110 
published in the April number of The 
Garden Magazine well rates the value 
of the different characters. Good 
growth is essential and a pleasing 
habit of growth forming what an artist 
might call a well composed stalk, or 
clump, or mass, is to be desired. Pal- 
lida Dalmatica, Neptune, Mrs. Horace 
Darwin, Albatross, Flavescens or Hector 
have distinctive growth. Height is 
important for emphasis but the garden 
needs masses of low bloom as well and 
it seems as though the large size was 
often a drawback for mass effect. 
Shape and substance I value highly, 
perhaps too highly when we realize 
that they can only be seen and appre- 
ciated at close range. Color, the most 
noticeable of all characters in Iris, I 
have left until last. Personally, I can- 
not abide the dingy tones such as are 
seen in Pfauenauge and Shakespear. I 
observe dubiously the clouded Nibe- 
lungen and Neud’Orage, though I realize 
that in some situations they are charm- 
ing, I really give high rank only to the 
clear, clean tones, whether in the deli- 
cate venation of Mrs. G. Reuihe and 
the clearly defined markings of Alba- 
tross, the strong contrast in Fro and in 
B. Y. Morrison, or blends such as After- 
glow and Niverna that in effect ap- 
proach the self tones so familiar in 
Pallida Dalmatica and Kochii. Color- 
ing may be entrancing for indoor 
decoration or close garden use, and 
yet in a mass be monotonous or incon- 
spicuous, and to some varieties I credit 
what I term “ carrying quality,” a 
value for massed or distant effects ; 
here the seifs and simple bi-colors 
reign supreme, Edouard Michel, Per- 
fection, or Nine Wells have a somber 
richness ; Innocenza, Juniata, Mithras 
or Florentina show up well, while 
Windham, Lohengrin or Iris King lose 
distinction in the distance. 
With all these factors to consider 
I find few of pre-eminent merit. The 
true Pallida Dalmatica, Princess Bea- 
trice, heads the list. Iris King, Alcazar, 
the rich and somber Archeveque, Car- 
thusian, Trojana, Nine Wells, Edouard 
Michel, Prosper Laugier, Monsignor and 
among my own seedlings, the pale 
yellow Shekinah, pink-toned Avalon 
and Jennett Dean, clear blends as in 
Mme. Cherie and Mother of Pearl, 
rosy Dream and Arethusa are all hard 
to surpass. Among the plicatas it is 
impossible to choose, and there are 
many beauties that should be men- 
tioned for their all round general worth 
but yet do not stand out above others 
of similar coloring for garden use. 
Such judgment is, however, a very 
personal one and fortunately for us 
all our tastes do not agree. 
Any one may have an Iris garden or 
border to fit his pocketbook or leisure 
time, from one of small initial expense 
and upkeep to a large one. I think for 
real pleasure it should be small enough 
to be cared for by the owner, at least 
until he becomes personally acquainted 
with his varieties and their especial 
charms. In this way his interest will 
grow with his collection. 
The bed must be well drained and 
should be deeply dug as that will obvi 
ate frequent transplanting, an occa- 
Slower (Brower 
sional top dressing of bone meal being 
all that is required to maintain good 
growth. Trim off the free part of the 
leaves before planting so that the wind 
will not prevent the roots getting a 
new hold, place the rhizome practically 
on the surface and firm the soil well 
about the feeding roots that go straight 
down and anchor it in place. Do not 
irrigate or water newly planted Pogon- 
iris. Where the Iris has a prominent 
position in the border after its flowers 
are gone, a variety should be chosen 
that does not die down or have poor 
foliage, and the dead blossoms and 
leaves should be removed from time to 
time to keep the border neat. 
I find only two serious troubles for 
my Iris, an Iris borer that must be 
hand picked, and ‘‘Iris rot,” a fungus 
disease that is very infectious and de- 
structive. I have tried every suggested 
remedy but have come to the con- 
clusion that the only safe thing to do 
is to dig up the afflicted plant and burn 
it all. 
I should like to hear from any of 
your readers who may wish to try 
growing seedlings or who are already 
raising them. I am not only intensely 
interested in them but we wish to keep 
in touch with other producers so as 
not to offer anything that is not dis- 
tinct and fine. The great need of Iris 
growers today is to maintain a high 
standard. 
New England Fair Flower Show. 
Worcester, Mass., Sept. 2-5. 
In spite of the fact that this country 
is at war, the New England Fair held 
in Worcester, Mass., September 2-34-5, 
proved to be more largely attended 
than usual. This was due probably to 
the fact that the fair officials turned 
over the entire proceeds of the fair to 
the American Red Cross. 
The floral displays were up to their 
usual high standard. 
In the Gladiolus class the entries 
were not quite as numerous as form- 
erly but the quality was good. In this 
particular class most of the exhibitors 
seemed to have failed to match the 
quality of their flowers with good taste 
in arranging them. Several of the 
entries were extremely poorly staged, 
not only detracting from the pleasing 
appearance of the entry but giving the 
people who attended a very poor opin- 
ion of the flower represented. Fully 
50% of the effect is in the arrangement 
and the balance is in the flower. Even 
poor flowers considered individually 
can be arranged so that they become 
very pleasing. 
In the competition for exhibit of 
flowers covering not more than 30 sq. 
ft., the first and third prizes were 
taken by exhibitors who grouped all 
kinds of autumn flowers together with 
ferns and different kinds of foliage. 
The second prize went to an exhibit of 
Gladioli pure and simple staged by C. 
W. Brown & Son of Ashland, Mass. 
While the value of this exhibit might 
have been enhanced had the flowers 
been blended with plenty of green, it 
made a striking display and one that 
was much admired. 
November, 1918 
In the competition on the vase of 12 
spikes of white Gladioli, Europa walked 
off with first and second honors. The 
first prize, won by Mr. Edgar M. Wilson 
of Worcester, was especially deserving 
of merit, the flowers being of an un- 
usual clear white color and in perfect 
form. 
On the vase of pink, 12 spikes, the 
first went to Panama and the second to 
A merica. 
On the vase of 12 yellow, Golden 
King won the first and Improved Klon- 
dyke took second. Not a vase of the 
old standby, Schwaben, was shown. 
The class for a vase of 12 spikes of 
blue was won by Baron Hulot, there 
being only one entry. 
In the class for 20 bottles, one spike 
of each there were three entries all of 
high quality. The winning collection 
included the following varieties, viz : 
America, Panama, Mrs. Frank Pendle- 
ton, Mrs. Watt, K’s. Glory, Mary Fen- 
nell, Pink Perfection, Niagara, Taconic, 
Rochester White, Peace, Europa, Jean 
Dieulafoy, Mrs. Francis King, Loveli- 
ness, Wm. Mason, Golden King and 
Liebesfeuer. In the second collection 
the following were included : Crescent 
Queen, Prince of Wales, Mongolian, 
Madame Butterfly, Rouge Torch, Cou- 
quette and Snow Glory. 
In the class for 10 new unnamed va- 
rieties, three spikes of each, there was 
but one entry, that of C. W. Brown & 
Son of Ashland. 
This completed the list of classes for 
Gladioli, although the above firm en- 
tered a large basket mainly of Gladioli 
in competition with baskets of various 
other flowers, Mr. Brown wishing the 
public to observe that the Gladiolus is 
fully as decorative as any other flower 
and that it lends itself to graceful ar- 
rangement. 
To one who has attended these fairs 
for several years, it is interesting to 
see the growth of interest in the Gladi- 
olus. Part of this is due no doubt to 
the inherent qualities of the flower but 
part, I am sure, is due to the splendid 
way in which most of the growers of 
Gladioli have brought the flower be- 
fore the eyes of the public at the fairs. 
It is a sort of propaganda that pays 
large dividends, perhaps not immedi- 
ately, but they come surely just the 
same. It is a case of casting your 
bread on the waters and after many 
days having it return to you. 
Ray C. Brown. 
Cutting Tops off Gladiolus 
Corms at Digging Time. 
It seems rather strange that the old- 
time practice of leaving an inch or two 
of the stalk on Gladiolus corms when 
cutting foliage from the corm should 
survive so long. Even at this late date 
writers recommend the leaving of 
more or less of the stalk on the corm. 
As we have repeatedly pointed out 
there is absolutely no reason for leav- 
ing any part of the stalk attached to 
the corm after it is taken out of the 
ground. Cut it off at once and cut it 
off close. 
