The Charles W. Arny, Jr. Award was established in 1993 both to recognize winning hybridizers in SLI Popularity Polls and to honor our most prolific hybridizer. Since the year of its inception, the Arny Award has been won by

Frank Chowning (ANN CHOWNING and BLACK GAMECOCK),
John Taylor (KOORA-WATHA and DURAL WHITE BUTTERFLY),
Neil Bertinot (JERI),
Dorman Haymon (PRALINE FESTIVAL)
Charles Arny (ACADIAN MISS, EASTER TIDE
and CLARA GOULA)
Joe Mertzweiller (CAJUN SUNRISE)

In addition to recognizing popular irises and deserving hybridizers, the Popularity Polls provide guidance to growers, particularly newer ones. The breadth of SLI membership results in information about cultivars that are widely grown and perform well in many areas. The vote tabulations are a valuable guide for Louisiana growers making those first selections for their garden, but also for more experienced folks seeking to expand.

Members who have not participated in past years are strongly encouraged to cast their ballot in the Popularity Poll and to help increase the geographic range of those voting. Up to 25 favorite irises can be designated on the ballot, including up to five write-in votes for irises not listed. There is no requirement to vote for 25 irises. Those familiar with fewer cultivars may vote for those only.

Comments on particular irises are especially welcome. They may be incorporated into the Newsletter article reporting the Poll results, adding useful detail about the voters’ experiences.

Criteria for Listing
The criteria used to determine which cultivars are listed on the ballot this year were:

1. Cultivars appearing on last year’s ballot, except that irises receiving fewer than two votes were deleted.
2. Mary Swords DeBaillon winners for the past 25 years.
3. American and Austra-lian Award of Merit (AM) winners for the past ten years.
4. AIS and Australian Honorable Mention (HM) winners for the past ten years.
5. Louisiana irises which have won the Australian Dykes Medal.
6. Irises that received more than a single write-in vote in the 1999 poll.