June 16, 1888. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
659 
Bedding Plants 
Established, and so sure to give satisfaction. 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS. — The very choicest 
sorts, in good plants. 
DAHLIAS .—An unsurpassed collection. 
DESCRIPTIVE LIST FREE. 
RICHARD SMITH & Co., 
Nurserymen end Seed Merchants, 
WORCESTER. 
ORCHIDS A SPECIALTY. 
The Stock at the Clapton Nursery is of such magnitude that 
without seeing it it is not easy to form an adequate conception 
of its unprecedented extent. General Nursery Stock of fine 
quality and immense extent. Inspection invited. The Glass 
Structures cover an area of 297,300 ft. 
Wil LOW & Co., 
CLAPTON NURSERY, LONDON, E. 
TEA AND NOISETTE ROSES. 
OF BEST SORTS ONLY. 
N OW ready, fine plants, in 5-inch pots, Is. 6 d. each, 12s. per 
dozen, SOs. per 100. On PREPAID orders packing is not 
charged ; and if of 20s. and upwards, Carriage Free to any station 
on the Brighton and South Coast or South Western Railways; 
and if of 60s. and upwards, Carriage Free to any Railway Station 
in England or Wales. 
Prices of new vari:tiei quoted upon application. 
EWING & Co., Sea View Nurseries, Havant, Hampshire. 
TEA ROSES. 
GARAWAY & Co. offer 12 best varieties of Tea Roses, n- 
cluding MARECHAL NIEL and NIPHETOS, in 5-incli pots, 
packed upright in open boxes, for 10s. Cash with order. 
GARAWAY & Co., 
Durdham Down, Clifton, Bristol. 
THE GARDENERS’ ROYAL BENEVOLENT 
INSTITUTION. 
T HE FORTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY 
DINNER in aid of the Funds of this Institution will 
take place at the Albion, Aldersoate Street, on Wednesday, 
the 4th July, when 
The Right Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, M.P., will preside. 
Tickets 21s. each. In order to provide for the comfort and 
convenience of the Guests, no Tickets will be issued after 
Friday, the 29th June. 
By order, EDWARD R. CUTLER, Secretary, 
50, Parliament Street, S.W, 
30 th May , 1SS8. 
A lexandra palace grand rose 
SHOW, June 27th and 2Sth. 
The series of Shows promoted by the ALEXANDRA PALACE 
and PARK COMPANY, Ltd., for I8S8 will be inaugurated by 
a grand display of Roses on the above dates. 
Liberal Prizes in all classes of Roses for professional and 
amateur growers are offered. All prize-money will be paid on 
the first day of the Show. Treasurer, Shirley Hibberd, Esq. 
Excellent facilities are offered for trade exhibits, specialities 
and appliances, and suitable honours and certificates will be 
awarded. Full particulars and schedule of prizes may be 
obtained on application to the Secretary of Rose Show, Mr. R. 
BEALE, Alexandra Palace, London, N. 
R oyal horticultural society. 
Patron : Her Majesty, The Queen. 
President: Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., M.P. 
Offices : 111, Victoria Street, S.W. 
N OTICE ! The next meeting of the Fruit 
and Floral Committees will be held in the Drill Hall of 
the London Scottish Rifle Volunteers, James Street, S.W., on 
Tuesday, June 26th, when the special subjects invited for exhibi¬ 
tion will be Roses, Peonies, Begonias, Gloxinias, Clema¬ 
tises and Pelargoniums, &c. 
Open to Fello-ws at 12 o’clock, and to the public at 1 p.m. 
For particulars respecting the election of Fellows apply to the 
Secretary., Ill, Victoria Street, S.W. 
Nest Week's Engagements. 
Tuesday, June 19th.—Sale of Imported Orchids at Protheroe & 
Morris's Rooms. 
Wednesday, June 20th.—Royal Botanic Society’s second 
Summer Show. Sale of Imported Orchids at Stevens’ Rooms. 
Thursday, June 21st.—Sale of Established Orchids at Stevens 
Rooms. 
Friday, June 22nd.—Sale of Imported Orchids at Protlieroe & 
Morris's Rooms. 
Saturday, June 23rd.—Waverley Pansy Society’s Show. 
FERNS A SPECIALITY. 
The largest, most complete and profusely ILLUSTRATED 
CATALOGUE OF FERNS ever published, containing over 
120 Illustrations and much valuable practical information on 
the cultivation of Ferns, Ac. 
One Shilling and Sixpence, post free. 
Smaller Catalogue of over 1,300 species and varieties free on 
application. 
W. & J. BIRKENHEAD, 
FERN NURSERY, 
SALE, MANCHESTER. 
Popnlar GARDENING BOOKS, 
By far the most v’idely read on the subject, full of soundest 
and best information. Mr. Ryder's writings have been praised 
by every gardening paper. The books are practical, interest¬ 
ing, reliable, and please all readers. 
HOW TO GROW ROSES in the garden and in pots under 
glass. Chapters on Budding, Grafting, &c. Post free, Id. 
HOW TO GROW TUBEROUS BEGONIAS. Chapters on 
Raising Seed and every other part of culture. A new and 
thoroughly revised edition. Post free, Id. 
Every Amateur and every Gardener as well should read 
these books. Only to be obtained from 
RYDER & SON, Seed Merchants, Sale, Manchester. 
SPECIAL CULTURE OF 
FRUIT TREES AND ROSES. 
A Large and Select Stock is now offered for Sale. 
The Illustrated and Descriptive Catalogue of Fruits 
Post Free. 
The Descriptive Catalogue of Poses Post Free. 
THOMAS RIYERS & SON, 
NURSERIES, SAWBRIDGEWORTH, HERTS. 
ROSES in POTS, 
All the best New and Old English and Foreign sorts, 
from 18s. to 36s. per dozen. 
Descriptive List free on application. 
RICHARD SMITH & Co., 
Nurserymen and Seed Merchants, 
WORCESTER. 
FOR INDEX TO CONTENTS, SEE P. 670. 
“ Gardening is the purest of human pleasures, and the greatest 
refreshment to the spirit of man."— Bacon. 
SATURDAY, JUNE 16, 1888. 
German Irises at Chiswick.— If the Fellows 
of the Royal Horticultural Society in general, 
and lovers of flowers in particular could he 
induced by some means to visit the Society’s 
Garden at Chiswick in greater numbers than 
they do at present, there is so much there 
to be seen that is of interest, and so beauti¬ 
ful, so much that is pleasant and agreeable, 
that we feel sure the interest in the better 
side of the Society’s work would he quickened 
to such an extent, that means would soon be 
forthcoming for carrying out the alterations 
and repairs that are there so badly needed. 
For the moment, however, rve do not intend 
to dwell upon the seamy side of the dear 
old gardens, rve rather prefer to look upon 
i the good things that are to he seen in them, 
and if possible to interest our readers for 
the nonce in the subject of German Irises, 
of which Chiswick can boast a right royal 
collection. 
A square of ground that used formerly to 
be occupied with Pelargoniums chiefly grown 
for trial and comparison, is at the present 
time a veritable fairy land of beauty, the 
floral charmers being the numerous varieties 
of Iris, belonging chiefly to the bearded 
section (Pogoniris), generally known as the 
German Irises, from the fact of the latter 
being taken as the Sp of a closely-allied 
group, and the commonest in gardens. It is 
a native of Central and South Europe, and 
was introduced to Britain more than 300 
years ago. Curiously enough, it is figured in 
the Botanical Magazine, t. 670, and in the 
Botanical Register, t. 818, under the name 
of Iris nepalensis, which sounds as ridiculous 
as the garden name of Saxifraga nepalensis for 
Saxifraga Cotyledon pyramidalis, as neither 
of them belong to Nepal. 
The varieties are now very numerous in 
gardens, and they are as difficult of dis¬ 
crimination as the Daffodils, requiring a 
connoisseur to distinguish the difference be¬ 
tween a great many of them. We could not, 
in a recent hurried inspection, spare the time 
to classify the whole of the fine things in 
flower, but merely some of the best, and 
those who desire to form a collection could 
not do better than inspect the beds for 
themselves. Some years ago a fine collection 
existed, scattered about chiefly in the borders; 
but during a severe season of drought, the 
soil in the borders being heavy, nearly the 
whole of them perished. The present season 
has been extremely dry as a whole; but the 
entire collection is now in a very healthy 
and vigorous condition, and those in season 
are profusely flowered. The undermentioned, 
with one exception, belong to the bearded 
section, by some writers included under the 
composite name of Iris barbata. 
The select varieties of Iris germanica are 
generally very dark in colour, and Purple 
King is noticeable not only on account of 
its violet-purple standards and falls, but from 
its dwarf habit; and although the flowers 
are equal to the average in size, the stems 
and leaves are considerably shorter. Iris 
pallida is generally considered a distinct 
species, hut it is undoubtedly closely allied 
to I. germanica, and is certainly one of the 
finest, and most agreeably fragrant. The 
standards are of a dark lavender colour, 
while the falls are a. soft purple, which, to¬ 
gether with the large white bracts, give it a 
handsome appearance. I. pallida celeste has 
sky-blue standards and bright blue falls, and 
nearly white divisions to the petaloid style.' 
Somewhat similar in its way is I. pallida 
dalmatica, with pale blue standards and 
lavender falls. The flowers are above the 
average size, and very numerous on the 
stem, constituting the variety a showy and 
valuable one. What a contrast to the fore¬ 
going or to any other variety in the collec¬ 
tion is I. pallida Queen of May, which 
grows to the height of 2 ^ ft., and flowers 
profusely ! The standards are of a pale but 
distinct and beautiful rose colour, the falls 
being similar, though reticulated with purple 
and white at the base. The colour is much 
the darker on first opening. The falls of I. 
pallida Ivhedive are deep lavender, reticu¬ 
lated with brown on a white ground at the 
base, while the falls are paler. 
Curiously enough the variegation of Iris 
aphylla seems always inclined to run to the 
margins of the segments, as may he seen in 
the variety Bridesmaid, where the falls are 
white and variegated with lavender towards 
the margin, the standards being wholly lilac. 
This character is much more evident in I. 
aphylla Madame Chereau however, where the 
falls, and much more decidedly the standards, 
have a broad margin of transverse blue lines. 
For market purposes this is an exceedingly 
attractive and valuable kind, and grows 
vigorously. The scented I. florentina is now 
out of flower, or almost so. It is dwarfer 
than most of this section, and the large 
white flowers are tinted with lavender. For 
all practical purposes, however, I. albicans 
Princess of Wales may be regarded as a pure 
white, and the flowers are not only of good 
substance, hut last a long time in water com¬ 
pared with some of the foregoing. Equally 
distinct for a collection is I. flavescens, with 
sulphur-yellow standards, and the falls striated 
with brown at the base. 
The variations of Iris variegata are both 
numerous and beautiful, and the pale yellow 
