MAKE 'THE CITY BEAUTIFUL" 31 



"Just arrangement rarely brought to pass 

 But by a master's hand disposing well 

 The gay diversities of leaf and flow'r 

 Must lend its aid t' illustrate all their charms, 

 And dress the regular yet various scene. 

 Plant behind plant aspiring, in the van 

 The dwarfish, in the rear retired, but still 

 Sublime above the rest, the statelier stand." 

 Cowper: The Task. 



As Irises are out of bloom for so long a period it is better to 

 plant them in groups rather than in large masses, and to plant 

 between the groups something that will bloom after the Irises 

 are through. 



When to Plant The Iris can be successfully transplanted any 

 time when the ground is not frozen deep. If planted in the 

 spring, and especially late in the spring, it seldom blooms the 

 same season. Plantsmen generally recommend August and 

 September as the ideal time for transplanting, as this is its dor- 

 mant season and it will afterwards make a root growth and 

 become fairly well established before the ground freezes, and will 

 be in good condition to bloom the following spring. A better 

 time, however, is just after the plant has ceased blooming 

 provided the rootlets are not allowed to become dry as then a 

 new vigorous growth begins, and the rootlets are then short and 

 have sent out few, if any, branches or root hairs and are therefore 

 less liable to be injured when the plant is taken up, and the plant 

 will have that much more time to become established and will 

 bloom more freely the following spring. 



The Iris is pre-eminently the plant for the renter's garden. 

 With Irises he can quickly make his abode look like a home in- 

 stead of a mere stopping-place, and whenever he moves, except 

 when the ground is deeply frozen, he can dig them up and take 

 them with him and know that they will do well in their new home. 



What to Plant All Irises are beautiful, so the selection of 

 varieties is largely a matter of individual taste. 



"Blue Flags, yellow Flags, Flags all freckled, 

 Which will you take? Yellow, blue, speckled, 

 Take which you will speckled, blue, yellow- 

 Each in its way has not a fellow." 

 Anon. 



