IRIS 



THE BULB BOOK 



IRIS 



scrapings pure and simple in which 

 to plant his Irises. This soil is light, 

 rich, gritty, and easily penetrated. 

 Moreover it cakes at the top, and 

 even in hot weather does not become 

 dead dry if no glass be put over it. 

 When the plants have finished 

 flowering in early summer a light is 

 placed over them, in such a way that 

 there is free circulation of air. This 

 protects the ripening plants from 

 rain, and they can dry off in the 

 soil without being disturbed. To 

 ensure a dry bottom, Mr Ewbank 

 placed about 1 ft. beneath the surface 

 of the soil some paving-stones, and 

 thus prevented the ascent of moisture 

 from the subsoil. 



The best time to plant Oncocyclus 

 Irises is the first week in June, and 

 if the methods of Mr Ewbank are 

 adopted (or a modification of them, 

 so long as the principle remains the 

 same), there is every chance of 

 securing success. With a dry well- 

 drained bottom, the beds only require 

 to be covered with a layer of straw 

 or litter from the time of planting 

 say 1st November till about 1st 

 February simply to keep off 

 excessive rains. 



HYBRIDS BETWEEN THE "ONCO- 

 CYCLUS" AND "REGELIA" IRISES. 



For some years past attempts have 

 been made to secure a new race of 

 hardy Irises by combining the best 

 qualities of the Oncocyclus and 

 Regelia groups. Such a race is now 

 an established fact, thanks to the 

 enterprise of Mr C. G. Van Tubergen, 

 jun., of Haarlem. During the past 

 eight or nine years he has been 

 fertilising the finest and most perfect 

 forms of the Regelia group such as 

 Korolkowi, vaga, Leichtlini, and 

 Suwormvi with pollen from the best 



forms of such Oncocyclus Irises as 

 Susiana, Marioe, Lorteti, iberica, 

 Gatesi, etc. 



The new hybrid Irises, however, to 

 which the name of " Regelio-Cyclus " 

 has been given, not only flower freely 

 but increase rapidly. They delight 

 in a good sandy loam, to which may 

 be added a liberal quantity of well- 

 decomposed cow-manure. The soil 

 must be dug to a depth of 2 or 3 



FIG. 192. Iris, Regelio-Cyclus forms, (i.) 



ft., so as to secure perfect drainage. 

 This is a most important condition, 

 as anything like stagnant water in 

 the soil is likely to cause the rhizomes 

 to decay during the winter months. 

 Stiff, heavy soils must be made 

 lighter and more porous by the 

 addition of plenty of sand or grit, and 

 it is wise to surround the rhizomes 

 with a good layer of sand at the 

 time of planting. Besides the sand 

 and cow-dung, it is also an advantage 

 to add a little mortar rubble, as these 



293 



