APRIL 23, 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



259 



THE 



GHENT 



QUINQUENNIAL 



The ereat exhibition, which has attracted immense numbers of horticulturists from 

 all parts of Europe to Ghent during the past week, is in every way a splendid suc- 

 cess and worthy of the city which has long been recognised as one of the most 

 important centres of horticultural activity on the continent of Europe. It is the 

 fourteenth of the quinquennial exhibitions instituted by the Societe Royale d 'Agri- 

 culture et de Botanique de Gand, and there is a remarkable consensus of opinion 

 among both citizens and visitors that it is unquestionably the best. In the seven 

 hundred classes provided in the admirably arranged schedule all kinds of orna- 

 mental plants that can be shown to advantage at this season of the year are repre- 

 sented, and the immense number of collections testify in no doubtful manner to 

 the high-class skill of the Belgian and other cultivators who have taken part in the 

 exhibition. Palms and cycads of magnificent proportions abound ; plants remark- 

 able for the beauty of their foliage, other than cycads and palms, are contributed in 

 immense numbers and splendid condition ; orchids are shown in numbers equal 

 to those staged on previous occasions ; and hard-wooded plants, grown for the 

 beauty of their flowers, are plentiful, and serve to remind the British visitors of the 

 splendidly-developed Cape and New Holland plants, which for so long a time con- 

 stituted the most important and attractive features of the exhibitions held in 

 London and other of the great centres of the United Kingdom. The large number 

 of collections could hardly have failed to give rise to a feeling of regret that no 

 longer can we see at home in any considerable numbers specimens of hard- 



HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITION. 



months. The collections of orchids other than groups are arranged in the salle of 

 the Casino, and the corridors are devoted to bulbous and new plants, botanical 



diagrams_and specimens, plans of gardens and estates, and many other objects of 

 interest. J J 



The accommodation afforded by the winter garden for tender plants was again 

 supplemented by an immense annexe, which for convenience may be described as 

 the exhibition hall. This has been erected from a design similar to that of five 

 years ago, and may be described as a span-roof building of wood, glass, and 

 canvas, many hundreds of feet in length and width, and some thirty or forty feet 

 in height. A portion of the roof is of glass, and to subdue the light and enhance 

 the appearance of the building thin canvas in alternate bands of pale yellow and 

 mauve is suspended beneath the roof, as so well shown in the illustration. The 

 sides and pillars are painted a light green, and the general scheme of colouring 

 may be described as exceedingly pleasing. Two series of oblong beds are arranged 

 along the centre, flanked by broad raised banks on either end, and at the exteme end 

 is a large circular bed, considerably raised, surrounded by irregular slopes and 

 with a bank round the sides. On the large circular raised bed the magnificent 

 specimens of azaleas shown by Comte de Kerchove and M. Ghellinck de Walle 

 are arranged to form I a trophy group, and although one may not agree with the 

 formal style of training adopted, it was impossible to avoid being impressed by the 

 extreme splendour of the display. These specimens are shown in the distance in 

 the illustration of the exhibition hall. The oblong beds, of which a portion are 

 shown, are devoted to the large collections of medium-sized azaleas. Greenhouse 

 plants are arranged round the sides of the building with exceptionally fine 

 Van Geer kentias, seaforthias, and other palms thriving in the cool house. 



RARE PALMS EXHIBITED BY THE SOCIETE HORTICOLE GANTOISE, GHENT QUINQUENNIAL. 



wooded plants equal to those so plentiful at Ghent. The great feature of 

 ne gathering is unquestionably that formed by the azaleas, of which consider- 

 'y over a thousand plants, ranging from eighteen inches to eight feet in diameter, 

 e snown, producing a wealth of colour, of which no one who has not seen the 

 ^piay can have an adequate idea. A portion of the azaleas are shown in the 

 ^^S^T^/^ \ hc exhibition house, which will be useful as indi- 

 withUiew^ and the taStewith which ^ey were grouped 



garden S t h! Tal ° cc f ion /' the exhibition is held in the magnificent winter 

 north-west ^ Jlu u Jj? e C . asmo ' which is conveniently situated on the 

 glass, and aswHI i c ° Y i Th ^.l? ter ^ rdei l is a Ia 'ge building of iron and 

 in dUiVn Th " se ™ from ^ luStratl ° n 2 1Ven he 'ewith, is extremely elegant 

 •Vnaen wh > i ■ fn™^ of 1 . thls s P acious bu »ding was laid out by M. Ed. 

 Ghent, to form i < ruling spirltS of the horticultural institutions at 



^Iks, with a nil; , \ ? mounds ' s, °P es » and banks, intersected with broad 

 °f the winter S"* k Sf'. ,a J! rn » and rockwork * the centre. The illustration 

 ^though a nor SI, 1 r ,ndicate the g. eneraI arrangement of the structure, 

 arr anged the a~l?? I bm,d,n g 1S shown - In the winter garden are 



kwty of their fx" ^ ? U the P ,ants rem arkable for nobility of aspect or the 

 of ^e crotons »„5T Colour j s g iven by the resplendent hues of the leafage 

 Scherzerianum J A'^T' and the bril,iant scarlet s Pathes of Anthurium 

 The anthurium's , L • a th , ere are numerous collections of magnificent specimens. 

 M ^ constitute a Itrii- ee r ' own m such larg * numbers and splendid condition 

 8°oo\ also have a l,! n? Mature. Two groups of orchids, and both remarkably 

 of Plants shown hv \f e T n • w,nter garden, as also has the interesting collection 

 plant, represent*/ k • l en L5nd en in memory of the late M. J. Linden, all the 

 notticulturist whn ng en "Produced by that distinguished collector and 



' °> as our readers have been informed, died during the past few 



The general plan of the exhibition hall is similar to that adopted on the occasion 

 of the quinquennial gathering held five years since and it is difficult to conceive 

 one that would be more suitable for the purpose. The building, in consequence 

 nf the much larger <=pace required for the accommodation of greenhouse plants, 

 h ten tJKSS larger, and it is connected with the winter garden 

 uLa ■!! , n^nifrst advantage. The grand saloon through which access is 

 rTbtdnea to wfnter gaS is reached by two flights of steps, and between 

 SbS t a huge miaor, vvhich reflects the majority of the groups arranged in the 

 oui ding? anTadds immensely to the effect. From the balcony connecting tbe two 

 afnhtl 1 T mac-nificent view of the whole arrangements is obtained, and this balcony 

 S^fS^SS throughout each of the days we were at the exhibition. 

 The social functions constitute an important part of the Ghent quinquennials, 

 j !£. LtWma is in no wav an exception to the rule. If anything, the hospi- 

 and this gathering ^ J^vioiu'occMioM, and the best traditions of the 



^X££££ S 4- maintained On the morning of the , 5 th ins, 

 th bers of the jury began to assemble at the place of exhibition at nine 



o'clodcTand on their meeting in the grand saloon shortly before ten, the Comte 

 de Kerchove president of the society, offered them a hearty welcome to Ghent. 

 Thf mil was then called, and the Britishers who answered to their names were : 

 Vlt Bavl^Balfour and Maxwell T. Masters, and Messrs. William Bull, George 

 LnEHi I Hudson, W. Iceton, H. J. Jones, R. W. Ker, J. Laing, 

 S t 'Laud I Hugh Low, F. W. Moore, J. O'Brien, Owen Thomas, W. 

 Sothero? Thomal Rochford, F. Sander, A. Turner, J. H. Veitch, William 

 Watson, t' Weathers, H. Williams, and Brian Wynne. As the names were called 

 the members advanced to the table signed their r^mes m a^large book especially 

 provided for these gatherings. This formality having been disposed oi the 

 President expressed the satisfaction that was felt by the executive of the Ghent 

 societv in having the assistance of the delegates of the principal societies of 



nrpsrlen. Geneva. London. Paris, Vienna, and St. Petersburg 



