246 The Iris. 



when dried, give out that agreeable perfume so similar to the 

 odor of violets : it was first brought from Leghorn, and was in 

 great demand when hair powder was more generally worn, as 

 what was sold as violet powder was nothing more than a pro- 

 portion of the powder of this root mixed with common hair pow- 

 der. It is the Orris root of the shops, so frequently chewed by 

 those who have fetid breath ; it was formerly much esteemed 

 in medicine, and old writers extol its many valuable qualities ; 

 at present it is only used for its flavor. The Scissor Iris is one 

 of the most curious of the species. It has the slenderest stem 

 and the smallest flower of all the Irises, and the corolla never 

 expands till after mid-day. It is a native of Dauria, and has a 

 synonyme for our word scissors in that language, on account of 

 the form of the fork produced by the two branches which sup- 

 port the flowers. It is not even the flower of a day, for it never 

 fails to collapse before night by a two-fold inflexion rolling in- 

 wards at the limb or upper portion, and twisting spirally together 

 at the lower. 



The Iris Germanica — Fleur de Luck of our gardens, yields 

 a most beautiful paint for water colors, for which purpose the 

 flower petals are collected before they are fully expanded, and 

 pounded in a stone mortar with a stone-capped or wooden 

 pestle, then put into a glass and placed for some days in a cellar 

 or other moist place ; after the space of about a fortnight the 

 mass, which is now become liquid, is to be set over the lire in a 

 glass pot until about a third part is consumed; then some rock 

 alum is to be put into it, more or less, till it becomes clear and 

 acquires its fine blue color ; after which it is poured into shells 

 for use. Its root was formerly used to prevent beer becoming 

 stale, by suspending it in the cask ; and it was in like manner 

 suspended in casks of wine to communicate both its taste and 

 smell to the liquor. Lindley remarks, that in Iris the genus 

 from which the tribe takes its Latin name, Iriilecc, the structure 

 is very curious. The three sepals are broad and spreading, and 

 often ornamented with a beautiful feathered crest ; the three petals 

 stand erect, and curve over the centre of the flower ; while the stig- 

 mas are broad, richly colored parts, resembling petals, and curve 

 away from the centre. At first sight you would suppose the 

 Iris was altogether destitute of stamens ; but if you lift up the 

 stigmas you will find the runaways snugly hidden beneath their 



