156 THE BOOK OF THE IRIS 



*Golden Cup, one of best yellows, popular. 



La Nestale, one of best whites. 



Louisa, falls white with golden blotch, standards 

 French grey. 



Princess Ida, falls of delicate primrose with orange 

 blotch, standards white. 



Queen Victoria, pure white. 



Sunset, falls yellow with orange blotch, standards 

 pale lavender. 



The Moor, falls rich golden yellow and orange, 

 standards rich chestnut-purple. 



These flower in June, about a fortnight earlier than 

 the " English Irises." Those marked by a star, with 

 "Ovidius" and "La Reconnaissance," are considered 

 the best by plebiscite of Dutch Bulb Society. 



Culture. The Spanish and English Irises are similar 

 in their requirements, except that the latter must have a 

 good supply of moisture in summer. In a dry garden 

 the Spanish Iris may do well while the English Iris fails 

 altogether. They are not difficult to grow and are 

 quite among the most beautiful flowers of the garden. 

 In a bed of the Cambridge Botanic Garden, a seedling 

 of the "English Iris "came by chance and increased itself, 

 by-and-by entirely occupying the bed and making a 

 fine display. Planting should be done in autumn as 

 soon as the bulbs can be obtained, and a site open to 

 full sun should be selected. Any good garden soil 

 appears to answer well, but it must be well drained. 

 If the ground is at all poor, surface dressings are valu- 

 able ; and if stiff, gritty sand may be added with advan- 

 tage, some of it being used immediately about the bulbs, 

 which should be at a depth of from 3! to 5 in., 

 according to size. These Irises may be planted among 

 roses where there is plenty of room, but rather than 

 suffer the usual crowding of the mixed herbaceous 

 border they should have beds to themselves, and indeed 



