IRIDE.^:. 271 



in June. The plant is a most accommodating and hardy one. 

 Native of southern Europe. 



Iris. — This is a very ornamental and highly interesting genus 

 of plants. The peculiar structure of the flowers, especially that 

 of the stigma, and the fine showy colours, which in many cases 

 are variegated in the most intricate and beautiful manner, mark 

 the genus as one of the most distinct and desirable of all the 

 hardy genera. The genus is divided into two sections very 

 clearly by the character of the roots ; one section, a small one, 

 having tuberous roots, of which /. xiphioides is the most familiar 

 example in gardens ; the other section has fibrous roots, and a 

 more or less creeping rhizome of a fleshy nature generally ap- 

 pearing on the surface of the ground. A well-developed and 

 familiar type of this section is /. gcrfuajiica, the most commonly 

 seen of the rhizomatous Iris in our gardens and shrubberies. 

 The tuberous Irises are more fastidious as to soil and situation 

 than the other kinds. They thrive best in rich light soil, and 

 prefer such a situation as will secure moderate shade for some 

 portion of the day. Well-drained borders with an east or west 

 aspect ^\ill meet their requirements well, and under such cir- 

 cumstances they are admirable ornaments for the borders of 

 shrubberies and flower-gardens. All the species and varieties 

 of this section require periodical lifting every two or three years ; 

 otherwise they decline in vigour, and are apt to descend too 

 deep in the soil, cease flowering, and die. They are increased 

 by ofl"sets, and these are best encouraged by adding a quantity 

 of good peat or two-year-old stable manure to the soil at plant- 

 ing, and the roots should not be placed deeper than 3 inches 

 in the soil. The rhizomatous species and varieties succeed well 

 in any ordinarily good garden-soil ; particularly well, however, 

 in light rich soils ; they are consequently more generally adapt- 

 able to many purposes in the flower-garden. Many of the vigorous 

 species are fond of moist situations, as by the banks of pieces 

 of water and streams ; and for adorning such places they are at 

 once characteristic and beautiful. They may also be introduced 

 and naturalised in open woods and banks, where the natural 

 vegetation is not over-rank and powerful ; and they are among 

 the most choice of ornaments for the mixed border, and for 

 mixing on the margins of shrubberies ^\'ith other characteristic 

 herbaceous plants or small shrubs. Propagate by division of 

 the rhizomes. When the rhizomes rise too high above the sur- 

 face of the ground, the plants require to be lifted and planted 

 deeper; and this should be done in early autumn. All maybe 

 increased by seed, whi^ch should be sown as soon as it is ripe ; 

 and some of the species being variable, interesting variations 



