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one form, for instance, is nearly a pure yellow, with a few purple or 

 violet markings. In what is, perhaps, the handsomest form, the 

 blade of the claw is a rich deep crimson, except, on the one 

 hand, at the tip and margin, where it is of a pure solid white, 

 and, on the other hand, in the middle, where a large toothed 

 ridge of a rich golden yellow rises up ; the standards and the 

 upper surfaces of the styles are of a paler reddish-purple ; but 

 the under surfaces of the styles, and the claws of the falls which 

 they overhang, are of a golden hue, broken in the latter case by 

 crimson or purple veins. The combination of deep crimson with 

 bright gold, softened down by white and by several hues of purple 

 and of yellow, is remarkably effective ; and the only unfavourable 

 criticism which suggests itself is that the extremely rich colour- 

 ing of the flower, seen without foliage, or with very scanty foliage, 

 on the bare brown ground on a bleak day in spring, almost passes 

 over from beauty to untimely gaudiness. The same "motiv" 

 in colour may be recognised in the other forms, variations being 

 produced by the relative redness or blueness of the purple, and 

 by the predominance, or otherwise, of the yellow and white. 

 One, to my mind, very beautiful form is of a pure white, except 

 for a large patch of deep violet on the blade of the fall, and some 

 few veins. 



The plant flowers in this country in early March, or even in 

 February, according to situation and climate, keeping company 

 with many of the reticulatas. It is quite hardy as regards winter 

 frost, the bulbs beneath the ground receiving no injury from the 

 severest English cold, but the ample foliage, the leaves being 

 broad and lax, is apt to be damaged by the later frosts and snow, 

 and by March winds ; hence the situation chosen for it should be 

 one which, while fully exposed to the sun, is well sheltered from 

 the wind. In general, the culture needed appears to be about 

 the same as that for I. caucasica, save that the plant is not so 

 robust and vigorous as is that species, more imperiously demands 

 to be kept fairly dry in summer, and I am inclined to think 

 prefers a rather lighter, but not too light soil. I feel, however, 

 that I have not as yet learnt all its requirements, for individuals 

 suddenly go wrong and disappear to a much greater extent than 

 is the case with I. caucasica. Still I have no reason to doubt that 

 with ordinary care, without special precautions, it can be success- 

 fully grown in most places in this country, and I feel sure that, 



