NEW 
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T r? A F‘ 
Tt t: <' JO I V JO 
7^ MAR 4 194: t 
TJ. S. Department of Agrlonltru 
Glad Gardens 
William Lee Pearson 
Keysville. Virginia 
Somehow we overlooked getting photographs of the Pearson originations 
last summer, so the best way of introducing Mr. Pearson to glad lovers is 
by showing his own picture. It was taken some years ago, so you are at lib¬ 
erty to imagine a few wrinkles here and there and visualize some gray hairs 
also, but please don’t be too hard on the ])oor fellow, because really he’s not 
so bad looking—after dark. 
SHENANDOAH 
Having lived at one time in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, Mr. 
Pearson had witnessed the gorgeous beauty of the autumji leaves in that 
area, so when his seedling SHENANDOAH appeared in his garden with its 
wonderfully rich and entrancing combination of autumn colors it seemed the 
most natural thing to call it Shenandoah. But its lovely coloring is by no 
means all that it has. Florets are Sf-j” across, with 8 or more open at one 
time. Always straight and placement good. Exhibition type. Parentage, 
IMarmora x Mother Machree. 
It was given a Vote of Commendation at the Maryland Gladiolus Society 
Trial Garden in 1939. One enthusiastic fan wrote us, “What a color combin¬ 
ation! Nothing one could say would be too much for this thing of beauty and 
charm.” Another said, “Its rating is 100with me.” Still another, who won 
for the most beautiful glad at the New York World’s Fair Show in 1939, 
said, “I personally consider it the most beautiful spike in my entire collec¬ 
tion this past season.” From Oregon comes this comment quite recently, 
“Shenandoah is a very different smoky. A fine perfo’^mer and I think it will be very popular when 
well known.” It makes plenty of bulblets, easy to germinate. Blooming time about 73 days. 
Large size $2.00 each Medium _ $1.50 each Small_$1.00 each Bulblets _ 25c each 
Large size 10 for $15.00 Medium 10 for $12.00 Small _ 10 for $9.00 Bulblets $10.00 per 100 
LADY ASTOR 
A clear orange salmon of the decorative type. Color is clean and attractive but it sometimes 
crooks and placement not always good. Won a first in the Recent Introduction Division at the Ohio 
State Show in 1939. One fan wrote, “Your Lady Astor was outstanding among all the new varieties 
that I bloomed this season. The coloring is wonderful; a mellow and soft color with a th’^oat like 
a room done to the taste of an artist, with indirect lighting so that there are no harsh lines or 
spots.” From a grower in Oregon, himself a very successful hybridist, we have this, “Lady Astor is 
really in a class by itself, being very different in color from anything I have seen.” This variety mul¬ 
tiplies rapidly. Blooming time, about 75 days. Parentage, Picardy x Fata Morgana. 
Large size _ $1.00 each Medium __ $.75 each Small _ $.50 each Bulblets - $.15 each 
La^’ge size _ 10 for $7.50 Medium 10 for $6.00 Small _ 10 for $4.50 Bulblets _ $5.00 per 100 
ROBERT E. LEE 
This is a clear pink with violet red pencilling. Commercial type. In 1938 Legion Trial Gardens 
reported as follows: “Excellent spike and color. Took a spike to show in Wisconsin, entered in pink 
against very heavy competition. Won 2nd.” In 1939 they said, “Just a little better again this year.” It 
is not a world beater, of course, but a very consistent performer and a nice all around flow'er. Par¬ 
entage, Picardy x unknown. Prices same as for Lady Astor. 
We announce at this time another very outstanding seedling, 35P400, by Mr. Pearson. This won 
an Award of Merit at the Maryland Society Trial Garden in 1939. They reported as follows: “This 
seedling of the exhibition type produced fine spikes 49” high with 17 buds on 22” flower heads and 
eight 4V->” florets open in the field. The color is clean and attractive, the spike straight and the 
placement good. Florets were slightly hooded, with red throat markings.” Bloomed in 71 days. 
This will be released under name in 1941. 
Mr. Pearson has grown thousands of his seedlings, but so far has not seen fit to introduce more 
than the three named above. There are many among them that are beautiful, some he will always 
grow for his own pleasure, but in one way or another they fail to measure up to show standards, 
or perhaps are not distinctive enough for dissemination. 
We will be glad to receive your orders for any of the Pearson varieties as long as we can spare 
them, and promise to see that you get value received. 
