DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF FLOWEKS. 253 



I. ceelestina.— Sky-blue Iris. — This is a magnificent spe- 

 cies, with long broad leaves and very large light-blue 

 flowers, on stems three feet high. 



I. versicolor. — Blue Flag. — This is a fine indigenous 

 species, a showy ornament of our meadows in the early 

 part of summer. It succeeds well in the garden. 



I. Vir^inica. — Slender Blue Flag. — This is another na- 

 tive species, but not very common. It has grass-like fo- 

 liage, with flower-stems one foot higli ; its flowers are 

 purple, veined with yellow, and not so large as any of the 

 other species or varieties. A very pretty plant for the 

 border. 



I. Germanica. — German Iris. — This is the common 

 Flower-de-Luce of the gardens, well known to all. Flow- 

 ers large, dark purple, and light-blue, or three-colored ; in 

 May and June, two feet high. I. Florentina. — Floren- 

 tine Iris, has large white flowers ; flowering at the same 

 time with the last, of the same height and habit. 



The series of Hybrid Iris is very extensive, at least one 

 hundred varieties are cultivated by some florists, many of 

 them however, have, so near a resemblance, that tliere are 

 but very few cultivators that would be desirous of encum- 

 bering their grounds with all the sorts. They are of all col- 

 ors and shades of blue, purple, yellow, and brown; some 

 are beautifully spotted, variegated, striped, parti-colored, 

 etc. A bed of the many varieties makes a fine show. 

 The roots increase so fast, that it is necessary to make new 

 beds of them every three or four years. Although the 

 Iris is not considered as a Lily, the French have given it 

 the name of one ; it is the Fleur-de-Lys, which figures in 

 the arms of France. The following conjectural origin of 

 this name is given by the Abbe la Pluche, a French 

 writer : — 



" The upper part of the Lily, when fully expanded, and 

 the two contiguous leaves beheld in profile, have," he ob- 



