ABOUT THRIP 
In many parts of the country gladiolus growers have licked the thrip menace but in many 
places thrip is still doing a great amount of damage. I firmly believe that where it has done 
damage it is due to the carelessness of the growers. Each gladiolus grower should not only dis¬ 
infect his own bulbs before planting but should try to get all his neighbors to do the same. It 
is only by cleaning up a whole neighborhood that you can be reasonably sure of not getting any 
thrip. By all means disinfect every single bulb that is planted no matter where it came from 
even if they are some that you have grown yourself and you have not noticed any thrip on them. 
Disinfection of bulbs before planting is the first thing to do. 
In the fall after the bulbs are cured and cleaned up put. them in a fairly warm place, about 
sixty degrees or so, for four weeks, scatter napthalene flakes over them, about one ounce to 
100 bulbs, and cover the containers with paper or some material to confine the fumes. Then 
in about a month shake the nathalene off and store the bulbs away in a cool place. Chances 
are very strong that there will be no thrip on them then but to be on the safe side I would dis¬ 
infect before planting just the same. My new catalog will give full instructions for disinfecting, 
and an instruction sheet will go with all orders of bulbs. 
As soon as the plants are just a few inches high keep a watch out for thrip. They are a very 
small black insect about one-sixteenth of an inch long and about the size of a pencil mark. At 
the first sign of them begin to spray. There are various sprays on the market, commercial sprays 
and the Paris Green, molasses and water spray. Rototox has given good satisfaction in spraying 
in many places this past season. Another spray that has evidently done good work is Magnesium 
Arsenate, brown sugar and water. Four pounds of the Arsenate, sixty-six pounds of brown sugar 
and one hundred gallons of water or at that same rate. 
I firmly believe that by proper treatment of bulbs, disinfecting, spraying, etc. that perfectly 
good gladiolus can be grown even in an infested area. Many people who have had trouble with 
thrip before have grown fine glads this year and say they have the pest entirely under control. 
We used to think that gladiolus were impervious to all diseases and insects and that all we 
had to do was put them in the ground and they would bring forth a bountiful crop of bloom. It 
has got so now that we have got to spray for everything. We can't continue to raise good roses 
without spraying every few days and the same is true with dahlias. Why is it any worse to 
spray gladiolus? Of course they can be grown sometimes without spraying the same as roses and 
dahlias can be grown well sometimes with no special work, but it is safest to do things right and 
reap the reward. 
If you have had thrip this year do not under any circumstances throw the bulbs away as 
they will not be harmed in any way whatever. Just treat in napthalene, disinfect in the spring 
and they will be perfectly all right for another year. 
TESTIMONIALS 
"Have bought 200 of your No. 2 this spring and they are as good as any No. 1 bought from 
other concerns." —C. E. Deckert, N. Y. 
"Palmer’s varieties are certainly wonderful." — Charles Lathrop Pack, N. J. 
"The bulblets have all come through great. Bagdad, Mrs. Langford about 75 per cent. 
Pelegrina 100 per cent. Spray of Gold and Emma have both bloomed and are wonderful. Emma 
is very striking. Bill Sowden, Phipps, Picardy, Minuet are ready to break forth." 
—H. K. Triol, Penn. 
“The eight lots of bulblets I got from you have done very well, with I believe a 90% germ¬ 
ination." —F. J. Barber, N. C. 
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