350 GAEDEN PLANTS. PART II. 



Cipura, syn. Marica. 



Plants much resembling the Iris in regard to both flowers and 

 leaves. The fugitiveness of their flowers is their great detraction. 



1. C. Northiana. Bears in the Hot months large delicate yellow 

 flowers. After flowering the flower-stem bends downwards till its 

 summit touches the ground, where it rests, and eventually throws 

 out roots, thus forming an independent plant. When grown in a 

 pot it is easily propagated by placing a pot by the side filled with 

 light sandy soil, into which the flower-stalk may be bent down. 



2. C. humilis. A small pot-plant; bears in March pretty 

 middling-sized flowers with blue petals, yellow in the centre. 



3. C. plicata. A small plant with grass- like leaves; does well 

 planted out in the border. Upon the sun going down during the 

 Hot months, it bursts into a profusion of blossom with surprising 

 suddenness, and looks remarkably pretty, bearing white flowers 

 of the size of a shilling. 



Iris. 



Dr. Voigt enumerates as many as thirty-six species introduced 

 into Bengal, a very small number of which probably are in 

 existence here now. Not more than two or three are worth 

 cultivating, as the rest seldom if ever blossom. 



1. I. Chinensis. Bears in February and March large, pale, 

 violet-blue flowers, pencilled with yellow ; a common plant in 

 gardens in all parts of India, but seems to blossom far more 

 freely in the North- West Provinces than in the locality of Bengal. 



2. I. Nepalensis. Bears in February bright azure-blue flowers. 



3. I. Susiana CHALCEDONIAN or WIDOW IRIS. " Whose 

 large flowers," Mr. Delamer remarks, " marbled or veined with 

 a dull-greyish purple-brown suggest the idea of the hues of 

 mourning." When at Ferozepore I procured from England 

 rhizomes of this plant, which throve and blossomed beautifully. 

 I obtained plants also at Howrah, but had no success with them 

 there. Kequires a light and rich soil, but much moisture is 

 said to be injurious to it. 



4. I. Persica PERSIAN IRIS. A small bulbous plant, said to 

 bear pale blue flowers of delightful fragrance ; requires a light 

 sandy soil, and is impatient of wet. I have imported bulbs of 

 this plant, but had no success with them. 



5. I. xiphium SPANISH IRIS : and 



