184 THE GLADIOLUS. 



situation. We are inclined to believe that careless culture, 

 rather than any difficulty of a more serious kind, is the 

 reason we so seldom see any of this beautiful class in col- 

 lections. 



We now come to the more hardy species, for which we 

 can give no better cultural directions than are laid down in 

 an article written by us a year ago for " The Horticultu- 

 rist." 



Our garden gladiolus are mostly hybrids from G. Nata- 

 lensis and G. floribundus, or oppositiflorus, with a little of the 

 blood of G. cardinalis and ramosus in some of the fine vari- 

 eties. They are commonly known, in gardeners' parlance, 

 as " Gandaveusis hybrids," from the first hybrid raised, 

 and diifer much in habit and form from any of the species 

 we have before described. 



The name Gladiolus, from the Latin, is a true diminutive 

 from gladius, " a sword," and therefore means a little sword : 

 its reference is to the shape of the leaves of the plant ; 

 and the same is found in the common name. " sword lily." 

 The name is generally incorrectly pronounced gladiolus, 

 with the accent on the o. Following the analogy of the 

 Latin, the word should be gladiolus, the accent on the i, 

 leaving the penult short ; a far more euphonious word. 



