Jutroduction 
Fingers crossed, I again present the 49 Frontiersmen 
to lovers of the gladiolus. Here’s hoping they’ll click! 
Selections are based on the past season’s show records, 
popularity symposiums, opinions kindly given me by 
other growers, and lastly, without apology, my own 
opinion of what a gladiolus should be. The selections 
have been distributed to represent all color classes as 
fairly as possible. 
It is one thing to search out the leaders of tomor- 
row; it is quite another matter to determine what 
varieties must step out to make room for those new 
leaders. Sometimes decisions are very difficult to make. 
Not without misgivings are J. S. Bach and Valeria 
dropped in favor of Miss New Zealand and Tip Top. 
Also new to the 49 are Sir Galahad, Jeanie, Red Charm, 
Candy Heart, New Era and Takina. The last two are 
older varieties inadvertently overlooked in my original 
selections last year. Strong contenders for positions 
are Royal Gold, Tunia’s Triumph, New Zealand Splen- 
dor, and Lavender Ruffles. They will bear watching. 
ON THE HORIZON 
Among the newer ones in commerce, a few show 
promise of attaining top rank honors. Time will tell. 
In the limelight is Mrs. Mark’s Memory, which brings 
a new standard of size to the purples. Perhaps in St. 
Edward or Errey’s Scarlet we will find an exhibition 
scarlet that will meet with universal favor. Black 
Magic is heralded as an improved Black Opal, but it is 
handicapped by slow propagation. I hope Leonardo da 
Vinci will prove a worthy successor to Blue Admiral, 
for the latter is scarcely worthy of its present honor. 
Globe Trotter, Pfitzer’s new light red, intrigues me. 
Misty Dawn seems to be the big news in smokies. 
Again it is my privilege to offer Salbach’s six pa- 
tented varieties—Salbach’s ‘Frontier Sixshooter” Col- 
lection I call it, for every one of those six varieties 
packs the wallop of a ‘45’’—in fact three of the varie- 
ties are 49 calibre. 
MARS AND THE SWORD OF PEACE 
With our country at war, I was afraid the growing 
of flowers would be frowned on as useless and out of 
line with efforts needed to protect our national secur- 
ity. Now comes our Secretary of Agriculture saying 
we will avoid mistakes of the first World War, one of 
which was the curtailment of flower growing. In our 
present struggle to defend our country and our way of 
life, the growing of flowers will help relieve the strain 
we must all undergo. And of all flowers, none could 
be more appropriate to our gardens than the gladiolus 
—the Sword of Peace. It will be to us a symbol of the 
freedom and peace we will eventually win. 
My sincere thanks to those of you who sent me or- 
ders last year. I hope I may have the privilege of fill- 
ing your orders again. Visitors to my gardens and our 
home are always welcome. Friendships thus made are 
truly the nicest part of gardening. Irises and peonies 
are in bloom through June, gladiolus in August and 
September. 
FREDERICK WOLHOWE 
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