GUIDEBOOK FOR 1943 

AT THE 1942 SHOWS 
It is difficult to appraise the attitude of 
the reader respecting reception of data re- 
lating our personal winnings at shows, or 
even that of our customers. 
From year to year we have been shortening 
this discussion. Partly because interest 
centers chiefly upon what variety won rather 
than upon who won. 
We doubt if any person or gladiolus con- 
cern in America has won half as many first 
awards and special prizes in major glad shows 
in the last 10 years or more as it has been our 
good fortune to obtain. 
Because of the advantage we have with our 
stocks of the newest varieties, heretofore 
used in competition with so many of our 
own customers, we now minimize our entries 
in the commercial color spike classes and 
devote ourselves mostly to Recent Introduc- 
tions and Seedling Divisions. 
First, we visited the W. Va. show at Wheel- 
ing. Here Harmau and Stella Antisdale 
repeated their winning performances of the 
year before. In fact, Harmau, Helen of Troy, 
Rima, Hindenburg’s Memory, D. O. X., 
Pinocchio and Myrna won in two or more 
sections. We noticed that a bloom of our 
73567 smoky seedling with blue edge won for 
Mr. Apperson, who had one of several bulbs 
sent out to test in differing locations. 
Several Ohio amateurs, led by Leo Lawr- 
ence of East Liverpool, demonstrated again 
that Ohio society members commonly trek 
to shows in nearby states and give assistance 
and able competition to the at-home boys. 
Following week to Wellsville where many 
good spikes of Wilson’s originations were 
shown, including Larime, grand champion, 
King Click and Purple Supreme. Harmau 
wonton Mr:- Rie. BaynesoL ra: Harry 
Beardmore, from nearby Salem, Ohio, won 
about 25 firsts, a couple of sectional champs, 
best foreign origination with Hindenburg’s 
Memory, best Canadian with Corona and 
copped a large segment of the available hard- 
ware (cups, medals, vases, pen and pencil set 
etc.) His spikes were a revelation. Coutts’ 
Orchid blanked out its class, winning Ist, 
2nd and 3rd. Other outstanding winners were 
Vagabond Prince, Midnight Red, Black 
Diamond, Carillon, Dr. Verhage, Pinocchio 
and five of the patent varieties. 
From there we invaded the gas rationed 
area and managed to get as far as the Blue 
Ridge Soc. show at Hagerstown. Our tank 
capacity would not allow us to consider 
Havre de Grace and we got back to gas by a 
narrow margin as it was a Sunday return. 
The show was small but interesting. A fine 
spike of Corona outpointed Peggy Lou for 
grand champion. Pandora and Susquehanna 
appeared to prove close relationship to 
Picardy. 
Page 9 
On our return we stopped in Salem, where 
Beardmore’s sister and mother dazed us with 
still more magnificent blooms of. Crystal 
(13 open), Hindenburg’s Memory and Corona 
both with 9 open and many, many others 
equally huge. 
Came showtime, Midwest, at La Porte, 
Ind., and I, one of the most rabid show 
exhibitors I have ever met, was without 
bloom. Almost a complete sell-out of large 
bulbs, our help migrated into army and war 
industry close by in every direction, our 
hitherto always successful method of hasten- 
ing bloom dates by hardly covering the bulbs 
in the trenches frustrated by constant rains 
and cold nights. Plainly, powerful plants 
were in the making, but the blooms just had 
not arrived and the problem was how to 
face the boys at La Porte without my usual 
auto load of expected bloom. 
Harry Beardmore was a possible solution. 
We knew he had the blooms and arranged to 
take him as our guest. So, grand blooms 
which otherwise would not have gone to any 
show nestled loosely and comfortably in three 
egg cans with chicken wire at top and bottom 
of the cans. We drove at night, as usual, to 
protect the blooms from excessive heat. 
It turned out that Harry’s toughest com- 
petition was with P. B. Smithett, Harry 
Plummer and L. H. Esterline, other Ohio 
amateur members. Every one who entered a 
bloom or read the names on the blue ribbon 
entries came away with the realization that 
these. four Ohio members had topped the 
show. 
And with considerable pleasure I tabulated 
(there I go, tabulating again) my left handed 
contribution to the show effort to see what 
Beardmore had hatched out of the three egg 
cans: 15 firsts, 9 seconds, 1 third, 4 section 
championships, (best Am. Lge Dec. with 
McCoy, best Am. Med. Dec. with Gertrude 
Swenson, best R. I. open Exh. with Titan, 
Best R. I. Lge Dec. with Myrna) 2 division 
championships (best Am. entry, all sections 
with McCoy, best R. I. entry all 4 sec. with 
Myrna), Most Open with McCoy, Best Ohio 
Origination with Hurricane and Grand Cham- 
pion Bloom of the Show with Myrna. 
Other winning spikes of particular interest 
to us were a spike of R. B. with 35-inch 
flowerhead, one of Grand Opera with florets 
over 7 inches dia. Four of the patent varie- 
ties won 7 firsts. Coutts’ Orchid and Diane 
led their respective colors. Several spikes of 
Rima came close to champion caliber. 
Lavender Ruffles, Red Lory, Peggy Lou, 
Helen of Troy, Beacon, Myrna, Diane, Blue 
Beauty, Blue Admiral earned three firsts 
each. Mr. Burroughs, of Deerfield, IIl., set 
our blue edged smoky seedling 73567 out in 
front again but we doubt if it could hold its 
own against Pastel. Harry Plummer, of 
Columbus, Ohio, garnered most points in the 
Amateur Division. 
