Iris 
Each year the iris are getting bigger and better. Color becomes brighter, richer, 
smoother, more even and more pleasingly mixed in both old and new combina¬ 
tions. The flowers have more alluring shapes and better proportions in all sizes. 
We find heavier substance, withstanding wind and rain, thus assuring us that 
individual blooms will often maintain their brilliance and form for four days. 
The stalks are taller, stronger and more widely branched: — i.e., the flowers are 
held further apart. We expect more vigorous growth and hardier qualities. Read 
below — gasp with wonder — come in late May and early June to see for yourself 
why we use so many “bests” and “ ’ers” in our descriptions. 
9A^t/u^ducu^g.:- 
JACK-A-LANTERN 
(Groff-Kell. '39) Without exception, this Jack is the brightest varie- 
gata we saw last year. Our mid-western trip brought us home through 
Canada, and we asked permission to introduce three of the seedlings 
that we found in the Groff Gardens. Jack-a-Lanterns remind us of 
autumn; this iris is well named. The fairly broad standards are clear, 
smooth gold; the velvety, broad-shouldered falls are a wonderfully 
rich, deep red, edged with clean gold. The branching of the 28" 
stems is low and wide. So colorful is this Lantern, that one just 
can't pass it by! $10.00 
PEARLY PEAKS 
(Groff-Kell. '39) One immediately thinks of pearly-blue mountain 
peaks, rose-flushed by the rising sun, when one comes upon this 
exquisite blend. The broad, rounded, slightly ruffled standards are 
blended of a rosy-cream, with just a hint of violet, and are unusually 
wide at the base; the broad flaring falls are a beautiful shade of 
light violet, very narrowly edged lighter. The wide white haft is 
very faintly veined with gold and bronze; the beeud is white in the 
throat, shading to orange at the tip. Texture is smooth, substance 
excellent, proportion fine, growth rapid, and branching is excep¬ 
tionally low and broad. 42". Very late. $15.00 
PLATINUM BLOND 
(Groff-Kell. '39) Stylish? Yes, indeed, and also different from any 
iris we have seen. And the closer one gets to this Platinum Blond, 
the more lovely she is! The standards are white, with gold stripes 
painted on them — not venations, but brush strokes running from 
the haft up, and meeting a gold edge. The falls, only slightly flaring, 
are a dull amber yellow. The blooms, of medium size, are carried 
on well-branched, 36" stcdks. $15.00 
THELMA JEAN 
(Peck-Kell. '39) Thelma wears a petunia-violet Jean that covers her 
completely. She is most attractive in her suit, cut from heavy ma¬ 
terial, in segments 2J^" x 3", both above and below. Her jeans 
hang streught, but harmonize well with the cupped standards. Each 
Thelma romps for four days through rain and sun without even look¬ 
ing downcast. She appears early in our garden. 34". $15.00 
OJtheA 1939 94^UculluUial^5 
BALMUN6 (H. Sass '39) For years, hybridizers have been working 
for yellow plicatas. Last year, in the gardens of the Sass Brothers, 
we turned, bewildered, from one to another — and lo! there were 
hundreds of them! This one was selected for its fine large flowers, 
having both standards and falls edged brown, and because it is tall 
and on well-branched stalks. $25.00 
BUTTERSCOTCH (Dol. '39) Mr. Dolman's description reads: — 
"Not an exhibition iris, but a very floriferous massing variety in a 
new color tone that suggested its name. A tan self with some veining; 
brownish orange beard. Grows well and increases rapidly." A 
delight in mass. $1.00 
CRIMSON TIDE (Nic. '39) The tide of new irises rolls higher and 
higher. This floriferous new red, of large size emd lasting substance, 
promises well. The falls are a deeper red than the arched and 
domed standards, flare widely and are very velvety. The beard and 
upper haft are orange. 42". $15.00 
GIRALDA (H. Sass '39) We found a mass of tall pink irises, and 
we stood a-tiptoe with amazement at their heights! A step-ladder 
would have been even better! Seedling No. 16-36 was chosen as too 
fine to be lost to the public — fine, even tho' some qualities were 
not up-to-scratch. The adpressed standards and round, droopy falls 
have fair substance and satiny texture. The branching is high and 
rather too narrow — but picture a mass of the 56" stalks at the 
back of your border! Aptly named for a bell-tower in Spain. $15.00 
NOONTIDE (Thole '39) Noontide — the hot time in the iris garden, 
when the noonday sun beats pitilessly down, depriving many irises 
of their glamour. But the yellows seem to like the sun. This one is a 
very deep, clear tone of yellow, with Depute Nomblot form, with 
excellent substance and branching. The standards are an intense 
gamboge tone; the falls are the same, with a suffusion of Indian 
yellow. 40". $10.00 
