42 RIVERSIDE LETTERS vi 



succeeded in repeating this triumph in the 

 open air, and this is the first success after 

 many failures, even under glass. This iris 

 in its native land is generally covered with 

 snow during the short sharp winter, and 

 makes its extremely rapid growth during the 

 short spring which follows ; after blooming 

 it endures the long baking drought of sum- 

 mer, which ripens the tuberous roots tho- 

 roughly. Of course, in our country such an 

 arrangement in the open ground can hardly 

 be expected, and though when planted in the 

 open the tubers thrive and grow amazingly, 

 they make in our damp autumns far too early 

 a start, throwing up a number of strong green 

 blades which are almost always doomed to 

 destruction by the lasts frosts of winter, with- 

 out showing the least sign of bloom. The 

 books say that they require some protection, 

 such as a handlight, in the winter ; but I have 

 tried this over and over again without the 

 slightest success. 



In my little greenhouse, however, 1 think I 



