174 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ March 4, 1886. 
I do not think this is caused by an insect. Here also some old Elms and 
Poplars, with juvenile Sycamores and scattered shrubs.—J. R. S. C. 
DEATH OF PROFESSOR MORREN. 
The announcement of the death of Professor Edouard Morren of 
Li6ge will be received by a wide circle with profound regret. At the com¬ 
paratively early age of fifty-three he closed on the 28ih ult. a life which 
was spent ungrudgingly in advancing the study of botany and horticul¬ 
ture ; and he has left behind him a band of devoted friends, who will not 
cease to mourn his departure. 
Dr. Edouard Morren was the son of Professor Charles Morren, a dis¬ 
tinguished Belgian botanist, and whom he succeeded in the Botanical 
Chair in the University of Lidge. He was born at Ghent on the 2nd 
December, 1833, his father being at the time Professor of Physics in that 
university. From the time of his appointment Dr. Morren devoted him¬ 
self assiduously to the duties of his position ; and though he has not left 
behind him any great work, his contributions to periodical publications 
have been both voluminous and valuable. In 1855 he undertook the 
editorship of La Belgique Horticole, which his father founded in 1850, 
and which has been continued up till the present time, though, in conse¬ 
quence of his failing health, its publication has of late been somewhat 
irregular. It is in the pages of La Belgique Horticole that his most 
distinguishing work has appeared, and this is a monograph of the 
Bromeliads. 
The Botanical Institute of the Li<ige University and the Botanic 
Gardens of the same town owe their origin to the exertions of Professor 
E. Morren, and have become established amongst the leading institutions 
of their kind in Belgium, forming admirable monuments to his energy 
and botanical knowledge. The gardens are of moderate extent—about 
ten acres—and are situated in the town within a convenient distance of 
the station. They are tastefully laid out, and contain two extensive 
ranges of glass houses in the northern portion of the garden, one con¬ 
sisting of a series of divisions forming three sides of a quadrangle mostly 
occupied with small plants, and the other on a slightly elevated plateau is 
devoted to larger specimens, including some handsome Palms. The great 
feature is, however, the collection of Bromeliads, which is the most exten¬ 
sive in cultivation, several houses being appropriated to the larger genera. 
This family had been made a special study by Professor Morren, and the 
formation of such a wonderful collection has been the work of several 
years. Houses are also altotted to tropical aquatic plants—Cacteas, 
Orchids, Ferns, Nepenthes, and Marantas—Palms having considerable 
space in the large range mentioned. Not only are the collections interest¬ 
ing botanically, but they are remarkable for their excellent health, and 
such good culture is rarely seen in establishments of this kind, especially 
on the Continent. A portion of the garden is devoted to hardy plants, 
and a rockery has been recently formed for alpines. The trees are mostly 
of moderate size, but there is a good number of species, and it is evident 
in every department that the utmost has been made of the space at 
command. Professor Morren took a thorough interest in horticulture as 
well as in botany, and visitors from Great Britain were always sure of a 
kindly welcome. 
THE CLAPTON NURSERIES. 
A VISIT to Messrs. H. Low & Co.’s nurseries at Clapton is almost 
bewildering to a stranger, and the enormous number of plants grown is 
surprising even to those who are familiar with the large trade collections. 
Orchids are a great specialty, and to them innumerable houses of all sizes 
are devoted ; Palms and Ferns also occupy much space, Bouvardias and 
Tree Carnations constituting other important features, each having several 
large houses appropriated to them. A considerable number of Heaths is 
grown at Clapton, but not so many as used to be the case, for these with 
Cytisus, Camellias, and other plants have been transferred to the Enfield 
Nursery, where they are grown in thousands. A hurried run through the 
Orchid houses at Clapton gives some idea of the demand existing for 
such plants and how it is supplied. There are scores of houses, and all 
packed with rare, valuable, and useful Orchids. Numberless Cattleyas of 
the best species in all sizes up to enormous specimens 3 feet or more in 
diameter, with large leaves, leathery in texture and rich dark green in colour, 
the pseudo-bulbs stout and plump. Phalasnopses are also wonderfully 
abundant, a grand stock of plants being comprised in three or four large 
houses, and all the plants are in capital condition, many flowering and 
others giving promise of a magnificent display later on if the weather 
prove favourable. Dendrobiums have much space devoted to them, and 
amongst the ordinary stock of species is a pretty display of an excellent 
winter-flowering Dendrobe, D. luteolum (fig. 29), which was introduced by 
this firm some years ago. This is a charming, easily grown Orchid for 
winter, and the flowers are of a most pleasing soft primrose tint. It flowers 
abundantly in an intermediate temperature, and the blooms last well 
either on the plant or cut and placed in water. Cypripediums of all 
kinds are admirably grown, and that handsome species, C. Lawrenceanum, 
*s represented by a stock of plants such as is seldom seen. A novelty 
with finely marbled foliage has also ju9t flowered and been submitted to 
Professor Reichenbach for name; the foliage is very handsome, some¬ 
thing after the style of C. Hookerse, hut the flower we did not see. 
Vandas, Aerides and all the other leading gen ;ra are also represented in 
these and other houses. 
Odontoglossums are in strong force, seven or eight long houses being 
devoted to O. Alexandra and its varieties alone, and they are all growing 
like young Lettuces. It is said that 150,000 of these Orchids are grown, 
and the number does not appear to be exaggerated when the stock is seen. 
Some grand varieties are flowering amongst them, and one richly spotted 
form opening on the day of our visit will probably take a place amongst 
the high-priced novelties of the season. Particularly important just now 
is a houseful of imported Orchids just received in excellent condition and 
comprising some of the best examples of Vanda coerulea that we have 
seen. Huge pieces with fresh, healthy-looking leaves such as none would 
fear trying to establish are abundant, and it is seldom that this favourite 
Orchid is imported with such little injury. There are more failures in 
attempting to establish imported plants that have suffered severely in 
transit than from any other cause, and one of the surest means of succeed¬ 
ing with such plants is to obtain those in a plump condition. This is 
more especially necessary with the non-pseudo-hulbous Orchids which 
have no reserve supplies of nutriment to support them, and Vandas 
are most easily injured permanently. Throughout the nursery the 
health of the plants is astonishing, and it is evident that they receive 
excellent cultural attention, for such large collections would soon show 
the effects of carelessness in a most disastrous manner. 
CHAMzEROPS HUMILIS. 
We have a large plant of Chamoerops humilis, which was raised 
from seed about fourteen years ago. It stands about 6 feet 6 inches high, 
including a No. 2 pot. For the last three years it has thrown out fruiting 
spikes, which grow out about 8 inches, and some of the little heps grow 
as large as a Sweet Pea seed, then fall, and the spike dies. The plant 
stands in the vinery, having the same temperature as the Vines, and is so 
placed as to get the sun from ten o’clock all day. We keep it rather dry 
all winter, and never have any fire heat before the Vines are fairly started 
—say about the end of March or beginning of April—after which the 
sheath makes its appearance from the axils of the leaves ; then we begin 
to give it some liquid manure made from soot and cow dung, at the same 
rate that we give to other plants, but more often. I have tried every 
means that I can think of, but cannot bring the fruit to perfection. I 
should feel very grateful if any of your correspondents could assist me in 
the matter.—H. H. 
HIMALAYAN RHODODENDRONS. 
To see one or two of these after such a prolonged dearth of 
flowers indoors is indeed a pleasant sight, especially as the colours are 
so attractive. R. arboreum and R. argenteum are now in full flower, 
and they are very welcome in a large conservatory with many others, 
some of which are just bursting their buds. They are planted out in 
beds, the house being heated only to the extent of excluding frost. 
Planted in such cool structures seems to be the only way to get them 
to flower early. Those from both Nepal and the Himalayan Moun¬ 
tains mostly defy all attempts to bring them to a flowering state out 
of doors north of London. We have often heard of trials being 
made, but we have never yet heard of a real success. We have tried 
in the most sheltered places in our garden, under trees which gave a 
good protection, especially in spring, and also in warm greenhouses, 
with results which were far from being satisfactory. In such locali¬ 
ties as the Isle of Wight, certain parts of Cornwall and Devonshire, 
fair success may be attained with most of the species. It does not 
appear that the plants are incapable of standing even our severe 
frosts when not in a growing state ; but here is the difficulty. They 
seem to grow just at the time they are not wanted, and, like many 
other plants we try to grow in the open, they are severely cut or 
destroyed by late spring frost. A few days of mild weather in early 
spring bursts the buds or developes them to such an extent that they 
are easily damaged. The loss of their leader forces the shoots to 
break perhaps at three or four places ; the result is weak shoots 
totally unfit to stand the late autumn frosts, and which, from the 
weakened state of the plants, rarely show flower until the second 
year if they have managed to escape the first. 
Frigi domo, light mats, and other material are often used for 
protection ; but as this entails considerable labour it is a very doubtful 
question whether it will be even half repaid by results ; besides, the 
larger the plants grow the more labour is required in covering, and 
which extends over two or three months in the early part of the year. 
That they will not succeed in most parts of England without protec- 
