Jflorinrlkral. 
BULBS FOR THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
W. C. L. DREW. 
THE IRIS. 
Standing in the foremost rank of summer- 
flowering tuberous-rooted plants, we find the 
Iris iu its numerous and richly variegated varie¬ 
ties. It haB been a favorite flower from time 
unknown. It was introduced into England by 
the Flemish immigrants in the time of Philip 
II., of Spain ; but we learn of it much earlier 
than this. History tells us that King Clovis, in 
465, A. D. placed three ‘ jleurs de-luce ’ on his 
shield instead of three frogs which had been 
the coat of anus of his predecessors, which is 
convincing proof of its being highly esteemed 
and cultivated at that early date. 
The Iris is divided into several sections 
by botanists and florists. Without further 
comment we will consider these several sec¬ 
tions. 
Ins ADglioa, commonly called the English 
Iris, but for what reason it would be hard to 
tell, iuusmuch as it is not a native of Eng¬ 
land but of Southern Europe, being most 
abundant in Spain, is conceded by all to be 
the handsomest. This variety was originally / 
called Angelica which has been corrupted / 
into tho present title; its proper botanical / 
appellation iB Xiphioides. 
The flowers of this section are much i 
larger than those of the other bulbous-rooted / 
varieties, and are much more delicate. / 
Growing in a wild state tiie flowers are of a | 
delicate blue but in cultivated strains we 
have them of every conceivable hue, deep 
purple, blue, white, lilac, violet, bright crim- 
Hon and cherry, mottled and striped in the 
most fantastic of manners, self-colored and 
shaded. The colors so harmoniously blen¬ 
ding and shading into each other, the most 
perfect form and symmetry combine to 
place Iris Xiphioides among the finest of 
garden gems. 
Iris Hispanica, generally known as the 
Spanish Iris, botanically as Xiphiuu. forms 
as handsome a bed as any one could desire It 
was introduced soon after I. Anglica into English 
gardens. The number of varieties of this section 
in cultivation is over one hundred. In color 
they range through brown, lilac, blue, orange 
yellow aud sulphur, both » self ” and variegated’ 
The center petals are usually of a different color 
from the exterior petals. 
Iris Poreiea, the Persian Iris, is a magnificent 
variety. The lower petals are a rich royal pur¬ 
ple, with white edges and orange streaks the 
center petals are delicate blue. This variety is 
one of the oldest and most popular cultivated 
varieties. 
Iris Germanioa, or German Iris, is the finest 
of the tuberous section. It is now to be had in 
many beautiful named varieties, and is much 
more generally cultivated than the other sec¬ 
tions. It is to be had in “ self " and variegated 
colors—yellow, rose, blue, white, cream, salmon 
royal purple, maroon, and lilao. Many varie- I 
ties exhibit three or four colors in one bloom. I 
Like all the Iris, they have an exceedingly grate- < 
ful fragrance. , 
Iris Iberioa Is a new dwarf species of great ( 
beauty. Tho flowers are large, pure, satiny- i 
white center petals the exterior petals are rich 1 
brown and purple, spotted black. , 
Iris Susiaua, popularly known as the Lady-iu- 1 
blaok Iris, is of the rarest. It is exceedingly < 
handsomo, but being a native of the Levant it 
is seldom bloomed in perfection. The flowers v 
are very large, at least five inches in diameter. ( 
It is one of the riohest and most singularly a 
variegated of the Iris. The color is a rich dark- 1 
rose, tinted aud marked browu, c 
Iris reticulata is a recent introduction of rare o 
merit. It is particularly adapted to pot cul- i 
ture, blooming iu January. The blooms are very g 
fragrant, of a rich dark violet hue. 
Iris pavonia or Peacook with its handsome p 
butterfly flowers, and I. tuberosa with its blaok- s 
greeu edged blooms are both worthy of a place, f 
Take up, divide and reset the tubers or bulbs I 
w August ; they will grow in any soil but well 0 
repay a little attention iu the way of a dressing p 
with decayed manure. With me the Iris thrives g 
best in partial shade. I use It extensively for e 
growing in the shade of trees, and for this use I o 
Particularly recommend it to my friends who 
require a plant for a shady situation. Try it. 
El Dorado Co., Gala. 
jected to. These leaves are thiokly produced 
from the top of an arborescent stem, which 
from its earliest development presents a remark¬ 
able bulbifurm or napiform base. Indood no 
better idea can be had of the habit of tho plant 
than is shown by oar illustration whioh is true 
aslife. Though of comparatively slow growth 
any of the above for Wall-flower; L&ntana ; Sal¬ 
via, Phlox Drummondii, Larkspur, Stock-flow¬ 
ered, or any hardy climbers. I have also Gladi¬ 
olus bulbs, and Dahlias, three colors, red, white, 
yellow, that I would like to exchange for other 
colors. Those wishing to get some seeds and 
having nothing to send in return, if they will 
beauoabnea 
this Beauoarnea is a handsome object either in 
the parlor window, the greenhouse, or "plunged" 
out-of-doors in the flower-garden iu the summer 
months. When large specimens are isolated 
(plunged) on the lawn they are very telling, and 
as vase plants for standing at either side of the 
frontdoor, they have few equals. They stand 
with impunity any amount of sun, providing they 
be properly hardened off before being placed 
out-of-doors, and if their leaves be kept dry. 
For soil they like good fibrous sandy loam 
with a little old leaf soil, and never too muoh 
pot room. They enjoy lots of water while they 
are growing, bat only enough to keep the soil & ' 
little moist in winter. They are very tenacious 
of life, and can bo wintered in a good frost-proof 
cellar, or a room window in the case of small 
plants, but their proper winter-quarters are the 
greenhouse. 
Thoir inflorescence consists of a large terminal 
panicle three to six feet long and bearing thou¬ 
sands of small white, fragrant blossoms. But so 
far as we kuow this plant has not flowered in the 
Lastern States, and as there is no ready means 
of propagating it but by seeds, these are Im¬ 
ported from Mexico. It can certainly be propa¬ 
gated by cuttings, using as suoh the young 
sprouts that may sometimes ocour or be induced 
on the stems, but these are not very frequent. 
. REOURYATA. 
send me a stamped and addressed envelope, I 
will forward them seed by return mail. 
Mrs F. K. Griffin. 
DeGoller, McKean Co., Pa. 
I would like to exchange with Rural readers, 
flower seeds or rooted slips or plants. I would 
like Verbena seed, Pansy, Ten Week Stock, 
Doable Hollyhooks, white or pink, and Gladioli 
sets. I will give for these, Portulaca, Morning 
Glory, Sweet William, Perennial Larkspur or 
Bee Larkspur, very hardy and large blue flow¬ 
ers ; White Musk plant or Beeds very nice for 
cut flowers ; Perennial Peas, white and pink. I 
have a great variety of hardy Roses, and can 
furnish rooted sprouts, also Flowering Almonds. 
Happy to receive letters, seeds or plants soon, 
with such direction for exchange as is required, 
I remain obedient to directions, 
Miss Lizzie M. Lutts. 
Youngstown, Niagara Co., N. Y. 
OEiifrjrtojjm. 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS. 
BEAUCARNEA RECURVATA. 
1 ms is a greenhouse plant, a native of Mexioo 
and belongs to the lily family. It is cultivated 
our gardens on account of its long, recurved 
leaves which are tough aud leathery aud vary in 
oo or from bright to metallic green, just accord¬ 
ing to how much exposure the plants are sub- 
EXCHANGE. 
Many, many thanks for the seeds the Rural 
so kindly sent. I have not a large variety of 
flowers, like some of our Rural sisters, but I 
have some seeds I would very muoh like to 
exchange, among whioh arc the following: 
Sweet William, mixed; Marigold, French, two 
kinds; Solatium; Candy-tuft, white ; Pot Mari¬ 
gold; Convolvulus, mixed; Poppy; Carna¬ 
tion; Aoroclinium rosoum. I will exchange 
Elbert Co., Colorado, April 6. 
I am living away out here in what Olney calls 
the great American Desert. In my school-days 
I imagined it was a great wilderness of sand 
where no green or living thing oould exist. I 
find it very different from what my imagination 
pictured it. The sand is here certainly, aud you 
may travel for twenty miles and not see a tree, 
but the plains ate covered with tho nutritious 
buffalo grass as well as with wild flowers. The 
buffaloes are not so numerous as they were a 
few years ago, but there is plenty of smaller 
game, antelopes. Jack rabbits, ducks, wolves 
aud tho mischievous Cayote which we wish were 
■- not so numerous. But, best of all, are the 
'- great herds of oattle that increase and keep fat 
[. on the rich grass. Life on the plains is not 
without charms. ’Tis true, we are isolated from 
’ all the church privileges and publio amusements 
r that diversify life in the East; but the free life 
(1 we lead and the pore air we breathe make up for 
q the loss of society. 
About the first, of May commences the busy 
season in this country, and from that time until 
about the first of November the stock-men are 
all busy gathering, branding and shipping oattle. 
Then from that time until the next May we 
have nothi g to do but visit, read, write and 
enjoy life as well as we can, and we make the 
most of what few enjoyments we have, and 
enter into them with so muoh zest tha we get 
more pleasure out of them than any one could 
imagine that had never tried. Every man, 
worn n and child have their horse and saddle 
and think nothing of riding ten, twelve, or even 
twenty miles to visit a neighbor, We have good 
roads, a level country and no mud. The land is 
so sandy that in an hour after a heavy rain the 
ground is dry. Bat it very seldom rains—I 
J might say never from November until May, and 
indeed we do not have much rain at any season. 
We cannot raise vegetables without irriga¬ 
ting and there are very few locations where 
you oan command water for that purpose. 
We are not hero, however, to cultivate the 
ground but to raise cattle. 
Many of the Rural's Eastern readers will' 
wonder how we oan boast of onr fat cattle, 
rioh grass and fine flowers In a country 
where there is so little rain. Indeed were 
I they 1 1 see our prairies they would say it 
\ was impossible for cattle to live, but when 
■ they beheld the stock and saw that the ma¬ 
jority of them were fat enough for good 
beef even iu March, they would understand 
that the Brass growu on our d>y, sandy 
prairies, though short, is very rich; and 
w* re they to transfer our grass and flowers 
K to the East, they would die from exetss of 
water. M V. Bnydhr. 
| Coshocton, Co., Ohio, Feb. 27. 
I was very much interested in reading 
your articles, some time since, on health- 
i fulness of plants in living rooms, as I keep a 
large number iu mine, and would have been 
sorry to hear you oondemn the practice too 
I severely ; but I try to keep mine as near as 
I oan to what you recommend in your ar¬ 
ticles. In the first place, I had some pans 
made by a tinner, Just the length of the 
window-sill, and wide enough for about 
three rows of pots, setting the lowest plants 
next to the window to keep the pan in place. 
I have two turned legs fastened on a strip to 
slip under back of the pan. This I keep well paint¬ 
ed to preserve it from rusting. It 1 eaps all water 
off the carpet if I happeu to spill any in water¬ 
ing. I slightly warm tho water, putting in a 
small quantity of ammonia, which I think keeps 
tha pets looking healthy. At least such is the 
effect on mine. Of Geraniums, my double sal¬ 
mon, has not been without blossoms this winter. 
It does bettei for me in blossoming than any 
variety I have. Of Abntilons, Boule de Neige 
with me has blossomed all winter. With regard 
to Primroses, I can’t say enough in their favor. 
Maderia Vine makes a beautifui climber, stand¬ 
ing almost all kinds of usage in a living room. 
I have one trained over the window and pictures, 
which is beautiful with its thick, rich-looking 
leaves. Mrs. Catharine McCoy. 
Brookston, N. C n Apt 111. 
It may seem strange to hear one speak of a 
drought in March, but certainly we have had a 
little touoh of it here, the whole month being 
quite dry, though two fiae showers daring the 
past week have brightened the face of nature 
wonderfully. We had only one severe frost and 
that on the morning of the 26th. Owing in 
great measure to the dryness of the earth and 
atmosphere bat little harm was done. Fruit all 
safe yet. Peaches dropping their petals. Apples, 
Pears and Grapes in full bloom, and Grapes 
rapidly pushing out. Wheat is, at least, tea 
days later than last year, but has a good color. 
Plowing mostly done except on stiff lands, 
where the dry time has put a stop to operations. 
March came and went like a lamb, contrary to 
all the proverbs of the weather prophets. 
1LS.F. 
Kelts Mills, N. Y„ April 9, ’78. 
We have had a mild wiuter, and the spring so 
far, ia correspondingly warm. Maple sugar 
makers have just gathered in their buckets. 
The make of sugar is below the average. Far¬ 
mers are busy getting ready to put in their 
gram. A few pieces of wheat have been sowed 
in March. There seems to be a general disposi¬ 
tion of the butter-makers of this section to go 
into cheese making the coming season. Some 
cheese factories have commenced making cheese. 
Butter is worth 25 otnts per pound; maple 
sugar 7 to 9 cents; eggs 8 cents per dozen; oats 
32 cents per bush.; potatoes, $5 oents. 
s. w. M. 
Yates Co., N. Y., March 80 . 
March has tried to be consistent and go out 
like a lion having come in very lamb-like, but it 
is pretty nearly a failure. Last Sunday, the 
24th, was pretty severe ; the thermometer here 
was at 10° with a cutting northwest wind. 
Peaches were considerably advanced and it was 
feared that thev might be seriously damaged, 
but tho buds look all right as yet. 
W. H. Olin. 
Wkstborouoh, Mass., April 12. 
It begins to look very muoh as if spring were 
at hand; plants and trees show the effect of our 
mild April weather by bursting the leaf en¬ 
velope. W. H. W. 
Montgomery, Ala., April 5. 
We have hereabouts a very rich prairie soil, 
adapted to corn and cotton; oals also do well. 
Wo have some farmers who are devoting a good 
deal of their time to stock-raising. b. o. m. 
