MRS. ELLA W. CALLIS, ST. JOSEPH, MO. 
The Perennials of Unusual Blend¬ 
ings of Color and Beauty 
Irises are undoubtedly one of the most popular of all the hardy 
perennials. No other perennial plant available to my gardens com¬ 
bines so many good qualities. They are inexpensive, extremely 
hardy, may be grown under a great variety of conditions with a 
minimum amount of care, and they have a wonderful range of colors 
from the lightest pale yellow to rich gold and deep bronze, delicate 
pale blues, and lavenders to dark blue and violet to deepest purple, 
light pink to claret and deep maroon, all the shades of lavender, 
mauve, violet and pure white, with an endless array of combination 
colors. Now more than ever, the flower justifies its name, Iris, 
“The Rainbow.” 
I believe that I am perfectly safe in saying that there is no flower 
presenting such a wonderful variety of coloring as the Iris. We 
often hear the expression, “It rivals the Orchid.” I claim that it 
excels the Orchid. They are as easy as weeds to grow, in fact, will 
submit to more abuse than most weeds. I have seen them thrown 
on top of a hill in September and remain there until the following 
June without any protection, and then flower. (The above is merely 
to show its hardiness.) They seem to succeed over a greater range 
of territory than any other plant, withstanding the cold of Canada 
and the heat of Mexico. 
Irises are of easy culture, and can be planted almost any time the 
ground is not frozen—they will do best in a sunny, well-drained loca¬ 
tion in a medium loose, mellow soil. Irises must be planted shallow; 
many people plant too deep—the plants rot. The Rhizome or fleshy 
part of the root should be just under the surface of the ground. If 
your location is a low spot where water will stand, it is advisable 
to make raised beds, so the water cannot stand around the roots. 
Good drainage is necessary. If the soil is sour, an application of 
hydrated lime is advisable. Never use manure or leaves, as they 
are likely to cause rot. 
A Few Remarks About Iris Rot 
The development of root rot in bearded Iris is a condition that at 
times all Iris growers have to contend with. Some of the causes of 
this condition are too deep planting of the rhizomes, especially 
early in the spring, water standing around the plants, hot and humid 
atmosphere, abnormal cold weather in winter without any snow 
protection. 
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