CULTURAL DIRECTIONS 
SOIL—Gladioli do well on most, any soil that will 
grow corn or potatoes. They should be planted in the 
open where there is plenty of sunshine and a reason- 
able amount of moisture; poor soil should be im- 
proved with a good dressing of well-rotted manure. 
If manure is not available, you may use commercial 
fertilizer on the surface, along the rows during the 
growing season, Fertilizer should be kept from direct 
contact with the bulbs. Good cultivation will help re- 
tain the moisture. Watering should be thoroughly 
once a week, rather than sprinkling daily. 
PLANTING—Upon receipt of bulbs, open package 
to permit air and keep them in a cool dry place until 
time to plant. Plant as scon as the earth is in work- 
able condition, usually when the young leaves start 
growing on the Maple trees in your vicinity and until 
July ist. If planted at intervais, a succession of 
flowers can be had. Make furrows 2 to 3 feet apart. 
5 inches deep for large bulbs, 4 inches for medium 
size. Plant in single, double or triple rows, 3 to 6 
inches apart. You May regulate your distance, de- 
pending on space and number of bulbs you have. 
TREATING—Most growers treat the bulbs before 
planting against Thrip and Scab, by using Corrosive 
of Sublimate or Lysol. We use 1-0z. Corrosive of Sub- 
limate to 4 gal. of water and soak the bulbs for 3 
hours. Bulbs can be placed in cloth or burlap bags. 
Use wooden, glass or earthen containers, never use 
metal. For amateur growers Lysol is the most satis- 
factory preparation. Use 4 tablespoons Lyso!} to 3 
gal. water, Soak 5 hours, 
SPRAYS—Inasmuch as there is a possibility that 
there is Thrip in your neighbor’s garden and your 
plants may become infested during the growing sea- 
son it is advisable to spray when plants are eight 
to ten inches high, with some good Insecticide. A 
good spray after plants are growing is 2 ounces of 
Tartar Emetic, 2 ounces of brown sugar to 3 gal. 
water. Apply weekly, Thrip is a small insect that 
feeds on the sap of the plant, later on the buds. 
FLOWERS—if you cut the flowers, leave about 
four leaves on the plant to mature the bulb. The 
spike should be cut as soon as the first flower opens 
on the stalk, preferable before the dew is off in the 
morning, but never in the heat of the day. Place the 
eut flowers in a deep vase, with at least ten inches 
of water. Remowve the wilted flowers and cut off a 
small portion of the stem, and change the water daily. 
Treated this way, every bud on the stalk will open 
perfectly in the house. They keep best in a cool room, 
HARVESTING—About five weeks after blooming 
time, or when foliage begins to turn brown, is the 
time to dig the bulbs. They must be taken up before 
ground freezes. Cut the tops off close to the bulb and 
place them in shallow trays to dry thoroughly. It 
takes about four weeks to cure the bulbs enough to 
take off the old bulb and roots. After cleaning, ‘store 
in trays not over three inches deep—in dry, cool, frost 
proof cellar, scatter a little Napthalene flakes over 
them, 1-oz. to every 100 large bulbs, cover with paper 
to confine the fumes for about 30 days, then remove 
flakes and store bulbs until planting time. Take good 
care of the bulbs. Gladioli are three to four times as 
valuable in dollars as they were years ago. 
