AUGUST Io, 1903. 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER 
{ris Kampferi 
 (LAEVIGATA). 
[From ‘The Garden.” 
I never use peat in the cultivation of 
this lovely Iris. Even in its best form 
peat is not necessary, while the black, 
fibreless, and more or less solid kind is 
distinctly injurious. Equally undesirable 
and unsafe, so far as the plants are con- 
cerned, is it to plant such things in posi- 
tions where the roots are constantly in the 
water winter and summer., A moist con- 
dition, or this and shade combined, very 
frequently suits this Iris to a nicéty when 
saturation proves its ruin. To what ex- 
tent this Iris likes constant saturation in 
Japan I know not; it is certainly the re- 
verse of beneficial in the majority of in- 
stances in the British Isles. The frequent 
instances of failure when*given this satura- 
tion are abundant proof of its unsuitable- 
ness in this country at least. Of the gross 
feeding nature of these plants and their 
special fondness for rich soils we have yet 
much to learn. With quite strong plants 
itis not readily overdone. I would much 
prefer to grow I. Kempferiin any ordinary 
soil, to be enriched as I considered right, 
than to trust to plants constantly supplied 
with moisture as the essential to success. 
What the plants really prefer is a condi- 
tion where plenty of rich food is present 
for the roots, such as fat clayey mud and 
the annually decaying vegetable food that 
is sure to form in deep ditches and the 
like. Indeed, I. levigata may frequently 
be planted in such places with entire suc- 
cess, while it fails as completely ir what. 
are apparently better positions. I once 
knew a disused gravel hole planted with 
these things. 
refuse had accumulated to a depth of 2 
feet. The success of these plants while 
they remained, during six years or more, 
was phenomenal. For many years these 
plants were a complete success with me in 
a soil that in hot summers became dust- 
dry to a considerable depth. In spite 
of this, however, I have yet to see so near 
London the plants that shall surpass them 
In this, old potting soil and. 
9 
in vigor and free flowering. “This success 
I attributed to the very liberal manner -in 
which the soil was manured. The growth 
was fully 3 feet in height and even more 
the following year, while the masses of 
reot fibres that extended in all directions 
I had never even dreamed of. It was 
from this circumstance that I: began to 
realise that hitherto these plants had’ to 
scme extent simply been starved by their 
surroundings. The root fibres had strength 
enough to penetrate anywhere, the path- 
ways separating beds of the plants being © 
quite filled with roots also. From this 
time I never omitted a heavy dressing of 
manure combined with deep trenching of 
the soil. ‘Cow manure was that ‘employed, 
and the cooling nature of it suited the 
plants exactly. In other respects the 
plants were fully exposed, more,so than I 
would prefer had I the choice of ‘positions. 
Many ‘who have ornamental water 
signally fail to grow these Irises because 
of planting at the edge of the lake or pond, 
and frequently in the worst of soil. Such 
things are much safer 10 feet away from 
,the water and in a bed of the deepest and 
richest soil, and with water so near better 
This is a winter scene, looking east. 
The building visible in the photo. is por- 
tion of the extensive fernery. The height 
of the “phennial” is 50 ft., but the walls of 
the greater portion of the building are 9 ft. 
The City Council propose td pull the whole 
structure down, and erect a more substan- 
BALLARAT GARDENS. 
tial and ornamental building, with double 
the height of wall. The creepers when in 
bloom on the fernery building are a mag- 
nificent sight. They are Tecoma 
McKeni intermixed with Begonia grandi- 
flora. The beds on the left are of Dahlias, 
Pansies, and variegated foliage plants. The 
borders in the distance are of mixed her- 
baceous plants. The one inthe foreground 
is just newly planted, for late winter 
flowering. The Cordylinus Australis are 
the remaining specimens of what was once 
a fine group planted about thirty-five 
years ago, 
