Reviews. 353 



advancement ; but we anticipate a better state of things. 

 The more general erection of green-houses will excite a 

 desire for plants, and we hope the nurseryman will reap 

 the benefit of such improvements. The writer says : 



" Camellias are a tribe ot" plants which are grown ahnost to infinity in 

 Ghent and its neij>hl)oi hood. Tliey are the fashion ; and this is, here, 

 qnite a sutllcient ai)oh)!>-y for the immense numbers that are to be met 

 with. It is v'ery amusing to liear the gardeners and amateurs boasting 

 to each other of their two hundred or three hundred varieties of this 

 plant." 



" Pelargoniums are another tribe of plants which the Ghent gardeners 

 and amateurs cannot succeed in flowering to perfection; but then, at 

 times, the fashion fluctuates respecting thein ; and this, to the Belgians, 

 as well as to their French neighbors, is a sufficient inducement to discard 

 from their collections the handsomest plant in existence. In fact, they 

 place their pelargoniums much too close together; and yet, in the flow- 

 ering season, are astonished to find that they are drawn up like sticks, 

 and will seldom produce more than one set of flowers in a season; 

 whereas all successful growers of this beautiful tribe of plants in Eng- 

 land are aware that, with proper management, and with little pains, the 

 pelargonium may be made to flower from April to August." 



Dahlias, the Belgic gardeners do not understand the man- 

 agement of : they grow as high as eighteen feet. 



" In the town, I do not think it possible for dahlias to be flowered in 

 perfection, the earth being too nmch worn out, as well as too rich, light 

 and spongy; but the amateurs in the country have much improved 

 lately in growing this handsome tribe of plants. If the fashion for them 

 could be kept up, and the country gentlemen could be persuaded to pay 

 a handsome price for their |)lants, and to be a little more select in their 

 choice, I have but little doubt that dahlias might be grown quite as well 

 in Belgium as they are in England." 



The Belgians have almost given up the cultivation of the 

 azalea: " a few years back, they were the r/ior/e, and thou- 

 sands were in flower at one time, in gardens where, at pres- 

 ent, you would find but kw if any at all." The Ghent 

 gardeners have raised several of the most beautiful kinds, 

 among which are the A. Morttrii, and Ne plus ultra ; 

 but they have neglected them entirely. The Orchideae are 

 just now in fashion, and they cultivate them very suc- 

 cessfully. 



The state of villa or country gardens is thus given : 



" The country houses of the gentry are for the most part spacious and 

 airy; but, as. the family scarcely ever inhabits them during the winter 

 months (from October to May), their gardens and jjleasurc grounds, 

 during that period, arc much neglected ; and, with the exception of the 

 vegetable garden, nothing can be more slovenly kept. Scarcely an 

 evergreen is visible, with the exception of the pine and fir tribe ; and 

 rhododendrons, laurels, laurustinuses, and arbutus, are, from the sever- 

 ity of the winters, very scarce; and the lawns, which, in sunmier, are 

 grazed by cows, instead of being regularly mown, present the most 

 untidy and neglected appearance imaginable. The walks, instead of 

 being gravelled, are covered with sand; which, with the wont of box 

 edging, give the garden a very unfinished appearance. True it is, that 



VOL. I NO. IX. V V 



