PRIS VARIEGA'TA. 
VARIEGATED IRIS, OR FLEUR-DE-LIS. 
Class. Order. 
TRIANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. 
Natural Order. 
IRIDEiE. 
Native of 
Height. 
Flowers in 
Duration. 
Cultivated 
Hungary. 
2 feet. 
May, June. 
Perennial. 
in 1597. 
No. 278. 
The word Iris, which is applied by the Greeks 
to the rainbow, is supposed to have been derived 
from eiro, signifying I speaker I tell; as some 
have thought, because it declared the presence of 
rain. Supposing the term to have been so deduced, 
may it not have been adopted by reason of its telling, 
or declaring, to us, the covenant of God, as related 
in the ninth chapter of Genesis? Such supposition 
is admissible if Plato be allowed to have built his 
system of philosophy on the Mosaic law. 
This genus contains many interesting species, and 
the Iris variegata may deservedly be ranked in 
such class. It is completely hardy, and the hue of 
its flowers remind us of Mrs. Charlotte Smith’s 
spirited words, in allusion to another species, — 
“Amid its waving swords, in flaming gold 
The Iris towers ” 
It requires no peculiar treatment, needing only to 
be planted in a light fresh loamy soil, in preference 
to one that has long been under culture. Where 
circumstances admit of a choice, an eastern aspect 
should be adopted. Division of the roots, or trans- 
planting, may be effected in September. 
Hort. Kew. 2, v. 1, 118. 
