1^0' Tii'E cAN'AuiAX lioinicDLTtrjasT, 



Doctor Wm. W. Valk, of Flushing, Long Island, State of New York, 

 introduced it to tlie notice of American fruit growers in 1846, having 

 imported some of the plants in the spring of that year. 



Some years later a currant was introduced and disseminated under 

 the name of Versailles or La Versailles, for which it was claimed th^ 

 it was as large as the Clierry, longer in the bunch, and not so acid. 

 Some pains was taken to obtain this variety on different occasions, 

 and from the most reliable sources, S9 that there might be no mistake 

 as to the correctness of the name, but after many years of trial we are 

 unable to perceive any decided variation either in the quality of the 

 fruit, the length of the btnich, &s the habit of the plant, from the Cherry 

 Currant. 



A great many names have been given to this currant besides that 

 of Versailles, and designing and dishonest men have taken the oppor- 

 tunity to use them to increase tlieir sales and prices. If any of out 

 readers sliould have offered to them plants of Eed Imperial, La Cau- 

 case, Irish Grape, Macrocarpa, or Napoleon Eed, they may rest assured 

 tliat they are only the Cherry Currant raider a new name. 



THE JAPANESE IRIS. (Iris Kaimi>feH.) 



Tliis beautiful Iris is now attracting very cf/nsiderable attention. 

 The editor of the Atrcerican AgricuUurid says that he saw a bed of 

 these plants in the garden of James Hogg, of New York City, ten 

 3^ears ago, and that after they had stood there long enough to show that 

 they were perfectly hardy, he gave an account of thern in the October 

 number for 1870, with an engraving, which though considerably re- 

 duced in size, was sufficient to- show their great beauty, and how unlike 

 they were to any heretofore known forms of cultivated Iris. He says 

 they come into flower after the ordinary varieties have done blooming; 

 and the flowers are spread oiit in a flat plate, so that tliey are best seen 

 when looked down upon ; that the flowers are from four to six inches 

 in diameter, and present a great variety in form, color, and marking; 

 there are pure whites, pure blues, and some of the richest imaginable 

 royal purple. Also that in the markings there is the greatest imagin- 

 inable variety; that nothing can be richer than some of the intense 

 purples and blu-es, witli lines of golden yellow; or more delicate than 

 the whites, with net-work of l)lue and purple. 



