Extract from the Florist Exchange (an unquestioned authority) of issue 
Sept. 20th, 1902. 
The Meadowvale Farm of Arthur Cowee, of Gladiolus fame, is situate 
in the hamlet of Berlin, N. Y. ; and, although somewhat removed from 
regular roads of travel, the Gladiolus industry is an attraction that brings 
many flower lovers to Berlin during the plant's flowering season. 
It was our privilege on the first of September to ramble over the fields, 
and note the Gladioli in their many different hues ; and, although it was 
perhaps a week or ten days too late for the fields to be viewed at their best, 
the sight presented was well worth the journey. 
As is well known, the varieties of Gladiolus grown here are principally 
those now known to the trade as Groff's Hybrids. When we entered the 
field it was our intention to note and try to describe some of the newer 
creations ; but the varieties are so multitudinous, and of such excellent 
merit generally, that they can only be referred to in sections; and we 
can now easily appreciate Mr. Groff's system of refraining from naming 
his varieties. There are so many that would be worthy of a name, should 
that system be adopted, that it would be impossible to find appellations for 
them all. 
Before entering further into the subject, we ought to say that Mr. 
Cowee is a life-long enthusiast on Gladiolus, and for the past ten years he 
has been growing them extensively. Now, ten years' cultivation and close 
observation of any one particular flower must necessarily give one a fair 
imderstanding of the subject in hand, and although all the new European 
varieties are grown and tested carefully, as well as the several well-known 
American strains, Mr. Cowee does not hesitate to say that Groff's Hybrids 
lead all others. To some that may seem a very broad statement, as there 
are now several other beautiful types of Gladiolus that are well-known 
commercially ; but if we look closely into the matter we must admit that 
Mr. .Cowee is justified in his opinion. Let us take diversity of color, for 
instance. There was one block of a light-colored section — probably 
about two acres. We cut fifty spikes indiscriminately from the ends of the 
rows nearest the path. Wlien these fifty spikes were closely examined it 
was found that there was only one duplicate among them. All were light 
colored in the strictest sense of the word ; and, excepting one, they were 
all dissimilar. In that block there were at least 500 different varieties. 
So much for color variation. 
With respect to constitutional vigor, this is perhaps their verv strong- 
est point. When seen growing in close proximity to other strains, Groff's 
Hybrids all flower, and every bud will open and fully develop. It is also 
very noticeable that the very small bulblets, or cormels, of these hybrids 
have a propensity for flowering while very young: of one block of such 
cormels that, when planted, were from to Yg, of an inch in diameter, 
90% had flowered. 
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