486 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER.  \m. 
tuberous  Begonias,  displayed  exhibit  after  exhibit  in  bewilder¬ 
ing  profusion,  and  rivalling  in  size  and  delicacy  of  tint  the 
very  queen  of  flowers  herself,  though  lacking  her  crowning 
glorj’  of  delicious  odour.  AVe  need  not  be  very  advanced  in 
years  to  remember  wdien  Begonias  were  hardly  regarded  as 
flowering  plants  at  all,  the  large-leaved  foliage  section,  with 
insignificant  and  unregarded  blooms  representing  the  popular 
ideal  of  the  family.  Later,  however,  two  species  were  imported 
with  larger,  and  pretty,  but  still  by  no  means  very  attractive, 
flowers,  and  these  two  were  mated  together.  The  resulting 
seedlings,  as  is  almost  invariably  the  case  with  hybrids,  varied 
much  among  themselves,  and  presently  different  tints  and 
varied  and  larger  forms  appeared,  and  selection  began  on 
definite  and  better  lines,  until  finally  we  have  arrived  to-day 
at  such  a  pitch  of  perfection  that  it  seems  impossible  to  im¬ 
prove  them.  That  is  the  history  of  the  Begonia  so  far  as  the 
exhibits  before  us  are  concerned  ;  but,  in  addition,  only  a  few 
years  back,  another  species  (B.  socotrana)  with  spreading 
panicles  of  small  flowers,  was  introduced,  and  this  speedily 
gave  us  the  beautiful  and  very  different  section  of  winter¬ 
flowering  Begonias  now  so  popular,  and  affords  fresh  openings 
for  further  development. 
Here  is  a  group  of  Cannas  of  all  tints  of  orange  and  red. 
In  these  we  see,  on  the  other  hand,  the  developments  of  mere 
selection  within  one  species,  but  yet  constituting  another 
revolution  of  ideas,  since  formerly  they  were  grown  entirely  as 
foliage  plants,  and  the  flowers  were  practically  disregarded, 
being  comparatively  small  and  irregular,  and  presenting  but 
little  promise  of  the  grand  flowers  of  to-day.  In  the  Clematis 
family  we  have  one  of  the  most  striking  instances  of  improve¬ 
ment  by  infusion  of  strange  blood,  to  a  definite  end.  Originally, 
though  we  had  many  handsome  Clematises,  they  were  all 
either  white  or  of  cold  shades  of  blue  and  purple,  and  despite 
the  myriads  that  were  raised,  there  seemed  no  chance  of  warm 
ruddy  tints  arising  by  a  sport.  AVhat  could  be  done.P  The 
only  known  species  of  a  red  colour  (C.  coccinea)  had  an  absurd 
habit  of  hardly  opening  its  buds,  which  were,  moreover,  some¬ 
what  small  and  pinched  up  near  the  opening,  in  a  very  un¬ 
promising  fashion.  The  much-desired  colour,  however,  was 
there,  and  so  the  hybridiser  set  to  work  to  see  if  it  could  be 
infused  into  the  better  formed  flowers.  At  first,  naturally,  the 
resulting  crosses  inherited  more  or  less  of  the  faulty  shape, 
which  marred  the  broadly  opened  chalices  of  the  ideal  dematis 
flower.  In  time,  however,  by  selection  this  fault  was  bred 
out,  and  we  now  see  a  host  of  beautiful  types,  huge  blossomed, 
and  delicately  rose  tinted,  or  even  as  in  “  Ville  de  Lyon”  of 
a  rich  red  throughout,  and  yet  of  perfect  form. 
The  history  of  the  Roses  already  fills  volumes.  Here,  too, 
it  is  the  hybridist  and  the  selector,  aided  frequently  by  Nature’s 
sportive  fancy,  which  often  gives  an  altogether  unexpected 
prize,  who  have  fashioned  an  originally  simple  flower  into 
thousands  of  ornate  and  multiform  types.  A  curious  feature, 
however,  of  one  exhibit,  AV’altham  Rambler,  is  an  absolute 
reversion  to  the  simple  wild  Rose  of  the  hedges,  but  in  large 
and  well-arranged  bunches,  a  combination  of  native  simplicity 
with  the  more  floriferous  nature  of  the  Crimson  Rambler  type, 
which  is  extremely  beautiful.  The  hitherto  white  Tobacco 
flower  has  also  recently  received  an  infusion  of  coloured  blood, 
and  a  noteworthy  feature  of  the  exhibition  was  a  group  of 
varied  tints  which  graced  the  show  in  the  large  tent,  the 
beginning  doubtless  of  a  far  more  attractive  strain. 
Then  we  come  to  the  orchids,  always  the  main  feature,  but 
what  can  we  say  of  these  almost  indescribable  flowers,  the 
sphinxes  as  it  were  of  the  floral  world,  since  every  one  is  a 
silent  mystery  of  evolutionary  sympathy  ’twixt  flower  and 
insect  at  which  we  can  hardly  even  venture  a  guess,  so  com- 
plex  IS  the  outcome.  With  this  tribe,  could  the  entire  history 
of  its  introduction  be  written,  what  book  of  adventures  could 
compare  with  it  as  regards  the  imminent  perils  and  hair¬ 
breadth  escapes  of  those  who  explore  the  utmost  recesses  of 
primjeval  forests  in  search  of  rarities  otherwise  unattainable  ? 
h  rom  all  parts  of  the  tropical  and  sub-tropical  regions  come 
these  curious  flowers,  which  seem  to  imitate  everything  but 
I'l  native  orchids  (the  Bee, 
the  bly,  the  Man,  Ac.)  are  curious  enough,  but  these  grand 
flowers  of  the  tropics  go  far  beyond  them. 
Heve,  too,  however  rich  the  oTchid  hunters’  fields  have 
proved,  and  variable  as  are  the  flowers  in  themselves,  the 
hybridist  has  stepped  in,  linking  not  merely  variety  to  variety, 
and  species  to  species,  but  even  genus  to  genus  in  an  un¬ 
exampled  fashion,  until  their  name  is  legion,  and  none  but  the 
expert  can  adequately  judge  their  individual  charms.  Azaleas 
and  Rhododendrons  in  dense  and  glowing  masses,  and  scores 
of  other  flowers  w'e  might  cite,  did  space  permit,  all  telling 
more  or  less  the  same  tale  of  Nature’s  liberality  and  man’s 
ingenuity  and  perseverance  ;  and  it  undoubtedly  adds  immensely 
to  the  charm  of  such  an  exhibition  to  bear  these  considerations 
in  mind,  and  get  thus,  as  it  were,  a  little  peep  behind  the 
scenes. 
No  one  but  the  breeder  knows  the  huge  percentage  of 
failures  as  compared  with  successes  and  prizes.  Thousands  of 
plants  may  be  raised  to  no  improving  purpose ;  or,  on  the  other 
hand,  a  single  batch  may  form  a  bunch  of  prizes.  Finally,  it 
should  not  be  forgotten  that  when  results  accrue,  it  is  the 
province  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  to  arrange  such 
shows  as  these,  and  that  of  the  committees  to  put,  as  it  were, 
the  finishing  touch  by  iironouncing  for  or  against  the  fruits 
of  so  much  toil.  In  .so  doing,  they  exercise  that  healthy  con¬ 
trol  which  is  essential  to  the  proper  education  of  the  public 
taste,  and  as  a  check  uiion  undue  multiplication  of  imperfect 
types  and  consequent  swamping  of  the  best.  This  office  the 
society  undoubtedly  fulfils  to  the  utmost,  since  its  committees 
are  all  men  of  long  and  wide  experience  and  keenly  cognisant 
of  the  great  responsibility  which  rests  upon  their  shoulders. 
This  being  so,  it  is  obvious  that  the  public  owe  an  enormous 
debt  to  the  society,  and  it  is  therefore  to  be  hoped  that  by 
the  time  the  new'  Royal  Horticultural  Hall  is  opened  in  July, 
this  debt  will  have  been  sufficiently  recognised,  so  that  the 
balance  of  the  money  required  for  its  erection  wdll  be  fully 
subscribed.  AA’ithout  such  a  central  assembly  of  experts,  who 
give  their  services  freely  and  entirely  pro  hono  puhlico  and  the 
love  of  the  cult,  not  a  tithe  of  the  progress  exemplified  in  the 
Temple  Show  could  have  been  arrived  at,  for  the  main  induce¬ 
ment  of  every  cultivator  is  precisely  that  eventual  expert 
recognition  wdiich  the  society  provides,  and  which  practically 
crowns  his  laboiir  hy  securing  public  approval  in  addition.  The 
least,  therefore,  the  flower-loving  public  can  do  is  to  provide 
them  with  fitting  quarters  in  which  to  exercise  their  functions, 
in  conjunction  with  the  coyncil  for  the  general  benefit. 
Irises  at  Kew, 
The  collection  of  bearded  and  herbaceous  Iri.ses  at  Kew  are 
at  the  height  of  their  glory,  and  among  the  best  are  Iris  amoena 
Mrs.  H.  Darwin,  wdth  soft  wdiite  gli.stening  flow'ers,  having  an 
ivory  white  midrih  and  purple  streaks  on  either  side  at  the 
base  of  the  falls.  I.  florentina  is  past.  Varieties  of  I.  variegata 
are  Prince  of  Orange,  rich  golden  standards  and  bronze- 
chocolate  fails  :  one  of  the  best.  But  for  brilliance  the  variety 
Honorable  vies  wdth  it.  This  is  a  tall  grow'er.  I.  v.  Enchantress* 
is  a  pretty  dw'arf  growing  variety  with  nicely  veined  falls  (gold 
and  dark  brownish-red).  I.  v.  Regina  is  one  of  the  tallest,  and 
one  of  the  sweetest.  The  standards  are  sulphury  yellowy  and 
the  falls  primrose  with  purple  veins.  I.  v.  Makengo  grows 
18in  high,  bearing  bright  light  golden  standards  and  intense 
rich  dark  chocolate-crimson  falls.  I.  v.  aurea  is  a  soft  canary 
yellow  in  each  of  its  parts,  w'hile  I.  v.  alba  is  wdiite,  and  re¬ 
sembles  I.  florentina,  but  is  much  smaller  in  size,  taller  in 
growth,  and  has  not  the  dainty  mauve  flush  of  the  Fleur  de  Lys. 
The  squalens  group  are  beautiful,  especially  to  those  w'ho 
enjoy  quiet  colours.  I.  s.  Abdul  Aziz  is  rather  poor,  with 
purple-violet  falls,  and  dingy  buff-lilac  standards.  I.  s.  Van 
Geerti  is  a  vigorous  grower,  wdth  handsome  dark  foliage 
markedly  ribbed.  It  was  not  in  flow^er  on  June  4.  I.  s. 
AValneriana  is  one  of  the  finest  and  handsomest  Irises  in  the 
collection,  having  a  profusion  of  flow'ers  which  attain  a  height 
of  2Jft  to  3ft.  The  falls  are  coloured  lavender-purple — a 
peculiar  and  pretty  .shade — having  a  golden  beard  and  lines  of 
the  same  hue  at  the  base.  The  standards  are  bronzy  yellow  at 
the  base  and  purple  buff  toward  the  top.  It  is  faintly  scented. 
I.  s.  Dr.  Bernice  has  blackish  crimson  falls  veined  and  bearded 
at  the  base  wdth  gold,  and  the  standards  (which  are  small)  are 
coppery  red.  I.  s.  Jacquiniana  has  falls  very  similar,  but  the 
standards  are  broadly  edged  wdth  magenta.  The  flow’ers  are 
fully  half  a  foot  taller. 
The  pallida  section,  of  course,  are  incomparable  in  stateli¬ 
ness,  size,  and  grace.  I.  pallida  Queen  of  May  is  one  of  the 
best  known,  and  bears  deep  rosy-lilac  flowers  deepening  tow'ard 
the  edges  to  nearly  purple.  This  is  certainlj'  one  of  the  mo.st 
distinctive  varieties,  and  very  excellent.  I.  p.  dalmatica,  I.  p. 
Albert  A^ictor,  and  I.  p.  AA’alner  are  three  stately  queens,  the 
two  latter  very  much  alike  in  all  respects,  but  the  falls  of 
AValner  are  more  of  a  violet  colour  than  those  of  Albert  Victor. 
The  standard  in  each  case  is  a  light  bright  lavender  violet. 
I.  p.  dalmatica  is  paler  than  either,  and  possesses  delicate 
grace.  I.  flavescens  is  a  sweet  soft  yellow'  Iris  from  the 
Caucasus.  I.  neglecta  Hannibal,  and  I.  n.  A^irginie,  each  with 
mauve  standards  and  rich  blue  purple  falls,  are  the  best  of  the 
section,  while  I.  Sambucina  Beethoven,  with  rose-mauve  stan¬ 
dards  and  reddish  violet  falls,  is  also  fine.  Iris  germanica 
Purple  King  w'ith  magnificently  large  red  purple  flow'ers  ;  I.  g. 
major  with  huge  lavender  flow'ers  having  purple  falls ;  and  I.  g. 
Siwas,  with  deep  indigo  red  standards  and  paler  falls,  are  each 
noted  varieties. 
