IRIS. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



609 



tive being the sky-blue (ccerulea), which 

 in early spring forms sheets of bright 

 colour edgings in free soil. 



I. reticulata (Netted Iris}. One of the 

 most beautiful of hardy flowers. While 

 the snow is still on the ground in January, 



Iris persica. 



or even earlier its leaves begin to shoot, 

 and while these are only a few inches high, 

 the bud opens to the pale wintry sun a 

 beauty of violet and gold. After the 

 flower has faded, the erect narrow leaves 

 grow apace, attaining a height of I ft. or 

 more, and, as in the Crocus, the ripened 

 ovary is in due time thrust upwards from the 

 soil. This little treasure is indeed the Iris 

 companion of the Crocus, and those who 

 have seen large clumps of it growing in 

 some shelteredbut sunny spot in the bright 

 and gusty days of February or March, may 

 well wish that its netted bulbs were as plen- 

 tiful as Crocus corms. The plant comes 

 from some parts of the Caucasus and from 

 Palestine, and there are several varieties. 

 Krelagei may be recognised by flowers of 

 a purple or plum colour, with the yellow 

 marking less vivid, and the whole flower is 

 smaller, also less fragrant, in fact is almost 

 wholly without scent, and it flowers ten 

 or fourteen days earlier. An exquisite 

 gem is I. r. cyanea which is very bright in 

 colour, a slaty blue, and dwarf. Sopho- 

 nensis, with red-purple flowers and a bold 

 crest, is a native of Asia Minor, and blooms 

 in early February. I. r. purpurea, a small 

 variety with deep purple flowers, is pleas- 

 ing. A sunny sheltered spot is, however, 

 advisable, that its tall narrow leaves may, 

 after flowering, be protected from the wind. 

 Sandy soil will do, but it is not particular 



in this respect. Sometimes, however, it 

 refuses to grow, and in damp places the 

 bulbs rot in summer. Since the flowers 

 come before the leaves grow tall it makes 

 a good pot plant, and a well-grown clump 

 is a charming addition to the Christmas 

 table. Unfortunately I. reticulata refuses 

 to grow at all in some localities through 

 disease. Although this disease may be 

 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, 

 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 I. susiana, having a compact rhizome, 

 relatively large foliage, a fairly tall (a foot 

 or less in height) stem and large flowers ; 

 indeed the var. lurida, which Prof. Foster 



Iris reticulata 



mentions as the only one he has seen in 

 cultivation, is often mistaken by a casual 

 observer for I. susiana. 



I. sibirica (Siberian Flag}. Pi. slender 

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

 leaves and in summer somewhat small 



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