FLYING CLOUD FARMS 
NEW BEDFORD, MASS. 
THRIP 
The thrip seems now to be easily handled by anyone willing to put just a bit of 
effort into it; the naphthaline flakes treatment seems the easiest and best, but I should also 
disinfect at planting time with Bichloride of Mercury, 1 oz. to seven gallons of water and 
soak for 8-10 hours. If the bulbs are free of thrip and thrip eggs at planting time there is 
only the chance of infestation from the fellow who is growing nearby and then it is wise to 
use the usual sugar (or molasses) and arsenic (or paris green) formula for spraying, which 
is:—1 tablespoon paris green or 2 tablespoons arsenic and 2 pounds brown sugar to 3 
gallons of water. 
The safest way, probably, is to spray them once when about six inches high as a good 
insurance measure, although one sees no signs of thrip. Just a few present at this time 
will make enough later on to do serious damage. I think if one keeps all open spikes cut 
close there will be little damage; the thrip go to blooming spikes; if these are cut and 
removed from the field any thrip present on the spikes where most of them will be, 
would go out on these spikes. Any tops broken off or worthless spikes should also be 
kept cleaned up and removed from the field. 
FERTILIZERS 
I do not believe fertilizer is as important as many growers like to think; possibly it is 
because it is so easy to blame any crop failure on the fertilizer there is so much talk 
about it. My experience with other farm crops and orchard work strengthens this opinion. 
For glads I prefer the less concentrated and slower acting fertilizers; much has always 
been said about the use of nitrogen, usually in the form of nitrate of soda, as the means 
of getting these great spikes we see at the shows. Some growers do use it but personally 
I have never used a pound of nitrate of soda on any gladiolus. I use superphosphate and 
sometimes a little dry cow or sheep manure in the trenches, after the glads are up I use 
more of these dry manures or some low content commercial fertilizer about 4-8-4. These 
dry manures are about fool proof for if one uses too much the only damage is to the 
pocket book. I prefer to put it on in three or four installments through the season rather 
than all at once, if the commercial type of fertilizer is used, as it loses its effect rather 
rapidly especially if there is a good deal of rain or if one uses water extensively. Water 
is the vital factor, the fertilizers cannot be of much use unless the water is present to 
make them available to the plants and certainly anyone trying to grow show spikes must 
use a lot of water. Cultivation is a prime factor in the growing of any crop and glads 
are no exception; the weeds are so easy to keep out if the surface is cultivated before the 
weeds show and get rooted, “anchored” I call it. When there is a fair amount of moisture 
and many weed seeds are germinating, we get over the field every fourth day, later in 
the season when the plants furnish some shade we plan on every six days. When every¬ 
one must realize how much plant food and moisture these weeds use up it must be evi¬ 
dent that even those with large acrease can not afford to let them get a start. 
GROWING EXHIBITION SPIKES 
There has been so much written and spoken on this subject that I feel it is just a 
repetition for me to mention it and were it not for a few lines in my fall list, that 
promised I’d say more later, nothing would be written here. 
First in importance are the varieties, for one must grow those that are the best in 
each color or they are hopelessly out-classed in the show room. Today, no exhibitor, even 
with a wonderful spike of the good old CRIMSON GLOW, would have a chance to beat 
just fairly well grown spikes of the newer ones such as BILL SOWDEN, COMMANDER 
KOEHL, TOSCA and ANNE RAHMSTORFF. It is not necessary that they be the 
real rarities which because there are so few bulbs in existence are high in price, for the 
price does not necessarily run in line with the quality and I know of many low priced 
