THE CULTIVATION OF THE IRIS 



By Willard X. Clute. 



* 



TN classical mythology, Iris was the goddess of the rainbow 

 ^ and to moderns the name is still suggestive of deep and 

 brilliant color. It was therefore most appropriate that the 

 plants we commonly know as ''flags'' should be given the name 

 of iris for a generic title. All the tints of the rainbow, in fact, 

 with the possible exception of deep red, are to be found in the 

 flowers of different species, though the blossoms of the group, 

 as a whole, incline to the lovely blues, violets and lavenders 

 that are usually rare in any collection of flowers. Orchids 

 may, indeed, outrival them in bizarre forms and color patterns, 

 but in matters of pure color alone, the irises are probably 

 superior. To call them "the poor man's orchids," as is some- 

 times done, is to ''Damn them with faint praise." 



For centuries flower lovers were content to cultivate 

 grandmother's purple and white flag lilies without thought of 

 trying to improve them or of introducing more desirable 

 plants though here and there an occasional new form crept into 

 cultivation, but now that plant collectors and nurserymen have 

 begun to ransack the earth for the more beautiful species it is 

 not surprising to know that the cultivation of irises is fast 

 growing in popularity. 



There are rather more than a hundred different species of 

 iris in the world besides a large number of varities and hybrids 

 produced by cultivation. The family to which our plants 

 belong is noted for the production of beautiful flowers and 



