Plate 207 . 
IBIS, MADEMOISELLE PATTI. 
Amongst the tribes of plants for which Mr. Salter’s Versailles 
Nursery is celebrated, the Iris holds a conspicuous place; and 
as it is one which is deserving of more extended cultivation 
than is at present given to it, we have figured the present beau¬ 
tiful variety. It was our intention and wish to have introduced 
two into the Plate, but we could not do so without overcrowd¬ 
ing and spoiling the effect, so we have been contented with one, 
a very beautiful variety, Mademoiselle Patti. 
Mr. Salter has kindly furnished us with the following notes:—■ 
“ The varieties of Iris Germanica are perfectly hardy, and will 
grow in almost any soil; indeed, I have seen them growing and 
flowering well on the top of a high wall; but they are pecu¬ 
liarly adapted for large borders, or the front of shrubbery, 
blooming, as they do, in early summer; while the variety and 
gay colours of the flowers are distinctly seen from a distance. 
The best time to form plantations is in early autumn, for then 
the young tubers begin to throw out roots; but any time in 
autumn or winter will do, although the earlier the operation 
can be carried out the better, in order to ensure good blooms 
for the following season. They do not require to be planted 
deep, and should be taken up and separated every third year. 
The variety now figured was raised from seed here about four 
or five years ago, seedling plants generally blooming the second 
or third year. The seed will sometimes lie dormant in the 
ground a whole year, and therefore I have found it better, in 
order to save time, to sow the seed as soon as ripe. The Iris 
Germanica does not like fresh manure; indeed, in any tolerably 
good soil, it flourishes better without any.” Where a plant is 
so easy of cultivation as this, and is moreover of great beauty, 
