THE IRIS FAMILY. 347 



ent ; and bearing this fact in mind, it appears to us that races 

 of decorative plants having abortive flowers are much to be 

 desired. Hydrangeas rarely produce seeds; but M. Rene 

 Rovelli has obtained fruits of H. hortensis by thinning out the 

 flower-buds in their earliest stage. The cultivated species are 

 principally natives of China and Japan, and are easily multi- 

 plied by cuttings of the young growth, which root readily in a 

 gentle bottom-heat. 



Hydrangea otaksa resembles H. hortensis in its aspect and 

 its style of inflorescence, but is altogether stronger and bolder 

 in growth. The colour of the florets is pink, and they are pro- 

 duced in enormous globular heads of from twelve inches to 

 twenty inches across. It should make a fine market plant, as 

 well as an admirable subject for greenhouse and conservatory 

 decoration. Outdoors it grows freely, and is about as hardy 

 as H. hortensis. If seedlings could be obtained from this or 

 other varieties, we might look for some startling novelties. It 

 would be interesting to know whether the sterile florets of 

 Hydrangeas are due to any long and persistent course of cul- 

 ture adopted by the oriental gardeners. Even such splendid 

 forms as H. " Imperatrice Josephine," H. paniculata floribunda, 

 H. acuminata, and others imported from Japanese gardens, 

 might possibly be much improved if our intelligent horticul- 

 turists would set about the task. It does not appear to be 

 generally known that rooted cuttings of H. hortensis form 

 excellent stocks on which to graft the choice Japanese varieties ; 

 and pieces of the soft thick roots, well furnished with fibres at 

 the lower end, may also be grafted in heat successfully. The 

 operation should be performed in a close case in a humid tem- 

 perature of 65 to 75. 



THE IRIS FAMILY (Iridacea). 



The plants of this beautiful order are mostly herbaceous, 

 with sword-shaped leaves, as in Iris and Gladiolus; but in Wit- 

 senia corymbosa a sub-shrubby appearance is assumed. From 

 Amaryllids they are known by having only three stamens, the 

 anthers being extrorse or turned outwards ; and they are also 

 near Orchids, from which they differ in having their style and 

 stamens separate or free, and not fused together. They are 

 principally natives of the Cape, Europe*, and North America. 

 The Iris-like genus Moraa represents Iris in warm latitudes. 

 Crocus, Iris, and Gladiolus are three of the most popular genera 

 in this order. Many of the creeping species, as the rhizomatous 



