GLADIOLUS. 127% 
est so long centered in this noble class of plants, a class 
the systematic botanist respects as highly as the florist, 
because the wonderful developments in form, and the 
marvellous changes, separations and variations in colors, 
had not, from nature’s standpoint, in any way trans- 
formed a natural form into a monstrosity. 
To M. Victor Lemoine, of Nancy, France, we are 
indebted for a new race, that bears his name; a race so 
distinct and so gorgeously colored as to awaken the most 
lively interest in cross-fertilization, with the full assur- 
ance that variation has by no means exhausted her 
resources. Mr. Wm. Falconer, whose delineation of 
floral forms is always accurate, speaks of these so truth- 
fully, in the American Florist, that we quote as follows: 
*«*Lemoine’s hybrids’ are a race of Gladiolus that was 
obtained by M. Victor Lemoine, of France, by crossing 
Gladiolus purpureo-auratus with a variety of G. Ganda- 
vensis. Some of these hybrids are very beautiful. The 
attempt is made to secure brilliance of color, and at the 
same time retain the characteristic form of Purpureo- 
auratus, for’ there is quite an inclination among seed- 
lings to partake strongly of the Gandavensis form. The 
flowers are small, sometimes campanulate, and frequently 
hooded, but their most positive character is the rich 
erimson-purple blotch on the two, or often three, lower 
segments. The plants are vigorous and healthy, but 
somewhat slender; the flower spikes are moderately 
long, but often slender, and the blossoms are more 
remotely placed in the spikes than is usual in the Gan- 
davensis, or are crowded near the end of the spike. 
‘These hybrids have the reputation of being hardy, 
but they are not. Simply because we meet occasional 
instances where they may have survived the winter, is 
no proof at all of their hardiness. In cultivating them 
plant them out early in the season and let them stay in 
the ground late. In the fall they seem to be ripe long 
