226 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[October, 
briefly indicated, but wbat is of more importance in many cases, the positions in 
which they may be placed with good hopes of success, are pointed out. The 
introductory chapters relate to the various adaptabilities of hardy flowers, their 
culture and propagation. The second part is an alphabetical arrangement of the 
plants themselves, this mode of arrangement very greatly facilitating reference to 
particular plants. The descriptions are rather popular than technical, and here, we 
think, the value of the book would have been much enhanced had some attempt 
been made to indicate the distinctive peculiarities of allied species—the technical 
features by which they may be known from each other. This might have been 
done by more carefully contrasting the descriptions, and then italicising the 
distinguishing features. A third part of the book is devoted to selections of 
hardy flowers for various purposes, and consists mainly of lists of names—which 
will, however, be very useful to planters. As an example of the descriptive 
matter, we quote that relating to Iris iberica , for the sake of introducing a 
wood-cut with which we have been favoured by Messrs. Haage and Schmidt:— 
“ Iris iberica (.Iberian /.)—Oncocyclus ibericus .—A remarkably striking Iris, reminding one 
of I. susiana, but quite distinct in leaf and flower; 4 in. to 16 in. high. Flowers in summer; 
solitary; external divisions roundish, clawed, of a dull red marked with tawny streaks, with 
a few hairs on the upper part, and an oval velvety black purple-edged spot in the middle, 
recurved, and with slightly reflected edges ; internal divisions roundish, clawed, larger, erect, 
spreading, of a very pale purple, w r ith streaks of a darker hue, veined and spotted about the 
base ; blade of the stigma yellowish, dotted with purple. Leaves linear, arched, almost 
curled, folded lengthwise. Iberia on hills near Tiflis.—On the warn flanks of the rock 
garden, or in choice beds in good sandy soil, at least, till more plentiful. It is but recently 
introduced.” (P. 150.) 
With this book on Hardy Plants before him, neither the young gardener nor 
the amateur should be at any loss for information on the proper mode of cultivat¬ 
ing our popular out-door garden flowers. As a work of reference it should be 
