64 
Obe Slower (Brower 
April, 1920 
American Gladiolus Society. 
Preliminary Prize List. 
The following are the prize offers 
that have been sent in thus far. The 
offers should be more numerous, and 
the Secretary would urge that all who 
wish to support the Show send in their 
offers at once, so that all of the addi- 
tional offers can be published in the next 
issue. If the purpose is to stimulate 
competition, it is essential that prize 
offers be announced in advance of the 
planting season so that exhibitors can 
make plans. We ought to have more 
prizes for decorative work in which 
Gladioli are used. Send your offer at 
once to the Secretary. 
OPEN CLASSES. 
H. E. Meader, Dover, N. H. 
Best 6 spikes Lilywhite. First prize $5 ; second 
prize, $3 ; third prize, $2. 
W. Atlee Burpee & Co., Philadelphia, Penna. 
Largest and best display, number varieties, quality 
and staging considered. Burpee Cup valued at $25. 
The winner taking this cup the third time to hold it 
permanently. 
Arthur A. Kirchhoff, Pembroke, N.Y. 
Best 6 spikes General Pershing. First prize, Silver 
Medal; second prize. Bronze Medal. 
Best 6 spikes Gloxinia. First prize, $4 ; second 
prize, $3. 
Best 3 spikes Professor A. C. Beal. First prize, $3 ; 
second prize, $2. 
W. E. Fryer, Mantorville, Minn. 
Best ’ 10 [spikes, Mrs. W. E. Fryer. First prize, 100 
corms of that variety ; second prize, 50 corms same. 
C. Zeestraten, Bemus Point, N. Y. 
Most artistically arranged vase or center piece of 
not less than 50 spikes of Gladiolus Primulinus. First 
prize, $10 ; second prize, $5. 
Tait Brothers Company, Brunswick, Ga. 
Best 3 spikes Seedling never before shown. First 
prize, $5 ; second prize, $3. 
NON-COMMERCIAL CLASSES. 
T. A. Havemeyer, New York, N. Y. 
Best vase 10 spikes Primulinus Hybrids, Orange. 
First prize, $5 ; second prize, $3. 
Best vase 10 spikes Primulinus Hybrids, Yellow. 
First prize, $5 ; second prize, $3. 
Best vase 10 spikes Primulinus Hybrids, any other 
color. First prize, $5 ; second prize, $3. 
Arthur A. Kirchhoff, Pembroke, N. Y. 
Best 6 spikes General Pershing. First prize, cut- 
glass vase, value $10 ; second prize, $5, cash. 
Best 6 spikes Prof. A. C. Beal. First prize, $2; 
second prize, $1. 
Best 6 spikes Gloxinia. First prize, $3 ; second 
prize, $2. 
W. E. Fryer, Mantorville, Minn. 
Best 10 spikes Mrs. W. E. Fryer. First prize, stock 
to the value of $5 ; second prize, same for $4 ; third 
prize same for $3. The stock to be selected from his 
catalogue. 
Carter’s Tested Seeds, Boston, Mass. 
Best 3 vases of white, deep pink and red Gladioli, 
each containing 12 spikes of bloom. First prize, $5 ; 
second prize $3. 
Henry F. Michell Co., Philadelphia, Penna. 
Largest and best display. First prize, Michell 
Silver Medal ; second prize. Michell Bronze Medal. 
Tait Brothers Company, Brunswick, Ga. 
Best 5 spikes Anna Eberius. First prize, $5 ; second 
prize, $3. 
Objection having been made against 
registering the varieties, Conspicuous 
and White America, the same are here- 
by withdrawn pending further investi- 
gation by the committee. 
A. C. Beal, Chairman. 
The frost is out of the ground earlier 
than usual following a very severe 
winter. 
Digging Bulblet Grown Gladi- 
olus Corms. 
[ Written expressly for The Flower Grover . ] 
An article on the digging of Gladi- 
olus bulblet stock might seem quite 
out of place at this time, were it not 
for the fact that the method of plant- 
ing has much to do with the ease, or 
otherwise, of digging. 
To harvest the crop easily we should 
plant them with that end in view. We 
sow our bulblets very thickly in the 
drill, all touching each other in mass, 
about three inches in width in the 
row, so, when they have made their 
growth the bulbs and roots will hold 
together when lifted at harvest time. 
Before planting, the ground is leveled 
smoothly with a garden rake, a line is 
run across the patch and drills made 
with a hand wheel plow which assures 
an even bottom in the furrow. This 
even bottom is quite essential, as, 
with ups and downs eliminated, at 
digging time an experienced man can 
judge where to thrust his trowel, so as 
to cut close to the roots of the little 
bulbs without taking up too much 
extra dirt to be sifted out. 
Our bulblets are planted in rows 16 
to 18 in. apart, and we keep a wheel 
hoe and cultivator running through 
the season. When sowing, to keep the 
bulblets from scattering over the sides 
of the drill, we take a double handful 
at a time and run them over the junc- 
tion of the fingertips into the row, 
with a smooth flowing motion which 
will plant a yard or so of row at a 
time and lay them very evenly. A lit- 
tle extra time spent in careful planting 
is a good investment and saves much 
time and loss later. 
When digging we use a spade or 
spade fork, starting three or four 
inches away from the row, inserting 
the tool far enough to be well below 
the roots then pry or loosen gently and 
repeat along the row. 
After loosening, a broad curved 
trowel is shoved under a short section 
of row, the tops are seized, and with 
both hands lifting at once takes out a 
good bunch of bulbs. A proper amount 
of shaking will dispose of the surplus 
earth ; practice will determine the 
handling so as not to shake the bulb- 
lets off with the dirt. 
If the stock is of exceptional value, 
we lift directly from the row into a 
fine meshed sieve in order to insure 
getting every bulblet. This method, 
of course, takes more time but in some 
cases bulblets of rare varieties and 
choice seedlings are often of untold 
worth, and authentic instances are 
known, where $50, $75, and even $100, 
have been refused for single bulbs. 
The possibilities wrapped within some 
varieties are tremendous ; wonderful 
varieties which have popularized the 
Gladiolus all over the world, all started 
from the tiniest of beginnings. 
I am getting away from my subject, 
to resume: After digging, the stock 
is taken to the dry-house which is a 
building with windows on all sides 
where the bulbs are exposed to cur- 
rents of air on all fair days. In case of 
an exceptionally wet fall such as we 
have experienced in 1919, a battery of 
oil heaters supplements the drying pro- 
cess. If bulbs are placed in perma- 
nent storage, in an imperfectly cured 
state, they will sometimes mold which, 
though it may not hurt the vitality of 
the bulb, it most certainly injures the 
appearance. 
Digging small stock is quite slow 
at best, and often tedious, but there 
are compensations. Following a cool 
night with maybe light frost, a clear 
sunny day in the field, with leaves 
falling, and the earthy smell in the air, 
it is not a hardship to be out of doors. 
And the examination of the different 
lots as they come to light, the cheer- 
ful feeling that comes over one as the 
favorite sorts turn out plump and cov- 
ered with increase, as they mostly do, 
makes a feeling that it is all well worth 
while. H. E. Meader. 
Catalogues and Price Lists. 
The Somerhousen Dahlia Gardens, Chestnut Hill, 
Philadelphia, Pa.— 1920 catalogue of Dahlias with in- 
teresting cultural directions. A selected list with ex- 
ceptionally complete description. 
C. R. Hinkle. St. Joseph, Mich. — An artistic retail 
catalogue of a selected list of Gladioli. The best 
garden sorts and some of the novelties and recent in- 
troductions. Also Dahlias. 
J. K. Rugowski Seed Co., Inc., Manitowoc, Wis.— 
Spring 1920 catalogue of seeds and flower stocks. 
Special attention given to a selected list of flower 
seeds. Also Gladioli, Cannas, Peonies, etc. 
B. Hammond Tracy, Inc., Cedar Acres Gladioli, 
Wenham, Mass.— 32 page catalogue and price list and 
color illustrations and with excellent descriptions. 
Some unusual varieties are listed. 
B. Hammond Tracy, Inc., Cedar Acres Dahlias, 
Wenham, Mass.— 8 page catalogue and price list ar- 
ranged in classes. 
Carlson Dahlia Gardens, Boulder, Colo.— Price list of 
Dahlias with good descriptions and prices by the 
dozen and hundred. 
F. W. Carlson, 2526 Fourth St., Boulder, Colo.— Re- 
tail list of Dahlias, divided into classes. 
N. A. Miller, P. O. Box 4125, Portland, Ore. — An 
extra nice catalogue of “Miller's Exquisite Dahlias.” 
An especially complete list of varieties are listed with 
good descriptions. 
J. K. Alexander, “The Dahlia King," East Bridge- 
water, Mass.— Wholesale trade list fall 1919— spring 
1920. Also Gladioli, Irises, etc. 
J. K. Alexander, “The Dahlia King.' ' 547-559 Central 
St., East Bridgewater, Mass.- Cultural guide and cata- 
logue for 1920. 64 pages and cover. Also Gladioli, 
Peonies, Irises, Cannas, hardy perennials, Phloxes, etc. 
Especially well illustrated. 
Melrose Bulb Importing Co., Thos. Cogger, Mgr., 
Melrose, Mass.— 1920 list of rare Gladioli. 
J. C. Grossman and Wife, Wolcottville, Ind., R. D. 
No. 2.— 1920 retail pricelist of Gladioli. TheKunderd 
varieties are especially represented. 
Alt F. Clark, The Bungalow Gardens, Netcong, N. 
J.— Wholesale trade list of Dahlias for florists, seeds- 
men, etc. Especially well classified, and an unusual 
number of choice varieties. 
The American Iris Society is, for a 
young organization, showing great ac- 
tivity. We look for some very im- 
portant results to be accomplished by 
this organization. Those interested 
should affiliate themselves at once with 
the American Iris Society. 
We learn that Arthur A. Kirchhoff, 
Pembroke, N. Y., has purchased from 
W. E. Kirchhoff Co., of the same place, 
the entire stock of Gladiolus varieties, 
General Pershing, Gloxinia and Prof. A. 
C. Beal, and that he will fill all orders 
for these varieties in future. 
