REF: quote from an old book

Dear Listers,
    I wanted to share a delightful quote from an old book on irises that Anner had recommended to me called Iris in the Little Garden by Ella Porter McKinney(1927).  She is discussing her experiences with I. persica...."All were planted with deferential preparation approaching as near as possible the rich red soil among limestones from which they came.  Every bulb carried through the winter, but non bloomed until the second spring; and the following August, after the foliage had disappeared, tragedy visited the spot in a digging fork propelled by that demon of misdirected energy, a by-the-day man, on a hunt for bare places to make ready for new plantings.  Prayerful grabbling returned few, for they were still small.  So I have no great increase to report, but I do have the memory of this sweet, small flower in sea-green, black violet, and gold, opening (my garden notes tell me) on the seventh of April in 1923, 'a very cold and late spring'.  The rescued bulbs have appeared each spring, though they have bloomed but once since the tragedy."
 
This book is a wonderful reference for HIST enthusiasts.  Although out of print, of course, I found that copies are available through bookfinder.com for a very resonable price.
 
Lynn Lamb
in NC, where we had rain early this morning!
 
 
 

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