“EVERY BULB A GEM” 
5 
Of my former introductions, Christabel and Flaming Meteor are the recipients of many words 
of praise. Serenade, too, is a very pretty flower but is not as vigorous in growth as it might 
be. It has proven valuable for hybridizing. Flaming Meteor is among the tallest and most showy 
Glads I grow and it is reported that it was among the most outstanding varieties in the Century 
of Progress trial grounds last summer. Christabel is one of the most beautiful pink varieties but 
the bulbs are often unattractive and they are somewhat subject to disease if they are left in the 
ground too long in the fall or if they are not properly dried off after digging. Even though the 
bulbs do not make the nicest appearance, they nearly always make a strong vigorous healthy 
plant. Below are a few quotations from recent letters: 
“Christabel blossomed during the extreme heat so that the stem was crooked and somewhat 
twisted—even so I consider it the most beautiful Glad of its coloring I have ever seen. Coleridge 
might have drawn an even lovelier Christabel had he been inspired by yours!” 
“I had my first bloom of Christabel last week. It sure was a dandy. From the experience I have 
had it is a better hot weather Glad than Picardy. We sure had some hot dry weather—from 
100 to 108 in the shade.—Then Christabel came straight and fine.” 
“Flaming Meteor I saw in bloom at “A Century of Progress” this season and was at the head 
of the list of new varieties I intend to get.” 
“Flaming Meteor is the most outstanding and glorious Glad that I have seen for some time. 
At present it is in full bloom and people that have seen it marvel at its beauty. Considering the 
heat and dry weather it did very well with a spike four feet tall and florets measuring 6^4 inches.” 
“I still think Flaming Meteor should have been started at $20.00 at least.” 
VARIETIES 
While I aim to keep my list of newer and better varieties as complete as possible, I do not 
presume to claim that I grow all the new ones. Yet I believe that I list about as complete an as¬ 
sortment of these as any grower in this country. The “Blue” varieties have been a specialty of 
mine for a few years and I have perhaps the most complete list of these offered. While my 
catalog is entitled “Superior Glads” I do not wish to infer that all the kinds listed are really 
superior to the older sorts as several years trial is often necessary to determine the true value of a 
variety and what may be superior in one place may prove quite inferior in another location. 
Similar qualifications apply to my slogan. It is endeavored to have only the highest quality bulbs 
sent out but always an occasional bulb fails. However, I am glad to replace any such bulbs. 
As the number of selected seedlings is ever increasing, even with more rigid standards, it is 
rapidly becoming necessary to cut down on the number of named varieties grown. Altogether I 
have grown somewhere near 1500 varieties in the last eight years with from 500 to 700 kinds grown 
each year recently. This number must be very materially reduced the coming season. 
BULBLETS 
Buying of bulblets is frequently an economical way of getting started with high priced novelties 
but these do not always germinate and no guarantee can be made that customers will meet with 
success in growing these. Germination is usually aided by cracking the hard shell and removing a 
small section of it before planting. In the case of difficult germinators, soaking in damp cloth or 
peat moss for a week or two before planting materially improves germination. Some varieties make 
large bulblets and others produce only small ones. I aim to send out bulblets of selected size, 
particularly in novelties if at all possible. With occasional varieties, the smaller size bulblets germ¬ 
inate much better and in such cases unless otherwise instructed, I endeavor to use my best judg¬ 
ment in sending what I think will give best results. 
THRIPS 
We would be thankful if this were a subject which did not exist and which it would not be 
necessary to discuss, but, in common with the growers of other plants, we must face some pest 
and proceed to conquer it. In many sections of the country, the thrips menace seems to have 
largely ceased to exist already and it is to be hoped that the same applies elsewhere ere long; 
meanwhile, we must put forth our efforts to subdue it in other sections. 
Perhaps the most essential means of combat is found in eradicating the insect from all bulbs 
that are planted and the danger from invasion of the planting should be greatly lessened during 
the early part of the season, at least. For the amateur, the napthalene treatment is undoubtedly one 
of the more simple and effective modes of treating. If the bulbs are kept in paper bags as is 
usually the case, a small amount of napthalene flakes placed in each sack after which the top is 
closed should do the work in from two to four weeks. The treating should preferably be done 
