i^o- Cornell Extension Bulletin y 



G. insignis is described in Paxtons Magazine of Botany (volume 7, 

 pages 223 and 224) as a handsome hybrid with very long narrow leaves, 

 and apparently drooping flower stalks on which the blossoms are borne 

 chiefly on the upper side. The flowers are of a rich reddish crimson hue, 

 with a dash of bluish purple in the center of the lower segments of the 

 perianth. The parentage of this hybrid is unknown, but it was probably 

 raised by Colville, as it was found in a collection purchased by Lucombe 

 Pince & Co., of the Exeter Nursery, at the sale of Colville's nursery. 

 It flowered with the new owiiers in July, 1839, and is figured on a color 

 plate in Paxtons Magazine of Botany, voltune 7 (1840), page 223. 



G. Lemoinei (Large Spotted Gladioli) forms a group which had its 

 origin in a hybrid made by Victor Lemoine between G. purpureo-auratus 

 and some of the best G. gandavensis varieties. The original cross was made 

 in 1875, and three seedlings were obtained, of which two — Lemoinei and 

 Marie Lemoine — were named and later sent out. The new hybrids 

 were exhibited at the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1878, where they 

 attracted considerable attention from amateurs. The two varieties were 

 identical except in general color effect. Lemoinei was rosy white and 

 Marie Lemoine straw color, both having on the lower segments large 

 blotches of purple bordered with yellow. The two varieties were hardy, 

 like the female parent, in the open ground at Nancy. In 1880 these 

 varieties were offered for sale, and in 1882 five additional varieties — 

 Lafayette, Cavaignac, L'Abbe Gregiore, John Thorpe, and Rochambeau — 

 were introduced. To these were added, in the autuinn of 1882, Enfant 

 de Nancy, Victor Hugo, Stanley, AdeHaque, Cleopatre, Christophe 

 Colombo, Incendie, and Mars. 



Varieties with a tendency toward blue appeared early in the development 

 of this type. Gambetta (1885), Emile Galle (1887), Baron Joseph Hulot 

 (1896), represent the successive steps in the development of the blue 

 varieties. 



G. Lowii is said by De Jonghe (1843) to have the same parentage as 

 G. gandavensis. It was offered by Jacob Makoy in 1842. 



G. mas sinensis is a hybrid of G. psiitacinus and G. gandavensis, and 

 was announced by Krelage as a new race in 1892. The hybrid was the 

 result of testing the opinion held by some growers, that in order to secure 

 greater vigor and resistance to disease it would be necessary to turn 

 again to the world's species and use these in further crossing. This 

 hybrid had, it was said, all the bad qualities of G. psiitacinus, and it was 

 apparent that the modern gladiolus had certain qualities resulting from 

 its fifty years of improvement which could not be ignored by plant 

 breeders if their results were to meet the approval of gardeners and 

 florists. 



