6 
FLYING CLOUD FARMS 
convinced that when this soaking procedure is followed your only chance of infestation is 
from some other planting that has not been properly treated and the thrip may come a 
half mile or more with a strong prevailing wind in a short time. It would seem a wise move 
to play safe and spray them when about six inches high even if one does not see any signs of 
thrip for they are hard to see at this stage, just a few present at this time will make enough 
later on to do serious damage. The old formula still seems to be popular; it is two table- 
spoonsful of arsenate of lead, two pounds sugar (the cheapest kind you can buy) and three 
gallons of water. In the sections where the weather is often hot and the humidity high 
during the growing season, growers have had some trouble with burning of the foliage with 
this arsenate of lead spray although it does not burn nearly as easily as Paris Green. A com¬ 
paratively new tartar emetic spray has been used very successfully in Florida the past season 
and i suggest it be used in place of the arsenate spray. The formula is: tartar emetic four 
pounds, brown sugar sixteen pounds to 100 gallons of water; for home gardens use 3 gallons 
of water, two ounces (four and a half teaspoonsful) of tartar emetic and a half pound of 
brown sugar. Tartar emetic is a standard drug also known as antimony or potassium Tartrate 
0. S. P. Brown sugar is usually cheaper but any sugar is equally effective. I think if one 
keeps all open spikes cut close there will be little damage. The thrip go to blooming spikes 
so if these are cut and removed from the field any thrip present on the spikes, where most 
of them will be, would go out on these spikes. Any tops broken off or worthless spikes 
should also be kept cleaned up and removed from the field and destroyed as you then remove 
any thrip that may be present on these spikes. 
When they start to bloom it is wise to cut them as soon as a bloom or two open and 
put them in water inside where they will continue to open better and safer than in the field. 
If desired for showing and the show is nearby, cut the spikes as above and hold in as cool a 
place as available until the day of the show. If you must ship or carry the blooms some dis¬ 
tance we suggest you pack them flat in boxes. 
Now the fun is over and the work of digging, curing, and cleaning is at hand. Dig the 
bulbs about four to six weeks after blooming or as soon as they show signs of turning brown 
a bit. Cut the tops off close to the bulb and spread out in low boxes to dry, preferably where 
the air can move around them. It will depend on the size of the bulbs and the drying con¬ 
ditions how soon they will be ready to clean; the old bulb should come off easily and be sure 
to destroy all the old bottoms, etc. Now store in a cool dry place. If you use naphthalene 
flakes, I would suggest that you put half a handful on pieces of paper or small pie plates in the 
boxes, cover the boxes with paper or, if you can put them in one big pile, cover it all with 
a tight cover of some kind such as a canvas cover or several thicknesses of newspaper and leave 
for a couple of weeks; uncover, take out the naphthalene flakes, and store for the winter. Put¬ 
ting the naphthalene on paper will save taking all the bulbs out to get the naphthalene flakes 
away from the bulbs for I do not like to leave them among the bulbs all winter. Now the 
bulbs should be in good shape until planting time. 
Jumbo Bulbs For Exhibitors 
Many enthusiastic exhibitors have a very decided preference for a Jumbo bulb, that is, 
a bulb that is larger than just a number one. They feel that the larger the bulb the better the 
chance for a big exhibition spike if properly handled. The large bulbs usually do not look 
quite so nice as the smaller sizes; however, we have Jumbo bulbs at this time in most of the 
medium priced show varieties and will send them at no extra charge over large bulbs, in those 
varieties where they are still available, IF THF. CUSTOMER WILL PAY THE CARRYING 
CHARGES. Should there be small sizes in the same order, we will add extra count on these 
ordered varieties or put in some extra varieties to offset their proportion of the shipping charges. 
From Bridgeport, Connecticut—“My little order, which received such prompt and helpful 
attention, and for which I received such clean and neatly packaged bulbs last spring, 
has resulted in gladiolus that have been a joy all summer.” 
