8IJLEGTI0NS OF IBISES, 



123 



given sufficient room for the adoption of a comprehensive scheme, 

 where is the family that will give flowers absolutely from one end 

 of the year to the other ? 



The hypercritical person will perhaps say that there would be a 

 sameness in such a garden that would not be found with other plants, 

 but tliis is far from the actual fact of the case, for Irises differ 

 widely in habit, time of flowering, in size— both of stature of plant 

 and bloom — and in colours. True, there is^no suspicion of gaudiness 

 about them ; they are flowers which essentially appeal to the refined 

 taste, and not at all to those who will not trouble to seek for the 

 beauty that is there. 



Let a man once start an Iris garden, and he will quickly become 

 engrossed in its management, for the very fact that some sorts will 

 prove difficult to thoroughly establish will add zest to the hobby, and 

 insure never failing pleasure. There will be the lowly gem of 3 inches 

 in height, and the stately beauty whose flowers sway in the breeze 

 some 3 or 4 feet above the ground. And so it would be easy to 

 continue to extol the virtues of the Iris garden did space permit. 



This family, it must be understood, is very large indeed, and the 

 number of species and varieties is enormous ; they come well-nigh 

 from all quarters of the globe and from all climates, and demand 

 proportionately different treatment, so that considerable care must be 

 exercised in procuring the stock. The accom^panying selections 

 contain representatives of each section, as well as varieties of several, 

 and if chosen in their entirety would form a splendid collection of 

 these most delightful plants. 



With a view to facilitating the selection for the benefit of those 

 who only wish for one or two classes of Irises, the lists are made 

 as clear as possible by division. 



Selections of Irises. 



In each case where the colours are given that of the standard is 

 placed first, and that of the falls last ; markings are not included in 

 every instance. In the case of the enumeration of the varieties of I. 

 Germanica and others the colours are not always given, as they would 

 take up a lot of valuable space, but the varieties are in each instance 

 as distinct as possible. 



Species of Irises. 

 apliylla, lilac. neglecta, lilac (see selec- 



aurea, yellow. tions). 

 Cretensis, lilac. ochroleuca (gigantea). 



f etidissima, blue and lilac. P s e ii d a c o r u s , yellow, 

 flavescens, yellow. Water Flag. 



Florentiua, white. Orris puraila, lilac purple. 



root. Sibirica, blue. 



Germanica, many colours squalens, lilac and purple. 



(see selections). unguicularis,lilac and blue, 



graminea, lilac and purple. variegata, claret and 

 Kempferi (see levigata). yellow, 

 levigata, many colours (see 



selections). 



