THE IRIS 131 



cultural blessings that these things are so cheap ; 

 for my experience is that too often they deteriorate 

 steadily, though new, well-ripened bulbs fare and 

 flower to perfection through their first season, 

 then they lose heart, send up leaves for a year 

 or two more, and finally vanish. But reticulata 

 has no such weakness. Let me describe her most 

 usual form. Style, crest, and standard are of 

 an intense violet-red, and the colour runs far 

 down the long perianth tube ; it deepens on the 

 fall to pure purple. The pollen is pale gold, 

 and the median line starts of the same colour. 

 It is much spattered with black along the claw, 

 but presently it leaps out on to the blade of the 

 fall, and glows with the most brilliant golden 

 orange that can be imagined. Upon each side of 

 this flaming " signal " the petal is white, splashed 

 with purple-black. Such a thing could only be 

 imitated in precious stones, and even they must 

 lack its infinite delicacy and fragrance. The scent 

 has been compared to violets, but there is an 

 under-scent that belongs to reticulata alone. Of 

 the varieties none, in my judgment, are equal to 

 the type ; indeed, no flower that blows is fairer 

 in its fairy way than this gem from the Caucasus. 

 Histrio has a scheme of fine lilac colour, darkening 

 on the fall. Here the whole fabric is mottled, 

 streaked, and splashed with rich lilac upon a white 

 ground. Through the midst runs a thin yellow 

 line, touched with black specks. The standards 

 are narrow and bolt upright ; the styles are large, 



