62 DUTCH BULBS AND GARDENS 



protection. They are little trouble in the growing, 

 and are lifted at the end of July, when the greater 

 number of other bulbs are already harvested. They 

 increase fairly well, and the young ones have the 

 further advantage of coming to maturity in a 

 comparatively short time. New varieties, as is 

 almost invariably the case with bulbs, are obtained 

 from seed. One may often see small patches of 

 new sorts, of which the grower has hope, flowering 

 beside large quantities of the established kind, this 

 for the sake of comparison, and to determine if 

 the new is really new, and has anything worthy of 

 preservation. The original bulb of Spain is said 

 to have been blue flowered, the yellow influence 

 coming from Portugal ; but the crossing and 

 blending of the two, whether started by art or 

 nature, was begun too far back to be recorded. It 

 is impossible to trace the history of many of the 

 innumerable and beautiful shades and blends that 

 exist now. 



Iris anglica is another striking feature of the 

 bulb gardens in early summer, coming into flower 

 just when the Spanish are over, and presenting a 

 more gorgeous and striking effect. It is a native 

 of the Pyrenees, and no relation in root or any- 

 thing else to the tuberous -rooted flag -irises of 



