THE GLADIOLUS OR CORN-FLAG. 



465 



severe frost with litter or straw, to the depth 

 of 20 inches, will protect them fully,— a 

 very little trouble for the sake of having a 

 superb bed of gladioli. 



Manv persons take up the bulbs in au- 

 tumn, and give them the same treatment 

 as the Dahlia, planting them out again in 

 April. 



If we suppose the more hardy sorts of 

 gladioli to be planted to remain perma- 

 nently in the open borders, their culture is 

 very simple. All they require, is a soil 

 about a foot deep, composed of rotten dung, 

 chopped sods, and sand, in equal parts. If 

 the subsoil below is not sandy or gravelly, 

 so as to let the water run off freely, there 

 should be four inches of broken bricks or 

 small stones put at the bottom of the bed ; 

 and if the subsoil is quite retentive, a small 

 drain should be connected with this under- 

 layer of stones, — the object being to attain 

 perfect security against stagnant water in 

 winter. 



In a bed so prepared, the bulbs may be 

 planted any time from the 10th of April 

 till the 10th of May. The top of the bulb 

 should be planted about four inches below 

 the surface, and three or four bulbs should 

 be placed within four or five inches of each 

 other — so as to make a cluster or patch, — 

 leaving an interval of eighteen inches each 

 way between the patches. 



Most of the gladioli for the open border 

 grow about two feet high ; some, as G. 

 gandivcnsis, three feet high. The best ef- 

 fect is produced, therefore, by covering the 

 surface of the bed with Mignonette, Sweet 

 Alyssum, Portulaccas, or any other trailing 

 annual plants, that serve the double purpose 

 of concealing the soil and adding to the 

 beauty of the whole border. 



Two of the most showy and easily culti- 

 vated sorts, are the many flowered Gladiolus 

 or corn-flag, (G. Jloriburidus,) and the "Glo- 

 ry of Ghent" Gladiolus, (G. gandiretisis.) 

 They both grow with luxuriance, and pro- 

 duce a great profusion of superb flesh- 

 coloured and bright orange scarlet flowers. 

 G. psittacina, (parrot striped corn-flag,) is 

 also common in many gardens; but its 

 colours are dull, compared with the two 

 first named. The foregoing three sorts may 

 be had of Thorburn, Buist, or any of the 

 principal seedsmen. With the hope of 

 drawing attention to other fine varieties of 

 this beautiful plant, I give the following 

 descriptions of sorts that may be cultivated 

 in the open border, as I have directed. 



Gladiolus floribundus — (the many flow- 

 ered corn-flag.) — Native of the south of Af- 



Fig. 106.— Gladiolus floribundus. 



rica. The leaves are long, broad, sword- 

 shaped ; the flowers - r ery large, spreading ; 

 the usual tint is a delicate flesh-colour, with 

 a bright red strip on each petal. The 



