Structural Characteristics 151 



bloom in the spring and again in the fall, but fall- 

 blooming is not a characteristic of either of them. 



As to forcing in winter, see under Window Gardening 

 in Chapter XL 



Except as climate is modified by special factors 

 (as, mountains, large bodies of water), the difference 

 in blooming time of the same variety in different 

 latitudes is, roughly speaking, about a week for each 

 one hundred miles of latitude. Here (northern Illi- 

 nois) a few varieties (as, the intermediates, the ger- 

 manicae) begin to bloom a little before the middle 

 of May, and the others from a few days to several 

 weeks later. In ordinary seasons, here, Irises can be 

 relied upon to furnish an abundance of flowers on 

 Decoration Day when flowers are so much wanted 

 and good flowers for out door decorations are usually 

 scarce. 



As to occasional injury by late frosts, see under 

 Flower-Stem, page 127. 



The Blue-flag, waving welcomes from the marsh, 



The lily of the pond and of the vale, 



The daisy, violet, and butter-cup, 



The elder-berry and the bridal wreath, 



From garden, grove or roadside all are cull'd 



And weaved in wreaths to deck the soldier's graves. 



Raymond: A Life in Song. 



It's Iris time! It's Iris time! 'Twixt tulip-days and rose, 

 The garden walls in Iris time with purple splendor glows. 

 The leafy spears are on parade, the bugles of the June 

 Summon each bud and bloom and blade with sturdy marching tune. 



