Popularity Poll 1941

(taken from the 1941 Cooley's Catalog viewable in the Biodiversity Heritage Library at "original HERE".

The 2nd UNOFFICIAL IRIS SYMPOSIUM

Conducted by Kenneth D. Smith, Staten Island, New York

LAST YEAR [1940] we printed a list of 50 "best iris" as compiled from a list assembled through the efforts of Kenneth D. Smith, a prominent member of the American Iris Society and an accredited judge of the organization. His list was arrived at by sending a questionnaire to 50 judges of the Society, most of whom had visited regions outside their own, and requesting them to send in their list of the best 50 irises in commerce, which they had seen, preferably in various locations, and regardless of year of introduction or of color classification. Thirty-three judges answered the request, and the composite vote resulted in the first so-called Unofficial Symposium.

The experiment aroused great interest, and excited much comment both pro and con. It proved so popular that Mr. Smith again took up the venture this season, and we submit the result of his findings.

73 Accredited Judges of the American Iris Society sent in ballots denoting their preference of the 50 best irises. 26 of the judges did not visit outside their own region and 20 made trips into the adjoining region only. Taking the composite list from all 73 judges, the following 99 varieties received ten or more votes and are listed in the order of total votes for inclusion within the selected group of 50 best. In other words, such a list could be regarded as a representative selection of the 100 best irises.

The inclusion of 'Ormohr' between position 31 and 32 is due to the fact that technically it must be regarded as a hybrid, since it is a seedling of Wm. Mohr. However, it received a total of 35 votes and is therefore placed in its relative position.

Position, Cultivar, Number of Votes:

1. 'Wabash' 63
2. 'Amigo' 62
3. 'China Maid' 58
4. 'City of Lincoln' 55
5. 'Golden Treasure' 52
6. 'The Red Douglas' 52
7. 'Sable' 51
8. 'Naranja' 50
9. 'Great Lakes' 49
10. 'Junaluska' 48
11. 'Fair Elaine' 47
12. 'E. B. Williamson' 46
13. 'Angelus' 44
14. 'Christabel' 44
15. 'Golden Majesty' 44
16. 'Prairie Sunset' 43
17. 'California Gold' 42
18. 'Matterhorn' 41
19. 'Shining Waters' 41
20. 'Mount Washington' 40
21. 'Gloriole' 40
22. 'Copper Lustre' 39
23. 'Lighthouse' 38
24. 'Missouri' 38
25. 'Garden Magic' 37
26. 'Midwest Gem' 37
27. 'Sierra Blue' 37
28. 'Cheerio' 36
29. 'Frank Adams' 36
30. 'Rosy Wings' 36
31. 'Red Gleam' 35

'Ormohr' 35

32. 'Snowking' 34
33. 'Exclusive' 33
34. 'Morocco Rose' 32
35. 'Radiant' 32
36. 'Shah Jehan' 32
37. 'Ruth Pollock' 31
38. 'Elsa Sass' 30
39. 'Golden Hind' 29
40. 'Louvois' 29
41. 'Snow Flurry' 29
42. 'Matula' 28
43. 'Golden Fleece' 27
44. 'Marquita' 27
45. 'Ming Yellow' 26
46. 'Old Parchment' 26
47. 'Aubanel' 24
48. 'May Day' 24
49. 'Tiffany' 24
50. 'Balmung' 23
51. 'Yellow Jewel' 23
52. 'Brunhilde' 22
53. 'Ozone' 21
54. 'White Goddess' 21
55. 'Easter Morn' 20
56. 'Golden Spike' 20
57. 'Jasmania' 20
58. 'Siegfried' 20
59. 'Stardom' 20
60. 'Blue Spire' 19
61. Moonglo 19
62. 'Royal Coach' 19
63. 'Sonny Boy' 19
64. 'Dubrovnik'. . . 18
65. 'Happy Days' 18
66. 'Jean Cayeux' 18
67. 'Mary E. Nicholls' 18
68. 'Gudrun' 17
69. 'Mount Cloud' 17
70. 'Persia' 17
71. 'Spun Gold' 17
72. 'Garden Flame' 16
73. 'West Point' 16
74. 'Brown Thrasher' 15
75. 'Stella Polaris' 15
76. 'Valor' 15
77. 'Florentine' 14
78. 'Rameses' 14
79. 'Red Valor' 14
80. 'Violet Crown'. 14
81. 'Caroline Burr' 13
82. 'Chosen' 13
83. 'Claribel' 13
84. 'Depute Nomblot' 13
85. 'Miss California' 13
86. 'Madame Louis Aureau' 13
87. 'Monadnock' 13
88. 'Aztec Copper' 12
89. 'Seduction' 12
90. 'Glen Ellen' 11
91. 'Orloff' 11
92. 'The Bishop' 11
93. 'The Guardsman' 11
94. 'Waverly' 11
95. 'Copper Crystal' 10
96. 'Melitza' 10
97. 'Pale Moonlight' 10
98. 'Stained Glass' 10
99. 'Treasure Island' 10

For more information on historic Irises visit the Historic Iris Preservation Society at

-- BobPries - 2014-06-10