Cultural Directions 
THE Gladiolus is a flower of easy culture 
and does well in any soil, but should be 
planted in full exposure to the sun. They 
will do well planted in the hardy borders or in 
front of shrubbery. Many of the best varieties 
produce small bulbs, and in buying a mixture 
you will find it much better when the size of the 
bulbs varies to a considerable degree. The 
largest bulbs do not always give the best results. 
It is essential that the bulb should be of blooming 
age rather than size. Soil should be well pre- 
pared in the early spring, with a good coating of 
agricultural lime and bone meal thoroughly 
worked into the soil, but fresh stable manure 
should never be used, except where the ground 
may be manured the previous fall and well 
worked over in the spring before planting. 
The various ways in which the Gladiolus can 
be planted make it one of the most showy and 
attractive garden flowers. Planted in round, 
oblong or square beds, planting bulbs from four 
to six inches apart, so that they may be weeded 
and hand-hoed, they will give a wealth of color 
not equaled by any other flower. 
Plantings for cut flowers should be made in 
rows eighteen inches apart, with bulbs three 
inches apart in the row, covering from four to 
six inches, according to the size of the bulbs; 
press the earth firmly around each bulb. Care 
should be taken to plant the bulbs right side up, 
and deep enough so that the new bulb, which 
forms on top, will not be pushed too near the 
surface. For succession of bloom, plant from the 
time the ground can be worked until July 1 . 
After the spike begins to show, all weeds should 
be removed, and if the soil is kept thoroughly 
worked, watering will hardly be necessary; they 
