IRIS 



IRIS 



823 



steadily becoming warm, the plants being uncovered as 

 soon as the conditions will seem to warrant, should be 

 in the best possible shape to reward one with their noble 

 blooms. It is the lack of this genial spring in the lati- 

 tude of New York which, however, leads often to cul- 

 tural troubles. The leaves, having been protected, are 

 none too hard, and, with the constant alternate thawing 

 and freezing, and the high winds, hot and cold, the 

 plants need constant watching and application of needed 

 covering till really genial weather. Otherwise the foli- 

 age is blighted and no flowers are produced. 



In gardens which are low and never free from mois- 

 ture, the best procedure is that followed in Holland, 

 lifting the rhizomes in July and taking them under cover 

 in dry earth, planting out again in the fall. In this case 

 care should be used in lifting not to injure the numer- 

 ous fleshy roots. The Palestine and Persian forms of 

 these Irises are considered the most difficult to cultivate, 

 from their habit of early growth. 



Irises are not only increased by the division of the 

 rhizomes or by offsets, but may be rapidly grown from 

 seed, which they usually produce freely, though, in 

 most cases, they require artificial fertilization. A large 

 number of the common Irises of gardens are hybrids, 

 and of late years a number of beautiful hybrids have 

 been produced between some of the rarer Oncocyclus 

 species, and between these also and common forms, as 

 I.parieqata, etc. There are still opportunities to pro- 

 duce many new and untried crosses, and experiments 

 in this line are recommended. The pollination of the 

 Iris is simple. The anthers should be removed when 

 the flower first opens, and preserved in paper or vials, 

 properly marked. The pollen will retain its potency for 

 a week or perhaps longer, and may be applied to the 

 stigma of the flower selected (the anther of which has 

 been removed promptly) with a camel's-hair brush. 

 The stigma will be found near the apex of the petal-like 

 style, and is ready for pollination when the upper edge 

 drops down and exposes the upper surface. Many Iris 

 seeds germinate with considerable irregularity, and 

 failure to start promptly should not lead to discourage- 

 ment or discarding of the pan in which the seeds are. 

 J. N Gerard. 



INDEX. 



slcula, 55. superba, 13. vaga, 67. 



Sindjarensis, 97. Susiana, 77. variegata. 12. 18. 48. 



Sisyrinchium, 92. Suwarowi, 66. Vartani. 89. 



Sogdiana, 23. Swertii, 57. verna, 31. 



speciosa, 55. tectorum, 33. versicolor, 19. 



spectabilis, 81. tenax, 6. viulaceu, 68. 



spuria, 30. Tingitana, 83. virescens, 43. 



squalens, 61. Tolmieana, 15. Yin/iiiiea, 10. 



Statellw, 44. Troj.ana, 29. xiphioides, 82. 



stylosa, 13. ungiiicularis, 13. Xiphium, 81. 



Synopsis of Subgenera in Cultivation. 



Series I. Rootstock a short, thick, or creeping 

 rhizome. 



Apogon. Outer segments of the perianth without 



a beard or crest Species 1-30 



Pardanthopsis. Outer segments of the perianth 

 not distinctly bearded or crested, merely keeled ; 

 sometimes slightly hairy Species 31 



EVANSIA. Outer segments of the perianth dis- 

 tinctly crested on the claw and lower part of 

 the blade Species 32-35 



PsEUDEVANSiA. Outer segments bearded or hairy : 



beard springing from a rudimentary crest 



Species 36 



PoGONiRis AND Regelia. Outer segments bearded 

 or hairy: hair restricted to a dense beard along 

 the midrib Species 37-68 



Oncocyclus. Outer segments bearded or hairy: 

 hairs diffused over the lower part of the blade 

 and claw; inner segments larger than the outer. 

 Species 69-80 



Series II, Rootstock bulbous. 



XiPHion. Inner segments of the perianth large, 

 erect : stamens not adhering to the style 

 branches Species 81-91 



Gynandiris. Inner segments large, erect: sta- 

 mens adhering to the style branches Species 92 



Juno. Inner segments small and spreading or 

 deflexed Species 93-102 



SUBGENUS APOQON 



a. Lvs. linear, generally less than 

 K *«• broad. 

 B. Sheath splitting up into 

 fibers, 

 c. Valves of the spathe green . 

 D. Tube of the perianth 

 ly4~3 in. long. 



E. Spathe sessile 1. humilis 



EE. Spathe stalked 2. macrosiphon 



DD. Tube of the perianth 

 short or obsolete. 



E. Fls. yellow 3. Hartwegii 



4. Grant-Duffii 

 EE. Fls. some shade of 

 blue or ichite. 

 p. Stem Ivs. reduced. 

 Q. Stem terete. 

 H. Rootstock 



Kler, 

 -creep- 



HH. Rootstock 

 short, 

 creeping . . 



5. Ruthenica 



tenax 

 ensata 

 Delavayi 



GG. Stem c 01 



pressed 9. longipetala 



FP. Stem Ivs. long, 

 generally over 1 



ft. in length 10. prismatica 



11. graminea 

 cc. Valves of the spathehrown 



and scarious 12. Sibirica 



BB. Sheaths not splitting into 

 fibers. 



0. Stem nearly obsolete K!. unguicularls 



CO. Stem present, clothed with 



sheathing bracts 14. bracteata 



