512 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ June 22, 1882. 
joints and inserted in small pots, when nine out of ten will root 
and form good plants. A good plan is to insert three in a pot, 
and then when ready transfer them into 5 or 6-inch pots, which is 
large enough for them. They should not be pinched, but allowed 
to grow upright, and when about 6 to 8 inches high will com¬ 
mence flowering, continuing until fully 8 feet high. They are 
most useful when comparatively dwarf, and to keep them in this 
condition constant propagation is necessary. While growing 
abundance of water should be given, and occasionally weak liquid 
manure after the pots are full of roots. Any light fibry soil is 
suitable.—S cientia, 
A WEEK IN BELGIUM.—GHENT. 
[THE SIXTH DAY— Continued.] 
It will be perceived that this was a busy day, and only a very short 
time could be spent in each nursery—just sufficient to obtain a glance 
at the main features of the different establishments. No horticul¬ 
turist, especially if paying a visit to Ghent for the first time, would 
think of passing the great establishment at Gendbrugge—Van 
Houtte’s ; but, as has been previously mentioned, arriving on the day 
of a great calamity, the death of the then head of the business, 
Madame Van Houtte, two minutes with the present head of the firm, 
M. Louis Yan Houtte, and ten with the experienced foreman, M. Yan 
Eechaute, who is admitted to be one of the best practical horticul¬ 
turists in Belgium, was all that could be expected, and I passed on 
to accept a special invitation and spend 
HALF AN HOUR AT D'HAENL’A 
This is within gunshot of the Royal nursery just mentioned, and 
was formerly the establishment of M. Dalliere. M. D’Haene, apart 
from being young and energetic, is unquestionably a skilled horticul¬ 
turist, and his nursery, alike by the order that prevails and the quality 
of its contents, is highly worthy of inspection. The glass structures 
are extensive, in good order, and crowded with those plants that 
are in the greatest demand by European nurserymen. This is em¬ 
phatically a plant manufactory, for although there are many good 
specimens that secure honours at exhibitions, yet the feature of the 
nursery consists in raising great numbers of staple decorative plants 
and disposing of them in large quantities in a comparatively small 
state. 
The ranges of glass structures in Belgian nurseries are very similar 
in character—plain and useful—and similarly occupied—crowded with 
Palms, one house being devoted often to a kind. Of those that are 
in popular demand, such as Phoenix reclinata and others, Latanias, 
Arecas, and Cocoses, the stock here comprises fully thirty thousand 
plants. But there is at least one large structure in this nursery dif¬ 
ferent from the stereotyped form. It is somewhat fancifully arranged 
in a series of beds, the narrow paths curving round them between 
brick walls, which support the soil on which the plants are placed. 
Several of these are fine specimens, and the paths can only be traversed 
by stooping under the great arching Palm leaves. This house is in a 
certain degree picturesque, but the others are plain span-roofs, with 
a path down the centre and beds on each side—the most cheap and 
useful structures for plants either for nurseries or private gardens. 
One very large house is occupied with a great collection of Bro- 
meliaceous plants, including many fine specimens that occupy 
honourable positions at the leading shows. Another is filled with 
Ferns, there being a very fine stock of Todea africana, which is raised 
in thousands from spores from a large old specimen that produces 
them in any quantity required—a very useful plant, and prized ac¬ 
cordingly. 
Noticeable was a recent and large importation from Brazil of Areca 
lutescens—fine plants with yellow stems, mostly destined for the 
English market. They were sent in rough boxes 4 or 5 feet long, 
about 2 feet wide, and 8 inches deep, the plants being packed upright 
and laced down with leaves of Dracaena terminalis, the tops of the 
plants protected with framework. One house was devoted to raising 
Palms from seed, which were springing up as thick as grass, the seeds 
being covered with moss and kept moist. The germination of a new 
Cocos was singular—indeed unique, as two plants were springing 
almost from every seed, a circumstance that M. D’Haene had never 
before seen. Of the elegant Palm Geonoma gracilis there was a large 
and fine stock, and roughly-formed pits or frames were filled with 
Cocoses and Latanias. Similar frames were crowded with small 
Camellias, but Azaleas were planted in beds, also was Choisia ternata 
in thousands, and the elegant Casuarina ericoides. 
On a series of dung beds in the open air some very fine Dracasnas 
and Ficuses were growing. The plants appeared to be in pots, 
plunged over the rims in light soil, and were growing with great 
luxuriance. Evidently the position suited them exactly, and more 
healthy plants could scarcely be imagined. Begonias, Cordylines, 
and Aralias are also largely and well grown, and various other plants 
that it is not necessary to enumerate. Healthiness of stock, orderly 
arrangement, and general neatness characterise the establishment, and 
the proprietor must be congratulated on its admirable condition. 
Contiguous is the nursery of M. Dalliere, but the shades of evening 
compelled us to pass it; but no one could pass his excellent plants as 
seen at the Antwerp and Brussels exhibitions without admiration. 
Not far distant is M. De Smet’s establishment, famed for its succulents 
and many other things that are good ; and almost adjoining is 
“ Yershaffelt’s,” now in the proprietorship of the De Smet family, but 
a visit to these had to be postponed, well as they are worthy of 
inspection. My sixth day is ended, the seventh—but not Sunday— 
being devoted to a call on M. Pynaert Yan Geert and home again ; 
hence with one more letter I must close my notes of a pleasant 
sojourn amongst friends whose kindness is not likely to be soon for¬ 
gotten by those who have the privilege of experiencing it during the 
approaching holiday season.— J. Wright. 
HESPERIS MATRONALIS ALBA PLENA. 
Now that the sweet Narcissus poeticus flore-pleno is past its 
best in the borders for cutting, the above is just coming into full 
flower. This is a beautiful old border plant, and should be grown 
largely where a good supply of sweet fragrant flowers is required. 
It looks well anywhere, either in a vase of cut flowers or when dis¬ 
playing its branched spikes in the herbaceous border, either single 
plants or in good clumps. My plants were divided last year to in¬ 
crease the stock, and as many shoots were taken and rooted as pos¬ 
sible, so that they are only carrying from one to six flower spikes 
each ; but a few good clumps with twenty or thirty spikes are grand 
in the front of shrubberies. The double purple form is equally 
useful. The true old double white that we used to see in cottage 
gardens years ago appears to be very scarce now and difficult to 
obtain. I have already had two forms of double white for the 
old variety, and both of them are inferior to that, one having pure 
white very double small flowers, sparingly produced at the top of 
the shoot, a bad grower, and difficult to increase, and in this last 
particular resembles the true old kind. The other is a robust 
grower, and throws up good bold branched spikes about 18 inches 
high, with rather loose double or semi-double flowers, which in¬ 
dividually are large, with a tinge of greenish white in the centre, 
and very slightly shaded with pink. This variety is, however, 
worth growing, and can readily be obtained in quantity.—W. B. 
MEAD'S PATENT REPLEX GARDEN SEAT AND 
TABLE. 
Mr. Warhurst of Highgate Road, London, in submitting the 
annexed figures, requests us to direct attention to this very useful 
and convenient garden 
appliance, which was in¬ 
cluded in his collection 
and also in the collections 
of other exhibitors at the 
late Show at South Ken¬ 
sington. In the circular 
our correspondent has sent 
to us it is truthfully stated 
that “ combinations are 
often more ingenious than 
serviceable. An article 
contrived to serve two 
purposes often misses both. 
This is not the case with 
the garden seat brought 
out by Mr. Samuel Mead, 
which, though a most com¬ 
fortable seat, with sloping 
back and with arms, can 
by a movement of the 
simplest character be converted into a seat with a steady and 
substantial table in front of it.” 
We examined the seats at the Show and found them fulfil all 
all that is claimed for them. 
Fig. 100 represents the seat 
with an awning attached, 
this of course being readily 
removeable; fig. 101 shows the 
seat and table, an extra back 
being made for the seat for 
use if required when the ordi¬ 
nary back is turned down to 
form the table. A box is 
attached beneath the seat 
for holding garden tools, tennis balls, or whatever small articles 
may be required in the garden. 
HUME A ELEGANS v. VINES. 
I think I have discovered the secret of the failure of my Black 
Prince Yines as previously referred to. I do not think there was 
