1950 INTRODUCTIONS 
FLAMING FIRE (Sass ‘50) * * 99.00 
From two of our finest and most famous Iris, The Red Douglas 
crossed with Prairie Sunset, the Sass Brothers have produced an 
immense flaming red bitone that is a knockout for both color and 
size. Whereas most of the new reds are decidedly on the dark side, 
this is much lighter and brighter. Standards light red, infused with 
gold. Falls bright crimson red with a sharply contrasting yellow 
beard. Form much like its seed-parent, The Red Douglas, but color 
is much lighter, reminding one of a flaming fire. A very heavy 
bloomer and a good increaser. Tall well-branched stalks. One of 
the finest reds from the famous Sass Brothers. Yields abundant 
fertile pollen and should be fine for crossing to produce finer reds. 
M—38". 
THANKSGIVING FIRELIGHT (Austin ‘50) * * (Autumn Bloomer) $5.00 
There are so few really good tall Iris that bloom both in the spring 
and in the fall that there is a need for additional fine varieties in 
new colors. I am, therefore, glad to introduce this colorful Iris that 
has been the delight of all who have seen it. Usually blooms at 
Thanksgiving time and is done in festive fall colors. Standards 
blended reddish yellow and bronzy orange. Falls dark crimson, 
with a lighter edge. Excellent branching. A fast increaser, a heavy 
bloomer. Valuable also to hybridizers, as it sets seed, has abundant 
pollen. I find it transmits its fall blooming tendency to its offspring. 
Plentiful stocks permit this low introductory price. 34”. 
You Need My New RAINBOW IRIS MANUAL 
Since I offer such a wide variety of Iris of 20 distinct types, and hav- 
ing somewhat different cultural requirements, there has arisen a per- 
sistent demand for this comprehensive new MANUAL adequately 
covering the whole subject. In spite of the diversity of types of Iris, 
their culture is remarkably simple and easy to understand, as I have 
grouped them all under three general cultural procedures, with only 
minor special considerations in the handling of specific types. 
On page 27 you will find an outline that will show you the excep- 
tionally comprehensive nature of this new publication. I have brought 
together for you in concentrated, verified form, a summary of my own 
accumulated experiences and those of many of my customers in 
dozens of different states. To this has been added valuable informa- 
tion from well over 100 books, bulletins and articles on Iris growing 
and hybridizing. In this way you can have practically everything you 
need to know instantly available in one place without extensive 
searching, and without the expense of buying many different ref- 
erence works. Included, for example, is various material directly from 
two of the most significant of all published works on Iris, namely, 
W. R. Dyke’s “Handbook of Garden Irises” and his monumental work 
“The Genus Iris.’ The latter is valued, when obtainable, at about 
$100 a copy. 
So what was planned as a l6-page leaflet turned out to be a 44- 
page booklet, packed with a great amount of condensed information. 
It was written as a special service to those who obtain their Iris 
from us. So in spite of its size and the cost for publishing, I am 
making this MANUAL free with orders of $15.00 or more, and for 
nominal amounts with smaller orders, or without an order, as ex- 
plained on the order blanks. Since our average order is around 
$15.00 this means that most of my customers will get the Manual 
entirely without cost. Whenever the Manual is to go to you it will 
be sent in acknowledging your order, so you will have all needed 
cultural information well in advance of planting time. If you would 
like to study it before making up your order, you may order the 
Manual first. Then if you send in an order of $15.00 or more, you 
may deduct the full $1.25 that you paid for the Manual... . For 
those who want the Manual, but are not in position to order Iris 
this year, I will make it available tor $1.25 on a money-back guar- 
antee. If you do not find it the most informative and helpful book 
you ever bought for that price, just return it and get your money back. 
The value of a publication is best judged by those who use it. So 
I quote from a few of the many letters received from all over the 
country soon after my Manual was issued: 
“For a long time now I have intended to write and tell you what a really 
superlative job your Rainbow Iris Manual is. It 1s compendium of Iris 
knowledge of such general usefulness that you are to be congratulated on 
making the information contained therein generally available. As far as 
I can determine it is unique in the horticultural field.” Robert E. Allen, 
Scientific Committee and in charge of Awards and Registration of New 
Varieties, American Iris Soctety. 
“Il should like to add my congratulations to the many you must have 
already received on the new Iris Manual. This is a splendid piece of work 
and I for one appreciate it greatly. The work on the arils ts especially 
valuable as much of this information is not to be had. elsewhere.” Clark 
Agnew, Hollis, New York. 
“Your Iris Manual arrived the other day and 'm completely overwhelmed 
at the information it contains. It is grand and it will prove invaluable to 
me in my hobby.” Martha E. Relfe, Phoenix, Arizona. 
“If I couldn’t get another Iris Manual I wouldn’t take a hundred dollars 
for mine. It’s great.’ Mrs, T. L. Kidd, Brady, Texas. 
rt Perwsoual Word 
I think I know what you are looking for in Iris more than any- 
thing else—something really DIFFERENT. That is why 1 specialize 
in growing Unusual kinds and the newer and finer varieties of Tall 
Bearded Iris. In nearly every category, my offerings this year are 
more nearly complete than ever before. Just think how exclusive and 
individualistic your garden will be if you develop part of it as an 
ARIL GARDEN, another part for rare BEARDLESS iris, etc. Surely, 
there is no need to have a commonplace garden when it is so easy to 
have the postman bring you such distinctive floral treasures. 
Most Iris catalogs are so much alike that I have tried to produce 
one that is different and more useful—one that contains many different 
types of Iris and that tells you more, much more, about the individual 
varieties, their relationships, groupings and hybridizing. Also, many 
of you have asked for more pictures, so I recently invested $300 in a 
professional view camera in order to be able to take my own new 
photographs and show you more and more samples of what I have to 
offer. Nearly all of the illustrations used this year are, for the first 
time, from new plates made from my own photographs. To get in all 
of these new pictures, and my many new offerings, I have had to add 
four pages to the catalog, so it is 28 pages this year instead of 24. Each 
year I hope to have additional pictures for you. 
You may see, therefore, that I seek your good will, and your orders, 
not alone on the basis of supplying you with first class Iris stock in 
great variety, but also on the basis of the unique service I try to ren- 
der through yearly editions of this catalog and through my Rainbow 
Iris Manual. I hope that I have been helpful, and leave it to you 
to be the judge. ZL 
loyd Austin 
DATA TO HELP YOU PLAN 
To help you learn about the varieties and to plan your garden, I 
give the following information in my variety descriptions: originator, 
year of introduction, stars to show my recommendations, award and 
symposium winners, descriptions and evaluations, fragrance if pro- 
nounced, season of bloom and, lastly, height in inches. 
* —One of my new listing of Iris varieties for 1950. 
* * —My nominations for the most outstanding varieties for 1950. 
Some are exciting new creations; others are exceptionally 
fine standard varieties that I believe merit your special at- 
tention. You must know about these, even if for this year, 
some are beyond your reach. Eventually, you'll want them all. 
* * * —One of the elite few to which I am this year giving my high- 
est recommendation. 
Dykes—Dykes Memorial Medal (Highest 
Award) 
AM—Award of Merit (Next to highest) 
HM—Honorable Mention ; 
HC—High Commendation 
I recommend 
particularly varieties 
recently honored 
by these Awards of 
the American Iris 
CC—Certificate of Commendation ; 
Society 
S—Latest Symposium — (1949) 
UNDERLINED NAMES AND PRICES—Centennial Feature varieties 
available this year at the special bargain of 3 for the price of 2. 
or 10 for the price of 6. Plant at least 3 of a kind for stunning effects 
without years of waiting. If your garden is too small, combine your 
order with your neighbors to get these bargains. 
SEASON ABBREVIATIONS, from earliest to latest spring: EE, VE, E, 
EM, M, ML, L and VL. To avoid the customary short Tall Bearded 
season, be sure to choose early, midseason and late varieties in 
each of the colors of greatest interest to you. Since the majority of 
varieties bloom at midseason, or nearly, you will need to give spe- 
cial thought to provide your garden with a good assortment of both 
the early bloomers and the late ones. 
MY HARDY MOUNTAIN-GROWN STOCK 
I send you large, husky rhizomes freshly dug from my gardens just 
before shipping to you—not battered half-dried-up plants that have 
been stored in bins. Iris are easy to ship, so no matter where you 
live, I can send you, postpaid, choice Iris that will thrive in your 
garden. I have delighted customers in every state, all through the 
South, through New England, the Lake States and even in Canada. 
My nursery is in the mountains of Northern California, at an eleva- 
tion of nearly 3,000 feet. My stock is all grown out of doors. The 
nursery is often under snow, and the ground remains frozen for 
months at a time. So my stock is fully winter-conditioned, which not 
only hardens it for growth in any state, but puts it through a condi- 
tioning process that makes the rhizomes more floriferous. Most kinds 
of Iris are perfectly hardy—in fact, many of the varieties I grow ori- 
ginated in New England or Canada. If there are a few kinds that 
you are in doubt about for your locality, you can easily grow most 
of them out-of-doors with adequate mulching or soil covering; or 
indoors in pots or window boxes, or in a cold frame. My MANUAL 
tells how. Iris are not particular as to the texture of soil, and most 
kinds will thrive no matter whether you have sandy soil, loam or 
clay. I GUARANTEE my stock to be first quality, true to name, and 
to reach you in first class condition. 

2. Opportunity knocks, like this, but once—IN A HUNDRED YEARS 
