(in the form of mustard-seeds) and the leaves—washing the cleaned parts with a strong solution of 
Potassium Permanganate. Scorch, too, is not a rot disease, but rather a ‘‘mystery ailment” that causes 
plants to turn yellow and eventually the leaves all wither away, as do the roots, leaving firm 
rhizomes that remain so without any desire, it seems, to grow. Various methods of treating these 
thizomes have been employed: exposing to sunlight for several days, dipping in solutions of Potas- 
sium Permanganate, Lysol or Sulphathiazol. However, unless a plant is rare and very valuable 
it should be destroyed. Scorch may be a ‘starvation’ disease, or a virus. Little is known about it, 
although it is more prevalent, evidently, in the Mid-West. Pineappling, a peculiar growth of the fans 
that seem to fuse together, double and develop many distorted leaves rather than normal fans is 
also a “mystery” condition. Little is known of this ‘disease’ and it seems to be more prevalent in 
warmer climates. As to the actual treatment of the various kinds of rot—proper planting will, for 
the most part, help to avoid these diseases. Some of the soft rots, bacterial leaf blight, etc., seem to 
come, however, during prolonged periods of heat and excessive moisture, and some sections of the 
world always expect this at certain seasons of the year. Good drainage is essential where excessive 
moisture is likely to occur. The fancier can plan his iris plantings by having raised beds, wide 
raised furrows, etc., and by incorporating a good porous material into the soil, such as sand.or fine 
gravel, but this may not be necessary if the soil is already the correct composition. Needless to say, 
all affected parts of rotted plants should be removed and destroyed—never leaving them in the 
garden or in compost heaps. The exposed parts may be left so for the sun to heal and to destroy 
the “germs” that caused the disease. Or the parts may be washed with solutions of Potassium Per- 
manganate or Lysol, left to-dry, by exposure to sun, or if dug, laid to one side for a few days 
before planting. 
FERTILIZERS AND FOOD 
Plants that are well fed will probably be far more resistant to disease than starved plants. Iris 
are heavier feeders than some fanciers have thought. We must use care, however, in the application 
of most fertilizers, be they natural barnyard manures or commercial products. Soils that have never 
grown iris may do so for several years before they become depleted. Trace elements may be lacking 
in many soils, as might the proper quantities of humus. Compost and barnyard fertilizers will help 
to add important humus and other elements to the soil, but they may be difficult or almost impossible 
to obtain in some localities. Peat moss may prove beneficial where other types of humus cannot 
be had. Where there is heavy vegetation that supplies the ground with leaves each fall, and these 
have a tendency to make the soil acid, the iris fancier may find it necessary to add lime to the soil 
and this may be done by adding bone meal or ground limestone at time of planting. Earthworms 
will help the condition of garden soils where there are great quantities of humus, but they require 
humus to live on so they may not be essential to soils lacking humus—in fact, may even prove 
detrimental. Needless to say, all fertilizers should be applied with care. Iris rhizomes (bearded, 
at least) resent direct contact with-almost any of them, so it is wise to apply these deep under the 
plants or to work them in around the plants. Barnyard manures may be applied in the late fall, 
and the winter will help to disintegrate and break them down, so they are most beneficial to the 
soil by spring, when the iris will appreciate a boost. Light dressings of balanced commercial fertilizers 
(even those with some trace elements like boron, copper, zinc., etc.) may be applied in the early 
spring or when stalks are starting to show down in the fans. Plentiful water will work with the 
fertilizers to give those stalks the height and quality to bring forth lovely flowers. Needless to say, 
exhibition flowers are seldom produced on soils that are depleted, or where plants do not receive 
enough water before their blooming, and during the blooming season. Few are the fanciers who 
can rotate their “crops’’ so that iris may not have to grow in one place longer than two or three 
_ seasons. Most of us have small city plots and must grow our favorites year after year on the same 
ground. We can, however, when dividing and re-setting lift out the old soil and replace it with new 
that has never grown iris and in this we may incorporate well rotted manures, compost, bone meal, 
silt (from river beds, canals or ditches), and perhaps some wood ashes. There are those who feel 
wood ashes help to prevent rot—this may be due to the potash in them and a bit of porous material 
they add to the soil. Soot is known to help color in the growing of tulips—it may do the same for 
iris. Surely soils and their composition do affect the various colors found in iris. We have seen 
blues and pinks in some soils that were so pale they were hardly to be recognized. 
ON BREEDING BEARDLESS IRIS 
Because of the very fine and light pollens found on most of the beardless iris species, and their 
offspring, it is necessary to open any blooms that are to be pollinated—to remove the stamens and 
to take off the falls to prevent their being fertilized with outside and unwanted pollens. It might 
even be wise, in some localities, to bag the flowers to keep out insects that bring in unwanted 
pollens. There is a great field open to those who will work among the beardless iris—the spurias, 
the siberians and the Louisiana group. Fortunately the Louisianas are being brought to the fore 
and it is found, now, they will grow in all sections of the country—their only requirement being 
plenty of moisture and rich soil—perhaps a bit on the acid side. To make these richer, more varied 
in color, more floriferous will challenge the hybridizer and give him much to look forward to. 
DWARF BEARDED 
These, too, are becoming increasingly more popular. At last the true Pumilas have been success- 
fully crossed with I. arenaria and chamaeiris and a wide range of colors and forms are soon to be 
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