March 6, 1915 



HORTICULTURE 



303- 



Iris beticulata 



Iris reticul.^ta var Krelagei 



The Irises pictured herewith are among 

 the most beautiful of the bulbous section, 

 and to my mind one of them. Iris retic- 

 ulata, will bear comparison livith any 

 species in the genus. Its flowers, which are pi'oduced 

 before the leaves, are from three to four inches in 

 diameter, six to eight in height, and several are pro- 

 duced by each bulb. They are rich violet in color, with 

 golden yellow and white markings on the falls. The 

 flowers last in good condition for a considerable time, 

 and charm all the wliile with their delicious fragrance 

 reminiscent of that of violets.. The photograph sliows 

 the reticulated character of the covering of the bulb, 

 which gives this Iris its specific name. It is a native 

 of Asia Minor and Persia. 



Iris reticulata var. Krelagei, whilst not possessing 

 the charm of the type, is very beautiful and worthy of 

 culture. It is somewhat dwarfer than I. reticulata, its 

 coloring is not so brilliant, nor its fragrance so pleasing. 

 The flowers are red-purple in color with veins of a 

 darker shade. The falls liave golden yellow markings 

 and some flowers possess a velvety blotch that is almost 

 black. It is a native of the Caucasus. Other varieties 

 of /. reticulata, are Hislrio. and liistrioides, both of 

 them f)a]e blue in color. They are valuable in that they 

 come into flower some weeks earlier than /. reticulata. 



Iris Danfordiae is a diminutive species, the flowers 

 only ascending three or four inches from the soil. The 

 leaves, which are produced after the flowere, are about 

 a foot in length. At a first glance the standards in this 

 species appear to be absent, but, on closer oliservation, 

 they may be found much reduced in size and having tlie 

 appearance of scale-like teeth. The flowers arc fra- 

 grant, about two inches in diameter, the outer segments Brooh-h/n Botanic Garden. 



being orange yellow, with brown or green- 

 ish spots. The style arms are yellow and 

 the style crests are very conspicuous. It 

 is a native of the Cilician Tauiiis. 

 All these Irises are of fairly easy culture and are very 

 valuable winter flowering, cool house, subjects. The 

 bulbs should be potted in the fall, in pans, placing the 

 bulbs about two inches apart, excepting those of 

 I. Danfordiae, whicli not being of such strong growth 

 may be planted closer togetlier. The soil should con- 

 sist of two parts loam, one part leaf soil, -nith enough 

 broken oyster shells or mortar nibble to provide cal- 

 careous matter, and to make the soil tlioroughly porous. 

 After potting, the bulbs should be plunged out-of-doors 

 in ashes, with good covering to keep out severe frosts, 

 and left until about the middle of January, when they 

 may be brought into a house having a night tempera- 

 ture of 50 deg., and allowed to bloom. Whilst bloom- 

 ing they should be treated to an application of bone 

 meal, which will assist in the formation of good bulbs 

 wliich will flower the following year. WTien the leaves 

 begin to turn yellow, water should be withheld and the 

 plants allowed to dry off. 



An abundance of sunshine and water during the gi'ow- 

 ing season, and a porous soil with good drainage in the 

 pots, are the important tilings to provide in the cultiva- 

 tion of these beautiful Irises. It should also be borne 

 in mind that liard forcing will so debilitate tbem as tn 

 make tlieni useless for another year. 



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