26 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 18,1887. 
mg to circumstances to a general fund for that purpose. 
With the view to stimulating local effort and recognising 
effective aid, some inducement of a complimentary 
character might be desirable, the precise nature of which 
could be easily determined. The circumstances being 
special and exceptional, the occasion would be favourable 
for instituting privileges of a nature that would be ap¬ 
preciated by those who should entitle themselves to 
become recipients. The great point should be to enlist 
the sympathies and active association of the greatest 
possible number of persons all over the land, then the 
object in view might be attained without anyone being 
appreciably the poorer. 
When it is remembered that sums ranging from .£500 
to upwards of £1000 have been from time to time col¬ 
lected as testimonials or memorial tributes to individuals 
who have merited such recognition, and when it is further 
borne in mind that there was no difficulty in providing a 
fund of £10,000, nearly £6000 being actually paid in 
contributions, for the International Horticultural Exhibi¬ 
tion of 1866, it would surely be possible to raise a 
national horticultural Jubilee fund of twice the amount, 
and for a purpose far exceeding that of a six-days flower 
show. 
The Royal Horticultural Society being now relieved 
from heavy responsibilities, only needs a home of its own 
affording the requisite conveniences for the transaction 
of business, including the holding of periodical meetings, 
and occasional special exhibitions for scientific or edu¬ 
cational purposes, the accommodation of the Lindley 
library, the formation of a horticultural museum, and for 
such other purposes that may be required for the ful¬ 
filment of the object for which it was established; and 
it would then commence a new career and do more than 
it has yet accomplished for practical, scientific, and com¬ 
mercial horticulture. 
As slight evidence of hopefulness in submitting these 
necessarily crude ideas and vague outline of a project for 
a year that will be memorable, we had the prompt offer of 
£50 from the only gentleman with whom it was discussed, 
and he at the same time expressed his conviction that 
there were “ plenty more ” who would contribute similar 
or greater amounts for a cause so good as a professional 
tribute of devotion to the Queen and to horticulture. 
RAISING GLADIOLI FROM SEED. 
C Continued from page 6.) 
As a rule, when matured corms are planted they produce their 
blooms nearly all at one time, or if kept back and planted in suc¬ 
cession the late planted corms produce weak spikes, but seedlings 
well treated will begin to flower in the end of July and keep flower¬ 
ing in succession until cut down by frost. Our matured corms 
flower and ripen their seed long before the two-year-old roots have 
done flowering ; by two-year-old corms I mean the second year 
from seed. When a stock is once worked up it will not be necessary 
to devote so much time to the seedlings, so that they will take 
longer to mature, as they grow in proportion to the amount of care 
and attention bestowed on them. The strong growers of course 
make corms most freely, while the weak ones form slowly ; conse¬ 
quently, when lifting in October some seedlings will be as large as 
matured Walnuts, or even larger, whilst others will be like small 
shots. Do not despise the small ones, as these too frequently turn 
out the best varieties, so be careful of them ; while the gross corms 
too frequently turn out coarse varieties. Last year I sent a man to 
lift our bed of seedlings, charging him to be careful and get all the 
corms, adding, “ I will be there in a few minutes,” and so I was, to 
find that he had gone nearly all over the bed picking up a few of 
the largest, and all the rest was well mixed through the border with 
the fork. To pick them out was hopeless, so to make the best of it 
we covered the bed with a good thickness of leaves with a little 
dung over them to prevent their being blown about. We removed 
this covering last April, and found the corms had already com¬ 
menced growth. The ground was covered with them, as though 
they had been sown broadcast. We treated them like the rest and 
had good blooms from them, the only drawback being that we had 
to handweed them instead of hoeing. Owing to this occurrence 
this question has presented itself to me : Is it wise to lift seedling 
Gladioli the first year ? This autumn I decided I would not lift 
the seedlings, but have covered them with leaves and dung as last 
year, and if they come satisfactorily next year, I shall in future 
abandon the idea of lifting the first year’s seedlings, except those I 
give extra special care to as detailed when I commenced growing 
seedlings. 
When growing Gladioli for exhibition purposes they should be 
planted in the richest soil available, and be well supplied with 
liquid manure in the growing season. Keep the plants at all times 
well protected from the wind by a stout stake, and when the plant 
commences to flower get two boards fully 2 feet long and 7 or 
8 inches w r ide ; nail these securely at right angles on the top of the 
stake, nail a thin shred of wood along the bottom inside and also 
Fig. 4. —Shade for Gladiolus Flower?. 
along the inside of the boards lengthways so as to form a rough 
groove and a stop at the bottom for a pane of glass (fig. 4). Then 
get a pane of glass to slide down and fit in the groove, let the stake 
be securely fixed in the ground, tie the spike so that it will lie steady 
between the boards to face the sun, and slide in the glass. 
The advantage of this is, the action of the sun through the glass 
elongates the spike and shields it from the wind. As the flowers 
open whitewash the portion of glass immediately opposite 
the expanding flowers. This will prevent the sun destroying 
their bright colours and cause them to be longer in opening. If 
this is followed daily with care, long spikes of flowers will be 
obtained before the lower blooms begin decaying, a point of the 
greatest importance on the exhibition stand. I give this hint for 
the benefit of those who may feel disposed to grow them for exhi¬ 
bition purposes. My principal object has been to bring before your 
readers a simple and easy method of securing a good stock of 
Gladioli for general purposes, but before quitting the subject allow 
me to add, the Gladiolus is well worthy of far more extended cul¬ 
tivation than it receives. Its easy cultivation, variety, brightness of 
colour, and general usefulness should commend it to all lovers of 
flowers, and if the above details are properly carried out no culti¬ 
vator need be long in securing an abundant stock. —J. Ollerhead, 
The Gardens , Wimbledon House, S. W. 
P.8.—I should have stated that the spike before being tied to 
