ems, 2ft. high, well and evenly branched in the
form of a pyramid, whence the specific name. Each flower will be 1/2in. or
more across; they are very numerous, and, partly from the fact that they
remain perfect for a very long while, and partly because of the habit of
the plant being to open all its flowers about or near the same time, the
large panicle of bloom is very fine. The leaves, as already hinted, are
formed into lax rosettes, which are 5in. to 7in. across; they are
strap-shaped, narrowing slightly at the connection, half an inch wide,
the outer ones being reflexed; the edges are finely serrated, and
irregularly lined with a silver colouring.

This is a capital plant for rockwork, where it shows itself to much
advantage; but specimens are much finer grown in beds or borders, where
the moisture and temperature at the roots are likely to be more equable;
besides, I find that, owing to its small quantity of roots, all of which
are very near the surface, when grown on rockwork they may often be seen
bare on inclined surfaces, and the weight of the flowers drags them
entirely out of the soil on one side. They may be planted as an edging
to a shrubbery, in bold groups, or as ordinary border flowers. So useful
has this variety been found by professional gardeners that it is now
largely grown in pots in single rosettes, which, after becoming well
established, send up their rich plumes of blossom, all the finer for
having been kept clean under glass. So grown, nothing can better repay
the small amount of trouble which they give in order to place them in
the conservatory as showy specimens; all they require being a 4in. pot,
well drained, a compost of half-rotted leaves, and fat loam and sand.
Put in one rooted offset any time from June to the end of July, the
earlier the better; plunge the pot to its rim in sand or ashes until
next spring, when it may be taken under glass if desired. To have fine
flowers, the offsets should be pinched off as they appear. I may also
mention that a somewhat shady situation has proved conducive to large
and better coloured flowers; between irises 4ft. high and shrubs 6ft.
high, the opening being not more than 3ft., running north and south. The
specimen from which the drawing is taken was grown along with many
others. A baking or dry treatment is often not only given to plants of
this genus, but believed to be of advantage to them; it may be to some,
but there are exceptions, and this is one