45 
AP shou heads 
By GeorGE M. REED 
It was necessary to reset many of the Bearded iris during the 
past year. Many of the beds were established several years ago 
and the varieties have gradually deteriorated. Many additional 
varieties were added to the collection, most of which were com- 
paratively new introductions. At the same time, some of the older 
varieties were discarded, since it is impossible to find space to 
continue to add varieties to the collection without discarding. 
In the Annual Report for 1935 a full account of the Farming- 
dale Iris Garden was given. This Garden was established in co- 
operation with the State Institute of Applied Agriculture on Long 
Island on the grounds of the latter institution. A large number of 
varieties, representing the Dwarf, Intermediate, and Tall Bearded 
iris, and the various groups of Beardless iris, including Japanese, 
Siberian, and Southern United States, were planted. During the 
past year a few additional varities and species were added to the 
Garden. 
Many seedlings of various iris hybrids are being grown. Most 
of them involve crosses between various types of Southern iris. 
A few of the first generation plants bloomed during the past year, 
and many additional ones will doubtless flower in 1937. 
An account of hybrids between /ris laevigata, which is native to 
Japan and Northeastern Continental Asia, with the American 
[. versicolor and If. virginica, was published. It is very interesting 
that hybrids between these widely separated species have been 
secured. The original species, however, resemble each other in a 
number of important characters. In all successful crosses J. laevi- 
gata was the male parent. 
Soft rot of the iris rhizome 
This disease of the iris has caused serious damage in the beds of 
the Tall Bearded iris, both at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and at 
te appeared in July and continued to 
September. Many 
aay 
Farmingdale. The trou 
attack plants through August and part of 
clumps of iris were destroyed, although only a few varieties were 
entirely lost. In order to save many of the plants it was necessary 
