For HardinesS'"Try Iris 
Few plants are hardier than iris. They endure the severest 
winters without requiring undue protection. Nearly all iris 
are perfectly hardy everywhere, although two factors in 
early iris breeding did produce a few varieties that did not 
winter well, except in regions such as California, where the 
climate is mild. Fortunately, both of these factors have been 
practically eliminated, and those few varieties in our list 
which are tender where winters are severe are so noted in 
the descriptions. 
First of the factors was that the strain carrying whiteness 
of color was inherently unable to withstand severe winters. 
Breeders finally overcame this fault, however, and the new 
whites are all perfectly hardy anywhere; in fact all the 
whites we list are hardy, except Easter Mom and Puris- 
sima, which thrive only in California and similar regions. 
The other factor came from breeders use of mesopotamica. 
This variety always produced much of its growth in the fall, 
and as a result, blighted and died consistently in the Eastern 
winters, but lived in California. Many of its offspring tended 
to produce some fall growth, but took set-backs under severe 
winter weather. However, it has been many years since we 
have introduced any iris with enough mesopotamica blood 
to cause fall growth and, correspondingly, tenderness. 
Since 1932, iris of our own and of Sydney B. Mitchell’s 
(introduced exclusively by ourselves) have averaged less than 
9% mesopotamica. Peacemaker (1/4 mesopotamica) and 
Brunhilde (3/16 mesopotamica) have been the only varieties 
having more than 1/8 mesopotamica blood. Both Peacemaker 
and Brunhilde are completely hardy and most vigorous 
everywhere. 
Tenderness, then, is no longer a factor in the iris of our 
listing, except for a few of the older varieties, like Purissima 
and San Francisco, which are described as tender in our 
catalog listing. Even these two varieties are successfully 
grrown in many Mid-Western and Eastern gardens—and, of 
course, do perfectly in regions where winters are mild or even 
moderately severe. 
EXTRA ENERGY 
Nowhere are conditions better for growing iris and for 
shipping them great distances than our Berkeley, California, 
location. Our gentle sloping hillside location gives us the 
fine drainage that makes firm, hardy rhizomes; and our cli¬ 
mate adds to your assurance of vigorous stock — for the mild 
winter and early spring give our plants a healthy growth early 
in the season, and the fact that we have no summer rains 
matures our rhizomes perfectly—permitting us to ship fully 
matured but dormant rhizomes. With our most careful pack¬ 
ing, we send rhizomes all over the world, and they arrive in 
perfect condition. 
Evidence of the splendid manner in which our shipments 
reach, and then grow in far parts of the world is ample. 
Comments from our customers include many like the follow¬ 
ing: 
FROM ITALY—“You pack extremely well, and I am sure 
you iris could travel anywhere ... I have planted them here 
in the mountains (3,000 ft.)—they do so well, and are so fine 
all during June.” 
FROM IOWA—“I want to let you know that every iris I 
bought from you . .. is . . . doing fine—in fact, making better 
growth than those bought in this part of the Mid-West.” 
FROM NEW ZEALAND—“Irises just to hand in excellent 
condition. They are fine roots, and credit to your firm.” 
ORMOHR 
FROM OHIO—“The iris purchased from you . . . are as 
perfectly ripened and as nicely packed as any lot of plants 
I have received during more than twenty-five years of buy¬ 
ing iris.” 
FROM NEW YORK—Comparing the growth of Mid-West¬ 
ern and Eastern rhizomes with that from ours: “Your 
California grown iris . . . gave more certainty of blooms the 
first year after planting, due to the extra stored up energy 
in a well grown root.” 
FROM PENNSYLVANIA—“I have had the greatest pleas¬ 
ure in all iris ordered from you—they are such strong plants.” 
FROM IOWA—“I want to tell you about the iris i goc 
from you last year. You sent 52 roots, and of the lot, 48 of 
them bloomed this, the first season. I consider that very fine, 
since most of my own that I divided and moved at the same 
time did not bloom.” 
FROM SOUTH AUSTRALIA—“The second parcel of iris 
arrived, and as usual, were in good sound condition, for which 
I thank you.” 
FROM ENGLAND—“Many thanks for the fine iris roots 
received today.” 
FROM ILLINOIS—“Your plants have always seemed to 
have more vitality than those I have obtained elsewhere.” 
FROM NEBRASKA—“Writing to tell you how happy I am 
with the lovely iris I bought last year. Every kind bloomed 
and my friends are so enthused about them.” 
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