376 



The Garden Magazine, August, 1922 



young, vigorous ones are somewhat conical, while the "aged" 

 bulbs are flat. 



PERSONAL fancy may be indulged in selecting varieties. 

 There is a more general demand for America perhaps 

 than for any other one variety, but Mrs. Frances King, 

 Chicago White, Augusta, and May are all popular and inex- 

 pensive. 



Costing a little more, and worth it, are Baron Hulot (violet), 

 Halley (salmon pink), Independence, (flame pink), Meadowvale, 

 (white), Pink Beauty (rose pink), Snowbank (white), Taconie 



(bright pink), The King (mauve lilac), and Myrtle (shell 

 pink.) 



SOIL that will grow Chrysanthemums or Carnations suits 

 Gladiolus. They like a rich soil, and a liberal dressing of 

 sheep manure well worked in will not hurt them. Planting 

 may be done in the same way as with the small-flowered types, 

 and the general treatment is the same. Stir the soil surface 

 frequently ; water as often as required, giving a thorough soaking, 

 to wet the soil through and through. When the flower spikes 

 appear give liquid manure once a week until they show color. 



GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH THE BEST 



CHARLES E. F. GERSDORFF 



Editors' Note: — This appraisal of varieties of course expresses the personal conclusions of one man, but his opinions have been 

 reached by extensive study and the application of the analytic methods of a scientifically trained mind. Mr. GersdorfF s similar discus- 

 sion of Roses given in the February Garden Magazine has been recognized as a clarifying contribution to the variety discussion even of 

 that popular flower. This present article has equal value for the Gladiolus. As an avocation from his regular profession, Mr. Gersdorff 

 has grown, and studied, and made permanent records on variety performances of certain popular garden flowers for many years past, 

 and all his judgments are based on personal acquaintance. 



I. POPULAR LEADERS OF PROVEN WORTH 



HAT is a popular standard Gladiolus? 1 would call 

 such one that is quite generally distributed, grown in 

 quantity, sold at a price within the reach of all, and for 

 which there is a popular demand. There are many 

 varieties that fall into this class, and a large number of them 

 should, long since, have been discarded for the better kinds 

 which may now be had at equally attractive prices. Further, 

 there are many fine varieties, which, had they been advertised 

 as extensively as many of the worthless ones, would to-day be 

 numbered among the popular sorts. 



Popular "Glads" naturally fall into two groups, those suitable 

 for florists' and those for the garden. Florists' varieties, in the 

 main, are confined to light colors which lend themselves readily 

 to decorative purposes. In different sections of the country 

 there are different color preferences. However, I will not go into 

 this question analytically, confining myself to the presentation 

 of the following list. The varieties starred have been found 

 satisfactory for greenhouse forcing. 



The descriptions are necessarily brief. However, it is de- 

 sirable to state here that none of the varieties of the same 



general color are exactly alike, some being blends; others selfs, 

 blotched and throated varieties. 



*America (lavender pink) 



*Augusta (white and pink) 



Baron Josef Hulot (deep violet-blue) 



Bertrex (white) 



*Chicago White (white) 



*Dawn, Tracy, (coral pink) 



*Europa (white) 



Evelyn Kirtland (rosy pink) 



Gretchen Zang (salmon pink) 



*Halley (light salmon pink) 



independence (orange-rose pink) 



*Jane Dieulafoy (cream) 



*Le Marechal Foch (light pink) 



Liebesfeuer (scarlet) 



*AIso found satisfactory 



Lilywhite (white) 



Loveliness (creamy pink) 



Mrs. Frances King (salmon red) 



Mrs. Frank Pendleton (light pink) 



*Mrs. Watt (crimson) 



*Myrtle (delicate rose pink) 



*Niagara (pale yellow) 



* Panama (clear pink) 



* Peace (white) 



*Pink Beauty (light pink) 



*Prince of Wales (variable salmon pink) 



Schwaben (light yellow) 



*Wilbrinck (light pink and soft yellow) 



*Mixed Primulinus Hybrids. 



for greenhouse forcing 



For the garden the list can be made quite extensive. Besides 

 the varieties named for florists' use, except possibly Augusta, Eu- 

 ropa, and Pink Beauty, which in my extensive tests of varieties 

 I have found not too reliable in bloom or color, the following list 

 of varieties, which may still be graded very good and best qual- 

 ity, should add interest and beauty to any enthusiast's garden. 



ORANGE TO DEEP SCARLETS 



Brenchleyensis 



Captain Asher Carter Baker 



Cherry King 



Contrast 



Crimson Glow 



Dominion 



Fire King 



Golden West 



Gov. Hanly 



Liberty 



Mephistopheles 



Mrs. Scott Durand 



Primulinus Alice Tiplady 



Princeps 



Primulinus Linton 



War 



PALE TO DEEP ROSY PINKS AND REDS 



Cheerful 



Christine Margaret Kelway 



Daisy Rand 



Early Pink 



Harwinton 



Mrs. O. W. Halladay 



Scribe 



YELLOWS 



El Capitan 

 Golden King 

 Klondyke 

 Lafayette 

 Large Buff 

 Lemon Drop 

 Spring Song 

 Sulphur Queen 

 Yellow Hammer 

 Yellow Prince 



CREAMY PINKS 



Cherokee 

 Glory 

 Minnesota 

 Mrs. A. C. Beal 

 Fride of Goshen 



LIGHT TO DARK SALMON PINKS AND 

 SALMON REDS 



Charlemagne 



Gil Bias 



Koenigin Wilhelmina 



Primulinus Salmon Beauty 



Wamba 



BLACK REDS AND MAROONS 



WHITES 



Challenger 



Elizabeth Kurtz 



John Merle Coulter 



Glory of Holland 



Negerfurst 



L'Immaculee 





La Luna 



MAUVES TO WINE REDS 



Morning Star 



Czar Peter 



Mrs. Montague Chamberlain 



Empress of India 



Orchid 



Goliath 



Queenly 



Herada 



White Cluster 



Master Wietse 



White Ivory 



Mrs. Geo. W. Moulton 



White King 



Rosella 





The King 



VIOLET BLUES 



LAVENDERS AND LILACS 



Catherina 





Dick 



Atlas 



Byron L. Smith 



Magic 

 Mr. Mark 



Mary Fennell 





Scarsdale 





Youell's Favorite 



LIGHT TO DARK CRIMSON 





Anna Eberius 



VARIEGATAS 



Crackerjack 



Gaiety 



Geo. Paul 



Hyde Park 



Velvet King 



