472 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [june8,i882. 
annually produced very freely, and are not only attractive in the 
borders, but afford a useful supply for cutting, the bright purplish 
blue colour being most agreeable for associating with the numerous 
other tints, which are more common. 
I. tataricum differs little from the preceding, and the cultural 
observations are equally applicable to both. This species has more 
expanded less tubular flowers than the other, and the colour also 
is rather lighter, though this varies to some extent in different 
plants according to the situation they occupy and their vigour. 
It is also more limited in its geographical distribution, being con¬ 
fined to the Altaic range of mountains. Both the species have 
been referred to the genus Amaryllis by some writers, Ixiolirion 
being one of the genera founded by Dean Herbert. 
A WEEK IN BELGIUM.—GHENT. 
[THE SIXTH HAY.] 
Horticultural visitors to this quaint and ancient city appear to 
instinctively wend their way to the Place d’Armes, where at the Hotel 
Royalq they find all they need—but soap; and as the excellent 
English-speaking proprietor can scarcely act as valet cle chambre 
to all the visitors, a little difficulty may be experienced by the 
one-language men who are not provided with a supply of that 
essential article of the toilet. 
During the travelling season, towards the end of summer, it will 
be passing strange if a Britisher is not found at this horticultural 
rendezvouz, and many a pleasant surprise and gladsome hour have 
been spent there by friends who have found these “sudden meetings” 
mutually agreeable. My last visit had, however, nearly been lone¬ 
some ; but in the small hours of the morning a familiar voice was 
heard through the wall of one who was preparing for an early de¬ 
parture. Abandoning the ceremony of full dress, a hasty meeting 
and very informal greeting was witnessed by a startled attendant. 
“What, Wright, you here! What in the world are you after?” 
“Well, not after Begonias, Laing, and I should have thought you 
had plenty at home.” But such is the zeal of our nurserymen, that 
they are always searching for the “ best,” and a continent, even the 
world, is ransacked for the enrichment of their stores. No, an 
Englishman will not be long lonesome in the Hotel Royale at Ghent. 
But what can be seen in one short day ? There are M.M. Lin¬ 
dens, Yan Houttes, Yan Geerts, Pynaerts, D’Haenes, Dallieres, De 
Smets, Verschaffelts, and still more. To visit all of them is physi¬ 
cally impossible, and it is a matter of compulsion to select the 
nearest, and to pass reluctantly or to glance over quickly those 
establishments that are more or less familiar; but horticulturists 
visiting Belgium for the first time should undoubtedly see them all, 
a cordial reception being certain at every one of them. We first 
take the nearest from our standpoint, and spend 
AN HOUR AT LINDEN'S. 
Though this is the “ Compagnie Continentale d’Horticulture,” the 
“ old name,” as old names naturally do, still clings to the establish¬ 
ment, which is situated in the Rue de Chaume. It is not more than 
ten minutes’ walk from the Place d’Armes, and directions for finding 
it can be had at the Hotel. The way is somewhat tortuous, and 
some of the narrowest of streets have to be traversed. The name of 
Linden, however, is familiar, and the nursery can be reached without 
any more difficulty than gives zest to the search. 
It appears to be situated almost or quite in the city—a large open 
space of a few acres, occupied with choice Conifers and subtropical 
plants, Agaves, Ac., the large and numerous plant-structures forming 
the boundary on three sides, the offices occupying the fourth. The 
houses, large as they are and many, are crowded with plants, many 
of great size and fine, notably Palms and Ferns, many of them rare 
and choice, and all evidently well cared for, as they are clean and in 
good condition. 
Palms have been mentioned. They astonish by their numbers and 
bewilder by their variety. The first two houses are crowded with 
them, and there are perhaps a dozen more similarly occupied. Those 
valuable kinds, Geonoma Schottiana, Kentias, Fosteriana and Bel- 
moreana, are in thousands in the two structures referred to. Adjoining 
is a house of Dractenas, all the best of the new ones and most useful 
of the older sorts being represented, the stately D. Shepherdi 
apparently having special attention. Ferns and Lycopods innumer¬ 
able afford relief to the more massive specimens. Another colony of 
Palms, and we have to bend our way under the huge leaves of 
Pritchardia pacifica, grand specimens, with an undergrowth of 
seedlings of various kinds, Kentias perhaps predominating. Another 
large house of Dracaenas shows how great must be the demand for 
those plants. From this we change to an assemblage of Nepenthes, 
amongst the various choice forms of which N. bicalcarata was pro¬ 
ducing several pitchers, and growing freely, A collection of Aroids 
next claims attention, including, as it does, plants of all sizes and in 
various colours, from the stately Anthurium Thibautianum and 
A. insigne to the brilliantly curious A. Andreanum and bright and 
white forms of A. Schertzerianum, A. S. Rothschildianum having white 
spathes spotted with cinnabar red ; but one of the most interesting 
batches of plants, which will be watched with some anxiety, was 
composed of healthy and free-growing seedlings, the result of a cross 
between A. crystallinum and A. Andreanum. The new Aglaonema 
pictum gracile attracts by its neat marbled leaves. 
In striking contrast with the kinds alluded to is a houseful of 
Bromeliaceous plants, which appear to be more generally appreciated 
on the continent than in England. They are, however, unquestion¬ 
ably attractive by their distinct characters and richly marked and 
bright leaves, and many of them richly coloured bracts also ; their 
persistent foliage also renders them well adapted for vase-decoration 
in rooms. It is impossible to even enumerate the forms, but one, 
Billbergia variegata, is considered one of the most useful; while a 
new form, zEchmea paniculigera, is very handsome by its free growth 
and excellent colour. 
The "Winter Garden, a very large and lofty structure, contains 
Palms and Tree Ferns of immense size. There is quite a forest of 
them. At the entrance a fine specimen of Cyathea dealbata com¬ 
mands attention, not so much by its size as by the depth of the blue 
tint on the under sides of the fronds. In this respect it is very 
striking, and rarely indeed is such a colour seen in Ferns. The large 
Palms we must pass, as it is of more interest to observe house after 
house full of such valued decorative kinds in a small state—thousands 
of them—as Cocos Weddelliana, Ptyoospermas, Latanias, Arecas, 
Geonomas, Seaforthias, Kentias, Oreodoxa regia, and Pritchardias, the 
massive P. grandis being in great demand in Russia, and a large 
consignment was being packed for that country. A great number 
of small Palms appear to be planted out, while numbers are prepared 
in small pots plunged in beds of tan, and the neatness of the houses 
was remarkable. Of the newer Ferns well represented were the 
handsome Aspidium Germinyi, stately ; Davallia fijiensis, and Adi- 
antuins Legrandi and celebense, all extremely graceful and elegant. 
Crotons are extensively grown in all the leading varieties, C. Berg- 
manni, A. Carriere, tricolor, and magnificus being conspicuous by 
their rich colours ; and in a large houseful of Dieffenbachias all the 
forms must have been represented. Ornamental-foliaged Begonias 
have attention ; two very distinct and likely to become popular being 
B. diadema and B. Teuscheri, there being two varietal forms of the 
latter. All these are distinct, the first-named being especially note¬ 
worthy by its deeply lobed and clearly marbled leaves. 
Amongst other plants of merit for various purposes of decoration 
were Pothos aurea, a free-growing creeping plant for stove rockeries, 
most of the leaves being flaked and blotched with yellow ; Alocasia 
Putzeysi, one of the finest of the A. Lowi type, and richly veined ; 
Heliconia triumphans, which at the first glance reminds one of 
Maranta zebrina, but from which it is abundantly distinct and very 
handsome; Dracaena Lindeni, which, although first introduced by 
Mr. Bull, has been in great demand in this nursery. It is perfectly 
distinct from D. fragrans variegata, which appears to be known in 
Belgium as D. Massangeana, being much clearer in colour. It was 
plunged in the open air, and it is said to be spoiled if placed in a very 
high temperature. To notice all, or half, the plants in the establish¬ 
ment would be to compile a huge catalogue, and as we must stop 
somewhere it may well be at the new bedding plant Gynura auran- 
tiaca. Although this is compared in merit with Iresine Lindeni and 
Coleus Yerschaffelti, it is perfectly distinct in character from those 
plants and must be employed in a different manner—that is to say, it 
is not likely to be adapted for edgings to Pelargonium beds to be 
kept in form by pinching. The Gynura was growing freely in the 
open air, the height of the plant being upwards of 18 inches, and the 
habit robust. The leaves are as large as those of Cinerarias and 
somewhat similar in form, but of a stouter or rather more velvety 
texture. They are covered with a multitude of fine hairs, and these, 
on the young leaves especially, are rich violet in colour, imparting a 
novel, indeed an unique, appearance to the plant. For the centre of 
a bed having a yellow margin, or employed with such silvery-leaved 
plants as Statice argentea, Stachys lanata, or Centaurea ragusina, the 
Gynura will no doubt be effective, and it is certainly distinct from all 
other plants in cultivation. It is said to be hardy, and its appear¬ 
ance would certainly indicate that it would not display its peculiar 
properties of a blue-foliaged plant grown in a close-heated house. 
Thus ends a hurried visit to a world-famed nursery, and the time 
though short was spent the more pleasantly because of the affability 
of M. Lucien Linden and the courteous attention of one of the skilled 
foremen of the establishment. My next hour was passed with 
M. Auguste Yan Geert—passed most agreeably, as all who know this 
gentleman will readily admit, and a little of what I saw in his large 
and varied establishment must be told another day.— J. Wright. 
AMATEURS' VINERIES. 
So many questions have been asked about what an amateur can 
grow in a vinery, and so many complaints are made against flowers 
being grown in the said vineries, that I send you list of plants I 
have grown the last three years during the four seasons of the 
year, and not once during that period have 1 ever been troubled 
with either mildew on Vines, thrips, mealy bug, or any other 
greenhouse vermin of any kind, except green fly on Roses, Lilies, 
and those plants that are peculiarly subject to this pest. 
I grow each year the following flowers. I require to have pre¬ 
sentable Grapes for company for dessert, good bunches, and aver¬ 
age-size berries—when showing business is not in the question— 
but good flowers as can be found ten months out of twelve. 
