Plate 77. 
GLADIOLUS, MES. DOMBEAIN. 
Gladiolus gandavensis , var. 
Some three or four years ago, Her Majesty the Queen was 
greatly pleased with some varieties of Gladiolus, of French 
origin, and instructions were given to the gardener at Osborne 
to cultivate them, as they would be frequently required as cut 
flowers for table decoration. Under such patronage, the flower 
has now become one of the most fashionable of the day, and 
forms an agreeable variety in the autumn exhibitions of flo¬ 
rists’ flowers. 
At that time application was made by Her Majesty’s gar¬ 
dener to one who was, and is still, the most celebrated raiser 
in France, M. Souchet, for some hints as to the best manner of 
growing them. He very kindly wrote a short treatise upon it, 
and it having been shown to our valued friend Mr. Standish, 
of Bagshot, it immediately occurred to him that the soil recom¬ 
mended for it was such as his nursery supplied, and being a 
skilful hybridizer, he immediately commenced on a large scale, 
and so successful has he been that he has already five hundred 
varieties sufficiently good to be kept under name, equalling in 
colour, size, and shape any of those introduced from the Con¬ 
tinent. He selected as the parents of his stock two flowers 
of valuable properties, Adonis and Ninon de VEnclos , and has 
thus obtained his stock; but finding, as is always the case, 
that breeding in-and-in, however it may produce beauty of co¬ 
louring, also engenders tenderness of constitution, he has, in 
order to avoid this, from time to time introduced the Mood of 
some of the best foreign ones, and hence his varieties are dis¬ 
tinguished for vigour of constitution as well as for beauty. 
The Gladiolus is very easily cultivated, and will succeed w~ell 
in any light garden soil. It does not, as was at first supposed, dis- 
