6 
RIVERVIEW GARDENS, ST. PAUL, MINN. 
Robert the First has given a wonderful performance, winning the 
blue ribbons in all the classes in which it was entered at the Minnesota 
State Fair; competing against such fine Glads as Minuet, Mrs. F. C. 
Peters, and the like. Minuet is, however, still the finest average-priced 
lavender. Mme. Schumann-Heink is a variety that must be seen to be 
appreciated. At a short distance it resembles an orchid, markings and 
all. It is a Diener variety that has been in commerce for some time, 
but is still very scarce. In the dark violet class, nothing is more ex¬ 
quisite than Pelegrina, an excellent landscape variety when planted 
among the reds. Union Jack, on the Marmora type but lighter, has 
found a place in our Gardens. It carries all of the good qualities of 
Marmora. 
A great favorite among the fans who like smokies is Prince of India, 
an unusual color that is highly recommended for the garden. Our 
Selection must also be mentioned in this class, a variegated smoky that 
has special value as a novelty. 
There are many new varieties from Australia and New Zealand 
being introduced into this country each year. We have grown and 
tested quite a number of them; of course some are very promising and 
others are not so promising in this climate. We hope to list only the 
best of these foreign varieties, and you will hear about them soon. The 
Mair’s concern, in Scotland, has introduced some very fine varieties, and 
a new lot are coming out each year. We are looking forward to bloom¬ 
ing some of them in our test gardens this coming season. 
A new Glad, to get near the top today, must be a Glad for all gen¬ 
eral purposes. It must satisfy the florist as well as the garden lover; 
it must be fine enough to exhibit in the show room; and it must have 
substance and vigor to endure all of the different variations of tempera¬ 
ture and environment under which it will be grown. The price does not 
always show the merit and beauty of any variety. When there is a 
quantity of stock in any variety the prices drop as with any other com¬ 
modity. New varieties are high only because of their scarcity. Of 
course some may drop more rapidly in price than others as they increase 
faster, while those that are poor increasers usually drop very slowly. 
According to the latest Symposium of the American Gladiolus Soci¬ 
ety, it seems that many of the new varieties rise comparatively rapidly 
towards their highest rank with only few exceptions. After a variety 
has reached its maximum place, the trend is then more or less slowly 
downward, giving way to the new varieties being introduced. 
The following list of Glads, according to the latest Symposium of the 
American Gladiolus Society, is the favorite and most popular varieties. 
In the order of tabulation the ranking is as follows: Minuet, Marmora, 
Mr. W. H. Phipps, Betty Nuthall, Picardy, Dr. F. E. Bennett, Mrs. Leon 
Douglas, Pfitzer’s Triumph, Golden Dream, Mother Machree, Emile 
Aubrun, Aflame, Albatross, Commander Koehl, Giant Nymph, Mrs. P. 
W. Sisson, Mammoth White, Purple Glory, Veilchenblau, Aida, Gloriana, 
Ave Maria, Coryphee, Joerg’s White, Berty Snow, Dr. Moody, Jonkheer 
Van Tets, Jane Addams, Mrs. Van Konyenburg, Our Selection, Queen 
