
Arthur Soerner combines with some dainty porcelain 
figures and his miniature glads to make two lovely 
errangements. 
LIST OF DISCARDS AVATLABLE IF YOU WANT IT 
Our mailing Tist is over 4,000 so we will again mimeograph 
our list of the varieties we are discarding giving "reasons 
why" - when we know them and send to all who will write us to" 
"send your list of discards" and enclose a 5¢ stampe 
We hope everyone will realize that we are simply trying to 
locate and name the best varieties in each color class so as 
to keep the total number down to where the average gardener 
can grow theme We do not discard because we want to - only 
because we feel forced to cut down the number of varieties 
we grow. 
Please also remember that the varieties we do discard are 
mostly discarded = not because they are not beautiful variete 
ies and beautiful glads = but simply because we think others 
are better and this is a matter of our personal judgment. 
There is some criticism of our issuing this list of dis=~ 
cards, but the Canadian Society does it regularly and their 
list is very helpful to growers, and we hope ours will be 
alsoe The number of people who have asked us to continue it 
is about 10 to 1 compared to those who thinkwe should nof 
issue it. So we are continuing to make it availsble to those 
who want it enough to write for it and enclose 5¢, and if we 
step on the toes of the owners of any fine glads listed there= 
in we very humbly apologize. All we are trying to do is be 
helpful to the greatest number. 
PRICES AND QUALITY OF BULBS 
Our prices are in line with those of other catalogers, all 
bulbs are healthy and clean - and true to name, if any bulb 
is not true to name we will refund the purchase price and re= 
place it the following pring. Our minimum order is $2.00 as 
we discovered we cannot handle smaller orders and make a pro= 
fit. Postage is paid to destination and included in our prices 
Our overcount is liberal. We grow a great many jumbo size 
bulbs and include these with the first orders regardless of 
increased postage we have to pay. All bulbs are free from 
thrip as neither of us have thrip. But if we did, we would get 
rid of them at once. No gladiolus grower needs to be bothered 
by thrip = as the cure is simple and always effective. 
We are improving our packing and inspection and humidity of 
our bulb rooms and before shipping we give a ocritioal examin~ 
ation of each bulb to be sure it is free from all signs of 
any disease. 
early 
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM BULBS OF DIFFERENT SIZES 
I have never heard this stated before and may be sticking 
my neck out but I believe you have to have No.3 bulbs or lar- 
ger to receive top bloom and do not always get it from No.3 
bulbse Large bulbs are Nos. 2 and % which means are 14 inches 
in diameter or larger. Noe 1 bulbs are from lg inches up to 3 
inches. Some folks say they consider a No. 2.bulb as just an 
undergrown No. 1 but I have found No. 2 perfectly okey for top 
bloom - always repeating - "given good growin. I have had 
fine success growing exhibition bloom from NoeZ bulbs but have 
had some varieties that simply will not do their best unless 
from large bulbs, The trouble begins when you order Medium- 
which means No. 3 or Nos 4 and No. 4 bulbs will not give you 
maximum length of flower head, height or width end number open 
of florets. Noe 4 will give you a good flower -but not show 
specimens except in rare instances. No. 4 is 3/4 inch and over 
in dia. up to 1 inche F 
Small bulbs are No. 5 = 5/8 inch and No. 6 % inchs When you 
buy small bulbs you put off seeing the flower at its best for 
one more year, The first year the small bulbs will give you a 
flower=but much smaller than the variety grows from large bults 
and in the first year will grow into a Noel, 2 or 3. It does 
not always grow into a No. 1 or larger=depending on the grow 
ing and wateringe 
When we receive orders for large, we fill with No. 1 or 
larger first and when those are out finish up with Noe 2. When 
you order M = medium = we fill the first orders with Noe3 and 
finish up with No.e2. So it is important to have your orders in 
- as last year we ran out of bulbs in many varieties and 
received around fifty orders we were unable to fill at all as 
they were received after we had started planting. We have many 
jumbo No. 1 bulbs = bulbs 2 to 3 inches in diameter and use 
those on the early orders-while they last. 
NO ORDERS FILLED. AFTER APRIL 14th. 
Because in order to get our bulbs planted we have to start 
planting, weather permitting, by April 15th. Last year we had 
to return many orders because they were received after the 
varieties ordered were already in the grounds We are sorry, but 
we are forced to make this rule and hope it is okey with every- 
bodye We have with separate plantings of bulblets around 800 
or 900 separate lots to plant with separate stakes, We also 
have to try to complete all plantings by May 25th as otherwise 
we do not get blooms before early frost = if the frosts are 
early and they usually are. So this keeps us humping and re- 
quites intense personal handling of all planting to be sure 
each lot is kept separate without mixupse So please send all 
orders before April 14th, 
DE=EY ING 
Last year brought home to me that glads in large sizes es= 
pecially must have all the strength thrown into one single 
spike and not be permitted to be distributed between two or 
three spikes from the one bulb. I have de-eyed religiously - 
at least 6 to 12 bulbs of each variety but this year did not 
have time to as it was touch and go all spring to get the 
bulbs planted at all. True I had sold too Many large and med= 
ium bulbs and had too few for growing for shows. I had an un= 
usual amount of splitting into two or more spikes from one 
bulb and while I won my share of blues and section champs, yet 
had no grand champs and had the feeling that many of my best 
ones could have been larger and one or two more open if I had 
de-eyed. In de-eying be sure you cut out other buds deep-a 
quarter inch is okey=-1/8 inch gouging out of other buds not 
enough-they will come along anyway if only 1/8 inch. While 80 
and maybe 90% of your glads will come Single spike if you dont 
de~eye = yet this last year the percentage that came double or 
more was nearer to 20% and it just always happens that the new 
one you wanted to grow big will split up if you dont de-eyee 
De-eying involves removing the husk and that is good as it en= 
ables you to detect diseased bulbs. 
RATINGS HAVE PROVED ACCURATE 
It is bad taste to pat yourse on the back, I know, but 
just the same our ratings have now appeared for the fifth con= 
secutive year and have been quite accurate. We rate the first 
year we see the bloom and while I admit you should see the 
flower 2 to 3 years before rating yet we rate at once as soon 
as seen and seldom been wronge We still stand pat on throwing 
out Wings of Song and GrendOpera. I see they are still winning 
but have noted they are not up against modern competition when 
they do, for they never could win against several in their size 
and color class that are more dependable growers as well as be= 
