444- U Horticulteur Beige, 



Art. II. IS Horticulteur Beige, Journal des Jardiniers et Amateurs. In 

 monthly numbers. 8vo. Vol. I. Nos. V. VI. and VII. Brussels, 1833. 



This monthly Gardener's Magazine was commenced in March 1833, and 

 discontinued with the seventh number ; a circumstance which we regret, be- 

 cause its editor seems to have been a scientific and intelligent man. The first 

 article in No. v., we have already given the essence of in p. 305. to p. 3 1 3. The 

 other articles, in this and the succeeding numbers, are of comparatively little 

 interest to British gardeners, though good in themselves. The first is on the 

 field and garden culture suitable for Algiers. The next on travelling plants, 

 such as the common O'rchis, a plant of which, according to Bosc, would, at 

 the end of a century, be found between 9 and 10 ft. distant from the point 

 where it was planted at the commencement ; and this he accounts for by stat- 

 ing that, when the old bulb dies every year, a new one is formed at its side, 

 and always on the same side. The author of this paper, M. Ch. Morren, 

 made several experiments with the O'rchis latifolia Anet. in 1827, 1828, and 

 1829, from which he concludes that this O'rchis does not travel to a distance, 

 as M. Bosc supposed, but only oscillates, or moves from one side to the other, 

 of a common centre. The O'rchis bifolia does something more ; it turns in 

 oscillating, or, as it were, waltzes round a centre ; but in such a manner that 

 the plant, after it has stood three years, always springs up on the precise spot 

 which contains the remains of its grandfather; and this M. Morren con- 

 siders as a provision of nature for supplying it with nourishment. He thinks 

 it is because gardeners cut over or leave to dry the old stems of orchises, 

 instead of letting them rot on the spot where they grew, that their culture in 

 gardens is so difficult. M. J. B. van Maelsaccke of Ghent has paid much 

 attention to the culture of native Orchidese. M. Morren has seen, in his 

 garden, O'rchis latifolia 2 ft. high, with spikes 6 or 7 in. in length, containing 

 hundreds of flowers. The success of this gentleman he considers as afford- 

 ing a proof that salep might be produced in Belgium as well as in Turkey. 

 The Colchicum autumnale, which has generally been considered as having a 

 descending bulb, is found at the same time to turn, or spin round a centre. 

 (Ie Colchique ne marche pas, il rCoscille mem e pas ; mais it tourne, il pirouette.} 



" These examples show what erroneous ideas the authors of horticultural 

 works have hitherto generally entertained on vegetable progression. That 

 which was extraordinary in their assertions respecting the movements of plants, 

 whether laterally or perpendicularly, has disappeared, to give place to a theory 

 perhaps still more strange, because it developes a regular and symmetric 

 series of phenomena. Thus, in astronomy, mankind formerly believed in 

 planetary movements, wandering and without end; but La Place has dispelled 

 these visions, and has proved that these were but oscillations, or revolving or 

 equally balanced movements, which thus regulate the universe. In botany, 

 the same ideas prevailed, and it was fancied that plants would travel without 

 limits, and yet nature only displayed oscillations, circular revolutions, and, 

 in one word, regular movements. Symmetry is stamped on the forehead of 

 every organised being, as it is on that of the universe; it is the character of 

 creation." (p. 161.) 



The next article is on the longevity of the onion, in which the story of an 

 onion being found in the hand of a mummy, by Mr. Houlton of London, 

 which grew vigorously after having been in the mummy's hand upwards of 

 two thousand years, is introduced, and apparently believed. 



A historical notice of the Botanic Garden at Brussels follows. 



This garden belongs to a company of shareholders. It contains upwards of 

 12 acres, with a considerable variety of soil, but with a surface exposed to the 

 burning sun in the daytime, and the winds from the north-west in the even- 

 ing. The system of hedges, recommended by Linnaeus, it is thought, might 

 give shade and shelter to I'ecole, or what we should call the general arrange- 

 ment ; which is Linnaean, and in front of the hot-houses, as may be seen in 

 our plan of the garden. (VIII. 401.) There is no Jussieuean arrangement ; no 



