1 64 FOURTH NATIONAL FLOWER SHOW 
THE GLADIOLUS—" THE PEOPLE'S 
FLOWER" 
BY ISAAC S. HENDRICKSON 
The Rose has its champions by the legion, because everyone loves the Rose 
— as a Rose, but not everyone can grow the Rose with a pleasing degree of suc- 
cess. Any flower we might name has its lover, or lovers, but for a flower for the 
people, the common people as well as the elect — a flower that rivals any other 
as to colors and lasting qualities; a flower that can be grown by the millions 
having small or large gardens; a flower that for ease of culture is supreme; a 
flower that is in reach of short or long purse — the GLADIOLUS is indeed "the 
people's flower." 
The Gladiolus has at last come into its own, and however we pronounce 
the name, the flower itself stands conspicuous at the top of the list as one 
of the most useful, beautiful and satisfying of all our garden flowers; and bloom- 
ing, as it does, during August, when there is a dearth of flowers, makes it doubly 
valuable. Some of the late productions of varieties are really wonderful, and 
as their propagation has become so general among "growers of flowers for sale," 
the finest varieties have become within reach of all. 
AS TO CULTURE 
If you know Gladioli, which term includes the family of varieties, you 
know how simple their culture is ; but for those who are going to try them for 
the first time, a few words of advice may be appropriate. The bulbs may be 
planted anytime after the ground is settled in the spring, and by planting at 
different times, say every fifteen days up to June, a succession of flowers can be 
had from July until frost. The bulbs require twelve to fourteen weeks to come 
into bloom. 
Spade the ground deep, the deeper the better, and if manure is used, let it 
be old and very well incorporated with the soil. Then dig a trench, or furrow, 
and plant the bulbs about four inches apart, either in single or double rows, 
according to the size of the bulbs, and about four to six inches deep, according 
to the character of the soil, whether light or heavy. The rows should be about 
two feet apart, which will permit of easy hoeing, and cutting of the spikes, and 
I presume you will want to cut the spikes, as the Gladiolus is essentially for 
cutting flower. Cut the spike when the first bud shows color, the balance will 
open fine in the house, and show a better color than when left in the sun. 
If preferred, the bulbs can be planted promiscuously among shrubs in the 
hardy border, but they really like a little more "stirring of the earth" than is 
generally possible in a mixed border. 
