386 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE, 



May 11, 1912. 



"which I. florentina is the albino. I. floren- 

 tina. — This is an albino form of a variety 

 of I. germanica. Compare the spathes and 

 the inflore-^cence, I. Madonna. Sprenger. — 

 A comparatively recent introduction from 

 Arabia. Compare its flowers, spathes, and 

 inflorescences with those of I. albicans. 

 There can be little doubt that it is the purple 

 form of which I albicans is the albino. I. 

 albicans, Lange. — Contrast the flower, 

 spathes, and inflorescence with those of I. 

 florentina, and compare them with thase 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, has spread 

 wherever the Mahommedans have pene- 

 trated. I. Reichenbachi, Henffel. — This 



iris, of which both purple and yellow-flowered 

 forms can be raised from the same capsule 

 of seed, is the common dwarf iris of the 

 Balkans, correspondin.or to I. chamaeiris in 

 Southern France and Northern Italy. N.B. 

 — The sharply-keeled spathes, as contrasted 

 with those of I. chamaeiris, I. balkana (Jka), 

 I. serbica (Pane), I. bosniaca (Beck). I. Fkor- 

 pilli (Velen), are some of the many synonyms 

 of this iris, I. chamaeiris, Bertolini. — Tliis 

 is the common dwarf iris of the South of 

 France and of Xorthern Italv. It is easilv 

 distinguished from I. pumila by its visible 

 stem and short tube, and from I. Beichen- 

 hachi by the spathes, which are not acutely 

 keeled. The flowers are very variable in 

 colour, and this variability has given rise 

 to numerous synonyms, e.g., I, italica 

 <Parl.), I. lutescens (Lom.), I. olbiensis 

 (Henon), I. virescens (Delarb). 



National Auricula Society. 



MIDLAND SECTION. 



Tlie thirteenth exhibition of auriculas and 

 primulas was held at the Botanical Gar- 

 dens, Edgbaston, on Wednesday and Thurs- 

 day, May, 1 and 2. TTiere was a very fair 

 attendance on the opening day, when, in 

 fine weather, Mr. and Mrs. Neville Chamber- 

 lain opened the show. Mrs. Neville Cham- 

 berlain wac> presented with a bouquet of car- 

 nations (by Miss vStevens, the daughter of 

 the late secretary), and was afterwards 

 shown the principal flowers by the secretary 

 and chairman of the society. 



There were a goodly number of exhibits, 

 though the quality was not U]) fo tliv aver- 



the earlv ^t^axm was tlir inraiis of 



tlowciN out a fortnight 



age: 



bringing the ije.st 

 before their proper lime. 



Til e re we r e isome excellent ho n o r a r v ex- 

 hibits, one from Messrs. Young and Co., of 

 Cheltenham, called for special praise, the 

 carnation blooms being very fine and well 

 arranged ; a silver-gilt medal was awarded. 

 An award of a silver-gilt medal fell to 

 Messrs. A. E. Brown, Lim., King's Norton, 

 for a nicely-grown collection of ]iot ro-t^. 

 Mr. H. N. Ellison, West Broinwich. w as 



awarded a silver-gilt medal for a very tine 

 collection of ferns and gerberas. W. Byng 

 Kendrick, Esq., Edgbaston (gardener, Mr. 

 J. Webb), was awarded a silver-gilt medal 

 for a verv fine exhibit of calceolarias, the 

 beautiful plants receiving a large share of 

 attention from the visitors. Mr. Arthur Ed- 

 wards, of Nottingham, was awarded a silvi r 

 medal for table decorations, and C. Winn, 

 Esq., Selly Hill (gardener, Mr. T. T. Shep- 



pard), gained a silver medal for a group of 

 schizanthuses. 



A First-claris Certificate was awarded to 

 Mr. R. Holding for a gold-centred alpine 

 auricula named Mrs. Neville Chamberlain. 



The Botanical i^ocietv's medals for the 

 highest number of points gained in open 

 classes were won as follows: Silver medal, 

 Mr. W. M. Shipman ; bronze medal, Mr. 

 C, Winn ; the Auricula Societv's silver 

 medal, Mr. C. Winn ; and the Brooks' silver 

 medal, Mr. T. M. Egiington. 



SHOW AURICULAS 



For eight show auriculas, Mr. W. M. Ship- 

 man, Altrincham, wais first, with Rev. F. D. 

 Horner, Orient, Seedling, Acme, Henry Wil- 

 son. Mollv shipman, Geo. Light bod v, and 

 Harrison Weir; Mr. Chas. Winn, Selfy Hill, 



second, with Henry Wilson, Rifleman, 

 Richard Headley, Gerald, Shirley Hibberd, 

 Mrs. Hen wood, Marmion, Olympus ; Mr. 

 W. H. Parton, Moseley, third. For six 

 show auriculas, Mr. W. H. Shipman led 

 with A. Barker, Letetia, Miss Willmott, 

 Ruby, Shirley Hibberd, and Acme; Mr. 

 Charles Winn came second, and Mr. W. H. 

 Parton third. 



First prize for four show varieties fell to 

 Mr. G. J. Savory, Rotton Park, Birming- 

 ham, for Mrs. Henwood, Richard Headley, 

 Henry Wilson, and Shirley Hibberd ; Mr. 

 J. D. Williams, Smethwick, second; and 

 Mr. C. Reeves, Handsworth, third. For two 

 show auriculas, Mr. R. Holding, Bournville, 

 led with Harrison Weir and Richard Head- 

 ley ; Mr. G. J. Savory second, with Shirley 

 Hibberd and Geo. Lightbody; Mr. H. W. 

 Miller, Handsworth, third. 



In the single plant classes, Mr. E. Banks, 

 Handsworth, led for a green-edge with 

 Henry Wilson. For a grey edge, Mr. W. M. 

 Shipman scored with Geo. Lightbody. The 

 best white edge was Acme, from Mr. W. M. 

 Shipman. Mr, G. J. Savory showed the best 

 self. Mikado; while for a vellow or buff self 

 Mr. F. Grazebrook scored with Daffodil. 



The class for two show auriculas (maiden 

 growers) found Mr. J. D. AVilliams first, with 

 Mrs. Henwocd and Shirlev Hibberd; Mr, T. 

 Hughes, Handsworth, second, and Mr. F. 

 Willis, Balsall Heath, third. For three show 

 auriculas, dissimiJar (local growers , Mr. G. 

 J. Savory led with Mrs. Henwood, Shirley 

 Hibberd, and Olympus; Mr. H. J. Spencer 

 second, and Mr. J. Freeman third. Mr. J. 



D. Williams led for tliree show auriculas 

 (young amateur growers) with Mrs. Hen- 

 wood, Shirley Hibberd, and Harrison Weir; 

 Mr. G. S. Yeomans, Hollywood, second, and 

 Mr. F. J. Twist, Handsworth, third. 



The premier show auricula was Shirley 

 Hibberd, shown by Mr. W. H. Parton. 



ALPINE AURICULAS. 



For eight alpine auriculas Mr. W. M. Ship- 

 man was first with Argus, Cliarmer, Comman- 

 der, Ilene, Majestic, Liicrece, Sunrise, and 

 Janet; Mr. C. Winn second, and Mr. T. M. 

 Eglinton, B'rchfields, third. For six alpine 

 auriculas, Mr. W. M. Shipman led with Ma- 

 jestic, R. C. Cartwright, Mars, Seedling, Ex- 

 quisite, and Phyllis Douglas; Mr. T. M. 

 Eglinton &econd, and Mr. R. Holding third. 



Mr. C. Reeves was first for four alpine 

 auriculas with J. F. Kew, Miss Baker, Ex- 

 quisite, and Majestic; Mr. H. W. Miller 

 came second, and Mr. G. J. Savory third. 

 For two alpine auriculas Mr. H. W. Miller 

 scored with Majestic and Unexpected; Mr. 



E. Banks second, and Mr. A. Lawton third. 

 In the single plant classes Mr. T. M. 



Egiington scored for a gold centre with Duke 

 of York, For a light centre Mr. W. M. 

 Shipman led with Phyllis Douglas; and for 

 a single laced variety, Mr. T. M. Egiington 

 came first with Seedling. 



For two alpines, maiden growers, Mr. J. 

 D. William^ won with Majestic and Wini- 

 fred; Mr. F. Willis second, and Mr. G. S. 

 Yeomans third. For three alpines, local 

 growers, Mr. T. M. Egiington led with 

 Argus, J. F. Kew, and Golden Acme; Mr. 

 W. H. Parton second, and Mr. H. W. Miller 

 t iiird. For three alpines, young amateur 

 growers, Mr. J. D. Will'ams was first with 

 Mabel, J. I'. K'. w, and Duke of York; Mr. 

 T. J. Twi^t si-cMiid, and Mr. F. Willis third. 



Tlie premier alpine auricula was Cliarmer, 

 shown by Mr. \\ . _M. Siiipman. 



SEEDLINGS. 



In this division Mr. E. Danks led for two 

 show varieties, with Raven's Plume and Mr<. 

 Edwards. Mr. W. M. Shipman had the l)est 

 green edge, named Cleveley Gem. Mr. E. 

 Danks won for a grev edsre. with Mrs. A. W. 

 Johnson. Mr, H. W. Miller had the best 

 white edge. Queen of the Snows, and the best 

 seedling self was Raven's Plume, shown t»y 

 Mr. E. ^Danks. The premier show auricula 

 seedling was Cleveley Gem from Mr. AV. M. 

 Shipman. 



In the alpine section Mr. Danks had the 

 best four seedlings, and Mr. X. Robinson the 



best pair. For a gold-centred seedling ilr. 

 R. Holding scored with Mrs. Xeville Cham^ 

 bcrlain, and for a light-centred seedling Mr. 

 E. Danks scored with Saturn. The premier 

 seedling alpine .auricula was Mrs. Neville 

 Chamberlain, shown by Mr. R. Holding. 



Southampton Gardeners' 



Society. 



Tlie monthly meeting of the above societv 

 was held in the Highfield Institute on 

 Thursday, 25th ult., when there was an ex- 

 cellent attendance. The Hon. Secretary 

 called the attention of members to the 

 facilities for reduced tickets of admission 

 to the International Horticultural Exhibi- 

 tion in London from May 22 to 30. It was 

 also stated that the committee had decided 

 to devote a short period at the close of the 

 ordinary business at the monthly meetings 

 to the discussion of subjects of general in- 

 terest. Four new members were elected. 



Mr. W. F. Copeland then gave an interest- 

 ing and instructive lecture on the hybridisa- 

 tion of daffcdils, tracing the history of 

 species, explaining the methods of cross- 

 fertilisation, and concluding with some hints 

 of practical utility. The paper was listened 

 to with great interest, and a discussion fol- 

 lowed in which Messrs. Molyneux, Cleverly, 

 Andrews, Silcock, Verdon, ■ and the Chair- 

 man (Mr. Greenaway) took part. 



Mr. Copeland having answered several 

 questions, a most hearty vote of thanks was 

 accorded to him on th.e proposition of Mr. 

 Molyneux, seconded by Mr. S. G. Kimber. 

 Thanks were also given to those who had 

 brought exhibits. 



Sparkhill Horticultural 



Society. 



Tlie annual narcissi and auricula exhiln- 

 tion of the above Society was held in the 

 Large Hall of St. John's Schools, Birming- 

 ham, on Saturday, April 27. 



Owing to the earlv season the majority of 

 the daffodils in the Midlands were ov€r. 

 and the competition in these classes was 

 poor. Auriculas, however, were shown in 

 f\j;ie form , espeeia Uy in the alpine classes, 

 and, as the competition was extremely keen, 

 many meritorious exhibits which wonld 

 usually have held their own in a strong 

 class, failed to obtain a place. ^ , 



In the class for eight bunches of narcissi, 

 six distinct, not more than five blooms in 

 a bunch, Mr. E. J. Keeling, Small Heatii, 

 was first with a good collection; the mast 

 tasteful arrangement of narcissi to occupy 

 a space not exceeding 4ft. by 2ft. 6in., al^^ 

 obtained for Mr. E. J. Keeling the first 

 place. lie had a very light and pretty ar- 

 rangement, principally of poeticus varieties 

 Mr. F. Anderson, Moseley, was second, wnu 

 a collection in which the trumpet varieties 

 appeared rather too heavy. For six buncii^ 

 of narcissi, Mr. Keeling was again first; antt 

 in the class for three bunches of narcifsi ne 

 once more won easilv, with Mr. Anderson 



second. . f Mr 



For three show auriculas, distinct, Ji - 

 ll. J. Spencer, Four Oaks, Sutton <^o^dhem, 

 was first witli .\cme, Olvmpus. and Shiriej 

 Hibberd: Mr. H. W. Miller, Handswort^. 

 second with Harrison Weir, Shirley 

 herd, and Ruby; Mr. E. Saunders S^pa^^- 

 hill, third. For three alpine auriculas, >h _ 

 Miller obtained premier honours ^vijii "! 

 plants of Majestic, Unexpected, and 1 n.^ . ■ 

 The se-cond prize entry comprised 1 »^ ^* 

 J. F. Kew, and a well-grown Ar^us. y^-^ 

 Freeman, Sparkhill, wa^^ third. The preim^^ 

 award for three seedling alpme 

 was made in favour of Mr. Miller, who « 

 Eichard Holding, which received 

 at the Midland Auricula Show last 

 Annie Crisp, a tine light centre; and , 

 Rain. Mr. J. Freeman, Sparkhill, seco^.j_ 

 For one seedling show auricula 

 bert, Handsworth, was first, with ^^^^ 

 Barnsley, a smooth, well-formed seit. 



H. W. Miller second. ^pnv 



The above classes were restricted to i 

 bers of the Sparkhill Society ; but, m a<iai 



