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For hundreds of years the village of Hori-Kori has been noted for its flowers, grown for the wealthy 
and great of the near-by city of Tokio. 
In the days of Tokagowa, the Shogun, there lived in the village of Hori-Kori a simple peasant, 
named Katoka, who dearly loved flowers. One day Katoka set out alone and climbed the steep slopes 
of Mt. Fugi. There he found growing the most beautiful flowers he had ever seen. Eagerly Katoka fell 
upon his knees and dug up some of these beautiful flowers, carried them home in the folds of his 
garments and planted them in the low rice paddies of his tiny farm. This collection, and those which he 
gathered afterwards, are said to have been the ancestors of our modern Japanese Iris. 
Katoka had a son who watched his father's activities with eager interest. Together father and son 
worked and studied to improve these treasured flowers. 
One day the news of their labors came to the ear of the great Shogun, Tokagowa, who was him¬ 
self a lover of flowers. So, with his retinue of servants and men-at-arms, he visited the humble peasant 
and his son. With his own eyes he saw the lovely Iris growing in the rice paddies. The fame of Katoka- 
yen, as this original Iris garden is known, spread throughout Tokio. 
FROM FATHER TO SON IRIS LORE IS HANDED DOWN 
Katoka was gathered to his Fathers, but his son continued the work begun by his father. He became 
a great collector of plants, searching everywhere for Iris with variations of form and color that would 
give him material for his breeding work. With infinite patience he worked, crossing and breeding and 
selecting those that showed some improvement for further work. He became the first connoisseur of 
Japanese Iris. 
The Daimo Matsudaira, also a patron of flowers, visited this garden and was so impressed with 
what he saw that he presented the owner with a tablet, equivalent to a modern Medal of Excellence. 
KATOKA-YEN STILL MECCA FOR FLOWER LOVERS 
The Garden of Katoka-Yen, handed down from Father to Son through many generations, is still main¬ 
tained by the successors of Katoka. The Matsudaira Tablet is posted at the gate for all to see. Within 
the gate one finds a miniature shrine, erected on an artificial hill. From this shrine the traveler surveys a scene of unutterable loveliness. In what were 
once rice paddies grow the choicest varieties of Japanese Iris known to the connoisseurs of the flower kingdom. 
In 1857 Admiral Perry anchored his fleet in the bay and marched his sailors through the streets of Tokio. The city became a treaty port, opened 
to American and European travelers. Many of these early travelers visited the village of Hori-Kori, then famous for its Iris. In 1869, Thomas Hogg, an 
American traveler, brought the first specimens of these Japanese Iris to the United States; but although Japanese Iris have now been grown in the United 
States for more than 60 years, the finest varieties remained in Japan until recent years. Professor B. Miyazama, himself an Iris breeder of note, who 
visited this country in 1925, wrote: "Although I have not seen all the varieties grown in America, they do not seem to represent the best to be found 
in Japan." 
The work of Katoka and his successors was taken up by other Japanese gardening enthusiasts, and 
other notable Japanese Iris Gardens sprang up. These gardens, like the original garden of Katoka, 
have been handed down from father to son for generations. During all this long period the owners, with 
patience, perseverance, genius and enthusiasm combined, have worked upon the constant improve¬ 
ments of the Japanese Iris. Many of the finer varieties were never allowed to leave the country until 
recent years, and the difficulties encountered in shipping them and getting them over here safely have 
been almost insurmountable. 
JAPAN'S FINEST NOW IN ROBERT WAYMAN'S COLLECTION 
Since Professor Miyazama wrote as I have quoted him above, I have been developing the Robert 
Wayman Japanese Iris Collection, until it is by far the finest and most extensive collection of 
Japanese Iris to be found in the United States, and probably in the whole world outside of Japan. 
In fact, I have not only imported hundreds of rare varieties direct from Japan, but have sought 
out the finest introductions developed by other hybridizers throughout the world, and have devel¬ 
oped at least one of my own which is superior to anything that I have brought from Japan. I feel 
confident that, if the learned Doctor could visit my Iris Gardens, he would cheerfully admit that 
America can now vie with Japan in the quality of Japanese Iris. 
Now the next step is to distribute this very fine collection throughout America, so that in 
every American gardert may be grown Japanese Iris that will equal the finest in the gardens of 
Katoka-Yen. 
Robert Wayman 
39-09 214th Place Bayside, Long Island, N. Y. 
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