28 A REMINDER TO PLANT TO HELP 



A well-established plant will produce many spikes of bloom, 

 sometimes from 50 to 100. Generally, they shoot up about the 

 same time, but in a few instances, as Caterina (trojana), they to 

 ' some extent succeed each other. Each stem produces a number 

 of buds rarely less than four or five, and in the case of many 

 varieties nine or more, and in a few instances, as Caterina (tro- 

 jana), Rubella (pallida) and Perfection (neglecta), from fifteen 

 to twenty which open in succession at intervals of from one 

 to three days. 



The life of the individual flower is only from 2 to 5 days, but 

 as there is a succession of flowers on each stem, and some varieties 

 produce flower stems in succession, and different varieties bloom 

 at different times, the season is prolonged until the latter part 

 of June. 



Hardiness The Iris is remarkable for its hardiness. It is as 

 easy as a weed to grow as easy as a burdock, dandelion or 

 thistle and, given a suitable situation, it is one of the longest- 

 lived of all perennials. It is in a class with the paeony and 

 gas plant, one of the "live-forevers." 



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