51( 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Kovember  2#  1896. 
citsfes  In  Ghent  and  the  vicinity.  The  importance  of  Ghent  may  be 
gauged  when  we  say  that  ft  contains  aboat  175,000  inhabitauti,  and  has 
a  large  population  of  working  people  in  the  numeroas  factories  and 
industrial  establishments,  besides  about  300  nurseries.  The  exportation 
of  plants  forms  a  prominent  part  of  the  commerce  of  the  town ,  and  it  is, 
therefore,  only  appropriate  that  the  Chrysanthemum  should  receive  a 
just  measure  of  attention,  which  it  certainly  appears  to  do. 
The  hospitality  of  the  Ghent  nurserymen  to  English  visitors  is  pro¬ 
verbial,  and  on  the  occasion  of  our  recent  visit  was  most  cordial  and 
lavish,  and  we  are  pleased  to  be  able  once  again  to  chronicle  the  fact. 
In  recording  our  impressions  of  the  show  we  have  found  it  inexpedient 
to  deal  with  it  in  the  usual  manner,  but  have  endeavoured  to  give  a 
general  rather  than  a  particular  account  of  it.  It  was  of  a  most  inter¬ 
esting  character  to  English  visitors,  many  of  the  best  blooms  on  the 
plants  ’)eing  as  fine  as  could  be  expected  seeing  that  they  bore  a  large 
number  and  were  grown  for  effect.  It  would  be  invidious  to  mention 
names,  but  we  take  this  opportunity  of  saying  that  the  Executive, 
one  and  all,  were  most  courteous  and  cordial  in  their  attention,  and 
spared  themselves  no  time,  trouble,  or  expense  to  render  our  s^ort  stay 
most  agreeable.  Among  novelties  of  recent  introduction  which  have 
become  familiar  to  English  growers  during  the  present  season  Calvat’s 
Australian  Gold,  the  beautiful  pale  yellow  Japanese,  was  in  fine  form. 
Madame  Gustave  Henry,  Mons,  Chenon  de  Lecb^,  Madame  Carnot, 
L’Amethiste,  C.  H.  Curtis,  Mrs.  J.  Lewis,  Perle  Dauphinoise,  Baronne  A. 
de  Rothschild,  Nocesd’Or,  Reine  d’Angleterre,  Boule  d’Or,  Surprise,  and 
many  others  were  found  plentifully  distributed  in  all  the  groups,  show¬ 
ing  that  the  collections  at  Ghent  are  thoroughly  well  up  to  date ;  and, 
indeed,  the  anxiety  of  the  principal  prizewinners  to  secure  all  the 
newest  and  best  novelties  of  the  season  was  good  evidence  of  their  keen 
desire  to  keep  pace  with  the  times. 
Groups  of  Chrysanthemums  formed  an  important  and  imposing 
feature  of  the  show,  the  finest  display  of  the  kind  being  staged  by 
Mons.  Ernest  Fierens,  the  Secretary,  who  contributed  an  extensive 
collection  of  100  plants  in  pots  arranged  in  a  group  of  sloping  and 
undulating  form,  occaping  a  superficial  space  of  about  450  square  feet,  and 
for  which  he  was  awarded  a  work  of  art.  Many  of  the  plants  bore  a  large 
number  of  finely  developed  blooms,  the  mc^t  noticeable  of  which  were 
M,  Delamotte,  a  large  yellow  Japanese  ;  W,  H.  Lincoln,  Edwin  Molyneux, 
Mrs.  C.  Harman  Payne,  Mdlle.  Jeanne  Rey,  Val  d’Andorre,  very  rich  in 
colour;  Perle  Dauphinoise,  Reine  d’Angletarre,  Charles  Davis,  Madame 
Gustave  Henry,  the  new  white  incurved  Japanese  ;  Etoile  de  Lyon, 
several.of  the  large  Anemones,  Mdlle.  Thdr^^e  Rey,  Louise,  and  Col.  W.  B. 
Smith.  In  a  similar  class  for  nurserymen,  Mons.  de  Vriesere  Remens 
was  awarded  a  similar  prize  for  his  collection,  which  was  on  the  whole 
dwarfer  and  composed  of  smaller  flowers.  The  best  in  his  collection 
were  President  Borel,  Bellem,  W.  Falconer,  Enfants  des  Deux  Mondes, 
and  Fleur  Lyonnaise,  a  hairy  variety,  dull  rosy  carmine  with  a  golden 
reverse. 
For  a  group  of  fifty  plants  in  pots  Mons.  Ernest  Fierens  was  again 
first  with  another  splendid  group  of  finely  flowered  plants,  occupying  a 
space  equal  to  about  300  square  feet.  The  best  examples  were  Madame 
Gustave  Henry,  Richard  Dean,  Mrs.  Dixon,  Duke  of  York,  very  large  ,* 
Mrs.  C.  Harman  Payne,  President  Borel,  IToces  d’Or,  Australian  Gold, 
Chas.  Davis,  Mons,  Chenon  de  Lechd,  Baron  Hirsch,  Pride  of  Launceston. 
Mons.  0  de  Meulenaere  was  awarded  second  honours.  His  group 
was  very  fine,  every  plant  carrying  some  excellent  blooms.  The 
best  were  Hairy  Wonder.  Dr.  Allard,  L’lsere,  Florence  Davis,  Madame 
Carnot,  Leopold  II.,  W.  H.  Lincoln,  Mrs.  J,  Curtis,  International,  and  a 
few  others.  Class  21  was  a  similar  class  for  the  trade  only.  Mons.  Van 
de  Saegher  had  a  fine  group  with  a  Urge  number  of  fine  flowers, 
especially  meritorious  being  Waban,  W.  H.  Lincoln,  C.  Davis,  Madame 
Carnot,  W.  Tricker,  Pidfet  Robert,  Edwin  Molvneux,  Colonel  W.  B. 
Smith,  Noces  d’Or,  Ivory,  Lord  Brooke,  and  Val  d’Andorre.  Other 
groups  for  a  smaller  display  brought  capital  collections  from  MM.  de 
Meulenaere,  Van  der  Haeghen,  and  Mons.  de  Saegher. 
Single  plants  were  also  shown,  one  of  the  finest  in  the  shnw  coming 
from  Mons.  O.  de  Meulenaere,  who  had  International,  5  feet  across,  being 
followed  by  Mons.  Ernest  Fierens  with  Souvenir  de  Jam  bon.  The  best 
incurved  was  Baron  Hirsch,  the  best  reflexed  Julie  Lagravdre,  and  the 
best  Anemone  John  Bunyan,  all  of  which  were  well-flowered  plants.  In 
the  competition  for  the  best-flowered  plant  of  Pompon  varieties  Aimd 
Porte,  a  good  white  Pompon,  was  shown  by  Mons.  de  Meulenaere. 
Cut  flowers  were  not  so  numerous  as  at  an  English  show,  the  finest 
exhibit  being  one  contributed  by  the  following  members  of  the  N.C.S.  of 
London — viz.,  Messrs.  T.  Bevan,  J.  Brookes,  Turk,  Martin,  Skeggs,  and 
A.  H.  Page  of  Southgate,  whose  Madame  Carnot  was  of  colossal 
dimensions,  and  called  forth  a  special  mention  of  the  Jury,  and  was 
much  admired.  They  were  all  staged  in  glass  bottles,  interspersed  with 
tmall  Adiaulnms  in  pots,  and  formed  a  very  attractive  feature  of  the 
show.  There  was  a  large  number  of  Japanese,  Pompons  in  about  twenty 
varieties,  and  forty-five  cut  blooms  of  large  Anemones,  such  as  Enter¬ 
prise,  John  Bunyan,  Delaware,  Descartes,  Miss  Annie  Lowe,  W.  W. 
Astor,  Timon,  and  Queen  Elizabeth.  Among  the  Japanese  were  Madame 
Carnot,  M  ns  Panckoucke,  A.  H.  Woods,  Hairy  Wonder,  Mons.  Chenon  de 
Lecb4,  Wilfred  Marshall  (very  fine).  Phoebus,  Viviand  Morel,  Mdlle. 
Marie  Hoste,  and  others,  all  excellent  examples  of  English  cnltivation. 
The  highest  award  possible  was  made  to  this  exhibit,  with  acclamation 
of  the  Jury,  ^medail'e  Ae  verwoU  ewcatfjw  was  awarded.  Mr.  H.  J. 
Jones  of  Lewisham  and  Messrs.  Cannell  &  Sons  of  Swanley  also  con¬ 
tributed  cut  blooms,  novelties  in  the  Japanese  section,  and  received 
similar  aw.nrdg. 
Mons.  Ernest  Calvat  exhibited  cut  blooms  in  two  classes,  mostly  new 
seedlings  of  the  past  two  years.  He  received  two  illver-gilt  medals  for 
his  exhibits,  and  Mons.  de  Eeydellet  also  received  one  for  a  collection  of 
his  novelties,  all  of  which  were  staged  under  numbers.  Other  exhibitors 
of  cut  ’olooms  were  Mons.  Fierens,  who  staged  a  mixed  collection  of  fifty, 
among  which  Ernest  Fierens.  a  white  Japanese  ;  Madame  Rozain,  a  very 
large  pink  Japanese;  Lord  Brooke,  Col.  Bourne,  Ma  Perfection,  W.  H. 
Lincoln,  John  Bunyan  (Anemone),  Etoile  de  Lyon,  Duke  of  York, 
Madame  Carnot,  Waban,  C.  Davis,  Louise,  Eda  Prats,  L’Amethiste  were 
excellent  examples,  and  showed  a  distinct  advance  when  compared  with 
those  which  we  saw  at  the  Ghent  Centenary  show,  held  seven  years  ago. . 
Mons.  de  Meulenaere  had  a  very  tastefully  arranged  collection  in  the 
same  class  that  called  forth  the  congratulations  of  the  Jury,  and  for 
which  a  silver-gilt  medal  was  awarded.  Exhibits  hors  cc^cums  were 
numerons,  and  received  suitable  recognition. 
There  were  also  many  fine  exhibits  of  Palms,  Ferns,  Orchids,  and 
other  subjects,  which  we  unfortunately  cannot  do  justice  to  for  want  of 
space,  but  which,  as  may  be  supposed,  well  maintained  the  reputation  of 
the  town,  which  has  long  been  famous  for  its  horticulture. 
The  Banquet. 
After  the  judging  was  over  the  Jury  adjourned  to  the  dining  room 
upstairs,  where  a  banquet  was  spread  in  their  honour.  The  Count  Oswald 
de  Kerchove  de  Denterghem  occupied  the  chair,  being  supported  by  Mons. 
Van  den  Bossche,  Senator  ;  Mons.  Van  Wambeke,  Commissaire  General : 
Mons.  Lubbers  ;  Mons.  le  Chevalier  Hynderick,  Proenreur  General ; 
Mons.  Brunei,  the  officers  of  the  Society,  and  most  of  the  representatives 
of  the  leading  horticultural  establishments  at  Ghent  and  the  Brussels  and 
Ghent  newspapers,  [the  deputation  from  the  N.C.S. ,  consisting  of 
Messrs.  Harman  Payne,  Jones,  and  T.  Bevan,  sat  on  the  left  of  the 
President.  After  the  dinner  was  over  the  President  proposed  “  The 
Health  of  the  Jury,  the  Exhibitors,  and  the  New  Members,”  which  was 
responded  to  by  Senator  Van  den  Bossche.  Mons.  W.  Pynaert  proposed 
that  of  “  The  Foreign  Members  of  the  Jury  and  the  Press.”  M.  Dalld, 
of  Paris,  replied  ;  and  Mr.  Harman  Payne,  speaking  in  French  in  a  way 
that  called  forth  the  compliments  of  many  gentlemen  present,  thanked 
the  Society  for  having  done  him  and  his  fellow  countrymen  the  bonour 
of  participating  in  the  festivities.  Several  other  speakers  followed,  and 
the  proceeding's  were  of  the  most  cordial  nature. 
* 
BIRKENHEAD  AND  WIRRAL.— November  17th. 
The  tenth  annual  exhibition  was  held  in  the  Drill  Hall,  Claughton 
Road,  a  fine  spacious  building  with  plenty  of  room  to  give  visitors  amnio 
space  to  inspect  the  exhibits.  In  the  open  class  for  twenty-four 
Japanese,  not  less  than  eighteen  varieties,  Mr.  J.  Davies,  gardener  to 
E.  Ellis,  Esq.,  Heswall,  was  placed  first  with  a  fine  well-balanced  stand 
of  the  following  : — Phoebus,  Etoile  de  Lyon,  Miss  Dorothy  Shea,  Viviand 
Morel,  Primrose  League,  Mons.  G.  Biron,  Mutual  Friend,  James  Myers, 
Mdlle.  M.  A.  de  Galbert,  Cbas,  Shrimpton,  Mrs.  F  Jameson.  Mona. 
Panckoucke,  Good  Gracious,  Van  den  Heede,  Wm,  Seward,  Mons.  0. 
Molin,  Mdlle.  Thdrese  Rey,  G,  C.  Schwabe,  Madame  Carnot,  Charles 
Davis,  Madame  Adolphus  Chatin,  International,  and  Mrs  W.  H.  Lees. 
Mr.  G.  Burden,  gardener  to  G.  B.  Cockburn,  B-q.,  Lingdale  Lodge, 
Oxton,  was  second  with  a  bright  stand.  The  third  prize  went  to  Mr. 
J.  Williams,  gardener  to  0.  J.  Procter,  B^q,,  Boscobel,  Birkenhead. 
For  eighteen  incurved  Mr.  J.  Bracegirdle,  gardenfi  to  W.  H.  W. 
Watts,  Esq.,  Elm  Hall,  Wavertree,  with  a  very  handsome  stand  secured  the 
first  place.  The  varieties  were  C,  H,  Curtis,  W.  Tunnington,  Queen  of 
England,  James  Agate,  Mrs.  R.  King,  Lord  Alcester,  Princess  of  Wales, 
Empress  of  India.  Golden  Empress,  Mrs.  R.  C.  Kingston,  John  Fulfird, 
Mrs.  S  Coleman,  Miss  Haggas,  Lucy  Kendall,  Bonnie  Dundee,  Mrs. 
Heale,  Major  Bouaffon.  and  Violet  Tomlin,  The  second  prize  was  won 
by  Mr.  Burden,  and  the  third  by  Mr.  H.  Howard,  gardener  to  A.  S. 
Mather,  Beq.,  Beechwood,  Woolton. 
In  the  local  cI»89p8  Mr.  J.  Williams  was  a  splendid  first  with  Mrs. 
G.  W.  Clarke,  Thos.  Wilkins,  Duke  of  York,  Charles  Davis,  W,  H. 
Lincoln,  G.  W.  Childs,  Viscountess  Hambiedon,  Etoile  de  Lyon,  Colonel 
W.  B.  Smith,  Viviand  Morel,  Edwin  Molyneux,  Mdlle.  Marie  Hoste.  A 
gold  medal,  given  by  Mr.  C.  Colebrooke,  went  with  the  first  prize.  The 
second  and  third  prizewinners,  Messrs  Divies.  and  Burden,  were  so 
extremely  close  as  to  make  comment  quite  unnecefsary. 
Mr.  Burden  had  a  beautiful  twelve  incurved  ;  C.  H.  Curtis,  J.  Agate, 
Globe  d’Or,  John  Salter,  Golden  Empress,  and  Baron  Hirsch  were  solid 
and  fresh.  Mr.  W.  Thomas,  gardener  to  G.  E.  Grayson,  Esq., 
Birkenhead,  and  Mr.  J.  Williams  were  second  and  third  respectively. 
For  six  Japanese  Mr.  Holford,  gardener  to  C.  Maciver,  Eeq.,  Heswall, 
won  with  Miss  Dorothy  Shea,  Charles  Davis,  and  Mdlle.  M.  A.  de 
Galbert  as  the  best.  Six  incurved,  Mr.  T.  Pink,  gardener  to  K.  Balfour, 
Esq.,  Oxton.  Other  classes  for  six  Jap.ane9e  and  six  incurved  were  won 
by  Mr.  W.  Darlington,  gardener  to  J.  G.  Kinghorn,  Efq.,  Prenton  ;  and 
P.  Barber,  gardener  to  G.  R.  Clover,  Esq.,  Claughton. 
Three  pretty  groups  were  placed  for  competition,  and  Mr.  A.  Brown, 
gardener  to  G.  Webster,  Esq.,  Dpton,  had  no  difficulty  in  winning  with 
plants  carrying  handsome  blooms,  the  front  being  chastely  draped  with 
small  Crotons.  Ferns,  and  Panicum.  Mr.  H.  Benson,  gardener  to  C.  J. 
Gostenbofer,  Esq.,  with  the  usual  orthodox  system,  was  placed  second. 
Miscellaneous  exhibits,  which  provedawelcome#ddition  to  the  show, 
were  staged  by  Messrs.  S.  Johnson,  Oxton  ;  Smith  &  Son,  and  W.  Mason. 
The  speeches  by  the  President,  C.  J.  Gatehouse,  Esq.,  Mr.  C.  J.  Procter, 
and  Mr.  Yeo  were  exceeding  appropriate  to  the  occasion,  and  of  the 
greatest  interest  to  all  gardeners  and  the  general  public.  The  President 
also  announced  his  intention  of  giving  a  silver  cup  for  next  year. 
