THE GLADIOLUS. 41 



flowers among dark ones; but to see, as we have seen hundreds of 

 times, four or five or more light ones all at one end, and a patch of 

 dark ones at the other, is perfectly sickening to the judges, and un- 

 inviting to the public. The Dahlia offered the best illustration just 

 now, but it is the same with Carnations, Picotees, Verbenas, Roses, and 

 all other flowers shown in collections ; even plants in collection are 

 huddled togetlier without the slightest regard to uniformity or contrast, 

 and it is high time that judges visited this lack of arrangement with 

 the penalty belonging to it. We confess that in the case of Dahlia 

 stands this last season, the bad arrangement settled the fate of many 

 exhibitors whose stands were pretty nearly balanced in other respects. 

 Contrast, variety, and order have been weighed too lightly; tliey are 

 very important points, enough to decide in favour of a stand with many 

 blemishes. We may be told, perhaps, that the sizes of flowers prevent 

 a good deal of this arrangement. Let it be remembered that the front 

 row is none the worse for being smaller than the middle, and the middle 

 none the worse for being smaller than tlie back, so that the flowers in 

 the rows are equal. It is also to be remembered that hundreds of 

 changes can be made with twelve flowers, to say nothing of twenty- 

 four ; and, therefore, that there is no excuse for committing any 

 grievous informality." 



THE GLADIOLUS. 



This very beautiful tribe of flowers now comprises almost all colours, 

 of various shades, stripes, spots, and marbled hues. 



Some kinds come into bloom early in May, and others follow in 

 succession, up to tlie end of October. 



I find them flourisli best in a well-enriched moist loam, not clayey, 

 and having a partial shade about mid-day. 



Tlie early bloomers require to be planted in October, the next class 

 in December or January, and the late ones, such as gaudanensis, 

 floribunda, ttc, from January to the end of February. 1 usually give 

 the bed a dug dressing of equal parts of old rotten cow-dung and 

 vegetable mould every season before planting. The bed is well drained 

 with six inches of broken bricks, stones, &c., over which I lay a course 

 of grassy turf, broken into bits. In such a compost they are kept cool 

 and free from an excess of wet, and their foliage is kept a rich green, 

 not scorched and shrivelled, as is the case in dry soils. 



The following are early blooming kinds : — 



Colvilli, scarlet, streaked with yellow. Blandus, flesh colour, with 

 crimson streaks. Ilirsutus, flesh colour, streaked with rose. Insignis, 

 rich red. Atro-roseus, fine deep rose. Involutus, pink. Trimacuiata, 

 white, red, and maroon. Undulata, pink. Variegata, red and white, 

 Graciles, blue and white. Campanulata, purple. Cochleatis, white 

 and red. 



The following compose superb kinds of the second period of 

 blooming : — 



Amphiou, blood-red. Armadia, bright orange-scarlet. Elegantissima, 

 rich orange, with blood-red blotch. Gloria Mundi, vivid scarlet, with 



Vol.xviii. No, 38.-A^.S. E 



