1876 . ] 
THE AURICULA.-—CHAPTER V. 
193 
IRIS K^MPFERI ANDREW HENDERSON. 
WITH AN ILLUSTRATION. 
varieties of this fine Japanese Iris form a very beautiful and distinct 
Vv®' group of deciduous herbaceous plants for the decoration of the flower- 
f garden. They differ obviously from the common garden Iris —germanica 
—by their much neater and more slender style of growth, their more wiry 
and slender rhizomes, and the fine texture of their narrow sub-erect lanceolate 
leaves, which are also of a brighter green colour. These organs are indeed much 
slower in attaining their full vigour of development than in the common species, 
and consequently the plants should not be retarded or weakened by repeated re¬ 
movals, nor by too frequent subdivision, as it is found that the best-established 
parent plants are those which show the greatest predisposition for the production 
of flowers. They grow from 1J ft. to 2 ft. high. 
The Messrs. E. G-. Henderson and Son, from whose collection the accompany¬ 
ing figure of the variety named Andrew Henderson was made, inform us that a 
rather deep firm loamy soil, of good body and of a somewhat moist quality, well 
enriched previously to being planted, is the most suitable root-medium for 
obtaining that maturity of growth which leads to the development of a successful 
blooming in this unique and beautiful section of the great Iris family. The 
following are a few select varieties of merit:— 
Alexander Von Humboldt : flowers large, snow white; a fine variety. 
Andrew Henderson (see Plate): flowers very large, the ground-colour lilac, with violet 
veining, and the eye golden yellow; a most beautiful and remarkable flower. 
Dr. Masters : puce-crimson, with veined white centre, and yellow eye ; fine. 
Duchesse de Belcourt : flowers large, brownish-crimson, fine. 
Edavard George Henderson : one of a small section of varieties having double flowers, * 
that is to say, the flowers consist of six instead of the ordinary three broad flat spreading 
petals, so as to form an overlapping circular flower; the colour is a rich deep purple, 
with a golden-yellow bar up the centre of each petal; very distinct and striking. 
Figured in Florist and Pomologist, 1874, 217.’ 
Rutherford Alcock : fine violet-crimson, with golden eye and blue belt. 
Snowflake : fine large white. 
Yon Siebold : flowers large and showy, brownish-black striped with orange.— T. M. 
THE AURICULA. 
Chapter V.— Propagation by Seed.—Seedlings.—Work for the Month. 
^(J^LOEIST-flowers, members of several different families, are a small group 
gIP of plants that have been taken into high and special cultivation, because 
of the tendencies they exhibit to vary from seed in form, colour, substance, 
size, and habit. 
It is through this property of infinite expression on their part, and by the 
thoughtful selections of cultivators out of the countless types and offers of variety 
constantly afforded, that florist-flowers have gradually become endowed with 
every delicate shade and point of beauty which they so richly possess. Amid a 
wealth of choice, we work upon such natural variations as most tend to develop 
the peculiar capabilities and characteristics of these docile plants. 
3rd series,— IX. ' s 
