Part II. iris. 235 



luxuriantly on, rich but free and light soil, in a warm position. 

 I have never seen it do so well as in the Glasnevin Botanic 

 Gardens, which points to the fact that somewhat moist districts 

 will suit it, but I have seen it thrive both to the north and south 

 of London. Charming for association with the dwarf Crimean 

 Iris, the alpine Catchfly, and any other dwarf gems among the 

 later spring flowers of the choice mixed border. On rockwork 

 it thrives best on level earthy spots, and where it does well and 

 increases freely in rich light moist soil, it will form a pretty 

 edging for beds of dwarf shrubs or American plants. A native 

 of mountainous regions in North America, with all the gem-like 

 loveliness of the choicest Swiss alpine flowers ; was introduced 

 by Mr. Peter CoUinson, so long ago as 1756, and figured in 

 Sir James Smith's 'Rare Plants ' in 1792. 



IRIS 1>S-n-DlCi&.TJU.S.— Naked-stemmed I. 



This species, at present scarcely grown in this country, I first 

 observed in the Jardin des Plantes at Paris. It is one of the 

 most attractive of all Irises, about the same height as the 

 Dwarf Iris, but with larger blooms and stouter habit; the leaves 

 are lance-shaped and bent, those of the stem somewhat spoon- 

 shaped ; flowers of bluish violet, external divisions spoon-shaped, 

 not, or but very slightly, wavy, the internal ones oval and 

 longer, the central blades violet ; appearing in May. It 

 flourishes in ordinary garden soil, is valuable for the spring 

 or rock garden or the mixed border, and comes from Southern 

 Europe. A vigorous grower, and easily increased by division. 



IRIS FUMTLIi..— Dwarf Crimean I. 



Often flowering at four inches, the dwarf Iris, even in favourable 

 soils, rarely exceeds ten in height ; the stems usually bear one 

 or two deep-violet flowers, of which the external divisions are 

 large and oblong, the internal ones dilated, broad at the top, 

 narrow at the base, and wavy at the edge ; the flowers very 

 large and beautiful. Blooms in April and May, and is use- 

 ful in a variety of ways, as for edgings of one or of several 

 colours ; for beds of distinct or alternated colours in the 

 spring garden ; for a place among the choicest and lowest 

 plants of the mixed border, on lower and flatter parts of 

 the rockwork in wide-spreading tufts, on old ruins, on walls, and 



