370 JOUENAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 
new ' H. G. Moon ' (fig. 176) is a hybrid or cross between Helianthiis multi- 
Horus, the common perennial Sunflower, and Helianthus rigidus, generally 
called hitherto Harpalium rigidum, but now grouped with Helianthus. 
' Miss Mellish ' is by far the best of the H. rigidus type, and ' H. G. Moon ' 
will, we hope, prove the forerunner of a race intermediate with it and 
the H. multiflorus type, of which H. m. maximus is the best at present. 
THREE COMMON GARDEN IRISES. 
(1) Many people experience no little trouble in the cultivation of the 
common Iris (and its varieties), known under various other names as 
Fig. 177. 
Fleur-de-lys, German Iris, Bearded Iris, &c. It is one of the few plants 
which do not seem to mind the smoke of London, probably from the fact 
of the leaves all standing erect, and thus not accumulating such a dense 
coating of London smoke deposit as is the case with leaves which stand 
out more or less horizontally. But though it will grow in London, many 
gardeners say they " cannot do German Irises." The reason is that there 
is a deep-seated and engrained idea that German Irises want water, 
because the wild Flag Iris of our country streams and ditches, which is an 
absolutely different plant, lives in mud and water. The German Iris, on 
the contrary, delights in a dry soil, revels in a good baking sun, and never 
seems to find the sun too hot, unless it be in such exceptional times of 
