242 
THE IRIS. 
raent in the greenhouse through March and April. As spring 
and early summer-flowering plants, the whole are valuable, and, 
with some discrimination in the choice of species, may be made 
effective in almost any situation. In most flower gardens a sort 
of interregnum prevails from the end of April to the beginning 
of June, or between the removal of the spring-flowering plants 
and the establishment of those of summer; flowers are then more 
scarce than at any other period of the vernal season, and the few 
we possess are either red or yellow : blue and white are almost 
absent; they may, however, be supplied from this genus, nor do 
we observe anything to militate against the free use of several 
species for the purpose ; the richest deep blue, combined with 
a neat dwarf habit and tender green foliage* is offered in such as 
subiflora and pumila , while others of paler colours and different 
stature are readily found, and, as regards management, they may 
easily be grown in pots and plunged where they are wanted while 
in flower, and afterwards removed to make room for their suc¬ 
cessors, which would entail but little trouble, for any shaded 
place might receive and would suit them well while growing, 
and in winter. 
Of the bulbous-rooted class, those best known are I. xiphium 
and xiphioides , or, as they are usually called, Spanish and English 
Irises ; these, from their sportive habit among seedlings, and the 
care bestowed on them chiefly by the continental growers, have 
risen to become “ florists’ flowers,” and the varieties of both are 
now both numerous and beautiful; those of the English Iris 
claiming precedence on account of their larger and more gaily 
coloured flowers. The Spanish Irises are smaller in every respect, 
and are remarkable for a livid tint pervading, more or less, the 
flowers of nearly every variety known; this circumstance, from 
rendering them rather less attractive, has given to the varieties of 
xiphioides the advantage in general estimation, and, as a matter 
of course, has induced more attention to them than to their less 
fortunate rivals, a distinction they certainly merit, and one 
which the prolonged care of the florists must necessarily tend to 
confirm. 
The culture of this class of the genus is marked by a few 
peculiarities, which we shall proceed to mention. They delight 
in rich, deeply-pulverized soil, which should be prepared for them 
