A. H. NICHOLS 
6 
then open so the bulbs will have air. Keep them in a cool, 
dark, well-ventilated place, if you want to retard the time of 
sprouting. 
We advise changing the place of planting if possible as they 
use certain elements in the soil for growing and it is hard to 
know exactly what to put back. 
“How many bulbs will I get from the bulb I plant?” This 
varies, but you get one for each bloom spike. Some bulbs 
throw one, some two and we have had five and six. Of course 
there is always the bulblet increase, too, but even if you have 
many bulbs there is always a thrill about new varieties. A 
garden is like a house—it gets out of date in these days of 
change and improvements. 
We are often asked concerning the pronunciation of our 
flower. The American Gladiolus Society voted to use the word 
Gladiolus, both for singular and plural and most of the growers 
are so doing. (Glad-e-o-lus.) 
BEST VARIETIES 
“What are the best varieties?” Price is not a consideration 
in this. We try to keep up with the advancement being made 
in varieties and offer the best available in their class and color. 
THE BEST may be an old well known variety in a certain color 
or a new, scarce variety in another. Souvenir, Phipps and 
Picardy are good examples of this. 
BLOOMING DATES 
Depending on the variety, soil, temperature, amount of sun 
and water and size of bulb. 
1. Anywhere from 70 to 100 days after planting. If you 
have late frosts and cold ground, carefully remove the husk, 
place the bulbs in a warm sunny window so they will sprout. 
An inch or two sprout started this way and .carefully planted 
hastens blooming date. In this connection it is not advisable 
to hold your bulbs in storage until the sprouts start and are 
inches tall; it makes poor, crooked spikes. 
SIZES TO TRY 
Usually a large bulb will produce the best blooms. Large 
bulbs average 1 Vi inches in diameter, but a medium bulb 
(1 inch) will give a big bloom, although the spike will not be 
