
Kellogg’s Famous Flowers 

INSECTS AND DISEASES: Insects and diseases bother 
Poppies hardly at all. They enter a dormant period immedi- 
ately after blooming, and the foliage turns brown and dies. 
This dead-foliage-period comes then when diseases and in- 
sects are usually at their worst, but what have they to work 
on with Poppies? Answer: Nothing! 
CUTTING POPPIES: Usually Poppies are not considered 
good as cut flowers, but if you will singe the ends of the 
stems well in a gas flame after picking, thoroughly, they 
will keep several days in water, and will be beautiful. 
THE SECOND YEAR AND AFTER: It is best to leave 
Poppies undisturbed once they are planted. So handled, 
they will bloom beautifully for several years, with very little 
care. 
A few seeds might drop, and new plants appear among 
your old. These are not likely to be good varieties, and 
should be pulled the same as weeds. It might be exciting to 
transplant them in August, hoping to get something new 
that is good, but your chances would not be better than one 
out of a thousand plants. 
German Iris 
These are so well known that we need tell you very little 
about them. They are so easy to grow that cultural instruc- 
tions are almost unnecessary. We have heard it said that you 
can simply drop an Iris root on the ground anywhere, and 
it will grow and produce good flowers. ‘That is almost true. 
But, they do have beauty, and many outstanding varieties 
are being brought forth. 
SOILS FOR GERMAN IRIS: This is one flower for which 
we do not advise a too rich soil. In fact, if you have a rather 
poor piece of ground and do not know what to do with it, 
plant German Iris. 
‘They do require good drainage like nearly all flowers. Soil 
preparation is, of course, advisable, and if you do feel that 
you must fertilize, something not too rich or not too rapid- 
acting is the fertilizer to use. Bone meal is a good slow-acting 
fertilizer. You might use animal fertilizer, if free from grubs, 
but usually it is best not too fertilize after planting time. 
Plant Iris in a sunny or part sunny location. That makes 
things rather easy, doesn’t it? 
Whatever fertilizer you do use, mix it with the soil at the 
time you prepare the beds. Iris do not like a sweet soil, so 
avoid lime, unless you know that your soil is very much too 
sour. 
THE BEST TIME TO PLANT Iris is as soon as you get 
them from the nursery. They can stand early planting. 

FSS 
How To Plant Iris 
The picture above, left, shows an Iris properly planted, with 
rhizome horizontal and protruding a little above the soil sur- 
face. The right hand picture shows best way of arranging 
the roots before covering with soil. It is especially important 
to use this method if soil is heavy. 

And How To Grow Them 

Iris spread rapidly, so do not plant them too closely to- 
gether. 12 inches is close enough. 18 inches is better. 
Now you have done just about everything that needs be 
done to grow Iris excepting to divide them frequently. They 
multiply rapidly, and in three years are almost sure to be 
overcrowded. They divide so easily that you will have no 
difficulty, but you are welcome to use your free consultation 
service if you do need advice. 
FALL-BLOOMING GERMAN IRIS are grown just the 
same as the spring-blooming, but with the fall-bloomers you 
can use some fertilizer. Do not use heavily. Use commercial 
type on top of the soil about as outlined for Peonies. 
After German or Bearded Iris are through blooming, cut 
them back about half way. This will discourage leaf rot. 
Miniature Iris 
We are very fond of these varieties. For one thing, their 
stems are straight, and secondly they remind us of a chubby 
youngster with all the appeal that such a youngster has. 
They are just as easy to grow as the larger Iris, but of course 
can be planted closer together. They are, too, very useful 
in rockeries, and nothing makes a better low border. ‘They 
come in both spring-blooming and fall-blooming sorts. 
We might add, that we have tried these Miniature Iris in 
corsages, and they make up beautifully. In fact, they look 
remarkably like an Orchid when used in this manner. 
Japanese or Rainbow Iris 
Now we come to one of the most beautiful of flowers. We 
believe that the Japanese Iris are the best combination of 
mammoth size and delicacy that we know. Often the blooms 
get as large as dinner plates, and yet how gossamer-like they 
are! You will love them in your garden, and you can grow 
them. 
It is simply a matter of understanding that Japanese Iris 
like plenty of fertility, plenty of water, a soil that is slightly 
acid, and sun. They are not difficut to grow at all if you 
remember those four things. 
TO PREPARE THE SOIL for Japanese Iris, first cover the 
soil with well rotted manure, and then spade it to a depth 
ot about 10 inches. Spade it in well, as shown in picture be- - 
low. 


And now you can “go to town” with cattle manure, if you 
know where you can get it. Simply see that the manure is 
well-rotted, then spade in plenty of it. Remember, that we 
said these flowers like plenty of fertility. 
(Continued on page 34) 
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