Early Irises 



must stand by the law of priority, for the other was not 

 published until nine years later. 



In most gardens the best position for planting a good 

 row of this useful plant is along the south front of a 

 greenhouse. It frequently happens that there is such 

 a low space of wall quite unutilised where a narrow 

 border can easily be made. I believe in planting them 

 just after their flowering season, that is to say as soon as 

 they can be procured in late April or May ; and I like to 

 jam them up against the foot of the wall, pressing the root- 

 stock right against it, as I believe they will flower much 

 sooner if they cannot spread out on both sides. 



I have seen good results obtained by raising their bed 

 a few inches and placing a shallow board along the front 

 of it to hold up the soil, and I should strongly advise this 

 plan in moist or heavy soils. If there are hot-water 

 pipes on the other side of the wall against which they are 

 planted so much the better, you will be all the more sure 

 to get flowers in the winter months. But look carefully 

 to the guttering that almost always forms a roof over 

 their heads in such positions, as a leak into the heart of 

 a clump will soon destroy it. Another trouble may arise 

 from the melting of snow on the glass of a heated house 

 from the warmth within, and the consequent drip and 

 formation of icicles on the young leaves. It is worth 

 while to keep a piece of board to lay over them during 

 such times of trouble. Once planted they need but little 

 care. It is wise to pull away in Spring any of their leaves 

 that have died, to let air and sunlight in to ripen the 

 rootstock. In autumn any dead leaves that have blown 

 29 



