LUTHER BURBANK 



It does not matter very much, then, what par- 

 ticular variety of iris is growing in your garden. 

 Probably there are plants that bear purple flower^, 

 others with yellow ones, and yet others that are 

 white. Thi& obviously gives you opportunity for 

 hybridizing, and there will be abundant interest 

 in watching the results of the blending of different 

 colors. 



If at the same time that you are crossing the 

 iris of different colors you save also seed from 

 other plants, or from different flowers on the same 

 plants, that are not crossed, you will be able to 

 check the results of your experiment, and will find 

 yourself launched at once into an investigation 

 that offers fascinating possibilities. It should be 

 explained, however, that the cross-pollenizing of 

 the iris presents complications which will not be 

 solved unless you make a very careful inspection 

 of the flower. 



The stigma of the flower has a little lip under 

 the unique petaloid pistils, very different in ap- 

 pearance from the organs of most other flowers. 

 If you examine it closely you willl see that the lit- 

 tle shell-like lip that projects is adjusted in just 

 the right way to scrape pollen off the back of a 

 bee as it enters the flower, or similarly from the 

 head of a humming-bird. The arrangement is 

 such that the bee or humming-bird will come in 



[44] 



