4 Invite You to Join 
The Ever-widening World-wide Family of Rainbow Garden Iris Enthusiasts 
Experience The Thrills of Growing Rare and Exotic Flowers 
From Distant Lands, and of Having Year-round Iris Bloom 
Get the Habit of Ordering New Iris Each Year and You Will Always Have Excitement in Store for You 
Your Choice: FREE IRIS SEED, DWARF IRIS 
or EXPENSIVE NEW IRIS Without Cost 
When you send in your order just let me know the name of one or more flower-loving 
friends to whom you have shown this catalog and who have not before seen “Rainbow 
Offerings.” This qualifies you to receive your choice of a $1.00 packet of Extra Choice Mixed 
SIBERIAN IRIS seeds, or a $1.00 packet of Summer-blooming VESPER IRIS Seeds, or a 
rhizome of any one of these Dwarfs: Syra, The Great Smokies or Silver Elf. (Seeds ready 
about October 1.) 
If one or more of the friends to whom you have shown this catalog send in a 1955 order 
of $5.00 or more, be sure to let me know about this, whenever they do, because this entitles 
you to add to your order, without cost hoth packets of seed and any one of the 3 Dwarfs 
listed above—and each friend may add all three items to his order without cost, too. 
Now if your order and your friend’s 1955 order are each $10.00 or more, that is really 
worth mentioning! Instead of the seeds and the dwarf, you both have your choice (as long 
as supply lasts) of any one of these Iris, entirely FREE (values up to $8.00): Real Gold, 
Technicolor, White Admiral, Strathmore, Placer Maid, Spring Romance, Fancyancy, Benton 
Damozel, Laddie, Winter Flame, Love Story, Black Michael or Rhythm. Incredible though it 
may a the free Iris is in addition to the regular Gifts and Premiums, as explained 
on page 33. 
HARDINESS OF IRIS SUMMARIZED 
FULLY COLD HARDY IN ANY PART OF THE UNITED STATES 
BEARDED: Tall Bearded, Oncobreds and Regeliabreds, Autumn Bloomers, Dwarfs and 
Borders, Intermediates and Table Iris. 
ARILS: Regelias, Oncogelias. 
SUMMER BLOOMERS: Vesper Iris, Leopard Flower. 
BEARDLESS: Siberians, Spurias, Christmas Iris, Pseudacorus. 
Regardless of inherent hardiness, a mulch of 2” to 4” of loose straw, wood excelsior, 
marsh hay or other light airy material is often helpful in cold regions the first winter, to 
prevent frost heaving before the plants are deeply rooted. 
REASONABLY HARDY WITH MODERATE PROTECTION 
Mulching usually desirable if temperatures go below 20°F. Some varieties and species 
are hardier than others. Many are successfully grown in East with proper care. 
BEARDED: Winter Bloomers. 
ARILS: Oncocyclus. Susiana and Gatesii do well in many cold areas. 
BEARDLESS: Stylosas, Western Natives. 
CRESTED: Tectorum and Paltec. 
TENDER, FOR MILD CLIMATES, OR UNDER GLASS IN WINTER 
CRESTED: Japonica and Nada. 
You Need My RAINBOW IRIS MANUAL 
Both Manual and Supplement offered on next page. 
Since | offer such a wide variety of Iris of 20 distinct types, and having somewhat different 
cultural requirements, there has arisen a persistent demand for this comprehensive 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. 
| 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 information 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 reference 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 “Hand- 
book of Garden Irises” and his monumental work ‘The Genus Iris.” The latter is valued, 
when obtainable, at about $100 a copy. 
The second half of this 44 page booklet covers all phases of hybridizing from planning 
your crosses to the techniques for pollinating, seed collection and seed sowing—for Tall 
Bearded Iris and also the many Unusual Iris offered in this catalog. Among the many subjects 
covered are these: Varieties recommended as parents in breeding for 26 specific objectives; 
How to synchronize blooming periods; Chromosome numbers; Mendelian inheritance; Ways 
to increase your sets. 
You Also Need My SUPPLEMENT to the Manual 
In a field as subject to constant development as Iris culture and hybridizing, no publica- 
tion can remain wholly complete and up-to-date for very long. Hence | propose to issue, 
from time to time, a series of SUPPLEMENTS to my MANUAL to provide you with latest 
information on various subjects of vital interest. The following partial outline will give a 
good idea of the comprehensive contents of Supplement No. 1. 
I—PLANNING YOUR IRIS GARDEN: Utilizing all types of Iris; harmonious color groupings; 
charts of blooming seasons and heights. 
II—CULTURE OF ARILS: Promising new cultural techniques. 
I1I—IRIS EXHIBITION: How to stage an Iris show, exhibit Iris and win prizes. 
IV—IRIS HYBRIDIZING: Speeding seed germination; best kinds for parents. 
IT’S EASY TO ORDER BY MAIL 
It's simplicity itself to just list the varieties you want and their prices on my handy 
order blank. Please enclose remittance with your order. For your convenience | accept 
personal checks or postal or express money orders made out merely to Rainbow Gardens. 
Currency is 0. K. on small orders. No C. 0. D.’s please. | acknowledge your order when 
received, unless to be shipped very soon. 
ORDER EARLY. As explained under “SHIPPING” in the different sections, most Iris are 
shipped all through the summer and fall, but some kinds only in the fall. They may be 
ordered at any time, but I strongly urge that you order very soon after this catalog reaches 
you, since the choicest items, that you particularly desire, may be sold out if you wait. 
Hundreds of people order by AIR MAIL to insure getting everything they want. | am nearly 
always able to fill such orders in full. When ordering after July 1 it will help to write the 
word “‘Alternates’” under the list of varieties ordered, or on a separate sheet, and give a 
few varieties with appropriate prices that we can substitute if sold out of any you ordered. 
EARLY DELIVERY. If you desire early delivery, send your order by AIR MAIL, within a 
few days of the time my catalog reaches you. Please don’t wait until | have a thousand 
orders on hand, and then expect that your order can easily be put in ahead of the many orders 
that were rushed to me from all over the United States. Normally, about 24 of our year’s 
orders are received in the spring, and shipped out in rotation in the order received, during 
July and August. Later orders are normally shipped from August to October. 
SPECIAL SHIPPING DATES. My new low prices and generous Premiums and Gifts are 
based on digging and shipping orders in large batches in regular sequence, as received. A 
special shipping date for an individual order necessitates that it be dug and shipped sepa- 
rately, at a much higher cost. So if circumstances require that your Iris be sent at a special 
date, please add 10% to your remittance and we will handle your order individually. 
LETTERS AND NOTES should not be put on your order, but on a separate sheet bearing 
your full name and address. 
Iris orders received after November 1st will be filled at the beginning of the next shipping 
season, that is, in early July. No shipments of Iris are made during winter or spring months, 
but kits, germination stimulant, labels, etc., will be sent at any time, and seeds at any 
time after October 1. 
“TYPE OF IRIS” Column on Order Blank 
It is a big help in filling your order if you mark the TYPE of Iris for each variety on your 
order, though this is not necessary if you do not have the time. The easiest way is to just 
use these simple abbreviations: A = Autumn Bloomer; Bo — Border; D = Dwarf; | = Inter- 
mediate; N = Native, Western; Od = Oddity; 0 —Onco; Ob — Oncobred; Og = Onco- 
gelia; R = Regelia; Rb — Regeliabred; Si — Siberian; Sp = Spuria; St = Stylosa; TB = 
Tall Bearded, both main section and Novelties; Ta = Table; W — Winter Bloomer. 
NO INSPECTION DELAYS—PINTO TAGS 
Due to the exceptional cleanness of our stock, and the absence of serious pests, Rainbow 
Gardens has been selected by the California Department of Agriculture as a Pinto Tag 
nursery. This means that each of our Iris shipments to California bears an official state 
green and pink Pinto tag, certifying that in nearly all California cities and towns the usual 
holding of nursery stock for inspection by the local Agricultural Commission is NOT re- 
quired. Hence you get quicker delivery and fresher stock. People everywhere order with 
confidence from a Pinto Tag nursery. 
ma Ironclad 3-Point GUARANTEE 
My Iris business has been built very largely on a great many repeat orders. | make every 
effort to please you with each and every shipment | send to you. And my 3-point guarantee 
gives you complete confidence that you will get good stock and receive fair treatment 
every time you order. 
CONDITION ON ARRIVAL—I personally supervise the selection of the choice rhizomes with which 
to fill your order. Each shipment is expertly packed. So | can guarantee my stock will reach you in 
good condition, and you will be pleased with what | send you. If any items are damaged by improper 
handling enroute to you, or are otherwise unsatisfactor upon arrival a ithi 
so that | can make it right with you. ue ae Marits ah etl ELT: 
TRUENESS OF STOCK—I go over my entire garden every blooming season to make sure that every 
row is 100% true to name. But, if through some error, a variety does not turn out to be what it is 
labeled, write me about it soon after it first blooms, preferably when you are sending in your next 
Bchele oes can add a free replacement to your order and send it all in one package, which is a 
SURVIVAL—I have such confidence in the high quality of my stock and its proven ability to grow 
anywhere in the United States, that, without Knowing anything about your conditional antag are 
that the plants will get, | guarantee each and every variety you order to grow in your garden, to 
the extent that | will replace, at half price, any that fail to survive. The only exceptions are the 
very few kinds | note as being not fully hardy, as these naturally cannot be guaranteed in cold 
climates. Please report within one year. If you do so when placing your next order, | will send 
the replacement with your order and pay the postage on the whole shipment. : 
Send Living Gifts That Grow and Increase 
MY HELPFUL GIFT ORDER SERVICE 
_ FOR BIRTHDAYS, ANNIVERSARIES, MOTHER'S DAY, FATHER’S DAY, ETC. 
Unlike nearly all other gifts you might send to express your sentiments, those for the 
garden grow and increase, becoming ever more beautiful with the passing of years. So when 
you are wondering what to give gardening friends, why not take advantage of my helpful 
GIFT ORDER SERVICE. Note simple instructions at top of order blank. Gift Iris serve for 
years as reminders of your thoughtfulness. Please note season when different items may be 
shipped, summer or fall. | furnish gift card unless you wish to supply your own. 
REFERENCES: Dun and Bradstreet; Bank of America, Placerville, California. 
MEMBER: American Iris Society, British Iris Society, New England Iris Society, Utah 
Iris Society, Sacramento Iris Society, El Dorado County Chamber of Commerce. 
32 I have enthusiastic customers in every state and many for eign countries. Read some of their comments on page 34. 
