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THE GLADIOLUS FANCIER'S 

for consideration as Color Champion. This 
award reflects the endeavor of the society to 
search out and commend varieties whose 
introduction or prospective introduction con- 
tributes substantially to the betterment of 
color values in their respective color class. 
aD: Both’s Memory—2nd Tasmania G. S., 
er ae Major—Tri State, Wellsville, Ohio, 
Firebrand—2nd Ohio show and Tri State, 
Wellsville, Ohio, 46. 
Frances Irwin—Akron, Ohio. 44. 
Great Lakes—Ohio, ’46. 
H. R. Hancock—Ohio, ’43. 
Mid-America—Ohio (Solon), ’45. 
Mrs. R. G. Errey—Tasmania G. S., ’46. 
Tunia’s Delight—Ohio (Cleveland), 47. 
Tunia’s Mahomet—Tasmania G. S., ’41 
and ’45. 
ue Both—Cleveland, Ohio, 44; W. Va., 
CVE 
BEST RECENTS, 1947 SHOWS 
Black Panther at Ill. state (Springfield). 
Cover Girl, Delaware. 
Dieppe, Wis. (state). 
Elegant Lady, Canadian G. S. 
Firebrand, Ohio (Cleveland) also (Solon). 
Huntress, Pa. (Pittsburgh). 
Interseptor, Mich. (state). 
Lady Luck, Minn. (state). 
Maple Leaf, W. Va. 
Mid-America, Chagrin, Falls (Ohio). 
Oriental Pearl, So. Calif. G. S. 
Pioneer, Ind. (state). 
Silver Wings, Il. (Chicago) and Pa. 
(Greenville). 
Spic and Span, So. Minn. 
Spindrit Nabe. 5: 
Sunspot, Binghamton, N. Y. 
state 
INVESTMENT 
Buying seemingly expensive bulbs of new 
introductions of proven merit is an invest- 
ment seldom given proper consideration. A 
single medium (half size) bulb, an average 
from our list, will normally produce a spike 
approximately 70-80 percent of capability of 
a large bulb (not just 50 percent) and while 
doing it grow into a large bulb and produce 
on an average of 50 sizeable bulblets. In two 
more years of propagating one may well have 
50 large, 200 medium, 500 small bulbs and 
7500 bulblets. This expectancy has the ear- 
marks of a good investment. But does it? 
Not unless two further facts are present. 
First, if the variety does not prove up to 
expectation and representation, the invest- 
ment could be a loss of time and money. 
Second, and of equal importance, the relation 
of the quantity bought to the whole amount 
extant, or extant in America is vital. When 
you invest $1000 in a newly formed corpora- 
tion you use care to ascertain if your $1000 
will net you 51 percent of the stock, or 10 
percent or just 1-10th of 1 percent. Whale of 
a difference, isn’t it, though costing the same. 
Same way with glads. Some introductions 
have been launched at beginning prices of 
$5 to $10 per bulb with 100,000 or more 
bulbs already propagated. Many more with 
little background of proven merit. What 
chance has your investment to prosper in 
such cases? 

CANDID 
We concede that a substantial part of 
gladiolus bulb buyers are attracted by colors 
which show considerable flecking, streaking, 
feathering and penciling. In this era of mass 
hybridizing by all and sundry, with Picardy 
as one parent, numberless glads with great 
vigor, great size and fine form are readily 
obtainable. But, usually, the Picardy throat 
brush persists, the color obtained feathers or 
deepens to outer edge or the color, if smooth, 
lacks clarity, brilliancy or saturation. There 
are and will be more and more such offerings 
by enthusiastic hybridizers awed by the form 
and size of their seedlings. 
We regret to note that the large majority 
of judges fail to discount for poor color 
values, often not even remotely to the extent 
our standards for judging provide, but are 
likewise awed by form and size. As long as 
this situation persists it will remain an easy 
matter for hybridists with an eye to produc- 
tion of well grown show specimens to flood 
the market with muddy colors or streaky 
or unharmonious colors. Add a few good 
advertising superlatives and it may take the 
buying public several years to weed them 
out. We believe no glad is better than its 
color, however big and impressive it may 
otherwise be. If it lacks intriguing color 
value it cannot get into our list. Not even 
if it piles up a flock of grand championships. 
As orders come in we keep a _ running 
inventory of sales vs. stocks, in order to be 
aware when<a size or a variety is sold out. 
About May 1st we abandon this safeguard 
because of press of shipping work and prepar- 
ation for our own plantings. On these late 
orders it is often difficult to know offhand if 
an item will hold out to the order number 
until reached. 

SIZE OF BULB TO BUY 
If economy be the aim, do not rely on small 
bulbs to give wholly satisfactory blooms. 
The smal! bulbs will all bloom but medium 
bulbs almost always give far better than 
“‘medium”’ sized spikes of the given variety. 
