Why You Should Preserve This Catalog 
Like You Keep a Book 
1) Because it contains a list of the rare varieties of Gladiolus which you do 
not find in all catalogs. If you do not intend to buy them, you may see some and 
would like to know more about them. The catalog gives you this information. 
2) A little treatise on the Gladiolus and the notes on proper cultivation may 
be worth reading over if a question comes up about care. 
GLADIOLUS 
The following is a resume of a gladiolus lecture given by the Rev. P. Oswald 
in charge of The Mission Gardens, Techny, Illinois, who are probably the largest 
growers of choice gladiolus in the Chicago area. 
BOTANY OF GLADIOLUS 
The gladiolus belongs to the Iridaceae, or iris family, which contains among its 
sixty genera and one thousand species such common garden flowers as iris, tigridia, 
freesia and crocus, as well as the gladiolus. 
BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS 
The first step to understand in the culture of any plant is to learn about the 
natural habitat of the plant, its climate, its season of growth and blooming and its 
soil and moisture condition (swamp or desert). 
The gladiolus being of the Lily family produces bulbs like the lily with the 
difference that the scales are not fleshy, but are dry husks, that protect the bulb 
against drying in the hot sands of South Africa, their natural habitat. That is a 
reason why gladiolus can stand storage in a heated basement without spoiling, al¬ 
though they are better stored cool, and why they must be dry before being stored away. 
PREPARATION OF THE SOIL 
Gladiolus will grow in the poorest ground, but do not expect them to grow a 
better flower than the small wild ones in South Africa in such soil. If you want a 
plant that grows like wildfire, you must feed it. The gladiolus is no different than 
any other flower in this respect. 
Plenty of organic material in the ground is the big secret, which is what the 
ordinary backyard gardener frequently neglects for economy’s sake. They are willing 
to spend their money on expensive plants but not on the preparation of the soil. 
If you can have barnyard manure, put it on in fall and dig it under; otherwise 
use shredded sheep or cattle manure, bonemeal or tankage. 
In spring use only well rotted manure with plenty of peatmoss. Peatmoss pre¬ 
serves the moisture, aerates the soil, prevents it from cracking, makes it mellow and 
workable and provides a rooting medium for the plants. The stronger the root-growth, 
the stronger the tops. And strong heavy foliage will bring strong flower spikes. 
TIME OF PLANTING 
Plant your first bulbs as soon as the ground can be worked in spring. Plant 
only ordinary varieties because the time of frost is not past. Gladiolus can stand a 
light frost and you have your flowers much earlier, if the season is favorable. Plant 
your best bulbs the end of April or beginning of May. They will have a long season 
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