Bulletin of the American Iris Society

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BULLETIN

OF THE

American Iris Society

FEBRUARY, 1935

MIDWEST NUMBER
NO. 55

Associate Editor: EUCLID SNOW

CONTENTS

Foreword, Euclid Snow . 1

(

Irises in The Middle West . 2

A Californian Sees Eastern Irises, Donald B. Milllken . . 66

Science Series — No. 15

The Iris Borer, Harry F. Dietz . . 74

1934 Comments by Accredited Judges . 79

Species Notes:

Iris Chrysophylla , Drew Sherrard . 88

Iris Eistrioides . 89

Iris Tenuis, Carl Starlcer . 90

Iris Sintenisii . 92

Tid-Bits: 37th . 94

To Bead or Not to Bead . . 101

Published Quarterly by

THE AMERICAN IRIS SOCIETY, 1918 HARFORD AVE., BALTIMORE, MD.

Entered as second-class matter January, 1934, at the Post Office at Baltimore, Md.,

under the Act of March 3, 1879.

#3.00 the Year — 50 Cents per Copy for Members

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OFFICERS, 1934

Directors :

Term expiring 1935: Sherman R. Duffy B. Y. Morrison

Mrs. J. Edgar Hires John C. Wister

Term expiring 1936: Dr. H. H. Everett J. B. Wallace, Jr.

Dr. J. H. Kirkland Richardson Wright

Term expiring 1937 : W. J. McKee

Robert Schreiner

Euclid Snow
Robert Sturtevant

President — Dr. H. H. Everett, 1104 Sharp Bldg., Lincoln, Nebr.

Vice-President — Mr. W. J. McKee, 48 Kenwood Ave., Worcester, Mass.
Secretary — B. Y. Morrison, 821 Washington Loan & Trust Bldg., Wash., D. 0.

Treasurer — Richardson Wright, House & Garden, Graybar Bldg., New York
City.

Eegional Vice-Presidents —

1. Mrs. Herman Lewis, 180 Grove St., Haverhill, Mass.

2. Col. J. O. Nicholls, 114 Overton Rd., Ithaca, N. Y.

3. M. E. Douglas, Rugby Place, Woodbury, N. J.

4. J. Marion Shull, 208 Raymond St., Chevy Chase, Md.

5. Mrs. James R. Bachman, 2646 Alston Drive, Atlanta, Ga.

6. Dr. A. C. Kinsey, Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind.

7. 0. P. Connell, 2001 Grand Ave., Nashville, Tenn.

8. Robert Schreiner, R. 1, Riverview Station, St. Paul, Minn.

9. Euclid Snow, R. P. D. 2, Hinsdale, Ill.

10. Mrs. Gross R. Scruggs, 3715 Turtle Creek Blvd., Dallas, Texas.

11. Stanley Clarke, School of Forestry, Univ. of Idaho, Moscow, Ihado.

12. Dr. P. A. Loomis, Colorado Springs, Colo.

13. Carl Starker, Jennings Lodge, Ore.

14. Prof. E. O. Essig, University of California, Berkeley, Calif.

15. William Miles, Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada.

Chairmen of Committees:

Scientific — Dr. A. E. Waller, 233 So. 17th St., Columbus, Ohio.

Election — Dr. C. Stuart Gager, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn, N. Y.
Membership and Publicity —

Registration — C. E. P. Gersdorff, 1825 No. Capitol St., Washington, D. C.
Test Garden & Display Garden — Robert Schreiner.

Exhibition — Mrs. W. L. Karcher, 1011 W. Stephenson St., Freeport, HI.

Bibliography — Mrs. W. H. Peckham, The Lodge, Skylands Farm, Ster-
lington, N. Y.

Awards — Dr. H. H. Everett.

Editorial Board — B. Y. Morrison, Chairman.

S. R. Duffy
Mrs. J. E. Hires
Mrs. Lena M. Lathrop

Mrs. C. S. McKinney
B. Y. Morrison
R. S. Sturtevant

LANTERN SLIDES — Rental Fee (to members) $10.00. Apply to Mrs,
K. H. Leigh, Mo. Botanical Garden, St. Louis, Mo.

MAR 13 1335

j

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JfilARY

NEW YORK

BOTANICAL

GARDEN

THE AMERICAN IRIS SOCIETY

FOREWORD

• There is such a friendly relationship and solidarity among
the iris people of the Middle West that it has seemed to the
Associate Editor that the story of the iris in the Middle West
was only one story and that the various phases of iris activities
were parts, all of one piece.

We have, therefore, essayed the innovation of writing, editing
and compiling this story into a continuity, rather than as a
series of articles, separate and distinct and unrelated. We have
cut and spliced the ‘ ‘ shots ” of middle western iris life so gen¬
erously contributed by our midwestern members into as logical
a sequence as our ability permitted, avoiding repetitions so far
as possible, and building up the story of the iris in our gardens.

We believe that in this way the story can be better told, the
picture more truly drawn, and the interrelationship of the vari¬
ous states and communities of this great part of the country, so
widespread in extent, be better shown.

We wish to make our most grateful acknowledgment and ex¬
tend our hearty thanks to our midwestern fellow members who
have contributed so freely to the making of this Bulletin and
we trust that they will bear with us indulgently in the necessary
cutting and splicing process of putting this reel of our iris life
together.

We hope and trust that the members of the Society at large
may find something of value and interest to be learned from the
experiences of the iris growers of the Middle West which follow
herewith.

Euclid Snow.

[l]

IRISES IN THE MIDDLE WEST

* “From Ioway, where the tall corn grows ” iris inspiration
came to America.

Iowa, heart of the Middle West, became the birthplace of the
American iris as we now have it because it was the birthplace
of Bertrand H. Farr, the man who made American gardeners
iris conscious.

Farr’s catalogues of the earliest twenties, still encyclopedic,
were the first to offer new American irises to the country. It
was the first comprehensive list of existing irises to be printed
and distributed in the United States. With colored plates of his
new seedlings of more than usual truth to nature, gardeners of
the country were awakened to the fact that here was garden ma¬
terial, comparatively unknown, neglected and untouched, of the
easiest culture and of supreme beauty.

The iris entered the American garden as a dominant factor.

Since that time the Middle West has become an originating and
distributing center of the world’s best irises and a foremost ex¬
ponent of their culture and development. Just what the Middle
West has contributed to the world’s iris wealth is strikingly
shown by checking over the leading catalogues of American deal¬
ers, — excluding those chiefly devoted to selling the output of
the dealer, various lists of “100 best irises,” regional lists and
similar data and averaging the figures.

Where irises originate

Here are the approximate figures in per cent as to the origin
of the best irises of today :

Middle West _ 26 California _ 12

France _ 24 Southern States _ 7

England _ 17 Germany _ 1

Eastern States _ 13 Total _ 100

It is, perhaps, fitting here to quote Farr’s eloquent words con¬
cerning the inspiration that his native Iowa prairies and sloughs
— we call them “slews” in Iowa — gave him. They are found in
the foreword of his early catalogues which stand as epics of
their kind.

[2]

“I hardly know just why the iris became my hobby, but I
think the influence of early boyhood days out on the wide track¬
less prairies is responsible for the love I have, not alone for the
iris, which was an important factor in those early days, but for
all flowers and all the beauty of outdoor life among growing
things, the fresh air, sunshine, green fields and running brooks. . .

“We did not have brooks out on the prairie — all studded over
with miniature lakes and ponds.

“There was the open clear water in the center, hedged around

by the tall green rushes . Further out surrounding it all

with a halo of shimmering blue, for all the world like the
Heaven itself, grew the irises, Iris versicolor, water flags, as we
used to call them. ”

Blue water flags show the way

So to the blue flags of middle western prairie ponds and
sloughs, American gardeners owe the inspiration that gave them
today’s great race of irises, stateliest and finest of the late
spring and early summer garden.

Before Farr became the great apostle of the American iris, it
was a comparatively negligible garden factor in the Middle West.
In fact, previous to Farr’s great iris revival, bulbous irises,
Spanish and English, were far more frequently grown than the
tall bearded, and the dwarf bearded were represented only by the
little earliest of all red purple Iris pumila atroviolacea. So far
as the unrecorded iris history of the Middle West can be traced,
this was the iris pioneer here and its presence can be fairly
definitely established for about a century as it has been handed
down as a sort of floral heirloom from generation to generation
in a number of families.

There were no tall bearded irises in general use and no beard¬
less irises at all. First of the former and probably as ancient a
midwestern dweller as the little dwarf was the old time “orris,”
Iris florentina alba. Close to it in age is flavescens and an old
purple germanica known to the botanically elect of the early
days as “spectabilis. ” Old squalens and amoena types, never
identified by name next appeared and pallida dalmatica and
then there came an epidemic which still rages of John Wister’s
boyhood friend, Honorabilis. Ask him about it.

There are a lot of things that never can and never will be

[3]

explained. One of them is why this iris was ever called the same
kind of a name they call cabinet members, congressmen, judges
and such, The Honorable.

Collecting a garden instinct

The earliest plant to arouse the specializing instinct of the
early gardeners of the Middle West was the tulip but it is the
usual experience of the small gardener that as his collection
increases and the bulbs multiply the constant digging and re¬
planting just wear him down. As a majority of the pioneer gar¬
deners of the Middle West were afflicted with that type of New
England ancestry that makes it extremely painful to throw any¬
thing away, hence attics full of antiques, tulips sooner or later
swamped them.

The iris in its new forms came along at the height of tulip
enthusiasm due to the introduction of the Darwins and usurped
the tulip throne. A canvass of the veteran amateur iris addicts
of the Middle West shows that most of them once had the tulip
habit.

With middle western gardeners, to see the new irises was to
want them. Once started, their dissemination became remark¬
ably rapid and new irises went into hundreds of gardens and
iris centers such as the Cincinnati district, the Fort Wayne-
Bluffton in Indiana; the Freeport section and the Omaha-Lincoln
center about which iris interest has concentrated.

Freeport, because of its central location, its pioneering in fine
irises, and its garden club numbering some of the most able
gardening leaders in the Middle West became the iris capital of
this section. The annual flower show of the Freeport Garden club
and the joint attraction of a magnificent show of the finest irises
in the world in Mrs. Pattison’s garden, always generously thrown
open to visitors during the show week has attracted thousands
of gardeners to Freeport annually. It is the big event of the
garden year.

Chief credit for the remarkable development of this show is
due in unstinted measure to Mrs. W. L. Karcher who has had
an equally vital part in the development of the big Chicago
spring flower show. She has a genius for showmanship rarely
manifested and produces fine shows in seasons when it has looked
almost impossible to do so and she has never postponed a show
or changed it to other than the announced date.

[4]

Twelve years of great iris shows

Mrs. Karcher’s all too modest summary of the show record of
herself and the Freeport Garden club is this:

“The Freeport Garden club sponsored its first annual iris show
in 1921 with ten exhibitors to produce the show. The tremendous
interest and enthusiasm shown at that time are responsible in a
great measure for the Freeport iris show becoming an annual
institution visited by thousands of iris lovers throughout the
country.

“In 1928 the annual meeting of the American Iris Society was
held in connection with the Freeport iris show and visitors from
nineteen states were registered.

“In 1933, Freeport was again chosen for the annual meeting,
sharing honors with A Century of Progress in Chicago as an
interesting place to visit. At this show twenty-five states were
represented.

“In the last twelve years Freeport has grown to be a recog¬
nized iris center and is now very well able to produce from two
to three hundred gardens showing the finest varieties that are
grown in the United States.

“That Quality Gardens is responsible for the great interest
in the growing of irises in and about Freeport is a well known
fact, purchasing as Mrs. Pattison does the finest varieties ob¬
tainable from the most famous hybridizers the world over and
generously opening her garden to visitors has given opportunity
to many iris lovers to study at first hand the introductions of
each succeeding year, thereby developing many ardent iris fan¬
ciers in this section of the country.”

Introduces the Sass Brothers

The important function of the Freeport show and Quality
Gardens, which cannot logically be separated, in introducing the
modern iris to the Middle West cannot be minimized. The show
introduced the Sass Brothers to the Middle West several years
ago when they brought from their Nebraska farms a table of
irises inconspicuously placed on one side of the show room that
stole the show and became the center of attraction.

On this modestly placed table were the first blooms to be pub¬
licly shown of such irises as Midgard, King Tut, at the time the
most brilliantly colored iris yet introduced, Old Gold, and a

[51

series of the blended plicatas that first brought these Nebraska
plant wonder workers to the attention of the iris world, plicatas
with beautiful peach tones that up to that time had been fore¬
shadowed only by the old Mary Garden of Farr, among them
King Karl, Jubilee, Lona, Aksarben, Beau Ideal, Mid West and
others of colorings and patterns unique at the time.

The show also introduced Dr. Loomis of Colorado to the iris
world who has given us such fine things as Blue Velvet, Spring
Maid, Shirvan, Chromylla and Erebian, a breeder who imposes
most exacting standards upon himself and has more fine things
in the offing.

Mrs. Pattison tosses the bouquet back to Mrs. Karcher thus :

“The success of the Freeport show from its small beginning
of a mere handful of exhibitors to its present long list and full
number of classes covering the entire iris range is due to the
tireless work and energy of Mrs. Karcher who possesses rare
organizing ability. She is entitled to full credit for achieving
remarkable success. Her work as chairman of the show committee
of the American Iris Society has also been an important factor. ”

They are both right, let us call it a team.

Waves of iris influence

Following Farr, waves of iris influence swept over the Middle
West, all leaving their effect until iris independence seems to
have been achieved. The first definite influence after Farr was
that of Miss Sturtevant, second American iris breeder to issue
a catalogue of her own productions. Miss Sturtevant also in¬
troduced us to the earlier Bliss productions. Miss Sturtevant ’s
influence has been a lasting and most valuable one.

Although many of her earlier introductions, sterling novelities
and garden favorites of their time, have been superseded, she
gave to American iris breeders foundation stock for their work
that figures importantly in a great number of the finest modern
irises, notably Sherbert, Nancy Orne, and Shekinah, the last
being the foundation of an entire race of yellows and blends.

Perry’s irises held brief sway, notable for their size and height
and possessing fine garden value, good but for the most part not
outstanding.

The French influence has been the strongest one, it being in¬
troduced through Farr in his first catalogues which introduced
the giant Alcazar and other Vilmorin products such as Am-

[6]

bassadeur, Ballerine, Opera and others which with a few from
Millet and Denis were the finest irises of their day and still hold
high rank. After the first flight, Vilmorin irises showed little
progress and Cayenx forged to the front as the foremost foreign
iris breeder and still holds sway. Cayenx irises became the chief
novelties to be inspected each year. But American breeders were
rapidly overtaking the European breeders and today have caught
up with them and passed them so that the gardens of the United
States and particularly the Middle West are entirely independent
of foreign irises and it must be an exceptionally fine one to make
its way against home products.

Dominion starts a revolution

The most dominant influence of all and one that still prevails
is that of Dominion. In fact the introduction of this iris and
its first generation of seedlings started an iris revolution and
changed the complexion of the iris garden. Dominion was first
domesticated in the Middle West, — in Cincinnati. Earlier im¬
portations in other sections failed to survive for some reason or
other but Dominion took kindly to Cincinnati and its growers.

To those of us visiting Cincinnati, its outstanding characteristics
seemed to be clay, Germans and Tafts. Other places have plenty
of Germans and plenty of clay but they have no Tafts so it
seems fair to give them the credit. At least Mr. Wareham was
the first to produce Dominion seedlings, vast improvements on
existing irises and on their Dominion parent. These remarkable
seedlings of Mr. Wareham, withheld from commerce for some
years, inspired other Cincinnati breeders, notably Dr. Wiley McL.
Ayres who has become in the quality of his introductions one of
the foremost iris breeders of the world.

The pre-eminence of the Middle West in the production of
fine irises is due largely to the work of the Sass Brothers, Hans
and Jacob, of Nebraska; the late E. B. Williamson of Indiana,
Dr. Ayres, J. L. Grinter of Missouri and a few others who have
scattering introductions of quality.

In the garden of Dr. Ayres

Dr. Henry Lee Grant of Louisville gives interesting comment
on the irises of Dr. Ayres as he studied them in Dr. Ayres’ Cin¬
cinnati garden last spring, as follows :

“After a week with my own seedlings and named varieties

[7]

early Sunday morning, May 20, I was in Dr. Ayres’ garden
in Cincinnati.

“Soon after sunrise as we stood below Coralie and looked east
into the early sun it appealed to me as the most striking color
I have yet seen in an iris.

“Byzantium which was grown in the Ayres garden for two
years is very similar to Jean Cayeux but is superior due to the
fact that as the flowers age they do not seem to fade.

“Burning Bronze which attracted so much attention in Free¬
port in 1933 was in fine bloom and showed no evidence of being
a poor grower as indicated by reports at Freeport. Growth was
very vigorous.

“Jasmania was probably the best first year seedling I saw.
Mrs. Pattison has taken it for introduction. It is yellow with
some light brown blended on the haft which adds to its charm.
The parentage is a (yellow plicata seedling x Sherbert) x (Cardi¬
nal x Iv. V. Ayres). While many of Dr. Ayres’ better yellow
seedlings contain W. R. Dykes, this, his best one, does not. The
name is taken from a celebration in India where all the people
wear yellow clothes.

“Tint o’ Tan is a light brown blend with unusual style
branches, deeply cleft and turned up clawlike.

“Order of the Purple is a fine deep purple. It is perhaps
an improvement on Meldoric.

Red brilliance in the Cheerios

“Cheerio and Cheerio ’s Brother are improvements on Daunt¬
less and both are very brilliant. Dr. Ayres felt it would have
been more fitting for either of them to bear the name of Red
Dominion than the iris that has it — Red Dominion. Nevertheless,
Red Dominion is a very superior variety and worthy of the
name although not as red.

“Ivory Bowl is a rounded, shapely iris, creamy in color effect
and very attractive.

“Robert is a yellow blend, named for the late Robert Emig-
liolz. It was well grown, outstanding and an altogether desirable
variety. Meldoric, Venus de Milo, K. V. Ayres, and Indigo
Bunting were blooming in well established clumps.

“One bed of seedlings of plicata parentage showed some
color breaks which may lead to the good red and yellow plicatas
which Dr. Ayres is seeking.

[8]

K. Y. AYEES

[9]

“The yellow, red and tan seedlings are probably the outstand¬
ing colors Dr. Ayres has produced. He has almost perfected
domed and locked standards which tend to make the irises
weather proof. One cannot help but get the impression that
many of his seedlings are equal to and some superior to Eclador
and Chromvlla as they bloom side by side in his garden.

“It will be interesting in another year to compare them with
Alice Harding, Lady Paramount, Happy Days, and, perhaps,
Golden Hind.”

Better colors Dr. Ayres’ goal

Dr. Ayres wrote in most entertaining detail on “The Fun
and Fuss of Hybridizing” for the 1934 Year Book of the Iris
Society of England and has graciously given permission to print
excerpts from it here. Concerning the striking influence of
the Dominion race, he says: A

“Then came the time when I had pollen from the seven day
wonder, Dominion, and in the next year both Dominion and
Cardinal were flowering in my own garden, though six pounds
apiece seemed a big price to pay in those days. Did it pay to
get this new breeding stock? Most certainly it did and I used
the pollen from both of them on all the good ones I had and on
many of the poor ones also. New forms, new colors, and greater
substance came from both of them.

“Can colors be altered? Most certainly they can. If it were
not possible to change, modify, intensify, reduce and blend colors,
the whole fabric of iris hybridizing would fall to the ground.
For who except the scientists would want to alter merely the
size, form or perhaps the branching. The very advent in the
catalogues each year of scores of new seedlings, some of them
quite worth while, proves how simple it all really is.

“Do not get the idea, however, that colors can be changed
as easily as we mix them with a paint brush.

Chromosomes do the work

“In the case of flowers it is man proposing and the chromo¬
somes disposing that gives us our breaks and blendings of colors.
I will say, however, that in working with tans and brown blends,
it almost seems like the mixing of actual colors from all the
gradations of tones that have come in my garden.

[10]

“To cite a case, an extreme one, of altering colors by planning,
take Robert, a yellow blend of good substance with slight pencil¬
ling of blue along the midrib of the falls. Its forbears on one
side were Sherbert (red) and a seedling from Nancy Orne x
Dominion (reddish yellow), giving from the cross a yellowish
blend and on this was used Tuscany Gold (tan) to get a still
better yellow blend.

“To this was finally added the best yellow blue blend among
a series of seedlings of many colors out of a Dominion by a
yellow Kashmir White seedling. So at the end of eight years
of planning to get a yellow into Dominion or out of it, the
goal was reached.

“Lest the new hybridizer become discouraged at the mention
of those eight years, let me say it does not always take so long
to get a good iris. Red Dominion was the combination of Do¬
minion x Nancy Orne to which I again added Dominion pollen.
Remember Mr. Bliss said that he used the reddest he had, Cor¬
delia, in trying for a red iris and created Dominion. Some years
ago when I worked with Dominion it frequently gave me reds.
Again in Red Dominion it was chromosomes that had the final
say.

Domed closed standards best

“We next come to form. Look over your isises and those in

t/

some friend’s garden and note the wide range one has to choose
from in both the standards and the falls. The former are tall
or short, wide or narrow, and the falls show every degree of
variation from horizontal to straight hanging. The standards
may open at the top which I do not favor, or they may curve
together and dome which is the form to be preferred, not only
for appearances sake but because the wind does not easily blow
them open.

“In the falls it is a matter of choice which form you breed
into your seedlings. Princess Beatrice is a compromise between
two extremes (horizontal and straight hanging) and what iris
is more attractive in color or form?

“We now come to the third point, substance. If you think
lightly of substance look at Meldoric or Bruno after a rain
storm and then cast a glance at Lord of June.

“In regard to many reciprocal crosses which I have made and

[11]

planted in beds side by side, just to study the parental in¬
fluences, if any, I am very much inclined to agree with Miss
Sturtevant who has written me that she feels that the pod parent
tends to influence the height of stem and growth of stem.’*

Intermediates save the season

In a season of bitter disappointment in the Middle West when
parching drought, searing winds, and broiling sun at 100 or
more in the shade for days at a time, left iris foliage burned
white and bloom so bleached and discolored among the tall
bearded as to be almost unrecognizable, comes to mind one glow¬
ing beauty spot that saved the season from a total loss, a big
bed of intermediates interplauted with the May flowering tulips.
Although dwarfed by the drought the tulips held their color
and the intermediates likewise were uninjured as they escaped
the terrific heat of two weeks later. It seems only in the Middle
West that the glorious possibilities of the association of the
intermediate irises and the Darwin, Cottage and Breeder tulips
is realized and utilized and more gardeners are eagerly seizing
upon this association of gorgeous coloring each year as examples
of this alluring planting are seen. In the Middle West an inter¬
mediate iris is a hybrid between a tall bearded and an early
dwarf iris and it also practically means Sass irises for there are
very few of this class from other breeders.

If Hans and Jacob Sass had done nothing else with iris, their
creation of an entire race of intermediates would be a lasting
monument to their fame. In more than twenty years of work
with this class they have produced thousands of them. Their
friends have tried to prevail upon them to select a list of fifty
or a hundred of their many worth while intermediate seedlings
and name, register and introduce them to make the type more
readily available for gardens and to place this class so long
libelled by the dull and dingy Goos and Koenemann and Ca-
parne irises on a well defined and distinct footing. Of their
thousands of plants they have named only about eighteen.

Crysoro the best iris yellow

Acquaintance with the Sass intermediates has directed the at¬
tention of Middle West iris people towards other breeders for
this type but few are doing anything with it. Col. Nicliolls is
the only one of note and he has given the iris world its finest,

[12]

purest and most brilliant deep yellow in a typical intermediate,
Crysoro, a wonderful bloomer and fast increaser that is a spot
of glowing* beauty in its season.

In addition to the intermediates, midwestern breeders are
giving the iris world other new types. From the Williamson
gardens come a distinct class known as table iris, small and
graceful, of good color and admirably adapted for cutting. They
have also another type, late dwarfs, blooming with the tall
bearded of which Hans Sass’ Pixy was a forerunner. These
will be most useful to put color into rock gardens where now they
begin to grow dull after their flash of spring bloom.

Mr. Jacob Sass has given us a new series of onco regelio and
dwarf bearded crosses of distinct character and unusual coloring
and is adding to it. He also after years of effort reports progress
in putting height and size into his famous plicata blends of
which King Karl is the best known and most popular. These
had resisted all efforts, giving good blends when used for breed¬
ing purposes but the plicata pattern being lost. Through the
brown trimmed plicata Chestnut, the type is re-appearing.

Wambliska has opened the way to an exceptionally fine series of
irises particularly some remarkable whites. The story of Wam¬
bliska which has never before been told is an interesting one. It
is of precisely the same parentage as Purissima, Argentina and
Conquistador.

Story of Wambliska

A few years ago Hans and Jacob made an early spring trip
to California to see the California irises. In the garden of Prof.
Mitchell they saw one of the first blooms of Purissima in its
finest form. Jacob at the time declared that he never expected
to see a finer white and probably not another as good as Purissima
then appeared. But there was the question of its hardiness,
neither parent being hardy in Nebraska.

It occurred to Jacob that Juniata, an ironclad old timer from
Farr, was one of the parents of Conquistador and he figured
that there might be a possibility of a white of the same parentage
inheriting this quality that would be hardy in Nebraska. He
went home and decided to try the experiment and succeeded in
getting pods of seed from which he got 89 plants. Of the entire
89 only Wambliska proved hardy. It has been magnificent on
Mr. Sass’ farm but not so good elsewhere.

[13]

Sasses are great bookkeepers

The Sass Brothers in addition to their other accomplishments
are great bookkeepers. They have raised more than 110,000 seed¬
lings in the last twenty years and have kept records on nearly
all of them. But let Mr. Jacob Sass tell the story.

‘ ‘ Twenty-seven years ago I bloomed my first iris seedling.
Since that time Hans and I have grown more than 110,000 seed¬
lings and we have kept almost a complete record of all. We,
therefore, know what is in all onr irises and what factors we
may expect to appear in breeding. Sometimes we get them and
sometimes not.

“Last season was most unfavorable and only about forty per
cent of onr seedlings bloomed but we had many fine new colors
among them in yellows, yellow plicatas, new reds, red browns
and light and dark blues.

“I have been breeding for red irises for many years. I tried
to get large reds from Seminole, Medrano and others at first.
The seedlings were pleasing in color but were lacking in size,
height and had badly bunched stems. When Hans produced Red
Wing and King Tut and other large flowered reds I gave up
these old timers and since then have used Red Wing, King Tut
and their sister seedlings in developing reds.

“I crossed a sister seedling of Red Wing with Cardinal with
good results. Red Wing x King Tut gave all fiery red browns.
The best of these is Spokan. Two of the produce of the sister
seedling of Red Wing x Cardinal were kept under numbers
29-9 and 29-12, the first a near variegata and the second on
the Red Dominion order.

“Baldwin x King Tut also gave a fine line of reds. The best
one of this lot is Joyqette. The Baldwin x King Tut cross gave
better stems than the other crosses for reds and the blooms
were better placed. The Cardinal cross gave a majority of stubby,
bunched stems, a fault I find with almost all Dominion race first
generation crosses.

Reddest reds are developed

“Crossing 29-9, the near variegata, by King Tut gave 32-18, a
fiery red brown, most intense in coloring, that is to be named
this year. This cross also gave Golden Helmet which has been
introduced. 29-12 x Joycette gave the culmination of the series

[14]

in my efforts for reds which has been named The Red Douglas.

“The Red Douglas, I believe, is as fine a red iris as there is.
It is a derivative of Baldwin, King Tut, Cardinal, and a sister
seedling of Red Wing and combines the good points of these
four. This is the record of my efforts in breeding red irises.

“Another line of breeding has given me an array of good
whites and fine light blues, this line of breeding being based on
Wambliska. Wambliska ’s parentage is Argentina x Conquistador.
Out of 89 seedlings from this cross only twenty reached blooming
age. The others rotted and died before blooming and out of the
twenty only one survived finally, the survivor which has proved
absolutely hardy being Wambliska.

“Wambliska x Matilda, a heavily blue-trimmed plicata, gave
nine seedlings. Seven of these were whites and two were light
blues. Matilda was the offspring of two whites. One of these two
light blue seedlings is Blue Monarch wliidh has a fine blue tone
and a well branched stem carrying many buds. It stands up
well under Nebraska’s trying winds and sun.

“Wambliska selfed produced a great majority of intermediates,
ranging in color from light blue and lavender to white. Puris-
sima selfed produced an identical lot of seedlings with the same
preponderance of intermediates.

“Wambliska x 28-11, a sister seedling of Pink Satin of deeper
coloring, gave one of the purest whites I ever saw which has been
named Crystal White and is to be introduced this year.

New yellow line is started

“Wambliska x Rameses produced many fine warm whites
with yellow beards and hafts, also some lavenders, and one,
32-50, with yellow standards and white falls, large and tall. I
had expected more yellows from this cross. This yellow, 32-50,
selfed produced 47 seedlings of which two bloomed last spring.
One was an empire yellow self and the other a red blend. Both
are large flowered on 38 to 40 inch stems, well branched.

“Here is the history of our new series of thoroughly hardy
tall large flowered plicatas.

“Conquistador crossed with seedlings of Hans old No. 1, a blue
purple, gave blues and one large flowered hardy plicata. This
crossed with Los Angeles and San Francisco has given a series
of large flowered plicalas, the majority of which have proved
absolute^ hardy here in Nebraska.

[15]

“A series of very dark irises has come through (5-1, a dark
purple seedling of Hans x Baldwin) x ((5-1 x Cardinal) x
Tenebrae). The best of these has been named The Black Douglas.
Reciprocal crosses of Black Wings x Blackamoor have given
some fine very dark rich ones. Blackamoor is ( (Archeveque x
Beau Ideal) x Baldwin).

“A start on yellow ground plicatas of size, height and good
quality has been made through a cross of ((Chestnut x King
Tut) x Golden Helmet). Two yellow ground plicatas appeared in
these seedlings which have been kept as 34-18 and 34-19 for
further development. In a few years we should have real yellow
ground plicatas from them.

Iris species in Nebraska

“The new Louisiana species I have growing beside a little
stream and this seems to suit them perfectly. They have bloomed
well, Kermesina also grows excellently under these same con¬
ditions.

“Bucharica has bloomed two vears in succession.

«/

“The onocyclus, regelios and regelio-cyclus we have grown
successfully by lifting them in July, keeping them dry and
transplanting again in late fall. They have given many fine
blooms.

“Spurias and Siberians grow excellently. The Japanese grow
to perfection by the stream and have done fairly well on a
hillside.

“Tectorum is kept growing in good condition and blooming
freely by transplanting every two or three years.

“Dichotoma grows anywhere in the garden. Tricuspis is good
in partial shade as is also eristata.

“Shrevei, foliosa, fulva and their hybrids find congenial quar¬
ters beside the stream and do fairly well on the hillside.”

Iowa with the traditions of Farr behind it and the Sass farms
just to the west of it has long been a good iris state. One of its
leaders in promoting iris interests and a familiar and popular
figure at midwest iris gatherings is Mrs. W. G. DuMont of Des
Moines, who reviews the iris situation in the Hawkeye State.

Iris growing in Iowa

“Even in normal seasons in Iowa there is more or less hot, drv
weather, but the rainless spring and summer last year were un¬
tie]

paralleled in recent years with the thermometer above 100 for 26
days. In spite of this prolonged drought, I lost no bearded irises
and only three clumps of beardless.

“In July, 1933, we moved from five acres to a half acre. Al¬
though my husband and I scorn the idea that we are getting old,
we welcome the lessened work and also our ability to keep the
entire garden in better order. The general plan of our peony
and iris planting is a wide central path crossed by another, mak¬
ing four rectangular plots surrounded by paths. In these are one
each of two hundred peonies with the iris all around the outside
of each plot. We are indebted to Mrs. Preston Rice of Grand
Rapids, Mich., for this idea.

“The area has good drainage and lots of sun. We are both
happy and satisfied over the prospects and also are having fun
experimenting with clay soil after being long used to black loam.

“I am now growing fewer and better iris, having held on to
fifty of the newer and a few of the older kinds, chief among the
older ones being Tid Bit and Yellow Moon.

“The beardless that I have retained are dichotoma, Dorothy K.
Williamson, ensata, graminea, guldenstandiana, missouriensis, the
pale form of psudacorus, the Siberians Blue Charm, Kingfisher
Blue; the spurias A. J. Balfour, alba, Lord Wolsey, Monspur and
Sunny Day and also tectorum.

Sunny Day a great spuria

“Outstanding among these beardless is H. P. Sass’ Sunny Day,
a glowing yellow of great size, a spuria.

“After trying at least twenty-five of the dwarfs I have reduced
the number to five, the early little atroviolacea, the first to bloom
for me, the date being from April 4 to April 24. The light azurea
is next. Some say it is first for them but I am sure it must be the
location that makes the difference. Then Marocain for deep
purple, a good doer. For white and yellow some Sass seedlings
are finer than any named varieties I have tried. The yellow some¬
times blooms in the autumn.

“This year the only one to autumn bloom for me was Autumn
Queen. Our rains came too late to force the bloom buds. Some
years I have had it in August but September is the normal
month to find it throwing blooms stalks.

“Last May and June I saw fewer iris than in ten years, my
own giving sparse bloom from two moves the summer before, first

[17]

into temporary rows and then into permanent quarters. I did
not get to the annual meeting, much to my regret, but had one
charming morning long remembered in the garden of Mrs. Her¬
man litis.

Pink Opal lives up to name

“It was like an opal with the accent, a great clump of Jacob
Sass’ Pink Opal, long known as 28-12. It certainly has class for
garden effect but is not as good a show flower as Imperial Blush.
This pink mass defied description.

“There are not many in Des Moines spending their last cent
for irises. Most gardeners care more for garden effect than for
new creations. Mrs. litis and I each year try to visit the Sass
gardens, missing the past summer. Mrs. litis has a beautiful
garden the year round, making good use of fine iris. The real
iris fans here number about half a dozen. Roy Barnquist tucks
his treasures in here and there. He is much interested in the new
hemerocallis.

“Three men, Arnold Swanson, Dr. E. II. Lehman and Dr.
A. P. Stoner are alike in their interest in the new iris. They
garden with meticulous care. Everything is done exactly as and
when it should be done.

Farr varieties still in Iowa

“If one wants to check up on good old varieties they are to be
found in the garden of Carl Singmaster. There one may even
find most of the Farr introductions.

“In Sioux City it is very different. There many go in for
the new irises in a big way. Because of this they stage wonder¬
ful shows.

“The Charles Whitings of Mapleton have the best time of any
Mr. and Mrs. I know of with their iris. They keep expanding
and expanding. When they get their land filled up they buy
more land so they can buy more irises.

“The clever and original Mrs. Jessie Sliambaugh of Clarinda
issues invitations to come and meet the notables of the iris world
such as Dauntless, King Tut and others and has done much to
popularize the beardless types in her vicinity.

“Perennials I have found useful with the irises are first of
all sweet rocket, the purple variety which is luscious. There is
a nepeta earlier and darker than Mussini, Souvenir de Andre

[181

Chaudron, that is a very good foil for the irises, seeding prodigi¬
ously, whole flocks of little nepetas springing up.

“ Others are white dictamnus, pyrethrum, bleeding heart with
intermediates, garden heliotrope, and all the thalictrums which are
a joy for their contrast in foliage even if they never bloomed.
Yerbascum phoeniceum is one of the new things to me that I have
been seeing with irises that I shall not be happy until I have tried.

“I have noted many speak of the similarity of the blackberry
lily and Iris dichotoma. I have never seen it noted that they
differ in that the blackberry lily has yellow roots while those of
dichotoma are white.”

St. Louis goes in for the iris

The St. Louis district with the wide awake St. Louis Horticul¬
tural Society and the Missouri Botanical Gardens as inspirations
bulks more importantly in the iris world each year. A laudable
attempt to bolster up the test garden in the botanical gardens is
being made by interested iris growers in the district. Their
efforts and a survey of irises in the St. Louis district are pre¬
sented herewith by Mr. John F. AViesner:

“There is a remarkable growth of interest in irises in and
around St. Louis, which is developing into real enthusiasm. The
modern editions of the ‘flower of the ages’ are now to be found
among the most cherished subjects in many of our perennial
borders, dooryard gardens and informal plantings.

“AATe also see increasingly large numbers of new things ex¬
hibited at our spring flower shows. These annual shows are big
events held in the spacious glazed display house of the Missouri
Botanic Gardens and are sponsored by the St. Louis Horticultural
Society with approximately a thousand members. Competition
was so keen in the 1934 show that the judges put in three stren¬
uous hours in passing upon 47 classes in the iris section. No
antiquated sorts were shown and it required perfect condition to
figure among the successful contenders. Among the winners
were found such irises as Depute Nomblot, Mrs. Valery AVest,
Sir Michael, Dauntless, Dolly Madison, Los Angeles, Sensation,
Ophelia, Coronation, Dorothy Dietz and AVilliam Mohr.

Plea for the test garden

“I feel that as a society we have not yet, unfortunately sensed
the unusual opportunity so graciously offered in this centrally

[19]

located city for the establishment and maintenance of trial
grounds where authentic tests may be conducted. Situated on
the borderline between the north and south, St. Louis is swept by
chill winter winds from the north which often drive the tem¬
perature downward 30 degrees in a single day, then frequently
followed by south winds that leave growing vegetation in their
wake.

“This intermittent thawing and freezing subject irises to the
acid test, yet the worthy contestants never fail in their time of
lavish adornment, when again the diversified weather conditions
facilitate still further tests of comparative merit.

“The Missouri Botanic Garden is a great walled garden located
in the heart of this midwest metropolis and has long been recog¬
nized as a mecca in the horticultural world. Many thousands
of visitors pass through the turnstiles each season.

“What have we done? AYe have cluttered up the grounds with
a long list of varieties, many of which have been voted into the
discard and we have not at least to my knowledge, advised the
elimination of these varieties. We have failed to keep the collec¬
tion up to date.

“Finally we have failed to see a single report by an accredited
judge wherein he referred to certain varieties as they were grown
in the test garden. Why not avail ourselves of the advantages
in studying new varieties in a. garden where each variety receives
the same care and is grown under similar conditions in a climate
which is rigorous yet peculiarly suited to practically all species
of iris? The many visitors from all parts of the country would
see what the new irises really are and what the hybridizers and in¬
troducers have in the offing, free from all influence other than
that of actual merit.

Asks society to co-operate

“Let me suggest that through co-operation between a com¬
mittee of the society and the botanic garden a proposition be
agreed upon in which the garden would receive one or more
plants of certain accredited and meritorious plants now in com¬
merce, thereby bringing the present collection up to date and
with provisions made for systematically discarding or eliminating
superseded varieties. Then finally prevail upon the growers to
forward for trial such new varieties as have been selected for

[20]

introduction, duly registered and otherwise qualified, the duty
of which would befall either the hybridizer or introducer.

“Such a system would at once not only assure others of the
sincerity of the distributor but would more accurately establish
the merit of the new irises and finally help to control in some
measure at least the ever increasing output of new varieties.

“It has been nrg pleasure and privilege to visit several inter¬
esting iris gardens in the vicinity of St. Louis and to participate
in the judging of the iris section at the spring flower show in the
past five years. I have witnessed the gradual evolution of quality
and beauty in irises to the point where I feel that we can now
hold a position of consequence in the iris world.

St. Louis new iris seedlings

“I had long suspected that since the St. Louis climate is so
favorable to the growing of practically all species of iris that
some day we should introduce to the horticultural world some
startling productions. Mr. Josiali Wliitnel of Signal Hill this
year easily won the sweepstakes prize for the finest specimen in
the iris section with a seedling stalk from a one year plant.

“Mr. F. W. Keene of Richmond Heights, St. Louis, has some
fine pastels in the offing. I have been a very diligent hybridizer
and may yet have the pleasure of presenting the first salmon
pink with all good habits, also a glorified Souvenir de Loetitia
Michaud that is both bluer and hardier but I prefer that these
should speak for themselves.

“The following brief comments introduce some of the very
best irises that grow and bloom satisfactorily here :

“Mrs. Valery West — Is the kingpin of the dark irises, very
vigorous and extremely free blooming.

“Sir Michael — Hard to beat either in the garden or the show
room.

“Depute Nomblot — The tallest and largest Dominion, Sub¬
stance extremelv heavy. It fades slightly but this hardly detracts.

4/ 4/ <_> 4/ 4/

“Los Angeles and Michelline Charraire — Both do very well
here.

“Wambliska — Sometimes appears dirty with its gray blue
undertone. At other times it is very fine.

“Sensation — The peer of the medium light blues.

[21]

‘‘Mary Barnett — Has all good habits except that it sometimes
fades.

“Trostringer — Its tender pink is pleasing to everybody.

“Odaroloc — Best all around mauve, tall and well anchored
against the wind. I had to discard Mother of Pearl, Asia, L. A.
Williamson, Mile. Schwartz and others because of weak stems
that could not stand our May winds.

“Dolly Madison — One of the greatest of all irises and a per¬
fect doer here.

“Ophelia and Midgard — Commanded much comment last
spring and have all good habits.

Iris species in St. Louis

“The Sibericas merit much more consideration than they have
received here. In my city garden they revel in rich soil and full
sun and remain undisturbed for several years. They require a
year around mulch of leaf mold or peat moss. They become com¬
pletely dormant in the fall and require no protection.

“Skylark is found superior to Perry’s Blue as it is much freer
flowering. Bob White, snow white with yellow haft is our most
satisfactory white. Red Emperor establishes itself slowly but
makes a fine clump in about three years. I have a fine very
vigorous dark blue seedling that blooms twice each season, with
the early Sibericas and again with the Japs.

“For the half shaded locations the so called natives have
proved very satisfactory. They require a bit more moisture than
the Sibericas and some winter protection. Fulva, Cacique, Doro¬
thea K. Williamson and fulvala grow well in my garden. The
newly discovered species and their hybrids apparently have not
yet made their way into St. Louis gardens.

“Iris tectorum is easily grown. I have a large clump of the
white which is even more pleasing. It is shallow rooting and
quite apt to disappear during our blazing summers. I keep the
roots lightly mulched with sandy leaf mold and am convinced
they enjoy shade.”

Missouri s leading hybridizer

Mr. J. II. Grinter of Independence, Mo., to whom we owe two
of our finest blues. Blue Triumph and Missouri describes his
methods of hybridizing as adapted to the St. Louis climate. In
addition to his blues, he has given us a fine hardy white in June

[22]

Bride and a handsome dusky gem in Wotan. llis Bed Radiance
has taken its place as one of the finest red toned irises. It is
interesting to note that Mr. Grinter finds the second set of bloom
more fertile than the first :

“I will give briefly the system I am using with fair success.
First carefully select the varieties you wish to cross with refer¬
ence to their virtues such as color, quality, size, etc. With a pair
of tweezers remove the stamen from the pollen parent. Take it
in the fingers and completely cover the stigma of the seed parent.

“I do not take any precaution against the bees for when the
stigma is completely covered with pollen there is little chance
that a surplus would have any effect. I believe only a very small
portion is absorbed by the plant. I have had some very good
things from chance pods but the bees do not keep a record and
the pods are of little value in determining future crosses.

Second blooms more fertile

“I have better success obtaining pods from the second set of
blossoms than from the first. When the plant starts to bloom
it is probably too busy hustling along blossoms to be bothered
with seed pods. I also find it more difficult to get a pod from
a very large flower than from one of medium size. I do not know
why. No records are kept of the crosses that fail as this would
be of interest only in determining the fertility of the plant and
means a lot of extra bookkeeping.

“I believe the Menclelian theory is correct but it takes a period
of years to carry it through. I prefer to use my own stock that
I know for several generations.

“In this locality I plant the seed about the first week in Oc¬
tober, late enough to prevent germination before spring. After
sowing put on one half inch of lawn clippings. This gives winter
covering and also prevents rain from beating dirt on the labels.
Do not put the clippings on heavy enough to prevent freezing
as a good freeze helps germination. Two thousand seedlings can
be grown easily in a bed four feet square.

“When about four inches high transplant the seedlings into
beds where they are to bloom in rows about one foot apart and
the plants about eight inches apart. The next year under favor¬
able conditions you should have about three fourths of them
bloom. Some will go over to the third and fourth year.

[23]

Tyner $ Murphy

IRIS ON THE LONE PRAIRIE; SOUTH FIELD OF MISS DOROTHY

STONER, OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS

“After all the big thing is the selection of the plants for the
cross. And as a final admonition, if yon are attempting to pro¬
duce a red iris do not let Dr. Everett hear of it.”

One vote for Abraham Lincoln

Mr. Grinter’s grandfather was the only man in Independence,
Mo., who voted for Abraham Lincoln for president and he clings
to that same inherited rugged individualism both in gardening
and in his hybridizing. For a time his objective was to get a
red with as little blue in it as possible and a blue with as little

red in it as might be. Having obtained Red Radiance and Blue

Triumph to his credit, he is now working to develop a late bloom¬
ing strain of tall bearded irises, not fall bloomers, but a series
that will prolong the season some days or so.

The Missouri-Kansas sector bulks large in the iris activities of
the middle west with its shows and numerous excellent gardens.

[24]

GARDEN OF MR. WALTER TIMMERMAN, KANSAS CITY, KANSAS

Miss Dorothy Stoner of Overland Park, Kansas, contributes the
following* items of interest concerning persons and gardens of
that part of the territory.

“Mr. Walter Timmerman is an artist whose talent shows in
any medium. His garden is a tiny perfect jewel ; his amateur
photography is distinguished ; and somehow he finds a place for
art as well as making a livelihood in the making of bricks. His
is one of the only four gardens in the Kansas City district to
which it is safe to send visitors at any time of the year and the
only one of the four not designed by a landscape gardener.

Gardens in Kansas City

“In case you are in Kansas City between trains, the others are
the Blackburn garden designed by Mrs. Morin ; the Dr. Ernest
Robinson garden, designed by Hare and Hare ; and Mr. Sid
Hare’s own garden or rather huge country place which is also
interesting as a state wild flower preserve.

“A small garden club in South St. Joseph puts on the best

[25]

flower show I have ever seen and I have seen plenty. Mr. Byous
and Mr. Schirmer, who shoulder most of the burdens, say mod¬
estly it is because theirs is a club with more men in it than wom¬
en, a bitter pill for an old fashioned feminist like me to swallow
but it looks as if they had the proof of the pudding.

“On November 8, the following varieties were in bloom in The
Iris Garden, Overland Park, Kansas — Autumn Queen, Olive
White, Eleanor Roosevelt and Duke of Bedford. The Duke was
short on stem but long on color as the November sun is not so
destructive as some of our 100 degree afternoons in May.

“On a bluff overlooking the river on the Kansas side of the
Missouri is an 1850 house of native stone with the original floors
and deep window sills. In it live Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Browne
and in their four acres that tumble down from it on every side
they do their gardening. Irises have a prominent place there.

“In the Springfield, Mo., district, Mr. Bruce Maples and Mr.
Charles E. Simon have been working with iris seedlings for some
time and have, I hear, achieved remarkable results although no
plants have been introduced to commerce.

Drought kills Louisiana species

“Mrs. John Aldrich of Kansas City who has a collection of
Mississippi Delta irises from the Brooklyn Botanic gardens re¬
ports that most of them succumbed to the drought or very nearly
did. My own Delta irises in one year plantings were almost
wiped out but several three year old clumps came through in fine
shape with good sized rhizomes.

“Almost everyone in this district reports that the drought
either caused newly set plants of bearded irises to dry up or rot.
Mr. McBride of St. Joseph writes that after two weeks he dug
up his newly set plants, stored them in the basement and then
planted them again after two bitter months and they started right
in growing.

“My own newly set plants were watered once, mulched with
peat moss, and the more expensive varieties were treated to a lath
shade. I did not lose a plant under the shades and only one or
two in the peat moss. AYhen you consider that the ground tem¬
perature was near 150 degrees every afternoon for two months
and that there was not a drop of rain for a stretch of four weeks
it seems incredible how much punishment irises can take and

[26]

like it. It was my good luck that I had no water to use in the
garden. We were buying hauled water for household use.

“And then the shade helped. Years ago Mr. Grullemans of
Wayside Gardens spoke to one of our garden clubs on the fun¬
damental problems of growing. ‘For your climate,’ he said,
‘always substitute part shade for full sun.’

“Mrs. J. G. Rowell of Kansas City has heart in her iris garden
and each year for the last seven years she had had to leave home
at midseason just as the bloom began to riot. Nothing daunted,
she goes transplanting though her seedling activities have per¬
force been neglected.”

Irises that grow in middle west

The Middle West extends west from Pennsylvania, north of the
Ohio River and its latitude, east of the Rockies and to the Cana¬
dian border. There are wide variations of soil and climate, from
southern Illinois and Missouri, farther south than Richmond, Va.,
in latitude to the frigid winters of Minnesota and northern
Michigan. But, in general gardeners find that irises originating
or propagated successfully for sale anywhere in this section grow
well anywhere in it.

There are an exceptional few encountered occasionally that are
notional as to soil requirements or other conditions and in certain
gardens act as if they were brought up on Schopenhauer. They
have no will to live but won’t kill themselves. Two of our most
gorgeous ones, Blue Velvet and El Tovar, perform in this irritat¬
ing manner. You will see them in glorious bloom in a garden
perhaps only a few miles away from your own. You get them.
Each season you go out and look at them hopefully and there
they sit giving excellent impersonations of Poe’s Raven, never
flitting they still are sitting,— and never hatching anything in the
way of bloom. But they are so fine you’ve got to try them.

Mohr-Mitchell, Essig and Salbach irises, now that they have
been bred a generation or so farther away from mesopotamica
seem inclined to make themselves at home. The earlier ones such
as Conquistador, Balboa and their generation were not reliable.
Some which seem hardy and vigorous make good clumps but are
stingy about blooming. We have such reports on Santa Barbara
and El Capitan and a few others.

Purissima is still a question. In a few middle western gardens

[27]

it lias done nobly and given shoulder high stalks that couldn't
well be much finer. In others bloom points kill and the plant is
weak and inclined to pass on unless coddled and protected.
Shasta seems a reliable sort. Easter Morn has been fine in some
gardens and has not been so good in others.

Prof. Essig’s fine blues

Prof. Essig’s fine new line of blues are being given a tryout in
many gardens but have not been established enough for certain
report. Pacific seems the least vigorous of the lot according to
some reports. They have all survived last winter safely, a trying
one as they will ever encounter. But blooming points were killed
wholesale even on old time ironclads so no conclusions can be
drawn. Shining Waters, recommended as the finest of the lot, is
yet to bloom in this section, so far as reports are at hand.

We are waiting with much anticipation of Prof. Mitchell’s new
yellows which should bloom this spring.

We have had nothing of value for middle western gardens
from Southern California so far. San Gabriel and other types
so fine there are mere mediocrities and hardly worth middle west-
ern garden room.

There is much interest manifested in Mr. White’s new yellows,
particularly Lady Paramount which is expected to bloom for the
first time this spring as it is new in several middle western gar¬
dens along with Sweet Alibi, Son Robert and others. We are
warned by middle westerners who saw Lady Paramount in Mr.
White’s garden in California last year that while it is a mag¬
nificent iris, it is a lighter yellow than overexuberant description
by its home admirers not over conversant with the iris field out¬
side of California might lead us to expect. It is reported as
having inherited some of the pallor and freckles of W. R. Dykes,
one of its parents, but nevertheless is pronounced one of the very
finest yet produced. It is hoped that it will flourish in middle
western gardens.

Bearded iris have no monopoly

The tall bearded iris class has no monopoly of midwestern
interest. There is a widespread and constantly growing interest
in the beardless and the various species as the beauty and
garden value of their varied types become apparent. They can
be summarized rather briefly.

[28]

Lady Paramount

.

'

Sibiricas — Most widely grown and distributed of all the beard¬
less iris. Much used with hemerocallis in the garden and in cut
flower arrangements at the shows. Also handsomely associated
with pyrethrum and columbines in the gardens and also with the
meadow rues. Stand more drought and do fairly well in lighter
soils than do most beardless. Hans Sass’ Blue Charm and Jacob’s
blackish violet Miss Duluth are fine newcomers. Most popular
varieties are Perry’s Blue, Papillon, Kingfisher Blue, Distinction,
Snow Queen, Emperor and Red Emperor with an increasing
number of Mrs. Cleveland’s beautiful introductions constantly
appearing in gardens.

Spurias — Ochroleuca most widely distributed and grown. Shel-
ford Giant greatly admired. Monspur and its hybrids, Lord
Wolsey, Mrs. A. W. Tait much used. Ochroleuca is a popular
subject with the delphiniums and with backgrounds of the various
pink climbing roses. Also beside pools with sibericas and in
clumps as border accents. Hans Sass’ new Sunny Day, by far
the finest rich yellow spuria yet sighted, tops this type.

Pseudacorus and its pale variety — Much used by pools and in
borders.

Versicolor — Occasionally in gardens but is mostly admired in
its native surroundings of river, pond, and swamp.

Tectorum and its white variety — Favorites in rock gardens,
easily grown.

Cristata and its white form — Also much grown in rock gardens.

Lacustris — Has received rather wide distribution from plants
collected on the shores of Lake Michigan. With the above two
it seems to like shade in lieu of its color climate when at home.
It is a fast grower.

Foliosa, Fulva, Dorothea Iv. Williamson, Fulvala Cacique —
Quite widely distributed and grown and much liked in the gar¬
den, foliosa being least esteemed because of hiding its blooms
in the leaves.

New Louisiana Delta species — These received a severe setback
du ring last summer’s heat and drought as collections suffered
severe losses. The general comment where they have bloomed
is that while there is beautiful color and fine character to the
bloom, there is too great a wealth of foliage and too much poverty
of bloom stalks. They are not well enough established for sound
judgment.

[29]

Beauty to be inhaled

Dichotoma — The Vesper iris. Grows anywhere apparently and
is getting wide distribution. Effectively planted with Nicotiana
affinis, pale yellow four o ’clocks with a few of that little weed,
Mathiola bicornis that you have to shut your eyes to admire for
its delightful fragrance and you have a twilight beauty to inhale
even when it is so dark you can’t see it.

Oncocyclus, regelias, and their hybrids — Many gardeners are
learning the trick of growing the more difficult species by digging
them up along in July, keeping them dry until late October or
early November and then planting them getting fine bloom and
plenty of it. Susiana most grown. There is a lot of experiment¬
ing with crosses between these types and both the dwarf and tall
bearded by amateur hybridists.

Bulbous species — Reticulata is coming back after some years
of absence. The black death that used to soot up and destroy
the bulbs seems to have been conquered. It is beautiful with the
snowdrops and early yellow crocues in sheltered corner where
they give the first three cheers for spring often with snow all
around them.

There is much planting of the Dutch Iris now that we find
that we can grow them and that they are hardy. They are dis¬
placing the Spanish which are also returning to their own as the
bulbs get back somewhere near their old time popular price of a
dollar a hundred when we always grew them to cut.

The English iris for heavy moist soil still command admirers.
Gardeners are learning not to plant the Dutch and Spanish too
early to get too much growth above ground before winter sets in.

Tricuspis — This came into the middle west through seed dis¬
tributed gratis by Thompson & Morgan, an English firm. It is
a handsome dwarf iris with blooms very freely produced resem¬
bling a siberica, the standards being reduced to mere points. It
likes cool soil and is handsomely associated with the violas in
rock gardens.

Arenaria, verna and gracilipes — These are dear to rock gar¬
deners all over the middle west.

Poor country for the Japs

Japanese — The success of these in the greater portion of the
middle west comes in the legal category of events known as acts

[30]

of Providence. If we can have plenty of rain during their grow¬
ing season they will be a success and can stand a lot of drought
in midsummer. If the rain doesn’t come and it certainly hasn’t
for the last three seasons with increasing scarcity, they can be
counted out.

In general, the middle western soil is alkaline and not altogether
to their liking and to make a bad condition worse for them, most
public water supplies are hard, that is strongly lime impregnated
so that when you give the Japs needed moisture in dry springs
you are also poisoning them. The foliage shows a sickly yellow
green and they are on their way out. Many gardeners keep a
supply by raising seedlings from year to year as it seems the
seedlings are stronger than named varieties but lack the quality.

There have been many experiments in raising the California
species from seed but no substantial success has been reported.

Missouriensis — This is often seen growing with the spurias and
sibericas and is an excellent garden subject.

Wattii — Midwestern visitors to California gardens, particularly
Dr. Berry’s, are trying their hand with this iris as a house plant
this year. No reports so far.

Dwarf bearded by the bushel

Now that we can get dwarf bearded irises by the peck or bushel
as needed from the Sass Brothers who have become the Middle
West’s main dependence for this type, and of a quality to make
us forget a lot of the old named ones we use them that way. It is
likely that the dwarfs are more liberally used in gardens in the
Sass territory than anywhere else in the country.

Their chief value and use is in the making of one of the finest
of spring garden displays, the garden of daffodils and dwarf
irises. They are beginning to give us blended colorings in the
dwarfs we did not have before. A lot of them have come from
crosses between dwarfs and tall bearded in their work of breeding
intermediates and there is varying length of stem from four up to
ten inches and over a season extending from the earliest atrovio-
lacea until the intermediates come into bloom.

Their chief advantage is that they all have good falls instead
of the tacked under and frizzled ones we find in many of the
older varieties in this group. Their white and yellow dwarfs are
particularly good. During the last two seasons the bulk of their

[31]

introductions have consisted of dwarf and intermediate types.

These Sass dwarfs have a trick of throwing blooms occasionally
all during the tall bearded season which has made their work
in breeding intermediates easy as dwarf pollen was readily
available.

Trying out the autumn bloomers

Development of autumn blooming irises is one phase of iris
growing interesting inidwestern growers and substantial progress
lias been made and there is now a rather formidable looking list
of these fall bloomers. The Sass Brothers have pioneered in this
work and have introduced by far the largest number of them.
They are principally of the intermediate type although recently
they have had a Cardinal seedlling or two to add to the list.

In their longer Nebraska autumns they always have a fine show,
dwarfs, intermediates and fall bloomers all flowering at once in
October and early November. In the more northerly states their
blooming is another event to go in the acts of Providence category.
If there is sufficient rain during August and early September
and it is a late fall, there will be a good show.

Mrs. Pattison who has also been experimenting with them in
northern Illinois reports fair success. She started during the
terrific drought to water the fall bloomers thoroughly in August
and kept it up and was well rewarded. Autumn Queen is, so far,
the one that seems to be absolutely certain. It is really an ever-
bloomer and may bloom any month of the season but it regularly
appears in late September. Mrs. Pattison reports Mr. Auten’s
Equinox the next most reliable and a handsome addition.

Some gardens have tried fall bloomers with never a sign of fall
bloom but in these gardens dwarfs that normally show fall bloom
in late falls and from which the fall blooming tendencies come
never bloom.

The latest and most important additions to this class are from
Hans Sass who has given us the first clear yellows. These are
Autumn Gleam and Southland. Jacob’s Golden Harvest pre¬
viously had been the yellow representative but it is a blend.

Old timers remain with us

Despite the great flood of newcomers, a considerable number
of the older irises of the Farr period persist in middle western
gardens and add to their beauty and effectiveness. They are kept

[32]

even in gardens that keep pace with the modern introduction
usually for some distinct garden value.

Flavescens and florentina alba and that ancient Honorabilis are
seen in large quantities in landscape work along railroad stations,
public buildings and in parks with good effect and are consid¬
erably better than nothing at all. The question arises, would any
other pale yellow of its season give any better effect than flaves¬
cens, florentina or even the deep yellow mass of honorabilis?

Checking over the old Farr catalogues, we find the following
old favorites still with us in a substantial number of gardens.

Alcazar — Always good, pretty well displacing Lent A. AVilliam-
son and Propsero because it will stand up and they won’t. Also
Lent A. discolors badly. Give Alcazar a carpet of Siberian wall¬
flower, Cheiranthus allioni and it will be seen why some gar¬
deners cherish it. Plant the seed of the wallflower but don’t try
to transplant it.

Areheveque — Rich and velvety in the intermediate season which
has to compete with Challener and other dark ones but holds its
own. An unusual and attractive planting noted in a middle
western garden was Areheveque with a thick carpeting of shoot¬
ing stars, Dodeeatheon, about red buds grown in bush form with
small groups of Bronze Queen tulips.

Blue Jay and Chester Jay Hunt — Kept for their fine blue note
not bettered as to tone bj^ any moderns. They are seen hand¬
somely displayed rising from a tumbled mass of creeping soap-
wort, saponaria ocymoides.

Caterina still a favorite

Caterina — This one flourishes and makes noble clumps in warm
well drained soils in the middle west and is well worth retaining
for its fine blue note and compares favorably when well grown
with many novelties.

u

Crusader — Most dependable early tall large flowered blue. It

has not been discarded by anvbody so far as known.

«/•/«/

Caprice and Ed. Michel — These have color tones that cause
many gardeners to hang on to them, the latter being much liked
for its grape juice fragrance.

Dalmaticas and the various Princesses Beatrice — These survive
on sheer merit.

[33]

Isoline — Persists in many gardens but Rhea is displacing it
steadily.

Iris King, Maori King, Loreley, Princess Victoria Louise —
These old time variegatas have a purity of color and clean con¬
trast that the newer so called variegatas seldom equal.

Mine Cliereau and Fairy — Most persistent of the old timers.
The fragrance of Fairy will keep it a long time.

Rhein Nixe — This still challenges the breeders of the world to
do anything substantially better in the way of a true amoena.

Celeste — Much liked for its tone close to a true pale blue and
much used in large masses.

White Queen, White Knight, La Neige — Still excellent material
of their stature of different seasons, form and texture and used
freely.

Queen of May, Her Majesty — Persist in a few gardens but look
pretty dingy beside later pinks.

Aurea, Mrs. Neubronner, Sherwin Wright — Gradually disap¬
pearing but still found in gardens which have not kept pace with
modern irises.

Element of personal irises

Nearly all middle western gardeners who go in at all strongly
for irises, make their own crosses and raise seedlings. It has
become a favorite outdoor sport and its devotees take great joy
in their vicarious parentage. It has resulted in finding in gar¬
dens what might, perhaps, be well termed personal irises, selected
seedlings which have been retained for some valuable garden
element, color, form, or small graceful forms for cutting.

They give an individuality to the gardens and establish an in¬
timate friendly relationship among gardeners who exchange their
seedlings. Fortunately middle western gardeners are a conser¬
vative lot and do not rush to register and introduce their seedlings.

There are many irises of real value of this character and yel¬
lows probably preponderate.

Although Dr. Everett and other worthies of the American Iris
Society have done their best to become the Margaret Sangers of
the iris world and check up production they have made little
headway. Breeders, both amateur and professional, like the old
woman who lived in a shoe and had so many children because
she didn’t know what to do, keep merrily on producing. It seems

[34]

safest to trust to the survival of the fittest or that an iris Mal¬
thusian law will solve the problem.

Fortunately, selection becomes keener and more discriminating
among middle western iris addicts, and we no longer see seedlings
proudly displayed as we did a few years ago that reminded us of
some kids we occasionally encounter and wonder how even a
mother could love them.

Now for some heavy thought

With this selectivist idea in view, just supposing you had the
space and all the money you needed, what would be your selection
of irises for an ideal midwestern garden? How would you com¬
bine with each other ? How would you combine them with other
perennials for your ideal garden?

No two gardeners probably would agree on the same selection.
They wouldn’t be expected to. Difference of opinion just as cer¬
tainly makes irises as it does horse racing together with the well
known theory of improving the breed which is the legal fiction
behind legislation fostering horse racing.

If people couldn’t cuss and discuss, wrangle and argue about
irises, they would soon sink into Grover Cleveland’s limbo,
inocuous desuetude.

Ideas and viewpoints change in gardening and, with the wider
dissemination of horticultural knowledge, the greater growth of
personal experience and the development of observation and
study among gardeners, they are now thinking for themselves.
There is no longer the slavish liking of a plant because some one
supposed to speak authoritatively said we ought to like it and
have it.

We have passed through the mauve decade, the Victorian and
the lavender and old lace color periods. A Century of Progress
exposition in Chicago, to an inestimable extent, put color re¬
pression and cowardice to flight because it showed what mag¬
nificent effects could be produced by a fearless and bold colorist.

Magenta no longer maligned

Even the old “malign magenta” idea was uprooted for great-
expanses of this color were the thrilling new note in the 1934
color scheme. The heavy magenta standards of the Avenue of
Flags carried geranium red banners on dull days and turquoise
banners on bright days that had everybody arguing as to whether

[35]

they were blue or green. What a flaunting of color heresy ac¬
cording to the older schools.

There is plenty of magenta and closely related colors in irises
and nobody need be in the least afraid of them. They are just
red purples and perfectly good colors.

So the New Deal in irises in the Middle West is a development
of “rugged individualism” in iris arrangement rather than any
regimentation. We are even beginning to like variegatas and to
know what to do with them and find a valuable place for them in
the garden. We should like to see more and better ones. We
know from the great orchestras at the world’s fair that there are
jazz symphonies and everybody liked them.

It may be execrably bad taste to prefer Berlin to Beethoven
but most people do. Too much culture makes it difficult to have
a good time and that is what we want- to have with our irises so
some of us, at least, go in for bold, even noisy effects.

Those who watched and studied the work of Joseph Urban in
1933 and Shepherd Vogelgesang in 1934 and their world’s fair
color laboratories found fascinating interest in the study of and
search for fluorescent colors. It was a new idea. Certain flat
color surfaces, when the right light is thrown upon them fluoresce,
that is, they at once seem to glow from within and emanate color.

The north facade of the Hall of Science was a fine example, by
day magenta and rather dull but by night it became a glowing
rich red, the color and glow seeming to come from within.

Fluorescent qualities in irises

The iris, to a larger extent than any other flower, perhaps, has
in many of its varieties this fluorescent quality in the low rays of
the sun either in early morning or approaching sunset. It is
particularly notable in the perfectly named Afterglow. The mar¬
gins of the standards and falls of Quaker Lady take on the same
quality which makes this such a favorite group for twilight
marvelling in many gardens. Spring Maid lights up wonderfully
in late afternoon. Late afternoon and early evening effects of
unrealized possibilities seem ahead in the use of irises possessing
this fluorescent quality.

There is a wide range of viewpoint, naturally enough, when it
comes to the color arrangement of irises. Color is so much a mat¬
ter of personal like and dislike, so much a matter of good taste,

[36]

if any, that it would be rediculous to try to lay down any hard
and fast rules of arrangement. No two good artists paint exactty
alike nor do they all use the same colors. We find beautiful color
arrangements in middle western gardens and beautiful gardens
where there is no attempt to arrange the irises in color schemes,
the owners taking the viewpoint that the colors are so soft that it
would be difficult, to make any planting that would be really
unpleasantly discordant.

Mrs. Silas B. Waters is one of the foremost exponents in the
middle west of making a picture garden of the irises, paying
close attention to color harmonies and she has achieved beautiful
and much envied effects in her precipitous garden in Cincinnati.
Even though Mrs. Waters has become so perfectly Alpine with
her fine rock gardens that she has avalanches, and, according to
reports they grow calves on their shins out in the Missouri ltiver
bluff country from scrambling up and down hill, when we see
gardens like Mrs. Waters’ with its different levels, and mount the
series of plateaus in the great hillside on which Hans Sass has
his garden, how we yearn for hill and valley on which to display
our irises. You see them from above and below and on the level;
and you see new beauties from each viewpoint. AVe have heard
much of bold color effects. Now for the subtle.

Mrs. Waters believes that blue is the dominant note in iris
plantings. Here are her highly interesting ideas of color in the
iris garden :

Pictures painted with irises

“The art of gardening is rapidly advancing and the average
amateur gardener is becoming increasingly interested in the
more subtle effects to be obtained through proper color arrange¬
ment in the garden. Those qualified to speak on artistic flower
arrangement continually talk of color harmony. We ought,
through more finished design and better plant grouping, achieve
color harmony in a finer way in our gardens.

“How fine it would be if we could have more suggestions from
all outstanding iris growers of charming and interesting iris color
combinations, for, certainly after years of specializing in iris
culture one should be able properly to evaluate the rare loveliness
of the iris in the garden picture. It is above all flowers a child of

[37]

the sun, — outdoors is its rightful place to be seen, not indoors
on the show bench.

“Whether an iris rates 92, 90, or 88 is not of prime importance.
I most heartily agree with Mr. C. G. White of California, ‘Why
all this worship of technicality in the cult of beauty?’

“Perhaps there would come to all iris lovers a new inspiration
if we said, ‘Lady Paramount is an arresting picture planted with
Shining Waters; that Jasmania in juxtaposition to Burning
Bronze brings a thrill to the color sensitive soul ; that Mary
Geddes with Tuscany Gold challenges any artist to depict their
subtle and elusive charm.

“There are many who will never forgive that member of the
American Iris Society who said that the Dykes medal could not
be given to Blue Velvet as it was just another blue iris, for the
great majority maintain that Blue Velvet is an incomparable iris.
When I observe its value in an iris planting, I always think of
the great artist-architect of France, Viollet-le-Duc and his illumi¬
nating exposition of the colors in the great cathedral Windows.
He writes :

Blue the radiant color

“ ‘The first condition in glass is to know how to manage blue.
That the radiating power of blue is the starting point — that it is
that luminous color which gives value to all other colors. If you
compose a window in which there is no blue you will get a dirty
or dull effect, but if you put a few touches of blue among the
other colors you will have a striking effect. That blues should be
placed with a delicate observation of the effects they should pro¬
duce on other colors and other colors on them.’

“ Villet-le-Duc might have been writing of an iris garden in¬
stead of the beauty of cathedral windows.

“Blue Velvet brings to any planting a dominant note. It em¬
phasizes the loveliness of Sir Michael ; it brings out the old ivory
tones in Helios ; it develops, apparently, new tones in Dolly
Madison.

“Sensation is another blue which brings out the coloring of
many of our pastel tones. Realm also is a splendid blue foil for
some of our delicate blends. It makes a lovely frame for that
enchanting beauty, Zaharoon, when two large clumps are grown
side by side.

[38]

“Trail’s End, Mr. Williamson’s benediction upon the iris world
has come to my garden this year. How I shall enjoy finding the
right frame for its exquisite blend of tones, probably that new
glorious yellow, 1 Robert, ’ will be its near neighbor. They will
each complement the other, and, too, ‘Robert’ was named for a
fine young man whose passing has taken from the iris group a
staunch adherent to the cause of finer and better iris and who
loved Mr. Williamson. This was Robert Emigholz.

“Claire de Lune, another new blue variety, is truly beautiful
and its near neighbor ought to be Cadmia, a superb new yellow.

“Thus one might name on and on charming associations and
striking contrasts. Good color arrangement is full of delightful
potentialities and its study cannot fail to be of abiding interest
and unfailing inspiration.”

Hero of the haphazards

We shall give Dr. Everett the honor of being the hero of the
haphazard iris planters and he has a great majority following
him among gardeners who find any iris combination pleasing and
who can enjoy a color scheme so unscientifically and inartistically
reached as planting the irises alphabetically. Dr. Everett says
in behalf of this great army :

“My garden is divided into many gardens by close clipped
cedar hedges whose tapestry of green provides a splendid back¬
ground for the varied blooms of the irises. From the first the
keynote of color which binds the iris palette into a harmonious
whole is provided by a particularly hardy and beautiful pallida,
which in favorable years is as large as Princess Beatrice who has
sulked from year to year in my borders.

“No attempt at color schemes is attempted in the beds. I find
all worth while irises blend safely one with the other and the
general effect is the soft tone of an antique Persian rug, its high
lights picked out by yellows and whites and relieved now and then
from monotony by gleaming crimson. Even the softer blends
find a suitable foil somewhere near in some accidental com¬
panionship of the haphazard plantings.”

To bet intelligently on horse races, it is necessary to know and
study past performances. This is also true of the iris race. Be¬
fore proceeding with selections for a suppositious ideal garden
or perhaps a dream garden, we shall present duly qualified

[39]

dopesters to give us the form chart on the more modern irises
and novelties as they grow in the Middle West. A good horse
dopester knows his horses without the numbers up and a good
iris dopester knows his irises without their labels.

Applying the Minnesota test

To be sure that an iris is absolutely hardy so far as cold is
concerned, go to Minnesota. If it is hardy in Minnesota it ought
to be hardy anywhere in the Middle West. In St. Paul we find
an earnest, studious youngster who lias an ambition to grow
every iris on earth at least once and has probably come as close
to it as anybody in the United States. So earnestly has Robert
Schreiner studied irises since early childhood that he has worn
off his forelock and, if not an iris highbrow, he is at least a tall
forehead. Anyway, he knows his onions.

He has devised a color classification for irises which is the
most practical one that we have and probably as close as can be
approached to such a creation and it is followed here. He grows
irises under conditions that are a test of patience and persistence
of the human as well as the iris, late springs with frosts likely
to nip bloom points, short falls, and winters that never coquette
with summer out of turn as they do over most stretches of the
middle west. One point in its favor is that once frozen, irises are
likely to remain so until spring thaws, far different from the con¬
ditions in the southern limits of the territory such as the Egj^p-
tian districts of Illinois.

Mr. Schreiner is a good dopester because he has the comparative
viewpoint, having done a lot of gallivanting around gardens, last
spring with other mid western inspectors going to California for
the iris season and then making the mid western rounds, winding
up at Freeport before his own home season which is the latest in
the middle west.

Here is the Schreiner form letter as a guide to selection :
Schreiner writes a form letter

‘ AVe shall begin with the light blues. The fine manner and
dignity of tall, upright El Capitan, a soft light lavender blue
with large flowers, mark it as one of the really fine blues. Darker
in tone is the flaring form of Sensation, described as cornflower
blue. These two are irises of the first, rank that have stood the

[40]

Sierra Blue

test of time and their popularity is a true attestation of their
worth in the Middle Western garden.

“Newer is Pacific, about the same height as Sensation. It is
darker in tone, lias a very fine form and pure, clear blue without
the lavender influence and of excellent substance. Prof. Essig,
not being content with the production of this fine blue, has
aspired farther and we are now trying in this section his newer
blues which looked very fine in his garden when I visited it last
spring. The finest newcomer is Shining Waters, very clear, light,
waxlike soft blue.

“M. Millet’s addition to this blue class is Paulette. The pro¬
ducer of the incomparable Souvenir de Loetitia Michaud, which,
unfortunately, is of difficult culture here, has biven us in Paul¬
ette, one of the largest blues of a beautiful tone with enamel like
finish.

“I venture to say it will stand high in the galaxy of iris
stars once it is known. The plant is outstanding wherever I have
seen it.

“All the preceding were seifs and seifs carry excellently in
drifts for garden effect and drifts seem to be a most effective
style of planting. Mention must be made of Summer Cloud, which,
at first adversely criticized, is now fast establishing itself in
popular favor and rightly so. Although a bicolor technically,
there is slight contrast, standards delicate, airy blue with a deep¬
er fall and lemon beard.

“What’s in a name? Notice as we go along how well some
names fit the iris in giving an immediate picture and how others
leave the iris totally unvisualized.

Singing the St. Louis Blues

“We have not yet a true blue iris, that is a blue not mixed
however slightly with red, but progress towards this goal is satis¬
factory. Think what a day it will be when a real blue iris is
obtained that truly reflects the sky above it.

“I was agreeably surprised to find several seedlings of a breed¬
er in St. Louis which show marked progress towards this ideal.
I hope to have these bloom in my garden this year in direct com¬
parison with all the famous new contemporary blue candidates.

“Surely we must mention Mary Barnett when we speak of this
class of blues, a charming blue with a bright gold beard.

[41]

"A newcomer of deeper tone of medium blue is Major Stern’s
Aline. Major Stern is a. former president of the Iris Society of
England. Recommended as the tone of blue found in the Regelio
iris, Hoogiana, I found it even more beautiful. It is extremely
blue and a notable contribution. It is not large but is a gem
of real glitter.

Baldwin wins its way

“Baldwin, a production of Hans Sass and much used in Sass
iris breeding, is a. manganese violet with a tone of heliotrope, fine
broad haft, rounded form, a. very distinct and satisfactory iris.
It has risen each time the American Iris Society has conducted
ratings and is better liked the better it becomes known.

“Cydnus, a finely formed flower of the B. Y. Morrison type, is
a clearer blue and perhaps a tone deeper. The flower is larger,
of Dominion derivation with its fine substance and good form
and undoubtedly one of the finest bicolors.

“Blue Banner is a charming bit of color, a medium tone of
blue with bicoloring showing very pure blue standards and rich
falls, bluer although not with quite the aristocratic characteristics
of Cydnys.

“Persia, a real tapestry of color, is excellent with smoky blue
and gray stands and falls of deeper prune to purple of remark¬
able richness.

“This year I more appreciated the classically and finely formed
and balanced Violet Crown of Dr. Kirkland. It is a medium
violet and a pure self. The color does not sound so thrilling in
its description but once seen, this iris is bound to evoke your
admiration.

Missouri comes to the front

“Having observed Mr. Grinter’s Missouri for two years, I can
give it the highest commendation. It is of fine form and really
excellent substance, a slight bicolor with blue stands and a darker
medium pure blue modified flaring falls charmingly set off by a
bright yellow beard and mellow brown haft,

“Indigo Bunting from Dr. Ayres’ garden is very bright and
attractive, silvery medium blue stands and falls of practically
the same tone with a modified flare. It is further harmonized
by a light blue tipped beard and a brown haft. These two are

[42]

very welcome additions to the medium blue, a class that needs
improvement.

“The following; two are new productions I have observed only

one vear and would want to watch them another season before

•/

definite appraisal. Sierra Blue, a fine iris from Prof. Essig,
looks highly promising, deeper than Shining Waters, large, well
branched, of fine poise, a medium uniform blue with just a sug¬
gestion of lavender. How well Prof. Essig ’s two new blues will
prove here remains to be seen. Jacob Sass’ Blue Monarch is a
very good iris of primse, pure of tone ; this iris, I believe, will
rate very high. As viewed in its home it is surely a fine pro¬
duction.

Put snap into darkness

“The deep dark pansy violets or deep blue purples with their
seifs and bicolors are indeed a fine class. In our recent develop¬
ments we have these rich colors with snap enough put into them
to prove their presence in startling and telling color masses.
Mrs. J. L. Gibson, an English origination, is undoubtedly one of
the leaders, if not the leader, in this class. It is practically a
self, a rich indigo purple blue, large flowers of fine form and
excellent substance with rich velvety flaring falls.

“The stems could be improved by better branching. It has
better height than any other of this class. Closely contesting is
Black Wings, medium sized flowers of fine texture, a velvety blue
black with frost like lustre and richness which mark it with dis¬
tinction. Of not quite average height it should be planted to the
front.

“Meldoric is another fine dark one where it does well with huge
blooms in rich velvety blue black purple. Its tail stems have only
moderate branching. Unfortunately, this iris is apt to spot in
cool wet weather. When it has a good year it is of the finest.

“It is a little strange that some of these rich dark colored
irises are either slow growers or otherwise temperamental.

“St. Louis, a new one of the rich deep colored section, a very
free bloomer, is an exception. Its ease of culture and wealth of
bloom with make it highly appreciated when better known es¬
pecially where trouble is encountered with the national and
obstinate dark varieties.

“This iris is of fine form, with excellent adpressed standards

[43]

and rich velvety purple falls, with an inconspicuous beard and a
sold haft. It has a fine stem, tall, well placed blooms and the
substance is good.

Among the dusky bicolors

“In the bicolor class, Col. J. C. Nicliolls’ Valor is very fine,
distinctly shaped, firm substance and nicely branched stems which
carry the flowers well. It has blue violet standards and blackish
violet falls margined lighter violet.

“Winnieshiek has worked itself high in the esteem of middle
western gardeners on its merit alone, — a large bloom carried on
fine stems of due proportion and good branching. The color is
a most pleasing rich blue violet and black purple contrast. A
touch of frilling makes it all the more attractive.

“I doubt if a finer bicolor of the Dominion type of coloring
can be found than Blue Velvet, — rich pure stands and deeper
velvety falls. The stems are not seen at their best until the plant
is well established. It is a mighty fine iris but one that does
not perform well in every locality.

“Boyal Beauty is the finest of this group of Dominion types
for the average garden. It has fine sized blooms, stems without
the Dominion knuckling or crowding and while the color is not
quite as rich as Blue Velvet especiall}r in the falls its perfection
in all other lines distinguishes it.

“The Sass Brothers have given us two fine dark seifs. Hans’
Thuratus is very, a black purple self of good branching. Jacob’s
new one, The Black Douglas, is also in this coloring, very rich
and a free blooming type but further observation is needed as it
has been seen only once.

“A gem, not large or tall but of unique color appeal is Kath¬
erine McFarland, an intense dark purple self.

Motif displacing old Pioneer

“I can better appreciate Miss Sturtevant’s Motif as my ac¬
quaintance with it grows. A rich red purple with velvety falls,
practically a self, it may be visualized as a much richer and im¬
proved Pioneer. It has a nice stem, good branching and fine
carriage of blooms. We have some promising newcomers in
Brunhilda, self deep violet, and Dark Knight, richer red purple
or somber mahogany.

CD %/

[44]

Some progress in the pinks

‘ ‘ Progress is quite evident in the lightest tones of our pink
colorings. Perhaps the finest of this coloring is Imperial Blush,
a nice broad flower of blush or orchid in tone. It is of good
substance and branching, the whole dainty flower set off by a
lemon beard.

“Pink Satin’s color is as pink as any. The stem is tail and
well branched and the flowers of medium size. It is a very fine
pink iris. I feel that many of the so called critics have been very
unfair in their comments on this variety. In spite of all their ad¬
verse comments it is still proving extremely popular, a true test
of its high merit.

“Airy Dream, another fine production, flowers slightly ruffled
of soft orchid pink, has a fine stem and all good habits. Ambro¬
sia is unique in its coloring, a soft delicate white and fairy like
pink combination with a rich gold beard and effective in the
garden.

“Dogrose, the tallest pink with oval formed flowers, deeper in
tint than the preceding, excels the old favorite Susan Bliss of
which it is a descendant. A gold beard further lights up the
flower.

“Ethelwynn Dubuar is insufficiently tested here but is of very
soft color, a broad flower of excellent substance, a fresh pink with
a lemon beard. It looks promising and seems a. variety of decided
merit in its class.

Pinks shot with gold

“Noweta, although only of medium height, is an exceedingly
fresh pink, a warm tone brightened by salmony suffusions. A1
warm mellow note is added along the haft and beard which makes
this really a gem and most appealing.

“Opaline, a charming blend of pink and strongly flushed yellow
gives us, perhaps, the prettiest pink blend we have. Its stem is the
desired height and the charming color tones give it high ranking.

“Mention should be made of Rheingauperle, a soft pink with
a silvery overlay and edged with the same color. It is unique
and highly popular with middle western gardeners and de¬
servedly so.

“Ballet Girl, a new production to be offered the coming season,
is of the softest blush pink and can be visualized somewhat as a

much larger and finer Ambrosia. The coloring is about the purest
and daintiest of its kind I have seen with modified flaring falls.
The stem is of medium height.

“Now we come to the pinks of medium register. Evelyn Ben¬
son bloomed very well here last season, in fact it surpasses my
estimation of it the previous season. It is a fine medium tone of
lavender pink of enamel texture, a self with a light beard. The
coloring is most pleasing with good branching and medium sized
flowers.

“Coral is another newcomer that pleased us greatly, a pro¬
duction of Mr. B. Y. Morrison that I feel sure will appeal greatly
to all middle western iris fanciers. It is a little earlier than the
average tall bearded iris and surprised us with its wealth of
bloom. The stands are a soft rosy lavender and the falls a deeper
velvety rose lavender.

“Mary Senni, another distinctive newcomer, is of unique color.
A mauve pink, the blooms are of good substance, fine poise and
form and the plant is entirely distinct from others of this color
type. Rose Petal marks another distinct advance in this class.
A clear deep pink self, more nearly pink than the old Aphro¬
dite, it is specially resistant to bad weather.

“One of Hans Sass’ latest productions is a distinguished ad¬
dition to this color type, Avondale. A rosy strawberry color with
a gold heart and beard, it has an excellent stem and the required
substance and height to make it first class.

Reds , red bronzes and browns

“Next comes to our attention the grouping of the bronzes, the
red bronzes or browns along with our reds. These tones are ex¬
ceptionally popular in the middle west. It has been noted that
many of the men gardeners show a decided preference for these
richly colored types of which Grace Sturtevant and Depute Nom-
blot remain the peer of them all despite some deficiencies as
to stem.

“The thought arises that it would be unfortunate to try to make
all our fine irises conform to one standard. If an iris is without
the show ideal of candelabra type it should not be condemned
because it may readily fill a need more effectively in the iris
world. We cannot have all Los Angeles stems. Noweta is a fine
example of this.

[46]

“We may pass over the stellar introductions of several years’
observation which need no comment as to their excellence to con¬
sider the newcomers. We know what these older ones will do
and they all seem to thrive as well in the middle west as anywhere.

“Neon is a fine iris in this color division, the standards of
bright gold burnished tan, and the falls a rich solid maroon red
with a gold beard. It has excellently built stems, fine form and
is a generally around pleasing iris.

“Burning Bronze, that very fine production of Dr. Ayres, is
really one of the finest new irises, a solid glowing bronze red.
It is well named. It is slightly bicolored but the coloring is rich
and solid.

“Two of Jacob Sass’ newer productions deserve mention. They
are redder than those just mentioned and not so brown. In War
Eagle, we have one of the largest irises and one that is really
interestingly colored, a fine hue of red with a copper influence.
The color is surprising and the size spectacular.

“Spokan is not a giant but what it lacks in size, and it is a
good sized iris, it makes up for in color. It is a brilliant copper
bronze, a most unusual tone and calls to mind the distinctive
coloring of King Tut one of its parents. To me it seems to place
King Tut’s glowing coloring in a better flower of much better size.

Looking over the reddest of reds

“Now let us consider the irises that approach most closely to
red, those commonly known as ‘the reds.’ Cheerio is a most out¬
standing iris, bright, and a glowing reddish bicolor with velvety
falls and a glowing beard. Ethel Peckham, perhaps the reddest
we have to date, a rich glowing red, with standards a bit of wine
red and the falls toning a little to copper with a gold beard. It
isn’t extra tal and in verv hot weather the standards may be a
little weak.

“Very close to it and really an extra fine iris is Joy cette, a rich
wine red self. The stem, size of bloom and general habit of the
plant leave little room for improvement. The good points of
Dauntless, Numa Rumestan, Hernani, Red Robe and Magenta
are well known. Magenta and its unique amethyst tone planted
with Yellow Moon is a combination hard to beat.

“Last season I had the privilege of visiting Dr. Kleinsorge’s
garden and was most delighted to see his new iris, Itasca. Deeper

[47]

in tone than Magenta, I hope to observe it more thoroughly here
and see how it will do away from home and in middle western
gardens.

“One cannot survey this group without commenting on M.
Cayeux’s newest and probably one of his finest developments in
this color class. This is Directeur Pinelle which has very large
blooms, magnificent carriage with a coloring of dark bronzy wine
purple. The falls are rich and velvety and present an unusual
blackish lustre. In some respects, this iris faintly suggests the
old Mine. Henri Cayenx but is so far ahead of it that the old
timer is no more than a faint echo of it.

“Most notable progress has been made in the yellow class
during the last few years. We know how well Coronation, Pluie
d’Or and Chromylla. grow with us. Phebus is a really fine iris
of distinct oval form and a unique tone of pure lemon yellow.
The darker Alta California represents a very marked step for¬
ward and a real addition to this class in Eclador, beautifully
frilled and fluted, rich broad flowers of soft canary yellow. I
believe this iris will get vast appreciation in the middle west as
it becomes acquainted with it.

rrHappy days are here again ’

“One of the newest arrivals is from Prof. Mitchell’s California
garden, California Gold. It is a rich yellow of the size we have
been hoping for a long time with a color we have also been look¬
ing for a long time, a deep yellow, almost brassy. It, with Ecla¬
dor is decidedly one of the best advancements.

“Two more new yellows from California are to be tested here.
They are C. G. White’s Lady Paramount. This is of excellent
form, of good habits in California, between primrose and empire
yellow in color tone. It is soft and refined and, I believe, will
prove a decidedly worth while iris in the middle west.

“The other luminary is Happy Days. One can well under¬
stand the popular toast when he looks at this iris. In color it is
a bright medium golden yellow. The falls are especially irides¬
cent which seems to enhance its golden quality. It is probable
that if this iris proves hardy and a good grower in the middle
west it will rank very high here. It has flowers of extra large size
for a yellow.

%j

“Lady Paramount is softer in tone with a paling towards

[48]

sulphur while Happy Days is a bit darker and more towards gold.
I believe the two are very worthy productions. Their hybridizers
may well be proud of them.

Blends attract middle west

“ Yellows naturally lead us into the iris of blended colorings,
the biscuits, tans, and shot shades including the rosy and blue
blends. This is a type that is most highly esteemed by middle
western iris growers. It embraces the newest colorings in iris
developments, known as the ochraceous types, which are fast ap¬
proaching apricot which we have in one case and to tones of
salmon.

“Among the blue blends we should mention Prof. Mitchell’s
Sunol. This is a fine sized flower with distinct rounded form.
The coloring is a blend of sulphur and buff in the standards with
a pleasing flush of light blue on the falls. This is a real advance
in color as its combination reminds one of that of ochracea coeru-
lea also known as Sunset.

“Dr. Ayres has given us a whole series of fine blends. Ning-
all, a very unusual and appealing sort, stands pearly blue and
buff softly mingled, the falls with this same coloring and a ceoru-
lean blue flush give a delightful picture. Another from this iris
master is K. V. Ayres, a fine large flower of clean cut form, fine
stalk and a blending of soft tan and buff and light blue with a
pink underglow, most subtle coloring. It does not scream its
appeal but must be intimately known to be appreciated.

“One of Dr. Ayres’ most recent offerings is Byzantium, tan
brown with attractive blue pencillings along the midrib of the fall
alone giving relief to the otherwise self coloring. The iris is
outstanding in that it does not fade even in the hottest sun.
Another new and stunning iris from Dr. Ayres is Tint o’ Tan.
It is a golden tan self and it is bright and not a subdued color
like many of these brownish blends. A glowing iridescence of gold
gives the iris its glowing color effect, a most original effect.

Blends with rosy tones

“These are comparatively new and greatly admired types
among the middle western iris cohorts. Talisman is a combina¬
tion of exquisite color, yellow and rose pink with a touch of blue
in the falls, wonderful for indoor use. Golden Flare, somewhat

[491

similar, is taller, a medley of gold and old rose with a vivid
orange red beard. This iris aroused great enthusiasm among
visitors last season.

Apricot Glow fine novelty

“A most delightful surprise in this group to be introduced
this year is Apricot Glow, a beautiful medley of soft apricot and
salmon with just a faint rose flush on the fall reminding of the
cheek of a ripe peach or apricot. It is in effect a self of medium
size, the best of substance and it did not fade under last year’s
100 degree temperatures nor did hot winds and rain destroy it
as they did many others.

“Unusually bright and colorful is Hearthstone Copper, not
large, but with a bright and flame like intensity of color in its
yellow standards and bright copper red falls.

“A new addition to this group is Col. Nichols’ Crown Jewel.
A rich burnt orange describes its unusual color. It is not tall or
large but for the admirer of rare and beautiful color, it will
surely catch the fancy.

“A most marked advancement in the unusual colored blends
is Dr. Kirkland’s Copper Lustre, a copper self with a gold suf¬
fusion with good sized blooms on stems of medium height. In
this iris Dr. Kirkland has obtained a remarkable break in color.
I saw several more highly interesting seedlings in his garden
which I have high hopes of trying here.

“Of the finer new variegatas, the first to come to mind is that
fine production from M. Cayeux, Vision, a sharp, and clear cut
true variegata with pure yellow standards and deep garnet brown
falls. The size is of the best in this type. The stalk is well
branched and it is a good grower.

“Just as outstanding in the blended variegatas is El Tovar,
richly colored, standards deep mustard edged with mikado brown,
and solid velevety maroon black falls. It is inspiringly and
deeply sombre and majestic.

“Mr. Morrison’s Picador the acquaintance of which I made for
the first time last year is the most blended type of variegata,
tarnished buff gold standards, falls deep brown carmine. I liked
it exceedingly.

“Aurex is another fine variegata type, well branched with pure
yellow standards and typical Ambassador falls of rich purple

brown. There is very little blending in the standards and it is
especially tine in moist years.

“Lady Morveth is a very tall and large flowered development
in this class from England with buttercup yellow standards and
crimson brown falls. The large flowers are carried on fine stalks.

Gudrun a great new white

“In the pure whites, Gudrun was by far the most startling new
introduction shown last year in the middle west.

“With blooms of fine size and great purity, the flower has life
in it not usual in many whites which, I believe is due to the soft
golden iridescence throughout the whole flower.

“Eastern Morn, coming from California, is proving, a little
difficult in our trying weather but is surely a fine iris, distinct in
form, on good stems and a fine tone of white with warmth in it
due to its orange beard.

“Venus de Milo from Cincinnati is perfectly hardy, a fine
creamy to pure white of excellent substance and fine smooth tex¬
ture with faint markings of blue along the haft and base of the
standards and a most interesting golden orange beard. The stalk
is finely branched and the blooms are well spaced.

“Joyance, coming from England, a beautiful cream, is a fitting
and worthy companion of Gudrun.

“I have had the privilege of inspecting Jacob Sass’ Crystal
White for two seasons. It is of pure alabaster white, excellent
substance, blooms of size on tall well branched stems. It looks
very much like the hardy white we have been seeking in the north
and midwest to replace the hard to grow Purissima. It is an
exceptionally fine production. Hans Sass exhibited a fine new
white, Snowking, at the Lincoln show.

Fine new pink, plicata

“A very fine new plicata is Electra, large flowered of excellent
substance with adpressed standards and ideally semi flaring falls.
The standards are plicated with a blue margin and dots as well.
It is very precise and trim of form. The falls are pronouncedly
veined with the markings changing to gold along the beard which
is bright orange as is the haft. The effect is striking and distinct.

“Tarantella from Hans Sass is a new plicata of the color and
type for which we have been looking. It is the first giant plicata

[51]

with real pink marking's. The stem is of good height and well
branched. The margining of pink is in a very definite pattern on
both standards and falls. The style arms are pink and the beard
is inconspicuous with white tips. It is vastly superior to True
Delight.

“A most unusual newcomer appears in the amoena class in
Sha Jehan. The coloring is striking. The standards are white
flushed lavender with a touch of yellow at the claw. The falls
are rich, glossy prune or rich solid rosy magenta and unveined.
This glorious hue blends to a solid brown haft with a light yel¬
low beard. It is a most unusual creation.”

Our middle western inspector general and chief iris diagnosti¬
cian, Dr. Harry II. Everett, in his Lincoln, Neb., garden finds
very different conditions and most severe tests of quite a different
character from those encountered in Minnesota and these two re¬
gions typify the range of growing conditions in the middle west.
Dr. Everett has travelled from Maine to California in the last
two or three years visiting iris gardens, nurseries and breeders’
establishments, looking envinosly on many fine irises which he has
tested under the severe conditions of his garden only to find they
would not grow. Minnesota and Nebraska give us pictures of the
extremes in growing conditions.

He has not gone into detail concerning those that flourish for
him but gives in a general way what is more valuable information,
those types that will not flourish. A study of the form letters
of Mr. Schreiner and Dr. Everett should enable an average gar¬
dener of the middle west to select irises best suited to his growing
conditions. Says Dr. Everett :

Nebraska s trying conditions

“Plants which gladden the eye in bed and border in other
regions do not do well or do not do at all for us. The last twenty
years has been spent in trying out and discarding almost the
entire list of favorite garden flowers, favorites in happier en¬
vironments. Only the hardiest of plants will endure the some¬
what scanty care which I am able to give the garden.

“We have to contend not only with the pests and conditions
that confront the gardener in other regions but in Nebraska we
have drying winds, both summer and winter, drought and terrific
heat in summer. Our winters afford alternating periods of freeze

[52]

and thaw with temperature fluctuations of sixty degrees in one
twenty-four hour period.

“For this reason, the shallower rooted varieties suffer most.
Such things, take Black Midget for instance, as the smaller pu-
milas are heaved during the winter and after a year or two dis¬
appear from plantings. The California species have proved im¬
possible, repeated plantings both spring and autumn either suc¬
cumb to the heat and drought of summer or are lifted and killed
by frost. Exceptions are Iris cristata collected in the Carolina
hills, Graminea and Hartwegii raised from seed.

“There is no intent entirely to damn Nebraska’s climate or
to infer that other plants cannot grow and flourish with us.
Peonies, lilies, poppies, hemerocallis, all the great family of com¬
posites, flourish as well as the iris, while in the spring all the
early bulbous sorts with the various narcissi cover the ground
with a blanket of color.

Roses and irises survive

“From June on after Rosa hugonis lias gladdened our eye,
the rest of the roses brave the heat of our western plains until
they are cut down by the first killing frost. Delphiniums and
columbines add their stalks to the picture but they must be
treated as biennials. The coarser campanulas thrive and reseed
splendidly. However, from early April to early July the iris
supply a continuous pageant of color unequalled by any other
flower and I am happy to say the Japanese do well here.

“It is interesting to observe what a spot of beauty some neg¬
lected iris makes in the borders while another variety, perhaps a
Dykes medalist, sulks and blooms only every third or fourth year.
You cannot judge the worth of an iris by its rating or by the
award hung so casually on its unworthy stem. Deerless and
Claude Aureau, for example, have scarcely increased at all after
five years and have bloomed only once in all that time.

“During the early years almost every suggestion in the va¬
rious magazines and the instructions sent out by dealers were
followed with the consequence that the mortality in new plantings
was tremendous.

Lime and sitting duck fallacies

“I hope that the hand which writes again that lime, rubble,
crushed limestone should be used freely in the preparation of an

[53]

iris bed be stricken as lie writes the words, while the one who
recommends planting* an iris like a ‘duck on the water, just
sitting’ be confined in an institution.

“I remember my first collection of the Dominion race, sixteen
in all, which was planted in a well limed bed with the rhizomes
just firmed in the ground. Practically every one heaved and half
the lot was lost. Right then my distrust of the written word and
the Dominion race was born and they have been substantiated by
the experience of passing years.

“Certain ones, however, have done exceedingly well, Valerie
West, Grace Sturtevant, Duke of Bedford, Tenebrae, Moa and
Bruno are examples. Dominion lias been planted again and
again. I have now one plant with its scanty increase which has
not bloomed in six years.

“Hybrids from Dominion and its first generation offspring, the
results of crosses with sturdier and hardier varieties, have given
us some beautiful things, of which Blue Velvet is a shining exam¬
ple. Much has been said for and against this iris but in Nebraska
it increases rapidly, is very hardy and seldom bunches. Cardinal
as a parent is invaluable but it is difficult with me and is not a
desirable component of a bed or border.

“In sharp contrast to the Dominion race in their behavior are
the hybrids of mesopotamica, Ricardi and cypriani. Few of these
are tender in Nebraska. This is due perhaps to the fact that as
soon as the ground is safely frozen the beds are covered with a
blanket of wood wool. The foliage may be harmed by the early
spring frosts which follow an open period of warmth in late
March but the rhizome and bloom points do not seem to be
harmed. This is in contrast to the Dominions which are often
crippled by a late spring freeze.

Species soon disappear

“These species such as mesopotamica soon disappear but the
second and third generations hold their place with all except,
perhaps, the pallidas and our own hardy varieties developed
within our state.

“With us the Siberians are hardy as can be desired, adding a
more graceful note to the garden picture than do the more sturdy
bearded types. Spurias, too, have grace and butterfly beauty
wanting in their tall bearded relatives. The monspur hybrids

[54]

SPRING MAID

[55]

are exceedingly hardy and beautiful and rise as do the other
spurias, high in the borders.

“As to other species, few are of any real garden value at pres¬
ent. Versicolor, especially kermesina and many of its adven¬
titious seedlings are delightful. Graminea is delightful and has
a fine perfume. Bowls of this iris and aurea, the species, are as
beautiful indoors as out.

“Fulva and its hybrids with foliosa and hexagona prove hardy
and well worth growing. With the exception of these mentioned
native species, there is no place in the ordinary border for our
native beardless types.

Deltas of little value

“The Louisiana variants do not do well with me and even
where I have seen them growing apparently in fine form I do not
care for them. The plant is out of all proportion to its flowering
and hybridizing should be done with a view to lowering its
height and curbing its rampant growth of foliage. Flowers must
be increased in size and number, hardiness must be bred into
them before they can find a place in a Nebraska garden.”

And now with our form letters telling what the irises have
done in their past performances under widely different condi¬
tions and with a survey of the different color viewpoints, we shall
present three different answers to the question previously pro¬
posed, “If you had the space and all the money you needed,
what would be your selection of irises for an ideal midwestern
garden? How would you combine them with each other? How
would you combine them with other perennials for your ideal
garden ?

The answers come from rather widely separated points, the
respondent, to avoid arguments, as one said, and because as an¬
other said, “you can’t imagine with an audience” did not wish
their names to be used so they remain anonymous. The question
is tossed out as a fertile field for anybody to do something in the
way of furnishing the Bulletin good copy. Here they are :

It has always seemed to me that the finest and most fascinating
displays of irises were made in units of limited extent. The iris
is one of the most intensely interesting of plants not only because
of its wide variety of coloring but because of the diversity of
pattern, blending and marking which can be seen and appreciated

[56]

only at close range, a plant of personality, so to speak. The
larger the mass of a single variety the less interesting the indi¬
vidual bloom becomes as there is a loss of personality. The irises
which are valuable for mass planting are the ones with the least
personality and really aren’t so much good for anything else.

Therefore my ideal iris garden as I vaguely dream it out would
be one of a number of small or not too large units, related but
not directly thrown together, or at least it would be a garden
with constantly changing views where you wouldn’t see too big
a sweep of irises in one glance.

Mrs. Pattison’s garden in Freeport with which we middle west¬
erners at all interested in irises are familiar is a case in point.
It really is a series of gardens until you step through a small
entry way into the great sweep of bloom in the commercial plant¬
ing and how infinitely more interesting are the smaller areas.

The Chicago firm of landscape architects, Simonds & West,
designed Quality gardens, Mr. J. Roy West doing the actual
work, this firm having done much for the improvement of mid-
western landscapes.

Snake fence as model

As nearly as any definite idea formulates in answer to the
editor’s question about an ideal selection of irises, an ideal ar¬
rangement of them which opens such a tremendous field for
speculation, it seems hard to do much but generalize, I’d take
an old fashioned rail or snake fence for my model, recalling child¬
hood memories of such a fascinating fence which was never
desecrated by the scythe for quite a scape on either side. Native
plants throve undisturbed for years in its angles and every time
you turned one of the angles you had a new little garden often
of entirely different plants and on both sides of the fence, too.

If I had a. landscape architect that wanted to do what I wanted
him to do and didn’t want to do what he thought I ought to want
to do, I think I should turn him loose to design a gigantic zigzag
boundary of trees or shrubs about, fifty feet across the openings
of the angles with the planting following the outline so every
time you turned a corner you would see something new.

As these gardens are purely of the imagination there is no use
being stingy about them so it could be any distance long, at least
a mile, so when I wanted to put in a full day looking at irises, I

[57]

could do it without going back to look at the same thing twice
unless I wanted to and every once in a while in one of those
angles there would be a pool to surround with spurias and Siber¬
ians and other moisture loving types.

The landscape architect undoubtedly would think he had a
lunatic on his hands but the middle western editor’s instructions
are: ‘‘Use your imagination” so this tremendous and weird gar¬
den can be done without cost.

Start with a climax

I should be truly modernistic and start with my climax and
back up to the rest of it. The climax should be composed of
variegatas, hemerocallis, and orange red Oriental poppies for the
most part, particularly those hemerocallis with brown reverses.
In the foreground there should be yellow and orange Iceland
poppies scattered thickly.

I should move out of the climax on one side through the
variegata blends into the reds with irises like King Juba which
picks up exactly in color the falls of Numa Rumestan and these
reds and the yellow and pink blends make grand plantings and
with them would go the lighter and clear yellow hemerocallis and
the salmony pink Oriental poppies.

On the other end I would move into the blue scale through old
Loreley, Decennial and Odenvogel with electric blue flashes that
would pick up things like Baldwin. With the blues there would be
plenty of background of scarlet and oxblood red Oriental poppies
with the medium and dark blue irises respectively with plenty of
whites with the dark blue toned and creamy whites and the
anemic yellows with the medium blues.

Oriental poppies and uses

Getting into the light blue irises I should have swarms of
columbines and pyrethrums with the rose Oriental poppies. Then
would come plantings of yellow and white irises in large drifts.
I don’t know why nobody ever seems to do this but nothing
makes these yellow irises which are no more than sallow blondes
look yellow than to put them alongside whites and in this massing
of yellows and whites I should have occasional clumps of Mid-
gard, or Opaline or Frivolite.

From the yellows and whites into the yellow blends. The blue
blends would be used lavishly with the blue seifs.

[58]

Once in the blends, combinations are so many and so fine that
it is merely a matter of making such combinations as suit your
fancy.

At the start of the garden for the earliest display of all there
should be big drifts of dwarf irises and narcissi and there would
be as fine a collection of narcissi as could be assembled. Follow¬
ing these there would be a big stretch of Darwin, Breeder, and
Cottage tulips and hundreds of intedmediate irises. I think I
should start with these plantings at each end having the climax
in the middle. It would be strictly unorthodox as there wouldn’t
be a vista in the whole place.

It would seem quite useless to make a catalogue of names for
such a garden. Suffice it to say, the good irises in each color
class which are tried and tested are well known. I shouldn’t
want to make any substantial planting of a novelty until I had
tried it out thoroughly as to vigor of growth and free blooming
quality in this region.

There should be hosts of low growing perennials all along,
dianthus, Linum perenne, Papaver rupifragum, primroses of sorts
with the early ones and so on all down the snakes’ undulations.
This may sound like a nightmare but lots of gardens are that
way.

Here are the selections of another gardener :

Starts with reticulata

“With the earliest yellow crocuses, Iris reticulata.

“Next, atroviolacea of course, in sheets of bloom, not in the
border settings. Then azurea or coerulea with the early narcissi
of the color of our old friend Mine, de Graaff, followed by the
dwarf hybrids in all the new tones of purple, orange, white and
blue. Dainty Iris verna, arenaria, and gracilipes would grace
my early spring beds and when they were gone cristata, both
lavender and the adorable white would have all my admiration.

“Then I would want to have coming into bloom those lovely
daughters of Iris susiana. Luna and Clotho and others of the
regelio-cyclus group so different and interesting in form and
color. Korolkowi and Hoogiana should be members of my iris
family.

“If I had great patience to wait for the pogo-cyclus group,
they have waited three years to bloom for me in my real garden,

[59J

I should plant Dilkush, Lady Lilford and Parsam to bloom with
those of sweeter dispositions like Zwannenburg and William
Mohr.

“By this time I should be ready for the overture to the great
symphony to be found in the colors of the early tall bearded,
Desert Gold, Crysoro, Zua and some of the lovely new ones the
brothers Sass are putting on the market.

“Then for the symphony itself — with the deep tones of Black
Wings, Blue Velvet, Mine Serouge, deep purples, and the bronzy
ones, Depute Nomblot, Ministre Fenand David, Mrs. Valery AVest,
Joycette, Dauntless, but one cannot name all the lovely ones.
For contrast, Alta California, Chromylla, William R. Dykes,
Helios and the whites like Easter Morn, Venus de Milo, Los
Angeles and the whitest of them all so correctly named Purissima.

Wants blues in all tones

“I should have the lovely blues in all differing shades from
Summer Cloud and our fine old Princess Beatrice, through the
deeper tones of Sensation, Missouri, Realm, Blue Hill and For-
tuna and the pinky toned beauties like Airy Dream, Imperial
Blush, Noweta, the charmer, Marquisette. The darker ‘pinks’
like Frieda Mohr and Fragonard of early days should vie with
the newer Rose Petal and Mary Senni in my iris planting.

Then my whole planting would be blended, the colors softened
or contrasted, as the case might be, by the loveliest of all color
schemes in the garden, the wonderful blends of Anne Marie
Cayeux, Dolly Madison, Evolution, Rameses, Zaharoon, Mary
Geddes, Jean Cayeux, to mention but a few of the many of this
fine class.

“To these 1 would add wliat some one termed the vellow

«/

bicolors — the Cameliard, Henri Riviere, Largo, Golden Helmet
types. With these I should want only good green to separate
and define color schemes in addition to the pale pink of my
Oriental poppies.

Dutch iris grow popular

“By this time, I should be quite exhausted by so much color
enchantment, for with these would bloom the Siberians and
spurias with all the varying colors we have come to know these
last few years and I should be ready for the quiet daintiness of the

[60]

bulbous irises in their clear blue and white and yellow dresses,
Poogenbeek, E. B. Garier, Theo. Wicke, Leonardo da Vinci, White
Excelsior and the many others of this class so worthy of a place
in an iris garden. Then the English which we are again just
learning to grow and whose names are still unknown to me, as
they have as yet come in ‘ choice mixed shades.’

“If I could know we should always have rain in the spring, I
should plant every Japanese iris I could beg, borrow or steal.
But, I must know it would rain when these stately plants need
it most, for water from a hydrant too often contains lime in great
quantities here in our central west and our Japanese beauties
cannot endure it, though I should try to influence the God of
growing things to help me through some seasons anyway.

“Since the remontants that bloom so well in the south refuse
to give their fall bloom to us in our cold garden, we must end
this pageant of iris bloom with the Vesper Iris which does grow
and bloom and bloom for our northern gardens. Dainty and
with great charm all alone, it is much lovelier when planted with
the white nicotiana, I am told, and that is my planting plan for
next spring in my real garden. ’ ’

Calls question too big

Another midwestern gardener made this answer :

Anything like a complete answer to this hypothetical question
which has so many prongs to it would require a year for me to
figure it out, at least, and such a heavenly state as it presupposes
is a bit beyond my inauguration, I can, however, give a list of
irises that I certainly should have that are within the bounds of
reason and that I know from experience are good loyal middle
western doers. These aren’t all I would have by any means but
the absolute certainties. Why? AVell, let us say just because
1 particularly like them which is a good enough reason. There
are a lot of unimportances I should just as certainly have, old
timers and such, but their names would look like a lot of poor
relations with these. Here is the list :

In the blue line — Blue Triumph, Santa Fe, Gleam, Sensation,
Realm, Corrida, Royal Beauty, Blue Banner, Cydnus, Van
Cleve, Swazi, Black Wings.

In the alleged and alias reds — Indian Chief, Joycette, Waconda,
Irma Pollock, Morning Glory, Ileruani, Shirvan, Coralie, Rose

[01]

Dominion. To be perfectly truthful, I’d lay hands on any of
these good red toned irises I could reach. I like ’em all and I’m
not so particular about their names.

In the nearest we have to pinks — Airy Dream, Imperial Blush,
Caroline E. Stringer, Hermene. I’d have enough of each to make
up for number of varieties as it seems to me many of them are
very much alike and when you have one good one you’ve got
about all of them.

Whites I like and these I have and be ready to try out any

newcomers that look good and are proved good growers. I don’t

want anv miffy ones around.

*/ «/

Los Angeles tops whites

Here is the list— Los Angeles way up at the top, True Delight,
Princess Osra to clean up pretty plicata types; Shasta, Easter
Morn, — I know it will grow for me; Venus de Milo, Michelline
Charraire, just can’t give this up; Yves Lasailly, Rhein Nixe
even if it does belong in an old people’s home, and Mildred
Presby.

It has to be a bad yellow for fair that doesn’t look like good
garden stuff to me. These certainly — Pluie d.’Or, Phebus, Cliro-
mylla, Coronation, Prairie Gold, Primrose. If any of these
highly touted Californians and others bloom anywhere that I am
this spring they will get the once over quite thoroughly.

Blends — I’m inclined to say give me all of them except a few
that look as if they ought to have their faces washed. These
are cinches — Spring Maid, Dolly Madison, Euphony, Midgard,
Ophelia, Clara Noyes, Frivolite, Oehracea — I put Corrida up
with the blues to go with this last one, you can’t beat the com¬
bine, and I agree with Mrs. Silas B. Waters from whom I got
the idea through the Bulletin that it is “ supremely beautiful”;
Vesper Gold and Anne Marie Cayeux.

I haven’t put in any variegatas as they don’t strike my fancy
much but as I’m developing into a hemerocallic nut I expect I’ll
come to them as I see them in grand combinations once in a while
whether accidentally or not I don’t know but they fit each other.

The great majority of the gardens of the middle west in which
irises are the featured plant of their season are small or relatively
small gardens and they are all the garden the owner has and he
doesn’t want a garden that stops with the iris. What is he to

do for color after the irises, taking into consideration that the
irises will not stand crowding by heavy growth of other plants.
Neither will they thrive if overshadowed and cut off from a full
supply of sun. It is a rather difficult problem, particularly if
the great majority of the plants are irises and they are, in fact
all over the garden.

Here are some of the subjects used after a search for plants
which have scant foliage with a good spread of bloom which can
be planted among the irises without interfering with them.
The factor of heat resistance is also an important one over the
most of the middle west.

For all summer bloom and a particularly brilliant display up
to freezing weather and also a great heat and drought resister
is the gaillardia. It does not make too heavy a foliage to over¬
shadow the irises and is much used.

When Oriental poppies are freely used, and they are becoming
more and more popular, there are two plants to hide their un¬
sightly corpses. These are the double gypsohila, Bristol Fairy
and Statice latifolia or under its newer name, Limonium, the sea
lavender. Its leaves while large, lie flat. The inflorescence of
both is widespread but so misty it casts no shadow. To come up
through these lavender and white mists gladiolus and the summer
blooming lilies such as superbum and tigrinum are much used.
They do nicely among the irises.

The middle west has become very much hemerocallis conscious
during the last few years and raising them from seed is becoming
as much a pastime as iris raising. The midsummer bloomers are
excellent, planting clumps with those which bloom with the irises.

The old idea of the iris and perennial aster border which dates
back to Miss Jekyll’s “Colour in the Flower Garden” is perhaps
the best idea of all provided you use the right type of aster and
this is the laevis or smooth aster and if you want it you will have
to go out and collect it when it is in bloom. This is very easy

o «/

as it is common along middle western railroad rights of way and
is readily transplanted when in full bloom. Careful selection of
types should be made as there are two quite distinct ones, one
with graceful widely branched sprays and others that are too
bunchy for garden use. There is a fairly wide variation in color
tone but there are no finer blues in the whole perennial aster
tribe.

[63]

The chief advantage of this species is that it does not spread by
stolons all over the place, it is slender and rises well above the
irises, and keeps its color without fading in the hottest weather.
The fine varieties of the Novi-Belgii or New York aster type with
the exception of Climax are of little use in the middle west. The
leaves brown and shrivel and the colors all fade to a uniform
muddy drab in sizzling weather, and besides they do spread
underground faster than they grow above ground.

Annuals are used extensively, a favorite plan being to broad¬
cast seed of good strains of Shirley poppies in the fall and in the
spring scatter California poppy seed. The Shirleys are on the
job with the fading of the irises with a fine burst of color and
then the Californias will come on, for a.11 all summer job of it.

We often wonder how people accmulate so much bad informa¬
tion and believe it so thoroughly and there has been quite a bit of
it concerning the culture of ris. Irises are, for the most part,
very well grown in the middle west, exceptionally so in some
sections and gardens, and this is because we have discarded
these old wives’ tales and treated our irises as if they were just
plants.

We know that the bearded irises do not require alkaline soil.
We know they do not need lime and we 110 longer lime them and
induce rot. We know that they grow very well in slightly acid
and neutral soils and that in these mediums they are compara¬
tively immune to rot.

We know that they will grow very well with only half a day
of sun. Many of them are finer and their color value is better
preserved if they are sheltered from the afternoon sun.

In the middle west good corn land is excellent iris land. Good
corn land has to be well drained to be good corn land and if the
land isn’t well drained the farmer drains it with tile. The iris,
particularly the tall bearded must have good drainage and in the
middle west drainage is the most important factor in hardiness.
Heaving in our open winters is minimized by drainage.

We know that irises, like other plants, must have fertilizing
when the soil is exhausted. The best fertilizer for irises is old
cow manure if you can get it, dug well into the soil. Some of
our chemists tell us that the commercial fertilizers are no more
than cocktails, stimulants but not the real food. Like the cocktail,
the effect dies out shortly unless it is renewed and the effect of

too much renewal of these fertilizers works out very much on the
iris as the too frequent renewals of cocktails on the human.
After a while they will get sick or pass out.

The best quality irises are grown in mellow soil of good tilth.
Clay soils give excellent results. They are excellently handled as
shown in several gardens observed by breaking up the clay by
digging in torpedo sand and old cow manure. If you can’t find
the cows, synthetic manure is next best for the breaking up and
mellowing of the clay medium.

Sandy soils need the addition of humus quite frequently as
they simply seem to eat it.

For iris rot, which in hot wet seasons in rather heavy soils
becomes a devastating pest, the best remedies we use are cupro-
jabonite, gypsum as advocated by Mr. Williamson and the per¬
manganate bath, easy to apply.

The meanest pest and the one that is causing the most damage,
particularly to bloom stalks, is the borer. Hand picking is the
surest way and frequent digging. The new preparation, Dutox,
applied in the spring just after growth starts has been reported
as very effective in clearing them out.

When irises fail to bloom the best thing to do is dig and re¬
plant.

This sometimes stirs them up and when replanted gives them
some sort of stimulant and some regular food.

The best form of planting from a cultural standpoint seems to
be in drifts or groups not more than four feet wide which allows
sun to go all through the planting and the best way to plant is
running north and south if geography permits it for this very
element of letting the sun in.

The middle west with its drought stricken gardens of which the
iris of the bearded type is the chief survivor though often weak¬
ened is now in the process of replacement, repair and rebuilding.
The rains last fall came so late that the irises were long behind
their usual period of starting into growth and the prospect for
the crop of bloom this spring is uncertain.

But we all know that the iris is the most dependable of peren¬
nials in all kinds of weather. Tliev will come back.

«/

A CALIFORNIAN SEES EASTERN IRISES
Donald B. Milliken

About, the middle of our iris season here in California we were
honored by a visit from Dr. and Mrs. Everett, Robert Schreiner,
and Jesse Nicholls, Jr. The enthusiasm created by the presence
of these most interesting and enjoyable iris experts proved a suf¬
ficient stimulus to make me decide to fulfill a long cherished desire
- — a tour of the important iris centers of the country. Such a
trip would require some careful planning in order to be at the
right places at the right time. To my surprise I found that my
knowledge of the blooming season in other parts of the country
was altogether too vague. After ascertaining the required dates
and places, it became the complicated problem of a passenger
agent to translate my desires into a round trip railroad ticket.

It had been my hope to go by way of Lincoln, Nebraska, and
be present at the Annual Meeting of the Iris Society. However,
when the date of this meeting was changed, this became impos¬
sible, so I decided to take the southern route and make Dallas,
Texas my first stop. It was on the 19th of May that I left Pasa¬
dena, our blooming season being almost over. A few of the late
varieties, such as Hollywood and Ochracea, were still in bloom,
as were some of the first year seedlings. Seedlings are often
irregular in their performance the first year here in Southern
California. They act as though they didn’t know just what to
make of our unusually long springs, and some start to bloom as
early as the first of March, while others do not flower until late
May or June. I was not surprised to find quite a bit of color
iu the seedling beds when I returned from my trip the 10th of
J une.

Although I had for some time corresponded with several iris-
minded people in Dallas, I had never met any of them, and so
had simply written that I would be in Dallas Monday afternoon.
As I came into the station from the train I had no idea of being
met, but there stood someone with an iris in her hand. Mrs. T. T.
Price and Mrs. Lindsley made the afternoon a most enjoyable
one, and took me to their own gardens, as well as those of Mrs.
Kirk and Mrs. Caillet. These people are doing much to stimulate
interest in iris there in Texas. A single afternoon seemed all too

[66]

short a time to spend in Dallas, but, Chancellor Kirkland had
written saying- that their things were going fast, so I decided to
hurry on to Nashville. At that I was too late to see Nashville
gardens at their height. Most of the bearded varieties were
through blooming, although Jeb Stuart and Mary Geddes were
still holding on. These are both first class irises and will be
popular for years to come. I was particularly disappointed not
to see Copper Luster, for I had read about this iris and had
heard that it resembled Mr. White’s Brown Betty. Maya, a
strawberry red seedling of Mr. Washington’s, was of particular
interest.

Members of the Society who attend the Annual Meeting at
Nashville next year have a treat in store for them when they
are taken to Dauntess Hill, the country place of Mr. Connell.
Located in a secluded and altogether charming spot on a wooded
hill about ten miles out from Nashville, this retreat bears evi¬
dence of an untold amount of planning and work on the part of
its owner, for Mr. Connell modestly explains that it is all a prod¬
uct of his own handiwork. Hand carved furniture and beautifully
designed fireplaces make even the most ardent iris fan temporarily
forget the primary object of the visit.

Returning from Dauntless Hill, Mr. Connell kindly took me
to see Nashville’s full size reproduction of the famous Greek
Parthenon, architecturally the most perfect building the world
has ever known. It was with justifiable pride that he explained
the outstanding features of this magnificent structure, for its
entire construction had been under his supervision.

Southern hospitality and fried chicken are hard to leave but a
wire had come from Dr. Ayres in Cincinnati saying that the iris
season was passing, so I hastened on. Seven o’clock in the morn¬
ing is not a particularly convenient time to have one’s guests
arrive, but I was met at the station and taken at once to Dr.
Avres home where I found him already in the garden. I had
told myself that at the home of such things as Meldoric, Coralie,
Persia, Red Dominion and Indian Chief, I would be sure to see
iris at their best ; but I was unprepared for the thrill that I was
about to experience. Grown to perfection, the irises in this garden
were a sight to behold. From the pure whites and the most deli¬
cate blends of the Ningal and Iv. V. Ayres type through the entire

[67]

color range to the most vivid reds I had ever seen, there was
nothing lacking. It would be impossible to describe all the out¬
standing things, but of those in bloom on my visit, two stood
out in my mind as distinctly superior to anything of their type I
had ever seen. One was Cheerio and the other Burning Bronze.
Cheerio as it grew in Dr. Ayres’ garden had the brightest velvety
red falls I have ever seen. A clump of this would be a veritable
bonfire. The standards are a lovely combination of dull gold and
bright red, and blend beautifully with the velvety richness of
the falls. For vivid red color, Cheerio is a distinct advance over
such things as Red Robe, Ethel Peckliam, Joycette, Red Dominion,
Dauntless, etc.

An outstanding feature of many of Dr. Ayres’ seedlings is the
lack of conspicuous veining in the haft. This is particularly no¬
ticeable in Burning Bronze and to my mind adds greatly to its
perfection. When a rich velvety color runs well up on both sides
of the beard, the entire flower takes on an appearance of super-
refinement. Dr. Ayres picked a specimen of Burning Bronze in
order that we might compare its color elsewhere in the garden
and for a full hour I carried this floAver around in my hand
trying to believe that such a striking thing conld really exist.
How aptly it has been named !

It was with sincere regret that I left this garden, for its con¬
tents fascinated me, and to discuss iris with Dr. Ayres is a real
privilege. There were two other gardens in Cincinnati I wished
to visit, however, and time was flying. I had heard much about
the garden of Mr. and Mrs. Waters and found there a most com¬
prehensive and up-to-date collection. Of particular interest to me
were such things as Pacific, Frieda Mohr, and Los Angeles which
I had been led to believe did not thrive in this locality. In this
garden, however, which incidentally is on a very steep slope and
thus affords excellent drainage, these things were blooming beauti¬
fully and were evidently quite at home. I would like to suggest
here that from what I observed throughout the country, good
drainage is quite evidently a more important factor in the suc¬
cessful growing of some of the so-called “tender” irises than is a
favorable climate. There are in commerce many varieties with
varying degrees of Mesopotamia blood in their make-up. It is
a well known fact that this blood is responsible for such desirable
characteristics as height, size, and branching, and consequently

[68]

breeders are going to continue to use it. Now it is also true that
the presence of Mesopotamia blood may impart certain growing
characteristics which cause the plants to give difficulty if kept
too moist during the period in which they prefer to be dormant.
I say may advisedly, because an iris with Mesopotamia blood
blood does not necessarily possess Mesopotamia growing charac¬
teristics. It may inherit its growing characteristics from some
other strain. In any event good drainage, whether natural or
created artificially by planting on ridges, will doubtless do much
to overcome the difficulties some people seem to be having with
certain Mesopotamia hybrids.

The commercial garden of Mrs. Emigholz was nearby, and there
I found an unusually complete collection of the new and out¬
standing things. Two soft-toned yellows attracted particular at¬
tention. Cadmia was of exceptionally clear color, and to my mind
the shade of yellow best suited to the garden. The flowers were
of good size, and of the popular semi-flaring type. The vivid
“brassy” yellows are interesting but the softer shades are infinitely
more pleasing in their garden effect. The other yellow was Robert.
This could almost be classed as a blend, for the centers of the
falls are flushed with blue. It is a lovely thing and would be
beautiful in combination with Cavatina or Anne Marie Cayeux.

Leaving Cincinnati, I proceeded to Fort Wayne and the Mead
garden, where I found many people enjoying the irises in full
bloom. Among them were Mrs. Richer, Mr. Wassenberg, Mr. Bon-
newitz, and, of course, Mr. Riedel who is carrying on the breeding
work begun by Mr. Mead. Eros, a new salmon pink self being
introduced this year, was the center of attraction. Persia must
have struck me as being particularly outstanding in this garden
for I made a note to stock it. Later observations in other gardens
served only to increase my desire for this iris. Its charm seems
to grow on one each time it is seen, and it is quite evidently a
dependable performer, for it is uniformly good over the entire
country. Being naturally on the lookout for California varieties,
I was surprised to find that what I had taken for granted as
being Los Angeles was an unintroduced seedling called White
Nile. Mr. Riedel explained that while it was almost identical
to Los Angeles in color, it was proving more hardy in that lo¬
cality.

From Fort Wayne it was but an hour’s ride to Bluffton and the
Williamson gardens. I had seen fields of irises but never before
such an expanse of color as this. Seven acres in full bloom ! Mary
Williamson took me on a personally conducted tour of the estab¬
lishment, and also to the garden of Mr. Paul Cook nearby. Here
I found a most interesting example of selective breeding, for Mr.
Cook is systematically producing a strain of irises with blue beards.
The results are of interest from an artistic from an artistic as well
as a scientific standpoint, for the flower possess a unique charm
all their own. Mr. Cook is also working to produce an iris with
a clear true pink color. Let us hope he succeeds!

Something a little out of the ordinary was to be found in the
Williamson garden. They are introducing this year a group of
five varieties which they very appropriately call table iris. Bloom¬
ing at the same time as the tall bearded group, this new strain is
especially suited for use as a cut flower. The small dainty blooms
on stiff slender stems were of beautiful clean colors, and lend
themselves admirably to table decoration.

Seeing new gardens and new irises is an exciting experience,
but after a few days of continuous going the strain begins to dull
one’s sense of appreciation. Chicago was close at hand and the
World’s Fair offered some excellent diversion, so for three days
I completely forgot about iris. I would hardly recommend the
Fair as an ideal place to rest, but nevertheless it served its
purpose.

Mrs. Pattison’s garden at Freeport was next on my schedule,
and in spite of the fact that this was the driest spring in many
years, I found much of interest. Cheerio caught my eye at once,
and nearby were beautiful blooms of Easter Morn and Sierra
Blue, both of which we had introduced for Mr. Essig. There is
a particular thrill in finding things of one’s own introduction
doing well in other parts of the country. Alta California showed
up well, as did also Trail’s End, Persia, Anne Marie Cayeux,
and Dauntless. Mrs. Pattison has some thoroughbred irises, and
she also has a thoroughbred dog. Jimmie is a handsome Collie
from the Terlmne kennels and is at once admired by all the visi¬
tors to this well known garden.

Washington, D. C., is of course farther south and consequently
has an earlier blooming season. Never having been in the Na¬
tion’s Capital, however, I couldn’t forego the opportunity for

[70]

a short visit, and was more than glad that I went. Few iris were
in bloom, but I have pleasant memories of a visit with Mr. Morri¬
son and a delightful afternoon with Mr. Shrill, the originator of
Morning- Splendor, Coppersmith, Sequoia, Moon Magic and other
well known varieties. Incidentally, a brief visit to the Senate and
the House of Representatives left me with a rather sickening
feeling because of the utter lack of dignity in these the selected
representatives of one hundred and twenty million people.

But politics and iris don’t mix, and as I prefer iris, I left
"Washington for Woodbury, New Jersey, and the garden of Mr.
M. E. Douglas, one of the regional vice-presidents of the society.
Here was a real enthusiast ! It was at night when I arrived, but
Mr. Douglas simply couldn’t wait until morning and daylight, so
out we went into the garden. If the iris could have seen, they
would have been surprised to find ns walking up and down the
paths as Mr. Douglas lit match after match to show me first one
greatly admired specimen and then another. With the supply of
matches exhausted, we finally had to give it up and turn in. Early
the next morning I again went out into the garden and saw at
once why Mr. Douglas had been so enthusiastic. Here were iris
at their best. Displayed in irregular beds around the borders of
the garden, the most careful attention had been given to proper
color arrangement. AVliat a difference this makes ! My notes re¬
mind me that outstanding in this garden were Coralie, Meldoric,
Claude Aureau, and Cavatina.

From Woodbury it is but a short distance to Germantown,
Philadelphia, and the home of Mr. Wister, the president of our so¬
ciety. After a pleasant visit and a stroll through his beautiful
collection of ireses and peonies, I went on to New York City, where
I spent the week-end with my brother. Here again I had a
change of diet, and except for a very brief visit to Long Island
and the garden of Mr. Wayman, tried to refresh my sense of ap¬
preciation for a tour of the New England gardens.

First came Mrs. Kellogg’s garden at West Hartford, Connecti¬
cut, and here I found one of the highlights of the entire trip.
Again of particular interest to me were the California origina¬
tions. Pale Moonlight was large and handsome on forty-one inch
stems. Pacific, Blue and Gold, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Ali-
wahnee, and Alta California seemed right at home, and were as
fine specimens as I have ever seen. Nearby was Pink Satin, liold-

[71]

ing her head above nearly everything else in the garden — a truly
beautiful iris in spite of the fact that it has often been the center
of conflicting opinions. And there was Persia again, almost out¬
doing itself in the midst of all the surrounding beauty. A par¬
ticularly large bloom caught my eye, and I took out my ruler to
measure. Seven good inches from the top of the standards to the
tip of the falls, and beauty and charm had not been sacrificed
to size. But the greatest surprise of all was the way the Siberians
were growing. For a loyal Californian to admit defeat is indeed
unusual, but when I found a Siberian iris fifty and one-half inches
tall by actual measurement, what could I do? This was Llewellyn
and close at hand was Gatineau (Abitibi) another Siberian, with
flowers that measured four and one-half inches across ! Over-
the-Garden-Wall contains one of the most complete collections of
the better varieties of iris in the entire country, and Mrs. Kellogg
and her son, Bill, are indeed experts in their care and arrangement.

The next morning Bill and I started out in his car and drove
up to the suburbs of Boston to the gardens of Mr. Gage at Natick,
Miss Sturtevant at AYelleslev Farms, and Mr. Donahue at Lower
Newton Falls. Mr. Gage had a particularly outstanding seedling
in the strawberry-red shades, which he has appropriately named
Rosy Wings. Blooming for the first time this year, it will bear
watching for it certainly stood out in his garden as a distinctly
new color.

In Miss Sturtevant ’s garden I found Sierra Blue justifying a
growing conviction that it is the outstanding blue-tone iris in
commerce at the present time. Striking among the new things
here was Good Cheer, a seedling of Miss Sturtevant *s, reminding
one somewhat of Citronella but of cleaner colors and a larger,
greatly improved, flower. Having read much about the wonders
of Polar King, it was disappointing not to find this in bloom in
Mr. Donahue’s garden, but its creator assured me of its merits.

Having met Mrs. Nesmith on my stop at Nashville, I was look¬
ing forward to my visit to the Fairmount Gardens in LoAvell. Here
again was the beautiful Mary Geddes with which I was now be¬
coming quite familiar. Eros was blooming nearby and impressed
me more favorably than it had at Fort Wayne, where it had evi¬
dently suffered from a thunder-shower the night before. Not
being accustomed to heavy rain during the blooming season, I
probably did not know Iioav to make alloAvances. Gudrun Avas

[72]

also on display, but I failed to enthuse. I had seen much better
whites.

In the afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Nesmith very kindly took me to
Haverhill to see the private collection of Mrs. H. E. Lewis. Here
I found an astonishing number of the very latest introductions
from all parts of the country. With so many of the newest
things, this garden will soon become a mecca for iris lovers and a
most convenient place to compare the merits of the latest offer¬
ings of the iris world.

It was with regret that I left New England, for its delightful
gardens and hospitable people had for several days given me
much pleasure. There was yet another stop on my schedule, how¬
ever, and although it was now so late in the season that I did not
expect to see many more irises in bloom, I was anxious to spend
a few hours with Robert Schreiner and compare notes, for he,
too, had been doing a considerable amount of traveling.

Upon arriving at the Schreiner gardens in St. Paul, it was my
good fortune to meet Mr. McDade of Chattanooga. Mr. McDade
had likewise been visiting many iris gardens in the past month,
and consequently the day was spent in a most entertaining three-
cornered discussion. Robert Schreiner had attended the Annual
Meeting at Lincoln and was full of interesting news. While I
was there he showed me the plans for a new display garden he is
planting. Visitors to his garden next season will find new land¬
scaping, grass walks, and the newest varieties of iris from the
entire country.

Mr. McDade is also building up a complete collection of the
newest varieties, and it is his hope that members of the Society
planning to attend the Annual Meeting next year at Nashville,
will find it possible to go by way of Chattanooga. From all re¬
ports, his garden will contain one of the most complete collections
in the entire country.

Having spent a thrilling three weeks, it was now time to return
home. The iris season was over for another year. I was back in
Pasadena once more with memories of many delightful days spent
in gardens of exceeding charm, and with mental pictures of some
of the most beautiful flowers in the world.

SCIENCE SERIES— No. 15
THE IRIS BORER
Harry F. Dietz*

The iris borer is perhaps the most serious insect pest of iris.
Many an iris lover has seen an expensive, new, or cherished variety
almost killed by it, or a well planned ornamental planting ruined
through the ravages of this pest.

A few publications have been written by entomologists about
the iris borer and recommendations for its control appear in the
cultural notes of many growers’ catalogs.

Clean culture ; burning over plantings ; and digging, cleaning
and resetting of plants every second or third year are most gen¬
erally recommended.

The writer knows from his own experience in a city garden
that clean culture alone will not control the borer, although he
readily admits that it is a valuable supplementary measure.

Burning over plantings is fraught with the danger of severe
injury to the plants, especially since there is no absolute way to
govern the amount and the duration of heat or the highest tem¬
perature that will be reached.

Transplanting every second or third year would relegate the
iris to the fancier’s specimen garden and rob it of its usefulness
in well planned, beautiful and artistic border and mass plantings,
for which purpose iris are admirably adapted.

LITERATURE — There are comparatively few entomological
publications that deal with this insect at length. The most com¬
plete is that of Dr. Donald T. Ries (two Iris Insects, Science
Series, No. 5. Bull. Am. Iris Soc., July, 1929, pp. 27-46).

DISTRIBUTION — The iris borer is widely distributed through¬
out the Eastern United States. It has been found in Connecticut,
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan,
Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wis¬
consin. In Canada it occurs in Ontario, Quebec, and New Bruns¬
wick. This is a wide range of distribution. However, it must not
be presumed that the ravages of this pest are equally severe
throughout the large area involved in its range. In fact there

*Researeh Entomologist, Grasselli Chemical Company, Cleveland, Ohio.

[74]

seem to be many localities where iris borer is either unknown or
is of such minor importance that it has never attracted attention.

There is little donbt but that the iris borer has been distributed
from one garden to another (often at a distance) through the
exchange or purchase of plants. Obviously, unless meteorological and
other factors held the pest in check one would expect severe injury
throughout its range. Even in a State such as Indiana or Ohio, the
borer is a pest only in certain localities and these are quite scattered.

LIFE HISTORY AND HABITS— The control of all insect
pests is based on some knowledge — however meager — of its habits
and life history. The most important of the habits are its meth¬
ods of feeding and the time of year that the feeding takes place.

Dr. Ries has given an excellent account of the life history and
habits of the borer. Therefore, a brief summary of the life history
of the borer, its habits and a description of various stages through
which it passes is included here. It must be borne in mind that
the iris borer is a living animal and that just as blooming dates
of iris vary from year to year or from one region to another, so
do the dates of the various activities of borer vary.

The adult moth of the iris borer is a typical cut worm moth, of
modest color and of retiring habits. The moths are about 2%
inches wide across the spread wings and about one inch long.
The general color of the front or fore wings is dull brown with
the margins a purple black. Fine black lines traverse the wings.
The hind wings are dusky grey in color as is the abdomen.

The adult moths in northern regions, northern Indiana, New
York, and Pennsylvania, may appear as early as the middle of
September and as late as the first week of November. The adult
females mate within three or four days and then begin laying
eggs. Each female may lay from 150 to 200 eggs in clusters of
10 to 30. The eggs are usually laid on dry or drying leaves or
along roughened areas on the rhizomes. Sometimes they are laid
on the green leaves, or on dry debris around the plants.

In most regions where borer is a menace it has been observed
that the greatest injury occurs in protected, thickly planted gar¬
dens. Field plantings exposed to bright light and the sweep of
the winds usually show little injury. All this is due to the fact that
the moths prefer to fly at dusk or later, on cloudy da}rs and even
then seek shaded spots and protected clumps to deposit their eggs.

The eggs which are approximately hemispherical in shape are

about 1/50 of an inch in diameter. Their surface is beautifully
sculptured. When first laid they are glistening white in color.
They soon change to a pale yellow, then to brown and in the
spring, just before hatching, become pale lavender. The time
that the eggs begin to hatch in the spring depends entirely on
weather conditions. The earliest date at which hatching has been
observed in central Indiana was April 3. At Ithaca, New York,
Ries observed the first hatching out-of-doors on April 18, although
eggs brought into his laboratory hatched several weeks earlier. It
may safely be said that the hatching of iris borer eggs should be
expected at about that time in the spring when the daytime tem¬
peratures go above 80 degrees for several successive days. All of
the eggs do not hatch at the same time. Since in the spring,
periods of very cool weather usually follow warm ones, the hatch¬
ing of the iris borer eggs is intermittent and may extend over a
period of two months. As an example, the writer’s experience
during the year 1927 may be cited. The first eggs hatched on
April 15. Alternating warm and very cool periods followed with
the result that the last eggs hatched on June 27.

Since the iris borer eggs are very small, one would expect the
newly hatched caterpillars to be small. They are less than 1/16
inch in length. Their bodies are delicate pink and their heads
deep brown (almost black) in color. These small caterpillars (or
larvae) wander over the iris foliage eating small holes here and
there. Many, although not all, of them, actually bore into the
tissues and act as leafminers. Those that do not mine, feed along
the edges of the young leaves. All areas where the borers have
fed take on a water-soaked appearance and “ bleed.” This should
be carefully noted because where control by dusting or spraying
is undertaken it must be begun at the time the first hatching of
the eggs occurs.

It is needless to describe borer injury to one who has had ex¬
perience with the pest. He is well aware of the fact that the
larvae after abandoning their leaf mining and wandering over
the surface enter the leaf sheaths, and chew along the edges of
the young and tender center leaves. This injury is readily ob¬
served after the center leaves develop because the chewed areas
turn brown and give the leaves a very ragged appearance. As the
caterpillars grow, they begin tunnelling toward the rhizomes. Thus
in six to eight weeks after the eggs hatch, borers may be found
in the rhizomes.

[76]

The full-grown caterpillars are about two inches long, very
pale pink to whitish in color with the head, dark reddish brown.
The row of dark spots on either side of its body are the breathing
pores (or spiracles). Until the borers are full-grown they are
voracious feeders and one large borer may reduce several rhi¬
zomes to a mere shell. Fortunately, the caterpillars are cannibal¬
istic and should two of them meet in the course of their feeding,
a fight ensues in which the victor devours the vanquished.

The iris borer caterpillars become full-grown sometime in
August. At this time they leave the rhizomes and burrow into
the soil around the plants. Here they change into bright brown,
spindle-shaped objects called pupae. The pupal stage is called
the resting stage or transformation stage. The moths emerge from
the pupae from late September to early November. If the weather
is unusually dry during the period that the moths are emerging,
many are crippled and cannot fly. However, this does not seem
to prevent them from mating and laying eggs.

CONTROL — A fairly complete account of the life history has
purposely been given for several reasons. The first was, to show
why clean cultivation in itself will not give satisfactory control.
The second was, to show that no single application of insecticide
irrespective whether it was a dust or a liquid spray could possibly
be effective. The third reason was, to show that after the eggs
have hatched and the larvae have reached the leaf sheaths no
spray can reach them or their food and kill them.

The writer recommended arsenate of lead sprays as a control
for iris borer as early as 1926. This method of control has proved
satisfactory, but was open to several serious objections. The first
of such objections was that iris foliage is very difficult to wet.
Therefore, some material had to be added to the arsenate of lead
spray to cause the spray to wet the foliage and at the same time
cause the lead arsenate to adhere to it, instead of running off
with the liquid. Soap was the material usually used, but soap
formed soluble arsenic compounds which caused foliage burn.

The second objection was that the spray collected in the devel¬
oping flower buds and caused them to rot. This often resulted in
a serious loss of blooms.

The iris borer belongs to the same family of moths as the corn ear-
worm. Corn ear-worm on tomatoes and sweet corn has been controlled
in certain parts of the United States through the use of Dutox dusts.

[ 77 ]

Taking these experiments with corn ear-worm as a clue, the
writer suggested to the late E. B. Williamson that he try this new
dust as a control. This was done in the Spring of 1932. The dust was
applied at approximately weekly intervals, from the time the eggs
began to hatch until the blooming period. In October (1932), Mr.
Williamson wrote that this dusting program “works, really works.”

Following this lead, the writer planned three cooperative experi¬
ments in 1933 for the control of iris borer. Two were in Northern
Ohio and one in Indiana. In all three places the borer infesta¬
tions in the past were very heavy.

Of the three experiments that were planned, only one was care¬
fully carried out. This was in a large garden where iris was used
extensively both in border and foundation plantings. The garden
was divided into two equal parts in relation to the distribution
of iris. On one half of the iris, Dutox, 1 part by weight, diluted
with 4 parts flour, was used as a dust. On the other half, a like
dust mixture of lead arsenate — flour was applied. The applications
were made with a small hand duster. The first application was made
on April 20 and applications were continued at weekly intervals ex¬
cept during the blooming period , until June 20. The counts of more
than 1,000 fans in each treatment gave the following results:

Material Borer Marks Actual Borers % Control

Dutoz — Flour 1-4 _ 105 6 94.5

Lead Arsenate — Flour 1-4 26 5 83.7

In the foregoing the percentage control has been determined in
the following way. The number of fans showing borer marks
(but not infested by borers) was divided by the total number of
fans showing “attempted entrances.” This number is obtained
by adding together the number of fans with borer marks and the
number of fans in each of which a live borer was found.

Subsequent reports that have reached the writer from the same
area in which the test garden was located show that the borer
was a serious pest and seriously injured nearby plantings.

Hot dry weather is unfavorable to borer development, but in well
cared for gardens, the garden hose offsets the rainfall deficiency.

Iris growers from several states have recently reported the satis¬
factory performance of Dutox — Flour dust.

This account is to be regarded merely as a progress report. It is
intended as an answer to inquiries that are constantly being received
concerning the possibility of using Dutox in iris borer control.

[78]

1934 COMMENTS BY ACCREDITED JUDGES

Note : In the following comments, the 1934 group rating has
been included on all varieties so rated. Varieties not given a
group rating either were not scored by the required five judges
or have been in commerce longer than the designated three-year
period.

Adobe: (C) (Williamson) 1. An unusual coloring of yellow
and browning red. Not tall. (Ind.) 2. A lighter, browner,
Omaha. (Washington, D. C.)

Alice Horsefall: (C) (H. P. Sass) 1. Very rich dark red-purple.
(Pa.) 2. An early intermediate. (Washington, D. C.)

Alta California: (Mitchell) 1. One of the best yellows to date
for garden value. (Calif.) 2. The shape of the flower is not per¬
fect and the veining at the haft is a mild defect, but it is a very
effective yellow and a great addition to any garden. (Colo.)
3. The brown veining sometimes noticeable in the haft is almost
entirely absent in this locality. (Pasadena.)

Amigo: (Williamson) 1. Blue-purple bi-color. Light edge around
falls is quite distinctive. (Ind.) 2. Seen several years. A very
wonderful outstanding creation. (Ind.) 3. A heavy, brilliant bi¬
color, carrying any distance. I have watched this through four
successive seasons, have seen it as one, two and three year plants
and consider it one of E. B. Williamson’s very finest origina-
tions. (Ind.)

At Dawning: (A) (Kirkland) 1. Pleasing approach to white
and deep pink bi-color. (Tenn.) 2. Excellent in every way.
(Tenn.)

Avondale: (B) (H. P. Sass) 1. A very brilliant iris and has
great garden value. Fuchsia color. (Mass.) 2. Rich color, bold
veining, long orange beard. (Mass.)

Aztec: (B) (Kirkland) 1. Aztec is among the best of the
originators’ newer iris. (Tenn.) The bloom is small and similar
in color to Junaluska, but not so dark. (Tenn.)

Beuchley’s Giant: (B) (Beuchley) 1. Very fine, tall, clear-
toned blue. Color is not sacrificed to size. Both very outstanding.
(Ia.) 2. Great size the only feature. (Ill.) (There seems to be

a wide difference of opinion on this iris for it was rated as low
as 66 by one judge, and as high as 94 by another. — R.S.S.)

[79]

Blue Gown: (C) (Essig) 1. Better stalk and better substance
than Lochinvar. (Mass.) 2. Rather meagre in effect in individual
flower, lacks quality. Fine garden group with Bonnie Blue and
Bluet. (Mass.)

Blue Monarch: (B) (J. Sass) 1. When I judged Blue Monarch
in Mr. J. Sass’ garden it was one of the hottest and windiest days,
yet Blue Monarch stood up very well. (Ga.) 2. Appears to be

somewhat lacking in substance. (Md.) 3. Very clear toned violet

blue self. Large flower on a 40-inch stalk. A good doer. (Nebr.)

Blue Triumph: (Grinter) 1. This has the smooth finish of
Grinter’s things. An outstanding iris. (Colo.) 2. The stalk dis¬
plays three flowers perfectly. Color very attractive. (Colo.) 3.
Rated by 12 judges in 1933. Why rate it again while our judges
are debarred from rating in 1934 such things as Marquita, Jean
Cayeux, Anne Marie Cayeux, etc.? (N. J.)

Burning Bronze: (B) (Ayres) 1. Well named and truly mag¬
nificent iris. By far the best deep rich bronze I have ever seen.
(0.) 2. Very fine in every way. (Ky.) 3. This is a very fine

red-toned iris. Its reputation in October, 1933, Bulletin for lack
of vigor was evidently not correct, as it was fine in growth in
Dr. Ayres’ garden. (0.)

California Gold: (B) (Mitchell) 1. Deep gold, slightly flecked
on first year plant. Short stalk. (Mass.) 2. Flowers crowd. Won¬
derful color. (Mass.) (These were the only two comments made
on California Gold and are perhaps misleading as it is rated in
the high 80 ’s. Judges were unanimous in scoring it high on color.)

Cheerio: (B) (Ayres) 1. The brightest velvety red falls ever
seen. A really striking iris. (111. and 0.) 2. Clear in color, giv¬

ing good effect in garden. (Ill.)

Chromylla: (Loomis) 1. Fine in Georgia. Very hardy. Free
blooming, fine form and finish. 2. Slightly deeper Moon Magic.
About the same form, high branched, four blooms, foliage too tall.
(N. J.) 3. Held up well after few days’ sun and wind. (Colo.)

Copper Luster: (A) (Kirkland) 1. This is the most distinct of
all Chancellor Kirkland’s coppers and tans. (Tenn.) 2. Copper
Luster is the finest new iris we have seen. Distinct color and
military bearing in flower, stalk and foliage. (Tenn.) 3. A very
beautiful color that appeals to everyone. A very large bloom of
rounded shape, substance fair, could be taller and stalk could be
better. (Tenn.)

[80]

Coralie: (B) (Ayres) 1. Coralie is a distinct new color com¬
bination. Standards and falls light rose-pnrple underlaid a cop¬
pery brown that combines to give a coraly-pink effect. Large and
a fine thing. 2. Can give it much on color but it is very fragile,
and while Dr. Ayres deserves the Dykes Medal for his great work,
Coralie should have had more than color to get a Dykes. (0.)

Desert Gold: (Kirkland) 1. The flower on this plant was nearly
perfection this year in form and in substance, but the color is too
pale in our hot sun. (Colo.) 2. Gold in the name leads one to
expect a yellow instead of a cream colored iris. (Colo.)

Dogrose: (Insole) 1. Bi-color — pink — that is good with me.
(Ga.) 2. The segments of this flower are too long. Almost of the

strap variety, but the general effect of the blooming plant is de¬
lightful. It is one of my favorites. (Colo.)

Easter Morn: (Essig) 1. This iris appears to be very fine and
an excellent addition to the list of white iris. (Ill.) 2. My choice
of the whites. Hope I like it as well next year and hope it proves
hardy. (Ga.) 3. I have never succeeded in growing this as I saw

it in California. It has been fine, bnt not the super-flower I
brought home in my mind. (Colo.) 4. I believe Mrs. McAhren
is the only person in Sioux City growing Easter Morn. In her
garden it was a glorious iris, of a specially good form and sub¬
stance. (Ga.) 5. Color not as good indoors as Purissima, but a

better garden plant. Large, more vigorous. (Mass.)

Eclador: (A) (Cayeux) 1. A smashing yellow of a distinct
type for its size. (Canada) 2. Substance seems very good, but I
was undecided as to lasting qualities. (Colo.) 3. Lasting quality
not very good this year. Standards and falls remarkably broad.
Veining not particularly objectionable. (Colo.) 4. Very fine yel¬
low. My preference of all.

Eloise Lapham: (Lapham) 1. Coloring of C. E. Stringer, other¬
wise no comparison, all in favor of Eloise Lapham. (Wash., D. C.)
2. We have grown this iris three seasons, and I saw it in the intro¬
ducer’s garden. It appears to have little garden value. (Ill.)

Eros: (A) (Mead) 1. Nothing like it. Finest pink to date.
(Ind. & Mass.) 2. I should call this a pale coral, rather than
salmon. (Ind.)

Ethel Peckham: (A) (Williamson) 1. Much more red than
Joycette or Rob Roy. (Mass.) 2. It is very much redder than
Joycette and a much more distinctive and outstanding iris. I
regard it as THE red iris now in commerce. (Ind.)

[81 ]

Fthelwyn Dubuar: (Lapliam) 1. This is the largest of the pinks
and a beautifully formed flower. Darker than Pink Satin, al¬
though hardly as clear color. (Ga.) 2. A fresh clean, very large
medium light pink, which I believe to be the largest extant.
(Wash., D. C.)

Fayaway: (B) (Washington). 1. A tall and well-branched stalk
with large flowers of heavy substance of Doxa-type, but very tall
and much larger flowers. (Tenn. and Mass.)

Fearless: (B) (Kirkland) Intensive red-purple. Good garden
value. Flower a bit too open. (Tenn.) 2. Standards too open,
blooms bunched, brilliant color. (Tenn.)

Golden Helmet: (B) (Sass, J.) 1. Unusual coloring and very
rich in tone. (Mass.) Stalk too heavy. (Mass.)

Golden Light: (B) (Sass, H. P.) 1. A Euphony seedling, close
enough so that almost anyone can see the similarity. 2. Warm
golden bronze with metallic pink overlay. (Nebr.) 3. A glowing
color in the garden. Good height and branching. (Ia.)

Gold Foam: (B) (Nesmith) 1. Form too ruffled and angular.
Bunched on stalk. (Mass.)

Good Cheer: (B) (Sturtevant) 1. Resembles Citronella, but
taller, larger flowered, better form and cleaner color. (Mass.)
2. A brilliant iris and quite unusual. (Mass.)

Gudrun: (Dykes) 1. A glorious Moonlight with a bluish cast.
(Canada.) 2. An enormous white, although I like Easter Morn
better, different forms. (Ga. & Tenn.)

Happy Bays: (Mitchell) 1. Splendid new yellow of large size,
lacks a little substance, but is much better than W. R. Dykes.
(Mass.) 2. The largest iris bloom of any color, being as large
as El Capitan. (Calif.) 3. Not quite body enough. Immense
flower. Beautiful yellow. (Mass.) 4. A very large flower of good
color but Mr. Mitchell and others will doubtless produce better
yellows. ( Calif. )

Helios: (Cayeux) 1. Recommended for the South. Very fine.
(Ga.)

Imperial Blush: (Sass, H. P.) 1. It is a splendid pink iris of
fine form, height and texture. (Ga.) 2. I prefer this over Pink
Satin. (Conn.)

Jasmania: (Ayres) 1. W. R. Dykes coloring. Clear yellow falls,
no reticulations. Domed standards, slightly ruffled. Orange beard,
flower 514 x 514. Height, 45 inches; good branching; good tex-

[82]

ture ; good substance. (0.) 2. First time to bloom. A yellow and
light brown blend with a touch of lavender in center of fall. (0.)

JeJ) Stuart: (B) (Washington) 1. A very distinct thing, a bi-
color with tan standards and red falls. 2. The finest thing in
dark blends that I have seen. (Tenn.) 3. Stands out in the gar¬
den, color runs up well into the haft. A fine iris. (Tenn.) 4.
Substance less good than it looks when first fully opened.
Tends to soften in hot sun. (0. and Conn.)

Jerry: (B) (Lapham) 1. A fine red bi-color, reddest of the
early bloomers. (Wash., D. C.) 2. The color is like nothing I
have ever seen, very bright ruby red. A brighter color than Red
Beauty. (Mass.)

Joy cette: (B) (Sass, J.) 1. Most resembles Red Dominion with
suggestion of Old Rose. (Nebr.) 2. In J. Sass’ garden in 1932 I
preferred Joycette over El Tovar, but the latter in Col. Nicholls’
garden in 1934 was superior to Joycette there and in my own
garden. (0.)

Junaluska: (Kirkland) 1. Junasluska is outstanding in Dr.
Kirkland’s new-toned coppery bi-colors. (Tenn.) 2. The color is
very distinct, on a tall stem with a finely formed flower.

K. V. Ayres: (Ayres) 1. K. V. Ayres is the finest of the Can¬
dlelight type of blend. In color, a pinkish grey, mauve with
cream yellow base. Last year seemed cpiite close to Ningal, but
this season they are not at all similar. Very large, tall and well
shaped. 2. In the hot sun of this summer I thought the color was
almost too delicate to carry well. All visitors liked it, however.
The growth was very heavy and I thought the flower a trifle
coarse and lacking the finish so common among French irises.
(Colo.)

Jjargo: (Ashley) 1. Lovely but little different from others in
this color class. (Ill.) 2. Soft color but rather too weak and
washed-out (Md.) 3. A distinctly good iris. (0.)

Legend: (Wareham) 1. A taller, larger and much improved
Cardinal. (Ill.) 2. This variety was sent gratis to me last summer.
I was greatly surprised by its splendid size, form and habit in
view of its low rating of 73 in 1932. (N. J. & Conn.)

Little America: (Kirkland) 1. A pure white flower, white,
beard, excellent. (Tenn.) 2. Little America, a very large, tall,
hardy pure white. Not as large as the California whites, but close
in size. Very pure white, fine substance, and a fine rounded flar-

[83]

ing shape. Beard white. First class in every way. (Tenn.)
3. Very fine and distinctive. (Tenn.)

Maluska: (B) (Nesmith) 1. An excellent flower with fine gar¬
den value. (Mass.) 2. Not needed as I saw it. (Mass.) 3. Bet¬
ter than Grace Sturtevant. (Mass.). 4. A fine iris. (Mass.)

Marjory: (Stern) 1. A most beautiful flower, lavender S.,
closed. F. velvety bright red-violet. Fine form. Largest size,
two flowers out on each stalk. One of the finest of that color I
have seen. (Mass.)

Mary Geddes: (Washington) 1. A very fine blend. My notes
say “Must get Mary Geddes.” (Ga.) 2. A beautiful color when
fresh, but tends to fade rather badly. To my mind the con¬
spicuous veining detracts from its beauty. (Ill. & Mass.) 3. One
of the first of a new range of color. A blend with orange and
rose. (Mass.) 4. A beautiful iris. Splendid bloomer and per¬
fectly hardy. One of my favorites. (Ga.) 5. An iris of beauti¬
ful and unusual color, which attracts much attention. Good form,
tall and well-branched stalks. (Ia.)

Maya: (B) (Washington) 1. An outstanding blend with a deep
strawberry red note. (Tenn.) 2. A beautiful coppery red of fine
form and finish. (Tenn. & Mass.) 3. Perfectly branched, fine
height. Not as pink as Rosy Wings, nor as unusual, more bronzy
like Bronze Beacon. (Mass.)

Missouri: (A) (Grinter) 1. A blue halfway between the tones
of Pacific and Sierra Blue, of beautiful clearness. (Colo.) 2. A
wonderful blue. Enormous flowers. Fine substance and form.
Bloom over a long range of time. (Ga.)

Monomoy: (A) (McKee) 1. A handsome, well formed flower
of dark blue-purple coloring. Great substance. (Mass.) 2. Much
larger than Meldoric, better grower, fine substance and rich vel¬
vety texture. The best dark iris. (Mass.)

Ningal: (Ayres) 1. This iris has refinement. The best light
blend seen this year. (0. & Conn.) 2. Not a very good oppor¬
tunity to judge with assurance. Color delicate, hardly positive
enough. Falls rather narrow. It is hardly outstanding as in¬
dicated by the one good stem present. Only four flowers on this
stem. (Md.)

Nordic: (Kirkland) 1. Tan and red-toned bi-color distinctive
coloring and form. (Tenn.) 2. Not very distinctive in color.
(Tenn.)

[84]

No-We-Ta: (C) (Sass, H. P.) 1. Not a tall show iris but a won¬
derful garden flower — large frilled, beautiful rosy-pink blend.
(Nebr.) 2. Dainty and charming for garden border. (Ill.) 3.
Question: — 16 judges gave this a rating of 85 in 1933. Why in¬
clude it in the 1934 ratings, when such as Lux, Serenade, etc.,
are barred? Also Jean Cayeux, Marquita, Anne Marie Cayeux,
etc.? (N. J.)

Orilica: (Kirkland) 1. Another of Dr. Kirkland’s coppery
toned bi-colors, lightest of all in tone. (Tenn.) 2. Dr. Kirkland
has a number of copper and tans that are superior but some of
them are so near alike that all are not needed. Orilica and 0 jib¬
way especially were much alike. (Tenn.)

Parthenon: (A) (Connell) 1. A fine upstanding hardy white of
excellent carriage. (Tenn.) 2. Parthenon is fine large hardy white,
in color what we expect of Moonlight, a warm nice white overlaid
with a flush of clear yellow, haft veined yellow7. (Tenn.)

Persia: (Ayres) 1. Persia does very well indeed in Georgia.
Hardy, profuse bloomer. Flowers well poised on strong stems.
(Ga.) 2. Simply grand. (0.)

Pink Opal: (B) (Sass, J.) 1. Near Pink Satin and Imperial
Blush — not very distinctive. (Ill.) 2. Judged on both new and
established plantings in three gardens in Iowa and Nebraska. Bet¬
ter color and substance than Pink Satin. Worst fault is too high
branching stalk. (Nebr.) 3. It is a charming iris and I am a long
ways from giving it up in my garden, but even so, was surprised
that it should have been introduced since Imperial Blush, one of
its progeny, is so much better- — is so much better branched and
with flowers more ruffly. (Ia.)

Prof. S. B. Mitchell: (Cayeux) 1. Prof. S. B. Mitchell is a very
rich deep brilliant red violet, with oversheen of blue. Slightly
white at haft and cold there. S. of good shape, but F. could be
improved. A distinct new color in a very large flower on tall, fine
stem. Near some of Col. Nicholls’ Valor seedlings in color and
height and size. (Calif.) 2. Blooms bunch and is lacking in sub¬
stance. Color appealed to the public. (Calif.)

Red Dominion: (Ayres) 1. Not as large or tall as it might be
but I can find few^ varieties to compare with it in general ex¬
cellence as it grows for me. (Colo.) 2. This is not what I con¬
sider a red iris but is a fine iris and a very free bloomer. (Mass.)

Red Robe: (Nicholls) 1. A good iris but not in the “red” class

[85]

at all. In color class of ‘‘Red” Dominion and Donna Sol but
does not appear to be equal of Donna Sol. (Ind.) 2. A fine
variety but not tall and free blooming for me. That is what
brought the rating down. Think it of enough value to award it
the A. M. (0.)

Robert: (Ayres) 1. Fine yellow of good substance and form.
Tall and well branched. (0.) 2. A large flowered soft yellow with
a flush of blue in the center of the fall. Good, resembles Sunol.
(0.)

Rosy Wings: (A) (Gage) 1. Color of a dark ripe velvety peach.
Good enough to eat. (Mass.) 2. An outstanding iris. Large flow¬
ers on a tall well-branched stalk. Attracts instant attention be¬
cause of its beautiful and unusual color. (Mass.)

Royal Beauty: (B) (McKee) An attractive iris but it hardly
achieves greatness to my mind. (Colo.)

Shining Waters: (A) (Essig) 1. I consider this the best blue
I have seen to date. (Calif.) 2. Shining Waters is the best
of the large group of fine blues put out by Essig. Although the
others are all distinct. Shining Waters has more all ’round good
points than any other; it is the bluest, is of good depth of color,
of very even distribution and good size and height. (Calif.) 3.
Lavender self of the most satiny texture. Segments are a little
narrow. (Mass.)

Sierra Blue: (A) (Essig) 1. This is the best of the Essig blues.
(Mass.) 2. A tall well balanced stalk and flower of attractive
color. It may not satisfy all of the requirements of the perfect
flower but it pleases me year by year better than any flower that
I grow. (Colo.) 3. Sierra Blue is the tallest, largest and perhaps
the most striking of all the Essig blues, or California blues, for
that matter. Pour and a half feet and over, with huge blooms of
perfect flaring shape and heavy substance, of beautiful shades of
blue and blue purple, it is very impressive. (Calif.)

Spokan: (Sass, J.) 1. A large bloom. It, and War Eagle, both
very fine, although I like Spokan slightly better. (Ga.) 2. Big —
crowded. Good, but not particularly lovely. Not a great iris to
my eyes. (Ind.) 3. So new and distinct that it is hard to com¬
pare it to anything, but Timagami is somewhat similar.

Spring Maid: (Loomis) 1. The most wonderful branched stalk
as it grew in my garden. 48 inches with 6 blooms at one time.
Very fine. (Ga.)

[86]

Sunol: (B) (Mitchell) 1. Dull gold and blue blend of ex¬
cellent substance. (Mass.) 2. Very soft, usual colors that some
people find dull, others beautiful. (Calif.)

Talisman: (Murrell) 1. Small flower, short. Pink and yellow
buff effect. Somewhat better than Opal Dawn. (Mass.) 2. Resists
rain very well. Fades very quickly. (Mass.) 3 Nothing wonder¬
ful except color. (Ga.)

The Black Douglas: (B) (Sass, J.) 1. A large black self of

good form, the blackest iris I have seen. (Nebr.) 2. The orange
touch on beard and veining at haft make it lighter than Black
Wings.

Tenaya: (Essig) 1. Extremely floriferous and rich in effect.
(Mass.) 2. The best one of the new varieties I have seen this
year. (Mass.)

Tlieodolinda: (C) (Ayres) 1. Probably a better doer hereabouts
than San Francisco which is with me very susceptible to root rot,
and Los Angeles which is less so. (Conn.) 2. Large but a bit
loose in its make-up. (Md.)

Tint O’ Tan: (Ayres) 1. Rather a distinct copper brown color.
(0.) 2. A tall light golden bronze. Not particularly good form
as falls tend to pinch and twist. (0.) 3. Taller than Tuscany

Gold, more branching with larger flowers of long and narrow
divisions. (0.)

Trail’s End: (B) (Williamson) 1. In form like Sachem, but in
color a medium pastel pink blend; when established expected to
show the same fine quality of Sachem. (Wash., D. C.) 2. This
iris is flue in every way except for the size of falls, — too small.
Novel in color. (Ill.)

Valor: (A) (Nichofls) 1. Finer than Van Cleve but very close.
Richer effect from dark haft. Not as fine branching. (Mass.) 2. A
longer Swazi floAver on a tall stiff well-branched stem. (N. J.
& N. Y.)

Venus cle Milo: (Ayres) 1. An outstanding iris deserving of
merit. (0.) 2. Substance papery. No award of any kind recom¬
mended. (Va.)

War Eagle: (Sass, J.) 1. War Eagle was one of the most out¬
standing irises in Mr. Graham’s garden. For beauty of color,
distinction of carriage, perfection of plant, it had few, if any,
equals. A wonderful iris. (Ga.) 2. Very striking although I like
Spokan a trifle more. (Ga. & Tenn.)

[87]

SPECIES NOTES

Notes on Iris Chrysophylla

The irises of the Pacific Northwest are usually mentioned as
suitable for rock garden use. This is true in general, but three
species, Douglasiana, tenax and missouriensis are too tall to be
quite right in a small-scale rock garden. Missouriensis is capable
of growing to three feet in well-watered, rich ground, though it
is usually not more than half as tall. Douglasiana has coarse
leathery foliage, and when two or three years established, is really
just too big. Both are lovely as cut flowers, or naturalized
among rocks on a slightly shaded piece of ground. Tenax in some
local forms, is coarse ; in others, slender and delicate.

But Iris chrysophylla is a good rock garden subject, if it can
be given some shade, possibly that of trees at a little distance, or
the shade made by a large rock to the south of the plant. The
flowers are much lower than the leaves, and like crocuses, have
so little stem as to seem entirely stemless. The long slender
throat of the flower serves as a stem, given support by the bracts
that sheathe it. It is two to five inches above the ground, and the
leaves are two to three times as tall.

The color of this iris is, generally speaking, creamy white, and
it is known in southern Oregon as the “white iris.’7 But its
local forms give several variations in color as well as in height
of the flower, width Of sepals, etc. The color variation is mainly
in the veining, but this gives the flower its tone, delicate pastel
lavender, blue or primrose without much difference in the creamy
ground color. The veins are tawny brown, red, golden yellow and
shades of blue or lavender.

The flower is found growing in rather gritty soil, sometimes
in deep evergreen shade, always where it has some shade. It
seems to bloom more abundantly where shade and sunshine are
alternated. In our garden we do not seem to ripen seem, and that
is probably because it is too dry during the period just after
blooming.

Drew Sherrard, Oswego, Ore.

[88]

Iris Jiistrioides Foster

Now that we begin to have supplies of Iris reticulata available
in the trade in this country it is to be hoped that our growers
will turn their attention to building up stocks of some of its allies
of which this is one of the most charming. According to Dykes,
it increases naturally by the production of small bulblets as well
as some offsets of rather better size. If grown in frames so that
no accidents of weather overtake its blooming it is probable that
one could have supplies of seed as well so that two methods of in¬
crease could help the grower through the early years of increase.

Seed of all these small bulbous iris germinate freely, making a
single leaf the first year and growing on slowly to their maturity.
Care must be taken in the seed bed to insure that the tiny bulbs
are not lost in any weeding that might disturb the surface. Shad¬
ing may be required to keep them from too intense heat during
midsummer.

Coming from northern Asia Minor, the plants do not suffer
from cold in winter and since this species produces its leaves well
after its early flowers, the leaves are not damaged in freezing, so
that the bulbs are not crippled by any frosts that might destroy
tender leaves produced in midwinter. The flowers appear with
the earliest crocus species, showing here in the first mild days that
release the soil from frost. They show above the ground as do
crocus flowers and need some not too rampant ground cover to set
off their delicate pale blue loveliness. To my eye they are far bet¬
ter in their clear lavender blue than the form of reticulata known
as Cantab, but that is perhaps purely a matter of opinion. If
one is lucky enough to have access to collected bulbs there is con¬
siderable variation to be noted in the exact hue and in the amount
of spotting on the blade of the falls. Standards, falls and style
branches are of about the same color, but in the center of the falls
there is a central white area that is veined and dotted with the
same color as the rest of the flower and set off by a ridge of yellow.

The editors shall be particularly glad to hear from any mem¬
bers who are now growing this species.

Washington, D. C.

IRIS TENUIS

Iris tenuis is an example of a plant which has forsaken the
usual habits of its genus. It is a typical woodland plant, quite
different in all its requirements from the other native north¬
western irises, and restricted in its range to a small portion of
the western slopes of the Cascade Range.

I first saw it growing in a typical foothill forest crowded
in among the dense undergrowth that covered the forest floor.
Here the growth was quite sparse, and the plants so scattered
that the casual observer would not have seen them among
the other plants. This was the only place that I knew of where
they grew, and I quite naturally concluded that it was rare
in numbers as well as restricted in range.

Last summer, however, my son came home from a mountain
camp with a tale of some plants seen in the forest on a moon¬
light hike which he thought might be irises, and so, one hot after¬
noon we started off on their trail.

The quest led us high up in the densely wooded hills clear to
the end of a primitive forest road and down a precipitous trail
over boulders and fallen trees. After we had scrambled down
hill through the dense underbrush for about two miles we came
quite suddenly upon a gently sloping hillside quite free from
underbrush, save for a few rhododendrons and hazel bushes. The
ancient Douglas fir trees were three to four feet in diameter,
but the thing that compelled the attention was the irises. There
was no other undergrowth here. They covered the forest floor
like the grass on any lowland meadow. There were literally
thousands of plants on this one slope. Here in the leaf mold and
decaying moss the plant was at home, and gazing at the plants,
I hastily revised my former opinion about Iris tenuis being rare
in numbers.

Iris tenuis has a running rhizome which produces rather sparse
fans of leaves at intervals along its course, although this charac¬
teristic is somewhat modified in cultivation, and the plant then
becomes more compact in habit. The leaves which grow to a height
of seven inches are rather wide in proportion to their length,
light green in color and rather lax in texture.

The branched flower stem produces several blossoms in succes¬
sion. They are light cream or white in color, and the falls are

[90]

George C. Stephenson

Iris tenuis

marked down the center with yellow, and have a few faint pur¬
ple veins. They are rather flat, and are very dainty in appear¬
ance.

The blooming season is in May and extends over quite a long
period. Established plants flower very freely. This iris takes
very kindly to cultivation, and when planted in loose soil in a
shaded place will flourish and form heartier and more compact
clumps than it does in the wild state.

Carl Starker, Jennings Lodge, Ore.

[91]

Iris Sintenisii Janka

This small iris resembles the familiar Iris graminea in many
ways and Dykes in his “Handbook of Garden Iris77 describes it
as intermediate between that species and a small spuria. The
plants here and all others that I have seen in cultivation have been
smaller than graminea so possibly all have been propagated from
some small individual plant.

It is easily raised from seed and soon forms tufted clumps of
wiry, evergreen foliage through which the short flower stalks rise
bearing two or three rather spidery flowers that resemble those of
graminea in color and form. They are followed in due course by
fat seed pods, conspicuously ridged and ending in a sharp beak.

If one had ample room and time it might be interesting to
raise hundreds of seedlings from which might be selected particu¬
larly good forms. Since it is a plant of dwarf stature and the
most compact of habit, it makes a good iris for the rock garden
although it by no means requires that treatment for successful
growth. Native to the Balkans and Asia Minor as well as Italy,
it is quite hardy to cold.

i

L. A. Guernsey

Iris Sintenisii

[93 J

I

TID-BITS 37TH

From California —

Speaking of irises, I must not fail to call attention to the pecu¬
liar condition which exists in our gardens at the present time. A
long warm fall followed by rather early warm rains has led our
irises to believe that it is early spring and the seedlings in par¬
ticular are sending up a wealth of bloom right now. This bloom¬
ing is not only confined to seedlings but quite a number of my
standard varieties which I divided in July are already beginning
to bloom. Ivory Coast has been blooming for two months and
looks to me as if it would bloom again before spring arrives. You
will be particularly interested in knowing that the large white
iris which was so fine last spring bloomed, opened up two times
more, and now has a flower in full glory. Although this first
flower stalk is not up to standard, and the flower is not as large
as it should be, it is none the less quite good, although on its
present showing I would not care to send it out. Fortunately there
are other divisions which will probably not bloom until next March
and I can have a better idea of its value. All of the irises are
coming up in splendid condition, and if we have a late, rainy
spring, we will have a magnificent showing. On the other hand
if our spring turns dry, as it did last year, we will jmobably have
an off season. I may be able to avoid this by turning on the
sprinklers in the event of such a catastrophe.

Berkeley, California. E. 0. Essig.

Getting Acquainted with Iris

Every plant has its own peculiarities — its points of interest, its
lure for the interest of those who would lear. Those avIio have
the keenest interest in iris find the greatest pleasure in studying
its habits. All this is true of every variety of plant and each will
be worth a time of study by its friends.

We have not found any plant that will stand more abuse,
extremes of heat or cold, wet or dry, than the bearded iris. The
experiment of planting iris in the frozen ground in December
was successful — so was the experiment of leaving a clump on a
pile of lumber during June, July and August, and then planting.

[94]

It is a common tiling to see iris thrown out on blue grass sod
taking root and making a fine show.

By digging iris frequently we note that soon after the bloom¬
ing season all the old roots shrivel up and die and an entirely new
set of roots develop. Of what advantage is this extravagant habit?
The rose does not do this — in fact, hardly any other plant has
this habit. As this change is taking place there comes a little
resting period and this is the best time to transplant. Then the
new plant establishes its roots in the new location and is able to
make growth sufficient to insure a good crop of flowers the fol¬
lowing year.

The three chief enemies of iris are leaf spot, root rot and the
borer By burning the field sometime during the dormant season
the spores of leaf spot are destroyed. A spray of bordeaux in
the spring after growth starts will accomplish the same thing.
Root rot may be escaped largely by avoiding deep planting. We
have had no experience with the borer in Nebraska. The very hot
summers are likely unfavorable for the development of this pest.

The flower is not the only point of interest in iris. Leaves vary
much in color. Gertrude has yellow-green leaves. Some have trans¬
verse markings — some are ribbed. Flower stems are interesting.
Not all are straight and sturdy; some are bent and some are twin¬
ing.

For several years I have kept a record of the date of the first
bloom for several hundred iris. Five of these are taken to make
up a calendar to indicate the comparative earliness of the season.
The figures indicate the date of the first flower, all of these being
in May, are as follows:

1931

1932

1933

1934

Halfdan _

______ 10

4

7

3

Ivorine _

11

5

7

3

Nymph _

_ 12

4

10

2

Crimson King _

______ 12

5

14

3

Kochii _

______ 16

5

14

3

Totals _

— . 61

23

52

14

Approximate Average ... .

12

4%

10

3

The spring of 1934 showed a development a week earlier than
in 1933.

Continued experiments in cold storage during the past season

[95]

showed that iris in bud could be kept in good condition for the
show room for 18 days when stored in a temperature of 33 to 35.
Many experiments have shown that 18 days is the safe limit.
Furthermore, experiment has shown that it is best to stage these
stored flower stems the evening before the show opens since they
open much slower than flower stalks picked the morning of the
show.

The experiment of planting seed at various times in the fall
has shown that those planted in August as soon as the seed are
ripe germinate the cpiickest. A light straw mulch protects these
when winter comes. Nature sows the seeds in August when the
pods burst open. This seems like a very good hint as to the best
time to plant.

I have not seen any information as to the length of the bloom¬
ing season of any iris. When I make further records on the date
of the last bloom it will be easy to determine the span covered by
each in its floral display. I am counting on this being very in¬
teresting.

The fun of crossing iris is a chapter by itself. How hard we
tried to make crosses with Zua ! A number of years ago Dr.
Everett showed us a neat way of applying the pollen. Holding the
flower stalk by the stem, all the parts were pulled off but the
stamens. This made it very easy to apply the pollen to the stig¬
mas of some other flower.

Lincoln, Nebraska. G. H. Graham.

Iris Notes from North Dakota . . .

The year 1934 has been in many ways a very trying one for the
Iris Grower in North Dakota . . . The year has been marked on
the west slope of “the Big Muddy” with scarcely any moisture.
. . This, together with hot, dry winds and dust storms, made the
year a difficult one . . .

I had the privilege this summer of attending the National Show
at Lincoln, and this was a very happy experience. To know Dr.
Everett and the Sass brothers. To have a chance to chat infor¬
mally with Robert Schreiner who has been so kind to me in help¬
ing solve some of my soil problems was an experience that I will
long remember . . .

I enjoyed that day too at the Sass farms and it will be of
real value to me for our conditions here are so similar ... I

[96]

found that my own cultural methods which I had worked out
for our location were almost identical with those in Eastern Ne¬
braska and while we have harder winter conditions yet the wind¬
swept hills of Washington County ought to point to hard varie¬
ties with us . . .

As a result of the trip I made many contacts that I value very
much ... To see J. D. and hear his hearty laugh. To get to
know Mrs. Marriage and Mr. Andrews were real treats . . . One
of the pleasant features of the trip was the informal discussion
on the bus trip from Lincoln to the Sass farms.

Our blooming season this year was shorter than usual and
many varieties did not bloom at all. I may be wrong but I
have attributed this not so much to the hard winter as to the lack
of moisture and growing condition the previous fall ... I had
the pleasure of spending an evening with the Iris fans of Fargo
and Eastern North Dakota at the time of their Iris show after
the national . . . Perhaps you would like to know just a little
about it . . .

The show itself was held in one of the large furniture stores
and while the entry list was small yet the quality was surprisingly
good. The judge of the show was George H. Flynn of Enderlin,
North Dakota. The show is a project of the Fargo Garden So¬
ciety and this year was open to the public . . . Mrs. Jack Easton
was the grand winner of the show and captured all three trophies
offered. The 0. J. DeLendrecie Cup for the most points gained.
. . . The Northwest Nursery Trophy for the largest number of
named varieties and the Fargo Garden Club trophy for the most
outstanding flower of the show . . . Other high points were held
by Mrs. J. A. Berger and Mrs. John Pollock, Third . . . The show
was well staged and in the main was made up of standard varie¬
ties. Very few newer varieties were exhibited this year, owing in
part to the season ... I was struck by the fine exhibit of other
than bearded varieties shown by Mrs. Walster. Dean Walster
for a number of years has been specializing in the non-bearded
classes and we hope one of these days to have the story of those
experiments in print. He has promised that he will write a paper
for us on his work as soon as there comes a let up in his heavy
program . . . The Fargo Club are to be congratulated on keeping
the work going in a difficult year . . .

[97]

So far this winter lias been very favorable and we all look
forward with true western optimism to a good year in 1935 . . .
North Dakota is becoming increasingly Iris conscious and we are
hoping that we may have some more members for the National
this coming year ... If any of our Iris friends are going through
to the West Coast via the Northern Pacific, we would be delighted
to have them stop off in the Capitol City. While we have no
large plantings yet you will be given a cordial welcome and the
latchstring of the Manse is always out to flower lovers . . .

Rev. Ellis L. Jackson,
Bismarck, North Dakota.

Comment

In glancing over the Spring, 1930, Bulletin, I noticed Mrs.
Hires’ notes on root rot. She suggests that perhaps heavily limed
soil is responsible. I wonder if these data taken from my notes
would be of any use.

In the summer of 1931, I planted Frieda Mohr, Dolly Madison,
Folkwang, Gaviota, Gay Huzzar, Bruno, Purissima, Cardinal,
True Delight, Esplendido, Germaine Perthuis, Gloriae, Lady Fos¬
ter, Mary Barnett and Tenebrae in a very shady spot on the
north side of a building. The soil had been enriched entirely
with leaf mold from maple, apple, elm and poplar leaves. The
first summer I had a slight amount of rot in Folkwang, but it
recovered of it sown accord, although it did not bloom until 1934.
Purissima didn’t grow at all and although Frieda Mohr grew it
did not bloom. The others did beautifully and the color of the
blossoms was more intense due to the heavy shade. In the summer
of 1933 I moved all of these except Folkwang. Bruno I moved to
a sunny spot that was not limed or enriched in any way. It has
given me no trouble. The others I moved to a location that was
slightly less shady than the previous one being on the north of
my neighbor’s garage. The soil had been heavily fertilized with
bone meal twice a year and had one application of lime in 1934.
Purissima and Frieda Mohr struggled for a year and finally
died; Gay Huzzar lost all its previous vigor and in the past
autumn I lost half the clump with root rot. Of True Delight
and Mary Barnett I have only a few scraps left. Esplendido,
Cardinal and Lady Foster were affected to a less degree; Dolly
Madison only slightly; Tenebrae, Gloriae, Gaviota and Germaine

[98]

Perthuis not at all. I am continuing my records and am cutting
down on the use of both bone meal and lime.

I have found the additional varieties immune to root rot in soil
that has been heavily limed and fertilized with bone meal and in
heavy shade: Blackamoor, Blue Hill, Blue Velvet, Cameliard,
Clara Noyes, El. Egleberg, Grace Sturtevant, King Tut, Mar¬
quisette, Midwest Pride, Morning Splendor, Nene, Prairie Gold,
Rameses, Rheingauperle, Robt. W. Wallace, Romance, Santa Bar¬
bara, Sir Michael and Violet Crown.

Eleanor Hill, Oklahoma.

Fragrance. The powers that be have said that the introducer
of a new Iris shall state what other flower it smells like, if any.
Why? How do we know that the introducer’s nose knows?

There is too much hair splitting by people who have no micro¬
tome. The question of fragrance alone is debatable enough itself.
Here are some examples. A says that I. Fairy smells like grapes ;
B says that it smells like locust. What locust? Wait a minute,
I ’ll tell you exactly what it smells like ; that soft drink called
New Grape.

One authority says I. graminea smells like ripe apricots, an¬
other says plums.

The pseudo-species I. sambucina was so named because it is sup¬
posed to smell like Elder blossoms and I have in front of me an
English catalogue which says plums.

No, just say fragrant, not forgetting that fragrance and odor
are not synonymous.

The only Iris that my nose tells me that it smells like any
other flower is the Dutch Iris Golden Bronze, which, when fresh,
has a heavy freesia fragrance.

Iconoclast.

Varietal Notes

Beau Sabreur is a disappointment. The falls flatten even in
fair weather. I can’t say that I like the somewhat muddy color
combination.

Clara Noyes is an answer to those who would take the tweezers
away from zealous hybridists. Although it is a wonderful ad¬
vance in blends, the form and texture are in need of improvement.

[99]

Dolly Madison should be in every collection. Something about
the flower suggests the charm ancl graciousness which we associate
with the name of the wife of an early president.

Frieda Mohr, despite the conspicuous veining on the falls, is
still one of the best pinks I have seen. It has the most satisfying
perfume of any iris in the garden.

Hollywood is a real iris for Pacific Northwest gardens where
occasional rains during flowering season spoil many beautiful iris
with less substance. It is an enchantingly lovely blend which be¬
comes more delightful as the season advances.

Los Angeles was admired by all who saw the magnificent stalk
in my garden last spring. It is almost perfect.

Midgard is another iris which appeals to garden visitors. The
branching is rather poor. On the whole, I consider it one of the
best blends I have. It is beautiful in mass.

Pluie d’Or would be a desirable yellow if the standards did
not fade so.

Pink Satin, as I saw it on a one-year plant in another garden,
made me decide to try Airy Dream.

Rasakura is a rose purple bicolor with Dominion qualities. The
branching is good. This is one iris which almost needs the sun
behind it in order to bring out the glorious coloring.

Souvenir de Loetitia Micitaud is the best light blue I have
seen. Last winter (a mild one on the Pacific Coast) the plant
was left without protection. This fall it shall be covered. I will
not chance losing such a beauty.

William Mohr does not stand up well after a “heavy mist.”
The flowers are bunched on the stalk. Yet, if I were planting
another garden, I would surely have it, even if this new garden
were in the showery Puget Sound country.

J. Dornblut, Bellingham, Wash.

L 100 ]

TO READ OR NOT TO READ

■ How to Arrange Flowers, by Dorothy Biddle. Doubleday
Doran, Garden City, N. Y. $1.00.

As might be expected from the editor of Garden Digest, Mrs.
Johnson has given as a delightfully comprehensive presentation
of the art. It is unique in that home decoration through the sea¬
son is the guiding motive and that the good illustrations are re¬
inforced by a wealth of small pen and ink drawings. This seems
to emphasize the value of line and balance over mass or color
and it has always seemed to me that, for most of us, economy of
material is a necessity. There are chapters on handling flowers,
on accessories to their arrangement, on periods and styles (in
particular an unusually clear and helpful exposition of the Jap¬
anese “Way of Flowers”) and even a brief bit of advice to the
exhibitor as to standards of judging. As far as I know, Mrs.
Johnson has not been prominent either as a winner or as a judge
at flower shows and her book gains in value from this broader,
less individualistic point of view. It will help an exhibitor, but
it should join the most favored cook book as a home reference
book. The author well expresses her indebtedness to the illustra¬
tor, Miss Dorothea Bloom for there is hardly a page without its
illustrative appeal.

[lot ]

COMMERCIAL DIRECTORY

All of the dealers listed below are members of The American
Iris Society. If you are buying iris for your garden, it should be your
particular pleasure to make your purchases from the dealers who have
worked with and supported your society. Your officers and directors
invite your particular attention to this list. They also ask a favor.
When you order, tell the dealer you saw his name in the Bulletin
and do him a favor by not asking for a catalog unless you mean
business.

LEO J. ECELBERC
IRISES

Husky Northern Grown Rhizomes
142 South Sixth Street
LA CROSSE WISCONSIN

FAIR CHANCE FARM

CHOICE BEARDED IRIS

Fall-Blooming, Tall, Intermediates,
Dwarfs.

MELVIN G. GEISER
BELOIT KANSAS

GLEN ROAD IRIS
CARDENS

Miss Grace Sturtevant
Outstanding Novelties

Standard Varieties
WELLESLEY FARMS MASS.

HILL IRIS AND PEONY
FARM

The Best in Irises

Our Specialty: Reliable Fall Bloomers
LAFONTAINE KANSAS

THE IRIS CARDEN

Only the Finest Bearded Iris

DOROTHY STONER
OVERLAND PARK KANSAS

LONCFI ELD IRIS FARM

Williamson Originations
Best Bearded Varieties and Species
BLUFFTON, INDIANA

M I LLI KEN IRIS
CARDENS

Introducers of Easter Morn, Lady
Paramount, Sierra Blue, and Others.

PASADENA CALIF.

970 NEW YORK AVE.

NORTHBROOK CARDENS,
INC.

Peonies and Iris
World’s Best Varieties

Dundee Road Northbrook, Ill.

Tel. Northbrook 160

OVER-the-GARDEN-WALL
IRISES for the

Rock Garden, Pool Edge and
Hardy Border

WEST HARTFORD CONN.

QUALITY CARDENS

Owned by Mrs. Douglas Pattison
Newest, Rarest and Finest Iris
FREEPORT ILLINOIS

THE AMERICAN
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY

INVITES to membership all persons who are seriously inter¬
ested in horticulture. For its members it publishes an illus¬
trated quarterly, The National Horticultural Magazine in which
will be found a more diverse and interesting collection of horti¬
cultural material than in any other American garden publication.
It was written by and for its members. Among its regular features
are articles on: Conifers, California plants, American natives, iris
species, narcissus, succulents, lilies, unusual shrubs and trees, rock
plants, ivies, and many more. Particular features for 1934 will
include a horticultural review of fuchsias and preliminary reports
on tulip species. Membership is three dollars the year. Checks
should be made to the Society and sent to Mr. C. C. Thomas,
211 Spruce Street, Takoma Park, Washington, D. C.

THE AMERICAN IRIS SOCIETY

LTHOUGH all readers of the Bulletin are supposed to know
that the annual dues of the Society are three dollars payable
by the calendar year, it has been called to our attention that there
is a chance that someone who is not a member may read your copy
and wonder how he too may become a subscriber. If you happen
to be such a reader, let us assure you that the Society welcomes to
membership all persons who are interested in iris who feel that
special knowledge of iris would be welcome in their gardening.

Make your check or money order payable to the American Iris
Society and send to Mr. B. Y. Morrison, Secretary, 821 Washington
Loan & Trust Bldg., Washington, D. C. Please follow this in¬
struction. It will help us all in the record keeping.

BULLETIN

OF THB

American Iris Society

MARCH, 1935

REPORTS AND BUSINESS, 1934

NO. 56

CONTENTS

Report of the President, John C. Wister .

Report of the Vice President, E. E . Everett .

Report of the Secretary, B. Y. Morrison acting . .

Report of the Treasurer, Richardson Wright .

Regional Vice Presidents:

Mrs. Thomas Nesmith .

M. E. Douglas .

J. Marion Shull . •. .

Euclid Snow .

David C. Petrie .

Carl Starker .

William Miles .

Mrs. James Bachman .

Report of the Annual Meeting, Euclid Snow .

Jottings on the Lincoln Meeting, K. N. Marriage .

Report of Iris Shows, Mrs. W. L. Karcher .

American Iris Society Honors Miss Grace Sturtevant .

Report of the Committee on Awards, Donald Millilcen .

Registrations for 1934, C. E. F. Gersdorff .

Introductions of 1934, C. E. F. Gersdorff .

Dykes Medals, 1934 .

1935 Policy of Awards .

Notice of Annual Meeting, Nashville, Tenn .

Correction — Judges’ ballot .

1

4

5
7

9

9

11

13

14

14

15

17

18
21
23

27

28
32
49
54
54

58

59

Published Quarterly by

THE AMERICAN IRIS SOCIETY, 1918 HARFORD AVE., BALTIMORE, MD.

Entered as second-class matter January, 1934, at the Post Office at Baltimore, Md.,

under the Act of March 3, 1879.

#3.00 the Year — 50 Cents per Copy for Members

OFFICERS, 1934

Directors :

Term expiring 1935 : Sherman R. Duffy B. Y. Morrison

Mrs. J. Edgar Hires John C. Wister

Term expiring 193G: Dr. H. H. Everett J. B. Wallace, Jr.

Dr. J. H. Kirkland Richardson Wright

Term expiring 1937: W. J. McKee

Robert Schreiner

Euclid Snow
Robert Sturtevant

President — Dr. H. H. Everett, 1104 Sharp Bldg., Lincoln, Nebr.

Vice-President — Mr. W. J. McKee, 48 Kenwood Ave., Worcester, Mass.

Secretary — Mr. B. Y. Morrison, 821 Washington Loan and Trust Bldg.,
Washington, D. C.

Treasurer — Richardson Wright, House & Garden, Graybar Bldg., New York
City.

Regional Vice-Presidents —

1. Mrs. Herman E. Lewis, 180 Grove St., Haverhill, Mass.

2. Col. J. C. Nicholls, 114 Overton Rd., Ithaca, N. Y.

3. M. E. Douglas, Rugby Place, Woodbury, N. J.

4. J. Marion Shull, 207 Raymond St., Chevy Chase, Md.

5. Mrs. James R. Bachman, 2646 Alston Drive, Atlanta, Ga.

6. Dr. A. C. Kinsey, Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind.

7. C. P. Connell, 2001 Grand Ave., Nashville, Tenn.

8. Robert Schreiner, R. 1, Riverview Station, St. Paul, Minn.

9. Euclid Snow, R. F. D. 2, Hinsdale, Ill.

10. Mrs. Gross R. Scruggs, 3715 Turtle Creek Blvd., Dallas, Texas.

11. Stanley Clarke, School of Forestry, Univ. of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho.

12. Dr. P. A. Loomis, Colorado Springs, Colo.

13. Carl Starker, Jennings Lodge, Ore.

14. Prof. E. O. Essig, University of California, Berkeley, Calif.

15. William Miles, Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada.

Chairmen of Committees :

Scientific — Dr. A. E. Waller, 233 So. 17th St., Columbus, Ohio.
Election— Dr. C. Stuart Gager, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Membership and Publicity — Dr. II. II. Everett, 1102 Sharp Bldg.,
Lincoln, Neb.

Registration — C. E. F. Gersdorff, 1825 No. Capitol St., Washington, D. C.

Test Garden & Display Garden — Robt. Schreiner, Rt. 1, Riverview Sta.,
St. Paul, Minn.

Exhibition — Mrs. W. L. Karcher, 1011 W. Stephenson St., Freeport, Ill.

Bibliography — Mrs. W. H. Peckham, The Lodge, Skylands Farm, Ster-
lington, N. Y.

Awards — Dr. H. H. Everett.

Editorial Board — B. Y. Morrison, Chairman.

S. R. Duffy
Mrs. J. E. Hires
Mrs. Lena M. Lathrop

Mrs. C. S. McKinney
B. Y. Morrison
R. S. Sturtevant

LANTERN SLIDES — Rental Fee (to members) #10.00. Apply to Mrs.
K. H. Leigh, Mo. Botanical Garden, St. Louis, Mo.

ss& b'g w

»-< a i \ / l *\ 1

NEW YORK
BOTANICAL
GARDEN

THE AMERICAN IRIS SOCIETY

PRESIDENT’S REPORT FOR 1934

■ I present herewith my fifteenth Annual Report. The year
that has passed has been a difficult one on account of general busi¬
ness conditions but, in spite of that, the decline of the past years
has been checked. The Secretary’s report shows that instead of
losing another hundred or so members, as we feared might happen,
our total membership is only four below that of 1933. When con¬
ditions improve, I feel quite sure that our membership will once
again gain quite rapidly.

The Annual Meeting was held in Lincoln, Nebraska, on May
19th. In spite of weeks of unprecedented heat and drought, Ne¬
braska Iris enthusiasts put on a large and superb show and gave
all visitors a chance to see many fine new Irises, not only in and
around Lincoln but in the nurseries of Hans and Jacob Sass near
Omaha. Members were present from many states, including Min¬
nesota, Colorado and Oklahoma, on the northwest, Avest and south¬
west, Oeorgia on the south, and Pennsylvania on the east, Avitli
the states of Nebraska, IoAva and Illinois probably the most heavily
represented.

Lincoln is the most western point at which Ave have held a meet¬
ing, but in our fifteen years of existence we have met tAvice in
Illinois, twice in Ohio, and once in Kentucky, the other meetings
having been held along the Atlantic Coast from Washington to
Boston. It is a source of regret that we have not been able to meet
on the Pacific Coast, but it has seemed necessary and proper to
keep the meetings in or near the great rectangle in which our
membership is most thickly represented and which geographically
might be said to extend from Boston to Chicago to Cincinnati to
Washington. I have, however, tAvice during my presidency visited
California and made the personal acquaintance of many of our
members there, and Dr. Everett made the journey out there last
April.

As this is the last report which it Avill be my privilege to submit,
I should like to re-emphasize in it several points that I have often
mentioned before. This is a National Society. It must be kept

[1]

truly national, not allowed to become sectional. The object of the
Society is to promote the culture of Iris and to improve the quality
of Iris varieties. I believe that in its fifteen 3rears of history
the Society has succeeded in its undertakings in a remarkable way.
Anyone who doubts this should think back for a moment to the
period before 1920, when good Irises were comparatively little
known and when nomenclature was in great confusion. Iris grow¬
ers did not know each other, or what other growers or producers
were doing. Today, the Iris world is different. We know each
other.

By its many exhibitions held from coast to coast and from Texas
to Canada, the Society has given to the general public an oppor¬
tunity to see the finest Irises. There has been created a demand
for modern varieties, a demand which has led to the establishment
of many commercial nurseries specializing in Irises. Fifteen years
ago the newer kinds could be had from only one or two growers
in this country. The Public Test and Display Gardens of this
Society in many different states and the opening to the public of
the many nurseries and private gardens of our members have
likewise given to the general public an opportunity to see the im¬
provement of the Iris.

Our fifty-four Bulletins have given a wealth of information on
all phases of Iris growing and are in themselves a valuable refer¬
ence library, but their greater work has been to encourage the
publication of a number of books, many fine catalogs and of count¬
less magazine articles, all of which in their turn have helped to
popularize our favorite flower.

I have seen so much of the financial difficulties of other Societies
that I am thankful that our board of directors has always almost
leaned over backwards in its conservatism. As a result, we are
today proud of our sound financial position and of our small but
growing endowment fund, built up from careful savings and from
special contributions by our members.

Any Society like this which functions without a paid staff, owes
a great debt of thanks to its various officers. In the early years
the Secretary and Editor, Mr. Sturtevant, carried almost the entire
burden. Among our early helpers who are no longer with us were
Mr. Presby, Mr. Farr, Mr. Boyd, Mr. Scott, and Mrs. Lloyd. About
1925, Mrs. Peckham and Mrs. Hires became most active, and in
more recent years, Dr. Everett, Mr. Duffy, Mrs. Karcher, Mrs.

[2]

Waters, Mr. Morrison, Mr. Wallace and Mr. Wright have done
much. In retiring from the presidency, I wish to publicly thank
them and the many others, too numerous to mention, who have
worked with them, for all they have done for the Society and for
me personally. Without their energetic work such a Society as
ours could never have been built and without their loyal support
I should not have had the courage to accept the office of president
and to hold it so many years.

We all recognize the many shortcomings of the fifteen years of
work. I have worked to my utmost ability, and I am sure that
the new President, who is entering office with the best and happiest
wishes of all our members, will be able to greatly improve the service
of the Society. I should be negligent to my duty, however, if I did
not point out to our members that many of the things which have
been criticized can probably not be remedied until such time as the
Society is larger and has ample means and a competent paid staff.
Volunteer workers cannot be expected to be on the job eight hours
a day or any other stated length of time, day after day, year in and
year out. All of our officers are busy people interested in many
other activities, and they should not be expected to give an un¬
reasonable amount of time.

I firmly believe that the flower we represent deserves a Society
with a large endowment and a paid staff. While we have accom¬
plished much more in fifteen years than the founders of the
Society dared to hope for, it is still true that the surface of our
work has only been scratched and much more remains to be done.
I should like to leave this thought with the new officers and I be¬
speak for them the same loyal co-operation and support which has
been given to me during my term in office. I am very grateful for
the many kind letters which have come to me and for the cordial
friendship and support of the members. I want all these kind
friends to know that I look back upon the fifteen years of my
service as years of the greatest interest and happiness. It has
been a great and happy privilege to have been given the oppor¬
tunity and duty of leadership during the formative years of our
Society.

John C. Wister, President.

[3]

REPORT OF VICE-PRESIDENT

■ There is little to be said of 1934 except that in spite of the con¬
tinuing depression and unprecedented weather conditions our So¬
ciety continued to prosper. Certain deficiencies in policy were
corrected and certain others are in process of correction. Your
officers have tried to arrive at a happy compromise where dis-
sentants were somewhat equally divided.

A definite restraint in introduction of new varieties is notice¬
able; still further reduction would not be amiss, however.

It is to be hoped that the annual meeting at Nashville will be
widely attended. Great things await us there. We must remem¬
ber that iris alone do not make a garden. We should all welcome
an opportunity to add to and still further beautify our plantings
with other flowers which compliment the iris and extend their
lovely coloring throughout the summer.

We have a group of officers in the Society whose influence is
great but who have taken their importance somewhat lightly.
These are the Regional Vice-Presidents. We rely on them, because
of their greater knowledge of their region with its gardens and its
membership, to aid us in our contacts with the membership and
with the local conditions and problems which arise. We expect the
Regional Vice-Presidents to work to extend our field, to encourage
garden shows where iris is featured, and to lend a hand in the
betterment of the Bulletin, and in the activities of the Society.

Some have been cooperative in a splendid manner. At present
only four Vice-Presidents have reported for 1934. It is to be hoped
that the complete list will be in by the time this goes to press.

Your officers are giving freely of their time to make the Society
and the Bulletin worth while, and we expect you to cooperate
with friendly advice and criticism. After all it is your Society.

We need a growing membership to do all the things we have
planned. If each and everyone of you can and will bring in one
new member this year we can be still more valuable to you.

In this day of rapid transportation there is no reason why you
cannot visit many gardens during iris time. I know of nothing-
more delightful than to meet the splendid people who form our
iris-world. These contacts we make and the friendships we form
are more beautiful than the flower we love.

[4]

Good pictures of good iris and of nooks and corners in various
gardens are requested by the Editor. Use a color-screen to render
lone values truly. Remember that the success of the Bulletin cle-
pends on timely articles. If you have something worth while send
it to Mr. Morrison.

H. H. Everett, Vice-President.

REPORT OF SECRETARY

December 22, 1934
To Officers and Directors:

■ The year 1984 began with the transfer of the work of the Sec¬
retary, John B. Wallace, Jr., and from the office of the Science
Press to Mr. B. Y. Morrison. This represents the physical trans¬
fer of letter files from each office, together with supplies of back
bulletins, ledgers, used cuts, and miscellaneous materials.

Owing to pressure of official work, Mr. Morrison resigned from
his office, the resignation being accepted by Mr. Wister at the An¬
nual Meeting at Lincoln, Nebraska, June, 1934.

Mr. Wister appointed Mr. John Ferguson Acting Secretary, and
the work has been continued on that basis, with Mr. Morrison han¬
dling all of the work except the mailing of the bulletins and the
handling of vouchers. The Washington office is in room 821, Wash¬
ington Loan and Trust Building, Washington, D. C., and daily
messenger service is maintained with Baltimore. Mr. Morrison is
at this office everv day from 7 :20 A. M. to 8 :30 A. M., and from
5 :00 to 6 :00 o’clock P. M., for dictation to his secretary.

New stencils have been prepared for all members. A new Card
Index of memberships has been prepared that will show by con¬
secutive entries the number of years that a member remains in the
Society as well as the time of payment. Statistics in other societies
show that the same persons are usually prompt in payment each
year or tardy each year. There were three billings during 1934.

[51

Memberships

Membership shows four members less than 1933 :

Life . 74

Free, Exchange, etc . 29

Honorary . 8

Annual, Triennial (including prizes) . 770

881

Resignations . 20

Not heard from . 134

There were six deaths during 1934 :

Mr. AV. J. France, Pres. Scarboro Gardens, Ont., Canada.

Professor John E. Hill, Providence, R. I.

Airs. Horatio Gates Lloyd, Haverford, Pa.

Mr. Stewart Johnson, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Felice Schmitz, Florence, Italy.

Air. Homer C. Skeels, Takoma Park, D. C.

No solicitations were made for members except by correspondence
and in answer to inquiries. Leaflets prepared during 1934 were
sent to various officers and members who were willing to distribute
them to prospective members. A. I. S. leaflets were also enclosed
in A. II. S. correspondence.

Advertising

Letters of solicitation were sent to all names in the 1931 member¬
ship list, requesting purchase of advertising. The usual reply was
that there were inadequate returns on the investment. As a basis
for this the Commercial Directory was planned, giving a new low
rate, which could not be considered excessive, either in relation to
circulation or return. This has been popular and has not produced
protests (in writing). It is urged that it be continued.

There are two outstanding advertising bills — those of the Royal
Iris Gardens, which has paid a little on account; and Treholme
Gardens, which has ignored all bills for over three years. The un¬
paid balances on these accounts are ninety-seven dollars and forty-
five cents ($97.45) and seventy dollars ($70.00).

[6]

Office

It is suggested that a budget of three hundred and sixty dollars
($360.00) be set up for office assistant. This estimate is based on
a scale of twenty dollars ($20.00) a week, allowing two weeks a
month for January, February, March, June, September and De¬
cember, and one week a month for others. This should be discussed
after the election of the new Secretary.

Correspondence

The Acting Secretary and Mr. Morrison wish to express their
appreciation to all the members for their hearty cooperation and
for their patience during the spring months when the office work
was not carried on promptly, and hope that they will continue their
support to the new officer, to be chosen at this meeting.

Respectfully submitted,

B. Y. Morrison.

For the Acting Secretary.

REPORT OF THE TREASURER
December 1, 1934

Cash in Chemical Bank . $2,396.52

Cash in Special Interest Account . 568.10

Cash in Farr Fund . 425.41

Bonds :

Cleveland Union . $1,000.00

Shell Pipe . 500.00

Northern Pacific . 500.00

Paramount Broadway . 1,000.00

National Dairy . 1,000.00

Liberty Bonds . 2,850.00

6,850.00

Farr Fund Bond . 500.00

Iris Check List . 1,700.00

Less sales . 361.73 1,338.27

TOTAL

[7]

$12,078.30

PROFIT AND LOSS STATEMENT
December 1, 1933, to November 30, 1934

Income

Memberships . $2,301.20

English Society . 48.05

Check Lists . 16.58

Dykes . 15.30

Sale of Bulletins . 88.53

Advertisements . 164.70

Slides . 33.00

Income on Bonds . 292.82

Farr Fund Interest . 7.94

Special Interest Account . 6.78

TOTAL ....
Expenses

Administrative .

Steno and Type .

Bulletins and Cuts

* Stationery .

Medals .

Miscellaneous .

$2,974.90

$ 383.44
73.86
1,589.35
809.45
89.50
72.29

TOTAL . $3,017.89

NET LOSS . $42.99

*Includes taking care of subscriptions.

Richardson Wright, Treasurer.

REGIONAL REPORTS FOR 1934

Mrs. Thomas Nesmith, Massachusetts

■ Some time ago, I resigned as Regional Vice-President of the
American Iris Society for New England, but your Vice-President,
Dr. Everett, lias urged me to send in a report from this region.

Mr. W. J. McKee has been Chairman of our New England group
for the past two years, and has called meetings frequently. At most
of these there has been a good attendance, with discussion of prob¬
lems brought up by the members ; and while there has often been
a diversity of opinion, yet it has been through these discussions at
our meetings that w7e have come to a better understanding of the
needs of the American Iris Society. We have found these meetings
very helpful and interesting.

The New England group did not hold an A. I. S. Show in Bos¬
ton this year, and it is exceedingly fortunate that w7e had not made
plans to do so for, owing to our very severe winter, there were few
good bloom stalks on either the older or newer varieties. For this
reason I do not feel it is best to try and give varietal notes on the
latest introductions.

Careful work was done by our Accredited Judges in New Eng¬
land in rating the newer varieties, and unless one has been a judge
you can have little idea of the time and amount of work that is
involved in so doing.

Recently, we have suffered a severe loss in the passing on of
Prof. John E. Hill of Providence, R. I. He was well versed in
iris affairs, with rare and discerning judgment of the qualities
needed in a good iris. We shall miss his helpful advice and quiet
delightful humor.

I am sorry not to send in a more detailed and useful report, but
another year if all goes well there will be an abundance of the
newer irises upon which definite reports can be made.

M. E. Douglas, New Jersey

■ In Region No. 3, Iris activities of 1934 began with a popular
ballot among our members to determine which varieties are be¬
lieved by them to be the best suited for conditions here. Twenty-
five per cent of all regional members participated in the balloting.
A sample of the ballot is attached. (Not printed here. — Ed.)

[9]

Later in January, 1934, an analysis of the ballots was presented
to our regional judges and other members in attendance at a re¬
gional Iris Conference, held at the offices of the Pennsylvania Hor¬
ticultural Society in Philadelphia. And shortly thereafter a full
report of the results of the ballot and of the recommendations of
the Conference was submitted to President Wister. A copy of the
analysis of the ballots was also mailed to a considerable number of
members who requested it.

As in 1933, so in 1934, the form of service by the regional vice-
president which seemed to be most in demand was that of meeting
with garden clubs in different localities for Iris talks about the
selection of varieties for home gardens, about cultural problems,
and about the work of the American Iris Society. Thus, during
the Iris season, Iris talks were made and such Iris questions were
answered at various meetings, quite without expense to any of the
garden clubs in question. For example :

1. The Garden Club of Mt. Holly, New Jersey, our good mem¬
ber, Mr. Edward H. Levis, presiding — attendance over forty
people.

2. The Camden Dahlia and Horticultural Society of Camden,
New Jersey, meeting at the Y. M. C. A., Camden, arranged
by Mrs. Frank F. Moore of Woodlyn, member of that Society.

3. Mrs. Joseph D. Pedlow of the Haddonfield, New Jersey, Gar¬
den Club, initiated arrangements by which about fifty mem¬
bers of that club attended an Iris meeting at my home. After
the discussion the members inspected the Irises, of which over
four hundred varieties were then in full bloom here.

Large groups of Woodbury Public School pupils, each
group escorted and supervised by teachers, came successively
to see and learn about the Irises here, by prearrangements
requested by the teachers.

The “Garden Workers” Club, with a large membership along
the “Main Line” in Philadelphia, were desirous of inspecting the
Irises here following a meeting for Iris discussion, but the request
came too late to be arranged in 1934. However, by request of Mrs.
Rebmann of Ardmore, Pa., the meeting is to be held next spring
at the home of Mrs. Sarah K. Fuller in Bryn Mawr, Pa., and
thereafter the members are to inspect the Irises here.

Tinder the auspices of the Society, members of the Region made
another Iris “pilgrimage” on May 26. After seeing the Woodbury,

[10]

New Jersey, garden, luncheon was served at the Merion Cricket
Club, Pa., where President Wister made an interesting talk, re¬
ferring to the Lincoln Meeting. In the afternoon, the procession
of automobiles took our members first to see the “Iris Bowl” and
garden on the estate of Mrs. Horatio Gates Lloyd in Haverford,
Pa., and then to the Iris planting by color groups on the estate
of President Wister in Germantown, Pa., these being two gardens
described and illustrated in the January, 1934, Bulletin of the
Society.

Our regional members who were interested in Mrs. duPont’s
article, “A Nonagon of Delaware Gardens,” will be glad to learn
that we are not without reason to hope that next year’s pilgrimage
may be to Wilmington gardens, with the cooperation of Mrs. du-
Pont and other Iris lovers of that city and its suburbs.

Your regional vice-president regrets that he was unavoidably
prevented last May from attending the meeting in Plainfield, N. J.,
of officials of the A. I. S., of regional members and of the Park
Commissioners there, for luncheon and to inspect the public Iris
garden in Cedarbrook Park. Our member, Miss Harriette R. Hal¬
loway of Plainfield, was active in making the arrangements, and
the meeting I understand was well attended.

Our members of this Region are most appreciative of the success¬
ful efforts of the officials of the American Iris Society in forward¬
ing so well the work of the Society during these difficult times.

J. Marion Shull^ Maryland.

■ Without knowing the precise metes and bounds of a Regional
Vice-President’s duties toward the A. I. S., I nevertheless gather
that from each is expected something in the way of a report for the
year. Unfortunately, the region centering about Washington, D.
C., suffered rather severely in the matter of iris interests during the
year just past. First came the loss of the late Homer C. Skeels,
whose exceptional collection of the Morrison productions in addi¬
tion to many others enabled him always to make a major contribu¬
tion to any Iris Show within reach. He was not only able to ex¬
hibit many varieties but these were well grown and his displays
were invariably of high quality. This year both the local Tris Show
of the Takoma Park Horticultural Society, Takoma Park, Md., and
that of the National Capital Dahlia and Iris Society of Washington,

[11]

D. C., missed his usual contributions. The N. C. D. and I. 8. was
further handicapped by the fact that almost at the last moment
word came from Mr. Sheets of Treholme Gardens, College Park,
Md., that he would not be able to exhibit his hundreds of varieties
as before.

Mr. Sheets has presumably the largest collection in the East,
south of New York, and possibly the largest without such exception
plus an unbounded enthusiasm for the iris, but he was already a
very busy member of the professional staff of the U. S. Department
of Agriculture and as if this in itself were not a sufficiently man-
sized job when the drought situation became acute he was chosen
to administer federal drought relief, a burden of responsibility
that left no loose ends of time even to think about his iris hobby.
Under these circumstances the Iris Show staggered a bit but pulled
itself together and put on a really creditable display.

A few new seedlings were entered by local breeders. One of
these breeders, Dr. Charles W. Ayars of Takoma Park, Md., pre¬
sented a splendid stalk of his Ethel Guill, a very large blend of the
type of My Maryland (Sheets) which would surely merit an II. M.
unless because of too great similarity to the latter. Dr. Ayars
plans to grow it side by side with My Maryland for a close com¬
parison. He also displayed an ochraceous yellow that seemed quite
promising.

Mr. Simmons again exhibited his Midnight Skies, a fine dark
blue-purple, not quite so intense as Meldoric (Ayres) or Purple
Glory (Piper) but a flower of fine form.

None of the newest western yellows appeared at the show but the
finest single stalk of the exhibition happened to be a well-grown
stem of Pluie d’Or (Cay.) about 3 feet tall, 10 buds, and with three
splendid flowers open. As shown here I have seen no yellow yet
to excel it, notwithstanding that I have never succeeded in growing
it that well in my own garden. Last year a similarly fine stalk of
Dune Sprite held this premier position.

How many iris shows were held in this region this year I do not
know, for my own freedom of movement was somewhat hampered
during the blooming season. I did, however, make several special
visits to the Sheets collection at College Park, where I found a
splendid display of bloom, but it so happened that many of the
most interesting of the new varieties represented there had been
completely reset the year before or had been depleted in the course

of commercial operations so that in many cases the bloom was ob¬
viously not typical. Many could not be fairly rated for this reason.

I realize how inadequately this report covers the region it is
supposed to represent, since no mention is included of the various
centers of iris interest in Virginia. I hope that members from some
of these points will supplement this with individual reports direct
to the Society, and that I may find better opportunity to go farther
afield another season.

(Reprinted in part from original printing, October, 1934, Bul¬
letin, 53.)

Euclid Snow, Illinois , 1934

■ American Iris Society work in this section has been slowed up
the past year because of the impossibility of interesting new grow¬
ers in this flower when it was at its lowest ebb in points of beauty
and garden interest. Had I been unacquainted with the great
possibilities for garden displays that only the Iris can give to a
small or a large planting, I should never have given second thought
to this lovely flower as it bloomed in this section the past season.

Our Iris lovers have devoted most of their time and effort toward
holding the interest of those gardeners who have already begun to
know and to enjoy its real beauty, hoping for better color next
year. Wherever there is a collection of irises, be it large or small,
that garden is sure to be open to fanciers and this season’s sole
topic of conversation, when fanciers met, has been the blooming
of next year and we are all looking forward. There is a group of
iris lovers at Wheaton, Illinois doing many fine things to popu¬
larize our pet flower. Their show this year was indeed a creditable
affair. It was carefully planned, correctly classified, making it an
easy job for a judge. On display were, of course, many older
varieties but there were equally as many of the newer types, the
whole showing discrimination in selection. This group could well
serve as an example to others who live in sections where irises may
be grown in perfection. Miss Greta All uni is the organizer and
leader. The show at Freeport is the Mecca of all iris fanciers the
first of June. It is too well known to need description. It was good
this year, but the quality of bloom was off as it was everywhere, no
seedlings showing novelty. “Quality Gardens” was crowded as
usual with visitors from all sections. This garden is of the greatest
educational value to gardeners of this region and the owner de-

[13]

serves the greatest credit for the assistance she gives amateurs
who have real problems in their iris growing. Only the briefest
varietal notes were made — -it seemed too unfair. Another season
will surely show the newer introductions to better advantage.

Outstanding among the newer varieties was a Joycette seedling
of Jacob Sass’, number 33/13. This was taller, darker, larger and
better than Joycette, had a more vigorous growth, more substance
in falls, 40 inches tall — and was the best clump and bloom the writer
saw in 1934. Among the outstanding of the newer things were
Summer Tan, Shining Waters, Snow King, Lincoln and others.
These will be commented upon at some later date when they have
been seen more generally.

David C. Petrie, Idaho

s The Forward Club of Caldwell has sponsored an Iris show now
for about ten or twelve years. It has been my pleasure to judge
all but two of these shows. The first was awful but the spirit was
good — piles of iris, but mostly Madame Chereau and Honorabilis
and their brethren. Every year has seen an improvement until today
one seldom sees anything of an older vintage than Ballerine and
Ambassadeur.

Caldwell is only a small town but it has great civic pride and real
gardeners. Their soil is naturally very alkali — not just alkaline ;
and in fighting this condition they have piled in the manure for
years. I have never seen better iris than they grow there. This
year the show was very early, April 17th, as I remember it. There
were worlds of iris — all good: Coronation, Pluie d’Or, Michaud,
Purissima, Dolly Madison. The outstanding things to my notion,
however, in the show room were Pale Moonlight, Zuni, and Mary
Geddes, in the order named. Mary was from a rhizome planted in
the summer of 1933 so was not fully developed, but the other two
from 1932 planting were wonders. I got a chance to score Pale
Moonlight in the garden a week or so afterwards when it had
passed its best and gave it a ninety-three. There were about twenty
stalks four feet in height with masses of large pale blue lavender
blossom of striking hue. Zuni had been just as good. Mary Geddes
certainly will be worth watching in 1935.

Carl Starker, Oregon

* Iris doings in my locality have been rather limited. We had
the pleasure last spring of having Mr. Robert Schreiner as our

[14 1

house guest for several days. It was at the height, of the blooming
season of the tall bearded irises. We took him to visit the Weed
Gardens at Beaverton, and the Cooley Gardens at Silverton, and
the Oregon Bulb Farms at Estocada, Oregon. We found at both
Weed’s and Cooley’s many of the newer introductions blooming in
very fine shape. At the Oregon Bulb Farms we saw a large plant¬
ing of bulbous irises — English and Spanish in particular.

In our own garden we have been very happy to have bloomed
Iris alata again — the bulbs having recovered from the hard frost
of the previous winter. At the present date, February 16, we have
a fine lot of Iris sind-pers and Persica in full bloom, and Reticu-
latas of various types showing color, but not yet open. 1. tuberosa
also shows buds.

William Miles, Canada, 1934

* Once again the iris has proven itself the flower par excellence
for Canadian conditions. One can hardly imagine more calamitous
weather than prevails from the iris blooming season of 1933. A
terrible drought which lasted until late fall, a terribly severe win¬
ter during which record low temperatures were reached, and a late
spring followed by unseasonable very hot weather — these were the
conditions which were the despair of the general horticulturist.
Roses died by thousands, even the supposedly iron-clad climbers
being killed to the ground. Apple trees, fifty years of age, passed
out by the hundred, and among the shrubs and herbaceous plants
serious damage was done. But the irises came through with flying
colors, practically no harm being done except in the case of a few
species which are tender under normal conditions. The Himalayan
Evansia, Milesii, disappeared without trace. /. foetidissima, ex¬
cept in the woods where it belongs, suffered severely. Sintenisii ,
an evergreen species which, according to the rules, should be ten¬
der, was badly seared but has staged a complete recovery. The
Regelio-cyclus varieties never were better, and Sass’s new Pogo-
regelio-cyclus hybrids lived through and have made splendid
growth. Bulbous species of the recticulata and Juno sections (at
any rate those of them that we grow) proved themselves of abso¬
lute hardiness, whereas many daffodils failed entirely, much to
the chagrin of a number of budding narcissus fans in this section —
your humble servant included.

[15]

Bucharica surpassed itself this year, and we are saying that here
is one of the finest irises for the rockery. 7. sindjarensis and its
much more showy child, Sindja-reichii, came across with some fine
flowers. Perhaps it is to the baking summer of 1933 that we must
attribute these successes. We find it difficult to get much interest
in the less spectacular species, but things are improving all the
time, and every now and then what a fanning bee takes place!

It is indeed a pleasure to report that the display garden at
Simcoe is being carried on since Mr. Groff’s death by his nephew,
Mr. J. G. Trafford, in a most efficient way. It was my great privi¬
lege to spend practically the entire blooming season there, continu¬
ing Mr. Groff’s hybridizing work and making selections from his
many seedlings.

A large, well branched soft yellow, quite unlike anything else
we have seen, is to be called II. II. Groff, and to a splendid former
Dominion type of a deep amethyst self-color, Sir F. Banting has
graciously permitted us to give his name. There are others, too,
but more of them when they are definitely named. Frankly, I
don’t think that our representation of American varieties is as
good as that of the European, and we wish to assure anyone who
would care to send their varieties for display that they will receive
the very best of care. A trial at Simcoe or at the Trial Gardens
at MacDonald College or at Saskatoon would be a good hardiness
test. Baldwin strikes us as being one of the best of all irises.
Raineses too, and also Wambliska, Waconda, and Spokane show
up under our conditions wonderfully well. We like Aubade,
Nepenthe and Selene, but the latter pinches a little in the fall
with us. Bronze Beacon found many admirers, as also did Ethel
Peckham, which came quite early. But, as I say, we are not up
to the minute with our American varieties. Gudrun goes to the
top in our esteem as a white. If Easter Morn or Venus de Milo
are better, they must be superb. Eclador does remarkably well,
and is the best late yelloAV we have at Simcoe. Directeur Pinel
is a darker, taller Galant, with a little less red in it. A large
clump of Jean Cayeux created a sensation early in the season, and
if first impressions are confirmed we have here a worthwhile addi¬
tion to the collection. The varieties from France which seem to
be wearing best are Depute Nomblot, Anne Marie Cayeux, Helios,
President Pilkington, Evolution and the reliable standby, Pluie
d’Or. In the Display Garden there is a row of the latter variety

[16]

which must contain fifteen hundred plants! It made a glorious
showing this year.

Iris shows are quite the tiling among the small local units of
the Ontario Horticulture Association, and it is gratifying to note
the improvement from year to year in quality of bloom exhibited.
Wherever I am asked to judge, I find that a quiet talk with the
Secretary regarding varieties invariably produces results at the
next show, and a little distribution of surplus plants of good kinds
from the home garden is a wonderful stimulus, too.

To sum up the iris situation in Canada, there is a wide and ever
spreading interest in the genus, with many first-class enthusiasts
dotted across the country and hundreds of potential enthusiasts
coming along as fast as conditions will permit.

Mrs. James R. Bachman, Georgia

■ Our section has suffered in an intense degree from the de¬
pression which has swept the nation and its devastating influence
is apparent in cultural as well as commercial affairs.

The development of iris, in my territory, is largely in the hands
of amateurs. There are few commercial hybridizers. Latel}r Mis¬
souri producers have been particularly active in promoting sales
and their varieties are being tried out in numerous localities.

Japanese and Siberian irises are being more generally used in
gardens. Fall blooming irises are of much interest now and be¬
ing experimented with by many. Reports from several parts of
this section indicate that these should be more liberally planted in
the South. A new method to secure fall bloom is being tried out
here for the third time — just before an iris that is suspected of
having fall blooming tendencies sends up bud stalks in the Spring,
the entire clump is removed from the ground and then replanted
as a clump. This retards the blooming time, and if the clump
is given careful attention during the Summer, vigorous blooms
result in the Fall. This has proved successful with Crimson
King, King Karl, Chalice and others.

I have been trying to stimulate interest by giving a prize for
the list of fifty best named varieties grown in the contestants
garden. The prize is a three-year membership in American T iris
Society. I am giving this prize through the Garden Clubs of
Georgia and the winner is announced at the annual meeting in
the Spring. The lists are passed on by A.I.S. accredited judges.

r in

The competition is keen. Last year it was won by Mrs. Fred
Cresswell, of Atlanta, a great lover and successful grower of iris.
The competitors were from all parts of Georgia. I am giving this
prize again this year.

Another prize is given through the Georgia Federation of
Woman’s Clubs and is for a one year’s membership in the Amer¬
ican Iris Society. It was won last year by Mrs. Chester Martin,
Hapeville, Ga., in the Fifth District. These papers showed time of
blooming, color, heighth, substance, etc., and proved that many
gardeners are convinced of the worth of kept records of their
triumphs.

Last year all of our accredited judges visited, in a body, the
gardens of Mr. Sam L. Graham in Rome, Ga., and judged his
gardens. Here we found the newest introductions growing in
harmonious company with the best of the old favorites. Mr.
Graham’s own seedlings were certainly worthy of comment and
rating.

You will note quite a few new members in 1934 and will, I
believe, find that the Nashville convention will encourage others
to join.

Visits of Mrs. Peckham, Messrs. Sturtevant and Wister, and
others, to this section during the year have proved inspirations.

The Farr Memorial Library was enjoyed by iris lovers here in
Atlanta and vicinity.

REPORT OF ANNUAL MEETING, 1934

Euclid Snow, Illinois

■ Nineteen thirty-four found the clan of Iris lovers gathered at
Lincoln, Nebraska, for their annual conclave, where discussions
of Iris Society work and more discussion of the many and varied
types of Irises now coming into general use in our gardens were
enjoyed by representatives from 12 states.

Prominent among these visitors from a distance were Mr. John
C. Wister, Penn. ; Lee R. Bonnewitz, Ohio ; Robert Schreiner,
Minn. ; Mrs. G. R. Marriage and Mrs. E. L. Kernochan, Colo. ; Mrs.
Jas. R. Bachman, Ga. ; Euclid Snow, Ill.; Mrs Harold W. Roe,
Okla. ; the well known Messrs. Andrews and Long, Colo. ; D. S.
Hall, Ill. ; A. M. Brand, Minn. ; each bringing bits of news from
Iris growers from their home sections.

[18]

No better selection of a place of meeting could have been made
than Lincoln, as Nebraska is the home state for many of our
greatest Iris growers and visitors were delighted at this oppor¬
tunity of visiting some of the finest Iris plantings in the country.
The mention of the names of Hans and Jacob Sass always brings
to mind the best of American Iris introductions, and this meeting
was made memorable by a visit to their gardens, after the business
sessions were adjourned.

About 300 people attended the annual dinner, when Dr. Harry
H. Everett, to whose untiring efforts the success of this meeting
was largely due, presided. Ex-Gov. Sam R. McKelvie, so well
known and loved by the Nebraskans present that he called them all
by their first names in asking for their remarks, served as toast¬
master.

Mr. John C. Wister, President of the American Iris Society,
spoke informally of organization work and the general interest in
gardening. Hans Sass told of his and his brother’s work in Iris
breeding that has now world wide recognition. Jacob and Henry
Sass also talked of their hybridizing and growing methods.

Mr. Lee R. Bonnewitz, long known among Iris fanciers, gave
an intimate history of his work; he was followed by Robert
Schreiner and Euclid Snow, Regional Vice-Presidents, who spoke
briefly of their sections.

Mr. A. M. Brand, America’s foremost peony hybridizer, who has
become greatly interested in Iris growing in recent years, was an
honored guest. He was invited to tell something of his interesting
work with peonies and to tell of their use in particular types of
planting.

The meeting was brought to a close with Mrs. A. C. Nelson, Presi¬
dent of the Lincoln Garden Club, speaking for her members who
had sponsored the beautiful show, staged in co-operation with the
American Iris Society. It would be impossible to say too much in
praise of this band of gardeners who, working under the leader¬
ship of Mrs. Nelson and Dr. Everett, had staged a flower show in
the University Coliseum which was breath-taking in its loveliness.
When one remembered that Nebraska gardens had had only three
inches of rain for six months, the number and quality of blooms
were truly amazing.

A year ago, when the Society announced their intention of
holding the 1934 meeting in Lincoln, Dr. Everett and Mrs. Nelson

[19]

immediately set to work to stage this marvelous show, and, in spite
of every difficulty of climatic conditions, when the weather-man
was so ungracious as to force a change of date, even making it
necessary to hold many of the bloom stalks in cold storage for
days, the Lincoln Garden Club women under such able leadership
staged this display of such sheer beauty as to amaze all visitors.
It was entirely the work of amateurs, though a few of the local
florists generously came forward with displays of bloom to add to
the general effect of color. The Iris section featured specimen
bloom, showing some interesting new seedlings among the many
named varieties; there were also examples of Irises in arrangements
for decoration in the home, as well as specimen Iris plantings. The
winners in various classes were generously awarded and the list is
too long to embody here. The winners in the sweepstakes were as
follows :

General amateur Iris display, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Colin, Lincoln,
silver medal from American Iris Society.

General commercial Iris display, Jacob Sass, Washington, Neb.,
bronze medal, American Iris Society.

Educational and arrangement display featuring Iris, Gorden
Wyland and Bob Danielson, Lincoln, certificate of merit from
Lincoln club.

Best iris stalk, Hans Sass, “Snow King, ” bronze medal from Dr.
II. H. Everett.

Best peony bloom, J. W. Bernstein, “Le Cygne, ” bronze medal
from Dr. Everett.

Best ten stem iris entry, Jacob Sass, “ Wambliska, ” medal from
Lincoln club.

A most delightful feature of the show was the display of the
new Iris “Lincoln,” which rated a table all its own. This novelty
is a seedling from the gardens of Hans Sass, chosen by him to
bear the name of Lincoln to honor the city whose gardeners have
done so much to popularize this great flower. At the opening of
the show, Mr. Sass presented the Iris to Mrs. Nelson with suit¬
able ceremony. This Iris is large, well branched and uniform, with
beautiful buff-yellow standards and falls a rich velvety maroon,
making a very striking flower.

In addition to the wealth of flower material from Lincoln and
oilier sections of Nebraska, there were exhibits from Iowa, Kansas,
Missouri, Colorado and other distant states. Lincoln citizens to

[20]

the number of 4,000 visited the show on the first afternoon, so
great is their interest in growing Irises and other fine garden plants.

The visits to gardens of Lincoln were greatly enjoyed by all Iris
lovers and especial interest was shown in the charming garden of
Dr. and Mrs. Harry H. Everett. After studying the gardens and
flower show at Lincoln, the visitors were taken to see the great Iris
plantings of Hans Sass at Washington, Neb., and Jacob Sass at
Elkhorn, where many choice seedlings, still under number, were
standing serene and untouched by the scorching winds of the prairie
section. We are promised that many of these will be named and
placed on the market to be available to all Iris ‘‘fans” at no dis¬
tant date.

The inspiration to grow better Irises, to do justice to gardens
by using the best types available, came to each and every person
who journeyed to Lincoln. Interchange of experiences with vari¬
ous types, discussions of the many Iris species which can be grown
to the betterment of all gardens, were going on constantly among
the members of the group. Mrs. G. R. Marriage, a horticulturist
of great experience, and Mrs. E. L. Kernochan, whose chief in¬
terest centers in the unusual and rarer species, added much to
the meeting by their relation of their working plans among Iris in
their Colorado gardens.

So much enjoyment of the Lincoln meeting served to arouse the
greatest interest in the announcement that the 1935 meeting will
be held in Nashville, Tennessee, and the 1936 in Hartford, Conn.

JOTTINGS AT THE LINCOLN MEETING,
AMERICAN IRIS SOCIETY

• What did we see at the Lincoln meeting? Unusual weather
and then more unusual weather !

Ten years of growing Irises in Colorado where artificial water¬
ing is a sine qua non made drought in Nebraska seem less extreme
than the need for meeting it.

This season’s severe test gave the few Irises tolerant of adverse
conditions and of sufficient substance to stand up in dry hot
weather a chance to show their stuff. One wonders if these quali¬
ties are inherent in the dark blues, for Black Douglas and Blue
Velvet showed a calm cool superiority while others were “all hot
and bothered.”

[21 }

The evergreen walls of sheared red cedar hedge enclosing Dr.
Everett’s garden gave the groups of Irises in bloom an appear¬
ance of serene and happy security. The firm texture and even color
of this background is the velvet in the jeweler’s showcase as well
as acceptable protection from searing wind. Pink Opal and a
handsome sister seedling were a really clear pink in one corner of
this garden.

Speaking of hedges, in most regions there is at least one native
evergreen or, failing a native, one that is hardy and hedgeable.
Juniper, Spruce, Pine — any of which would make a successful
sheared hedge, twice blessed — for protection and for beauty.

Since the Iris Show in the Lincoln Auditorium has been no
doubt covered by a really capable reporter, let’s go outdoors:

An interesting day in the Sass Brothers’ gardens was a high¬
light. Jake’s family should be as much a source of pride as his
Irises. Hans has some promising Irises, especially a white that
more will be heard from. The Sass Brothers’ work is excellent.
They have enlarged the Iris horizon and made real contributions in
several directions. The Clara Noyes series has brought us splendid
new breaks in color and there are promising things ahead in the
near future in pinks and whites. After all, getting the slant of
several other enthusiasts on Irises is much of the fun, so that the
much-bedeviled drought didn’t make a dent in the interest of the
meeting.

Here was a poser asked me at the Lincoln meeting: “What do
you consider the best Iris?” Eclador? New Albion? Shirvan?
Red Dominion? Sierra Blue? The best of each color — possibly —
but the best Iris ? — I pass !

Mrs. G. R. Marriage,

Colorado Springs.

REPORT OF THE IRIS SHOWS HELD IN 1934

Mrs. W. L. Karcher, III., Chairman
BALA CYNWYD, PA.

The Bala Cynwyd Garden Club held a very attractive exhibi¬
tion with a good showing of iris of splendid quality. A number
of new exhibitors were in evidence this year and much interest is
being shown. The Sweepstakes went to Mrs. Arthur Goldsmith,
Wynnewood, Pa. ; the A. I. S. membership to Miss Katherine
Tutcher, Cynwyd, Pa. Miss Jane Magee, Chairman.

9

CHULA VISTA, CALIF.

The first iris show of the season was held in Chula Vista, April
7-8. Commander Monroe, who acted as Chairman, reports very
unsatisfactory growing conditions for the southern part of the
state, with blasted blooms and stems 6 to 12 inches below normal
due no doubt to a mild dry winter. As the show came between
the blooming seasons of the early varieties and the midseason sorts,
the display was rather disappointing. The Sweepstakes medal was
awarded to Mrs. B. D. Miller and the A. I. S. membership to Mrs.
D. Holmes, both of Chula Vista.

9

DULUTH, MINN.

Mrs. Conrad Schlamann, Chairman of the Sixth Annual Iris
Show of Duluth, reports a successful, well-patronized show in spite
of the fact that most of the blooms were “ second7’ flowers. The
society felt much handicapped in not being able to have an earlier
date, but that would have conflicted with the National Peony Show
held in St. Paul. The Silver Medal was awarded to Mrs. J. B.
Finch, the Bronze Medal to Arnold Jacobson, the A. I. S. Member¬
ship to Mrs. T. J. Joyce.

9

FREEPORT, ILL.

The Freeport Garden Clubs staged their thirteenth annual Iris
Show June 2-3. If I tell the gospel truth I must say that this

[23]

show was a “sure ’nuff thirteener.” Nearly all of the Iris that
were in the mood to bloom had completed their job before Decora¬
tion Day, so that practically all of the flowers exhibited had been
m cold storage a week to ten days before the show date. I can
speak from personal experience when I tell you that this show
almost wrecked the chairman.

The Sweepstakes Silver Medal was won by Mrs. L. G. Young-
love. The Commercial Bronze Medal was not awarded. The best
specimen in the show was a splendid stalk of Morning Splendor
with eight open flowers and six buds, exhibited by Mrs. L. P.
Lawrence.

LINCOLN, NEB.

The National Show of The American Iris Society was held in
the University Coliseum, Lincoln, Nebraska, May 19-20.

This was the most difficult season we could ever possibly en¬
counter. There was no rain after April 2, although there seemed
to be always the promise of rain. It never came, however, and we
were swept with fierce winds and dust storms one after another,
until it seemed as if we could not possibly have any flowers. But
everyone doubled his energy and by concentrated effort we really
displayed more iris than ever of very good quality, but naturally
not so large and lovelv as we could show in a favorable season.

We had one hundred thirty-four exhibiting classes (including
other garden flowers) — seventy-eight for iris, of which forty-four
were for amateurs, and thirty-four for commercial growers.

There were one thousand and three competitive entries in the
entire show, five hundred twenty-nine of iris among them. This
compares well with last year, when there were six hundred fifty-
seven entries in the show, of which three hundred twenty-six were
of iris.

There were one hundred sixty-five entrants of whom one hun¬
dred ten were prize winners. Four hundred five prizes and ribbons
were awarded, beside a number of special ribbon awards.

Our attendance was splendid, many coming from various parts
of the United States. We had over 1,500 registered from other
states and we are sure there were many more who did not register.
They came in large groups and could not always be induced to
wait long enough to register. Our banquet was held in the Corn-

[24]

husker Hotel, one hundred and fifty attending — a very lovely af¬
fair with beautifully decorated tables and nice service. Our for¬
mer Governor McKelvie was toastmaster. Among those giving
responses were J. C. Wister, Mr. Snow from Illinois, Mrs. Bach¬
man from Atlanta, Robert Schreiner, Mr. A. M. Brand and Lee
Bonnewitz.

I believe you will hear very favorable reports from those who
were here as to the beauties of our show and the hospitality shown
them.

The background of our display was made up of hundreds of
cedar trees with about fifty gardens made against them (a number
of them iris gardens). The corridors were also lined with gardens
this year too. The stage was one large garden with comfortable
seats, making our hospitality room and a restful spot to sit and
view the whole show. Against the stage on the main floor were
gardens arranged to appear as the lower terrace of the stage gar¬
den. I am sorry you are not here to see it.

The A. I. S. Silver Medal was won by Mr. and Mrs. Jack Colin,
the A. I. S. Bronze Medal by Jacob Sass, the A. I. S. membership
by W. W. Yocum, Lincoln, Neb. The Garden Club of Illinois Medal
was Avon by Jacob Sass. This Avas promised us by Mrs. Dynes,
and printed in our schedule before your Avord came about it, but
you said you stay by it.

Mrs. A. C. Nelson.

9

LOCKPORT, N. Y.

The Lockport Gardeners and the Beautification Committee of
the Board of Commerce, after adopting Iris as the official floAver
of Lockport, exhibited for the first time in cooperation with the
A. I. S. in an Iris SIioav. The exhibition Avas Avell attended and,
despite the usual 1934 bad weather, a very creditable showing of
Iris bloom Avas made. There were about 125 exhibitors and about
6,000 visitors enjoyed the beautiful sIioav. The Sweeptakes Medal
Avas aAvarded to Dr. E. N. S. Ringueberg and the A. I. S. member¬
ship to Mrs. Montford C. Holley.

9

NEW ROCHELLE, N. Y.

Mrs. Harold G. Loughran, acting as chairman of the Iris SIioav,

[25]

held June 6-7, as a unit of the Community Flower Show spon¬
sored by the New Rochelle Women’s Club, reported a very good
showing of Irises, considering the unseasonable growing conditions.
The Sweepstakes Medal was won by Mrs. Ray Whitman and the
A. I. S. membership by Mrs. A. G. Bixler.

9

NIAGARA FALLS, N. Y.

The Niagara Falls Garden Club held its second annual Iris Show
in cooperation with the A. I. S. Here, as in many other sections
of the country, it was necessary to move the dates forward a week.
However, nothing daunted, they put on a beautiful exhibition
under the worst possible weather conditions. The Sweepstakes
Medal went to Miss H. May Brown. Mrs. F. L. Koethen, Chairman.

9

ST. JOSEPH, MO.

From all reports, the 1934 Iris Show at St. Joseph was one of
the best if not the very best show of the season. Mr. Carl Schirmer,
who has been active in all of their exhibitions, was greatly pleased
with the results of their labors. The quality of the blooms was
splendid, with all points up to the standard in that section of the
country. There were many new exhibitors, a good attendance of
interested visitors and a wealth of good blooms to admire. The
Sweepstakes Silver Medal was awarded to Mr. Schirmer, the
Bronze Medal to Mr. R. E. Borene, the A. I. S. membership to
Mrs. Frank G. Conner, all of St. Joseph.

9

SAN DIEGO, CALIF.

The Iris Show was held here April 14-15. Mrs. Paul V. Tuttle,
who has always been the moving spirit back of all Iris activities
in San Diego, was the chairman. As the exhibition did not tally
with the high standard of excellence required in San Diego, the
Sweepstakes Medal was not awarded.

9

Although requests for cooperation were made by San Ber¬
nardino and Montclair, N. J., and although both were listed and
did not send notification of withdrawal, no reports have been
received.

[26]

THE AMERICAN IRIS SOCIETY HONORS
MISS GRACE STURTEVANT

■ Miss Grace Sturtevant of Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts, was
presented with the Gold Medal of the American Iris Society on
January 30th, by the Directors of the Society, in recognition of
her service to Iris culture and particularly for the introduction
of many of the best Irises now being grown in the Iris world.

Miss Sturtevant is acknowledged as America’s earliest Iris
hybridizer. Her first crossings were made in 1910. Princess
Beatrice X Aurea crossing in this year produced Afterglow,
which received a medal award at Boston in 1915. Caterina X
Mrs. George Darwin crossing in 1912 produced Queen Caterina,
which was considered a most outstanding introduction at that
time and in 1935 this variety is still included in our finest collec¬
tions. Miss Sturtevant \s first catalogue listing her own introduc¬
tions was issued in 1917 and in succeeding years new varieties of
many colors were introduced. A few of her most outstanding
varieties are :

Avalon
Ambrosia
Airy Dream
Bonnie Blue
Camelaird
Glowing Embers
Gold Imperial
Good Cheer

Motif

Opal Dawn
Pink Jadu
Reverie
Snow White
True Charm
True Delight
Queen Caterina.

The Gold Medal is the highest award of the American Iris
Society and the Iris growers in America will certainly approve
of the award to Miss Sturtevant.

[27]

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON AWARDS
Donald B. Milliken, Compiler

■ There are at the present time 146 accredited judges of the
American Iris Society. Of this number, 50 judges sent in 1,606
ratings. Last year there were 110 judges and 64 sent in ratings.

The lack of participation this year can be accounted for in part
by disastrous effects of the drought in many parts of the country.
Several judges reported that, because of the unusually poor season
in their district, they did not consider it fair to do any rating
whatsoever.

There was unfortunate delay in sending out the blanks this year,
with the result that many judges did not receive their instructions
until the season was nearly over. Perhaps this explains why nearly
half the ratings received were on varieties not eligible, according
to the instructions sent out this spring. According to the 1934
policy, “Judges may send in ratings on Irises which are not yet
in commerce and on Irises introduced during the current year or
during the two previous years. ’ ’ This means that an Iris intro¬
duced prior to 1932 is not eligible for a rating.

The method of tabulating the results has been changed this year
so that no numerical averages are published. Instead, the nu¬
merical averages are translated into symbol letters as follows : 90
or over, A; 85 to 89, inclusive, B; 80 to 84, inclusive, C ; 70 to 79,
inclusive, D. No rating of a variety is published unless it has been
rated by at least five judges.

Following these instructions of the Board of Directors, the com¬
mittee on tabulation has found it possible to publish the ratings of
only 45 varieties. On these varieties there were 301 ratings, or an
average of 6.4 ratings per variety. This means that only 18.6%
of the 1,606 ratings sent in have been used.

Believing that there is a great deal of interest shown in the
comments made by the judges on the various varieties, comments
on irises receiving 3 or 4 ratings and on irises which have been in
commerce more than three years have been included.

It is of interest to note that, of the 45 varieties whose ratings are
published, 14 are in the A group, 25 in the B group and 6, the C
group. Eight of the 45 varieties are new seedlings that have not

[28]

been introduced, nine are being” introduced this year, eleven were
introduced last year, and seventeen in 1932. All of the Iris in the
C group are of 1932 introduction. One-half of the A group are
new irises (1934 introductions and unintroduced seedlings).

When it comes to recommendations for awards, not a single
variety received the seven required recommendations for an Award
of Merit. Jeb Stuart was the highest, with five recommendations.

Seven varieties received the necessary five recommendations for
Honorable Mention. Five of these seven varieties are of New
England origin.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Eros (Mead-Riedel)

Gold Foam (Nesmith)

Good Cheer (Sturtevant)
Maluska (Nesmith)

Monomoy (McKee)

Rosy Wings (Gage)

Shining Waters (Essig)

1934 RATINGS

H.M. A.M.

Adobe (Williamson, 1932) . 1

Alice Horsefall (H. P. Sass, 1932) . 2

At Dawning (Kirkland, N.) . 3

Avondale (H. P. Sass, 1934) . 4

Aztec (Kirkland, N.) .

Beuchley’s Giant (Beuchley, 1932).... f

Blue Gown (Essig, 1932) . 1

Blue Monarch (J. Sass, 1933) .

Burning Bronze (Ayres, 1934) . 3

California Gold (Mitchell, 1933) . 2

Cheerio (Ayres, 1934) . 2

Copper Luster (Kirkland, 1934) . 3

Coralie (Ayres, 1932) .

Eclador (Cayeux, 1932) .

El Tovar (H. P. Sass, 1932) . 1 2

Eros (Mead-Riedel, 1934) . 6

Ethel Peckham (Williamson, 1932) . 1

Fearless (Kirkland, N.) .

No. of 1934

judges rating

6 C

5 C

5 A

5 B

b

8

6

7
9

8
6
5
8

5
7
9

6
5

B

B

C

B

B

B

B

A

B

A

B

A

A

B

[29]

H.M.

A.M.

No. of
judges

1934

rating

Golden Helmet (J. Sass, 1933) .

.. 3

• • • •

10

B

Golden Light (H. P. Sass, 1933) .

.. 1

• • • •

5

B

Gold Foam (Nesmith, 1933) .

... 5

• • • •

9

B

Good Cheer (Sturtevant, N.) .

... 5

....

7

B

Hearthstone Copper (Daub, 1932)...

.. 1

....

5

C

Jeb Stnart (Washington, 1932) .

2

5

10

B

Jerry (Japham, 1933) .

.. 1

....

6

B

Joycette (J. Sass, 1932) .

9

LJ

8

B

King Philip (Fewkes, 1932) .

.. 3

....

5

B

Maluska (Nesmith, 1933) .

.. 5

1

9

B

Maya (Washington, N.) .

.. 4

....

7

A

Mellow Moon (Washington, N.) .

.. 1

6

B

Missouri (Grinter, 1933) .

.. 1

• • • •

7

A

Monomoy (McKee, N.) .

5

....

5

A

No-we-ta (H. P. Sass, 1932) .

• • • •

5

C

Parthenon (Connell, 1934) .

.. 4

....

8

A

Pink Opal (J. Sass, 1934) .

....

8

B

Rosy Wings (Gage, N.) .

.. 6

....

6

A

Royal Beauty (McKee, 1932) .

....

5

B

Shining Waters (Essig, 1933) .

.. 7

1

13

A

Sierra Blue (Essig, 1932) .

.. 1

3

9

A

Sunol (Mitchell, 1933) .

.. 3

....

8

B

The Black Douglas (J. Sass, 1934)....

.. 2

....

5

B

Theodolinda (Ayres, 1932) .

.. 1

• • • •

5

C

Thistledown ( Sturtevant, 1933 ) .

9

....

5

A

Trails End (Williamson, 1934) .

.. 1

• • • •

5

B

Valor (Nicholls, 1932) .

.. 1

4

5

A

[30]

BEARDED IRIS COLOR CLASSIFICATION— 1929

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[31]

Yellow

THE NEW CLASSIFICATION FOR BEARDED IRIS

REGISTRATION FOR 1934

■ This explanation is being repeated, for some breeders stil make
extra correspondence necessary by failing to observe the new

classification, and the details of the registration rules.

The dwarf, intermediate and tall bearded types are now classi¬
fied according to height, instead of the season of bloom to fix the
type, but the latter for each type is to be noted by the additions
of the letters EE, E, EM, M, MF, F and FF, for extra early,
early, early midseason, midseason, midseason to late, late and
very late to fall blooming, and breeders will therefore so indicate
when applying for registration. With this the dwarf bearded
section will take in all varieties of a height under 16 inches, the
intermediates all varieties between 18 and 28 inches, reserving
for the tall bearded all of 30 inches and over. BESIDES THE
SEASON OF BLOOM, BREEDERS WILL ALSO SUBMIT
THE HEIGHT AND DESCRIBE THE FRAGRANCE, in
addition to the usual descriptive data, when applying for regis¬
trations.

WHEN SUBMITTING PARENTAGE, please give pod-parent
first. If an unnamed plant indicate by a blank.

REGISTRATIONS

No person other than the originator may register a seedling
unless permission in writing from the breeder to make such regis¬
tration has been granted and said letter filed with the Chairman
j of the Registration Committee at the time such registration is
requested.

The closing date for registrations to be received for publication
j in the January or Special Bulletin following, is August 1. Any
received after that date will be treated as registrations of the
following year.

UNDER NO CONSIDERATION WILL REQUESTS FOR NAMES BE
APPROVED OR REGISTERED, WITHOUT DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS
AS TO TYPE, COLOR, SEASON OF BLOOM, HEIGHT, FRAGRANCE
AND ITS QUALITY, AND PARENTAGE IF AVAILABLE, EXCEPT
AS MAY BE NOTED HEREINAFTER. REGISTRANTS WILL PROVE
HELPFUL TO THE SOCIETY AND ITS REGISTRAR BY SUPPLYING
THE NECESSARY DATA IN FULL AT FIRST WRITING, AND TO
SUBMIT ALTERNATIVE NAMES IN CASE THE PREFERRED ONE IS
NOT AVAILABLE.

[32]

IT IS ALSO TO BE UNDERSTOOD that registration or ap¬
proval of a variety is made subject to the contingency of an older
variety of the same or closely similar name coming to light soon
after the current registration or approval, in which case a new
approvable name must be submitted, when requested.

ADDITIONS TO LIST OF BREEDERS AND INTRODUCERS

Ayars-O. — Mr. Chas. E. Avars, 217 Maple Ave., Takoma Park, Md.

Brehm — Mr. and Mrs. George 0. Brehm, Seattle, Wash.

Brown — Dr. G. Percy Brown, Barre, Mass.

Brown-E. H. — Mr. E. H. Brown, Manton, Mich.

Burt. — Mr. Frank Burton, The Barley House, Hildenborough, Kent, Eng. (new
address) .

Burtner — Mr. Roy H. Burtner, 2223 Douglas, N. E., Washington, D. C.

Dan. -Adams — Mr. H. Lee Danenhauer (breeder), May's Landing, N. J., and
Mr. J. M. R. Adams (selector), 230 Spruce Ave., Takoma Park, Md.

Dins. — Mr. John Edward Dinsmore, - — - England.

Douglas-G. — Mr. Geddes Douglas, Nashville, Tenn.

Griffiths-D. — Dr. David Griffiths, Senior Horticulturist, Bureau of Plant In¬
dustry, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C.
Hellings — Mr. F. Wynn Hellings, 12 Upper Road, Kingston Hill, Surrey,
England.

Hollerith — Miss Virginia Hollerith, 1617 29th St., N. W., Washington, D. C.
Kirk.-McDade — Dr. J. H. Kirkland (breeder), Nashville, Tenn., and
Mr. Clint McDade (selector), Chattanooga, Tenn.

Loth. -Hunt — Mrs. L. R. Lothrup (breeder), San Bernardino, Cal., and
Mr. Frank Hunt (selector), San Philipe, Cal.

Loth. -Monroe — Mrs. L. R. Lothrop (breeder), San Bernardino, Cal., and

Commander John A. Monroe (selector), R. F. D., 4th Ave., Chula
Vista, Cal.

Mikle-McDade — Mr. Roy Mikle (breeder), Hillcrest Roseries, Box 228,
Progress, Pa., and Mr. Clint McDade (selector), Chattanooga,

Tenn.

Morse — Mr. Wm. E. Morse, 413 Sturgis Ave., Sturgis, Mich.

Smith — U. G. — Mrs. U. G. Smith, Gresham, Ore.

Soel. — Mr. George W. G. Soellner, 3436 17th St., N. W., Washington, D. C.
Thole — Thole's Gardens, 2754 45th Ave., S. W., Seattle, Wash.

West — Dr. W. A. West, - , England.

Wiesner — Mr. Joseph F. Wiesner, 7435 Warner Ave., St. Louis, Mo.

Williams — T. A. — Mr. Thos. A. Williams, Nashville, Tenn.

[33]

ABUNDANCE TB-M-B3D (Dan.

N.) ; (Jeanne d’Arc x . );

ACOENTUE’ TB E-B3D (Dan. N.) ;
<Souv. de Mme. Gaudichau X

trojana) ; □.

ADAGIO IB-M-R7L (Gers. N.) ;
(Oh’enyaun x Odaroloc) ; slight¬
ly □ .

ADMIRABLE TB-M-R1M (Dan.
N.) ; (Dream x Naiad Atlanta) ;

□ .

ADONAIS TB-M-S7M (Spender
N.); □.

ADORABLE IB-M-S3L (Gers. N.) ;
(Yvonne Pelletier x Ch’en-
yaun) ; table iris.

AETHRA Sib-F-B3M rev (Gers.

N.) ; (Perry Blue x Blue King).
A. H. NICHOLLS Laev-Wl (Nic.-
A. H., coll. Ala. 1934) ; Nic.-Jr.
1934.

AIINIGHTO TB-EM-WW (Donahue
N.) ; (Moonlight x . ); very

□ .

AIRY SPIRIT IB-E-W2L (Dan.

N.) ; (Mme. Bazes x . ) ; □.

ALASTOR TB-M-S7D (Spender N.) ;

□ .

ALPHA MAJOR TB-E-B3M (Dan.

N.) ; (Moliere x Magnifica).
AMABILITA TB-M-S8L (Gers. N.) ;
(Caroline E. Stringer x Chas¬
seur) ; locust blossom scent.
AMANTE TB-E-S9D (Dan. N.) ;
(Dejazet x Souv. de Mme. Gaudi¬
chau) ; n.

AMARILLITA TB-M-Y6M rev.
(Gers. N.) ; (Steep way x Sheki-
nah) ; locust blossom scent.
AMICO IB-M-R3D (Dan. N.) ; (De¬
jazet x Souv. de, Mme. Gaudi¬
chau) ; □.

ANACONDA TB-M-S4M (Mit. N.) ;

(seedling 9-24-1 x King Midas).
ANAKIM TB-M-B7L (Klein. 1934) ;
Cooley 1934; (Souv. de Loetitia
Michaud x Bruno) ; □.

ANDASTE TB-M-S7M (Gers. N.) ;
(Zouave x Argentina) ; locust
blossom scent.

ANDEREYA Sib-FF-B7D (Gers.

N.) ; (Perry Blue x Blue King).
ANGELINE TB-M-R3M (Dan. N.) ;

(Rotorua x . ) ; □.

ANGELUS TB-M-W1 (Dan. N.) ;

(Midwest x . ); □.

ANGKHOR VAT TB-M-Y4L (Nic.
N.) ; (Kashmir White x Domin¬
ion) ; sweet locust fragrance.
ANGLO SAXON TB-M-B9M (Dan.
N.) ; A. I. S. Bull. 50. Jan. 1934,
71; (Souv. de Mme. Gaudichau x
Lent A. Williamson) ; □.

ANITA MARIE TB-M-R7L (Gers.

N.) ; (Pioneer x Aphrodite).
ANN STODDER IB-E-B1L (Donahue

N.) ; (Sapphid x . ) ; quite □.

ANOTHER DAY TMB-EE-F-W4L
(White-C. G. N.) ; (Purissima x
susiana) ; pleasing

ANTIQUE VELVET IB-M-S9D
(Dan. N.) ; (Iris King x Lent A.
Williamson) ; □.

ANTWERP BLUE IB-EM-B9M
(Dan. N.) ; (Azure x Shekinah) ;
□ .

AORANGI Sib-F-WW (Gers. N.) ;

(Blue King x Perry Blue).
APPLE BLUSH TB-F-R7L (Dan.

N.) ; (Her Majesty x . ); □.

APRICOT DAWN TB-MF-S6M (Dan.
N.) ; (Naiad Atlanta x Gobelin
Red) ; □.

APRICOT QUEEN Fulv-M-S4M
(Way man N.).

ARAMINTA HOWELL TB-F-S8L
(Gers. N.) ; (Caroline E. Stringer
x Chasseur) ; sugary scent.
ARGOSY TB-M-Y6M rev. (Gers.
N.) ; (Austin x Shekinah) ; table
iris.

ARGYLE IB-M-R3L (Dan. N.) ;

(Dream x Naiad Atlanta) ;

ARNO IB-M-B9D (Dan. N.) ; (Souv.
de Mme. Gaudichau x Conquista¬
dor) ; □.

[34]

ARTIFICER IN GOLD IB-M-Y4L
(Dan. N.) ; (La Neige x . );

□ .

ASPETO IB M-B9L (Dan. N.) ;

(Pocahontas x . ); □.

AST A TB-F-S9M (Gers. N.) ;
(Anne, Bullen x Chasseur) ;
slight locust blossom scent.
AUGUSTUS CAESAR TB-M-S9D
(Dan. N.) ; (Hamilton x Cardi¬
nal).

auranitica Onc-S4D (Dins. 1933, at
Jab. Kulayb, in El Hauran, Syria) ;
Gard. Ill. 56: 389, June 30, 1934.
AUTUMN ELF IB-M-FF-W6
(Brown N.) ; (Gertrude; x prob¬
ably Gracchus) ; delicate pleasing
scent.

AUTUMN FROST TB-EM-FF-W4
(Schreiner 1934); Schreiner 1934;
McDade 1934.

AUTUMN GLEAM IB-M-FF-Y4M
(Sass-H.P. 1934); Sass-H.P. 1934;
Sass-J. 1934; Hill-H.M. 1934;

(pumila x mesopotamica) ; slight

□ .

AUTUMN HAZE TB-E-FF-S9M
(Sass-H.P. 1934); Sass-H.P. 1934;
Sass-J. 1934; Hill-H.M. 1934; (out
of two seedlings).

AWOSTING Sib-EM-B9M rev. (Gers.

N.) ; (Perry Blue; x Blue King).
AZALAIA TB-F-R3M (Gers. N.) ;
(Chasseur x Mrs. Cuthbertson) ;
jasmine scent.

BAGDAD FAIR TB-E-S7M (Dan.

N.) ; (Medrano x . ); □.

basaltica One- (West, and Dins, from
southeastern Syria (?)); The Gard.
Chron. Oct. 27, 1934, 294.

BAZRA TB-E-R3D (Dan. N.) ;
(Magnate x Lent A. William¬
son) ; □.

BEAUJOLAIS IB-E-R3D (Dan. N.) ;

(Her Majesty x M. Brun) ; □.
BEERSHEBA Spur-Y6D (Wash.
N.).

[35]

BENDIS Sib-FF-WW (Gers. N.) ;

(Blue King x Perry Blue).
BENGAL IB-EM-R9D (Dan. N.) ;

(Ambigu x . ) ; □.

BEN LOMOND Spur-B3M (Wash.
N.).

BENVENUTO TB-M-Y6M rev. (Dan.

N.) ; (Mary Garden x . ) ; □.

BETTY Jap-Dbl-7 (Smith-U.G.

1934) ; Hoodacres 1934.
BITTERSWEET TB- (Mur. N.) ;

C. M., Iris Soc. (Eng.), 1934.
BLITHE IB-M-S8L (Gers. N.) ;
(Commandant Driant x Mme. de
Sevigne) ; table iris; fruity scent.
BLOOD ROOT TB-FF-R9D (Dan.
N.) ; (Medrano x Col. Candelot) ;
□ .

BLOOD ROYAL TB-M-R9M rev.
(Nic. N.) ; (Coppersmith x Sir
Michael) ; fragrance of a beehive,
not unpleasant.

BLUE ANCHOR INN TB-M-B3M
(Dan. N.) ; (J. J. Dean x . );

□ .

BLUE CHANCELLOR TB-M-B1L
(Dan. N.) ; (Mady Carriers x
Ballerine) ; □.

BLUE DANUBE TB-B1M (Meyer-
R.H. 1934); Orp. 1934; Bronze
Medal, R. H. S., 1933.

BLUE MAGIC Hex-BID (Wayman
N.).

BLUE MOUSE IB-F-B1L (Richer
N.) ; slightly □ ; table iris.

BLUE TRIUMPH TB-M-B1L (Grin-
ter 1934); Quality 1934; (Sensa¬
tion x Blue Ribbon).

BOGATYR TB-M-R3D (Gers. N.) ;
(Mela-haska x Tenebrae) ; strong
locust blossom scent.

BOLERO TB-FF-Y6M (Gers. N.) ;
(Flammenschwert x Chasseur) ;
locust blossom scent.

BONSOR TB-M-B1D (Con. N.) ;
slight □.

BOTTICELLI TB-M-S9M (Dan.
N.) ; (Mme. Chobaut x . ); □.

BOUNTEOUS TB-E-Y4L (Sturt.

N.) ; (( . ; Mohr x (Sheklnah

x Jubilee) x (Sitka)); delicious
fruity fragrance.

BRENTWOOD TB-EM-S7D (Wil-
liams-T.A. N.) ; (seedling No. 503
x seedling No. 101) ; spicy fra¬
grance.

BRIDE ELECT TB-M-S6L (White-
C.G. N.) ; (Sequoiah x Son Rob¬
ert) ; n.

BRILLIANTINE IB-M-R9M (Dan.
N.) ; (Magnate x Souv. de Mme.
Gaudichau) ; □.

BROWN BROTHER TB-E-S7 (Don¬
ahue N.) ; (Bruno x . ); quite

□ .

BROWN MAHOGANY TB-M-S9M
(Williams-T.A. N.) ; (seedling No.
306 x Aztec) ; new honey fra¬
grance.

BROWN OCTOBER TB-M-S7 (Don¬
ahue N.) ; (Mrs. Valerie West
x . ); very □.

BRUNHILDE TB-M-B7M (Salb.

1934) ; (San Diego) x (Cardinal
x deep blue seedling) ; □.
BURGUNDIAN TB-E-R1D (Dan.

1927); (Magnate x Magnifica) ;
app. A. I. S., 1927 ; □.

CAMEO BROOCH TB-M-R3L (Dan.

N.) ; (Mme. Chobaut x . ) ; □.

CAMPANILE TB-M-B1M (Dan.

1927); (Regan x Souv. de Mme.
Gaudichau) ; C (impanel, A. I. S.
Chpek List, 1929; □.

CANTON D-Sib-B6L (Nic. N.) ;
(forrestii x . ).

CARINOSA TB-EM-R7L (G e r s.
N.) ; (Gratone x Mrs. Cuthbert-
son).

CARITA TB-E-W4L (Gers. N.) ;
(Anne Bullen x Shekinah) ; lin¬
den blossom scent.

CATHRINE TB-F-B9M (Dan. N.) ;
(Souv. de Mme. Gaudichau x Con¬
quistador) ; Q. f

CEYLON 1B-E-S9M (Dan. N.) ;

(Midwest x Dalila) ; □.
CEYLONESE IB-F-S9M (Dan. N.) ;

(Midwest x Dalila) ; □.

CIIAGAN TB-M-R9M (Gers. N.) ;
(Mela-haska x Tenebrae) ; slight
scent.

CHANSON ROLAND IB-F-R7M
(Dan. N.) ; (Swatara x . ) ;

□ .

CHAPERONE TB-F-B7M (Dan.
N.) ; (Delicatissima x Dream) ;
□ .

CHARLOTTE LEE TB-M-R7M
(Donahue N.) ; (Susan Bliss x

. ) ; A. I. S. Bull. 49: 14, 1933;

grape fragrance.

CHATEAU POLIGNAC TB-E-S9M
(Dan. N.) ; (Mady Carriere x
Dejazet) ; app. A. I. S. 1927; □.
CHAUCER TB-M-WW (Dan. N.) ;

(Loreley x . ) ; not fragrant.

CHEER IB-M-Y4M (Loth. N.) ;
(Ramona x Loudoun) x (Anosia) ;
pleasingly Q.

CHERIE TB-M-R7M (Gers. N.) ;
(Ch’enyaun x Golden Heart);
table iris; grapy scent.
CHEVALIER DE BAYARD TB-M-
R1M (Dan. N.) ; (Mlle.

Schwartz x ); □.

CHINA ROSE TB-M-S9M (Salb.
1934) ; (Frieda Mohr x Rose¬
way) ; □.

CHINESE LEGEND IB-M-W8M
(Dan. N.) ; (Mme. Chobaut x
. );

CHINOOK TB-M-WW (Williams-T.
A. N.) ; (seedling No. 1105 x
Desert Gold) ; pleasing cinnamon
fragrance.

CHOOLA Hex-R7M (Wash. N.).
CHRISTABEL TB-M-S7D (L a p.
N.) ; (Rameses x Jerry) ; pleas¬
ingly □ .

CHRYSOPRASE TB-M-Y4M (Spen¬
der N.) ; (Pluie d'Or x Talisman
Murrell) .

[36]

CHULA VISTA TB-M-B9M (Loth.-
Monroe N.) ; (tnesopotamica x El-
beron) x (Bruno) ; pleasingly
CIRCUS DAY TB-M-W4L (Dan.
X.) ; (Shekinah x Citronella) ;
□ .

CLARA AYARS TB-M-S6L (Ayars-
C. N.) ; (Tuscany Gold x Ophe¬
lia) ; not □.

CLOS VOGET IB-M-B7D (Dan.
N.) ; (Midwest x Souv. de Mme.
Gaudichau) ; □.

COLUMBIA TB-M-S7L (Dan. 1924) ;

(Magnate x Dominion) ; □.
COMMODORE FELLOWES TB-E-
B1L (Harding N.) ; (seedling No.
8B x Moonlight) ; □.
CONSTANCE SCHREINER IB-EE-
FF-B3M (Mikle-McDade N.) ;
slightly

COOSA Hex-R7M (Wash. N.).
COPPER MOON TB-M-S7 (Donahue

N.) ; (Mrs. Valerie West x . ) ;

very □.

CORAZON TB-M-R7D (Stahl.-Wash.
N.).

CORINTHIAN IB-M-W4L (Dan.

N.) ; (Mme. Chobaut x . ); □.

COSIMO TB-F-Y6L (Dan. N.) ;

(Dalila x Medrano) ; □.
COUNSELOR MORRIS TB-M-S9D
(Dan. N.) ; (Rose Madder x Corn-
uault) ; most □.

CREOLE BELLE TB-M-B1D (Nie.
1934); Nie. -Jr. 1934; (Alcazar x
Regan) x (Germaine Perthuis) ;
strong grape scent.

CROWN GLORY TB-F-Y9M (Gers.
N.) ; (Flammenschwert x Chas¬
seur) ; locust blossom scent.
CROWN JEWEL TB-M-S6M (Nie.
N.) ; (Midgard x Jubilee) ; slight¬
ly □ .

CRYSTAL BEAUTY TB-F-WW
(Sass-J. N.) ; □; No. 32-48.
DAMARIS Sib-F- W4L (Gers. N.) ;
(Perry Blue x Blue King).

DARDANELLA TB-E-B7D (Way-
man N.) ; not □.

DARK KNIGHT TB-F-S9D (Salb.
1934); (Glowing Embers x deep
reddish brown seedling) ; □.
DAWN CHILD TB-M-S9M (Gers.
N.) ; (Mrs. Cuthbertson x Ch’en-
yaun) ; slightly □.

DEAR ME TMB-M-S7M (White-
C.G. N.) ; (Shekinah x Rameldo)
x (Sirona) ;

DEBONAIR TB-R1M (Yeld N.) ;

Gard. Chron. 95: 411. June 16, 1934.
DELAWARE TB-F-R3D (Dan. N.) ;
(Souv. de Mme. Gaudichau x Lent
A. Williamson) ; □.

DELFT TB-E-B9M (Dan. N.) ;

(Caterina x . ); □.

DEWGOLD TB-M-Y4D (McKee
N.) ; (Argentina x mixed pollen) ;
slightly □.

DIVERSE TB- (Dan. N) ; (Mrs.

Valerie West x . ).

DIVERT TB-M-S9M (Loth. N.) ;

(Gold Lace x Dejazet) ;

DORIC TB-F-Y5L (Dan. N.) ; (La

Neige x . ); app. 1927 by A. I.

S.; □.

DOVER TB-F-R3D (Dan. N.) ;
(Souv. de Mme. Gaudichau x Car¬
dinal) ; A. I. S. Bull. 50: 71. Jan.
1934; □.

DRESDEN DOLL TB-M-R1L (Dan.
N.) ; (Roseway x Thelma Per¬
ry) ; □.

DRUSILLA TB-M-B7L (Dan. N.) ;

(Delicatissima x Dream) ; □.
DUE WEST TMB-E-WW (White-C.
G. N.) ; (Purissima x susiana) ;
pleasingly □.

EARLY MASS TMB-E-B7L (White-
C.G. N.) ; ( Purissima x susiana);
pleasingly □.

EBONY PRINCESS TB-F-B1D
(Donahue N.) ; (Swazi x mixed
pollen) ; quite □.

ELEANOR OF TOLEDO TB-F-S9L
[37]

(Dan. N.) ; (AmbassadeuR x

. ); □.

ELERIA TB-M-S9L (Gers. N.) ;
(Mrs. Cuthbertson x Ch ’en-
yaun) ; locust blossom scent.
ELIZABETH HOWARD TB-MF-
Y5M (Harding N.).

ELIZABETH TEUBERT Spur-Y4D
(Branin N.) ; (monnieri x ochro-
leuca) ; A. I. S. Bull. 52: 95. 1934.
ELLA WINCHESTER TB-M-R7D
(Grinter N.) ; not □.

ESOALIN IB-M-W8D (Dan. N.) ;

(Medrano x M. Brun) ; □.
ESTEBAN TB-M-B7D (Loth. N.) ;
(Mauna Loa) x (Rialgar x
Mauna Loa) ; pleasingly □.
ETHEL GUILL TB-M-S9D (Ayars-
C. N.) ; slightly □.

EXEMPLAR TB-F-B3D (Dan. N.) ;
(Neptune x Souv. de Mme. Gau-
dichau) ; □.

FAIR ENOUGH TMB-EE-M-B1M
(White-C.G. N.) ; (Purissima x
susiana) ; pleasing scent.
FIREFLASH TB-M-W4M (Kellogg
1934).

FLESOLE TB-M-W8M rev. (Dan.
N.) ; (Lady Byng x Valery Ma-
yet) ; □.

FLEURISSANT TB-M-B7L (Dan.
N.) ; (Albert Victor x Prosper
Laugier) ; □.

FLORIAD TB-F-Y9D (Dan. N.) ;

(Hiawatha x . ); □.

FOREST NAIAD TB-EM-S1L
(Sturt. N.) ; (Sindjkha x Grace
Sturtevant) x (H 2-3) ; Naiad.
FORLANA TB-MF-S9D (Dan. N.) ;

(Mme. Chobaut x . ); □.

FRANCESCA TB-M-S7M (Douglas-
G. N.) ; slightly □.

FRANKLIN B. MEAD TB-M-W2
(Mead-Riedel N.) ; formerly White
Nile; A. I. S. Bull. Jan. 1933.
FROST FAIRY TB-M-B1L (Con.

N.); □.

FUJISAN Jap-Dbl-5 (Barber 1934) ;
Hoodacres 1934.

GARDEN RUBY TB-EM-R1D (Kirk.

N.) ; (Rob Roy x . ).

GAULT TB-F-R3D (Dan. N.) ;
(Prosper Laugier x Souv. de Mme.
Gaudichau) ; □.

GAVROCHE IB-F-W4L (Dan. N.) ;

(Midwest x . ) ; A. I. S. Bull.

50: 71. Jan. 1934; □.

GEORGE DAVIDSON TB-Y4M
(Brehm 1934); Thole 1934; (Mme.
Cheri x Bruno) x (Bruno).
GHIBERTI IB-F-W3D (Dan. N.) ;

(Anne Leslie x Tristram) ; □.
GIFT TB-M-S9D (Loth. N.) ; (Sind¬
jkha x Souv. de Mme. Gaudichau)
x (Moa) ; pleasing scent.

GILDED KING Dut-B3D (Griffiths-
D. N.) ; (seedling by cross polli¬
nation of unnamed seedlings).
GIOCONDA TB-M-R1L (Dan. N.) ;

(Mlle. Schwartz x . ); □.

GIOTTO TB-M-S9M (Dan. N.) ;

(Rose Madder x . ); □.

GOBELIN RED TB-FF-R7D (Dan.
1927); (Medrano x M. Brun);
app. A. I. S. 1927 ; □.

GOLDEN ARROW TB-Y6L (Meyer-
R.H. N.); C. M., I. S. (Eng.),
June 1934; Gard. Chron. 95: 411.
June 16. 1934.

GOLDEN BEAR TB-M-Y4D (Mit.
N.) ; (seedling 9-73-1 x seedling 9-
33-1).

GOLDEN BOW IB-E-Y4D (Sass-II.

P. N.); No. 1-12-31.

GOLDEN LEGEND TB-M-Y4D
(Spender N.) ; (Pluie d’Or x
Talisman Murrell).

GOLDEN LOTUS TB-M-Y4D (Snow
N.) ; (Snow’s white No. 101 x Wil¬
liamson’s yellow No. 455); slight¬
ly □ •

GOLDEN SUNSET TB-M-S4D
(Parker-J.B. N.) ; (Afterglow x
ArCheveque) ; no fragrance.

[38]

GOLDWING TB-M-Y4D (Nic. 1934) ;
Nie.-Jr. 1934; (Ochracea x Gold
Imperial) x (Aliquippa) ; no
fragrance.

GOOD CHEER TB-M-Y9M (Sturt.
N.) ; (Shekinah x Jubilee) x
(“yellow Valkyrie”) ; faintly □.
GRASSY YELLOW IB-M-Y4L (Dan.
N.) ; (Shekinah x Mo a) x (Arti¬
ficer in Gold) ; small grassy fo¬
liage; □ .

GUILDER ROSE TB-F-WW (Dan.
N.) ; (Dream x Naiad Atlanta) ;
□ .

GULNAR TB-F-S6M (Gers. N.) ;
(Flammenschwert x Chasseur) ;
strong locust blossom scent.
HAMILTON IB-M-B7M (Dan. N.) ;

(Lady Foster x Prospero).
HAPPY DAYS TB-EM-Y4M (Mit.
1934); Salb. 1934; (Seedling 9-33-
1 x Wm. R. Dykes).

H A R P E T H HILLS Spur-B3M
(Wash. N.).

HASSE OOBEA SUNSET TB-M-
S6M (Stahl.-Wash. N.).

HELEN M. RIEDEL TB-M-R7M
(Mead-Riedel N.) ; (Claret Cup

X SOLFERINO).

HELICON Sib-M-BIM (Spender

N.) ; ( . x Emperor).

HENRY F. MICHELL TB-E-B1L
(Rose. N.) ; A. I. S. Bull. 50: 71.
Jan. 1934; Henry F. Michell TB
(Meyer-F.B., N. Y. B. G.) ; high¬
ly fragrant.

HIGH NOON TB-E-Y4L (Dan. N.) ;
(Shekinah x Medrano) ; app. A.
I. S. 1927; not TB-Y4M, nor intro¬
duced 1927 as in Check List, 1929;

□ .

HOHTIKEE Hex-WW (Wash. N.).
HONOR BRIGHT TMB-E-WW
(White-C.G. N.) ; (Purissima x
susiana) ; pleasingly □.

ILDICO TB-MF-S9L (Gers. N.) ;
(Shekinah x Ch’enyaun); slight
locust blossom scent.

IL PENSEROSA TB-MF-S7L (Gers.
N.) ; (Dulcimer x Shekinah) ; lo¬
cust blossom scent.

IN MEMORIAM TB-Y5L (Insole
N.) ; C. M., I. S. (Eng.) June 1934;
Gard. Chron. 95: 411. June 16.
1934.

IRIS CITY TB-M-B1D (Williams-T.
A. N.) ; (seedling No. 1302 x seed¬
ling No. 304); No. S-42; slight
carnation fragrance.

IRIS ISLE TB-B (Dan.-Adams N.).
ISHPANEE TB-M-Y9M (Stahl.-
Wash. N.).

ITASCA TB-M-R7D (Klein. 1934);
Cooley 1934; (Pioneer x Mel¬
chior) ; □.

JANE NEALE TB-M-S7L (Lap.
N.) ; (Midgard x Inez Bryan) ;
delicate scent.

JAN VAN DEN GHENS TB-F-Y9D
(Dan. N.) ; (Nuee d’Orage x
. );

JASMANIA TB-MF-Y4M (Ayres
N.) ; (K. V. Ayres x yellow seed¬
ling) ; slightly □.

JAVA MAID IB-F-S9D (Dan. N.) ;

(Mme. Boullet X . ); □.

JEAN, VOILA JEAN TB-E-R3D

(Dan. 1927); (Cluny x . );

Jean Viola Jean (Dan. 1927), A. I.
S. Check List 1929; □.

JEAN LAFITTE TB-M-S7M
(Stahl.-Wash. N.).

JEFFERSON IB-E-S9M (Dan. N.) ;

(Dejazet x Queen Caterina) ; □.
JOLLY ROGER TB-M-B1D (Nic.
1934); Nic. -Jr. 1934; (Souv. de
Mme. Gaudichau x Alcazar) x
(Dominion) ; strong grape fra¬
grance.

JOSEPH LE CONTE TB-S4M
(Brehm 1934) ; Thole 1934.

JUNE JEWEL TB-M-S3M (Home-
wood N.) ; (4th generation seed¬
ling from Aksarben) ; slightly □.
K ALIMERA TB-M-R7D (Dan. N.) ;
(Medrano x . ); □,

[39]

KALINGA TB-MF-W4L (Klein.
1934); Cooley 1934; (Purissima x
Dolly Madison) ; □.

KALOLA Sib-F-B3M rev. (Gers.

N.) ; (Perry Blue x Blue King).
KANGREY Sib-FF-B3M (Gers. N.) ;

(Blue King x Perry Blue).
KAROMENSIS Sib-FF-BIM (Gers.

N.) ; (Perry Blue x Blue King).
LADY JOAN TB-M-B7M (Dan.
N.) ; (Conquistador x Lent A.
Williamson) ;

LADY LEAL TB-M-W9L rev. (Dan.

N.) ; (Mauvine x . ) ; not □.

LADY PHYLLIS TB-B1L (Neel
1934); Orp. 1934; deliciously
LA FLORELLE TB-MF-W8M (Dan.
N.) ; (Susan Bliss x Mother of
Pearl) ; □.

LALASA Sib-F-B3L (Gers. N.) ;

(Perry Blue x Blue King).
LALUA Sib-F-BID (Gers. N.) ;

(Blue King x Perry Blue).
LANTERN IB-M-Y9D (Dan. N.) ;

(Nuee d’Orage x . ) ;

LAURATE TB-FF-R3D (Dan. N.) ;
(Souv. de Mme. Gaudichau X Pros-
pero) ; □.

LAURIN TB-Y (Dan. N.) ; (Lore-
ley x . ).

LEAL IB-M-W9M (Dan. N.) ;

Mrs. H. Darwin x . ); □.

LENA RIVERS Jap-Sgl-1 (Barber
1934) ; Hoodacres 1934.
LEONARDO TB-M-R3D (Dan. N.) ;

(Magnifica x Dominion) ; □ .
LICTOR TB-M-WW (Dan. N.) ;

(Isola X . ) ; □.

LILLA BELLE Sib-Vers-E-FF-B3D
rev. (Williams-F.F. N.) ; (Emper¬
or x versicolor).

LILY PONS TB-M-S9M (Stahl.-
Wash. N.).

LINA-MAY TB-F-S9M (Gers. N.) ;
(Aphrodite x Pioneer) ; jasmine
scented.

LITTLE AMERICA TB-M-WW
(Kirk. N.) ; (Shasta x . ).

LITTLE BO-PEEP DB-M-Y6L
(Loth. N.) ; Mme.. Durrand x
Jubilee) ; table iris.

LOREL TB-F-Y9M (Dan. N.) ;

(Loreley x . ); □.

LOST LADY TB-M-W3M (Richer

N.) ; (Nancy Orne x . ) ; faint

locust blossom scent.

LOUCROFT TB-F-S9D (Dan. N.) ;

(Sherbert x Cardinal) ; □.
LUCRE TB-M-Y4D (White-C.G.
N.) ; (Gold Top) x (Wm. R. Dykes
x Mirasol; seedling No. 3-D-l) ;
□ .

LUCREZIA BORI TB-M-Y4M (Mc-
Dade N.) ; no scent.

LUMINOUS TB-F-S9M (Rose. N.) ;

A. I. S. Bull. 50: 71. Jan. 1934; □.
LYDEN IB-F-Y9D (Dan. N.) ;

(Knysna x Archeveque) ; □.
MAB CHADBURN TB-Y4D (Chad-
burn N.) ; C. M., I. S. (Eng.) June
1934; Gard. Chron. 95: 411. June
16. 1934.

MADREGAL IN MAUVE IB-FF-
R1L (Dan. N.) ; (Delicatissima
x Dream) ; □.

MAGNA CHARTA IB-F-W2D (Dan.
1931); Brand 1932; (Grevin x La
Neige) ; app. A. I. S. 1932;
MAGNASON TB-M-R7L (Dan.
N.) ; (Magnate x Lent A. Wil¬
liamson) ; □.

MAGNETAWAN TB-EM-S9M (Kirk.
N.).

MAID OF KENT TB-W8L (Baker-
G.P. N.); Silver Medal, I. S.
(Eng.) June 1934; Gard. Chron.
95: 411. June 16. 1934; Gard. Ill.
56: 364. June 16. 1934.

MANDRINO TB-EM-R1M (Dan.

N.) ; (Shekinah x . ) ; □.

MANTLE O’BLUE Jap-Sgl-6 (Smith-
U.G. 1934) ; Hoodacres 1934.
MARIANINA IB-M-R9M (Dan.
N.) ; (Midwest x Anne Leslie) ;
D.

[40]

MARTHA LE GRAND Sib-WW
(Wash. N.).

MARTIE EVEREST TB-EE-FF-
B1M (Kirk.-McDade N.) ; good
fragrance.

MASACCIO TB-M-R9D (Dan. N.) ;

(Rose Madder x . ); □.

MAUVE AMPARO TB-M-R1L (Dan.

N.) ; (Susan Bliss x Dream) ; □.
MAUVINA TB-R1M (Burt. N.) ; C.

M. , I. S. (Eng.) June 1934; Gard.
Chron. 95: 411. June 16. 1934.

MAUVISSIMA TB-MF-R1M (Dan.

N. ) ; (Susan Bliss x Delicatis-
sima) ; □.

MAY SUN TB-E-Y4D (Mur. N.) ;
Silver Medal, I. S., (Eng.) 1934;

M ay g old (Mur.) ; Mayflower
(Mur.) ; Maydore (Mur.) ; (Moon¬
light x . ).

MEDICI TB-F-S9D (Dan. N.) ;

(Rose Madder x . ); □.

MEHAMA TB-M-R7M (Klein. 1934) ;
Cooley 1934; (Mme. Cecils Bous-
cant x Dolly Madison).
MELBOURNE TB-Y9M (Pilk. N.) ;

(Menetrier x Bruno) x ( . );

Bronze Medal, I. S. (Eng.), June
1934.

MELLOW MOON TB-E-S4L
(Stahl. -Wash. N.).

MERRY DAY IB-M-R3D (Dan.

N.) ; (Iris King x Nine Wells) ;

□ .

MIRADOR TB-M-Y9M (Nic. N.) ;
(George J. Tribolet x Copper¬
smith) ; mildly □.

MISS ARCTIC IB-M-WW (Donahue

N.) ; (Moonlight x . ) ; very □.

MISS JOAN TB-M-R3L (Dan. N.) ;

(Parc de Neuilly x . ); □.

MOIJRSON TMB-M-B7M (White-C.

G. N.) ; (Wm. Mohr x . );

grapy scent.

MONOGRAM TB-M-B7M (Donahue
N.) ; (Imperator x mixed pollen) ;
very □.

[41]

MONREALC TB-M-S4M (Spender
N.).

MOON O ’SILVER Jap-I)bl-1 (Smith-
U.G. 1934) ; Hoodacres 1934.

MOORISH PRINCE TB-MF-S9D
(Gers. N.) ; (Impressario x Tene-
brae) ; heavy sweet scent.

MOUNTAIN SUNSET TB-FF-S9D
(Klein. 1934); Cooley 1934; (Och-
racea x Magenta) ; □.

MOURNING CLOAK TB-M-B1D
(Essig 1934) ; (Alcazar x Souv.
de Mme. Gaudichau) x (Uncle Re¬
mus x Dominion).

MR. KHAYYAM IB-EE-B1D (Rich¬
er N.).

MRS. ARTHUR CIIENOWETH TB-
M-R7D (Dan. N.) ; (Souv. de
Mme. Gaudichau x Cardinal).

MRS. FRED HONEY Jap-Dbl-6
(Smith-U.G. 1934) ; Hoodacres
1934.

MRS. J. LINTON ENGLE TB-F-
B7L (Dan. N.) ; (Rotorua x
. ); □.

MRS. JOHN HAWKER Jap-Dbl-5
(Smith-U. G. 1934) ; Hoodacres
1934.

MRS. MARY NUGENT Spur-Y4D
(Branin N.) ; (monnieri x ochro-
leuca) ; A. I. S. Bull. 52: 95. 1934.

MULETA TB-M-R7D (Dan. N.) ;
(Medrano x M. Brun) ; □.

MYSTERY OF NIGHT TB-M-B7D
(Dan. N.) ; (Ambassadeur x Souv.
de Mme. Gaudichau) ; □.

NADESHA TB-F-B3L (Gers. N.) ;
(Dulcimer x Shekinah) ; locust
blossom scent.

NAIA IB-MF-S7L (Gers. N.) ;
(Shekinah x Fritjof) ; table iris;
slight, locust blossom scent.

NATAL TB-W1 (Pilk. N.) ; (Pur-
issima x Bruno) ; C. M., I. S.
(Eng.), June 7, 1934; Gard. Ill.
56: 372. June 23. 1934.

NAUTILUS TB-M-WW (Spender
N.) ; (Pluie d’Or x King Karl).

NEON TB-MF-Y9D (Sail). 1934);
(Bruno x deep rich red seedling) ;
moderately □.

NICOLE LEMOINE TB-E-WW
(Harding N.) ; (seedling 8B x
Moonlight) .

NIGHT SPRITE Sib-MF-B3M (Gers.

N.) ; (Perry Blue x Blue King).
NIGHT WATCH IB-M-S9D (Dan.

N.) ; (Grevin x . ) ; □.

NIKOTRIS IB-M-S4M (Dan. N.) ;
(Naiad Atlanta x Gobelin
Red) ; □.

OCTOBER BLAZE TB-EE-FF-R7M
(McDade N.) ; slightly □.

ODE TB-M-S9D (Loth. N.) ; (Mau-
na Loa x Moa) ; pleasantly □.

O JIB WAY TB-M-S9M (Kirk. N.) ;

(from two unnamed seedlings).
OLD RAGS TB-F-B7D (Dan. N.) ;

(Shalimar x . ); □.

OLD SALEM TB-M-R3D (Dan.
N.) ; (Ambassadeur x Souv. de
Mme. Gaudichau) ; □.

OLIVER TWIST Ev-BIL (Wash.

N.) ; (tectorum x cristata).
OLIVINE IB-FF-S1M (Dan. N.) ;

(Mrs. H. Darwin x . ); □.

ON PARADE TB-M-B3D (Williams-
T.A. N.) ; (seedling No. 1302 x
Souv. de Mme. Gaudichau) ; No.
ST-1 ; garden pink fragrance.
OPALESCENT IB-M-Y9L (Gers.
N.) ; (Mrs. Cuthbertson x Ch’en-
yaun) ; table iris; locust blossom
scent.

OPATA TB-M-R3M (Dan. N.) ;
(Merlin x Souv. de Mme. Gaudi¬
chau) ; □.

ORANGE AND ROSE IB-F-S6L
(Dan. N.) ; (Naiad Atlanta x
Gobelin Red) ; □.

ORCAGNA IB-F-S9D (Dan. N.) ;

(Dalila x Medrano) ; □.
ORIENTA IB-F-S9D (Gers. N.) ;
(Zita x Flammenschwert) ; musk-
melon scent.

ORILIA TB-M-Y9M (Kirk. N.).

OTAY TB-M-B9D (Lotli.-Monroe
N.) ; (mesopotamica x Elberon) x
(Bruno) ; pleasing fragrance.
OTTERBEIN TB-MF-B1D (Burtner
N.) ; (Souv. de Mme. Gaudichau x
Morning Splendor) ; slightly □.
OWAISSA DB-E-B1M (Sass-J.

1934) ; slightly □.

OXFORD TB-F-B9M (Dan. N.) ;

(Parc de Neuilly x . ) ; □.

OXHEAR.T TB-M-R7D (Nic. 1934) ;
Nic.-Jr. 1934; (Lent A. William¬
son x Alcazar) x (Cardinal) ;
strong grape fragrance.

PALE CORAL TB-M-R1M (Dan.

N.) ; (Georgia x Susan Bliss) ; □.
PEACEMAKER TB-M-W3L (Mit.

1934); Salb. 1934; slightly Q.
PEACH BLUSH TB-R (Dan. N.) ;

(Leal x Naiad Atlanta).
PERFECT PEACE Jap-Dbl-1
(Smith-U.G. 1934) ; Hoodacres
1934.

PERSIAN ROSE IB-M-S7L (Dan.

N.) ; (Midwest x Dalila) ; □.
PHARAOH SETI IB-M-Y9D (Dan.

N.) ; (Medrano x M. Brun) ; □.
PINK MANTLE Jap-Sgl-5 (Smith-
U.G. 1934) ; Hoodacres 1934.
POLLY PRIM TB-M-R1L (Gers.
N.) ; (Hideyo x Golden Heart) ;
table iris; locust blossom scent.
POLYCHROME TB-M-Y9M (Dan.
N.) ; (Marsh Marigold x Arche-
veque) ; □.

POMPONIOUS TB-FF-S9D (Dan.

N.) ; (Tristram x . ); □.

PORTOLA TB-M-Y6M (Mit. N.) ;

(Helios x King Midas).

PRAIRIE ROSE TB-M-R7M (Egel.

1934) ; (Caprice x Iris King).
PRIM IB-M-W4L (Dan. N.) ; (Vir¬
ginia Moore x . ); □.

PRIMERO DB-EE-Y1L (Dan. N.) ;
(Statellae x Merlin) ; □.

(Note — Its color makes its class
Y1L, even though there is now no

[42]

provision for that class in the color
chart.)

PRINCE AHMED TB-M-W8L (Dan.

N.) ; (Grevin x Anne Leslie) x
(High Noon) ; □.

PRINCE CHARLES Jap-Sgl-6
(Smith-U.G. 1934) ; Hoodacres
1934.

PRINCE MICHAEL TB-E-S3M
Wayman N.) ; very fragrant.

PRINCE OF MOROCCO TB-FF-B3D
(Dan. N.) ; (Tristram x . );

□ .

PRINCESS ARJEMAND TB-M-WW
Donahue N.) ; (Moonlight x
. ) ; very □.

PRINCESS POLAR TB-M-WW
(Donahue N.) ; (Moonlight x
. ) ; very □.

PRO VINCETOWN TB-M-R3D (Dan.

N.) ; (Ambassadeur x Souv. de
Mme. Gaudichau) ;

PULCHER Jap-Dbl-5 (Barber 1934) ;
Hoodacres 1934.

PURE GOLD TB-M-Y4D (Kirk.

N.) ; (Desert Gold x . ).

PURITAN MAID TB-EE-R1D (Dan.

N.) ; (Crepuscule x Souv. de Mme.
Gaudichau) ; □.

PURSUIVANT TB-M-R9D (Spender
N.) ; (Melchior x Mrs. Valerie
West).

QUEEN MAUVE Jap-Sgl-5 (Smith-
U.G. 1934) ; Hoodacres 1934.

Q U E S A D A Jap-Dbl-6 (Barber
1934) ; Hoodacres 1934.

RED INDIAN TB-M-S7M (McDade
N.) ; no scent.

RED PRINCE TB-M-R9M (Home-
wood N.) ; No. 1-34; slight scent.
RED ROVER TB-B7D (Meyer-R.H.

N.) ; C. M., I. S. (Eng.), June
1934; Gard. Chron. 95: 411. June
16. 1934.

REDSKIN IB-M-R6M (Hollerith
N.) ; (Seminole; x . ) ; slightly

□ .

RED TILE Hex-R7M (Wayman N.).

[43]

REGENCY TB-Y9M (Mur. 1934) ;
Orp. 1934; (Imperator x Iris
King) .

RETTA TB-M-S4L (Lap. N.) ;
(Midgard x pink seedling No.
X-13) ; delicately □.

REUBEN TB-M-S9M (Lap. N.) ;
(King Tut x Jerry) ; mildly □.

RHAPSODY IN BLUE TB-M-B1L
(Rose. N.) ; A. I. S. Bull. 50: 71.
1934; Jan. 1934; fine perfume.

RHODESIA TB-Y4L (Pilk. N.) ;
Bronze Medal, I. S. (Eng.), June
1934; Gard. Chron. 95: 411. June
16, 1934.

RHODON TB-M-R1M (Dan. N.) ;
(Naiad Atlanta x Orange Gui¬
don) ; n.

ROBYN HODE TB-M-R9D (Dan.
N.) ; (Medrano x Thelma Per¬
ry) ; pronounced Robe*yen Hoe,~
dee; □.

ROMAN GLADIATOR TB-EE-R3D
(Dan. N.) ; (Moliere x Magni-
fica) ; strong grape fragrance.

ROSE ATLANTA IB-M-B7L (Dan.
N.) ; (Wild Rose x Naiad Atlan¬
ta) ; □.

ROSE COLBY Spur-Y4D (Branin
N.) ; (monnieri x monnieri) ; A. I.
S. Bull. 52: 95. 1934.

ROSE MAUVETTE TB-M-R9L
(Dan. N.) ; (Susan Bliss x
Dream) ;

ROSE NAIAD IB-M-R7L (Dan.
N.) ; (Wild Rose x Naiad Atlan¬
ta) ; □.

ROSE QUARTZ TB-EM-R7M (Wil-
liams-T.A. N.) ; (Andrew Jack-
son x Aztec) ; pronounced spicy
fragrance.

ROSY ASIA TB-M-S9L (Mit. 1934) ;

Salb. 1934; slightly
ROSY WINGS TB-M-S6M (Gage
1934) ; (Dauntless x mixed pol¬
len) ; □.

ROYALIST TB-F-B9D (Gers. N.) ;
(Mallow Rose x Tenebrae) ; lem¬
on scented.

ROYAL SALUTE TB-M-B3D (Mil-
lik. 1934); So. Cal. 1934; (Cali¬
fornia Blue x Souv. de Mme.
Gaudichau) ; □.

ROYAL TOGA TB-M-R3D (Dan.
N.) ; (Anne Leslie x Tristram) ;

□ .

RUISDAEL IB-M-R9D (Dan. N.) ;

(Cretonne x Medrano) ; D.

RUST IB-M-S9D (Dan. N.) ;

(Orange Guidon x . ); □.

SAHARA TB-Y4L (Pilk. N.) ;

(Bruno x Wm. R. Dykes).
SANGUA TB-R7D (Dan. N.) ; (Me¬
drano x M. Bruno) ; □.

SAN PIIILIPE TB-M-R7M (Loth.-
Hunt N.) ; (Nancy Orne x Aph¬
rodite) ; □.

SARI MAYA IB-MF-Y9L (Gers.
N.) ; (Steepway x Shekinah) ;
table iris; locust blossom scent.
SATAN TB-M-B7D (Kirk. N.) ;
(seedling of Black Wings) ; Black
Wings was first named Satan as
which it was registered in 1929,
and changed later — the new seedling
takes up the name wrhich was not
taken out of the files.

SAXONIA IB-M-WW (Dan. N.) ;

(Troost x . ) ; □.

SEQUIN TB-M-Y9M (Dan. N.) ;

(Mme. Chobaut x . );

SETTING SUN TB-MF-S4D (Kirk.

N.) ; (King Tut x red seedling).
SILVER SWAN TB-E-W4L (Way-
man N.) ; very fragrant.
SINGING WOOD TB-M-B3D (Rich¬
er N.) ; (Crusader x Lent A. Wil¬
liamson) ; □.

SMITH GLORY Jap-Dbl-6 (Smith-
U.G. 1934) ; Hoodacres 1934.
SNOWTRAIL TB-M-WW (Dona¬
hue N.) ; (Moonlight x . ) ;

quite

SOLOMON TB-F-R3D (Dan. N.) ;
(Magnate x Dominion) ; □.

SOMEBODY TMB-EE-M-R1L
(White-C.G. N.) ; (Purissima x
susiana) ; pleasingly □.

SONG OF INDIA TB-M-S9D (Dan.
N.) ; (Magnate x Dominion) ; very
□ .

SOUND MONEY DB-E-Y4M (Sass-
J. N.) ; slightly

SOUTHLAND IB-M-FF-Y4D (Sass-
H.P. N.) ; (pumila x seedling of
King Tut) ; slightly □.
STAR.BEAU TB-M-B1L (McKee
N.) ; (California Blue x Sensa¬
tion) ; slightly □.

STERLING TB-M-B7M (Dan. N.) ;
(Neptune x Souv. de Mme, Gau¬
dichau) ; □ .

ST. LOUIS TB-M-B3D (Wiesner
1934) ; Schreiner 1934.

SUMMER GIRL IB-M-B7L (Dan.

N.) ; (Mady Carriere x . ); □.

SUNNYFIELD TB-F-Y6L rev.
(Dan. N.) ; (Flavescens x Me¬
drano) ; □.

SUNSHINE GIRL TB-M-Y4L (Dan.
N.) ; (Citronella x Shekinah) ;
□.

SUPERIOR TB-M-R9D (Dan. N.) ;

(Magnate x Dominion) ; □.

SYL VANIA TB-M-R3D (Dan. N.) ;
(Ambassadeur x Souv. de Mme.
Gaudichau) ; □.

taitii Span- (Coll. Portugal, by Fos.) ;
Gard. Chron. 3rd Ser. 40: 145. 25
Aug. 1906 ; regarded by Contirho in
Flora of Portugal as a sufficiently
distinct form of I. xiphium to de¬
serve a specific name; that given by
Foster has been recognized by R.
H. S. as per a letter of Oct. 5, 1933.
TALANI Sib-MF-BIL (Gers. N.) ;

(Perry Blue x Blue King).
TAPIST TB-R9D (Dan. N.) ; (Me¬
drano x Roseway) ; □.

TASCALA Sib-F-B3D rev. (Gers.
N.) ; (Blue King x Perry
Blue).

TATEYAMA Jap-Sgl-5 (Barber
1934) ; Hoodacres 1934.

TA-WA IB-E-Y4L (Sass-H.P. N.) ;

No. 1-41-29; no scent.

TAWENDA TB-EM-S1L (Gers. N.) ;
(Hideyo x Golden Heart) ; table
iris; no scent.

TERRA COTTA IB-EM-S9D (Dan.

N.) ; (Moliere x . ) ; not

THE BLACK DOUGLAS TB-F-B7D
(Sass-J. 1934); No. 32-26; slight¬
ly □ .

THE RED DOUGLAS TB-F-R9D
(Sass-J. N.) ; No. 33-13; slightly

□ .

THOMAS R. BACON TB-Y4L
(Brehm 1934); Thole 1934; (Mme.
Cheri x Bruno) x (Bruno).
TIMAGAMI TB-E-S9M (Kirk. N.) ;
(from two red and copper toned
seedlings) .

TIMGAD TB-W8D rev. (Cay. 1933) ;
C. M., S. N. H. F., 1933; Bull.
Men. S. N. H. F., Mar 1934, 133.
TIVOLI TB-EM-R3D (Richer N.) ;
(Souv. de Mme. Gaudichau x Mme.
Chabal) ; heavy grape scent.
TODAMO Jap-Dbl-6 (Barber 1934) ;
Iloodaeres 1934.

TREASURY TB-M-Y9D (Dan. N.) ;

(Ambassadeur x Cardinal) ; □.
TSI-LO-LAN IB-M-R1M (Gers. N.) ;
(Shekinah x Fritjof) ; table iris;
name is Chinese for violet; □.
TUSCALOOSA TB-MF-S7D (Nic.
N.) ; (Bruno x Coppersmith) ;
slightly □.

TWILIGHT SHADOWS TB-F-B9M
(Morse N.) ; (Asia x Prospero) ;
not n.

VEILED PRINCESS TB-F-R1M
(Dan. N.) ; (Rosevvay x . ) ;

□ .

VENERABLE TB-MF-B1D (Gotts.
N.) ; (Canopus x Harmony) ;
slightly □.

VERIBLUE TB-M-B1D (Dan. N.) ;
(Parc de Neuilly x Yvonne Pel¬
letier) ; □.

VERIGOLD DB-EE-Y3D (Gotts.

N.) ; (Bride x Zwanenburg) ; □.
VEROCCHIO TB-M-S9D (Dan. N.) ;

(Fro x . ) ; □.

VIA CHIARA TB-M-S9D (Dan. N.) ;

(Rose Madder x Cornuault) ; □.
VIEW HALLO TB-M-S9D (White-
C.G. N.) ; (Picador x Lady Par¬
amount) ; □.

VIOLET INSOLE TB-R7L (Insole
N.) ; Bronze Medal, I. S. (Eng.)
June 1934; Gard. Chron. 95: 411.
June 16. 1934; Gard. Ill. 56: 364.
June 16, 1934.

VITRUVIUS TB-M-S9D (Dan. N.) ;
(Marsh Marigold x Archeveque) ;
□ .

WEYMOUTH TB-M-R3D (Dan.
N.) ; (Ambassadeur x Souv. de
Mme. Gaudichau) ; app. A. I. S.
1927; □.

WHITEHALL TB-WW (Mur. N.) ;
C. M., I. S. (Eng.) June 1934;
Gard. Chron. 95: 411. June 16,
1934.

WHITE MAN TB-M-WW (Donahue

N.) ; (Moonlight x . ) ; quite

□ .

WHITE PLAINS IB-M-W8L (Dan.

N.) ; (Archeveque x . .) ; □.

WILLIAM CAREY JONES TB-Y4L
(Brehm 1934); Thole 1934; (Mme.
Cheri x Bruno) x (Bruno).
WILL O’THE WISP TB-M-Y6L
rev. (Stahl. -Wash. N.).
WINDSOR LAD TB-Y6M (Insole
N.) ; C. M., I. S. (Eng.) June
1934; Gard. Chron. 95: 411. June
16, 1934.

winogradowii Ret- (Western Central
Georgia, Gori Distr.) Prelim. A.,
R. II. S., 1932; Gard. Ill. Apr. 21,
1934, 227.

YACHATS Jap-Sgl-6 (Barber 1934) ;
Hoodacres 1934.

YAKIMA TB-M-S9D (Klein. 1934);
Cooley 1934; (Ambassadeur x
Bruno) ;

[45]

YAQUINA Jap-Dbl-6 (Barber 1934) ;
Hoodacres 1934; pronounced Ya-
queen ’-a.

YASMELA IB-F-S9M (Gers. N.) ;
(Chasseur x Anne Bullein) ; ta¬
ble iris; rich grape fragrance.
YELLOW TOPAZ TB-M-Y4M (Dan.
N.) ; (Grevin x Anne Leslie) x
(High Noon) ; □.

YUCATAN TB-MF-S7M (Kirk.
N.) ; (from tlwo unnamed seed¬
lings.

ZAMA KHAN IB-M-Y9M (Dan.

N.) ; (Georgia x Medrano) ; □.
ZEBRULE TB-FF-B3D (Dan. N.) ;

(Mary Garden x . ); D.

ZEST Sib-BIM (Sturt. 1934) ; Nes.
1934; Sturtevant Hybrid (Nes.
1934).

Note — In explanation of the many registrations for Mr. Danenhauer, let
it be understood that it was upon the Registrar’s insistence that these be
recorded, as it had come to his attention Mr. Danenhauer carried many of
his seedlings under names. Because of the danger attendant on their re¬
lease by others who might obtain stock as gifts, this was done — these seedlings
having been named over a long period beginning about 1920 — in order to
prevent name duplications, and some of the names carried proved to be dupli¬
cations and these have been changed.

IRIS VARIETIES APPROVED IN 1934, INFORMATION BEING

RECEIVED INDIRECTLY

ALCEE IB-B7M (Vilm. 1922) ; C. M.,
S. N. H. F., 1930; Bull. Men. S.
N. H. F., Mar. 1934, 133.
ASMODEE TB-S3D (Vilm. 1925) ;
Bull. Men. S. N. H. F., Mar. 1934,
133.

AVIATOR NUNGESSOR TB-S9M
(Denis bef. 1934) ; Salb. 1934.
BARRICOU TB-R9D (Cay. 1933);
C. M., S. N. H. F., 1933 ; Bull. Men.
S. N. H. F., Mar. 1934, 133.
BELPHEGOR TB-S9D (Cay. 1934) ;

C. M., S. N. H. F., May 1934.
BLUE MINIATURE DB-E-B1D
(Loomis 1934) ; Kellogg 1934.
BRASIER TB-R9D (Cay. 1934); C.

M., S. N. H. F., May, 1934.
CIRRUS TB-M-W5L (Burt, N.) ;
(Paisley x Opera) ; J. R. H. S.,
Part 1, 59: 172. 1934.

FARAUD TB-S9M (Cay. N.) ; C.
M., S. N. H. F., 1932; Bull. Men.
S. N. H. F., Mar. 1934, 133.
JANINE TB-B9D (Cay. 1934); C.
M., S. N. H. F., May 1934.

JERUSALEM TB-Y9D (Cay. 1934) ;

C. M., S. N. II. F., May 1934.
JOANNA TB-M-B1D (Stern N.) ;
A. M., R. H. S., Wisley, 1934; Joan
Stern, A. I. S. Bull. 46. 1933;
Soanna, J. R. H. S., Part 1. 59:
175. 1934; not □.

JUDEE TB-B9D (Vilm. 1924) ; C.
M., S. N. H. F., 1929; Bull. Men.
S. N. H. F., Mar. 1934, 133.
KARIOKA TB-Y9D (Cay. 1934);

C. M., S. N. H. F., May 1933.
MADAME LOUIS AUREAU TB-E-
W8M (Cay. 1934) ; C. M., S. N.
H. F., May 1934; W. R. Dykes Med¬
al May 1934.

MAYFLY Sib- (Wal. N.) ; J. R.

H. S., Part 1. 59: 34. 1934.
RHEINELFE TB-W9 (G & K 1934) ;
Gartenschonheit, Aug. 1933, 155;
confirmed by card by Camillo
Schneider, Oct. 3, 1933.

THESEE TB-W2M (Vilm. 1922) ; C.
M., S. N. H. F., 1929; Bull. Men.
S. N. H. F., Mar. 1934. 133.

[46]

APPROVALS PENDING

Because rules of horticultural aud special flower societies outside of America
call for the immediate naming of a seedling receiving an award, and the
distance away makes immediate approval of such names impossible, and be¬
cause there has been much dissatisfaction expressed by foreign breeders be¬
cause of these conditions, the Registrar is inaugurating new rules, subject to
change by the Board of Directors, for breeders outside of the North Ameri¬
can continent, ONLY.

It is proposed that these breeders submit names for approval, with or with¬
out full descriptions, well in advance of the shows in which they intend to
compete, each reserving for his own use those names which can be approved
as not conflicting with existing ones, with the understanding that for each one
used, a description in full detail as required by us for the usual registration,
be submitted, preferably immediately, but CERTAINLY before two bloom¬
ing seasons have passed — after which, if the registrations are not completed
according to the rules, the names involved will become available for use by any
other breeder who may claim them.

ANAGNINA (Senni)

ANIENE (Senni)

APPIA (Senni)

ARDEATINA (Senni)

AVENTINO (Senni)

BEAU BROCADE (Hellings)
BLEUATRE (Meyer-R.H.)
CAPITOLINO (Senni)

CASILINA (Senni)

CASSIA (Senni)

CHATELAINE (Hellings)

CIROS (Dykes-K.)

COELIO (Senni)

COLLATINA (Senni)

DARK BUTTERFLY (Hellings)
DRAGON BROCADE (Hellings)
DR. ATTILIO RAGIONIERI (Senni)
ESQUILINO (Senni)

FLAMINIA (Senni)

JOVE (Hellings)

LATINA (Senni)

MA BELLE (Burt.)
MAGNIFICAT (Meyer-R.H.)
NOMENTANA (Senni)
OSTIENSE (Senni)

PALATINO (Senni)
PRENESTINA (Senni)

PRIME (Meyer-R.H.)
QUIRINALE (Senni)

SALARIA (Senni)

SAUL OF TARSUS (Baker-G.P.)
SORACTE (Senni)

TEVERE (Senni)

TIBERINA (Senni)

TIBURTINA (Senni)
TRIUMPHALIS (Senni)
TUSCOLANA (Senni)

VERSICLE (Meyer-R.H.)

VIA AURELIA (Senni)

VIA CLAUDIA (Senni)

VIA LAURENTINA (Senni)

VIA SACRA (Senni)

VIMINALE (Senni)

VARIETIES UNAPPROVED IN 1934

Candeur TB-WW (Nonin bef. 1934) ; Bull. Men. S. N. H. F., Mar. 1934. 133.
Dryade Sib- (Wal. N.) ; J. R. H. S. Part 1. 59: 34. 1934.

Edward V. A. I. S. Bull. 50: 9, 1934; Mrs. Donald P. Ross advises that no
such iris is in her garden.

Evangeline (Mur. N.) ; J. R. II. S., Part 1, 59: 34. 1934.

[47]

Margaret Sib- (Wal. N.) ; J. It. ll. S., Part 1. 59: 34. 1934.

Morphee TB-B9D (Vilm. 1926); C. M., S. N. IT. F., 1930; Bull. Men. S. N.
H. F., Mar. 1934. 133.

Richmond Jap-Sgl-7 (Kemp 1934) ; Soel. 1934.

Romance TB-B7M (Cay. 1933); C. M., S. N. H. F., 1933; Bull. Men. S. N.

H. F., Mar. 1934. 133.

Satan TB-W3D rev. (Cay. bef. 1932).

Sparte TB-B9D (Cay. 1933); C. M., S. N. H. F., 1933; Bull. Men. S. N. H.

F., Mar. 1934. 133.

Wisteria Sib-B3M (And. 1933).

VARIETIES BEING INVESTIGATED, 1934

Akt. (Meyer-R.H.) ; J. R. H. S., Part 1. 59: 174. 1934; not a name but an
identifying mark as advised by Rev. Meyer.

Alphen TB- Perry 1934.

Francis TB- Perry 1934

Miss Doris Cranfield TB- Perry 1934.

Nella A. I. S. Bull. 50: 6, 1934.

Tika (Meyer-R.II.); J. R. H. S., Part 1. 59: 34. 1934.

SYNONYMOUS NAMES, 1934

Alluwe— AL-LU-WEE. Coolqy 1934.

Andelia — ANNDELIA. Cooley 1934.

Belloria — BELLORIO. Kellogg 1934.

Brittoness — BRITONESS. Cooley 1934.

Cardinal Handon — CARDINAL. A. I. S. Bull. 50: 9, 1934; advice by letter
from Mrs. Donald P. Ross.

Esamillo — ESCAMILLO. J. R. H. S., 59: 177. 1934.

Flammerschwert— FLAMMENSCHWERT. Cay. 1934.

Hochelago — HOCHELAGA. Riverview 1934.

Mareschel Ney — MARESCHAL NEY. Schreiner 1934.

Mme. Bouscant — MME. CECILE BOUSCANT. Cay. 1934.

Mr. G. Sturtevant — GRACE STLTRTEVANT. Blumen u. Pflanzenbau die Gar-
tenwelt. 38: 314. No. 24. June 15, 1934.

Naiad — FOREST NAIAD. A. I. S. Bull. 52: 84. 1934.

Noweta — NO-WE-TA. Cooley 1934.

Radiance — PRIME. (Meyer-R.H.); J. R. H. S., Part 1. 59: 34. 1934
Rippowan— RIPPOWAM. Kellogg 1934.

Salarosa — SALEROSA. Kellogg 1934.

Seostris — SESOSTRIS. Schreiner 1934.

Sequioah— SEQUOIAII. Schreiner 1934.

Spring Maid — SPRING MAID. Kellogg 1934.

Tremendous — NENE. A. I. S. Bull. 50: 9. 1934; advice by letter from Mrs.
Donald P. Ross.

[48]

ERRATA

In Bulletin 54, December 1934, under synonyms please note following
corrections :

Mich. Charrier should be referred to MICHELINE CHARRAIRE, not
Micheline Charriere, which therefore also becomes a synonym.

Shreivei should have been referred to shrevei, not SHREVEI.
WINNESHIEK is correct and Winnieshiek the synonym, to be referred to
WINNESHIEK.

Under Introductions, 1934, please note the following correction:
auranitica, p. 48, should have been auranitica.

RELEASES

The names Golden Galleon and Golden Grace approved pending for Mrs
Murrell, have been released, and are open for use by first claimant.

INTRODUCTIONS OF 1934

ABELARD IB-E-S6M (Sass-H. P. 1934); Sass-H. P. 1934; Sass-J. 1934;

R. 1933.

ALBRIGHT TB-R7M (Storer 1934); Tip Top 1934; R. 1931.

ALINE TB-SIL (Stern 1934); Orp. 1934; A. M., R. H. S., 1931; R. 1932.
A. H. NICHOLLS Laev-Wl (Nic.-A. H. 1934); Nic.-Jr. 1934; R, 1934.
AMIGO TB-M-B9D (Wmsn. 1934); Long. 1934; R. 1933.

AMRITA TB-M-B3M (Con. 1934) ; Kellogg 1934.

ANAKIM TB-M-B7L (Klein. 1934); Cooley 1934; R, 1934.

ANNIE CADIE TB-F-Y4M (Wash. 1934); Nes. 1934; R. 1933.

ARBUTUS TB-S7M (Loth. 1934); Kellogg 1934; H. M., A. I. S. 1931; R.
1931.

AUTUMN DAWN IB-EE-FF-S7M (Nies 1934); So. Cal. 1934; R. 1933.
AUTUMN FROST TB-EM-FF-W4 (Schreiner 1934); Schreiner 1934; Mc-
Dade 1934; Hill-H. M. 1934; R. 1934.

AUTUMN GLEAM IBM-FF-Y4M (Sass-II. P. 1934); Sass-H. P. 1934;

Sass-J. 1934; Hill-H. M. 1934; R. 1934.

AUTUMN HAZE TB-E-FF-S9M (Sass-H. P. 1934); Sass-H. P. 1934; Sass-
J. 1934; Hill-H. M. 1934; R. 1934.

AVIATOR NUNGESSOR TB-S9M (Denis bef. 1934) ; Salb. 1934.
AVONDALE TB-M-R7D (Sass-H. P. 1934); Sass-H. P. 1934; Nes. 1934;
R. 1933.

BALBANCHA Fulv-Hex-B7M (Wash. 1934); Nes. 1934; R. 1933.
BANNERETTE TB-F-R3M (Mur. 1934); Orp. 1934; Bronze Medal, I. S.
(Eng.) 1933; Banneret.

BARBARIAN TB-M-B7D (Wmsn. 1934); Long. 1934; R, 1933.
BELPHEGOR TB-S9D (Cay. 1934) ; C. M., S. N. H. F., May, 1934.
BETTY Jap-Dbl-7 (Smith-U. G. 1934); Hoodacres 1934; R. 1934.

[49]

BETTY NESMITH TB-M-Y4H (Wash. 1934); Nes. 1934; R. 1933.

BLACK BEAUTY TB-M-R7D (Kirk. 1934) ; R. 1928.

BLACK WARRIOR TB-S3D (Nic. 1934); Nic.-Jr. 1934; R. 1931.

BLUE MINIATURE DB-E-B1I) (Loomis 1934) ; Kellogg 1934.

BLUE MIST TB-EM-B1L (Gers. 1934); Ashley 1934; R. 1929; table iris.
BLUE TRIUMPH TB-M-B1L (Grinter 1934); Quality 1934; Stoner 1934;
R. 1934.

BRASIER TB-R9D (Cay. 1934) ; C. M., S. N. H. F., May, 1934.

BRONZE GLORY TB-F-S9M (Sim. 1934) ; R. 1933.

BROWN BETTY TB-EM-S6D (White-C. G. 1934); So. Cal. 1934; R. 1933.
BRUNHILDE TB-M-B7M (Salb. 1934); R, 1934.

BUENO TB-EM-B9M (Gers. 1934); Ashley 1934; R. 1929; table iris.
BUNTING TB-M-B1L (Wmsn. 1934); Long. 1934; R. 1933; table iris.
BYSANTIUM TB-M-S4L (Ayres 1934); Schreiner 1934; R. 1932.
CHAMITA TB-M-S9L (Wmsn. 1934); Long. 1934; R. 1933.

CHEERIO TB-M-S9D (Ayres 1934); Schreiner 1934; R. 1931.

CHINA ROSE TB-M-S9M (Salb. 1934) ; R. 1934.

COOL WATERS TB-EM-B1L (Wash. 1934); Nes. 1934; R. 1933.

COPPER LUSTRE TB-M-S4L (Kirk. 1934) ; R. 1931.

CORINTHE TB-B9D (Cay. 1934); C. M., S. N. H. F., May, 1934; R, 1933.
CORTEZ TB-FF-Y9M (Nes. 1934) ; R. 1933.

CREOLE BELLE TB-M-B1D (Nic. 1934); Nic.-Jr. 1934; R. 1934.

CROWN JEWEL TB-M-S6M (Nic. 1934); Nic.-Jr. 1934; R. 1934.

CYRUS THE GREAT TB-E-B7D (Kirk. 1934) ; R. 1933.

HARK KNIGHT TB-F-S9D (Salb. 1934) ; R. 1934.

HARK MORASS Hex-Fulv.MF-SlO (Nies 1934); So. Cal. 1934; R. 1933.
DAWNING HAY TB-EM-S7L (Wash. 1934); Nes. 1934; R. 1933.

HESTINY TB-F-S9H (Burgess 1934); Orp. 1934; Bronze Medal, I. S.
(Eng.) 1934; R. 1932.

ELEANOR ROOSEVELT IB-M-FF-R1B (McHade 1934) ; R. 1933.
EQUIPOISE TB-M-Y9L (Wmsn. 1934); Long. 1934; R. 1933.

EROS TB-S9M (Riedel-Mead 1934); Long. 1934; R. 1931.

FAVORI TB-B7H (Cay. 1934) ; C. M., S. N. H. F., May, 1934.

FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT IB-M-FF-B7H (McHade 1934) ; R. 1933.
FUJISAN Jap-Hbl-5 (Barber 1934); Hoodacres 1934; R. 1934.

GENTILLY ROAH Hex-radicristatae-MF-BlH (Nic.-Jr. 1933) ; R. 1933.
GENTIUS IB-E-B1H (Sass-H. P. 1934) ; R. 1933.

GEORGE HAVIHSON TB-Y-4-M (Brehm 1934); Thole 1934; R. 1934.
GOLBEN HINH TB-E-Y4H (Chad. 1934); Orp. 1934; C. M., R. H. S., 1931;

Silver Medal, I. S. (Eng.) 1934; not Y4M as previously reported; R. 1931.
GtOLHEN IMP HB-E-Y6H (Honahue 1934); Nes. 1934; R. 1932.

GOLHEN WEST IB-E-Y4M (Sass-J. 1934); R. 1933.

GOLHWING TB-M-Y4H (Nic. 1934); Nic.-Jr. 1934; R, 1934.

GRATONE TB-EF-B1L (Gers. 1934); Kellogg 1934; R. 1930; table iris.
HALOKA Fulv-Hex-R7M (Wash. 1934); Nes. 1934; R. 1933.

HAPPY HAYS TB-EM-Y4M (Mit. 1934); Salb. 1934; R. 1934.

Hermione TB-S4M (Cay. 1934) ; C. M., S. N. H. F., May 1934.

HESTER PRYNNE TB-S9H (Bliss); Orp. 1934; R. 1932.

[50]

HOBO DB-FF-Y9D (Wmsn. 1934); Long. 1934; R. 1933.

INDIGO BUNTING TB-M-B1D (Ayres 1934); Schreiner 1934; R. 1931.
ITASCA TB-M-R7D (Klein. 1934); Cooley 1934; R. 1934.

JANINE TB-Y9D (Cay. 1934) ; C. M., S. N. H. F., May 1934.

J. D. NIES Hex-Fulv-MF-S4D (Nies 1934) ; So. Cal. 1934; R. 1933.
JERUSALEM TB-Y9D (Cay. 1934) ; C. M., S. N. H. F., May 1934.

JOLLY ROGER TB-M-B1D (Nic. 1934) ; Nic.-Jr. 1934; R. 1934.

JOSEPH LE CONTE TB-S4M (Brehm 1934); Thole 1934; R. 1934.

JUDEE TB-B9D (Yilm. 1924); Bull. Men. de la Soc. Nat. d’Hort. de
France, Mar. 1934, 133.

JUNALUSIvA TB-M-S3M (Kirk. 1934) ; R. 1931.

KALINGA TB-MF-W4L (Klein. 1934); Cooley 1934; R„ 1934.

KARIOKA TB-Y9D (Cay. 1934) ; C. M., S. N. H. F., May 1933.

KINGLET TB-M-Y4D (Wmsn. 1934); Long. 1934; R. 1933; table iris.
KOOHINETTE IB-E-B7D (Kirk. 1934) ; R. 1933.

LADY GAGE TB-M-W7L (Gage 1934); Nes. 1934; R, 1933.

LADY PARAMOUNT TB-EM-Y4L (White-C. G. 1934); So. Cal. 1934; H.
M., A. I. S. 1932; R. 1932.

LADY PHYLLIS TB-B1L (Neel 1934); Orp. 1934; R. 1934.

LENA RIVERS Jap-Sgl-1 (Barber 1934); Hoodacres 1934; R. 1934.
MADAME LOUIS AUREAU TB-E-W8M (Cay. 1934) ; C. M., S. N. II. F.,
and W. R. Dykes Medal, May 1934.

MAGI TB-S6L (Sturt. 1934); Nes. 1934; R. 1929.

MAID OF TENNESSEE TB-MF-B7L (Wash. 1934); Nes. 1934; R. 1933.
MANTLE 0 ’BLUE Jap-Sgl-6 (Smith-U. G. 1934); Hoodacres 1934; R. 1934.
MEHAMA TB-M-R7M (Klein. 1934); Cooley 1934; R, 1934.
MELA-HASKA TB-EM-B9D (Gers. 1934); Kellogg 1934; R, 1929.
MISSOURI TB-M-B3M (Grinter 1934); Kellogg 1934; R, 1932; H. M., A. I.
S. 1933.

MME. RECAMIER TB-EM-S4L (Wash. 1934); Nes. 1934; R. 1933.

MOON 0 ’SILVER Jap-Dbl-1 (Smith-U. G. 1934); Hoodacres 1934; R. 1934.
MORNING STAR TB-Y6L (Winter 1934); Kellogg 1934; R. 1929.

Morphee TB-B9D (Vilm. 1926).

MOUNTAIN SUNSET TB-FF-S9D (Klein. 1934); Cooley 1934; R. 1934.
MOURNING CLOAK TB-M-B1D (Essig 1934); So. Cal. 1934; R. 1934.
MOZAMBIQUE TB-B9D (Mead-Riedel 1934); Long. 1934; R. 1931.

MRS. FRED HONEY Jap-Bbl-6 (Smith-U. G. 1934); Hoodacres 1934; R.
1934.

MRS. JOHN HAWKER Jap-Dbl-5 (Smith-U. G. 1934); Hoodacres 1934;
R. 1934.

NARONDA TB-M-B1D (Hall 1934) ; R. 1933.

NEON TB-MF-Y9D (Salb. 1934); R. 1934.

NINIGRET TB-M-S5M (Hill 1934); Kellogg 1934; R. 1932.

NORDIC TB-M-S9L (Kirk. 1934) ; R. 1931.

OWAISSA DB-E-B1M (Sass-J. 1934); R. 1934.

OXHEART TB-M-R7D (Nic. 1934); Nic.-Jr. 1934; R, 1934.

PARTHENON TB-M-W4L (Con. 1934); Schreiner 1934; Kellogg 1934; R.
1928.

[51]

PEACEMAKER TB-M-W3L (Mit. 1934); Salb. 1934; R. 1934.

PEER GYNT TB-MF-W8M (Wash. 1934); Nes. 1934; R. 1933.

PERFECT PEACE Jap-Dbl-1 (Smith-U. G. 1934); Hoodacres 1934; R. 1934.
PEWEE IB-M-WW (Wmsn. 1934); Long. 1934; R. 1933; table iris; Columbia
TB (Wmsn.) A. I. S. Bull. July 1933.

PINK BUTTERFLY TB-F-S4L (Wash. 1934); Nes. 1934; R. 1933.

PINK LADY IB-EM-S4L (Wash. 1934); Nes. 1934; R. 1933.

PINK MANTLE Jap-Sgl-5 (Smith-U. G. 1934); Hoodacres 1934; R. 1934.
PINK OPAL TB-F-R1L (Sass-J. 1934) ; R. 1933.

PLAY BOY IB-F-W3D (Wmsn. 1934); Long. 1934; R. 1931.

PRAIRIE ROSE TB-M-R7M (Egel. 1934) ; R. 1934.

PRINCE CHARLES Jap-Sgl-6 (Smith-U. G. 1934); Hoodacres 1934; R. 1934.
PULOHER Jap-Dbl-5 (Barber 1934); Hoodacres 1934; R. 1934.

QUEEN MAUVE Jap-Sgl-5 (Smith-U. G. 1934); Hoodacres 1934; R. 1934.
QUESADA Jap-Dbl-6 (Barber 1934); Hoodacres 1934; R. 1934.

RABAGAS TB-R7M (Cay. 1934); R. 1933.

RED ORCHID IB-E-R7D (Sass-J. 1934) ; R. 1933.

REGENCY TB-Y9M (Mur. 1934); Orp. 1934; R. 1934.

RHAGES TB-F-W2M (Mead-Riedel 1934); Long. 1934; R. 1932.
RHEINELFE TB-W9 (G & K 1934).

Richmond Jap-Sgl-7 (Kemp 1934) ; Soel. 1934.

ROSEMONT TB-F-R3D (Hall 1934) ; R. 1932.

ROSY ASIA TB-M-S9L (Mit. 1934); Salb. 1934; R. 1934.

ROSY WINGS TB-M-S6M (Gage 1934) ; R. 1934.

ROYAL SALUTE TB-M-B3D (Millik. 1934); So. Cal. 1934; R. 1934.
SALTARELLE TB-B9D (Cay. 1934) ; C. M., S. N. H. F. May 1933.

SAM DAVIS TB-EM-R7M (Wash. 1934); Nes. 1934; R. 1933.

SANDIA TB-M-R7M (Wmsn. 1934); Long. 1934; R. 1933.

SISKIN IB-F-Y4M (Wmsn. 1934); Long. 1934; R. 1931; table iris.

SMITH GLORY Jap-Dbl-6 (Smith-U. G. 1934); Hoodacres 1934; R. 1934.
SOMBRERO TB-M-S7M (Essig 1934) ; R. 1934.

SOUTHLAND IB-M-FF-Y4D (Sass-H. P. 1934) ; R. 1934.

SPRING BEAUTY TB-EM-R7L (Gers. 1934); Kellogg 1934; R. 1932.

ST. LOUIS TB-M-B3D (Wiesner 1934); Schreiner 1934; R. 1934.
STONEWALL JACKSON TB-EM-Y9D (Wash. 1934); Nes. 1934; R. 1933.
SUNDIPT TB-M-Y4M (Wmsn. 1934); Long. 1934; R. 1933.

SUSA IB-E-R9D (Sass-H. P. 1934) ; R. 1933.

TATEYAMA Jap-Sgl-5 (Barber 1934); Hoodacres 1934; R. 1934.

THE BLACK DOUGLAS TB-B7D (Sass-J. 1934) ; R. 1934.

THOMAS R. BACON TB-Y4L (Brehm 1934); Thole 1934; R. 1934.

TINT O’TAN TB-MF-S4L (Ayres 1934); Schreiner 1934; R. 1933.
TITMOUSE IB-M-Y5M (Wmsn. 1934); Long. 1934; R. 1931; not B1M.
TODAMO Jap-Dbl-6 (Barber 1934); Hoodacres 1934; R. 1934.

TOLANA Fulv-Hex-R7L (Wash. 1934); Nes. 1934; R. 1933.

VESPER HOUR TB-F-S1L (Wash. 1934); Nes. 1934; R. 1933.

VOLTIGEUR TB-R6D (Cay. 1934) ; C. M., S. N. 11. F., May 1934.
WAHALLE Fulv-Hex-S4L (Wash. 1934); Nes. 1934; R. 1933.

[52]

WHITE CREPE TB-EM-W4L (Gers. 1934); Ashley 1934; R. 1929; table
iris.

WILLIAM CAREY JONES TB-Y4L (Brehm 1934); Thole 1934; R. 1934.
WISTARIA TB-B1L (Loth. 1934); So. Cal. 1934; H. M., A. I. S. 1930; R.
1930.

YACHATS Jap-Sgl-6 (Barber 1934); Hoodacres 1934; R. 1934.

YAKIMA TB-M-S9D (Klein. 1934); Cooley 1934; R. 1934.

YANEKA Fulv-Hex-BIM (Wash. 1934); Nes. 1934; R. 1933.

YAQUINA Jap-Dbl-6 (Barber 1934); Hoodacres 1934; R. 1934; pronounced
Ya-Queen'-a.

ZEST Sib-BIM (Sturt. 1934); Nes. 1934; R. 1934; Sturtevant Hybrid Nes.
1934.

[53]

THE AMERICAN IRIS SOCIETY

1935 Policy of Awards

1. The following regulations cancel all previous regulations in
reference to ratings and awards.

2. The Board of Directors shall appoint accredited judges in
various parts of the country.

3. After having studied the recommendations of the Committee
on Awards and the reports of judges, the Board of Directors is
given full power to make the Awards of Merit and award the Dykes
Medal except as expressly designated in the following regulations :

4. Highly Commended

The Board of Directors shall give Highly Commended to
varieties receiving three or more recommendations from the
accredited judges subject to the regulations in paragraph
19a below.

5. Honorable Mention

The Board of Directors shall give Honorable Mention to
varieties receiving five or more recommendations from the
accredited judges and subject to the regulations in para¬
graph 19b below.

6. Award of Merit

The Board of Directors may give not more than five Amer¬
ican Awards of Merit yearly. Such awards shall be given
only upon the recommendation of at least seven accredited
judges, and subject to the regulations in paragraph 19c be¬
low. Such award shall not be given an Iris which all or most
of the judges saw in the same garden and preference shall
be given to those seen in widely scattered sections.

7. Dykes Memorial Medal

The Iris Society of England has offered to the American
Iris Society the Dykes Memorial Medal yearly. This is the
highest award that can be given to a new Iris. Upon the
recommendation of seven or more accredited judges and sub¬
ject to the regulations in paragraph 19d below, the Commit¬
tee on Awards may award this medal yearly subject to the

[54]

confirmation of the Board of Directors. The Medal should
go to an Iris widely distributed and judged in widely scat¬
tered sections.

8. All of the above refers to Iris originated in America. In
addition the Board of Directors may give not more than five Awards
of Merit yearly to Irises of foreign origin. Such awards shall be
given only upon the recommendation of at least seven accredited
judges and subject to the regulations in paragraph 19e below.

Duties of the Committee on Awards

9. The Committee on Awards shall study each year the system
of rating and awards and make its recommendations of general
policy to the Board of Directors.

10. The Committee on Awards shall submit yearly to the Board
of Directors a list of accredited judges for the various districts.

11. The Committee on Awards shall recommend a Chairman of
a Subcommittee of Tabulation whose duties shall be to tabulate
the judges’ reports received up to and including July 15th and
shall furnish complete tabulated information to the Committee on
Awards on or before September 1st.

12. The Committee on Awards shall receive and study care¬
fully the report of the Subcommittee on Tabulation and on the
basis of this study, shall make its recommendations to the Board
of Directors.

Instructions for Accredited Judges

13. Judges are requested to send ratings, recommendations and
reports to the Subcommittee on Tabulation on or before July 15th.

14. Judges are requested to rate Irises which were introduced
during the years 1932, 1933 and 1934. Introductions for these
years are listed in the following Bulletins :

Year 1932 Bulletin No. 46 January 1933

Year 1933 Bulletin No. 54 December 1934

Year 1934 Bulletin No. 56 March 1935

15. Irises in gardens are to be rated under the symbol letter

rating system as follows : 90 or over A ; 85 to 89 inclusive B ; 80 to
84 inclusive C; 70 to 79 inclusive D; using the following point
score system as a basis in arriving at the total :

[55]

Color _

_ 25

Vigor _

10

Quality _

_ 20

Floriferousness _

10

Garden Value _

15

Stalk .. _

10

Form _

. 10

Total

100

Definitions of above scale of points are defined in December,
1934, Bulletin No. 54, Pages 72 and 73, which judges should
study carefully.

16. No rating of a variety will be published unless it has been
voted on by at least five (5) judges. It will be the policy of the
Board to keep confidential all reports of the judges. An indi¬
vidual judge may, however, use his own discretion about giving
out his own ratings.

17. Judges are requested (a) to make no ratings on one year
plants which are plainly poorly grown and are not fully estab¬
lished, (b) to make no report on seedlings in breeders’ gardens if
breeders request no rating be made on the variety.

18. Judges will note that varieties introduced later than the
year 1934 should not be rated in 1935 but instead judges are
earnestly requested to send in descriptive comments on varieties
which will be introduced in 1935 or later, the comments to be
published in the Bulletin over their signatures (or without sig¬
nature if requested).

19. Judges are requested to make recommendations for awards
as follows (Paragraphs a, b, c and d apply only to Irises originat¬
ing in America) :

(a) Judges may make recommendations for Highly Commend¬
ed at exhibitions in cooperation with the American Iris
Society under regulations published in December, 1934.
Bulletin No. 54, Page 70.

(b) Recommendations for Honorable Mention shall be made only
to Irises not introduced or for Irises introduced during the
current year or during the two previous years. The award
of Honorable Mention is to be considered a local or regional
award, indicating that, the Iris was outstanding in particular
regions. Five (5) or more recommendations from accredited
judges are required to be eligible for Honorable Mention.

(c) Recommendations for Award of Merit shall be made only
to Irises officially registered and which have been in com-

[56 1

merce in 1933 or earlier and which have in previous years
received an award of Honorable Mention. The Award of
Merit is to be considered as a National rather than a local
or regional award, indicating that the Iris was outstand¬
ing in widely separated regions. Seven (7) or more rec¬
ommendations from accredited judges are required to be
eligible for an Award of Merit. A printed list of the
varieties having received an Honorable Mention and which
are eligible for an Award of Merit will be furnished the
judges.

(d) Recommendations for the D}tkes Medal shall be made only
to Irises officially registered and which have been in com¬
merce five years. In 1935 this five-year period shall be
considered to cover Irises introduced in 1930. The January,
1931, Bulletin No. 38 lists 1930 introductions. Any 1930
introduction omitted from this list is eligible. Under Amer¬
ican Iris Society rules, introduction consists of publicly
offering plants for sale at a stated price in a catalogue
advertisement. Sales in a garden or by letter do not con¬
sist of introduction.

(e) Judges may also recommend Awards of Merit for any for¬
eign Irises introduced during the past seven (7) years.
(In 1935 this would mean introductions of and since 1928.)

ANNUAL MEETING, AMERICAN IRIS SOCIETY
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

Wednesday, May 1st.

8 :30 A. M. Registration of Guests, Information Desk, Hermit¬
age Hotel.

8:30 A. M. to 12:00 Noon. Gardens open.

12 :00 Noon. Show open, Hermitage Hotel Loggia.

1 :00 P. M. Dutch Treat Lunch, Hermitage Hotel Grill Room.

2 :30 P. M. Popular Lecture on Iris, B. Y. Morrison, Hermitage

Hotel Assembly Room. Public invited.

3 :30 P. M. Gardens open. Show open.

8 :00 P. M. Annual Meeting, American Iris Society members,
Hermitage Hotel Assembly Room.

Thursday, May 2d.

8 :30 A. M. Registration of Guests, Information Desk, Hermit¬
age Hotel.

Gardens open.

1 :00 P. M. Dutch Treat Lunch, Hermitage Hotel Grill Room.

3 :30 P. M. Picnic for American Iris Society guests, Dauntless

Hill, C. P. Connell, host.

Gardens open.

8:00 P. M. Iris Pageant by pupils of Ward-Belmont College,
Centennial Park. Public invited.

[58]

NOTICE TO ACCERDITED JUDGES, 1935

CORRECTION

In the printed Judge’s Ballot under the heading, For Award of
Merit, there should be five spaces instead of four. Please make
five entries.

Under the heading, For Dyke’s Medal, there are three spaces.
There should be only two. Please make only two entries.

On the reverse of this same ballot in the group of varieties be¬
ginning with the letter S, the list should read :

Sara Cheek, Sonnet, Sacramento, San Diego, Santa Fe, Selene,
Shirvan, Spring Maid, Sweet Alibi, Shining Waters, Sierra Bine.

For these errors, the regrets of the Edtior, who failed to
notice them in the proof. B. Y. M.

[59]

BULLETIN

OF THB

American Iris Society

APRIL, 1935
NO. 57

CONTENTS

Foreword, B. Y. Morrison . . 1

The Irises of Southeastern Louisiana, Percy Viosca , Jr . 3

Iris Observations and Comments from the South, Sam. Graham . 57

Varietal Notes, 1935, Sherman R. Dujfy . . 61

Southern Iris Pictures . 75

Varietal Notes, 1934, M. E. Douglas . 79

The Birthplace of Bertrand H. Farr, Marshall A. Howe . 89

Experiences with the Reticulata Group at London, Ontario, E. M. S. Dale 90
Garden Note, Eleanor P. Jones . 93

Species Notes:

Iris hauranensis . 94

Iris imbricata . 94

Iris setosa . 98

Iris ensata . 100

Published Quarterly by

THB AMERICAN IRIS SOCIETY, 1918 HARFORD AVE., BALTIMORE, MD.

Entered as second-class matter January, 1934, at the Post Office at Baltimore, Md.,

under the Act of March 3, 1879.

$3.00 the Year — 50 Cents per Copy for Members

Directors :

OFFICERS, 1934

Term expiring 1935 :
Term expiring 1936:
Term expiring 1937 :

Sherman R. Duffy
Mrs. J. Edgar Hires

Dr. H. H. Everett
Dr. J. H. Kirkland

W. J. McKee
Robert Schreiner

B. Y. Morrison
John C. Wister

J. B. Wallace, Jr.
Richardson Wright

Euclid Snow
Robert Sturtevant

President — Dr. H. H. Everett, 1104 Sharp Bldg., Lincoln, Nebr.

Vice-President — Mr. W. J. McKee, 48 Kenwood Ave., Worcester, Mass.
Secretary — Mr. B. Y. Morrison, 821 Washington Loan and Trust Bldg.,
Washington, D. C.

Treasurer — Richardson Wright, House & Garden, Graybar Bldg., New York
City.

Regional Vice-Presidents —

1. Mrs. Herman E. Lewis, 180 Grove St., Haverhill, Mass.

2. Col. J. O. Nicholls, 114 Overton Rd., Ithaca, N. Y.

3. M. E. Douglas, Rugby Place, Woodbury, N. J.

4. J. Marion Shull, 207 Raymond St., Chevy Chase, Md.

5. Mrs. James R. Bachman, 2646 Alston Drive, Atlanta, Ga.

6. Dr. A. C. Kinsey, Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind.

7. C. P. Connell, 2001 Grand Ave., Nashville, Tenn.

8. Robert Schreiner, R. 1, Riverview Station, St. Paul, Minn.

9. Euclid Snow, R. F. D. 2, Hinsdale, Ill.

10. Mrs. Gross R. Scruggs, 3715 Turtle Creek Blvd., Dallas, Texas.

11. Stanley Clarke, School of Forestry, Univ. of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho.

12. Dr. P. A. Loomis, Colorado Springs, Colo.

13. Carl Starker, Jennings Lodge, Ore.

14. Prof. E. O. Essig, University of California, Berkeley, Calif.

15. William Miles, Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada.

Chairmen of Committees:

Scientific — Dr. A. E. Waller, 233 So. 17th St., Columbus, Ohio.

Election — Dr. C. Stuart Gager, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Membership and Publicity — Dr. H. H. Everett, 1102 Sharp Bldg.,
Lincoln, Neb.

Registration— C. E. F. Gersdorff, 1825 No. Capitol St., Washington, D. C.

Test Garden & Display Garden — Robt. Schreiner, Rt. 1, Riverview Sta.,
St. Paul, Minn.

Exhibition — Mrs. W. L. Kareher, 1011 W. Stephenson St., Freeport, Ill.

Bibliography — Mrs. W. H. Peckham, The Lodge, Skylands Farm, Ster-
lington, N. Y.

Awards — W. J. McKee.

Editorial Board — B. Y. Morrison, Chairman.

S. R. Duffy Mrs. Lena M. Lothrop

Mrs. J. E. Hires Mrs. C. S. McKinney

Eleanor P. Jones R. S. Sturtevant

LANTERN SLIDES— Rental Fee (to members) $10.00. Apply to Mrs.
K. H. Leigh, Mo. Botanical Garden, St. Louis, Mo.

THE AMERICAN IRIS SOCIETY

FOREWORD

■ Although it has been said before and by more experienced
persons than myself, it appears to be increasingly difficult to find
new material to offer members in printed bulletins. This is a
problem that lias been discussed more than once in Board meet¬
ings, where it has been freely admitted that without the energy
and imagination of Mr. Sturtevant, the Bulletins of the Society
might have lagged sooner than this. Your Present Editor-Secre¬
tary admits here that it is almost too much for him !

Just why the membership seems loath to put down its thoughts
m writing is an ever present wonder when one hears that it has
no objection at all to speaking its mind.

Will you not, therefore, as a member of the Society, sit down
now with a paper and pencil and jot down the thoughts that have
come to you through the season just passed? What pleased you
most? What did you see that was new? What did you resolve to
change in your garden planting and why? Did you try any new
species and if so, how did they behave? Have you remembered
to make notes on any bulbous iris? Are you going to plant any
this autumn? Have you any new germination data, on species
particularly ?

We know you can do it; the question is, will you? There is one
director who has Iris Albertii but do we get notes and pictures?
There is another who grows English iris, but only silence follows
requests? If this is so in the small directorial circle, how much
truer it must be in the larger circle of the whole membership.
Will you help?

B. Y. Morrison, Secretary.

[1]

Lilian A. Guernsey [See page 100]

Iris ensata — Natural Size

[2]

LIBRARY
NEW YGftK
BOTANICAL
GARDEN

THE IRISES OF SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA
A Taxonomic and Ecological Interpretation

Percy Viosca, Jr.

■ One must have as a starting point a definite plan for allotting
to any organism the status of a species. I am not in accord with
those who treat of species as objects apart from the rest of nature,
bottled or dried playthings of the taxonomist. On the contrary, I
adhere to the idea that a species must be considered as part of an
environment, a bio-geographic entity which must have reason for
its existence. It is not a plaything of man, but a plaything of na¬
ture. At the outset the biologist must assume, therefore, that
nature’s arrangement is orderly, no matter how incomprehensible
it may seem. Any confusion that apparently exists is subjective,
not objective, for taxonomy should be thought of as the interpre¬
tation of natural relationships, not as the creation of an artificial
classification.

The findings of the morphologist, the cytologist, and the geneti¬
cist are all important and indispensable contributions to the science
of taxonomy. I believe, however, that no interpretation of nature ’s
recognizable divisions can be of substantial value unless these divi¬
sions are considered also in the light of their ecological relation¬
ships which in turn must be considered in reference to their bio¬
geographic values. Loose statements based on political subdivisions
may be permissible in tentative check lists for want of more com¬
plete data, but should be taboo in a modern taxonomic paper.
General statements such as 4 ‘Its range extends from North Caro¬
lina to Louisiana” are usually more confusing than helpful unless
linked with these ecologic and bio-geographic concepts of a species.

Louisiana and particularly southeastern Louisiana is the ecolo¬
gist’s jig-saw puzzle. To assist within definite limits in determin¬
ing the orderly arrangement of the pieces of this puzzle has fallen
to my lot. Whereas amphibious animals have been, to a large
extent, my key pieces in the puzzle, the plants associated with them,
also being essential features, have thrust themselves into the pic¬
ture. Notable among these are the irises, for they are found in
this region almost wherever amphibious animal life is found.

I had already set out to determine the extent to which the irises
could be utilized in solving this problem when Dr. John K. Small’s

[31

publications (1927 and 1929) describing several of them as new
species, came into my hands. This at first tended to obscure the
picture, but the subsequent painstaking investigations of Small
and Alexander (1931) and their detailed descriptions of a large
number of the forms occurring here have at least saved me much
gasoline and midnight oil.

My tentative solution of that part of the puzzle which pertains
to the irises is graphically illustrated in the accompanying map
showing the zonal distribution of the Iris species of southeastern
Louisiana (Fig. 8). I realize the study is not complete in many
details and that experimental work and studies in genetics have
only just begun. I believe, however, that only by giving more at¬
tention to ecological and distributional factors we may arrive at a
more lasting taxonomy.

Acknowledgments

The inspiration to undertake this research dates back several
years to a conversation with the late George Thomas, 1865-1934, a
well known horticulturist of New Orleans and, during his last years,
superintendent of the New Orleans Parking Commission. Mr.
Thomas was perhaps the first to note the great diversity of the
wild irises in the vicinity of New Orleans and to bring a large num¬
ber of them under cultivation. Because of my pleasant relations
with Mr. Thomas and his encouragement and enthusiasm, 1 re-
spectfully dedicate this contribution to his memory.

Henry B. Chase, Jr., and 0. F. R. Bruce have been of great as¬
sistance in the field work. Dr. John K. Small has been kind
enough to point out some of the localities from which certain of
his types were taken. Mr. Bruce and Dr. William T. Penfound
have read the manuscript and have offered many helpful criticisms
and suggestions. To these and many others who have been of
assistance in one capacity or another, I offer my most sincere
thanks.

Taxonomy

In this paper my criterion of an Iris species is a large aggrega¬
tion of plants with reasonably definable similarities of structure,
freely inter-breeding wherever in sufficiently close proximity, the
separate colonies of which have similar ecological requirements,
and the aggregation as a whole having a geographic range which
can be defined in terms of physiographic features and throughout

[4]

which colonies are found in all suitable localities.1 By this criterion
1 recognize only four species in the region of this study. The large
majority of the forms described from the same region by Small and
Alexander (1931) and innumerable others yet undescribed, I inter¬
pret in part as variants and in part as natural hybrids.

All species and hybrids recognized herein are crestless, beardless
and rhizomatous and belong, therefore, to the Apogon section of
the Genus Iris. In the majority of the local forms a minute
pubescence adorns the base of the sepal blade, taking the form of
a single color stripe or ridge (called herein the basal midrib), mul¬
tiple colored ridges or a colored blotch. Representatives of two
general subdivisions of the Apogon section are recognized here.
One is the Virginica subsection as defined by Waller (January,
1931) [Group Yersicolores Small and Alexander (1931)]. In this
subsection the ovary is three-angled. It is represented in Louis¬
iana by one species, Z. virginica L. as interpreted by Anderson
(1928).

The remaining three species are somewhat closely related and
belong to the generally accepted Hexagona subsection in which the
ovary is six-angled. One of these, 7. foliosa Mackenzie and Bush is
a low growing species and the other two, 7. fulva Iver-Gawler and
7. gig anticaer idea Small are tall. Natural hybrids between the two
tall species are common in certain sections.

In the keys and descriptions below, the usage of color terms fol¬
lows “A Dictionary of Color” by Maerz and Paul (1930).

KEYS FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE NATIVE IRIS SPECIES OF

SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA2

I. When Flowers Are Not Available

a. Mature leaves with a prominent thickening or midrib; nor¬
mally growing in sandy acid soil (pH 4.8 to 6.8).

1. 7. virginica

aa. Mature leaves sword-like, without a prominent midrib ; nor¬
mally growing in circumneutral soils (pH 6.0 to 8.0).
b. Mature leaves rarely over two feet in height ; length of
leaf less than 30 times its greatest width ; normally growing

1The destructive influence of civilized man may cause exceptions to this last general
proposition.

2Since these keys have been worked out on Southeastern Louisiana plants and for
Southeastern Louisiana conditions, workers in other sections must apply them with
caution.

in silt of loessal origin which has been reworked by small
streams. 2. 7. foliosa

bb. Mature leaves over two feet in height ; length of leaf over
30 times its greatest width.

c. Mature rhizome relatively small, averaging % inch or
less in diameter ; distance between furcations of rhi¬
zome normally less than 5 inches; normally growing in
stiff clayey soil of alluvial origin, usually along the
edges of cypress sloughs and swamps. 3. 7. fulva

cc. Mature rhizome relatively large, averaging about %
inch to 1 inch in diameter; distance between furcations
of rhizome normally more than 5 inches ; normally
growing in mucky clay in or at the edge of fresh
or slightly brackish water marshes and swamps near
sea level. 4. 7. giganticaerulea

ccc. Mature plants with rhizome characters intermediate in
size between those described under c and cc; normally
growing in deltaic sloughs or swamps in the vicinity of
sea level marshes.

5. Natural hybrids ;* 7. fulva x 7. giganticaerulea

II. When Flowers Are Available (fig. 1)

a. Ovary 3-angled ; bracts normally bearing two flowers each,
more rarely 1 or 3 ; flower stalks slender and rod-like ; over
fifteen inches, normally branched at each node, the branches
long and carrying their flowers at nearly the same level as the
terminal flowers ; dominant flower color normally hyacinth
violet or lavender, with prominent veins of darker purple ;
pure albinos rare. 1. 7. virginica

aa. Ovary 6-angled ; all bracts except the terminal one normally
bearing one flower each, these being borne at different levels
on the stalk, the terminal bract normally bearing two flowers,
b. Leaves considerably taller than the flower stalks ; flower
stalks relatively thick and short, less than fifteen inches,
usually very zigzag, often prostrate ; branches, if1 any, very
short, the lowest flowers borne at the base of the main
stalk; dominant flower color normally shades of wistaria or

1Hybrids whose rhizome characters closely approach those of either of the parental
stocks are difficult to distinguish as such by these characters and, in territory where they
are likely to occur, final positive identification of hybrids, and even of parental species,
cannot be risked except in the blooming season.

[6]

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blue-violet, with darker blue veins; pure albinos rare.

2. 7. foliosa

bb. Flower stalks always erect and tall, over 15 inches, and
with rare exceptions1 equalling or exceeding the leaves in
height during the blooming season,
c. Sepals without a prominent basal midrib ; claw short,
not over 1/5 the total length of the sepal; flowers vary¬
ing from dark cardinal through various shades of brick
or coppery red, Indian red, henna, chinook, terra-cotta,
and apricot to golden and chrome yellows, the lighter
shades and especially the yellows being very rare; no
albinos ; anthers normally exserted. 3. 7. fulva

cc. Sepals with a prominent pubescent ridge or midrib,
normally orange-yellow, in the base of the blade ; basal
midrib usually accompanied by two or more shorter
lateral ridges of the same color, also somewhat pubes¬
cent; claw long, over 1/3 the length of the sepal; flow¬
ers varying from columbine blue through various shades
of violet to white, and yellowish white ; albinos more
frequent than in other species; anthers included.

4. 7. giganticaerulea
ccc. Claw, sepal and color characters intermediate between
those described under c and cc ; flowers, usually some
shade of purple or red purple.

5. Natural hybrids; 7. fulva x 7. giganticaerulea

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIES

Iris virginica L., Sp. PI. ed. 1, 39. 1753.

Iris Carolina Radius, Naturforsch. Ges. Leipzig Sclirift, 1: 158,
pi. 3 . 1822.

Iris Shrevei Small, Addisonia 12: 13-14, pi. 391. 1927.

Leaves tall and relatively wide, strong, and with a prominent
midrib when mature ; length from 25 to 35 inches on mature plants ;
width from 1 to 1% inches; the length usually varying between 25
and 30 times the maximum width.

Rhizome very stout, normally % to 1 inch in diameter, usually

1The chief exceptions occur in adverse situations, such as poor or dry locations, or
where choked out by competitive species such as willows whose profuse spongy roots
deprive the irises of water. It is apparently a general rule that the greater the amount
of water during and just prior to the blooming season, the taller the flower stalks and
the greater the number of blossoms produced.

[8]

with a profusion of wrinkled roots and fine fibrous rootlets ; dis¬
tance between furcations on mature rhizome variable, usually from
two to eight inches, sometimes longer ; normally one branch only is
produced on either side at each furcation.

Flower stalks slender and rod-like, medium in height, usually
from 20 to 36 inches, erect, branched at the nodes (Fig. 7) ; the
lateral branches bearing their flowers at nearly the same level as
the terminal flowers ; the bracts normally bearing two flowers each,
more rarely 1 or 3.

Flower color. The dominant color is usually some shade of hya¬
cinth violet or lavender with veins of darker purple ; pure albinos
are rare, but there are many clones1 with a light lavender or white
ground color, the dark purple venation on these giving the appear¬
ance of delicate etchings.

Sepals 2 to 3 inches (Fig. 6) ; the claw long and trough-like, 1 to
11/2 inches, equal or nearly equal to the length of the blade, usually
brassy-green with prominent longitudinal purple veins in the mid¬
dle and prominent lateral veins of the same color on the wide
wings; the blade ovate, 1% to 2 inches, recurved spreading, with a
pubescent basal midrib which extends nearly one-half the length
of the blade ; midrib brassy-yellow or some related shade and sur¬
rounded by a zone of the same color, the whole forming a con¬
spicuously pubescent blotch at the base of the blade; the basal
blotch in turn is surrounded by a white or light lavender zone with
prominent purple veins (except in pure albinos), the light zone
merging into the hyacinth violet or lavender zone on the outer half
of the blade.

Petals obovate-spatulate, shorter than the sepals, of the same
color and with a brassy-yellow claw.

Capsules elliptic in longitudinal section, somewhat three-angled
in cross section ; the number of seed rows to each carpel is either
one or two, but is variable, two being more frequent than one, the
average of twenty measurements from a colony near Bush, Lou¬
isiana, being 1.6; variations may occur in different levels in the
same carpel, in different carpels in the same capsule, and in differ¬
ent capsules on the same plant, in many cases the seeds overlapping

1An iris clonei is a group of plants which have originated from a single seedling by
rhizome propagation. The term refers to a lesser aggregation than the term colony, which
is a group of plants originating from more than one seedling and consists of two or
more clones more or less isolated from other groups of plants of the same species by minor
physiographic barriers.

[9]

in the carpel indicating a condition intermediate between single
and double rows.

Relationships. I concur in the opinion of Anderson (1928) that
all southern irises of the virginica-versicolor complex belong to the
single Linnaean species I. virginica. Anderson has shown the type
of I. slirevei Small from Farmington, Arkansas, and I. Carolina
Radius from the Carolina Coastal Plain to be synonymous with
1. virginica L. Although I recognize that differences not discussed
by Anderson may exist between the types of slirevei and Carolina,
it is difficult to separate these two forms in southeastern Louisiana,
as the distinguishing characters pointed out by Small (1927) over¬
lap here. It would appear from preliminary observations that in
poorer acid soils the Carolina characteristics tend to dominate,
whereas adjacent to the river valleys or lake shore swamps where
the soil is richer, the slirevei characters apparently predominate.
There is, however, environmental continuity, there being no sig¬
nificant geographic barriers throughout their range in the region
of this study. In any particular locality there is much variation,
and where the habitat also varies somewhat, it is often difficult to
distinguish between the hereditary characters and those caused by
environmental influences.

In view of the fact that the irises of the Virginica subsection, as
represented in southeastern Louisiana, bridge to a great extent the
gap between slirevei of northwestern Arkansas and those of the
same group found farther east in the Atlantic coastal plain (viz.,
1. Carolina Radius) and further that apparently none of the three
aggregations form distinct and separate ecological units confined
each to a well defined phyto-geographic zone, I am forced to the
conclusion that the differences at best are only of sub-specific sig¬
nificance. Small and Alexander (1931) are inclined to believe that
specimens of I. virginica L. from Gloucester, Virginia, its probable
type locality, differ from 7. Carolina Radius. If the southeastern
and northern forms of virginica differ to any extent, and there is
some evidence tending to indicate differences, the name Carolina
will have to be brought back into usage again, even if only as of
sub-specific significance. After further study it may be found that
the use of the terms virginica, Carolina and slirevei may be con¬
venient for distinguishing the northern, southeastern and mid-
western geographic races of virginica.

Specimens resembling Carolina, found in the poorer sections of

[10]

the acid coastal plain belt east of Louisiana, apparently overlap in
the region of our study the range of a form with traits very sug¬
gestive of the type of shrevei from Farmington, Arkansas, but to
what extent if any these traits may be influenced by the environ¬
mental differences remains to be determined by experiment. That
there are different races I have no doubt, although the characters
upon which they may be based will probably differ from those
which Anderson (1928) has chosen in his admirable work. I have
seen strikingly different capsule, seed and leaf characters which
apparently have regional significance and I believe that further
study from a phyto-geographic standpoint will show a correlation
between these racial trends and the major watersheds in which
they are isolated, such as those of the Red River, the Arkansas,
the upper Mississippi and Ohio, and the Atlantic Coastal Plain.
Because of the geographic position of southeastern Louisiana, one
would expect the I. virginica of that region to be a mixture of all
races, as seeds from all of these watersheds would have found
their way eventually into southeastern Louisiana. The facts as
gathered in this preliminary study seem to bear out this assump¬
tion, for here there is apparently a well crossed combination of all
races with the resultant extreme variation of the species in this
region. In fact, the aggregation will be found to contain quite a
number of distinct horticultural varieties.

Supplementary Remarks. Iris virginica exhibits the most beauti¬
ful foliage of any species in southeastern Louisiana. The leaves
are broad, practically evergreen, of a brilliant dark green color,
and because of their stout midribs, stand erect except for a very
graceful bending of the upper ends of the taller leaves. The
flowers are usually large and attractive in the richer situations
and the petals conspicuously large, often approaching the sepals in
size. While different patches vary in height, in any particular
clone the flowers are usually at about the same general level, this
being a little lower than the maximum height of the gracefully
bending leaves. This and the characteristic branching of the
flower stalks give the plants a distinctly different aspect in woods
or garden from the other irises found in this region. They begin
blooming normally in late March and finish in the early part of
May.

Iris virginica belongs properly to the Coastal Plain, where it
subsists chiefly throughout the pine lands in acid sloughs and

[ll]

swamps normally with a sandy subsoil (Figs. 7 and 8). It tol¬
erates a higher acidity than any other southeastern Louisiana spe¬
cies, surviving alone when the pH remains constantly below about
6.0. Its best development, however, occurs along the borders of
the richer deltas of rivers which traverse the non-calcareous por¬
tions of the Coastal Plain, such as the Pearl, the Tchefuncta and
the Tangipahoa rivers and at the edge of the coastal swamps and
marshes bordering this province on the south. With some breaks
in the continuity it even encircles Lake Pontchartrain, although
south of this lake it seems to cling closely to the rear of the strand
where the muck shows an admixture of lake sand of Coastal Plain
origin and develops a greater acidity than the soils bordering the
deltaic ridges. The western limit of its range in our territory is
immediately east of the Tickfaw River Valley.

Iris foliosa Mackenzie and Bush, Trans. Acad. Sci., St. Louis, 12:
81, 1902.

Iris flexicaulis Small, Addisonia 12: 11, pi. 390. 1927.

Iris brevipes Small, Contr. N. Y. Bot. Gard. 327. 1931.

Iris mississippiensis Alexander, Contr. N. Y. Bot. Gard. 327. 1931.

Leaves much shorter than in the other Louisiana species, rela¬
tively wide; length 15 to 25 inches on mature plants, rarely longer;
width % to 1 inch ; the length about 25 times the greatest width ;
shape somewhat like a knife when mature and without a noticeable
midrib, except for a thickening at the base or “handle of the
knife.”

Rhizome variable, V2 to 1 inch in diameter ; roots long, 10 to 14
inches, not much branched near surface of the ground, but more
or less profusely branched near their extremities ; distance between
furcations on mature rhizome from 3 to 6V2 inches ; rhizome
usually profusely branched at each furcation, there being gen¬
erally three branches, sometimes four or more, on either side.

Flower stalks relatively thick, shorter than in any other Lou¬
isiana species, about eight inches long, oval in section, usually very
zigzag (Fig. 1), often prostrate, sometimes with very short lateral
branches at the nodes ; the lower bracts normally bearing one flower
each, the terminal bract, two ; the flowers borne from near the base
of the stalk, and always down amidst the foliage.

Flower color. The dominant flower color is a wistaria or blue-

[12]

violet, with darker blue veinings which are not prominent although
more noticeable in the lighter colored flowers; pure albinos are rare.

Sepals 2-j/o to 3 inches (Fig. 6) ; the claw long and narrow, about
l1/) inches, a little shorter than the blade, usually pale green with
darker green veins ; the blade orbicular oval, 1% to 1 % inches,
ascending spreading; the basal midrib yellow, prominently pubes¬
cent and usually about one-half the length of the blade ; a white
zone with blue veining usually occupies the basal third of the
blade, although sometimes it extends up into the blade beyond the
end of the midrib (7. mississippiensis Alexander) ; the outer por¬
tion of the blade is some shade of blue violet within the color
range of the species.

Petals large, oblanceolate, only slightly shorter than the sepals,
scarcely clawed, tapering gradually to the base, wistaria or blue-
violet, becoming paler or white in the basal third.

Capsule ovoid or ellipsoid, hexagonal in cross section, each
carpel with two sharp longitudinal ridges.

Relationships. The irises representing this species would fall
within the limits of Small’s Group Hexagonae (Small and Alex¬
ander, 1931), which has narrower limits than the generally ac¬
cepted arrangement. It is difficult to tell, from literature on the
subject, the extent to which Small and Alexander’s type descrip¬
tions apply over a geographic range beyond the original clones
from which their types were selected. Suffice it to say that, al¬
though not as variable as the preceding species, the representatives
of this group in Louisiana present variations throughout their
range, but the variants have similar ecological requirements and
there is no zonal distribution peculiar to any particular form. Fur¬
thermore, they vary in several ways from a common average, with
almost infinite gradations. Therefore, unhesitatingly, I express
the opinion that all forms of Dr. Small’s group Hexagonae de¬
scribed from Louisiana represent only variations of a single species.

Small’s 7. flexicaulis (1927), which he admits is related to 7.
foliosa Mackenzie and Bush from Missouri, certainly takes priority
over 7. brevipes Small and 7. mississippiensis Alexander (Small
and Alexander, 1931). Just why Small should drop the use of the
term flexicaulis without an explanation only adds to the confusion.
As brevipes and mississippiensis only differ in the amount of white
at the base of the sepal blade, a very variable character, and as

[13]

the description of flexicaulis antedates the descriptions of these,
the term flexicaulis for the Louisiana aggregation would have pri¬
ority if further study should warrant a subspecific distinction from
the type of foliosa. The forms brevipes and mississippiensis are
only two of a number of overlapping variations.

Whether Small’s Hexagonae group as a whole represents one or
two separate ecological niches, I am not in a position to state at
this time. Small ’s sub-groups ‘ ‘ Hexagonae prostrate ’ ’ and ‘ ‘ Hex¬
agonae erect” do suggest differences which are probably specifically
distinct. Tentatively I am inclined to consider all of the prostrate
forms as a single separate species which includes all of the Lou¬
isiana variants and suggest the use of the term 7. foliosa for the
entire Louisiana aggregation until a revision of this subsection of
the genus is undertaken by someone with a thorough understand¬
ing of their ecology and distribution.

Supplementary Remarks. Iris foliosa is the smallest of the iris
species found in southeastern Louisiana, Both leaves and flower
stalks are shorter than in the other species of the region. The
flowers are borne in profusion, and clustered as they are down
amidst the foliage, the plants are easily distinguished from the
other, taller types. The short flower stalks with their short internodes
are normally sub-erect or prostrate, and are nearly always de¬
cidedly zigzag. The comparatively low growing foliage and the
prominent pubescent basal midrib in the sepal are in a sense more
suggestive of the bearded irises than any of the other southern
species. 7. foliosa is the most nearly blue flowered of the Louisiana
species. The flower itself bears a resemblance to that of the tail-
stalked 7. giganticaerulea. 7. foliosa is the latest flowering species
in our range, normally flowering during the month of May.

In southeastern Louisiana foliosa seems to be confined to the
loessal or so-called bluff deposits, where it is found in depressions
with sluggish drainage and along sluggish streams (Figs. 7 and 8).
Although the lime content of the soil is rather high in this region,
the humus layer may be slightly acid (around pH 6.6), probably
due to the decomposition of the leaves of various oaks and other
trees common to the region. The range of foliosa in southeastern
Louisiana extends from the bluff deposits just east of the Missis¬
sippi Valley eastward to and including the Tickfaw River Valley.
Here it meets the range of virginica, the limits of the two zones
being sharply defined without overlapping.

[14]

Fig. 2. — Iris fudva Ker-Gawler. Unique
among- beardless irises because of its ful¬
vous color tones, this species is evidently
the 1 1 red ’ ’ ancestor of the Louisiana hy¬
brids. Both sepals and petals are practi¬
cally uniform in color, usually a brick or
coppery red. The flower can also be dis¬
tinguished by its practically clawless sepals
and petals, and the absence of a pubescent
midrib in the base of the sepal blade.
Both sepals and petals usually droop short¬
ly after opening, especially in sunny situa¬
tions.

Iris fulva Ker-Gawler, Bot. Mag. pi. 1496. 1812.

Leaves tall, relatively narrow and sword-like; length 25 to 40
inches on mature plants ; width usually about % inch ; the length
usually varying between 35 and 50 times the maximum width,
average about 40 times.

Rhizome relatively small, usually about % inch in diameter on
mature plants ; distance between furcations on mature rhizome
usually 4 to 4y2 inches ; rhizome profusely branched at each furca¬
tion, the normal number of branches under favorable conditions
being three on either side.

Flower stalks erect and tall, 25 to 45 inches, of medium thickness,
slightly zigzag; the flowers normally borne at different levels on
the stalk (Fig. 1), although rarely the basal flower may show a
separate stalk as in Carolina ; the lower bracts normally bearing
one flower each, the terminal bract, two ; the flowers, especially the
terminal ones, are borne well above the level of the leaves.

[15]

Flower color. The dominant flower color is a brick or coppery
red varying toward dark cardinal on the one hand and toward
chrome yellow on the other. Indian red, henna and chinook are
among the more common variants, whereas more rarely one finds
terra-cotta and apricot tones. Among the yellows, which are very
rare, have been found copper lustre, yellow ochre, sunstone, golden
glow and chrome yellow.

Sepals 2 to 3 inches; the claw very short and not sharply de-
marked from the blade, usually about 1/5 or 1/6 the total length
of the sepal and of nearly the same color as the blade except that
the midportion may be yellowish, especially toward the base ; the
sepal is normally without a noticeable basal midrib, except for
very weak twinned midribs in the claw which do not extend notice¬
ably into the blade (for variants see discussion) ; the blade is
nearly uniform in color, oval or nearly so, drooping more than in
any other local species (Figs. 2 and 6).

Petals about 2/3 as long as the sepals, narrowly obovate, not
clawed, notably drooping, and of the same color as the sepals or
nearly so.

Appendages of the style branches, barely toothed; anthers ex-
serted.

Capsule ellipsoid to ovoid, hexagonal in cross section.

Relationships. 7. fulva does not seem to be easily confused with
any other species throughout its range. Only in the delta regions
of south Louisiana are there any other irises closely resembling it.
All of these the author has interpreted as natural hybrids between
this species and what appears to be its nearest relative, 7. gigan-
ticaerulea.

Supplementary Remarks. Iris fulva, other than for color varia¬
tions, is perhaps the least variable of the species coming within
our range. Its characteristically tall stalks, when in moist situa¬
tions, bear the flowers well above the sword-like leaves which show
a tendency to bend over. In sunny situations both sepals and
petals droop rather quickly after opening, especially in hot
weather, and the red color fades more or less toward afternoon.
In shady situations the flowers do not droop or fade as much and
present a more beautiful appearance. 7. fulva normally begins
flowering in late March, the season extending into the early part
of May. The climax is reached about the middle of April.

[16]

There seem to be two color pigments in the flowers of 7. fulva,
one apparently a dark cardinal red and the other a chrome yellow,
both of which, however, are usually diffused throughout the entire
flower. The yellow sometimes predominates on the underside,
especially near or on the claw, whereas the red sometimes shows a
greater concentration on the upper side near the midvein. It is the
blending of the two pigments in relatively different amounts which
produces the various colors described. The yellow pigment may be
almost obscured by the dark cardinal in the darkest shades of fulva ,
whereas a partial or total absence of the red produces the lighter
tones or pure yellow flowers.

In some localities where 7. fulva is found alone at the present
time, there is an occasional clone with a small single midrib which
extends slightly into the sepal blade (near 7. fulvaurea Small), or
with the slight double crest of the claw extending further than
usual into the blade. The author believes this to be evidence of
former hybridization with gig anticaer idea which latter species has
in the course of time been pushed southward as the land levels
have been built up by deltaic streams. This will be discussed more
fully later under natural hybrids.

The rhizome of 7. fulva averages smaller than in any other spe¬
cies in this region, and is the most profusely branched with the
exception of that of foliosa.

In southeastern Louisiana, Iris fulva belongs exclusively to the
Mississippi floodplain, which includes the lower Amite River Val¬
ley. It is found in the stiff clayey soils characteristic of the banks
of silt laden streams and the flat lands bordering the cypress
swamps on the far sides of the ridges formed by deposits from
such silt laden or deltaic streams. If the abandoned channel of a
former deltaic stream is sufficiently shallow, fulva may occupy the
entire stream bed. It does not occur along swamp drainage bayous,1
as these are not of deltaic origin and, therefore, lack appreciable
alluvial ridges. The top soil of such bayou banks contains a higher
percentage of muck than the deltaic deposits and this is evidently
not suitable for the growth of this species. Iris fulva follows the
deltaic formations almost but not quite to sea level. When the
sea level fresh water zone is reached, fulva is replaced by gigan-
ticaerulea. Under certain conditions there is an overlapping zone
where hybrids between fulva and gig anticaer ulea may be common
and where they sometimes occur in almost endless variation.

xFor definition of swamp drainage bayou see section on Ecology and Distribution.

[17]

Fig. 3. — Iris giganticaerulea Small. This,
the larg-est-flowered species in our range,
is evidently the blue ancestor of the Lou¬
isiana hybrids. The color is usually a
columbine blue, but there are many varia¬
tions. The sepal claw is long and sharply
demarked from the blade. The basal midrib
is strong and usually flanked by several
radially spreading, pubescent lateral ridges.
A white zone is usually present in the
base of the sepal blade. The sepals usu¬
ally spread outward and curve downward
gracefully ; the petals are generally sub-

erect.

Iris giganticaerulea Small, Addisonia, 14: 5, pi. 451. 1929. 1

Leaves tall, relatively narrow and sword-like ; length 35 to 50
inches and sometimes longer; width usually % to 1% inches wide;
the length of the leaf usually varying between 35 to 50 times its
maximum width, average about 40 times.

Rhizome very large, usually % to 1% inches in diameter on
mature plants ; distance between forks on mature rhizomes usually
7 to 12 inches in wet situations ; number of branches at each fur¬
cation varying from 1 to 3 on either side, the average on large
plants usually being between one and two on either side.

Flower stalks erect, tall, and nearly straight, usually 40 to 60
inches, sometimes longer, very stout ; the flowers borne at differ-

1A number of forms described in Small and Alexander’s Bot. Int. 1931 will prob¬
ably be referred to this species. As the synonomy has not been worked out fully as yet
because of difficulties which have presented themselves, synonyms will be omitted
here. A number of them will be mentioned, however, in the pages which follow.

[ 18]

ent levels on the stalk (Fig. 1) ; the lower bracts normally bearing
one flower each, the terminal bract, two; the flowers, especially
the terminal ones, usually borne well above the leaves, which droop
somewhat.

Flower color. The dominant flower color is columbine blue, the
darker shades varying toward lobelia, the lighter ones through
shades of wistaria and lavender to white. Creamy and ivory toned
whites ( elephantina ) are known. Albinos are more frequent than
in the other species. The type form of giganticaerulea shows a
white zone at the base of the sepal blade.

Sepals 3 i/o to 41/? inches long ; the claw very long, one-tliird to
one-half the total length of the sepal and sharply differentiated
from the blade, usually greenish or creamy white with longitudinal
greenish veins in the mid-portion ; the blade oval or orbicular oval,
descending spreading; a prominent basal midrib extends outward,
usually for about half the length of the blade, this accompanied by
one or more smaller bnt noticeable lateral ridges on either side
(Figs. 3 and 6) ; these ridges all pubescent and normally some
shade of yellow; the zone adjacent to the midrib in the base of the
blade usually white, but may be yellow toned, there being varia¬
tions in the latter from creamy white to chrome lemon ( citricris -
tat a) ; the light color may, rarely, be absent, it may be restricted
to a small area in the base of the blade or it may extend outward
over as much as 50% of the blade; the outer portion of the blade is
usually some shade of blue violet within the color range of the
species (except of course in albinos), but may be streaked with
white veinings which may extend almost to the margins.

Petals cuneate-spatulate, shorter than the sepals ; the blade color
nearly the same as the sepals, whitish at the base.

Appendages of the style branches deeply lacerate-toothed ; an¬
thers included.

Relationships. The probable relationship of giganticaerulea to
other North American irises not found in Louisiana may not be
fully answered in this paper. Three Floridian forms described as
species by Small (1924, 1927), kimballiae, savanna, rum, and albi-
spiritis, seem to occur in the same type of habitat in Florida that
giganticaerulea and its variants occupy in Southeastern Louisiana
and Mississippi. The differences between the types of savannarum,
kimballiae and albispiritis are certainly not greater than those of

[19]

the different variants of giganticaerulea in Louisiana. Furthermore,
the differences between the Florida and Louisiana aggregations
as a whole do not seem to be any greater than one would expect to
find in variants of any non-migratory species separated by such a
distance as divides these. Therefore, pending further study, I am
inclined to the opinion that giganticaerulea and savannarum are
geographic races of the same species, and the other Floridian forms
mentioned, merely local variants. All belong to what might be
termed sub-maritime portions of the Lower Coastal Strip of the
Coastal Plain. These formations consist chiefly of deltaic and
lagoonal marshes and savannas practically at sea level, but pre¬
ponderantly fresh. There is no essential difference in their biota in
the two states, most of the differences being of subspecific signifi¬
cance except for an admixture of Mississippi Valley species in
Louisiana. Although the term savannarum would take priority
over giganticaerulea if my opinion were correct, I am using the lat¬
ter term in this publication as I have not yet completed my study of
the Florida plants nor observed them in their native environment.

Supplementary Remarks. The irises included in this species, as
herein interpreted, are very variable as to size of the plants and
also as to size, shape, color and markings of the flowers. It is
sometimes difficult, however, to tell whether a size difference in a
particular case is the result of hereditary or environmental influ¬
ences. Plants growing in rich mucky situations invariably exhibit
larger rhizomes and taller leaves and stalks than do plants in
poorer or drier situations. Plants producing a tall leaf growth in
the winter may not develop the usual taller flower stalks if the
habitat becomes dry just prior to the flowering season. Under
cultivation, such phenomena have been noted by the author in a
number of cases, indicating that the height of leaves and stalks
varies considerably with moisture and soil conditions. Not all
variations of this nature, therefore, can be assigned to heredity by
field observation alone. The depth of the lacerations of the style
branches and of course the shape, color and markings of the flowers
are among the hereditary variations.

Within the geographic range of the species in Louisiana, in
habitats where hybridization with fulva is not likely to occur,
there are a number of variations within the limitations of the spe¬
cies as defined herein which Small and Alexander (1931) have seen
fit, to describe as separate species. As these vary, however, in dif-

[20]

ferent directions from a common average through infinitesimal
intergradations, and as the ecological requirements are similar for
all forms, I am inclined to group them all as variants of gigan-
ticaerulea, the first of the group to be described. Most of them
are color variants only. In fact, the color variations in the group
as a whole are almost endless.

There seem to be only two color pigments in giganticaerulea.
One is a columbine blue confined chiefly to the blade proper, being
usually more intense toward the periphery, the other a chrome
yellow confined chiefly to the pubescent ridges in the basal region.
The yellow and blue zones are usually, but by no means always,
separated by a white zone. In some variants the blue zone is
flecked or streaked with white, in others the blue may be streaked
into the white zone at the base of the blade. A significant variant
worthy of separate mention because of its relative abundance (I.
citricistata Small) differs from the type of giganticaerulea chiefly
in the total absence of a white patch on either side of the basal
midrib. This, in my opinion, is due to a greater diffusion of the
blue pigment in the base of the blade. This, blending with the yel¬
low pigment, gives the ridges and surrounding light color patch a
lemon tone. Variations may also be produced in almost solid color
effects by dilution of the color, producing various degrees of albin¬
ism down to pure white (/. miraculosa Small).

The distribution of the yellow pigment also varies. It may be
confined as in the typical form to a strong central ridge and one or
more radiating laterals on either side, or it may be confined to the
central ridge and the zone immediately adjacent to it, producing a
lance-shaped effect (group Lancicristatae Small and Alexander),
or it may be confined to the central ridge alone. Forms with a
diffusion of blue adjacent to the midrib usually have a lemon or
citron crest as in citricristata. In one clone the blade was found to
be a solid dark blue to the very edge of the midrib without any
lighter zone, and the midrib in that case was a brilliant citronelle
green, showing that the blue was well blended with the yellow of
the midrib. On the other hand, I have seen the yellow diffused
partly into the white zone, producing a yellow candle flame effect
with a lighter halo. There are also albinistic forms with a total
absence of blue but with a diffusion of yellow, producing yellow-
toned, creamy or ivory whites (/. elephantina , Small), and I have
found one small clone of solid chrome lemon, indicating a com-

[21]

plete diffusion of the yellow throughout the blade. As this last
named form occurs in a locality where there is considerable hybrid¬
ization with fulva taking place, it is possible that there may be
some taint of fulva in it, although the other diagnostic characters
would place it in a category with the albinos of gig anticaer idea
which are fairly common in that immediate locality and are some¬
times tinged with yellow.

I have not seen all of Small and Alexander’s types, but from
their descriptions I am inclined to believe that a number of others
described by them as species are also variants of giganticaerulea
and not hybrids with fulva, although without seeing them or know¬
ing the exact localities where they were taken an opinion may be
of little value. The following forms appear to be variants of gigan¬
ticaerulea or at most hybrids very close to the giganticaerulea
parent : iocyanea, ioleuca, cyanantha, bifurcata, viridisT ioclantha,
gentilliana, lancipetala, cyanochrysea, paludicola, alticristata,,
fluviatilis, and parvicaerulea.

Iris giganticaemdea, including its Floridian relatives, is the
southernmost as well as the most nearly coastal of the North Amer¬
ican irises. It belongs to those fresh water areas which are at or
very near gulf level. Their habitat, therefore, is subject to inun¬
dation by high waters caused chiefly by east winds on the Gulf
(Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10). Being the only iris belonging truly to sub-
maritime portions of the Coastal and Mississippi Alluvial Plains,
it is obviously tolerant of greater salinity than any other Louisiana
species.

It occupies the marsh border which lies adjacent to the deltaic
and Coastal Plain elevations. The soil here is usually mixed with
a considerable percentage of peaty muck consisting largely of the
remains of pickerel weeds, reeds, sedges, grasses and other marsh
plants. It is in this mucky clay that giganticaerulea is found in
greatest abundance. It does not matter whether the subsoil is of
alluvial or coastal plain origin as long as it is rich and has a high
water content. Both the soil water and the marsh water through¬
out the range of the species in Louisiana cover a circumneutral
range (pH 6.2 to 7.6). Although gig anticaer idea can thrive in a
mildly acid environment, it can apparently tolerate a much higher
alkalinity than any other species of eastern American iris. Follow¬
ing the streams it extends not only beyond the southerly limits of
7. fulva or 7. virginica as the case may be, but even beyond the

[22]

southerly limits of the cypress outposts. Although it is found to
some extent in the more open cypress swamps near the coast, it is
ordinarily found in more sunny situations than any other native
species.

I. gig ant icaer idea is the earliest flowering species in our range.
After a normal winter, many flowers open in the early part of
March, the climax is reached early in April and the floral picture is
usually passed before the first of May.

Wherever a deltaic ridge is intersected by a swamp drainage
bayou within the range of the species or where small deltaic ridges
penetrate the marshes without a wide border of dense cypress-
tupelo swamp, the range of fidva encroaches upon the range of
giganticaerulea and natural hybrids between the two may be ex¬
pected.

Natural Hybrids, I. fulva x I. giganticaerulea

In addition to the four species of Iris and their variants de¬
scribed above, there is still a large number of forms described by
Small and Alexander, as well as innumerable others as yet un¬
described, which must be considered. These are all found on del¬
taic ridges adjacent to or in the vicinity of fresh water marshes,
viz., those delta formations which lie inland just beyond the limits
of the brackish marshes (Pigs. 7, 8, 9 and 10). These formations
are all in the zone of contact between the ranges of fulva and gigan¬
ticaerulea. As this mixed aggregation is believed to be of hybrid
origin between the two species named, I shall treat the entire
group as a unit. On the whole they are so variable that it is difficult
to find a description which fits them all, but the following general
considerations may be helpful.

Leaves usually 25 to 50 inches on mature plants, relatively nar¬
row and sword-like and not distinguishable from those of fulva or
giganticaerulea ; the width usually averages about an inch ; the
average length is between 35 and 40 times the width.

Rhizome very variable in size, but usually intermediate between
that of ftdva and giganticaerulea, in the majority of forms being
between % and % of an inch in diameter, and with the distance
between furcations usually between and 7 inches. There is
usually a correlation between the size of the rhizome and the flower
color. Forms with flowers inclined toward fulvous tones as a rule

[23]

have much smaller rhizomes than the blue toned forms, whereas
the red purples are usually intermediate.

Flower stalks always erect and tall, usually between 30 and 50
inches ; the flowers borne at different levels on the stalk ; the lower
bracts usualty bearing one flower each, the terminal bract, two ; the
flowers, especially the terminal ones, usually being borne well above
the level of the leaves. The flowers are never in any event borne
down amidst the foliage as in foliosa or at one general level as in
virginica.

Flower color. The dominant flower color in a large majority of
the forms included in this group is some shade of red purple or
purple, the commoner shades being gloxinia, deep cygnet or other
shades coming under the general designation of wine purple. There
are variants, however, covering the entire range between the
fulvous, coppery, or salmon shades of fulva and the columbine blue
or wistaria shades of giganticaerulea. Forms with albinistic ten¬
dencies exhibit shades varying toward rose-wood, old rose, or ashes
of roses on the fulva side and toward orchid or phlox on the gigan¬
ticaerulea side. Forms with melanistic tendencies vary from dark
ruby or raspberry on the one hand toward pontiff or imperial pur¬
ple on the other.

Sepals vary in size and structure considerably, covering the en¬
tire range between those of fulva and those of giganticaerulea as
shown in the accompanying illustrations (Figs. 4, 5, and 6). The
claws vary considerably in length, the average being about an inch.
The blades generally vary in length between one and three-quarters
of an inch and two and one-quarter inches. There is usually a cor¬
relation between the relative claw and blade lengths and their col¬
ors, those with fulvous tones such as fulvaurea (Fig. 6b) having a
much shorter claw than those such as chry so Phoenicia (Fig. 6d),
which are some shade of purple and closer in their color characters
to the giganticaerulea parent. On the other hand, the red purple
forms such as vinicolor (Fig. 6c) usually have a blade and claw
structure intermediate between those of the two parental stocks.
The size of the flower also is usually correlated with the structure,
but not necessarily so.

The characteristics of the basal midrib and its laterals, described
as “crest” characters by Small and Alexander (1931) are also ex¬
tremely variable. Ridges may be absent or insignificant in those

[24]

forms very close to the fulva parent. These fall usually in the
groups Ecristatae, Bicristatae and Unicristatae proposed by Small
and Alexander and the majority of them are inclined toward the
fulvous and orange-red tones. On the other hand, there are many
with strong yellow or orange midribs, which may or may not carry
prominent lateral ridges of the same color. These are inclined to¬
ward the giganticaerulea parent and their flowers are for the most
part some shade of purple or blue purple. They fall mostly within
Small and Alexander’s groups Unicristatae, Lancicristatae and
Tricristatae. The red purple forms, which are largely intermediate
in structure between the two parents, fall mostly in the Unicris¬
tatae, Lancicristatae, Tricristatae and Coronicristatae groups.

According to my interpretation, Small and Alexander’s group¬
ings appear for the most part to be of little significance in showing
parental relationships. Furthermore, their terms are so relative
that it is not only difficult to classify plants as belonging to one or
another of their proposed “ species, ” but it is sometimes difficult to
decide to which of their major groups they belong. Some of their
groups cover a very wide range of color forms. For instance, in
the Unicristatae there are fulvous flowered forms in which there is
a small claw of the fulva type, but the single ridge is insignificant
and does not extend materially into the blade. In the same group
there are forms such as vinicolor and other red purple types in
which the ridge is fairly strong and intermediate between the two
possible extremes (Fig. 4). These in turn vary through almost
insensible intergradations into extremely stout-ridged blue purple
forms such as violipurpurea, which are nearer giganticaerulea than
fulva.

In the majority of the hybrids, the length and strength of the
basal midrib is rather intermediate between that of fulva and that
of giganticaerulea. The sepals spread outward more or less as in
Fig. 4 or may curve downward gracefully as in Fig. 5. Seldom,
however, do they droop sharply from near the base as in fulva
(Fig. 2). In some they may be gracefully recurved toward the tips.

After a very careful consideration of Small and Alexander’s so-
called “crest” characters, it seems to me that the form and color
assumed by this pubescence are of comparatively little significance
in classification except for the few general relationships to parental
stocks already mentioned. The fact that they are conspicuous does
not increase their importance except from a horticultural stand-

[25]

Fig. 4. — Hybrid, Iris fulva X Iris gigan-
ticaerulea (near Iris vinicolor Small).

Hybrids of the vinicolor type, probably in
the main first generation offspring of
fulva X giganticaerulea, present a number
of variations. When the midrib is long
and strong as in the flower illustrated, the
sepals spread outward and may be recurved
toward the tips of the outer margins. If
the midrib is shorter and weaker, the
sepal may bend gracefully downward as
in the next illustration. The petals are
usually large and are generally curved up¬
ward. The color of the majority of the
intermediates is gloxinia or deep cygnet
except for the yellow midrib in the base
(for variants among the hybrids see text).

point. In order to throw more light on the probable relationships
of the hybrids, I have endeavored to find characters more funda¬
mental than the color or structure of the pubescent ridges in the
base of the blade. Fig. 6 is the result of such a preliminary study
of the four native species and three of the forms which I believe to
be the result of natural hybridization between fulva and gigan¬
ticaerulea. Direct contact prints of sun-bleached pressed sepals
were made on photographic paper and enlarged photostatic copies
made therefrom. Drawings with black pencil were made directly
over these enlargements to emphasize the veins and white ink was
used to obliterate the unnecessary details and defects and these
were again phostated. Both negatives and positives were retouched
and the photoengraving made from the final copy.

It can be seen from Fig. 6 that each of the forms I regard as

[26]

Fig. 5. — Hybrid, Iris fulva X Iris gigan-
ticaerulea (near Iris chrysophoenia
Small). This particular hybrid represents
one of the more unusual forms, possibly
illustrating a recombination of characters
resulting from recrossings of hybrids
among themselves or with parental stocks.
The twinned midrib is apparently inherit¬
ed from the fulva stock, the radial pat¬
tern from the gigantioaerulea parent. Flow¬
ers of this general type, although com¬
paratively rare, may exist in a wide color
range, usually some shade of purple or
red purple. In the specimen shown, the
color is a deep garnet and the shape as¬
sumed is suggestive of the bearded irises.
This particular flower presents an excel¬
lent example of the rarity of the more
unique hybrids. There were only one bloom
stalk and two rhizome branches in the
original clone. Such rarity adds to the
evidence that this form is of hybrid origin.
Fortunately the entire plant in this in¬
stance was brought under cultivation as
the locality was destroyed by highway
construction a few days later.

species ( fulva (a), giganticaerulea ( e ), foliosa (/), and virginica
(g)) have distinct and characteristic venation, claw and blade struc¬
tures. The vein patterns, while difficult to describe in words are
graphically illustrated. A study of the patterns will clearly show
that the forms believed to be hybrids ( fulvaurea (&), a form of
vinicolor (c), and a form of chrysophoenicia ( d )) stand between
fulva and giganticaeridea in the order named and further confirm

[27]

the other evidence of the occurrence of hybridization. In general,
the sepal characters of the hybrids, viz., color, size, shape of blade,
relative length of claw, strength of pubescent ridge, and venation
pattern tend to be correlated in a series between fulva and gigan-
ticaerulea, but this is not uniformly so.

The series selected in Fig. 8 was chosen for the purpose of show¬
ing the relationships in plants with differences as wide as possible
in the patterns of the pubescent ridges. According to Small and
Alexander ’s classification sepal a would be placed in group Fulvae,
sepals b and c in Unicristatae, d in Coronicristatae, and e in Radii-
cristatae. Sepals a and d exhibit the twinned sepal “crest” pat¬
tern, inconspicuous in a and showing its highest development in d.
The other three exhibits have central ridges, there being no laterals
in b, rudimentary laterals in c and prominent laterals in e. A study
of the venation patterns will reveal that the conspicuous super¬
ficial structures in the hybrids are not reflected in the underlying
structures.

Petals in the hybrids likewise run the range of intermediates
between those of fulva and those of giganticaeridea, but are usually
erect in contrast to the down-curved sepals. Many of the hybrids,
therefore, have an artistic aspect not found in either parent, the
petals bending gracefully upward and the sepals gracefully down¬
ward (Fig. 5). In hybrids, the appendages may or may not be
lacerate-toothed, and the anthers are generally included.

Supplementary Remarks. This study has revealed that there is a
large group of very variable irises with structural and color char¬
acteristics running the entire gamut of intermediates between the
extremes presented by fulva and giganticaerulea, and never beyond
these limitations except as a result of combining characteristics of
both species. For instance, the blue and white tones of gigan¬
ticaeridea when combined with the red and yellow tones of fidva
give rise to more brilliant reds and truer pinks than is possible
within the color range of fulva alone. Again the normally twinned
midrib character of fulva, although weak in that species, when
combined with the strongly ridged character of giganticaerulea
gives rise to the striking phenomena found in the midribs of Small
and Alexander’s group Bicristatae and in such beautiful forms as
chrysaeola, chrysophoenicia, and callilopha of their group Coroni¬
cristatae. Such characteristics are not possible in either of the

[28]

parental stocks. While they are exceptions to the rule of correla¬
tion, it is these exceptions which produce most of the striking horti¬
cultural types.

There are also other characteristics exhibited by various hybrids
which are the result of various combinations of parental traits.
Notable among these is a degree of tolerance which permits some
of them to survive in nature in places which are no longer suitable
to either of the parental stocks. Such forms of course are more
susceptible to garden culture under a greater variety of conditions
than either of the parental forms.

Although the above evidence that natural hybridization of two
species is taking place on a grand scale in southeastern Louisiana
is based largely on structural and physiological characters, a study
of the distribution of the species here also throws some light on the
subject. A glance at the accompanying distribution map (Fig. 8)
shows that the ranges of the four species of Louisiana Irises rec¬
ognized herein come into rather close proximity. This is especially
noticeable just northwest of Lake Maurepas. It is only in the zone
where the ranges of fulva and giganticaerulea meet and overlap,
however, that we find that large group of variable plants which
one would suspect from the structural evidence as being of hybrid
origin. In this diverse aggregation is found not only the great
majority of the forms recently described by Small and Alexander
as separate species, but also many other forms which have not been
described.

Whether or not all four species herein recognized can be hybrid¬
ized promiscuously in captivity remains to be seen. Certainly in
nature, environmental factors and, in the case of foliosa, a later
flowering season tend to keep them apart. The only notable ex¬
ception to this comparative isolation of species in spite of contact
or overlapping of ranges is found where the deltaic ridges pene¬
trate the fresh water marsh land zone. It is here only that fulva
is brought into direct contact with giganticaerulea (Figs. 7, 8, 9,
and 10). Even then, in many cases, hybrids are absent and in
such cases colonies of pure fulva give way to colonies of pure
giganticaerulea without any intermediates when the deltaic bayous
approach sea level.

This is the case especially where the land at the point of contact
is well wooded as on the Lafitte ridge south of New Orleans. Gigan¬
ticaerulea does not thrive in well wooded places and in such loca-

[30]

tions evidently does not penetrate the fulva zone in sufficient quan¬
tity to permit the development or long survival of hybrids. On the
other hand, if at the point of contact the land has been cleared of
timber, especially if cattle are numerous enough to thin out the
shrubbery and smaller competitors of the irises, giganticaerulea in
great numbers will penetrate well into the fulva zone, especially
along the shallow sloughs in the beds of former deltaic streams.
Clearing of drainage channels evidently assists in the distribution
of the seed and permits those of giganticaerulea to be carried in¬
land by wind blown high waters from adjacent lakes. Even at
these points of contact, fulva is found in its favored habitat along
the clayey banks of the deltaic streams, whereas giganticaerulea is
usually found in the more mucky depressions of the sloughs or
stream beds. Often, however, both species in these situations are
within a few inches of each other.

Cattle do not feed on irises when other food is available, whereas
they thin out the chief competitors of these plants, and, since cow
manure is an excellent fertilizer for them, both fulva and gigan¬
ticaerulea usually become numerous where cattle are present. In
such localities the chances for cross pollination are greatly en¬
hanced, since great numbers of bumble bees are usually attracted
to such iris fields. Furthermore, the hoofs of cattle act as prong
cultivators in the damp or wet soil, stimulating rhizome propaga¬
tion and increasing the chances of iris seed finding a favorable spot
for germination.

Although plants which I would class as hybrids are found occa¬
sionally at less favorable points of contact of the two species in
question, and although hybridization doubtless has occurred here
and there in nature without the influence of civilization, neverthe¬
less I am firmly convinced that it is only when all of the favorable
conditions, both natural and artificial, are combined, that great
fields of hybrids result. The great diversity in the perianths of
irises in the larger fields would indicate that second generation
hybrids and recrossings between hybrids and parental stocks are
being produced there.

Optimum conditions for wholesale hybridization seem to be as
follows: (1) a very favorable point of contact between the two
parental species, preferably a swamp drainage bayou at sea level
crossing a former deltaic stream (Fig. 10) ; (2) a fairly dense rural
population which brings about clearing of the forest and the cut-

[31]

PHYSIOGRAPHIC
MAP OF
SOUTHEASTERN
LOUISIANA

© CWLF O F M'

*CALE, If MM s to MILES.

PINE HILLS /

ALLUVIAL RIDGES

SALT MARSHES

' n't/.

BRACKISH WATER

(g)

PINE FLATS

00 o
o O

CYPRESS 8 W AMPS

w

SEA BEACHES

WM

SEA WATER

©

BLUFP LANDS

%

\' %

PRESH MARSHES

Ui &

PRESH WATER

©

PARISH BOUNDARIES

Fig. 7. — Physiographic Map of Southeastern* Louisiana. Because of the
small scale of the map, minor detail was sacrificed where necessary for the
sake of clarity and only sufficient political features included to permit

comparison with political or road maps.

ting of drainage channels, causing a greater than normal water
level fluctuation which favors the irises rather than their competi¬
tors, and permits the mass introduction of giganticaerulea into
localities where they would not ordinarily be found in abundance ;
(3) the presence of cattle, which act as cultivators and provide an
abundance of the required fertilizing elements, at the same time
reducing the number of competitors.

Perhaps the best example of such an environment is along
“Bayou” Sauvage, the deltaic slough along the Gentilly Ridge just
east-northeast of New Orleans. This ridge, which is geologically a
continuation of the Metairie Ridge, is traversed by Bayou St. J ohn
(a swamp drainage bayou) located in the City of New Orleans. It

[32]

IRIS DISTRIBUTION
IN

SOUTHEASTERN

LOUISIANA

nu vntonnoA

iris tolioba

mu ruLTA

CBIl OroAHTIOAEBULEA

0

° A

vntonnoA.aioAKTicAXfiULZA

rULVA-OIOANTIOAXRULEA

■AUn mamim

S1A BEACHES

SOUTHERLY LOOTS OT:

TRASH WATER MARSHES

a— a

• I • 1

It'll

COASTAL PLAIN DEPOSITS

b-6

WM

LOESS DEPOSIT

c-c

Fig. 8. — Zonal Distribution of the Genus Iris in Southeastern Louisi¬
ana. — As in the preceding figure, detail was sacrificed for the sake of clarity
and only a minimum number of political features included. It must be
understood that irises are not universally distributed throughout the zones
illustrated, but only in suitable localities. In the overlapping zones, the
species are not promiscuously intermingled, but there is an orderly distri¬
bution. Furthermore, in the fulva-giganticaerulea overlap zone, hybrids do
not occur over the entire zone, but only at some of the more favorable points
of contact. They do not occur naturally anywhere outside of that zone,
however. This fact alone precludes the possibility of either foliosa or vir-

ginica being one of the parental species.

is along the Gentilly section of this ridge that Small and Alexander
found a large percentage of the forms which they recently described.

After formulating my hybridization theory, I believed that other
areas of this kind could be predicted with only a physiographic
map of Louisiana as a guide. As was expected, field observations
have proven that the location of such areas is definitely predict-

[33]

able, but a profusion of hybrids was found only where all of the
favorable conditions as outlined above were found to occur.

Furthermore, it is apparent that the probable age of a field can
be determined by the character of the plants. For instance, the
fields of hybrids in the Bayou Lafourche area near the town of
Cut Off are probably old, for the clones are few in number and
quite large in size, some of them fully occupying the depressions
in which they lie. Furthermore, they are inclined to the more in¬
termediate types such as vinicolor and fourchiana, which are more
hardy than either parent. I attribute this to a survival of only
the most hardy hybrids after the lowering of the water table due
to the artificial disconnecting of Bayou LaFourche from the Mis¬
sissippi River about thirty years ago and the dredging of the bayou
channel for navigation purposes. A similar situation occurs on
Metairie Ridge just west of New Orleans, probably brought about
in that instance by the construction of the New Basin Canal with
its levees and the completion of the New Orleans drainage system,
thus divorcing Metairie Bayou (a deltaic slough) from its former
connection with Bayou St. John and the subsequent lowering of the
water table in that locality.

On the other hand, the situation on the Gentilly Ridge indicates
an intermediate stage in the development of hybrids, as there are
large clones of intermediate types ( vinicolor , fourchiana , viridi-
vinea) and numerous clones, for the most part small, intermediate
between these forms and the fidva parent on the one hand and the
gig anticaer idea parent on the other.

Other localities such as the Point aux Chien Ridge near Houma
and a number of others illustrate, apparently, an early stage in
the development of hybrids, the hybrid clones being generally small
whereas the parental stocks of both fulva and giganticaerulea are
numerous. One isolated locality I have under observation seems
to have developed within the past ten years. The parental stocks
to my personal knowledge certainly were not as abundant in that
location ten years ago and the present size of the largest isolated
clones of hybrids indicates that they are not more than a few years
old. Furthermore, leading residents whom I have known for years,
and who have always furnished me with reliable information, state
that prior to a few }^ears ago they had never seen irises other than
the common blues and reds, yet the hybridization is taking place
today in great profusion right in their own yards. The answer, I

[34]

believe, lies largely in the rather recent ditching, cutting of trees,
and bringing in of cattle.

Another important point favoring this hybridization theory is
that most forms described by Small and Alexander have no ecolog¬
ical significance or bio-geographic values as separate units. Fur¬
thermore, the group of variants found in a given locality does not
correspond to the group in any other locality. Many hybrids not
seen or described by Small and Alexander are impossible of ready
classification by the use of their keys and descriptions. In one
case, in a locality not visited by them, where there are numerous
albinos of giganticaerulea and a few yellow toned variations of
fulva in the parental stocks, a whole new series of unclassifiable
hybrids has sprung up. Thus, theoretically, the number of possi¬
bilities is infinite, and one could just as well describe 500 or a
thousand as a hundred species.

A profusion of closely related plants in a limited area with in¬
finitesimal differences not readily classifiable, presenting phenom¬
ena not repeated in exactly the same form wherever the same bio¬
geographic conditions recur, certainly do not suggest themselves as
distinct species in the ordinarily accepted sense of the term. In
my opinion an isolated clone does not constitute a species unless
it is the last of a dying race ; yet many of Dr. Small ’s types were
described from small clones and have the earmarks of new crea¬
tions, and should not be entitled to the rank of species for many
milleniums if then they shall have survived the tests which nature
has in store for them.

In addition to the above evidence there should be considered
some scant but very significant experimental evidence. About
three years ago I discussed my hybridization theory with Martin
Burkenroad, a local biologist. He told me of an experience he
had in bringing the common red iris and the common blue (doubt¬
less fulva and giganticaerulea ), along with other wild plants,
under cultivation in his backyard in New Orleans. Both species
produced blooms which he cross-pollinated. The seeds of these
were planted in the same bed with the parents, and the next flow¬
ers that appeared about two years later were handsome wine-red
forms differing from both parents, which by that time had dis¬
appeared completely. In the spring of 1932, I cross-pollinated
a form of giganticaerulea with fulva. Two of the offspring
bloomed in April, 1934, both nearly typical vinicolor, thus fur-

[35]

nisliing an important link in the chain of experimental evidence.

Miss Caroline Dormon of Chestnut in Northwestern Louisiana
has told me of several new hybrids which have developed naturally
in her gardens from mixed parental stock collected in South Lou¬
isiana. Her original collection consisted of giganticaerulea, fulva.
and some wild hybrids such as vinicolor and violipurpurea. Albinos
of giganticaerulea are numerous in her collection and, as could be
predicted, her hybrids tend toward pink and rosy shades. An
illustration of one of these light colored garden hybrids has been
published recently (Dormon, 1934).

It is also interesting to note in this connection that Dykes’,
Williamson’s, and Reed’s crosses between fulva and foliosa (Reed,
1931) possess characters intermediate between those of the parents
and, except for the more zig-zag flower stalks, are very suggestive
of the vinicolor type. Furthermore, seedlings of Williamson’s
cross (Dorothy Iv. AVilliamson) produced by pollinating with the
same variety, developed a series of flowers whose shape, size and
color range corresponds strikingly with those of the natural hybrids
of fulva and giganticaerulea. Since the flower of foliosa super¬
ficially resembles that of giganticaerulea, it is not surprising to
find the stepsisters of fulva-foliosa and fulva-giganticaerulea origin
resembling each other. Further evidence of even a more direct
nature is that of Berry in California, who has produced hardy hy¬
brids between fulva and savannarum, the latter being essentially
like giganticaerulea of Louisiana and probably the same species.

There is also some evidence tending to show that the Louisiana
hybrids are at least partially sterile, but this evidence is not yet
conclusive as this paper goes to press.

Ecology and Distribution

Although there is comparatively little variation in the elevation
of the part of Louisiana under discussion, the highest point being
about sixty feet above sea level, the soil characteristics in the area
are highly diversified (Fig. 7). South of Baton Rouge the Mis¬
sissippi Alluvial Plain swings toward the southeast in a broad belt
over 100 miles in width. In the vicinity of Baton Rouge, these
alluvial lands are bordered on the east by a belt known as the Bluff
Lands, a loessal formation about thirty miles in width which ex¬
tends eastward as far as the Tickfaw River. The bluff lands are
bordered on the east by the terraced Coastal Plain in its diverse

[36]

manifestations, the terraces here being the successive former coast
lines of this portion of the continent.

South of the present limits of the Coastal Plain, the southern
limit of which lies near the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, the
Mississippi has built and is still building, upon the floor of the Gulf,
its broad delta. The varying topography of the flood plain of the
Mississippi is the result of uneven deposition of sediments and not
of upheaval and erosion. Along the main river and its outlets or
distributary streams are the so-called natural levees. These alluvial
ridges are composed of coarse sediments on and near their crests
and shade off gradually into flats of lower elevation and finer
texture. Swamps occur on either side wherever the level of the
land dips below the mean water table. These vary from shallow
transition areas, characterized by a variety of hardwoods, to the
deeper, more permanent swamps in which cypress, Taxodium dis-
tichum,1 and tupelo gum Nyssa aquatica , are the predominant
species.

The swamps are in reality large catch basins and, since they are
at a lower level than the Mississippi River or its distributaries, the
water gathered in them cannot drain back into the river, but must
seek new outlets to the sea. Such outlets might be termed swamp
drainage bayous and, not being of deltaic origin, they differ from
those bayous which were formerly outlets of the river. Those of
the former type are swamp bordered, their banks being compara¬
tively insignificant, whereas the latter are bordered on either side
b}^ broad ridges of alluvial soil.

Near the coast, the wooded swamps give way to fresh water areas
of treeless marsh relieved by many lakes and lagoons. These bodies
of water, which are practically at sea level, have resulted from the
fact that arms of the sea have been almost entirely hemmed in by
deltaic ridges, but not completely filled with alluvial sediments.
Drainage of these lakes and marshes is effected for the most part
by marsh-bordered sloughs and drainage bayous, these also with¬
out significant bordering ridges. In the coastal region proper, the
marshes are generally saline or have at least some degree of brack¬
ishness, the transition to truly fresh water areas usually being very
gradual.

Thus we see that a multiplicity of factors has resulted in the

Nomenclature used herein, except for irises, follows “Manual of the Southeastern
Flora” by John K. Small, New York, 1933.

[37]

very diverse soil conditions found in this comparatively level re¬
gion. These major soil divisions and the relationships they bear
to the distribution of the irises of the region will be discussed in
the following paragraphs.

THE ACID COASTAL PLAIN BELT

The Coastal Plain is geologically very young in the region im¬
mediately north of Lake Pontchartrain and as it is near sea level
there has been little or no erosion. This portion of the plain, for
the most part sandy, but with occasional clay ridges, is known as
the Longleaf Pine Flats. North of this the plain is terraced and
more mature, having been dissected into hills and valleys. This
section is known as the Longleaf Pine Hills. Taken together, both
flat and hilly areas in this region represent the most westerly ex¬
tension of the East Gulf Coastal Plan which is a continuation, with¬
out serious interruptions or barriers to plant life distribution, of
the Atlantic Coastal Plain.

The pine flats near the coast are dominated largely by loblolly
pines, Pinus taeda, except in St. Tammany Parish, where slash or
Cuban pine, Pinus caribaea, is abundant. Wherever the land rises
slightly above the general level, longleaf pine, Pinus palustris, oc¬
curs if the soil is sufficiently dry. There are also numerous depres¬
sions, most of which are at only a slightly lower level than the flats.
In many of these water stands for the greater part of the year.
Here water gum, Nyssa hi flora, pond cypress, Taxodium aseendens,
swamp bay, Magnolia virginiana, and mayhaw, Crataegus aesti¬
valis, occur. Various species of pitcher plants, ferns, ground or¬
chids, sphagnum, and other bog plants are found in suitable loca¬
tions either under the trees or in open bogs. Natural drainage is
generally by means of sluggish bayous or rivers, with swampy or
marshy valleys. There are a few swift streams traversing this re¬
gion. These originate in the hills to the north and their inhabitants
belong in part to the higher sections.

In the Longleaf Pine Hills, the soils are for the most part sand
or red clay and the region, because of its comparatively high ele¬
vation, has been dissected during the recent geological era into
rolling hills, giving it a well-drained surface. In such places the
longleaf pine is the dominant species. In the gullies and along
the streams, swamp trees characteristic of the Coastal Plain are
found.

[38]

Although the pine hills are characterized by swifter streams than
the flats, many of the gullies have sluggish drainage and are kept
moist even during dry seasons by ground water seepage and small
springs oozing out of the clay hills where the water table is at a
higher level. In such places we find the same bog plants which
characterize the depressions in the pine flats.

The surface soils and the water in this region, that is, in both
the hills and flats, are all acid, usually decidedly so (pH 6.8 to
4.0). Iris virginica is found throughout this entire acid coastal
plain region of eastern Louisiana wherever its favored habitat oc¬
curs (Fig. 8), being more abundant in the flats than in the hills,
possibly because there is more shallow water standing there. Al¬
though it will grow in the sun, it is normally a species of shaded
woodlands, being found wherever the pines give way to water gum,
swamp bay and mayhaw. Here it is seen along the edges of the wet
depressions and swamps, and out in the middle of the shallower
sloughs which frequently go dry in the summer.

The grandest development of this species occurs at the southern
extremity of its range, particularly bordering the richer swamps
near the mouths of such streams as the Pearl and Tchefuncta
Rivers. Throughout its range it is not associated with any other
iris species except along the southern border, where it contacts the
range of gig anti aaerulea. This association will be discussed later.

THE BLUFF LANDS

Between the Coastal Plain proper and the Mississippi Valley, in
the Bluff Lands, the surface soils are composed for the most part
of a fine, powdery silt-like loam of loessal origin. It was blown up
from the Mississippi Valley over a long period of time and deposited
on top of the sands and clays of the adjacent marine formations of
the Coastal Plain. This superficial loessal deposit immediately ad¬
jacent to the Mississippi Valley may be from 50 to 100 feet in
thickness, but it thins down rapidly as we go eastward. The Amite
River and its tributary, the Comite, cut through it, their beds
being in the underlying sands and gravel.

The section of the Bluff Lands lying west of the Amite River is
fairly well drained because of its higher level. There are, however,
some depressions and sloughs with comparatively sluggish drain¬
age. Along the borders of the deeper ones, and out in the middle
of those which dry up in the summer, we find a fairly rich growth
of Iris foliosa.

[39]

The eastern extension of the Bluff Lands, east of the Amite
River, is decidedly flat and often swampy. Here Iris foliosa is
more widespread. A heavy rain will frequently flood great areas
in this section instead of merely the sloughs, the fine silt being car¬
ried in suspension and laid down again as the water subsides. The
hardwood forests here are dense and the ground generally moist.
As a consequence there is comparatively little movement of the silt
by wind action once it has been laid down. The loess here is for
the most part re-worked by water and carried eastward. Some of
it reaches the Tickfaw River Valley but, being moved by water
only, does not get beyond that valley. It is not surprising, there¬
fore, to find that Iris foliosa is the species found in that portion of
the Tickfaw Valley traversing the Bluff Lands. In the first slough
east of the Tickfaw Valley, however, sometimes not over a thousand
feet distant, an abundant unmixed stand of virginica will be found.
The ranges of the two species thus virtually meet, but no overlap¬
ping whatsoever nor any natural hybridization have yet been found.

Likewise throughout the Bluff Lands the pines give way to oaks
and other hardwoods, the water gum to tupelo-gum, the swamp
bay to southern magnolia, Magnolia grandiflora. The transition,
however, is sometimes more gradual than in the case of the irises.
Although the calcium content of the silt-like soil is rather high, the
surface water in the depressions is slightly acid, probably due to
the decomposition of leaves of the oaks and other trees mentioned
above. While foliosa will grow in sun or shade, in its natural state
it is usually found beneath deciduous trees, receiving winter sun
and summer shade.

THE DELTAIC RIDGE LANDS

That portion of the Mississippi Valley which runs through South¬
eastern Louisiana is the youngest geological formation on our con¬
tinent. The silt and clays of this region have been deposited,
during the recent geological era, layer upon layer under the waters
of an arm of the Gulf of Mexico that extended at one time as far
north as Cairo, Illinois.

The deposition of alluvial soils and the filling in of this arm of
the sea was a process similar to what we see going on at the mouths
of the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers today. Here the land¬
building process is still going on rapidly. The deposits at first
form tidal flats and marshes at sea level, and then build up deltaic

[40]

ridges which spread fanwise throughout the flatter areas. This
fan-shaped feature is due to the fact that the lateral streams carry
the water, with its burden of silt, away from instead of into the
main streams. Hence they are distributaries instead of tributaries.
Since the crests of these alluvial ridges are adjacent to the dis¬
tributary streams, the natural drainage in this region is away
from the rivers and finds its way through systems of sloughs,
lagoons, bayous, lakes and passes into the gulf.

Wherever these alluvial lands are built up sufficiently above sea
level so that neither the deltaic sloughs or bayous that traverse
them nor the adjacent cypress swamps are affected by salt water
even during very severe storms, Iris fulva is found (Fig. 9, upper
transect). This species occurs in the clayey soil along the banks of
the abandoned deltaic streams and, where the sloughs are very
shallow, may cover the entire depression. Because of the dis¬
turbance of natural conditions along the Mississippi and other ac¬
tive deltaic streams with artificial levees, f ulva may no longer oc¬
cur near the banks of such streams although formerly reported
there. Wherever deltaic ridges are bordered by cypress swamps,
fulva will also be found along the shallower edges of the swamps
and in ditches and depressions in the damp clayey soil of the
transition zone.

As can be seen from the distribution map (Fig. 8), the range of
fulva does not contact the range of virginica in this territory. In
the northwestern part of the area these two species are separated
by the Bluff Lands. Where the Bluff Lands border the Mississippi
Valley there is a rather sharp line of demarcation, an escarpment
at the base of which is a swampy slough roughly tracing the outer
edge of the valley and receiving the drainage water therefrom.
Along the edges of this slough we find fulva , whereas on the tops
of the bluffs in the first slough with sluggish drainage it is entirely
replaced by foliosa , the species characteristic of the loessal deposits.
South and west of Lake Pontchartrain fulva is separated from
virginica by a narrow zone in which only giganticaerulea is found.

The alluvial soils throughout the region where fulva is found are
usually rather high in lime content. The surface and ground water
on the ridges is usually alkaline, but in the sloughs and at the edges
of the cypress swamps where fulva grows, the water is more nearly
neutral (generally pH 6.6 to 7.2), although a mild acidity may
develop wherever there are accumulations of organic matter.

[41]

Iris fulva is essentially a shade-loving species. Although it will
grow in the sun, the flowers droop and fade rapidly in such situa¬
tions. In its favored habitat where the swamp trees are mostly
deciduous, it receives a goodly portion of winter sunshine, but the
water oak, Quercus nigra , wax myrtle, Cerothamnus ceriferus,
buckbrush, Baccharis halimifolia, occasionally the live oak, Quercus
virginiana, and even the leafless deciduous trees, many of which
are draped with Spanish moss, Dendropogon usneoides, give it at
least partial shade during that season.

Fulva does not seem to withstand any appreciable amount of
salinity and even at the points of contact with gig anticaer idea
(Fig. 9, middle transect), it is found more toward the edges of the
deltaic sloughs and swamps, where its roots are imbedded in the
stiff, almost impervious clay. Thus the surface water, which is
sometimes back water from the sea level drainage bayous and may,
therefore, be more alkaline or brackish than the ground water,
does not seem to make contact with the root systems of fulva even
during those temporary periods of high water.

THE FRESH WATER MARSH AREAS

Iris gig anticaer ulea belongs both to deltaic and lagoonal marsh
areas which are fresh or at most only slightly brackish. In the
deltaic region, it is found chiefly along the borders of the natural
drainage channels and along the outer edges of the small delta
fingers which extend out fan-wise in the general direction of the
coast line (Fig. 9, middle and lower transect, and Fig. 10). Al¬
though there may be a small fringe of cypress bordering some of
these delta fingers, the cypress swamps are not extensive within the
range of this species. It seems to thrive best in sunny situations
and is not found in dense swamp forests.

The clayey soil of the deltaic region is generally soft and mucky
in the habitat of giganticaerulea and there is usually a fluctuating
water level. Although this is controlled largely by the sea level, it
is not a tide in the ordinary sense of the word, but is caused by
winds. These winds are generally the normal, more or less periodic,
cyclonic disturbances, the east winds usually causing the highest
“tides.’’ Sometimes, however, the location of large shallow lakes
is an important factor and a strong wind will back up the water
into the bayous and marshes on one side of a lake while lowering it
on those on the opposite side. Thus, although it may at first thought

[42]

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appear surprising, the marshes where giganticaerulea finds its
greatest development, although usually circumneutral, are some¬
times notably alkaline (pH 6.2 to pH 7.6, but sometimes higher).
The species apparently seldom if ever occurs in the wild state be¬
yond the inner edge of the zone of this “wind tide” influence
(called herein the sub-maritime life zone), or in water or soil of a
permanently acid nature, the soil water no doubt being influenced
by marine alkalinity brought inland during the high water periods.

The range of giganticaerulea makes contact both with the range
of fulva and with the range of virginica, but not with foliosa ex¬
cept for a close approach in the lower Tickfaw River section. The
conditions at the points of contact between fulva and giganticae¬
rulea have already been discussed in the section on hybrids (Fig.
9, middle transect, and Fig. 10). In the natural state, where the
land is more wooded and cattle are not present, and where there
are natural obstructions in the bayous and sloughs and an absence
of artificial channels, neither giganticaerulea nor fulva are very
common at the points of contact of the two species. Hence the
chances of natural hybridization occurring are comparatively slight
and, even if it did occur, the chances would be against long con¬
tinued survival.

We see from the distribution map that giganticaerulea contacts
the range of virginica over a rather large front. There are no
natural hybrids between these two species, however. The “tidal”
marsh here is largely of lagoonal origin and where the coastal plain
contacts the marsh, virginica invariably fringes the edge of the
coastal plain and here produces a profusion of fibrous rootlets
which penetrate the sandy subsoil and evidently secure their nutri¬
ment from the acid ground water. 7. giganticaerulea on the other
hand tends to grow in greatest abundance beyond the virginica
zone, where both the muck and the water are deeper, and even
where the two are in contact we do not find in giganticaerulea the
profusion of fibrous rootlets penetrating deeply into the subsoil as
noted in virginica. The surface water in these marshes, as was the
case in the deltaic region, usually varies also over a circumneutral
range (pH 6.2 to 7.6) and it appears that the roots of giganticae¬
rulea are confined largely to the muck layer where the water is
sometimes moderately alkaline.

The reason for the narrow fringe of scattered patches of virginica
found south of Lake Pontcliartrain is not yet clearly understood in

[44]

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Fig. 10. — Diagram illustrating zonal distribution of Iris fulva and Iris gigan-

T I CAE RULE A AT’ A VEtRY FAVORABLE POINT OF CONTACT BETWEEN THE TWO SPECIES.
Between the two broad alluvial ridges of the delta finger which extends diagonally from
the upper left hand corner to the lower right hand corner, is the shallow deltaic slough
in which cypress (blade dots) and its associates are found. This slough represents the
abandoned channel of an old distributary of the Mississippi River. The fanwise devel¬
opment of other delta fingers in the vicinity has impeded the natural drainage and
forced the lake and swamp water thereby impounded in the basin at the lower left to
develop a crevasse through the ridges of the delta finger and find an outlet to some
other lake, bay or pass near the upper right hand corner. Thus, a new swamp drain¬
age bayou has been formed by usurping part of the old deltaic channel (dotted lines),
having widened and deepened this as much as necessary to accommodate its maximum
flow in times of heavy rainfall. "Whereas the drainage water flows toward the coast
(direction of arrows), there is a frequent reversal of current in the bayou due to
shifting winds. This not only permits freely the dispersal of giganticaerulea across the
ridge, but up the two open ends of the bissectdd slough. It is usually in such sloughs
that fulva makes its most intimate contact with giganticaerulea, fields of hybrids often
resulting. Hybrids are sometimes found along the outer edges of the ridges border¬
ing the cypress swamp, but not as frequently as in the bed of the slough.

its entirety. The sandy strand belt along parts of the lake shore
is certainty of coastal plain origin. There are buried islands of
this material, vast in extent, along the southeastern and possibly
along the southwestern shores of the lake. Certainty this species
clings closely to the rear of the strand and possibly also to outcrop¬
pings of this ancient sea island sand. The recent drainage of
marshes and development of the city of New Orleans toward the
shore of Lake Pontchartrain has obliterated most of the irises for¬
merly found there, thus making difficult a study of their natural
distribution. Drainage excavations in that section have revealed
the unsuspected presence of this sea island sand, in some places
barely covered with a layer of muck. As both the muck and the
sand sometimes show a decided acid reaction, I believe the problem
of virginica distribution south of the lake is on the way to a solu¬
tion. There is also the possibility that railroad embankments in
this section are made up in part at least of coastal plain soils brought
in from across the lake.

It is south of Lake Pontchartrain that the ranges of fulva and
virginica approach nearest one another, but actual contact is usu¬
ally prevented by a mucky marsh zone1 tying between the sandy
lake shore ridge and the Gentilly-Metairie alluvial ridge. In this
mucky zone, gig ant icaer idea alone is present. Even the hybrids
between giganticaerulea and fulva , so common along this alluvial
ridge, do not penetrate the mucky zone.

A Critique of Dr. John K. Small’s Publications on

Eastern American Iris

A discussion of Small’s work on Louisiana irises seems necessary
because my conclusions are to a large extent diametrically opposed
to his and because many of his statements have confused iris stu¬
dents. The only hint I can find in Small’s publications that many
Louisiana irises might possibly be of hybrid origin appears on
pages 182 and 183 of his paper “Salvaging the Native American
Irises” (1931 b). I do not agree Avith him in regard to the color
range ascribed to fulva in that publication, for violet shades do not
occur in colonies of fulva in habitats free from giganticaerulea and
his interpretation of the Louisiana fulva may include a number of
hybrids. Furthermore, I do not agree with his suggestion that

AMuch of this near the City of New Orleans has been drained artificially.

[46]

the plants of possible hybrid origin are “now fixed and geograph¬
ically well established species.”

It is the sense of Small’s publication that the remote ancestors
of our present-day American irises existed on two continental plant
reservoirs during the submergences of the continent and during
the glacial periods. These reservoirs were the Laurentian Upland
in eastern Canada and the Appalachian Highlands in eastern
United States. In his paper, “Altitudinal Distribution of Eastern
American Iris,” Small (1931 a) makes this statement: “The vari¬
ous primeval species of iris migrated southward chiefly through
the highlands, as the lowlands emerged from the sea only gradually
during the Tertiary period. After the present approximate eleva¬
tions of the continent were permanently established, the present
species of iris or their immediate ancestors spread out from the
Blue Ridge-Piedmont reservoir eastward, southward, and west¬
ward. ’ ’

I cannot see why the Iris species should move southward through
the highlands simply because the emergence was gradual. Then
why should they spread eastward, southward and westward only
after the emergence was completed ? If any species were adapted
at all to lowland conditions, why could not the movement have been
as gradual as the emergence, and even fluctuate back and forth
along with it? Certainly large colonies of irises are at this day
periodically destroyed by natural enemies, droughts, the meander-
ings and floods of rivers and salt water invasions. They are re¬
established again, however, during favorable periods. Why could
they not have “migrated” back and forth during those very much
more gradual and, as far as individual colonies were concerned, far
less drastic changes occasioned by the rise and subsidence of the
Coastal Plain and Interior Lowlands?

Some of the bog plants and some of the salamander species of
the East Gulf Coastal Plain, often found within a few inches of
the sea level, are identical with species living in the Tennessee-
North Carolina mountains today. When the sea washed the edges
of the mountains, certainly some of the mountain bogs were very
near sea level, fed by springs from higher altitudes. As land
emerged or the sea subsided with the formation of larger polar
caps, new springs and bogs were formed on the land near sea level.
This new land was largely made by erosion of the materials from
the mountains, consequently the basic materials in these bog's are

[47]

essentially the same whether in the coastal plain near sea level or
at the bases of or even in the mountains. The ecological niche is
practically the same. Therefore, I do not see why it should have
been necessary for the bog plants and animals to wait for the pres¬
ent lines of the continent to establish themselves before beginning
their eastward, southward or westward movement. The same state¬
ment should be applicable at least to Iris virginica, which belongs
to the same community referred to.

In several places in the above mentioned publication, Small states
that certain species of Iris “descended” from the highlands. If
they can exist near sea level today, they or their immediate an¬
cestors most probably could have existed near sea level then. He
further states that some of these such as Iris hookeri “descended”
to within a stone’s throw of the sea, and were “unable to regain
any of the ground they lost in descending from the highlands.”
Although I believe that movements from highlands to lowlands
could have occurred, I do not see why there need have been any
change whatsoever in relative altitude.

Why could not a particular species have existed at or near sea
level even while the greater part of the continent was submerged?
Certainly during that period there were suitable habitats in the
deltas formed by the mountain streams, in mountainside bogs at
low elevations, on the landward side of gravel and sand ridges
thrown up by the ocean and on benches cut into the cliffs. I do
not deny that evolution has been taking place among the irises since
they were maintained on the original continental reservoirs ; I
only question the statement that “primeval altitude” was neces¬
sary during that period any more than it is today.

Of course a number of forms such as those of the versicolor-
virginica complex probably did then and still do maintain con¬
siderable altitudinal distribution. Small refers, however, to a half
dozen groups of “lost tribes” which in descending from the high¬
lands have left no trace behind. These apparently died out in the
rear as they migrated from the highlands. He sums up his con¬
clusions in the following paragraph :

‘ ‘ There are evidences of primeval changes and destruction in and
about the ancient highlands. But it is when we consider the re¬
markable iris development in the lower Mississippi River Delta that
the ancient wholesale destruction is emphasized. Where did these
many species come from? They or their ancestors moved of neces-

[48]

sity down from the highlands, though not a trace of them remains
there. Nature has completely obliterated the course of their
migration.”

It is particularly in the hookeri-tripetala complex and in the
Hexagona group, as herein interpreted, that the theory of a neces¬
sarily higher altitudinal distribution during pre-glacial times seems
unwarranted. I am inclined to believe they existed at comparatively
low elevations in suitable habitats, and without changing their eco¬
logical requirements or their altitude appreciably advanced and
retreated (not upward and downward) as often as was necessary
while the continent was gradually assuming its present outline and
proportions. The movements of the continent which Small speaks
of as being unstable, we must note took many millenniums, and as
far as iris migration was concerned were probably not any more
drastic than continental movements are, for example, in Japan to¬
day. Certainly they were less drastic than the floods, droughts,
tropical storms and natural enemy invasions which these plants
can and sometimes do withstand several times yearly at the present
time. If they had waited until the continent became stable to move
across the Coastal Plain to the sea, is it reasonable to assume that
they could have crossed an area in which it is impossible for them
to live today ? Is it necessary to assume that a group of acidophi-
lous mountain plants changed their mode of living suddenly upon
arrival in an alkaline environment or, if they were partial to lime¬
bearing soils during the submergence, that they become acidophi-
lous only for the period of the migration and lost their newly ac¬
quired mode of living after traversing the acid belt?

My interpretation of the iris development in the Mississippi
River Delta, viz., the existence there of not more than two species
and their hybrids, does not need a theory of drastic primeval
changes and destruction, new adaptations and re-adaptations, the
evidence of which is not at all satisfactory.

In their ‘‘Botanical Interpretation,” Small and Alexander
(1931) give notes on the distribution of their various “species”
which are extremely confusing. For istance, under I. versicolor *
the range is given as “Ga. to Miss., Man., Ont., and Newf.” Under
I. virginica is the statement, “This species replaces I. versicolor
in the southeastern coastal plain.” Since it is very generally under¬
stood that the region “from Georgia to Mississippi” is in the
southeastern Coastal Plain, the two statements are contradictory.

[49]

In the same publication mentioned above, 1. shreveii is reported
as living in non-acid soils and replacing I. versicolor in the Mis¬
sissippi Valley. Whereas shreveii ( virginica as used herein) does
replace versicolor throughout its range, neither species occurs in
the non-acid Mississippi Alluvial Plain which extends from a lit¬
tle north of Cairo, Ill., to the Gulf of Mexico. On a recent trip
(August, September, 1934) through northwestern Louisiana, Ar¬
kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and the western portions of Ken¬
tucky, Tennessee and Mississippi, the absence of virginicia varieties
from the non-acid soils of the Mississippi Valley and its almost uni¬
versal occurrence in suitable localities in the acid soils bordering
that region was definitely verified. It was not only completely ab¬
sent from the valleys of the lower Mississippi and its non-acid tribu¬
taries such as the Red and Ohio, but also from the calcium-bearing
soils of the bluff lands bordering those valleys. The taxonomist
should think more in terms of physiographic divisions than politi¬
cal boundaries in writing up his distribution notes or stick to struc¬
ture alone and leave distribution to the bio-geographer.

In view of the findings herein reported, as incomplete as they
may be, obscure statements such as made by Small and Alexander
regarding the habitats of the various forms described, e. g.,
“swamps, marshes, ditches, and stream banks,” are entirely mean¬
ingless. These habitats in themselves are almost as diversified as
the physiographic divisions in which they occur.

The definition of a species given by Small and Alexander (1931)
is rather presumptuous. The statement reads, “Our usual cri¬
terion for assigning the status of species is an isolated colony or
colonies, the plants persisting through propagation by rootstocks
and by an annual accretion of seedlings without showing variation
in the characters of the perianth.” In the first place the words
“isolated colony” are used in too small a sense. All species, even
in the broadest sense of the term, are isolated even if they spread
over a continent or more, but to apply the term species to a clone
with two or three flower stalks, or to a clone of any size whatso¬
ever, is shrinking the usually accepted definition to the vanishing
point.

Furthermore, I object to the assumption that the “colonies”
referred to propagate by the annual accretion of seedlings without
showing variation in the perianth. My observations point to the
conclusion that many of Small and Alexander’s “colonies” are

[50]

single clones which have increased solely by rhizome propagation
from single seedlings. The chance for an iris seed to successfully
germinate and develop into a mature plant in nature seems to be
one in hundreds and to develop within the confines of the parental
clone perhaps one in thousands. The rhizomes usually mat the
soil and prevent partial burial of the seed so that within the area
of a clone, ants, rodents, or other enemies are apt to destroy it
before germination. If not destroyed, the seeds will lie exposed
until high water carries them off to a more suitable spot for ger¬
mination. In nature such spots are sometimes few and far between.
Although I have not gathered sufficient evidence to prove these as¬
sertions conclusively, I believe the burden of proof rests with Small
and Alexander, who have not put forth any evidence that their
innumerable species all reproduce by the accretion of seedlings
without variation in the characters of the perianth. Small (1930 c),
in another publication, admits that there is a paucity of seeds in
some localities due to the activity of rats, rabbits and other animals.

A few comments on the keys and descriptions furnished by Small
and Alexander (1931) may not be out of order, as their publica¬
tion has given no end of trouble to students of irises of this region.
Whereas keys planned for an entire continent are often difficult
to use in a given locality, the species (in the Linnaean sense) of a
limited region are usually definable with comparatively simple keys
and descriptions. In using Small and Alexander’s “Botanical
Interpretation” just the opposite seems to be the case. Unless one
knows the identical clone from which a type specimen was taken,
he will experience difficulties in identification. This is partly be¬
cause of the large number of relative terms used and partly because
new natural hybrids are developing every year. The terms used
are often indefinite and, in some cases, even inconsistent and species
are not easily checked even when the type clone is known.

Take a case in point. Iris vinicolor Small is rather common, be¬
ing as I believe a hybrid between typical parental stocks of fulva
and giganticaerulea. The usual form has small lateral ridges on
either side of the basal midrib. If these “crests” are recognized
as such, the “species” would fall either under Lancicristatae or
Tricristatae, for in the Unicristatae, where vinicolor is placed, the
statement in the key reads, “Crest simple, a single ridge in the sepal
blade.” Yet under Unicristatae, we find listed both violipurpurea
and vinicolor with rudimentary laterals. Must it be left to the

[51]

judgment of the iris student as to whether or not a lateral “crest”
is too rudimentary to be recognized at all when reading one sen¬
tence in the key, and yet important enough to distinguish a species
in a later sentence?

If the lateral “crest” is totally absent, a “species” of the same
color as vinicolor would become viridivinea under the key. In
reading the description of viridivinea , we find the color of the sepal
to be “red violet” or “vinaceous.” In the description of vinicolor
we find the sepal “vinaceous purple,” and in the key, “wine red.”
If there are recognizable differences between red violet, vinaceous,
vinaceous purple, and wine red, the colors should be defined or
reference made to some standard. Does vinaceous refer to any
vinous shade or to Ridgeway’s definition?

Now if the shade of a sepal with other vinicolor characters is
“violet-purple or rose,” according to the key it should be violi-
purpurea instead of vinicolor, although there is no mention of a
rose-colored form in the description of the former. Thus, violi-
purpurea, according to the key, has two color forms, whereas vini¬
color has only one, a vinaceous purple. This would seem to fall
midway between the two colors given for violipurpurea. Thus, the
two extremes are the same species, the intermediate, a different
species. What student is bound to accept such an incomprehensible
and arbitrary classification ? In the key, violipurpurea has a blade
“fully three times as long as the claw.” Under the description the
blade is “about twice as long as the claw.” The latter measure¬
ment is the same as in vinicolor, yet the length of the blade in rela¬
tion to the claw is given as one of the key distinctions from vini¬
color.

In many other instances in the same publication, color terms are
equally indefinite and sometimes meaningless. For instance, the
term rose, as used for violipurpurea and others, is indefinite in
character. Rose, as generally used, refers to a pure light red. A
rose-colored iris could be any one of the variable shades of rose red
or pink. However, a pure red or pink, and consequently a rose
color, does not exist in Louisiana irises. Fidvaurea is described in
the key as being red or orange-red, in the description as crimson-
scarlet. Crimson means a red of bluish tone, scarlet, a red of orange
tone. The two blended together would produce a brownish red,
neither a crimson nor a scarlet. The “crest” of fidvaurea is given
in the key as clear yellow, in the description bright yellow to red
orange. How can one reconcile these differences?

[52]

Even when one knows the type clones, difficulties are encoun¬
tered. I. fourchiana from the type locality has one to three narrow
indistinct laterals, but is placed in the Lancicristatae. /. violi-
purpurea has rudimentary laterals, but is placed in the Unicris-
tatae. What significant difference is there between a narrow in¬
distinct lateral and a rudimentary lateral to warrant the classifi¬
cation of these two irises not only as different species but as belong¬
ing to different major groups?

I have seen some hybrids with “crest” characters so indeter¬
minate that it was impossible to decide which of the following four
groups to place them in : Unicristatae, Lancicristatae, Tricristatae
or Coronicristatae. I have seen others with the “crest” split on
one sepal and acute or acuminate on the others. I have seen
twinned sepals, partly divided sepals, sometimes the flowers having
four, sometimes five sepals. In these the twinned sepals are in¬
variably Unicristatae or Lancicristatae, the unpaired sepals on the
same flower, Bicristatae or Coronicristatae. In one instance the
terminal flower had a peculiar bicolor effect, the right half of each
sepal, raspberry, the left half, ruby. This was not the case in the
other flowers on the same stalk, which exhibited the bicolor in part,
usually on one sepal only. Such phenomena not only make identi¬
fication very difficult under Small and Alexander's classification,
but are very suggestive of the effects of hybridization.

Finally, the keys and classification referred to are insufficient,
because whole series of forms exist, especially in localities not
seen by Small and Alexander, which cannot be classified by their
use. Instead of trying to find our way through this apparently
hopeless maze, is it not simpler and more logical to assume that
no essentially different ecological conditions have developed south
of the Appalachians since the tertiary era, except tropical Florida,
and that no drastic biotic changes have taken place in the region,
but that the profusion of forms found among the irises of the
Mississippi River Delta are developing today as natural hybrids
of two closely related lowland species, meeting through an environ¬
mental coincidence, and hybridizing largely due to the influence of
man-made factors?

The Future of Louisiana Iris

It is the sense of Small’s publications (1931 b and c) that the
iris fields in southeastern Louisiana are being wrecked by man-

153]

made factors and many “ species” destroyed. This of course is
only too true where civilization is encroaching upon the former
swamp lands. On the other hand, contrary factors are at work.
I have shown that man-made factors such as ditching, deforesta¬
tion, and cattle grazing under certain conditions, not only increase
parental stocks, but encourage natural hybridization. If the in¬
numerable forms exhibited by the irises of this region represent
distinct species, the last living representatives of “lost tribes,”
then of course most of them are doomed, for any unique plant is
soon removed by some garden enthusiast and if not of hardy stock
may soon perish. If, on the other hand, all but the four wide¬
spread species recognized herein are natural hybrids, then of course
there is nothing to prevent new hybrid seedlings from developing
annually in places where the parental stocks of fulva and gigan-
ticaerulea are still numerous. My observations strongly favor this
latter view.

If this view is correct, as the scant but rather conclusive experi¬
mental evidence also tends to prove, then these irises have a bright
rather than a gloomy future, since they are already being sought
after by flower lovers and horticulturists because of their striking
beauty. With the assistance nature has already given them, hy¬
bridizers, within a few years, will be able to produce many hardy
garden varieties with undreamed of horticultural qualities. It
should be the aim of the hybridizer to combine the color influences
of fulva with the flower structure of gig anticaer idea, more par¬
ticularly with those forms of gig anticaer idea which show striking
features and colors in the basal midrib and adjacent area. Any
flowers with outstanding horticultural qualities developed should
be re-crossed with hardy hybrids in order to produce good garden
varieties.

In this connection, I predict also a bright future for these irises
in the study of biology. Anderson’s admirable study (1928) of
the less variable northern blue flags points strongly in that direc¬
tion. I do not believe that there is any other group of living plants
so well adapted for the study of experimental evolution as the
North American irises. They are accessible both for field and lab¬
oratory studies, they are hardy in almost any climate, they are
large and conspicuous and have a wide color range. Furthermore,
they will propagate indefinitely through branching of the rhizome,
they can easily be hand pollinated, and fertile hybrids can be
produced between some of the more important species.

[54]

Summary

Four species of native Iris are recognized in this publication as
occurring in Southeastern Louisiana, one, 7. virginica, belonging to
the Virginia subsection of the genus and three, I. foliosa, I. fulva
and I. giganticaerulea, belonging to Iiexagona subsection. The
first is partial to acid soils, the others to circumneutral soils, gigan¬
ticaerulea tolerating greater alkalinity than any of the others.

7. virginica is confined largely to depressions in the sandy ma¬
rine formations in the Coastal Plain, 7. foliosa to sloughs and
swamps in the loessal formation or Bluff Lands, 7. fulva to stiff
clay soils bordering alluvial swamps and sloughs, and 7. giganti¬
caerulea to mucky clays fringing sub-maritime marshes prepon¬
derantly fresh.

In the zone where fulva overlaps the range of giganticaerulea,
natural hybrids are likely to occur and in some places are found
in great profusion. These are intermediate in character between
the parental stocks, but sometimes present striking phenomena as
a result of combining characters of both parents.

Small and Alexander’s interpretation is too artificial, insuffi¬
cient to explain the evidence, and has no ecological or bio¬
geographic foundation.

Whereas some serious destruction of iris fields has occurred and
perhaps many natural hybrids have been lost, the forms recognized
herein as species are by no means on the verge of extermination and
new natural hybrids are being developed annually, probably on
an increasing scale.

References

Anderson, Edgar. 1928. The Problem of Species in the Northern
Blue Flags, Iris versicolor L. Ann. Mo. Bot. Gard., 15: 241-
332.

Dorman, Caroline. May 1934. The New Irises of Louisiana. The
American Home, 11: 6.

Maerz, A., and Paid, M. Rea. 1930. A Dictionary of Color. Mc¬
Graw-Hill, New York, First Edition.

Morrison, B. Y. 1926. Garden Irises. Farmer’s Bulletin No. 1406,
U. S. Dept, of Agriculture.

Reed, George M. 1931. Hybrids of Iris fidva and Iris foliosa.
Brooklyn Bot. Gard., Contributions, No. 59 : 243-253.

[55]

Small, John K. 1924. Addisonia, 9: 57-59, pi. 317, 318.

Small, John K. 1927. Addisonia 12: 1-13. pi. 385, 389, 390, 391.

Small, John K. 1929. Addisonia 14: 1-13. pi. 449 to 455.

Small, John K. 1930 a. Chronicle of Eastern American Iris. Journ.

N. Y. Bot. Garch, 31: 40-45.

Small, John K. 1930 b. Iris Studies in the Gulf States. Journ. N.
Y. Bot. Gard., 31: 237-244.

Small , John K. 1930 c. Harvesting Iris Seeds in the Gulf States.

Jour. N. Y. Bot. Gard., 31: 272-277.

Small, John K. 1931 a. Altitudinal Distribution of Eastern Amer¬
ican Iris. Journ. N. Y. Bot. Gard., 32: 49-66.

Small, John K. 1931 b. Salvaging the Native American Irises.

Journ. N. Y. Bot. Gard., 32: 175-184.

Small, John K. 1931 c. Vanishing Iris. Journ. N. Y. Bot. Gard.,
32: 277-288.

Small , John K. 1933. Manual of the Southeastern Flora, N. Y.
Small, John K., and Alexander, Edward J. 1931. Botanical Inter¬
pretation of the Iridaceous Plants of the Gulf States. N. Y.
Bot. Gard., Contributions, 327: 325-358; an excerpt from the
Manual of the Southeastern Flora by John K. Small, New York,
1933.

Waller, A. E. Jan. 1931. The Native Iris of Ohio and Bordering
Territory. Ohio Journ. Sc., 31, 1: 29-43.

[56]

IRIS OBSERVATIONS AND COMMENTS FROM

THE SOUTH

Sam. Graham, Georgia

■ While earlier than normal the past season of iris bloom was
of unusually high quality. I cannot recall having seen them
with a higher standard of bloom. In practically all gardens I
have visited the same conditions existed. In the South this is
nearly always true when our winters are either normal or colder
than normal. Warm winters start premature growth and when
followed by spring freezes play havoc with Southern iris. Yet
even then many varieties come through and bloom well. The
tenderer kinds are the ones most affected. Those of mesopotamica,
Ricardi, and cypriana parentage are the ones that need careful
attention when such conditions arise. When growth is begun
in January or February it is always safest to take no chance but
cover well with straw or similar litter; then you need not worry
about what March weather may bring. Precaution is far better
than taking the risk when such conditions arise.

I was quite fortunate in being able to visit a number of
Southern gardens the past season and was impressed not only
with the quality of bloom but of plant vigor and appearance.
Of course, we in Georgia as well as our other Southern states
must for the present “take our hats off” to Tennessee. There
are probably not only more but better grown iris in that one
state than all other Southern states combined ; however, some of
the others have had cases of “Iris Fever” and it might be well
for Tennessee to look out for her future laurels.

Mr. Clint McDade, of Chattanooga, Tenn., has without ques¬
tion the best collection of iris in the South, not only of Ameri¬
can originations, but foreign as well. His collection of fall¬
blooming iris are the finest in the world. His own originations
are of the very finest quality. It is a wonderful sight to see
them during October. Not only in iris, but his collection of
peonies, roses, gladiolus and all kinds of rare plants and shrub¬
bery is wonderful. And aside from having them he knows how
to produce perfect growth. To Mrs. McDade I feel sure a great
deal of his success is due. She is a most enthusiastic garden
lover and knows everything in the garden by name. Of course,
everyone in the iris world knows of Nashville where more iris

[57]

are grown than any city of its size in the entire world and how
fine they are grown. Chancellor Kirkland, Mr. Washington,
Connell, Williams, Stahlman, and numerous others have won¬
derful gardens. Some of our finest productions have come
from these gardens and many other excellent ones are yet to
be introduced.

In Kentucky Dr. Grant of Louisville has a very fine collec¬
tion as has Mr. Fishburn of Roanoke, Va., Mrs. McColl, Bennetts-
ville, S. C., and numerous others. In Georgia there are fine
collections in Atlanta, Athens, Augusta, Marietta, and other
“iris mad” cities. So it might be well for some other sections of
our country to guard closely or the South may yet wrest from
them their present day iris supremacy.

In looking back over the past season there are many new and
comparatively new varieties that to me were quite outstanding.
Probably the greatest improvement was most noticeable in yel¬
lows. Happy Days, Lady Paramount, Alice Harding, Eclador,
California Gold, and Alta California are all wonderful iris. A
newcomer is Golden Hind an English introduction. As I saw
it in McDade’s garden it was quite outstanding especially its
color; the best I have seen in any yellow. Had it better form
and taller stalk I could conceive of nothing finer in the deep
yellows. It is one iris I must have. Lucretia Bori, an introduc¬
tion of Mr. Schreiner, is very, very fine as is also Jasmania, an
Ayres origination. Mr. T. A. Washington had one of the finest
yellows I saw during the past season and Chancellor Kirkland
also had an excellent one. I was told Mr. Washington’s con¬
tained no Dykes influence.

Some blues of varying shades I thought most outstanding
were Shining Waters, Sierra Blue, Blue Triumph, Indigo Bunt¬
ing and Missouri. The latter, while a bicolor, was in my opinion
one of, if not, the best. A splendid grower with beautifully
formed blooms of remarkable substance. It does not fade and
blooms over a long period of time. The only fault I can find
with Blue Triumph is its tendency to fade ; otherwise it is
wonderful. I would not be without it. Sierra Blue and Shining
Waters have yet to prove their hardiness in the South. Provided
they do they will rate high up in the nineties.

The best things I saw in pinks and pink shades were Ethel-
wyn Dubuar, Pink Satin, Dog Rose, Eros, Imperial Blush, Airy

[58]

Dream, and Ambrosia. There is still plenty of room for improve¬
ment in the pinks.

Gudrun, Easter Morn, Parthenon, Venus de Milo, and Joyance
were the most impressive whites. In my garden a large clump
of Selene was very fine. Gudrun carries the largest bloom of
all, has splendid substance and proven quite hardy. Erratic
performance is my only objection to Easter Morn; when it
blooms well nothing can equal it. Venus de Milo when well
grown and in a large clump holds its own with any of them.
Dr. Kirkland has a splendid new white and a new one of Mr.
J. Sass under name of “Crystal Beauty” is said to be most out¬
standing. I have never seen it.

In red-toned varieties Cheerio and Burning Bronze were the
best I saw and are truly very fine. Ethel Peckham, Joycette,
Indian Chief and Dauntless I also saw in wonderful bloom. All
are great iris.

Of the various shades of tan I still like Jean Cayeux al¬
though Tint O’Tan and Byzantium are very fine. I hope to have
both of them. Great things are claimed for Brown Betty but
for me it failed to bloom the past season.

In other colors and color combinations there are too many
fine ones to comment upon. Copper Lustre, Junaluska, Neon,
Directeur Pinelle, Rosy Wings, El Tovar, Vision, Spokan, War
Eagle, K. V. Ayers, Itaska, Trail’s End, Maluska, Shirvan, Mary
Geddes, Natividad, Blue Velvet, Blue Monarch, At Dawning,
Persia, and Evolution are a galaxy of stars I would not want
to be without. They by no means comprise all the “blue
bloods” ; are just some I happen to recall that were in excep¬
tionally fine bloom. I forgot to mention a seeding of J. Sass
I saw growing in Mr. McDade’s garden under No. 33-8. While
a plicata it was far superior to any I have ever seen. Cut it
as I could I gave it a rating of 96. The bloom was large, of
perfect form, and splendid substance. The stalk was tall and
beautifully branched. When introduced I feel sure to those who
like this type of bloom their enthusiasm will be equal to mine.

In conclusion I wish to commend Mrs. Douglas Pattison’s
“Foreword” remarks in her 1935 Catalogue. I refer especially
to her comments as they relate to Iris Ratings. A-B-C-D classi¬
fications certainly do not convey definite idea of iris value. Why
should the lines of demarcation be fixed at 90-85-80 and 70?

[59]

Of those rating 90 and above, some are certainly more meri¬
torious than others. Take yellows for example — my “A” rat¬
ings ran 90 to 96 and so on throughout the list ; with other
colors I found like variations. Yet everything was grouped into
four classifications and covering a range of thirty points. I
certainly did not think those I rated 85 as good as the ones I
rated 89 yet in giving all “B” classification they were supposed
to be equal in merit. Individual ratings are much more inter¬
esting and certainly convey better ideas of value to the general
public whose purchases are guided to a great extent by the
Society’s rating.

This recalls what I have so often advocated that ratings
should be based on a fixed standard of value. Color apparently
enters so largely in one’s appraisal of an iris that in many
cases ratings of really fine variety are ruined because the par¬
ticular judge in rating it daes not like its color. I recall in the
1933 ratings the following comment appeared in the Bulletin :
“Variegatas were severely cut for color, indicating their par¬
ticular type seemed to be unpopular with the judges.” A great
many people like the variegatas much better than these judges
who ruined their ratings and probobly gave high value to other
colors they happened to fancy and which those partial to varie¬
gatas might care little for.

As to everything excepting color one standard of value would
be sufficient. For example let any high class iris be given a
definite rating for every component that the judge is to be
guided by in compiling his rating. Then the variety for judging
should be judged in each particular by comparing with these
set standards. As to color this same variety should be judged
by comparing it with the fixed color standard in its particular
color. Let variegatas be judged by a variegata, Vision for ex¬
ample, with value of say 23 for color. This would compel the
judge to rate all variegatas in comparison with Vision regard¬
less of whether he personally liked the color or not. And so on
through the various color classifications. Let each subject be
judged by comparison with a standard for the particular group
its color suggests. In this way color preference would be elimi¬
nated and real information furnished to those seeking it. This,
of course, would entail more time but what of that if the Society
can attain what it really is seeking and the general public most
assuredly desire “True Iris Values.”

[GO]

VARIETAL NOTES, 1935
Sherman R. Duffy, Illinois

■ An amazing array of new irises was shown this year in
Mrs. Douglas Pattison’s Quality Gardens in Freeport, amazing
not only in number, some 200 odd new candidates for popular
garden favor, but amazing in their uniformly high and desirable
quality.

When it comes to the soft yellows and red bicolors it seemed
as if you couldn’t turn around without running into a new one
and if I were forced to make a choice I believe shaking dice or
cutting cards or putting the names into a hat and drawing one
out would be as good a way as any to make a decision. One
thing is certain, they cannot all possibly be absorbed by the
iris buying public.

After what amounted to a year’s iris moratorium in the Mid¬
dle West because of the devastating drought and extreme heat
last year, this extremely wet season has brought a lush growth
of foliage and length of stem we have never before seen. In
many gardens the drought was not broken last fall until so
late that the irises made practically no growth and formed no
buds and consequently there was very little iris bloom in many
gardens this spring. Freeport, however, happened to be in a
belt, which had good rains in August, stretching across Iowa
in a northwesterly direction while those of us above and below
it kept on sizzling and parching.

Never was there such a production of iris “spinach” in this
district. Mr. 0. E. Herd, Jr., of Freeport claimed the prize
with a seedling decorating the curbing beside his home which
had foliage nearly six inches across.

Freeport gardens had a marvelous wealth of iris bloom but it
was, taken by and large, a season the like of which was never
known before in this part of the country and is not likely to
be again encountered. The late J. C. Vaughan often asserted
that there was no such thing as a normal season as in all his
long life he had never encountered one. But so far as normalism
goes, we have rather definite successions of bloom which recur
quite consistently.

This year we had Narcissus poeticus recurvus in fine form,

[61]

tulips at the height of their glory, the lilacs in amazing abun¬
dance and enormous trusses, crabs, thorns, primroses of April
time, and other subjects all blooming as we seldom see them
with the tall bearded irises. Intermediate irises in many cases
didn’t start blooming until well after the tall bearded and we
had them with us also.

We had more things to see and admire at Freeport than is
often the good fortune of any gardener to ecounter besides
the irises.

I have no doubt that as a result there will be many plantings
of the beautiful pink parrot tulip Fantasy with Anchusa myo-
sotidiflora at the base of a white lilac. I shall do that myself,
as I don’t know how it could be bettered.

There will be a great Johnny-jump-up revival because of two
of the big beds in Mrs. Pattison’s formal garden which were a
solid mass of one variety of this pert little viola, sheets of
bloom above which the amazing new irises flaunted their
beauty. And everybody wanted the Johnnies. They seemed to
fit an iris of any color.

Aside from the irises one can never visit Mrs. Pattison’s
garden with an observant eye without gathering some valuable
gardening idea as the owner of this huge iris nursery is a
master gardener.

The peonies, of which there is a fine collection in the garden,
behaved themselves this year and kept their buds tight closed.
They are one of Mrs. Pattison’s predicaments; for some years
they have bloomed with the iris and stolen the show when they
weren’t desired.

An appraisal of the new irises this year is a most difficult
task but it is not at all difficult to name the headliners, irises
so outstanding that there could be no mistake about it.

Of these I should place at the top Hans Sass’ wonderful new
white, Snow King, which on the single stalk as it bloomed at
Freeport, I think can be safely hailed as the finest white yet
produced and I have seen all the highly praised and rated
whites except Polar King. I do not believe there is any such
thing as a hundred per cent iris but for the life of me I could
not pick any place in that iris to apply a discount so I should
have to do so on general principles.

[62]

It was the largest white in the garden with a magnificent
shoulder high Purissima in competition. Of faultless form, the
big blooms, two being open at once, were so faultlessly placed
on the stem that they did not touch and stood out distinctly,
a clear unmarred white with flaring falls and a pale yellow
beard. And the blooms stood through an all night pelting rain
and then a day of steaming hot sun without a tremor. It was 3
feet tall, a one year root.

Before Snow King opened, Gudrun had ruled the garden as
the great white and it is so distinct from Snow King with its
unusually long and wide drooping falls and different style of
growth that they do not compete. Gudrun was the finest white
I had seen until Snow King appeared and I do not discount
the quality of Gudrun because of Snow King. It is an entirely
different type. Mrs. Pattison had several good sized groups of
it that commanded great admiration.

Still another highly superior white was unfolded in Jacob
Sass’ Crystal Beauty, the whitest white of them all and of still
different form and style from either Snow King or Gudrun, not
quite as large as either and a handsome white as one could ask.

Near them was a magnificent stalk of Easter Morn with four
open flowers and this is a superfine white. And then another
white of great excellence and as fine an all around white as
any one could well ask was Venus de Milo. There seems little
left in the white class for development.

And in passing I can’t omit mention of that handsome and
dainty white ruffled gem, Columbine, not big but a beauty. And
Snow White and Micheline Charraire still looked well to say
nothing of Shasta, always a great white.

Second in the high lights was Wasatch which all accredited
judges who saw it did not hesitate to declare the finest of the
large flowered plicatas yet produced. This is a production of
Mr. Herman Thorup of Salt Lake City, Utah. It was a headliner
last year but this year we saw it in quantity and in various lo¬
cations. It is a truly remarkable iris. The suffusion of color in
the standards and marking of the falls make it less spotty than
most plicatas. Jacob Sass showed another fine big plicata, blue-
trimmed, in May Hall.

The iris that struck me as the most unusual and which I
found myself a solo largely in hailing as great was also from

[63]

Mr. Thorup, Deseret. Tliis is the largest and tallest pure varie-
gata type I have ever seen and, so far as I can learn, that has
yet been produced. By pure variegata, I mean one with clear
unclouded yellow standards and darker falls. All of the so-
called large flowered variegatas I have inspected have more or
less clouded standards. Even Vision, finest of the type we have
had lately, has decidedly brown tinted standards when it first
opens which fade to clear yellow but Deseret is yellow from
start to finish, the beautiful clear carrying yellow we find in
the standards of Rialgar which I have always admired. The
falls are heavily veined mahogany on a yellow ground, the
veining covering the fall leaving a thin edge of yellow. It is
a big flower on a three foot well branched stalk. I can visualize
it rising majestically above Hemerocallis Orangeman or Gold
Dust with a brown-toned iris such as Grace Sturtevant as com¬
panion piece. Being one of the very few who really like varie¬
gatas, it was discouraging to lead visitors to see this fine new
one only to have them say, “You can have it.” To which I would
say, “I’d be glad to.”

Another high light that struck everybody’s eye was Cali¬
fornia Gold, at last a big, tall, real, deep rich yellow, the kind
that Dr. Everett would call an “honest yellow, not one of those
near white things.” It made a full 3 feet, which is taller than
usual for this iris.

There was great interest in Lady Paramount which everyone
wanted to see. On its showing at Freeport, I am inclined to
believe its introduction was premature, if not a mistake, and
that its chief value is for bleeding purposes. Mr. White in Lady
Paramount has given us a W. R. Dykes with stems more than
forty inches tall but in doing so something of the quality of
W. R. Dykes has been sacrified both in substance and texture.
The blooms of the two are so close that it offers nothing in the
way of novelty in color or form. The falls seemed slightly
paler than those of Dykes compared with a nearby bloom of
the latter.

Mrs. Pattison had a finely grown two year old clump that
gave four stalks of bloom which, were they straight, would
have been around 44 inches tall. No discount could be applied
for lack of establishment as it couldn’t be better or more
healthily grown even in its native California. Only one of the

[64]

stalks had led an upright life but this one had not opened any
buds so it was open to suspicion when the other three, all crooks,
were considered. They were sinuous and floppy and had to be
staked. Nearby was a block of Aurifero, one of Lady Para¬
mount’s parents, a writhing mess, and the lady apparently
has inherited the snakes in this climate.

If this unfortunate weakness of stem persists it will be quite
useless. The only circumstance to be considered before forming
final judgment is that in this exceptionally wet and cool season
the extremely sappy growth has exaggerated weakness of stem
in all irises at all prone to go over and some of the strongly
standing ones showed a tendency to bend at the blooming tops.
We shall have to wait for another season to see if the stems
have strength to stand alone. If they do, it will easily displace
W. R. Dykes and should be a magnificent pale yellow. It
showed few fleckings at Mrs. Pattison’s but the substance was
not as good as that of Dykes and the handsome crepy texture
of the standards of Dykes was somewhat lacking. If the stems
do not stiffen up, and it gave little promise of this as it grew
at Freeport, Dykes is the better iris although not so tall.

To take the yellows in the order of their yellowness, we must
begin with the richest and finest yellow yet shown in any iris
I have ever sighted, Hans Sass’ intermediate, Golden Bow. I
had not believed that a more brilliant yellow was possible or
likely in an iris than that of Crysoro but Golden Bow is richer
and more glowing and with a remarkable heavy, velvety sub¬
stance. A slight undertone of brown was detected by some
observers which they believed gave it its richness of color. This
is a stunning bit of color.

Next in intensity came California Gold and then Dr. Loomis’
new things, his J 20 which we had previously seen, now being
named Eilali, a fine rich yellow only slightly lighter in tone
than California Gold, but neither so large nor so tall, an iris
of fine form and substance, of beautiful color and a valuable
addition to the list of yellows that are yellow.

Another fine yellow whose beautiful color tone was finely
shown by a clever planting against a background of peony
foliage was an unintroduced Loomis seedling that looked plenty
good enough to me to make its bow in first class iris com¬
pany, only a little lighter than Eilali and not quite so large

[65]

but of fine quality. This was K 8, about 3 feet tall, nicely
branched with slight olive veining and a fine yellow beard.
It would be a welcome addition to anybody’s garden.

A free blooming low growing deep brilliant yellow from Dr.
Loomis was also a glowing spot and a bit of fine garden value.
This was L 17. The falls were rather heavily veined brown.

The tallest of Dr. Loomis’ yellows was L 14, of medium
depth, a beautiful soft yellow with a suggestion of Dykes tex¬
ture and parentage about it. It was of fine size and a nice
stalk and had excellent carrying quality. He is reported to have
some still finer yellows yet to be shown.

His white intermediate, first noted two years ago, has made
a fine clump and remains the clearest white of the intermediates.
Its wide almost horizontal falls suggest Dominion ancestry. Its
substance is unusual and it has an icy clarity of color most
unusual in the intermediate type, a fine iris.

The cool, wet spring was made to order for Desert Gold
which for the first time in this climate had a real claim to the
Gold part of its name. It made three foot stalks with huge soft
yellow blooms which in hotter seasons were more nearly white
and was one of the outstanding yellows on display. With the
extra length of stem brought on by copious moisture, the
bunching which was a bad fault in previous seasons was not
so strongly shown although the blooms at the top of the stalk
were badly crowded. The yellow tone, compared with previous
seasons, was surprisingly fine.

Alice Harding was outstanding among the soft yellows and
when better established undoubtedly will stand high up in the
list as it was blooming on late planted divisions and had not,
evidently, made full height although producing good stalks of
fine quality as to branching. The blooms are of beautiful
clean cut finish and fine color with an unusual buff tone to the
yellow, rendering it quite distinct from other soft yellows. It is
a real beauty.

F. E. Reibold sent a fascinating lot of seedlings for trial and
showed one of the bloomingest yellows of the long list of beau¬
tiful soft yellows. This is Welcome and anybody would say
“yes” to that. It was one of the tallest and best branched of the
lighter yellows and a remarkably prolific bloomer as seemed all
of his seedlings. This looks like one of the finest of the new

[66]

yellows. It is of medium depth, very soft in quality with
flowers of good size and fine form.

Bob Schreiner had a yellow of good color in the lighter tones
and Mrs. Pattison who has been quietly amusing herself by rais¬
ing seedlings in one of her outlying reserve gardens had a
good yellow which was tagged “Keep” and it looked promising,
being a little different with a brown tone in the falls making it
distinctive in coloring, something after the stjde of Alta Cali¬
fornia but with brighter standards. The latter under the in¬
fluence of the cool, wet spring showed more brown than usual
and still remained one of the tallest.

Son Robert apparently was not in his best form as he bloomed
low and bunched, a fine bright color but with the falls heavily
veined and streaked.

Coming to the betwixt and between yellows and whites, the
ivories and the bicolors of white standards and yellow or yel¬
lowish falls and yellow standards and white falls, Ave find some
exceptionally fine and delicately beautiful irises. Of these Col.
Nicholls has a fine thing in Sun Mist which Avas much admired,
a large floAver of medium height with creamy standards and
falls and veined over the greater part of the blade with olive
and yelloAv, giving a delicate yellow gloAv to the bloom. The
blooms are Avell placed and it is a most attractive and unusually
colored iris.

Most imposing of the creamy and Aory tinted novelties Avas
Dr. Kleinsorge’s Kalinga, distinguished for its symmetrical, Ioav
branched stalk which seemed to set each of three big blooms
open at once equally distant on the stalk. It is a beautiful
creamy Avliite of 40 inch stature with ruffling to add to its
attraction.

SAveet Alibi showed a beautiful ivory toned bloom but did not
make a typically developed stalk. It indicated from the single
bloom and descriptions of others who have grown it that it is
at the top of the creamy irises.

Euclid SnoAv’s Attye Hall, a big creamy Avhite Avith deeper
falls of fine form and substance, was much admired. The bril¬
liant gold and olive veinings at the throat and striking beard
add to its attractions.

Dr. Ayres had the skyscraper of this type, a four footer with
yelloAv standards and Avliite falls that made a striking appear-

[67]

ance but with the blooms all too much at the top of the stalk.
A foot lower and far finer was another seedling with deeper
standards and whiter falls, a big flower that looks like a win¬
ner. It was a bit too crowded to show its real effect and oyer-
shadowed by its taller companion.

Nothing shows so plainly the brightening of the general iris
color scale as the irises we used to consider good reds. How
purple they now look beside the present day crop of reds. We
grew leg-weary trudging from new iris to new iris and viewing
new reds and there were some beauties.

The introduction by Hans Sass of King Tut marked a most
remarkable stride in putting brilliancy into the tail bearded
irises. No seed parent seems to be more strongly dominant in
transmitting color and the strange part of it is that a King
Tut seedling always has larger flowers and a taller stem than
the King himself. This is a brown red and gets us away from
the purple reds which are, for the most part, rather dull and
need full sunlight illumination to bring out the red tones.

The row of Red Wing x King Tut seedlings I saw just com¬
ing into bloom on Jacob Sass’ farm three years ago still stands
out as the most blazing aggregation of irises I ever saw. These
irises still blaze. Spokan was named of this series and gave a
fine bloom at Freejmrt in glowing brown red, a variant of
King Tut in deeper color. The unintroduced 30-40 of this series
which some of us treasure through the kindness of Mr. Sass is
the reddest and most brilliantly colored of the lot but its
standards are fickle, so much so that Mr. Sass, quite properly,
did not introduce it although it makes a hit through its color.
Sometimes the standards stand erect and far apart. At other
times they cave in. As I have grown it for three years I am
never certain what they will do.

I am inclined to put Junaluska at the top of the red brigade
for the time being for general all around excellence with
Cheerio right alongside and with redder tones in the falls
but Junaluska is of finer quality otherwise. Mrs. Pattison says
she would include it in any present day selection of ten best
irises. Robert Schreiner has a seedling of this same type that
stacks in quality right up along with Cheerio and Junaluska.
All three are gorgeous.

[68]

Mr. Grinter had a red seedling of great brilliance, a bicolor
that may belong in this class.

While the falls of these red toned irises are much the same
in their velvety dark reds, we find the chief variations in the
varying tones of the standard which move from very close to
variegata yellow to red tones with a strong yellow undertone
such as we find in Cheerio. There were several clumps of
seedlings of this general type, not identified, in the formal gar¬
den that gave a fine flash of color.

There are some exquisite tones in the standards of these red
irises and Dr. Loomis had a seedling on trial that was particu¬
larly striking in this respect. He had sent it because of the
beautiful coloring of the standards which approach shrimp pink
and salmon in tone.

Jacob Sass’ showy Golden Helmet approached the variegata
end of the scale, a handsome iris that will stand out anywhere
with strikingly colored standards that carry well above its rich
red velvety falls.

Mrs. Pattison had a seedling of her own raising towards the
variegata type of unusual character because of the wide yellow
margin of the falls. The standards are glowing tan flushed
with red, the falls a glowing deep red with the wide margin
of the tan of the standards. A seedling sister was larger and
duller of the same type, more purple and most striking.

Junaluska, Cheerio, Spokan and Golden Helmet seemed to
cover the best in the color range of reds with yellow and brown
rather than blue and purple in their composition, a dazzlingly
brilliant quartet.

In the rosy tones, the purples with a great deal of red in them,
there were some beautiful new ones. Col. Nicliolls’ Oxheart I
thought a beautiful bit of color, a rather deep rose toned self
of excellent form and substance. It was quite unlike any of the
other red purples and in this range it is difficult to convey any
idea of the color it is such a wide field. It had a distinct rose
effect. While the plants were not well developed or established
and did not show typical stem or growth, the beauty of this iris
was manifest.

Coralie would fall in these rose and pink tones and a mass
of it was a grand sight this year, attracting the admiration of
everyone. It is a fine free blooming iris and I have wondered

[69]

liow it got its reputation for frailty as it lias never shown any
such symptoms in my garden nor in Mrs. Pattison’s.

A beauty which I had not seen before was Primat, somewhat
on the Coralie order but darker in both standards and falls and
rosier, a much larger bloom and of somewhat different form.
It is of only medium height as Mrs. Pattison grew it as is Cora¬
lie but I have an idea Primat will make better height when
established. Mrs. Pattison had only the one plant of it which
she bought on the recommendation of Countess Senni of Rome
who had thought it one of the finest of the newer Cayeux irises.
It looks like one of the really great ones on the showing of
one stalk which is, perhaps, not enough for sound judgment but
I believe this will prove an outstanding beauty.

Countess Senni’s namesake was present in a large clump cov¬
ered with a mass of its huge blooms. It is something on the
order of a softer colored Elizabeth Egelberg or Frieda Mohr
with a trifle more blue in the standards but a huge flower with
more drooping falls than these. The general effect was a rosy
mass that was much admired. I did not particularly like the
color as an individual stalk but the effect was undeniably fine
in mass. It is high branched and somewhat bunched on the
stalk which resnlted in covering the clump with bloom so the
leaves were hardly visible, unusually free blooming for so
huge an iris.

Sidney B. Mitchell might be more appropriately named Barkis
it is so willing, a handsome rich red purple of unusual quality
with less blue than most but it had bloomed on single fans so
freely that Mrs. Pattison has far less stock of it than she
planted last year. This is a grand iris if it does not develop
the trick of blooming itself to death. But it may have been the
peculiar season that did such funny things to the iris. It
brought out the blue in the pinks and muddied a lot of them
that ordinarily are beautifully clear. It also brought out the
purple stripes on a lot of yellows that had not shown them
previously, the handsome intermediate Ambera among them,
that had never before appeared in motley for me.

Dr. Kirkland’s Cyrus the Great, reported to be an early
bloomer with Desert Gold, came along with the midseason ones
this year as did also Desert Gold. It is a strikingly handsome
big flower on a tall, well branched stalk, redder in tone than

[70]

Blackamoor and between this and Baldwin in depth. There is
an intensity in the blue glint in this iris that makes it out¬
standing. It is illuminated with a fine orange beard. A group
of this, I believe, would be most striking in the garden. There
seemed to be a black undertone of peculiar quality that brought
out its coloring.

W. H. Norton of Mt. Vernon, la., had a fine purple crimson,
Crimson Petal of fine color, dark and handsome, a self of fine
substance and good stalk, 40 inches when at its best.

Mr. Shuber, another Iowan, from Clinton, has obtained a
fine break in tall dark violets ranging through a good blue,
larger than Sensation and of much the same character and color,
to some fairly good lilac pinks of fine height. A dark one of
great size had the most intensely blue tones I have seen in so
dark an iris. Another was Harmony, but in larger size on a
tail stem, blue beard and all. A very tall one, tallest of the
series, was close to Violet Crown in color. Violet Crown was
in beautiful form, an extra fine iris.

Coming to the blue irises, so called, and they are approaching
true blue, I found no reason to change my mind about Missouri
having the finest blue tones of any of them, a superlative iris
with its two tones, the falls slightly darker than the standards
of medium and intense blue. I still stick for Missouri as a top-
notcher and I’m from that well known state when it comes to
a better one — I’ve got to be shown.

In very dark blues, Mr. Tliorup’s Bannock is a fine thing, al¬
most a self, a redder blue purple than Blue Velvet with a
better stem.

Mr. Grinter’s Blue Triumph, as fine a light blue as could be
asked, and Jacob Sass’ Blue Monarch, deeper in color, stand
the test of time excellently, both fine with plenty of buds to a
stalk, enduring substance and a long season of bloom.

What factor Mr. Reibold has put into his seedlings to pro¬
duce so much bloom I don’t know. Again it may have been
this peculiar season that did it. Whether it is a fixed habit re¬
mains to be demonstrated. He has in Meribleu the finest new
blue, shown this year for the first time at Freeport, of medium
depth, clean color, large flowered, with blooms from the top of
its 40 inch stem to the ground. The one stalk had two branches
from an inch above ground three quarters of the height of the

[71]

main branch. I never saw so much branching on an iris before
and wonder if this plant does it regularly.

Paulette was strikingly fine, a single stalk making a bouquet
in itself of medium blue.

Wambliska came a palest of blue self this year with the
stunning Gloriole a little deeper and the peer of all the palest
blues, a wonderful iris. I should like to see Gloriole and Snow
King growing side by side for an imposing display.

Dr. Kirkland’s Blue Marble attracted much attention and ad¬
miration, — a strange iris and different from all the others in
its corrugated pointed standards, blue bubbles glistening in the
sun in effect, the falls straight hanging and a clear light blue
flecked with dark blue and a strong yellow beard. The unusual
texture is its chief charm. It is of medium height and excellent
proportions. This is such a distinct and unusual type it should
be worth introducing.

A fairly distinct class of brown irises has developed in the
last few years beginning with the introduction of Jean Cayeux,
Gilead, and Kusty Gold and a beautiful lot they are, planting so
well with the medium and lighter blues, the lighter toned pinks
and the soft yellows.

They range from soft golden tans to the red brilliance of
Copper Lustre. Summer Tan was the most appealing of those
new to me, neither large nor tall, about 30 inches, with golden
tan standards and deeper brown toned falls with a slight ruddy
tone. This attracted more admiration than the more glowing
and slioAvy Copper Lustre. I think I should like it with the
blue of Wedgewood, that old timer that will take so much beat¬
ing as a good blue, and the soft yellow of Phebus, which doesn’t
have to take any back seat for the newer yelloAvs.

Rusty Gold Avas at its broAAuiest and best this year, an un¬
appreciated beauty eclopsed by its larger garden mate, Gilead,
but of even finer brown tones.

Copper Lustre is brilliant in color but it seemed to lack
substance which Summer Tan does not. The standards sunk
under the warmest sun Ave had and that not so very hot and the
falls seemed inclined to curl and pinch a bit. The color, Iioav-
ever, is its strong point and it is a gloAving beauty in the sun.
The tAvo irises are hardly comparable in color except that both
are broAvn.

[72]

Byzantium is at once suggestive of Ophelia, done in browner
tones and on a taller stem. It lias the flush of bine at the end
of the beard and is an attractive iris. It holds its beautiful
brown tones with a glint of gold in them well.

Gilead in its lighter and more glowing bronzy tones remains
one of the very fine things.

Crown Jewel, represented as an improvement on Clara Noyes,
I regard as a libel on that beautiful bit of color. Darker and
less glowing and with heavier and darker veinings on the
falls that curl under badly, I could not give this iris anything in
the way of praise.

Speaking of Clara Noyes, when you saw a glowing, brilliant
patch in the commercial garden at Mrs. Pattison’s it was either
Clara Noyes, King Midas, Mary Geddes, Trail’s End or Lux.
The general effect of any of these irises in a good sized group
was strikingly beautiful. Trail’s End is an iris of superlatively
beautiful coloring and the more you see of it and the larger
the group, the finer it seems. I think I prefer it of all this
group. Lux furnishes the element of height and is lighter toned
than the others, a fine garden plant that needs to be seen in a
sizeable group to bring out its full beauty.

Aubade with its pink toned falls made a grand showing, the
best it ever displayed, and lias not been appreciated at its full
value in the past.

Mr. Reibold displayed two of the Aubade type, which is as
nearly as they can be approximated, one of extra fine quality.
Its name, if I read the label right, is Marikina. A tall, big
flower and being a Reibold production, again lots of them with
handsome ivory standards and pinkish mauve pale falls. It is
a flower of fine form and substance. A smaller, heavily ruffled
edition that would make a fine garden clump is Calinda. It is
of softer color than Marikina but nothing like its imposing size.

Two beautiful blends in a group of seedlings from the garden
of the late N. E. Thomas of Utah were extra good, one in blue
tones, light standards with deeper falls of fine size and height,
and his Number 6 which gives Genevieve Serouge a close race
for the finest blend of the type. It is one of those blends of
which Evolution may be taken as the original type but not
very much like it. The standards are, as nearly as I can de¬
scribe them, drab with blue tints and an undertone of rose The

[73]

falls have a deep intense bine flash in the center paling to the
color of the standards at the margins with a vivid and heavy
yellow beard. It was 48 inches tall. It would be handsomely
placed with a tall soft yellow like Chromylla. It looked like the
best of this type of blend.

Pinks seem still to resist the efforts of hybridizers to produce
clearer tones. I had the pleasure of going over the irises with
Mr. E. G. Lapliam of Elkhart, Ind., who is working diligently
for better pinks and already has some fine ones. He expressed
the belief that better pinks will be a matter of selection rather
than of trying to breed out the blue by direct crosses.

He had a seedling on view that struck me as of fine garden
value, — a tone popularly known as crushed raspberry that
should be even more effective with the purple reds such as
Dauntless and Indian Chief than Hermene which seems, like
Midgard, to be made to order for their company. It is a Mid-
gard x Aphrodite cross.

It has definite pink tones and is a striking color. It was a
four footer in Freeport and Mr. Lapliam says it has made
even greater height. The stalk is in good balance.

Eros is another pink newcomer of beautiful coloring but
otherwise it is an iris of such poor quality that I do not think
it should have been introduced. The substance is flimsy and
the stalk close and high branched with a great length of naked
leg above the foliage. It is very close to the color of the
standards of Mary Gibson, a self, and there can be no question
of the great beauty of its color. It looks as if it might be a
seedling of Mary as it has all her faults. Speaking of Mary
Gibson and illustrative of what great beauty may be obtained
from irises individually inferior but with fine color value, a
big block of Mary Gibson, a solid mass of bloom, was one of
the finest bits of color in Mrs. Pattison’s commercial garden.
It is an iris for massing and Eros might conceal its weakness
by the same treatment.

[74]

Lilian A. Guernsey

Iris giganticaerulea alba
[75]

Lilian A. Guernsey

Iris vinicolor

[76]

Lilian A. Guernsey

Iris regalis

[77]

Lilian A. Guernsey

Iris deWinkleri

[ 78 ]

VARIETAL NOTES, 1934
M. E. Douglas, New Jersey

■ Alcina, in spite of a stem weak at the neck, is beloved for
its colors.

Alice Horsfall , whose falls seemed to roll under at the edges
less this year than last, bears color resemblance to Black Watch
( Nic .).

Anne Marie Cayeux, a good multiplier.

Alta California, for stem deficiency as I saw it, seemed less de¬
sirable than Blazing Star ( Nic .).

Angkhor Vat (Nic.) in the color range of Dune Sprite, Phos¬
phor, etc., — (Kashmir White and Dominion).

Beau Sahreur as seen en masse at Mrs. Kellogg’s, for pleasing
“rememberability ” was one of the outstanding effects seen in any
garden in 1934.

Bellorio ( M-M ), lovely, novel, and an easy doer with me. I
have seen it elsewhere only at Mr. Schreiner’s. It deserves wider
distribution.

Black Midget has edges far more deeply fimbriated than any
other variety known to me. A suggestion to breeders of uncon¬
ventional types. Visitors do inquire about it.

Black Watch (Nic.) : I couldn’t resist buying this black, red-
purple, brown, low-grower to combine with another dwarf of Al¬
lure’s general colors, but with less yellow at the center. Both 22
inches to 25.

Blazing Star (Nic.), a medium yellow self with wide haft,
dainty golden reticulations, heavy beard, shape more elongated
than Primrose, 4x5 inches — 341/2 inches tall.

Balroudour (J. Sass), to me seemed preferable to Blue Topaz
for form and color reasons. Both superior to Mme. Savouillan in
their color range, I believe.

Blue Monarch’s color is close to Corrida’s and a more metallic
blue. I saw it up to 37 inches, 4 stalks, up to 7 buds per stalk,
all segments smooth and all showing the silvery sparkles. Slight
fragrance.

Black Warrior: Conic-domed, overlapping; falls flaring with a
fillip at the tips. 5% x 5 inches. Widely and well branched. In
the Nimbus color range.

[79]

Blue Marble: Pale blue, creped texture, medium fragrance.

Councilman Morris {I)an.) : Seen as a cut flower — a red yellow
bicolor.

Crown Jewel resembled Clara Noyes perhaps more nearly than
any other variety — darker, broad liafts on circular falls. Fine
placement — medium fragrance.

Cherry Rust reminded me of King Tut ’s colors. 1 had no op¬
portunity actually to compare them.

Cyrus the Great seemed at least as dark as Blue Velvet or The
Black Douglas. Fragrance negligible or none.

Debussy resembles Wild Rose in color, and with me is a better
grower. Inner Light is in this color range. For the front of the
border.

Deise: The plant sent to me bore blooms of color identical with
Baldwin or practically so. Have I the true Cayeux variety?

Douglas {J. Bass) was in its second year, 9 inches taller than
the first with me ; ‘ ‘ grayish heliotrope with a purple flush below
the beard,” as J. C. Nicholls, Jr., says. Prolific. Klamath’s
colors suggest it. Named for the county in Nebraska.

Dakota {Hardee) as I saw it was a large, tall, free-flowering,
deep blue of garden value better than its rating suggests.

Dresden {Richer) was seen at Mrs. Kellogg’s as a very low
grower — pink and white dominant, dainty, a little beauty just for
color.

Dune Sprite of regal ancestry looks the part. 10 for form.
Color competitions, Moon Magic, Phosphor, etc. Splendid branch¬
ing and poise.

Easter Morn I saw in magnificent size, height and shape, but
on a stem that was none too good. My one rhizome planted early
in July of this year in a specially prepared and elevated bed,
underclrained , was twice attacked by root rot this summer.

El Tovar: Once yon see this one you will have no trouble in
remembering its qualities until it blooms next year. When I saw
it two years ago in Nebraska, I wanted it. After seeing it again
this year, I bought it.

Eppo: I was delighted to see Mrs. Hire’s commendation of it.
I have been growing and praising it for three or four years.

Fireflash at Mrs. Kellogg’s was a deeper Gold Stream yellow
of good carrying power; very free, 36 inches, some petals bleach¬
ing in intense light. Good landscaper.

[80]

Fortunio has large rounded standards, wavy on broad lines.
Its falls are held horizontally in perfect style for that form.
Color as Mrs. Pattison describes it. Apparently of slow growth —
yet my plant made 33 inches its first year.

F fomentin’ s standards color is close to those of Tuscany Gold
as is the falls color, but with distinctive finely etched reticula¬
tions the length of the blade — more brown than buff. Conspicu¬
ous orange beard. The falls open trowel-formed — the tips up-
curving, with age flaring to drooping.

Garnet has good color but the plant lacks proportion. Shifted to
my roadside planting.

Flambeau to follow it for the same reason.

Golden Light opened its first bloom at Mrs. Kellogg’s on May
30th. I liked everything about it.

Gold Wing might be called a Pluie d’Or from the Emerald
Isle — a solid iridescent color; well and widely branched; narrow
haft, slight fragrance, 36 inches, size 4% x 3 % inches.

Gentius showed in violet-purple with white streaks or blotches;
24 inches tall, not large, slight fragrance.

Giant King , as I saw it, interested me not at all.

Golden West was as clear and pure as Nymph and darker.
Fine flaring falls, branched above center, smooth texture, some¬
what crowded.

Gold Top’s color reminded me of Adobe.

Grand Monarch I noted as big, fine, dark.

Hearthstone Copper, while neither large nor tall made a strong
color appeal, its falls color suggesting those of Fulgore — a com¬
parison I hope actually to make next year.

Henry F. Michell as grown by Mr. L. B. Moffet, Jr., had
blooms as large as El Capitan’s, whose color it resembles. There
seems to be no question of its hardiness.

Heloise is a solid dark violet purple self, almost veinless in ap¬
pearance ; even the haft veining is unpronounced. Broad segments.
Branched above center. Smooth texture. Good substance. Spathes
flushed red. An intermediate.

Hermene is a lovely pinkish color. Its deficiencies are in form
and placement, and perhaps in substance.

Hamese, mentioned in an earlier Bulletin, was presumably a
misspelling of Rameses.

[81]

Helen of Troy has pronounced fragrance. To me it seemed to
be handicapped by its flower form and stalk.

Imperial Blush, when I first saw it two years ago, I thought
better than Pink Satin. I checked it for fragrance this year and
gave it the credit. Next year, I hope to bloom them both in the
same bed.

Indian Chief certainly gives Dauntless a good race for the
place in my garden.

Inner Light (Scott) resembles Debussy in color, is over 30
inches tall, smooth texture, and a good grower. I hope some
grower will eventually introduce it.

Ivory and. Gold, I noticed years ago in someone’s garden as “a
luminous soft yellow, with a bold beard, tall, small, of good garden
effect — not a high-rater.” It has since been a lost iris to me —
I’ve looked for it without finding it again. Possibly it would
not look as good to me now.

Jean Cayeux’s performance in my garden justifies all the praise
it has received.

Jolly Roger, dark, in Blue Velvet’s color group — measured 5
x 5 inches, had fragrance — looked promising.

Jeb Stuart has shiny black buds, deep coffee on creamy brown
standards, and falls solid blackish brown. Handsome. Foliage
has reddish basal tinge. Vigorous grower. I want to observe its
substance and stalk habit again.

Kenwood: Olive brown buds. Standards, buffy yellow; falls,
rosy red-purple margined yellowish. 35 inches on a one year
plant. Branched above center. Two stalks, up to 6 buds each.

Khalasa is a rich blue-purple of horizontal falls, with heavy
substance.

Kilsoquah, as I saw it, seemed deficient in several characters,
but they may be good on a better established plant.

King Junior, as I saw it, seemed lacking in color form and
quality.

Lenz-Schnee, for all-around good garden quality — under my
conditions is certainly outstanding among whites. Needs no cod¬
dling, free-flowering, 36 inches tall, 4% x 44 inches in size, sturdy,
healthy, good multiplier. Deserves wider distribution.

Lillian Toedt in color, perhaps most nearly resembles Troost.
The glow in its standards gives carrying quality.

[82]

Louise Bonnewitz, in color and quality, seemed without interest
for me. It lias fragrance.

Lux was in bloom on June 1 at Mr. Wister’s. A lovely blend,
yellow predominating, with pink or rose. Medium fragrance.

Luzianna’s color seemed near to Gold Crest’s. Slight fra¬
grant.

Marquita, I have seen in one garden each year for three suc¬
cessive years, that is, three different and widely separated gar¬
dens, and each time on a one year plant. I consider its color
most distinctive and rememberable.

Mary Geddes with me made two inches more in height than
Coralie attained (each as one year plants). My Coralie plant
made 4 good divisions when two years old. I have given them a
new location to try for better height. President Pilkington writes
that its constitution seems weak in England.

Matilda and many others remind me of Mr. Morrison’s com¬
ment, that freeness to him, means in part, a plant that blooms
annually, so that one year after replanting, the foliage is
not more conspicuous than the flower.

Mirasol, as I have seen it, is high-branched, up to 29 inches
tall, placement rather close, scanty foliage. The standards were
short, showing the styles. The falls were much longer, or looked
so, perhaps because their trowel-formed edges gave an impression
of narrowness, which measurement would not bear out.

Mary Noble, of pleasing color, substance, texture and place¬
ment, I have discarded for poor proportions of stalk in relation
to other parts.

Mme. de Beaumarchais: Countess Senni writes that this dark
rose red seems to have substance more solid than Ambassadeur ’s.

Mme. Serouge has seemed to me to be less desirable than either
Blackamoor or Winnesheik.

Moon Magic has the same good substance and finish found in
Dune Sprite and is of similar color.

Mozambique is a dark violet, with orange beard tipped blue.
Thirty-five inches tall, size 4x5 inches, splendidly branched at
and above center — excellent spacing. Standards conical in out¬
line. Falls very long, circular at ends, flaring to drooping.
Substance and texture seemed good.

Mrs. Hamilton Rowan was of little interest to me.

[83]

Mme. Savouillan lias color resembling Balroudour and in a way,
Rliadi. It is hardy but lacks substance.

Monsieur Steichen has distinctive color, but is a poor grower
and difficult to transplant.

Mme. Becamier: Standards light buffy yellow faintly flushed
lavender, falls light lavender, margined buff — resembling Allure’s
colors. Standards open, falls flaring to drooping. Smooth irides¬
cent segments. Sweet fragrance. Foliage has reddish basal tinge.
Good placement.

Nepenthe’s standards are a little yellowed than Quaker Lady’s,
and are slightly more bluish than Alcina’s; the falls are duller
and nearer the pink side than Alcina’s. Short branched above
center. Rather close placement. Foliage has reddish basal tinge.
Excellent substance.

Ningal is a lovely reversed Bicolor Blend of tan and lavender.
Medium fragrance. It may need supporting with stakes, but so
does Asia some seasons. Both are worth it.

No-we-ta: Standards, creamy yellow, flushed pinkish violet; falls
creamy buffed, ground veined pinkish violet bleeding off the
margins. Twenty-four inches tall at Mr. Wister’s. Slight fra¬
grance. Almost unbranched as I saw it. Placement crowded.

Nordic, as I saw the one year plant, had color resembling Mag-
nifica’s. It was unusually large — the stem too short for the bloom
size due possibly to winter injury. I had many varieties of
generally uniform height ; came variable in height this year.

Oxheart shows more red than Germaine Perthuis — Standards
red violet, falls strawberry red purple. Wide flaring falls, with
a “fillip” at the tips. Large size. (No. 1056 x Cardinal.) Me¬
dium fragrance.

Osprey , I saw in New England in 1934, in splendid form with
many blooms in a considerable planting in the open garden. The
grower assured me it had no winter protection. Previously in
the East, I had seen it only as wintered under glass. Paler than
Blue Gown.

Palaemon Wallace, a one year plant, made 28% inches in height,
bloom size 4% x 6% inches wide. Very dark blue purple, with
orange beard tipped blue. Standards over-arched or domed.
Falls flaring. Velvety texture. Heavy substance. Short branched.

Paulette: I had to move the clump in the summer of 1933. Did

[84]

not bloom in 1934. Possibly not an “annual” bloomer in this
sense.

Phoebus Cayeux is another that did not bloom the first year
for me. I find it a vigorous grower of rapid increase.

Pink Opal is pinker than Rose Valley — bud color, old rose;
hidden orange beard, with exposed whitish tips. I saw a consider¬
able block of it with 25 stalks up to 39 inches tall, size 4 x 4%
inches. Darker than Pink Satin. Short branched above center.
Vigorous, fragrant; smooth segments. Standards near globular
in outline.

Pastel Shades on a one year plant was 18 inches tall, size 4x4
inches, short branched above center, placement crowded; stand¬
ards arching, falls drooping; standards white suffused pale pur¬
plish pink ; falls white, margins sanded pale purplish pink.
Dull orange beard.

Peaches is perhaps of color closer to Crown Jewel than to
Clara Noyes.

Perces Prim seemed of no interest unless for color, but it was,
I think, a one year plant.

Pink Lass , a one year plant, was 23 inches tall, size 4% x 4
inches, standard “open”; falls, wedge shaped, flaring; foliage
scanty ; crowded placement ; short branched above center ; growth,
moderate to weak — this following a winter of 30 to 40 degrees
below zero.

Pink Mist — a soft light pastel shade of pink, flushed on all seg¬
ments, white beard. About 36 inches — size 3% x 4y2 inches.
Smooth texture with silvery sheen. Good substance. Fragrance
negligible.

Precious Jade as a one year plant, following the severe New
England winter, showed deficiencies in color and quality.

Purple Eve is a bicolor. I would rate it in the higher seventies.

Quivera or Quevera , spellings used interchangeably in the Bul¬
letin. If the allusion is to the mythical city sought by Coronado,
Quivera is correct.

Ragusa is more red violet than tulip Louis NIV at maturity and
is less purple than tulip Bacchus. Perhaps George J. Tribolet’s
color is nearest it in iris, standards as a whole “open”; place¬
ment crowded; stalk short branched. Dull orange beard set in
a brown base.

[85]

Ramona with me is of substance about as weak as any known
to me.

Rayo cle Sol — clear solid yellow standards and falls — approxi¬
mately Pluie d’Or’s color; golden reticulations on cream haft.
Inconspicuous yellow beard ; 28 inches tall, size 4% x 3%
inches; well branched just above center. Foliage lax; placement
good — less close than Chalice’s.

Rhadi’s colors suggest Mme. Savouillan. Standards much paler
than Summer Cloud’s. Falls blended delicate bronze brown.
Twenty-five inches with one on a two year plant, size 4x5 inches.
Moderate grower; short branched at the center; slightly creped
iridescent standards. Substance and placement, good.

Rhapsody in Blue: Standards clear solid blue, very slightly
bluer than standards of Ballerine. Falls much bluer than Bal-
lerine’s, with faint lavender tinge. Effect, a slightly deeper Mary
Barnett, with whitish area near the beard. Size 4x5% inches,
the most elongated form that I know in or near its color. Its
standards stood erect in heat in 1934, when dozens of Crusader’s
and Ballerine ’s were down.

Rose of Cuba’s color is slightly paler and more delicate than
Fragonard’s, and less pale than Dogrose’s. Growth moderate;
stem short branched; foliage scanty; plant small; increase slow.
Placement good. Duration moderate to short blooming period.

Red Beauty’s color suggested Red Flare’s to me; 24 inches tall
as I saw it, size 4% x 4% inches. Standards firm ; falls heavy,
but badly spotted by rain and sun ; stalk high branched above
center. Placement very crowded. Haft, narrow ; slightly fragrant.

Ronda: Standards red- violet; falls red purple. Very high
branched above center. Placement, crowded. Falls drooping and
reflexed. Substance, firm; not tall. Size 4 x 4 % inches.

Rose Talley (Scott) : White flushed appleblossom pink — slight¬
ly heaviest on Fall margin around central white area. 36 inches
tall; size 4% x 4 inches. Vigorous grower; ample swet fra¬
grance ; short branched ; good placement ; all segments iridescent.
Slightly darker and pinker than Pink Opal.

Royal Beauty’s colors seemed to resemble Swazi’s; 36 inches
tall; size 5x5 inches.

Sea Dawn: Standards an apricot yellow blend; falls slightly
more apricot than the standards; haft, brown-olive on yellow;

[86]

orange beard; size 4x4 inches. Standards rather “open” form;
falls, drooping. High branched above center. Placement, crowd¬
ed. Silky texture. The color bleaches a bit in the sun.

Sound Money ( J . S 'ass) : The name reminds me of a feeling of
surprise that no enterprising grower has registered an NRA,
FERA, or other alphabetical “experimental” name of that nu¬
merous progeny. They ought to be popular since, as A1 Smith
says, “Nobody shoots Santa Claus,” or does something about them
suggest the Russian OGPU ?

Sliogun is a very dark brown red, with blackish sheen in Mon¬
tour’s color range. Heavy substance; finely flaring falls — almost
a self, with a truly negligible haft pattern.

Spokan is a brown red with silken sheen — a large haft area of
brown reticulations on cream — dull beard. In the ? King Midas
color line; very large segments, slight fragrance, size 5y2 x 5
inches. ("Wliat happened to the final “e”?)

Star song: Standards yellow with faint pinkish cinnamon flush;
falls yellow, faintly flushed pinkish mauve — all lovely soft tints;
short and high branched; close placement. A somewhat “open”
form with flaring falls ; smooth texture ; 28 inches tall at Mr.
Wister’s; size 4x4 inches.

Sunlight seemed to me to be less desirable than Gold Stream.

Sunmist ( Nic .) : Omitting all details I will simply say that of
all novelties seen for the first time at Mrs. Hire’s in 1934, this is
the one I most coveted for my own garden.

Sunol will win high esteem in the East if its Argentina-Meso-
potamica blood will permit easy adaptation to our growing con¬
ditions.

St. Cecilia, for distance effects only, is an exceptionally free-flow¬
ering tall white in effect, with pink markings. It had every ap¬
pearance of being hardy and dependable at Mrs. Kellogg’s after
the severe winter.

The Black Douglas ( J . Sass) : Standards solid dark violet-blue
purple ; falls blackish blue purple. Slender stalk, branched at
center. Size 4x5 inches. Opened June 4, 1934, at Ithaca — one-
year plant. Col. Nicholls told me he was all set to register this
name for one of his darks, but Mr. Sass beat him to it. And, the
Colonel is of Scotch ancestry, too!

Tokay’s color should combine well with Red Robe’s. Size 3%
x 4 % inches. Moderately fragrant.

[87]

Trail’s End: Standards translucent yellow flushed coppery pink ;
falls verging on Coralie’s but duller — venation bleeding off all
the margins ; bud color, rosy red. Foliage has reddish basal tinge.
Widely branched down to 3 inches from the ground. Fine place¬
ment. Standards creped on “dimpled.” Rampant growth. Negli¬
gible fragrance. 32^ inches tall. Size x 4*4 inches. Would
be better with larger and less reflexed falls.

Valor made 42 inches for me in 1934 on a one-year plant.
Standards color nearest to Swazi ’s — falls nearest to Sir Michael 's.
A longer Swazi. Stems fine and straight and well branched. No
bleaching observed. Fine for the back of a border.

W. R. Dykes: I grew three plants in the open garden protected
only by small wooden boxes. No bloom stalks made in 1933, but
in 1934 it made 8 bloom stalks, two of which showed winter in¬
jury. The other six stalks made 32 inches in height, with up to
8 buds per stalk. I could find no fleckings on any of the petals.
Mrs. Mechling of Riverton, N. J., also bloomed it without fleck¬
ings in 1933.

Wliat Cheer is a very tall large-flowered bicolor blend of splen¬
did rampant growth.

Zaharoon : My two 1933 plants, one year each, made one poor
weak bloom stalk; in 1934, one fair stalk with 10 buds. At Mr.
Wister’s in 1933, 5 plants made 7 stalks up to 9 buds per stalk.
It is apparently excellent in all but growing habit here.

Zuni as a one-year plant made 29 inches for me in 1934. (It
was 35 inches tall at Mr. Wister’s in 1933.) Widely branched 6
inches from the ground. Larger than King Midas, darker brown,
better placement, more “open” form. Vigorous grower.

[88]

THE BIRTHPLACE OF BERTRAND H. FARR

■ On page 2 of the Bulletin of the American Iris Society for
February, 1935 (No. 55), occurs the following somewhat aston¬
ishing statement :

“Iowa, heart of the Middle West, became the birthplace of
American iris as we now have it because it was the birthplace of
Bertrand H. Farr, the man who made American gardeners iris
conscious. ’ ’

In the Bulletin of the American Iris Society for January,
1925 (No. 14), p. 3, there was published a short autobiography of
Bertrand H. Farr, from which the following two paragraphs are
quoted :

“I was born in Windham, Vermont, up in the mountains twen¬
ty-five miles from Brattleboro, and, when five years of age, my
parents moved west, going first to Wisconsin, where for three
years we spent part of the time at Lake Geneva and a part in
the little seminary town of Rochester near Milwaukee. Here I
saw my first peony, one of the early flowering, old-fashioned red
varieties it was, but I thought it mighty fine and was very glad
to accept my aunt’s proposal to give me one of the blooms if I
would go to the pasture and bring the cow home. This led to
further negotiations by which I agreed to go after the cow for a
week in consideration of her giving me a “piney toe” and so it
was I came possessed of my first peony.

“When I was eight years of age, we went to Iowa, where my
father established a cattle farm on the prairie, which in those
days was wild enough but it was beautiful, a literal carpet of the
wild flowers.”

At the age of twenty, Mr. Farr went to Boston to study music.
In 1896 he bought a plot of land in Wyomissing, Pa., erected a
house on it, married, and began collecting irises and peonies.
About 1900, he appears to have abandoned his musical activities
to devote his whole time to his growing nursery business. It is
of interest to note that one of Mr. Farr’s varieties of iris was
named Windham, evidently in remembrance of his native town
in Vermont.

Marshall A. Howe.

[89]

EXPERIENCES WITH THE RETICULATA GROUP

AT LONDON, ONTARIO

E. M. S. Dale

■ My interest in the small, early flowering, bulbous irises was
aroused by seeing them in a friend’s garden, and, as an experi¬
ment, I ordered from the Dutch grower from whom we were in
the habit of purchasing our bulbs, one Histrioides and two Reticu¬
lata Krelagi, at 10c each, which I planted in the fall of 1911.

Histrioides bloomed the following spring, a beautiful little
flower, bright blue in color, two or three inches in height, and so
early that it seemed hard to believe that it really was an iris. It
apparently was not very happy, and, if my recollection serves me
aright, it did not live more than a year or two. I have bought
it on different occasions since with the same result. Sometimes,
in fact, it has failed to flower even once. In the autumn of 1931,
however, one was given to me by the above-mentioned friend from
the patch in his garden, which he in turn had received from a
brother in Clinton, N. Y. This I duly planted together with some
half dozen little bulblets that were attached thereto. The next
spring a lot of single grass-like leaves came up but there were no
flowers and I resolved that would be the last attempt to grow
this capricious beauty. I forgot all about them and when in the
spring of 1933 I saw two fat buds pushing through the soil, I
thought they must be reticulata , some of which I knew were
planted nearby. When they opened, a week ahead of the earliest
reticulata, much to my delight they proved to be histrioides. I
hope they have at last found congenial surroundings and that
they will continue to increase and delight me year by year with
their most charming flowers.

My experience with reticulata has been rather more encouraging.
As already mentioned I first tried var. Krelagi, a reddish purple,
which increased nicely year by year both by offsets and also by
self-sown seedlings, reticulata setting seed freely in my garden.
The situation where they were planted, however, eventually be¬
came too heavily shaded by nearby trees and also was kept rather
too moist by a sprinkler system that had been installed especially
for ferns, primulas and other moisture-loving plants. The result
was they went back badly and I therefore dug up the remnants

[90]

and replanted them where they would get more sunshine and less
water. They have done well ever since.

I next tried the type, a rich violet blue, which has also a de¬
lightful violet odor. It also does well and is the latest of the
series to bloom. Meantime I had read a lot about a variety named
Cantab, described as a beautiful Cambridge blue color. They were
rather expensive, but in 1928 I purchased one from an English
grower at a cost of 3/6, plus duty, etc. This bulb gave two flow¬
ers in the spring of 1929 and has since continued to increase un¬
til, in 1933, there were eleven flowers as well as a number of single
leaves that gave promise of still greater beauty in succeeding
years. The next variety to be purchased was Cyanea, a darker
blue than Cantab, and then, on several occasions since, I have
bought in Holland a mixture called “collected bulbs from Persia”
which usually contains the standard colors as well as other shades
and varieties which are very interesting. I was hoping I might
sometime be fortunate enough to get a white one, and, sure enough,
when the 1931 importation bloomed in the spring of 1932, the
long-looked-for was there. The white was faintly tinged with
blue but when seen with the other varieties this was not notice¬
able. These collected bulbs are not as satisfactory as nursery
grown stock and sometimes fail to come up a second year. The
white one, fortunately, was a good strong bulb, but although it
came up in 1933 it did not flower. The foliage looked healthy,
however, and I am looking forward to seeing it in flower again
in 1934.

Members of the American Iris Society are no doubt familiar
with the appearance of these irises and a detailed description will,
therefore, not be necsssary. With me histrioides is the earliest
to bloom, opening the first flowers about March 27th, reticulata
var. Krelagi being next in line. The type of reticulata is the
latest to flower, the whole group lasting two or three weeks. The
flowers, of course, appear before the leaves, and, in the case of
histrioides, the segments are broader and of greater substance.
The flowers of histrioides, as already mentioned, stand about two
or three inches high while reticulata is some five or six. As the
flowers fade they are followed by long linear leaves which attain
a length of 12 to 18 inches and that arch gracefully like waving
grass. About the middle of July the leaves wither and disappear.

The soil in my garden is a sandy loam and in it reticulata

[91]

seems to thrive while histrioides is very difficult. In the garden
in Clinton, N. Y., however, where the soil is heavy clay, I under¬
stand histrioides grows like a weed while reticulata is the prob¬
lem. These species are natives of Western Asia where the sum¬
mers are hot and dry which thoroughly ripens the bulbs. With
this in mind some growers lift them annually, a practice I myself
follow with Regelio-cyclus iris and some of the tulip species, but
as reticulata seems to get along nicely without this extra care I
just leave them where they are thinning out occasionally if they
appear to be getting overcrowded, keeping in mind, however, the
fact that they appear to do better in the open than in situations
that are too moist or shady.

Most of the varieties, including even Cantab, may now be pur¬
chased from growers in Great Britain or Holland for a few dol¬
lars a hundred. Unfortunately importation into the United States
is not so easy and the prices I saw in the catalogue of one large
American nurseryman made me glad I lived where plant restric¬
tions were less severe.

[92]

GARDEN NOTE

■ Among the nice companion plants for iris, why do we so sel¬
dom see mentioned the Meadow Sage, Salvia pratensisf Blossom¬
ing at exactly the same time, its branching stems of dark bluish-
purple make a pleasant contrast to the stiff and perpendicular
foliage of the iris and its color harmonizes with most of the iris
shades. There is surely no difficulty in growing the salvia. It
sows itself after one planting and wanders off into the fields if
allowed, living up well to its name of Meadow Sage. If planted
fairly thickly through a border of iris the effect is more or less
of a purple haze and as with us it commences to bloom before the
late tulips and the lilacs are gone it is not difficult to conjure up
most charming combinations. We have used it in a simple plant¬
ing something like this — in a narrow border overhung with lilacs
of different shades are growing such iris as Crusader, Seminole,
Afterglow, Wild Rose, Georgia and Souvenir cle Mme. Gaudichau ;
among them are groups of late tulips, Raphael, Dream, Sir Harry,
Melicette, Euterpe and Ronald Gunn; tucked in where there is
room are plants of the salvia. A little more pale yellow and pale
pink in tulips or iris would improve the effect but it is surpris¬
ing how much the addition of the salvia has lightened the stiffness
of the planting. By no means a plant of extraordinary charm it
is none the less well worth trying.

Eleanor P. Jones, Mass.

SPECIES NOTES

Iris hauranensis Dinsm.

■ Standards — ground is Pallid Mouse Gray almost entirely ob¬
scured by the veining and sanding of Dark Perilla Purple. 2%
x 2 inches.

Falls — ground Pale Drab-Gray even more obscured by the pat¬
tern which here is so nearly confluent that this color seems to be
Warm Blackish Brown dotted with the ground color. The large
central blotch on the falls appears almost black but with a warm
undertone of purplish brown. Under surface greenish. 2 x 1*4
inches.

The style branches have the same colors as the falls, but the
spotting and freckling of the over color is so fine that the ground
color shows through — Inner hairs white, purple tipped. Pollen
white.

Very faint scent reminiscent of Bosa multiflora.

Sheaths — tending toward being yellowish, faintly red tinged on
margins.

The standards have the curious effect of a glossy surface, which
is less apparent in the falls on account of the central blotch. A
somewhat oil-cloth appearance in reflected light — not noticeable
in transmitted light.

Iris imbricata Lindl.

Under the names of Iris sulphur ea and Iris Talischii this plant
has been received from the Trifli-s Botanic Garden and al¬
though there is some difference in the coloring of the several
seedlings in each lot, there is hardly enough to warrant even gar¬
den separation, although the seedlings in the lot labelled I. sul-
phurea are a very decent pale yellow color and there is little of
the reddish markings on the inside of the hafts. Dykes (The
Genus Iris, p. 180) mentions the fact that under some conditions
the falls are often marred by ‘ ‘ dull, diffuse, irregular purple veins
and blotches. ’ ’ Our plants have shown no blotches but some faint
veins particularly in the area about the beard. There was a
marked difference in the carriage of the falls, most of which would
not please the fancier of bearded iris.

Dykes (ibid.) notes that this iris is difficult to distinguish from
the yellow-flowered form of Iris Albertii, but of the latter plant
we have no comparative material.

[94]

Iris hauranensis

[95]

Lilian

A. Guernsey

Lilian A. Guernsey

Iris imbricata
Received as Iris sulphur ea

[96]

Lilian A. Guernsey

Iris imbricata

Received as Iris talischii

[97]

The illustration of this species in Botanical Register XXXI, pi.
35 (1845) is well drawn, but has more green coloring than any
specimen seen here. The text is less valuable.

The figure in Curtis Botanical Magazine Tab. No. 1 (1900) is
less characteristic and the text valuable chiefly for the note con¬
cerning the introduction by the “late Lieutenant-Colonel Henry
Lake Wells in the year 1895, in the province of Mazanderan, on
the south of the Caspian Sea. Colonel Wells describes this prov¬
ince as a “lovely country, full of beautiful flowers, and amongst
others I found a yellow Iris, growing beside the streams at an
elevation of about seven thousand feet above sea-level.”

In a time when all the breeders of tall bearded iris are striving
for tall yellows of the best types, it is hardly to be expected that
anyone would be keen about this plant that fails so far in their
floristic standards.

Iris setosa Pallas

This species and one other, Iris tripet ala, Dykes made into a
separate section of the Beardless irises, and gives a color plate of
this species which portrays a much more handsome form than
any I have chanced to see, with wider falls and a richer redder
purple color. Various efforts were made to get true Iris setosa,
all first resulting in various other beardless iris, but while latter
correspondence brought in the true species as did also some col¬
lections made in the Hokkaido, all of these forms have proved to
be much alike and essentially blue purple rather than red purple.

From the garden point of view, a fine clump of this species,
seen from a little distance would suggest Iris virginica, although
closer inspection shows the diminutive standards and various other
differences. Here it is usually much more floriferous. A little
later in the season when the inflated or rather thin-walled seed
pods have developed and later still when the loosened seeds begin
to shake about in the pods, no one could mistake it.

The tall growing type seems to be less often in cultivation than
a plant once distributed as Iris setosa Hookeri or Iris Hookeri
and later as Iris tricuspis. This is a dwarf form that is rather
showy with much lighter more lavender blue colored flowers that
make a rather nice plant for the front of the border. It has ap¬
parently nothing to do with Iris tripetala, which is a very distinct
and different sort of plant.

[98]

Lilian A. Guernsey

Iris setosa

[99]

Iris ensata Thunb. (See page 2)

It is very difficult to know just what to say about this Asiatic
iris that will suggest the proper middle ground of attention. Cer¬
tainly it does not merit a description that would commend it as
one of the beauties of the genus and on the other hand, it must
not be cast out with too faint praise.

As a beardless iris of great hardiness to cold, heat and drought,
it has long been known and variously introduced. It is easily
raised from seed and the seedlings themselves offer no particular
difficulty in transplanting in the garden. It has been my expe¬
rience, however, that it does not always behave as well when
older plants are moved and even less well when they are shipped
from nurseries at any distance.

The plant makes a constantly increasing, tussock-like mass of
very narrow, grey-green, tough foliage, that persists well into the
fall, but is not evergreen in this climate. The leaf fans start
into growth promptly in the spring, but show a great variation
in their rate of growth. The flower stalks push up through the
leaves and appear hidden or free, depending more or less on the
rate of growth of the leaves. Obviously those that grow slowly
allow the greatest display of the flowers which though slight are
beautifully made and quite charming when cut. In the many
seedlings raised here from various sources the prevailing colors
have been from a creamy white ground, showing chiefly on the
falls, to delicate lavenders on bluish side rather than lilac side of
that color. In no case have we been so lucky as to get seedlings
showing on the falls the variation “to dark blue, or red purple”
mentioned by Dykes (The Genus Iris, p. 87) but one quails be¬
fore the task of raising more seedlings of this sort, which take up
valuable space for some years before flowering, in the hope that
such a color may be found.

Dykes (ibid.) mentions that this is used as a fodder plant in
Kashmir and in an old Chinese encyclopedia there is an interest¬
ing article describing the plant mostly from the point of view of
the herbalist who once found virtues in most plants, but mention¬
ing that it was used to make brushes, by cleaning the masses of
roots. It is hoped that in time at least an abstract of this article
may be given in the Bulletin.

Washington, D. C.

[ 100 ]

THE AMERICAN
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY

Made an important departure in its program this season by

publishing

THE AMERICAN DAFFODIL YEAR BOOK

a 92 page volume, well illustrated, with articles on classification,
garden club shows, varietal notes, bibliography, etc. Among the
contributors are Mrs. Francis King, Richardson Wright, Mary J.
Averett, David Griffiths, Jan de GraafF, Florence Edna Foote, John
C. Wister. The price is 50 cents. Remittance should be sent to
C. C. Thomas, 821 Washington Loan & Trust Building, Wash¬
ington, D. C.

THE AMERICAN IRIS SOCIETY

LTHOUGH all readers of the Bulletin are supposed to know
that the annual dues of the Society are three dollars payable
by the calendar year, it has been called to our attention that there
is a chance that someone who is not a member may read your copy
and wonder how he too may become a subscriber. If you happen
to be such a reader, let us assure you that the Society welcomes to
membership all persons who are interested in iris who feel that
special knowledge of iris would be welcome in their gardening.

Make your check or money order payable to the American Iris
Society and send to Mr. B. Y. Morrison, Secretary, 821 Washington
Loan & Trust Bldg., Washington, D. C. Please follow this in¬
struction. It will help us all in the record keeping.

BULLETIN

OF THE

American Iris Society

JULY, 1935
NO. 58

CONTENTS

Foreword, B. ¥. Morrison . 1

Over-the-Garden-Wall, Wm. J. McKee . 2

Failure and Its Lessons, B. E. S. Spender . 6

Bulbous Irises, Euclid Snow . 11

Notes on the Origin of the Sarah P. Duke Gardens at Duke University,

F. M. Kanes . * . 14

The Duke University Iris Gardens, John C. Wister . 17

Iris Notes of 1935, Mrs. Thomas Nesmith . 21

Varietal Notes, 1935, J. P. Fishburn . 31

Species Notes:

Iris laevigata . 36

Iris dejavayi . 36

Iris pabularia (The Fodder Iris) . 39

Iris xiphioides . 42

Iris ensata . 48

Iris pseudacorus . 48

Chisms* Original Note ( Translated by Miss Mildred Dean ) . 51

Tid-Bits 38th . . . 52

Published Quarterly by

THE AMERICAN IRIS SOCIETY, 1918 HARFORD AVE., BALTIMORE, MD.

Entered as second-class matter January, 1934, at the Post Office at Baltimore, Md.,

under the Act of March 3, 1879.

|3.00 the Year— 50 Cents per Copy for Members

OFFICERS, 1934

Directors:

Term expiring 1935:
Term expiring 1936:
Term expiring 1937 :

Sherman R. Duffy
Mrs. J. Edgar Hires

Dr. H. H. Everett
Dr. J. H. Kirkland

W. J. McKee
Robert Schreiner

B. Y. Morrison
John C. Wister

J. B. Wallace, Jr.
Richardson Wright

Euclid Snow
Robert Sturtevant

President — Dr. H. H. Everett, 1104 Sharp Bldg., Lincoln, Nebr.

Vice-President — Mr. W. J. McKee, 48 Kenwood Ave., Worcester, Mass.

Secretary — Mr. B. Y. Morrison, 821 Washington Loan and Trust Bldg.,
Washington, D. C.

Treasurer — Richardson Wright, House & Garden, Graybar Bldg., New York
City.

Regional Vice-Presidents —

1. Mrs. Herman E. Lewis, 180 Grove St., Haverhill, Mass.

2. Col. J. C. Nicholls, 114 Overton Rd., Ithaca, N. Y.

3. M. E. Douglas, Rugby Place, Woodbury, N. J.

4. J. Marion Shull, 207 Raymond St., Chevy Chase, Md.

5. Mrs. James R. Bachman, 2646 Alston Drive, Atlanta, Ga.

6. Dr. A. C. Kinsey, Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind.

7. 0. P. Connell, 2001 Grand Ave., Nashville, Tenn.

8. Robert Schreiner, R. 1, Riverview Station, St. Paul, Minn.

9. Euclid Snow, R. E. D. 2, Hinsdale, Ill.

10. Mrs. Gross R. Scruggs, 3715 Turtle Creek Blvd., Dallas, Texas.

11. Stanley Clarke, School of Forestry, Univ. of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho.

12. Dr. P. A. Loomis, Colorado Springs, Colo.

13. Carl Starker, Jennings Lodge, Ore.

14. Prof. E. O. Essig, University of California, Berkeley, Calif.

15. William Miles, Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada.

Chairmen of Committees :

Scientific — Dr. A. E. Waller, 233 So. 17th St., Columbus, Ohio.

Election — Dr. C. Stuart Gager, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Membership and Publicity — Dr. H. H. Everett, 1102 Sharp Bldg.,
Lincoln, Neb.

Registration — C. E. F. Gersdorff, 1825 No. Capitol St., Washington, D. O.

Test Garden 8c Display Garden — Robt. Schreiner, Rt. 1, Riverview Sta.,
St. Paul, Minn.

Exhibition — Mrs. W. L. Karcher, 1011 W. Stephenson St., Freeport, Ill.

Bibliography — Mrs. W. H. Peckham, The Lodge, Skylands Farm, Ster-
lington, N. Y.

Awards — W. J. McKee.

Editorial Board — B. Y. Morrison, Chairman.

S. R. Duffy Mrs. Lena M. Lothrop

Mrs. J. E. Hires Mrs. C. S. McKinney

Eleanor P. Jones R. S. Sturtevant

LANTERN SLIDES — Rental Fee (to members) #10.00. Apply to Mrs.
K. H. Leigh, Mo. Botanical Garden, St. Louis, Mo.

' .. \ D y

■ N Y£RK
BOTANICAL
GARDEN

THE AMERICAN IRIS SOCIETY

FOREWORD

* The active gardener comes to the end of any flowering season
with rather mixed emotions, pleasurable as they relate to the
season just passed, and as to the season to come, and perhaps a
bit dubious as they relate to the labors before him that are the
inevitable prelude to the season in anticipation.

This time of year might be looked upon almost as a New Year
season for the iris grower and, as such, a period for resolutions.
Perhaps as a member of the American Iris Society you will make
a few that will relate to the work you may do that will contribute
toward the Bulletin next year? Can you stretch your budget
to buy some bulbous iris, so that you can report their behavior,
not only for 1936, but for the years that follow? Will you add
to your collection of Siberian iris for similar report? Will you
choose twelve roots of some one common variety, say Pallida
Dalmatica, divide them into two lots, and plant one in strongly
limed soil and one in acid soil for future report? Will you do
the same thing, planting one lot deeply, and the other “like a
duck sitting on the water ?” Will you hunt for Iris arenaria
and report on its behavior in your garden? Will you report on
such fall-blooming iris as you may have or may buy this season?
Your report may seem unimportant to yon, but if it becomes one
of two hundred or more, it is valuable.

I 1]

B. Y. Morrison, Secretary.

OVER-THE-GARDEN-WALL

Wm. J. MeKee

* The Annual Meeting of the American Iris Society will be
held at West Hartford, Connecticut, during the iris season in
1936. Plans are under way to make the 1936 Annual Meeting
and the Over-tlie-Gar den- Wall Show most interesting.

Over-the-Gar den- Wall garden of the Kelloggs (Mrs. Kellogg
and her son Willard) is located in West Hartford. The garden
covers several acres and Tall Bearded Iris occupy the major por¬
tion of the garden. There are also fine collections of Early
Dwarfs, Intermediates, Siberian and Japanese Irises, also collec¬
tions of Peonies, Poppies, Hemerocalis and Kock Plants. Members
who have not visited the Kellogg garden and who are planning
to do so in 1936, may be interested in the following brief descrip¬
tion of this garden, written by Miss Eleanor Jones, a member
of the American Iris Society from Haverhill, Massachusetts.

“It is but a step through the hospitably low garden wall (an
old-fashioned New England stone wall), into the delightful gar¬
den itself. And the glimpses through openings in the hedges to
other gardens beyond give credence to the sentence on the sign, —
‘There’s more than meets the eye.’ Around about the whole
place is the dignity that only fine old trees can give.

The first garden, if one may separate them into such, is more
or less informal. We who only visit it in Iris time, wish we
could have seen in bloom the fine lilac hedge that forms the wall
between it and the next more formal garden. From the street
and over the low wall the center of the stage is held by a pool of
good size and natural lines, displaying admirably the lovely
Siberian Iris, the yellow pseudacorus and a paler yellow of the
same, not to mention many of the other interesting species. The
Japanese Iris not yet in bloom can easily be visualized here in its
perfect setting.

Backed by the low wall and next to the street as one enters
between yews is a rather narrow bed planted with choice ever¬
greens and rock plants, a place to be studied at one’s leisure.
With the lilac hedge as a background are large beds of iris planted

[2]

with hemerocallis, Oriental poppies, bleeding* heart and colum¬
bine, all fine companion plants for the iris.

Passing into the next more formal garden through the lilac
hedge, the opening is flanked by crabs and arborvitee. Here the
eye is caught immediately and held by an unusual Rugosa Rose,
Agnes. Agnes outlines the entrance into the Iris gardens beyond
and makes a flaming portal indeed. A valuable rose to use with
tall bearded and Siberian iris, particularly the blues and yellows,
and stepping back of the hedge to ground a bit lower, a charming
color scheme was glimpsed through the blues of the Siberians to
the pinks of some tall bearded iris beyond, with the yellow of the
lovely rose above it on the right and a big splash of yellow Iris
to one side. All these are fine suggestions for plantings in our
borders. Mrs. Kellogg uses Hugonis to bloom with her inter¬
mediate iris and some of the other species which also must have
gone by.

This second garden has as its center an amusing little round
bed of succulents and the four dirt paths that divide the garden
round out to make room for the little circle. Masses of fine
Siberian iris in all shades of blue, from a cloudy gray blue
through the deeper shades to the purple of Emperor rise a little
above the bearded Iris and give a sense of lightness to the whole
planting. The buds of the oriental poppies, as decorative as
their great blooms, make a lovely contrast to the varied colors
of the iris. Rounding the iris border as one passes under the
yellow rose is a nice edging of Hemerocallis Middendorrfii. These
fine day-lilies make one want to stop and sing their praises. Gone
are the days when their blooming was past in the early summer.
Now with selection we may have their charming flowers from
June to September. In this second garden with the predominat¬
ing drifts of Siberian iris are clumps of the Tall Bearded which
would certainly astound a visitor who has not followed the trend
of modern iris.

And as we leave this formal iris garden and step into the
third and largest portion of the garden where the real business
of the day begins, we find in long narrow beds on either side of a
wide path, one of the most complete collections of the newer iris
waiting to be compared with those awarded the palms in previous
years. Before turning to these fine specimens however, we note
beyond and below them beds of rock plants, both common and

[3]

rare varieties, and stretching away still farther to the green of
woods in the distance are masses of Iris as varied in hue and as
full of beauty as the true meaning of the word ‘ iris’ implies.”

The above description of the Kellogg garden was made during
the 1935 iris blooming season. In passing through the well ar¬
ranged beds of the newer iris, I was impressed with the growth
and vigor of the California originations which almost without ex¬
ception, appear to do splendidly in the light sandy loam soil of
the Kellogg garden. Here are Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sierra
Blue, California Gold, Sunol, Alta California, China Lantern,
Pale Moonlight, Easter Morn, Blue and Gold, Pacific and others,
all producing fine bloom specimens. Lady Paramount, one of
the California originations made a grand showing in our cold
New England climate. It is a very outstanding iris, large pure
yellow, good form and substance, well placed on 45-inch well
branched stalks.

Shining Waters, another California origination, was very
attractive. A large light blue that is exceptionally clear and
strong in color. From a color standpoint this iris should cer¬
tainly make a bid for the highest honors in the light blue class.

Copper Piece, a new Kellogg seedling, was one of the interest¬
ing new things in the garden, an Iris in the copper shades that
has a bright copper tone with a golden center. The name “ Cop¬
per Penny” was considered for this Iris and would have been a
very appropriate one.

Near the entrance of the garden there is a mass planting of
the iris Ked Radiance. This fine red has splendid carrying
qualities and the large mass planting was one of the high lights
of the garden. Another very attractive planting was the Siberian
iris Gatineau, a blue Siberian iris that is very outstanding, 50-
inch stalks with flowers that measure 4 inches across, the largest
and most attractive Siberian in a fine collection of that species.
Still another mass planting that was impressive, was the Iris
Ashtoreth, a fine clear, lustrous yellow good form and substance,
a profuse bloomer and in a group planting has exceptional carry¬
ing qualities and great garden value. The performance of Mis¬
souri attracted a great deal of attention. This is one of Mr.
Grinter’s fine blues which has size, extra fine substance, good
color and a fine stalk, which when all combined in an iris make
it a most outstanding one in the medium blue class.

[4]

Tliere were many other new things which my notes reported
exceptionally fine. Blithesome, Connell ’s tall white with a golden
tone. Golden Helmet, a Sass introduction of the King Tut type,
but larger and richer quality. Nordic, Kirkland’s large striking
variegata with golden tan standards and violet red falls. Golden
Light, a Sass introduction of a gold cinnamon combination.
Eros, Mr. Mead’s fine new pink blend. Blue Triumph, one of
Mr. Grinter’s fine blues. Eleanor Blue, a Salbach introduction
which is a new tone of blues. Rubio, a large Mitchell, rose
maroon combination. Eclat, a Gage orange yellow which is very
effective. Yosemite Falls, an Essig- introduction with remarkably
long falls in the hyacinth-violet tones. Shirvan, a Loomis rich
red brown with velvety falls. Robert, an Ayres’ amber blue
blend. In the pink tones for massing effect. Miss Sturtevant’s
Airy Dream was most effective.

[5]

FAILURE AND ITS LESSONS
R. E. S. Spender

“In man there’s failure only since lie left the lower and inconscious form

of life. ' — Browning.

■ There are few persons, I imagine, more acutely conscious of
that profound, if evident, piece of truth than the iris breeder.

What a list of failures lie has to reckon up, when having taken
that first, fatal peep through the ivory gate of his dreams he sets
out to create out of what is that which lie desired to be ! How
scant the progress — how tantalizing the setback ! How innumer¬
able the blind alleys that end in nothing! It is as though when
man sets out to improve on the likeness of life nature lent the
whole weight of her imponderable vis inertiae against the door of
his dreams, and bade him learn that this was her business and not
his. “ Natura,” says Bacon in that memorable conclusion, “non
facit saltum .”

That, of course, is the great discovery — or one of them — which
Darwin made some two and a half centuries later. And, like all
great discoveries it has, of course, been disputed, not without some
basis of fact. The experiments made by De Vries, though carried
out in a remarkably narrow field, went to show that nature could
leap when she tried, and that perhaps she tried fairly often, when
no one was looking. Her leaping, in short, was a thing of which,
it would seem, she was perhaps a little ashamed as inconsistent
with her natural dignity. It is not, of course, for us to say
whether she was right or wrong. But, I think we may say that
most of her leaps, if not in the wrong direction, appear to us at
least as a little ungainly; and one can well understand when she
has usually been at such pains to cover up the traces of her land¬
ing. “Natura,” one might conclude, “non facit helium saUum.”
And, if and when she does, how rarely she repeats it !

It has been freely asserted that Dominion was such a leap — I
do not know on what grounds. Some day, no doubt, cytologists
will be able to say just why and how Dominion happened. But,
the average breeder seldom strikes such a vein of unexpected for¬
tune. He may breed and breed from far better plants than Do¬
minion, and still find nature leaning up against the ivory gate of
his dreams. If his seedlings come true to form, they will be want-

[6]

ing in color ; if they present him with color, they will be lacking
in height; if they have height, they will be deficient in substance,
or poise, or something essential. Oh ! the little more, and how
much it is ! But, it is not the little more of which I propose to
speak, but the little less. And, of all the prevaricating things in
life, there are few to beat that of putting two good parents to¬
gether, and producing offspring worthy of neither.

Bismarck was wont to say that a fool might learn in time from
his own mistakes, but only a wise man would learn from those of
others. And, since raisers, whether from modesty or pride, have
written little on the subject of their failures, it may not be amiss,
seeing how many sensible members there must be in our Society,
to discuss matters from that point of view. Of my early attempts
with Alcazar, Lady Foster and Ambassadeur — before, that is Do¬
minion became a practicable proposition — I propose to say nothing,
except that Ambassadeur x Gaudichau gave me a very robust, tail
plant with small flowers, which, crossed again with Duke of Bed¬
ford, gave me a fine, large velvety blue which only wanted another
foot to be a good thing. I always wonder where and why those
essential twelve inches got lost. Those early days and their results
being duly related to the scrap-heap, I set out on a different
errand : a good pink or a presentable red. And, like everyone else
with the same objective, I began with Aphrodite. From Aphrodite
I must have raised nearly 100 seedlings, using Dream, Cardinal
and Menetriers as pollen parents. Not one gave me the pink I
wanted, though one by the first cross, being decidedly better than
Dog Rose, has been retained. Not to be daunted, I imagined that
Morning Splendor might make something more of the tiresome
goddess — there seemed, at any rate, to be something classical
about, their marriage rite. But I must, I suppose, have upset the
authorities in Olympus. Not only did no pinks result from what
seemed a reasonably promising attempt, but not a seedling even
with the slightest tinge of it. The whole lot were lavender or
“bluer” and no better, but in the main no worse than all the rest
before them. Still undaunted, I hoped better things of Tmperator
in conjunction with my Aphrodite child, but both of the seedlings
from that cross were inferior to their mother, and no further good
seeming to come from mixing pink and red, it seemed high time
to try some other combination. By this time Romance had become
a household word and I had at the same time accjuired that object

[7]

of rapturous introduction, Pluie d’Or, which, whatever else it may
or may not be, is decidedly some improvement on Amber. So, to
Pluie d’Or I turned in the entirely logical hope that whatever
Amber could accomplish, Pluie d’Or should at least be able to go
one better. Two of my Aphrodite seedlings were once again mated,
and to make sure I made the cross both ways. Never was time
and patience worse employed. Pluie d’Or as pollen parent gave
me nothing but yellows — the one color that I did not seek ; as
seed parent it gave me nothing but pinks, and save for one that is
temporarily retained, very bad pinks at that. Imperator x Pluie
d’Or likewise gave me just what I deserved — not one was worth
even a recommendation.

Finally there came the flickering hope of Fulgore, and once
again my large pink seedling was mated, in the hope of some¬
thing rosier and more rare. The results were a little astonishing
in the way of color, three of the seedlings being a delicious old
rose with faint creamy-yellow suffusion that is certainly highly
attractive. But, the size of the bloom has been reduced by nearly
half, and I am wondering how I can ever hope to get it back
again. That, I fear, is the fatal drawback about this lively little
Frenchman. I have used Fulgore time and time again, with Mel¬
chior, Talisman and several more ; and whatever interesting things
one may get in color, it invariably results in a race of dwarfs,
or at any rate, of intermediates. And no judge in this country is
going to give intermediates a second glance if they are put up for
exhibition alongside the popular giants. The glamor of size when
it comes to the new seedling class, none of us is immune, I fear !

But, of all the French introductions Pluie d’Or was perhaps
the most exasperating performer. Whatever I combined it with, it
seemed to reproduce itself, or still worse its progenitor, Shekinah.

Gr. S. Baker, which is also derived from Shekinah, has the
same Judaic pride of race — both germinate freely as one might
expect, but one might as well hope to improve or modify either as
the leopard to change his spots, or W. R. Dykes his.

It is true that with Talisman, it has given me some deep yellows,
and with King Karl some whites, but the Shekinah taint is too
strong to make much progress there. Probably Col. Nicholls is
right in allotting Pluie d’Or a very small chromosome content
(2 n = 24), which would account for the comparative lack of
size in its descendants. The right sort of pinks as Professor

Mitchell suggests may still come through breeding reds on yel¬
lows, but I do not think they will ever come out of G. S. Baker or
Pluie d’Or. Helios, which is a seedling from Claude Monet, is not
likely to be much more useful in that respect, but in view of the
good things which have come from it, it might be worth trying out.
But a breeder must be prepared to get a very large percentage
of yellows in breeding from a yellow flower, and there is very
little room for further novelties in that field after what has been
accomplished by American and English raisers in the last few
years.

The so-called “red” class has always seemed to me to have much
greater openings, for it cannot be said that so far any of the
novelties in this section have really got beyond the “red-purple”
stage, or rather those which have tend far more to brown than
crimson. I have followed a good many false trails in that direc¬
tion already. A long ago cross (Ambassadeur x Edouard Michel)
was used to pollinate Morning Splendor, and a great many varia¬
tions were tried on the same seed parent, with very similar re¬
sults. A strain of immense blooms was obtained, but on the whole
I have seldom had a gloomier collection of seedlings — none was
red, and few were even as red as their American mother. Morning
Splendor x Depute Nomblot gave me a slightly rosier edition of
the pollen parent, but mostly a pretty poor lot of dullards, and
I came to the conclusion that Morning Splendor was pretty hope¬
less from a breeder’s point of view, and scrapped it without pro¬
found regrets. Bruno x Imperator was an even worse investment,
and both promptly followed suit. My seedlings all had Bruno’s
incorrigible failing of looking quite good as they opened, and then
fading off very much like a Kaffir who finds the sea too much
for his complexion.

I have always felt that Cardinal, despite its small stature, was
a better variety than Bruno, and I have little doubt that it is a
better parent. I have little doubt, moreover, that the crimsons of
the future will contain at least a modicum of Cardinal blood.
Most of the so-called reds have derived from Cardinal, and I have
raised quite a number myself, which with a little more height
would be quite up to the general standard. But, unquestionably,
its seedlings are apt to come dwarf unless crossed with a taller
variety, and there is a similar tendency for them to become more
dusky unless a brighter co-parent is used. Melchior apparently

[91

lias not the former tendency, and although it has the latter, it
should, I think, be a useful parent if intelligently used. From it
1 have already obtained a number of jn-esentable seedlings tending
in the right direction, and 1 do not know of any variety that main¬
tains a higher level of uniformity in its offspring. That, I think,
is usually true of more descendants of that fine old matron Sou¬
venir de Mine. Gaudichau. But it is not always the case, nor even
nearly always. Minister Fernand David, which has Gaudichau
blood in it on both sides, has so far proved with me one of the
most unsuccessful parents I have ever tried. Practically all the
results have been great, coarse flowers, lacking in distinction and
dull in color, and not one has been retained despite their manifest
vigor. Evolution and Anne Marie Cayeux are better parents in
every way, but both seem strangely indisposed to pass on their
subtle color schemes to their progeny. The latter, I think, a happy
accident, which is unlikely to occur again, but it is a good seeder,
giving large blooms, and, happily crossed, might give some good
reds and purples.

Evolution is not as has been often stated related in anyway to
the former, but has considerable Variegata blood on both sides,
and is curious in view of this how little it reappears in its de¬
scendants. T have used it in a great range of crosses, and have
obtained lavenders, crimsoms, bronzy-blues and other shades, but
nothing in the least like its parents. Messrs. Cayeux have used it
freely, as is known, in conjunction with white and other crosses,
President Pilkington being one of the best results, and I should
agree with them that it is probably a valuable breeder, but needs
to be combined with varieties that possess both branching and
height.

Depute Nomblot, so far as I have discovered, has never been
known to set seed in this country, but I have obtained one or two
very similar seedlings from its pollen, which have proved fertile
seed-parents, and it will be interesting to see whether it will be
possible to obtain the good points of the grand-sire without the
undesirable features of the great-grand-sire, Bruno. So far only
one cross from these, a haphazard one with Sir Michael (which is
not a parent I should use ordinarily) has flowered, and the re¬
sults of that were not very thrilling, nor were they expected to
be.

Mr. Pilkington has got some remarkable yellows from the

[10]

Depute — remarkable for size ; that is, if not for substance, and
from the seedlings may well arise a new line of giants in shades
of color not yet obtained elsewhere. But, personally, I am rather
opposed to any further increase in the size of our blooms. Neither
greater height nor greater size is really desirable — at least in
English gardens — in my opinion. What we need is substance and
richer coloring with possibly some reasonably divergence in form,
so long as there is balance and proportion in the flower. In the
clamor for size, breeders are less apt to overlook the importance
of the last.

BULBOUS IRISES

By Euclid Snow

■ Hardy but short-lived and thoroughly well worth growing
are the Dutch and Spanish irises.

Just what element is lacking and needed to make them per¬
manent, I do not know, nor have I been able to find any infor¬
mation or opinion on this score. Perhaps some of our horticul¬
tural and scientific experts one of these days will tell us what is
needed and we can supply it. It may be something missing in
the food requirements of these bulbs that is not present in our
soil. Perhaps it is some disease that causes them to fade out,
but concerning their hardiness for at least one season and
usually two or three there can be no question.

As they are cheap, they are thoroughly well worth growing
even when we know that they must be replaced and that the
first one or two seasons are all that we can depend upon with¬
out a new supply of bulbs. It has seemed to me that the fact
that the Dutch irises are hardy for garden purposes is not as
well known as it should be.

An idea which I have encountered seems to prevail that they
are tender due to the parentage to which they owe their height
and size which I have somewhere read came from Iris tingitana
and its kin which come from warmer climes than the other par¬
ent, the Spanish irises. The color range is the same as in the
Spanish, and, it has seemed to me a little more delicate and re¬
fined with more unusual combinations and gradations of color.

[11]

I have grown these irises here in my garden in Hinsdale, Ill.,
a suburb of Chicago, for several seasons and have been success¬
ful with them, treating them just as I do tulips, planting four
inches deep from the top of the bulb and five inches apart, put¬
ting a little sand under the bulb and digging in bonemeal be¬
neath the bulb, the only fertilizer I have used. I give them a
deep mulch of straw as soon as the ground starts freezing.

These irises are by far the most durable in substance of any
of the genus that I have encountered and are exceptionally fine
material for cutting. In fact, the Dutch irises are now a florist
staple for cut flowers and, I have an idea, the fact that they
are seen principally in florists’ windows has given rise to the
idea that they are tender. It ought to be taken into considera¬
tion that snapdragons, now a florist staple, are one of the har¬
diest of garden annuals.

Closest to them in respect to durability and cutting value and
similarity in form are the spuria irises which are not nearly
enough grown.

In blooming season the Dutch, Spanish, and English irises
follow the tall bearded and, with the spurias, carry the iris sea¬
son into the Japanese division which comes the last of June and
July in this section.

It was with much interest that I saw a faded photograph of
a garden of some thirty years ago where a large group of Span¬
ish iris formed a foreground to foxgloves and Canterbury bells.
The owner of this garden said he treated the Spanish irises as
biennials, and it was a biennial planting.

In those days before federal quarantine I was told that Span¬
ish irises retailed at a dollar a hundred, mixed colors, and for
very little more in named varieties. They are cheap now but far
from that old time price.

After the great flood of bloom of the tall bearded irises, the
dainty beauty of these bulbous irises is a welcome surcease.
Owing to their thin and scanty foliage they need the support
and background of the foliage of other plants for garden effect.

I grow only one variety of the Spanish irises, Cajanus, small
but of a beautiful, rich deep yellow.

Both the Spanish and Dutch make a fall growth of foliage. It
will not appear with late planting the first year but the follow¬
ing season it will start in September and should give no alarm

[12]

as it is persistent all winter and a slight mulch will preserve it.
In the case of the Spanish, friends who have known them for
years tell me they never even gave a mulch. I believe it safer
with the Dutch.

We grow the following Dutch varieties and enjoy and admire
them and shall try other varieties as we find them available:

Poggenbeck — Clear dark blue.

E. B. Garnier — Another good blue.

Zulderveld — Bluish violet.

Leonardo da Vinci — White and yellow.

D. Haring — Very dainty two-toned white gray and clear white.

Theo Wicke — Light blue and white.

Hart Nibrig — Brilliant deep blue with large falls.

Therese Schwartz — Delicate blue white standards and creamy
white falls, greatly enhanced by the orange blotch which appears
on all irises of this type. This blotch is longer, as a rule, than
in the Spanish type.

English irises, as is well known, have no English ancestry but
came out of Spain and were brought to garden knowledge by
English importers. I have had no success with them although
friends who grew them years ago say they are no more difficult
than the Spanish and that they grew them side by side, the
English blooming a little later than the Spanish.

I am told that they need entirely different soil conditions from
the Spanish and Dutch, these liking light, well drained warm
soils while the English like a much heavier and moisture reten¬
tive medium. I learn that they have been grown successfully in
the heavy soil of some of our Chicago gardens with fine results
in j^ears past. There were in those older days as many named
varieties as there were of Spanish iris, but these seem to have
gone from the markets of today.

Our soil is peaty loam and there seems no good reason why
they should not thrive there, according to reports, but they don’t.

We are keeping on trying with them, using different depths
of soil, different types of soil ; both shady and open plantings
and hope to find something to suit them, but they just kiss us
goodbye and pass out.

I should unhesitatingly recommend these bulbous irises to all
admirers of this great flower and I believe that once you try
them in your garden you will regard them as indispensible
as I do.

[13]

NOTES ON THE ORIGIN OF THE SARAH P. DUKE
GARDENS AT DUKE UNIVERSITY

F. M. Hanes

James B. Duke and Louis the Fourteenth had at least one
trait in common: they both loved water; not drinking water, but
running- water, in the form of giant fountains, pools and lakes.
Louis built the magnificent fountains and lakes which are now
the glory of Versailles and James B. Duke adorned in a similar
fashion his several estates. Great men are very prone to such
foibles and eccentricities and, though often parsimonious in other
things, they spend lavishly upon their hobbies. History is full of
such examples. Frederic the Great was so frugal that his family
and court could scarcely get enough to eat and yet he could not
resist employing in his guards any man who was more than six
feet tall. The unloved King of the Belgians, Leopold the Second,
was so grasping and miserly that he allowed his wife to live
apart from him in poverty, refused his three daughters money
when they direly needed it, but yet squandered his whole for¬
tune to become the ruler of an African jungle — the so-called
Congo Free State. The adventure of Henry M. Stanley’s journey
down the Congo to the sea planted a seed of romance in his tough
old soul that grew and dominated his whole life. Even the great-
minded Samuel Johnson hoarded orange peelings in his pockets,
and could not bear to see one peeling thrown away. Medical men
call such things “obsessions.7’

So it came to pass that when James B. Duke planned the
campus of Duke University he carefully selected sites for two
lakes which were to be fed by huge fountains. Now Durham is
not situated near any large stream, but some five miles away on
the Chapel Hill road is a stream called “Hope Creek.77 Mr.
Duke purchased this stream for miles and planned to dam its
scanty waters into a reservoir from which water could be pumped
the long distance to Duke University to feed the fountains. IIow
like Louis the Fourteenth this was ! These plans were made in the
fabulous days when everyone believed that the old economic order
had changed and that money did grow on trees. Perhaps some
of my readers remember those lovely times and maybe they have
trouble in believing that in so few years our country has passed
from dreams of unending prosperity to the sad realities of today.

[14]

At any rate, when the time came to carry out Mr. Duke’s
aqueous dreams, dollars had become dollars again, and since his
plans called for the expenditure of some three hundred thousand
of these scarce dollars, the authorities very wisely decided that
they could not spend money literally like water. The fountains
and lakes were abandoned.

However, the site for the first of his planned lakes had already
been denuded of the lovely pines which formerly covered the
site, leaving a very unsightly weedy valley as a public eyesore.
This seemed to me too bad, for any iris grower could see at a
glance that the sloping sides of the valley provided an ideal loca¬
tion for large beds of tall bearded iris, and that the wet meadow
through which ran a small stream was equally ideal for the
moisture-loving Japanese iris, and for the many swamp iris which
are native to parts of our country. One very declivitous part of
the sites invited the construction of a rock garden.

This scheme was broached to the authorities and, after some
propaganda work had been done, we were told that the site might
be used for a garden if we could find the money. In other words,
the University would provide the sea if we would provide the
ships. This was not much, but it was something; and besides, I
thought I knew where the money could be gotten. It is certainly
no reflection on anyone to say that I was entirely alone in this
opinion. Now let me confess that I am no great rooter for what
is called the human race. Take it all in all, I wouldn’t throw up
my hat if I had created it. We are, I am afraid, a selfish, self-
seeking lot, but down deep in the hearts of all but the most abnor¬
mal of humans is a more or less stunted and atrophied desire to
do something for their fellow human beings. In some this desire
is overgrown, like a tumor, and we call them philanthropists; in
others it is totally lacking, producing misanthropists and misers.
But between these extremes the desire to give is capable of stimu¬
lation, provided the object of help appeals to the prospective
helper. The upshot of these rather tiresome observations is that
at least part of the necessary money was given.

The next thing, and almost as important, was to get the proper
man to build the proposed gardens. Fortunately, I knew him well
and had had him go over the site with me long before. His name
is John C. Wister. He was most enthusiastic over the latent possi¬
bilities of the place and agreed with me that, with sufficient effort,
gardens could be built that would rival the finest in the South in
point of interest and beauty.

[15]

Work was begun in June of 1934. Immediately the difficulties
of the undertaking became painfully manifest. Much of the soil
in and around Durham is perhaps the poorest and generally
most dreadful of any place known to man — the Sahara Desert and
Death Valley not excepted. Scrape away an inch of topsoil and
one is horrified to find a repulsive, bluish yellow clay that is
almost impervious to water and which bakes in the summer sun
to exactly the consistency of the bricks used to line furnaces.

Most plants give it one look then shudder, curl up and die.

The soil of the garden site had to be rebuilt. It was ploughed
and harrowed and into it was worked leaf-mold, manure, cinders
and various fertilizers. Some seven thousand dollars was spent on
this preparation of the soil alone, and then only slightly more
than one half of the available site was prepared for planting.
A very wet summer made continuous work difficult and delaved
the fall planting.

Mr. Wister has laid out the site into more than 100 beds with¬
out altering the natural undulations of the land. The effect is
one of naturalness and simplicity. Some idea of the magnitude of
the task may be had from the estimate that eventually more than
200,000 plants, shrubs and trees will be growing in the garden.

About three and one-half acres of the garden site have not vet
been planted. It is planned to use this space for flowering shrubs
and trees. Cherries in great variety, flowering crabs and peaches,
as well as many flowering shrubs will be used. This section of the
garden should begin blooming in early March and continue until
the advent of the iris in April. The Japs will be at their best
in early June and the day lilies in great beds will prolong the
flowering period into the summer.

Of course, the first blooming season gave only a meagre idea of
what is ultimately hoped for. There will necessarily be changes
and experiments, since so little is known as to what plants will
thrive in the soil and climate of the garden. Every plant and
tree will be plainly marked, thus greatly increasing its educa¬
tional value. The garden is under the direct care of Mr. Norfleet
Webb of the Department of Botany of Duke University and it
will be used as a large outdoor laboratory by the Department of
Botany, under the direction of Dr. Hugo Leander Blomquist, Pro¬
fessor of Botany. It is confidently hoped that as the years go by
it will not only educate the three thousand students of Duke Uni¬
versity, and the thousands of visitors, to a keener appreciation of
beauty, but will contribute much solid scientific knowledge to the
botanical world.

[16]

THE DUKE UNIVERSITY IRIS GARDEN

John C. Wister

■ In the foregoing article Dr. Hanes has given some notes on
the origin of the Iris Garden now in process of construction at
Duke University, and I have been asked to supplement these notes
with some more detailed information about the garden itself.
I wish I could make my readers realize what a thrilling experi¬
ence it is to work on an iris garden of this kind and also how
many different problems such a garden presents.

As Dr. Hanes has stated we have an ideal site in the shape of
a natural bowl several hundred feet wide and altogether nearly
1,800 feet long. Of this length abont 1,000 feet are in the clearing
and the balance are in dense woods not suited for garden purposes
but admirably adapted for the planting of Dogwoods, Red Bud
Holly, Halesia and other flowering trees, as well as ferns and
wild flowers.

In the summer of 1934 a section of the open ground 600 feet
long was prepared. The natural contours of the slope down
towards the little stream were preserved as much as possible and
over 100 flower beds were arranged for, these being separated in
some cases by wide roads and in other cases by narrow paths.
The shapes of these beds were very irregular to fit in with the
constantly changing slopes, and formed beds holding from abont
50 irises to beds holding over 1,000. The general average is prob¬
ably several hundred plants to a bed, the plants being set about
18 inches apart to allow for future growth.

I had always supposed iris would grow in any soil but when I
first saw the soil at Duke I despaired of that fact. Of all the
places in which I have gardened it seemed the most hopeless. On
a dry day the ground was so hard that you could not drive a
hole in it without a pickaxe, and after one short rain you would
sink in well above the ankles at each step, and in trying to walk
would leave your shoes behind sticking in the mud.

To make the soil more porous we used cinders in large amount,
something over 600 truck loads, and similar large amounts of leaf-
mold and manure. When this was plowed and replowed into the
soil and later dug and redug, we began to get a friable soil
which we trust will make the plants grow. The experience of
the first year seems to prove that it will make them grow.

In general the area divides itself naturally into low wet bottom

[17]

land suitable for beardless iris and the well drained slopes suit¬
able for bearded types. In this bottom land we have planted about
10,000 Japanese iris, mostly the gift of Dr. Hanes from bis Win¬
ston garden, and about 9,000 other beardless types, that is versi¬
color, pseudacorus, various sibiricas, such as Emperor, Perrys
Blue, Snow Queen and some few spurias. We are trying also
just a few of the Louisiana types to make sure they will do well
before we get many more.

On the slopes there have been planted about 26,000 bearded
iris in approximately 300 varieties. The newer kinds are present
only in quantities of one or two plants, but the good old standbys
have been used for color effect in masses and are planted by the
hundred or thousand. The general color scheme as seen from the
main road above the garden will run on the left from blue and
purple into yellow, a little pink, and then a little more blue,
purple and white in the distance. On the right the colors will
begin with pinks going into the creamy yellows, then into some
bronzes and from there to white and purple.

For these color masses we have used in the main Princess Bea¬
trice, Queen Caterina, Souv. de Mine. Gaudiehau, Flavescens,
Shekinah, Primrose, Gold Imperial, Athene, True Charm, Ambas-
sadeur, Dream and Susan Bliss. With these larger quantities we
have been able through gifts of plants from friends to use slightly
newer things such as Pluie d’Or and Coronation in yellows,
Los Angeles, San Francisco and Shasta in whites, Louis Bel and
Katherine McFarland in deep purples.

In addition to these clear colors which make up most of the
color scheme, there are some large beds for blends. They are
planted on a slope away from the main entrance so that they
are not seen at the first glance, and so that the more neutral
colors do not detract from the brilliance of the whole. In this
same distant position also we have a collection of the newer kinds,
most of which have been given to us by Dr. Hanes and one or two
other interested friends, either of the garden or of the American
Iris Society.

The ground preparation began in June and planting started in
October and continued until Thanksgiving time when bad weather
prevented our working with small plants. The earlier planted
beds bloomed surprisingly well in the spring of 1935. The laier
planted ones quite naturally did not make much of a showing.

As Dr. Hanes has stated the original plans for the garden were

[18]

for irises only but it was soon realized by the sponsors that even
with the great variety of irises that this was not enough. I was
very glad that they realized this for it seemed to me that no
matter how much we liked irises to plant a garden of them alone
is not sufficient, and that they are more beautiful when used
with other things than when used by themselves only. Therefore
in addition to the irises I have already mentioned and some 5,000
bulbs of Spanish and Dutch varieties, we planted in the fall of
1934 about 25,000 daffodils in 10 varieties, and about 14,000
small bulbs including such things as Crocus, Scillas, Chionodoxa
and Grape Hyacinths. These bloomed well in the spring of 1935
and gave color late in February and all through March, the
height of the daffodils coming about March 25th. The height of
the tall bearded iris was reached about the 4th or 5th of May
and the Japanese iris about the 1st of June. We have in addi¬
tion about 500 Hemerocallis now planted, Mallows and other
similar plants.

The garden is naturally surrounded by pine woods and the
edges of these woods furnish an ideal place for many flowering
trees. We have already put in about 150 Japanese cherries in
10 varieties, and 100 flowering peaches, 25 flowering apples, 50
pink dogwoods, several hundred white dogwoods and quite a
number of such evergreens as Cryptomeria, pines and hemlocks.
These trees as they grow older should make the present natural
background even more beautiful.

The main construction of the garden will be completed in the
fall of 1935. At that time we expect to put in about 1,000 dwarf
bearded iris which were given to the garden by an American
Iris Society member, about 1,000 intermediates, the gift of an¬
other member, and many additional modern varieties of iris in¬
cluding such things as W. R. Dykes, which grows extremely well
in that climate.

The iris collection, however, will not be extended beyond the
600-foot mark in the garden and the next 500 or 600 feet will be
used for a shrub and tree collection, and for fine varieties of
flowering peaches and flowering cherries, both of which grow
very rapidly in that section of North Carolina. Under them we
shall plant more bulbs for early spring bloom and probably also
more Hemerocallis in the moist sections to prolong the flowers
into the summer. I hope also to have a space for such lilies as
may do well under our conditions.

[19]

Such a garden should give interesting bloom at Durham from
the first or middle of February until college closes in mid June,
and there should be scattered bloom during the summer months,
and then a great display of fruit on the flowering shrubs and on
the flowering crab apples, liawthornes, dogwoods and hollies.

It is believed that the garden will be visited by people from
great distances. Indeed on Sunday afternoons of its first year
automobiles came there in such quantities as to show us that the
parking spaces we had already planned were totally inadequate
and would have to be enlarged. Garden Clubs all over North
Carolina have expressed an interest in the project and have sent
their representatives to see the garden. All reports on it ap¬
parently have been very favorable. I have been rather sorry
that so many people should see it this first year when it is in a
crude unfinished state, but perhaps that will create an interest
and make them realize how big a job it was to bring this land
into its present condition.

The American Iris Societv has never been able to create much

«/

interest in Iris in the south and I very much hope that this gar¬
den will be the means of doing this, particularly for eastern
North and South Carolina and Virginia. The climate through
this Piedmont section is one that is very difficult for many
plants, but the iris flourish wonderfully. It needs only a demon¬
stration like this to start a great wave of iris enthusiasm among
those gardeners located betAveen Washington and Charleston,
and betAveen the Atlantic ocean and the mountains. I hope very
much that in time this garden may become an official test garden
for the American Iris Society, and that the American Iris So¬
ciety will cooperate Avitli the Botanical Department of Duke Uni¬
versity in iris growing. We need greater information than Ave
have today on the growing of iris and Ave can only get it by such
cooperative Avork.

In closing I should like to extend an invitation to all members
of the Society to visit this garden if they are nearby. Mr. Nor¬
fleet Webb will continue in charge and Avill be glad to Avelcome
visitors. Durham is only just off the main route No. 1 Avliicli
goes from NeAv York to Florida and can be reached bv Avay of
Raleigh on the east, through which the route passes, or by Avay
of Greensboro on the Avest through Avliich the Southern Raihvay
passes. It is an interesting country for any one avIio likes gar¬
dening for there are a feAv old private estates Avliere the trees

[20]

are magnificent and show what might be done if people had
either the interest or the resources to keep their trees from being
cut down. The mild winter climate enables us to grow many
plants which are not suitable for the North, and should make it
possible for us to grow a much larger number of iris species than
can be grown in any of the other American Iris Society gardens.

IRIS NOTES OF 1935

Mrs. Thomas Nesmith

H The past iris season has been an extremely interesting one with
a surprising number of worthwhile irises throughout the country.
It has been my good fortune to see many of them, and your Vice-
President has asked me to send in notes for the A. I. S. Bulletin
on those which most impress me.

Late in April we motored South, going through the Shenandoah
Valley at apple blossom time, on to the mountains aglow with red
bud, in beautiful contrast with the cool white of the dogwood,
thence on to Chattanooga, where we had our first view of some of
the newer irises. These were growing in the delightful garden of
Mr. and Mrs. Clint McDade and those with which I was especially
pleased are as follows :

Lucrezia Bori, a beautiful iris with domed standards of canary
yellow which are slightly ruffled and notched at the edge. The falls
are long and broad, of deeper tone than the standards, and with
an olive halo ; this is when the flower first opens, and soon pales
out to a more even tone of yellow. The beauty of the flowers is
greatly enhanced by a brilliant yellow beard. The flowers have a
great deal of substance and are borne on tall well branched stalks.
A long flower of most pleasing tone.

Eclador is another yellow of lighter tone, but as I saw it in the
McDade garden, and later in my own, I did not think it was as
good as several of the yellows of American introduction ; it lacks a
bit in substance and has too much venation.

Jean Cayeux is the best iris of distinct brown tone that I have
seen and is a great addition to any garden.

Golden Hind impressed me as a brilliant yellow of very deep
tone, set off by the intense orange-yellow beard, but the flowers
although well formed, are not large and the short bloom stalks
are most disappointing.

[21]

Autumn Frost, a good white of Moonlight parentage was in
bloom, and if it performs as well in fall flowering, it will be a
most outstanding Fall blooming variety.

Mr. McDade had a most interesting seedling of his own, called
Red Indian, a brilliant red of medium height and excellent form,
not a large flower, but very effective in a border planting.

The next day we went on to Nashville, where we arrived in
time for the opening events of the Annual Meeting of the Amer¬
ican Iris Society. This was the largest and most delightful session
of the Society that it has been my privilege to attend. We were
given true Southern hospitality, and to this was added the en¬
joyment of personal contacts with so many A. I. S. members who
were there from all parts of the country.

The irises in the garden of Dr. and Mrs. Kirkland were in full
flower, and gave a most amazing wealth of color, bronze, yellow
and copper tones predominating in many of the newer varieties.
Magnetawan, Ojibway and Orilia are in this color range and are
very brilliant, but the following are the ones which to me were
most impressive :

At Dawning, a beautiful arbutus pink, which I like more each
time I see it ; the flowers have exceptionally fine form and sub¬
stance, and are borne on sturdy well branched stalks. The stand¬
ards are lighter than the falls; the heavy orange beard and yel¬
low in the center of the flower add greatly to its charm.

Gazi is a most pleasing yellow with slender, but very wiry and
strong stems, on which are borne many well shaped flowers of
brilliant amber yellow. The standards are erect and the falls
gracefully flaring.

Copper Lustre, Junaluska and Summer Tan were blooming in
great profusion, and each is outstanding in its particular range of
color. They all please me as much or more than they had in
previous years.

Rising Sun, a handsome bi-color of splendid habit and form ;
the standards are mauve with coppery pink flush, the falls are
rich rose strongly overlaid with copper on the upper part of the
falls. A strong and sturdy iris, giving a great amount of bloom.

Setting Sun is evidently a late blooming variety, for it did not
flower until most of the A. I. S. members had departed. It is a
dark rich toned iris with standards of gold and rose, well blended ;
the falls are very velvety and of deep mahogany red shading lighter
toward the edge; orange bronze beard with the same color tone in

I 22 ]

the center of the flower. I should like to see it a bit taller and
undoubtedly it will be another year.

Most of the newer irises in the garden of Mr. and Mrs. Washing¬
ton are late flowering, and as a consequence, very few were bloom¬
ing at the time of the A. I. S. meeting, but two which attracted a
great deal of attention were a new yellow called Sundust, and a
white which has been named White Goddess. Mr. Euclid Snow
of Chicago was in the garden, and I asked him to describe them
for the Bulletin ; these are his descriptions :

“Mrs. Thomas Nesmith’s lovely white seedling showed to good
advantage in Mr. T. A. Washington’s garden in Nashvillle this past
Spring. This is a real white, the beard serving merely to light it up,
not giving out color to mar the whiteness. In texture and substance
this white bloom has not been surpassed, neither hot sun nor a
heavy downpour of rain seemed to affect it, a trying twenty-four-
hour change in climatic conditions left it unchanged, something to
be considered when placing an iris in a garden. The plant growth
is good, stalk nicely branched, blooms well placed, the height of the
bloom is good for garden planting as well as proportioned to stalk
and plant.

In the same garden a seedling grown by the owner attracted
the attention of all visitors. A good yellow with a bloom finely
formed and balanced to stem and plant, with excellent substance
and texture allowing it to endure all weather conditions. The
slight tendency to whiten in small streaks on the falls as the flower
aged in the sun did not detract in any way from the good garden
effect, which when all is considered, is the true test of an iris which
is a garden plant first of all. Many irises will serve as cut flowers,
but the real need is for irises for duty under all conditions. These
two seedlings ‘measure up.’ Let us hope they are to be named and
made available to all gardeners.”

In the seedlings of Mr. Washington we find a surprising number
of copper, apricot and rose toned irises, several of them being of a
distinct warm pink, a new break in color and quite different from
the colder orchid pinks to which we are accustomed. Mr. Washing¬
ton has followed a certain theory in the breeding of these pinks
and has arrived at some most satisfactory results. Hasse Oobea,
Lily Pons and Pink Butterfly are in this group and have been
widely praised in northern gardens where they bloomed this last
iris season.

Others that attracted a great deal of attention in the Washing¬
ton garden are described below.

[23]

Yellow Butterfly. The standards are yellow faintly flushed with
pink, the falls are pale yellow overlaid with rose-pink, with faint
flush of blue in center of the falls. Rich yellow beard, the center of
the flowers gives out a yellow glow.

Maya, a late blooming iris was the finest red that I saw this year.
A self with large well formed flowers of brilliant red with a lumi¬
nous orange and yellow center to the bloom enhanced by the orange
beard.

Cellophane, a huge flower of light lavender-blue. The standards
are domed and large, the falls extremely large and semi-flaring.
The flowers have the heaviest and most firm substance I have ever
seen in an iris, the flower stalk is strong and very tall with flowers
well placed upon it.

Soldano is a very dark maroon and mahogany blend with well
domed standards of mahogany and maroon, the falls are very vel¬
vety maroon with a mahogany undertone. Large flowers well
placed on tall widely branched stalks; yellow beard.

Mrs. Stahlman has an extremely lovely iris seedling called Mary
Stuart, a blend with maize yellow standards flushed with apricot ;
falls of the same tone of yellow overlaid with apricot flushed deeper
at the throat; deep yellow beard. More brilliant and much better
than Vishnu.

In the new beardless irises known as the Washington hybrids of
the southern states irises there were several new seedlings of
especial interest.

Chucalissa (Great House), a deep sky blue when the flower first
opens, paling out to real forget-me-not blue on the second day. The
most beautiful blue beardless that I know.

Amalata. Arbutus pink when the flower first unfolds, later
shades out to soft flesh pink, with styles and crests of same tone,
pale cream signal and white throat. An exquisite flower.

Holocliee (Cloud), a flat open flower of delicate French-gray
with pale olive styles and Frencli-gray crests; an entirely new color
tone in these irises.

Talladega, a beautiful soft pinky lavender with deeper line of
lavender in the center of each semi-flaring fall.

It is in these irises that we find the real blues, pinks, lavenders
pale yellows, and deep rose tones. They must be seen to be fully
appreciated for it is impossible to describe their beauty of form,
branching and color. They are thoroughly hardy in northern
gardens.

Mr. and Mrs. Williams of Nashville have a most attractive plant-

[24]

ing of irises in their garden, not only their own seedlings, but
many of the newer irises from all parts of the country. Among
those that I thought of especial charm are the following.

Brown Mahogany. A seedling of Mr. Williams, a dark and richly
colored iris with standards of deep smoky brown and mulberry.
The falls are mahogany and maroon. The distinct golden brown
beard adds greatly to the brownish tone of the flower: an entirely
new color.

Sunmist, an iris raised by Col. Nicholls. It is a soft pale yellow
of excellent form and good substance, with a profusion of bloom.
I understand that it grows taller than it did in Nashville and this
would add greatly to its beauty.

Kalinga, an iris bred by Dr. Kleinsorge, is one of great charm,
a soft creamy yellow of good form and substance. Large well
formed flowers on beautifully branched stalks. An iris that is diffi¬
cult to describe but one that leaves a lasting impression as being
very outstanding. I was much pleased with it.

Others that I saw in Nashville this season which are especially
worthy of mention are : Blithesome, a beautiful glistening yellow
with pale cream under tone ; Francesca, a rich Pompeian pink, tall
and well branched, an unusual color and most attractive; Jean
Lafitte, a rose-red iris, beautifully branched with large glowing
flowers; Will o’ the Wisp, the most perfect branching I have ever
seen in an iris, a yellow and cream bi-color with standards darker
than the falls, of good size and splendid substance; Ishpanee, the
gayest iris that I know, deep yellow with a decided spot of red on
each very horizontal fall ; Dominion Rex, a larger, taller, and much
improved Dominion; Aztec, a brilliant copper and red of tremen¬
dous garden value; Yucatan, a blending of maize, coppery rose,
and metallic blue, with a deep yellow beard ; Lumiere, a yellow and
white spuria with very flaring falls; Skyline, a misty gray blue
spuria which is the color of soft sky-blue.

From Nashville, I went on to Columbns to judge their Iris Show,
but unfortunately most of their better irises were not in bloom,
however they made up for it with their splendid staging of the
flowers they had, and their delightful hospitality.

Dr. Waller had a lovely iris in the seedling class of the show
which was recommended to the Directors to receive a Highly Com¬
mended award. This was done by accredited judges of the Amer¬
ican Iris Society. The standards are frosty pale blue and ruffled at
the edge with a strong greenish white midrib. The falls are icy

[25]

white and in the center of each fall is a mellow ivory zone which is
charming* and most unusual. The beard is rich orange yellow. This
description is of the flower when it first opens, and after exposure
to the sun, it pales out to an even white.

Another interesting seedling was growing in his garden. The
standards are purple, slightly lighter than the velvety falls. It
starts blooming with the Pumilas and sends out blooms about a
week apart, finally finishing with the later bearded irises. Not a
tall iris, but with stiff sturdy stems, flowers of medium size; a most
unusual variety.

My next iris visit was to the Franklin B. Mead Garden which
«/

was in full bloom, with many rare and beautiful irises in pleasing
color contrasts. The garden shows the painstaking care with which
Mr. Mead arranged his flowers for color harmony.

Eros was in bloom in all its beauty, and I was as much pleased
with it as I had been the previous year, a very lovely iris of warm
pink and an addition to any garden.

Mrs. Hamilton Rowan is a reddish purple iris with velvety falls
and reticulations which extend to the base of the beard, the stand¬
ards are very large and slightly more intense in color than the
falls; a large flower.

Sunol was filled with bloom and very effective in the garden ; yel¬
low standards and falls of yellow with bluish lavender overlay in
the center of each fall. A flower of smooth finish and quite heavy
substance.

Sylvia Lent has standards of maize yellow, slightly open ; the
falls are grayish white and semi-flaring. The deep yellow beard
gives a deepening note of color. An interesting flower and pleasing.

Minoan and Floristan, two of Mead-Riedel introduction, were in
full bloom and very brilliant in color, but I liked a similar seedling-
even better, No. 31-40. The domed standards are tobacco-brown
flushed rose, the falls are iridescent garnet-brown. The whole
flower is set off with a deep yellow beard. More brilliant than
Golden Helmet.

Helen M. Riedel, an orchid pink flower with domed ruffled stand¬
ards and falls slightly darker, almost a self. Well branched and has
good garden value.

Another seedling which was most brilliant and unusual was No.
31-50 Dauntless. The closely domed standards of lavender and
buff are slightly fluted and have a very heavy midrib; the falls are
flaring and of very heavy substance, a fuchsia coloring in the center

[26]

part of fall with a copper and tan border; the heart of the flower
is golden tan. I liked it immensely.

From Fort Wayne I went to Bluff ton to see Mrs. Williamson and
her two daughters and their irises. I was a bit early for their
height of season, but there were several new irises that appealed
to me.

Ganclio — brilliant deep yellow standards; falls rich mahogany-
red edged with yellow and a rich orange beard. A luminous varie-
gata with slightly overlapping standards.

Sandia, deep smoky pink standards with brighter pink falls,
orange yellow beard. A flower of heavy substance and of deeper

tone than Eros.

Varese, a deep wine-red self with well domed standards and very
velvety red falls, slight reticulations near the beard which is bril-
liant yellow. I was much impressed with its deep vivid coloring.

Sundipt, a yellow of deeper tone than Pluie d’Or and perhaps
a larger flower ; a profuse bloomer.

They have a very interesting yellow seedling of medium height
which seems to be the best yellow fall blooming variety. Also a
new “ Table Iris” of dark but gleaming red, it has Dominion form
of flower, but is well branched and blooms and stem are in perfect
proportion for this class of irises. I understand it is to be intro¬
duced.

Two very lovely and attractive seedlings which are to be named
another year are difficult to describe on account of their combina¬
tion of colors. One has standards of copper with falls of iridescent
blue and purple, edged with the same copper tone as standards,
brown throat and orange beard, styles lighter and with blue mid¬
rib. A very gleaming flower reminding one of the peacock colors.
The other has open ruffled standards and falls with olive-tan edge
and dee]) slate-blue center ; olive yellow throat, a yellow beard and
cream styles with blue midrib. The open standards really add to the
beauty of the flower.

Mr. Paul Cook of Bluffton has some excellent seedlings and I
hope has been persuaded to allow their introduction.

One is a strawberry-red self with well domed standards and flar¬
ing velvety falls, the rich gold beard seems to illumine the center
of the bloom. The whole flower has a rich coppery undertone that
is most distinctive. Another of his that especially impressed me
was a royal purple self with well closed standards and velvety
purple falls. The beard is blue-purple with faint brown-purple in

[27]

the throat giving it a depth of color that is extremely attractive.

He has an orchid pink bi-color of much better form and substance
than Dog Rose; the flowers are well placed and give a very pink
impression. I was much interested in a very velvety black-purple.
The standards are domed and closely held together; the falls
look like thick velvet and are of Louis Bel depth of color, but the
whole flower is much more brilliant and of perfect form.

A deep flaxen blue iris with very upright domed standards and
semi-flaring falls was most attractive ; an excellent blue and of
great garden value.

I reached home May 31st and found my own iris garden rapidly
coming into flower. There was a prodigious amount of bloom on all
the irises throughout the garden with extremely few losses of plants
or flower stalks from our cold winter. Among the irises which
attracted most attention and were especially admired by garden
visitors are the folloAving :

Happy Days was perfectly beautiful with its large well shaped
flowers of chrome yellow, tall and well branched, also clear in color,
showing none of the deckings of one parent, W. R. Dykes. I liked
it the best of all the California yellows.

Marquita is a delicately beautiful iris and most unusual in color
with its creamy standards and rose pink falls, the heavy venation
seems to add rather than detract from the flower. It was a first year
plant and the falls had a tendency to tuck under, but I have been
told that when well established it does not have this fault.

Ann Douglas is an iris raised by Mrs. Wm. Benners of Dallas,
Texas. It is one of the clearest blues of lighter tone that I know,
the flowers are not large, but of splendid form and finish and is
an excellent blue for garden planting.

Robert, originated by Dr. Ayres is a perfect iris in height, color,
form and finish. Maize and soft tawny yellow in color with a bluish
cast just below the beard which is deep golden yellow. I like it so
much better in every way than I do K. V. Ayres.

Blue Monarch bloomed beautifully as did Sierra Blue, Shining
Waters, and Pale Moonlight. If you could have only one of these,
it would be very difficult to choose. I like them all immensely.

In the white irises, Parthenon, Oriana and Gudrun seemed to be
the favorites of the newer ones ; Gudrun is the largest white I
know ; too bad that it is not just a hit taller.

Maya, Jean Lafitte, Junaluska and JEB Stuart were outstanding
reds in the garden; Summer Tan and Jean Caj^eux were the best

in brown tones, while Eros, Pink Butterfly, Hasse Oobea, and Pink
Lady are rich, warm, pink blends and all of the above won warm
praise from the accredited Judges of the A. I. S.

Blithesome and Desert Gold bloomed profusely and were the
best of the earlier yellows; Eclador, Ishpanee and Will o’ the Wisp
were among the later yellows that were especially noticed by
garden visitors.

Purple Eve and Cyrus the Great are dark, distinctive irises and
stand out in the garden. Castle Cary is a late blooming blue of clear
color and excellent carrying qualities.

Golden Flare is well named, for although not large, it is most
brilliant in the garden and does not fade as does the similar colored
Talisman. Golden Light belongs in this group and attracted many
visitors.

Cortez, a late blooming variety, was in flower when Professor and
Mrs. Mitchell were here, and I was much flattered to have them
select it as being one of the most outstanding in the garden. This
was done without their knowing that it was one of my introductions.

Nevada is an unusual iris with pale amber standards and fawn
colored falls, which gives the effect of a delicate yellow bi-color. I
liked it very much. Another seedling raised by Mrs. Tobie which
I saw in her garden near Portland, Maine, was a cross of W. R.
Dykes. W. R. Dykes, a pale creamy yellow with more substance
and better form than its parent ; very interesting from a breeders
standpoint.

In the garden of Mrs. Lewis, Lady Paramount and California
Gold were blooming, the two extremes in the range of yellows. Both
are beautiful irises, but to my mind not equal to Happy Days.
Arbutus, a large pinky lavender flower of good proportions, but as
I saw it on too short a stalk, as it was a first year plant. Without
doubt it will be much taller ; if so it will be a charming iris. I was
much impressed with Eleanor Blue in size, substance and color.
It is one of the best blues.

Rosy Wings, a pinky coppery rose of splendid substance and
form was just as lovely this year as when we saw it first last year
blooming in the garden of Mr. Gage.

Autumn Elf, an iris originated by Dr. Brown is the most as¬
tonishing blooming iris that I have ever known. When well es¬
tablished the plants bloom in May, again in July, August and,
September. With the exception of June it blooms throughout the
summer months. The standards are cream and well arched, the

[29]

falls are bluish lavender with olive-cream edge, very flaring and
ruffled. The flower stalks are filled with bloom of medium size ; a
dainty and most interesting iris.

Mary Lee Donahue an iris originated by Mr. Gage is a beautiful
yellow of Dykes parentage, but does not fleck, and has much more
substance than its ancestor. A rich chrome yellow of excellent
form and finish. Greatly admired by all those seeing it in bloom.
Mr. Gage has given us some very fine irises.

Among the new irises of 1935 which are of eastern origin and
seem very worthy of introduction are the following :

Red Comet, a seedling raised by our Vice-President, Mr. Mc¬
Kee, an extremely handsome deep coppery red with domed stand¬
ards and well rounded semi-flaring falls of lustrous deep velvet,
the brownish styles and throat are set off by the beautiful yellow
beard. A splendid iris.

Creamilda is a new seedling raised by Mr. Gage and blooming
for the first time this year. A huge flower of soft cream with the
base of the falls and style branches a brighter yellow. The stand¬
ards are arched and the falls are semi-flaring, the beard is
bright orange yellow which intensifies the deeper yellow of the
center of the flower. A large and beautiful bloom that might be
described as a Gudrun done in yellow tones.

Metal Lustre is the first named seedling from the Kellogg gar¬
den, and although not a large flower it is very brilliant in color.
A coppery background with a metallic fuchsia red overtone. Ex¬
cellent garden value.

Medley is a new iris originated by Miss Sturtevant of pink
coloring, lighter than Sandia and Eros but has great brilliancy
enhanced by its orange beard. One that I especially like in
Miss Sturtevant ’s garden was a seedling, I think the number was
30-9, and was from a crossing made by her in Professor Mitchell’s
garden several years ago when she was in California. The whole
flower has the iridescence of a peacock’s feathers. The standards
have a yellow edge and a bluish midrib, the falls are peacock blue
with touch of bronze at the throat, rich orange beard — a very
unusual and striking iris and one that I hope Miss Sturtevant
will introduce.

At the present time there are so many beautiful irises that one
could go on indefinitely describing interesting ones, but in giving
you these notes, I have endeavored to describe and convey to you
the impressions of garden visitors especially interested in good
irises. Lowell, Mass.

[30]

VARIETAL NOTES, 1935
J. P. Fishburn

■ Virginians were fortunate in their iris season this year. May
was nothing like so hot as usual and there were many overcast
days which prolonged considerably the bloom. The result was
an unusually fine blooming season, fully ten days longer than we
normally expect. The only drawback was some late cold weather
in March and April which froze out the bloom stalks on some of
the more tender varieties, particularly some of those originating
in California. The writer was at the last moment prevented
from attending the iris meeting in Nashville but had gotten as
far as Chattanooga when called back to his office. The notes
below are based primarily on the bloom in his own garden, but
to some extent on the very fine gardens of Mr. Clint McDade in
Chattanooga and Mr. Sam Graham in Rome, both of whom have
remarkably fine collections of iris, unusually well grown.

Of the light blues, Shining Waters is as fine as anything I
have seen and it was splendid in my garden this year, despite the
fact that many of the California varieties did not bloom. Blue
Triumph was gorgeous at Mr. McDade ’s and Mr. Graham’s and
deserves the fine things which have been said about it. Gloriole
on a new plant in my own garden was most promising and I be¬
lieve it is going to be one of the best in this class. Pale Moon¬
light was as fine as anything I have had this year, but in the
past it has bloomed for me on a one-year plant and lias done
poorly afterward. Castalia, put out very reasonably by the
Williamsons, is most satisfactory, and is a fine light blue.
Eleanor Blue, likewise not expensive when introduced, is most
unusual and is admired generally by visitors. Paulette showed
amazing size of bloom in my garden, but I want to see it on an
established plant. Buechley’s Giant has size and height, but is
uninteresting otherwise. Of the older varieties, Ballerine, El Cap-
itan, Loetitia Michaud, Gleam, Mary Barnett, Sensation and Pacific
were all excellent this year.

In the medium blue and blue purple tones, Sierra Blue is
by all odds the best I have seen, although my particular plant
has not done as well as might be hoped. It is a finished flower
of fine shape and color, and I wouldn’t want a better medium

[31]

blue than this, properly grown in an established clump. Blue
and Gold was good this year, better than Blue Gown, which
was somewhat floppy. Missouri did not bloom for me. Indigo
Bunting bloomed on a poor stalk, just enough to indicate that
it is a most interesting color. Blue Monarch was good at Mr.
MeDade’s. Persia, if it belongs in this class, was one of the
finest things in the garden this year, as always. Violet Crown
has not grown well for me, but nevertheless I like its color a lot.
Wedge wood, Blue Banner and Baldwin are still good enough for
anybody’s iris garden.

Of the deep blues and blue purples, I like Winneshiek as well as
anything I have seen. Tioga and Motif were both excellent this
year, as was also Tenaya, which may belong in the red purple class.
Meldoric was good for the first time this year, and when it is good,
it is very, very good. Of the older things, Sir Michael, Mount
Royal, Van Cleve and Cinnabar are very, very fine.

Of the light pinks and pinkish lavenders, I believe the best one
in my garden this year was Ethelwyn Dubuar, which has size
and fine color. Imperial Blush was good, better in my judg¬
ment than Pink Satin, although the latter was better this
year than I have ever grown it before. Eros, an entirely dif¬
ferent shade of pink, is going to be one of the best, although in
my garden the lower petals were inclined to curl after they had
been open a few hours. The color is unusual and fine. Now-
eta and Hermene both have fine pink tones and both have
done exceptionally well. Thais, of the older ones, makes as
satisfactory a clump as I have ever had in my garden. I don’t
like Dogrose, but I do like Ambrosia and Airy Dream very much.
Eloise Lapham, although a very light pink, makes a fine clump.

Coralie is one of the very best of the medium pinks and
reds. Avondale is another fine new one which is most prom¬
ising. Of the older ones, Edgewood, Frieda Mohr, Farandole, Rose
Dominion, Rasakura and Waconda were all excellent.

Of the red purples and reds, Cheerio and Burning Bronze are
two of the very best. I like Ethel Peckham better than Joycette,
but both are excellent. Maluska and JEB Stuart are both very,
very fine. Rubeo and Ronda, from the West Coast, are two of the
best I have had in this color. Legend is far better than it has been
credited with being, and Directeur Pinelle was magnificent in
Mr. McDade’s garden. I liked Spokan and War Eagle in Mr.

[32]

Graham’s garden well enough to want to buy them soon. Zuni
makes a very fine clump, as does Mareschel Ney. Sachem has been
particularly fine in my garden, better than I have seen it elsewhere.
Indian Chief, Dauntless and Depute Nomblot still belong in any
fine collection.

I have three standbys among the yellows which I have in
various places in my garden. They are Pluie d’Or, Corona¬
tion and Phebus. William R. Dykes bloomed well this year
for the first time, and when it is good, it is almost as good as
Lady Paramount, except that it lacks height. Lady Para¬
mount was gorgeous in my garden on a one-year plant, but its
tendency to bloom from side shoots as well as the normally
blooming rhizome leaves me little to hope for next year. I want
further experience with it to recommend it unreservedly. Happy
Days did not bloom for me and I missed it in two other gar¬
dens, but it was reported magnificent in both places. Eclador
did not bloom for me but was gorgeous in the other gardens.
Golden Hind has a gorgeous color but seemed on one or two
blooms to have poor substance. Final opinion on this must be
reserved. California Gold did not bloom for me this year but
recollection of last year’s bloom, the most striking deep yellow
I have ever seen, can’t be downed. Lucrezia Bori, Bob Schrein¬
er’s magnificent new yellow, is certainly one of the very best
yellows I have ever seen, if not the best. It very possibly may
be the best of them all. It was gorgeous as it bloomed in Mr.
McDade’s garden. I was disappointed in Gold Foam despite
its honorable mention.

Of the yellowish toned things, which are not quite yellow, I
liked Eclat, from Mr. Gage, very much ; Natividad, a lovely
big cream toned iris, is one of the very best of any color that I
have ever seen ; and Eothen, about which I hear very little,
is one of the most striking things in my garden. Chromylla
and Ashtoreth seem erratic in my garden. G. P. Baker and
Alta California, although not particularly good in color, are
worth having because of their fine height. Dune Sprite and
Moon Magic are nice irises despite the fact that the color is
not particularly interesting.

I like Sunol as well as any of the blends. K. V. Ayres is
good but not very much better than Ningall, which lias been
excellent in my garden. Lux is very striking in mass, as I saw

[33 ]

it in Dr. Hanes’ garden in Durham, N. C. Mary Geddes is
still one of the very best blends I know. Jean Cayeux at¬
tracted a great deal of attention this year. Of the pale blends,
Aubade, Alcina and Nepenthe were all well liked, although
my preference is the first of the three. Golden Flare and
Golden Light bloomed on short one-year stalks, but I be¬
lieve I will like both of them immensely. Rameses is still one
of the very best and I don’t know anything approaching it in
color which equals it. Toscana is a favorite color of mine, al¬
though the blooms are small and not all that they ought to be in
form. Largo is tall but too pale to be of much use. King
Midas is still excellent, and Henri Riviere is a favorite of
nearly every one who visits the garden. Trail’s End did not
bloom for me, but it was an excellent color, on a new plant, at
Mr. McDade’s. Clara Noyes still attracts a great deal of at¬
tention, as do Evolution and Elsinore, both of which are worth
having.

Vision, the new variagata from Cayeux, is by all odds the
best in this class. Aurex is one of the best ones, and Crown
Prince is one of the poorest. Lodestar, although old, is bright
and nice, and Gay Hussar is very useful for a small one. The
falls of King Tut are about as red as anything I have seen
and we like it a great deal. King Juba is better, although
not so red. Al-lp-wee is excellent, and Golden Helmet, if I
can judge by a one year-plant, is going to be one of the very
best. Stonewall Jackson is quite promising. Beau Sabreur,
although old, is one of my real favorites. El Tovar hasn’t
grown particularly well for me, but I believe I would like it tre¬
mendously on an established clump. I have never seen anything
but a short stalk of it, but it is quite rich.

Of the whites, the best all-around one I know is Venus de
Milo. Easter Morn I like better, but it is more erratic in growth
here. However, it was gorgeous this year. Joyance is going to
be good. It has a particularly rich center, and my only objec¬
tion to it is the droopy falls, of the Selene type. Gudrun is
huge, as I saw it at Mr. McDade’s and Mr. Graham’s, but I
don’t know whether it has anything more than size or not.
Oriana is one of the best growing whites I know. It is a real
white and is perfectly hardy. Parthenon I believe is going to
rate very high, if I may judge by one-year bloom. I like Colum-

[34]

bine a great deal because it is light and airy. Wambliska has
always been a flop in my garden. Los Angeles, if it can be
classed as a white, is a magnificent one, and Natividad is so
good that it is worthy of mentioning here as well as under
yellows. Lady Gage, although not particularly large, was most
attractive in my garden this year. It makes a fine clump very
rapidly, and blooms very, very freely. Shasta and Snowhite have
been the two best of the older ones in my garden. Purissima is
impossible, in my garden.

The best plicata by all odds has been San Francisco, which is
fairly reliable here. Theodolinda has not bloomed for me, but
seemed floppy when I saw it elsewhere. I don’t like Sacramento.
Cydalise, if it can be classed as a plicata, is interesting only
because it is odd. True Delight and Princess Osra are the best
of the old ones in my garden.

In the white bi-color class there is ample room for improve¬
ment. I have seen no new one that seems particularly desirable,
but of the old ones Mildred Presby, Dorothy Dietz, Rheintochter
and Rene Cayeux are the best. Folkwang and Debutante, because
of their pink tones, attract considerable attention. Amigo, as I
saw it in the Williamson’s garden, might not be classed as quite a
white bi-color because there are blue tones in the standards, but it
is most excellent, and I look forward to having it in my garden.

Roanoke, Ya.

SPECIES NOTES

Iris laevigata Fischer

■ Although Dykes cites specimens of this plant from Eastern
Asia, China and Korea, as well as Japan, it is as a Japanese spe¬
cies and garden plant that we most often think of this charming
flower. In Japan, it is particularly conspicuous at the time of the
Boy’s Festival when kakitsubata take their regular place in festi¬
val decorations, although it is not so often a subject for flower
viewing in the sense used for Iris Kaempferi which follows it in
blooming season.

In its typical form probably the color is a particularly handsome
deep blue purple, but in cultivation in this country the var. col-
chest erensis, illustrated on p. 33 of A. I. S. Bulletin No. 52, is
much more common while in England, judging by Dykes’ com¬
ments one would gather that the most frequently cultivated form
is the var. Albo-purpurea in which the ground is white variously
mottled and dappled with lavendar blues. There are also red-
purple forms and lighter hues tending toward dull pinkish rose.

The cultivation is easy if proper attention is given to adequate
food and abundant moisture.

There is also a var. semperflorens but that has not been seen
here by the writer of this note, although it may be represented
in Dr. Reed’s excellent collection at the Brooklyn Botanic
Garden.

Iris delavayi Micheli

This species for no good reason lias been one of the most elu¬
sive of the Oriental apogons, for time after time, seed sown un¬
der this name has produced plants of other species, or worse yet,
hybrids of most undertain lineage, mostly touched with the
blood of Iris Bulleyana, if one may guess from the markings and
the patterns of the falls.

As Dykes points out (The Genus Iris p. 26) this plant is val¬
uable for its late flowering, coming when Iris Kaempferi and its
many garden forms are at their height.

Here in rather light but deep and well-watered soil, it makes
good clumps of grassy foliage, not unlike the masses of Iris
sibirica , from which rise the flowering stalks that overtop the
leaves, each crowned with a 2-flo\verecI head in addition to the

[36]

Lilian A. Guernsey

Iris laevigata

[37]

Lilian A. Guernsey

Iris delavayi

[38]

lateral. The illustration shows the general form and the exact
size of blooms. The essential color of the flower is a bluisli-
lavendar, darkening as indicated, and touched with white in the
center of the falls.

It should be recalled that the seed was sent to the Paris Jardin
des Planter from Yunman by the Abbe Delvaye, who sent so
many other valuable plants back to his homeland.

The Fodder Iris

For some years Iris pabnlaria has been recommended as a for¬
age plant and also the Society for the advancement of horticul¬
ture in 1892 procured seeds from Vilmorin Andrieux and Co., of
Paris in order to sow them in their testing plot at the municipal
gardens at Blankenburg. There, one may now find a thickly
covered plot of dark gray-green plants for the most part over 1
meter high, which, however, have not yet proved their value as
forage to any great extent. In Dresden, one saw it briefly at the
exhibition of the German Agricultural Society, June 30, July 5,
1898, among the “new forage plants,” which the Experiment
Station for Cultivated Plants at the Royal Botanic Garden at
Dresden exhibited the same Iris pabnlaria , but not nearly so high.
I might say at once that the plant has very strong ribbed leaves
and for that reason might not be eaten by our cattle, and that
further it grows very slowly in the first year; on the other hand
in late years it grows very strongly and a conclusive opinion
should be given now, at least while no chemical analyses have
been made of its forage value.

I have discussed these plants in some detail in the Illustrated
Agricultural News, Berlin 1897, page 277, and must refer here
to that, but now I find myself in the fortunate position to be able
to give a colored illustration.

The first reference to Iris pabnlaria, as Naudin called it, oc¬
curs in the Bulletin de la Societe nat. d’acclimation de France
1888, pages 698-700, where it is said that Herr Ermens, formerly
head gardener to the Maharjah of Kashmir (Rev. hort. 1888, p.

*Iris pabularia. Revue Horticole, Vol. 60, p. 338, 1888.

At a recent meeting of the Societe d’ Acclimation, M. Ermens, former head gardener
for the Maharajah of Kashmir, showed several clumps of Iris pabularia, Ndn., a plant
so he says, destined to render a great service in cultivation of hot and dry countries.

“When in Kashmir, said Mr. Ermens, someone asiked a native about the nutritive
value of this plant; he responded as he pointed out the magnificent forage of the
mountain ranges: ‘This is an herb; but the Krisham (I. pabularia), that is a food.’
This response is expressive and gives well the basis of his thought.”

[39]

338)* had produced a pot of Iris pabularia and recommended it
to the farmers of southern France and Algiers as a forage plant,
because in Kashmir it was considered most useful for that pur¬
pose.

In the Repertorium der neuen Pflanzen, which Gartenflora for¬
merly published until upon the wish of many readers this most
useful but “wearisome” alphabetical inventory was abandoned,
it is mentioned in 1888, page 598 and 648 as a new forage plant.
In 1893, Gartenflora, page 98, Messrs. Jorns and Klar wrote of
the seedlings in the test plots during 1892 : “The young plantlets,
which at first showed themselves here and there, developed very
slowly so that by the beginning of winter they were only 30 cm.
high and a judgment cannot be made now.” — In 1894 Vice-Presi¬
dent Chapellier of the French Acclimatization Society wrote, in
Revue des sciences a appliqueis, Vol. 1, page 517 : “The plant is
very thrifty, but produced little fodder and therefore is only of
moderate interest as a fodder plant.

That it yields little increase, one cannot admit from the luxur¬
iant growth in our test field ; it endures cold well and when I
first saw the planting on November 3, 1895, I found the leaves
60- 8-cm., indeed even one meter high ; to be sure they had not
been cut. In spite of the fact that we had had frost several
days, the (leaves) were entirely green and had not suffered.
Finally I saw the bed July 6 of the following year and found
that it had increased greatly. The plants were 60-120 cm. tall
and were visible from afar on account of their high, compact,
dark green stand. Many had half-ripe capsules, but the stalks
at times appeared too weak to carry the capsules and many lay
on the ground.

The examples which Mr. Mende allowed me to pick out in
1897 have even yet not developed so luxuriantly; the soil seems

As a forage, this iris should be eaten in the green state — one mows it when the
foliage is 30-40 cm. high, and it will then give a second crop equal at least to the
first in the dry state; the leaves reach a height of 60-70 cm., and should be cut before
they lose their growth.

M. Naudin has said of I. pabularia. that it is ineradicable once it is established.
He plants the seeds in a nursery the first season and resets them the following year at
the time when new growth begins to show — February for the south of France and
Algeria — March or April in the climate of Paris where it does less well than in the
south.

In a soil poor, dry and arid, the young plants should be spaced about 25 cm.
apart each way; in richer soil they may be advantageously given 40 or even 50 cm.
space each way; if the season is dry, one should provide some irrigation, once at least,
to assure establishment.

Vilmorin and Company offers the seed in commerce; it is a good thing to soak the
seed in water for sometime before planting. (Translation.)

[40]

to him to be too dry, although in the test field it is occasionally
irrigated. Nevertheless they have increased well and in some
cases their roots go 1 m. deep into the dry, sandy subsoil. The
plants can withstand dryness very well.

Although Naudin has designated this as a true species, Iris
pabularia, that is not altogether evident for no description is
given ; it is a nomen nudum which cannot stand. As it happens,
it is no new species, but is one already described by Thunberg as
Iris ensata, which has many synonyms and shows many forms.
In the index of Gardener’s Chronicle 1888 II, P. V (not in text)
is inserted by Iris pabularia “( — 7. oxypetala Bunge).” The
pointed leaf flag, Iris oxypetala, however, is synonymous with 7.
ensata var. chinensis Fischer in Bot. Mag. 2331, which Regel de¬
scribed in Gartenflora 1888, p. 161 and illustrated in colored
plate 1011.

If one were to compare this illustration with ours today, one
would find at once that our flowers are a much more beautiful
blue, while those in plate 1011 appear to be a dirty lilac, that
they further do not have such pointed perianth segments and so
serrate a stigma crest, it appears to us, therefore, desirable to
introduce our plant as a new variety:

Iris ensata Thunberg, var. pabularia Naudin.

Iris ensata is described but not sufficiently in his Handbook of
the Irideae, but not sufficiently in his earlier work on iris in
Gardener’s Chronicle 1876, Sec. 2, Bd. p. 323. He says: “Root-
stock one-fourth — one-third in. thick, firm, short, creeping, the
remains of old leaves decaying into a fibrous mass. Leaves about
4 in a fascicle, at flowering time, 1 foot or more long, one-fourth
— one-third inch broad, gray-green, firm and rigid, strong and
deeply ribbed. Stalk 1 foot or less high, round, with 1-3 flowers
at the top and with 1 or 2 reduced leaves about the middle of
the stalk. Spathe of the inflorescence formed of 2 or more linear
green leaves, which reach a length of 3, or at times, 4 or 5
inches. Flower pedicel 2-4 inches long within the spathe ovary
narrow cylindric, 1 inch long. Perianth tube very short, circum¬
ference (at upper part) one and three-fourths — two inches deep,
lilac or purple. The perianth segments all oblanceolate, almost
of ecjual length — the three outer with a reflexed one-lialf —
three-fourth inch blade ; broad, yellow-veined and bordered at
the haft, the three inner segments erect and self-lilac, one-fourth

[41]

mcli broad. Style branches (petal-like as in all irises) one inch
long, without the crests (properly a single two-parted crest).
Anthers one-half inch long, as long as the stamens — Capsule
elongated, one and one-lialf to two inches long, one-half inch
thick, with six stout ribs and narrowed into a beak. Distributed
from the Caucasus to Japan and to northern China, it occurs
also in Kashmir and other mountain regions of the whole West¬
ern Himalayan area.”

It most resembles the grass-leaved iris, Iris graminea L., but
the leaves are much stronger and stiffer. The flower stalk and
sheaths are longer, the capsule and flower pedicel differentiated.
While the one Iris graminea is essentially European, the other
is essentially Asiatic.

Iris ensata has been known to cultivation in gardens since the
beginning of this century (19th) but is by no means common.

It is very rich in forms and has no less than thirteen syno¬
nyms.

We give only the description of the variety pabularia: Plants
much stouter, leaf bases tinged bluish red, those of older leaves re¬
maining as fibers, leaves four to six, 60-120 cm. high, one cm.
broad, gray-green, usually eight ribbed, flower stalk shorter than
the leaves, fifty cm., upright, at fruiting time often lying on the
earth, flowers up to 3, perianth segments broad acuminate, the
falls broader, bright blue, beautifully veined darker blue, toward
the base a little yellowish, the standards dark blue, stigma crest
with few teeth, capsule, when half-ripe, cylindric, up to seven
cm. long, with six strong ribs, and a short beak ; pedicel eight-
nine cm. long. Prom Kashmir. Flowers with us at the begin¬
ning of July.

L. WITTMACK.

Gartenflora (1898 pp. 369-371). (Translation)

Iris xiphioides

This species, familiar for the most part as a garden race of
named color forms, although known as English iris, is a native
of “the Pyrenees and the hills of North-Western Spain” (Dykes,
The Genus Iris, p. 210). “In its native home it grows in damp
alpine pastures, where moisture is continually oozing through
the soil and it is, therefore, most luxuriant in those gardens
that possess a moist soil, rich in humus.” (ibid.)

[42]

Lilian A. Guernsey

Mont Blanc

[43]

Lilian A. Guernsey

King of the Blues

r 44 ]

Lilian A. Guernsey

Bosa Bonheuv

[45]

yi

Lilian j±. (jciwrnsey

Bleu Celeste

[46]

Pictures have intrigued the editor for years, and like many
procrastinations, the purchase of bulbs of this race was post¬
poned from time to time. One investment turned out an utter
failure with a few abortive flowers, but purchases of West Coast
bulbs last season gave at least a one year’s garden decoration
and material for the illustrations herewith.

Two lots of bulbs were purchased — one a mixture and the
others of named sorts. The former were planted quite late — pos¬
sibly in mid-November, at the bottom of the garden hill, and
the latter were planted at the top of the hill in deeply prepared
soil to which humus had been added. Since, indeed, humus is
needed in all soil preparation here, it is quite possible to meet
Dykes’ recommendation on that point, but by no means can it
be arranged that the soil is “moist.” To be sure the soil in the
lower patch is more moist than the upper site, but even so the
term is relative.

In each case the bulbs were very slow in making their ap¬
pearance, so slow in fact that a little careful investigation was
undertaken to see if all had perished over winter. This was not
the case for in due time the plants appeared and grew slowly
and surely to flowering. Some water was given the upper site,
in pity for the plants sprung from a race that lived where
water “continually oozed through the soil.”

The results in flowering were delightful, as can be judged
from the illustrations. Flowers when cut lasted longer than
Dutch iris, and the second flowers developed quite finely. In
season, the flower developed here after all the other bulbous
iris had passed and just before the Japanese iris came into their
season, filling a gap in the iris procession.

Seeding was permitted in order to obtain the illustration of
the seed capsules for the bulletin.

Digging in the upper patch, shows good multiplication but
poor bulb formation, for the new bulbs are all small. This sug¬
gests that there was neither enough moisture or enough food to
make possible good bulb growth. It leads one to wonder also
whether or not these plants should be expected to make flower¬
ing bulbs each year under garden conditions that are so far re¬
moved from their original conditions. Possibly they will settle
down as tulips do here, and produce some flowering bulbs each

[47]

year, so that the clumps are never devoid of flowers, although
not uniform as when newly selected from nursery stock.

Iris ensata

This iris is certainly one of the less important species, as has
been pointed out time and again, but it is a plant that comes to
notice repeatedly and probably will reappear in garden notes
in the future.

Although it was illustrated in our last bulletin and a brief
note was given, further notes follow here, chiefly translations
from papers published abroad at the time it was first becoming
familiar to the garden world. In themselves they may not be
as thrilling reading as some other texts might be, but they do
give the full text of the first statements as to the use of this
species as a fodder plant. No effort has been made to give the
full translation of the longer article by Wittmack (Illustrierte
Landwirtschaft-liclie Zeitung, Yol. 17, No. 33, pp. 277-278 (1897))
since it contains very little that has not already been given in
his other text.

Although one may arrive at a wrong conclusion in assuming
that nothing further has been heard of the plant as a fodder
plant, that it cannot have proved of value equal to other plants
that tolerate trying conditions, this seems a safe assumption.
Reports have reached here that it is singularly hardy and per¬
manent under somewhat trying conditions in Oklahoma and
various lots of seed have been sent to some of the federal ero¬
sion projects, although the results from there, seed will probably
be limited by the care the young seedlings can receive after
they are transplanted from the nurseries, the one time in their
life when they are particularly delicate.

In the Chinese cyclopedia, T’u shu chi ck’eng, there is a descrip¬
tion of the species from the point of view of the old herbalist
which contains the following notes taken from a manuscript trans¬
lation by Michael J. Hagerty of the United States Department of
Agriculture. It seems hardly likely that any of our members will
dig up their clumps of this iris to try their hand at home brush
making and so confound the well-known salesman, but it is hoped
that some one will !

Iris pseudacorus

When an enthusiastic gardener who lives nearby was shown

[48]

«** .$* ' ■ ♦ .

Lilian A. Guernsey

Iris pseudacorus

[49]

the picture of Iris pseudacorus, from which our illustration was.
made, she exclaimed, “surely you aren’t going to have a picture
of that thing!” Dykes (Genus Iris, p. 79) felt that “the plant
deserves better treatment in our gardens than is usually accorded
it.” Surely there is some proper middle-ground between these
two points for admittedly the golden flag will seed itself with
weed-like persistence, and yet it cannot be denied that when
well grown and effectively placed there is no more handsome iris.

Depending upon the richness of the soil and the amount of
water available, the plant makes vigorous clumps of dark green
sword-shaped foliage, with gracefully arching tips, from two
to six feet tall. The flower stalks are rarely taller than the
leaf masses and often seem to be hidden in them, so that the
brilliant yellow flowers appear through the leaf masses. These
flowers vary in color, size and pattern. In color, they range
from palest ivory white to deep golden yellow ; in size they
vary chiefly in the shape of the falls — those with a rounded
blade being the most showy; in pattern, the variations show
chiefly in relation to the blotch on the falls which often may
be a tone or two deeper than the general petal color and which
may, or may not, be outlined and variously surrounded witli
brown reticulations.

As has been pointed out these variations are not fixed and
cannot be depended on in seedling reproduction. Since most
seedlings are quite good, no special purpose is served by the
division of rhizomes unless a particular plant is needed in
quantity.

As to cultivation, rich soil, moisture and more or less of full
sun are the desiderata. Bold masses used somewhat architec¬
turally, or along the borders of still ponds, provide the most
effective sites for this old and widely transported iris.

I 50 j

CLUSIUS’ ORIGINAL NOTE

® In the history of Spanish plants, 1576, the original note and
what we know now to be the English iris is as follows:

Dr. C. Y. Matthais, Lobelius, a man extremely well versed in
botany sent to ns afterwards a kind of bulbous iris, with a thicker
leaf and like an onion’s, rather greener, with the inner part
grooved, and white, sprinkled as if with many silver knobs, with
the stem rather thicker and harder, which the four or five leaves
embrace as in the foregoing kinds. This sends forth from little
scabbards pairs of flowers succeeding each other, larger and wider
than the previous ones, of a clear violet and beautiful color, but
without perfume, however, on which, in place of a beard, there is
a yellow spot as in the rest. Two large pods will follow, in which
the seed, larger than the rest, of the size of the common bitter
vetch, pale, round, rattles loosely in the pod if they are shaken
when it is ripe. The root is larger than the rest and wrapped
in many strong black membranes. It is divided into many bulbs
also, but not into so many as the variegated and yellow kinds which
in one year lay down five or six of these offsets. It blooms at the
same time as the others.

I used to think that it originated of its own accord in England,
and starting out around Bristol, I hunted it in vain in the field,
because it was brought to us from there. But, I knew from Lobelius
himself that it had been noted first at Bristol and had been dug
up from the gardens in which it is there cultivated, then sent to
London and given to friends. It is very likely that it was first
brought here from Spain in Spanish ships which often visit here.

Lobelius himself described its form under the name of the Poets’
Hyacinth in a very learned book of miscellaneous notes.

Ants are astonishingly troublesome on the flowers of all of them,
but especially on those of this one which has a different sort of
flower because, as I think, they sweat a kind of dew on the sides.

(Translated by Miss Mildred Dean)

[511

TID-BITS 38TH

Bair oud our

■ New fields of color, form and texture are opening* in the iris,
world through the crossing of the bearded types, both dwarf and
tall, with the weird and mysterious appearing oncocyclus group,
the so-called cushion irises, whose botanical name, according to
Dykes, is meaningless and no one knows why it was applied to
them.

We have now had in our gardens for several seasons a series
from Mr. Jacob Sass of crosses between onco-regelias, rather
than oncocyclus species, and dwarf bearded. Henry Sass, who
is liybridizer-in-chief for his father, selected a most insignificant
little yellow dwarf for one parent because he knew what was in
its background and Saturnus and others for the other parent.

These irises inherit the peculiar colorings and markings of
their oncocylus parent. Of the series of five which have been
put in commerce Balroudour has received the most admiration.
It shows an unusual reversal of color combination in that the
standards are of a beautiful blue tone while the falls are bronze.

It seems to have the best height and substance of the series,
reaching eighteen inches. It is twin flowered, which is common
to all of the series.

It is a plant of exceptional vigor and hardiness and soon
makes a fine clump, blooming with the intermediates.

From Massachusetts

■ I have a fall bloomer, my own seedling, that lias bloomed the
past three years in the fall, Autumn Elf. Last summer, I had two
stalks in July and three in August, as well as September and
October bloom. This year, I had a lot of one-year clumps from
single rhizomes set a year ago in June. I had profuse bloom from
May 29 to June 20. On June 23, I noticed two stalks that would
bloom in July, and on July 8, the first flower opened on one of
these stalks. I have had bloom ever since — ten to twenty flowers
out daily — 55 stalks all told. I tried pollen I had in capsules, but
it proved to be too old. However, the bees pollinated one and it
must be a self. I have 75 seed pods on Autumn Elf I pollinated in
June, which I am now harvesting. There are 8 stalks growing
on Autumn Elf that will bloom the rest of August and in to
September that haven’t flowers open yet, I have quite a lot of

[52]

seed pods and flowers on the same clump. I divided a lot into
single rhizomes and reset June 28, and 25 of these resets have
bloomed and not died either. Mr. McKee has seen them.

We have had a wet summer here, with frequent showers. I have
Autumn Queen and five or six other fall bloomers, with no sum¬
mer bloom, under the same conditions. If you know of a good
way to preserve pollen a month or so, I would like to know of it.
1 could then cross all summer whenever I feel like it. That is quite
an idea. I really don’t have time in iris season for all the crosses
I should like to make.

I have seven different fall bloomers which I got last summer
from Mr. Hill of LaFontaine, Kansas, and four which I got from
Mr. Clint McDade the year before. I should get fall bloom in
September this year. If I do, I will write in about it.

Mrs. Nesmith is trying to sell a few Autumn Elf and has it
listed in her catalogue this year, but people won’t believe there
is good summer bloom unless they see it — anyway sales are a
zero quantity. Miss Sturtevant sold a few last year for me. It
takes a good rich soil with a little fertilizer to get summer and
fall bloom. I raise dahlias one year, and the next have iris on the
same ground. I use 4-8-10 fertilizer on the dahlias, as well as
some manure, so that leaves a rich soil for the iris. I use coal
ash to lighten up my clay soil and raised beds. I keep the iris
growing by frequent shallow cultivation with a spading fork, an
inch or two in the soil, and dust mulch, just as I do the dahlias.
I have a garden at Westport, Mass., near the seacoast, and have
had just as much and more summer bloom with Autumn Elf
there. The ground is rich clay there but not as heavy as here in
Barre. Mrs. Brown likes to hoe them so they get a dust mulch
there.

I had a lot of other seedlings this year, but nothing remarkable,
however, I did have some odd ones. One was a freak with a quar¬
ter of an inch wide standard, and falls with crinkly edges. I had
several dwarfs from intermediates and tall bearded crosses. I had
seedlings of Autumn Elf bloom and have seed pods on all of them.
They were all different in coloring and time of bloom. Perhaps
some of them have the ever-blooming habit of growth — I can’t
tell yet. If you come to Hartford next spring to Mrs. Kellogg’s
I hope you can come up to see my garden. Autumn Elf opens
with Kochii, and the earliest I have, so it will be open June 1st.
A plot of it makes a pretty effect, especially when only two or

[53]

three other kinds are out. My garden is at its best about June
12, as I am 1,000 feet above sea-level here and it is a cold late
location. It is twenty miles from Worcester where you will prob¬
ably go to see McKee’s iris. He had a fine lot of Giant Dominions.

I have been a judge this year and last, and have seen the best
gardens with the other judges. I have seven hundred seedlings
this year and half of them should bloom next Spring. Mrs. Kel¬
logg had bad luck with rot this spring, but her garden has good
soil and should be good next spring. Mrs. Nesmith had a won¬
derful display of Mr. Washington’s seedlings, Maya and Lilly
Pons, and many other fine sorts.

Miss Sturtevant had some nice light colored seedlings. Mr.
Gage had a fine cream white, Creamilda. Mr. McKee’s Red Comet
is a fine red.

G. Percy Brown.

From North Carolina

On July 11, I planted a number of seed from my own crosses,
and then went out of town, leaving the seed-bed in the care of
my sister-in-law. Returning on August 8, I found a good row of
Tectorum Alba X Primavera , and one of Tectorum alba X h
all up at least one-half inch. Also one plant of Navajo X •
was up a full inch — the only one from 26 seed.

From 30 seed of Marocain X Stewart, planted June 30, one
was an inch high. So far I have no others from this year’s seed.
I find Tectorum Alba a fine seed parent ; it seems to cross more
easily than the type. I had three pods of Emperor (Sib.) pol¬
linated by it. Of course, I can’t swear to this as they were not
bagged, but I pulled off the falls of the flowers after pollinating
them.

I have managed to cross Albicans with several varieties and
hope to get something interesting.

Stewart is a faithful little fellow, both in blooming and in
crossing with other varieties.

I had one pod on Atroviolacea (pumila) which disappeared,
whether from natural causes or a too particular colored boy, I
can’t say.

Lieutenant De Chavagnac is another faithful one. He was
bought last September, and gave two sets of bloom before Christ¬
mas, and this spring bloomed once with the dwarfs and again
later. I have some seed, too, of it X Stewart.

[54]

Pumila Azurea has not given me any crosses either way.

7. chamaeiris (?) which I raised from seed, bought as 7. pumila ,
refuses to bear seed, but was effective when used on Stewart and
Bluestone.

I had two pods of Emperor X 7. verna — the latter having
refused to do anything before, but as I said, I can’t swear to
these — it remains to be seen what I get from them, if they ger¬
minate.

Frieda Mohr’s pollen seems to be no good.

Kharput gave me a pod when pollinated by Orange Queen
but all except five seed were lost.

Purple King sets no seeds, but I got three seed from Tectorum
Alba X Purple King.

Zwanenburg will not cross either way.

Half the plants of my planting of Zua had smoother flowers.
Is this a reversion, or a result of soil or weather? Or, weren’t
they all really Zua?

Will someone please tell me the difference between Schnee-
kuppe and Bride f I suspect that one of mine is misnamed.

Cicely C. Browne.

North Dakota Iris Jottings

■ The iris blooming season is long past and yet there is no
season of the year but gives pleasure to those who love iris, and
who find joy in their culture. If it is not flowers, it is planting,
and when that is done, there are the ripening seed pods. And,
what a fascination there is about crossing, wondering, and dream¬
ing of what one may get from his labors !

When one combines iris with the ordinary labors of a busy
minister’s life, it keeps one busy all the time, for there is always
the delightful uncertainty about the time of the arrival of the
bulletins, and just what they will contain, and whether or not
in their pages we run across friends, old or new.

This summer Mrs. Jackson and I had the joy of a week along
the Canadian boundary at Lake Metigesha in the Turtle Moun¬
tains, and even there, we found time to visit about iris and dis¬
covered a planting at Pilgrim Park. Then, one late afternoon,
while hiking along the Lake shores, we found the tiny blue-eyed
gress, sisyrinchium augustif olium , so you see there is no spot
that an iris enthusiast cannot find something to interest him.

[55 1

Concerning the blooming season this year here, the least said
the better, as we only had 40 per cent bloom on onr patch. In
a recent letter from Henry Sass, growing iris under almost the
same soil and drought conditions, I learn that they had less than
40 per cent bloom, so I do not feel so badly after all. In spite
of the droughts of the past years, some of the iris outdid them¬
selves and well repaid all our work and interest.

After almost losing 7. tectorum, it came back and is doing
nobly. Of the Pogocyclus, the only one to survive of my small
collection, was Zwanenburg and how that did bloom ! I thought
it would bloom itself to death this year, and what a fine woodsy
note it has here on the prairies !

My Siberians all came through but did not bloom this year.

Pluie d’Or, Indian Chief, Henri Riviere, along with a lot of
others, had no bloom, but King Midas was very lovely with its
fine color, and Snow Bound was very fine. Then, an unnamed
Sass seedling was very wonderful, and our old favorite Fra An¬
gelica, which does so well here, drought or no drought, did itself
justice as usual. Coronation was very fine, and Laddie Boy was
wonderful. Old Gold and Prairie Gold were fine this year, and
all the yellows seemed to do their bit.

I have a little iris in a bearded that I do not find listed in the
usual lists. It is called Beverley and came from Massachusetts
originally. Here, on the prairie, it seems to feel right at home
and its rather plain colors seem to blend in even with the brown
of prairie years.

This year, after making numerous crosses, seed pods are the
order of the day, and the first ones have been harvested. Oh,
yes, we did reap a harvest of seed from the little sisyrinchium
august if olium, and they have already been tucked away in a little
seed plot all their own. This year, I am planting my iris seed
about ten days after it ripens — just giving it time to ripen and
drv out a bit.

c/

I learned one trick at the Sass farms that has been a help to
me, and solves the problem of what to use in digging. I noticed
one of the men digging at Washington, and he was using an old
spring blade from a Ford car. And, how finely it does the job !
I have quite a thrill out of it, and I know of no tool that is
easier to handle. It lightens a task and does an A-l job.

Ellis L. Jackson.

[56]

THE AMERICAN
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY

Made an important departure in its program this season by

publishing

THE AMERICAN DAFFODIL YEAR BOOK

a 92 page volume, well illustrated, with articles on classification,
garden club shows, varietal notes, bibliography, etc. Among the
contributors are Mrs. Francis King, Richardson Wright, Mary J.
Averett, David Griffiths, Jan de Graaff, Florence Edna Foote, John
C. Wister. The price is 50 cents. Remittance should be sent to
C. C. Thomas, 821 Washington Loan 6C Trust Building, Wash¬
ington, D. C.

THE AMERICAN IRIS SOCIETY

LTHOUGH all readers of the Bulletin are supposed to know
that the annual dues of the Society are three dollars payable
by the calendar year, it has been called to our attention that there
is a chance that someone who is not a member may read your copy
and wonder how he too may become a subscriber. If you happen
to be such a reader, let us assure you that the Society welcomes to
membership all persons who are interested in iris who feel that
special knowledge of iris would be welcome in their gardening.

Make your check or money order payable to the American Iris
Society and send to Mr. B. Y. Morrison, Secretary, 821 Washington
Loan & Trust Bldg., Washington, D. C. Please follow this in¬
struction. It will help us all in the record keeping.

BULLETIN

OF THE

American Iris Society

OCTOBER, 1935
NO. 59

CONTENTS

Foreword, B. Y. Morrison . 1

The Irises of the Gaspe Peninsula, Edgar Anderson . 2

Effects of Light #nd Temperature on Irises of Known Heredity,

Adolph E. Waller . 6

Some Notes on Germination, John Dolman , Jr . . 16

Variations of the Native Oregon Irises, Carl Starlcer . 19

Iris Personalities, Thura Truaa Hires . . 22

A Plea for New Englanders to Try California Irises, Carrie Stover Lewis 49

Iris Pilgrimage, 1935, Bruce C. Maples . 51

Iris Notes, 1935, Mabel Cary Tobie . • . 58

A Word from Rome, 1935, Countess Senni . 63

Iris Observations in Southern California, Lena M. Lothrop . 67

Triste Thoughts on the Dispersal of a Collection, Richardson Wright . 76

Our Members Write:

Native Iris and Others . 78

From Connecticut . . . 80

For 1936 . '. . . . 80

Iris Pallida Dalmatica at Home . 81

Re: Iris Fan Letters . 82

Iris Performance in the Spring, 1934, Following the Very Severe

Winter . 86

Famous Iris Gardens, 1935 . 87

Published Quarterly by

THE AMERICAN IRIS SOCIETY, 1918 HARFORD AVE., BALTIMORE, MD.

Entered as second-class matter January, 1934, at the Post Office at Baltimore, Md.,

under the Act of March 3, 1879.

#3.00 the Year — 50 Cents per Copy for Members

OFFICERS, 1934

Directors:

Term

expiring

1935:

Sherman B. Duffy

Mrs. J. Edgar Hires

B. Y. Morrison
John C. Wister

Term

expiring

1936:

Dr. H. H. Everett

Dr. J. H. Kirkland

J. B. Wallace, Jr.
Bichardson Wright

Term

expiring

1937:

W. J. McKee

Bobert Schreiner

Bobert Sturtevant

President — Dr. H. H. Everett, 1104 Sharp Bldg., Lincoln, Nebr.

Vice-President — Mr. W. J. McKee, 48 Kenwood Ave., Worcester, Mass.

Secretary — Mr. B. Y. Morrison, 821 Washington Loan and Trust Bldg.,
Washington, D. C.

Treasurer — Bichardson Wright, House & Garden, Graybar Bldg., New York
City.

Regional Vice-Presidents —

1. Mrs. Herman E. Lewis, 180 Grove St., Haverhill, Mass.

2. Col. J. C. Nicholls, 114 Overton Bd., Ithaca, N. Y.

3. M. E. Douglas, Bugby Place, Woodbury, N. J.

4. J. Marion Shull, 207 Baymond St., Chevy Chase, Md.

5. Mrs. James B. Bachman, 2646 Alston Drive, Atlanta, Ga.

6. Dr. A. C. Kinsey, Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind.

7. C. P. Connell, 2001 Grand Ave., Nashville, Tenn.

8. Bobert Schreiner, B. 1, Biverview Station, St. Paul, Minn.

9.

10. Mrs. Gross B. Scruggs, 3715 Turtle Creek Blvd., Dallas, Texas.

11. Stanley Clarke, School of Forestry, Univ. of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho.

12. Dr. P. A. Loomis, Colorado Springs, Colo.

13. Carl Starker, Jennings Lodge, Ore.

14. Prof. E. O. Essig, University of California, Berkeley, Calif.

15. William Miles, Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada.

Chairmen of Committees:

Scientific — Dr. A. E. Waller, 233 So. 17th St., Columbus, Ohio.

Election — Dr. C. Stuart Gager, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Membership and Publicity — Dr. H. H. Everett, 1102 Sharp Bldg.,
Lincoln, Neb.

Registration — C. E. F. Gersdorff, 1825 No. Capitol St., Washington, D. C.

Test Garden 8c Display Garden — Bobt. Schreiner, Bt. 1, Biverview Sta.,
St. Paul, Minn.

Exhibition — Mrs. W. L. Karcher, 1011 W. Stephenson St., Freeport, HL

Bibliography — Mrs. W. H. Peckham, The Lodge, Skylands Farm, Ster-
lington, N. Y.

Awards — W. J. McKee.

Editorial Board — B. Y. Morrison, Chairman.

S. B. Duffy
Mrs. J. E. Hires
Eleanor P. Jones

Mrs. Lena M. Lothrop
Mrs. C. S. McKinney
B. S. Sturtevant

LANTERN SLIDES — Rental Fee (to members) $10.00. Apply to Mrs.
K. H. Leigh, Mo. Botanical Garden, St. Louis, Mo.

THE AMERICAN IRIS SOCIETY

FOREWORD

■ There lias been a gratifying response to the Editorial appeals
which you will see has been largely utilized in this Bulletin.
Our thanks come to each member. More reports will follow from
members in later Bulletins, so do not feel hurt if your own
letter does not appear in this number.

The business Bulletin will be ready for the printer as soon as
the final Directors’ Meeting for the year has taken place and
should be in your hands in January, giving all the reports for
1935.

The present Bulletin is the fifth you have received in 1935, so
do not clamor too londlv for a sixth.

Plans for a Bulletin featuring iris growing in the Rocky
Mountain states are under way for the first issue of 1936.

B. Y. Morrison, Secretary.

THE IRISES OF THE GASPE PENINSULA

Edgar Anderson
Missouri Botanical Garden

■ In early summer the meadows of the Gaspe are mosaics of
flower color. Hawkweed, daisies, buttercups, and Queen Anne’s
lace grow so thickly among the meadow grasses that the green
slopes are powdered with yellow and white and orange. On the
peninsula itself, Iris setosa canadensis takes its place in the pic¬
ture and grows in such abundance that one can sometimes walk
through iris fields for hours, or drive from one fishing village to
the next between continuous seas of grey blue iris.

Coming from Quebec, one meets the species for the first time at
Riviere du Loup and shortly thereafter it becomes the dominant
iris all along the peninsula, though Iris versicolor still persists in
quantity and keeps it company on the moister edges of its habitat.
If a little brook runs down through a dry pasture, Iris setosa
canadensis will cover the dry slopes and grow down almost to the
brook itself and in shady or wettish spots in the meadow it will be
replaced by Iris versicolor. The shores of the St. Lawrence give
dramatic evidence of the great changes in sea level which have
taken place since the glacial epoch. Far above the present channel
ancient shore lines parallel the river in a series of bench-like ter¬
races. Just beyond Riviere du Loup the road runs for miles at
the foot of one of these. At the left the flat meadows stretch to
the shores of the river, with a scarcely perceptible slope. Some¬
times this lowest terrace is but a few feet wide ; oftener than not
it stretches away for a half mile or a mile, cut into thin ribbons
by the weathered grey fences which separate field from field and
farm from farm. Immediately at one’s right the level rises sharp¬
ly steeper than a barn roof, channeled here and there by streams
coming down from the second terrace. It does in truth rise so
sharply that from the road one sees only the immediate slope.
When this is climbed another level plain presents itself, essen¬
tially like the first, sloping almost imperceptibly upward and
bounded in the distance by another steep rise to an even higher
terrace.

On the second plain the land is so level that it is often poorly
drained and there among the alder swamps and in wet pastures

[2]

&OTANiC*.L

GARDEN

and firwoods, Iris versicolor grows in great abundance. But on
the steep pitched hillsides that bring one down to the lower ter¬
race, the situation is too dry for it, though quite to the liking of
Iris setosa canadensis. So for mile after mile this latter species
grows along the crest of the terrace, spilling down nearly to the
roadway below7 when the slope is not too steep. Cattle and sheep
keep the sparse grass closely cut but for the most part avoid the
iris foliage, which grows thriftily in dense tufts, with the stiff
husks of older leaves among the crisp foliage of the current year.
While not nearly as large as Iris versicolor and with flowers less
varied in color, Iris setosa canadensis makes much more of a
showing in the landscape, for its flowers are raised well above
the foliage. With their broad blue-veined falls and tiny incon¬
spicuous standards, the flowers when growing have a flatfish look,
rather like smaller, less brilliant, Japanese irises.

For some years I have been studying variation in irises but
never before have I had the good fortune to meet such quantities
of material for observation. On the simple assumption that if
current theories are true, one should be able to find evidence of
continuing evolution in any group of plants, I have been going
around the world looking as sharply as possible at variation in
irises. On any theory of evolution the differences between indi¬
viduals get somehow built up, in time, into the differences between
species. That is to say that by one process or another the differ¬
ences which exist between one plant of Iris versicolor and its
neighbor are compounded into the greater difference which dis¬
tinguishes Iris versicolor from Iris setosa canadensis. It is a con¬
venient theory and if it is true, we should be able to find the
beginnings of such a compounding going on in our present day
species. For that reason I have studied such irises as I could get
to see, in as great detail as possible, measuring iris standard after
iris standard and iris fall after iris fall, sitting squat-legged with
record book and ruler in mountain meadows, in cypress swamps,
on lake beaches, and in English parks. The result is still merely
a ten year’s harvest of dry statistics, only partially winnowed and
just beginning to shape itself into generalizations which permit
of summarization and the building of a few new theories to test
by other means.

I have found no other opportunity quite like the field from
He Verte to Trois Pistoles. There for mile after mile one could

gather irises at will and assemble for comparison one hundred
full-blown flowers of Iris versicolor and of Iris setosa canadensis .
each from a different plant, but all from the same pasture, and
picked on the same day and measured at the same time by the
same person with the same apparatus. The result is, to ordinary
eyes, a few pages of singularly dry statistics, but to the biomathe¬
matician a juicy morsel cpiite worth looking ten years to find.

After which rhapsody on the beauty of variation it must imme¬
diately be emphasized that Iris setosa canadensis varies but little
in comparison with our other native blue flags. Iris versicolor in
any New England pasture may produce ground colors all the
way from mauve to blue and with hafts white or greenish or even
sometimes quite a bright yellow at the juncture with the blade.
Iris setosa canadensis by contrast is prevailingly uniform, its cus¬
tomary blue grey occasionally becoming a little lighter or a little
darker or even a little more towards the purple, and its tiny
petals producing odd variants in form and pattern, but present¬
ing on the whole only a fraction of the variability of Iris versi¬
color from the same pasture.

The reasons for this uniformity are not far to seek. Its lower
chromosome number is one, but a discussion of that and its bear¬
ings on the whole problem would be a treatise in itself. More im¬
portant probably is the fact that by geological and biological
evidence, Iris setosa, canadensis is most certainly a remnant, a
relict of what was before the glacial period a species widely spread
in northern North America.

If we take a map and plot thereon all known occurrences of
Iris setosa and Iris setosa canadensis, we shall find the former
growing over a large area at the northwest corner of the continent,
and the latter clustering in a fairly restricted circle about the
Gulf of St. Lawrence, while in the great intervening stretch of ter¬
ritory, none of these irises has been collected. This is a character¬
istic distribution for plants which were almost exterminated from
eastern North America by the continental ice sheet, but while
managed to persist in the unglaciated areas about the Gulf of
St. Lawrence from which center they have later spread. In
Alaska the species itself, Iris setosa, is apparently quite as variable
as our other American irises. Dykes speaks of the difference in
garden behavior of the various strains he obtained from there,
and I have had the same experience. Some are smallish, nearly

[4]

indistinguishable from Iris setosa canadensis while others are
great rampant things almost like a cultivated Japanese iris. One
supposes that before the advance of the glacier, Iris setosa grew
commonly across the top of the continent varying as do our other
irises, but that during the ice age it disappeared entirely from
most of that territory, persisting practically unchanged in the
larger unglaciated areas in Alaska and holding on, a mere dwin¬
dling remnant, in the small unglaciated areas around the Gulf of
St. Lawrence. One can imagine it there during that colder epoch,
growing as it often does today in cracks on dry rocky ledges near
the sea. After the retreat of the ice sheet and the return of a
less rigorous climate this remnant, Iris setosa canadensis, has mul¬
tiplied and found its characteristic niche in the scheme of things
but it bears the scars of the ice age so as to speak ; and the lush
and large-flowered types which once were probably present in the
east were killed off during the long era of bad times.

Iris setosa canadensis by the water’s edge

EFFECTS OF LIGHT AND TEMPERATURE ON IRIS

OF KNOWN HEREDITY*

Adolph E. Waller
I. Introduction

■ The results Garner and Allard (3) (4), published in 1920
have led to a great deal of experimentation in increasing and
decreasing the period of exposure to light of a great many field,
garden and greenhouse plants. The main conclusions of all of
these tests confirm the general principle that plants are long-
day and short-day. Irises belong to the first group blooming
during an increasing length of light exposure. Laurie (7) and
Poesch in a bulletin on photoperiodism give the results of their
experience with iris, a minor part of a lengthy report dealing
only with Dutch iris of the varieties Imperator and Wedgewood.
To my knowledge no account of experiments with garden irises
has previously appeared. In addition to the experiments men¬
tioned above the works of Ivellerman (6), Adams (1) (2), Maxi¬
mov (8) and Tincker (11) are cited at the end of this paper and
are recommended to readers interested in the subject of photo¬
periodism. As all of these contain lists of recent papers a little
exploration will serve to acquaint the reader with a fairly com¬
plete and up to date account of the subject.

A brief reference to two plants that have been under our
observation will illustrate the main principle of long and short
day plant behavior. Poinsettia is an example of the short day
type usually in bloom in December. By shading it can be made
to bloom in summer. By giving it extra illumination it can be
prevented from blooming during the winter months. Petunia is
an example of a long day plant. Giving it additional light in
winter will accelerate its bloom. We frequently have both of these
plants on the same bench in winter under additional light with
the result that the petunia flowers and the poinsettia grows
vegetatively but does not flower. The simple comparison of vege¬
tative or blooming states in plants covers a number of responses
both in the physiology and structure of the plants. Pertinent
results with soybeans and sunflowers and wheat should be con¬
sulted by the reader. Perhaps most striking of all are the cases
of sex reversal and changes in pliyllotaxy in hemp as illustra¬
tions of the far reaching effects of changes in light exposure.
These are reported by Schaffner (9) (10).

* Papers from the Department of Botany, Ohio State University, No. 359. The photo¬
graphs were all made bv Dr. R. S. Gordon, of the Department of Botany, Ohio State Univ.

L 6 ]

Fig. 1. Photographed December 15. One plant of each set. Set A in front,
Set B, rear. Left to right the four clonal types are Pumila, No. 2, No. 126,

and No. 108.

II. Materials and Methods in These Experiments

Garden irises available from tlie Ohio State University Bo¬
tanic Garden were used. They had been under observation for
several years and were all in sufficient quantity to furnish du¬
plicate sets of clones. This was especially necessary as a full
knowledge of species is not available from names. By using
known clones the possibility of genetic variations were elimi¬
nated. Standard commercial varieties from the originators or
from a reliable source would also furnish pure lines of the same
types as those used. However, it was regarded as an advantage
to have the materials best known to the experimenter and as
these are seedlings of garden origin here they were chosen.

Each set was made up of the following four types: (1) An iris
that was a typical pumila in having one or two flowers to a
scape and with deciduous leaves. It corresponds closely to the
known descriptions of 7. pumila Linnaeus. (2) A seedling of a
chamaeris type originated in the garden and in its evergreen
leaf habit corresponding to 7. chamaeiris Bertolini. This is
designated in this paper as No. 2. (3) An iris a descendent of
No. 2 and a tall bearded parent that is typical of a germanica
in its habit of bearing four flowers on a scape, and its interme¬
diate height. This is designated as No. 126. (4) An iris that

is typical of 7. trojana Iverner but is also a seedling of garden
origin here and is with No. 2 the parent of No. 126. This fourth
type is designated as No. 108. Of each of these types there was
sufficient clonal increase to make up the necessary experimental
material.

All alone the 40th parallel of latitude, which happens to cross
the Ohio State University campus, the blooming dates out of
doors, varying somewhat with seasons and locations, for these
four types in the order indicated above would be early April,
late April, early May and late May. The object of the experi¬
ment was to discover what processes of development followed
a treatment of increasing temperature and increasing light and
what followed with increasing temperature without increasing
light. For a part of the time the natural time of exposure was
slightly decreased as the experiments started December 5tli and
then slowly increased. Because we first disposed of the set in
which both light and temperature were increased, we can re¬
gard that as Set A. Set B without the increased exposure to
light served as a check on set A.

[8]

Fig. 3. Clone No. 126. Photographed January 12. Set A to the left.

Fig. 4. Clone No. 108. Photographed January 12. Set A to left.

[9]

The additional light was secured from six nitrogen-filled fila¬
ment Mazda lamps of 200 watts and 125 volts capacity. The
lamps were strung from the top of the greenhouse at an average
distance of four feet and 5 feet above the plants. Since the
lamps were strung from the top of the room and no reflectors
used the heating effect of the lamps was reduced to the lowest
amount possible. The temperatures averaged around 60° F. dur¬
ing the day and 55° F. at night this still more reducing the
effect of heating from the lamps. The lights were operated by
an automatic clock switch turning the lights on from 6 P. M.
to 11 P. M. giving the plants five hours of night-time illumination.

Both sets A and B showed some responses to increased tem¬
peratures on being brought into the greenhouse. Fig. 1 shows
one plant, of each of the four kinds, which was typical for its
set. From left to right they are Pumila, No. 2, No. 126, No. 108.
Set B is in the rear row, set A in the front row. The differ¬
ences in winter condition in the garden in Piunila and No. 2 a
typical Chamaeiris are rather striking. This photograph was
made December 15th, ten days after the plants were brought in
from the garden.

Fig. 2 shows the bloom obtained on No. 2 in Set A. This
photograph was made on January 12, 38 days after the plants
had been brought in from the garden. Plants on the right are
from the same clone and given the Set B treatment, increasing
temperature without increasing light. Attention should be called
to the fact that in this photograph appears the one unscheduled
behavior of the group. One of the set B-plants is shown with a
bud which later opened. It is the one irregularity of behavior
of this clonal group.

For the same date No. 126 is recorded in the photograph Fig.
3. Set A is shown at the left. One plant of this set is in bud.
All were in bud or bloom on January 19th. None of Set B
bloomed. Fig. 4 shows the difference between Sets A and B for
No. 108, for the same date. It is of interest to compare Figs.
2, 3, and 4 and to observe the regularity of adherence to the
normal seasonal schedule out of doors that these three clonal
types exhibit. None of them seem to have been disturbed by the
transplanting operations and the spread of time between early
vegetative development and bloomed, while somewhat telescoped
is no more than would be expected from the continuous uni-

[10]

Fig. 5. Pumila. Set A to left.

Photographed January 22.
I> flowered.

Neither set A nor

formity of environment that prevailed under the conditions of
the greenhouse. In other words, the process that we have fa¬
miliarly referred to as “forcing” under greenhouse conditions
which is understood to mean more rapid development, is merely
the result of eliminating the unfavorable effect of shifting tem¬
perature, light and water relations. For a record of growth out
of doors of No. 108, the reader is referred to the work of AY alter
and McCormick, Bull. Amer. Isis Soc. No. 49.

The results of additional light for the Piunila are recorded in
Fig. 5. This photograph was made at the same date as the three
previously mentioned records, 38 days from removal from the
garden. Its failure to bloom is not explained. Inferences that
might be suggested are (1) that it cannot stand transplanting at
this time, (2) contrary to the established opinion, its deciduous
habit is not an evidence of better adjustment to low temperature
conditions, (3) some other factor, not accounted for at present
was unfavorable to it, (4) the sequence in applying control
factors was unfavorable, (5) it should not be inferred that all
Pumila irises would react in the same manner.

Fig. 6 shows three plants each of No. 126 on January 19th.
All of Set A completed their bloom by January 22nd. One of Set
B of this clone bloomed. The difference between Sets A and B
remained about the same throughout the period of experimenta¬
tion. Fig. 7 shows No. 108. Two plants of Sets A and B are
shown as they appeared January 22nd.

Fig. 8 made on January 26th shows three plants each of Sets
A and B of No. 108. Set A is at the left. The plants of Set A
all bloomed by February 2.

It was at this time decided to continue the experiment by re¬
moving all of the set B plants to the extra light with the
following results :

(1) The Pumila continued out of bloom.

(2) No. 2 gave no additional bloom. The pot which had
bloomed erratically without extra light remained as in¬
active as the rest.

(3) No. 126 gave bloom in two plants. These appeared Feb¬
ruary 24tli.

(4) No. 108 responded rapidly. By February 22nd when the
experiment was discontinued all the Set B plants of this
clone were in bud or in bloom. In all cases the appearance

[12]

Fig. 7. Clone 108. Two plants from each set. Set A at left. Photographed

January 22.

of the scape and flowers was more nearly normal than in
any of the previously bloomed flowers of Set A. The
scape showed no twists as seen in Set A of this clone
January 22nd, Fig. 7.

Inferences

The inferences and comparisons obtained from this continua¬
tion are possibly the most valuable part of this experiment.
From the behavior of the plants I think we may justifiably in¬
fer that the operation of these factors is interralated. As in a
combination lock, the turns must be in sequence to open. In¬
creasing temperature without increasing light was not favor¬
able to blooming in No. 2 and No. 126. It was favorable for No.
108. Moreover in the cases of No. 126 that did bloom the blos¬
soms appeared after what would be regarded as their normally
allotted period of exposure. The fifty nine days of exposure
to increased temperature with only a limited increase in ex¬
posure during the entire perior to slightly longer days was not
favorable to flowering activity.

The inference from the behavior of No. 108 of the B Set is
that exposure to increased length of the day is better suited to
flowering activity after a prolonged exposure to increasing tem¬
perature. This fits with the normally developing season out of
doors and accounts for the lateness of the tall bearded irises.

Another inference of genetic significance is that hybrids be¬
tween Chamaeiris type irises and trojana types would produce
offspring that behave irregularly. This seems to me to offer an
explanation of the remontants or autumn flowering types which
after a florally inactive season during normally long light days
become active with decreasing length of day and decreasing tem¬
peratures. The conclusion is that hereditary and environmental
factors are involved.

Summary

Four clonal types of bearded irises, two dwarf and one in¬
termediate and one tall were used for comparative behavior
under controlled length of day and temperature.

Those receiving increased day length and increased tempera¬
ture bloomed in sequence as it occurs in the garden.

Those receiving increased temperature without increasing day
length did not respond in the same way.

[14]

Those which after a protracted period of increased tempera¬
ture were then given greatly increased day length responded
differently for the different clonal groups.

The conclusion is that for all groups indicated the behavior
with respect to seasonal changes is dependent upon both heredi¬
tary and environmental factors.

References

1. Adams, J. 1920. Relation of flax to varying amounts of light.
Bot. Gaz. 70:153-156.

2. - . 1924. Does light determine the date of heading

out in winter wheat and winter age? Am. Jour. Bot. 11:229-
232.

3. Garner, W. W., and Allard, H. A. 1920. Effect of length of
day and other factors of the environment on growth and re¬
production in plants. Jour. Agr. Res. 18:553-606.

4. - , and - . 1920. Flowering and fruiting

of plants controlled by length of day.

5. Hurd-Karrer, Annie M. 1933. Comparative responses of a
spring and a winter wheat to day length and temperature.
Jour. Agr. Res. 46:867-888.

6. Ivellerman, K. F. 1926. A review of the discovery of photo-
periodism ; the influence of length of daily light periods upon
the growth of plants. Quart. Rev. Biol. 1 :87-94.

7. Laurie, Alex and Poescli, G. H. 1932. Photoperiodism. The
value of supplementary illumination and reduction of light
on flowering plants in the greenhouse. Ohio Agr. Exp. St a.
Bui. 512 (see pages 7 and 12).

8. Maximov, N. A. 1930. A textbook of plant physiology.
Translated from the Russian; edited bv A. E. Murneek, R. B.
Harvey, 381 p. Illus. New York.

9. Schaffner, J. H. 1923. Effect of length of daylight on sex
reversal in hemp. Ecology 4 :323-328.

10. - . 1926. The change of opposite to alternate pliyl-

lotaxy and repeated rejuvenation in hemp by means of
changed photoperiod. Ecology 8 :315-321.

11. Thicker, M. A. H. The effect of the length of the day upon
the growth and reproduction of some economic plants. Ann.
Bot. (London) 39:721-754.

12. Waller, A. E., and McCormick, R. H. 1933. Stem elongation
studies. Bui. Amer. Iris Soc. No. 49 :81-89.

[15]

SOME NOTES ON GERMINATION
John Dolman, Jr.

S The publication of Dr. Essig’s article on iris breeding in the
Bulletin for July, 1934, suggested the need of similar data from
other sections of the country, and of a little closer observation on
the part of all breeders concerning the conditions governing ger¬
mination. I hope that the notes which follow will contribute, in a
very small way, to the accumulation of such data.

The region in which my garden is located (southeastern Pennsyl¬
vania) is very different in soil and climate from that in which
Dr. Essig made his observations. Our soil is a heavy loam with
a clay base, and is much more acid than western soils. Our annual
rainfall is heavy, with great heat and humidity in the summer,
early fall rains, very changeable winters with much freezing and
thawing, and cold, wet springs.

I usually gather bearded iris seed early in August, dry them
thoroughly, plant them in September, and expect no germination
until the following spring. The germination then (provided the
seed have been well covered and have not heaved out) is ordinarily
very good — so good that I do not bother with second-year germi¬
nation. I have tried the latter, but have found that in my soil very
few seed that do not germinate the first spring germinate at all.
Very few, in fact, can be found; they either germinate at the
normal time or they rot. Practically all that do germinate do so
between April 1 and May 10, the great majority between April 10
and April 25.

Because of the short summers and the winter heaving we seldom
get bloom here on seedlings until three years after crossing the
pollen. A few old plants bloom in two years, but usually with weak,
undersized stalks (unless planted in cold frame) ; and many do not
bloom for four or even five years. That puts us at a great disad¬
vantage as compared to the California hybridizers, who can get
good bloom in two years. Dr. Essig’s remarks about the viability of
seed taken from green pods, together with some of the observations
reported by Mr. Gottschall in the Bulletin for April, 1934, made
me wonder whether I could speed up the process by planting earlier
and trying to get some germination in the fall.

1 16]

In 1934 I planted my seed on August 12, about six weeks earlier
than usual, keeping a careful record of each cross, the exact num¬
ber of seed planted, and their condition. Because of the early date
the condition varied considerably. Some seed, harvested from the
first pods to ripen, were dry and wrinkled. Some, after drying, had
become mouldy, as they often do in our damp climate. Some were
brown or yellow, but still fat and unwrinkled, wdiile others were
pale, moist, and immature, having been taken from very green pods.

The first seed germinated on September 2, twenty-one days after
planting. They were from Primrose by mixed pollen, and had been
very unripe when planted. Before the end of September this
cross had germinated 13 per cent. One other cross — Flambeau by
mixed pollen — also germinated 13 per cent, but the seed of that
cross had been dried early and had become so mouldy before plant¬
ing that I had considered throwing them away! Altogether, only
.75 of 1 per cent of all the seed planted germinated in the fall.
Of the crosses that germinated some seed in the fall, 5.3 per cent
germinated. But there were only eight crosses that showed any
fall germination out of a total of fifty-nine ; and in five of the eight
the seed had been planted green or unripe.

The low percentage of fall germination would seem to show the
futility of early planting in this locality, particularly as more than
half of the fall-germinated seedlings heaved with the frost and
winter-killed, and all would have done so but for frequent rescue.
The few that survived grew very slowly in the spring, and were
soon dwarfed by the spring-germinated plants in the same rows.

On the other hand, the comparative results would seem to show
that if you want fall germination you can get it better from unripe
seeds than from ripe ones.

For spring germination, however, the ripened seeds appear to
be better. My tabulation shows that dry and nearly dry seed stood
the winter better than green ones. Not that all the green ones
rotted ; far from it. One cross, planted very green, germinated 57
per cent in the spring; another germinated 51 per cent. A cross
planted in semi-mature but un wrinkled condition germinated 80
per cent, and several others 76, 59, and 58 per cent respectively.
Nevertheless, the spring germinations showed a heavy advantage
in favor of those seed that were fully ripened and dried before
planting, and against those that were excessively unripe. The total
percentage of germination, including both fall and spring, was 39

[17]

for moist and unripe seed, as against 51 for mature and nearly
mature seed.

The most startling result was that from the seed that had gone
mouldy, no less than 73 per cent of which germinated. However, as
many of the mouldy seed came from one particular parent (a seed¬
ling blend of my own, the seed from which germinated 90 per cent),

I am inclined to credit the viability of the seed from that cross
rather than the condition of the seed. In fact, the principal point
demonstrated by my tabulation is that there is far more variation
in fertility with the different crosses than with the condition of the
seed. As every breeder knows, there are some crosses that just do
not germinate, and others that can hardly be prevented from
germinating.

The only conclusion I can draw concerning the proper condition
of the seed is that it should not be too unripe. At the same time it is
encouraging to observe that a cherished pod broken off too soon
need not be considered a total loss, and that seed that has gone
mouldy need not be thrown away.

My tabulations are too lengthy to offer for publication, but a
brief mention of the crosses that gave the highest percentage of
germination might be of interest. They were :

Seedling 21 (blend) X mixed pollen . 95% (Seed mouldy)

Magnifica X Grace Sturtevant . 83% (Seed dry)

(Alcazar X ?) X Romola . 81% (Seed ripe, but

not dry)

King Tut X ( Iris King X ?) . 80% (Seed not dry)

(Alcazar X ?) X Andante . 76% (Seed not dry)

Amanecer X ? . 75% (Seed dry)

El Capitan X Moonlight . 68% (Seed nearly dry)

Andante X (Alcazar X ?) . 64% (Seed dry)

Dauntless X Grace Sturtevant . 63% (Seed nearly dry)

Amanecer X Cavatina . 62% (Seed nearly dry)

Bruno X King Tut . 60% (Seed unripe)

Many crosses gave fewer than 10 per cent germination, and
some did not give any. It is worth noting, however, that some of
these were crosses which in other years had given good germina¬
tion, suggesting the presence of unknown factors that affect the
percentage, but affect it differently for different crosses. It will be
interesting, if possible, to run these factors down.

[18]

VARIATIONS OF THE NATIVE OREGON IRISES

Carl Starker

■ The amount of variation in the native Oregon irises is really
surprising. Iris tenax which is the common wild iris of western
Oregon and Washington seems to vary to some extent according to
the type of country in which it is found. In the Willamette Val¬
ley the prevailing color is a clear lavender more or less con¬
spicuously marked with a white or yellow and white signal patch
down the center of the falls. The color varies somewhat from
paler to darker, but the main tone remains the same. In the
foothills of the Cascade mountains there is a reddish tone to the
blossoms so that they appear orchid, while near the coast the
flowers become darker, verging on purple, and the foliage is
deeper in color with shorter, narrower leaves.

These local variations, however, by no means exhaust the color
range of this truly lovely plant. I have in my garden several
plants which bear pure white blossoms of great beauty with a
wide yellow signal patch down the center of the falls. Another
lovely sort is marked with light blue veins on a white ground
which gives the flower a definitely bluish, not purplish cast. Be¬
side the white forms, there are creamy flowers marked with yel¬
lowish veins, and tawny buff blossoms more or less deeply veined
with lavender. There is of course a whole range of plants that
run the gamut of lavender and mauve. Beside this there are the
gray flowers and a superb deep purple with a conspicuous white
signal patch.

Iris Douglasiana presents a very great variation in size of plant
as well as in the color of the flowers. I have plants which grow
more then three feet high and others which never exceed twelve
inches. The size of the blossom seems to vary very little according
to the size of the plant, but in my experience the dwarfer plants
do not produce anything like so great a range of color variation as
do the taller ones.

The blooming season of the various color variants seems to be
more widely separated than is the case with Iris tenax. I have a
rare and very lovely pure white form which blooms very early,
even before Iris tenax begins to flower. This is followed in a week

[19]

or so by a deep purple sort which is a little earlier than most of
the Iris Douglasiana. Then there is a fine sort with a much frilled
lavender blossom which comes on quite late after all the others
have finished blooming.

Some types of Iris Douglasiana are not so desirable as others
for garden plants because the leaves are so large and luxuriant
that they detract from the beauty of the flowers and make a rather
gross looking plant. This is not true of the white variety, however,
and it is possible with a little care in selection to get fine plants
of very great garden value in a wide range of color.

Iris innominata, too, varies both in size and in color. I have
short stemmed plants with foliage not more than three inches
long, and longer stemmed sorts with ten-inch foliage. The yel¬
low forms vary from a very light creamy yellow more or less
heavily veined with brown to a deep orange self color which is
to my mind the most beautiful form. Some types are much more
ruffled then others. There are also lavender and purple sorts,
but these do not compare in beauty with the yelloAV kinds.

There seems to be no rhyme nor reason to all this variation and
so far as my experience goes they do not come true from seed.
At a recent flower show I saw a vase full of Iris innominata blos¬
soms which came from plants raised from a single seed pod. The
mother plant was deep yellow, and the seedling plants varied
from cream to deep yellow, and there were two fairly dark laven¬
der blossoms in the lot. The seed of white Iris tenax which I
sowed a few years ago produced a number of lovely tawny blos¬
soms a few lavender and one quite deep purple, but no white !

It seems to me that there is a change for a good deal of experi¬
mentation along this line. I have wondered whether the fact that
the plants vary so greatly from seed is due to an inherent varia¬
bility, or whether it may be due to cross pollination with flowers
of other shades. I hope soon to find out whether this latter fact
will account for the difference. My white Iris Douglasiana blooms
so long before any of the other types of irises are out that its
seed must of necessity be self fertilized. I have sown some of
this seed and have small plants which I shall watch with great
interest until they bloom.

Jennings Lodge, Ore.

[20]

[21]

IRIS PERSONALITIES

Thura Truax Hires

® Nashville, the Iris City ! What magic those words possess,
bringing to ns the memory of beautiful approaches to the city
where irises bank the highways, filling the air with perfume ;
of angles where busy streets meet in which a few feet have been
set aside where they can flaunt their gay beauty. Driving down
from Lexington the Sunday morning before the Annual Meeting
I found myself watching for these plantings and marveling at the
fine irises used. Not the old Honorabile and Flavescens of the
farm yard but real artistocrats, mostly unnamed seedlings, I fancy,
from Chancellor Kirkland’s and Mr. Connell’s gardens.

Sunday afternoon Mrs. Connell and I drove out to Dauntless
Hill, Mr. Connell’s sanctuary in the hills. No need for me to tell
of this lovely place as wherever I went after leaving Nashville I
found its beauty had been blazoned by those fortunate people
who had attended the meeting. There was only scattered bloom
in the Iris garden that afternoon but within a few days the warm
suns waved wands and lo ! it showed its beauty for the party. The
garden at Dauntless Hill has been carved out of the side of the
hill so that one looks down upon the irises from the house. They
are backed by magnificent cedars, so tall and stately, with roses
to dip and sway from bark trellises, tumbling down in gay cas¬
cades to mingle with the taller irises. Blithesome is a beauty,
quite the same coloring as Col. Nicholl’s Sunmist, but giving a
different effect. The standards are open, the falls flare, being set off
by a brilliant yellow beard. The substance is heavy, the flowers hav¬
ing the beautiful finish of cream luster. Parthenon was a joy to be¬
hold, such a gorgeous white, of equal fine form. The cupped stand¬
ards slightly ruffled, the falls flaring widely, each flower so perfect
and lighted from within by its golden heart. It increases rapidly
and is very free flowering so a mass planting is a beautiful sight.
Great clumps of Selene bloomed in such purity against the dark
green of the rose foliage one could well see how suited her name.
I was sorry — and yet glad — to find her doing what she does with
me, folding her falls tightly back toward the center. Sorry, be¬
cause the standards are so perfect one wishes the falls as fine —

[22]

glad, because Mr. Connell and I had exchanged rather caustic
remarks back and forth about her behavior. Always she had be¬
haved so for me, never before like that for him. Was it because I
was there? Had I cast a dark spell? Is it a matter of soil or of
the atmospheric condition at the time of bloom? Who can say?
Here, and now, I wish to apologize publicly to Mr. Connell for
what I have said to him privately about Selene’s bad habit, as
two weeks later I was to find her at Mr. Grinter’s with petals
unfurled to the breezes, as perfect a beauty as one could wish,
so at last I knew how lovely she must have been at the first
blooming. Nevertheless, I was amused that afternoon when from
looking at Selene “the despised one” Mr. Connell faced me about
toward Parthenon and said “Lady, here is my apology.” At last
I knew I was forgiven ! In the orchard he had scattered bloom
from the seedlings but not what he should have had from the
planting that is there. A fine blue, and a much redder Daunt¬
less were two finds of the year. Dauntless, itself, in the garden
v/as stunning. Only once had I seen this planting equalled and
that in Mrs. Kellogg’s garden where, when it was first introduced,
it was better grown than I had seen it at Nashville the same
spring.

Monday and Tuesday I spent becoming acquainted with the
new seedlings at Chancellor Kirkland’s and renewing my friend¬
ship with those named beauties I had met first as seedlings. How
I blessed Mr. Connell for his suggestion that I travel down early
to Nashville thus to have a few quiet days before the meeting.
Seeing a long row of Hermitage, which I had liked so much dur¬
ing its early blooming, and to know its beauty, for me, has not
been dimmed by newer introductions; to see a long row of Violet
Crown in full bloom, where before I had known it only as small
specimen clumps; to meet for the first time such personalities as
At Dawning, Magnetawan and Copper Lustre ; all this was a
dream come true as, for five summers, I had dreamed of return¬
ing to Nashville at Iris-time. This time it did not rain as during
my visit in 1930 ! The sun blazed, it beat, it scorched, but what
cared I that my neck was burned so that cool pillows felt like
hot cinders. I was to see lovely irises in many gardens during
the days to come. Howr sad it is to be able to spend only a few
short hours with new seedlings and to flit about from garden to
garden trying to crowd into these hours all one should have

[23]

days to absorb. To see them at the dawnlight, under the
midday sun and when twilight shadows throw their spell across
the garden ; to live with them in all sorts of weather is the only
way to know them and to how few of us is this possible until
the new have become the old.

“Which do you think the Chancellor’s best seedling” Mr. Con¬
nell asked me that first evening. ‘ ‘ Junaluska, ” said I. ‘‘And
which the second?” “Violet Crown.” “You pass,” said he, “they
are my choice.” Two days later I tried this game with Dr.
Everett and was thrilled when he gave the same answer. I like
what I like because I like it, but it is grand when others like
what I like !

Copper Lustre is a decided break in color. It is a glowing
copper of fine form and finish. The standards are clipped, with
a green gold midrib that lias the strength we look for in the
modern fine introductions. The falls are semi-flaring, having
a slight gold line through the blade; the reverse is green gold
which, with the narrow deep yellow beard, helps to give the
flower the golden shimmer that is one of its attractions. The
flowers are large and have the necessary substance to last well
through any weather as was proved this spring. The 36-incli
strong stalk is high branched, carrying five blooms beautifully
placed. With it I should like to grow a tall, very pale lavender
seedling of the Chancellor’s named Twilight Blue. This is a
seedling that has all the many good qualities we are looking for
in the blues — fine form, smooth finish and very heavy substance
with a perfect stalk. One afternoon I broke a flower to try the
effect with Copper Lustre and left it in the clump caught in
the branch of a stalk. The following afternoon Mrs. Ketchum
and I passed that way and found the bloom of Twilight Blue
as crisp and fine as when broken from its stalk, showing what
exceptional substance it has, as the day had been a torrid one.

The Chancellor has been elevated to the ranks of plant wiz¬
ards ! I can prove it. Sitting on a bench near Copper Lustre
while the bloom of Twilight Blue was caught in the stalk I over¬
heard a visitor commenting on the irises to her friend. “See,
this is the new Copper Lustre,” she said, pointing to the clump.
“Isn’t is pretty, and how big,” was the friend’s reply. “And they
say it sells at $30.00, do you suppose that is because he has.
made two colors bloom on the same stalk?”

r 24 1

Junaluska is one of the copper race, with flowers borne on
widely branched slender stalks that sway but do not bend. The
domed standards are bronzed copper, the falls bronze red. It
lias most beautiful form and finish having all the glow of living
fires — a very stately iris. Violet Crown, a gorgeous heliotrope
self of quality, was stunning growing in a mass near a soft blue.
I should like to try it with Gleam, possibly both planted in
front of, and a short distance away from kolkowitzia, which
blooms at the same time as the irises. Cyrus the Great is a very
dark blue with semi-liorizontal falls, graceful and yet giving a
feeling of great strength. The falls are very wide at the haft
which is flushed brown ; the beard dark, deep yellow ; substance
fine with a smooth texture. The stalks carry three branches, be¬
ginning below center, the average height being 38 inches. Strol¬
ling through the field one day the Chancellor was speaking of
the characteristics of the different seedlings. As we stood near
this iris we noticed a stalk several rows away that towered
above its neighbors. The Chancellor said “That is Cyrus on a
horse.’’ What a difference a few yards make sometimes. Evi-
dently there was some food in that particular spot that Cyrus
liked and he had mounted his horse to survey himself in other
places.

Aztec, Ojibway, Orillia, Timagami and Yucatan all belong to
the copper group but each possesses some characteristic that
gives distinction. Timagami is more rosy than Magnetawan. It
is an early bloomer and is on the wane when Aztec comes to full
bloom. The standards are a beautiful golden tan flushed rose,
the falls a deeper rose coloring with a velvet finish. It is very
fine. Ojibway is taller, the flowers of medium size borne on a
high branched stalk. The standards are copper tan, the falls
rose copper with much yellow underlay. The effect of the falls
is that of coral velvet. The flowers are of pleasing shape, the
standards cupped and the falls flaring, beautifully rounded. This
will make a glowing garden clump. The standards of Orillia are
more of a golden tan than those of Ojibway, while the falls seem
a bit brighter, this due, possibly, to the flecks of gold running
through. Yucatan, which is the latest of this series to bloom,
does not have the depth of copper tones shown in the others.
The arching standards are pinkish tan and are slightly ruffled,
the falls droop but are not straight hanging, and have a heavy

[25]

gold haft. It is rarely beautiful and is to have for a companion
in my garden the Chancellor’s “Red Sir Michael” a seedling that
is brighter and richer than Sir Michael. At Dawning is a beau¬
tiful blend, the flowers so well placed on the stalk that, though
three are open together, none touch. The standards are a cool
lavender on a soft yellow ground, the flaring falls of rose, all
petals having a gold edge. An iris of the Isoline color group it
possesses a rare charm which is aptly suggested by its name.
Pink Glow, a fascinating blend of violet, rose and coral, with
a yellow undertone which shows through the yellow brown wash
of velvet on the flaring falls, is another of these lovely new
seedlings greeting the visitor to the Kirkland gardens. You will
all long for it as much as I when you see it !

At the center of the field were the seedlings blooming for the
first time this year giving promise of the glory they will be
next season. One, a yellow which was called Gazi is registered
as Padishah. It is a pure rich canary yellow self, the flowers
large and of pleasing form, lighted by a gold beard. It possesses a
luminous quality that adds to its distinction. There were three
blooms open, so well spaced one could see clearly the outline of
each, the slender stalk being quite adequate for their support,
3ret graceful in itself. Without a doubt this will take rank with
the finest of the new yellows upon its introduction. Another
yellow bloomed much later, too late for the visitors at- the meeting
of the Society. This is 35-4, a Coronation X Dykes seedling. It
is as large and as finely formed as Padishah, the standards a
clear creamy yellow, the falls of the same tone but washed on
the blade with deeper yellow. The falls flare almost horizontal¬
ly ; the substance is that of a magnolia petal with a smooth
satiny texture. The buds are most interesting showing a mi¬
nute maroon line on the edge of the petals which disappears as
the bloom unfolds. This is my favorite of the two yellows,
though I long for the day when I may grow both.

Toward the end of my visit a long row of Blue Banner, giv¬
ing the feel of a blue sea, impressed me with its landscape value.
Such an even tone of clear medium blue, and so free flowering,
it gives a fine mass effect. Then there was Beacon, a small
bright yellow so useful for lower clumps toward the front of
borders. During the two weeks I spent at Nashville I had a part
of each day in this garden, with the exception of three when

[26]

we went to Atlanta, thus being able to see the seedlings under
many weather conditions — hot suns — cloudy days — beating rains
— winds, and was impressed with the uniform high quality they
possess. They have vigor, tine color and a finish of form and
texture that bears witness to the standard he has set for them
to attain before he is Avilling to even carry them over to a
second blooming season.

Mr. Washington had a fine yellow blooming for the first time.
It was tall and clear and of fine form. It opened just in time
for the meeting and on that day, though I tried several times,
1 could not get near enough to it to make a detailed description,
so popular was it with the many visitors. A few days later I re¬
turned to this garden but the blooms were gone. A stately white
was another greatly admired during these days. This is, I be¬
lieve, one of Mrs. Nesmith’s seedlings. Mme. Recamier, a tall
yellow-pink blend, is a very free blooming variety bright and
valuable for the garden picture. The standards are of a soft
yellow undertone, heavily flushed pink, giving a soft pinkish
tan effect ; the falls are of the same coloring but deeper with a
blue tint below the beard. The slender stalk is high and widely
branched. Pink Butterfly is another pink blend, the center of
the standards tan yellow with a heavy lavender pink flush to¬
ward the edges; the falls are a lovely strawberry pink with
a heavy lavender pink flush through the blade. Dawning Day,
another aptly named variety, is done in tones of fawn yellow
and pink which will make a very bright light in the garden. All
these pink toned blends should prove effective with the reds.
Glint o’ Gold is a tall yellow, the standards a clear canary while
the falls of the same hue are washed brown across the blade,
very evenly, which gives a burnished light. There was a large
planting of Mary Geddes in one of the connecting gardens very
brilliant in the sunlight, each blossom showing the fine quality
that has made it famous. Jeb Stuart ranks high amongst the
finest of the more recent introductions and should be as great
a favorite ten or twenty years hence as it is today. Though it
is called a brown red my memory picture always sees brown. It
is rich and must have much yellow in its pigment as it glows as
do some rich golden brown velvets. Brilliancy is added by the
rich gold of the beard which adds intensity to the coloring in the
falls.

Mr. Washington’s Apogon hybrids were blooming before I left

[27]

so I was fortunate in seeing the fine blue Eska Holt, Mary Love
an enchanting orchid pink, and a number of other beauties that
will bring much grace to our garden pictures as soon the gar¬
dening world becomes aware of their value. It is a pity they
could not have been in bloom ten days earlier as so many had
been looking forward to seeing them.

Mr. and Mrs. Williams have a charming garden that covers
acres, or rather should one say a series of connecting gardens.
Their home, a few miles out of Nashville, is on a low hill shaded
by magnificent old trees. Here, within two years, they have
built gardens that give the feeling found usually only in those
of many years growth. A long walk leading back between rose
covered trellises connects the house with a quaint tea house
where unexpected stairs lead up to an overlook from which one
can look off across the gardens. These are to either side of this
center walk, one planned to be a “courtesy garden” where
breeders may send their seedlings to be grown and judged,
feeling they will have the best of care and also be seen by the
Southern judges. In the other garden is planted a general col¬
lection of the finest irises to be had, while beyond this is a
smaller garden in which the Fall Blooming Irises hold sway.
The gardens are built on virgin soil where the plants are
splendidly grown.

In this garden Col. Nicliolls’ Sunmist was as fine as I recalled
it to be at Ithaca and as greatly admired as it has been in mine
for two seasons. It is an entrancing cream-toned beauty, heavily
overlaid yellow giving an iridescent gold light. New, to me, was
Itasca, Dr. Kleinsorge’s rich deep purple seedling. It impressed
me as a very fine iris of pleasing form and a splendid doer, as
there were six stalks on the one year plant.

Mr. Williams has joined the ranks of hybridizers and seems
to be going places, judging from the seedlings he had to show
this year. There was Brentwood, with arching standards and
semi-flaring falls, to join the “reds.” Chinook, a white of fine
form enriched by iridescent gold lights, the arched standards
and flaring falls with uptilted tips giving it an airy grace that
was most pleasing. Late blooming was Brown Mahogany and
I was sorry it could not have been in bloom at the time of the
meeting. Here is another color break as it is truly what the
name indicates — brown mahogany. The standards cup and
the falls flare, the styles the same self -color, the beard dull

[28]

yellow brown. The flowers are carried on tall wiry widely
branched stalks. The only criticism anyone could make would
be that the falls are a trifle too narrow for the standards, but
who would be so hypercritical over such a minor point. There
was a French blue seedling, 51-A, which is very fine. It is a
self with a heavy lavender purple flush at the end of the beard
and a solid brown-toned haft. This season I have seen several
new irises that show a deepening self-color, or complimentary
one, at the sides or end of the beard and find them most dis¬
tinctive. Others were Ozone and Creole Belle. 210-A is a
medium grey blue self with ruffled standards and falls as
horizontal as those of Rose Dominion, with a dull gold haft.
This, too, is very fine.

I had intended leaving Nashville May 6th so as to have ten

davs in southern Missouri and Oklahoma before the Iris Show

«/

at St. Joseph at which I had been invited to be one of the
judges, but my host suggested I go to Atlanta for the flower
show instead. As this would give an opportunity to see the late
bloom at Chattanooga and a longer time at Nashville with my
friends and the irises I rearranged my plans, knowing I could
visit the other friends when irises were not in bloom.

During the days of the meeting many of our members had
told me of Mr. and Mrs. McDade’s beautiful garden and I had
gathered interesting tit-bits about the irises therein. I had
wanted to go there very much, indeed, but had become very
tired of driving by the time I reached Nashville and felt I could
not possibly give that steering wheel another twist. A golden
opportunity had slipped by as Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong and
Mrs. Benners had driven down there the day before our gath¬
ering and the latter told me they had called every hotel to try
to locate me so I might share this pleasure. I did appreciate
this thoughtfulness and was sorry not to have been with them,
as I should have enjoyed a longer visit with them and also have
seen some of the newer irises I missed elsewhere. But there are
always compensations and Mr. Connell and I saw several very
interesting novelties.

This garden is very lovely, old box dominating the picture,
with beautiful trees, shrubs and rare plants as foils. Jean
Cayeux, a study in golden tan, brightened with the lavender
flush on the blade and a brilliant blue touch at the end of the
beard, was very interesting. President Pilkington, of which I

[29]

had read much, but had not seen, impressed me greatly. It is
a warm blend of pale lavender and tan gold with deepening
tones on the blade. Golden Flare is a charmer with flowers of
medium size. It has a certain style and finish that gives it an
aristocratic appearance. Very gay coloring, this, pinkish yellow
and peach with a deep narrow orange beard — one to weave into
pictures. Then there was Ozone, one of Mr. Jacob Sass’ new
introductions. Mr. Connell and I decided it was the one bloom¬
ing in this garden we most wanted to grow in ours. The flowers
are nicely rounded, of fine substance and well placed on 36 to
38 inch stalks. Its color is a very even lavender violet with a
beautiful sheen, set off by the heavy brown haft and deepening
self -col or at the tip of the pale beard.

The Atlanta show was an interesting one and covered much
space, including as it did six large gardens, eight or more flower
shops, arrangements and shadow boxes, tables, and sections for
peonies, roses and irises. We were quite surprised at the number
and quality of the latter as the season should have been too far
advanced for any but the Apogons. A great pleasure for me was
our visit with Mr. Graham, whom I had seen at Nashville only
from a distance so much was he in demand. We had much iris
talk and found a further common interest in the roses, one of
the highlights of the show.

Leaving Nashville I drove west to Huntington and then north
to St. Louis. This section of Tennessee is a treasure house for
the searcher of Old Roses and I should like to make a leisurely
trip through there in the fall as Mr. Morrison and I are off on a
regular rose spree. In a cabin dooryard in Georgia we had
spied one that had been used as a hedge. The flowers are very
small, quite like those of the wild blackberry, and are in clusters.
One traveled home with me and “Mammy” told me that if it
did not live she would start some for me, saying “My mammy
always told me I had green fingers.” Green fingers — what could
be more expressive than these words for those fortunate gar¬
deners who have magic in their touch. A two days’ drive from
Nashville through southern Illinois to St. Louis and then north¬
westward across the state took me to Independence and the
Grinter’s hospitable home. I had thought Missouri a flat state,
except for the Ozarks — my visual knowledge of it previous to
this trip having been limited to St. Louis — and was happily sur-

[30]

prised at the beauty of the rolling hills and wooded stretches
through which the St. Louis-Kansas City highway passes.

Mr. Grinter’s seedlings were just opening when I reached
Independence and so much had I looked forward to seeing them
that days, and not the hours I had planned, were spent enjoying
their beauty. Mrs. Grinter was judging the show at Kansas
City the following forenoon, a most interesting one exceptionally
well staged. After an enjoyable lunch with the Show Committee
and the judges we started for St. Joseph where judging was to
take place late in the afternoon. We started in a slight shower
which turned into a torrent before we covered the fifty odd
miles, arriving to find the committee wondering whether they
would have even one judge as Dr. Everett had found he could
not get there and I was “lost” somewhere between Nashville and
their show room. We had intended driving back to Indepen¬
dence that evening but it continued to pour so we were very
happy to accept the gracious invitation of Mrs. Callis to be her
guests over night. The following morning we enjoyed a walk
about her garden which is an extensive commercial one to
which has been given the charming name “Wild Rose Iris Gar¬
den” in memory of her childhood home in the Ozarks, where the
wild roses bloomed. The garden is very well planned and con¬
tains the finest of the older varieties together with an interest¬
ing planting of the novelties. To meet Mr. and Mrs. Byous, who
have done so much to make their Iris Shows outstanding
amongst the fine ones of the mid-west, was a great pleasure.
Also to be welcomed by Dr. and Mrs. Schirmer, Mr. Carl
Schirmer and Mr. McBride and taken into their circle of iris
friends made it a Red Letter day for me. The South Side
Garden Club’s Year Book for 1935 is before me as I write, one
of the most attractive I have seen, which tells me that today —
July 15th — they are having a meeting in the garden of Mr.
and Mrs. Mitchell and that Mr. Byous is talking on “Big Bug
Hunt in the Garden.” Could he but see the Japanese beetle here!

We have a host of fine dark irises but none more beautiful
than Wotan, Mr. Grinter’s dark gift to our gardens. It has
most gracefully formed flowers, cupped standards and widely
flaring falls. It is one of the “smoothest” irises I know, the
texture so close, with a luster found in rich satins. Deep black¬
ish royal purple with a brown tone in the haft and no reticu¬
lations showing, the flowers impress one with their fine groom-

[31]

ing*. The buds are very black giving promise of the glory that
is to be. I rated it well in the 90s. There was a gold seedling
that impressed me very much. The standards a deep gold with
a green midrib, tipped and flushed maroon, giving a bronzy pink
effect at the tip — the Elsinore type of color placing — the flaring
falls the same gold but lined maroon when first opening, these
lines fading out within a few hours, leaving the effective gold
tone only. The slender stalks are widely branched and carry
eight and nine blooms. Another, 19-33, is a beautiful brilliant
red self, the velvet falls giving a bicolor effect. It is of fine
quality, the standards cupped, the falls flaring, and from a
distance becomes a glowing crimson flower. Planted with the
Gold, 36-33, it would be most effective. For several days Mr.
Grinter and I had friendly arguments over our two favorite
combinations for color amongst his seedlings. His was a lovely
yellow with a blue that so far had not opened, and mine this
red and gold. I felt I had the best of it until his blue opened
and then had to agree that it made an equally fine color group —
though not better ! A small glowing rose red seedling that should
join the ranks of fine Table Irises is 16-33. The slender 26 to
30-inch stalk carries four flowers of fine substance. There were
two very pleasing blends, one a glowing golden fawn, the falls
having a heavy blending of pink with the gold, with a deeper
splash on either side of the blade at the tip of the beard, while
a deep gold edge intensifies the gold of the standards, is num¬
bered 32-34; the other, 35-30, has clear deep primrose standards,
with falls the same tone with a soft lavender-pink overwash.
For a taller arrangement this will be as useful as Cameo, of the
same general tones, and as pleasing in its effect. A cool citron
yellow self with a beard but slightly deeper, with blooms of
medium size, has an allure that drew us back again and again.
The slightly wavy petals have an unusual transparent appear¬
ance which caused it to look frail, but the very close heavy
texture belied this and it held well through rain, sun and a very
sudden drop in temperature.

A large clump of Classic seen with the sunlight shining
through the petals was glorious ; really a glorified Asia. It is
quite easy to understand Mr. Cooley’s feeling when he saw it
blooming here. I have heard adverse comments about it and
wonder if those who have criticized it have seen well established
plants. Or is it a regional iris? The stalk is heavy of good pro-

[32]

portion to its height, high branched with two blooms open at a
time. The color is deeper and more intensified than in Asia.
The standards are arched, the falls flare, the flowers of fine
quality. An iris for a sunny day, for a special place in the gar¬
den where in the early morning and late afternoon one can see
the flowers with the sun behind them. Then the petals take on
the glowing colors found in a rose purple orchid, while the soft
blending of yellow seems to catch and reflect the light of the sun.

Blue Triumph and Missouri were not blooming in Mr. Grin-
ter’s garden but we found the former at Miss Stoner’s and the
latter was blooming in the Whiting’s garden at Mapleton, Iowa,
two weeks later. Both are fine, the former a heavenly blue self,
possessing all the fine qualities Mr. Grinter intends his introduc¬
tions to have. Missouri is of equal quality but of different form
and with a deeper flush on the blade.

We spent a part of two days Avith Miss Stoner at Orchard
Park, hours that were filled with pleasure. She grows her irises
so well and has such a splendid collection we found it hard
to leave, even though wrapped in coats, weighed down by
galoshes and longing for fur gloves and ear muffs in lieu of
furnaces. Eros, Mr. Mead’s charming blend, was seen here and
gave a good account of itself. Later I was to see it in its home
garden at Ft. Wayne and in the Williamson garden and to find
it of equally fine color in each. I feel it gives the freshest pink
tone of any of the so called pinks of its depth. It is more of a
light salmon very brilliant in effect. The stalk is typical of the
pallida group and this should help to make it most effective in
mass, as the flowers should thus be of an even height. I had seen
Gudrun in the South so was glad to see it here where it was
equally as fine. This stalk is well branched ; the large flowers of
pure white in the sun, while on dull days the yellow reverse of
the falls give the blade a smoky look; the petals have a fine
wire edge of gold ; the standards are fluted, while a deep yel¬
low beard, yellow lined haft and yellow crests give it brilliance.
Surely an iris worthy of an Award of Merit. Imperial Blush
had been but a name, though I had heard of its beauty. It is
an iris of heavy substance, fine form and pleasing size, with a
very even tone of pink which seemed to be deeper and more
lavender than the pink of Pink Satin, to which I had heard it
compared. It has most delightful fragrance.

Mrs. Hoyt and Mrs. Grinter were kind enough to take me to

[33]

Kansas City one day where we spent most enjoyable hours
visiting Mr. Timmerman’s and Mr. Branson’s gardens and the
many interesting drives about the city. No need to speak of the
charm of Mr. Timmerman’s garden, Miss Stoner did that in her
review of Kansas City gardens for the “Midwest Bulletin” but I
feel I must mention the tinkle of water, more like the muted
chime of a wee bell that comes from a small cascade as the
water tumbles into a small rocky pool. Hearing it one is trans¬
ported in spirit to mountain forests beside cool brooks far away
from the city street but a few feet distant. My first impression
of the iris planting was that of airy charm, so skillfully have the
light colors that make up two-thirds of the planting, been
handled. Though he did not say, I felt Mr. Timmerman prefers
the clear colored varieties — blues, yellows and whites — rather
than the dark somber ones. This, possibly, an impression gath¬
ered from his own seedlings most of which are of the light col¬
ors. Seedling blooming time is joy-time to him, not that he is
interested to produce world beaters but because he enjoys pro¬
ducing lovely irises for his own garden. I noted 32 Iv a clear
rich yellow in the standards and flaring falls, white of blade
with a yellow liaft and edge on slender stalks ; 34 C, a tall
slender yellow and cream ; 35 F, a lovely frilled white with yel¬
low hafts, all three having much garden value. Another, 34 D
is a tall raspberry colored seedling. The flowers are of nice
form, the buds exceptionally lovely, opening like a rose bud.
This caught and held our eyes from across the garden by its
brightness.

As we started for Mr. Branson’s the heavens opened and the
rain descended. It seemed as though we would have to forego
this pleasure but, after a leisurely lunch, we decided to try our
luck. It did stop but it left the garden quite muddy. Adven¬
turers all, what cared we for mud! Never have I seen better
grown irises and I have seen plenty of exceptionally fine com¬
mercial plantings. Here were varieties many inches taller than
they had any right to be; we vowed he had them on stilts or
else how could it be. There were a few seedlings, one a tall
heliotrophe of fine substance and smoothness, with arched stand¬
ards and flaring falls. Mrs. Grinter and I are to have the plea¬
sure of growing this in our garden in memory of a very pleasant
hour. We stopped by at “The Old House” where Mrs. Kenneth
Browne conducted us up and down her hillside garden where are

[34]

growing many of Mr. Hans Sass’ unintroducecl seedlings
amongst a sea of older varieties, peonies and other perennials.
Then into the house to see her collection of pitchers. Big ones
and little, fat ones and lean, squat and tall, in amber, green,
yellow, white, blue, pink and black; lustre and glass and china,
hundreds upon hundreds they overflowed three rooms and
perched on table and sill as well as in corner cupboards and
dressers. Such an array ! Reluctantly we departed, Mrs. Hoyt
vowing she must have a whole day the next time.

On through Missouri and across a corner of Iowa a half day’s
drive through the hills to the wide sweep of prairie brought us
to Lincoln. There Avas time for only a “prevue” of Dr. and Mrs.
Everett’s lovely garden that evening but I was to have several
days in which to absorb its beauty. I like it, as there are four
separate gardens, each with its green background, so by the time
one makes the circle it is time to start the rounds again and
always some new impression is formed. Here the Californians,
Sweet Alibi, Alta California, Tenaya, Sierra Blue, Neon, Lady
Paramount, Brunhilde, California Gold, Dark Knight, Western
Skies and many a numbered seedling, were blooming perfectly.

Sweet Alibi is the most perfect iris I have ever seen of its
color. The Pied Piper of this garden it enticed all visitors. The
flowers, most beautifully rounded, are rich warm cream of ex¬
ceptional finish. Had Mr. White given our iris world no other
seedling, still would we owe him our deepest gratitude for his
great bounty. But to Sweet Alibi he has added Lady Paramount,
Mohrson and others of which I know not. However, I did see
several numbered seedlings and a number of very interesting
pogo-cyclus crosses. Lady Paramount is a paler yellow than
I had expected, but this was no disappointment as my fancy
in yellows runs to the soft hues. It is a beauty, a clear prim¬
rose self, with a deep yellow beard and deeper yellow veins
in the haft. Tall and widely branched stalks hold proudly
the graceful flowers. Alta California, blooming near Sweet
Alibi, gave better color than when I had seen it in East¬
ern gardens. The standards are a clear medium yellow, the
falls duller, possibly from the brown haze that lingers on the*
blade as though a mist had flowed down from the brown veins
of the haft. The stalks are magnificent and the flowers nicely
placed. In Tenaya we find the ultimate goal for rich dark beauty.
It is a smoothly finished red-purple self of fine form ; a brown

[35]

gold beard gives a glow to the velvet that begins in the haft and
spreads widely across the blade. Shall we give it other irises
for companions? Perhaps Lady Paramount, or Blue Triumph,
with heuchera nearby. Sierra Blue had bloomed in my garden
last year and was everything I could wish in a medium blue.
Perfect form for its type of flower, of the finest substance,
poised on splendid stalks, it will fit into the garden and show
bench pictures as well as will Blue Triumph, which is several
tones lighter. Both are so fascinating I think I shall grow them
together. Western Skies was another impressive medium blue.
The flowers are large and of pleasing form, the beard deep gold
in the heart, white on the haft. This depth of gold so far within
the flower gives the effect one sees as the sun sinks low in the
West at twilight when its rays shine out from low hung clouds.
Neon, Mr. Salbaclds brilliant variegata blend, could not be over¬
looked by the most casual garden visitor. It looks to be an easy
doer and will add distinction to any collection. The bronze
gold standards set off by a greenish midrib, the rich velvety red
of the rounded flaring falls, the gold beard and golden haft
combine to make this a glowing banner held proudly aloft on
3 i/2 feet stalks. Though Mr. Salbach got away to as late a
start amongst the breeders of irises in California as Dr. Ayres
did back this way, his success in producing outstanding seed¬
lings shows lateness no handicap. Brunhilde, a handsome blue
violet-self, with a blue beard to give added distinction, is very
worthwhile and will make a fine specimen plant. Dark Knight
is tall, the beautiful flowers deep rosy purple the falls being
enhanced by the velvet that gives a glowing red fire in certain
lights while darkening in others; a yellow brown beard and
dark brown haft help to bring out the lights that play through
the pigment. The yellow of California Gold is not too metallic,
though I think I should like to plant it with some of the whites
to soften it a bit. The crinkled standards were slightly open, the
midribs showing a green tone, the broad drooping falls heavily
washed brown on the blade. There were four blooms of the
heaviest substance on well branched stalks.

Long have I dreamed of California in Iris-time ; to see this
“Little California” renewed my faith in the pot of gold that
to me would mean my dream realized.

For a week I was to absorb beauty under the kindly guidance

[36]

of my good friends, Hans and Jacob Sass, with young Henry
always at hand with a refresher. What a revivifier a bottle of
cold beer after one has spent hours in the fields ! How the
Maple Boad garden has expanded since I was there in ’27. Mr.
Jake now has a steeper hill garden than Mr. Hans though his
acreage is not quite so large. He has a new farm a few miles
from the home place, a very fine one, with springs flowing down
from the hills to form lakes where he has started waterlily
plantations. From the twinkle in his eyes as he showed these to
me I feel sure he is starting off on another hybridizing spree
and, within a few years, expect to see him produce a new race
of lilies, as he has bigger and better corn. It rained continuous¬
ly, now a torrent, again gentle showers, with the sun peering out
at times just for luck. We skidded about on the slope, perform¬
ing acrobatic stunts to retain balance, scuttled to the shelter of
the orchard when threatened with too great a drenching and
found the hours of each day all too short. When the rain con¬
tinued too long Henry brought blossoms to the house and we
had a porch flower show. May I recommend this type of show
if you want to see the fineness of individual flowers.

Mr. Jacob Sass has the whites! While other breeders, whose
plantings I have seen, can introduce one or two, he could in¬
troduce a dozen, each of which is desirable. There are white
whites, cream whites, yellow, pink and blue whites ; such an
array; it was a nightmare. Crystal Beauty is all its name leads
one to expect, a flower of cool charm. The standards, slightly
ruffled, are white with just the faintest suspicion of a flush, the
falls very pure with a yellow beard and smoothly finished. One
not yet named, 31-85, probably is the clearest white. It is an
Aphrodite X Trostringer, F 2 cross, and possesses very fine
quality. The cupped standards are slightly ruffled, the falls
flare; the beard is white, yellow tipped in the heart, while the
flowers are quite iridescent from the silver flakes that give it a
frosted finish. Then there is 35-8, a heavy smoothly finished
flower, with green midrib in all petals and a very faint green
wire edge at the haft; creamy buds of lovely form as they un¬
furl are well placed on nice stalks. Still another is 32-73 done
in rich cream, the falls showing some gold ; the buds are a
creamy yellow. These are just “samples” of what you might
choose from, were you there in blooming season. I chose at least

[37]

half a dozen I want for my garden, gorgeous beauties, the flow¬
ers varying in form and in hue.

Early one morning we wandered down through the field to
the lower edge where the evening before we had spotted the
opening bloom of a new blend. Standing there I spied across
the long field an iris that blazed like a torch. Excited I
pointed, shaking Mr. Jake’s arm, “What is that?” “What,
where?” was his reply, “I see nothing.” Only much later was I
to learn that our walk to the blend had been purposely planned
and that he had meant me to get my first glimpse of The Red
Douglas from a distance. Had I been watching him as he whis¬
pered to Henry I should have suspected a trap, as I have learned
to recognize a certain facial expression and to be on the alert
when it appears. Passing years will not bring more than the out¬
ward signs of age to him. At heart he remains a boy with all
a boy’s love of pranks. The Red Douglas is a beauty, indescrib¬
able in words, possessing the glowing silken luster of a Liberty
scarf done in browns, reds and golds. The standards are a
glowing deep rose, through which are woven gold, amythest and
brown, while the flaring falls are velvety deep red, the haft
clear brown and the blades carrying a black sheen. A deep
golden yellow beard, brown style branches with deep yellow
crests add an inner glow enhance its blazing brightness. The
finely formed stalks are from 38 to 42 inches and the flowers are
thappily placed. The Black Douglas is a rich deep violet blue
self, the falls carrying a glowing black sheen. The haft is brown
toned, the beard blue violet. It will rank high among the dark
irises. It was my good fortune to see Dore in three gardens,
those of Mr. McDade, Mr. Hans Sass, and Col. Nicliolls. In all
it was fine. At Mr. Hans’ there was a nice clump, showing that
it is free blooming. I fancy it was the increase from the first
rhizome to leave Mr. Jake’s garden as always the first increase
of a new fine seedling in either garden is quickly removed to
share with the other brother.

The flowers have a crisp appearance, the soft primrose yellow
of the standards reflected in the edge of the cream white falls,
the yellow lines of the haft and the crests. Sir Launcelot is a
golden brown that should be lovely planted with Airy Dream.
Golden brown standards, with brown carmine falls set oft by a
deep gold beard and golden haft marked with brown carmine

[38]

veins, it is an iris for a treasured spot in the garden. Golden
Helmet, introduced two years ago, is, to my way of thinking,
one of the finest of Mr. Jacob Sass’ introductions. The open
standards are ruffled and of most brilliant golden tones with a
green midrib. “Tush, tush, open standards !” I hear some of our
judges say. Yes, they are and very lovely, too, being most suit¬
able to this ruffling. I do not like open standards either, if they
flop all about, but when they are crisp and belong, that is some¬
thing else. The semi-horizontal rounded falls are brown red,
with a black sheen set off by a glowing orange yellow beard.
The stalks are strong but do not seem too heavy for the number
of blooms open at one time. Spokan, in the same color range,
is a much larger flower. In this the standards are a lighter
golden bronze, the falls a brilliant red, wide of haft and droop¬
ing, with gold veins across the haft meeting a brown edge that
flows to meet the golden beard on the blade. The reverse of the
falls carry that greenish brown tone we now find so often in
these rich variegata blends. War Eagle, another 1933 introduc¬
tion, is a huge rosy purple self of satiny texture and fine finish.
There is a luminosity that gives a glow often lacking in this
particular color. A grand Iris. Joycette was lovely but surely
did look very purple beside the Red Douglas.

The first of Mr. Hans Sass’ newer introductions to catch my
eye was a clump of Oriana growing beside the path in the ex¬
hibition garden. It is a beautiful white, the flowers large and
of fine finish, the flaring falls gold lined in the haft and carrying
a pale gold beard. It gives a very cool effect and is very de¬
sirable. Golden Light is easily recognized as a Euphony child.
The 40-42-inch stalks are slender and well branched. The flowers
are of beautiful proportion, glowing candles that radiate beauty
as they sway in the breeze. Golden standards with a rose edge
and falls the same gold and rose that give a decided orange
effect which is intensified by the vivid beard. Mr. Hans has
several of the most beautiful blends amongst his numbered
seedlings it has ever been my good fortune to see. Seedlings we
all would delight in having. Most of the visitors to the garden
during my stay were quite impressed with them. 18-31 is a
Rameses X Midgard cross, a rose and gold blend with a play of
lavender through the falls. The wiry stalks, 44 inches high,
bear proudly the shapely flowers. Another, 25-31, has smoky
lavender standards with bright lavender falls set off by a long

[39]

yellow beard. Almost as tall as 18-31 it lias the same fine car¬
riage. 52-33 has gold flushed standards tipped rose, the falls
gold with rose overlay on the blade, giving the effect of rose
falls with a wide golden edge. All are equally fine, being quite
distinct and outstanding in a class so well represented in our
gardens. Of Mr. Hans Sass’ fine plicatas I had heard little and
a long row of these as tall, and with several taller than I had
seen San Francisco and Los Angeles, came as a surprise. There
were two most unusual ones, more like amoeans turned upside
down so evenly was the blue spread over the standards, so white
the falls. One was a light, the other a dark blue. The iris of
the season, however, was the yellow plicata. At last a plicata
that is really yellow ! Dark rich yellow ground with brownish
maroon edge, it is a real break. The petals are thick with a
smooth finish, the standards slightly ruffled. There are six and
seven blooms on high branched stalks. This is 30-40 and Mr.
Sass writes me that another, not in bloom when I was there,
is thought by some of the visitors to be even better. This is 43-34.

There were some of the grandest yellows I have seen, easily
thirty or more from which to choose, running the hue scale from
pale cream to the depth of Golden West, and of fine form and
finish. Several, blooming for the first time this season, showed
characteristics that indicate they will have stalks well up in
the world next year. Mr. Sass has been working for a number
of years for tall fine yellows and, failing to get the depth of
hue he desired through the tall bearded resorted to the inter¬
mediates. From these later crosses he is getting yellows of
depth and clarity.

The spring having remained cool in Nebraska the pumilas and
intermediates were blooming along with the tall bearded when I
reached the Sass home. Such a wealth of bloom on plants that
had been in bloom for more than a month. Henry had sent a
box of the pumilas and liis own pogo-cyclus seedlings to Nash¬
ville where they were on display during the two days of the
meeting. Some of these I was privileged to see as growing
plants. A bed of size, filled with the oncocylus and regelias
whose foliage was now browned to the ground, bore testimony
to the amount of crossing Henry had done while his father
tripped about the country. Such a wealth of fat pods ripening !
To see Blue Topaz, Balroudour and Gray Clond growing freely
in the field, with no special care, indicates that we shall find

[40]

these quite easy doers. Here I have Sound Money with arched
standards and flaring falls, is a vary clear pale blue with green¬
ish lights — that green-blue one sees in the Brittany seas. OP 35-9,
a cross of the regelia Eunice X 29-5 (pink) gave a pale yellow
self, quite rounded with flaring falls, these being marked with a
blackish purple spot.

Sound Money is all the name suggests — a rich deep yellow,
the flowers nicely shaped, cupped standards and flaring falls. It
had been blooming for more than a month and gave a gay pic¬
ture. Owaissa (Blue Bird in the Indian language) is a small
clear medium blue-self, with a white haft and beard. It, too, has
a long blooming season. Mr. Jacob Sass has some very rich dark
dwarfs with small shapely flowers but they were out of bloom be¬
fore I arrived. I noted two at Naslreille, P 35-2 and P 31-13. Mr.
Hans’ Puck is an imp, oue of the most perfect dwarfs I know.
Very rich deep purple, on the red side, the flowers have excep¬
tional substance and brilliancy. Amongst the great army of un¬
named midgets he has scores of beauties. P 22-32 has deep purple
standards and brownish red purple falls of very fine substance.
P 7-33 is a dark velvety maroon. A very soft yellow with gold
fleck is P 12-33. P 13-32 is a darker yellow. P 15-33 is a lovely
mauve pink. All these are finely shaped with flaring or horizontal
falls and with flowers held well above the foliage. Fortunate are
those gardeners who live near enough to visit these gardens
when the pumilas bloom, there to select wee treasures for their
own.

And what of the intermediates? For several seasons I have
had blooming a dozen or more under number that have come to
my garden through the kindness of these brothers. All are finer
than the older varieties I had grown and have displaced them.
I was delighted to find some of the newer ones blooming and
decided they are as fine but do not exceed some I have been
trying out and want them to name. However they have ex¬
tended the color range so that we now have the brown-reds
and reds as well as lovely blends. Southland, a deep golden
yellow with cupped standards and flaring falls, gives five blooms
to the stalk which averages 28 inches. It is a handsome flower.
Susa, one of Mr. Jake’s contributions to this group, is done in
tones of rich amaranth and red-purples, the white haft heavily

[41]

lined red-purple. How lovely it will be with certain tulips.
Then there is Golden Bow, introduced this year, another interest¬
ing deep yellow, a longer flower than Southland. Eleanor Roose¬
velt, with cupped standards and long flaring falls, is a deep red-
purple with brown haft and bluish beard. The branched stalk
carries four blooms. Both this and Southland are fall bloomers.
At Mr. Jake’s there were two long rows of yellow intermediates
so filled with bloom it was dazzling in the sun.

My next stop was at Mapleton, Iowa, Mr. and Mrs. Whiting
having graciously invited me to be their guest during the Sioux
City show. Driving along its tree shaded streets recalled fa¬
miliar New England villages, so quiet and peaceful was it, the
old homes with their sweep of lawn and lovely gardens. The
Whiting’s have planned their gardens with great pleasure one
feels and the gardens reflect their own charming personality.
There are two small pools, one an enchanting bit in which are
reflected the swaying boughs of graceful tree — the other a more
open one with a “rock bound” bank where cristata and tectorum
wander at will. Lovely these, each with an individual beauty.
The iris gardens are separated by a fence ; the commercial one,
farthest from the house, being planned to have many beds, each
with shrubs in the center to form a background for the irises
which have been carefully planted for color effects. The other
is an exhibition garden where the newest varieties are planted
in small specimen clumps.

Here I saw Beotie, one of the Cayeux introductions, a subtle
beauty. It is nicely branched and the blooms are well placed.
The standards are a luminous grey-violet with gold flecks, the
falls a deeper hue showing some of the gold but not so much as
in the standards; the wide haft is violet white with dull brown
veins, while the beard is white tipped. El Tovar, which was not
in bloom at Omaha while I was there, did open here and I was
glad to be able to Avatcli it for a couple of days. The buds un¬
fold very slowly while after opening the falls seem to keep
spreading out not fully developing until the second day. The
standards are a cinnamon brown blending into green gold in
the center; the falls are a very dark reddish black the re¬
verse green gold with a wide red edge; the haft heavily lined
gold. Tlie stalk is pleasing, in height about 36-38 inches, and
carries five blooms. Eclador is a large primrose yellow, the

[42]

standards domed, the falls flaring; the haft is very wide and is
marked by brown veins which are not displeasing. There is a
narrow deeper yellow edge around all petals and the flowers are
nicely finished, with substance that held well through a hard
rain. One of the very fine irises in this garden, filled with novel¬
ties and the best of the older varieties, was Genevieve Serouge
very impressive in its soft beauty. The gold standards and
lavender falls are flecked and veined gold which, with the
golden haft and gold edge combine to give a flower of great
charm, one that should be quite effective in soft lights.

Mrs. Collier, Mr. Snyder and Mr. Stephenson surely know
how to grow irises in their Sioux City gardens. Mrs. Collier
has wide borders on the house terrace and along the edges of
the lawn, as well as massed in a garden back of the house.
Her collection is very interesting containing as it does the very
best varieties we have. Purissima was quite impressive and I
was glad to see that it does so well. Mr. Snyder’s garden is a
backyard one where he grows a splendid collection and also
does a bit of hybridizing. A seedling, L 32, 28, received a C. M.
at the show. The cupped standards are reddish violet, the falls
reddish purple with a pansy black sheen ; the haft is white
heavily veined brown, shading into blackish red-purple while
the beard is antique gold. The 36-38 inch stalk is widely
branched and carries five blooms of very fine substance and
smooth finish. The coloring is very rich and the flowers quite
symmetrical. Here, too, was Sir Knight, Mr. Ashley’s superb
dark beauty. The slightly domed standards of mauve violet and
the flaring falls of reddish violet with wide hafts are of beautiful
form and well placed on nicely branched stalks. Its brilliancy is
remarkable, in some lights giving a blackish sheen over the
falls. Mr. Stephenson’s main planting is at Bagley but he has
a number of newer varieties in his Sioux City garden. One
could not ask to see finer growth, the height of some plants
being quite amazing.

Reaching Des Moines I had a very restful week with Mr.
and Mrs. DuMont. It was nice to have a change and look at
peonies after so many weeks of intensive iris study. Mr. Du¬
Mont, aside from his extensive commercial peony planting,
plays along with raising seedlings and had some that looked
mighty good to me. Quite a few Japs and reds that did not
seem so purple.

[43]

We stopped by one morning — for half an hour as Mrs. Du¬
Mont said — to see Mrs. litis and her most delightful garden.
Such a restful place our hour lengthened into hours and still
we chatted on. Dictamnus has been used with a lavish hand
and its airy grace was a perfect foil for the irises. I know of
no garden that gives one more of a sense of tranquillity unless
it be Mrs. Wright’s in Nashville. Some of my happiest hours at
Nashville were spent in this garden where all growing things
respond so gayly to the love Mrs. Wright bestows on them.
Hers are truly “green fingers.”

A long day’s drive through southeastern Iowa, across the
fiatlands of central Illinois and Indiana took me to Richmond
from where it was but a short drive the following morning to
Bluffton. Only those friends of Mr. Williamson who have found
the courage to return can understand the great peace that was
to descend upon me like a benediction as we walked through
the gardens amongst the lovely irises to which he seems to have
given so much of his own joy of life. Mary has changed the ar¬
rangement of the back yard garden at home. Rows of seedlings
have given way to a lawn with borders where the irises she
wishes to use for hybridizing are grown. The Church lots and
the Linn lot filled with seedlings have been abandoned. All
have been transplanted to the main commercial garden where
blocks have been set aside for the seed beds. Too late to see
the height of bloom, there was much of interest remaining, espe¬
cially two rowrs of amoenas, the type of iris the Williamsons
have made so particularly their own. Tall, with heavy substance
and rich velvety falls they are a distinct advance over the earlier
ones. Next to these was a large block of seedlings from Mr.
Williamson’s last hybridizing. Mary was selecting the plants
she wanted to replant for study and Mr. Cook and I selected a
few for our own gardens. Across the field were Sandia, Moon-
glo, Varese, Sundipt and Amigo, Mr. Williamson’s last selections.
In Moonglo and Amigo I recognized old friends, seedlings at
whose first opening I had been present. Early one morning in
’31 I had made the round of the Linn lot before Mr. Williamson
and was thrilled with the glow of a newly opened seedling, later
to be called the “Pansy Iris.” Returning with Mr. Williamson
after breakfast I was happy to see he liked it as much as I.
“The best of the year” was his comment. Later Mr. Cook and
Dr. Kinsey confirmed our judgment. Last year when Mary was

[44]

ready to introduce it slie wrote me regarding the name for it.
It was my great privilege to name it Amigo, in memory of my
friend. Seeing a short roAV of it in full bloom I was impressed
by its great brilliancy. The waved standards are a soft laven¬
der that glows ; the falls are pansy purple with a narrow edge of
the lavender and a velvety brown tone in the haft. The sub¬
stance is exceptionally fine and the carriage of the flaring falls
gives it quite a jaunty air. The stalk is well branched, show¬
ing three open blooms at a time, while each carries from eight
to nine buds. Amigo shows all the fine qualities of the Do¬
minions, while its brilliancy gives great carrying power. I be¬
lieve it will rank as one of the most distinctive Longfield intro¬
ductions and will share the place Dolly Madison has in our af¬
fections. Sandia is a quite distinctive rose-pink blend with a
yellow undertone. The flowers are large with a beautiful finish
and are borne on widely branched stalks. Varese is a blazing
rose-purple that will defy anyone to pass it by unnoticed — one
of those irises that catches the eye in the distance with its
“come hither” air. There are eight blooms on a stalk, high
branched, the flowers being large and of pleasing form. Sundipt
is an aristocratic yellow, having that well groomed appearance
we find so pleasing. The heavy substance and smooth finish of
the flowers, together with the purity of tone which is enhanced
by the deep gold beard, should make this one of the most valu¬
able yellows in the garden. Moonglo possesses the power of a
chameleon ! It is like a golden tapestry, an iris of unforgettable
beauty which to know will be to love. On opening the blooms
give a lavender-rose appearance through which gold threads
seem to weave; a short while later and it has become more
golden as the rose cloud fades away leaving just a flush of rose
and soft blue; as it ages the standards take on a clearer golden
light, while the blue and rose flush on the falls soften. In all stages
if is beautiful, a golden flower of great personality. Over the way
was a stunning variegata blend which I learned was Shah Jehan. A
late bloomer it will prove very worthwhile, and will hold its own
with the group which our American breeders have made so
greatly their own. The standards are a soft pale yellow which
holds a glistening sheen from the rose lights that suffuse the
center; the falls are red brown, with a narrow yellow edge of
the same hue as the standards; the haft is brown with no veins

T 45 ]

showing, thus adding to the richness of the flowers, which are
of heavy substance.

Mary and I drove to Ft. Wayne one morning to see Mrs.
Mead, being fortunate in finding her in the garden. Again I
was to feel that great sadness as we passed along the paths
that had become so familiar during the past eight years. Here
was Pluie d’Or blooming in great profusion to remind me of
the hour when Mr. Mead had taken me to the lower terrace
to see its beauty at its first blooming. Further along Ion
brought memories of a rainy day when we had watched to see
whether it would blotch and how happy we were when it did
not. Each turn of the path recalled my friend's happiness in
the beauty of the garden and I left filled with great joy at the
interest Mrs. Mead is taking in the plants and her friendly
wish that all Mr. Mead’s friends continue to return to enjoy
its beauty.

Paul Cook has been carrying on intensive line breeding for at
least fifteen years and lias produced some of the finest pink
irises I have. seen. This year I was startled to find most of
that planting had wended its way into outer darkness while a
red blaze has taken over the garden. It was a hot day under a
blazing sun when we went out to see the seedlings. Let your
imagination play with a planting, easily 20 x 100 feet, of noth¬
ing but red irises and understand why bulls have brainstorms !
The worst of it was, they are all good and we waded along
through that Ped Sea, blinking our eyes, trying to decide
which were the best. Half way through the patch, back again
to catch up from the beginning, trying to find the ones we de¬
cided were best on the first round. It is an iris jazz-mania! I
hope his fancy will take him to whites next or that he will make
a white planting by the reds, else we shall carry smoked goggles.
A bit beyond was a smaller planting of blue-purples, with blue
beards. It seems as though Mr. Cook can play along with his
irises and produce at will whatever his fancy chooses. I think
I should like to see a row of whites with bright blue beards for
a change. Possibly he will have them when he tires of the reds.

Another six hundred mile-drive through Ohio, Pennsylvania
and New York took us to Ithaca where I found only a fifth of
the bloom there should have been. The drought had wrecked
Col. Nicholls’ hopes for bloom as it lias that of the Sass broth-

ers. Row after row of fine healthy plants, with only scattered
flowers. In the home garden there was more color bnt not
what had been anticipated. There were splendid clumps of
Crown Jewel, Sea Dawn, Boadicea, Gold Wing and Blazing Star.
Lesser ones of the newer seedlings. Gold Wing, a very fine even
tone medium yellow showed its value for the garden as the
stalks are placed widely enough apart to give a clear view of
each, the blooms seemingly poised as butterflies. Crown Jewel,
a more rosy, richer Clara Noyes, planted beside this Sass in¬
troduction, made a perfect picture. I should want both, and
together as thus planted the charm of each is enhanced. Jully
Roger belongs to the group of brilliant dark purples and gives
a very glowing clump. I thought I should like to try it with
Gleam or perhaps place it near the rosy dictamnus. One of my
favorites is the gallant Caballero, a grandee of this garden. The
flowers are shapely and possess fine quality. Rose-purple in
effect the falls have an added depth of hue that is set off by
the clear yellow beard which adds a luster to the satiny finish of
the petals. There were several seedlings under number that had
been held over from other years. One, No. 12768, a seedling of
Valor X 4053 (Gaudichau X Alcazar seedling X Morning
Splendor), has all the signs of race. The arching standards are
a clear tone of rich bluish red-purple ; the falls the same color¬
ing, flaring widely with tips uptilted. The stalk is slender and
high branched, while the buds are quite black. A very promis¬
ing seedling it will be given the name of Mata Hari, if this
name has not been taken. One of the most distinct varieties
is Creole Belle. The colors is a clear brilliant heliotrope which is
intensified in the falls by a wash of rich brown at either side of
the tip of the black gold beard. The flowers are quite heavy
with a very smooth finish and are of the cupped standard, flar¬
ing fall form that is so pleasing. There were several interesting
seedlings opening for the first time that I shall look forward to
seeing next year on established plants. Both at Ithaca and at
Omaha 1936 should be a banner year for seedling bloom, pro¬
vided the elements are kind, as in each there is a crop covering
three years that should bloom. I had seen Valor in a number of
gardens and had heard it highly praised so was glad to find
a long row of it in full bloom, so tall and stately. A very fine
iris, indeed.

![ 4.7 I]

Now that Noali is safely home in his garage stall for a de¬
served rest after his several thousand miles journey, and I have
the time, before remaking the old garden and adding a new one,
to look back over the seedling gardens it was my good fortune
to see and the relatively fine quality of the seedlings as a whole,
it is quite easy to see that the breeding of fine irises is making
strides toward clarity of tone in the seifs, greater brilliancy in
the deep rich colors, and a cleaner blending of colors in the
blends. Too, the average of the stalks is better, as we do not
find nearly so many giving that clubby appearance. The flowers
are better finished and of thicker substance. Whites and yel¬
lows are taking on a velvety quality in the falls amongst the
seedlings of Chancellor Kirkland and Jacob Sass. I had noted
this in Col. Nicholls’ yellows several seasons ago but it was
more pronounced this year. Mr. Clrinter believes only the edge
of iris breeding has been touched and that we shall see within
another decade irises beyond our wildest dreams today. Mr.
Hans Sass and Col. Nicholls agree with him so what may we
expect? I hope not varieties taking on the proportions of tall
shrubs. So fine are the present day introductions one would
have a hard time to eliminate any, so go out and buy a hun¬
dred acres if you can and prepare to enjoy full the iris season.
In this resume of fine irises seen during my nearly eight weeks
swing around this circle there is not one I should not be very
proud to have in my garden and I am sure I should have seen
as many more had I had seven league boots (or had Noah pos¬
sessed wings!) and an opportunity to visit the gardens of our
other breeders.

A PLEA FOR NEW ENGLANDERS TO TRY CALIFORNIA

IRISES

Carrie Stover Lewis

* Having heard so much about the tenderness of the Cali¬
fornia irises, I cannot help feeling that an injustice is being
done to the beautiful irises of the West Coast, by creating a
doubt as to their hardiness, and I want to tell my experience
here in Haverhill, the most northern city in Massachusetts,
where the thermometer dropped in the winter of 1933-34 to 20
below zero, the coldest that anyone remembered.

I have at least seventy-five varieties, and after that winter,
Happy Days, Alta California, Neon, Los Angeles, San Francisco,
Sierra Blue, Shining Waters, Arbutus, Sacramento, some of
them, first year plants, all bloomed.

Of those planted prior to 1934, many have increased mar¬
velously, nearly all, if not all have bloomed once, most of them
each year.

My garden is on a northern slope, and last year every plant
was moved, as the garden was all remade. And 1934-35 was a
trying winter, although we had a good covering of snow part
of the winter. This year, to the amazement of all who have seen
the garden, including most of the New England Judges, those
newly set plants have given a good account of themselves, giving
in many instances, tall stalks, and good size blooms that have
compared favorably with those from other sections of the
country.

I always cover all of my iris with salt hay, and last year
after resetting, of course, I was especially careful. Some had
boxes besides, which was lucky as we had a late frost. Some of
them, of course, failed to throw blooming stalks, but so have
others. It takes longer for some to become established, and it
took two years for Wambliska to bloom, and Dog Bose is
only coming into its own. These are only examples quoted at
random to show that California irises are not the only ones
that take a little time.

The first year that I had them, Wambliska and San Francisco
stood side by side, and neither bloomed, as we had a very late

[49 ]

frost and I was caught napping, but the following year both
made up for it. Last winter, after resetting, Wambliska did
well, and San Francisco which in moving, separated into twelve
plants, grew wonderfully, but only the largest plant bloomed,
but that did finely. All the plants are now nice and stocky.

This year Neon, Natividad, Rubeo, Shining Waters, Sierra
Blue, China Rose and El Captain have been wonderful, as well
as Los Angeles, Autumn Dawn, to mention only a few. Never
have I seen Frieda Mohr so large and tall !

Purissima was coddled in a seed flat in a cold frame so that
we could guard against late spring frosts. But if you could
have seen the results ! Seven or eight stalks, with several blooms
on each. In a shallow seed flat, mind you !

Neon, a seedling under number, planted in 1933, and moved
in 1934, had three tall stalks, bloomed wonderfully, and was
the centre of attraction, as it was I think, the only plant in
the East.

In Miss Sturtevant’s garden, Purissima has bloomed in the
open for three successive years.

The California season is so much earlier than ours, that larger
rhizomes can be purchased earlier, and so have a longer season
of growth with us.

With good soil, well fertilized, I do not think that anyone
need fear to plant the irises from the West Coast, and I know
that any garden will benefit in beauty from their use.

IRIS PILGRIMAGE, 1935

Bruce C. Maples

B 0 ur annual pilgrimage to the various shrines of the iris starts
a little earlier and lasts a little longer each year, it seems. In the
Spring of 1935 my diary reports that we started on April 29
and headed south into Arkansas. The annual meeting being in
Nashville we chose this “ longest way round” because we thought
it would be sweeter and we have no regrets. In the first hour of
travel we saw things and made quick stops at the side of the road
to investigate splashes of color on the right-of-way and in the
forests which push up to the highways all through the scenic
Ozark Mountains. Beautiful colonies of Phlox divaricata in shades
of pink and also in pure white dotted the landscape for the first
hundred miles through south Missouri and North Arkansas. Near
Pindall, Ark., we made our first contact with the native azaleas
in full bloom in wonderful shades of pink and some occasional
whites. And at this season we must marvel again at the wonder¬
ful little hepaticas cheerfully peeping up from the roots of large
trees on north slopes just above colonies of bloodroot.s along the
brooks. Farther south we encountered colonies of the red bloom¬
ing buckeye livening up the landscape on hillsides and benches
near the rivers and creeks. And just before arriving at Little
Rock we spotted a few clumps of a deep golden yellow baptisia
that I do not see quoted in the catalogs — not the common light
yellow with drooping branches but a deep yellow with erect spikes
of bloom. These baptisias are easy and help a lot toward relieving
the sameness of an iris border ; while most colors are native here
at Ozark, Mo., or near here, this yellow is not and I should like
to “contact” some of it.

This is primarily an iris note but it takes many kinds of plants
and flowers to make a good garden and we had to pass many
kinds before we discovered the first iris of the journey. At Little
Rock we saw loads of beautiful roses in full bloom (our roses at
home not even in bud). Here we struck the pavement in a
northeasterly direction toward Memphis driving through the
magnificent cypress swamps. Only fifteen miles out of Little
Rock, Mrs. Maples commanded me to stop (I was getting used to it

[51]

by now) so that she could point out to us clumps of spider lilies,
Hymenocallis, all along- the ditches. And when we got out to
look at these we discovered clematis in bloom. And then when
we reached the Saint Francis River we discovered growing in the
mud along the road quite near the right-of-way, our first iris. It
was a beautiful colony of Iris fulva in full bloom on straight stems
over two feet high and it was at that time receiving the full at¬
tention of two carloads of Oklahoma pilgrims on their way to
the Iris Society meeting in Nashville.

Our next sight of iris came after we had crossed the corners of
Tennessee, and Mississippi and across northern Alabama into
the Tennessee River country. We crossed the Wilson dam near
Muscle Shoals and drove on to the site of the Wheeler dam which
is now under construction and there on the Government Reserva¬
tion we found a colony of Iris versicolor and we noted one or
two more colonies of this before we left Alabama.

We arrived in Chattanooga in due time and on the morning of
May second we visited Lookout Mountain for a short time. We
were sorry that we were obliged to hurry this visit somewhat;
it is a wonderful place with its beautiful gardens, grand scenery
and historical interest. But we were anxious to get over to the
gardens of Mr. Clint McDade. Here we found Mrs. McDade in
the gardens, Mr. McDade having already departed for Nashville
quite early. And here we found that which we sought: the finest
of iris in wide variety and well grown. The home and gardens are
situated on a high hill above the Tennessee River and growing
conditions seem to be excellent. Many interesting plants are to be
seen here besides the fine collection of iris. He has a complete col¬
lection of hollies, and a complete collection of all species and
varieties of hemerocallis. Here also were many fine old specimens
of boxwood. His collection of iris is not limited to tall bearded
varieties but contains many species of interest to the iris student.
His interest in fall blooming varieties is well known to the more
active members of the Society and he has the most complete col¬
lection of fall bloomers to be seen anywhere.

Red Indian, Mrs. McDade ’s own seedling, bearing an appro¬
priate name, is a very good iris and if it blooms in the autumn, as
may be expected, will be a stunner.

I liked Golden Helmet, Blue Monarch, Christabel and October
Blaze as seen here.

[52 ]

And in this garden for the first time we saw Lucretia Bori, the
new yellow being* introduced this year by Robert Schreiner. A
good sized bloom on a good stalk with a peculiar shade of yellow
containing a touch of olive ; standards hold well together, falls
just right; this is different and one of the best.

Golden Hind comes from England. It is a stylish flower and
clump. No, it does not have a tall stalk but the whole thing, plant,
stalk and flower is symmetrical and I could not gaze on the beauty
of it and recognize any defects. A good warm yellow.

At Nashville the first garden we visited was that of Dr. Kirk¬
land on Vanderbilt Campus. We spent some time here among
his seedlings and could have spent more. Not much time to make
notes since we had arrived a day late and had to catch up with
our visiting. Much admiration was expressed for Timagimi, a
sort of strawberry red.

Cyrus the Great I saw here for the first time. A fine purple
with a touch of brown on the haft.

At Mr. Washington’s we found two of the best almost in the
same glance. Sun Dust a magnificent yellow, and when I say a
yellow is good I mean it is deep yellow, not having much use for
light yellows with an exception which I shall note later. Sun
Dust is large and tall with a stalk able to carry it’s load which is
plenty.

Sweet Alibi is the exception noted above. I saw this for the first
time in Dr. Everett’s garden in the Spring of 1934. Bloom was
poor there owing to the unprecedented drouth, many things not
blooming at all. But Sweet Alibi was holding forth splendidly
combining a delicate shade of light yellow with a rather large
bloom slightly crinkled on a tall stalk and with plenty of sub¬
stance to withstand a high wind and a hot sun and still look well
in the evening.

Four yellows have been noted above : Lucretia Bori, Golden
Hind, Sundust and Sweet Alibi. These should not be considered
one against the other; each is distinct, and each has it’s niche
to fill. There is room in the smallest garden for all four if the
gardener loves fine iris as well as I do.

The other find at this spot was in the same bed quite near Sun-
dust. It was No. Ill, a grand white. I have always considered
Venus de Milo and Easter Morn as hard to beat in the whites
since I first saw them in Mrs. Pattison’s garden side by side. But

[53]

other good whites are showing up and here is one. Large and
imposing, it has substance enough to go through a hard wind
and rain storm and look good the next day, and Ave saw it after
this had happened.

When Mrs. Washington heard of our late arrival and how
we missed the first day of garden visiting with the other members
she very kindly offered to show us the garden of Mr. Williams
and the seedling field of the Washingtons just out of the city.

Mr. Williams had on exhibit several stalks that had been sent
from distant points we were told. Mohrson, a seedling of William
Mohr and showing it’s blood in the flower although much darker
in the peculiar color pattern and on a very tall stalk.

Sierra Blue another good one.

Eleanor Roosevelt, Balradour, Blue Topaz, and others sent or
brought by Jacob Sass were in good shape after a long trip and
all looked desirable. Eleanor Roosevelt reported as one of the
most dependable fall bloomers; Balradour and blue Topaz two
representatives of the new class being developed by Sass by cross¬
ing pogoniris with regelio-cyclus.

After a most interesting visit to Dauntless Hill, the country
home of Mr. Connell who gave us Dauntless, Rose Dominion,
Parthenon, and other fine ones, and we were ready to depart from
Nashville, retaining memories of fine iris and hospitable, delight¬
ful people.

We returned home in time to see the very first bloom in our
seedling patch and to find William Mohr in perfection, Santa
Barbara just ready to unfold a grand first bloom (how do people
keep from raving over Santa Barbara? It is grand here always.
Bloomed in late season this year with a second set of bloom stalks).

Burning Bronze has bloomed well here the past two years, a
grand red with brown. Wish it would set seed for me.

Depute Nomblot another brownish red that is wonderful and
a clean bloom. We get seed from its pollen but no seed on it.

Here allow me to mention my frill bed. Here we plant Mid-
garcl, Noweta, Clara Noyes, Ophelia, Jubilee, Euphony, King
Karl, Peaches, La Neige, the last being the only frill we have
located in white. These rather short stemmed varieties with the
crinkled blooms comprise some very interesting colors and this
bed is always interesting. I think Crown Jewel would make a very
interesting addition to this assortment.

[54]

Legend a wonderful type resembling Cardinal grows well here.

When I think of Los Angeles I also think of May Hall which
I saw growing alongside Los Angeles in Jacob Sass’ garden last
year. It stood a foot taller than Los Angeles and had a much
larger bloom with color identical, I believe.

Red Dominion a well finished red purple with clean haft. It
is a willing bloomer here, four stalks on one newly planted
rhizome.

Rose Dominion better this year than last, quite desirable.

In quantity of bloom our season this year was the best in
years. Everything bloomed and bloomed well including varieties
not usually free blooming. And some varieties followed the ex¬
ample of Santa Barbara and repeated. One seedling bloomed just
before mid-season, then in the last of the season it came again
with the balance of the rhizomes putting up stalks and in such a
manner it bade us a graceful farewell. Other seedlings among
the fall blooming prospects bloomed scatteringly all summer with
many stalks showing up in October. For fall bloom on named
varieties we have had to go begging. We had a very dry summer
after our wet spring and did not get our rains in August; no
rain until September and not much then. These autumn bloomers
need some rain in August to start them off properly for fall
bloom. I think we have a good climate here for them. My friend,
Mr. Charles E. Simon, of Springfield, which is quite near here,
has been blooming Le Correge and Gold Imperial in fine shape
each fall although they are not classed as regular fall bloomers.
Incidentally Mr. Simon takes Autumn Queen and Ultra which
bloom as dwarfs for most people and gets stalks a good twenty
inches tall and plenty of them.

But must pass on to Overland Park, Ivans., where I went in
late May accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Simon, Mrs. Maples and
our two boys. We found the bloom in good shape here.

Jean Cayeux is the best I have seen in the brown blends and
seems to be dependable. I have been looking at it for three years
and there is always plenty of bloom. President Pilkington came
in with Jean Cayeux and seems to be dependable also. If you
have trouble with Dolly Madison try Pilkington ; it is just a little
darker and I like Dolly Madison better but the new one seems
to be a better doer in some regions and stands up well.

Again we saw Wotan, Mr. Grinter’s fine contribution to the

[55]

Dominion aggregation. Those who have not tried this have missed
a good one. It is in color somewhat like Red Dominion and is
smooth and well finished well back on the haft.

Ella Winchester, a new red from Mr. Grinter, showed well
here. It ’s getting to the point where a red must be good to attract
attention but this one will do it. I have seen nothing like it. The
shape and style is unique and the finish is superb.

Black Wings still good for a dark one.

Crysoro a fine deep yellow, intermediate in season and height.

Southland, a fine contribution from H. P. Sass, intermediate
and fall bloomer, good yellow even if it didn’t bloom in the fall.

Eros, the new tall pink showing yellow influence is fine. Not
the giant flowered type.

Golden Flare growing beside Eros is a flame in the garden. Not
a tall stem but a good bloom with fine color described by Miss
Stoner as a flame and yellow blend. This is worth trying. If you
like such roses as Talisman, Autumn, etc., you will like this. But
take Miss Stoner’s advice and don’t plant it with Eros. They
don’t scale together and the colors don’t “nick.”

Over in Independence, Mo., in Mr. Grinter ’s garden we again
ran into Ella Winchester in fine form and also a fine deep blue
which Mr. Grinter called Blue Satin. It is about the same stature
as Sensation and the bloom is somewhat the same shape ; the color
is much more attractive to me. I hope this will be made available.

Mr. Grinter ’s Missouri and Blue Triumph have already reached
the heights among the blues and he has other things in the offing
which look promising. He is pursuing a cool, calculating course
in his hybridizing which will lead to some astonishing results
within a few years, I believe.

Speaking of Blue Iris : I am looking forward to seeing Blue
June which I have from Mr. Donahue. This has, in my humble
opinion, the blood of the very best blues and it should behave like
a real aristocrat.

Another “blue blood” which we have been blooming for two
years past is a seedling from Mr. Simon which carries the blood
of my beloved Santa Barbara and another good blue. This is a
good tall iris of pleasing blue shade with the very best of sub¬
stance, and willing bloomer and easy to groAV.

Tavo of the best dwarfs I grow are also Mr. Simon’s seedlings:
one a red and the other a deep purple, Arery small.

I have not mentioned variegatas at all. I do not like any of the

[•56 ]

blended variegatas that I have seen. King Juba we bloom very
well here and it is good. The cleanest colors in this type come
in Gay Huzzar and Argynnis, both very deep bright yellow stand¬
ards and good red falls and both small. But the king pin of all
of them is Vision which I saw for the first time at Freeport in
1933. There it was clean yellow in the standards and flaunted
that good old Dominion shape with flaring falls which thrill so
many people. As we saw it at Mr. McDade’s last Spring it car¬
ried standards not entirely clear yellow though we were told it
came out clear yellow when the blooms were older. But still it is
the best variegata I have seen all in all and I hope to bloom it
here next year. Have not seen Deseret which is reported as very
fine.

Ozark, Missouri

Iris ensata as it grows in the garden of Louis LeMieux,

Wauwatosa, W iseonsin .

IRIS NOTES, 1935

Mabel Cary Tobie

■ Mrs. 'Thomas Nesmith had a bewildering- collection of the
newest irises.

Maya (Washington, 1934) is an outstanding iris. Its flowers,
carried to the height of forty inches, have tall domed standards
of strawberry-red ; falls are velvety and of the same tone as the
standards, but with a subtle blending of coffee and gold at the
throat. The styles are orange and strawberry-red and it has a
brilliant orange beard. The stalk is splendidly branched.

Will o’ the Wisp (Washington, 1934) is a beautiful tall yel¬
low bicolor. I believe it is a seedling of Mary Geddes X Puris-
sima. The standards are large, broad and well domed of soft
canary yellow. Falls of cream white horizontal and of heavy sub¬
stance. Styles are same tone as falls, with a deep orange beard.

Lily Pons (Washington, 1934). Of Mary Geddes form it ap¬
proaches pink in color. The standards are buff overcast with pink,
closely domed. The falls are semi-flaring of rose-pink with lighter
edges. The styles are buff and yellow, with a medium yellow
beard. It has well-branched stalks and is a prolific bloomer.

Hasse Oobea (Washington, 1934) has flowers of very heavy
substance which are borne on tall well-branched stems. Large well
domed standards, closely held together, of buff with yellow under¬
tone. The broad falls are semi-flaring, a blend of buff, copper and
pink.

King Philip (Fewkes, 1932). A very large light bine violet
self. The standards are broad and domed ; falls are large and well
rounded. Deliciously scented.

Mellow Moon (Washington, 1934). A pale blend of good
form and height. The falls faintly veined. It suggests Helios
or Marquita but is a more compact and larger flower, the falls
smoothly rounded, the standards domed. The stalk is widely
branched. Height 45 inches. An easily remembered novelty and
might be called a more brilliant and taller Doxa.

Summer Tan (Kirk, 1934). It is difficult to describe this iris
but the name gives some idea of the rich tawny coloring. A most

[58]

distinctive iris of luminous tan with undertone of apricot. Medium
height.

Eros (Mead-Reid, 1934). A beautiful salmon pink self. It has
an undertone of yellow. Tall and exquisite in color and well de¬
serves its H.M.A.I.S. which it received in 1934. 42 inches.

Alta California (Mit., 1931). Clear yellow flowers, faintly
bronzed, firm texture. Tall, well-branched.

Vesper Hour (Washington, 1933). A lovely blend of blue and
cream with domed standards and semi-flaring falls. A tall flower
of beautiful finish.

Avondale (IT. P. Sass, 1934). A bicolor of fuchsia-red with
heavy yellow beard. Large flowers of fine form borne on tall
stalks.

Sweet Auburn (Fewkes, 1932). White with a delicate pink
flush — sturdy, fragrant and delightful.

Blithesome (Con., 1933). A new yellow and white bicolor.
An iris of unusual distinction — 38 to 40 inches tall. The standards
are high and arched. Falls ovate and widely flaring. The whole
flower glistens with iridescent gold. Styles and beard rich gold.

Spokan (J. Sass, 1933). This is a red-brown blend of great
brilliance. Rich and unusual coloring with an influence of coffee
throughout the flower. The beard is orange.

Blue Monarch (J. Sass, 1933). A large flowered deep blue-
violet self — giving the effect of clear blue. Tall and well-branched.

Shining Waters (Essig, 1933). The finest blue of 1934 or 1935
and we really need more fine blues. Beautiful clear campanula-blue.
Tall well-branched stalks.

Camida (Wareham). One of the best yellows. The standards
are primrose-yellow, erect and domed, deepening in color at the
base. Falls are wide and of a darker tone with deep yellow reticu¬
lations at the haft, bright-golden beard. Medium height.

Sam Davis (Washington, 1933). A glowing red flower of good
form, with domed standard, and semiflaring falls of firm texture.
The blooming season is long.

Citamita (Wmsn., 1934). A distinct bronze-brown overlaid with
gold. Said to be good for breeding. It is unusual and beautiful in
color. Medium height.

Rubeo (M. M., 1931). Standards are deep glistening rose; falls
are broad, thick texture and of deep velvety maroon — on very tall
stems.

[59 ]

Cool AVaters (Washington-Nesmith, 1934). A tall pale blue
iris with flush of pink-lavender throughout the flower. Smooth
finish and firm texture.

Robert (Ayres, 1933). A splendid medium yellow with very
smooth finish and heavy substance ; large flowers well placed on
sturdy stems.

Cortez (Nesmith, 1934). This brilliant iris has well domed
yellow standards which are overlaid with faint rose at the edge.
The falls are intense crimson-purple with velvety substance and
are very flaring. Flower of firm texture and one of the last to
bloom. Tall.

Pink Lady (Washington, 1933). Standards are warm pink with
falls of deeper peachy pink tone. A peach-pink iris of rarest col¬
oring and outstanding garden value. Medium height.

Golden Flare (Insole, 1931). Very beautiful and brilliant iris.
Orange, apricot and yellow on tall stems. A most striking orange
gold beard.

Cyrus the Great (Kirk, 1934). An early dark blue variety,
flowers are borne on forty-inch stems. Gives a splendid mass of
color. Seems to be good for breeding.

Parthenon (Con., 1934). A smooth cool white with pale gold
styles and gold beard. Tail and stately.

Junaluska (Kirk, 1932). A flower of great distinction. A
blending of rose, copper and gold which is difficult to describe.
Stems are tall and well-branched.

Pink Butterfly (Washington, 1933). A late blooming pink
blend. Standards domed and arched; falls semiflaring with deeper
pink markings in center of each fall. The lustrous flowers grow
more beautiful on the second day.

Maluska (Nesmith, 1933). A deep black-red self, velvety and
rich in tone ; domed standards and semiflaring falls ; brilliant
yellow beard, which intensifies the color of the flower. Tall and
well-branched.

Dawning Day (Washington-Nesmith, 1934). A beautiful yel¬
low with just a flush of pink throughout the flower. The stand¬
ards are domed and close ; falls arched and flaring. Tall.

Oriana (H. P. Sass, 1933). Large flowers of clear crystal
white ; splendid form and substance. Medium height.

Mary Geddes (Stahl-Wash. 1930). A very beautiful blend of
unusual coloring. Standards salmon flushed yellow; falls same

[60]

shade over-laid Pompeian red. The tall stalks are widely branched
and bear eight to ten flowers.

El Tovar (H. P. Sass, 1933). A richly colored and tall varie-
gata. Brown, yellow and black maroon with yellow at center. A
very brilliant iris showing to best advantage when planted with
bright shades of yellow.

Golden Helmet (J. Sass, 1933). The standards are tawny
brown and yellow-oclire blended ; falls morocco red, overlaid with
ox-blood red. The beard is orange.

Gold Foam (Nesmith, 1933). A deep golden tall yellow self
with erect standards and ruffled horizontal falls. Veining of deep¬
er yellow at the haft, rich orange beard. Well-named as the whole
flower has a delightfully foamy ruffed appearance.

Francesca (Douglas, 1934). A self of deep Pompeian pink.
The standards are high and domed, the falls semiflaring. Tall and
stately with most unusual and beautiful coloring. Many flowers
borne on tall well-branched stems.

Marquita (Cay., 1933). Large outstanding flowers of creamy
yellow, with rose pink lines on falls. As the flower ages the center
of the falls turn red, leaving a creamy rim to the flower. Tall
stems.

Mme. Recamier (Washington, 1933). A real pink iris; delicate
in color, and has no orchid pink about it. Standards beautifully
arched, and falls semiflaring. The whole flower has a luminous
undertone of ivory yellow. Tall.

Glint of Gold (Washington, 1933). A burnished yellow flower
of smooth finish and firm texture, borne on tall well-branched
stems.

Eclador (Cay., 1932). A very fine yellow. Standards canary-
yellow ; falls of a brighter tone faintly veined brown, orange-yel¬
low beard.

Mozambique (Mead-Riedel, 1934). A brilliant red-purple;
large well-formed flowers, borne on tall stems. Fragrant.

Nordic (Kirk, 1931). An unusually brilliant iris in the garden.
The large flowers are well-formed. Standards are golden tan, the
falls bright red violet. Stems are tall.

Gudrun (K. Dykes, 1930). One of the most impressive of the
newer whites. Huge well-shaped flowers with a dusting of gold at
the throat, and gold beard, giving a warm iridescence throughout
the flower.

[61]

Jeb Stewart (Washington, 1932). One of the finest browns
seen in the gardens this year. The deep rich brownish red has
some influence of copper in the tone. Standards are domed, and
the falls extremely velvety. Tall and widely branched.

Happy Days (Mit., 1934). An immense clear yellow iris which
is an improvement on W. R. Dykes, one of its parents. The falls
are deeper in tone than the standards, and the orange beard giving
a glowing appearance to the whole flower.

Jean Cayeux (Cay., 1931). One of the best iris ever received
from France. The flowers are pale Havana brown, flushed with
gold and a gold beard. Difficult to describe.

Ishpanee (Washington, 1934). A glowing iris of most unusual
form and color. The flowers have yellow standards which are
well domed and arched. The horizontal falls are yellow with a
patch of red in center of each fall. Styles and beard are intense
yellow.

Jean LaFitte (Washington, 1934). A beautiful combination
of coppery rose and deep rose copper. Domed standards and semi-
flaring falls. Tall stalks and exceptionally wide and low branch¬
ing. Many flowers on each stalk.

Irises Seen in Mrs. Lewis’ Garden
June 4th to 7th

Arbutus (Loth., 1933). Seen in a planting less than one year
old. Shorter than its usual 36 inches. A very lovely large flower.
It is smooth, well rounded and of good substance. An orchid pink
self with shadings of light yellow.

Royal Salute (Mill., 1934). This fine purple has standards a
little bluer than Mme. souv de Gaudichau, with larger flowers
and taller stems. It is fragrant.

Westlander (Essig, 1934). A striking bicolor of pale laven¬
der-violet and velvety hyacinth-violet. Falls are flaring. Stalks
well-branched.

Brown Betty (White, 1934). An unusual blend of brown, blue
and purple giving a changeabe silk effect. Well poised flowers on
tall slender stems.

Autumn Dawn (Nies). A clear bright blend of gold and
pink.

Lady Paramount (White, 1934). A large primrose yellow
flower on tall stems. A splendid new Dykes seedling which proved
to be hardy in Massachusetts.

[62]

Uriah (Essig, 1934). Rich red and brown tones. The standards
resemble “shot silk” rich velvety falls. Beard and center of
flower are old gold. Well branched.

Tenaya (Essig, 1933). Very showy flowers of blackish red-
pnrple with iridescent reflections. Yellow beard. Lighted np by
patches of old gold at the base of the styles.

Newtonia (Donahue, 1929). An old rose and pink amber blend.

Eleanor Blue (Salb., 1933). A lovely chicory-blue iris about
the size and form of Santa Barbara.

Imperial Blush (H. P. Sass, 1932). Beautiful large blush pink
flowers borne on tall well branched stalks.

China Lantern (Essig, 1933). Large flowers with standards
of old gold. Falls bright Bordeaux Red on tall stems. Hardy in
Massachusetts.

Sunol (M. M., 1933). A striking blend of golden bronze with
a faint lavender flush on the falls. Another California iris which
has proved hardy in Massachusetts.

Wisteria (Loth., 1934). A light blue-lavender almost self, it
has horizontal falls and a bluish beard.

Sierra Blue (Essig, 1932). Another beautiful California iris
which seems perfectly at home in the cold east. A clear soft blue
of beautiful smooth finish. Tall and well branched.

Mourning Cloak (Essig, 1934). A very dark blue-purple iris.
Medium height. Said to be a valuable breeder for dark iris.

Sitka (Essig, 1932). A beautiful white iris of splendid form
and substance.

Portland, Maine

A WORD FROM ROME, 1935

Countess Senni

■ The latest Bulletin, very interesting, has an appeal for con¬
tributions and you will probably be overwhelmed by them. My
own will be that last year and this. I did what, was advised in
an article — I can’t remember whether in your or the English
bulletin — and sowed the iris seed as soon as ripe, not allowing
them to dry, and the result in germination is certainly a great
gain. In Rome, no fewer than 65, out of about 260, had ger¬
minated by November, from a late August sowing, whereas gen-

[63]

erally only two or three appears before the Spring. We had a
severe winter, with such repeated deep frost that it killed many
shrubs, and the seedlings were sometimes heaved completely out of
the earth, but it was easy to cover and push them back. I also
followed the same article in testing the seed in water, and this
summer noted upon every label how many seeds sank and how
many floated, for it was beyond my resolution to throw away
plump, apparently good seeds, which floated like cork. It is amaz¬
ing how some wretched little seeds, which seemed undeveloped,
sink like lead.

How different seeds are — some like very small balls, others as
large as marrowfat peas, others packed into an almost square
shape. Their pods, too, are different, and one gets to know at a
glance the long, narrow pods of Durandal and Marquisette, which
dry like leather and never split open long after the seed is ripe,
and the round bull-nose pod of Sensation and Mme. de Beau¬
marchais.

Since hearing from Mrs. Murrell that her beautiful Pervaneh
was one of only two seeds, I have given especial care to the pods
of few seeds. In several cases the pollen I wanted to use was so
caked that it had to be broken and rubbed to powder before be¬
ing used, and was in every case noted on the tag, but to my
astonishment they all “took.”

When I read in the Bulletin of your members visits to other
gardens in the felicity of being able to see the outstanding col¬
lections like Mrs. Pattison’s, it fills me with deep envy. They do
not know how fortunate they are ! Think of being able to see
new irises and compare them and decide whether one wants them
or not, without having to buy them blindly, from a catalogue
description or bulletin notes ! They are as yet so little grown or
known in Italy that all those within my reach contain only the
overflow from my own garden, and in eight years my only
glimpse of something different was a visit in 1931 to Cayeux at
Yitry-sur-Seine, and the cut flowers he once sent to a Roman
flower show. But, I have one thing to be very grateful for — a
second iris garden — and when everything in Rome is burnt at
the end of May, and Ambassadeur and Hiawatha are the last
representatives of the irises and roses, I turn my back upon its
desolation and come to the mountain garden, 3,000 feet high in
the Appenines, and there begin to enjoy a fresh season of bloom,

[64]

so beautiful that in the last two years, I have tried to duplicate
all the best things of the Roman garden. They are planted on a
steep hillside, for the most part, which is probably why Purissima
and Nelle Schwartz thrive in spite of several feet of snow in win¬
ter, or far worse, ice and raw winds sweeping down from a moun¬
tain pass. For three or four weeks they continue to bloom, more
slowly and with greater substance and deeper color in the cool
air. The hills are covered with vellow broom, the cuckoo calls
all day, the hybrid lupins in all colors are a beautiful companion
to the iris. There is no telephone, no interruption of any kind,
and it is possible to enjoy the irises in every light, poised against
the morning or the evening sun as they never can be in the low-
lying Roman garden.

They end between July 1 and July 15, according to the season,
so that from the first, Loetitia Michaud in Rome, around April 20,
I have two and a half months of irises, which is something to be
valued.

From what I read and see, progress lag's in the real pinks and
is not really marked in the reds, for Cheerio and others sound
as if they were bicolors and lack the solid color effect a deep self¬
color gives. There are some beautiful colors in red iris; Mr. Sass’
30-40, my favorite Victor Hugo, etc., but none with shape and size
equal to the iris of other colors. Cayeux lists five new ones,
Belphegor, Brasier, Rabagas, Voltigeur and Mme. Daridan, but
they are very expensive yet, and may be no better than Vert-
Galant. For general garden effect in a cheap very near-red, his
Durandal is uncommonly good; it is tall, very free flowering, a
self, and with the sun behind it is a very good red.

Zampa would always be a good blue for color, but its effect is
greatly enhanced by being a self, and if its large flowers were
more freely produced it would be a widely popular iris. How
parsimonious some irises are ! Rubeo has not flowered yet, after
two years; Morera never, after five. Mme. Serouge once, three
years ago ; the good dark Chimene the same ; San Luis Rey, only
occasionally and Dog Rose the same. As for Pink Lustre, which
has a beautiful color and a valuable lateness, I haven’t seen it
for three years, nor Wild Rose, though both are alive and well,
and not too deeply planted — which prevented flowering before 1
] earned better.

For those who like warm and brilliant mauve, Armide is very

7 «/

handsome, a larger and better Le Grand Ferre, and Tartnfe is
very striking, a rich mauve bicolor. I have been given the Black
Douglas and am very anxious to see if it or La Chouane is to be
the ‘ ‘improved Louis Bel,” which will be a great addition to our
gardens. La Chouane was very dark and very large as I saw it
this year, but the drought did not do justice to any iris, olcl or
new. It is a pity M. Millet has given up iris breeding and his
business ; he had a good eye for color, and had achieved a fine
shape and remarkably stout substance in his later seedlings.

There are many new pumilas and intermediates, but are there
as many late-flowering iris? It would be a great boon to extend
the iris season bv two or three weeks, with varieties of better
shape and color than Cayeux’s “Art Series.”

Chracea Coerulea is very late and has been widely used, but
better things might be obtained from Reverie, Ambassadeur,
Delicatissima, Corrida, and those very late (uninteresting but for
this fact) Raffet, Yeloute, La Baronne, Mine. Souesse, Suzon and
Jacquesiana.

The other quest I would warmly recommend to your members
with favorable climates is to try to obtain new “color breaks”

t/

from the old “purple flag” with its valuable habit of flowering
from the New Year on in a mild winter. It is variously called
florentina, Kharput, Germanica and other names ; even Mr. Iloog,
the head of the great firm of Van Tubergen, could not define it,
saying they are too mixed, and all the satisfaction obtained from
a Sweedish botanist, after long reflection, was, “Madam, it is
what Linnaeus called florentina — and isn’t!”

Rome, Italy.

IRIS OBSERVATIONS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Lena M. Lothrop

■ I have decided to divide these notes into three parts. The first
to be devoted to comments on a few remarkable California seed¬
lings, the second section will contain comments on named Cali¬
fornia varieties and the third, remarks about other irises as grown
and seen in Southern California gardens.

All iris enthusiasts who are watching reports on the pogo-
cyclus experiments at Whitehill will be glad to know that there is
a marked advance toward the goal Mr. White has set for himself.
Two very beautiful irises come from the cross of Jubilee on Poly¬
hymnia. One of very large globular form is oyster-white covered
with minute dots and veins of soft grayed-purple. The other has
broad flaring falls and is heavily veined with intense red-purple.
Lorteti X “Yellow M” (an unnamed bright yellow from Prof.
Mitchell) gives a beautifully blended rich purple flower with flar¬
ing falls on a thirty inch, three-branched, stem. An oncocyclus
seedling (3-A-l) X “Yellow M, ” bloomed rosy purple covered
with fine veins. The upper part of the falls are burnished bronze.
This seedling has elegance and finish. The cross of 2-A-2 (So-
farano X Susiana) X “Yellow M, ” however, produced the crown¬
ing glories of the season. Several of this cross have enchanting
flowers on three-branched, forty-inch stems. One with distinct
yellow ground is strikingly veined bronze-red. Another, over a
creamy undertone, is most beautifully marked in Van Dyke Red
and it is so perfect in form and construction that it would be
hard to excell in any class. There was one having the very dark
tones of Mars Violet. On another the color is quite smoothly
blended from old gold to Neutral Red with rose-purple veins and
a startling black patch. These hybrids were the sensation of the
garden.

A great many choice pogon seedlings in all shades of yellow,
with broad hafts and petals and heavy substance bloomed in the
White garden. Most of them were related to Lady Paramount and
to Dykes. With this splendid opportunity for comparison we are
still of the opinion that the Lady will be hard to equal. As the
season waned there appeared from a source unrelated to Dykes, a

[67]

remarkable yellow. The parentage is (Mirasol X Purissima) X
Rubeo. It lias a well-branched 47 inch stem with flowers 5% x 5
inches. In form, it is entirely different from the Dykes family,
having more narrow hafts but broad round petals. The very clear
color is a few shades brighter than Lady Paramount. The substance
is good.

In the Reibold garden we found a charming yellow from Leo¬
nardo de Vinci X Easter Morn. It is being named Welcome. On
a three-year plant were nine 53-inch well branched stalks. In form,
it is like Easter Morn with wide flaring falls.

Mr. Milliken produced the most outstanding white seedling I
have seen this year. 657-17 is a blue-white with surface of satin.
In form and in texture it is unlike any of the California white
Irises. It is superb on stunning stems sixty inches tall.

In blues, I have never before seen anything like an Aurifero X
Sylphide seedling. Indeed Donald Milliken accused Mr. White of
doctoring the soil, it was so blue ! Whether Sylphide had anything
to do with the production of this iris, who can tell? Perhaps its
influence was responsible for breaking up and remixing the pig¬
ment but the flower is the flower of a pogon iris. The 36 inch stem
(one only) is poor but the form of the flower is good and the
substance exceptional. The gorgeous orange beard which glowed
from afar grew on an embossed rib !

In deeper blues I remember with pleasure a very floriferous small
seedling of the Reibolds’. It is from Mine. Gaudichau and Clari-
dad, with much finer texture than Mme. Gaudichau and bluer.
The Standards are satiny and the falls are like fine velvet. The
blue beard is tipped with bright gold in the heart of the flower.

A long row of Acropolis X Modoc seedlings in the White gar¬
den gave a variety of blue-purples. The best one is being named
Blue Peter. It is darker and bluer than Black Wings and much
taller, having 42-inch stems and well placed flowers 5x6 inches.
There is no white visible in the haft where the very velvety texture
of the blade of the falls blends with brown. The color does not
fade at the edge of the petals and the dark beard is lightly tipped
with orange.

Modoc has always had to be discounted because of its short stems
and the crowding of its blooms. Now there is a seedling like it
but a little richer, a little larger and better in form, on tall per¬
fectly branched stems. It is an orphan and is being named
Incognito (White).

[68]

There are two lovely irises in shades of rose-purple among the
Reibold seedlings that I advised having registered. Mr. White also
has a rose-purple seedling out of Sequoiah X Dykes which has
the broad flat flaring falls of the Dominions. It is a very beautiful
flower.

The Milliken’s have an intriguing “pink” from Mauna Loa X
Dauntless. The perfectly formed flowers have heavy, smooth petals
with evenly laid color. There is a distinct arrow of peacock-blue
at the point of the beard. It is tall and large on a splendid stalk.

A more lovely Persia bloomed at Whitehill. The standards are
lighter than those of Persia, a silvery gray with ravishing opalescent-
tints, and the falls, not so dark as Persia, are many shades bluer.

I think all of these bearded iris seedlings will be available for
our gardens in 1936.

Of the newer named varieties I will first mention Kildea (Wil¬
liams). I cannot say where the name came from. I have questioned
the Doctor seriously about it but he insists it has nothing to do with
his past or present. The iris is an apogon. The remarkable thing
about it is its color for it is yellow — a beautiful, soft, primrose
yellow. It is a seedling of one of the Louisiana white irises, selfed.
This white iris posed first as hexagona alba, the next year it went
under the title of elephantina and now it taking shelter under
the name of citrocristata alba! Kildea is, however, a name we can
tie to, having had the approval of Mr. Gersdorff. The iris is as
lovely as anyone can imagine and is as husky as its very robust
ID a rent.

Sunny climes tend to the use of bright colors and hot dishes.
AVomen wear colors in California that they would not think of
wearing in the East and they want color in their gardens. I have
heard more than a few gardeners (women) insist they do not like
white flowers, yet how utterly oblivious to these expressed tastes
have been the genii who determine the color of iris seedlings ! The
genii have at least recognized that white seedlings in California
would have to be extraordinarily good or they would not be toler¬
ated. In that famous C-4 pod which Mr. AVhite produced (sup¬
posed to be a cross of Susiana or Purissima, and may have been
for all we know) there were many beautiful whites. Since their
first blooming in 1932 they have gradually been weeded out until
only three remain. Honor Bright, with its enormous seven inch
frosted flowers, and petals thick as shoe leather, is the most spec-

[69]

taenia r. One visitor breathed “Am I really seeing snch irises or
am I just dreaming them!” Due AVest is another. I cannot pass
it without chanting “Lovely, lovely,” it is so full of grace, and An¬
other Day is the third. This has pearly domed standards and wide
flaring falls with fluted edges.

Purissima (Mitchell) is well known and it is as lovely and re¬
liable as ever. Eastern Morn (Essig) also has made a name for
itself. Prof. Essig has another white iris that I love, in New Albion.
It blooms early with San Gabriel. It is simply perfect and will
be a joy forever to those who grow it. Sitka, another Essig iris, in
white is not so good. It is late and it is large but the hanging falls
pinch and the texture is coarse. Ivory Coast, also and Essig iris,
might be called a white although it is tinted greenish-yellow. It
blooms in season and out — most out, and is rather messy.

Sierra Blue (Essig) is a stunning iris of distinct form and
metalic sheen. It is one of our finest irises. More in the blue tone
are two other of the Essig irises, Pale Moonlight and Shining Wa¬
ters. I cannot make up my mind which one I like better. The ver¬
tical edges of the standards of Shining Waters roll out — a trait
which I consider to be a fault. All of these irises are vigorous
growers, prolific in bloom and are very large.

So far as I know Fair Enough (White) is the bluest of the tall
bearded irises and it is one of the choicest. It has large flowers
made up of broad, crisp, sparkling petals. The well spaced blooms
are on tall stems from which issue many flowers over a long season.
Another Whitehill blue that humbles me in adoration is Early
Mass. The color is very pure and although the flowers are not so
large as the others I have mentioned, they are poised with lovely
grace on slender stems.

Westways is a little blue iris that will grace any garden or any
home. It is an urmiensis seedling crossed by the little yellow
bearded iris, Bonita. Both parents are yellow but all of the chil¬
dren are blue. This particular seedling, Westways, is one of the
most adorable flowers in existance. The small globular blooms are
light violet-blue with a solid patch of deeper blue at the end of
the glowing, golden beard. The stiff, little, branched stems are
slender and graceful. Westways was constantly surrounded by a
group of admirers when she made her debut in a bowl at the Pasa¬
dena Show. She is a rampant grower and free bloomer.

Among the large dark blues we have Royal Salute (Milliken),

[70]

Acropolis (Berry), Tioga (Salbacli), and San Diego (Mitchell).
All are good bnt we have better dark bines on the way. The huge
and impressive hybrid, Morrson (White) is a blue-purple but it
is really in a class by itself.

Prof. Essig has given us fine irises in the recl-purples ; Tenaya,
Little Smoky and Ukiali which has blended, red standards and
dark, rich, velvety falls. With ordinary culture it grows 36 inches
tall, with a fine stem. I would rate it high. Ahwannee (Essig)
has a nice stem — otherwise it was not attractive, as I saw it. Red-
glow (Essig) is a darker Beau Sabreur. The beautiful, dull gold
standards are delicately veined. The rich velvety falls are pale at
the edges to harmonize with the standards. In reality, it is a
blended variegata. It is a good iris. My own Gift has metalic gold-
brown standards and rich velvety falls of solid color with no
white in the haft or near the beard.

Also among the red-purples of high standing are Berry’s old
Mauna Loa, which, like San Gabriel and Purissima, never grows
old, and Erebus, which is not so well known, and Carnelian (Loth-
rop) which is good when well fed. Rubeo (Mitchell) is not new
but it still is an impressive iris. It would be in greater favor if it
were more vigorous. I have lost it three times, once from rot and
twice it bloomed itself out.

Red Flare (Milliken) is a free flowering iris of bright color and
a pleasure to have in the garden when it does not grow too tall.

I do not know where in this list to place Hollywood (Essig).
It is an iris to enjoy, forgetting to be critical of the stem, placement,
form and other qualifications, for where else can we find the same
lovely color — unless it be in a faded version in the impossible
Isline.

Blended colors are not so attractive as others to me but I like
Brown Betty (White) for it is a graceful iris. The color runs the
gamut of browns, from gold through to brownish purple. I also
like my own child, Theme (which is a much larger iris), with its
blending of grayed-blues and red-purple. Gold Lace seems to sell
well. It is a blend of old gold and pinkish lavender. Mr. White has
a beautiful copper blend, Fiesta, which he extracted from Vishnu
by the use of a yellow. Many foreign blends lack substance but
these will endure anything except a burning wind from the desert.

Mr. White has created a variegata which grows well in Cali¬
fornia. It is registered as View Hallo. The standards are bright

[71]

and clear and the falls are rich. It is tall and has a well branched
stem, is floriferous and increases rapidly. What more could we
want ?

We are proud, indeed, that Lady Paramount (White) originated
in our neighborhood. When it first bloomed in 1932 some thought
that it might soon be followed by better large yellows but so far
as I know at this time its most serious competitors are growing in
the White garden. It has height and proportionate size with rare
grace for so large a flower. It has firm substance and close texture.
The color is good and because it is so pure in tone it carries well.

It is a vigorous plant and blooms freely over a long period. In
the large and finely executed Milliken exhibit at the Pasadena
Show, Lady Paramount was the magnet which drew all eyes.

Lucre (White )is a very deep yellow. There are those who like
them that way but I have always contended that it is the lighter
and medium toned yellows that we need for our gardens and for
exhibitions. Lucre is tall and has good size. It blooms freely and
multiplies rapidly.

California breeders have introduced two beautiful light yellow
irises in Natividad and Sweet Alibi. Natividad is creamy yellow
on a beautiful upright stem. There is deep yellow in the haft and
on the edges of the petals near the center of the flower. This is one
of Prof. Mitchell’s originations. Sweet Alibi (White) is more
glistening and is in tones of brassy yellow with deeper shades in
the heart of the flower. The petals are broad and flat and re¬
markably thick.

Alta California (Mitchell) is much liked here. It has an opaque
quality.

Although most of the eastern and foreign irises do not perform
so well as those bred at home, there are some of us who read the
catalogues and send away for irises whose descriptions are appeal¬
ing. It is a good thing to know what is being done in breeding in
other localities.

I took notes on a number of these irises which I am listing
alphabetically with brief comment. They were carefully grown in
good soil but the climatic conditions are entirely different from
those in which they were bred.

Anna Marie Cayeux. Thirty-six inches tall. Flower rounding in
form, good substance and texture. Standards crisp. Lovely blending.

Aurex. Dull color and lacks substance.

[72]

Beau Sabreur is a lovely variegata. As I have written before,
the standards are like beautifully veined, palm-leaf fans with tips
touching. The falls are of fine, bright velvet. Stems perfectly
branched. Not tall but it has “class.”

Black Wings. It is a nice, rather dwarf, iris. It never grows
more than 24 inches tall. It has no “life” in color or sheen to
brighten the garden.

Blue Banner is a small iris with beautifully poised rich flowers
on nicely branched stems. A lovely blue bicolor and a free
bloomer.

Burning Bronze is a dull red-purple blended with brown at the
throat. It has good form with flat falls and conic standards, he
veins in the standards are not attractive and the falls are not very
velvety.

Cheerio. As far as color is concerned. Cheerio is IT and the falls
are most certainly a fine piece of velvet, but the falls do pinch and
the the vertical edges of the standards roll out, which is a fault.

Coralie is just another prettily colored iris.

Depute Nomblot. I saw several healthy clumps of this variety
but altogether only one stem of flowers was produced. I was told
that it had performed in the same fashion in previous years.

Duart is large and tall but the upper part of the fall is white.
Not good as I saw it.

Erebian is a well branched dark iris but it is not rich — there is
too much white on the falls.

Festive, Mr. Morrison’s variegata, is very festive indeed. The
stems are well branched, the standards are a clear bright yellow
and it is floriferous.

Gold Standard is bright but it has small twisty petals.

Mary Elizabeth is insignificant. It has too much white on the
falls.

Mary Geddes is a pretty piece of color.

Nurmahal resembles Sandakan but is not nearly so good.

Nusku is a soft rosy blend but is not outstanding.

Persia has well branched stems forty inches tall. It is an interest¬
ing and pronounced bicolor. The standards are gray, tinted laven¬
der and edged blue-lavender. The falls are blue-purple with white
near the beard but the hafts are bronze. Petals are not very wide
but it is a distinct iris.

Picador is as reliable as Sequoiah. The clump was packed with

[73]

stems fifty-three inches tall. It is a good blended variagata.

Pink Satin is at last becoming acclimated. It is taller and more
attractive this year than ever before.

Red Dominion is a lovely iris. It is lovely in color, form, poise,
stem and in its freedom of bloom. It is a red-purple bicolor.

Red Ember has smoky standards, red-purple falls and orange
beard. It is a nice iris that posesses what I call “ finish. ”

Red Robe lacks substance and the color fades.

Rob Roy has a bright color which attracts but the petals are so
thin that the flowers begin to shrivel almost as soon as they open.

Sandakan is a very fine iris. Thirty-six-inch, well branched,
stem with flaring flowers in proportion. Excellent substance and
fine texture. The standards are bronze flushed lavender. The falls
are very velvety red-purple, with brown at the sides of the beard
and in the haft. I suppose one does not know, seeing it is a Wil¬
liamson iris, but it appears to have Dominion blood.

Trails End was a disappointment and it also made me sad as
it is not up to the high standard of Mr. Williamson. I saw four
stalks thirty inches tall. It looked like a cross of a yellow on Nancy
Orne but was not nearly so good as Nancy. Where there is white in
Nancy there is pale yellow here. In the mature flowers of Trails
End, the standards gap wide open. The small flowers (4x4 inches)
bunch at the top of the stem in a mussy boquet.

Yves Lassailly is pretty when newly opened but the flowers fade
badly and are small.

Zaharoon is well branched and has interesting color but the petals
are very thin and the flowers transient.

Iris, lion. II. A. Bruce.

A Groff seedling

I. 75 J

TRITE THOUGHTS ON THE DISPERSAL OF A

COLLECTION

Richardson Wright

■ Providence (or the elements, if you will) is always doing
strange things to my garden and playing ducks and drakes with
my fondest dreams. It sends pests that turn a pleasant pastime
into a warfare. It endows everything hereabouts with diseases that
make the tool shed look like a clinic. It permits the ugly to grow
rampant and grudgingly allots only short life to the beautiful and
tender. And those past two winters, it lias called a final curtain on
what was to be a solace and beguiling interest for years to come :
it reduced a respectable iris collection to a shambles.

I call it a respectable collection because it was composed mostly
of the conservative and tried Tall Bearded Types. Begun in a
small way, since my purse was small, it grew by the kindly accre¬
tion of friendly gifts until, one July in the Platinum Era, I defied
Fate and shot the works — indulged myself to the extent of every¬
thing I wanted. In the succeeding years a rhizome here and a
rhizome there was added until a little over 200 varieties were
ranked along the pathsides of the Top Garden, giving, with dignity,
an edge to cutting flowers and cabbages alike.

As all the books and the Bulletin told me I should do, I duti¬
fully ticketed these and set down their location in a note book and
presumed to make what the ladies call color schemes. The labor
was all very pleasant, and when blooming time came around the
reward was worth the trouble. Not only could we feast our eyes on
well organized beauty, but we filled the air with the music of their
names. It gave a cachet to our garden perambulations to recite
such pretty phases as Midgard and Prospero, Candelight, Canopus,
Afterglow and Wyomissing. The various ladies became our inti¬
mate friends: we held converse with Her Majesty, Mine. Henri
Cayeaux, Mrs. Valerie West and Mildred Presby; we even grew
familiar with Aphrodite. It was pleasant to find Lord Lamborne
always at home when we called and Queen Alexandra and Lady
Sackville.

This intimacy was due to the labeling, of course, and the fact
that the ranks kept their place and did their “routine” with the
regularity of a well-trained pony ballet. Never did one of them
get out of step.

[76]

Then, every third year, they were lifted and replanted and re¬
tagged and the increase handed to neighbors, thereby gaining for
us no end of a reputation for generosity. Perhaps it was this tri¬
annual labor that I enjoyed most. I figured, the last time I lifted
and reset this collection, that I would be an aged person of 48
when next I should have to do it and the next time in my early 50s
and so on until that day when I would be pushed around a la
William Robinson and give planting directions in a squeaky voice
and with a cane.

But Providence and the elements had other notions. There came
the last two hard winters. Long stretches of sub-zero weather, with
sudden flights into tropical temperatures. The borer, unnoticed
because I was intent on other garden affairs, moved in and made
the rhizomes their home. It must have been a satisfactory home,
for they stayed, increased and saw that their progeny was well
housed about them. The desolation in that collection the second
spring could not be overlooked. The serried ranks were shot full
of holes. Instead of orderly lines of sprouting leaves there dangled
indiscriminate copper tags that my wife referred to as “wet wash.”

There was nothing to do about it. In spite of maps and notes, the
neatly ticket dreams were hopelessly jumbled. My plans for the
future and all that vision of a William Robinson old age went by
the board. I called Charlie, told him to lift ’em all, and plant ’em
back as he felt like.

And yet I feel that there will be compensations even in this chaos.
It will be like pushing through a crowd and seeing a face dimly
familiar and the next block saying, “Ah, yes, that was Mother of
Pearl!” Or, like meeting a person you thought surely ought to be
dead by this time — Zwanenburg still flopping its falls and Shekinah
still as subtle as in the old days.

As for those tags, so laboriously embossed in those far-off even¬
ings — I’m thinking of nailing them up in the tool shed. Making a
sort of “Our Boys Who Died For Their Country” memorial
placque out of them. They can join all those Primulas and Roses
and Clematis and hosts of alpines which fought and bled on this
Connecticut hillside and finally went to whatever Valhalla there is
for good flowers. And maybe on Memorial Day I will make a
wreath of all the things I can’t kill in this garden and hang it
reverentlv beside the names of all those that Providence, the ele-
ments and I have annihilated.

OUR MEMBERS WRITE

Native Iris and Others

» Some years ago, feeling the need of quiet, after a day spent
in a noisy machine shop, I took to gardening and purchased a few
rhizomes of iris from one of our local growers. They bloomed and
waxed strong in numbers, so much so that I gave up vegetable
growing* and grew flowers instead, for the Good Book tells us that
man lives not by bread alone. Having no particular interest in
any particular family or genus of plants, I just grew anything that
presented itself. So while attending the University of Washington
Summer School, I had to pass by daily a large planting of iris,
and some of them tempted me so much that I would sit nearby and
scheme how a few rhizomes could be removed without detection !
AVliile in this frame of mind, I made the acquaintance of the care¬
taker and discovered that they were just plebians in the iris realm,
so I could not stoop “to lift” just common roots.

Anyway, gradually “irisitis” had me down, and I purchased
the entire stock of a teacher-friend of mine who was giving up
bulbous iris and giving his entire time to gladioli. Now, I was fever-
hot, I had heard of wild iris across the mountains near Ellensburg,
so Memorial Day the good wife packed a “box of eats” and at
five A. M. we headed East in “Old Henry” for the iris quest.
Surely enough, there they were, but we had to eat first, so eat we
did, and started back to dig some roots. While coming back through
town by the stock yard (loading shoots on the railway) here was
a white one. Oh ! were we over the fence, had it dug and safely
stored before the startled natives realized that they were being
invaded by foreigners. That was our downfall, for since then
we have searched out many roads for various iris species. On this
trip we secured the blue and white iris Missouriensis.

Next adventure, we heard from a neighbor that an iris grew up
on the Olymic peninsula, near Sequim, so away we went and
found a couple of hundred clumps growing in a cow pasture. It did
not appear to be the same that we had gathered east of the moun¬
tains, but we decided we would grow it side beside and see what
it was, because we could find no reference of it in any botany. It
is much more robust and deeper in color than the Iris Missouriensis.
So, that question is not yet settled or answered.

On our rounds we heard of Iris tenax, and it grew to the south;
we went and added to our collection.

[78]

Recently, we made a rather long trip to make a further study of
the Iridaceae, and in going east, the Iris Missouriensis is found in
many localities along water courses and some in widely separated
areas, far from water. In growth and color they vary little or none
until you find them over in the Blue mountains of northeastern
Oregon, and there they have almost a pink standard — otherwise
all localities are alike.

In the mountains of southern Oregon, I want to do more work
for the knowledge of them in that region is rather meagre. This
summer we found one with spathe valves at least four inches long
and very pointed.

To the west, along the Coast from northern California, Redwood
Forest Iris Douglasiana is seen everywhere, with its evergreen
foliage and light blue flowers. Although we have seedlings that
are supposed to be bronzy golds and whites — maybe and maybe
not.

In one place, we found a dwarf variety that is quite short in
stature and the three years that it has grown in our garden it
has not reverted back to its normal type. What a treat for the
rock gardeners. It has some foliage and flower but is only about
five to six inches tall. Whether the seedlings revert to type or not
awaits to be seen.

Where the Iris Douglasiana and tenax meet in southwestern
Oregon we found natural hybrids of the two. They have the
evergreen habit of the former but the leaves are narrow like tenax.
The flowers are the most beautiful violet that I have ever seen on
any iris. I hope to make more of this hybrid because it is too
choice a gem to let go unknown.

On farther north the Iris tenax predominates with its beautiful
flowers of lavender shades. These western iris seem to be per¬
fectly hardy in our temperature here, down to six and eight de¬
grees above zero, without any fuss or bother and stand lots of
abuse in way of lack of attention and competition of other vege¬
tation.

I was glad to see some comment in the Bulletin just re¬
ceived relative to Iris xiphioides. Seemingly nobody knows much
about them. We have looked through all the literature we can
find and through correspondence we have tabulated over sixty
named varieties, and are attempting to secure as many of them
as possible. To date we have planted about twenty named varieties
and will try to eliminate the duplicates in name.

[79]

The English iris does exceedingly well with ns. Our soil is
about pH 6 or 6.5, with generous share of sedge humus in the soil
on a heavy clay subsoil, and a shallow water table. They do not
make top growth in the Fall like xiphiums (Spanish and Dutch)
but wait until Spring, hence are hardier with us than the latter,
which sometimes receives frost injury. But, when they do start
they shoot right up and close the iris season with their wealth
of unrivaled color. They multiply like weeds, both in seeds and
offsets. This Fall when digging them, I counted six and seven
sizeable bulblets besides the mother bulb.

So here’s to the orchids in the iris family! May their tribe
increase.

Harry L. Stinson.

From Connecticut

■ The Iris Garden of an enthusiast is never finished because one
is always finding new color schemes and new iris to try, which
means almost constant shifting.

Two changes noted for next year are the grouping of Solferino,
Ernestine, Pluie d’Or and Santa Barbara in front of white.

At the entrance to the garden this year was our first bloom of
William Mohr, all alone and breath taking. A little farther on
Micheline Charriere and Van Cleve majestically held their own;
next, Lona and Apricot with Sweet Lavender.

The next group is the largest and most satisfactory one. It
starts with Churchmouse, then come Elsinore and Ballerine
backed by Mine. Gaudichau ; Midgard and Tenebrae with Mother
of Pearl in back. Black Knight breaks this group and Pluie d’Or
with Santa Barbara follow.

A group of Peonies, Delphinium, Bristol Fairy and Lilies in¬
tervene, then, Santa Fe, which after three years, blossomed all
by itself with the turquoise lining of the pool and the dark green
of cedars behind it. It was worth waiting for and was greatly
admired by everyone. Balancing it on the other side is Wambliska
which was disappointing. Freda Mohr, however, keeps the balance
of interest on that side of the pool which is more or less sur¬
rounded by Japanese and Siberian iris.

After Wambliska we have Dauntless alone, then Snow White,
followed by Yellow Moon with Queen Caterina and Mother of
Pearl in back.

The rest has grown very much out of hand.

[80]

I like to cut groups of iris with other perennials or with large
clumps of white or pale yellow iris which not only cut the other
colors, but tie the whole planting together.

This year seemed to be a very good one for seed pods to form,
but so few of them came through without being riddled with
worms. Does anyone know how to combat that pest?

Ruth Adt.

For 1936

■ Buffalo Gardens should be visited by fellow-members on their
way through to Hartford next June, especially that of Mr. Charles
K. Bassett, since it is so easily located, at 2900 Main Street. Mr.
Bassett has been a member of the society since 1927 and is an en¬
thusiastic iris lover. He has discovered the secret of just the right
environment to grow iris to perfection in our climate. His soil
is naturally rich in lime, but still he adds about 50 per cent
finely ground Michigan limestone.

Among the varieties which were unexcelled by any we have ever
seen were noted the following:

Blue Velvet, Cinnarbar, Coronation, Depute Nombot, Desert
Gold, Dorothy Dietz, Fulgore, Helios, King Juba, King Tut, Mary
Geddes, Mrs. Valery West, My Maryland, Rameses, Red Dominion,
Rosakura, Souflot, Vert Galant, Victor Hugo, and Wm. Mohr, and
Zaharoon. It is surprising to see what granduer a perfect en¬
vironment will impart to our long discarded Prinzess Viktoria
Luise.

His garden, like that of Dr. Ringueberg in Lockport, is sur¬
rounded by huge elms which do not cover, but offer just enough
shelter to keep the fragile blooms from drooping in the hot after¬
noon sun.

M. F. S.

Iris Pallida Dalmatica at Home

■ Every reader of “Illyrian Spring” by Ann Bridge, the talented
author of “Peking Picnic” and “The Ginger Griffin,” must have
paused in delight at her description of Iris pallida dalmatica
growing in its native haunts. Those particularly interested in iris
must have been doubly enchanted by the picture her pen has paint¬
ed. Is there room to quote from her book in The Iris Bulletin ?

“But Nature in Dalmatia is singularly open-handed, and dis¬
tributes beauties as well as wonders with lavish impartiality.

[81]

Within a few hundred paces of the source of the Ombla they came
on a thing which Grace was to remember all her life, as much for
its beauty as for its incredibility. The road here swung round to
tiie right, pushed out towards the valley by a spur of the moun¬
tain side; some distance above the road the slopes of this spur
rose steeply, broken by ledges and shallow gullies, the rocks of
the usual indescribable tone of silvery pearl color. And all over
the ledges of these pearly rocks, as thick as they could stand,
grew big pale-blue irises, a foot or more high, sumptuous as those
in an English border, their leaves almost as silver as the rocks,
their unopened buds standing up like violet spears among the
delicate pallor of the fully-opened flowers — Iris pallida dalmatica ,
familiar to every gardener, growing in unimaginable profusion
in its native habitat. Now to see an English garden flower smoth¬
ering a rocky mountain side is a sufficient wonder, especially if
the rocks are of a silver color and the flowers a silvery blue, and
Nature, feeling that she had done enough, might well have been
content to leave it at that. But she had a last wonder, a final
beauty to add. In the cracks and fissures of the rock another
flower grew, blue also, spreading out over the steep slabs between
the ledges in flat cushions as much as a yard across — a low-grow¬
ing woody plant, smothered in small close flower heads of a deep
chalky blue, the shade beloved of the painter Nattier. Anything
more lovely than these low compact masses of just the same tone
of color, but a deeper shade, flattened on the white rocks as a
foil and companion to the flaunting splendor of the irises cannot
be conceived. ” (By permission Little, Brown & Co., Boston, Mass.)

Could even the pen of Reginald Farrer have given us anything
more exquisite ! And for the benefit of those who have not read
the book I will add that the lower growing blue flower was said to
be one of the Boraginaceae . More than that this family has blos¬
soms of a delicate azure blue I do not know.

Eleanor P. Jones.

Be Iris Ban Letters

■ Not all of the questions that come in fan letters, when one
happens to have put out a successful iris or so, are of the casual
order. Most of them are easily, and I might add, gladly answered.

Such requests, for example, as parentage and how to set out,
notice I say set out, to improve color and substance belong in the
latter category. Occasionally, however, comes a question to which

you wish you could send a useful reply and for whose answer you
have yourself been seeking a solution for many moons. That, of
course, makes a fan letter more interesting.

I refer to the question — what can be done with or about a seed¬
ling that has come into the world minus side shoots or sprouts
with which to carry on in the orderly manner of a normal iris?

Certainly more often than usual these plants are crowned with
a flower of such beauty and perfection that you wonder why
nature has played that kind of a trick on you.

It is a tantalizing thing to see a splendid blossom of a brighter
red, or perhaps a finer blue, and known that as a flower its time
is marked, that it is fated to go out of the picture unheralded in
any catalog (where had its courses been normal, it surely would
have found a place). What you see before you is not a promise
for the future but a one and final effort to show what the chro¬
mosomes could do if they really tried.

As a hybridizer, you know, too, full well, that to recreate again
its tone and colors would be impossible, unless, some strange
break in the wheel of fortune should smile twice and I have
never known that to happen. Mate it as you will with your best
of a similar color and use their pollen on it in reciprocal crosses,
its issue still will be different, never the exact replica of the one
you brought into being but could not hold.

The real name of these freaks is a non-branched rhizome, a
miscast. Somehow, I like to use these technical terms. It makes
me think that others will think that I am a “ scientific, ” not just
a ‘ ‘ hibridizer ” as the British would say, or just an eye doctor
studying heredity as all doctors do and must. One who often
wondered why a cross-eyed parent with the right eye asken begat
a seedling with the opposite eye turned sideways. Anyway it
seemed to me that often happened. Perhaps that is why they call
them cross eyes. But to get back to the subject — these terms are not
mine but come from my good friend Haller, just forty leagues North¬
west of my garden, who has given on many occasions of his tech¬
nical skill and knowledge when called in consultation. Of course,
these real “scientifics” tend to think in terms of heredity always.
Perhaps they are right. He says that it probably works as a mul¬
tiple factor. I like that phrase, too. A recessive coming out
rarely but capable of being transmitted by the pollen parent. He
had one among his seedlings but before he could set the camera

[83]

to perpetuate its particular deficiencies lie says it disappeared.
Mine are not as speedy as that but they go out just as inevitably.
He also says that in looking over the thirty thousand seedlings
Bruce Williamson used to grow, he saw only two or three during
many visits there. Among such a vast number, a few more or less
might have been overlooked. The number in my garden seems
fairly constant, about two every year whether the seedlings num¬
ber three thousand or only five hundred strong.

I have used the pollen to the last granule when these miscasts
were good and crossed on them heavily as well. One would almost
expect the garden to be dominated by sproutless miscasts. For¬
tunately, this has not happened, but as my ratio is higher, hered¬
ity may have had its influence. Unfortunately, records that were
started as to the transmission of this defect were not followed
up. It would only take a few generations. Perhaps some other
“hybridizer” has tried and can tell us.

Some years back, by far the best red I had grown or have
ever seen, previously or to date, came marked like that among
my seedlings. Knowing how they acted, yet hoping by some
chance, I could force fate to change its course, I said to my
gardener, “Bill, I’ll give you twenty-five dollars on my return
if you keep that fine red one going and make it send out some
side shoots. I’d rather lose a fifty dollar note than that iris.”

Bill’s ears pricked up. He knew he was up against a proposi¬
tion, because he had failed to make two splendid ones survive the
year before when I had offered him ten dollars apiece for them
alive and kicking when I came back. And did Bill love these
little extras! No use — ! I knew the answer as we stepped out of
the car that brought us from the station. Barely stopping to greet
the gardener and others there to welcome us and not even giving
the dogs a friendly pat as they bounced around, I made straight¬
way to that, part of the seed bed. One gets that way when he is a
hybridizer. The stakes were there conspicuous in their white
paint that had been used to keep Bill’s attention focused on that
spot. Where the flower had been was only the dried up remains
of the fan and rhizome with just as much life left as in any
mummy found in the Valley of the Kings. And what can we
do about it?

Let me tell you what was tried at Edge Hill, not for what it is
worth, for the very good reason that not a single method used

[84]

was worth a tinker’s darn, but just as a matter of interest to the
real iris seedling grower.

As follows — extra care in feeding, special watering, keeping
dry, a condition supposedly desirable in the good old days, with¬
holding pollen so that no strength required in the maturing of
seed pods would prevent the formation of sprouts, taking off the
bloom stem at the base as soon as the first flower had fully opened,
removing both stem and leaves down to the crown which some¬
times encourages sprout growth, scarifying the rhizome and re¬
planting in the choicest soil and place, and with a sharp knife
cutting it as we do potatoes into five or six sections and plant¬
ing in carefully sterilized sand in my greenhouse. Only once did
I see one making any apparent effort to maintain its hold on life.
This showed an enlarged root extending about two inches below
the base of the rhizome with a bulblet or conn the size of those
seen in gladiolus. As it happened by some strange perversity of
nature, this one possessed no value whatsoever and was discarded.
Perhaps this bulblet should have been planted — but why did not
that red one have a corm? It may easily be that some one has
been successful and learned a trick or so about keeping them going
that has not been broadcast. If so, what a big fuss about nothing
all this is. Tucked away there is a dim recollection of someone
telling me during the rush of a blooming season, when many were
coming into the garden, how he or she had kept one of these
freaks alive. Inquiries made among a few hybridizers have failed
to locate the one holding this secret.

Microscopic sections should, I grant, have been made to disclose
the presence or absence of embryonic buds. A splendid yellow
miscast showed up this year and again it was beyond peradven-
ture the best, among a score in form, branching, substance and
depth of color. I bred every flower and used its pollen freely on
other yellows. That is what I do now. They mature the pods well
and germination seems normal. One that was not bred passed out
earlier than a similar miscast with seeds to mature. That, at least,
shows the good intenions of these non-branclied recessives working
as a multiple factor and coming out rarely but capable of being
transmitted by the pollen parent.

Iris Performance in the Spring of 1934, Following the Very
Severe Winter

■ I grow upwards of 400 varieties, including a considerable num-

[85]

ber of the Californians of “tender” ancestry, and others sup¬
posedly susceptible to winter injury. Of these, I divided and
reset in new locations quite a number of varieties in the spring
of 1933 immediately after flowering. The fact that certain of
them did not bloom in 1934 may not connote any winter injury
reason, but may tie back to plant habis not to bloom annually —
that is, as Mr. Morrison suggested in an earlier Bulletin a
general disinclination to bloom the first year after transplanting.

Of my varieties believed susceptible to winter injury, and
which were not one year plants, or 1933 transplants, I can report
as follows : One block of a dozen or more established plants of
Moonlight failed to bloom at all — not even one bloom in 1934.
No other variety here in quantity similarly failed altogether. Both
Micheline Charriare and Shasta in quantities of established plants
bloomed in 1934, but with fewer bloom stalks and this I attribute
to winter injury. So also, Magnifica and Monsieur Steichen. And
that is about the sum total of definite opinion that I have to re¬
port. Of course, many varieties showed variatibility of stem height
in 1934, which usually bloom of practically uniform height. Frit-
zof was conspicuous example of this result which I attribute to
the severe winter and early spring conditions. And, generally
speaking, the dwarfs and the intermediates were late in starting
blooming, but by late midseason the latter types seemed to come
on with blooms on about their normal dates according to definite
records that I have kept.

Among the supposedly tender ones, or of tender derivation, I
had fine or good blooms on W. R. Dykes, Leonato, Ballerine, Los
Angeles (1 year plants), Pacific, Wambliska, Istria, Leverrier,
Ann Page, Brivoness, Rhadi, El Capitan, Frieda Mohr, Mile.
Schwartz, Morwell, Santa Barbara, Soledad, Sophronia, Theseus,
etc. I had no known case of winter injury to any variety as to
which no warnings of tenderness are available in print.

A question: Just how does one determine beyond question that
bloom failure with a particular variety is caused by winter in¬
jury? Precisely how? Suppose I go to my blocks of Easter Morn,
or Souvenir Loetitia Michaud, or Mine. Cecile Bouscaut, or
Mirasol, etc. Supose I go to them in their beds, say, May 1, or
May 15 next : By what ocular visible evidence shall I say that
a given plant has had winter-damage done to it that will prevent
appearance of bloom stalks? Say I am a “doubting Thomas” and
wish to see the nail prints. Are they there?

[86]

Famous Iris Gardens, 1935

■ Massachusetts Gardens in late summer are as charming in
their age-old settings as they are in the springtime, when covered
with the many-hued blossoms of our favorite flowers.

It was our particular delight to enjoy a short visit with Miss
Grace Sturtevant, whom most of us regard as a sort of patron
saint of the American Iris Society, since she has always taken such
an active interest in it since its inception.

Sitting in one of the comfortable rockers on the immense veran¬
da of her home (immense is right, since we of western New York
are accustomed to the modern small porch serving more as a
protection to the cloor-way, rather than the broad welcome en¬
visaged as one approaches one of these hospitable New England
porticos), Mr. T. P. Donahue, Miss Sturtevant, and the writer in¬
dulged in the every-entrancing theme of iris lovers as to the best
red, the best yellow, or the best blue, carefully avoiding any ref¬
erence to the best white, since Polar King was not in bloom, but
the leaves of some of his plants were so puffed-up that we believe
Mr. Donahue’s assertion of its being a fall-bloomer must be correct.

In spite of the magnificence of Dauntless, the brilliance of
Numa Rumestan and Apache we believe James Storer will out¬
shine them all !

California Gold is Miss Sturtevant ’s favorite yellow, but both
Mr. Donahue and the writer have seedlings which we think far.
far superior. Perhaps the dream of a pure deep yellow of the
standards of old Honorabile is yet to be realized, although Mr.
Donahue thinks he has it in Golden Imp (is gold in color), a
dwarf, and Miss Sturtevant in her yellow Elf.

In the blues, Mr. Donahue will not yield ground to any, with
his Ann Stodder, clear sky blue, or Blue June.

We talked of the coming annual meeting of the A. I. S. at
Hartford next June, when all these weighty questions will be
settled (temporarily).

From the spacious porch one obtains a beautiful view of Welles¬
ley Farms iris gardens, surrounded with grand old trees, planted
in slightly raised small beds upon a high knoll sloping down to¬
ward the house and road. In the border Miss Sturtevant has
many varieties of hardy plants and shrubs forming a delightful
background.

Across the road, opposite the old yellow homestead, is a con-

f 87 ]

tinuation of the garden, surrounding a large patch of greensward.
What a temptation to loiter are the rustic chairs and table under
Miss Sturtevant’s favorite old Hydrangea grandi flora with its
mass of enormous blooms !

We noticed the strips of mulch paper between the rows of her
seedling irises. Miss Sturtevant informed us that it not only
conserves moisture but eliminates the monotonous weed-pulling
chore.

Among the newer annuals Klondyke Cosmos was conspicuous
in a large background planting with its brilliant deep yellow
blooms.

Mr. Donahue’s garden could well be a model for all iris fans.
It is just around the corner from Wellesley Farms in Newton
Lower Falls. Here we had a most delightful visit, including
luncheon, which the Donahues with typical New England hos¬
pitality insisted we have with them. In Tom’s den (all the neigh¬
bors call him Tom) we enjoyed his other hobbies. Walls are cov¬
ered with trophies of gun and camera. Loads of good books,
magazines, and A. I. S. Bulletins are within reach.

Like so many iris fans Mr. Donahue is also a stamp collector.
Although the writer has left this hobby dormant for some time,
it certainly warmed us up when we saw that wonderful assortment
of first-flight air-mail covers.

The first impression as you enter the gate in the white picket
fence and gaze upon the noble old Colonial home is that it seems
like a big white hen benignantly watching over the chirping lit¬
tle flock around her. For those tall spires of Lobelia Cardinalis
scattered here and there almost chirp with their brilliant red
note of color among the healthy clumps of iris. The house sets
back some distance from the road and is, as the old schoolbooks
say, like an island, entirely surrounded by irises.

One of the characteristics which make the iris our favorite is
that it retains its foliage all the year and forms a splendid back¬
ground for later blooming perennials. Mr. Donahue’s collection
of phlox is especially fine. Von Lassburg, the late white, forms a
splendid contrast for the more brilliant Beacon, Fire-Brand, Thor,
the deep reds B. Compte, Camillo — Schneider — and his favorite
red, Rosenberg. I wish we might mention all the new ones but
those we remember as being especially gorgeous are Columbia,
Morganrood, Daily Sketch, and Dainty, his own lavender seedling.

[88]

One of the largest and most brilliant hardy phlox we ever saw is
Mr. Donahue’s seedling Humming-bird, immense with deep rouge
eye, an improvement on Richard Wallace and Bridesmaid Blue
Hill and Progress are shades of blue still very rare in hardy
phlox and we were especially happy to obtain slips from our host.

At the rear of the house the garden slopes down toward the
Charles River with an expansive lawn and large flower bed near
the middle, with a statue of Ceres in the center.

Like sentinels on guard at strategic points are cedar, savon or
arbor vitae. Some fine specimens of tree lilacs are in evidence.
We noted Mme. Lemoine, Congo, Bertha Dammann, Pres. Lin¬
coln, and Ludwig Spaeth. Sheltering almost the entire garden is
a huge oak, its enormous branches bending down to touch the
water.

On one lot he has an old barn, built in 1790, and with his own
hands remodeled into an artist’s studio. In one corner he puts
his practical skill as a contractor to good use by constructing a
fireplace of ancient bricks which he dug out of the cellar, orna¬
mented by an authentic colonial dutch oven. One is overcome
with a feeling of reverence as you contemplate the historic as¬
sociations of those staunch hand-morticed beams, the old H door
hinges, and the almost seamless floor made with pine boards two
feet wide. The cat-hole in the door made famous by Mark Twain,
is seen only in these old structures.

As we looked over the garden we noticed two tall pear trees
laden with fruit and Mr. Donahue saw three big crows having a
greedy lunch. A stone catapulted from Tom’s long arm put them
to rout. All along the border are stretches of white English vio¬
lets, a beautiful dark green mass ; but we can imagine its beauty
when transformed into vernal bloom.

We must mention the old wooden garden gates of which there
are several, with round pickets and a tall arch, covered with the
beautiful vine Akebia quinata.

It was with genuine regret that we left this beautiful spot, to
say nothing of our host’s effusive enthusiasm on our favorite
theme — iridiae.

M. F. S.

[89]

Iris Pictures

Iris, II. II. Groff. A Groff seedling

The pictures on pages 75 and 90 come from Mr. Miles and
show two Groff seedlings of promise. Does your garden notebook
yield others that would be of interest to our readers?

[90]

Lilian A. Guernsey

Iris, Balroudour

I 91 l

Iris, Balroudour

■ If you will look back in your July issue you will discover a
note on this charming hybrid written by Mr. Duffy at the Chair-
man’s request. My apologies, therefore, are recorded here, that in de¬
parting for Europe I did not make clear to my assistant, Mrs.
Simpson, that picture and text must go hand in hand. Perhaps
the separation will serve a good purpose, nevertheless, in that it
will remind you again of this very distinct plant which must not
be judged by the standards of ordinary bearded iris since it has.
in it regelia blood that makes itself apparent not only in the
color but in the carriage of both standards and falls.

Here it grows well in the ordinary border with various dwarf
bearded nearby over which it towers in comparison, its tall two-
flowered unbranched stalks reaching all of 18 inches.

B. Y. M.

[92]

THE AMERICAN
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY

Made an important departure in its program this season by

publishing

THE AMERICAN DAFFODIL YEAR BOOK

a 92 page volume, well illustrated, with articles on classification,
garden club shows, varietal notes, bibliography, etc. Among the
contributors are Mrs. Francis King, Richardson Wright, Mary J.
Averett, David Griffiths, Jan de GraafF, Florence Edna Foote, John
C. Wister. The price is 50 cents. Remittance should be sent to
C. C. Thomas, 821 Washington Loan & Trust Building, Wash¬
ington, D. C.

THE AMERICAN IRIS SOCIETY

LTHOUGH all readers of the Bulletin are supposed to know
that the annual dues of the Society are three dollars payable
by the calendar year, it has been called to our attention that there
is a chance that someone who is not a member may read your copy
and wonder how he too may become a subscriber. If you happen
to be such a reader, let us assure you that the Society welcomes to
membership all persons who are interested in iris who feel that
special knowledge of iris would be welcome in their gardening.

Make your check or money order payable to the American Iris
Society and send to Mr. B. Y. Morrison, Secretary, 821 Washington
Loan & Trust Bldg., Washington, D. C. Please follow this in¬
struction. It will help us all in the record keeping.

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