THE IRISES 
The species Irises offer variations in beauty that are 
quite beyond the ken of those who have known or grown 
only the named hybrids that are usual in gardens, desirable 
as these are. The Irises offered here are all hardy, or 
reasonably so, and not difficult from seed, save, perhaps to 
those persons of particularly impatient temperament, who 
must have whatever they may be wanting, right then, no 
later ; but such will never be really of the garden. At Old 
Orchard we grow thousands of species Irises from seed. 
Many seedling Irises will surely bloom the year following 
sowing, in the manner of most other perennials. Others 
will take another year. Iris dichotoma often blooms in late 
summer from seeds sown that spring. Not all of the Irises 
that we grow and can supply, are described below. Not 
room enough. The rest of them are listed in a block at the 
end of Irises. Be sure to look there, too. 
21 IRIS APHYLLA HUNGARICA—rby(2)12. Big purple 
flowers, falls brown-netted. (Plants, each 25c.) 
!21 IRIS ARENARIA—ery(l-2)8. Pretty Iris of early spring. 
Bronze buds open to flowers of yellow vividness. Pkt. 15c; 
^ oz. 40c. (Plants, each 30c; 3 for 85c.) Syn. I. flavis- 
:sima. 
;22 IRIS ATROFUSCA—rbdy(l-2)16. Palestine. A dusky 
.ground color of silver to buff is veiled with a netting of 
.black-maroon. 6 seeds for 25c. 
:21 IRIS BREVIPES—-Rare dwarf Iris, see page 3 for de- 
iscription. Particularly recommended. Pkt. 20c. 
:21 IRIS BULLEYANA—cbmy(2)35. Vigorous species, flow- 
<ers held high. Typically it has deep lilac standards and 
fcreamy falls, but varies. Plants only, each 35c ; 3 for $1.00. 
21 IRIS CHAMAEIRIS—rbkt(2)10. A dainty Iris for low 
(edgings. Large flowers that vary from pure cream, through 
jprimrose, to lemon. It’s good. Pkt. 15c; % oz. 35c. (Plants, 
•each 25c; 3 for 60c; 10 for $1.75; 25 for $4.00.) 
;21 IRIS CHRYSOFOR—rcy(2)28. A race of exceedingly 
variable and beautiful hybrid Irises. Chrysographes crossed 
fon Forresti. Flowers are in Orchid reminder, in colorings 
that range from sulphur and gold, to rich bronze; from 
Iblue-lavender to purple velvet. Often there are oddly con¬ 
trasting pencilings and nettings. Blossoms sometimes tiger- 
striped. Plants only, each 40c; 3 for $1.00. 
21 IRIS CHRYSOGRAPHES—rcy(2)24. This is the true 
species. The name “Chrysographes” might be translated 
as “writing in gold”, and it was given from the oddly ir¬ 
regular golden pencilings on the rich black-purple flowers 
that looked like Chinese inscriptions. It varies, though, 
consiiterably in coloring, from light blue-violet with tawny 
■nettings, to deeper forms marked with purple and black. 
((Plants each 40c; 3 for $1.10). 
21 IRIS CHRYSOPHYLLA—rsty(2)10. Big orchid-flowers 
•of creamy primrose, orange-blotched, and with elusive pen- 
•cilings of violet sepia. Pkt. 15c; Vs oz. 25c. 
21 IRIS CLARKEI—DELAYAYI HYBRIDS—A sturdy strain 
that shows many pleasing color variations, standards usually 
blue, lilac or red-violet, falls often with yellow stipplings. 
Plants only, each 40c; 3 for $1.10. 
21 IRIS CRISTATA—rstaty(2)8. Exquisite blossoms like 
crumpled silk of palest blue, gold-patched, and with snowy 
fringed Crest. A delightful low species. Pkt. 20c. (Plants 
• each 25c; 3 for 65c; 10 for $1.90.) 
21 IRIS DELTA BLEND—cbmy(2). The very best of the 
wonderful group of Iris species from the lower Delta. They 
are quite unlike other Irises, blossoms tending toward the 
flattened form of the Japanese. Some 200 variations of 
hue, shade or tone have been recorded. They show the 
clearest of sky-blues, then lavender to purple, red-violet, 
lilac or cerise. And there are tawny shades, pink tones, old 
rose, mahogany, and ruddy orange, with others that are 
close to red. Many have golden crests; flowers are mostly 
of largest size. They are fully hardy in the north, and will 
thrive in the ordinary garden. Height varies from six inches 
to seven feet. The blooming begins as the “German” Irises 
are fading, and lasts until the Japanese Irises are past their 
prime. 8 seeds for 25c; 20 for 50c. (Plants, mixed only. 
30c each; 3 for 85c; 10 for $2.50). 
21 IRIS DESERTORUM—bdy(2)30. Fine vigorous species. 
Flowers palest blue, or cream with blue shading. Pkt. 
10c; % oz. 30c. (Plants each 25c; 3 for 65c). 
21 IRIS DOUGLASIANA—crsty(2)20. Splendid species, de¬ 
scribed fully on page 4. Pkt. 15c ; ^ oz. 25c. 
21 IRIS DWARF HYBRIDS—erby (1-2) 12. Iris pumila 
crossed with Iris chamaeiris, chiefly. Extraordinary range 
and brilliance of coloring. Anyone who tries them, will 
-surely be pleased with their high average excellence. Flowers 
of full “German” Iris size and form, but dwarf plants, 
and coming many weeks earlier. Pkt. 10c; % oz. 30c. 
(Plants, splendid mixture, each 20c; 3 for 60c; 10 for 
$1.40; 26 for $3.00). 
21 IRIS DICHOTOMA—*ebkt(4) 50. August or Vesper Iris. 
Though quite out of resemblance to all other Irises, it is 
none the less desirable. All through August the plants 
are, each afternoon, great bouquets of bloom. The blos¬ 
soms are carried in tall sprays, slenderly branching and 
rebranching. Coloring is highly variable, usually a cool 
translucent lavender with mahogany markings, but ranging 
from cream to violet purple, with markings that may be buff- 
lemon, orange, copper, brown or tyrian. Rather easy from 
seed, sometimes flowering first fall from sowings made at 
earliest possible moment the preceding spring. Illustrated, 
page 38. For interesting effects, plant with Belamcanda, 
also easily grown from seed. Pkt. 16c; % oz. 25c; % oz. 
45c. (Plants, 3 for 50c; 7 for $1.00.) 
21 IRIS ENSATA—ebdkt(2)28. Sword Iris. Attractive lilac 
purple, or rarely white, flowers. Great fountains of rib¬ 
bonlike foliage. A particularly drought-resistant species. 
Easy. Pkt. 10c; ^4 oz. 35c; 1 oz. $1.25. (Plants, each 
25c; 3 for 60c; 10 for $1.65). 
32 IRIS FONTANESII—ry(l)20. A pretty bulbous Iris from 
Morocco, flowering in very early spring. Often forced for 
winter bloom. Clear light blue, banded with yellow. 10 
seeds for 20c. 
21 IRIS FORRESTI—crmy(2)25. An unusual species, with 
flowers that vary from tawny primrose to pure lemon yel¬ 
low, often with brown reticulations. 8 seeds for 20c. 
(Plants, each 40c; 3 for $1.10.) 
21 IRIS FULVA—cbrmy(2)30. Copper Iris. Open airy 
flowers in a shade that lies between new copper and bronze, 
deepening to brown velvet toward the center. Illustrated, 
page 26. Pkt. 15c; % oz. 35c; % oz. 60c. (Plants, each 
25c; 3 for 60c; 10 for $1.75). 
21 IRIS FULVA GIG ANTE A—A more robust, taller, larger- 
flowered Copper Iris, better where greatest showiness is de¬ 
sired, but perhaps not as good as the regular form for rock 
garden or other positions where large size is not essential. 
Plants only, each 35c ; 3 for $1.00. 
21 IRIS GIANT HYBRIDS—ecby—The range and richness 
of hue and tone in seedlings from this, will surprise^ you. 
It will produce splendid new kinds that will warrant intro¬ 
duction under name, for the seeds are saved only from the 
finer named varieties. Vivid colorings here, along with soft 
pastel harmonies in lilac, fawn, buff, coppery bronze, tawny 
wine and the like. Pkt. lOe; % oz. 40c; % oz. 75c. (Plants, 
general mixture, excellent quality, 3 for 50c; 10 for $1.40 ; 
25 for $2.75. Or we will send 10 divisions, each one dif¬ 
ferent, each one named and marked, for $1.90. Twenty 
divisions, each different, and marked, for $3.70.) 
21 IRIS GIGANTICOERULEA—cbmy(2)50. The Great Blue 
Delta Iris. A spectacular species, with very large flattened 
flowers of rich pure blue. 8 seeds for 25c. (Plants, each 
40c ; 3 for $1.10.) 
21 IRIS GIGANTICOERULEA ALBA—Like last, but pure 
white. Plants, each $2.50. 
21 IRIS GLADWYN — (Iris foetidissima) — rbgsty(2)20. 
Flowers blue-tawny, or, rarely, lemon, with veinings of 
brown. The pods split upon ripening, displaying seeds of 
a most brilliant scarlet; these often dried for winter bou¬ 
quets. Despite the discouraging specific name given it by 
Linnaeus, this is a fine Iris. Perhaps he disliked roast 
beef, for that is just the savory odor of the crushed foliage. 
A sniff of it would be clarion-call to any valiant trencher¬ 
man. Pkt. 15c; Ys oz. 35c. (Plants, each 35c; 3 for 85c.) 
21 IRIS GRACILEPES—rsty(2)9. Exquisitely fragile blos¬ 
soms of sky blue, orange-marked. A fairy among Irises. 
Though of full garden hardiness, it makes a charming pot 
plant. Pkt. 15c. 
21 IRIS GRAMINEA—eery(2) 16. Tricolor Iris. Vivid blue 
on defined white, with plum-stained standards. Fragrance 
of apricots. Pkt. 15c; % oz. 40c. 
21 IRIS HALOPHILA—erbkt(2)28. Cream-yellow flowers, 
oddly, airily formed, striped and stained with a silvered 
purple. It comes from Persia, edges of the Great Salt 
Marsh. Particularly recommended for seashore plantings, 
but good anywhere. Pkt. 10c; % oz. 25c; % oz. 40c. 
(Plants, each 25c; 3 for 65c; 10 for $2.00.) 
21 IRIS HERMONA—A rare Palestine Iris, seeds collected 
from wild plants there, that I have not seen growing, and 
on which I have no descriptive datum. Presumably an 
oncocylus. 6 seeds for 25c. 
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