The Garden Magazine, June, 1921 
239 
there were a number of seedlings grown by my friend, Frank 
M. Thomas, who was killed in the Argonne; and 1 understand 
one of them has recently been given his name. It will, I hope, 
prove worthy of its raiser. 
Mr. Frank Koehler of Camden, N. J., had a number of fine 
seedlings in the same exhibition, among them a particularly 
fragrant pallida. As he served his apprenticeship with Goos 
& Koenemann at the time they were raising their splendid 
seedlings, we may look to him to give us good things in the 
future. 
It is not necessary, however, to have either long experience 
ora large collection to achieve success, as has been shown by Mr. 
Frank H. Presby, Treasurer of the American Iris Society, who 
has raised but few seedlings, one of which is a beautiful flower 
standing more than four feet in height. 
Aside from the work of breeders, we have in America many 
beautiful Iris gardens, featuring not only the popular Bearded 
varieties, but also the Japanese and other Beardless sorts. 
There is a remarkable enthusiasm at present for public Iris 
gardens, as is exemplified in the Test Gardens of the American 
Iris Society at the Botanical Gardens of New York, of 
Brooklyn, and at Cornell University. Exhibition gardens are 
also being planned for, and in some cases are already started, at 
St. Thomas, Ontario; Columbus, O. ; Madison, Wis.; Nashville, 
Tenn.; St. Louis, Mo.; and many other places; showing the 
unusual interest in this wonderful flower at the present time, 
also proved by the widespread enthusiasm over Iris exhibitions 
in nearly all sections of the country. 
The large number of persons interested in Iris breeding in 
Europe and America to-day is certainly a healthy sign and is 
to be greatly encouraged, because the greater number of seed- 
lings grown, the greater the chance of advancement. But there 
is also danger that we may in a few years be flooded with a 
host of mediocre seedlings named and introduced in good faith 
as being worthy of cultivation. Nothing will discourage the 
average gardener more than buying new varieties and finding 
them unworthy; and the American Iris Society hopes that 
gardeners everywhere will stand firmly behind it in its attempt 
to prevent the introduction of anything which is not distinctly 
superior to varieties already in existence. 
Nathan R. Graves Co., Photo. 
WHERE IRIS FURNISHES THE REQUISITE DECORATIVE EFFECT 
This birdbath, without any inherent beauty of line or design, is redeemed from commonplaceness by the clustered Iris at its base 
