GLADIOLUS 



THE BVl.B BOOK 



GLADIOLUS 



them with such plants as dwarf- 

 growing Cannas, and such subjects 

 as Galtonia (Hyacinthus) candicans, 

 the Eremuri, or the Torch Lilies 

 (Kniphofias). 



During the summer months the 

 hoe should be used frequently to stir 

 the surface of the soil to a depth of 

 an inch or two, thus checking 

 evaporation of moisture from the 

 root region, and keeping the plants 

 in a more actively growing condition. 

 When particularly fine resiilts are 

 required the soil may receive a light 

 dressing of basic slag (2 ozs. to a 

 square yard) when the conns are 

 being planted, and afterwards when 

 the flower-spikes are showing, an occa- 

 sional watering with weak liquid 

 manure will be highly beneficial. 



LiFTiXG THE CoRMS. — As soon as 

 the flowers have withered and the 

 leaves begin to turn yellow, the tops 

 may be cut down to the ground, and 

 the corms lifted and dried preparatory' 

 to storing away for the winter. Any 

 cool, airy, but frost-proof place will 

 be suitable for storing purposes. 

 WTien cleansing the corms it is 

 advisable to grade them into sizes 

 and to separate the small bulblets or 

 "spawn'" from the fully developed 

 corms, and keep them apart ready 

 for sowing in spring as if they were 

 seeds. 



Peopagation. — Gladioli are easily 

 increased (i.) by means of offsets from 

 the old corms ; (ii.) by the " spawn '' 

 or small bulblets, which are often 

 produced freely ; and (iii.) by seeds. 

 The larger offsets should be separated 

 from the smaller ones and from the 

 "spawn," each group being planted 

 in March or April in the case of 

 the summer- and autumn-flowering 

 varieties, or about the end of August 

 or early September with the early- 

 flowering ones. The latter require 

 the soil to be well drained and in a 



sheltered sunny situation, as they 

 have to pass through the winter 

 months. The rows may be from 6 to 9 

 ins. apart, according to the size of 

 the corms — the larger ones of course 

 having more space. 



"When it is desired to raise Gladioli 

 from seed, it is as well to select the 

 seed-parents carefully in advance. 

 During the flowering period the finest 

 flowers of any particxilar section 

 should be noted, and the plants 

 should be marked in some way, such 

 as by tj-ing a piece of coloured string 

 or a label to them. On hot bright 

 days the pollen from another choice 

 variety, possessing desirable char- 

 acteristics that are lacking probably 

 in the destined seed-parent, should 

 be taken and placed on the pistils of 

 the latter. It is advisable in the 

 early stages of the flowers that are 

 to bear the seed that the stamens 

 should be detached, and a muslin or 

 fine gauze bag placed over the 

 blossoms to prevent any but the 

 desired pollen from falling on the 

 stigmas. An hour or two before 

 midday is generally the best time for 

 fertilising purposes, and the ripe 

 pollen should therefore be available 

 for the sticky surfaces of the stigmas. 



After fertilisation, the petals 

 wither, and the seed-pod begins to 

 swell, until eventually it becomes 

 fully ripe. The seed should be 

 carefully preserved in a dry airy 

 place until about the first week in 

 April. It may then be sown in 

 pots or boxes of rich grittj' soil ; or 

 even in the open in a nicely prepared 

 and sheltered piece of ground. The 

 seeds should be covered with about 

 i in. of soil, and if sown in the open, 

 should be in drills about 6 ins. apart. 

 The soil should be pressed down 

 evenly and fir.Tily on the seeds, and 

 care must afterwards be taken to 

 keep it moist and free from weeds. 



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