IRIS FAMILY 



mas do not become receptive until the anthers have matured 

 and cast their pollen, thus insuring cross-fertilization. At the 

 bottom of the tube is a full drop of limpid nectar. The existence 

 of this nectar is so well known to the humming-birds that they 

 will hover in flocks over the gladiolus beds, and it is quite possi- 

 ble to lure them from the garden to the piazza by means of the 

 flowering stalks. It is well to fill some of the flowers fairly full of 

 sweetened water so that the birds come to know that sweets are 

 to be had; then quietly cut the stalks and remove them in full 

 sight of the little fellows and in time they will pluck up courage and 

 follow. As long as the supply of sweets /holds out. they are likely 

 either to remain, or if they fly away, to return. Incidentally, one 

 gets light upon hu,mming-bird character. One day, the strongest 

 of the flock decided to take possession of the piazza nectar supply — 

 comer the market as it were — and perched upon the. back of a 

 chair kept watch and wait over his monopoly. The little wretch 

 was strong enough to terrorize all his companions, and if the 

 Deus ex macMna had not finally interfered and set his grumpy 

 majesty afloat, the rest of the flock would have had nothing. It 

 was a complete dog-in-the-manger plan, and how so much selfish- 

 ness, wrath, and wrangling could dwell in so exquisite a form was 

 a wonder. The old adage, " Handsome is as handsome does," 

 did not quite fit the conditions of that summer morning. 



The ordinary color range includes all the chromatic changes 

 possible upon the chord of red varying to white, but recently 

 purples have appeared from hybridization. If the gardeners 

 choose, the blues will follow, for where nature gives a secondary 

 color, it is quite possible to obtain from it by patience and effort 

 both primaries. 



88 



