A. E. KUNDERD , GOSHEN, INDIANA . 
7 
5,000 separately grown varieties (all of my own origin) find a deserving 
place on my grounds. It is easy to win awards and make extravagant 
claims where REAL competition is not encountered, but to carry off the 
highest awards before the loremost Horticultural Societies, The Ameri¬ 
can Gladiolus Society, Ine Massachusetts Horticultural Society, and 
wherever shown in a fair and open field, is entirely a different task. In 
justice to myself, I should here inform my readers that a representative 
collection of my varieties has never been exhibited west of Chicago. 
Arrangements are being made to exhibit a large collection of my varieties 
befoie the American Gladiolus Society and the Society of American 
Florists, at Cleveland, Ohio, next August, and it is hoped that all growers 
and originators will make an effort to stage their best productions in 
order that competent judges and the general public may be able to 
pass on relative merits. 
It is a great pleasure in the flowering season each morning to walk 
among thousands of new seedlings, never before bloomed, and watch 
for the rare gems that now and then unfold themselves to the eye of the 
beholder. It is like finding a rare pearl to discover such new-born 
beauties, and their value to aestetic development and the general good 
is more important than rubies and diamonds. 
In coming years it shall be my endeavor to continue in the im¬ 
provement and production of still other beautiful Gladioli. We enjoy 
our work and a ways try to please our friends and patrons. We deal 
with our customers as if they were personal friends, and they really are. 
Write us as friends; we feel that way toward you. Tell us of your 
success with your bulbs, and of any disappointments, so we may help 
you. We take great pains to keep our stocks free from “rogues” and 
clean and free from disease. It does not often happen that a wrong 
bulb is sent out. On an average there is less than one “rogue” among 
every 5,000 bulbs we grow. Our system of filling orders is so well 
organized that few wrong or defective bulbs are sent out, and we always 
gladly correct any unintentional mistakes. 
In this booklet will be found the most complete and reliable in¬ 
structions on the care and culture of Gladiolus ever written. Many 
wonderful stories of giant blooms and plants have been written, but 
these are mainly the results of culture, soil and climate. Referring to 
the advice so often given of leaving on the tops at digging time, we will 
say that no grower has sent out more reliable bulbs than we and it is 
our invariable practice to cut off the lops on the same day the plants 
are dug. Another suggestion is often made that where bulbs are cut 
into pieces to promote more rapid increase, they should be planted soon 
after cutting. In an experience of more than thirty years I have found 
that pieces of bulbs containing the “eyes” are less liable to rot when 
planted if the wounds are first left to dry or heal for several days. When 
bulbs are cut for purpose of increase the wounded surfaces should be 
lightly dusted with sulphur, or dry air-slacked lime, and placed in a sunny 
position or exposed to dry warm air for several days before planting. 
