The Glory of the Garden : The Modern Gladiolus 
HOW TO GROW AND CARE 
FOR THE GLADIOLUS 
HE Gladiolus will grow and bloom in 
almost any kind of soil, if only it can 
have full exposure to the sun. It requires 
no “fussing” over. It is singularly free from dis¬ 
ease or insect pests. It will stand more dry weather 
than most flowers. It will even survive outright 
neglect, returning good for evil by its wonderful 
bloom. 
At the same time, no plant responds more 
quickly or satisfactorily to good treatment. It 
likes best a rich, sandy loam. If your soil is heavy 
or stiff, work in a liberal amount of sand. If it is 
very light and sandy, spade in a liberal amount of 
well-rotted manure in the fall. Best results are 
obtained by preparing the beds in the fall. This is 
especially true when thoroughly rotted manure is 
not to be obtained and fresh manure must be used. 
By spring it is decomposed, and the ground in 
the very best of condition. Fall-turned sod makes 
an excellent foundation. If not fall-prepared, the 
land should be given a liberal dressing of manure 
or commercial fertilizer, and this spaded in to a 
depth of 15 inches. 
With a well-prepared bed in a sunny exposure 
the measure of your success with Gladioli rests 
wholly in the quality of your bulbs. I have found 
by experience that a great many people fail to 
understand the vital importance of these brown- 
husked treasure boxes, in which are locked the 
plants for which they have made such careful 
preparation. To them bulbs are just “bulbs,” 
either large or small as the case may be, and the 
larger bulbs are necessarily the best. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Small bulbs, 
properly grown, cured and stored, will often throw up plants and flowers twice the size of large 
bulbs which have been poorly grown and improperly cared for. Hence the necessity of securing 
your bulbs from a dealer who can and will guarantee them to be strictly first-class. No matter 
from whom you get them, if they are not firm and heavy, send them back. Soft, light bulbs 
will never make strong plants. The best of soil is useless unless the bulbs put in it have within 
themselves the vigor to make the most of it. 
Growing Gladiolus bulbs is my business. The glorious flowers which bring a constant 
stream of visitors to Meadowvale Farms from long distances every summer are merely a by¬ 
product. My whole thought and attention is concentrated on growing the bulbs, to the end that 
my customers may grow just as fine flowers as I can. When the bulbs are harvested, they are 
rigidly inspected, and every one which shows the least signs of weakness is thrown out. In the 
same careful way they are stored where they will be neither too dry nor too damp, that their 
vitality shall not be affected in any way. 
With your bed prepared, and sure of the quality of your bulbs, the next step is the planting. 
In the latitude of northern New York this may be any time from the middle of April to the 
middle of May, whenever the frost is wholly out of the ground. Farther south earlier planting 
is advisable. For succession of bloom, bulbs may be set at intervals up to the 15th of June. 
The smaller bulbs should be set 2 inches deep, and the very large ones twice that depth. 
In planting small beds I have found it an excellent plan to remove the soil to the required 
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