I30 
FLORA AND SYLVA 
little horn-shaped glands set between 
the petals, at their base, but the popular 
name of Chinese Chestnut recalls its use 
in the far east, as well as its relationship 
to the Horse Chestnuts. It is also nearly 
related to Koelreitter^ia pa7iiculata^2.Xx^^ 
of about the same height found growing 
with it on the plains of N. China, and 
with many features in common, while, 
like two lonely orphans associated for 
company-sake, neither ofthempossesses 
any near relative of its own. Though 
each is in a genus apart, they are mem- 
bers of the same order, and so nearly 
akin that the Koelreuteria has been used 
as a stock for grafting the Xanthoceras, 
though with little success. Though the 
fruits would seem to be harmless enough, 
the wood of the Xanthoceras is poison- 
ous, a fact discovered by a gentleman 
who, on placing a few cut shoots in 
shallow water to keep them fresh, found 
that every fish in the pond died. B. 
THE ALGERIAN IRIS AND ITS 
VARIETIES. 
With our few hardy winter flowers, so good 
an one as Iris ungiiicularis (better known as 
stylosa) deserves a place in every garden where 
its needs can be studied. Nor are these hard 
to meet, while the large and finely-coloured 
flowers come freely and over such a long season 
that it is not rare for well-placed plants to 
flower for three or four months in succession, 
resting for awhile it may be in severe weather. 
The flowers are on stems so short as to be 
almost buried in the grassy leaves, and though 
this shelters them, the plant loses in effect ; 
something may be done however to remedy 
this, by choice of ground, or by growing some 
of the newer selected varieties with short and 
narrow leaves. To succeed with this pretty 
plant it must have shelter and a warm, sandy 
soil. It often fails to flower when planted in 
the open like other hardy Iris, because its 
leaves are spoiled by wind, and the early buds 
forthwith ruined : in this way it has never a 
chance. Or again, it may be coddled and over- 
fed into growing bright grassy tufts of leaf, 2 
to 3 feet long, with never a flovv^er. Commenc- 
ing to bloom in November (or even earlier) 
and continuing into February or March, a cosy 
place at the foot of a wall, or a narrow border 
on the sunny side of a greenhouse and against 
its warm brickwork, is as good a place as can 
be found for it. True there are often other 
claimants for these choice corners, and in most 
of our southern gardens places may be found 
almost as good upon warm, dry banks, or under 
the shelter of a raised and sunny hedgerow, 
where its roots will be quite happy among 
roots and stones. There is many a wall, how- 
ever, given to fruit or climbing shrubs, at 
whose foot tufts of this little plant would 
thrive. Nothing is better for it than a light 
granitic soil such as those of many parts of 
its own country, where it abounds in open 
places and in sandy Pine woods, or here and 
there (already half wild) around Cannes, where 
the soil is similar. It will also do well in a 
light limestone, but rarely thrives in heavier 
ground, unless well prepared by adding stones, 
lime rubbish, or gravel, to keep it dry. It 
increases fast and should be left to spread in 
tufts when so placed as to be well exposed to 
sun and light, thriving best in raised clumps, 
standing full sun and the fiercest drought, and 
often with its roots half bare. When divided, 
it should be in April, when the flowers are 
over. These blooms of pale lavender blue are 
3 to 4 inches across, fragrant, and as delicate 
in texture as an Orchid. It will therefore be 
well understood that the winter winds and 
rough weather soon ruin the buds, unless well 
protected, with a tilted handhght, or a spare 
frame propped against it. If this little extra 
shelter can be arranged more naturally — as by 
overhanging shrubs — so much the better, and 
this care will be repaid by the increased size 
and beauty of the flowers. However well 
placed, the tufts will need watching for slugs 
and snails, which shelter in the grassy leaves 
and prey upon the tender buds before they 
open. Where the conditions are against their 
opening well upon the plant, the buds may be 
cut while still tightly rolled and will expand 
