Evening star., 1927-04-12

OF Bertrand Fl. Farr, who more than
any other man made the present popu
larity of the Iris in America possible.
The three chapters on the bearded
Iris are the heart of this work These
are the types popularity called German
Iris. The cultural notes, including
advice as to replanting are complete
and authentic. Telling Of the work In
the American iris Society test garden
in Bronx Park, N. Y, the author
warns:
but growers cannot take this gar
den or any other one garden for an
exact guide. They must learn to
know and love their gardens. Then
it becomes literally true that sthey
can, as one great farm paper has put
it. ask the plants, and get from them
as definite an answer as If these plants
had the power Of speech"
The book is fun of similar inter
esting recollections, on the part Of
the author drawn from literature as
well as from life, and hence the vol
ume has literary as we'll as practical
value.
The chapter giving an "indispensa-
bic list" of bearded Iris is worth more
than the small price OF the volume.
"When the novice turns to nurs-
cry catalogue, in order to select a few
Iris varieties for his garden, his
troubles begin" truthfully says Mr..
Wister.
"If the catalogue is a general seed
and nursery list, it will offer dozen or
20 kinds. which do not give much range
in color or length of season and most
of which, from the point Of view OF
the enthusiast, are not worth growing.
"If, on the other hand, the catalogue
Is that Of an Iris specialist, the begin.
ner will find himself floundering
through a list of from 100 to 500 or
more varieties ranging in price from
Is cents apiece up to so, $40, $50 or
500 apiece. A couple of hours spent
III reading such q list will give him
such mental Indigestion that he will
come to the conclusion that the choice
is too difficult and will end by de-
Gliding not to plant any Iris at all.
1t is for the confused beginner that
Mr. Wister offers his list of low or
medium priced but high-quality Iris.
The qualities which he demands of
an Iris to place it in his list follow:
1T must be cheap, Is, 25 or so cents
apiece. at the very highest not more
than 81, and preferably procurable in
quantity at S. to $40 q hundred in
all parts Of the country. The plant
must be strong and vigorous, not par
ticularly subject to disease or f1nicky
as to soil or situation. 1t must be
free bloomer under ordinary condi-
tions, whether tall or short: 1t must
have good stem, not easily broken
by wind or rain; q stalk fairly we'll
branched, so that the flowers are not
too crowded together. The color
should be clear. Am I asking too
much?"
X X
The appendix contains a general
alphabetical list Of recommended varie-
ties of all types of Iris, a classical
tion by color of tall bearded Iris and
the black list" of the Iris Society.
The best varieties for general
planting" are given as follows: La
Neige, Mrs. II. Darwin, Ma Mie, Rhein
Mike, Bluet. Corrida. Princess Bea-
trice. Azure. Souvenir de Mime. Gaudi-
chau, Queen Caterina, Juniata, Pare
de Neuilly, Queen of May, Seminole,
Opera, Alcazar. Lent A. Williamson,
Prospero, Ambassadors, Quaker Lady,
Nine. Chobaut, F'lavescens, Shekinah.
F'lammenschWert and Fro.
Mr.. Wister advises that the bulk
of planting be light-toned Iris, with
the darker ones only used III clumps,
if one desires to secure the best gar
den DictUre