9 5 



THE CENTURY BOOK OF GARDENING. 



handsome species is G. Endressi, with rose-coloured 

 flowers ; and Ibericum, rich blue, is also pleasing. 

 G. sanguineum lancastriense, G. pratense and the white 

 variety, the silvery-leaved G. argenteum and G. cinereum, 

 which has white flowers with purple veins, are all of 

 value, the last two mentioned being happier on the 

 rock garden ; they are too small for the border. If one 

 wishes to increase the Geraniums, it is easy to do so by 

 dividing the tufts in spring when new growth begins, or 

 by sowing seeds in a cold frame in spring, or at almost 

 any season. Root division is, however, the simpler way. 

 Gladiolus. — This is a beautiful family of plants which of 

 late years has received many remarkable additions in the 

 way of hybrids. It is true that the plants are not a suc- 

 cess everywhere, but they require in a measure peculiar 

 conditions a thoroughly drained soil, and warm sunny 

 position. If those who have hitherto failed in the culture 

 ot these noble flowers would consider their requirements 

 more closely, the results would not be so unsatisfactory. 

 There are many ways ol planting, a delightful one being 

 to mass them amongst 

 evergreen shrubs, which 

 display the rich and 

 varied colouring to con- 

 spicuous advantage, or 

 in a distinct bed or beds 

 upon the outskirts of 

 the lawn, or in I In' 

 pleasure ground, when 

 the lull rich beaut}' of 

 colour and form is not 

 hidden. No less than 

 one hundred species can 

 be named, the majority 

 of which are natives of 

 South Africa. Gladioli 

 may be propagated from 

 seed, in which manner 

 a number of lovely 

 hybrids have been raised 

 of late years. The sorts 

 chiefly used in gardens 

 ai the present day are 

 hybrids of the autumn- 

 flowering ( i. I ianda- 

 vensis and the early- 

 flowering race, which 

 latter owes its origin 

 chiefly to G. ramosus, 

 G. cardinalis, and G. 

 tristis. These two sec- 

 tions of Gladioli require 

 different methods ot 

 treatment. The early- 

 flowering kinds succeed 

 I lest in light soil, and in 

 the Southern Counties, 

 where the staple is ol 

 this desc ri pt ion , 



increase surprisingly last, and may with impunity be lett 

 in the open border without protection through the winter. 

 In heavy, damp soils, however, litis course cannot be 

 follow ed w ithout an ultimate loss of the conns, though if 

 raised beds of light soil be made, the plants may be 

 allowed to remain undisturbed, except in cold districts, 

 if a mulch of cocoa-nut fibre be given before !/ie winter 

 Sets in. 



1)1 the early-flowering Gladioli about twenty kinds 

 are in commerce, amongst the best of which are the fol- 

 lowing : G. Colvillei, The liiide, the well-known white 

 variety, which is grown by the thousand for the market ; 

 Blushing Bride, while with rose pink Makings ; Fire King, 

 rich red: Crimson Queen, deep crimson ; Delicatissimus, 

 blush white with rose flakings ; Insignis, scarlet, flaked 

 purple; Prince Albert, rosy scarlet, flaked while : Salmon 

 Queen, clear salmon pink. These early-flowering Gladioli 

 are valuable for pots, being most decorative in the 

 conservatory during the late spring. 



GLADIOLUS 



The autumn-blooming hybrids of the Gandavensis 

 section will succeed in a far heavier soil than is suitable 

 for the last-named race, many growers being markedly 

 successful in their culture in strong, adhesive loam. The 

 soil should be deeply dug some three months prior to the 

 planting of the conns, and some well-rotted manure 

 added at the final digging, care being taken that this 

 manure does not come into contact with the corms when 

 planted towards the end of March. It is well at the 

 planting time to surface each corm with a little silver 

 sand. In warm and dry soils in the South of England 

 the corms, if planted at a depth of 7in., will usually come 

 through the winter unscathed ; but autumnal lifting is 

 usually practised, and is the safest plan. When the 

 foliage shows signs of yellowing, the conns are lifted, 

 and for a time hung up by their leases in an airy, dry 

 outhouse or loft, where the foliage soon becomes destitute 

 of sap. They are then taken down, the corms removed 

 and cleaned, and stored in dry sand, drawers, or paper 

 bags. No moisture or warmth must be allowed to affect 



the resting corms, or 

 they will start into pre- 

 mature growth, which 

 is detrimental to their 

 subsequent flowering. 

 An easv method of pro- 

 pagation is that of 

 detaching the small 

 bulbils, which are found 

 clustered round the base 

 of the corm, and plant- 

 ing them in lines in a 

 well-prepared bed of 

 light soil, mulching this 

 in the winter with long 

 manure, rough leaf- 

 mould, or cocoa-nut 

 fibre, in order to pre- 

 vent injury by frost. 

 These autumn-flowering 

 Gladioli are also amen- 

 able to pot culture, one 

 large corm being suffi- 

 cient for a 7in. pot. As 

 cut flowers all sections 

 of the Gladiolus family 

 are equally valuable, 

 the spikes opening well 

 in water if cut when the 

 lower blossoms have 

 just expanded. Many 

 named varieties of the 

 late-flowering Gladioli 

 are raised each year, 

 but several old-time 

 favourites have dropped 

 out of cultivation. The 

 brilliant scarlet G. 

 Brenchleyensis has, 

 however, a hardy constitution, and is invaluable for garden 

 decoration. A wide series of colours is represented in 

 this section, the tints ranging through crimson, scarlet, 

 rose, flesh, salmon, yellow, and white. 



New hybrid races of Gladioli have been introduced of 

 late years, these being G. Lemoinei. mostly yellow and 

 flesh-tinted, with large blotches of deep colour on their 

 lower petals; G. Nanceanus, producing exceptionally large 

 and brightly-coloured flowers ; and G. Childsi, a more 

 robust strain than the last-named, the flower spike being 

 taller, and the individual blossoms possessing exceptional 

 lasting powers. One of the most popular of the Gladioli 

 for pots is G. Colvillei, The Bride, which may be grown in 

 an ordinary greenhouse with complete success, as will be 

 pointed out when flowers for the greenhouse areconsidered. 



Golden Rod. -See Solidago. 



Grasses, Hardy. — Varied and noble are the hardy 

 Grasses, of which the Pampas Grass (Gynerium 

 argenteum) and the New Zealand Reed (Arundo 



