CAiYADIAX lIORriCUL TUJUST. 



been corrupted into Flower-de-luce. 

 Still more ancient in origin is its name, 

 Iris. By this appellation was known 

 in classic myth the goddess of the rain- 

 bow, who was also the swift messenger 

 of Juno, queen of the gods. Is it any 

 wonder then that this, 



" Beautiful lily, dwelling by still rivers," 

 should have been designated by a name 

 so closely associated with the superb 

 hues of the bow of promise, on which 

 the winged messenger was supposed to 

 bear away the departing spirits. 



In the Iris family botanists include 

 the Crocus and the Gladiolus ; and of 

 the Iris proper there are very many 

 distinct species, both wild and culti- 

 vated • and by a judicious selection they 

 may be had in bloom during most of 

 the spring and summer months, begin- 

 ning with the Persian varieties in early 

 spring, to be succeeded in July and 

 'August with the Japan Irises. In our 



colored plate we have pleasure in show- 

 ing our readers a faithful representation 

 of three varieties, viz., the Common 

 Blue Flag on the left, Canary Bird to 

 the right, and Disraeli at the top. 



They may be grown either from 

 divisions of the root, or from seed, and 

 in the latter case may be expected to 

 bloom in the second year. The seed 

 should be sown in boxes in the house 

 and kept quite moist for three or four 

 weeks until it germinates. 



We shall be pleased if these lines 

 shall serve to inspire some of our 

 Canadian ladies with a greater appre- 

 ciation of this beautiful flower, and 

 with somewhat of the spirit of the de- 

 parted poet who closed his poem with 

 these lines : 



"0 tlower-de-luce, bloom on, and let the 

 river 



Linger to kiss thy feet ! 

 flower of song, bloom on, and make forever 



The world more fair and sweet ! " 



.AYING OUT A LAWN. 



Would it be beyond the sphere of the Horticul- 

 turist to give some directions for laying 

 out a lawn on a piece of ground half an acre 

 in extent ? I would like to know (1) how to 

 secure a good sod free from weeds, and (2) 

 what ornamental trees and shrul^s you 

 would recommend. — Jas. Millar, Bow- 

 manville. 



AN EXCELLENT article on 

 the formation of lawns ap- 

 pears in this volume, page 108, written 

 by Mr. J. A. Bruce, of Hamilton. 

 Mr. J. A. Morton, of Wingham, also 

 gave a most practical address on this 

 subject, at our summer meeting at 

 Collingwood whicli will appear in the 

 Report for 1887. 



We would say by all means see to 

 it that you have a tine large expanse 



of lawn in front of, and at the side of 

 your house. Make this the first and 

 most important consideration, for of 

 all exterior decorations this is the most 

 essential to the beauty of any home. 

 Even a most elegant mansion built in 

 the most ornate style of architecture, 

 but surrounded by a rough and untidy 

 lawn, has a forbidding aspect to a per- 

 son of cultivated taste, while a very 

 old-fashioned house, built in the plain- 

 est possible manner, but surrounded by 

 a well-kept lawn, and properly ar- 

 ranged groups of trees, is so full of 

 charms that it excites the admiration 

 of every visitor. 



