Gladiolus Studies — • II 201 



It is seen that many of the growers consulted prefer a sandy loam. 

 E. H. Cushman says that the gladiolus does equally well on any soil, 

 if given the proper culture. The commercial grower, however, who must 

 produce stock at a profit, will choose soil as nearly ideal as possible — in 

 other words, a light loam. 



FERTILIZERS AND THEIR USE 



Fertilizers applied to plants are valuable in proportion to the amount 

 of the needed plant-food that is available. Only such nutriment as is 

 soluble can be taken into the plant, and therefore much food is locked 

 up, or unavailable. Some fertilizers are applied for their value in 

 unlocking, or freeing, plant-food, rather than for their actual fertilizer 

 value. 



The production of gladiolus corms is very analagous to the production 

 of a crop of potatoes. A good standard special potato fertilizer is therefore 

 recommended. Such a fertilizer will be rich in phosphoric acid and 

 potash. The gladiolus is a rank grower and a gross feeder, and responds 

 to any treatment that increases the available plant-food. Either manures 

 or chemicals may be applied as a fertilizer, both of which are valuable 

 in their wa^^ The first kind, stable manure, is of prime importance, 

 but each year it is getting more difficult to obtain this. When possible 

 it is well to use cow, pig, sheep, or poultry manure, rather than that 

 from the horse. It must be borne in mind that sheep manure and 

 poultry manure are especially strong and cannot be applied too abundantly 

 without danger of causing too great vegetative growth, watery corms, 

 or perhaps even a burning of the whole plant. It is thought that the 

 gladiolus is very susceptible to the presence of any manure in contact 

 with its roots. All manure, then, should be thoroughly incorporated 

 with the soil, rather than left in Itmips. This is best accomplished by 

 application in the autumn. 



Burrell (1898) writes: 



I avoid as much as possible adding anything to the soil likely to create an excess of 

 humus, which is harmful, in generating disease. It is generally supposed that gladioli 

 require a light sandy soil, but ... I would prefer to plant in heavy yellow loam. 

 . . . Corms raised on well-prepared hea\^ loam I find have greater life and vigour 

 than the large, soft, watery ones from light sandy soils, and that the size of flower 

 and spike in no way suffers on the former, I think our exhibits over a long number of 

 years fully bear out. 



The general opinion has been that a sour soil is injurious to the gladiolus, 

 but Chamberlain (1914 b) doubts this. He says: " Some plants thrive 



best in a sour soil, and is Mr. [ ] dead sure that the gladiolus 



is not one of these? I have heard an experienced grower assert that 

 the gladiolus prefers the acidity." 



