THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



11 



Although there are a great many species of iris in cultiva- 

 tion, it is not easy to get a very extensive collection together 

 for the reason that the nurserymen carry only a few standard 

 sorts, and even these are not always correctly named. One 

 may flatter himself that he is accumulating a creditable array 

 of species, only to find later that most of his plants, handsome 

 though they be, are varities of the common German iris (Iris 



The Japanese Iris is one of the most beautiful. 



(Courtesy of Meehans' Garden Bulletin.) 



Gerinaiiica) , or hybrids between it and allied plants. All the 

 so-called species listed under the names Iris neglecta, 1. hyhrida, 

 and /. plicata are of this nature. They are only strains bred 

 up from Iris pallida, I. samhucina and /. variegata. An iris 

 fancier has therefore two ways open to him. He may collect 

 the more handsome named sorts or he may go in for the 

 botanical species. By the first method he will secure more 



