GO MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



great advance in these hj-brids since Lemoine began. The best yel- 

 low gladiolus is raetole, and the best white is Diamant. At 

 Newport, R. I., where Professor Gibbs cultivates his gladioli, the 

 autumn continues two weeks later than at Cambridge, and although 

 it is cooler early frosts are rare. 



l\Ir. Endicott said it is true that the In'brids of jnirpureo-miratus 

 do have a good deal of purple, but it is possible to get brilliant 

 colors. G. Gandavensis is not likely to cross-breed with ^nirimreo- 

 auratus without assistance. G. dracoceplmlus never makes any 

 pollen whatever in his grounds. 



Robert T. Jackson said that he had a few bulbs of G. dracoceph- 

 ahis which grew to enormous size ; he had one six feet high. 

 The colors are very fine and show the possibilities of better ; there 

 are blood red, light red, black, bright yellow, and silvery. The 

 bulbs of hybrids increase with great rapidit}', and he has had four 

 spikes of tlowers from one bulb. The kinds wliich increase rapid- 

 ly are more desirable than those which do not, and gardeners- 

 should note which the}' are. 



Mr. Endicott said that the bulbs can be cut into as man}' pieces 

 as the}' show eyes, either at the time of planting or earlier, with- 

 out danger of rotting. If cut with the spade in lifting they will 

 keep through the winter. lie keeps them in boxes in an ordinary 

 cellar ; any cellar where potatoes keep well will answer ; it should 

 not lie too damp, nor too dry. In Christmas week he has found his 

 boxes half full of water ; he turned otf the water and dried the 

 bulbs for convenience, but they do not need careful coddling, and 

 these grew perfectly well in spite of the soaking. 



Some of the species are excellent pot plants for winter or early 

 spring llowering ; they should be potted in October or November, 

 and grown, slowly at first, in a cool greenhouse. G. ramosus and 

 G. ringens are eligible for this purpose. The rnmostis section never 

 flowers but once if pol-grown. G. nanus has the trimaculatus 

 blood. G. papilio is extremely beautiful as a pot plant. G. rin- 

 gens grows from twelve to fifteen inches high and has round foli- 

 age ; the llowcr is l)lue ;uid very small. G. iristis if i)lanted in 

 October will flower in April ; it is very fragrant part of the day ; it 

 was crossed with G. Gatidavensis by Herbert. G. Milleri is light 

 yellow. G. scgdiim and G. Bijzantinus are hardy and flower best 

 when left in the ground ; if potted they grow to a certain height 

 and then rot. The(ilieut varieties are not good to force in pots, 



