The Early Iris Is any winter flower in the garden
quite so eloquent as Iris stylosa? Suddenly out of a mass of untidy leaves that suggest the decay of autumn looks out a bright mauve flower, that may be claimed as the most decorative type blooming at any time of year. This precocious Iris is seldom enjoyed in situ. It has the advantage of nearly all the iris tribe of coming out freely in water ; and the buds, often the flowers too, are apt to be concealed by the confusion of the leaves, so most of us forage carefully for these gems, lest they should blush unseen. Cut them ruthlessly and bid them brighten the house. Not even the early crocus-, snowdrop, daffodil, squill, primula, lungwort or aconite is lovelier in a vase than Iris stylosa and the naked flowered Jasmine, both of which belong to January or it may be December. But when on opening the window to throw crumbs to the birds we saw below it a fully opened flower of stylosa, we rejoiced that the blossom at any rate had escaped the " abhorred shears." W. BEACH 'THOMAS.
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