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LXXIX. Instructions for Raising Varieties of the Iris Xiphi- 

 oides, or English Iris. By Mr. William Masters, Jun. 

 F. H. S. 



Read July 6th, 1819. 



It has always been the practice annually to import fresh 

 roots of the varieties of the Iris Xiphioides from Holland, 

 but the success I have had in their production, in my own 

 garden, encourages me to hope, that however necessary 

 may be the supply of some kinds of bulbs from that country, 

 we may rely, in future, on our own efforts, for the produc- 

 tion of these. 



"About seven years since, I had a single root, which was 

 the pale blue, or gray variety ; from the seeds of this, all the 

 sorts I now possess, were produced. The primary object, in 

 raising plants from seed, is, undoubtedly, to procure new va- 

 rieties, and I know of no flower that better repays the time 

 and attention of the Horticulturist, than this species of 

 Iris, as it is attended with little difficulty in rearing, and 

 appears to be a plant from which an infinity of changes may 

 be produced. 



It usually blossoms in June and July, and rarely exceeds 

 two feet in height; it belongs to that subdivision of the 

 Genus, which contains the bulbous-rooted sorts, without the 

 bearded nectary. In August, the seeds become ripe, and 

 are plentifully produced on all seedling plants, although, 

 like many other plants, but sparingly, and very frequently 

 not at all, on such as have been long increased by offsets, or 



