July 15, 1899. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
731 
gata, I. aphylla and I. amoena, each of which 
represents a specific form having varieties of itself. 
The beardless Irises are dwarfer, more slender 
and without the “beards,” often so beautifully 
coloured in the bearded section. The bulbous 
species and varieties produce seeds freely and this 
can be sown after it has ripened either out of doors 
on warm borders or, preferably, in sandy soil in pans 
They will germinate in the spring time, and bulbs 
for flowering are ready after three years’ growth. 
The German Flag Irises are most readily and safely 
propagated by division. Irises have, more or less, a 
special liking for special site,soil or care. Those which 
are easiest and of course most largely grown, are the 
rhizomatous section. Given an open border or bed, 
with good, light, moist, rich soil, which is also warm 
and well drained, they will last thrivingly for years. 
To disturb them is altogether harmful, and so often 
as they are disturbed, just so often will they deterio¬ 
rate. A protecting and nourishing layer of sappy 
manure should be given to them early in the year, 
but the rhizomes must not be kept buried, else they 
decay. The flower stalks are stout enough to 
support themselves. 
Some of the best varieties of the species named 
are, Iris pallida, I. p. Queen of May, a deeper lilac- 
blue than the specific form ; I. p. dalmatica, a lovely 
variety, pale blue, and delicate both in fall (or lower 
petal) and standard (upper, or erect petal); and I. 
p. delicata, pale almost to whiteness. It is most 
exquisite. Then of the forms of I. neglecta we find 
I. n. amabilis, with deep velvety purple falls and 
lilac-blue standards, and I. n. Wagner with lavender 
standard, and falls of violet with a white edge. I. 
squalens magnifica is blood-red purple, with dun, or 
brown coloured falls. I. s. walneriana has a medium 
blue, and yellow beard. Iris flavescens is a soft, 
sweet-scented flower. This is but a. driblet from 
dozens of other grand types. — D. 
- - t -- 
THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 
AT CHISWICK. 
The first day of the International Conference on 
Hybridisation and Cross-breeding, held under the 
auspices of the Royal Horticultural Society, was 
opened on Tuesday morning last at Chiswick, under 
very favourable circumstances as to weather; but 
all the same it was overpoweriDgly hot in the big 
vinery where the exhibits were staged. Many inter¬ 
esting things were shown, but really the exhibits 
should have been retained at Chiswick for two days 
to give time for the proper examination of the 
exhibits. A great amount of work, however, was 
accomplished in the time. 
Messrs.J.Veitch & Sons.,Ltd..Chelsea, set up a very 
large and comprensive collection of hybrid Orchids. 
Amongst them we noted Phalaenopsis ludde- 
violacea (luddemanniana x violacea), Disa Veitchi 
(grandifloraxracemosa), Sobralia Veitchi (macran- 
tha+xantholeuca), Epiphronitis Veltchi'(Sophronites 
grandiflora + Epidendrum radicans) and a new one 
having the latter as one of its parents, namely Epi- 
laelia Charlesworthii. Spathoglottis aureo-vieillardi 
explains its hybridity. Epidendrum radicante-vitel- 
linum is another remarkably distinct hybrid from 
E. vitellinum (female) hnd E. radicans male.) Cyp- 
ripedium grande (longifolium Hartwegi x caudatum) 
is still a grand acquisition to the genus. Many other 
things were full of interest if time had permitted to 
give details. 
M. Chas. Maron, Brunoy, France, staged a fine 
lot of hybrid Orchids, some' of the more notable of 
which were Laeliocattleya callistoglossa (Laelia 
purpurata x Cattleya gigas imperialis) ; Laelio¬ 
cattleya duvaliana (L. purpurata x C. speciosissima 
luddemanniana); Laeliocattleyaradiata (L. purpurata 
X C. nobilior), and various other showy subjects. 
Messrs Hugh Low & Co., Bush Hill Park, Mid¬ 
dlesex, exhibited some showy and choice Cattleyas, 
including C. crocata albens, C. Mendelii enfieldensis, 
Laeliocattleya arnoldiana (L. purpurata x C. 
labiata), and various hybrid Cypripediums, including 
C. I’Ansoni giganteum, of great vigour. 
Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart, (grower, Mr. W. H. 
White), Burford Lodge, Dorking, exhibited a group 
of Orchids, including finely flowered pieces of 
Cypripedium dominianum, C. grande atratum, C. 
superbiens, and the hybrid Vanda Miss Jcaquim, a 
hybrid between V. teres and V. hookeriana. It 
carried three long vigorous spikes. He also had 
many other hyhrid Cypripediums, Masdevallias, 
Cattleyas, and Epidendrums of greater or less 
interest. 
Sir F. Wigan, Bart, (grower, Mr. W. H. Young), 
Clare Lawn, East Sheen, exhibited Laelia tenebrosa 
gigantea, Laeliocattleya arnoldiana, Lc. Eudora 
splendens, Lc. canhamiana, Lc. Eximia, and others 
in the pink of perfection. 
De B. Crawshay, Esq., (gardener, Mr. S. Cooke), 
Rosefield, Sevenoaks, exhibited Odontoglossum 
Cooksonii crawshayanum, a hybrid between O. Hallii 
(female) and O. crispum lilacinum. All the seg¬ 
ments were narrow, resembling O. Hallii, except 
that the lip was like crispum. All were blotched 
with cinnamon on a white ground. He also showed 
O. crispum crawshayanum and O.c. Mrs. De B. 
Crawshay. 
Messrs. F. Sander & Co , St. Albans, exhibited a 
number of hybrid Cypripediums,including C. Garbari 
(Lawrenceanum x rothschildianum), C. Premier (bee- 
chensexrothschildianum), C. Duchess of Sutherland 
(youngianum x rothschildianum) and some others. 
G. W. Law-Schofield, Esq., (gardener Mr. Schill) 
New Hall-Hey, Rawtenstall, exhibited a fine hybrid 
named Cypripedium schillianum (gowerianum x 
rothschildianum). The Veitch Memorial Medal was 
accorded to this, but it was disqualified owing to its 
having been shown at Manchester at the last meet¬ 
ing there. 
Cattleya Firebrand (schilleriana x lawrenceana) 
was staged by Chas. L. N. Ingram, Esq. (gardener, 
Mr. T. W. Bond), Elstead House, Godaiming. 
The Rev. F. Paynton (gardener, Mr. H. Cooke), 
Stoke Hill, Guildford, exhibited Cattleya Harrisoni 
alba, and Laeliocattleya Adolphus (Laelia cinna- 
barina x C. Acklandiae). 
Messrs. Laxton Bros., Bedford, exhibited a col¬ 
lection of dwarf or Cupid Sweet Peas in pots, of 
which Invincible Carmine, Princess Victoria, Sultan, 
Princess Beatrice, and Rising Sun were very pretty 
as to colour, and equally dwarf as the original 
Cupid. 
Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart, (gardener, Mr. W. 
Bain), exhibited a black Pea named Nero. The pods 
properly speaking were dark purple. 
Mr. H. B. May, Dyson's Lane Nurseries, Edmon¬ 
ton, staged a group of Ferns in eighty-five species 
and varieties Adiantums, Gymnogrammes, Pteris, 
Phlebodiums, and Lomarias were all included in the 
exhibit, and large as was the exhibit and number of 
forms each specimen had been exclusively raised 
by Mr. H. B. May. 
Messrs. Laxton Bros., Bedford, staged four large 
baskets of Strawberries and plants in pots to show 
the habit and fruitfulness. Their Latest of All and 
Waterloo were extra fine. 
Messrs. Barr & Sons, Covent Garden, put up an 
interesting and varied stock of flowers of hardy 
herbaceous plants and Liliums, &c. The group 
which was very well arranged contained all the finer 
Gladioli, Day Lilies, Heucheras in variety, Liliums, 
Campanulas, Lychnis, and Iris laevigata in varieties. 
M. Morel, Lyons, France, showed Vriesias in 
great diversity. These offered something rather 
new and were strikingly beautiful. 
Leopold de Rothschild, Esq., Gunnersbury 
House, Acton (gardener, Mr. James Hudson), made 
a delightful display with his hybrid and other 
Nympheas. N. stellata, a pale lavender blue, N. 
odorata rubra, N. marliacea alba, and N. marliacea 
albida were like flowers from a finer sphere than 
earth. Large plants of Nicotiana sylvestris, well 
grown in pots, were placed as a background. 
(Silver Knightian Medal) 
M. Morel, of Lyons, also sent a large number of 
Clematis blooms showing a variety of hue, but 
further remarks must follow. 
Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt, sent a large 
variety of Roses, embracing climbers, H. P.’s, and 
Teas, and the value of many of the crosses will be 
seen by the award they received. 
Messrs. James Veitch & Sons, Ltd., Chelsea, 
London, made an exceedingly interesting show of 
hardy evergreen shrubs grafted on to plants of allied 
but distinct genera, or allied species, as Genistas on 
Laburnum, Lilac grafted on Phillyrea, and Phillyrea 
on Osmanthus, and such like. Hybrid Water Lilies 
were also shown, and a very large collection of 
Pitcher plants (Nepenthes), followed by their well- 
known hybrid Javan Rhododendrons, including the 
double balsamiflorum strain. The same firm put 
up hybrid Begonias (Burkei, decora, their hybrids, 
and other stove types), and a group of forty-two 
Ferns, supposed hybrids and sports, the parentage of 
which was also shown ; also Hollyhocks and Del¬ 
phiniums. 
C. T. Druery, Esq , ii, Shaw Road, Acton, ex¬ 
hibited a number of Lastreas, Athyriums, Poly- 
stichums, Polypodiums, and Scolopendriums, show¬ 
ing various crosses. 
Messrs. Geo. Jackman & Son, Woking, exhibited 
good types of their Coccinea and Jackmarni types of 
Clematis. 
G. Yeld, Esq., Clifton Cottage, York, sent hybrid 
Hemerocallis. 
Mr. Eckford, Wem, sent a number of new Sweet 
Peas. 
Scapes of Cineraria stellata came from the Botanic 
Gardens, Cambridge. 
Mr. H. Shoesmith, Claremont Nursery, Woking, 
showed a novelty in his border Carnation, Mrs. H. 
Shoesmith. 
Professor Hugo de Vries, Amsterdam, exhibited 
transparent paper bags for enclosing flowers during 
artificial fertilisation. 
Messrs. F. Sander & Co., St. Albans, put together 
a host of new stove and other plants. 
Mr. E. H. Jenkins, Hampton Hill, also brought 
some hardy Campanulas and other things. 
M. Wilhelm Pfitzer, Stuttgart, Germany, showed 
his fringed strain of Begonias. 
Mr. F. W. Cross, Wisbech, showed a new prolific 
Apple named Victoria. 
Lord SufAeld (gardener, Mr. W. Allan), Gunton 
Park, showed Lady Suffield Strawberry. 
Messrs. Veitch & Sons, Ltd., also showed Straw¬ 
berries, Veitch’s Perfection being decidedly 
superior. 
Mr. James Douglas, Edenside, Surrey, exhibited 
his high-class border and other Carnation blooms, 
some of which received Awards and will be noted 
next week. 
Mr. C. G. Van Tubergen, Junr., Haarlem, 
Holland, sent Liliums. 
Leopold de Rothschild, Esq. (gardener, Mr, 
James Hudson,V.M.H.),Gunnersbury House, Acton, 
also put up besides the Lilies mentioned a large 
selection of grand Cherries. 
Mr. C. C. Flurst, Burbage, Finchley, put up a 
selection of hybrid Barberries. 
R. Young, Esq., Sefton Park, Liverpool, showed 
Cypripediums. 
A large number of hybrids (of various origin) 
came from the Royal Gardens, Kew ; and particu¬ 
larly fine was a group of the new Kalanchoe flammea, 
with cymes of orange-scarlet flowers. 
--—- 
SWANLEY HORTICULTURAL COLLEGE. 
“ Work and Progress,” is the motto for those at 
Swanley College. On June 29th we went down to 
see Lady Falmouth perform the ceremony of open¬ 
ing a lovely new Rose garden. The day was warm, 
just enough so to make the shade of the great trees 
skirting the smooth lawns around the students’ 
residence pleasantly appreciated. The Lady 
Falmouth was introduced in a genial, humorous and 
encouraging speech by the Very Rev. Dean Hole. 
The Dean told us he was glad that steps had been 
taken to make a lovely garden lovelier, by-the addi¬ 
tion of the king of flowers, for as the lion was king 
of beasts, and the eagle king of the birds, so in 
quality among flowers the beautiful Rose stands first. 
He knew the soil and environs were rather untract- 
able, but from the splendid start the plants had made 
he hoped that next year, if he was spared to 
come there again, they would have great sheets of 
sweet-smelling lovely Roses decking all the beds. 
They must be prepared for disappointments, like the 
Irishman, whose pig, when he killed it, weighed less 
than he said it would, though he always expected it 
would ! So not hoping for too much their satisfac¬ 
tion would be the greater when what was but lately 
a grassy waste would yield a rich return of the purest 
of beauty. 
Lady Falmouth gracefully complimented the 
students and their teachers on the venture and 
showed forth how ennobling was the love for flowers 
and gardens and Nature. Miss Douglas Pennant, 
Lady Darnby, Miss Jebb, Miss Courtsold, Miss 
Cons, Miss White (Dublin), and Mr. Houston 
(Chelmsford), were noted among others at the 
gathering. 
The Roses include a large selection of Briers 
