466 



THE GLADIOLUS OR CORN-FLAG. 



flower stems are profusely studded with blos- 

 soms, which open in succession. Blooms 

 the last of June. Two feet high. 



Fig;. 107. — Gladiolus gandivensis. 



Gladiolus gandivensis — (the Ghent corn- 

 flag.) — A very showy hybrid, raised in 

 Ghent, Belgium. The flowers are very 

 large, and in colour a fine rich orange-scar- 

 let, relieved with yellow. The leaves are 

 usually broad and strong. Blooms from 

 July to September. Three feet high. 



Gladiolus psittacinus — (the parrot-like 

 corn-flag.) — Native of the Natal river. 

 Leaves large, dark green ; flowers large ; 

 petals incurved ; orange yellow and green ; 

 mottled. August. Three feet high. 



Gladiolus formossissima — (the superb 

 corn-flag.) — A superb hybrid variety, from 

 Belgium. Habit like G. gandivensis, but 

 the flowers much finer; the colour a rich 

 orange crimson. Still rare. 



Gladiolus blandus — (the fairest corn- 

 flag.) — Native of the Cape of Good Hope. 



Flowers large, flesh-coloured, with pale red 

 spots on the lower petals. Flowers in July. 

 Two feet high. There is a variety with 

 pure white flowers, another with purple, 

 and another with light pink flowers ; all 

 beautiful. 



Gladiolus ramosus — (the branching corn- 

 flag.) — Leaves broad; flowers large and 

 spreading, light rosy pink, borne on a 

 branching stem. Mid-summer. Three to 

 four feet. 



Gladiolus Herbertii — (Herbert's corn- 

 flag.) — An English hybrid. Flowers rosy 

 crimson, with deep-coloured feather. Blooms 

 in July. Grows one foot and a half high. 



Gladiolus insignis — (remarkable corn- 

 flag.) — A hybrid sort. Leaves rather nar- 

 row and long ; flowers large, crimson, with 

 a dash of bluish purple on the segments. 

 They are borne chiefly on the upper side 

 of a bending stem, as in G. cardinalis. 

 July to September. Three feet high. 



Gladiolus byzantinus — (the Turkish 

 corn-flag.) — Native of Turkey. Flowers a 

 good deal like the common purple corn-flag, 

 (G. communis,) but larger ; colour rich pur- 

 ple, with pale feather. There is a variety 

 of this (G. b. albus,) with white flowers, 

 marked with dark purple. 



The Belgians are great admirers of the 

 Gladioli, and cultivate at least 50 beautiful 

 varieties. M. Van Houtte's garden, at 

 Ghent, has a particularly rich collection. 



As seeds ripen abundantly in this cli- 

 mate, and soon produce blooming plants, I 

 hope our amateurs will undertake to raise 

 hybrids. No doubt varieties may be raised 

 in this way as hardy as the common purple 

 one, which I have known to stand 20 de- 

 grees below zero (Fahrenheit,) without in- 

 jury. Yours, An Amateur. 



