148 HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OP NEW YORK. 



pallid greenish tinge usually found in the genus. It is a Winter bloomer, and 

 our best efforts have been made to switch it around to get Summer flowers, so 

 as to connect with yellow garden kinds. The only species we have had nn 

 opportunity to cross it with its igneus, of the psittacinus group. One viable 

 seed was secured, which has just produced a blooming plant. No yellow 

 coloring appeared, the wide-open blooms being quite clear salmon. It is at- 

 tractive in make-up, and may be of future service, though devoid of decorative 

 value. If the yellow Madagascar species is ever obtained in quantity it will 

 prove a treasure for Winter blooming. The little corms resemble those of 

 Summer-blooming kinds, and are good keepers. 



It might be supposed that during 16 years of active hybridization among 

 Gladiolus species, resulting in over 150,000 seedlings, many commercial varie- 

 ties would be produced. Although we have found beautiful and promising 

 novelties in this mass of hybrids and variety-crosses, only two so far have 

 been thought worthy of naming and commercial introduction. One is the 

 Cruentus-Saundersi-Gandavensis hybrid, above mentioned as Princeps. The 

 other is a direct cross between purpureo-auratus and Saundersi, known in a 

 limited way in the trade as Lord Fairfax. It produces a long, curving spike 

 of Indian-red bloom, with a yellow and purple spotted throat. These are 

 often five to seven inches across, and look like Hippeastrum blooms arranged 

 in a Lily-of-the- Valley manner. 



The Chair: I am sure the thanks of the meeting are due Mr. Van Brunt for this 

 very beautiful display. Is there any discussion of the subject? 



H. F. Roberts: Mr. Groff himself, to whom Mr. Van Brunt referred, is a member 

 of this conference, and is present with us this evening. He had the kindness to com- 

 municate some very interesting facts to a few of us, and especially facts of interest to 

 plant breeders. Perhaps this evening he would communicate them also to this audience 

 and permit them to ask him questions. Perhaps he might speak especially of the case 

 of the hybrid of the Morning Star. . 



H. H. Groff: It was only a moment before the presentation of this paper that I had 

 any intimation that I was supposed to make the lightest reference to my work here to- 

 night, otherwise I would have had great pleasure in at least making some notes in order 

 that I might give you something of the result of my experience rather than probabl} 

 what you would consider a few disjointed remarks at the present moment. Before saying 

 anything further, I wish to pay tribute to Mr. and Mrs. Van Brunt for the excellent 

 artistic work that they have done in the reproduction of my hybrids. I wish to say 

 further that it is a matter of regret to me that I notice very few of those among them 

 that I consider even the first class types of my productions, and, further, that I would have 

 had great pleasure, if it had been possible, to see that such types had been placed at 

 their disposal for reproduction here to-night. I must make a rather egotistical statement; 

 from my own experience in testing the very best productions of the world's greatest and 

 oldest workers, many of these lead in a very marked degree anything obtbainahle 

 commercially. Before making any further reference to my own work, I also desire to 

 pay a tribute to the excellent scientific work of my friend, Dr. Van Fleet. Dr. Van Fleet 

 is the most experienced worker on scientific lines in connection with the species of any 

 worker or breeder of the Gladiolus in America, and I am sorry that he is not here to- 

 night to speak for himself in regard to many very valuable points of interest which he 

 might explain to you in regard to the first crosses. As you have heard me say in the 

 course of our meetings, there are two kinds of workers in the field of hybridization: the 

 one who works with the idea of finding out the why and the how and wherefore scien- 

 tifically, and the other for the purpose of producing definite results of a certain character. 

 I may class Dr. Van Fleet among the former, and I wish to take a place among the 

 latter, with the ideal of producing high-class economic types for decoration and of ap- 

 praised value for perpetuation and multiplication. That is one of the great characteristics 



