ON GLADIOLI 189 



take full advantage of this habit. She will cut the stems 

 when the lower buds are bursting, and carry the spike 

 triumphantly indoors to adorn a tall vase, where, for 

 some three or four weeks, it will be engaged in the 

 delightful task of unfolding a succession of the most 

 beautiful flowers. At the outset she will arouse the 

 unmeasured wrath of her lord, who will loudly bemoan 

 the ruin of his bed ; but when he finds that the plants, 

 deprived of their first spikes, straightway proceed to 

 produce more, he will graciously permit himself to be 

 pacified. 



It may be stated, for the special benefit of lady readers 

 who like to cut flowers, and in particular Gladioli, 

 that the number of spikes which a plant will produce 

 depends mainly upon the thoroughness of the culture. 

 If the soil is deep and fertile, the plants (always provided 

 that the corms planted are good and remain uninjured 

 by wireworms) will be strong, and will be quite capable 

 of yielding a spike each for the house and still producing 

 a reserve for the garden. It is obvious from this that if 

 an amateur does not get a satisfactory result after his 

 wife has had the first helping, it is his fault, and not 

 hers. She will need no prompting to " rub in " this point 

 if occasion arises. 



When it is said that good corms are desirable, large 

 ones are not meant necessarily. Some varieties produce 

 much smaller corms that others, and no cultivation will 

 make them large. They will, however, produce enor- 

 mous spikes. A normal corm is about two inches 

 across, but in some sorts the corm is less than an inch 

 across the base. It happens that some of the largest 

 varieties have these small corms. If the amateur buys 

 from growers of repute, he need not be alarmed at a 

 small " bulb." He may take it for granted that all is well. 



