Page 24 
THE GLADIOLUS FANCIER’S 


FIREBRAND 
”’While in Customs getting the lot of bulbs from you I met 
our Canadian Inspector and he told me that the lot I was in 
for (your shipment) was as fine a lot as he had ever examined 
and every corm a perfect one in being absolutely free from 
defect, thrips or disease of any kind. That was getting real 
value for my money, particularly in view of the fact thar 
your overcount and extras more than made up for the exchange, 
duty and express incurred.”’ 5-26-40. J. W. McL., Ottawa, 
Ont. 
“T have six seedlings from your 490 Snow Cruiser x June 
Bride Cross which bloomed last year, all of them looking just 
like the illustration in your catalog.” J. M. R., Jasper, Tex. 
“Maurrie Trevan makes the best dark red spikes we have 
seen over here, carrying plenty of “‘top’’ of unopened buds, 
the lack of which is the fault of Black Opal and Black Magic. 
Stella Antisdale goes well, producing splendid spikes of fine 
color. Your illustration looks silly alongside the spikes we 
get.’ C.L.P., Bassendean, West Australia. 
DEEP PINK—42 Series 
ESSA MARIE (Coutts) 83 *** — fff Exh. 
and Com. Healthy, flat faced, mild soft 
pink that never flecks, fades or crooks. 
Eight to nine 6 inch wide petalled florets 
open on a strong spike of 18 buds. Fairly 
tall, well proportioned and seldom does 
bulb split or plant throw a side shoot. 
Facing, spacing, substance and attach- 
ment are nothing short of extraordinary. 
Continuous hot, cold or wet weather seem 
to have no effect on it: Opens perfectly 
to the last bud when cut with buds merely 
showing color. Grand Champion at 
Hamilton Dist., 44. We think so well of 
this variety and are able to introduce it at 
so reasonable a price that we are deliber- 
ately reducing our offerings in the very 
popular deep pink class to this one flower. 
EachtL:50/Mi35 825 Bits)05: 
LIGHT RED—50 Series 
THRILLER (Evans) 90 * + ttt Exh. Color 
is red with medium sized blotch of clean, 
creamy yellow. On Fischer Color Chart 
the color is intermediate but closer to R4 
than to OR3. Perhaps it is too tall for a 
commercial but another year of growing 
may supply that answer. Makes very 
long, decorative flowerheads, 8 or more 
open. Exhibited at Mich. State Society 
show, 41, it was best exh. seedling, Cham- 
pion seedling and Grand Champion Bloom 
of the show, winning the President’s Cup 
and rating 851% points for top score in the 
show and receiving the society’s Certif. of 
Commendation. 
Each L $1.50 M $1.00 S .60 Bits .10. 
DEEP RED—52 Series 
ARMADA (Pfitzer) 83 * + fttf£ Exh. Com. 
Velvet, vivid cherry red with large, brown- 
ish scarlet blotch. Very tall, heavy plant 
and immense flowerheads with 7-8 open in 
the field. 
M .20S .12 Bits (100, $1.50). 
FIREBRAND (Butt) 85 *—tftt Slightly 
ruffled, deep signal red, slightly deeper in 
throat with white lines on lower petals. 
Spikes are tall and straight. 8 or more 
open. Unopened buds are of unique form 
resembling roses and the florets lie tight 
and flat to the stem evidencing that it will 
become a very valuable commercial bloom 
for shipping. 
We had tall, strong spikes with 13 open in 
the field from number 4 medium bulbs. 
One of these was section champion for us 
at the Cleveland show (Ohio State Soc.), 
44. Too new and relatively high priced 
perhaps to shove its way up into the best 
10 in the coming 1946 Canadian Sympo- 
sium. After getting a good color proof 
for our front cover last year our printer 
