by freezing; such early shipments will be made by express in all cases 
as this method minimizes the danger of frost damage. 
A Few Remarks in Conclusion. 
It is a fact, well-known to growers, that the disease known as “yellows” is becoming 
increasingly prevalent, especially among stock from certain sections where a very 
large proportion of the commercial stock is grown. The exact cause of “yellows” 
is, I believe, still not known, although it is commonly accepted that it is probably a 
virus. Whatever the cause may be, there is no known method of detecting “yellows” 
until the disease manifests itself in the field - the infected bulbs may look exception- 
ally sound and healthy. Neither is there any known method for controlling “yellows” 
in infected bulbs, as dips and other methods which are effective in controlling other 
diseases in gladiolus corms have been found to be entirely useless in the case of 
“yellows” infected stock. 
We do know from experience that certain varieties are much more susceptible to 
“yellows” than others and that some varieties appear to be almost immune. 
The logical solution of the “yellows” problem, then, requires the following steps: 
1. Remove all diseased plants as soon as signs of “yellows” appear and destroy 
by burning them - burning is the only sure way. 
2. Buy stock grown in sections that are known to be free, or at least reasonably 
free, from “yellows” diseases. 
3. Buy varieties that are known to be immune or highly resistant. 
It is a matter of no small gratification to me to be able to truthfully state that it 
has been my good fortune to have very little trouble from “yellows” to date. While 
I have run across an occasional infected plant among some of my standards, my 
seedlings appear entirely free from “yellows”, which leads me to believe that my 
strain is either entirely immune, or at least very highly resistant, to “yellows” in- 
fection. The varieties offered for 1941 release have all been grown and tested six 
and seven seasons without the occurrence of even a single case of “yellows” among 
them. 
I use no dip of any kind for the control of infectious diseases among my stock, and 
this for a very definite reason: if any of my seedlings are susceptible to any of the 
gladiolus diseases | want to learn that fact as soon as possible in order that I may 
destroy all such stock immediately. I do not believe in introducing any new variety, 
no matter how appealing it may be in other respects, if that variety is even slightly 
susceptible to disease. I have too often bought a dozen or twenty-five bulbs of a 
variety, only to find my original stock reduced to a few bulbs at the end of one or 
two seasons; for awhile I tried to fight the disease in those strains but I have long 
since decided that any variety that can be grown only if one constantly fights its 
diseases, is not worth the time and effort expended upon it. 
Not only do I refrain from dipping my stock, but the care and cultivation that I give 
it is no better than just ordinary field culture: I use manure - when I can get it-, 
and also use a commercial fertilizer in the bottom of the trenches; in addition, I try 
to keep the weeds within bounds, but that is all. Certainly, my seedlings get no 
coddling of any sort. Any variety that does well under those conditions should do 
ever so much better when given the special cultivation that most growers bestow 
upon their choice varieties and show specimens. 
When you buy SCHEER originations you get only varieties that are strong, healthy 
growers, and which have amply demonstrated extreme resistance to every type of 
disease to which the gladiolus is subject. 
Yours, for Better Glads 
Geo. H. Scheer, M. D. Hybridist 
910 New York Avenue 
Sheboygan, Wisconsin 
