22 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



yellow, but the main interest in this centers in the ornamental effect 

 of the bursting seed pods within which the fleshy bright orange 

 colored seeds show to advantage. 



Those irises with so-called tufted roots are represented familiarly 

 by the Siberian and Japanese classes. The Siberian has a number 

 of distinct forms of which the type is a tall leafy plant four to five 

 feet high with many flowering stems bearing from three to five 

 flowers to a stem, and with dark blue coloring marked with white 

 pencillings. The two most useful forms, however, are the pure 

 'white variety which grows about two feet high, bearing purest white 

 flowers in small clusters, an admirable ])lant for any flower border, 

 and the variety Qricyitalis, with broader, shorter foliage growing to a 

 height of eighteen inches and bearing with wonderful profusion 

 flowers of the richest blue with faint white throat markings. There 

 is no better true blue in the iris family than this. It, too, is one of 

 the few irises which will bloom a second time, though sparingly it 

 is true, by cutting down after the flowering period. This can 

 hardly be recommended, however. No iris reproduces itself any 

 faster than this. It quickly forms broad colonies and necessarily 

 requires frequent division and transplanting. 



Japanese irises comprise, perhaps, the jxir excrUcnce of the family; 

 they are much misunderstood and recjuire more judgment in their 

 cultivation than do German irises. If planted in situations where 

 water will not collect about the crowns in winter they are perfectly 

 hardy. To flood them at the flowering period is an advantage, not 

 a necessity. This need is nearly as fully met by thorough mulch- 

 ing to retain all possible soil moisture during the flowering period, 

 and with artificial watering is far safer than to plant in a moist 

 situation. It is a false impression that the Japanese plant them 

 where they are subject to excesses of moisture in winter. During 

 this period the Japanese iris fields are drained. All Japanese 

 irises are seemingly improved and selected varieties, rather than 

 hybrids. Their range of color is a very ample one, but has decided 

 limitations. Aside from the variety of self colors and their com- 

 binations in flaking and veining, together with the single and semi- 

 double forms, nothing can be expected. A dozen distinct sorts 

 rej)resent the class far better than a large collection of varieties 

 whose distinction is more dependent on their labels than on any 



