Gladiolus Studies — II 



199 



The accusation that the gladiolus is stiff and formal does not now hold. 

 The modem gladiolus is stately and 

 dignified, and deserves prominent 

 consideration and a place in ever}^ 

 home or palace. It is a regal flower 

 available to all. 



SOILS FOR THE GLADIOLUS 



Soil technologists emphasize the 

 fact that a proper physical condi- 

 tion of the soil is quite as important 

 for the gro^^'th of a crop as is the 

 richness; in other words, the tilth 

 and handling of the soil is as much 

 to be considered as the actual 

 chemical analysis. Various opinions 

 have prevailed, and still persist, 

 regarding proper garden soil for 

 gladioli. 



Dombrain (1873) mentions the 



former belief that there was no soil 



too poor for the gladiolus, and 



states that ad\dce was given that if 



the soil were not poor enough it 



had better be charred or burned to 



make it so. However, as he says, 



experience proved this to be unsound, and 

 a rich soil was considered by no means 

 unsuitable. Then came the high pressure 

 treatment; heaps of manure in the soil, 

 hea\y top-dressings above it, and then 

 what blooms we shall have! But the 

 strongest advocates of this system found 

 that they had been a little too fast, and 

 that although they obtained fine blooms, 

 they lost their bulbs. Since then a more 

 moderate system has been practised. 



The depth of planting ^\'ill obvi- 

 ously differ with the soil. The lighter 

 the soil, the deeper the corms may 

 be planted. Deep planting is espe- 

 cially successful in dry seasons, be- 

 cause the roots are in cool, moist 

 soil. Usually, with deep planting, 

 staking will be unnecessary. There is danger in deep planting in a heavy, 



Fig. 12. PRiMULixus seedlings 



The primulinus seedlings include a group of grace- 

 ful varieties all of which have distinctly hooded 

 blooms. The colors are charming, following the in- 

 fluence of the clear primrose-yellow of the primulinus 

 parent as well as of the delicate intermediate colors 

 possessed by other parents, which in many cases are 

 Lemoinei. Childsi , or nanceianus varieties 



