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Four COLBORNE CHRONICLE - Thursday, July 271h, 1967 GARDEN NOTES The Plant Research InsLiiule Ottawa by A. R. Buckley IRIS PLANTING ■ The best time for dividing and planting irises is from the end of July to the end of August. True, they can be planted successfully later, in fact, right up to the end of October in favorable years, but the plants don't become well enough established for complete winter survival. The plants may survive, but the flower bub's will freeze and no flowers will appear the following year. If your irises are small-flowered with zebra-like striplings on the haft of the lower petals and with pale, insipid colouring, don't bother dividing. Throw them out and invest two or three dollars in a collection of the more popular newer kinds. Irises should be divided every four or five years to ensure large and abundant 'bloom. The tools necessary for dividing them are a garden hose, digging fork, sharp knife, secateurs (pruning scissors) and several tie-on labels. Once you have assembled these, treat each clump as follows. Cut the leaves off at three inches from the root, then fork the whole plant out of the ground. Now you will have a large clump of iris with a tangled mass of roots and earth. To sort out the divisions, it is best to turn the clump upside down and wasn it thoroughly with a hose. Next, cut out and discard all decayed roots and shoots. Then divide the clump into small sections, each one containing a piece of rhizome with a fan of leaves attached. Those from the outer sides of the clump will be younger and more vigorous: they are the bst ones for replanting. Irises grow better in a S6il that has been prepared a ySar before planting. Lots of well-decayed animal manure may be worked in at that time. If the beds have to be prepard at the time of planting, you must avoid the use of manure and complete commercial fertilizers. Instead, work in lots of humus such as compost or peat moss and add a good supply of phosphates (a handful of superphosphate to five square yards of soil). Choose a sunny, well-drained location for the iris plants. Keep them away from large trees where competition from roots and shade may be detrimental to the production Of good blooms. Make a slanting hole with the trowel so that the part of the rhizome from which the leaf fan arises may be set at the shallow end. Let the roots lie horizontally and cover with soil so that the rhizome is almost, but not quite, buried. Firm well in the ground after planting and water thoroughly. The most important fact to remember is not to bury the plants too deeply. Deep planting will not kill the irises for they are long-suffering plants, but it will retard their blooming for several years and will render them more susceptible to soft rot disease, which thrives in soil-covered stems. Space the rhizomes two feet apart. This will give a very sparse appearance the first year, but the irises will soon fill the gaps and the bare look will vanish the following year. For an immediate effect, plant in groups of three of a kind, one foot apart, and in groups three feet apart. In October, in very severe climates, draw an inch of soil over newly planted rhizomes for winter protection. This must be re- What varieties of iris to grow? You can get them in almost any colour and combinations of colours and if you go to the iris specialist, you can pay any price up to $30 for each little rhizome division. The most expensive varieties are not always the best. Prices are usually set by the newness of the variety and its rarity. New kinds are often improvements^ over the older ones with better and purer colours, differently shaped petals, larger blooms and of the fringed, horned or lacy types. Very often only the specialist can tell the difference between some nw varieties and the old varieties they have superseded. There are many kinds I know you will enjoy growing, but first of all why not plant Canadian varieties? You won't be sorry, for there are many to choose from, in every colour, and nearly all are reasonably priced. The following five Canadian varieties are well worth a place in your garden; they rank as high as the best Amer-. ican types and some of them have received awards from the National Iris societies of many countries: Carmel Sundae, a beautiful ruffled yellow and white bicolour; Pianissimo, peach pink and white bicolour; Princess Anne, a yellow and white bicolour; Royal Canadian, a beautiful blue-purple; and Sultan's Capitol, a red violet self-coloured. There are five more good irises, which were selected by the American and Canadian Iris societies. An "Iris of the Year" is chosen for hardiness, outstanding garden qualities, and colour appeal. All of the five have been on the market long enough to bring the price down to one that most people can afford. They have been teested in the Plant Research Institute's Test Gardens and can be highly recommended for those parts of Canada where most irises are hardy. These are Captain Gallant, Black Swan, Memphis Lass, Brass Accents and Buttercup Black Swan, as its name suggests, has as black a flower as you are likely to get in any plant, and yet it has a sleek quality that makes it stand out in the garden, arid about the largest flowers of any iris tested. The flowers of Brass Accents are large and golden coffee brown and the plant grows to 40 inches high. Buttercup Bower is a blend of lemon, lime and yellow; the falls blend into a soft chartreuse cast and the standards are bright luminius yellow. Captain Gallant is the best near-red iris introduced to date and it has very large flowers that are held erect on stiff strong stems. Memphis Lass is a heavily ruffled plic-ata (spotted) iris, with rose and burgundy markings on clean white falls and standards that are almost solidly SALEM G. A. Smith Mr. and Mrs. Charles Buchanan and family of Codrington, Mr. and Mrs. John Wink-worth and son of Cobourg, Mr. and Mrs. Jim Brown and Troy and Master Randy Beale enjoyed a family picnic on Sunday at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Brown. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Irwin of Brighton were recent Sunday evening guests with Mr. and Mrs. Frank McDonald. * * * * Friends are sorry to learn that baby Holly Peters, small daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Peters, is a patient in Peterborough Hospital. Holly is suffering with virus pneumonia. Little Virginia Peters, three yea rold daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G. Peters, has the mumps. Friends will be pleased to know that she is not too ill at time of writing. We are also sorry to report that Mr. Fred Hunt, of Union Neighbourhood is a patient in Cobourg District General Hospital. Several Salem friends visited him during the past week. Fred is convalescing following serious' surgery. His mother, Mrs. Alice Hunt, is at Campbellford with Mrs. Clarence Cochrane, 78 Doxsee St. South. Mrs. Helen Brooks of Kearney, Ontario, and daughters, Mrs. Ted Pringle and son of Kearney and Mrs. Earl Humphrey and sons of Trenton were Thursday supper guests with Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Bellamy, Union Neighbourhood. Mr. Tommy Evedren spent last week camping at Algonquin Park with a group of Boy Scouts. We are glad to report that Mr. Clayton Peacock has returned home from Belleville General Hospital where tie was a patient for several weeks. Rev. and Mrs. R. W. French were pleasantly surprised last Friday evening. The three congregations on their Colborne charge, Colborne, Salem and Eden United Churches, honoured them with a surprise party at Salem Sunday School Hall. The occasion was their silver wedding anniversary. Another wedding took place at Salem United last Saturday afternoon. Congratulations' to Miss Mary Eddy and her groom, Mr. David Bertin. Mary is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Eddy of R.R. 5, Colborne. Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Ellis of Toronto were Thursday over night guests at the home of her sister, Mrs. Thos. Everden. Mr. Richard Fulford of Pittsford, N.Y., James and Linda, and sisters, Mrs. Margaret McCoy of Rochester, N.Y., were week-end guests with their sister, Mrs. Helen Ferguson. Linda remained for a week's holiday with her cousin, Rosemary Ferguson. Salem friends are pleased to learn that Mr. Wilfred Ferguson is home after spending four days last week at Trenton Memorial Hospital. Mr. and Mrs. Ross Allison of Hespeler are visiting at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Brown enroute home from their daughter's (D o n n a) home, in Ottawa. Another new family have moved into our neighbourhood. We would like to welcome Mr. and Mrs. Schwalm and family who have purchased the Onyon home in east Salem. Mr. and Mrs. Jack Smith and family were Sunday evening supper guests with Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Bellamy of Union Neighbourhood. Salem U.C.W. members, please note! The bale of clothing to be sent to Toronto will go out next week. If you would still like to contribute, please leave your contribution with the Secretary, Mrs. Wm. Brown, no later than Monday of next week. Articles must be clean and mended, if necessary. Please mark each garment with correct size. Thank you! G. A. S. The closer you a son, the more tact csy you need. i to a per- /^linaspecial1sT'a MAN WHO KNOWS WELL\ THAT in THE'TV business} (his work excelsysr TAIR ELECTRONIC 355-2722 COL Having Purchased the COLBORNE GARAGE on Toronto Road, I solicit your continued patronage and support, shall endeavour to give the utmost satisfaction LES BAKER Sincere Thanks to our many friends who patronised us over the years at the COLBORNE GARAGfe and to the new owner Mr. Les Baker we extend Best Wishes ED WANGEN FEATURE VALUE $1.99 SET mm, frl, m *k AL'S HARDWARE Phone 355-2333 \PR(L