J une. 
OF GARDENING. 
of a fine green, but often irregularly fpotted on 
the Infide. | | 
~The Stalk is juicy, low, furrounded with a few 
- Leaves and Membranes; and naturally fupports | 
only one Flower. Sometimes from the Luxuri- 
ance of Culture two or three will burft out in Suc- 
ceffion; but they are not fo fine as when the 
whole Effort of Nature is for one, and all the 
Juices are fent to its Nourifhment: 
This is large, and of a deep and elegant violet 
blue; of the fame Form with thofe of the com- 
mon Flower-de-luce, but not bearded ; and varie- 
gated with no other Colour, except a Mark of 
yellow toward the Extremities of the three lower 
Petals. 
The whole Flower confitts : me fix; and has, as 
the other Iris’s, the Appearance.of Fike others, fo 
that an untaught Student would count nine. Of 
the fix proper Petals three are placed outward, and 
hang downward; three inward, and ftand erect, and 
among them appear three leafy'Heads of the Style, 
_ which tho’ fhorter than the reft, look like Petals 
to.an Eye not fufficiently accuftom’d»to the Di- 
{tinctions of the Science. | 
The Bafes of the three lower Petals are in 
many of the Kinds mark’d in a particular Man- 
ner by a hairy Nectarium ; 3 thefe are called beard- 
ed Flowers. » 
In the Place of thofe Beards there are’ in 
this on each of the Petals three Dots, which 
ferve the fame Purpofe, tho’ without the Orna- 
ment; and the Flower is therefore called beard- 
lefs. The fhort Style from which the three leafy 
Heads rife, ftands in the Midft of three F ila- 
ments, crown’d with oblong upright Buttons. 
| This fhews the Plant to be one of the 77- 
andria Monogynia of Linn us, his third) Clafs, 
and its firft Section. 
Culture of this Irnts. 
The Root freely produces Off-fets: by» thefe 
‘the Gardener knows ’tis eafily multiply’d, and 
in general his Care extends no farther: he 
places it in the Borders where it is wanted, not 
according to its natural Condition ; and in Spite 
of this inconfiderate Treatment it flowers, and is 
admired ; 
raifed with due Attention. 
It is a Native of Spain, and therefore requires, 
tho’ not a Stove or Green-houfe, yet the warmett 
Part of our common Garden Ground : ; and this 
muft not be too much open to the Sun: for in 
its wild State it loves fhelter. The Gardener knows 
a Place may be warm without being Sun-burnt ; 
fuch a one he is to chufe for this Iris; and if his 
Care proceed no farther than to the encreafing it 
by Off-fets, let him allow thefe in fuch a Part: of | 
the Ground a proper Compoft; and not bring 
them thither till they have ftood one Seafon in 
a Nurfery Bed, after being feparated from the old 
Roots, for the firft Year they blow weakly. 
The Compoft is to be the fame whether he 
content himfelf with this flight Culture, or raife 
his Stock frem Seed. ; 
Let, him mix equal Parts of Meadow far rth 
N® 39. 
how much more will it be fo when 
and Pond Mud, and add about one fourth rotted Tune: 
Cow Dung ; this will be a rich,; and yet cool 
Mixture, which the Plant loves. 
If he ufe Off-fets; let them be brought in 
from the Nurfery foon after their Leaves are de- 
cay’d, and planted at eight Inches Diftance. 
Every Year after flowering let them be taken 
up, clean’d, and imimediately planted again’ in 
frefh Compoft of thé fame Kind; and their Off 
fets feparated and raifed ds befote directed: 
For the raifing them from Seed’ let a Bed be 
prepared in the Nirfery well fhelter’d from cold 
Winds, and from the Noon. Stn, and on this 
filled with the Compoft juft directed, let the 
Seeds «faved from a thriving and well flower- 
ing Plant be fown in the laft Week of 4z- 
gut. Vet them be featter’d equally over the 
Surface, and a Fingers Breadth of the famé 
Mould fifted upon them. Lay a Piece of Haw- 
thorn on the Bed, and keep it clear from Weeds; 
when the Earth dries allow a little Water; but 
this muft be given with great Care not to wafh 
the Seeds dut of the Ground. 
If the Bed lie open on any part to cold 
Winds, plant a Reed-hedge to fcreen: it in Win- 
ter; cand in hard Frofts draw: a Mat over the 
Bufh,. 
Thus the Pristiile of hife -in ‘the: Seeds will 
be preferved, and they will fhoot according to 
their Nature early in Spring. 
_ Let them be. thin’d if they rife too alow: let 
all Weeds be clear’d off as foon as they appear, 
and let them be allow’d moderate Waterings. 
June the young ‘Leaves will fade, © 
Clip them off, and fift on half an Inch. of 
Motld; thus let them lie the Winter. 
Spring treat them as before; but in the End of 
June when their Leaves decay, take them up. | 
Let a larger Bed of the Compoft be pre- 
‘pared in the fame or fome ‘like part of the Nur- 
fery. Sift the Mould of the Seed-Bed to get the 
Roots; and plant them regularly as foon as fepa- 
rated in the new Bed at four Inches Diftance, 
Defend them in fevere Frofts; weed them in 
Spring, water them as there thal be Occafion, - 
and thus raife them to flower. 
Mark the fineft; and when the [eaves wither, 
take up the Roots of thofe and plant them at 4 
Foot afunder, in fuch a Bed as we dire&ted for 
the Off-fets in the Flower Garden. After this 
treat them as the Roots raifed from Off-fets, en- 
creafing them the fame Way. 
_ The next Year’s flowering in the Nurfery Bed 
‘will fhew which of the others are worthy to be 
mix’d with thefe; and they fhould be brought in 
when the Leaves wither; the Garden Bed being 
enlare’d to receive them. The reft may be plant- 
ed in comrnon Places to give Variety, or to make 
up a Border. 
Thus will many fine and gaudy F icawikt be 
raifed : but the choiceft Kinds are yet to come; 
let the fame Method: be obferv’d with: the Seeds 
of fome of the faireft Flowers thus raifed, and 
this repeated occafionally with the fineft Flowers 
from thofe. | 
Thus will be produced the moft perfect Bloom 
6B of 
In 
“Next © 
Lah 
