What Are the Finest 
Glads for Greenhouse 
Forcing? 
M ANY florists are still growing only 
old varieties which most private 
fanciers have long ago discarded—• 
varieties like Maiden's Blush, Los An¬ 
geles, Mrs. Pendleton. The reason is 
that these varieties are known to force 
well, and the more beautiful new va¬ 
rieties are unknown quantities in this 
respect. So rather than experiment and 
perhaps lose money, many florists con¬ 
tinue to grow and provide the public 
with glads of mediocre beauty. 
Believing that many of the newer 
varieties possess the vigor to be good 
forcers, we asked the leading florists of 
the Northwest, the Holm & Olson Com¬ 
pany of St. Paul, to try out a number of 
them in their range at Rochester, Min¬ 
nesota. The Holm & Olson Company 
is well known among florists the coun¬ 
try over. Here is the report of the 
superintendent of their greenhouses: 
July 9, 1934 
Colonial Gardens 
Rushford, Minn. 
Dear Mr. Baerman: 
SWEETHEART 
It is with pleasure we give you the following information regarding our experiment 
in forcing the gladiolus furnished by you. 
SWEETHEART was the earliest and a very free bloomer, of beautiful color and good 
substance. For forcing it is undoubtedly the best pink we have tried. With its great simi¬ 
larity to MRS. DR. NORTON, ease of growth and good propagation, it would seem a fine sub¬ 
stitute for that great variety. 
BRIGHTSIDE has everything said about Sweetheart and with its beautiful TALISMAN 
shadings rapidly became very popular with our customers. 
MARGARET FULTON was a little slower to bloom but is very good in its color and an 
extra stong grower. 
GOLDEN POPPY and LOTUS, we also found very fine but a little slower to come into 
bloom. 
In regard to the general quality of the bulbs, we feel very well satisfied and the 
blooming average was high. 
Thanking you for this opportunity to try out these splendid varieties, and assur¬ 
ing you our always being ready to co-operate with you in any way possible, we are 
Yours very truly, 
HOLM & OLSON COMPANY 
By Harold Thompson 
We have also had very favorable reports on 
several of the above varieties from other florists. 
Most of our stock of Sweetheart and Brightside 
has already been sold to florists. We have only 
a few hundred large bulbs left to offer others who 
would like to try them. 
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