22S THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



leaves and an abundance of showy flowers of a fine deep blue colour 

 richly netted with purple and yellow. A first-rate border plant, 

 preferable to I. Germanica on account of its smaller size, neat habit, 

 and abundant flowering. 



J. stylosa. — A neat-growing narrow-leaved plant, producing ex- 

 quisitely beautiful pale blue flowers, which are delicately scented. 

 A first-rate iris for a warm sheltered border, but worthy of pot 

 culture, as it flowers early and is somewhat tender in constitution. 



I. Kcempferi. — This is a fibrous-rooted plant in the way of 

 I. graminea, but more handsome, presenting several distinct and 

 fine varieties, yet comparatively useless in an English garden. It 

 is so far tender that a severe winter destroys it in the open ground, 

 and so far fastidious that it is a very bad pot plant. The enthusiast 

 in iris culture may hope to succeed by planting it in a warm corner 

 near a greenhouse furnace, or some similarly favourable spot, and in 

 Devon and Cornwall it may prove to be quite hardy. The following 

 are the best among many varieties : — Alex, von Humboldt, Von 

 Sieholcl, Rutherford Alcoclc, Souvenir de Vriese, Ernst Moritz Amdt, 

 Madame Helene von Siebold, Ida. 



Tubekotjs-eooted Iris. — I. reticulata, an exceedingly neat and 

 somewhat rigid plant of dwarf, slender habit, with narrow leaves 

 and smallish flowers of the most exquisite beauty, the prevailing 

 colours brilliant purplish- violet, richly netted with bands of deep 

 gold-yellow and orange. Dr. Hooker says of it, " Though far from 

 the largest or most gorgeous, this is really one of the most beautiful 

 species of iris in cultivation; nothing can exceed the deep rich 

 violet of its perianth lobes and stigmata, or the delicious fragrance 

 of violet it exhales ; whilst the leaves are of a less coarse appearance 

 and texture than is usual in the genus." We know nothing of this 

 as a border plant, for in our cold damp soil it would simply perish 

 if planted out ; but it has long been one of the most valued gems 

 for the alpine-house, on account of its wondrously elegant and 

 sweet-scented flowers in early spring. It will grow freely in sandy 

 peat or sandy loam, and would probably thrive in sandy soil in a 

 sheltered part of a dry rockery. 



I. tuberosa. — This is the " snake's-head " iris, a curiosity and a 

 beautiful dwaif-growing plant. The flowers are blue and green, far 

 from showy, but quaint and rich in character. It thrives in a warm 

 sandy loam or peat in a sheltered spot, and is well worth pot 

 culture. On our damp cold soil it is quite hardy if planted on a 

 prepared station, so as to be well drained, and with a good mixture 

 of loam, leaf-mould, and sand to root in, the clumps consisting of 

 about a dozen roots each. 



I. xvphium, I. xipliioides. — The first of these is the " Spanish," 

 the second the "English" iris. They are so closely related that 

 there can be no impropriety in bracketing them together. They 

 are peculiar plants, presenting curious swollen flower-buds long in 

 advance of flowers, and when full out making a most interesting 

 and beautiful display. The Spanish flowers about ten days in advance 

 of the English, and are scarcely so gay; but in respect of beauty 

 the two classes do not greatly dirler. There are no named varieties, 



