36 



IRISH GARDENING. 



Early Flowering Irises. 



The Algerian Iris unguieularis, better known 

 as Iris stylosa, was alluded to in last month's 

 Irish Gardening. It has continued to flower 

 beautifully right on into February, and has 

 been a constant pleasure. 



In addition we have had since the latter end 

 of January sevei'al of the dwarf bulbous Irises 

 opening their early flo^^•ers. There is quite a 

 number of them known to cultivation, but a 

 good many are ditiicult to manage, and we have 

 not yet discovered the secret of keeping them 

 permanently. Such elusive beauties as the 

 little yellow flowered I. Danfordiae, the late 

 autumn or winter flowering I. alata, and the 

 queer purple, or reddish purple, I. reticulata 

 Krelagei have somehow failed to appreciate our 

 efforts to meet their requn-ements, and either 

 do not flower or vanish entirely. Why I. reti- 

 culata Krelagei should sulk is liard to say, 

 since the type and at least three varieties arc 

 quite happy, and apparently increasing in 

 vigour. The earliest of the three varieties to 

 flower was that known as Sophenensis, whicli 

 was wide open early in January, nearly a month 

 before the others, though the " Book of the 

 Iris " says it flowers in February after histrio. 

 .... The oj^posite is the case here. Our 

 clump is growing at the foot of a south-west 

 wall, pretty well sheltered, and was planted 

 some half dozen years ago iri loam sand and 

 old mortar rubble."^ This apparently suits it, as 

 it is very much stronger now and increasing. 

 The light blue flowers are delightful so early in 

 the year, and expand rather in advance of the 

 leaves. 



The next variety to open was histrio, which 

 opened towards the end of January, and con- 

 tinued on into February. This, too, is a charm- 

 ing little plant which one is glad to say has 

 been increasing for some years. Again, the base 

 of a sunny southern wall seems to suit, and a 

 similar compost. The predominating tone is 

 light blue, though on looking closely at the 

 flower it is seen to be mucli streaked and 

 mottled with that colour on a white ground. 

 Next in order came histrioides, very well named, 

 indeed, for to describe how it differs from his- 

 trio is a difficult matter, though when growing 

 near by each other they are distinct. The 

 colouring is very similar, but the flowers look 

 distinctly larger, though no actual measure- 

 ments were taken. 



Following histrioides, and indeed flowering 

 with it, came Iris Vartani much later than 

 usual, but certain other planting operations 

 going on close by caused a heap of soil to lie, 

 for some time, on the site where the Iris grows; 



this retarded growth, otherwise Vartani Mould 

 have been one of the earliest to bloom. The 

 flowers arc a pretty shade of pale blue appear- 

 ing with the leaves, whicli Anally lengthen out 

 nuicli beyond the flowers. 



Iris Tauri has lived in a sunny pocket on the 

 rock garden for a good many years, but in- 

 creases very slowly. It opened its first flower 

 in the early days of February, and was a pretty 

 sight during the sunny days we had then. 

 The flowers are peculiar in colour, a combina- 

 tion of reddisli violt't and velvety black marked 

 with white and orange. The flowers are 

 clasi)ed by the leaves, which ultimately 

 lengthen considerably after the flowers have 

 faded. Dublin. 



Cyclamen Rohlsfianum 



(Ascherson). 



This very curious and characteristic plant 

 grows in the rocks in the desert in Cyrenaica, 

 south of Benghazi. A friend of our Floraire 

 garden sent it to us last autumn. Its foliage 

 is the largest in the genus, very deeply cut 

 and sharply incised. The flowers are fragrant 

 and light pink, large, with the anthers exserted 

 and closely appressed to the style, just like- 

 tliose of the Dodecatheons. 



It flowers in late autumn and through the 

 winter in Cyrenaica. My friend writes that it 

 is difficut to grow there. 



H. CoRRK\ox, Geneva. 



The Pruning of Roses. 



To derive the greatest benefit and pleasure 

 from rose plants, it is essential that the opera- 

 tion of pruning be carried out well and wisely". 

 By skilful pruning, following on by close atten- 

 tion to necessary cultural details, rose plants 

 will produce a surprising quantity of excellent 

 blooms throughout their growing season. 



Although the pruning of tlie individual plant 

 is jiot everything, it certainly means a great 

 deal towards achieving future success. About 

 the middle of March, provided the weather be 

 open and favourable, is a good time to com- 

 mence the pruning of Hybrid Perpetuals and 

 Hybrid Teas. Noisettes and Te&f, being of a 

 more delicate constitution, should be left un- 

 pruned until the first or second week in April. 

 A sharp knife should always be used for the 

 pruning of roses, unless the secateurs are 

 kept in tip-top condition, and even then they 

 have a great tendency to injure the precious 

 plump bud, situated ' immediately below the 

 cut. Before a start is made to prune, it is well 

 to observe the habit of the individual plant. 



