THE IRIS AND ITS CULTURE. 



BY J. WOODWARD MANNING, READING, MASS. 



Delivered before the Society, with stereopticon illustrations, 

 January 12, 1907. 



While the genera of the Iris family are confined almost exclusively 

 to the Northern Hemisphere ranging from the Atlas ^Mountains 

 in northern Africa to a latitude of about forty degrees north, they 

 are closely represented in the tropics by the Moraeas and Maricas, 

 similar in effect but botanically distinct; while Crocus, Gladiolus, 

 Freesia, Tigridia, and Ixia are familiar genera and serve to repre- 

 sent the family in all parts of the temperate and tropic world. 



The iris, or as popularly known the fleur de lis, rainbow-flower, 

 or poor man's orchid, etc., has more than 170 described pure species, 

 of which about 100 have been cultivated at times by American 

 horticulturists while somewhat more than 130 species are grown 

 by English iris fanciers among which, however, a portion fail to 

 combine sufficient distinction, beauty, or ease of culture to warrant 

 their extended use. While, however, perhaps less than a hundred 

 species are to be recommended for cultivation in American or par- 

 tictilarly New England gardens, this is but a fraction of the number 

 of varieties VNhich by selection or cross fertilization have been pro- 

 duced and contribute most advantageously to garden ornamenta- 

 tion. 



The question of the best species, their peculiar requirements, 

 if any, their ornamental and color effect, their better varieties and 

 season of bloom are matters of interest to the New England flower 

 lover, because there is much of neglected beauty in the class from 

 lack of this knowledge and danger of disappointment from a mis- 

 understanding of the limitations in color range. It is possible, too, 

 to very materially extend the period of bloom as compared with 

 the usual results attained. 



