Cultural Directions for Bearded Iris 
RHIZOMES will be shipped to you in a firm condition and should be planted as soon as 
possible after they are received..If you are unable to plant on receiving them, then be sure 
to keep the rhizomes in a dry and cool place until you can plant them. * 
Iris require good drainage and sun for at least one-half day, in order to obtain the best 
results, with abundance of bloom. The soil should be moist before planting and kept moder- 
ately moist until the plants are well established. Care should be taken to not over water. 
If your soil is heavy and poorly drained set the rhizomes a little higher than the surrounding 
soil. The rhizomes should be planted so the soil just covers them and no more. Be sure and 
spread the roots well and firm the soil around them. This will anchor the rhizomes until the new 
roots form. Separate your plants every third year to get the best results. 
The use of bone meal when planting and either bone meal or superphosphate as a side 
dressing once each year will usually be sufficient fertilizing. Be careful that organic ferti- 
lizers of any kind do not contact the rhizomes. Iris resent too rich a dinner. 
Explanation of Iris Terms Used 
Standards are the upright petals. 
Falls are the lower or falling petals. 
Bi-color is a two-toned or two-color iris. 
Blend refers to two or more colors blended together. 
Plicata has stippling or stitching on white or yellow. 
Self. Falls and standards the same color. 
Substance. Thickness of petals. 
Texture refers to the finish or sheen of petals. 
Vargiegata. Yellow or near yellow standards, with falls 
deeper, either solid or veined tones of purple or red- 
brown. 
A.LS. American Iris Society. 
Dykes Medal. The Dykes Medal is the much coveted 
medal issued annually by the American Iris Society 
for the most outstanding iris of any one year. 

Qualifications of a Good Iris 
For the benefit of our customers who are becoming 
interested in iris we would like to briefly describe the 
desired qualities of these flowers. 
The stems should be branched low and wide, plac- 
ing the flowers to gocd advantage, without crowding. 
The blooms should be in proportion to the height. A 
small flower on too tall a stem looks leggy, while too 
large a flower on a short stem looks dumpy. Good 
form of blooms is important. The standards should be 
firm and held in closed position at the top or nearly so 
and in good proportion to the falls, which may flare or 
droop. Both standards and falls should be reasonably 
broad and not pinched. The substance should be heavy 
enough to withstand wind and sun for a reasonable 
length of time. The texture may be silky, velvety or 
smoothly enameled. 
The most appreciated quality is color, which should 
be cl d rich and that will not easily fade in . r 
oe Te Soe amas sf JUNALUSKA 

SYLLMAR GARDENS 15 
SWEENEY, KRIST & DIMM, HORTICULTURAL PRINTERS, PORTLAND, OREGON 
