FLYING CLOUD FARMS 
NEW BEDFORD, MASS. 
varieties that can beat equally well grown spikes of any variety that falls in the same color 
class. That is the reason for a few of the older varieties being in this catalogue for I can 
assure you I’ll not grow them one season after I find other varieties of similar color that 
are superior and so it must be with the glad fan, dropping a few each year and adding 
some newer ones to replace them. You can be sure that if a new variety has outstanding 
merit it will quickly find its way to the show room and there the spikes, under the eyes 
of many keen growers, will be appraised but of course their growing habits must he 
determined in other ways. 
After one has selected the varieties he desires, the bulbs must be secured either from 
the stocks he has on hand or purchased. I prefer a large bulb, the larger the better, in 
most cases, if all I am interested in is the spike I get. I would peel the bulb and cut out 
all eyes except the one that appears the strongest to avoid the bulb sending up more than 
one spike, so as to have all the strength in the one spike. I should allow plenty of room 
between bulbs and would just as soon they were planted in double staggered rows as in 
single rows in the trench and I should have the trench deeper than for usual culture, 
which depth depends on the type of soil. Then it is well to fork over the bottom of the 
trench thoroughly after putting in a good amount of superphosphate and dry cow or 
sheep manure. I like “Bovung” a product of Walker Gordon, which is dry cow manure, 
ground peanut shells and superphosphate, giving a low test fertilizer going about 2-2-2. 
Place the bulbs and cover in about half the trench put on some more Bovung and fill in 
the rest of the trench level and tamp it down, to eliminate all air pockets around the bulbs 
and then scratch it over to leave the top broken up. The more you work among the 
plants the better, at least scratch them over every fourth day; oftener if you get a rain. 
If you should get a drought early in the season give them a good soaking once a week. 
Fertilize them about four times during the season. If you use a commercial fertilizer 
keep it away from the plants four or five inches working it in as you cultivate and hill 
them up; if you use a dry animal manure you can put it right in the row. When the 
spikes are just breaking from the sheaths give a good application of fertilizer and keep 
the water going every three or four days, preferably in the evening or after dark if you 
are using a sprinkler. They should have at least three-quarters of an inch of water at 
each soaking and if you put a shallow pan in the row it will give you a check on how 
much water they are really getting. 
TIPS ON EXHIBITING AT THE SHOWS 
There are so many successful ways of getting blooms to the shows, all of which are 
good and depend on the distance to travel and whether they can stand them in water at 
the show the night before the judging. We have always carried or shipped our blooms 
packed flat in wooden boxes, long enough for any spike, with two layers; the covers are 
hinged and after the bottom layer is put in, some tissue paper is put on them and the 
second rack put in, held up on the corners so it goes only half way down in the box. 
My boxes are 4 feet, 2 inches long, 16 inches wide and 10/4 inches deep, made of /4 inch 
pine on sides and % inch on the ends. After one or two times, you will find you can 
pack even the spikes with a dozen out, safely and fairly quickly and as you have more 
experience you will get more and more spikes into the boxes safely. 
At the exhibition hall, cut the stems a bit, pick out whatever the class calls for that 
you are entering. If three spikes, I usually put the tallest in the middle and try to have 
them about equal in length, even if I have to cut off part of the stem on one or even a 
couple of spikes. Face them so they appear attractive in the vase, put in a bit of green 
foliage if the rules allow it. The N.E.G.S. demands it and the show is much improved 
by it over old newspapers which show through the glass. 
From Chester, Vermont, 10/15/35, a customer writes:—“You will recall I sent you an order last spring 
for glad bulbs. I was very much pleased with the bulbs and blooms from same and I presume you will get 
another order from me next year.” 
