i94r 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, v 
fArausT, 
DEEP.-GRASS — (ffltezia Virgiuica.) 
fringed flower to tlie stalk. We have been 
much pleased with the abundance of these that 
have fallen under our observation this season, 
and hope in due time to give engravings of them. 
Among the plants of our low lands, none 
makes more show than the " Deer-grass " — 
which, by the wa) r , is no grass at all, but we 
have to accept common names as we find them. 
This plant is so striking in its appearance, and 
has been sent us so often for a name, that we 
have figured it. Its botanical name is Khexia 
Virginica. The derivation of the generic name, 
Khexia, is not well made out ; the specific name 
Virginica, was applied to it before the geo- 
graphy of this country was well understood. 
The plant is not peculiar to Virginia, but is 
found from Massachusetts far southward. The 
plant belongs to the family Melastornaceoe, one 
which gives us many valued green-house plants 
from the tropics ; but is only represented with 
us by the genus Khexia. The leaves of the 
plants in this family are all opposite, very 
strongly ribbed, and the anthers burst in 
an unusual manner — by openings or pores at 
the apes, instead of by the ordinary way of a 
longitudinal slit. We have three species of 
Khexia in the Northern States, but the one we 
have figured is the showiest. This plant was 
long ago cultivated in England, and we see no 
reason why it should not be introduced into 
our own gardens. The peculiar form of the 
four petaled, bright purple flower, with the con- 
spicuous yellow anthers, gives it so peculiar an 
appearance, that if the plant were potted, no 
one except a practical botanist would recog- 
nize it as an inhabitant of our Eastern swamps. 
Later will come the most gorgeous of all our 
wild flowers, Lobelia cardinalis, the Cardinal 
Flower, before the intense brilliancy of whose 
color the exotics pale. But we can not notice 
now all that one will meet with in a ramble. 
We would merely give the advice to those who 
would transfer these wild beauties to their 
grounds, to mark the plants while in flower, 
and if there are many ramblers in the neighbor- 
hood, to follow the practice of one of our friends, 
and render the plants less conspicuous, by re- 
moving the flowers. Mark with good stakes, 
that can be readily recognized — a common 
stick with a bit of white rag tied to the top, so 
as to flutter in the wind, we have found to be 
as good as anything — and after the foliage is 
dead, transfer the plants to a situation in the 
garden as near like their natural one as may be. 
The Flower de Luce. 
The name Flower de Luce has been applied to 
some species of Iris, because it was assumed by 
Louis VII., of France, as his badge or device. 
It was in old French fleur de Louis, and the re- 
cent flew de lys is a change from the original. 
So much for the derivation of a common name 
about which people who try to be correct differ. 
Flower de Luce is as much English, among 
flowers, as avoirdupois is in respect to weights. 
Every one knows our common wild Blue Flag; 
that is a Flower de Luce, or, botanically speak- 
ing, Iris versicolor. The genus Iris is a large one, 
and comprises both tender and hardy species. 
Our present object is to call attention to the 
DWABF IRIS — (Iris pumila.) 
hardy ones, as there are few hardy herbaceous 
perennials that will give more satisfaction than 
a collection of the best sorts of Iris ; they pre- 
sent a great variety of color, from white, through 
blue and deep purple to yellows and browns. 
One of the very earliest is the European Dwarf 
Iris, Iris pumila. Its leaves grow but a few 
inches high, and its veiy early flowers are borne- 
on veiy short stems. We have figured this spe- 
cies of its natural size. Ordinarily its flowers 
are of a violet color, but it varies from white to 
pure blue. On account of the low growth of 
the plant and its hardiness, it is very useful for 
edgings. It is not at all particular as to soils, 
and does very well in a diy situation. We have 
three native species of Dwarf Iris, which, if 
brought into cultivation, would doubtless be as 
valuable as the old Iris puinila. These are the 
Iris verna, found on the hill-sides of Virginia 
and Kentucky ; Iris cristata, which grows in 
similar localities, and Iris lacustris, another 
dwarf species, found along the shores of the great 
lakes of the West. These native species bloom 
in April and May, and are well worthy the at- 
tention of cultivators. Among the taller grow- 
ing kinds are : Iris Germanica, the common 
Flower de Luce of the old gardens, and Iris 
sambucina, the elder-scented kind. I. mriegata 
and I. Belgica, (of the books,) give no end of 
pleasing varieties, and some of them give a quite 
late bloom. All that we have mentioned have 
large and fleshy root-stocks, which are readily 
divided, and give an abundance of plants. The 
" orris root" of the drug stores, much valued for 
its violet perfume, is the dried root of Iris Flor- 
entine,, a species often found in our collections. 
