Tkis and Tkat 
Wc arc trying this page as an experiment. Ordinarily when a 
catalog is composed for publication every attempt is made to 
include in each square inch of space as much sales-pulling copy 
as can possibly be squeezed in. However, we seem to notice in 
our visits with the enthusiastic iris fraternity that many of the 
most engrossing topics of iris conversation revolve around several 
interesting matters which arc not contained in catalogs. It would 
be highly gratifying to hear whether the iris public would like 
a page of bits such as wc have published on this page and what 
particular subjects they would like to see discussed. Our corres¬ 
pondence with our clientele is one of the most interesting and 
enjoyable features of our business and we await with consider¬ 
able interest your reactions to this idea which is sent up pretty 
much as a trial balloon. 
TheD>)k es Medal Iris 
The Dykes Memorial Medal is an annual award offered by the 
Iris Society of England for the most outstanding iris of the year. 
Three Medals arc offered — one in England, one in France and 
one in America. The manner of awarding varies with the coun¬ 
try. In America because of the great distances between gardens 
and the impossibility for a given set of judges to view all the new 
Iris, the American Iris Society gives the newer Iris two prelimi¬ 
nary awards. An Iris to be eligible for the Dykes Medal award 
England 
1927 .Margot Holmes 
1928 .No Award 
1929 .Joyance 
1930 .Geo. P. Baker 
1931 .Gudrun 
1932 .No Award 
1933 .No Award 
1934 .Golden Hind 
1935 .Sahara 
1936 .No Award 
1937 .No Award 
1938 .No Award 
1939 .No Award 
must have won these two previous awards and been in commerce 
five years to allow sufficient time to judge the particular Iris’s 
growth, etc., over the length and breadth of America. Wc think 
the table below of the various Iris winning this award is inter¬ 
esting. Only about two of the earliest Dykes Medal winners 
have passed from general culture due to the sensational advances 
breeders have made in the pure yellow Iris in the last decade. 
France 
America 
No Award 
San Francisco 
Pluie D’Or 
No Award 
Vert Galant 
Dauntless 
Depute Nomblot 
No Award 
Jean Cayeux 
No Award 
Eclador 
Rameses 
Alice Harding 
Coralie 
Mme. Louis Aureau 
No Award 
Mme. M. Lassailly 
Sierra Blue 
Olympia 
Mary Geddes 
Nichole Lassailly 
Missouri 
Antigone 
Copper Lustre 
No Award 
Rosy Wings 
Dominion Iris 
During the development of many families of our flowering 
plants certain definite evolutions occur. Generally these “breaks" 
have a pronounced effect on the future of a particular plant fam¬ 
ily. Iris Dominion was introduced into commerce in 1917 and it 
represented one of the milestones in iris breeding. Of course it 
was not the only sensational development. There were several 
other independent "breaks” both in France and in America but 
the extent to which Dominion has influenced iris breeding has 
been amazing. All these sources have now amalgamated and 
today our iris include blood from all three sources. There is 
always a considerable interest in blood lines of plants so we list 
below some of the more recent iris that have a considerable per¬ 
centage of Dominion blood in their makeup. Iris Dominion has 
truly produced a remarkable progeny. 
Angclus 
Black Wings 
Blue Peter 
Bonsor 
Brunhilde 
Burning Bronze 
California Gold 
Capri 
Cheerio 
Christabel 
Copper Lustre 
Coralie 
Dauntless 
Depute Nomblot 
Directeur Pinelle 
Ethiop Queen 
Exclusive 
Garden Magic 
Grace Sturtevant 
Great Lakes 
Khorasan 
King Juba 
Marco Polo 
Marquita 
Mary Geddes 
Midwest Gem 
Miss California 
Mme. Louis Aureau 
Motif 
Mrs. J. L. Gibson 
Persia 
Rebellion 
Red Dominion 
Rose Dominion 
Rosy Wings 
Sandia 
Sir Knight 
Sir Launcelot 
Snowking 
Spun Gold 
Tenaya 
The Black Douglas 
The Red Douglas 
Vert Galant 
Wm. Carey Jones 
Miscellan}? 
Another race of iris that have left unmistakable evidences and 
contributed valuable features to our garden hybrids are the iris 
that trace their ancestry in part back to Iris Kicardi (mesopo- 
tamica). If such a list of varieties is of interest we could gather 
together a table of iris that arose in part from this ancient species, 
Ricardi. We find the ancestry of our modern iris most fascinat¬ 
ing and wonder if you would. 
Still another subject that interests us is—what perennials make 
striking and pleasant combinations with iris. If sufficient interest 
is evidenced we would be very glad to publish the suggestions that 
come in to us. We hope other ideas for subjects of interest will 
present themselves. Wc have broached the subject and we await 
the response with keen anticipation. Wc would like to present 
items of general interest so write us and tell what you would like. 
40 
