THE WAY TO GROW GOOD GLADIOLUS 



(continued) 



HOW TO PLANT. — Manure well in the fall. In spring at planting time, 

 use only well rotted manures or commercial fertilizers. If manures are not 

 available, use leaves sprinkled with sheep fertilizers and some lime. Cow or 

 hog better than chicken or horse manures. Will not burn if used heavy, and 

 better chemical element content for flowers. Spade not less than 8 or 10 

 inches deep. Pulverize manures and soil thoroughly. Open rows or trenches 

 6 inches deep, 18 or 20 inches apart. Set large bulbs in trenches the width of 

 the bulbs apart. Farther apart if you care to but no closer. Smaller bulbs 

 not set so deep, 6 inches is deep planting. Slows appearance of sprout through 

 ground but protects from late frosts, will stand heavy wind, and extreme hot 

 or rainy weather better. Cover bulbs with an inch of soil then sprinkle liber- 

 ally with sheep fertilizer, bone meal, or complete slaughter house tankage. 

 Fill in rest of trench with soil and firm down by walking on rows or with lawn 

 roller to eliminate air pockets around bulbs. If soil is dry when planted, water 

 thoroughouly after planting. If planted in beds set bulbs about 6 inches apart. 



HOW TO MARK. — Put in stakes and label each variety as planted. Stakes 

 in deep to avoid being pulled out in cultivating. Unless water-proof ink, use 

 lead pencil for marking labels. Common ink will fade from rains and watering. 



CULTIVATING. — Keep soil loose and free from weeds always. Never permit 

 caking or crusting of soil after rains or watering. Keep cultivating. The 

 more you do, the better your plants and flowers for many reasons. 



FERTILIZING. — Use plenty of sheep fertilizer, tankage or bone meal. All or 

 each. Each has some content the others lack. Bone meal good but slow. If 

 nitrates and ammonias are used, be careful. Use them only between rows and 

 never permit on plants. They are strong and stimulants more than foods. 



WATERING. — Water when necessary, then soak them. Sprinkling has 

 tendency to draw roots up for moisture. Send the water down to the roots. 

 Unless very dry, once a week is usually enough. 



BLOOMS. — Cut flower spike when first bud is open. Keep spikes in water. 

 Change water and cut end of spike off slanting, daily. Use a knife for all 

 cutting. Shears crush and close channels in stem so water cannot pass through 

 to buds. In cutting spike, leave 4 to 6 leaves on plant to mature bulbs. 



DIGGING. — Dig when foliage turns brown but always before freezing weather. 

 Cut off foliage close to bulb. Dry in open air a few days but keep from frost. 

 Store for a few weeks, then divide new bulbs and bulblets from mother bulb 

 and old roots. Always keep label and name with each variety. Clean up and 

 store for winter. 



STORAGE. — Store in cigar or other shallow wooden boxes. Paste label on box 

 and mark variety plainly. Do not crowd because of danger of mixing varieties. 

 Store in a cool, dry place. A temperature of about 40 degrees F. A. canned 

 fruit cellar is exactly right if not too damp. 



REMEMBER. — Good bulbs, plenty of sun, food, water and cultivating is all 

 you need to raise Prize Winning Glads. 



