CARE AND CULTURE 
THE GLADIOLUS can be successfully grown in practically any part of our U. S. 
They are easily grown and respond wonderfully to a little attention, such as 
timely watering and cultivation. They will adapt themselves to most any garden 
and will be found doing much better than most flowers with an equal amount of 
effort by the grower, be they amateur or professional. 
THE PACKAGE when received should be opened at once to admit air directly 
on bulbs—store in cool, dry and frost-proof place until planting time. 
SOIL —Any good garden soil is very satisfactory; it is important that the soil 
should not be worked when wet, and should be kept pliable at all times during 
the growing season. 
LOCATION— They will not do their best in too much shade. They enjoy being 
planted in rows or in beds; they are valuable in the landscape, putting clumps of 
all one color or mixed at suitable points for the desired effect. The ground should 
be well drained for best results. 
DISINFECTING —Precautionary measures guarding against insect pests and bulb 
troubles are very effective and most economical. The garden should be cleaned 
and the old tops of gladiolus as well as the tops of other plants and other refuse 
should be raked up and burned. The storage room should be clean and disin¬ 
fected as well as the bulb containers before using them to store bulbs over 
winter. Disinfecting all bulbs before planting is an easy task and is advisable as it 
will practically eliminate any disease or insect pest. I offer but one method: this 
accomplishes all in one operation; use at the rate of one ounce of Bichloride of 
Mercury poison to 10 gallons water (B. of M. is more soluable in warm water), 
soak from 8 to 10 hours, the night before planting, (not necessary to remove 
husks) ; they may be planted wet. Use non-metallic container for the B. of M. 
PLANTING —Have soil loose; make trench or hole deep enough so that bulbs 
can be covered with three inches of dirt, (sandy soil, five inches) ; plant bulbs 
three inches apart in the row. If fertilizer is used at planting time, keep at least 
two inches from bulb, by covering bulb with dirt before adding the fertilizer. 
WATER and CULTIVATION —Water thoroughly so that it will soak down to 
the bulb, at least once a week, but count a good rain as one, cultivate thoroughly 
next day if not sticky. 
THE FLOWER —If you wish to cut the flower do it when the first flower opens 
wide, to get a nice spike with it, slide the knife down close to spike on one side, 
stopping six to eight inches from ground, then slide it down the opposite side 
giving knife a twist at the bottom to remove spike with flowers; this operation 
cuts leaves from spike but they remain on the plant, which is essential to properly 
mature the bulb. 
CROOKED SPIKES— These are frequently caused by permitting the spikes to 
lean at an angle, nature will then start the upper portion of the spike to grow 
straight up again which gives it a crook; the leaning comes from wind, heavy 
rain, buds, etc. A warm night after a rain or heavy watering produces ideal 
growing conditions. A spike of a very fast growing variety will grow from one 
to three inches under such conditions, producing naturally a soft growth, which 
should have two or three days to strengthen. However, if a “hot” sun strikes 
this growth the next morning it will soften and sag, only to start growing erect 
again in the cool of the evening, and leaving the crook in the spike. 
HARVESTING —Bulbs should be ready to dig three to six weeks after blooming 
or dig when foliage starts to turn brown. Loosen bulb with fork or other tool and 
bulb will lift out by the top—shake dirt off—cut tops off close to bulb, let bulb 
fall in clean container (three inches deep), pile up tops for burning. Let bulbs 
cure three to six weeks in a dry, airy, frost-proof place, stir occasionally for thor¬ 
ough drying—they must be dry. When ready, the old root should snap off easily, 
leaving bulb clean; now store away for winter in containers (boxes or bags) not 
over four inches deep, in a cool, dry, frost-proof place. 
Our stock is guaranteed clean, healthy, thrip free and true to name 
«{ 33 )*• 
