as a Native of Irelarid. 



29 



One circumstance relating to the culture of this plant I 

 think not unworthy of being mentioned. The roots from 

 Cork were procured in 1814, and I had for some years pre- 

 viously cultivated the plant, having received it from the Ox- 

 ford garden * ; but from that time to this, though I tried it in 

 various soils and situations, both in the borders and in pots, 

 and adopted the method recommended by Miller and Curtis 

 in the Botanical Magazine^ of putting rubbish under the roots 

 to prevent them from going too deep in the ground, the iris 

 never produced a flower in my garden, with the solitary 

 exception of one year, and then only one single flower. I 

 gave roots of it to a friend, in whose garden, situated about 

 eight miles distant, they remained for seven or eight years, 

 producing, as in my case, no blossoms. All this is, perhaps, 

 nothing extraordinary ; though it certainly might have been 

 expected that the plant would have enjoyed itself at least as 

 well in our Warwickshire gardens as it did on the old dry 

 bank near Cork. What I think remarkable in the case is, 

 that the roots of the iris, after remaining in my friend's gar- 

 den for seven or eight years unproductive, as above stated, alt 

 at once took to flowering abundantly, though no alteration of 



treatment was adopted, nor any 

 particular care or attention be- 

 stowed on their culture. The 

 garden alluded to consists of a 

 light dry soil ; the iris grows in 

 the open border, and in this 

 situation has, from the first com- 

 mencement of its flowering, con- 

 tinued to produce flowers pro- 

 fusely every year since. I have 

 seen between thirty and forty 

 blossoms out at a time on one 

 patch. I may observe that the 

 figure of 7^ris tuberosa in the Bo^ 

 tanical Magazine, pi. 531., is but 

 a very indifferent representation. 

 Such of your readers as have the 

 opportunity of consulting that 

 costly and splendid work, I would refer to Flora Grdca^ 

 tab. 41., for an excellent figure i^fig* 9.) of this singular and 

 beautiful plant. Yours, &c. 



Alledey Bectary, Nov. 13. 1830. W. T. Bree. 



* I watched the plant for several years in the botanic garden during my 

 residence at Oxford, but never could see that it flowered, though it in- 

 creased abundantly by the roots. The old gardener, however, told me 

 that it did occasionally produce flowers. 



