74 HOME AND GAKDEN 



years weeded their stocks of the varieties of lesser 

 merit, there are still too many kinds, but among the 

 best are Arnols, Bronze Beauty, La Prestigieuse, Rachel, 

 Salar Jung, Van Gheertii, and Walneriana. 



The position of my garden, on a dry hill in the 

 poorest soil, makes it impossible for me to grow the 

 beautiful Japanese water-loving Irises (/. laevigata). 

 Others that would prefer a damp place if they might 

 have it, such as the related kinds /. sibirica and /. 

 orientalis, do fairly well, but do not attain more than 

 half their proper height. An Iris that likes damp 

 may be known, like many another water-loving plant, 

 by a hollow reed-like stem. 



Many of these beautiful plants I cannot grow well 

 for want of a stronger soil. Such are the fine varieties 

 of the English and Spanish bulbous-rooted Irises ; I 

 specially regret being unable to grow with any degree 

 of success the splendid Thunderbolt, a garden develop- 

 ment of Iris hisitanica. It grows four feet high in 

 rich strong soil ; its garden name fitly describes its 

 lurid thunder-cloud-like colouring. 



Our two native Irises are both worthy of a place 

 in the garden. Iris pseud-acorus, the Yellow Flag of 

 our river banks, is a conspicuously beautiful plant, not 

 only because of its bold growth and bright flower, but 

 also because of the harmony of colouring between the 

 full yellow of the bloom and the yellow-green of the 

 foliage. The summer value of Iris fatidissima consists 

 chiefly in the handsome tufts of dark-green half- 



