308 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[October, 
SPECIMENS OF GLADIOLUS FROM OUR EXHIBITION TABLES. 
Sketched and Engraved for the American Agriculturist. 
The Improved French Hybrid Gladiolus. 
— • — ■ 
Some years ago two or more sorts of Sword 
Lily or Corn-Flag were grown in the gardens, 
but they did not excite any great admiration. 
Within a few years the Gladiolus Gandavensis and 
its varieties have been introduced, and have 
become deservedly popular. Their great beauty, 
variety of color, and ease of cultivation make 
them among the most valuable plants for 
garden decoration. The engraving represents 
a group of flowers selected from a most magni- 
ficent collection exhibited at the Agriculturist 
office by Mr. Andrew Bridgeman, of New-York. 
The G. Gandavensis, is so called because it origi- 
nated in Gand (Ghent), and it is claimed that it 
is a hybrid between two old species ; however 
this may be, it sports wonderfully and has pro- 
duced a great variety of most beautiful sorts, 
differing in the size of flower, color and mark- 
ings. Some are pure white with most delicate 
purple lines; others unite white, yellow and pur- 
ple, scarlet or crimson, shaded in the most pleas- 
ing manner. The named varieties number sev- 
eral hundreds, and sell at the stores from 20 cts. 
to $3 a bulb, according to their rarity. The 
plants will grow in any good soil ; the colors 
come better if the ground is not made too rich. 
The bulbs may be planted as soon as the frost is 
well out of the ground. The best effects are 
produced by planting strongly contrasted col- 
ors in groups of three to Ave. When a flow- 
er stem appears, it needs Vo be tied to a neat 
light stake to keep it from being blown over by 
the winds. When the frost cuts down the fo- 
liage, the bulbs are to be taken up and placed 
in a sheltered place to ripen, and then put up 
in paper bags until the time for Spring planting. 
The bulb planted in the Spring, will usually be 
found to have multiplied to two or three ; and 
frequently numerous small bulbs, not larger 
than peas, are found attached. In case of a choice 
variety, these minute bulbs should be carefully 
saved and planted, as they will in a couple of 
years also become good flowering bulbs. 
The following is a list of select varieties of 
Gladiolus. It does not by any means comprise 
all the flue sorts, but these kinds are g_ood and 
will give satisfaction : Adonis, Archimede, 
Brenchleyensis, Calypso, Comte de Morn}', Cour- 
anti fulgens, Daphne, Don Juan, Edith, Eugene 
Verdier, Junon, Louis Van Houtte, Mathilde de 
Landevoisin, Mazeppa, Napoleon III., Neptune, 
Osiris, Premices de Mont Rouge, Vesta. 
The Rose as a Bedding Plant. 
Of upright roses we have often spokeu, and 
shall again speak, for this is their true position. 
But for variety and novelty, it may frequently be 
recommended to use them as bedding plants, 
pegging them to the surface of the ground. 
To do this well, a bed of deep, rich soil 
should be prepared. The work should be done 
with special thoroughness at the outset, because 
the earth can not be enriched aud spaded after- 
ward, as well as with standing roses. Set the 
plants 1} to 2 feet apart each way, according to 
their habit of growth, using only young plants. 
Peg down the branches to the earth, from the 
very start, and spread them equally on every 
side, like verbenas, so as to cover the ground. 
Of the kinds most suitable for this treatment, 
we would name for the latitude of this city 
and southward : Deconiensis (Tea), Aggripma 
(China), Mrs. Bosanquet and Malmaison (Bour- 
bons ;) for northward of this, we would propose : 
Hermosa (Bourbon), Giant of Battles, Mad. 
Laffay, and Due d'Aumaule (hybrid perpetuals). 
Cover these beds with coarse litter in the Fall, 
uncover by middle of April, and prune out the 
oldest wood aud peg all down in good order. 
The effect of such a bed is very pleasing. 
About Crosses and Hybrids. 
W. K. R, of Hastings, N. Y., asks us to dis- 
cuss this subject iu the Agriculturist. We can 
only briefly answer some of his questions with- 
out going at length into a matter which is in- 
volved in much obscuritj r , and one which treated 
at any length would concern but a small minor- 
ity of our readers. Those interested in the 
subject will find some very pleasant reading in 
the 8th chapter of Darwin on the Origin of 
Species. The term hybrid is used very loosely 
by gardeners and florists. By the best authors it 
is applied only to the product of one species fer- 
tilized by another distinct species. Hybrids are 
rarely fertile, though they may be fertilized by 
the pollen of one of the parents, and then the 
progeny tends to revert to the original character 
of the parents. Hybrids take place in nature, 
though rarely, and are produced to some extent 
by the care of the cultivator. The product of 
the union of two varieties of the same species 
is properly called a cross, or cross breed ; it takes 
place with the greatest facility, and requires 
much care to prevent the loss in this way of de- 
sirable sorts of cultivated plants. We know of 
no instance where the crossing extends from 
genus to genus. We shall look with much in- 
terest for the result of Mr. R's. experiment in 
impregnating the Tomato with the pollen of 
the Red Pepper. Should a hybrid be obtained, it 
will go to show that the Tomato was improp- 
