NOTEWORJ'HY PERENNIALS 117 



stems rendering their increase most easily accomplished. They are 

 remarkably well adapted to different situations. They do well in hot, 

 dry, sunny places as well as the cooler and damper spots. In the shade 

 they are not at their best. They require frequent transplanting, as the 

 clumps soon become too thick. 



Japamese Iris. Gorgeously colored and giant ni size the Japanese 

 Iris (/. Ispviqala) will become more popular in the future, for now the 

 Japanese names have been translated and the flower buyer may be sure 

 of the sort he buys from the nurseryman. Unlike most Bearded Irises, 

 the Japanese Iris is a flat bloom, the leaves are narrower and the 

 rhizomes are smaller and more compact. They dehght in water when 

 in bloom but not at other times during the year, 



Siberian Iris. For themarginsof pools, where the soil is a trifle too 

 damp for other flowers, the Siberian Iris (/. sihirica) thrives. It will 

 not succeed with its roots in water, however. The flowers are rich 

 purple, light lavender, blue or white, and hke the Japanese Iris, these 

 flowers are without the prominent beard found in the Bearded Iris. 



Water Iris, There are two common sorts of Iris which may be 

 planted directly in the water; namely, the European Wild Flag (/. 

 pseudacorus) and the Blue Flag (/. versicolor). The European Wild 

 Flag has large, yellow flowers, the petals of which are drooping. The 

 flowers appear among the luxuriant leaves. The Blue Flag is a famihar 

 flower to most Americans, for what boy or girl has not gotten wet feet 

 gathering it ? Both of these sorts will thrive in ordinary garden soil 

 without a great (juantity of water. 



Dwarf Iris. In April, during favorable early Springs, we are 

 dehghted with the various dwarf Irises, Growing about 6 inches tall 

 they supplement the Spring bulbs, EspeciaUy charming are the purple 

 dwarf sorts when planted in front of Emperor Narcissus, /, pumila 

 is the dwarf bearded species; /. verna and /, cristata are beardless sorts. 

 The latter sort is very tiny and has very slender creeping rhizomes. 

 Being sensitive to too much moisture, it grows very well when planted 

 upon little mounds of soil or in perfectly drained spots. 



Intermediate Iris. Hybridists have crossed the tall Bearded 

 Iris with the dwarf bearded sorts to produce a group intermediate in 

 season and height between the two parents. ' 



Uses. The use of Iris has been suggested in the foregoing para- 

 graphs. It is an excellent border subject and for home use the flowers 

 are attractively arranged in our rooms. There are wet soil sorts, tall 

 varieties, very early kinds and all types of bloom to attract each of us. 



