61 

 form known as H. niger angustifolia is the most satisfactory. 



Iris Pumila and its varieties. These belong to the same 

 section as the large German Iris (I. germanica) but are never 

 more than six inches high, and flower at the end of March. 

 The flowers are very large considering the size of the plant ; 

 this plant like many of the Iris family is very easily injured 

 by removal and often refuses to flower for a time if moved to 

 a fresh place. When it gets established in a moist soil it 

 flowers abundantly and there is nothing to equal it at that 

 period of the year ; the sky blue variety is the best, but all 

 are worth growing. No special attention is required beyond 

 weeding the beds, and if they show signs of exhaustion a new 

 plantation should be made as soon as they finish flowering. 



Iris reticulata. This is a bulbous rooted variety, and 

 requires planting early in August ; it is therefore best grown in 

 clumps in herbaceous or shrubbery borders, or in small beds 

 which will not be too near the eye when the plants die away 

 in the summer. It is not particular as to soil, but is liable to 

 decay in wet autumns and should be lifted at intervals of two 

 or three years, as soon as the leaves turn yellow ; it must 

 then be replanted on a fresh site ; if the soil is heavy an ad- 

 mixture of sand and burnt refuse should be added. This 

 plant should always be placed in a sheltered position owing 

 to the fragile nature of the flowers which appear in February 

 and March ; the variety Krelagii is not so good as the original 

 form. 



Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis). This is one 

 of the best of our spring flowers and a general favourite ; there 

 are various improved varieties of it, such as Berlin, Victoria, 



