Of) 
JOURNAL  OF  IIORTTCULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Jiinuii’y  20.  1HH8. 
DEATH  OF  MH.  J.  LINDEN. 
The  death  is  announced  of  one  of  the  most  celebrated  of  Belgian 
botanists  and  horticulturists,  Mr.  John  Linden,  of  Brussels,  which 
occurred  on  the  12th  inst.  In  his  early  manhood  INfr.  Linden  was  one 
of  the  greatest  of  plant  eolleetors,  and  he  travelled  for  many  years 
in  search  of  novelties,  more  particularly  Orchids,  and  it  was  his 
discovery  of  sjieeies  growing  at  high  elevations  on  the  Cordilleras 
which  demonstrated  that  many  Orchids  could  be  successfully  grown 
in  much  lower  temperatures  than  had  hitherto  been  possible. 
Mr.  Linden  eventually  became  Director  of  the  Zoological  Cardens 
at  Brussels,  and  he  established  a  nursery  in  the  environs  of  that  city. 
From  there  he  went  to  Chent,  and  for  some  lime  carried  on  an  extensive 
business  in  the  nursery  formerly  belonging  to  the  late  Mr.  Ambroise 
Verschall'elt.  Mr.  Linden  suhse(piently  returned  tO'Brussels  and  formed 
a  company,  of  which  his  son,  Mr.  Lucien  Linden,  is  the  manager. 
This  is,  no  doubt,  one  of  the  best  arranged  nurseries  in  Europe,  and 
on  our  last  visit  we  were  much  impressed  by  the  systematic  arrangement 
of  the  structures,  and  the  orderliness  and  the  cleanliness  ot  the  establish¬ 
ment  throughout. 
Mr.  Linden  was  some  years  ago  a  formidable  competitor  at  horti¬ 
cultural  e.xhibitions,  and  one  of  his  greatest  contests  was  for  the  large 
gold  medal  of  .500  francs  at  the  Brussels  Centennial  in  1876,  offered  for 
a  collection  of  twenty-five  Dracienas,  remarkable  for  their  novelty,  their 
culture,  and  their  beauty.  Mr.  Linden  probably  exhibited  the  grandest 
plants  ever  seen  at  any  exhibition,  some  of  them  8  feet  high,  clothed 
with  leaves  to  the  base,  some  of  them  being  4  feet  long ;  but  the  late 
Mr.  C.  F.  Bause  had  just  time  to  grow  the  then  startling  novelties 
which  he  had  raised  for  the  late  Mr.  J  ohn  Wills,  to  exhibition  size,  and 
to  those  the  Jury,  after  an  hour's  examination  and  consideration,  awarded 
the  medal.  This  was,  perhaps,  the  most  exciting  contest  we  have 
witnessed.  Mr.  Linden's  magnificent  plants  were  overwhelmed  by  the 
“  novelty  ”  of  those  placed  against  him,  while  they  were  as  well  grown 
as  plants  could  be  of  the  age  at  which  they  were  exhibited  ;  yet,  not¬ 
withstanding,  Mr.  Linden  won  the  Queen's  Prize  of  Honour,  and  may  be 
described  as  the  premier  Belgian  exhibitor  at  that  memorable  show. 
He  was  a  diligent  worker  in  the  domain  ot  horticultural  literature,  of 
which  the  “  Illustration  Horticole  ”  and  the  beautiful  “  liindenia  ”  afford 
abundant  testimony,  and  his  name  is  commemorated  in  many  plants 
which  are  grown  in  gardens  all  over  the  civilised  world.  Mr.  Linden 
was  eighty  years  of  age. 
HAUBINaERS  OF  SPIUNO. 
The  mildness  of  the  present  winter  has  done  a  little  to  compensate 
for  the  more  than  usual  amount  of  foggy  and  otherwise  dull  weather 
which  has  been  experienced  about  London  during  the  past  two  months. 
From  the  absence  of  severe  frosts  many  spring  flowers  are  now  open 
which  are  usually  a  month  or  more  later.  At  Kew,  on  January  9th, 
forty  species  of  hardy  plants  were  noted  in  flower,  including  shrubs, 
herbaceous  and  alpine,  though,  of  course,  were  a  few  sharp  frosty  nights 
to  come  most  of  these  would  be  injured. 
It  will,  perhaps,  be  of  interest  to  mention  some  of  the  most  noteworthy 
of  the  pjants  referred  to.  Among  shrubs  a  very  attractive  sight  is  a  bed 
of  Hamamelis  arboreus  ;  the  plants  are  about  9  feet  high,  and  every 
branch  is  wreathed  with  bright  golden  blossoms.  On  a  wall  near  by 
several  plants  are  flowering,  Ohimonanthus  fragrans  granditlora  being 
particularly  fine.  There  is  also  a  specimen  of  the  male  Garrya  elliptica, 
which  is  well  worth  growing  both  as  an  evergreen  and  flowering  shrub  ; 
at  present  its  long  green  catkins  are  the  chief  attraction. 
In  the  arboretum  several  Ericas  are  flowering.  The  most  showy  is 
E.  mediterranea  hybrida.  It  is  a  dwarf  growing  plant,  resembling 
E.  carnea  more  than  E.  mediterranea  in  general  habit,  but  taller  and 
rather  looser  than  that  species.  The  flowers  are  red.  Others  worthy  of 
notice  are  E.  carnea,  carnea  var.  alba,  mediterranea  glauca,  and  E.  m. 
lusitanica,  the  latter  probably  better  known  under  the  name  of  E.  codonodes. 
A  few  flowers  are  to  be  seen  on  llhododendrou  dauricum,  and  11.  parvi- 
folium  is  nicely  in  flower.  The  latter  is  a  Siberian  and  Northern  Chinese 
species,  with  small  rosy  purple  flowers  ;  it  has  a  loose  scraggy  habit,  and 
is  not  a  desirable  plant  for  general  cultivation.  A  few  Arbutus  flowers 
may  still  be  seen  on  one  or  two  species,  though  most  of  them  are  now 
over. 
In  several  places  about  the  grounds  there  are  flowers  of  Pyrus  japonica, 
and  in  numerous  places  .Tasminum  nudiflorum  is  covered  with  blossoms. 
Lo.iiceras  Standishi  and  fragrantissima,  both  covered  with  sweetly  scented 
white  flowers,  look  charming,  as  also  does  Daphne  klezereum.  The 
Glastonbury  Thorn,  Cratsegus  oxyacantha  prmcox,  has  been  flowering 
off  and  on  for  the  last  two  months,  and  will  continue  to  open  a  few  flowers 
for  several  weeks  yet.  Berberis  nepalense  looks  bright  with  its  large 
terminal  heads  of  yellow  blossoms,  while  Viburnum  Tinus  serves  to 
enliven  several  shrubberies. 
In  the  rockery  several  species  of  Helleborus  are  in  flower,  among 
them  being  II.  caucasicus,  colchicus,  odorus,  antiiiuorum,  orientalis  roseum, 
and  niger.  The  latter  species  may  also  be  seen  flowering  freely  in  several 
other  parts  of  the  gardens.  Other  plants  in  the  rockery  in  flower  are 
Iberis  sempervireus  Garrexiana,  Arabis  procurrens.  Snowdrops,  and 
Primroses.  Crocus  etruscus,  Sieberi,  and  Imperati  are  flowering  in  beds 
near  the  rockery,  while  at  the  foot  of  the  wall  between  the  herbaceous 
ground  and  rockery  a  mass  of  klerendera  caucasica  is  very  effective.  At 
the  foot  of  the  Orchid  house  wall  a  row  of  Iris  stylosa  is  producing 
numerous  flowers,  and  will  continue  to  do  so  for  several  weeks.  Although 
several  other  plants  are  in  flower,  those  mentioned  will  be  sufficient  to 
show  that  the  hardy  plantsman  can  spend  an  enjoyable  walk  in  Kew,  even 
so  early  in  the  year  as  the  beginning  of  January. — W.  D. 
LOS  ALTOS,  SANDOWN,  ISLE  OF  WIGHT. 
This  is  the  residence  of  G.  W.  Drabble,  Esq.,  and  is  beautifully 
situated  on  an  eminence,  which  affords  a  magnificent  inland  view  of  the 
Island,  from  the  noted  Ventnor  Downs  (south)  to  Brading  (north).  To 
the  west  the  true  character  of  the  Island  is  seen  in  the  innumerable 
undulations  and  the  adornment  of  hill  and  dale  with  giants  of  the  forests, 
relieved  with  cosily  situated  farmsteads  and  ju’etty  villages,  which  give 
the  whole  a  picturesque  appearance. 
The  gardens  attached  to  Los  Altos  are  ably  managed  by  Mr.  J.  H. 
Perkin,  a  genial  and  most  amiable  gardener,  who  is  ever  to  the  fore  in 
ileveloping  the  horticultural  interests  of  the  Island.  The  vineries  are 
up-to-date  structures,  and  contain  some  healthy  canes  of  Buckland  Sweet- 
water.  Black  Alicante,  Black  Hamburgh,  Foster’s  Seedling,  and  West’s 
St.  Peter’s,  which  have  produced  some  tine  bunches  of  Grapes.  Tomatoes 
are  splendidly  managed,  and  this  year  the  grower  secured  the  Isle  of 
Wight  Horticultural  Improvement  Association’s  certificate  for  a  fine  dish 
of  the  variety  Polegate. 
The  stoves  contain  a  fine  collection  of  table  and  decorative  plants, 
which  are  in  great  request  when  the  family  is  in  residence.  The  Palm 
house,  which  is  40  feet  long  and  22  feet  wide,  was  built  in  1890,  and 
contains  some  huge  Palms,  Tree  Ferns,  Araucarias,  and  Uracsenas.  The 
conservatory  is  a  modern  structure  of  about  the  same  dimensions,  and  is 
admirably  adapted  for  the  preservation  of  flowering  plants  taken  from 
the  houses. 
The  fruit  crops  suffered  more  or  less  last  season,  with  the  result  that 
'inall  fruits,  and  Apples  and  Pears,  have  only  been  about  the  average, 
whilst  Cherries  and  Plums  were  below  the  average.  An  extensive 
kitchen  garden  is  well  cropped.  The  beauty  of  the  estate  is  undoubtedly 
enhanced  by  the  magnificent  sj)ecimens  of  Coniferm  on  the  lawn  and  on 
both  sides  of  a  long  carriage  drive.  The  illustration  (fig.  10),  from  a 
photograph  by  Mr.  Alfred  Drabble,  conveys  an  excellent  idea  of  the 
estate  and  of  the  Island. — S.  Heaton. 
CARDOONS. 
The  Cardoon  is  more  appreciated  on  the  Continent  than  in  England  ; 
but,  nevertheless,  it  is  met  with  in  this  country  oftener  than  was  the 
case  some  few  years  back.  This  serves  to  show  that  its  merits  as  a  winter 
vegetable,  and  as  an  agreeable  change  when  choice  is  somewhat  limited 
for  the  table,  is  gradually  but  surely  coming  to  the  front.  When  well 
blanched,  properly  cooked  and  served,  Cardoons  are  not  to  be  despised  by 
any  means,  as  they  then  make  a  palatable  dish. 
We  do  not  require  the  produce  for  use  before  November,  and  therefore 
we  do  not  sow  the  seed  in  pots.  On  the  other  hand,  if  good  stout  plants 
are  required  for  August  exhibitions,  or  very  early  autumn  use,  they 
should  be  sown  in  small  pots  in  February,  placing  two  seeds  in  each,  and 
if  both  germinate  reduce  the  number  to  one.  Stand  the  pots  in  a  vinery 
just  started.  When  the  plants  are  large  enough  transfer  to  48-size 
pots,  and  put  back  in  the  same  structure  until  the  roots  have  taken  to 
the  fresh  compost,  when  the  plants  may  be  removed  to  cooler  quarters,  and 
gradually  hardened  prior  to  being  planted  out  towards  the  end  of  May. 
Unless  the  soil  is  of  a  very  tenacious  character  the3'^  are  best  grown 
in  trenches,  as  prepared  for  Celery.  If  allowed  to  become  dry  at  the 
roots  the  stems  instead  of  being  juicy  and  succulent  will  be  hollow  and 
pipey,  and  the  plants  will  be  only  fit  for  the  rubbish  heap.  We  usually 
get  out  our  trenches  for  Cardoons  8  feet  from  row  to  row,  and  crop 
between  them  with  suCh  vegetables  as  Spinach,  Turnips,  Lettuce,  French 
Beans,  or  anything  not  likely  to  occupy  the  ground  for  any  great  length 
of  time.  Room  should  be  left  so  that  water  can  be  given  freely  when 
needed. 
After  taking  out  the  trenches  1  foot  in  depth,  place  about  6  inches  of 
decayed  manure  in  the  bottom,  cover  over  this  4  inches  of  fine 
soil,  made  firm  by  treading  well.  Early  in  April  stretch  the  line  down 
the  centre  of  the  trench  and  place  three  seeds  every  2  feet  apart,  but  at 
the  final  thinning  allow  only  one  plant  to  occupy  each  space.  Should  the 
weather  be  dry  at  the  time  of  sowing  a  good  watering  will  soon  cause  the 
seed  to  germinate,  and  as  the  young  plants  appear  keep  a  sharp  look  out 
for  slugs,  or  they  will  find  their  way  to  the  tap  root,  and  eat  away  the 
centre. 
The  prominent  sharp  spines  on  the  leaves  are  not  conducive  to 
Cardoons  becoming  general  favourites  with  gardeners,  as  tying  them  up  for 
blanching  is  by  no  means  a  pleasant  occupation.  Hay  bands  form  the 
best  material  for  wrapping  around  the  stems,  after  which  soil  must  be 
added  to  keep  the  plants  upright  and  secure  from  frost.  Cardoons 
form  imposing  objects  when  used  in  subtropical  bedding  or  as  single 
plants  in  large  borders. — C.  Fostee. 
