682 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
June 25, 1898. 
several dwarf species, behind which are some mag¬ 
nificent bushes of P. viridi-glaucescens. 
(To be continued.) 
--- 
BELGIAN NURSERIES. 
VII.— L’Horticulture Internationale, 
Brussels. 
This is one of the three Linden establishments, two 
of which are in Belgium and the third in France. 
That under notice is a vast establishment situated at 
Park Leopold, Brussels, and under the management 
of M. Lucien Linden. The whole range of glass is 
so constructed that visitors can inspect every house 
without going outside. Plants can also be conveyed 
from the one to the other at all seasons of the year, 
whatever the weather may be. 
On entering the range, the visitor is first ushered 
into the entrance hall, which is always kept gay 
with plants in flower, and presents a very inviting 
appearance. The next move is into the winter 
garden, a capacious building with plenty of space 
for parading about on iron gratings under large 
Palms, Cycads and Tree Ferns. Under the central 
dome is a huge specimen of Latania Sieboldi, and 
elsewhere are equally fine giants of Cybotium prin- 
and Cycas dealbata. A rare and fine specimen of 
Theophrasta imperialis stands io ft. high. 
A great many of the plant houses lead off from 
this fine building, on either side. On the occasion 
of our visit, April 20th last, our chief object was to 
see the Orchids, of the fame of which we have often 
heard. As it happened, we passed into houses (most 
of the plant houses are span-roofed and recently 
built on the most modern principles) containing fine 
importations of Laelia grandis tenebrosa and 
Cattleya labiata, the latter being semi-established 
and in grand condition. The compost used is Poly¬ 
podium fibre and sphagnum. 
An Odontoglossum house was gay with O. vexil- 
larium, O. luteo-purpureum, in a great variety of 
richly blotched varieties, O. andersonianum, the 
heavily fringed O. Halli, O. crispum and O. cirrho- 
sum. All were carrying fine spikes, and the last 
named existed in many richly blotched and crisped 
forms; each plant was also displayed to the best 
advantage. 
Two houses were chiefly occupied with Masde- 
vallias, abundantly represented by species in flower. 
The plants were intermixed with Odontoglossum 
luteo-purpureum in bloom. The varieties of Masde- 
vallia harryana and M. Lindeni were numerous. 
The blue flush pervading the orange-scarlet flowers 
of M. parlatoreana heightened their beauty. M. 
Veitchi, with its large flowers, might be put in the 
same category as the last. Varied and different, 
however, were the beautifully spotted M. Shuttle- 
worthii, M. melanopoda and M. polysticta. The 
wide open purple flowers of M. ludibunda were 
enhanced by white tips to the segments. The huge 
brown long-tailed flowers of M. Ephippium were 
remarkable for their peculiar form. 
The next five houses were devoted to Odontoglos- 
sums and their allies. They were characterised by 
great vigour of growth and cleanliness, strong pseu¬ 
dobulbs and spikes. They included O. crispum, O 
polyxanthum, O. sceptrum and O. triumphans, all 
varied and richly coloured in many cases. A strik¬ 
ing instance was that of O. crispum bearing thirteen 
spikes, two on a pseudobulb, the scapes being only 
12 in. high, but very stout. Others in grand form 
were O. Hallii, O. luteo-purpureum and O. 
cirrhosum, the latter being grown in great quantity, 
and having panicled stems 2 ft. to 3 ft. high. O. 
luteo-purpureum, being in season, dominated many 
of the houses. Some of the varieties were very fine 
indeed. O. Pescatorei and O. vexillarium also made 
their presence felt. Mesospinidium Noetzlianum 
and M. vulcanicum were in fine form, particularly 
some of the former, which had very broad segments 
of a rich orange-scarlet. A large house was devoted 
to a collection of Cattleyas and Laelias in fine con¬ 
dition, the species represented being C. Mossiae, C. 
Mendelii, Laelia purpurata, L. grandis and L. g 
tenebrosa. The two last-named were then in 
sheath. 
From the winter garden we passed through two 
Cypripedium houses, containing many well grown 
species aDd hybrids. The enormous flowers of 
Cypripedium lawrenceanum measured 6 in. across 
the petals, and other parts of the plant were in pro¬ 
portion, thus testifying to cultural ability. Other 
well grown things included C. ciliolare, C. 
gowerianum superbum, with enormous leaves ; C. 
Schroderae splendens, having larger and darker 
flowers than the type ; C. Argus, C. hirsutissimum, 
C. Parishii and C. bellatulum, there being a fine 
importation of the latter. 
A bright display met the eye in a houseful of Odon¬ 
toglossum vexillarium, with three to four spikes 
from a pseudobulb, and showing a wide variation in 
colour. There were panicles of Oncidium sarcodes, 
5 ft. to 6 ft. long, and profusely flowered. Next 
came a houseful of Cattleya labiata, semi-established, 
and followed by half a houseful of Laelia pumila, 
and L. pumila praestans. The other half of the 
house was occupied by the rich orange Epidendrum 
vitellinum. The yellow lamina of the lip of Cymbi- 
dium lowianum concolor made a beautiful contrast 
with the soft green of the rest of the flower. 
Here we noted a fine piece of workmanship in a 
house built about thirteen years ago, and has had no 
repairs since with the exception of painting. The 
walks were all neatly gravelled. The benches con¬ 
sisted of boards, coloured slate, and pitch pine edg¬ 
ings and doors. Everything here was in neat order, 
and Tradescantia zebrina covered the ground under 
the benches. In another house close by Laelia 
crispa, Cattleya Mendelii and the chaste light 
coloured C. Mossiae reineckiana, were the prevailing 
features. A houseful of semi-established plants of 
Cypripedium bellatulum should now be furnishing a 
rich variety of colours. The Butterfly Oncidium, 
O. Papilio, having scapes 3 ft. to 4 ft. long, was 
stood about amongst the Cypripediums. Oncidium 
crispum and O. marshallianum in pans were both 
semi-established, and throwing up flower spikes 3 ft. 
in length. The pseudobulbs of the former were fixed 
to rafts, stood upon end in flower pots, so as to 
retain a certain amount of moisture about them. 
Vandas occupied a considerable portion of one 
house, including V. tricolor, V. t. planilabris and 
other varieties. The last-named was beautifully 
spotted with brown and edged with purple. V. 
suavis was equally well represented with varieties. 
Very pretty was V. s. magnificans, richly spotted 
with brown on a white ground and having a dark pur¬ 
ple lip. The gray-blue and silvery-tinted flowers of 
Vanda amoena are exceedingly pretty. It is supposed 
to be a hybrid between V. Roxburghii and V. 
caerulea. The wavy, brown flowers of Dendrobium 
Roxburghii are distinct as they are uncommon. 
Oncidium lanceanum and O. luridum are handsome 
species with richly spotted flowers. Cymbidium 
eburneum was also in bloom. 
The pathway was next through a Palm house filled 
with useful stove subjects including Alsophilas and 
other tree Ferns. Very fine were Verschaffeltia 
splendida, with a blade 4 ft. by 2J ft.; and Steven- 
sonia grandifolia, with leaves 7 ft. long by 3J ft. wide 
independently of the petiole. The packing sheds and 
potting benches are conveniently placed to the houses 
and are admirably fitted up for the purpose in view. 
The whole place, in fact, is compact and well 
adapted for the needs of the establishment. 
There were still many Orchid houses to examine 
and we hurried on. Dendrobiums were well repre¬ 
sented by such as D. wardianum, D. crassinode, D. 
devonianum, D. densiflorum and D. chrysotoxum. 
Some of them were flowering and others recently 
imported. Importation is a strong feature of the 
establishment. The central stage of another house 
was filled with the same class of plants, D. Farmeri, 
D. suavissimum and others being grown in quantity. 
The side benches were occupied with Cypripediums. 
Two houses were occupied with Laelias, including 
L. anceps, L. majalis, L. autumnalis, L. albida, and 
L. elegans, many of the latter being already in 
flower, showing fine varieties. A recent importation 
of Thunia marshalliana was just commencing to 
sprout. The stems varied from slender twigs to the 
thickness of the thumb. Vanda caerulea had 
recently been imported. A quantity of Cattleya 
bulbosa flowering on the young growths showed 
flowers of fine form and colour. We next came 
upon Trichopilias, Pilumnas, Oncidium heteranthum 
with its few perfect flowers and many rudimentary 
ones ; Maxillaria luteo-alba, with its large, orange- 
brown and white flowers; M. nigrescens, dark 
orange-brown ; and Phaius maculatus. The subjects 
of this and the previous paragraph occupied seven 
houses. 
Very pretty was the yellow flowered Laelia flava 
and Warscewiczella bicolor with its violet lip. 
Half a house was filled with Anguloas just starting 
into growth. A. Ruckeri, A. Clowesii and A. 
eburnea were the principal species. Prettily spotted 
was Oncidium Phalaenopsis and Odontoglossum 
Oerstedi is a gem. We next passed through several 
houses of Odontoglossums, O. luteo-purpureum, O. 
sceptrum and others being conspicuous. An impor¬ 
tation of Cypripedium Parishi and C. hirsutissimum 
filled a house. Suspended from the roof was the 
pretty Brassavola cordata. 
Many pits were filled with Cypripedium bellatu¬ 
lum, Vanda caerulea, and V. sanderiana. The cases 
in the propagating pit were filled with the cuttings 
of fine foliage plants, inserted in sand. Here also 
were unflowered seedlings of Cypripedium and 
Cattleya. Very handsome were the new Trades- 
cantias, T. superba and T. Reginae. Unflowered 
plants of Bulbophyllum and Cirrhopetalum were 
plentiful. A very handsome Fern is Adiantum 
claesianum, with a silvery-white centre and veins 
radiating from it. 
—-«/£ » 
NOTICES OF BOOKS. 
Home Gardening : a Manual for the Amateur, 
containing Instructions for the Laying out, 
Stocking, Cultivation, and Management of Small 
Gardens, Flower, Fruit, and Vegetable. By 
W. D. Drury, F.R.H.S. London : L. Upcott 
Gill, 170, Strand, W.C., 1898. Price is. 
As the sub-title of this book indicates, it is intended 
for the amateur, and the introduction further speaks 
of its being intended to assist those having small 
back gardens in urban and suburban districts. It 
makes no pretensions, however, at helping amateurs 
in preparing flowers and vegetables for exhibition. 
There are many amateurs even in the localities 
mentioned who can show very respectable flowers 
and win prizes with them at local exhibitions, while 
others run the professional gardener pretty close or 
even beat him at times in growing vegetables. 
The book runs to 130 pages, including a lengthy 
index, but many plants are of course merely 
mentioned in the lists and selections. Some illus¬ 
trations show simple and also more or less compli¬ 
cated plans of villa gardens, the design being in 
accordance with the size and surroundings ot the 
garden. Under hardy perennials a considerable 
number of popular garden plants are included, such 
as Primroses, Violas, Violets, border Carnations, 
Gaillardias, perennial Asters, and a host of plants 
suitable for the herbaceous border proper. The 
space being limited, there is little opportunity to go 
into cultural details, but a few lines might have been 
devoted to the raising of border Carnations from 
seed. Apart from the intense delight of watching 
the flowers expand for the first time, especially when 
seed of a good strain has been procured, the fact 
remains that no other method of raising Carnations 
will yield such a profusion of flowers for cutting and 
yet leave the beds practically as gay as ever. 
Strains are now obtainable that yield a large 
percentage of double flowers of really beautiful 
forms and excellent quality. 
The author has little love for summer bedding 
plants proper and in this we think he is right, for 
tender things seldom repay the trouble and expense 
of housing which they entail. The aspect 
and cramped surroundings of town gardens 
are often very little favourable to a proper 
display with sun-loving subjects. Amateurs, more¬ 
over, like variety, and there is nothing like herba¬ 
ceous subjects, including bulbs and annuals for 
supplying it. The author might have dwelt more 
upon the value of digging and trenching, the latter 
especially, as it is not only capital exercise for town 
dwellers, but improves the conditions of small 
gardens immensely, and helps the amateur to get rid 
of a vast amount of vermin, particularly slugs, 
which find the suburban garden a perfect paradise 
for them, and in return give the amateur no end of 
trouble and vexation. 
All kinds of herbaceous plants, including annuals, 
biennials, perennials, bulbs, and tuberous subjects 
are dealt with in one chapter. The third chapter 
deals with trees, shrubs, and climbers; the fourth 
with plants for small greenhouses; the fifth with 
plants for room decoration ; the sixth with fruits for 
small gardens; and the seventh with vegetables. 
Plants for small greenhouses include such things as 
Azaleas, Camellias, Cannas, Chrysanthemums, Ferns, 
