3 
A. H. NICHOLS 
VISITORS CORDIALLY INVITED 
Our gardens are located directly on the Coast Highway, U.S. 
101, one mile south of Santa Maria. If you are coming this 
way, drive in and see the flowers when in bloom (June to late 
August) . Seeing them at close range, you will know how they 
will look in your garden or in the house, for even the best of 
catalogue descriptions often fail to convey the colors—and you 
are either disappointed, or miss one you would have liked to 
have grown. If the flowers are gone, stop in and talk over your 
garden enthusiasms. Visitors are always welcome, whether they 
order or not. 
CULTURAL INSTRUCTIONS 
When to plant your bulbs is partly a matter of where you 
live and in spite of the theory that, in California, you can plant 
any time of year, we recommend early planting; that is, as 
soon as you are sure the ground is warming, for Gladiolus do 
not like to start in cold wet ground. In frost-free places, any 
time after the first of the year. One reason for this advice is 
that if any pest should decide to move into your garden, they 
are more likely to do so in the later season when it is hot. 
Farther on you will find what we have found out about pest 
control. 
If you have heavy soil, sand will help; not just sandy soil 
but sand such as builders use. Peat is fine if well-mixed into 
the soil long before planting so that it is thoroughly incor¬ 
porated with the earth. Otherwise, a lump of peat may coma 
in close contact with the bulb and hold the moisture in one 
place, thereby causing serious injury to the bulb. If you can 
prepare the place where you expect to plant the bulbs ahead of 
time, bonemeal (the finer ground the better), or any good 
fertilizer can be mixed with the earth, but be sure it is well 
mixed or particles of it may be washed against the bulb and 
burn it. Do not use fertilizer at planting time unless you 
scatter a light dressing over the top of the earth, to be dis¬ 
solved by the time the bulbs are up and the roots ready to 
use it. 
