LIST OF HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS 



53 



INCARVILLEA Con. 



I. Olgae, REGEL. Turkestan. 



PL, 1895. Hardy. Ht. 3 to 3 ft. 

 FL rose; July 18 to Aug. 29. 



I. sinensis, LAM. 

 PL, 1907. 



China. 



INULA, L. 



(Composites.) 



*I. ensifolia, L. South Europe, &c. 



PL, 1901. Hardy. Ht. 7 to 12 in. 

 Fl. golden yellow; June 30 to 

 Sept. 8. 



**I. glandulosa, PUSCHK. Caucasus. 



PL, 1901. Hardy. Ht. li ft. Fl. 

 deep golden yellow; June 20 to 

 July 9. 



***!. grandiflora, WILLD. Himalayas, &c. 

 PL, 1903. Hardy. Ht. 2 ft. FL 

 orange yellow; June 23 to July 

 13. 



INTILA Con. 



I. hirta, L. Europe, &c. 

 PL, 1908. 



I. Hookeri, C. B. CLARKE. Himalayas. 

 PL, 1908. 



*I. macrocephala, Boiss. 



PL, 1895. Hardy. Ht. 5 to 6 ft. 

 FL lemon yellow ; . July 10 to 

 Aug. 25. 



I. montana, L. South Europe. 

 PL, 1907. 



*I. Helenium, L. Elecampane. Eu- 

 rope, &c. 



PL, 1903. Hardy. Ht. 5 ft. Fl. 

 golden yellow; June 21 to Aug. 



12. 



I. royleana, DC. Himalayas. 

 PL, 1905. Tender. 



I. thapsoides, SPRENG. Caucasus. 

 PL, 1903. Tender. 



IRIS, TOUEN. FLAG. 

 (Iridacea.) 



There is no group of plants which affords more delight to the lover of garden 

 flowers than the iris, and there are several good reasons why they are so much 

 admired. In the species and varieties of this charming plant may be found more 

 shades of colour than in any other genus of hardy flowers with, perhaps, the exception 

 of the tulip. The light and delicate texture of the flowers combined with their graceful 

 form are points which are much in their favour, and the attractiveness of the flowers 

 is still more enhanced in some varieties by their sweet fragrance. As cut flowers the 

 irises are very useful, the buds on the flower stalks opening readily in the house when 

 the latter are kept in water. The long blooming season made by the different species 

 is also very much in their favour. Beginning almost as soon as the snow is gone with 

 Z. reticulata and other early species and continuing until the end of July there is a 

 constant succession of bloom, which is closed by the Japanese varieties, the rich colours 

 of which are very suggestive of orchids. The advantages of the iris are not confined 

 to the flowers alone. The plants are of very easy culture, most of them succeeding 

 in almost any soil which is not too dry. The bulbous kinds do best on the warmer, 

 drier and best drained soils. The German and some of the species succeed on well 

 drained soils having a good supply of moisture, though not requiring soil which would 

 be called wet; and the Japanese, Siberian and others doing best in wet soils, though 

 succeeding fairly well under average conditions in the open border. 



The irises are propagated very readily by dividing the plants, which increase 

 rapidly. Planting may be done successfully in autumn or spring. The most important 

 group of iris is the so-called German group. This is composed of varieties of several 

 species and of hybrids between them. Among the parents are 7. germanica, I. squalens, 

 I. sambucina, I. neglecta, I. hybrida (amoena), I, variegata, I, pallida, I. florentina, 

 I. plicala, I. flavescens and /. Swertii. Attempts are made in the trade to classify the 

 varieties of German iris under these species, but often it is difficult to determine to 

 which section a variety belongs, and many of them are simply called ' German Iris. J 



