when we may have all the frilly Plicata beauties, all 

 the stately Pallidas, the bearded and beardless 

 gentleman of the iris family, the dwarfs and the 

 giants, as well as the intermediates and the pre- 

 cious seedlings, and beautiful hybrids. 

 ^ Among the irises my favorites are the lovely 

 rose and pink ones, the suffused lavender and blue, 

 the pure white, the white and gold, the all gold, the 

 pearl and pale blue, and all the soft mauves and 

 velvety purples. 1 think these are far preferable to 

 the brown, mahogany and orange ones. 

 ^ It has been my experience that all irises with the 

 exception of the water and moisture loving kinds, 

 thrive best when planted in full sun, where it is dry 

 and warm. And as for nourishment, all they ask 

 or need is a good soil with a little bone-meal 

 worked into it — nothing more. 

 ^ There is a diversity of opinion as to the be^ time 

 to plant iris. I think perhaps you will find, as I 

 have, that it is in August or September. 

 ^ When planting make certain that the crowns are 

 not more than an inch below the finished level of 

 the bed. I think it advisable to coddle them a 

 little by providing a mulching-blanket of leaves, 

 although this is not absolutely necessary, because 

 they are perfectly hardy. But at all events I would 

 protect the newly planted ones and the divisions. 

 When planting in Summer or Fall you will find 

 it good practice to cut off about two-thirds of the 

 tops 53 33 



^ Any established roots that need division should 

 be divided after they have flowered, although 



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