714 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
July 9, 1898. 
a fair amount of aroma. The smaller fruits were 
firmer, but not quite so rich in aroma. It has done 
well at Bicton, but has not fruited so heavily. 
Of the other varieties grown at Bicton, Royal 
Sovereign, Empress of India, Gunton Park, Presi¬ 
dent and Sir Joseph Paxton are all carrying heavy 
crops. Both Leader and Monarch are handsome- 
looking fruits as grown by Mr. Mayne, but judging 
from its size, rich colour, very fair flavour and 
heavy cropping qualities we feel sure there is a great 
future before Leader. Opinions may differ, however. 
-- 
BELGIAN NURSERIES. 
VIII.— Messrs. Lucien Linden & Co., 
Moortebeek. 
While in Brussels on the 20th April last we went 
by the light railway to Moortebeek, about three and 
a half miles or thereby out of town, to see the 
Orchid establishment of Messrs. Lucien Linden & 
Co., which was established there about three years 
ago. The situation is an ideal one for the cultiva¬ 
tion of Orchids, being practically in the country, 
where only a few scattered houses are yet to be seen, 
and on the sloping side of a valley by no means 
common in Belgium, to the west of the capital. The 
houses are all new, and built on the most approved 
modern plan for the cultivation of Orchids. This 
was the establishment visited by Leopold II, the 
King of the Belgians, as mentioned at p. 692, in our 
last week’s issue. The King himself is an ardent 
horticulturist, having a grand establisment at 
Laeken, and, being about to build many more glass¬ 
houses, is well able to judge for himself when he 
sees gardening in any of its branches well carried 
out. He spent several hours upon the establish¬ 
ment, and expressed his admiration at everything he 
saw. 
In Belgium it is more often the custom than here 
to build large blocks of houses all connected together 
in such a way that the area enclosed is continuous, 
so that a uniform temperature is maintained through¬ 
out. The span ridges take the usual form, but there 
are no dividing walls between one house and 
another. At the time of our visit there was some¬ 
thing between 50,000 and 60,000 plants of Odonto- 
glossums on the establishment. On entering we 
were immediately ushered into a block of seven houses 
entirely filled with Odontoglossums, the bulk of 
them consisting of O. crispum, imported two years 
ago. They were a picture of rude health, the leaves 
being of a red or bronzy hue, leathery, and the 
pseudobulbs of large size. The pieces were mostly 
in 60-size pots. Blossom was abundant on the 
occasion to which we refer, but they reached their 
best about three weeks later. The cut flowers are 
sent to Italy, France and Germany, chiefly to the 
two latter countries. The benches consist of teak, 
the spars for carrying the pots being 2* in. to 3 in. 
wide, and painted. 
The second division of this block contained many 
interesting things including well flowered pieces of 
Cochlioda noetzliana, Odontoglossum Pescatorei, O. 
triumphans and O. cirrhosum. All were grown in a 
compost of Polypodium fibre and sphagnum. Of O. 
cirrhosum there were at least 200 plants in bloom, 
and carrying fine panicles of bloom. There was a 
considerable amount of variation, some having 
numerous maroon spots, others crimson, maroon- 
crimson on a yellow ground,and rose-tinted varieties. 
Of O. Pescatorei one hundred plants were in bloom, 
many of them deeply tinted with rose, and most of 
them carrying huge panicles of fine flowers. O. P. 
Roi Leopold was characterised by a large violet 
blotch on each of the sepals, with a few smaller ones 
on the petals. Natural hybrids were plentiful,O. Tigre 
Royal representing a form between O. triumphans 
and O. crispum, having the sepals almost covered 
with rich chocolate blotches,and a smaller number on 
the petals. O. venustum might be regarded as a 
white O. wilckeanum, blotched with purple-browD, 
the blotches on the petals being large, circular, and 
numbering six or seven. In like manner O. Princess 
Victoria appeared to be intermediate between O. 
crispum and O. sceptrum, the numerous light chest¬ 
nut blotches on a pure white ground being very 
pretty. Handsome also was O. crispum Van Cauwen- 
bergii, with a solitary, large purple blotch on each 
sepal, and numerous small spots on the petals and 
lip. 
The next division contained beautifully spotted 
and tinted varieties of O. crispum ruckerianum, and 
O. Pescatorei. The latter bore a panicle 3^ ft. long, 
carrying sixty flowers. A fine piece of O. vexillarium 
Memoria Lindeni carried six spikes of six flowers 
each, of a beautiful rich rose-magenta. The sepals of 
O. wilckeanum Lindeni were mostly of a dark 
chocolate, and the petals handsomely blotched. 
A houseful of specialities we might term that 
which contained many named varieties. The colour 
of Mesospinidum vulcanicum was very rich. One 
large, brownish-purple blotch on each of the sepals 
and petals was the feature of Odontoglossum crispum 
Prince Albert. O. vexillarium vittatum had white 
sepals, and rose petals edged with white. O. 
wilckeanum nobile had two large blotches, and the 
petals numerous spots on a clear yellow ground. 
The soft rose flowers of O. ruckerianum amabile 
were thickly spotted all over. A fine light variety 
was that named O. wilckeanum versicolor, haviDg 
one or two large, brown blotches on sulphur yellow. 
The numerous brown blotches on the canary-yellow 
sepals of O. wilckeanum Princess de Canaries and 
the crest of the lip pointed to a cross between O. 
wilckeanum and O. sceptrum. O. hunewellianum 
maximum has already been seen and admired in 
this country, the flowers beiDg much larger than the 
type, and spotted all over. The large, circular, 
purple blotch on each of the sepals is characteristic 
of O. crispum Comte de Flandre, the petals being 
white. The sepals and petals of O. ruckerianum 
delicosum were richly spotted on a rosy ground. O. 
Princesse Clementine had white sepals and petals 
thickly spotted all over and indicated O. sceptrum 
and O. crispum as the parents. It is named in 
compliment to the King of Belgium’s daughter. 
Quite of another type was O. aspersum fulgens, 
having maroon-brown sepals, rosy petals spotted 
with maroon at the base, and a deep purple lip. O. 
Queen of the Belgians recalled O. crispum and O. 
sceptrum, being of the same shape as the latter, but 
larger, with the sepals and petals richly blotched 
with dark cinnamon. O. wilckeanum Wm. Stevens 
is named after a well-known English gardener, the 
sepals and petals being handsomely blotched and 
spotted with chocolate. 
Time being pressing, we now hurried through 
several other houses all directly connected with one 
another, the passages being under cover. Numerous 
varieties of O. crispum, O. Hallii, O. luteo-pur- 
pureum and O. triumphans monopolised a house. 
Then came two more, similarly occupied with plants 
in the picture of health. Very fine was O. ruckeri¬ 
anum rubiginosum, having large flowers richly 
blotched with crimson-purple. Batches of Dendro- 
bium nobile and Odontoglossum vexillarium next 
engaged our attention. O. v. candidulum is a white 
variety with a yellow blotch at the base of the lip. 
Cattleyas were well represented by C. Mossiae, C. 
Mendelii and others of that type, which filled six 
houses and the large central hall. They were well 
furnished with sheaths at that time, and ready to 
throw up their flowers. The next two were largely 
devoted to C. Trianaei. A surprise was in store for 
us here in half a houseful of Cypripedium lawrence- 
anum, having magnificent foliage. The flower stems 
were ij ft. to 2J ft. high, and the flowers measured 
5j in. to 6 in. across the petals. Equally well grown, 
though in smaller numbers, were C. hirsutissimum, 
C. grande, C. villosum and C. v. Boxalli. 
Cattleyas were in force in another house, including 
C. Mendelii The Pearl, having pearl-tinted flowers 
and a pale yellow blotch in the throat. Isolated at 
intervals in this house amongst the Cattleyas were 
profusely flowered specimens of Dendrobium nobile. 
Elsewhere, Cypripedium rothschildianum was very 
fine, with three massive flowers fully opened upon 
a spike. The hybrid C. lebaudyanum is finding its 
way into various gardens. It was derived from C. 
Stonei crossed with C. haynaldianura. The upper 
sepal was beautifully spotted with maroon in rows 
along the veins, and the petals were blotched on the 
lower third with the same colour. There was also a 
houseful of the beautiful and varied C. insigne mon- 
tanum. The central staging of the large central 
hall was monopolised by Cattleya labiata, aDd 
flowering plants of Odontoglossum vexillarium 
occupied the front next to the entrance. 
Hybrid and cross-bred Anthuriums were conspicu¬ 
ous here and there in several of the houses, the 
space beneath the staging of the central hall being 
occupied with seedlings of A. scherzerianum. In 
another house a variety of A. scherzerianum with 
twin and opposite, salmon-coloured spathes attracted 
our notice. Varieties of the same species in another 
house presented orbicular spathes, as well as 
different colours in spathes of the ordinary shape. 
A. s. rothschildianum Fascinator was notable for its 
rich scarlet blotches on a rosy ground. Particularly 
handsome was A. s. Triomphe de Moortebeek, in 
one of the Orchid houses. The large, oblong spathe 
was of a uniform light salmon, and therefore totally 
distinct from the original. 
-.«,e - -— 
SOCIETIES. 
RICHMOND HORTICULTURAL .—June 29th. 
Real Queen’s weather favoured the summer fixture 
of the Richmond Horticultural Society on the above 
date, which took place, as usual, in the Old Deer 
Park. Four large tents were devoted to the various 
exhibits of flowers, fruits and vegetables. The 
quality was high and well maintained throughout, 
but there appeared to be a falling off in the groups 
of miscellaneous and specimen plants, also in the 
fruit and vegetable classes. The show arrangements 
throughout were excellent, and reflected great credit 
upon the executive. 
In the large tent, which was given up to the speci¬ 
men plants and groups, there was some first-class 
material. 
In the competitive classes D. H. Scott, Esq. (gar¬ 
dener, R. Johnson), The Old Palace, Richmond, was 
first for a group of tuberous Begonias; also for 
twelve Begonias. Mr. H. E. Fordham, The Nur¬ 
series, Twickenham, was placed first for the large 
group of miscellaneous plants, having a very taste¬ 
fully arranged exhibit. Mr. Wm. Vause, Royal 
Leamington Spa, was second, and Mr. John Russell, 
third. 
In the class for a smaller group, open to gardeners 
and amateurs, Mr. C. WaDt, gardener to Sir F. 
Wigan, Bart, J.P., Clare Lawn, East Sheen, was 
first. The first award for a dozen specimen show 
Pelargoniums went to Mr. C. Turner, of Slough. 
Mr. W. Farr, gardener to Andrew Pears, Esq., 
Spring Grove, Islewortb, received first prize for a 
capital group of Malmaison Carnations. 
In the classes for specimen plants Mr. W. Farr 
was first, and Mr. C. Want, second, for six Ferns. 
Mr. Farr showed some huge pieces of Polypodium 
aureum and Davallia fijiensis; also for the single 
specimen stove foliage plant, showing Asparagus 
tenuissimus. 
The best six foliage plants came from Mr. Wm. 
Vause, who had two grand Crotons. Mr. J. Allsop, 
gardener to W. Cunard, Esq., Orleans House, sent 
the best six Caladiums. Mr. W. Vause received a 
second prize for six stove and greenhouse flowering 
plants. 
Messrs. Barr & Sons, King Street, Covent Garden, 
were first for two dozen bunches of cut hardy 
flowers. Messrs. Paul & Son, of Cheshunt, were 
second. 
In the tent devoted to Roses and table decorations 
some grand lots of Roses were forthcoming from 
Messrs. Paul & Son, of Cheshunt; Frank Cant & 
Co., Colchester; B. R. Cant, also of Colchester; 
and Chas. Turner. 
The table decorations showed the exercise of 
much taste and skill in construction. 
The non-competitive floral exhibits were numerous, 
and added much to the general excellence of the 
show. 
Messrs. W. Cutbush & Son, Highgate, N., set up 
a grand lot of Malmaison Carnations, in which the 
new crimson Churchwarden was a great feature. 
Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, of Swanley, Kent, 
sent a magnificent array of Cannas in small 32 pots. 
All of the plants were splendidly flowered, and we 
have really never seen Cannas shown so well before. 
Many of the leading varieties were represented. 
Mr. J. Hudson, gardener to Leopold de Roth¬ 
schild, Esq., sent a collection of fruit trees in pots, 
all of them well cropped. Peaches, Nectarines and 
Plums were represented, and there were some fine 
baskets of Tomatos. 
Mr. John Russell, Richmond, set up a very com¬ 
prehensive collection of hardy ornamental trees and 
shrubs, of which he makes a speciality, in pots. 
Variegated subjects were most in evidence, and 
very nice they looked. Mr. Russell also showed the 
new Dracaena Russellii. Messrs. Wm. Fromow & 
Sons had a pretty semi-circular group of miscel- 
