THE REQEUO=CYCLUS IRIS AND THEIR CULTURE 267 
— with the best Cushion Irises. In do- are edged with a thin band of pale gold, 
ing this my hope was to counteract the I have called it C/iaron, and it is faith- 
weakly constitution of the pollen parent fully represented in the plate as number 
without losing the advantage of its large 2. Psyche (No. i in the plate) is a very 
flowers. Upon flowering, these seed- chaste flower, the result of crossing /r/> 
lings surpassed all my expectations ; Korolkowi typica with /. iberica van 
compared with the weakly Oncocyclus Hoiittei^ and both parents may be easily 
class the new gains were of remarkable recognised in its flowers. The standards 
strong growth. Some of them made and falls are less rounded than in most 
leaves more than a foot long, with large of the seedlings, showing that /. Korol- 
flowers on stout stalks mostly over 2 kowi has been one of its parents ; the 
feethigh. Many years have since elapsed, peculiar silvery-white underground it 
and the rhizomes, so far from dwindling has inherited from iberica va7i Houttej. 
as with the Cushion Iris, grow stronger The netting and veining is purplish- 
every season and are quite happy under mauve, and the falls have a very con- 
their treatment. A great merit is their spicuous glossy black blotch in the 
readiness to flower, full-sized rhizomes centre. The third flower in the plate 
each bearing two or three flower- stalks, called Iphige7iia ranks first among the 
This number increases to four and five seedlings. Its parents are Iris Korol- 
whereundividedclumpsareplanted,and kowi concolor x /^^r/c^ and as was almost 
it is then a picture to see the large flow- to be expected, a first-class flower has 
ers towering above theheal thy, vigorous been the result. Of perfect shape, its 
foliage on warm, quiet days. standards are of a warm magenta-rose 
These hybrids embrace many shades netted with black veins, while the falls 
of colour which are quite new ; on show a peculiar copper-brown colour 
creamy-white or rosy-lilac grounds the heavily veined all over with bronze- 
standards and falls are delicately netted yellow. Space forbids details of all the 
with brown, deep purplish-red, or grey , new varieties that have been raised dur- 
veins, giving a satin-like appearance, j ing the past ten years. Just a few that 
Another merit is that the stout scapes ; were open at the time, were placed be- 
are usually twin-flowered, a second j fore the floral committee of the R.H.S. 
flower unfolding when the first has at the Drill Hall, on 17th May of last 
faded. year, and were much admired by those 
One of these seedlings, /r/> r^?/i^?w/ present. Considering their readiness to 
venosa crossed with Iris atropurpurea^ flower, the length of time (from the end 
has developed into a flower of special of May into July) during which they 
interest ; its colours show a wonder- remain in beauty, and their unique com- 
ful combination of sombre mahogany- binations of colour, I do not hesitate to 
brown tones, veined and netted all over repeat the remark of a well-known ama- 
with old gold. The falls have a velvety teur that " their value as garden flowers 
central blotch of brownish-black, and ; cannot easily be over-estimated." 
