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The Garden Magazine, June, 1922 



activity; in fact, we find this frequently asserted. Dykes* has 

 given reasons for preferring September to April for the process 

 of transplantation, chiefly because fresh root fibers are then 

 just beginning to push out and will take a new hold readily; 

 while those plants divided in spring seem to suffer easily from 

 drought and winds, and, when fall comes, fail to start growth 

 with anything like the vigor of the ones freshly reset. 



At once impressed by the apparent reasonableness of this 

 argument, 1 determined to put the matter to experimental test. 

 About the time of reading the article I was planning to set out 

 the long edging of marginata already mentioned. So I chose 

 the spring, May 14th to be exact, for the operation, trimming 

 all the leaves back, as generally found advisable in transplanting 

 bare- root Irises, and dividing to single or double rhizomes, with 

 careful attention to watering after planting. The result was 

 in every way as anticipated. It is true that only about three 

 divisions out of some seventy died out entirely, but it was al- 

 most a full year and a half before the resultant growth attained 

 a stage which could fairly be called luxuriant, while of bloom 

 there was but the scantiest supply, and that greatly belated in 

 appearance, until the second fall. Since then, however, the 

 vigor of this border, with the possible exception of a couple of 

 plants, has been all that could be desired. Colloquially speak- 

 ing, it has "caught up with itself." 



Last fall (September 22nd) came the opportunity for the con- 

 verse test. For this I used divisions from two clumps of one 

 of the white Mediterranean Irises, which, as the desired edging 

 was a very long one, I was forced to reduce to the smallest possi- 

 ble fragments. Otherwise the treatment was as nearly that of 

 the former instance as possible to make it, yet the results have 

 been wholly different, and bear out in every particular the con- 

 clusions of Dykes. The new roots were just beginning to push 

 out at the time of transplantation. This continued, so far as 

 my occasional examination of the plants showed, without notice- 

 able abatement, and visible leaf growth began almost at once. 

 This was followed within a very few weeks (November 11th) 

 by the flowers themselves. A few of the blossoms were rather 

 small and poor, and most, perhaps, not quite up to standard; 

 but still they were generally presentable flowers, continuing 

 their display well through the winter and giving, while the 

 plants were so small, much the effect of a row of Spanish Iris. 

 Leaf growth has been very vigorous and at the date of writing 

 not even the tiniest rhizome has been lost. Next season should 

 bring a wonderful showing from that border. 



To clinch the argument, I set out another long row of these 

 Irises on December 29th. By this time root growth was well 

 advanced, had progressed so far, indeed, that many of the long 

 fleshy fibres were necessarily damaged or broken in taking up 

 the plants. This did not seem encouraging. Nevertheless, 

 while results were in no respect so favorable as with the Septem- 



IR1SES UNDER SNOW AT REDLANDS, CALIFORNIA 



Though natives of the mild Mediterranean countries, these Irises are far from 

 tropical in their requirements, being in no wise disturbed by this Novem- 

 oer snowfall through which they continued to push up bloom with almost 

 unslackened energy. Photograph taken by Mr. Berry, Nov. 27, 19 19 



ber planting, and most of the flower buds seem to have blasted, 

 the vegetative growth has been good, only a few divisions have 

 been lost, and the little plants have settled down to business 

 generally much better than spring-divided plants tend to do 

 in a corresponding lapse of time. While it would seem, then, 

 that September is beyond compare the best month for any 

 fundamental disturbance of these Irises, they may be safely 

 moved while well along in active growth if one be willing to 

 forego a little bloom, whereas late spring seems really about 

 the worst season of all. Undivided clumps, with the earth 

 still adherent to the roots, would perhaps transplant readily at 

 almost any time. 



THE chief faults of these Irises, if truly serious enough to 

 be called such, are two in number: a tendency to untidiness 

 as the older leaves die, especially in late summer and early fall; 

 and the habit the flowers have of hiding down among the leaves, 

 much as Violets do, so that the plant is never as showy as it 

 might be in the garden. However, during the largest part of 

 the year most of the varieties of unguicularis are decidedly 

 ornamental as foliage plants alone, even without the lurking 

 touch of color which, despite its diffidence, is such an addition 

 during the seven or eight months of the flowering season. Their 

 landscape value then appears to depend principally upon the 

 care shown in their use. As an edging to a long path winding 

 among trees planted openly enough so that the sun can pene- 

 trate, any of the Mediterranean Irises is altogether charming. 

 I have long wanted to try one of the marginata types at the 

 back of a narrow border of California Violets, as the blooming 

 periods, or at least their maxima, in the two plants correspond 

 so well, and the mauve and lavender of the Iris blends so hap- 

 pily with the light purple of the Violet. The latter, it is true, 

 is slightly redder in hue than the Iris, but it is quite surprising 

 how nearly similar they are and how smoothly they tone to- 

 gether. Princess of Wales Violets are too deep to blend so 

 well with marginata or any of the more typical unguicularis, 

 but they match the allied cretensis somewhat better. There 

 are, too, various white Violets available for use in connection 

 with the alba types of these Irises. 



I have dwelt so long upon unguicularis because it is the most 

 common and typical species of the group, not because it is neces- 

 arily the most beautiful. There are a number of other races, 

 most of which, such as the marginata and alba, are generally 

 referred to only as varieties of the type, although a few will 

 perhaps eventually come to be regarded as distinct species. Of 

 the varieties, some of the forms of the marginata are among 

 the finest and to my eye preferable both in flower and plan to 

 the typical unguicularis. The lightly margined falls, richer and 

 deeper color, larger flowers, longer blooming season, and slightly 

 increased luxuriance are all points decidedly in their favor. 

 Other varieties, referred to as lilacea, purpurea, speciosa, 

 and elongata, unfortunately I have been unable to discover 

 in cultivation in this country. "Var. alba" is a blanket 

 term used to cover several not necessarily related and even 

 quite distinct white forms, at least one of which is so 

 original in its characters that if it is a real wild form and 

 not a garden sport, its claims to specific rank should cer- 

 tainly be considered. It is stiff er and primmer in appear- 

 ance than its gaudier relatives, and with me its blooming 

 season does not appear to be so long, but it is nevertheless 

 worth growing. In color it is creamy, with golden signal 

 patches. I have been unable to learn anything at all 

 definite regarding its origin. 



Iris lazica is a relatively broad-leaved race of the 

 Mediterranean Iris from the southeastern shore of the 

 Black Sea, whence its name. It is said by European 

 growers to be worth while, but I have been struggling 

 with a refractory plant for several years to very little 

 avail. All that can be said of my specimen at present is 

 that it still bears two green leaves. Perhaps it is fussier 

 in soil requirements than some of the others. 



*Gardeners' Chronicle, vol. 59, p. 155. 



