This is J.R., and his wife, Paddy. George 
Wilson thinks it wuld be a better picture 
if we just showed the dog and Paddy 
A SHORT GET-ACQUAINTED TALK by J.R.H. 
Be a iii ober SEE 
This is my second annual price list and my fourth annual 
rating report. Last year I grew 156 new varieties = new to 
my garden - and a total of about 558 varieties, including som 
80 or so seedlings sent me by originators for ratings and so 
I could exhibit them for the originatorse 
In my first report last year I mailed to only a few hun- 
dred and had trouble finding the names. This year I am mail- 
ing to many more names, thanks to the kindness of many state 
societies who have sent me their membership lists so that 
their members could receive these reportse 
I am an industrial advertising man whose hobby is to grow 
and exhibit gladiolus - and my partner, L.E. or "Monk" May is 
the superintendent of a great chemical plant on the south sig 
of Chicago. His new home is near LaPorte, Indiana, and so 
from now on we will be able to give you reports of the way 
the glads grow in two gardens in two different states in add- 
ition to observing how they do at the shows. 
Last year I had 196 glads in my “best" list = this year 
the number is reduced to under 160. We have grown nearly 800 
varieties in the last five years and of these about 440 vari- 
eties have been discarded because we thought others were 
better. 
Our ratings of gladiolus varieties was the result of our 
desire to try out new and promising varieties and yet keep in 
our garden and offer’ for sale only the best in each color 
class. These ratings have appeared for four years in The N.Ke 
G.S- Annual and this year some of them are also in the year- 
books of the Canadian Gladiolus Society, Maine Gladiolus Soc- 
iety, and a special edition of the Iowa Gladiolus Society 
quarterly. 
To say just how good a gladiolus variety may be is a 
hard job and to do so without every once in a while being 
wrong is probably not possible. Our ratings appear to be 
from 5 to 6 points lower than those generally used = and ve 
only have about 21 that rate 82 or better, and none over 85. 
- We rate all gladiolus cord, when the bloom is in front of us 
and when the maximum number o orets are opens This rating 
Is then checked against show blooms seen in 7 or 8 Midwestern 
shows _ ; o> 7 
Last year, and for the three previous years, we have 
rated on the basis of a glad being able to win on the show ~ 
table. This year we have added another requisite for the vari- 
eties that make our "best" list and that is that they shall be 
honest varieties - not grand opera stars - with dependable 
Yarden performance and the ability to grow and perform wellin 
any garden, if given good growinge We have eliminated and die 
Carded all varieties where we have found they give champion- 
ship blooms only occasionally or where the average garden 
performance is disappointing. We want our lists to be a guide 
not only to the best varieties but also to the varieties that 
can be depended on to perform well for anyone who buys them - 
of course repeating that they must have "good growing” which 
we tell about later. 
Last year our gardens went to town and the flowers were 
beautiful, as I won over 250 ribbons, medals, trophies, ets, 
and Mr. May and I ran nip and tuck all year at the shows, so 
Monk May hybridising. I cant quite understand 
the necktie but always suspected he owned one. 
Mr. May's first introduction- Jack Frost- a 
grand medium decorative pure white- w1l be 
introduced in 1945 and is being used as &@ 
premium bulb this year. 


J. R. HOPKINS 
Deerfield, Illinois 
JR HOPKINS 




Le Be MAY ~ 
A list selected from over 700 winning varieties as the best 
varieties for winning on the show table and also being 
dependable growers in any amateur or commercial garden. 
he must have won nearly as many more. 
If we had our way we would omit all reference to our show 
winnings but because this report will go to many who do not 
know either of us, maybe we had better tell something to prow 
that we know how to grow and show gladiolus. I got sweepstakes 
for most points in 3-4 in., 4-5 in., and over 5 in. class at 
Iowa State show at Waterloo early in season. Then won most 
points at Midwest show, Illinois State show and Wisconsin 
State shows - plus same at two Illinois regional shows = one 
at Deerfield and one held with the Chicago Victory Garden show 
in Grant Park, Chicagoe Included in the season were between 
250 and 300 ribbons with about 17 rosettes, special award 
ribbons, trophies and medals. Mr. Monk May won about 200 
ribbons, 11 rosettes at Illinois State and regional shows, 
Iowa and Wisconsin State shows. Was 1942 Amateur Winner at 
Wisconsin at Geneva, and won Amateur Achisvement Medal at 
Illinois State show in 1943, 
Altogether since 1940 we have grown and tested nearly 
800 supposedly prize winning gladiolus, and up to now have 
discarded or abandoned all but 300. W% aim to try out new var 
ieties every year and pass on our experience to our readers 
and customers. Since 1941 we have made 122 changes out of 197 
listed as "best" at that time, which seems to prove that the 
new varieties of the last 3 or 4 years have been truly out=- 
standing. I doubt very much if this pace can be kept up. 
Nearly every color class has been strengthened to the point 
where it has become increasingly difficult for a new variety 
to break into the charmed circle called “best in each color 
class." 
One thing has definitely happened and that is that we 
are able to offer about 135 varietiss of glads without the 
inclusion - we hope - of any that are not outstanding, regu- 
lar winners and good garden performers. Everything we offer 
has been tested and proven to the best of our abilitye We do 
not hope to be 100% correct but we try hard and faithfully 
not to overrate and not to make mistakese 
ABOUT THE VARIETIES LISTED IN OUR PRICE LIST 
WHICH FOLLOWS. 
ALL the varieties in our list are winning varieties and 
honest dependable growers, Either veteran showmen or beginners 

