676 



GLADIOLUS-RAISING FROM SEED. 



danger of their being taken for weeds. The first sea- 

 son's growth is only a few inches, with tiny bulblets. 

 The best way is to take them up and dry top and bulb 

 together. When quite dry, put in a paper bag, and store 

 in a place safe from dampness, frost and mice. 



In spring following, plant the little bulbs in same 

 manner as you would sow seed. This year they will 

 grow a foot in height, and the bulbs will be about the 

 size of cranberry beans. Winter them over as before. 



The third summer they will grow about two feet tall, 

 and a very few will bloom,* but not many ; this season 

 they form fair sized 

 bulbs. When dry we re- 

 move the tops and pack 

 as large bulbs, each 

 variety put in a paper 

 bag, properly labeled, 

 and place in a chest or 

 box. Care must be taken 

 not to dry the bulbs hard 

 enough to kill them. 

 They are also very easily 

 injured by dampness 

 which causes a dry rot of 

 the crown of the bulb. 

 A few bulbs are easily 

 cared for, but when a 

 peck or more are stored 

 together they seem t o 

 gather moisture. We 

 look to them every few 

 weeks to see if they are 

 all right. 



The beauty o f our 

 seedlings has repaid us 

 many times for the 

 trouble. Most of them 

 prove nice. One of the 

 first was named James 

 Vick, and a grand flower 

 it has proved, of soft scar- 

 let color. The flower is 

 well opened, with thick 

 petals, close upon the 

 stalk (which is medium height) ; the throat light, with a 

 peculiar cream blotch upon the three lower petals, and a 

 purplish pencil line through each. We have no other 

 flower in our collection with this shaded blotch. It is our 

 best true scarlet gladiolus. Another was a lovely salmon 

 color, with light throat which is finely penciled with 

 violet rose. This is a distinct variety ; the leaves are 

 wide but short and very dark green ; it has been most 

 satisfactory to us. 



Others were decidedly distinct. One of these was a rich 

 shade of cherry rose, throat light, well penciled violet ; 

 branching freely. Another was a rich, cream white, with 



A Double Gladiolus from Mr. Burbank, Sonoma Co 

 California. (See page 672. ) 



fluted edge ; rose markings in from the edge of petals 

 about half an inch ; the throat penciled evenly upon 

 the three lower petals in rose crimson. One seed- 

 ling named Mary A. Colby, is pure white, most deli- 

 cately marked with rose ; throat, lightly marked ; one 

 of the thickest petaled waxy flowers we have, and I 

 think the most perfect as a cut-flower in the collection. 

 A variety named Jennie B. Colby is an improvement 

 upon that beauty, Eugene Scribe, which is claiming 

 much, but is true. The flower has large, thick petals ; in 

 color, it is white, flamed and striped rose and carmine, and 



where the petals unite, 

 thickly dotted ruby red, 

 giving it a very mottled 

 look ; upper floral leaves 

 pure white; edge full, 

 almost fluted. Many 

 pronounce this the best 

 in our collection ; we had 

 never dreamed we could 

 raise such beauties from 

 seed. Among others there 

 was a fine citron yellow, 

 the bud of a peculiar 

 greenish look; a fine 

 pink, blending rose and 

 carmine shades upon a 

 blush ground ; it i s a 

 beauty, branching freely ; 

 has some double blooms ; 

 one of soft cream-white, 

 with crimson blotches, 

 penciled violet rose. 



We have many more 

 fine varieties. We have 

 found pleasure in naming 

 all the better ones after 

 the individuals of our 

 family and ancestry, and 

 some after leading horti- 

 culturists. 



If we can raise from 

 seed as fine varieties as 

 the high priced named 

 collections, why should not others try ? From our 

 stock of hundreds of little bulbs, two and three years 

 old, we shall expect some nice flowers next season. 

 We have seedlings of old Gandavensis, of the same 

 color, but brighter and twice as large. A pink striped 

 kind has proved a fine parent plant, and has given 

 us some lovely pink flowers — true watermelon pink. 

 Golden Scepter has added several fine flowers from 

 its seed. Our best flowers came from Shakespeare 

 and Eugene Scribe. Some varieties will not mature 

 seed. 



Merrimack Co., N. H. Sunnyside Farm. 



[*Seedlings, if well cared for, should bloom the third year; many, indeed, should bloom the second. A rich soil, and care that they 

 do not suffer from drought, are the most that is required.— Ed.] 



