Dear Iris Friends, 
This, as you know, is an exciting year for fanciers in Utah for we are to play host for the 
American Iris Society convention. We have made good plans for a fine event, keeping our fingers 
crossed that “dame nature” may be kind, yet we know full well if she is to “pull some rough stuff" 
she will do it this year—it never fails in a convention year! We have had, to say the least, an 
“unusual” open winter, for the most part, and as I write this, in early March, one would think spring 
had arrived. Well over 150 hybridizers have sent guests for this convention. We know many an 
unknown hybridizer will be “discovered” and we will learn, again, that it is not necessary to have 
a wealth of experience to breed and produce good iris. Wiih the advent of Snow Flurry, Great Lakes 
and Pink Formal breeding good seedlings is rather a simple thing, and the quality of seedlings year 
after year goes upward. I listed the three iris above for I have just recently had a note from our 
Registrar after she had completed her annual unofficial check-up of the parents most often used and 
ihey were in the order given. Naturally I am proud of the record Pink Formal is making as a parent. 
Then I get letters occasionally from someone telling me of a good seedling they have produced 
using some other “Tell” iris. For instance, Mrs. Ray Palmer of Missouri tells me of a seedling from 
Tosca x Sea Lark that has blue standards and white falls, and we know she has a real break. Slides 
of Mrs. Palmer's selections showed she had accomplished good things, yet it was 1953 before she 
had anything worthwhile. Her Snow Flurry x Miogem seedlings were lovely, and those from Helen 
McGregor, Mirror Lake, Faught 55 L 1, Chivalry, Cahokia, Blue Valley and Pink Formal were all 
marked with quality, and one from Snow Flurry x I. Hoogiana in a violet with very wide parts 
that should produce quality—its blood has been infused into some of the Helen McGregor lines— 
and some fine things should result. 
How lucky modern iris hybridizers are to have such good things to work with. The ground work 
crossing the species and getting the color-breaks was a long, hard process. Today one need have 
only a dozen of these known good breeders to raise seedlings as good as the experienced hybridizer 
is getting. Of course, some of the hybridizers will have lines that will be distinct and not available 
to most of us and they may still retain a lead in certain colors. Some beginner may, however, use an 
iris related and get similar breaks. In fact, it is quite likely an amateur may use two iris that have 
been crossed time and time again and produce better than anything that has previously come from 
such a cross. If we build on the success of others we are sure of success, however, and there is no 
fun like that of producing a good seedling. 
Sometimes I wonder if iris fanciers are not tired of my catalog, cluttered up with pedigrees, and 
then I get letters from a good many who urge to continue this type of listing, or I get a letter from 
Twyla Olmstead of Washington, who opens her heart to write of the joy my catalog has brought to 
her and to tell of the desperate struggle she had made in making a come-back from a long series of 
operations for Cancer, and how, through her love of iris, she forced herself to drag a pain-stricken 
body through the garden, and how, gradually, through her determination, she had made a wonder- 
ful recovery. Her keen sense of humor ond ability to cartoon “herself” in various situations in the 
garden or in bed poring over iris catalogs—showing a coffee-cup at the side of her bed and a 
couple of cats—one looking hopefully into an empty dish on the floor and the other, paws on bed, 
begging (catfully) for something to eat—gives one a lift in spirit. | have urged her to share this 
wonderful ability with the world, and, if she likes, to continue hybridizing for the joy she gets, and 
the hope of producing that future Dykes Medal winner. Or I get a leiter from a fancier in lowa who 
has been six months in the hospital and tells me she spends hours pouring over my catalog and 
how it kills the pain when the hypos fail. These things one cannot ignore. So 1 am back at making 
the ‘same old” catalog—even to the same size for I feel it is handier to carry about or for reference 
than the larger size. 
Hardly a day passes that I do not get friendly letters from fanciers telling of their successes or 
failures, or sharing with me some of the things they have discovered in the growing of iris. Mr. Carl 
Quadros of Sacramento, Calif., tells how he discovered the use of powdered skimmed milk as an 
excellent fertilizer for gladiolus and iris, as well as his method of composting, and then fertilizing 
the fields. Taking a quick look, last fall, at his new plantings showed that his methods give results. 
This year I am devoting a few more pages to some new color for the catalog and am deleting 
the hybridizing hints. I feel that most of the iris fanciers have been getting my catalog for several 
years and know the mechanics of hybridizing, already, and that my comments throughout the 
catalog listings give my views as to a variety’s potentialities as a parent. | still have a supply of the 
1952 issue that may be had for 10c and this book gives quite a detailed lot of hybridizing informa- 
tion as well as listing some varieties that have since been dropped from the catalog. 
In closing let me thank all who have ordered iris and seed from us in the past. We hope to 
continue to serve you in a pleasing manner. I would like to express appreciation, too, for all the 
letters received during the busy season that usually thank us for the plants and our service. Days 
are not always long enough for us to answer every letter, as we would like to, so I take this oppor- 
tunity to let you know your letters of thanks, personal history, and iris news are appreciated and 
often give us a moment of relaxation from ithe necessary work. 
Best wishes and may all have a superb iris season with lots of good seedlings, and promising 
crosses. 
Sincerely, 
IMAL 
