The NATIONAL HOR TICULTURAL MAGAZINE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, INC. APRIL 1954 THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, INC. 1600 Bladensburg Road, Northeast Washington 2, D. c. OFFICERS President: Dr. John L. Creech, Glenn Dale, Maryland First Vice-President: Mr. Arnold M. Davis, Cleveland, Ohio Second Vice-President: Mrs. Robert Woods Bliss, Washington, D. C. Secretary: Dr. Francis de Vos, Washington, D. C. Treasu,rer: Miss Olive E. Weatherell, Olean, New York Editor: Mr. B. Y. Morrison, Pass Christian, Mississippi Managing Editor: Mr. James R. Harlow, Takoma Park, Maryland Edito'rial Stalf: Miss May M. Blaine, Mr. Bernard T. Bridgers Art Editor: Mr. Charles C. Dickson DIRECTORS Terms Expiring 1954 Terms Expiring 1955 Mr. Stuart Armstrong, Silver Spring, Mary- Mrs. Mortimer J. Fox, Mount Kisco, New land York Dr. Fred O. Cae, Bethesda, Maryland Mr. Frederic P. Lee, Bethe~da, Maryland Mrs. Walter Douglas, Chauncey, New York Mrs. J. Norman Henry, Gladwyne, Penn- Dr. Brian O. Mulligan, Seattle, Washington sylvania Dr. Freeman A. Weiss, Washington, D. C. Mrs. Arthur Hoyt Scott, Media, Pennsyl­ Dr. Donald Wyman, Jamaica Plain, Massa- vania chusetts HONORARY VICE~PRESIDENTS "Mr. Arthur C. Brown Mr. Harold R. Laing American Camellia Society Men's Garden Clubs of America Box 2398, University Station 2891 Plymouth Road Gainesville, Florida Chagrin Falls, Ohio Mr. James B. Craig Dr: G. H. M. Lawrence American Forestry Association American Horticultural Council 919 Seventeenth Street, Northwest Bailey Hortorium Washington 6, D. C. Ithaca, New York Mr. Harry W. Dengler Mrs. Hermann G. Place Holly Society of America The Garden Club of America Maryland Extension SerVice 530 Park Avenue College Park, ¥aryland New York 21, New York Mr. Carl W. Fenninger American Association of Botanical Mr. Claude I. Sersanous Gardens and Arboretums American Rhododendron Society 1632 Chestnut Street 240 Southeast Clay Street Phil;ldelphia 3, Pennsylvania Portland, Oregon Mr. Paul W. Jackson Mrs. Alma Wright International Geranium and African Violet Society of America Pelargonium Society Post Office Box 1326 Post Office Box 231 Knoxville, Tennessee Santa Paula, California AFFILIATED SOCIETlES-1954 American Association of Nurserymen Garden Club of Fairfax (Virginia) American Begonia Society 'Garden Club of Virginia American Begonia Society, San Francisco Garden Library of Michigan Branch Georgetown Garden Club (D. C.) American Begonia Society, Santa Barbara Gulfport Horticultural Society Branch Herb Society of America American Camellia Society Houston Horticultural Society American Gesneria Society Iowa State Horticultural Society American Gloxinia Society Men's Garden Club of Montgomery (Mary- American Iris Society land) County American Rhododendron Society, Middle Michigan Horticultural Society Atlantic Chapter Midwest Hor1icultural Society Bel-Air Garden Club, Inc., (California) National Capital Dahlia Society Birmingham Horticultural Society National Capital Garden Club League Cactus and Succulent Society of America North American Lily Society California Horticultural Society Northern Nut Growers' Association, Inc. Chestnut Hill Garden Club, (Massachusetts) Perennial Garden Club (D. C.) Chevy Chase (D. C.) Garden Club Plainfield Garden Club (New Jersey) Fauquier and Loudoun Garden Club Potomac Rose Society (D. C.) (Virginia) San Francisco Garden Club Garden Center of Greater Cincinnati Tacoma Rhododendron Society Garden Club of Alexandria (Virginia) Takoma Horticultural Society (Maryland) Garden Club of Chevy Chase. Maryland Washington (D. C.) Garden Club Garden Club of Danvi11e (Virginia) Worcester County Horticultural Society The National Horticultural Magazine VOL. 33 Copyright, 1954 , by THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, INC. No.2 APRIL 1954 CONTENTS Iris Hybridizing. AGNES W RITING ____________ ________________________________________________________ 89 A Virginia Garden In 1774. MARJORIE F. V"; ARNER__ ______________________________________ 92 Modern Varieties of Vegetables. VICTOR R. BOSWELL ____________________________________ 96 A Garden For America. RAY S. DIETL ____________________________________________________________ 11 3 Antibiotics, Pesticides, and Food. FREEMAN A. WEISS ____________ _____________ ___________ 11 5 A New Hybrid Magnolia. BERNARD HARKNESS _____________________________ ___________________ 11 8 T he Peony. E. BUCKNER K IRK ____________ ______________________________________________ ________________ 120 Concerning S treptocarplls. PEGGY SCH ULZ ____________________________________________ ______ ______ 133 A Boo k 0 r Two ____________________ ________ _______________________ ____ _____________________________________________ 135 T he Maple Bladder Gall. DO NA LD L. SCHUDEL ______________________________________ _______ 148 c A Durable And Safe Trash Burner. FREEMA N A. vVEI SS ________________________________ 150 The National Horticultural Magazine The National H orticltltural Magazine is a quarterly journal, being the official publication of The American Horticultural Society, Incorporated. It is devoted to the dissemination of knowledge in the science and art of growing ornamental plants, fruits, vegetables, and related subj ects. 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We had about two hun­ worthy, we have constantly raised the dred of the better iris vari eties in our standard of quality. garden, all carefull y labeled. We be­ We have never li mited ourselves to longed to the American Iris Society any one system, such as li ne or cross and other members came to see our breeding, in our hyb ridiz ing. We were plantings. 'IVe had made several trips not out to prove any theories, we just to the Sass Gardens where the seed­ wanted res ults. We often used our lings interested us still more than the own seedli ngs crossed with good named named varieties. Having learned about vari eties, as this gave us combi nations pollination at the Sass's. we made a few not used by other breeders and thus crosses and got a nice crop of seed. more chance of something new and dif­ W hen our first seedlings bloomed, we fe rent. We fo und the Sass i rises the were disappointed as they were no bet­ most useful parents and used so many ter than their parents. It was not as of them that 'Whiting irises have a defi­ easy as it looked. We bought two hun­ nite Sass fl avor. Not onl y are Sass dred more of the newest and best irises, irises superior to many others in color, including many Sass varieties and size, form and substance, they are per­ seedlings. During the winters we stud­ fectly hardy, with excellent growing ied the parentage records of every habits fo r cold climates. Later we real­ variety we g rew and read everything ized the need of producing strains that we could find on hybridizing and gen­ would grow an d bloom equall y well in ealogy. We learned that good seedlings cold and warm climates, so we com­ came from irises that not only looked bined the hardy strains with the more good but also had good family records.