354 Reviews. 



the beds and compartments of flowers are sometimes enclosed with a 

 kind of border composed of flat sandy-colored oblong tiles, to prevent 

 the earth from being washed into the walks; but which, at a distance, is 

 scarcely seen, being nearly of the same color as the walk itself. This 

 kind of edging in a kitchen garden, or in a nurseryman's grounds, might 

 do very well; but, in a gentleman's pleasure-ground or flower-garden, 

 is, to my taste, quite out of place." 



Pine-apples, melons and grapes are grown generally ; the 

 two latter very successfully. Standard pears do not do well, 

 as the soil is too sandy. Apples do not thrive at all in the 

 lower part of the town of Ghent. Peaches are not " nearly" 

 so fine flavored as in England. The Belgians must have a 

 very unfavorable climate, if such is the fact : the English 

 peaches are almost flavorless ; what qualities must the 

 fruit of the Ghent gardeners possess ? The trees are never 

 pruned before the month of April : they are then all white- 

 washed, to kill the insects ; " so convinced," says the writer, 

 " now am I, of the utility of an annvial whitewashing to my 

 trees, that I practise it upon a collection of Lancashire goose- 

 berries, immediately after I have them pruned, in Febru- 

 ary." Cherries produce abundantly: the trees are propa- 

 gated by grafting en fente in the month of April or end of 

 March, and throw out but little gum. The composition 

 made use of, to prevent gumming, is the following : 



"This composition consists of pitch, rosin, and bee's-wax, in nearly 

 equal quantities, boiled over a fire, and, when liquid, applied to cover 

 the place where the graft was made. This keeps out the rain, stops 

 bleeding of the tree, and gives way very gently as the shoot increases: 

 it is by far the neatest grafting composition I know." 



Plums, apricots, currants, &c., produce plentifully: the soil 

 is too dry for gooseberries, and the sun too hot. The vege- 

 tables of Belgium are generally good: asparagus is very supe- 

 rior, and holds the first rank: it can be eaten within a quar- 

 ter of an inch of the end. Brussels sprouts are considered 

 the next best: they are truly a delicious vegetable, and we 

 extract the following, with the hope that it will induce all 

 who are fond of the cabbage tribe, to cultivate it. 



" The plant here grows to about 3 feet or 4 feet in height, and is cover- 

 ed from top to bottom with its little round sprouts, which, when touched 

 by the frost, have a slight taste of marrow. Sown in February, they can 

 be eaten in September; but those sown about the 22d of March, I consider 

 to be the best, as they come into eating just after the first November 

 frosts, and last till the March following. "Brussels sprouts ought never 

 to be eaten before the plant is touched by the frost; and in this it resem- 

 bles the savoy, which also grows here very fine in the winter: but I am 

 inclined to think the Brussels sprouts much the hardier of the two. 

 Brussels sprouts have supported, in my garden, without injury, more 

 than 10^ of frost, by Reaumur's thermometer." 



Celery is remarkably good, considering the light soil. Peas 

 and beans are also fine. Potatoes are poor, owing to the 

 sandy soil. Turnips are rather small. Cos Lettuces do no 



