WINTER IN THE GARDEN 193 



other localities they disappear after the first season 

 or two. The plant dies down very early in the 

 year, and bulbs should be procured as soon as 

 possible after they become dormant. In sowing 

 an endeavour should be made to obtain freshly 

 ripened seed, as that which has been laid by for 

 any length of time often fails to germinate. 



Some of the bulbous Irises are winter bloomers, 

 /. alata often expanding the first of its lUac-blue 

 blossoms with a yellow blotch on the falls before 

 the New Year. It is not, however, a very depend- 

 able species, since it frequently fails to flower. 

 /. Mistrio is more reliable, and generally flowers 

 in January. Its pretty blooms have white falls, 

 margined with bright lilac-blue, the central band 

 of white being delicately veined with the same 

 colour. /. Mstrioides somewhat resembles the 

 preceding in coloiuing, the falls being marked 

 by bright blue spots and blotches. Its flowers 

 are larger, often measuring five inches across. 

 /. JSeldreicM or stenophylla is a lovely little flower, 

 blooming in mid-January. It is one of the 

 handsomest and most easily cultivated of all the 

 smaller, bulbous Irises. There is considerable 

 variation in the colouring of the flowers, one of 

 the handsomest forms having violet - purple falls, 



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