The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-28
THE IRIS.


''' - ~ Eitdt kitWlilS uNTtId1N1 IVT
flowers. They arc indispensable for
parties. social gatherings and for we'd
dings and funerals.
What n difference In funerals COM
pared with sixty years ago. Then a
funeral was Il most solemn affair
like n celebration of lifc's great de-
feat. The air was hlled with the SICK
ening odor Of paint and varnish. Al
tho grave how our hearts ached az
the thud or the earth on the cof-
fin. and custom demanded that we all
remain In boiling heat. in cold or storm
till the last shovelful of earth Vas
placed.
Now how different. Death IL ce,.-
hiated az a victory. The black Is be-
;rg slowly discarded. The old cus-
tom VAS for the mourners to continue
the funeral for n year.
Through the house and on the cof-
fin there are flowers. which are pro-
phetic of the souls eternal spr1ngtimc.
~ the grave the ground Is covered
with them. and the coffin recedcs
slowly from our gaze and our beloved
dead disappears from view In banks
Of roses. carnations. iris and peonics.
DUR beloved friends pass from us amid
the beauty and fragrance of the choic-
est floral offerings. Life's winter seems
transformed into eternal beauty.
where everlasting spring abides and
never whitening flowers"
The demand FOR beautiful things Is
-.-- NJ - --~
passed. The OK team and lumber
wagon give place to the auto. The
rude dwellings, Of sod or logs In the
far West arc exchanged for the pleas
ant homo. and this home should match
the beauty Of the sky. the glory o.
the morning md evening. the green
ness Of prairie and forest instead of
leaving "A plague spot on the face OF
nature. Advanced civilization IL grow
ing hungry for the beautiful and must
have 1t.
\ flower Is needed which can endure
heat or cold. which is adapted to all
the phases Of u trying climate. The
coming flower to meet this want is
the iris.
our semi-ar,d regions and sand hills
comprise a fouIth OF our great domain.
How the women with hearts aching
for the beautiful try TO raise flowers
and fail. They try the peony. but Il
needs "A great deal Of moisture. The
phloX cannot endure the whitening
sirocco. Tho columbine delights in
cool and moist conditions. Many
thirss which thrive In our Northern
and Eastern states cannot be made to
grow IN the urcongenial climates of
, IN" Western plains.
EIt tho heroic iris Will endure these
adverse conditions and glory in them.
, They aio a success IN IN" eastern
plains ~ Colorado wyoming. Mon
tina and IN the hot dry messs Of Ari-
,b.v ,,ri,e IN cemo,cri, ON ,ho burn.
Ing r''iu9 and when ono" established
tho" DEFY !un and sirocco.
ll"r" IN Nebraska we sometimes
rave '1" most trying conditions. ono
r"u for nf'v DAYS IN" mercury WAS
'"h and M Tho hot winds were rag
INK There vas only two inches 81
80 ufhO for four months. feonies
ful lhl"H'7 went down IN the boiling
heat 'he' things vanished. Ent the
IRIS tuSned ~ II and dared the
Weather I" do $50 worst,
w" "non Dig MS m August We
found TN" Garth MS dry "a an ash
heap iust thrown out n a furnace.
iiu' tie roots Of tn" iris had gath
cred tho moisture and hold Il. They
"ero tuII. plump and feSliy and when
~trauSplanted grew readily, In n
great fi"ld NJ ,"o''"o We did not lose
q pant OF INC rh~'%oinatous group.
Nature kindly provides for every
fo-ipn. "h"n We inc ou' nor wants
"" should meet them
... -
In al our Northern states we need
flowers for Decoration DAY. and when
no"ers X me hean'lful peony are
scarce VA" ms Is always on hand
WIN MS fragrance hcautv II cheer
ana We nave tho red Whife ana blue
Tor soldiers graves.
hN n lud!cio'is selection blooms may
DE had Tor over two months, These
~" the early dwarfs' with their ny
hrihs' men the 'n'erm'd'ates- nu-
m'rouS ana respondent family. Then
'N' carly the medium ana later Ger
taA 49, than Anl A@