In the Garden Plants give us many surprises, pleasant and
unpleasant. When we had a hard May frost four Years ago the Iris buds were reduced to the consistency of paper. This year a succession of May frosts, that have shrivelled every leaf on, for example, the Japanese maples, seems to have stimulated the Irises to perfection of bloom. Though the stalks are a little short, such delicately petalled flowers as Dalmatica Pallida are already in full perfection. The bearded Iris is a godsend to gardens that enjoy a heavy soil, as the beardless to lighter soils ; and they are as good in the house as in the open bed. If carefully cut, every bud will come out in water. And the art of cultivation is easy. If transplanted as soon as ever the flowers are over, before the new roots have begun to grow, and if planted as shallowly as an upright position allows, nothing more is needed for success if the soil is heavy and if it contains chalk or lime: Geographically, most of the bearded Irises have been collected from limestone districts. Their needs are the contrary of the lily's or clematis' : they like sun on the roots as well as the flower—in which they are unlike our native yellow flag that enjoys wet and shade. It is perhaps worth while growing a plant or two of the wild, sand-loving Iris Foetida for the sake of its clusters of orange
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