56 
Whether this had anything to do with reducing the loss of plants by 
the fly maggot is perhaps a question. In any case, however, the 
burning over did no harm to the plants, and greatly decreased the 
amount of labor in cleaning up in the spring. 
In previous years we have had some injury from thrips. Dur- 
ing the past season, however, it was unusually severe. ‘This insect 
enters between the folds of the leaves and penetrates underneath 
the bracts of the flower cluster. Some varieties seem to be much 
more susceptible to injury than others, so that practically no well 
developed blooms were secured; the later varieties appeared to 
suffer most severely. 
Several collections of /ris laevigata were also imported from 
iese flowered in June. One variety, the 
poe 
Japan, and a few of t 
Four Season Iris, bloomed in September and October. Nearly 
all the plants imported grew very well and became well established, 
but it remains to be determined how successfully they wall with- 
stand our winter conditions. It is hoped, however, that they will 
survive and continue to multiply and flower in the coming years. 
These make a valuable addition to our general collection of beard- 
less varieties and species. 
The collection of Siberian irises, which now includes about 60 
varieties, was well established, and flowered vigorously. I¢xcept 
for the newest productions, we have practically all of the varieties 
of this group in our collection. 
A great many species of beardless iris are now in the collection, 
es 
— 
most of which flowered during the season. Crosses were at- 
tempted between many of them, with what success remains to 
be determined after the seeds germinate and the seedlings grow 
to the flowering stage, which will require two to five years 
In July we published a paper on our studies on the brie of 
Tris fulva and I. foliosa. These two species, the first generation 
plant—Dorothea Ik. Williamson—and five seedlings of the latter, 
were illustrated in color. The second generation seedlings showed 
marked variation in the shape, size, and color of the flowers. Dur- 
ing the past year a large number of additional seedlings from these 
crosses bloomed for the first time. The plants varied greatly in 
the length of the stem and the vigor of the plant, as well as in the 
flower characteristics. It is possible that a few of them may 
