324 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



[May 11, 1912. 



lobe a few inches below the flower, which had 

 but five perianth pieces. 



Parrot Tulip. — Messrs. Barr, of Taplow, 

 showed a new break, " Sensation.' ' The colour 

 in the specimen was not fully developed. So 

 far as can be determined from investigations 

 made in Holland, this break suddenly ap- 

 peared in a bed of the Dutch Breeder Tulip known 

 as Reine d'Espagne (of which a specimen flower 

 was exhibited) in the nursery of a small Dutch 

 grower. It is much dwarfer than its Breeder 

 parent, and also propagates more slowly. A 

 Botanical Certificate was recommended to this 

 plant on the suggestion of the Narcissus Com- 

 mittee. The variety had none of the horn-liko 

 excrescences usual in Parrot Tulips and had a 

 stem like that of a Darwin Tulip. 



Double Primrose. — A double Primrose found 

 growing wild was exhibited from an unknown 

 source. 



- 



Irises. — Mr. W. Rickatson Dykes, of Farn- 

 combe, sent Irises, with notes as follow, making 

 clear the origin of I. florentina and I. albicans : 

 /. germanica il L. var/'- — This variety is one 

 that is largely grown for producing Orris Root in 

 the neighbourhood of Florence. Its stem is more 

 slender than that of the varieties usually grown 

 in England. It is probably the form of which I. 

 florentina is the albino. /. florentina. — This is 

 an albino form of a variety of I. germanica. Com- 

 pare the spathes and the inflorescence. 1. 

 Madonna, Sprenger. — A comparatively recent in- 

 troduction from Arabia. Compare its flowers, 

 spathes and inflorescences with those of I. albi- 

 cans. There can be little doubt that it is the 

 purple form of which I. albicans is the albino. 

 /. albicans, Lange. — Contrast the flower, spathes, 

 and inflorescence with those of I. florentina, and 

 compare them witli those of I. Madonna, of which 

 it is the albino form. I. albicans and I. Madonna 

 both come from the Yemen in Arabia, and the 

 former, used as a graveyard ornament, lias spread 

 wherever the Mohammedans have penetrated. 

 7. Reic/irnbachiif Heuflel. — This Iris, of which 

 both purple and ye How -flowered forms can be 

 raised from the same capsule of seed, is the com- 

 mon dwarf Iris of the I Jalkans, corresponding to 

 I. ehamseiris in Southern Franca and Northern 

 Italy. N.B. — The sharply -keeled spathes, as con- 

 trasted with those of I. chameiris, I. balkana 

 (Jka), I. serbica (Pane), I. bosniaca (Beck), I. 

 Skorpilii (Velan) are some of the many synonyms 

 of this Iris. I. chamozirls, Bertolini. — This is the 

 common dwarf Iris of the South of France and of 

 Northern Italy. It is easily distinguished from I. 

 pumila by its visible stem and short tube and from 

 I. Reichenbachii by the spathes, which are not 

 acutely keeled. The flowers are very variable in 

 colour, and this variability has given rise to 

 numerous svnonyms, e.g., I. italics (Pari.), I. 

 lutescens (Lorn.), I. olbiensis (Henon) and I. 

 virescens (Delarb). 





•- 



HORTICULTURAL CLUB. 



April 30. — A meeting of the members of the 

 Horticultural Club took place on this date, when 

 Mr. H. R. Darlington gave a lecture on " The 

 Rose as a Flowering Shrub, with Special Re- 

 ference to the Foliage." The chair was taken 

 by Mr. Stuart J. Hogg, and there was a good 

 att 'ndance. We print below extracts from Mr. 

 Darlington's lecture. 



The number of species with which the genus 

 Rose is subdivided is considerable. Of these, 16 

 were known to Linnaeus, and to these De Can- 

 dolle added the Systylse. In 1820, Dr. Lindley, 

 in his famous Monograph, recognised 76 species, 

 which he divided into 11 groups. In 1877, Dr. 

 Regel. in his Tcntamen, admitted 52 species, di- 

 vided into 11 groups. In 1889, in his paper read 

 at the National Rose Conference, Professor 

 Crepin admitted 60 species, divided into 16 

 groups, while, in 1905, J. G. Baker, in his paper 

 read before the Linnsean Society, recognised 69 

 species, divided into 11 groups. Nevertheless, 

 the Roses commonly found in our gardens are 

 divided from comparatively few of these species. 



Our climbers have come from the great group 

 of the Systylse, while the garden Roses proper 

 have practically all come from various modifica- 

 tions of R. indica. 



■ 



The character of perpetual-flowering, or, to 

 speak more accurately, of producing successional 

 crops of flowers throughout the season of growth, 

 which it has been able to transmit to its off- 



spring, has naturally made the indica hybrids 

 general favourites in the garden. Beside R. 

 indica, so far as I am aware, this character is 

 shared with but two or possibly three other 

 species ; one is the hardy Japanese Rose R. 

 rugosa, which is now becoming popular ; another, 

 a Rose seldom seen in gardens, R. humilis or R. 

 parviflora, which comes from the Eastern States 

 of North America, has always flowered a second 

 time in my garden ; and possibly I ought also to 

 admit R. Pissardii, an excellent pillar Rose, 

 which certainly flowers again in the autumn, but 

 I have some doubt whether it is not of hybrid 

 origin. Nevertheless, there are many of the 

 species well worth growing in the garden as 

 flowering shrubs, which are capable of producing 

 beautiful effects, not only when in flower, but, 

 from the charm of their foliage, in spring or 

 autumn, and there are some which remain objects 

 of interest even in winter, after both flowers and 

 leaves have gone, from the high colouring of 

 their stems. 



R. simplicifolia is the only member of the first 

 group, and as I am to speak of Rose foliage, I 

 must mention this as a curiosity, for it is the 

 only Rose with undivided leaves. It is much 

 branched, and the stems are slender and spread* 

 ing, covered with numerous prickles. The 

 flowers are yellow, . with a chocolate blotch at 

 the base of the petal. It appears to grow plenti- 

 fully in the salt marshes of Northern Persia, but 

 never to have been successfully acclimatised in 

 Western Europe, where it was introduced in 

 1790. Dr. Lindley comes to a most melancholy 

 conclusion with regard to this Rose, and- Re- 

 doute's account of it is little better. .. *ta*u 



In the great group of the Systylse, no doubt 

 the Wichuraiana will first occur to us. The 

 foliage of R. Wichuraiana (type) is bright and 

 glossy, and looks well in the spring. It is nearly 

 evergreen, the old leaves often remaining till 

 pushed oft by the young growths; but it is sur- 

 passed by some of its offspring in the matter of 

 foliage. The spring foliage of the Wichuraiana 

 hybrids with Tea blood often retain more or less 

 the beautiful red tints derived from their indica 

 parentage. As instances, Alberic Barbier and 

 Leontine Gervais may be mentioned. While 

 sometimes we get a pure and shining green, as in 

 Joseph Billard, the foliage of which shows little 

 indication of its connection with the China 

 Rose, which is said to have been its parent, save 

 at the tips of the shoots. 



A Rose of this class specially worth mention is 

 Shower of Gold ; it has very striking and thick 

 foliage, which is very persistent. 



The Multifloras, as a class, are not specially 

 noticeable for their foliage, but an exception 

 must be made in the case of American Pillar, 

 with its large leaflets of a deep, shining green, 

 and Tea Rambler, for in the foliage of the lat- 

 ter the influence of R. indica is very notice- 

 able, as it is in Ariel, which may almost be 

 regarded as a single-flowered variation of this 

 Rose. 



In R. moschata, the foliage usually falls rather 

 early, and is not specially striking. There are, 

 however, some hybrids of R. moschata with par- 

 ticularly fine foliage. The cross with R. indica 

 gave us the Noisettes, and one of these, our old 

 favourite climbing Aimee "Vibert, is not only an 

 autumnal flowering, but it possesses most beauti- 

 ful, glossy, deep -green foliage, which it keeps 

 long into winter, making it a most attractive 

 garden plant. 



I have already referred to R. Pissardii, of 

 which we have two forms, one with pink and the 

 other witli white flowers ; both make excellent 

 pillar Roses, the pink variety having better foli- 

 age and more rampant growth. They both have 

 an autumnal as well as a summer flowering. 

 Mr. G. L. Paul once pointed out to me the simi- 

 larity between Belle Vichysoise and the pink 

 Pissardii,- though there is a difference in the 

 foliage. Now, Belle Vichysoise is undoubtedly 

 a hybrid, and is often classed with the Noisettes, 

 and the resemblance, so far as it goes, tends to 

 confirm my opinion of its hybrid origin, though I 

 must admit I am without positive evidence of the 

 hybridity of R. Pissardii. 



Another hybrid of R. moschata with R. gallica, 

 known as R. nivea, makes a useful flowering 

 shrub, with strong, substantial foliage, which 

 persists long into winter, but it only flowers 

 once in the year. 



(To be continued. J 



NATIONAL AURICULA & PRIMULA. 



(MIDLAND SECTION.) 



May 1, 2.— The effects of the long-continued 

 drought and unusually early season were ap- 

 parent in the size, quality, and substance of the 

 flowers exhibited at the 13th annual show, held 

 in the Botanical Gardens, Birmingham, on the 

 above dates. The attendance of visitors was 

 satisfactory. A promenade concert was held in 

 the evening of the first day of the show. 



Show Auriculas. 



Twelve classes were reserved for Show 

 Auriculas, and there was. competition in all of 

 them. In. the principal class, which was fur 

 eight varieties, there were three exhibits, and 

 the 1st prize was won by Mr. W. M. Shipman, 

 Altrincham, with beautifully-flowered specimens 

 of Orient, George Lightbody, Henry Wilson, 

 Rev. F. D. Horner, Molly Shipman, Harrison 

 Weir, Acme, and an unnamed seedling. 2nd, C, 

 Winn, Esq., Selly Hill, Birmingham (gr. .Mr. 

 T. T. Sheppard), who had fairly good plants of 

 Henry Wilson, Rifleman, Richard Headley, and 

 Mrs. Henwood. 



The same two exhibitors were placed 1st and 

 2nd respectively in a class for six varieties. Mr. 

 Shipman showed w T ell-grown and nicely-flowered 

 examples of A. Barker, Letitia, Miss Willmott, 

 Ruby, Shirley Hibberd, and Acme. 



i The best of five exhibits in a class for four 

 varieties was shown by Mr. G. J. Savory, Bir- 

 mingham, who had handsome plants of Mrs. Hen- 

 wood, Richard Headley, Henry Wilson, and 

 Shirley Hibberd. 2nd, Mr. J. D. Williams, 

 Smethwick, with very fine specimens of Mrs. 

 Henwood, Shirley Hibberd, Richard Headley, 

 and Ruby. 



Mr, Richard Holding, Bournville, excelled in 

 a class for two varieties, with superb plants of 

 Harrison Weir and Richard Headley. 2nd, Mr. 

 G. J. Savory, with Shirley Hibberd and George 

 Lightbody. 



Show Auriculas (Single Plants). 



Green-edged variety : 1st, Mr. E. Danks, with 

 Henry Wilson. Grey-edged variety : 1st, Mr. 

 W. M. Shipman, with George Lightbody. 

 White-edged variety : 1st, .Mr. W. M. Shipmax, 

 with Acme. Self : 1st, Mr. G. J. Savory, with 

 Mikado. Yellow, primrose, orange, or buff : 1st, 

 Mr. F. Grazebrook, Dudley, with Daffodil. 



The 1st prize in a class for two varieties, re- 

 served for growers who have never won a 1st 

 prize at any of the society's shows, was won by 

 Mr. J. D. Williams, Smethwick, with excellent 

 specimens of Mrs. Henwood and Shirley Hib- 

 berd. 2nd, Mr. T. Hughes, Handsworth, with 

 Ruby and Cleopatra. 



Mr. G. J. Savory led in a class for three 

 varieties, open to local growers only. His plants 

 of Mrs. Henwood, Shirley Hibberd, and Olym- 

 pus were beautifully flowered. 2nd, Mr. H. J. 

 Spencer, Four Oaks, with vigorous specimens ct 

 Olympus, Shirley Hibberd, and Mrs. Potts. 



The most successful exhibitor in a class tor 

 three varieties, open to young amateur givers, 

 was Mr. J. D. Williams, whose plants of Mn>. 

 Henwood, Harrison Weir, and Shirley Hibbera 

 were remarkable for their strong, leathery Jea\es 

 and bold trusses of flowers. 2nd, Mr. J- & 

 Yeomans, Hollywood. 



Alpine Auriculas. 



There was fairly strong competition in the 

 classes for Alpine Auriculas. The 1st prize m » 

 class for eight varieties was awarded to »* 



.bucrece, sunrise, and Janet. <sna, i»*« **. 

 whose best examples were Thetis, Unexpeetea, 

 Jack Parton, and Prime Minister. The leading 

 exhibit in a class for six varieties also came iron 

 Mr. W. M. Shipman, who had Majestic, n. /-• 

 Cartwright, Mars, Exquisite, Phyllis Doogg 



le 



and an unnamed seedling, all in excellent cona 

 tion. 2nd, Mr. T. M. Eglinton, BirchneMs. . j. 

 winning exhibit of four varieties was sno^n 

 Mr. C. Reeves, Handswortn, whow ***£ . 

 veloped flowers of J. F. Kew, Miss BaKer, 

 quisite, and Majestic were much admirea. 

 Mr. H. W. Miller, Handsworth. ine i 

 named exhibitor beat 11 contestants ma 

 for two varieties. He showed Majestic ana £ 

 expected in superb condition. 2n&: - 

 Danks. 



