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showing in the stout fleshy roots, and 

 flowers often 4 inches across, upon stems 

 3 to 4 inches high. It blooms very early, 

 the first flowers opening in January of 

 a mild season, though early March is 

 its time of full beauty. Though of good 

 substance, the flowers cannot always 

 withstand our rough March weather in 

 the open, but with the shelter of a glass 

 shade or a spare light they will last for 

 three weeks in beauty. The plant is of 

 easy growth, doing well in any good 

 garden soil, and content with the treat- 

 ment of other rock plants. A pretty 

 effect can be gained in the contrast of 

 a group of these fine blue flowers with 

 massesof Winter Aconite, or the yellow 

 Winter Jasmine. There are forms with 

 slight differences in colour, but all share 

 a distinct shade of violet-blue. It is a 

 good plant for gentle forcing, flowering 

 early, and its blossoms fragrant. After 

 flowering indoors the bulbs should be 

 hardened off" and planted as little groups 

 in the border or rock-garden, where 

 their effect is increased by a carpet of 

 neat plants to cover the soil and prevent 

 splashing. Slugs — the one drawback to 

 this plan — may be guarded against by 

 mixing sharp sand freely with the soil ; 

 this is itself a good thing for many of the 

 creeping plants suited to the purpose. In 

 its own country Iris Heldreichii grows 

 upon the lower mountain slopes, often 

 blooming very early in the shelter of 

 thick belts of Corsican Pine. 



Iris Bolleana. — A scarce and beau- 

 tiful plant, of which a small quantity has 

 been found upon low limestone hills 

 skirting the coast, and only a few hun- 

 dred feet above the sea. Its flowers are 



of clear yellow, with or without blotches 

 of bright violet on the tips of the inner 

 bracts, and similar in character to others 

 of the group. Low tufts of very narrow 

 leaves, which are limp and strangely 

 curled as though falling in disorder. 



IrisSieheana. — Regarding this plant 

 (also known as /. Hansknechtii} there is 

 some confusion, due in part to its variable 

 character. It has also borne the name Iris 

 persica magna, but is a distinct species 

 though nearly allied to the Persian Iris, 

 and like it in its feebler growth. So far 

 it has not done so well as the other new 

 kinds but is still under trial. Its forms 

 vary a good deal , the leaf being broad and 

 white-margined in some plants, and in 

 others narrow, much longer, and curl- 

 ing over in disorder. The flowers, too 

 — one to each plant — vary from silver- 

 grey marked with red, to pale reddish- 

 purple blotched with white and yellow, 

 and spotted with deep brown. Though 

 beautifully blended its tones are too 

 subdued for effective garden use. This 

 species is from the province of Amasia 

 in Asia Minor, growing upon dry hill- 

 sides amid the dense brush of Pine- 

 forests. 



Iris Tauri. — For beauty and rich 

 colour this promises to be one of the 

 best of new Iris, while it is also early in 

 flower, and unhurt by severe weather 

 even when starting into growth. It 

 might almost be called an alpine Iris, 

 coming from mountain pastures of the 

 easternTaurus at over 6,000 feet,though 

 also found in woods of Juniper at a lower 

 level. Its first flowers open with the 

 melting of the snow and a few weeks 

 after those of /. Heldreichii, which never 



