouse flowers, and where cut flowers are in demand there 

 should be representatives of this most beautiful of spring- 

 flowering bulbs planted in quantity. Dainty they are not as 

 to position, thiiving well in the open as in partial shade, and 

 in all soils in which stagnant water is not present, but best 

 in rich loamy soil, sandy rather than clayey, and with a well- 

 drained subsoil. In shrubbery borders, in shady woodlands 

 or grassy glades they are at home. All that is required is to 

 plant the bulbs with the crown of the bulbs not less than 

 4, and not more G inches beneath the surface, and left to 

 themselves they will continue to grow, flower, and increase. 



Of the fairest and sweetest of the Narcissi are Jonquils, 

 Campernelle (N. odorus), large, single ; Double Sweet-scented 

 (N. jonquilla plena), and Single Sweet-scented (N. jonquiUa), 

 are all of easy culture — all with yellow flowers. They require 

 light loam, enriched with leaf soil, and well drained, and shel- 

 tered if grown outdoors ; but they are chiefly grown in pots, 

 three bulbs in a 5-inch, or flve in a 6-inch pot, and treated 

 like Hyacinths flower well in February onwards, being gently 

 forced. The Jonquils have grassy leaves, and are fine as pot 

 plants. Beds of Jonquils ought to be in every garden, the 

 bulbs being planted 3 inches deep, and 4 to G inches apart, 

 and not disturbed oftener than every third or fourth year. 



All the Narcissi should be planted in October, and not later 

 than early November, though it is becoming a practice to 

 plant successionally, or as late as early January, with a view 

 to later bloom. The bloom is, however, so long continued by 

 growing the several varieties above named, that a succession 

 of Narcissus bloom can surely be had during a fourth of the 

 year without having to plant at times which tells disastrously 

 upon the after well-doing of the bulbs. 



Tulips.— Beautiful and effective as these are for the garden 

 and house decoration in the early part of the year, we are 

 compelled to own they do not come up to the excelltLce 

 required in a cut flower. Siill they have biilliancy of colour, 

 which may or may net be gaudy, just as some estimate bright- 



ness and high colour; and whaleverwe may think of them 

 when expanded, we are compelled to own them very telling in 

 the bud state. The flowers of the Duo Van Thol are very gay 

 and sweet. By potting early in September, plunging outdoors 

 in ashes, or what is better, eocoa-uut fibre refuse, and intro- 

 ducing to gentle heat about six weeks afterwards, they may 

 be had in flower at the close of November or early December. 

 Expanded blooms are not chaste. These remarks apply to 

 the singles. The doubles of course tell best when expanded. 

 As I am not advising their extended culture for cut flowers, 

 I need not trouble you with names, only the Due Van Thol 

 in its varieties among the singles, and Blanche Edtive, La 

 Candeur, Eex rubrorum, and Tournesol of the doubles, may 

 be useful. — G. Abbey. 



INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF FRUITS 

 AT GHENT. 



A GEEAT International Exhibition of fruits was opened at 

 Ghent on the 201h inst., and formed one of the series of 

 Congu's Pomologique of the SociC-te Pomologique of France, 

 which have been held annually in various places for a number 

 of years past. In carrying out the meeting at Ghent the 

 Society has been ably supported by the Cercle d'Arboriculture, 

 who have come forward in support of the project with the 

 energy they always exhibit in everything concerned in the ad- 

 vancement of the interests of horticulture and arboriculture. 

 The result of the united efforts of these two bodies is a show 

 of fruits representing the pomology of Belgium, such as. per- 

 haps, has never been gathered together before. In the country 

 of Van Mens, Bivort, Hardenpont, Esperen, and Gregoire, one 

 naturally expects to see pomology in its best and brightest 

 aspect, and in this case the expectation has not been disap- 

 pointed. 



The Exhibition, which is truly international, is held in the 

 great hall of the Casino, a place familiar to British horticul- 

 turists for many years as the shrine of Flora and Pomona in 

 Ghent. The whole extent of that space is furnished with 

 thirty-five large tables completely covered with fruit. These 

 consist principally of Apples and Pears — the season getting 

 late for the " soft fruits," and the duration of the Show for a 

 whole week being unfavourable to the exhibition of these in 

 good condition. 



Those exhibitions of Peaches and Plums which are present 

 are consequently very limited, and their condition not of the 

 best. Among them we saw nothicg that was new. Next in 

 importance to the Apples and Pears, of which there is an enor- 

 mous quantity. Grapes form the great attraction. In this class 

 our countrymen, Messrs. Lane & Son of Berkhampstead, take 

 the first rank, and were awarded the gold medal for fifteen 

 varieties grown under glass. These gentlemen also received 

 (avcc acclamation) the silver-gilt medal for eight varieties grown 

 under glass. These productions of Messrs. Lane & Sou are 

 familiar to our readers by the honours they have repeatedly 

 obtained at our exhibitions at home. In the class for eight 

 varieties M. Ambrose Verschaflelt, who in his retirement has 

 not alaandoned his former love for horticulture, is second with 

 some good bunches, among which is a very good one of Foster's 

 White Seedling. The second in the class cf fifteen varieties is 

 the Baroness van Loo-Malfait of Evergem, and these, too, are 

 well grown, and would have formed fine large buuches if they 

 had not been too much thinned. Certainly the best-cultivated 

 of all the Belgian Grapes were those of Dr. Ceuterick of Aude- 

 narde, who received the silver-gilt medal for the beet collection 

 of twelve varieties grown under glass, and especially the bunches 

 of Muscat Hamburgh, Bidwell's Seedling, and Dutch Hamburgh 

 showed great skill and judgment in their cultivation. 



Of the Grapes grown in the open air the finest collection was 

 from M. Besson of Marseilles. This consisted of varieties 

 many of which were wine Grapes, and to this collection the 

 gold medal offered by the city of Ghent was awardf d. Among 

 them we observed many of those that are cultivated in the 

 vineries of England, and remarked what has often been stated 

 before, that even in the land of the Vine Grapes are grown in a 

 manner much inferior to what they are when produced under 

 glass and with applied skill in England. Of the other exhibitions, 

 whether it is that Melons are not relished by the Belgians, 

 or that they are enamoured of a particular class of that fruit, we 

 do not know, but of all the fruits that were exhibited we saw 

 nothing which was so inferior in quality as the kind of that 

 fiuit. In England, as is well known, the Melon forms a very 

 important article of cultivation in every wellregnlated garden, 

 and the skill bestowed uton its production is auobjtct of rivalry 

 among all our great gal doners. Judgiug from what we saw at 

 Ghent this dues not appear to be the case in Belgium. At this 



