ONCOCYCLUS IRISES 19 



were put in for a foundation to some little depth, and 

 on the top of them sods of grass were placed bottom 

 upwards so as to prevent the earth getting in and 

 blocking up the interstices below ; above this came 

 the properly prepared soil about which I shall speak 

 hereafter, and the drainage was so laid down that no 

 rain could settle among the roots but it should run 

 quickly away. It is not at all difficult to manage this 

 in reality, though a written description of it seems to 

 imply trouble at once. 



I have never had any disappointment on this head, and 

 the plants have been very successfully kept from any 

 stagnant water about their roots ; it should be added 

 perhaps that the surface of my beds in the frames is 

 carefully raised a few inches above the surrounding 

 level, and this very greatly helps in throwing off the 

 rains. I again say that this point must be carefully 

 attended to, for nothing will go well if there is here 

 a muddle of any sort. 



IV. Another practice which I follow and which 

 should not be overlooked is that of making the beds 

 very hard and firm where the Irises are to be placed. 

 I did not take this in at first when I began to attend to 

 their cultivation, and I am sure I lost by my negligence 

 in this respect, though I was quite unaware of it. I am 

 now very much alive to the advisability of very firm 

 planting, and my gardener and I think no trouble too 

 great so as to make sure of it. We remember that 

 Oncocyclus Irises never grant any pardon for an omission 

 of duty regarding them, and we try to leave them no 

 excuse for being sulky in our hands. When the com- 

 post for the Irises has been prepared it is thrown into 

 the frames and then it is beaten down with spades with 

 all the force at our command, and lest this should not 

 be enough the whole surface of the beds is covered 

 with thick boards, and I get men to stamp on them and 



