THE IRIS FAMILY. 353 



Jbribundus, t. 610; G. Millerii, t. 632; G. blandits, t. 625, 645, 

 and 648; G. undnlatus, t. 647; G. viperatus, t. 688. The last- 

 named is 'a distinct lilac - purple, green - spotted species, the 

 flowers of which are perfumed. 



G. alatus, t. 2608, salmon, rose, and yellow; this is a 

 distinct species with orchid-looking flowers. G. cuspidatus, t. 

 582, a curious long-petalled flower; G. carneus, t. 591. Any 

 one who turns over these plates and notes the glorious array of 

 Ixias, BabianaS, and other Irids which bear them company, 

 will regret their absence from modern gardens. 



Gladiohis communis, or common "corn-flag," is a most elegant 

 rosy-flowered species (see ' Bot. Mag.,' t. 86). G. cardinalis, 

 vivid scarlet, white rhomboidal spots. It is believed to come 

 from the Cape (see ' Bot. Mag.,' t. 135). 



Watsojiia rosea. This is a lovely rosy-flowered plant, having 

 large blossoms like those of a Gladiolus, but quite regular. 

 This plant, if it could be induced to cross with any seedling 

 Gladioli, would give us a race similar to Mr Standish's " Alice 

 Wilson," which I believe was the first variety with regular 

 Crocus-like flowers. (See also W. rosea alba, t. 1193; W. 

 meriana, t. 1194; W. humilis, t. 1195.) 



Iris.* This is a large and beautiful genus of bulbous or 

 rhizomatous plants, principally from Europe, North India, 

 China, and Japan, some fine forms being also found in other 

 temperate Asiatic countries. What a field is here open to the 

 hybridiser ! Here is a group of plants which every cottager 

 may grow in his little front-garden, and the flowers are as lovely 

 as the Cattleyas from La Guayra or St Catherine's. We have 

 already several fine races of seminal or cross-bred forms. /. 

 germanica, the large purple-flowered "German Iris," has fur- 

 nished a noble race of seminal forms, the flowers varying from 

 dark purple and lilac to yellow and yellowish white. The 

 " Spanish Iris," /. xiphium, has furnished us with many lovely 

 and variably-coloured forms, as has also the " English Iris," 

 /. xiphioides, and we hope to see these still further improved. 

 It is interesting to know that the improvement of these races 

 is quite possible in our own gardens ; indeed the late Mr W. 

 Masters of Canterbury raised many beautiful seedlings a num- 

 ber of years ago, and these at the time bore favourable com- 

 parison with the best Dutch varieties (see ' Trans. Hort. 

 Soc.,' iii. 413). Hitherto the improvement of the three last- 

 named races has been carried on by the Dutch florists, who 

 have raised seedlings and supplied us with bulbs or rhizomes 



* Fora general review of the species of Iris, see ' Gardeners' Chronicle,' 

 vol. for 1876. 



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