on such as have been long increased by offsets, or 
parting the roots ; they may be sown in sliglit drills, 
about six inches asunder, as soon as ripe; and in 
the March following, they will make an appearance 
very similar to rows of young onions. With no 
other care than frequent weeding, they may remain 
in the seed-bed for three years, for they are much 
more hardy than most kinds of seedling bulbs, and, 
therefore, will not even require protection from the 
frosts. In August or September of the third year, 
it will be necessary to transplant them into beds, at 
one foot’s distance, row from row, and the bulbs six 
inches apart ; and in two years from their removal, 
most of the strongest will show blossom, and nearly 
all in the year following, or the sixth from the seed. 
If during the time the roots are at rest, the top sur- 
face is carefully removed, and fresh light loam is 
substituted, a year will be saved, for this treatment 
will greatly promote the growth of the bulbs, and 
with these, as well as many other seedling* plants, 
it is not a stated time that must pass before they 
blossom, but only such a portion as will allow the 
bulb to attain a size sufficient to contain vigour to 
produce and perfect a flower-stem, the rudiment of 
which is formed in the preceding summer. When 
they blossom, a selection can be made, and the vari- 
eties perpetuated by the increase of their offsets. 
The most proper time for removing the bulbs is in 
August and September, those kept out of ground 
till Christmas rarely blossom on the succeeding 
summer.” Notwithstanding the time occupied in 
maturing seedling Irises, we strongly recommend 
their propagation as exceedingly interesting. 
Hort. Kcw. 2, v. 1, 121. 
