628 IRIS. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



somewhat retarded by lifting and careful 

 storing it is very difficult to eradicate, and 

 in wet seasons carries the bulbs off by 

 the thousand. 



I. Rosenbachiana. This is a charming 

 bulbous Iris, and found on the mountains 

 of East Buchara, Turkestan, at an eleva- 

 tion of 6,000 ft. to 7,000 ft., we are told, 

 in two varieties, both growing together, 



indeed the var. lurida, which Prof. Foster 

 mentions as the only one he has seen in 

 cultivation, is often mistaken by a casual 

 observer for /. susiana. 



I. sibirica (Siberian Flag). A slender 

 plant, 2 to 3 ft. high, with narrow grassy 

 leaves and in summer somewhat small 

 showy blue flowers, beautifully veined with 

 white and violet. There are several 



Iris susiana. 



the flowers of one form being blue, those 

 of the other of a fine violet, whilst the 

 bulbs of both the varieties are small, with 

 thin tunics, never reticulated as in the 

 netted Iris. 



I. Sari. This derives its name from 

 the river Sar, in Cilicia, in the neighbour- 

 hood of which it was found. It comes near 

 to /. susiana, having a compact rhizome, 

 relatively large foliage, a fairly tall (a foot 

 or less in height) stem and large flowers ; 



varieties, the white variety, also called I. 

 flexuosa, being pretty, and so is I. acuta, 

 but the double-flowered form is not. The 

 finest variety is I. orientalis, having larger 

 flowers of a deeper colour, with a different 

 veining, and the falls especially broad 

 and expanding. The Siberian Iris is very 

 hardy and spare plants are easily estab- 

 lished in ditches or damp spots. 



I. sindjarensis. This is an interest- 

 ing species with the habit and general 



