September 3, 1898, 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
11 
THE SPANISH IRIS. 
Botanically this is Iris Xiphium (see illustration 
p.12), the typeof the bulbous Irises to which theothers 
agree more or less closely in character and general 
habit. It is a native of Spain, the South of France, 
Portugal, Algiers, Riviera, and the island of Sardinia 
As in the case of its congener, the English Iris, a 
large number of varieties have originated with the 
Butch growers. All parts of the flower are narrower 
and stiffer than the corresponding organs of the 
Eaglish Iris, including the fiddle-shaped falls. 
Amongst the numerous varieties there is, perhaps, a 
greater range of colour than in the English Iris. The 
wild I. Xiphium is itself variable, being of various 
shades of purple, with an orange blotch on the falls ; 
and from these it varies to blue, blue-purple, yellow 
and white, but never red. Owing to a mixture of 
colours many of them have a coppery or brown hue, 
and the intermediate shades are endless. The bulbs 
may be flowered in pots, or planted out in beds for 
flowering during the month of June. Some of the 
market growers adopt the American plan of planting 
them out on benches covered with soil in hothouses, 
and by these means a supply of cut flowers is obtain¬ 
able before they come into bloom in the open. They 
are well worthy of permanent planting in beds and 
borders of the garden, where they increase from year 
to year in friable, well-drained soil. 
THE ENGLISH IRIS. 
The Iris popularly known as English owes its 
name to the fact that it was brought from 
Bordeaux, in France, to Bristol, in England, and 
from thence was conveyed to Holland, so that the 
Dutch gardeners and growers gave the name which 
has clung to it ever since. Some writers attempt to 
render the botanical name as I. anglica, but that is 
erroneous, as well as misleading and should be 
entirely disencouraged. The true name of the 
English Iris is I. xiphioides, and it is a native of the 
Pyrenees. The Continental growers have raised a 
great number of really beautiful varieties all of which 
belong to I. xiphioides (see illustration p. 12), so that 
they have not been crossed with any other species. 
The English Iris then is the larger of the two best 
known bulbous Irises, and is the later flowering, 
making a display in July after the Spanish Iris has 
QUEEN ANNE’S DAFFODIL. 
Although a very old Daffodil, this has never been 
very common, and even at the present time is con¬ 
sidered rare. The flowers are of a pale straw- 
colour, and are fully as interesting to the botanist as 
to the horticulturist by reason of the fact that the 
numerous segments are arranged one over the over, 
forming a starry looking 6-rayed star. The explana¬ 
tion is no doubt to be found in the arrangement of 
the flower into 3 + 3 segments, 3 + 3 stamens and 
3 carpels, each series of three alternating with those 
that preceded them, so that every third, fifth and 
seventh series alternate with the second, fourth and 
sixth, thus giving six rows. It is an exceedingly 
neat and pretty Daffodil (see p. 13), notwithstanding 
its peculiar structure, so that every cultivator 
should make a point of adding it to his collection. N. 
Capax plenus and N. eystettensis are other names 
by which it is known. 
President McKinley’s Favourite Flower is a pink 
Carnation, and he always wears one in the lappel of 
his coat. 
Narcissus Muzart orientalis. 
NARCISSUS SIR WATKIN. 
The Giant Welsh Chalice Fower, otherwise Giant 
Welsh Daffodil or Narcissus incomparabilis Sir 
Watkin has never been matched for gigantic pro¬ 
portions, either by chance seedlings or by artificial 
cross fertilisation. Well-grown flowers often 
measure 6 in. across, and such are generally obtained 
from the open ground. It is, nevertheless, well 
adapted for cultivation in pots and also for forcing. 
This means that it is a variety of the easiest culture 
under any condition in which Daffodils may be 
grown. Three bulbs may be put in a 6 in. pot, aDd 
if well watered while the flower scapes are develop¬ 
ing the blooms will be of handsome proportions. None 
of the other medium-crowned Daffodils have such a 
massive appearance. In the open air the variety is 
well adapted for spring bedding, forming an effective 
mass of golden-yellow, this being the colour of the 
crown, while the segments are several shades paler. 
The accompanying illustration gives a good idea of 
the massive and substantial character of the flower. 
The illustrations of the Giant Welsh Daffodil, 
Queen Anne’s Daffodil and Muzart orientalis were 
lent us by Mr. Wm. Baylor Hartland, Cork, and 
were preparations from the drawing of Miss Gertrude 
Hartland. 
A Sweet Pea Show.—Sweet Peas occupy a promi¬ 
nent position in all our shows during the summer, 
but we have not yet got the leDgth of an exhibition 
entirely of Sweet Peas, although we might well 
follow the example of our American friends in this 
matter. The Connecticut Horticultural Society 
held this annual fixture of theirs on the 27th ult., 
and, as usual, it was highly successful. The princi¬ 
pal exhibitor was the Rev. W. T. Hutchins, of 
Springfield, who had over 100 different varieties. 
Narcissus Sir Watkin. 
