KAYLOR NURSERIES, BLAINE, WASH. 
B-and got his ideas. He says the col¬ 
or is not so rich as Leschi, and he likes 
Leschi better, but is uncertain about two 
good spikes side by side on the show 
bench, as judges might pay attention to 
the longer spike and more out, but fig¬ 
ure the rich color was a matter of taste. 
That is about the way I have it, but for 
a beautiful flower for garden, office or 
party, give me the Leschi. When dug 
they all come out fat and hearty and 
with the increase I now have I hope to 
hit the show with a wallop of Leschis 
next year.” 
Leschi has won so many first prizes 
that we have stopped trying to “keep 
tabs” on them. In a list published by 
the Empire State Gladiolus Society un¬ 
der the caption “The First Seventy-five,” 
Leschi is placed as number 19 among the 
great Glads of the entire world. When 
one considers that the dark reds are far 
less popular with most folks than are 
the pinks and other lighter colors, this is 
an exceptionally high rating, its nearest 
Koehl as number 22 and Dr. Hoeg as 
deep red competitor being Commander 
number 25. 
RETAH SCHELL 
Ever since this somewhat late bloom¬ 
ing variety opened in our garden for the 
first time some years ago we have felt 
that it would clean up any show in which 
it might be exhibited—provided some one 
could only induce it to step out and bloom 
early enough. The 1937 show of the Sno¬ 
homish Gladiolus Society was held late in 
August, in Everett, and R. P. Loomis, 
Bellingham, had Retah Schell out in all 
its pink beauty. It won, not only first 
in its class, but was selected as the best 
decorative spike in the show. It had two 
blue ribbons around its neck and looked 
quite proud of the achievement, holding 
its freshness and color on the second day 
of the show. Here on Puget Sound it 
opens up to sixteen, in perfect placement 
and, in our garden, the tallest pink of 
the lot. Now comes a report from Frank 
Lund, California, who says: “Retah Schell 
grew tall and some spikes had 16 open 
florets at once. Should be a winner for 
exhibition if you could get it to bloom 
for show time.” It’s good for ten to 
twelve open at once on a five foot spike 
under ordinary field conditions. In color 
it is a strong pink with a very faint 
orange blush over its face. A touch of 
creamy orange in the throat. Due to an 
accident last year, stock is limited. 
KULSHAN 
For years we have been trying to de¬ 
velop a true royal purple Glad. In Kul- 
shan we have one result of this effort; in 
John Virgil another. Kulshan is a light 
purple with a few faint white lines on 
the lower petals deep in the throat. It 
is a tall growing variety with six or more 
large florets open at once and has a num¬ 
ber of first prizes hanging on its belt. It 
has made good in Iowa, Wisconsin and on 
the East coast, and we feel sure it is en¬ 
titled to the praise it has received from 
those who have grown it. 
JOHN VIRGIL 
It is not the deep royal purple we 
have been working for, but it is the near¬ 
est to that color we have ever seen. Al¬ 
most a self color with up to sixteen flor¬ 
ets open at once, a striking thing in the 
field or on the show bench where it has 
always won first place whenever exhibited. 
Leschi was the seed parent while the pol¬ 
len came from Red Lory. Like the latter 
flower, John Virgil sometimes has trouble 
holding up the long spike of open florets, 
but one can “fuss” with it a litttle and 
be well repaid for the effort. About fif¬ 
ty inches tall, well proportioned flower 
head, five inch or larp-er florets with very 
little taper upward. 
ROYAL PLEDGE 
When Columbus wanted to sail to the 
west in an effort to find a new route to 
China, Queen Isabella pledged her jewels 
for money with which to finance the voy¬ 
age. It was a Royal Pledge and this Glad 
derives its name therefrom. The main 
color is the brilliant sunset red into which 
Columbus sailed. The throat is the large 
golden tray upon which Isabella placed 
her rubies. Look this one in the face, 
not hard to do as the six or more large 
florets always face one way, and you will 
see the rubies on the golden throat. It 
is very early, in fact it blooms about 
the same time as that other earliest of 
all, Yakima Apricot. Florists of New 
York City give it a rating of 78 per cent 
as a commercial cut flower. Of course 
it has won prizes at shows, among them 
being first at East Bay, California; first 
in Iowa; while in England it was consid¬ 
ered so good that Maj. Geo. Churcher gave 
it a full page halftone in the Journal of 
the Royal Horticultural Society. It is tall, 
bright and early, a good propagator and 
priced very low for a new one. 
LAUGHING LASSIE 
This bright and happy girl likes a rich 
spot in the garden where she can have 
all she wants to drink and then she will 
step out and develop a five foot spike 
with up to ten wide open round florets 
in perfect placement on a well propor¬ 
tioned stem. In color it is a bright deep 
rose pink with a trace of yellow in the 
throat. An exceptional propagator pro- 
