252 BRECK’S NEW BOOK OF FLOWERS, 
One of the most esteemed of the bulbous rooted Irises, 
is the Persian, on account of the beauty and fragrance of 
its flowers. It is also very early but not perfectly hardy. 
It is valued for flowering in the green-house, or sitting- 
room. A few of its flowers will scent a whole room; the 
colors are pale sky-blue, purple, yellow, and white. 
I. Xiphium.—The Spanish Ivis, is a handsome border- 
flower, with bulbous roots, perfectly hardy, embracing the 
most delicate shades of light and dark-blue, brown, pur- 
ple, yellow, and white, and variously colored, striped and 
spotted; the bulbs are small, tooth-like, sending forth 
rush-like foliage, flowering in June; stems about eighteen” 
inches high. The bulbs of this and the English Iris should 
be planted in autumn, about two and one-half inches 
deep in any good garden soil. The bulbs need not be 
taken up oftener than once in three years. 
I. xyphiéides.—The English Ivis, is somewhat similar 
to the last, but more robust in growth; the bulbs are 
larger; the stem two feet high, producing its flowers in 
June; colors as various as in the Spanish, and as desirable 
for the border. 
I, sambucina,—Elder-scented Iris.—A very beautiful 
species, with brilliant, pale-blue, variegated flowers, on 
stems four feet high, with many flowers, standing 
above the foliage; the foliage is long and narrow, or 
more grass-like than the common tuberous sorts. The 
roots of it are of a more fibrous character than in most 
of the genus, and mat together so hard, that they are 
with difficulty separated. A clump of this, with its nu- 
merous rich flowers and graceful foliage, rhakes as much 
show as any other plant of the season; last of June, 
I. pseudacérus.— The Yellow Iris of England, has 
handsome yellow flowers; in June; two to three feet 
in height, 
