Weird tones of bronze, barbaric gold, black, yellow, 

 white and all shades of lavender and purple, give 

 them an almost limitless palette. 



I hesitate to tell you their price for fear they will 

 decline in your estimation — unless you are like me; 

 I always think, when I get anything at a great bar- 

 gain, that I've accidentally found a treasure and that 

 the poor dear salesman is being cheated, which gives 

 an exquisite tinge of joy to the transaction. These 

 irises are to be had in mixture for ten cents a dozen, 

 thirty cents a hundred, two dollars and fifty cents a 

 thousand — a thousand — think of that! 



They are small bulbs which should be planted 

 superficially — three or four inches deep. Tucked 

 between and around the other irises they make all 

 June lovely, then die down, effacing themselves until 

 the following fall when they spring up, prematurely 

 making ready for the next season. 



The iris called " German " is, strange to say, the 

 model of the French design of fleur-de-lis. Though 

 of very old lineage, many modern frills have been 

 added to the original white and purple " flags " of 

 our grandfathers. I love them even more than the 

 aristocratic hypenated Japanese ones, because they 

 are not proud but will flourish all over the garden, 



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