1869.] THE GLADIOLUS IN 1868. 47 



my spare varieties, "who complain with long faces at the blooming time that they 

 have had very few good spikes ; and when the succeeding winter has been got 

 through, the supply of bulbs saved over for planting has been miserably small ; 

 bulbs of Gladioli seem to melt away in a strange manner, in the hands of all 

 save the few who are possessed of all facilities for covering them, and of what 

 is still more rare, a love of flowers sufficiently strong to induce them to devote 

 many an hour during the winter, in the fruit and bulb room, to the close exami- 

 nation and supervision of their favourites. I have grown a most valuable stock 

 of Tulips for many years, and I very rarely lose a bulb, not more than two or 

 three in a year, out of a stock of over 2,000 ; but I never sit down to order my 

 new Gladioli without having to go back, and repeat choice varieties, which I 

 have grown in quantity for years, but which somehow have dwindled away. 



I had a fine bloom of my own seedlings this year, some 800 to 1,000 good 

 strong spikes, coming in rather late, and doing good service at show time. Theso 

 I planted in March, about three inches deep, in good ordinary soil, well manured, 

 and I top-dressed in May, and watered heavily about twice a week. The spikes 

 were much taller, and the losses by decayed bulbs greatly less than in the named 

 varieties. The novelties just let out are generally finer the first year than they 

 ever come after, so that it would seem to be true of other flowers, as Mr. Paul 

 says it possibly is of Roses, when treating of the vigorous novelties of last year, 

 in the Flokist, " that many kinds really vigorous, when beginning life anew from 

 seed, fail and sink under the fast life which, if there is anything in them, they 

 are often compelled to lead." 



The novelties sent out last season by M. Souchet were more numerous than usual, and I 

 think, as a lot, not by any mean3 up to the mark in quality. The half-dozen sent out together 

 in 1865 (I think) have individually or collectively never been excelled. They were : Shake- 

 speare, Eurydice, Newton, Marshal Vaillant, Meyerbeer, Prince of Wales. "While there are 

 some few decidedly valuable acquisitions in last year's batch, there are not certainly six 

 flowers at all equal to those just named. First I would name Ulysse, a splendid rosy violet 

 flower, with bright crimson feathers, straw throat, and xxx spike ; next I place Rossini, rich 

 rosy crimson, scarlet feathers, throat crimson and white shaded; and third, Semiramis, deep 

 rosy violet, crimson feathers, white throat — a very stylish flower, the blooms well shaped, but 

 rather small, and the spike just middling. These three I consider, in the main, valuable 

 acquisitions, and likely to hold a high place for some time. Taking the next trio, I would give 

 the first place to Norma, soft white, pale mauve throat and feathers, the colours flushing or 

 running after a day or two, large flower, fine spike ; next La Fiancee, pure white, with red lilac 

 throat, xx spike, good shape and substance, but fades quickly ; next, Eugene Scribe, purple 

 shade of rose, straw throat, crimson blotch, good spike. Then there are Mozart, Barillet 

 Deschamps, Etendard, Uranie, Bernard de Jussieu, Marie Verdier, and a few others, not likely, 

 in my opinion, ever to take a leading place, unless they improve on a second trial, which I 

 do not expect. Byron bloomed very much finer last season, both as regards size of spike 

 and depth of colour, than I had ever seen it before. 



For the guidance of " the many " in their purchases for the coming season, I give the name3 

 of what I consider the 50 best varieties known to the public up to the present time. I do not 

 profess to be infallible, nor (as taste and judgment differ) do I suppose that any two amateurs 

 would agree exactly in their estimates of the various sorts ; still I think the following approxi- 

 mates pretty closely to what the balance of educated (floral) opinion, if attainable, would 

 pronounce for : — Shakespeare, Eurydice, Meyerbeer, Marshal Vaillant, Prince of Wales, 

 Newton, Ulysse, Rossini, Semiramis, Adolphe Brongniart, Thomas Moore, Princess Mary of 

 Cambridge, Norma, La Fiancde, Eugene Scribe, FeUicien David, Flore, Madame Vilmorin, 

 Milton, Madame de Sdvigne, Edulia, Belle Gabriolle, Apollon, Reine Victoria, Noemi, Impera- 



