Gladiolus Studies — II 237 



by using small watch tags and placing on them the time of emasculation 

 as well as the date of pollination, together with the name of the pollen 

 parent. Perhaps a ntunber which refers to a record book will be sufficient 

 and more satisfactory than writing the full name of the parent. 



There is a difference of opinion as to the nimiber of seed capsules to be 

 allowed per spike, some growers holding that as many should be allowed 

 to develop as will, others that the strength of the plant should be con- 

 centrated into a few seed capsules only. Seed production is thought 

 to exhaust the corms, so that few capsules should be allowed to develop 

 if they are not wanted. 



POSSIBILITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT 

 USE OF WILD SPECIES 



In the hybridization of the gladiolus only about a dozen species have 

 as yet been incorporated into hybrids. For some years many hybridists 

 have been working on the use of other species. Some think that great 

 future progress is to be made by their use; others feel that the species 

 thus far used include all that are of value. When one considers the value 

 of the various species in producing new types and diverse blotchings 

 and stripings, it is difficult to believe that there is no further possibility 

 along this line. 



The first species to be used extensively in hybridizing was Gladiolus 

 cardinalis, which gave the excellent white throat lozenge to the G. Colvillei 

 hybrids. The next species of great importance was G. oppositiflorus, 

 a form contributing height, length of spike, arrangement of flowers, and 

 markings, to its hybrids G. ramosus and G. gandavensis, for this species 

 attains a height of six feet and bears from twenty-four to forty blooms, 

 which are arranged so as to face in two directions. It has taken years 

 of breeding to eliminate this last character, which is rather objectionable. 

 Most of the gandavensis varieties are also marked with the characteristic 

 stripes or penciling from the G. oppositiflorus. 



Another species concerned in the gandavensis strain is G. psittacinus, 

 which has given its rich scarlet and chrome yellow to the hybrids, G. 

 oppositiflorus being a white species. Some years previous to 1878, 

 G. purpureo-auratus was used in crossing. This introduced, through the 

 Lentoinei forms, the bell-shaped, hooded blooms facing in one direction, as 

 well as the diamond-shaped, rich maroon blotch characteristic of the 

 varieties at present so popular. G. Saundersii has had its influence on the 

 Childsii, nanceianus, and turicensis varieties in making the blooms large 

 and exceedingly well open. G. cruentus has contributed the charming white 

 throat and fine dots found in the variety Princeps. G. papilio is usually 

 credited with the production of the finest blue varieties. Recently there 



