534 
THE GARDENING .WORLD. 
April 22, 1893. 
that Mr. Hartland makes his gardens pay. He 
carries on a large trade in bulbs, which he sends to 
all parts of the world, chiefly to America. Germany, 
Australia, New Zealand, and even Japan. In 
America particularly there is a great demand for 
bulbs, and a New York merchant has just purchased 
a plot of 20,000 from Mr. Hartland. These will be 
sent packed in barrels to the States, and the com¬ 
modity is one that is admitted duty free. For the 
production of blooms for the market and of varieties 
suitable for early forcing Mr. Hartland has of Ard- 
Righ, or Irish King, 150,000; Princeps, 100,000, and 
Countess of Annesley, 30,000.'’ 
-- 
THE GHENT QUINQUENNIAL. 
Once more have horticulturists from all parts of 
Europe met in the ancient capital of West Flanders, 
in honour of the Royal Society of Agriculture and 
Botany of Ghent; once again has that Society made 
a display in every way worthy of the marvellous 
horticultural resources of the country, and once 
again also have our Ghent friends been prodigal in 
their hospitality and unbounded in the warmth of 
the reception which they accorded to their foreign 
visitors. The thirteenth quinquennial has indeed 
been a grand success in all but one important 
particular. The exhibition is more extensive than 
heretofore, in many respects more completely repre¬ 
sentative in character, and generally may be said to 
display up to date the special classes of subjects for 
which the Belgian nurserymen are world-wide 
famous. Would that we could say the great effort of 
our friends is likely to be as successful financially as 
heretofore; but that cannot be, so much has the 
attendance of the paying public been influenced by 
the labour troubles and political excitement which 
has unfortunately prevailed in Belgium during the 
week. 
At all the previous quinquennials at which it has 
been our privilege to be present the principal 
pictorial display was made in the large hall of the 
Casino, and who does not remember the noble groves 
of Palms and other tropical fine foliaged plants, and 
the magnificent central oval bed of Indian Azaleas, 
so long the familiar pieces de resistance ? But on this 
occasion the old scene of so many triumphs has a 
powerful rival in a large annexe which takes the 
form of the letter T, which Mr. Edward Pynaert has 
laid out with rare skill in a gardenesque style, and 
wherein are located an immense array of gorgeous 
Indian and Ghent Azaleas, Rhododendrons and 
other showy flowering plants, most artistically 
relieved from any formality of outline or undue glare 
of colour by the use of handsome Palms and other 
fine foliaged plants, to which we will refer presently. 
The best Azaleas are decidedly to be Seen in the 
annex-e,but the central bed in the large hall is again, 
as on many previous occasions, given up to large 
specimens, which are showing the effects of age and 
are by no means so fine as we have seen them. 
Patches of brilliant colour are provided in other 
parts of the hall by large groups of Anthuriums, 
which are shown in greater numbers than we 
remember to have seen before, but, although 
including a great many seedlings, there is nothing 
strikingly novel among them. 
The groups of Palms in the various competitions 
are, needless to say, both numerous and strikingly 
imposing, and many a handsome specimen is to be 
seen in the prize collections shown by the brothers 
De Smet, Mr. de Ghellinck de Walle, Mr. Arthur 
De Smet, Mr. K. J. Ruyk, who has lately taken over 
the business so long associated with the name of 
Mr. Aug. van Geert, and others. The brothers De 
Smet have also a magnificent group of specimen 
Cycads, tall plants, in perfect foliage. Mr. Em. De 
Cock has also a group of eight superb Kentias, and 
near them is a noble plant not often seen, the 
Geissois racemosa, of New Caledonia, whose hand¬ 
some bold, lustrous foliage renders it a strikingly 
handsome object. Dracaenas and Crotons are not 
shown so grandly as we have seen them here, and do 
not appear to be receiving so much attention as they 
have done. 
1 he display of Orchids is the most remarkable for 
extent and quality that has been seen in Ghent, and 
very beautifully are most of them disposed in the 
concert and reception rooms upstairs. In the large 
central room the centre is occupied by a large 
circular table which contains groups of one hundred 
plants each from the famous private collections of 
Mr. Jules Hye-Leyson, and Mr. G. Warocque. Both 
are worthy of the highest praise, but Mr. Hye- 
Leyson rightly takes the Gold Medal given by the 
King of the Belgians, Mr. Warocque taking a Gold 
Medal also, but of lesser value. Very choice in the 
former’s contribution were a very deeply coloured 
form of Cochlioda Noetzlianum, the rare Phajus 
Cooksoni, Cypripedium tesselatum porphyreum, C. 
Lawrenceanum Hyeanum, and C. Laurebel Hyea- 
num, from the same cross as Sir Trevor Lawrence’s 
plant but of a darker colour. We noted specially 
among Mr. Warocque’s plants the scarce Odonto- 
glossum citrosmum album and a beautifully spotted 
O. Pescatorei. Mr. Edward Pynaert takes the Gold 
Medal for a collection of Cypripediums with a very 
good group, all good species or forms, and includ¬ 
ing C. Sanderiana with three fine flowers, C. 
Chamberlainianum, and C. Burberryanum, etc. 
Mr. C. Vuylsteke and Mr. A. A. Peeters have each 
collections of very choice Odontoglossums ; and in 
other classes Mr. G. Vincke, Messrs. Vervaet & Co 
I 
and Messrs. Pitcher & Manda, Hextable, also secure 
awards with interesting contributions. Of hardy 
Orchids Mr. C. G. van Tubergen, of Haarlem, has 
an exceedingly pretty little collection. 
The new plant classes introduced us to nothing of 
a specially striking character, illustrating only the 
fact that really meritorious new plants are as scarce 
in Belgium as they are at home. The centre of 
interest in this department was, of course, the battle- 
royal between Mr. F. Sander, of St. Albans, and 
Messrs. Linden, of Brussels, which resulted in the 
victory cf the former. The competition was for six 
new plants not in commerce and introduced by the 
exhibitor, but most of the subjects have been seen 
and described before. Mr. Sander had Strobilanthes 
Dyeriana, Alsophila atrovirens, Alocasia Wat- 
soniana, Ludovia crenifolia, Dracaena Godseffiana, 
and Dracaena. Sanderiana, the latter being 
in our opinion the best commercial plant of 
the set, and in a small state will make a valuable 
decorative plant. It has narrow lanceolate green 
leaves margined with silver-grey, and is decidedly 
attractive. The Messrs. Linden had in their group 
the most distinct and beautiful new Orchid in the 
exhibition in Eulophiella Elisebethae, the striking 
wax-like and prettily-coloured flowers of which will 
render it a special favourite with Orchid growers. 
The other plants in the group were Tradescantia 
Reginas, Stenandrium Lindeni, HasmanthusLindeni, 
salmon-red, and very good, Smilax argyrea, and 
Tradescantia superba. In other classes for new 
plants Mr. Ed. Pynaert, Messrs. Jacob, Makoy & 
Co., Liege, Mr. L. De Smet, Mr. C. G. van 
Tubergen, all secure premier awards ; and among a 
large number of Amaryllises staged none claimed 
more attention or gained greater admiration than a 
superb collection from Messrs. James Veitch & 
Sons, which were deservedly awarded a Gold Medal, 
though not entered for competition. The Azalea 
classes as regards new varieties call for no special 
comment, but the collections of Hyacinths from 
Holland, for so late a period, were especially fine, 
notably so the groups from Messrs. Krelage & Co., 
of Haarlem, and Messrs. Byvoet, whose King of the 
Yellows were superb, showing that to get this fine 
variety at its best it must not be forced. 
In the very fine annexe previously mentioned a 
row of large handsome Palms and other plants runs 
round the entire structure and gives the building a 
light and elegant appearance. In the corners of the 
main part of the building are large collections of 
forced hardy Rhododendrons in grand bloom from 
Mr. Ed. Pynaert and Mr. E. DeCock, and in thecen- 
tre of the extreme end of the building the Count de 
Kerchovede Denterghem has a group of thirty su perb 
Azaleas the plants ranging from 4 ft. to 5 ft. over, and 
magnificently bloomed. Smaller half specimen Az aleas 
are shown in hundreds, and in bold blocks of colours 
well set off with elegant Palms towering above them. 
Other striking features are the gloriously coloured 
Ghent Azaleas of Mr. Ed. Pynaert. A pretty lot of 
hardy and semi-hardy bulbous and tuberous rooted 
plants from Mr. van Tubergen ; the gigantic speci¬ 
men Palms of Mr. K. J. Kuyk, notably a splendid 
example of Kentia Fosteriana; fine masses of 
ordinary Clivias from various sources ; the Ghent 
Azaleas from the Brothers De S met ; and a singu¬ 
larly interesting group of Arau carias from Messrs. 
Jacob H. Makoy&C0., which includes some ten distinct 
species and varieties. The Indian Azaleas of Mr. 
Ad D Haene, the Ghent Azaleas and white flowered 
greenhouse Rhododendrons of Mr. Arthur De Smet ; 
and the smaller Indian Azaleas of Mr. J. Vervaene, 
all claim a word of high commendation ; and parti¬ 
cularly so does a collection of half standard Oranges, 
Citrus sinensis, from Mr. Alexis Dalliere, the neatest 
grown and best fruited set of plants we have ever 
seen. 
In the grounds the standard and Pyramidal Bays 
are very fine, as also are the groups of Conifers. 
Skimmias, and Kalmias, the latter especially being 
magnificently bloomed. There is also an extensive 
exhibit of greenhouses &c., but generally of poor 
construction. Here in a span-roofed structure are 
placed the contributions of several exhibitors, in¬ 
cluding those of Messrs. William Cutbush & Son, of 
Highgate, who have a pretty lot of small New 
Holland plants, Heaths and Epacrises, and also 
examples of their fine strain of Mignonette. 
--J-- 
THE BATTLE OF LIFE. 
This heading might apply to human life or to that of 
the lower animals ; but its applicability to plant life 
is equally pertinent. Nature everywhere appears in 
a state of continual discord and strife when closely 
scrutinised by the eye of an intelligent observer. 
Even the songs of birds, which are usually regarded 
as tokens of joy, may be a challange to combat or 
the war song of the victorious jubilant over the de¬ 
feat or the slaughter of an enemy of their own species, 
just as often as the song of affection when serenading 
a mate. In the meadow where grass, flowers and 
weeds seem to grow in harmony and perfect concord, 
every inch of ground may be keenly contested and a 
hand to hand struggle for existence going on. No 
eye can see the changes that are taking place, no ear 
can detect a tumult or noise of any kind save for the 
animal inhabita nts, the wind or other natural causes; 
yet the struggle is not less real nor less deadly. 
Mayhap in an old pasture the plant inhaDitants may 
appear to have settled down in a state of equilibrium, 
neither encroaching upon the other ; but even that 
apparent equilibrium may only be a modified one, 
because when one species may have ceased to oust 
another one, the members of a species compete with 
one another for the necessary food and the space in 
which to grow. When foreign plants get introduced 
amongst old inhabitants, and the conditions are 
highly suitable to them, it often happens that they 
more or less completely exterminate the natives and 
appropriate the soil to themselves, as in the case of 
the Thistle in Australia, the Cardoon in South 
America, or the Opuntia at the Cape. 
The battle of life in the garden more directly 
concerns us, and to that I shall devote the remainder 
of this paper. When ground for a garden has been 
fenced off or even walled round, the gardener must 
not suppose that because certain of the larger 
enemies are excluded that the plants will have it all 
their own way. On the contrary, when he has 
fenced his garden and planted it, he has only made 
a paradise in which his plants indoors and outside 
may be afflicted with a hundred and one pests and 
plagues. Where nature is left to manage the plants 
in her own way, she does so to perfection, the 
naturalist would say ; but in the case of cultivated 
plants it is rarely the case that her aim or object 
coincides with the views or requirements of man. 
The latter desires to make two blades of grass grow 
where only one grew before, or he desires larger and 
sweeter Apples, and a greater quantity of them than 
grew on the Wild Crab, while his hearting Cabbages, 
Cauliflowers, Broccoli, Carrots, Parsnips, and many 
other vegetables are merely monstrosities in the eyes 
of nature, just as all his double flowers are, and which if 
left to take care of themselves for a year or two would 
either revert to the type or die out completely. 
Man has therefore taken all these things under his 
special care and for his own purposes, and must 
therefore take the responsibility for their safe 
keeping. In all this he may be selfish, but such is 
the case. 
Thanks to the teachings of science we are not now 
so superstitious, when our crops get destroyed with 
insect pests, or Potatos get destroyed with the 
Potato murrain, or Turnips and Cabbages get finger- 
and-toe, as to believe that all these evils are merely 
sent to plague us because of our wickedness, our 
selfishness or some other imaginary offence. All are 
due to natural causes, many of which are perfectly 
within our control, while others are less so although . 
we know the cause perfectly. Some plants die with¬ 
out our being able to assign a cause, but the list is 
