HARDY FLOWER CULTURE. 85 



The Neglecta section is characterized by varieties having stand- 

 ards ranging from lavender to deep purple, and is equally numer- 

 ous in variety. In this belongs the pretty Cottage Maid, Fairy 

 Queen, and Perfection. This last is especially handsome, having 

 light blue standards and deep violet falls. The Plicata section is 

 a small one but contains an iris fit for the choicest collection in 

 Mme. Chereau which has white standards and falls, quaintly and 

 prettily marked with horizontal lines of blue, forming a fringe or 

 margin around the edges of the petals. This odd manner of color 

 markings is the distinguishing feature of the group. A very large 

 section is that known as the Squalens, and it embraces an entirely 

 different color scheme, the standards being fawn, or of a bronze 

 or copper hue. Out of nearly a half -hundred to select from special 

 mention must be made of Jacquiniana, a striking beauty, the stand- 

 ards like burnished copper and the falls rich maroon, in appearance 

 and texture like unto velvet. Another great section is the A'arie- 

 gata, in which the standards are always of some shade of yellow, 

 whilst the falls of the various kinds cover the whole range of iris 

 color ; Gracchus, Darius, Louis Meyer, and Maori King are a select 

 quartet from this numerous group. Other bearded irises given 

 specific rank are Florentina., white and an early bloomer, with 

 varieties, I. albians and Princess of Wales, white, large and hand- 

 some ; Cypriana in several varieties in lovely shades of blue ; 

 flavescens^ also varied in yellow tints ; and sambacina in bronzy 

 hues. 



All the irises so far enumerated are in the bearded gi'oup. A 

 succession to them in time of flowering is given with another beard- 

 less group, rich in species and varieties. Our native irises belong 

 to this group, but they need not be considered, being greatly sur- 

 passed in beauty by those from other lands. 



An important family that bursts into a blaze of glory after the 

 bearded kinds have faded is the Sil)irica group. The typical 

 species Z AWmca grows three feet high, has narrow grassy leaves, 

 and small but exceedingly numerous bright blue flowers. There 

 are a dozen good varieties ; one white and one of lai'ger size and 

 great beauty are orientaUs and George Wallace. Iris spnria is 

 another good species, bright lilac-blue, and has several distinct vari- 

 eties as well, especially that named Celestial. Iris ochroleuca 



