A GLADIOLUS FANCIER’S CATALOG 
13 
CLASS 1 — DARK RED VARIETIES 
FIRST HUNDRED <£*£££> SECOND HUNDRED equals) 
Originator 
Year 
Size 
Substance 
Variety 
Unit Price 
Type 
Season 
Deficiencies 
Pfitzer. 
.1933 
L.D. 
B 
ARABELLA 
. - . $ . 
PI. 
M 
8_ 
Hoeg 
.1933 
M.D. 
B 
DR. C. HOEG 
. .50 
PI. 
M 
12 
Crow.. 
.1930 
M.D. 
B 
EXPLORER ... 
PI. 
EM 
21 
Pfitzer 
.1929 
L.D. 
A 
MOORISH KING 
.50 
PI. 
..ML 
8,9,23 
Pfitzer 
.1928 
M.D. 
B 
MOROCCO_ 
.06 
PI. 
EM 
6_ 
Kunderd.. 
.1927 
M.D. 
B 
THOMAS A. EDISON 
(K)...... .12 
Ruf. 
EM 
5,21 
Crow. 
.1933 
L.D. 
A 
THE MOOR. 
. 1.50 
PI. 
..M 
10,24 
in considering beauty in the gladiolus we have two primary elements: beauty of form (.including grace, style, shape 
of florets, and ruffling), and beauty of color (including tone of color, and richness or delicacy due to the texture or sub¬ 
stance of the petals). In the dark red class, the palm for beauty of form goes to Thomas A. Edison, which has an unus¬ 
ually perfect ruffling. At the moment I can think of only two other varieties which compare with it in this respect: Gunvor 
and Ruffled Gold. . . . For beauty of color Dr. C. Hoeg undoubtedly comes first (tho its well-rounded, amaryllis-like florets 
give it much style, too) Indeed I am not sure but what Dr. C. Hoeg (described in detail on page 6) may be the richest 
gladiolus listed in this entire catalog. When viewed in bright sunshine, this variety displays a very remarkable gloss. 
Slightly darker than either of the above is Moorish King, with huge triangular florets, somewhat crowded on the 
stem. ... In Arabella we have an improved Moorish King with rounder florets of lesser substance, however, and with a 
more subdued color. . . . There are two very dark rose-reds in this class: Explorer, not large but a real beauty, and The 
Moor, which looks like a Purple Glory seedling. . . . The darkest glad in this group in fact in this entire catalog is Mo¬ 
rocco, which has buds of a glistening jet and blossoms of a deep maroon with fleckings almost black. 
As was explained on the preceding page, we are presenting this year an analysis of all the varieties listed in this cat¬ 
alog on a basis of beauty, performance, and size so that every fan may select his own First Hundred , depending on the em¬ 
phasis he may personally place upon each of these three factors. In the three columns below there follows this analysis 
for the dark red class. May I say in explanation that while the Performance and Size columns are based upon the aver¬ 
age behavior of the varieties, the Beauty column considers each variety only at its very best. Thus, if you have never seen 
a really prime spike of Thomas A. Edison, it is proof of the variability of its performance rather than of the in eriority of 
its beauty, for I believe critics generally agree that Thomas A. Edison is one of the finest things Mr. Kunderd ever pro¬ 
duced. I will not deny the presence of an element of personal taste in this beauty column (tho Mr. Fischer and I have 
consulted with several other fanciers in preparing it), but I believe that the major arguments that might arise as to the 
relative beauty of different varieties are due less to differences in taste than to variation in the quality of the flowers which 
have been observed. In any case we trust that no one will interpret this beauty rating as an attempt on our part to be 
dogmatic. Fanciers who have had the opportunity of seeing varieties at a large number of shows and growing under dif¬ 
ferent conditions may find it interesting to compare their own opinions with these ratings. Those less familiar with so many 
varieties of gladioli, should find this threefold analysis of considerable value to them in making a selection of glads for 
their own garden. . . . You will notice how by drawing connecting lines with a pencil (or with the eye), an exact picture 
of the relative standing of each variety in each respect may be secured. 
BEAUTY 
PERFORMANCE 
SIZE 
1. Thomas Edison 
_^-Dr. C. Hoeg 
(good) ^ 
Arabella. 
. ( large decorative) 
2. Dr. C. Hoeg 
Arabella. . 
(good) 
Moorish King 
. ( large decorative) 
3. Moorish King 
The Moor 
( fair) 
The Moor. 
. ( large decorative) 
4. Arabella 
Explorer. 
. ( fair) 
''' Dr. Hoeg. 
. ( medium decorative) 
5. Explorer 
Morocco 
.{fair) 
Morocco. 
.... ( medium decorative) 
6. Morocco 
Moorish King 
(variable) 
Explorer. 
. . .. ( medium decorative) 
7. The Moor 
Thomas Edison 
( variable ) 
Thomas Edison 
. . ( medium decorative) 
CLASS 2 — RED VARIETIES 
Originator 
Year 
Size 
Substance 
Variety 
Unit Price 
Type 
Season 
Deficiencies 
Fallu . . 
.1929 
Ex. 
B 
BILL SOWDEN_ _ 
.20 
PI. 
...M. 
1 . 
Pfitzer 
1929 
Ex. 
B 
COMMANDER KOEHL 
.10 
PI. 
..ML... 
10,25. . 
Mair 
1923 
L.D. 
B 
GLORIOSA... . . 
.15 
PI. 
M 
8_ 
Mair. . _ 
_ 1918 
L.D. 
B 
KING GEORGE . 
. 05 
PI. 
EM 
Brown, C. W. 
1931 
M.D. 
B 
MASSASOIT... 
. .15 
PI. 
. EM 
Ellis, Piper. 
.1926 
L.D. 
A 
RED GLORY 
. 05 
Ruf. 
..M 
4,24.. . . 
Commander Koehl is one of the most striking glads in the garden. Its huge triangular florets indicate a relationship 
to Moorish King, but the latter does not compare with Koehl as a performer. . . . Bill Sowden is not quite so tall a grower 
as Commander Koehl but has even larger florets. Both of these glads possess great richness of color. This is also true of 
Red Glory, a sport of the older Purple Glory. Though sports are usually identical except in color, we find Red Glory the 
better glad of the two. ... A clear-cut, improved Crimson Glow is Massasoit. ... King George is a red variety with a 
cream throat blotch while Gloriosa is very similar except that the blotch is white. . . . The following is a more specific 
analysis of these varieties: 
BEAUTY PERFORMANCE SIZE 
Commander Koehl 
Bill Sowden 
Red Glory 
Massasoit 
King George 
Gloriosa 
Commander Koehl 
Massasoit. 
Bill Sowden.. 
Red Glory. 
King George. 
Gloriosa. 
. (good) 
. (good) 
. (good) 
. (fair) 
. (fair) 
.( fair) 
Commander Koehl 
Bill Sowden. 
King George. 
Gloriosa. 
Red Glory. 
Massasoit. 
.( exhibition) 
.( exhibition) 
. . . . (large decorative) 
. . . . (large decorative) 
.... (large decoartive ) 
. (medium decorative) 
For Kf;y to Dffj 
IC1ENCIES, Xi 
re page 22. 
