relates to the culture of ornamental Plants) or the labours of
LINNAEUS and MILLER, might happily be combined.

In compliance with their wishes, he has endeavoured to present them with
the united information of both authors, and to illustrate each by a set
of new figures, drawn always from the living plant, and coloured as near
to nature, as the imperfection of colouring will admit.

He does not mean, however, to confine himself solely to the Plants
contained in the highly esteemed works of those luminaries of Botany and
Gardening, but shall occasionally introduce new ones, as they may
flower in his own garden, or those of the curious in any part of
Great-Britain.

At the commencement of this publication, he had no design of entering on
the province of the Florist, by giving figures of double or improved
Flowers, which sometimes owe their origin to culture, more frequently to
the sportings of nature; but the earnest entreaties of many of his
Subscribers, have induced him so far to deviate from his original
intention, as to promise them one, at least, of the Flowers most
esteemed by Florists.

The encouragement given to this work, great beyond the Author's warmest
expectations, demands his most grateful acknowledgements, and will
excite him to persevere in his humble endeavours to render Botany a
lasting source of rational amusement; and public utility.

BOTANIC GARDEN,
Lambeth-Marsh,
1787.

[1]

~Iris Persica. Persian Iris.~

_Class and Order._

~Triandria Monogynia.~

_Generic Character._

Corolla 6-partita: Petalis alternis, reflexis. Stigmata petaliformia.

_Specific Character and Synonyms._

IRIS _Persica_ corolla imberbi, petalis interioribus brevissimis
patentissimis. _Linn. Syst. Vegetab. p._ 79. _Sp. Pl. p._ 59.

IRIS bulbosa praecox minus odora Persica variegata. _Moris. hist._ 2.
_p._ 357.

XIPHIUM Persicum. _Miller Dict. ed._ 6. 4_to._

The Persian bulbous Flower-de-luce. _Parkins. Parad. p._ 172.

[Illustration: No 1]

A native of Persia. Flowers in February and March. Its beauty, early
appearance, and fragrant blossoms, make it highly esteemed by all lovers
of flowers; like the Hyacinth or Narcissus it will blow within doors in
a water-glass, but stronger in a small pot of sand, or sandy loam; a few
flowers will scent a whole apartment: it will also blossom in the open
air, but requires warmth and shelter; it is propagated by offsets and
seeds; the best flowering root