March 11. 1905. 
THE HARDENING WORLD 
209 
Iris galatica. 
Tho above is Iho name given to a new Iris now flowering in 
the Alpine House at Kew. It is a native of Cappadocia, from 
whence it was sent to Kew by Sielie last year. Judging from 
the plants the flowers are solitary, and when in full bloom 
scarcely rise above the foliage, the flower tube being scarcely 
longer than the spathe-valves. The falls have an obovate 
eiuarginate, dark violet lamina just above the keel, the lower 
portion being greenish-white or yellowish-white, marked with 
sla tv-blue lines! These latter are continued down to the base 
i,f the side lobes. These lobes or flanges are large, rounded 
and upturned. The falls are spoon-shaped and horizontal, or 
slightly declining, and pale blue or yellow-blue with a slender 
daw, infolded at the sides. The style-arms are shaded with 
pale violet-purple on a yellow ground. The crests are large, 
obliquely obovate, blunt and rounded on the oblique outer 
edge, and are slaty-blue or greenish-blue. 
The falls are ornamented with an orange or golden-yellow' 
keel, mottled with black, except at the upper end, where it is 
developed into a sharp ridge. The leaves vary from three to 
five, and are lanceolate, falcate, deeply grooved on the inner 
fact 1 , slightlv keeled and prominently ribbed on the back with 
a cartilaginous, distinct white edge. At flowering time they 
are li in. to 3 in. long, and have something of the rigidity 
of the"leaves of I. persica and its allies, but even more closely 
identical with those of I. caucasica. 
The habit of the plant, both as to stature and foliage, shows 
that it is closely allied to I. caucasica. From the latter it 
differs chiefly in the larger size of its solitary flower and 
different colour. The texture of the flov'er is also much better 
than that of the last named. The newcomer, we think, will 
be regarded as a more ornamental species than that to which 
it is most nearly related. It belongs to the Juno section. 
J. F. 
Society & Association Notes. 
National Potato Society’s Show'. —The metropolitan exhi¬ 
bition of the National Potato Society in 1905 will be held at 
the Eoyal Horticultural Hall, Vincent Square, Westminster, 
near Victoria Station. The days and dates arranged are Thurs¬ 
day and Friday, November 23rd and 24th, closing at 8 p.m. 
the first day and 5 p.m. the second day. Schedules and all 
particulars may he had from the hon. secretary, Mr. Walter P. 
Wright, Postling, Hythe, Kent. 
* * * 
Ckawley and District Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement 
Association.—I beg to enclose you a copy of our first annual 
report and balance-sheet, which was adopted at our meeting on 
Wednesday last, when Mr. Joseph Cheal was in the chair. The 
essays sent in by under-gardeners were all that could be desired, 
and the committee who judged made the following awards: — 
Fruit culture (under glass) : First (Silver Gilt Medal and Certi¬ 
ficate of Merit), Air. H. Whitner, under Air. J. Coomber, 
Nymans, Handcross ; second (Silver Aledal), Air. T. Denman, 
under Air. . Shepherd, Goff’s Hill, Crawley. Vegetable cul¬ 
ture (outdoors): First (Silver Gilt Medal and Certificate of 
Merit), Air. J. Wood, under Mr. J. Bisli, Hydecroft, Crawdey; 
second (large Silver Aledal), Air. G. Aylwin, under Air. J. 
Saunders, Lovell Lodge, Crawley; third (small Silver Aledal), 
Mr. F. Brown, under Air. J. Guyatt, Timberham, Lowfieid 
Heath ; fourth (Cultural Certificate of Alerit), Air. H. Whitner, 
Aimans, Handcross. It was also decided that the association 
should become affiliated with the R.H.S., and that a library of 
horticultural works be formed in connection with the society, the 
fore-named essays to be type-written (duplicate copies), and so 
H RUC ^ eus same - Several rules were altered, and others 
added. Air. R. H. Holton was appointed assistant hon. secre- 
tan ; and the committee enlarged to tw r enty. Certificates of 
- erit -vere awarded to Air. H. Brooks, Deerswood, Ifield, for 
vehe bunches of stove and greenhouse flowers, and to Air. J. 
oombei, Nymans, Handcross, for six plants of Lachenalia 
tricolor; the last named was also awarded a Silver Aledal for 
<n ex ia fine white Cyclamen, which award he most graciously 
e . rle d to one of his men (Mr. H. Naylor) who has charge of 
tm'i i plants. This acknowledgment will no doubt 
o ioster a keener interest to be taken by the young journey¬ 
men in their duties in the immediate neighbourhood. Hevt-ra 
new members. Thanks to Air. Cheal for presiding, etc. —II v. 
Hemsley. 
* Hr * 
Undercliff Chrysanthemum Society. —The annual meeting 
of the above society was held in the Literary Institution, Vent 
nor, on the 24th ult., Air. Thomas Gibbs presiding in the 
absence of Air. Morgan Richards (president), who was detaini i 
in London. The hon. secretary (Mr. F. Attrill) reported that 
the show held in November last was an advance upon the pre¬ 
vious one, both in respect of quality and the number of ex¬ 
hibits, there being 30 more than in 1903. There was a small 
balance after expenditure, and it might have been larger had the 
weather been more favourable on the occasion of the show. It 
was unanimously decided to ask Air. Alorgan Richards to again 
accept the presidency. The committee were re-elected. This 
year’s show is to be held on November 7th and 8th. The secre¬ 
tary is Mr. F. Attrill, Bardolph, Ventnor, Isle of Wight. 
* * * 
Undercliff Horticultural Society'. —The annual meeting 
of the above society was held in the District Council Chambers, 
Ventnor, Isle of Wight, on the 23rd ult., Mr. F. Attrill pre¬ 
siding in place of the president, Mr. H. Alitchell J.P., who 
was unable to attend. The latter enclosed £3 in his letter, to 
be expended in prizes as the committee thought fit. Air. Arthur 
Woods reported that last year’s show was very successful, the 
number of exhibits being 394. The weather happened to be wet 
on the date of the show, but, fortunately, the committee had 
insured the gate-money to the extent of £30. Owing to this fact 
the society was able to carry forward a balance of £11 11s. 9d. 
The vice-presidents were re-elected, with the exception of two 
who had left the town, and the secretary was desired to ask 
others to become vice-presidents. A'lost of the committee were 
also reappointed. It was decided that the next annual show 
should be held on Wednesday, August 9th. On the suggestion 
of Mr. Gibbs a class for the best-kept front gardens in Ventnor 
was added to the schedule. 
* * ■* 
Croydon and District Horticultural Mutual Improve¬ 
ment Society. —Mr. T. W. Briscoe, of the Royal Gardens, Kew, 
read liis first-prize essay on “ Pruning and Training Hardy Fruit 
Trees.” It will be remembered this society offered to its mem¬ 
bers prizes for essays during last year, and when one listened 
to Mr. Briscoe’s remarks on Tuesday, 21st ult., at the Sun¬ 
flower Temperance Hotel, the unanimous opinion was that he 
had dealt with his subject in a very practical and embracing 
manner. Principal amongst the fruits under his notice were 
Apples, Pears, Plums, Apricots, Peaches, Cherries, Gooseberries, 
Raspberries, Currants, Vines, Nuts, Figs, etc., and under the 
separate headings he advocated the best method to prune and 
train each particular fruit in the different systems, also the 
best time when these operations should be accomplished. It 
was to be regretted, he said, that due care and forethought 
were not always given to this part of the gardener’s work, for 
sometimes it was a lack of manual strength in the establishment, 
and in some gardens the necessary knowledge required to assist 
Nature’s productions was not fully apparent. He advised the 
bestowal of greater care to this all-important feature, for then 
the continuous yearly supply would be ever going on. A good 
discussion amongst the members followed. Air. B. Acock, 
Shirley Hvrst Gardens, exhibited well-grown Primula obconica, 
and from Mr. F. Oxtoby, Coombe Lodge Gardens, came a bundle 
of forced Rhubarb, all of which were much appreciated and 
received the meeting’s vote of thanks. 
* * * 
The British Gardeners’ Association. —In addition to those 
previously reported, meetings in connection with the above have 
been held : —At Croydon, under the auspices of the Croydon 
and District Horticultural Alutual Improvement Society, the 
proposal, adjourned from a previous meeting, to form a local 
branch of the British Gardeners’ Association, was again brought 
forward, with the result that it was resolved that a branch 
should be formed. Air. W. Rowson, head gardener, Falkland 
Park Gardens, South Norwood Hill, was elected local secretary, 
and all local gardeners interested in the association are requested 
to communicate with him.-At Plymouth, on the 25th ult., 
under the auspices of the West of England Chrysanthemum 
Society, over a hundred local gardeners being present, llie 
meeting was addressed by Air. C. H. Curtis, as a delegate from 
the association. A discussion followed, after which Air. A. J. G. 
Chalice, nurseryman, Plympton, moved, and Air. W. Selley, 
head gardener, Delamore Gardens, Cormvood, seconded, “ That 
a. branch of the British Gardeners’ Association be formed ill 
