572 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
May 8, 1897. 
(hen Senator Dr. Versmann, Lord Mayor of Ham¬ 
burg, began the second speech as follows: 
in the first place I must thank the assembly for 
the cheers, given in so warm a manner. However, 
in addition to the speech of Dr. Moenkeberg, I must 
say that this exhibition is not solely the produce of 
Hamburg Town and its chiefs, but that it was princi¬ 
pally. and, above all, the Hamburg citizens, who 
produced it, who, for many months past, have spent 
all their time and their labour for the great under¬ 
taking, supported by the sympathy of the Hamburg 
people and carried out by their enthusiasm. How¬ 
ever, I must not fail to mention, that such under¬ 
takings can only be carried to an end in a time of 
peace, when no outside enemy may be feared, and, 
therefore, it is our glorious Emperor, the true friend 
of peace, and with him all connected governments, 
whom we must thank, and who were kind enough to 
support our undertaking by sending the products of 
their various countries.” 
He begged the assembly to join with him in a cheer 
for His Majesty and the Foreign Majesties, which 
was gladly done. The chorus singers played the 
national hymn to the tune, "God save the Queen.” 
He then, as president of the committee, declared the 
exhibition open. The guests were now invited to walk 
around the show, and in the first place the still 
closed chief-hall was inspected. This beautiful, 
flower-ornamented building resembles a real flower 
garden, and the visitor finds it impossible to get a 
sufficient view of all the wonderful arrangements 
herein found. 
At half past twelve o’clock the doors were opened 
for the general public, who were anxiously awaiting 
this moment, and an immense crowd rushed in. A 
walk was then taken around the exhibition. At the 
entrance of the hall a fine display of bouquets are 
exhibited. Lovely sights are offered to the visitors 
here. In the Italian Palm-tree hall they can imagine 
themselves really in Italy. Everywhere they are 
overshadowed by trees of most wonderful appear, 
ance, and walking on they come to the side halls, 
that is, those halls which go along the circumference 
of the whole exhibition and surround the same 
entirely. There follows the large before-mentioned 
chief hall (of course, a part of these side halls), with 
the festive hall, the most wonderful and magnificent 
flower garden ; and so hall after hall follows, show¬ 
ing the products of all nations. Now and then we 
meet a neat restaurant, the other side again shows 
first-class restaurants and coffee houses; and at last 
we come to the " industry halls ” where the 
necessary materials for horticulture and agriculture 
are exhibited. Here are machines, pumps, garden- 
furniture, &c. of all sorts and description to be seen 
and bought. So we reach the point again where we 
started. 
The show is yet, however, very far from complete, 
and many foreign exhibits have not yet arrived. 
-- 
MEDINILLA MAGNIFICA. 
This when well flowered has a most imposing appear¬ 
ance, and has always when well shown attracted a 
considerable amount of attention. Introduced from 
the Philippines in 1848, it soon became a favourite 
plant with exhibitors, and it is not too much to say 
that it is one of the most telling flowering plants 
ever staged, and very distinct from the majority of 
plants used for the purpose, most of which entail a 
great amount of labour in training them into shape. 
This plant is not amenable to any great amount of 
it, and must be allowed to grow its own way with 
very little in the way of training. The racemes of 
flower are principally borne on the ends of the 
growth, but will often make their appearance on the 
naked stems below the foliage. They are pendulous 
and of great size, and the formation of them bears a 
resemblance to huge bunches of Grapes. The 
flowers, stems, and the bracts, which form a 
canopy to the flowers, are all pink. Where there is 
plenty of space to grow a good specimen, there are 
few things which will give more satisfaction, for not 
only is it a beautiful thing, but it has this advantage 
over many other things in lasting in flower for a pro¬ 
longed time. In its smaller stages a compost of 
about half loam and peat with a good sprinkling of 
sharp silver sand, is the most suitable ; but large 
plants are best with one mainly of yellow loam and 
sand, and potted firmly. Water copiously when 
growing, and, after the season's growth is com¬ 
pleted, more sparingly. Ripen the growth off by 
exposure to the sunlight, for upon this depends the 
freedom with which it will flower. — IV. B. G. 
WHITELEY’S NURSERIES, HILLING¬ 
DON. 
This celebrated nursery has within the last few 
years been greatly extended, the last addition being 
nearly three acres covered with glass. The principal 
houses are 240 ft. long and 24 ft. broad, and they are 
everything one can desire for plant growing. The 
ventilation, heating, and the arrangement for water 
supply are perfect; and many valuable improve¬ 
ments in these have been carried out under the 
superintendence of Mr. G. Bethel), the well known 
manager of these nurseries. He has formerly had 
great experience not only in England but abroad ; 
and his practical knowledge makes him the very 
man to manage this gigantic establishment in a 
thorough business-like manner. The responsibili¬ 
ties are very great, but Mr. Bethell seems to be able 
to cope with these in a very easy manner. 
Palms, &c. 
Many houses are devoted to the culture of these, and 
millions are grown. They are to be seen in their 
thousands from the seed pod to fine gigantic speci¬ 
mens. Every plant great and small is a picture of 
health, clean and well formed, the latter, no doubt, 
attributable to having plenty of room. The plants 
are not so crowded as they are generally seen. I 
have seen large collections in many countries 
abroad noted for Palm growing, but never have I 
seen a finer lot of clean, saleable stock as that grown 
at Hillingdon. The most useful varieties suitable 
for decoration work are here in various sizes, viz., 
Areca lutescens, 50,000 ; Cocos weddeliana, 100,000 ; 
Kentias, in variety, 500,000; Latania barbonica, 
100,000; Phoenix rupicola and Seaforthia elegans, 
50,000; and others. A noticeable feature in this 
enormous stock is cleanliness, not a sign of 
any insect pest being visible. The robust deep 
green foliage shows the treatment they receive 
is the right one. Many houses are devoted to the 
Palms ; likewise to Ferns, which are grown in 
enormous quantises. Of Adiantums in thumb pots 
up to 48's, there is about a million—Nephrolepis 
exaltata, N. davallioides furcans, and Phlebodium 
aureum are splendidly done, in great quantities. 
There are upwards of 50,000 Pteris in 48-size pots ; 
the following sorts are the favourites :—P. cretica 
cristata, P. cristata major, P. tremula, and P. Wim- 
settii, all of which are good decorative sorts. Other 
foliage plants such as Aralia Sieboldii, Araucaria 
excelsa, Asparagus plumosus nanus, A. tenuissimus, 
Aspidistras, green and variegated, Caladiums, 
Coleus, Crotons, all best sorts, Cyperus, green and 
variegated, Dracaenas, well coloured, a speciality, 
Ficus elastica, green and variegated, Grevillea 
robusta, Pandanus Veitchii, and Smilax Aspara- 
goides seem to be the principal foliage plants grown 
for decorative purposes. Suspended from the roofs 
of the various houses are many useful Orchids, 
grown principally for cutting purposes. Cattleyas, 
Dendrobiums, and Oncidiums of all the most useful 
varieties are pictures of health, many flowering very 
freely. 
Flowering Plants. 
Chrysanthemums, as one will imagine, are a big 
thing here, both for cutting purposes or decorative 
work. Over 15,000 are annually grown in 48’s to 
16-in. pots,the following being found suitableBoule 
deNiege, Cullingfordi, Etoile de Lyon, J. Shrimpton, 
Mrs. J. S. Fogg, Soeur Melonie, W. H. Lincoln, 
Viviand Morel, &c , Azaleas, Ericas, Cyclamens, 
Genistas, Heliotropes, Hydrangeas, Marguerites, all 
the best Pelagoniums, early flowering, Ivy-leaved, 
double and single, and zonals, Primulas double and 
single, Solanums, Spiraea japonica and S. astilboides 
are grown and forced by thousands, and are beauti¬ 
fully done too. Azalea mollis, Deutzias, Hydrangea 
paniculata grandiflora, Lilac Charles x and Marie 
Legrange, are forced also in great quantities. 
Bulbs. 
Lily of the Valley, Tuberoses, Lilium auratum, 
L. longiflorum, L. speciosum rubrum, and L. s. 
Melpomene are some of the bulbs grown here. There 
are upwards of 20,000 Liliums grown in pots alone. 
At the present time splendid examples of cultivation 
of L. longiflorum and L. auratum are flowering 
wonderfully. A good useful plant for decoration 
work as seen here is Acer Negundo. Large quantities 
of plants above 5 ft. high, are clothed with bright 
silvery variegated foliage. 
Shrubs and Coniferae. 
These are extensively grown for box decoration. 
Fine dwarf plants of Aucuba japonica in variety, 
Cornus aurea, Euonymus, green and variegated, 
Lonicera, variegated, Veronicas, and other small 
shrubs and Coniferae of the most suitable kinds are 
well done and nicely coloured. 
Fruits, Cucumbers, Melons, &c. 
These are grown in large quantities, several houses 
being devoted to the culture of the above mentioned. 
Tomatos are a special feature; also of Cucumbers 
fine crops are showing. The vineries are carrying 
splendid crops of fruit. Strawberries are grand, and 
on the various walls out doors is a grand lot of well- 
trained Peaches and Nectarines of all the leading 
sorts, looking most promising for producing grand 
crops of fruit. 
Mushroom growing is another feature here. The 
south wall provides accommodation for a splendid 
house most suitable for growing mushrooms. It is 
nearly 200 ft. long. The main block of houses 
consists of thirty-three houses, each 117 ft. long and 
12 ft. wide, equal spans arranged in three sections, 
with intervening roads. The central block comprises 
Camellia, Pine, Cucumber, stove, and plant houses, 
each 12 ft. wide, and 117 ft. in length, with divisions. 
The remaining block comprises many houses of 
various sizes, five of which are 266 ft. in length and 
15ft. wide; others 231 ft. long, 18 wide; and four 
houses 218 ft. by 12 ft. complete this block. The 
pits and frames in various parts are useful erections ; 
many thousand feet of them are full of various 
plants—as before mentioned. 
To obtain water for such an enormous establish¬ 
ment as this is a great undertaking ; an efficient 
supply is stored in capacious tanks running cross¬ 
wise through the centre of each group of houses. 
Into these the rain water is carried, the collecting 
surface being considerable. Provision is also made 
in each house for obtaining the water from the tanks. 
The accommodation for packing is everything that 
can be desired ; large, roomy glass-covered erections 
adjoining the houses are most conveniently situated. 
The vans can be run alongside the benches where 
the many thousands of plants are daily packed and 
sent to various parts of the country. The heating 
is done by the Trentham boilers ; the stokeries are 
roomy and light, in fact what they ought to be. 
There is also ample piping to each house, which 
renders the heating more easily done. These boilers 
can be used separately or together as desired. The 
out-houses, store sheds, stabling, and van sheds are 
all erected upon the most convenient and model plan, 
and the office accommodation is everything that can 
be desired. The whole of this vast establishment is 
well kept, cleanliness and good order being in strong 
evidence. Mr. Bethell is responsible for the entire 
management, which is an enormous task, but which 
he seems to do in an easy but most businesslike 
manner. Great quantities of plants are sent daily 
to the gigantic establishments at Westbourne Grove, 
also to Covent Garden Market and Brentford 
Market, where an increasing and lucrative business 
is carried on .—AlfvecL Outram, F.R.H.S. 
-- 
ALGIERS SPRING FLOWER SHOW. 
A very brilliant exhibition of flowers was opened on 
the 23rd April, in the Grand Hall of the Palais 
Consulaire, under the auspices of the Algiers Horti¬ 
cultural Society. The following are the principal 
prize takers: — 
For green plants for decorating purposes, the first 
prize went to Mme. Allisse. For a group of plants 
in flower, the Silver Gilt Medal went to M. Franco. 
For a collection of Roses in pots, M. Giraud 
received a Silver Medal. For cut Roses a Silver 
Medal went to M. Sallet. For decorations in cut 
blooms, a diploma and a Gold Medal went to M. Fran¬ 
co, Algiers ; and Bronze Medals went to Messieurs. 
Loeffel, Allisse, Porcher, and Gifroy. The tables of 
these decorations were very artistically arranged, and 
it is with pleasure that we register the success of 
Monsieur Franco, the only diploma of honour 
offered having been granted to him. 
A large display of new varieties of Roses was 
shown by the well-known Algerian Rose grower, 
Monsieur Vuillard, of Boufarik, amongst which we 
noticed no less than eighty new varieties. This 
gentleman did not compete as he took at their last 
show the highest awards obtainable, after which he 
has been put ” hors deconcours,” or, out of competi¬ 
tion. 
-- 
Black Walnut is less than half the weight of ebony. 
