144 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
February S2,1891. 
rake, but unless the soil is dry it is better to defer the treading for 
a few days, and in the case of heavy soils not to tread at all, 
instead be content with pressing down with the back of the rake. 
—D. W. 
PLANTING GLADIOLI. 
The time for active operations is at hand, albeit the gardener 
is never quite at rest, for even during the dark days of winter 
preparations for the future have to be made. When the first flush 
of spring comes, flowers begin to open, and birds to resume their 
activity and gladden us with their song, there are many things that 
crowd upon his mind ; flowers, fruit, and vegetables alike claim his 
attention, and the difficulty is, what shall he do first ? Although 
the Gladiolus may be planted now—probably where there is a very 
large stock planting will commence this month—yet there is 
abundance of time for ordinary growers. Nevertheless, it may be 
useful to direct attention to the subject so that growers, 
especially if they be beginners, may be prepared for the work before 
them. 
The present is, of course, inseparably connected with the past 
season, for one cannot get the bulbs ready for planting without 
being reminded of what a fine season the last was for them. In 
my own garden, where the soil is light and naturally containing a 
good deal of humus, neither of which are advantageous to the 
culture of the Gladiolus, I have never lifted finer bulbs, nor for 
some years have my losses been so few. Contrasting the bulbs 
last year with some previous wet autumns, one is forced to the 
conclusion that a dry season suits them best; and if instead of the 
very wet October we had experienced a fine month I have no 
doubt that my harvesting would at any rate have been better. 
The experience of other growers tallies with my own, and although 
the blooming season was somewhat shortened by the drought, most 
cultivators regarded 1893 as a favourable year. 
There are two sections of this fine autumn flower which are 
now recognised as well worth cultivating in our gardens. The 
Gandavensis section, which comprises all the fine varieties that we 
have been in the habit of seeing for yea's, and to which we are 
indebted for the steady perseverance and innelligent cultivation of 
the late Mons. Souchet at Fontainbleau and his successors, MM. 
Souillard and Brunelet. It is of these that the greater portion 
of the collections grown in gardens is composed. Of late years 
another has been added to our gardens in the so-called hardy 
hybrids raised by Lemoine (at Nancy) and others; these are 
hybrids of purpurea, auratus, and Saundersi, crossed with Ganda¬ 
vensis. I have used the term hardy (^o-called) with reference to 
them because I am very doubtful whether they have any claim to 
ihe title. Mons. Lemoine himself sajs they must have some little 
protection in the winter, but that same amount of protection, 
whether of leaves, cocoa-nut fibre refuse, or ashes, will, I think, 
most probably equally preserve the hybrids of Gandavensis. I left 
a row of mine in the ground this winter, and do not find that they 
have been affected by the frost, so far as I can ascertain at present. 
True, we have not experienced a continuance of severe frost such 
fts we had in the previous winter, and consequently one is not wall 
able to decide as to what amount of cold they will endure ; but I 
am inclined to think they will stand as much as the Lemoine 
section. 
In making the beds for planting it is, of course, as in all cases 
of florist flowers grown in beds, desirable to have the ground 
prepared in the autumn, but this is not absolutely necessary, 
provided that when the weather is favourable it be well trenched, 
and manure laid at the bottom of the trench so as not to come 
into contact with the bulbs. I have not seen anything to alter my 
opinion as to the kind of soil that suits them best, and therefore 
where the natural soil is light or sandy a goodly portion of stiff 
loam may be dug in a little while before planting. The beds 
should be in a good airy position, but not exposed to high 
winds. The most convenient sizes for the beds is about 4 feet 
wide. This will admit of four rows of bulbs, the rows being 
thus I foot asunder, while the bulbs should be about 9 or 10 inches 
apart in the rows, and, indeed, where space is of no consideration 
a foot may bo given to them. 
There are two ways in which planting may be done—either 
by drawing a drill, or by making a hole for each bulb. I prefer 
the latter when the collection is small, for though it is more 
troublesome, I think it gives better results ; and as my soil is 
naturally light I fill the hole with some stiff loam, and place 
some road grit beneath the bulb. I pre'er this to sand because 
the latter “pads” (as we call it in Kent) while the road grit keeps 
open. The practice of cutting the bulbs in halves is now almost 
universally adopted by growers, and I know of but one who 
speaks against it. He gives no reasons for his opposition, but says 
“I don’t like it.” On the other hand grand spikes exhibited by 
Mr. Lindsell, Mr. Fowler and Mr. Burrill, of which the greater 
portion were from cut bulbs, gives strong testimony to the value of 
the operation ; but it must be remembered that not only does it 
prevent the crowding of spixes issuing from the same bulb, but 
it also doubles the number of plants. I may add from my own 
experience some of the finest bulbs that I took up last autumn 
were from those so treated. 
Whatever may be the difference of opinion as to the cause of 
losses amongst these bulbs, I have no hesitation in saying that the 
best way of keeping up a good and healthy stock is by saving the 
spawn. Where this has been the case these young bulbs had better 
be planted ; I had almost said sown, for it is more like that than 
planting at once. It gives them a better chance of blooming, and 
as some of them have a very hard case, the longer they are in the 
ground the more likely are they to grow. The best method of 
procedure is to open a shallow drill and sow them in it as you 
might do Onion seed. I saw one such bed at Mr. Fowler’s at 
Taunton last autumn, and it was like a bed of young Barley. It 
may be asked, “ How long will it be before these bloom ? ” This 
very much depends on the size of the hulblets, many of which in 
some varieties will be as large as a Filbert. These will most 
probably bloom well in the autumn where the soil is favourable 
to them, and in two years’ time most of them may be expected to 
flower. A bulb, which when planted is about the size of a small 
Walnut, will throw a good spike of bloom and some of the magnifi¬ 
cent spikes exhibited by Mr. Burrill last season were cut from 
bulbs of this character. These observations apply to the hybrids 
Gandavensis. The Lemoinei groups are left much more to them¬ 
selves ; in fact they need only be lifted every second or third year, 
and may then be planted again, dividing the bulbs a little, for 
they are more suited for garden decoration than for exhibition. 
With regard to varieties which I would recommend entirely 
depends on the requirements of the grower. If he be a beginner 
it will be well for him only to try those which have been in 
commerce for some years, and are consequently cheap ; while if he 
be more ambitious, there are some few varieties which have been 
sent out of late years which he would do well to possess. I 
subjoin therefore for the guidance of both of these a short list, 
which I think will meet their requiremencs. 
List No. 1.—Africaine, chocolate-brown, scarlet flushes, and 
white blotch ; novel and good. AmaUbee, pure white, large 
violet-red blotch. Amiti4, pale creamy rose, shaded straw, and 
lightly flaked purple. Archduchesse Marie Christine, white, tinted 
and flaked carmine. Bironess Burdett Coutts, lilac, tinted rose 
and purple. Bicolor, top petals bright salmon-rose, lower divisions 
white edged rose. Cameleon, slaty lilac, striped white, pale orange 
blotch. Cervantes, bright rose tinted carmine, white stripes and 
orange tinted lower petals. Conquerant, dark purplish carmine. 
Crepuscule, pale porcelain tinted lilac. Dalila, lilac suffused violet. 
Eugfene Scribe, white, suffused carmine. Flamboyant, bright 
scarlet-crimson. Formosa, pale satin-rose, ligh ly striped carmine. 
Grand Rouge, scarlet-crimson, small violet blotch. Horace Yernet, 
purple-red blotches, and striped white. Jeanette, rose striped and 
blotched carmine. Leandre, bright lilac, blotched and striped 
white. Le Vesuve, fiery red. Meyerbeer, bright vermilion, 
amaranth blotch. Mons. A. Brogniart, orange-rose, flamed red on 
white ground. Oodine, white, tinted lilac. Ovide, purplish 
carmine, blotched and striped pure white Pyramide, clear, 
delicate orange rose. Rayon d’Or, yellow-red stripes and purple 
blotch. Sceptre de Flore, rich rose, spotted carmine. Shakespeare, 
white, large rose blotch. 
List No. 2.—Abricote, clear shining apricot rose, glazed scarlet. 
Enchanteresse, pale rosy white, lightly striped violet. Fantome, 
white, slightly glazed, striped rose on edges. Gerbe de Feu, 
brilliant scarlet, with large creamy white blotch. G aive de Feu, 
salmon rose, lightly striped with veimilion, ivory white blotch. 
Grand Mogul, pale cerise red, flaked mulberry, fringed slate, 
lolanthe, reddish pink, lower petals white band, and feathered 
crimson. Mont Blanc, large pure white, long striped. Minos, 
salmon rose, flushed cherry. Mr. Fowler, oale creamy rose, flaked 
deep rose. Prospero, pale rosy white, striped carmine. Vicar of 
Westwell, cerise, lightly feathered crimson.—D., Deal. 
APPLES. 
Standard Bearer v. Cobham. 
I NOTE in your report of the proceedinijH of the Royal Horticultural 
Society’s Fruit Committee on February 13r,h that both Mr. Iggulden and 
myself were to be asked to inspect Mr. B .iiiiis'er’s Apple' Standard 
Bearer at Cote House. If residingin the nei^hboui hood means anything 
within eighty or ninety miles, I supp- se I must he there. I should be 
only too pleased to give wbat assistance I cou d in the matter, so as to 
arrive at a ci rrect estimate of the variety. 
£As regalds the true Cobham—a variety often spoken about, but very 
