“IT COSTS NO MORE TO GROW THE BEST” 
Our list of iris is comparatively small. We do, however, list practically all 
the varieties of real importance, and satisfactory growing qualities. 
It has always been our policy to offer only the best varieties. After the cus¬ 
tomer's initial investment the cost of growing is no greater than that of the com¬ 
monest sorts. 
Iris are quite different from other flowers and shrubs. When you buy a rose 
or a flowering bush you are rewarded only by larger growth from season to 
season, and have no increase. But when you buy an iris this year, the season s 
will give three or four times as many, and in a few years you will have a grand 
display. Also remember that few flowers will stand hardships as well as iris. 
Alameda County Floral Society 
Alameda Dahlia Society 
American Dahlia Society 
American Iris Society 
British Gladiolus Society 
British Iris Society 
MEMBER OF 
California Gladiolus Society 
Central California Nurserymen’s Association 
Dahlia Society of California 
Dahlia Society of Southern California 
East Bay Gladiolus Society 
New England Gladiolus Society 
Fellow Royal Horticultural Society 
GENERAL INFORMATION 
The iris described in the following pages are mostly bearded 
iris. The range of color is unbelievably large, even though all 
the blues, pinks and reds contain some violet. The yellows 
range from palest primrose to rich gold. 
The standards are the three upstanding petals, the falls are 
the three lower petals. 
A bi-color is an iris that has standards of one shade and 
falls of another, usually considerably darker. A blend, as 
the name indicates is a suffusion of several colors. A plicata 
is a light colored iris, the edges of which are flushed, lined or 
dotted with color. A self carries the same shade throughout 
the whole flower. A variegata has yellow standards and red¬ 
dish-brown falls. 
The name of the originator and the year of introduction 
follow the name of the iris, then the parentage. The following 
abbreviations are used in the award notations: 
A. I. S. — American Iris Society. 
A. M. — Award of Merit. 
C. M. — Certificate of Merit. 
H. C. — Highly Commended. 
H. M. — Honorable Mention. 
R. H. S. — Royal Horticultural Society, England. 
For those who wish more information than it is possible to 
give in a catalog, we recommend membership in the American 
Iris Society. We invite all iris growers to join the national 
society. The quarterly bulletins are full of valuable criticisms, 
descriptions, growing suggestions, etc. The price is $3.00. 
Cheeks and applications should be made to the American Iris 
Society and mailed to Howard R. Watkins, 821 Washington 
Loan and Trust Building, Washington, D. C. 
CONTENTS 
1940 Introductions . 3 
1939 Introductions. 4 
Dahlia Manual (How To Grow Dahlias). 23 
Dutch Iris . 25 
General Information. 1 
General Iris List.... .. 5-23 
How To Order . 31 
Iris Manual (How To Grow Iris). 23 
Miscellaneous Iris . 26 
Narcissi (Daffodils) . 26 
Selected Seeds. 27-31 
Special Iris Collections . 24 
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