
Part | 
Introduction 
> 
Going back’ in retrospect over this year, 
from Spring to Fall, we have experienced, 
for the growing of glads, one of the finest 
seasons we have ever known. The weather 
has been just about right. To top off this 
ideal condition of nature, the War is over, 
which, in itself, is wonderful for those who 
love Peace. 
The Michigan Gladiolus Show came just 
after the war’s end; so, many folks could 
get to Ann Arbor where this Society’s show 
was held this year. The competition at this 
show was very keen; even at that, we won 
63 ribbons on named varieties and seed- 
lings, including a gold rosette for a sec- 
tional champion with Golden Goddess. We 
also won a first and a bronze medal on 
three best seedlings. (These were first-year 
seedlings. ) 
Many folks who were at the exhibit also 
visited our Farms, which are on highway 
US - 23, only seven miles north of Ann 
Arbor. We received many compliments on 
our growing methods. And since the show 
we have had about one hundred visitors 
each week-end. Most of these callers have 
expressed surprise at the number, size and 
beauty of our first-year seedlings. Some 
cannot believe there could be the color 
and size we have here until they view our 
fields. 
For instance: yesterday | cut a clear, 
medium yellow of 5% foot height. It has 
24 buds and flowers. Of formed type it 
has six-inch florets. Today | cut a seed- 
ling from the same seed pod, with like 
texture, size and buddage, except this one 
was a light, salmon-flesh color; also, today 
| cut a white and orchid, one-year-seed- 
ling that was six feet tall; it had 29 buds 
with six-inch blossoms of fine texture. (All 
of the fine seedlings, such as these, are 
made into bowl arrangements so that our 
visitors may see them in the best envision- 
ment. ) 
We have all types of modernistic bowls 
and vases in which one- and two-year-old 
seedlings in one-, two and three-color de- 
signs may be placed. We take Kodachrome 
(3) 
