ON IRISES 225 



11 Cushion " species dotted with grey, and was introduced 

 from Armenia in 1889. It only grows about three inches 

 high, and blooms in June. 



The German Iris. Proceeding with the species in 

 alphabetical order, we come to germanica, the great 

 German Iris, a blue-flowered species growing two to 

 three feet high, flowering in May and June. This grand 

 old plant, which was introduced as long ago as 1573, is 

 illustrated in the Botanical Magazine, t. 670. There are 

 many varieties of it, differing in colour from the type. 

 The German Iris will grow almost anywhere, and is one 

 of the finest of town plants. Smoke and impure air may 

 check its luxuriance, but are rarely able to kill it. The 

 root is not a bulb but a rhizome, and the plant is much 

 less severely affected by dry soil than most bulbous 

 plants. See the names of some fine German Flag Irises 

 on page 230. 



The Actor Iris (his trio), which grows about a foot 

 high, is a modern bulbous species with lilac and yellow 

 flowers, a pretty plant, and much in demand among 

 Iris-lovers, Iberica, lilac and brownish red, with purple 

 blotches, is a cushion Iris, growing about eighteen inches 

 high and flowering in May. 



Japanese Irises. Kaempferi and laevigata are the now 

 famous Japanese Irises which gardeners call Clematis- 

 flowered and plant in moist places. They are magnificent 

 plants, producing large, flattish flowers, painted in the 

 richest manner with a large variety of colours. The 

 type, laevigata, is blue, and came from the Far East in 

 1836. It flowers in early summer. A coloured plate of 

 it will be found in the Botanical Magazine, t. 6132. 

 Kaempferi is perhaps synonymous with it, or possibly a 

 variety. 



Korolkowi, growing a foot high, and bearing white or 



P 



