42 GARDEN AN-D FARM TOPICS. 



their full length above the bulb, ready for the first sunny 

 days in March to break forth into bloom. 



The situation for the Crocus bed should be a warm 

 one, and before hard frosts it may be mulched two or 

 three inches with leaves or coarse litter, which is to be 

 taken off as soon in spring as the season will warrant. 

 The mulching, however, may be omitted where it is not 

 convenient to apply it. C. sativus, which is the type of 

 the autumnal flowering species, should be planted in 

 midsummer, and it will come into flower in September. 

 All the species and varieties are increased by offsets. 

 Their introduction into British gardens dates back as far 

 as 1600. The new named varieties introduced recently 

 bear very large flowers, and are, in all respects, very great 

 improvements upon the older kinds. 



THE IRIS, (Iris.) 



THERE are three distinct kinds of Iris, besides innu- 

 merable species, hybrids, and varieties. These are, the 

 fibrous-rooted kinds, which grow best in a fine, sandy 

 loam, and which increase rapidly every year by suckers 

 from the roots ; the tuberous-rooted kinds, which are 

 very apt to be destroyed by snails, or to rot from too 

 much wet; and the bulbous kinds, which should be taken 

 up and replanted every second or third year, as the new 

 bulbs, which are formed every season, are always 

 directly under the old bulb ; and thus in the course 

 of a few years the bulbs descend so low as to be out 

 of the reach of the air, and consequently incapable of 

 vegetation. Thus it will be generally found that persons 

 in the habit of growing Irises are always complaining of 

 losing their plants, this being the cause. The bulbous 



