64 Burton: Iris spuria, a Lincolnshire Escape. 



many Asian forms. This seems to be one of the Asian forms. 

 It is, of course, an escape from cultivation. It is so marked an 

 instance of escape that it would be worth while for some of you 

 to investigate the case, and if possible find out how it got there. 



' I have never known birds take the seed of this kind of Iris 

 (or indeed of any other), so either the roots or the seed must 

 have g"ot there in some other way. It is not likely to have come 

 from an ordinary gfarden, since it is a form of Iris not much 

 cultivated. Is there any history of any garden either near — or 

 so related to the spot that the transmission of roots or seeds 

 may seem likely ? One way in which garden bulbs escape is by 

 the young plants for a hedge, or young- shrubs, being taken 

 from a nursery garden, and the small bulbs being carried in the 

 soil round their roots ; but this would not explain this case. 

 I hope some one will worry it out. ... < jy[ Foster. 



' ■ (the authority in question) could never have called this 



/. foetidissima ; it is wholly unlike.' 



To this I replied that the place where the plant occurs is 

 a seldom-visited part of the marsh land of Lincolnshire between 

 the wolds and the sea (indeed, no one but a naturalist and those 

 who farm the land would go there) ; that it was impossible the 

 plants had escaped from any nursery gfarden; and that, with 

 the exception of a few thinly-scattered farm-houses and a cottage 

 or two, and a coastguard station, none of which were at all near 

 the specimens I found, no habitations existed near the spot ; 

 and I suggested, as a possible solution, that some sailor-son 

 might have brought a plant over for his mother's g-arden and 

 afterwards cast it away, or planted it in a place which appeared 

 to him likely for it to grow in. However this may be, there is no 

 doubt that it has been flourishing where it occurs for a very long- 

 time, as no one who has seen the plants growing can doubt, for 

 they are found on the ditches and sides of the ponds around, and 

 are thoroughly established in the locality. Mr. Jennings says 

 the plants occur, to his knowledg-e, in three different places 

 within the radius of about a mile, all in the parish of Huttoft. 



It is always a matter of interest trying to find out how 

 escapes originate, and especially such an escape as this. The 

 plant is not a likely one to be grown by any except collectors 

 and enthusiasts. The flowers are not very striking - , though 

 these in question are the most highly coloured of any I ever met 

 with, and I grow several forms of the type. Altogether it is 

 a remarkable and notable escape, and to use Sir Michael Foster's 

 words, it is quite worth while for some of the members of the 

 Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union ' to investigate the case, and if 

 possible find out how it got there.' j is t July i8gg. 



Naturalist, 



3 FES. 1300 



