22 PRESENT-DAY GARDENING 



about 15 inches or more in height, and a clump of this Iris in 

 bloom with several flowers on each stem is a wonderful 

 sight in the middle of April. 



It might be thought impossible that such plants should 

 be absolutely hardy. On this point it may be said that 

 very severe late frost may nip the flowers that are actually 

 open at the time, but the unopened buds are uninjured, and 

 quickly open to fill the place of those that are over. 



There are many other rare Juno Irises, some of which 

 have never yet been introduced into cultivation. The 

 mountains of Turkestan and Bokhara seem to be a perfect 

 treasure-house of floral gems, but until they become more 

 accessible, we shall presumably not know all their contents. 

 Mention may, however, be made of one or two of the rarer 

 species which are occasionally met with in cultivation. /. 

 Fosteriana from the Afghan frontier is distinguished by its 

 yellow falls and deep purple standards, which form a most 

 striking contrast. Of /. Tubergeniana, a yellow-flowered 

 species, the most conspicuous feature is the distinct beard 

 of scanty hairs. Neither of these is very easy to keep alive, 

 and there is indeed some danger of their dying wholly out 

 of cultivation. Plants of both species seem to weaken 

 themselves so much by the effort of flowering that it is some 

 years before the bulbs become strong enough to flower 

 again. 



The tall Junos do not seem to be fastidious as to soil, 

 so long as it is moderately rich and not too dry while 

 growth is active. Sir Michael Foster advised a heavy rather 

 than a too light soil, but they can certainly be grown with 

 very fair success in well-enriched sand. 



