IRIS 



IRIS 



1665 



lifted and a trial made in another location. This group 

 seeds freely, and the seed-pods will be found just under 

 the soil surface. 



Closely following this group are the so-called Juno 

 irises, of which /. persica is the most famihar, though 

 not the best example. These irises have somewhat 

 large bulbs, with curious persistent, fleshy roots, and 

 seem to thrive best in somewhat stiff soil, in sheltered 

 locations, where they will be well baked during the 

 summer. They flower in March and April, the best 

 forms being /. Rosenhachiana, I. orchioidcs, I. sitidjar- 

 ensis, and /. assyriaca. They are desirable plants in 

 the most exclusive gardens. They seed freely, and also 

 increase by offsets. 



About the same time as above will flower the Iris 

 tuherosa ("The Widow"), which is neither bulbous nor 

 an iris strictly, but has a weird beauty of its own, with 

 its green and black flowers. This should have a summer 

 baking. See Hermodactylus. 



Planted out in the early fall, the so-caUed Spanish 

 irises make an early start and produce leaves which are 

 persistent during the winter and seldom injured here. 

 In May and June they broaden out, and are then sur- 

 mounted by very bright, distinct and charming flow- 

 ers. Very satisfactory flowers, these, and of the easiest 

 culture. They probably do best in spots inchning to 

 moisture. The bulbs make offsets rapidly, and should 

 often be divided and replanted. There are two forms 

 and numerous flowers of this iris. The boldest form is 

 that known as the "Thunderbolt." Spanish irises, under 

 mild forcing are now largely grown by florists for early 

 spring flowers. 



The "English" irises, /. xiphioides, follow the 

 "Spanish" in June and July. Their flowers are wider in 

 all their parts, and in a limited range of colors, white 

 and purple. "Mt. Blanc," pure white, is probably the 

 most satisfactory of the group. The foliage of the 

 EngUsh iris does not bear till early spring, and the 

 varieties flourish in a rather drier position than the 

 "Spanish." 



The African bulbous irises, /. juncea, I. Vartanii, 

 I. alata, are subjects for a coolhouse, though the former 

 is rarely hardy here. 



The rhizomatous irises may be divided into a number 

 of sections, but in a cultural way may be broadly 

 considered in two sections: tho.se with thick, surface- 

 creeping rhizomes, as the hybrid German, and those 

 with more or less thin ones, as /. sibirica and /. Isevigata, 

 which are subterranean. While the former section 

 comprises plants which grow in various conditions, 

 some with the roots submerged, yet in a general way 

 they have mostly surface-creeping rhizomes. These 

 are best transplanted soon after flowering, at which 

 time they commence a new growth. It is customary for 

 the nurserymen to supply these in the fall, which 

 usually leads to the loss of a season, as they often fail to 

 become established when planted late. The foUage of 

 the iris indicates a sun-loving family, and irises should 

 be planted in fuU exposure in rich, but not manured soil, 

 well drained. The rhizomes should be planted flat and 

 covered to half their diameter. If the rhizomes are in 

 a growing condition, no further care will usuaUy be 

 necessary with the larger number of the species, but if 

 the rhizomes are dormant and partly dried up, as they 

 are frequently on receipt, care should be taken that 

 they have not much moisture till they start into growth, 

 otherwise they are Ukely to rot. Not every iris will 

 grow in every garden, but the failure to establish these 

 plants is most often caused by too much exposure to 

 excitement of hght, warmth and moisture when the 

 plant is not ready to convert its reserve into food. 

 Valuable species should have the protection of a frame 

 in such circumstances till it seems safe to plant them 

 out. If carefully treated and not excited, apparently 

 hopeless dried-up rhizomes may often be saved. Most 

 of these irises in common cultivation increase rapidly, 



106 



and should be divided and replanted every two or three 

 years; otherwise the rhizomes become matted and the 

 abode of grass. Among them will be found some of 

 the showiest flowers of the family. 



Usually in early May /. Chams'iris and its variety 

 /. olbiensis flower, followed quickly by the dwarfer 

 /. pumila and its white form /. allica. Forms of /. 

 lulesccns, Lam., quickly follow, after which /. germanica, 

 I. florenlina and the host of "hybrid German" varieties 

 come rapidly forward and give a great wealth of color. 

 Everyone is famihar with the great bearded purple /. 

 germanica, perhaps the most generally cultivated iris. 

 There are larger - flowered forms of this: /. amas 

 and /. macrantha. I. germanica alba seems to be a 

 variety of /. albicans. This and /. florenlina are the 

 usual white-flowered forms seen at this time. Of bold, 

 hghter purple kinds, /. pallida and its hybrids are then 

 preeminent. 



The German irises of the garden are not varieties of 

 /. germaruca, but hybrids of various species, as /. pal- 

 lida, I. vanegata, I. sambucina, I. squalens, I. lurida x 

 wild forms and /. neglecta, I. amcena, I. piicata and /. 

 Swertii, which are known only in gardens. Naturally 

 these vary much in stature, time of flowering, size and 

 coloring of flowers. They may be had in almost endless 

 variety, but a typical collection may be made with com- 

 paratively few plants. 



Among the best forms of the "hybrid German" irises 

 are: /. aphylla — Bridesmaid, Madame Chereau, Swer- 

 tii; /. amana — Compte de St. Clair, Fairy Queen, re- 

 ticulata alba, Victorine; /. neglecta — Cordeha, Wagner; 

 /. pallida — Khedive, Mad. Pacquitte, Queen of &Iay, 

 Wahner; /. squalens — Arnols, Jacquiniana, Harrison 

 Weir, Mons. Chereau; /. variegata — Beaconsfield, Da- 

 rius, Hector, Honorable, Prince of Orange. 



June is flowering time for many iris species, many of 

 which are uncommon, but of the more available forms 

 one could scarcely neglect the native /. hexagona, the 

 dark La Mance form of which is very distinct and 

 amongst the handsomest pf the family. A white form 

 of this is not hardy here. /. fuh'a, another native plant 

 with copper-colored flowers, is also interesting. Irises 

 with distinct forms are /. Monnieri and /. orienlalis (or 

 /. ochroleuca), both of which have obhquely growing 

 rhizomes and enjoy moisture. 



For margins of water /. Pseitdacorus, with yellow 

 flowers, is invaluable, and our natives, /. versicolor and 

 /. caroliniana seem as happy in the moisture as in the 

 uplands. The iris rhizomes which require deep planting 

 are mostly smaller and thinner than those of surface 

 creepers. The species with these roots are mostly 

 strong-growing plants, rapidly increasing and requiring 

 an abundance of moisture, though there are some nota- 

 ble exceptions to be mentioned later. Of the members 

 of this group, /. sibirica, in several purple and white 

 forms, is a common garden plant. /. ensala is a com- 

 mon Asiatic iris with small flowers borne among the 

 narrow fohage, which is as ornamental as some of the 

 large grasses. 



The Japanese irises, which usually end the general 

 display of irises, are a remarkable example of type- 

 breaking, the occidental gardeners having worked up 

 from /. Isi'igala a wonderful variety of colorings and 

 variation in number of petals, though the colors may 

 be included in about half a dozen general types. There 

 are few handsomer flowers than good forms of the 

 white Japanese iris. This iris may be grown on the 

 upland, but it does not do its best in such locations, for 

 it is particularly susceptible to good treatment, and to 

 produce large flowers both water and manure are essen- 

 tial. Peter Barr, the veteran fancier of good plants, 

 WTote from Japan, after consulting one of the oldest 

 cultivators, that "this iris is grown in the rice-fields in 

 winter and watered each month while at rest with 

 human manure (cow manure would do); as soon as 

 young growth appears no more manure is given and 



