An American home in the Philippines sheathed in flowering shrubs; Palms and roof making an odd study in fringes 
HOW THE GLADIOLUS BEHAVES IN THE TROPICS 
FORMAN T. McLEAN 
Former Professor of Plant Physiology, University of Philippines 
Ice a Factor In Stimulating Growth—Flower Through All 
the Twelvemonth—“Maid of the Mist” as a Best Parent 
S«HAT most deservedly popular flower, the Gladiolus, is 
IflM W success f u lly invading the tropics and is one of the few of 
|ffcj| our familiar garden flowers to do so. One pictures the 
Ppp? tropics, with constant summer, as a land of flowers; that 
is particularly true of Honolulu, the crossroads of the Pacific, 
where the native Hibiscus and many other tropical flowers 
are at their best. Most tropical flowers wither the same day 
they are gathered, and there is a dearth of satisfactory, lasting 
cut flowers. For this purpose the Gladiolus is preeminent, 
and those grown in Hawaii are first class. 
Since Gladiolus have succeeded in Hawaii, their behavior 
nearer to the equator is of interest. The Philippines more 
nearly typify the truly tropical climate than does Hawaii, 
being both hotter and wetter. It rains during seven to eleven 
months of the year, not with occasional showers, but with 
heavy tropical downpours every afternoon. American sorts 
of even such hot weather plants as Geraniums, Tea Roses, 
Corn, Tomatoes, and Lima Beans languish in the steaming air 
and saturated soil of the wet season. So Gladiolus were tried 
in the Philippines with some misgivings. They were tested 
quite thoroughly in my garden at the Philippine College of 
Agriculture, about forty miles south of Manila, for five years. 
The first planting was made in the latter part of the tropical 
rainy season, in February, 1916. Profiting by experience with 
other temperate plants there, they were given a porous soil, 
rich in humus and with good drainage. Growers may object 
to too much humus for Gladiolus in “the States,” but it was 
surely justified in the Philippines. The plants grew vigorously 
to a height of about three feet, and flowered profusely during 
April and May. The blooms were fully the equals of those of 
similar varieties in “the States,” and were quite as satisfactory 
and lasting as cut flowers. The return of the rainy season in 
late May did not damage them. They dried off normally in 
July, and the yield of both cormels and corms was good. Plant¬ 
ings were subsequently made at all seasons with equal success. 
Gladiolus may be had in bloom every month of the year in the 
TWO TYPES OF GLADIOLUS FOR THE TROPICS 
Mrs. Frank Pendleton (at left), of the nanceianus group, blooms freely 
in the Philippines but the stock “runs out’’ quickly. Argo (at right), 
a primulinus hybrid, thrives and persists well in the tropics 
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