How to Plant and Care for Gladioli 
stock should be obtained that Is full of vigor, not large flat worn-out iJorms which 
will prove worthless in the end. ' 
Soil should be of ordinary strength only, manures are very injurious if allowed to 
come in contact with either the roots or the corm, soil should be turned to a depth of 
eight Inches and well pulverized. 
Set the corms right side up in a trench 5 to 6 inches deep and 6 inches apart. Keep 
the soil porous by frequent stirrings, a hoe will be found the best tool for this work. 
Water frequently after plants begin to grow, this can not be overdone when plants 
begin to bloom, provided the ground is kept in a porous condition. 
Stakes should be provided as supports for th^ flowering spikes which may be ruined 
by wind or rain. 
Corms should be taken up before hard frosts and dried out in the shade, they can 
then be stored in a cool dry cellar and planted out again the following spring. 
Soil should be prepared in the fall and a secondary stirring given in the spring before 
planting. ' ' 
The cormels or offsets which are found around the old corm should be planted also, 
it is from this source that the best and strongest corms originate. 
How to Plant and Care for Dahlias 
If possible, plant in an open, sunny situation. Prepare the soil thoroughly by deep 
digging. , Be moderate in the use of both manure and water. Never plant when the 
soil i? wet. Lay the tuber flat on its side and cover it four inches deep, pressing the 
soil firmly on the tuber. Keep the soil loose and mellow by frequent Joeing, drawing 
the soil to a slight hillock around the plant. 
Tall growing varieties may be kept fairly dwarf by pinching out the tip when the 
first shoot is six inches high. All varieties growing above four feet should be tied to 
stout stakes to hold them in position. 
3x3 feet is about the proper distance to plant apart. 
Keep all dead flowers trimmed off. 
Dahlia blooms keep much better if cut in the evening— about sunset — and the less 
foliage taken off with the flower the better for both plant and flower. If green is 
desired, use some other green of better keeping qualities. 
After frost has killed tops, dig the tubers carefully, remove the soil from the roots, 
and store away in a box or barrel secure from frost. As a precaution it would be well 
to cover the tubers so stored with sand, leaves or moss. 
All clumps should be divided into several pieces before being reset the following 
spring. 
XHE WILMORE FLORAL CO. 
DENVER, COLORADO 
BOX 1111 
