Plate 184 . 
GLADIOLUS, RANDLE JACKSON. 
We have again selected from the rich and varied collection 
of this beautiful and favourite flower, which Mr. Standish, of 
Ascot, has been so fortunate as to raise, a subject for our pre¬ 
sent Plate, one which was greatly admired at the autumn exhi¬ 
bition of the Royal Horticultural Society, and which received 
a certificate from the Floral Committee of that Society. 
It is, however, with much regret that we see that the autumn 
show has been abandoned, and that it will consequently only 
be at the Crystal Palace that the metropolitan lovers of this 
flower will be able this year to see any considerable number 
brought together. This is the more to be lamented, because 
many persons have been discouraged about the Gladiolus, owing 
to the many losses which were experienced in its culture; but 
the very exceptional character of the past two autumns is suffi¬ 
cient, we think, to account for this, as it is not only amongst 
flowers, but fruit also, that these diseases have appeared,—pears 
having been so largely affected, that their season is almost over 
even now, and apples being also largely influenced by it; with 
this difference, that while in the latter cases it has been well- 
nigh universal, with the Gladiolus it has been confined to cer¬ 
tain soils and localities. We have taken up our own bulbs, for 
instance, and dried them carefully, and we never saw finer, ex¬ 
hibiting unmistakable signs of health, and as far as we can see, 
no symptom of disease. We presume that pear-culture will not 
be given up on account of this disease, nor do we think should 
people abandon the culture of the Gladiolus; we may surely 
expect that the exceptional character of the autumns may not 
continue, and that this, with other flowers, may escape any fur¬ 
ther maladies. 
