this flower,, are both largely the result of the existence of the 

 Society these past twenty years. Let us tell you about it. 



A score of years ago the named varieties of iris in commerce 

 were a pitiful lot indeed. For the most part at least colors were 

 dull and uninteresting, branching was poor, shape was hardly 

 a consideration and substance even less so. Most of the large 

 sized varieties sprawled all over themselves. But a new day was 

 just around the corner. In this country Mr. Farr of Pennsyl- 

 vania. Miss Sturtevant of Massachusetts. Mr. Hall of Pennsyl- 

 vania, and the Sass Brothers out in Nebraska, and a few others, 

 were engaged in the exciting business of crossing the sorts then 

 available, and newer and better things were in the offing. Lee 

 Bonnewitz. of Van TVert, Ohio, and John "lister of Philadelphia 

 had visited in France and England and brought back some most 

 unusual developments in the way of seedlings of the famous 

 Dominion. A call was sent out to prominent growers of iris in 

 this country, many of them amateurs, and ]\Ir. Wister was 

 elected president of the organization then formed. Thus cement- 

 ed together, the hybridizers, nurserymen, scientists, connois- 

 seurs and just plain iris addicts have constantly advanced the 

 popularity and perfection of the iris. 



Cooperating with societies in France and England the work is 

 now international in scope. Iris shows are sponsored in all parts 

 of the country, accredited judges are appointed annually — men 

 and women who know iris — a system of awards has been worked 

 out whereby new introductions of merit compete with each 

 other for the highest honor of all, the Dykes Medal. The Society 

 publishes and sends to all members four valuable bulletins each 

 year. These booklets treat of every phase of iris growing and 

 breeding and are of inestimable value to anyone who is sin- 

 cerely interested in this flower. They are informal in the ex- 

 treme, containing numerous articles from the members them- 

 selves, telling of their experiences, their travels, their likes and 

 dislikes, their successes and their failures. The bulletins also 

 cover the scientific side of iris breeding and culture, with the 

 subject handled by the most competent experts. Each year a 

 list of all new iris registered is published together with data 

 concerning parentage, description, and so on. 



The high spot for all members is the annual meeting, held onp 

 year in one section of the country, the next year in a different 

 geographical location. In this way the experts and judges are 

 in a position to better evaluate the merits of new varieties, view- 

 ing them under altogether different climatic and soil conditions. 



These annual meetings, or conventions — which might be a 

 more apt term — bring together iris fanciers and admirers from 

 all walks of life. Most of the leading commercial growers make 

 it a point to attend, as do a great many of our best known 



