plants. Compost, of course, is wonderful, as is well rotted barnyard fertilizers, yet rather fresh 
manures may be applied to the ground in the late fall for the winter will distintegrate these quite 
thoroughly, making them easy to work into the soils in early spring. Silt from river beds, or 
ditches, is highly useful to place under new plants where one has to grow iris in the same location 
year after year. 
RHIZOME SIZE 
As mentioned last year some sections of ihe country grow very large rhizomes, while other 
localities grow smaller and harder plants. These might both grow equally well. One is not 
necessarily beiter than the other for sometimes very large water-soaked rhizomes do not thrive 
if sent to a section of the country that is colder and without the rain or moisture similar to that 
under which they were grown. If you live in a section where rhizomes grow very large it is wise 
to buy your plants locally. The same is true where the soil is of a certain acidity or alkalinity— 
such plants require a period of adjustment of “‘acclimatizing’’ to grow and do well under somewhat 
“reverse’’ growing condtions. However, very often when plants fail to seem to grow and increase 
well, or fail to bloom the next season they often make up for this with both increase and quality 
of bloom in their second year. 
ON IRIS PRICES 
Admittedly everyone likes a bargain. However, there are some phases to iris growing that 
buyers often overlook in their quest for new varieties for their gardens or hybridizing work. 
Anyone employed in growing thousands of seedlings either as a hobby or as an avocation knows 
the work involved, and the disappointments. I have often said I'd rather pay $50.00 for a new iris 
than to try to grow one, however, the thrill of achievement and my desire to help improve form 
and color press me forward although if the same effort were expended in other fields one might 
receive greater remuneration for his work. There are growers who offer iris at half price. 
They, very often, do not offer any other service or extras. Think of the fancier or Commercial 
grower, in comparison, who publishes a costly catalog, offers some other service, or is known 
for the generous extras he includes with each order. It is hardly fair to the hybridizer of a variety, 
that is in favor and much sought after, to have some commercial grower undersell him. Likewise 
it is not ethical. I believe, to have prices cut on expensive varieties for the commercial grower 
has had to buy stock, cultivate it, pay help, etc., and it may be some time before his investment 
is repaid. Competition is a good thing in all trades, but there are certain ethics, fair dealings, 
and good will to consider in any line of business. Personally we like to help other fanciers 
obtain fine iris for their gardens and for breeding work. And we like to be generous in filling 
orders, yet we would hardly feel justified in offering plants at drastic reductions just to ‘‘get 
business”, for we hope to stay in the fancy a long time and hope the friends we make among 
the fanciers and commercial growers alike will increase in number and enjoy, with us, a mutual 
confidence and respect so that we may help each other in our quest for better iris. Some of 
us, unfortunately (or fortunately) devote all our time ond efforis toward the production of new and 
better varieties, the growing of novelties and standard nomed sorts. One could hardly expect to ask 
us to work without remuneration. We pay for al! services we need cond enjoy to make life 
richer and fuller. No one asks for, or expects, doctors’ services or groceries for half price, and I 
see no reason for ‘cut-throat’ tactics among iris growers just because plants increase well. 
Surplus may be given away, but it is hardly right to advertise them at half price, or less. 1 say— 
“live and let live’ and do unto others as you would that they should do to you. There is room 
for all in the commercial field, for hundreds of thousands of gardeners have not as yet been made 
aware of the wonders or the beauties of modern strains of all kinds of iris. We can all do 
“missionary work” to bring neighbors and friends to our fold. Garden lovers never fail to recognize 
the beauty and worth of iris as hardy perennials when given an opportunity to see the newer 
kinds. We would advise fanciers to invest in some of the newer and more expensive iris to treat 
themselves and friends to a real thrill, and a thrill that will return year after year. And with the 
newer kinds it is often much easier to make satisfactory exchanges with other hobbists, for we 
all seek after new and unusual things. There is a certain satisfaction in being one of the first to 
grow some new variety, and to the hybridizer this is almost a must for it:gives him finer breeding 
stock and a ‘measuring stick’’ by which to judge his own seedlings: ‘Fanciers who hybridize 
and do not grow modern collections or have no access to gardens, where they may be seen, 
can hardly appraise his own work, and even with such a collection the job is a difficult one since 
it is impossible to know what the multitude of other hybridizers may have. We have hobbyists so 
severe in their judgment they have never named or introduced an iris even though having been 
engaged in hybridizing over a period of years. This type of precaution, to the extreme, may 
serve little purpose. Every hybridizer finds, surely, that each generation shows some improvement— 
if this were not so there would be little to encourage the breeder ‘to carry on, and if every 
hybridizer waited for the ultimate there may be few if any new varieties introduced, making 
progress from all sources far less possible since many fine parents would be withheld. 
TALL BEARDED IRIS SEED 
Again we will offer a limited amount of tall bearded iris seed from selected parents. I cannot 
make special crosses with parents listed in this catalog due to the fact that often weather interferes 
with this work, or the varieties may have no pollen and are difficult pod parents. I will, however, 
offer seed in all color classes. Just give me the color you would like to work for and I will furnish 
seed from parents that are advances in their color classes—often using new seedlings that will 
35 
SWEENEY, KRIST & DIMM, HORTICULTURAL PRINTERS, PORTLAND, OREGON 
