324 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 19, 1888. 
fortunate sometimes if they can complete their duties before being 
invaded by the public. There is no such hurry-scurry at a Ghent 
Quinquennial Show. Many plants, such as large Palms, were in their 
positions on Thursday, and practically all of them on Friday, 
ready to be judged on Saturday morning, this work being entrusted 
to upwards of a hundred jurors, representing different nations, who 
complete their duties before night. Then the work of arranging 
begins, and is continued till finished, the collections being disposed 
for spectacular effect. Imposing Palms tower almost to the roof 
of the casino ; such plants are not seen in English shows, and afford 
relief to the truly magnificent Azaleas that are displa 3 'ed in bold 
masses. Ornamental foliaged plants are disposed so as to enhance, if pos¬ 
sible, the beauty of the Imantophyllums, Anthuriums, and other flowers, 
the whole representing a magnificently furnished garden. The chief 
building is about 2.50 feet long by 100 feet wide, but this does not suffice 
for the collections, other rooms from 00 to 100 feet long, besides a 
wooden building about 300 feet by 50, with a glazed roof, being crowded 
with collections. Several plants are also arranged in glass structures in 
the gardens. In the grounds Bays in tubs are remarkable for their 
size and deep green foliage, indicative of superior culture, such specimens 
we believe being unknown in England. Conifers are very good, but 
not more meritorious than the collectionfi at our best home shows. 
Greenhouses and frames do not compare favourably with those of 
British manufacture either as regards workmanship or design. Many 
boilers and other garden requisite.^, with excellent e.xamples of horticul¬ 
tural art literature, elaborate plans of parks and gardens, illustrations 
of training fruit trees, and sundry 'other items combine in forming a 
very diversified, interesting, beautiful, and extensive Exhibition. 
The King, with the Crown Prince and Comte de Flandres, attended 
by Ministers of State and a military retinue, visited the Show on Satur- 
daj^ morning at ten o’clock—that is, before the Jurors commenced their 
duties and the exhibits were artistically arranged, still they were so far 
placed in position by great effort during the previous night as to render 
the effect highly imposing and worthy of Koyal inspection. His Majesty 
arrived at the time of the roll call, or when those present of the 140 Jurors 
invited were called to answer to their names. The King was introduced 
to the Jury by the Comte Kercliove, and conversed in Flemish, 
French, German, and English with several individual Jurors, and was 
exceeding affable to all with whom he came in contact. The different 
e.xhibits were examined minutely by the Eoyal personages, who spent 
two or three hours in the Show, departing highly .satisfied with their 
inspection. Before leaving the Casino His Majesty presented a gold 
medal to Professor Reichenbach in recognition of his services to botanical 
science, and especially as an orchidist of universal fame. 
The Jury numbered 140 persons from Germany. England, Ireland, 
Austria, Belgium, Brazil, France, Italy, Holland, Russia, and Switzer¬ 
land, the English representatives consisting of Messrs. Bause, Bull, 
Cannell, Harvey (Liverpool), Head, Hill (Tring), Hogg (Dr.), Iceton, 
Ker, Laing, Masters (Dr.), O’Brien, Protheroe, Richards, Sander, 
Shuttleworth, Turner, Veitcli, Warner, Watson, Williams, Wright, and 
Moore (Gl.asnevin). 
Some of the chief awards are as follow :—The Queen’s gold medal 
for Orchids to M. A. Peeters, objects of art falling to MM. Ch. Vuyl- 
steke and J. Bray, and gold medals to MM. Vervaet, M. J. Hye- 
Leysen, Madame Block, and De Smet-Duvivier ; M. Hyo-Leysen also 
securing Baron de Ranst’s gold medal for Cj’pripcdiums. M. A. Dalliero 
secures the object of art for v.ariegated foliase plants. M. Van Houtto 
receiving a gold medal for these, also similar honours for Nepenthes, 
Palms, New Holland plants, with the Veitch Memorial prize for new 
Azaleas, as well as the object of art offered by M. Charles Leirens for 
forty specimen plants in flower. M. P. Van Driessch-Lej’s winning the 
other prize (for forced shruhs) offered by the English Committee. 
Count P.anl Heptinne and A. D’Haene have gold medals for Aroids, 
the first named and M. Jacob Makoy winning similar medals for 
Bromeliaceous plants. The King’s medal for twenty-five Palms is taken 
by M. Ghellincke de Walle, who also secures the prize offered by the 
Fc’cr.ntion of Belgian horticulturists, with an object of art for Azaleas, 
a similar honour going to M. Vuylsteke, and the De Smet Memorial 
prize is won by M. Vercauterin. M. Baumann wins high honours for 
Rhododendrons, as does M. Pynaert Van Geert, also for new plants, 
Pernettyas and various other exhibits. The object of art offered by the 
members of the Council of Administr.ation for twenty Imantophyllums 
was awarded to M. B. Spae, MM. Bodeiis Brothers securing a gold 
mcd.al in the same class, and M. Van Houtte a framed medal. Gold 
medals for Camellias were .adjudged to MM. Louis Eeebaute and E. de 
Cock : for Hyacinths to MM. Byvoet and Kersten ; and premier prizes 
are won by M. A. Van Geert in many classes. Mr. B. S. Williams is 
granted a silver-gilt medal for his Orchid Album, Mr. Harry Veitch 
being awarded similar medals for his works on Orchids and Conifers. 
A silver-gilt medal is awarded to M. Dutry-Colson for garden tools and 
requisites. The new establishment of this firm, which is the largest of 
its kind in Belgium, was opened on the occasion of the Show, and 
attended by many visitors. 
The Exhibition in the great hall was arranged after the judging by 
M. Jules Van Eeebaute, son of M. Van Houtte’s competent manager, 
and the young gardener must be complimented on doing so much and so 
well in the short time at his disposal. The Comte Kerchove de Den- 
terghem gave his a<?five superintendence throughout the Exhibition, to 
which there are 300 contributors. 
No attempt will bo made to give a dct.ailed and formal report of the 
Show, but the prominent features will be referred to. Passing the Palm 
groves and grou])s of Tree Ferns that overtop everything, and which arc 
associated in the most picturesque and natural manner, we pause to 
admire the miscellaneous collection of fifty plants with which M. Louis 
V.an Houtte wins the chief prize offered by the Comte de Kerchove. 
They comprise flowering and ornamental foliage plants of the best 
varieties, and both .as regards superior cultivation and taste in arrange¬ 
ment it was unanimously conceded that a finer group of specimens, not 
one being faulty, was ever seen, and such a display could only be 
prepared in an establishment of the character of the world-famed Royal 
Nursery .at Gendbrugge. As it is a question of giving the names of all or 
none the Latter alternative is chosen ; and possibly most readers if they 
were writers at two o’clock in the morning would adopt the same 
.alternative. Mr. Ed. Vandenabeele, Ghent, also staged a beautiful 
collection. 
Indian Azaleas are seen at the Ghent Quinquennial finer probably 
than at any other Show in the world, at least we know no pl.ants of 
the kind to equal them. They are truly magnificent, most of them being 
grown on stems 2 to 3 feet high with mushroom-shaped heads from 
4 to 7 or more feet in diameter. It would be impossible for any 
bouquetist to pack the flowers more closely, and rarely are these seen 
with so much substance and more pure and brilliant in colour according 
to the varieties. Further, when the foliage is searched for amongst and 
beneath the blooms, it is found much stouter in texture than is commonly 
seen in English-grown plants. 
The Belgian Azaleas appear to possess more inherent vigour than do 
our peat-grown plants at home, and there is no mistaking the efficacy of 
leaf mould when rightly prepared and combined with otherwise good 
attention in culture. The majority of Azale.as in England have a 
starved appe.arance in comparison with the robustness of the plants in 
Belgium. Not only are these planted out periodically in prepared beds 
and watered and syringed systematically, the same as if they were in 
pots, but the plants are not .allowed to flower every year, but are accorded 
a season for recuperation after Raving produced so many and large 
flowers, which cannot but have an enervating effect. Possibly, if not 
probably, most of the specimens that are so grand now, and grand they 
undoubtedly .are, were not permitted to flower last year; therefore it 
may be assumed th.at if the different varieties of Indian Azaleas are to 
be presented in the finest possible condition, the plants must not only be 
accorded more nourishment than is to be found in ordinary peat, but 
they must also be relieved from the stress of developing every year all 
the flowers that form, but a period of rest for reinvigoration must be 
from time to time afforded. Nor must some of the buds be removed 
while others are retained, as that would result in irregularity of growth, 
and no such uniformity of floriferousness combined with equal vigour 
could be expected as characterise the plants as they are represented at 
this Show. As several of the plants must be m<any years old it were 
useless enumerating the varieties, for most of the newer surpass them in 
merit, and it must sufilce to s.ay that the huge mounds of white, pink, 
rose, pink, lilac, purple, crimson, and scarlet, cannot fail to impress aU 
who see ’them by their intrinsic beauty and the cultural skill that is 
stamped unmistakeably on every plant in the Show. 
Of the newer Azaleas the following are very good :—Comte de Paris 
(Van Houtte), red and white boldly fl.aked, one of the most distinct and 
beautiful in the Exhibition, .and everybody should grow it; J. T. D. 
Llewelyn, peach, double, fine ; Perfection de Gand (Vervaene), cerise, 
large and be.autiful; Columba (Schulz), flake 1 like a Caimation; 
Vervaeniana, double, flesh pink, effective ; Arlequin (Vervaene), dis¬ 
tinct, somewhat like a pink and purple bizarre Carnation ; Memoire de 
Van Houtte, purplish crimson, massive and fine ; Comte C. de Kerchove 
de Denterghcm, white, scarlet centre, striking ; Roi d’Hollande, rich 
red ; Madame Bertha Froebel, white, fringed ; Madame Van Houtte, 
flesh pink ; Mdlle. Pharilde Mathilde (Vervaene), very large double 
white ; D ominique (Vervaene), deep orange scarlet; Baron N. Roth¬ 
schild (Van Houtte), purple semi-double, fine ; M.adame Loui.se Vervaene, 
one of the best of the double whites; Candidissima (Vervaene) very 
smooth, an excellent single white companion. 
Among the quite new varieties Souvenir du Recteur Kickx h.as 
double dark rose flowers ; I’rince Bandouin, upper petals purple, lower 
rose, very large ; Bijou de Gand (Vandercruyssen) white, richly flaked 
with purple, like James Douglas Carnation ; Ilijou de Gand, very .louble 
rosy crimson. All these are very fine indeed, and in time will be 
largely cultivated. M.M. Van Houtte, Vervaene De Kncef, Cuvelier, 
De Schryver, and Vandercruyssen are adjudged prizes for new varieties. 
In the long wooden building previously referred to are floriferous 
banks of Rhododendrons, magnificent groups of Ghent and other hardy 
Azaleas, remarkably well grown and profusely flowered Camellias, such 
as the best British gardener would be proud to have grown, plants in 
8-inch pots bearing from forty to fifty blooms, with proportionally 
increaseil numbers on larger iilants, the leaves of all being glossy and 
rich. 
Now we eome to a group of the most useful and nearly hardy 
Choi.sya ternata, the specimens 18 inches high and through, like white 
bouquets. Standard and dwarf Cytisuses arrest attention, the former 
with stems 3 feet high and golden globular heads 3 feet in diameter, the 
dwarf plants being larger and symmetrical masses of yellow racemes. 
There are also good pyramids, the whole being highly effective. 
Splendid specimens of Aspidistras, 4 to 6 feet across ; Aralia Sieboldi 
variegata, and vigorous Indiarubber pl.ants, afford evidence of superior 
culture. 
Agaves are in good variety and well grown, and worthy of a 
position amidst their floral surroundings. Deutzias, Spira 2 as, and Migno- 
