November 30, 1S76. ] 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



465 



grow freely, which by transplanting would assume a stunted 

 appearance and be of little value. They are thinned-out as 

 they advance in growth, and are devoted to many useful 

 purposes according to their size, and the plantations become 

 profitable. Beyond what may be termed this sterile belt is 

 Calmpthout, and we alight at a small country railway station 

 close to the nursery. Just within the gates is a large white 

 house (all the Belgian houses worthy of the name are white, 

 a few of the peasants' dwellings being bright blue, green, 

 orange, or some other gay colour indicative of the proprietor's 

 rank, political creed, or fancy), and on the white house Ampe- 

 lopsis Veitchii is very effective — a climbing plant worthy of 

 carrying the honourable name of the great nursery firm into 

 all lands. 



The Calmpthout Nursery is not large, perhaps ten aores, but 

 its owner has so arranged it as to be ornamental as well as 

 useful. The end next the rrablic road is bounded by a fence of 

 a somewhat novel kind. The lower portion of it, about 4 feet, 

 is an Ivy hedge, the framework of the Ivy being ordinary wire 

 netting supported by oak posts. It is thus an evergreen fence 

 taking up little room, and is neat and durable. But the posts 

 supporting the fence are carried up to a height of 9 or 10 feet ; 

 they are somewhat less than that distance apart, and cross 

 pieces are placed from post to post, forming a series of arches. 

 These posts and arches are covered with Ivy and with Virginian 

 Creepers, and the nursery is viewed through these open frames 

 of greenery. Parallel with this fence and at a distance of 5 or 

 6 yards is another fence, and along each fence have been 

 planted tall trees of WeepiDg Beech. From post to post across 

 this space wires have been stretched, forming a series of 

 diamonds, and to these wires the branches were trained when 

 in a young state. That was some years ago, and the branches 

 of the trees now need no support ; they grow in a perfectly 

 horizontal position, and form a covering to a long and spaoious 

 living corridor which is at once novel in appearance, and* is 

 cool and grateful for promenade in the sultry days of summer. 



This corridor forms the eastern boundary of the nursery, 

 and from it are openings into the different divisions of the 

 ground. These divisions are defined by very narrow and per- 

 fect hedges of Conifers which divide the ground into sections, 

 the spaces between the hedges being about 12 yards wile, a 

 narrow path leading down the centre of each section. At in- 

 tervals of 50 yards or so are also cross hedges rising in alti- 

 tude as they approach the path, forming a series of arches for 

 passing under. In the centre of the nursery the "arrangement 

 is different. Here the space is wider than the side compartments, 

 and it is mainly occupied by 250 squares formed with hedges 

 1 foot wide and 2 feet high of Thuja occidentalis, the front 

 side of each square, however, being open to the central walk. 

 These hedges were planted fifteen years ago, 10,000 Thujas 

 having been employed in their formation. In the centre of each 

 space was planted at the same time a choice Conifer, with the 

 intention that it Bhould remain permanently to form a perfect 

 specimen. This idea has not been quite carried out. So urgent 

 had been the desire for some of these that they were removed ; a 

 few others failed to flourish, while several of the specimens re- 

 mained in their little compartments. At the back of each of 

 these two rows of squares are rows of pyramid Purple Beeches 

 and variegated Maples, alternately planted at a few yards apart. 

 These are stately towering specimens, and have been skilfully 

 trained, pruned and tended. Many of them are 18 feet in 

 height and quite straight, the diameter of their branches near 

 the ground not much exceeding 2 feet, each tree tapering up- 

 wards to a point ; they are in fact perfect and regularly formed 

 cones, and the deep colour of the Beeches with the alternating 

 lightness of the Maples produce an effect that can be better 

 imagined than described. The view down this, the main and 

 central compartment of the nursery, is strikingly novel, and is 

 perhaps in its way unequalled. 



The principal divisional hedges referred are 7 to 8 feet 

 high, and are kept in perfect order. There are, for instance, 

 hedges of Spruce not more than a foot wide, Tew, Corsican 

 Pines, Weymouth Pine, very distinct ; Abies canadensis, Vir- 

 ginian Juniper, very close and elegant ; Arbor Vita?, and another 

 extremely pleasing hedge of Cuprossus chyoides, syn. Chamascy- 

 paris sphseroidea. Besides being ornamental these hedges 

 are important as affording valuable shelter to the young stock 

 of Conifers — the district being naturally bleak and exposed — 

 and by the assistance which they render in this respect to the 

 thousands of valuable plants far more than compensate for 

 the little strips of ground which the hedges occupy. The 

 narrow divisions are in other respects found tole advantageous 



in enabling the stock to be seen to the best advantage, and, 

 the divisions being numbered, the stock of any given Conifer 

 can be found by anyone when directions are given as to the 

 number of the compartment, and a saving of time is thus 

 effected. It is very enjoyable to walk up and down these 

 longitudinal divisions where collections of the various Conifers 

 can be seen so conveniently, and the stock of these is not 

 only extensive and varied, but is also choice. Throughout a 

 long and successful career as a horticulturist Mr. Van Geert 

 has made hardy ornamental trees his special study, and his 

 business connections extend to all the nations of Europe. 



A detailed enumeration of all that is noteworthy in this 

 nursery is out of the question, yet the stock must not be passed 

 entirely unnoticed. Abies Menziesii attracted attention. For 

 this distinct and elegant Conifer Mr. Van Geert was awarded the 

 gold medal at the Cologne Exhibition in the class for new and 

 useful timber trees. It is hardy, elegant, and a most rapid 

 grower. Its leaves are solitary, thickly placed, narrow-pointed, 

 and incurved. They are silv»ry above and bright green below. 

 This tree was found in California and the island of Sitcha, 

 where it grows to the height of 80 to 100 feet, and its timber 

 is very valuable. In anticipation of a demand arising for this 

 promising Fir large stocks are bsing raised at home and abroad, 

 and young trees are now procurable at moderate prices. Mr. 

 Van Ge3rt's stock of this Conifer was very vigorous. Notice- 

 able also was a variegated form of Taxus canadensis which 

 originated at this nursery ; it is very attractive, and forms a 

 handsome dwarf close pyramid. Another new and distinct 

 Tew was Taxus pendula aurea Van Geerti, a drooping Golden 

 Tew, which was being "worked" largely iu anticipation of a 

 brisk demand for "golden umbrellas." All the choicest of 

 the Eetinosporas were here in considerable numbers ; also 

 Cryptomerias, Biotas, Thujas, &e. Paeudo-larix Esempferi 

 is largely grown to meet the increasing demand ; and very 

 distinct was Buxus Fortunei longifolia, its foliage being of a 

 distinct lively green, and distinct from all others of the family. 

 Here is also the original plant of the Japanese Taxus (T. cus- 

 pidata) brought by Van Siebold, which is now an attractive 

 specimen ; and a striking example of T. Koraiana in the fo:m 

 of an inverted pyramid is worthy of mention. This elegant 

 and hardy Conifer has leaves much longer than those of the 

 Irish Tew ; it is rather a slow grower, but it is very orna- 

 mental and worthy of a place in mo3t gardens. Abies nigra 

 rubra pumila formed a handsome globe of 6 feet in diameter, 

 dense, and of psrfect symmetry. Of Abies orientalis there was 

 a noteworthy specimen, and also many others which must be 

 passed over. 



The collection of variegated and drooping deciduous trees 

 is varied and extensive. Of striking appearance near the 

 Weeping Purple Hazel was Caragana pendula, a Leguminose 

 tree, and allied to the Laburnum. This is probably a drooping 

 form of Halimodendron argentea, the Salt Tree. It was ex- 

 tremely effective, its leaves being of creamy whiteness, and its 

 branches gracefully falling. A new hardy red Maple, Acer 

 Schwedleri, had leaves as large as those of a Vine, very 

 distinct ; and Acer polymorphum waB being prepared on its 

 own roots, on which it endures the winter better than when 

 grafted. In this nursery is the residue of the stock of standard 

 Mistletoe trees which was referred to in this Journal some 

 months ago. Only a few of these novel trees are left. Berries 

 had been placed on Thorn stocks, and perfect round-headed 

 Mistletoe trees were formed ; a few sprays of the Thorn had 

 been allowed to grow amongst the Mistletoe to encourage the 

 growth of the latter. The Mistletoe heads were a foot to 

 18 inchss in diameter, and had been laden with berries — the 

 Thorn stocks being 4 faet high. As Christmas ornaments 

 nothing than these remarkable miniature trees could be more 

 effective, and the plan of raising similar "toys" is very worthy 

 of being tried in this country. 



Mr. Van Gsert is addicg to his nursery at Calmpthout, and 

 has recently planted a large piece of ground principally with 

 shrubs and trees of drooping habit and having variegated 

 foliage. The boundary of this portion next to the public road 

 is fringed with a festoon of Clematises, and a corridor is being 

 formed similar to the one above noticed. ThiB second corridor 

 is mentioned for the purpose of noticing the peculiar value of 

 Carpinua horizontalis as a "roof" tree. This Hornbeam is 

 remarkable for the horizontal growth of its branches, and only 

 the slightest possible irainiag is required to form a flat dense 

 roof of foliage. This tree is a quick grower and hardy. An- 

 other fact is worthy of being recorded. In a pool in the 

 nursery is growing the blue-flowered stove aquatic plant — 



