grown by ROBERT WAYMAN, BAYSIDE, L. I, N. Y. 


INTRODUCTION 
Such great strides are being made in the improvement of the Iris from year to 
year that the varieties grown prior to the war are mostly as much out of date as the 
fashions of a century ago. Just as each season brings us new styles, so each new 
Iris season brings us new colors, more charming blends, finer form, more exquisite 
fragrance, better substance, larger flowers that are better spaced, on taller, firmer 
stems, and innumerable other improvements. Most of the older types have been 
dropped from my collection, because they have been so far surpassed by the newer 
introductions that there is no more justification for growing them than there is for 
wearing old-fashioned clothing. However, there are just a few of the older types 
that still hold their own with the best of the new introductions, and still deserve 
a place in a collection of “The World’s Choicest Irises.”” These are retained in my 
collection and a selection of inexpensive varieties can be made from this catalogue 
with the full assurance that all mediocre varieties have been deleted and that you 
will therefore be getting only choice varieties in selecting from this catalogue, 
whether you buy the high priced ones or the less expensive varieties. There is not 
a poor one in the lot, as will be noticed by the uniformly high ratings. 
Many new varieties are added to my catalogue again this year and a number of 
varieties that were listed last year have been dropped. This does not mean that 
they were not choice varieties, but that they have been superseded by something 
better. It is only by this constant improvement that the collection can be kept up 
to the highest standard. More than three thousand varieties have been grown in 
my test gardens, and after testing them all I consider thig collection the cream of 
all the fine Iris that have ever been grown. 
RATINGS 
The figures given immediately following the name of a variety are the official 
ratings given by the American Iris Society, the first being the ‘‘Exhibition Rating,” 
or the rating as an exhibition flower; the second figure being the “Garden Rating,” 
or the rating for its landscape or garden effect. Those not rated are mostly rare or 
recently introduced varieties that were not sufficiently well known to the jurors to 
rate them. In the American Iris Society rating, 100 is considered perfect, but no 
Iris is ever rated 100, because room must always be left for improvement, and there 
probably is no such thing as perfection. The official ratings are as follows: 
95, almost perfect 70, good } 
90, very fine 60, good but not outstanding 
85, fine 50, fair 
80, very good Below 50, poor 
The heights given in this catalogue are the heights of the flowering stalk in my 
gardens. The name and date given in parenthesis, after the variety, is the name 
of the originator and the year it was introduced. I am also mentioning which are 
early and which are late blooming among the tall Bearded Iris, as these are of 
special interest in prolonging the flowering season. 
The upper petals of the flower that usually stand up straight are called ‘‘Stand- 
ards”; the lower petals that fall down are called “Falls.” 
All plants are guaranteed true to name, and there is no place in the 
world where they grow better than right here in Bayside. I guar- 
antee unqualified satisfaction with anything purchased from me. 
AN INVITATION 
A cordial invitation is extended to all flower lovers to visit my exhibition and 
test gardens at any time. The little Reticulata Iris blooms during March, the dwarfs 
and intermediates during April and early May, the Regelias, Regelio-cyclus, Onco- 
eyclus and Pogocyclus types during May, the early tall bearded _ varieties during 
the last two weeks of May, and then the main showing during the last week in May 
and the first week of June and running into the second week. Following this we 
have the Japanese Iris during late June, through July and_ into. August. | Inter- 
spersed with all of these are the Siberians, the Spurias and various Species and 
Varieties of “‘Beardless” Iris, the Evansias and various Bulbous species. The moat 
interesting time for a visit is during the last week of May and the first week o 
June, when a million blossoms may be seen, including Prize Peonies, Roses and 
many choice flowering plants. 
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