December 25, 1886. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
261 
IBIS TINGITANUM. 
When calling, in June last, at Mr. Barr’s establish¬ 
ment, King Street, Covent Garden, he showed me a 
nice lot of bulbs of this Iris, which Mr. Brooks, who 
had just returned from Tangier, had brought to him. 
Mr. Barr very kindly gave me half a dozen bulbs to 
try. These were planted in good compost close under 
a south-west wall in September, and very soon after 
showed growth, which developed so rapidly that by 
the first week in November bloom was visible. Coming 
at so late a period, it was necessary to protect the 
blooms with a sash and mat. 
I despaired of its maturing, as there had been already 
10° of frost. Early in December it began to show 
colour, and soon opened. In growth this resembles the 
English Iris ; but the bloom is more like that of the 
Spanish Iris, being in size about that of Iris lusitanica 
“Thunderbolt.” The bloom, a singularly beautiful 
one, is in colour shaded light blue and purple, with a 
white lip and golden spot. It has been figured in the 
Botanical Magazine. — J. T. roe, Riverston. [Our 
illustration was prepared from a flower sent by Mr. 
Poe, whom we congratulate on his success in blooming 
a plant of great beauty and considerable interest. It 
may be added that Mr. Barr received the roots in 
question from an English gentleman, Mr. Brooks, 
who regularly resides at Tangier during the winter 
months ; and as other roots out of the same parcel were 
sent to Glasnevin, and to the Trinity College Botanic 
Garden, Dublin, and some were planted at Tooting, 
we may hope to hear more of the plant, which few 
have succeeded in flowering. It is figured under 
the name of Xiphion tingitanum in the Botanical 
Magazine, t. 5981, and Sir Joseph Hooker states that 
during his visit to Morocco, in company with Mr. Ball 
and Mr. Geo. Maw, the party first saw it on the dinner 
table of His Excellency Sir J. Hay, at Tangier, in 
whose garden the specimen grew. Sir John Hay stated 
that it was found wild not nearer than ten miles south¬ 
west of Tangier, at Laraisli, and Mr. Maw made two 
excursions into the locality in search of it. On the 
second visit he was successful in finding it, and speci¬ 
mens from this source, as well as from Sir J. Hay’s 
garden, were sent to Kew, where they flowered in May, 
1872, but under what conditions we do not know. The 
flowers are of a brilliant violet-purple colour, with a 
rich golden yellow disc.—E d.] 
-->X«-- 
LADY BEATRICE LAMBTON 
PINE APPLE. 
Until I saw this Pine Apple in the Dictionary of 
Gardening included in a list of the best varieties, and 
there spoken of as “ likely to prove under good cul¬ 
tivation one of the best for general use,” I had come to 
the conclusion that it was not thought well of. It is 
not within my province to attempt to criticise anything 
that is written in the above work, neither do I wish to 
condemn this fruit because I have not succeeded in 
growing it well. At the same time I do not think it 
deserves to be ranked amongst the best kinds, nor do I 
believe the opinion expressed respecting it will be 
realised. My object in writing is to speak of it in 
accordance with our own experience, and to try to elicit 
from those who may have succeeded with it, what the 
routine ot cultivation is that is necessary to get it in 
good condition. 
By succeeding with it, I must not be understood to 
mean the growing of one or two perfect fruits out of a 
dozen or more, but success similar to what is easily 
obtained with Charlotte Rothschild, Smooth Cayenne 
or the Queen. 11 is large and well-flavoured, and on that 
account well ivortli any special treatment that would 
bring it to perfection. We have not attempted any¬ 
thing in this way, having simply cultivated it as we do 
the Smooth Cayenne and Charlotte Rothschild, and I 
may remark that the treatment that produces these two 
(somewhat easily grown kinds I admit) from 8 lbs. to 
9 lbs. each, and in other respects satisfactory, does not 
meet the requirements of Lady B. Lambton. 
What we have to complain of is the way in which 
the pips discolour and decay, a defect which commences 
before the fruit is ripe, and gives to it a most unwhole¬ 
some appearance. The discolouration, however, does 
not penetrate deeply ; on cutting fruits through, we 
found their flesh clear and of good flavour. Now, as 
previously stated, the size and flavour being all that 
can be desired, if extra pains in the culture will rectify 
the blemish, it will be well worth the care involved. 
This is the point on which I am sceptical. I question 
if the mode of culture is in practice, or forthcoming, 
that will obliterate this imperfection, which appears to 
be inherent in the constitution. By maintaining a dry 
atmosphere, and keeping the plants dry at their roots 
for a time before they commence to colour and while 
they are finishing, might be beneficial ; but I doubt if 
it will wholly remedy the evil. 
This variety was, I observe, raised in 1860, and has 
been some years in commerce. It is remarkable, being 
a very large fruit, that it has not been exhibited—I 
believe am well within the mark in saying—half a dozen 
times. Probably, it has been pretty generally tried, 
too, and by most of the exhibitors, for, as a rule, they 
are on the outlook for new subjects, being aware of the 
weight which novelties, when deserving, carry with the 
majority of judges. The only fruit I have noticed as 
being exhibited was that in the collection which was 
awarded the first prize at the Shrewsbury show, last 
autumn, and of this it was stated that it almost caused 
the tables to be turned against Mr. Roberts, the 
exhibitor. From this there is not much encourage¬ 
ment to try to grow it well.— Mon. 
-- 
CHRISTMAS FLOWERS. 
“Time’s revolving wheels” having brought round 
the Christmas season once more, I thought that it 
would be interesting to note what were the flowers in 
season at this time of year ; and, further, being in the 
neighbourhood of Slough, I fancied I could not do 
better than call at the Royal Nursery. Securing Mr. 
Arthur Turner as my pilot, I was informed by him 
that the development of the cut-flower trade has been 
something wonderful of late years ; and now, although 
almost everything they could do in the way of fur¬ 
nishing flowers was done, yet they had to buy many in 
addition to what they grow, and especially so during 
the week or ten days preceding Christmas. Flowers 
are largely wanted for church decoration, for Christmas 
presents, and for memorial wreaths, and of the latter 
they not only make them up, but see that they are 
placed in Kensal Green and other cemeteries, doing this 
for persons who live at a distance. Not only are cut 
flowers ivanted, but plants in bloom also ; and so a 
good deal of forcing, as well as retarding, autumn¬ 
blooming plants is necessary. In all departments of 
life, almost, flowers have come to play an indispensable 
part; and if the undertaker loses by the tendency 
towards funeral reform, the florist is a decided gainer. 
First in order came a long, low span-roofed 
house, with hundreds of plants of Chrysanthemum 
Princess Teck planted out on a low border to flower at 
Christmas. They were raised from spring-struck 
cuttings grown on and planted out in the open ground 
in April, and lifted into the house during the last week 
in October. This is a valuable late-flowering variety, 
and it had produced large crops of flowers. Just a 
little warmth was being given to keep the damp away. 
In an intermediate house -was a batch of one of the best 
of white Azaleas for forcing—Deutsche Perle, fine, semi¬ 
double and very free. Of this variety it can be honestly 
said, “ it should be in every collection.” Here were 
a number of Christmas Roses in pots, of that early form 
known as Angustifolius, the flowers of which are of a 
snowy whiteness when forced. Here Avere Bouvardias 
also in variety, all flowering ; some Tuberoses, the very 
latest of the summer batch ; some plants of Choisya 
tornata, yielding hloom ; and some little bushy plants 
of Aucuba japonica, bearing dense crops of berries ; 
they were not more than 9 ins. in height, and having 
been artificially fertilised, were laden with berries. 
Next was a batch of the Italian paper-white Narciss ; 
and some red, white and yellow Due Van Thol Tulips ; 
also white Roman Hyacinths, and plants of A. mollis 
coming on into flower. Mr. Arthur Turner said that the 
flowers remained longer on English plants that had been 
established for a time in pots, than on those that are 
fresh imported from the Continent. Near by was a batch 
of Richardia TEthiopica, with their large trumpet-shaped 
spathes; and plunged in a bed of Cocoa fibre, were some 
pots of Hyacinths—three in a pot—that had been 
brought on in the usual way, and over each trio was 
inverted another pot, which serves the useful purpose of 
drawing up the spikes of bloom further than they would 
otherwise come ; the upper pot is removed when the 
spikes have reached three parts of the way up it. 
Next was a house of Camellias coming on into bloom; 
some fine flowers of the double white were already 
