494 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER , 
December  7,  1899. 
IRIS  KiEMPFERI. 
I  have  read  Mr.  J.  S.  Upex’s  note  on  page  447  of  the  Journal 
of  Horticulture  respecting  Iris  Ksempferi.  It  is  not  at  all  difficult  to 
manage  when  grown  under  proper  conditions.  We  have  about  4000 
plants  here  in  the  best  of  health.  They  have  been  planted  in  beds 
now  five  years.  The  beds  are  4  feet  wide,  with  an  alley  between, 
and  arranged  so  that  th'  y  can  be  flooded  from  the  garden  lake. 
The  soil,  which  is  good  medium  loam,  was  thoroughly  trenched  and 
heavily  dressed  with  well  decayed  manure,  and  one  row  of  plants 
planted  in  the  centre  of  each  bed.  In  spring,  when  they  have 
started  growing  freely,  the  water  is  turned  on,  and  they  are 
constantly  submerged  until  they  show  signs  of  ripening  in  the 
autumn,  when  the  water  is  shut  off  for  the  winter.  They  are  now 
huge  clumps  occupying  the  whole  beds,  and  each  clump  produced 
this  season  from  ten  to  twelve  spikes,  with  flowers  measuring  9  to 
10  inches  across.  They  make  a  fine  show  when  in  full  flower,  and 
are  the  admiration  of  everyone  who  sees  them.  To  attempt  to  grow 
Iris  Ksempferi  in  an  ordinary  herbaceous  border  is  useless,  but  to 
anyone  who  can  give  them  abundance  of  water  during  the  growing 
season,  there  is  no  difficulty  in  having  a  fine  show  of  large  and 
interesting  flowers. — A.  McCulloch,  Newstead  Abbey. 
I  WAS  interested  in  reading  Mr.  J.  S.  Upex’s  article  on  page  447, 
and  I  would  like  to  mention  the  conditions  under  which  we  planted 
several  hundred  roots  last  autumn,  and  that  have  gone  through  the 
past  summer  without  having  been  once  watered.  A  large  number  of 
them  flowered,  and  the  fine  growths  they  have  made  warrant  me  in 
assuming  that  they  have  so  far  been  a  success. 
When  once  they  are  understood  there  seems  to  be  no  difficulty  in 
their  cultivation.  It  is  not  so  much  a  matter  of  soil  as  of  situation 
and  aspect,  and  I  might  cali  attention  to  what  I  thick  is  likely  to  be 
a  drawback  to  complete  success  in  the  case  of  your  correspondent,  and 
that  is  the  southern  aspect  be  has  given  them.  I  am  afraid  that  the 
flowers  would  be  very  likely  to  scorch,  and  not  be  lasting  in  a  bright 
hot  sun,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  plants  may  be  well  cared 
for  in  watering. 
To  anyone  who  sees  the  flowers  for  the  first  time  they  come  as  a 
revelation,  I  might  say  a  gorgeous  revelation,  rivalling,  and  even 
excelling  many  of  our  indoor  Orchids  in  their  colourings  and  markings. 
It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  I  think  this  Iris  has  a  great  future 
before  it.  I  feel  sure  there  are  many  places  and  positions  similar  to 
our  own  in  which  it  will  grow  to  perfection,  and  I  am  induced  to  give 
a  do  cription,  which  may  be  helpful  to  some  readers  who  have  plants 
that  are  not  doing  as  they  should,  as  was  the  case  with  your  corre¬ 
spondent,  or  others  wrho  may  be  contemplating  their  cultivation  in  the 
future. 
I  may  state  at  the  outset  that  wre  had  the  advantage  of  Miss 
Willmott’s  unrivalled  knowledge  in  choosing  a  situation.  The  position 
selected  was  a  low-lying  boggy  sort  of  swamp  almost  entirely  sur¬ 
rounded  by  tall  Beech  and  other  trees,  receiving  only  through  the 
summer  months  a  few  hours’  sun  in  the  forenoon  and  at  the  middle 
of  the  day.  The  soil  is  somewhat  black  and  peaty,  and  will  produce 
nothing  but  a  mass  of  common  wild  Ranunculus,  Marsb  Marigolds 
and  Meadowsweet,  common  wild  Privet  and  Ribes.  I  should  imagine 
where  the  Meadowsweet  is  happy  so  will  Iris  Ksempferi  be. 
All  that  was  done  in  the  way  of  soil  preparation  was  simply  to 
clear  away  the  rough  weeds,  dig  out  some  informal  beds,  top-dress 
with  fine  soil  to  enable  the  trowel  to  work  in  planting  the  Irises  ; 
afterwards  the  beds  were  kept  clear  of  weeds.  The  surroundings  are  ot 
a  semi-wild  character,  and  a  few  rough  moss-grown  stones  stand  here 
and  there  about  the  beds  for  stepping  upon  in  wet  weather. 
We  are  adding  other  features,  such  as  Primula  japonica,  P.  rosea  in 
beds,  and  also  several  varieties  of  Bamboos,  and  making  what  has 
hitherto  been  an  eyesore  into  a  place  of  interest  ani  beauty. — N.  E., 
Northumberland. 
[We  are  much  obliged  to  our  correspondents  for  their  records  of 
success  in  growing  what  might  not  inappropriately  be  termed  this 
beautiful  Swamp  Iris.  Both  Miss  Willmott  and  Mr.  McCulloch  evidently 
understand  its  nature  and  requirements.  We  have  received  from  Japan 
a  letter — and  a  remarkable  one  it  is,  as  it  contains  3000  words  on  three 
sheets  of  note  paper,  not  written  on  one  side  only — from  Mr.  Peter  Barr. 
Pie  speaks  of  “  whole  fields  of  Iris  Ksempferi.”  They  are  Rice  fields, 
and  says  all  the  time  the  plants  are  growing  they  are  in  water. 
When  done  growing  the  water  is  drained  off.  Pie  says  in  England 
they  should  be  grown  in  beds  that  can  be  soaked  with  water  while 
the  plants  are  growing ;  after  flowering  have  less  water,  and  about 
August  no  water  need  be  given.  Mr.  Barr  says  he  has  taken 
descriptions  of  300  varieties  of  I.  Ksempferi,  and  intends  preparing 
full  cultural  directions.  We  may  peihaps  insert  some  portions  of  the 
letter  referred  to  as  it  contains  interesting  matter,  and  we  cannot  call 
to  nnnd  any  other  person  seventy-four  years  of  age  who  could  have 
penned  so  much  information  on  such  a  small  amount  of  paper.] 
APPLE  NOTES. 
Two  Monmouthshire  Apples. 
On  page  448  were  enumerated  many  varieties  of  Apples  brought 
from  Newport  by  Mr.  J.  Basham,  of  Bassaleg,  and  referring  in  the 
concluding  portion  of  the  report  of  the  meeting  of  the  Royal  Horti¬ 
cultural  Society  to  the  fact  that  two  of  these  had  received  awards  of 
merit  from  the  Fruit  Committee.  In  this  we  were  slightly  in  error, 
as  Cissy  was  not  so  honoured.  It  is  nevertheless  an  Apple  possessing 
such  desirable  qualities  that  we  give  (fig.  86)  a  representation  of  a 
typical  fruit.  The  second  variety  illustrated  (fig.  87)  is  Bassaleg 
Pippin,  and  it  is  unquestionably  an  excellent  Apple. 
Taking  first  Cissy,  it  may  be  said  at  once  that  it  is  not  a  new  variety 
in  Monmouthshire,  as  it  can  be  readily  traced  back  for  over  a  hundred 
years.  It  is  a  strikingly  handsome  fruit,  rather  over  medium  size  and  of 
symmetrical  form.  The  skin  is  almost  wholly  covered  with  richjdeep 
crimson,  though  on  the  shaded  side  the  yellow  of  the  ground  shines 
through.  There  are  over  the  whole  surface  numerous  stripes  and 
Fig.  86. — Apple  Cissy. 
splashes  of  darker  crimson.  The  fruit  is  rather  larger  at  the  middle 
than  elsewhere,  tapering  slightly  to  each  end.  The  small  eye  is  set 
in  a  shallow,  somewhat  irregular  basin,  and  has  broad  segments  which 
diverge  at  the  tips.  The  stamens  are  median  and  the  tube  funnel 
shaped.  The  stalk  is  very  short,  scarcely  more  than  a  knob,  and  is 
deeply  set  in  a  round  cavity.  The  flesh,  white  tinged  with  red,  is 
soft  and  of  first-rate  flavour,  though  some  of  the  specimens  exhibited 
were  a  little  past  their  best. 
Bassaleg  Pippin  is  a  variety  that  must  come  to  the  front,  as  it  will 
stand  prominently  for  dessert,  and  is,  in  addition,  most  desirable  for 
culinary  purposes.  It  is  above  medium  size  and  has  several  incon¬ 
spicuous  ridges.  The  very  small  closed  eye  is  set  in  a  moderately 
deep  and  plaited  basin,  while  the  very  thick,  short  stalk  is  embedded 
in  a  deep  green-lined  cavity.  The  prevailing  colour  is  a  lively  yellow, 
with  bright  scarlet  splashed  with  crimson  on  the  sun  side  and  destitute 
of  any  trace  of  russet.  The  flesh,  white  faintly  tinged  with  green, 
is  crisp,  juicy,  sugary  and  very  pleasant  to  the  palate.  Like  Cissy  it 
is  an  Apple  of  attractive  appearance,  winch,  if  it  is  a  good  cropper,  is 
likely  to  find  favour  with  maiket  as  well  as  private  growers.  This, 
it  will  be  understood,  received  an  award  of  merit. 
The  Produce  of  a  County. 
It  is  evident  from  the  report  of  the  meeting  of  the  R.H.S.  on 
November  the  21st  that  those  who  were  not  present  missed  something 
of  interest  and  instruction  in  not  seeing  the  collection  of  Apples 
exhibited  by  Mr.  J.  Basham,  Bassaleg,  Monmouth.  Not  the  least 
interesting  section  of  the  exhibit  would  be  that  portion  made  up  of 
fruit  obtained  from  different  parts  of  the  county,  illustrating  its 
character  under  varying  conditions  of  soil  and  situation.  I  am  not 
sure  W'hether  Mr.  Basham  has  created  a  precedent  by  showdng  an 
exhibit  of  Apples  representing  a  wdaole  county  at  a  R.II.S.  meeting, 
but  I  do  not  remember  anything  of  the  kind  being  done  before.  It  is 
certain,  however,  that  considerable  trouble  must  have  been  gone  to,  and 
thought  little  of,  to  do  this,  and  it  may  suggest  to  others  that  the  example 
is  worth  following  in  regard  to  the  fruit  production  of  other  counties. 
