and 011 its Rural and Domestic Economy. 219 



as they ought to do. The dahh'as they can grow as high as 

 18 ft., but a dwarf one of 2 ft. is a rarity. In the town, I do not 

 think it possible for dahlias to be flowered in perfection, the earth 

 being too much 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 per- 

 suaded to pay a handsome price for their plants, 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. 



Azaleas. — The Belgian is extremely fickle in his taste for 

 plants. The cultivation of the beautiful tribe of azaleas is, in a 

 manner, passed by; and yet no country in the world is more 

 favourable for that kind of culture than this. A few years back, 

 they were the mode; and thousands were in flower at one time, 

 in gardens where, at present, you would find but few, if any at 

 all. I am glad to find, however, that immense quantities are 

 sent over every year to England. This is a family of plants 

 which ought always to remain the fashion; especially that variety 

 named Azalea MorterzV, a late-flowering azalea, which comes 

 into flower about a month after the commoner kinds. The 

 Ghent gardeners have lately sadly neglected their azaleas : they 

 have neither propagated the old sorts, nor made the most of 

 those they have raised from seed. Let, therefore, the English, 

 gardener apply himself to this kind of culture, and I have little 

 doubt that, in a few years, by means of cross-breeding, the 

 English gardeners will have the finest collections in the world. 

 In this country they have too many irons in the fire at once, to 

 do justice to anyone particular tribe of plants : they overburthen 

 themselves with the variety of their culture, and excel in no one 

 particular kind. 



The Orchidece are just now the fashion; and, from all appear- 

 ance, I think the gardeners here will succeed in their culture, 

 provided they are careful to keep their houses up to the proper 

 degree of heat and moisture. The plants appear to grow fast, 

 and multiply easily. A gardener named Vangert has planted a 

 collection, in a pit without pots, in his hot-house; and, to all 

 appearance, they thrive well. 



The Carriage of Plants to and from England is exorbitant, 

 not so much as regards the carriage by steam from London to 

 Ostend, but the commissioners and agents on both sides of the 

 water contrive to run up bills to a most exorbitant charge. I 

 know It as a tact, that many amateurs are deterred from having 

 over plants from England solely on account of the expense they 

 are put to by the carriage. I have known baskets containing 

 two or three plants cost half as much as the plants themselves 



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