FATHER OF THE MODERN IRIS

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 96, 24 April 1931, Page 6 (Supplement)

FATHER OF THE MODERN IRIS

The "N. and 5.," in its obituary notice of tlie late Arthur John Bliss, says:— Time, the reaper, so busy of late, has claimed another victim to his inevitable scythe in the passing of Arthur John Bliss. He passed away at his home at Tavistock at the age of 71 years, on Tuesday, February 17, 1931. We must not use the word death in association with Bliss. So long as civilisation lasts, so long will the modern spirit of gardening survive and Bliss and his work will be alive in the gardens of the world. A. J. Bliss can never die. So much of that which was he has gone into his life's work that his name and work must live on through that time that is to us but a shadow seen darkly. In his early days he went to New Zealand as a surveyor on Government work. Later he spent some time in South Africa, where he was interested in mining. His health compelled him to give up his arduous career of mining engineer and he retired to Devon some 30 years ago and interested himself in plant breeding on scientific lines. Narcissi, gladioli and irises were his chosen subjects, and on each genus has he left his indelible mark. But it is for his work on irises that he will be chiefly remembered. He originated with his Dominion a new race of bearded irises that has influenced the development of the genus in every part of the globe where gardening has gained a footing. His name is a household word among the gardening fraternity of the United States of America, the Dominions and Colonies of the British Empire, and in every country on the Continent of Europe, as well as in his native land. He was a pioneer in the realms of research into the possibilities of the genus he loved. He was a conqueror in the world he had made his own. Indeed, it can honestly be said that the iris world has for many years around Bliss and his successes To all his work he brought that keen sense of the necessity of scientific records and analytical accuracy that he had acquired in the study of his profession of engineer-surveyor. To him a flower was merely a "number" with potentialities until it had performed what he expected of it. When it had done this, and not before, it became a living and beautiful thing in his universe. To him a wonderful flower was just concentrated possibility of improvement. I remember once characterising one of his productions as "nearly perfect." His remark was illuminating— "there is no such thing as perfection or reaching the ideal, they are only steps." With all the resonant fame he had gained he remained in all things r.imple and unaffected. A less sophisticated nrt"re never existed. He was in a quiet, unobtrusive way immensely proud of his work. When he was awarded the Foster Plaque by the Iris Society a few months ago he wrote: "It is a great pleasure to me that my children have made good and won their way throughout the world." He held opinions based on experience (as he was justly entitled to do) with commendable tenacity, but on one ever knew him to assert them dogmatically in tlu face of opposition. Oil the contrary, nothing but direct approach could ever extract an opinion from him. When he did give

it one felt there was behind it t for-. of conviction and intimate knowlwS. that rendered it almost irrefutable. He never married and what is umai,regarded as the fulfilment of life intt appreciation of its luxuries «en£ little appeal to him. His work was guffi cient and was, indeed, his life. Men litl Bliss do not die. They pass this way and onwards in the progress of Divine scheme. The spirit that *as Bliss lives on and who shall gay that in the ultimate fulfilment of the schema it shall toot return re-embodied to leaA the world on to greater triumpha. The first Iris Dominion may be' W departed now, the soul of Dominion go 4 marching on for as long as garden life may last and is reincarnate ia every new descendant. May we all when it comes to our turn to lay down our earthly tools be able to do go with the same assurance that we have lived our life and done our job as well as A. T Blisa.