NATURAL HISTORt. 
335 
and tranfplanted. When their leaves decay, 
which is generally from the beginning of 
June to Oftober, the roots fliould be planted 
in fmall clufters, in order to improve the ap- 
pearance of their bloflbms. If ‘ 
ternately with fnowdrops, their etfett will 
be the more agreeable, as they flower about 
the fame time. 
IRIS. 
he bulbous iris Ihoots forth a ftem, 
formed of long, broad leaves, that are loft, 
and of a pale green colour. In the middle 
grows a ftalk which bears, on its top, a fm- 
gle-leafed flower divided into fix parts ; and, 
in the centre of the flower, is a chive of 
three leaves arched. Their flowers are either 
white, yellow, blue, fed of alh colour, and 
are moll beautiful in appearance. They are 
multiplied both by their feed, and by bulbs. 
When the feed is to be fown^ it fliould be 
gathered in July, and preferved until Sep- 
t ember, before it is committed to the foil ; 
and whatever colour the feed is, you may 
expe£t to have a flower arife from it of thd 
fame hue, which is a circumftance peculiar to 
the iris, and may account for its name, which 
is derived from a Greek word fignifying to 
foretell or prefage ; for the feed thus fore- 
tells the colour of the flower. 
NASTUR- 
