152 The Flower Garden [Chapter 



Gladiohis culture that one scarcely recognises the old 

 favourite. All along the line, size, colour, texture, 

 markings show the effect of a high state of cultiva- 

 tion and careful hybridising. The Childsi are, per- 

 haps, the finest; while several of the strains of giant 

 Gladiolus show wonderful size and colour. They 

 increase rapidly, and one should buy a few bulbs each 

 year so as to maintain a high standard. 



When ready to plant, remove all loose husks, dead 

 roots, and stalks, leaving the bulb clean and fair. 

 Plant directly in the open ground, sufficiently late 

 for frost to have gone by the time they are up. Plant 

 the bulbs eight inches deep in fine leaf-mould, or a 

 mixture of muck, loam and old manure, or even well- 

 enriched garden loam. Planted deeply they will not 

 need staking an important point in growing Glad- 

 ioli ; nor will they be so much affected by cold, heat, 

 or draught as in the case of shallow planting, and may 

 be planted earlier and left much later in the fall, giv- 

 ing the bulbs more time to ripen. 



They should be cultivated frequently during the 

 summer or well mulched and supplied with water as 

 needed. No seed should be allowed to form, as the 

 plants make new bulbs each year, sometimes several, 

 and that, with the production of flowers, is enough 

 for one plant. A plant that seeds freely will not pro- 

 duce as many or as good bulbs. Take up in the fall 

 before the ground begins to freeze, and put in a warm, 

 sunny place for a few days to dry. Remove the stems 



