96 



CROP PRODUCTION 



a rich, moist soil. Their season of bloom may be pro- 

 longed by cutting off the flowering shoots before the 

 petals fade. The prevailing colors are red, white, pink 

 and purple, with many combinations of these. 



The Irises are among the most beautiful of all flowers. 

 The broadly expanded petals appearing in succession 

 upon the tall stems combine 

 with the sword-like foliage 

 to make one of the most 

 decorative of floral combina- 

 tions. There are many sorts 

 of Irises: they are common- 

 ly classified into two groups 

 according to the nature of 

 their roots. Some Irises 

 grow from bulbs: these are 

 the Bulbous Irises; other 

 Irises grow from rootstocks 

 or rhizomes: these are the 

 Roots tock Irises. The Bulb- 

 ous Irises include the 

 Spanish Irises and the 

 English Irises, but are com- 

 paratively unimportant. 



The German Iris is the 

 most familiar type of the 

 Rootstock Irises. It has long 

 been a favorite flower and 

 has stayed in cultivation for years in many old-fashioned 

 gardens. It has many varieties, with the colors of the 

 flowers showing exquisite tones of yellow, violet, purple, 

 blue, and red. The Siberian Iris is a taller, more 



Oriental Irises in a Japanese 

 Flower Jar 



