THE IRIS. 127 



down, and the others stand up. A glance at many of the 

 families will soon decide a very important property in some, 

 and deficiency in others, the breadth of the three prin- 

 cipal petals. It will occur to the untaught child, that the 

 flower which presents the largest portion of rich surface is 

 the best. All who have grown the common iris know it has 

 narrow, mean-looking petals : but the kind which has been 

 propagated in England has a broad, rich-looking petal ; and 

 upon this feature does the beauty of the iris turn. 



The three principal divisions, or petals, should be broad 

 enough to touch each other, and form an arch or graceful 

 curve, but described as one-third of a hollow ball or 

 reversed cup, level at the lower edge by reason of the 

 bluntness of the three petals at the outer end, which should 

 form a circular outline on looking down upon them. The 

 three smaller petals should stand up, and be perfectly clear 

 of the three that fall down. 



The three lower petals should be of a rich velvety tex- 

 ture, and be thick, smooth on the edges, firm in their places ; 

 and whether self-colored, striped, mottled, shaded, or spot- 

 ted, the color should be well defined. 



The three upper ones should be of a different color, and 

 of a smooth or enamel kind of texture : the greater the 



