May 12, 1888. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
585 
L’HORTIC ULTURE INTERNA¬ 
TIONALE, BRUSSELS. 
Following closely on the great International Exhi¬ 
bition of Ghent has come another horticultural event of 
considerable importance—the opening on Thursday 
last, May 10th, of the grand new establishment of 
L’Horticulture Internationale, at Parc Leopold, Brussels, 
one of the finest and best appointed nurseries for 
the culture of new and rare plants ever projected, as 
a glance at the small view we here give will suggest. 
The site chosen is a happy one, the immense block 
of houses running from the Rue 'VViertz to the edge of 
the Parc Leopold, with all its advantages as an open 
space, ensuring pure air and unobstructed light, so 
necessary especially to the successful culture of tropical 
plants in Europe. The plan of the establishment is 
perfect. From the grand central avenue, arranged 
with giant Palms, tree Ferns, and other foliage and 
flowering plants, run some two dozen ranges of neat 
span-roofed houses, each range being divided into 
several compartments. Other ranges make up the 
number to over thirty, and a long gallery, fitted with 
potting-benches and stores for work, form a convenient 
place in which the various operations requiring the 
removal of the plants from the houses can be performed. 
Centrally situated are the offices and the show house 
for Orchids in flower, and 
in a convenient position are 
the packing house and that 
for the reception of new 
plants on their arrival. 
The whole is heated by a 
triple apparatus, specially 
constructed, and every part 
of the establishment can be 
visited without once going 
into the open air. Com¬ 
menced in July, 1887, 
finished in seven months, 
and since completely stocked 
with a magnificent lot of 
new, rare, and good things, 
it may be said that if Mr. 
Lucien Linden had been a 
magician he could not have 
done more. 
In the various displays 
arranged for the opening, 
Orchids formed the main 
feature, range after range 
disclosing a profusion of good 
spikes of Odontoglossum 
Alexandra and 0. Pescatorei, 
with brilliant Masdevallias 
and showy Oncidiums. 
Cattleyas, too, were well 
shown, the rare C. Morganse 
and the new C. Gibezice, 
which somewhat resembles 
a pure white form of C. 
intermedia, being among 
them. There also, among 
many fine C. Mendelii and C. Mossiae, was the best form 
of white C. Wagneri ; likewise C. Schilleriana Regnellii 
and a new Cattleya in the way of C. superba, but with 
pale rose flowers. Of the Cypripediums, C. Warsce- 
wiczii, with flowers resembling those of Uropedium 
Lindeni, but white, veined with pale green, is the most 
striking, although C. argus multicolor and C. a. 
Boddaertii are also fine. C. porphyreum, C. prastans 
illustre, C. Harrisianum plenum, C. villosum aureum, 
and others are also in bloom. Some Phaltenopsids, 
Vandas and Aerides; many Lselias, and especially 
L. elegans alba, taken together with the numerous old 
species in bloom, demonstrate the fact that here, as 
everywhere else where a show is required, Orchids do 
more than their share to make one. 
If we consider the experience of a life-time in 
studying plants, searching for new or rare ones, and 
the intimate knowledge of them and their habitats 
during that time, which has been acquired by Mr. J. 
Linden, the chief adviser of the society, the projected 
scheme of searching all the countries of the world 
likely to give to our gardens new Orchids and other 
plants does not seem so difficult as it would be in other 
hands. In calling to mind the number of fine Orchids, 
&c., which are now among the best objects of our 
plant houses and exhibition groups, coupled with a few 
of the more recently introduced which are yet unknown 
to most of our best collections, we should remember also 
that they owe their introduction to the Messrs. Linden. 
The stock of some of these has passed into the houses 
of L’Horticulture Internationale, the key to their 
habitats—which should be a mine of wealth to the 
society—remaining in the hands of their energetic 
director, Mr. Lucien Linden, and his father, Mr. J. 
Linden, whose ten years personal travel as plant 
discoverer and collector has enriched our collections with 
some of the best Orchids from all parts of the tropics. 
Among the rare things grown at this establishment, 
and some of which are at present in flower, it will be 
sufficient to mention a few of the most prominent. 
The Catasetums, a rising genus, have been enriched 
beyond measure by the grand ivory-white Catasetum 
Bungerothii, and it again proceeds to give startling 
varieties in C. B. Pottsianum, with purple-spotted petals, 
and C. B. aureum, all golden yellow. C. tapiriceps is 
another beautiful species, with green sepals, brown 
petals, and large yellow pouch or labellum ; C. pulchrum 
is a great beauty, with yellow sepals and petals trans¬ 
versely barred with brown and orange lip. C. tigrinum, a 
charming thing with white flowers of good size, freckled 
rose ; and C. galentum has yellow and crimson flowers, 
which remind one of the showy Stanhopea tigrina. Of 
new Cypripediums we need mention only the superb C. 
prastans, whose flowers have, as it were, the sepals of 
C. Robelenii, the petals of C. Parishii, and the pouch 
of C. Stonei. This superb species has been eagerly 
assimilated into our collections, and so also will C. 
Rothschildianum, and other new species which are 
even now in bud in this nursery. The almost priceless 
C. Lawrenceanum Hyeanum, too, emanates from Mr. 
Linden. It need not be surprising with what eager¬ 
ness each new species of Cypripedium is hailed by 
growers in these days of hybrid raising, for each one 
offers new material' to go over the whole ground of 
crossing the older species over again. Practicall} 7 there 
is no end to the beauty and variety to be obtained in 
our gardens by an alliance of the importer’s energies, 
and the hybridist’s skill. For example, L’Horticulture 
Internationale boasts of having over 200 species and 
varieties of Cypripedium, which if persistently inter¬ 
crossed, some thousands would soon result. 
The Dendrobes and other Orchids which have been 
here received from New Guinea, give some beautiful 
novelties. D. Doreyanum and D. Lansbergii are two 
fine new plants. The beautiful D. stratiotes, with its 
white flowers and richly crimson-veined lip has now 
got much into favour ; and the same will happen to 
the ivory-white D. strebloceras Rossianum. In both 
these species, and some other new ones from the same 
quarter, the petals are curiously elongated, twisted, 
and stand erect like the horns of an antelope. In D. 
rutriferum, with rose-coloured flowers ; D. purpureum, 
with purple ; D. p. candidulum, with white flowers; 
and D. bracteosum, rose, with yellow lip, we have a 
curious and beautiful section with flowers in bunches 
like some of the lesser Hoyas. D. inauditum is a most 
extraordinary plant, with flasked-shaped pseudo-bulbs 
something like those of Epidendrum varicosum, and 
bearing at top, beside their single leaf, yellowish flowers, 
which call to mind those of Maxillaria lepidota. 
Spathoglottis angustorum is a beautiful new species 
with large Phakenopsis-like flowers, white or pale lilac, 
with rose lip ; and S. plicatum, a similar plant, but 
all rich rose colour. Paphinia cristata Modiglianiana is 
a beautiful white variety ; and P. Lindeniana has 
large flowers of rich claret colour, heavily edged with 
snow-white. With Cattleyas it is difficult now to get 
in a distinct new and showy species, but with C. 
Bungerothii, a good stock of which is now established, 
this has certainly been accomplished, and among the 
large consignment of certified white varieties of 
Cattleya just received, Mr. Linden is confident of 
having other quite new forms. 
In Odontoglossum Lueienianum, now beautifully in 
flower, we have a handsome and distinct—probably 
natural—hybrid. Its white and violet flowers remind 
one most of 0. ramosissimum, and its bulbs are like a 
modification of that plant, although that species does 
not appear in the scientific description. Vanda Lindenii, 
with yellow sepals and petals, spotted with red and 
white lip, marked with purple, is in the way of V. 
hastifera itself, which is a very rare species, and V. 
lamellata Boxallii superba, with its massive upright 
spike of huge cream-coloured and crimson flowers, 
which far outstrips anything 
in its section for beauty. 
Bulbophyllum grandiflorum 
is a wierd-looking plant, 
with flowers like the narrow 
ones of Masdevallia Chimsera. 
Aganisia tricolor is a charm¬ 
ing blue species, with 
orange labellum. Epiden¬ 
drum atropurpureum Randii, 
a major form of the type, 
with olive sepals and petals, 
edged with yellow and white 
lip, with rosy crimson and 
radiating lines. Nor must 
we forget to mention the 
giant Lissochilus giganteus, 
with its fine foliage and 7 ft. 
high spike of very large rose- 
pink flowers, which bloomed 
so grandly with Sir Trevor 
Lawrence. Many of these 
are admirably illustrated in 
that fine publication devoted 
to Orchids, The Lindenia, 
which also gives a good 
illustration of the lovely 
cherry-red Rodriguezia Bun¬ 
gerothii, in its recent issue, 
the eighth number of the 
third volume. The figures 
of others, together with some 
new and good plants, appear 
in the enlarged and improved 
series of L’Illustration Hor- 
ticole, which is the organ of 
the society. With such a mine of wealth in the new 
and rare Orchids alone, as the sample we here indicate, 
if L’Horticulture Internationale does not prove suc¬ 
cessful, there must be grave errors or extraordinary bad 
luck somewhere. 
New and rare foliage plants are represented by some 
striking things. Alocasia gigas is a giant Aroid, which 
will make a good exhibition plant; A. Lindeni is a 
fine plant, with white leaf-stalks and yellow veins to 
its dark green leaves ; and A. Luciani, A. Villeneuvei 
and A. Margarita are good things. The Anthuriums 
make a brilliant display, over 3,000 fine spathes 
appearing on the varieties of A. Schertzerianum alone, 
amongst which Wardii, Bruxellesiense (very dark 
crimson), Parisiense (scarlet on white), Rothschildianum, 
and Vervaeneanum are the most striking. The house 
of Nepenthes, containing some thousands of plants, 
many new or rare, is an interesting sight, among them 
being the fine N. Lowii ; and the houseful of the new 
rich blue Primula sinensis, Edmond Morren, is a thing 
to contemplate with pleasure. House after house of 
fine Palms appear in all sizes, and seem to enjoy perfect 
health. Variegated and coloured foliage plants—some 
being new and as yet unnamed—are in abundance ; in 
fact, every thing is in perfect order for the influx of 
plant-loving visitors who will avail themselves of 
Mr. Linden’s invitation to come and see for themselves. 
Then bon voyage to the great venture launched under 
such favourable auspices on May 10th, and to its 
captain, Mr. Lucien Linden, and the veteran pilot, 
Mr. J. Linden ! The sea of horticulture is wide, and 
we are sure it will further the best interests of all who 
sail on it to join us in a cheerful hail as the leviathan 
starts for its trial trip. 
L’Horticulture Internationale, Parc Leopold, Brussels. 
