THE GLADIOLUS 29 



qualities will be neglected, so that the flowers are 

 not kept up to their best standard. 



Until quite lately there has been no blue color 

 in gladioli, any more than in the poppy, except, 

 perhaps, submerged in combination with some 

 of the darker colors. And for this reason, it has 

 been found by all growers of the plants far more 

 difficult to produce a blue flower than any 

 other color, and until quite recently nothing 

 approaching the really blue gladiolus had 

 been produced. 



The first blue ones introduced were in reality 

 more purple than blue. Nearly all hybrid vari- 

 eties have shown lines of pale or smoky blue at 

 times. 



The first gladiolus that could really be called 

 blue was the one sent out from Europe under 

 the name of Madame Hulot. This had a small 

 flower, and in other respects resembled the older 

 gladioli a dark purplish blue in color. By 

 crossing this with white varieties of large size, 

 pale blue with extra large fine flowers were pro- 

 duced. Two years ago one appeared, of very 

 large size, and perfect in all respects with a true 

 blue color. 



The crossing of the gladiolus presents no dif- 

 ficulties. It is merely necessary to cover the 

 three-parted stigmas with pollen of the desired 



