16 
"A« Iris Lover’s Catalog” 
Dark Blue Toned Iris 
Section 1C (Cont.) 
Katherine McFarland heads this group of very deep purples. It 
is a beautiful bit of color more towards deep violet purple than blue, 
absolutely striking. Alvarado, a very large, showy flower, perfectly 
placed and branched. Esplendido has a perfect candelebra type of 
branching, of medium tone depth, and a very good Iris. Robert W. 
Wallace is a dark type with intensely deep, almost black-violet falls. 
Group 2—Bi-colors 
Here we have a very superb class with many stars of the first 
magnitude. We found great difficulty in limiting ourselves to our 
quota of Super Iris in this section with so many outstanding contend¬ 
ers. Blue Velvet loomed up magnificently this year. In fact it dom¬ 
inated the showing of almost all the Iris! Perfect candelabra branch¬ 
ing, five flowers open at once, and all that Dominion quality of velvet- 
ness. No doubt one of the best to come out in years. Sir Michael is 
another one which almost takes away a person’s breath. Words cannot 
describe its beauty. Here is an humble attempt to picture it—clear 
azure blue stands, shining and contrasting with fine falls of a red vio¬ 
let with a velvety brown reflex lightened up with an aura around 
bright orange beard. Only a medium sized flower, but a blending of 
colors that you will never forget. Swazi is a gorgeous Iris, a taller, 
bluer, better branched, and brighter flower than Dominion. Xulu, the 
rear-guard of the Iris season, is a fine thing; very blue, of fine carry¬ 
ing quality; needed by all true Iris fans. Moa carries itself well with 
a flaring bloom. We cannot surpass the intense coloring and deep 
velvety falls of Dominion, again revealing the wonders of nature. 
Buto is dominating, early blooming, deep colored blue purple, is al¬ 
ways noticeable and very fine. Samba-Diouf, a deep blue violet bi¬ 
color, is early blooming. Sumac is a bit more red purple and has a 
distinctly airy character. Trojana, a superbly branched medium blue 
purple bi-color; this is the true species which is the parent of so many 
extra fine Iris. Palaemon in this register is more blue, but a bit short. 
King Solomon is a distinct bi-color and better than was first realized. 
Van Cleve, a later blooming type is almost, if not as good as Swazi. 
Mme. Serouge, very late blooming, and Tioga are two extra fine Iris; 
very good rivals of our darkest seifs such as Black Wings, but with, 
lighter stands and extra fine rounded form—both excellent produc¬ 
tions. Mabel Taft is probably the largest blue of the Dominion race; 
it is quite striking from this standpoint. Prairie King, similar to the 
former, seems more refined and I like it better. Colossus, along with 
Mabel Taft and Nene is probably one of the largest Iris we have. 
Colossus seems to be the prettiest colored of this set of giants; an even 
blue violet of enamel-like substance. It is a bit short and unfortun¬ 
ately stands open a bit. India is a really striking Iris when it per¬ 
forms to perfection; it is a bit erratic, however; has a very fine 
candelabra stalk with many flowers, clear azure blue, and falls deep 
blue purple with pleasing warm brown hazel hafts, unveined. 
Valor a very fine bi-color, or two tones of blue purple,—very 
clear azure stands with deeper and more velvety falls. 
Group 3—Blended Bi-colors 
Here we have a group of deep blues influenced in a number of 
ways by blendings. Klamath, a larger, more bronzed L. A. William¬ 
son, rich subdued bronzed violet purple, huge in size, good form, sub¬ 
stance, and carriage; an Iris that "grows” on you; a truly oriental 
blending of colors. Germaine Perthuis is our favorite—a majestic 
violet purple with a flush of brown on the falls, very fine indeed. 
Majestic is a very fine bi-color that can be viewed close at hand with 
satisfaction. Its charm is in the intense brilliant velvety Dominion 
falls. 
