Cultural Directions 
T HE Gladiolus is a flower of easy 
culture and does well in any soil, 
but should be planted in full exposure 
to the sun. They will do well planted in 
the hardy borders or in front of shrub¬ 
bery. Many of the best varieties produce 
small bulbs, and in buying a mixture you 
will find it much better when the size of 
the bulbs varies to a considerable degree. 
The largest bulbs do not always give 
the best results. It is essential that the 
bulb should be of blooming age rather 
than size. Soil should be well prepared 
in the early spring, with a good coating 
of agricultural lime and bone meal 
thoroughly worked into the soil, but 
fresh stable manure should never be used, 
except where the ground may be manured 
the previous fall and well worked over in 
the spring before planting. 
The various ways in which the Gladiolus 
can be planted make it one of the most 
showy and attractive garden flowers. 
Planted in round, oblong or square beds, 
planting bulbs from four to six inches apart, 
so that they may be weeded and hand-hoed, 
they will give a wealth of color not equaled 
by any other flower. 
Plantings for cut flowers should be made 
in rows eighteen inches apart, with bulbs 
three inches apart in the row, covering from 
four to six inches, according to the size of 
the bulbs; press the earth firmly around each 
bulb. Care should be taken to plant the 
bulbs right side up, so that the new bulb, 
which forms on top, will not be pushed 
too near the surface. For succession erf 
