GUIDEBOOK FOR 1948 
Page 23 

542 ESSA MARIE (Coutts) (our ’46 import 
release) M. Mild, soft, deep pink that 
never flecks or fades. Eight to nine 6 
inch wide, round florets can open on a 
strong spike that never crooks. Good 
commercial habits and has entered the 
grand champion column. 
1.355 4155 Bits (100, $2.00) - (1000, 
$10.00). 
542 PERSONALITY (Butt-Evans ’47) M. 
Basic color is deep pink slightly rosy 
toned. This glad looks equally good for 
exhibition and for commercial use. Most 
every spike appears to be of show cham- 
pion quality. Tall, powerful plants, 7-9 
open in the field. Of the many ‘deep 
pink Picardys,’”’ most of them sports, this 
is the only one that has satisfied us. 
L $3.00 S $1.25 Blts .20. 
LIGHT RED—50 Series 
450 JOHAN van KONYNENBURG 
(K & M) (our ’47 import release) M. 
Named for one of the founders of the great 
Holland firm. They consider it ‘‘the 
most perfect gladiolus yet introduced’”’ 
(not merely the best red). The color is 
clear, rich, glowing orange vermilion. We 
have classified it here as light red but if 
it is not scarlet it is very close to it. 
However, every spike is a show in itself, 
outstanding in any garden, carrying up 
to 10 open blooms, well faced and spaced 
on tall, extra strong, upright spikes, never 
crooked or bent. Received First Class 
Certificate at Haarlem, their highest 
possible award. It has turned out to be 
an excellent propagator for us and we are 
sure it will quickly take a high ranking 
place on the cut flower market. 
L $1.00 M .60 S .40 Blts .10 (100, $5.00) 
(1000, $25.00). 
550 MID-AMERICA (Knierim-Evans ’47) 
M. The first variety we have offered, 
raised by one of our customers from seed 
(cross 486, Red Charm x Snow Cruiser) 
offered in our catalog. May any similar 
subsequent offers be as good! 
Color clear, brilliant light red, unmarked. 
Mammoth, smooth, round florets around 
7 inches diameter and more, well attached 
on very tall spikes, 26 buds on extra strong 
stems, as well as extra long flowerheads, 
33-36 inch heads being almost an average 
for large bulb production. Foliage 1s 
wide and heavy and tall, even that of 
bulblets growing 30 inches tall. About 
a fourth of the bulblets bloom. Even 
tiny bulbs hardly larger than bulblets, 
planted 2 inches apart have made many 
spikes 60-66 inches tall, with foliage 36 
inches tall, opening 10 giant florets. For 
detailed information of this wonderful 
variety see our Guidebook of 1947, pages 
11, 12, 13, 17 and 28. Also our current 
Grand Champion, Seedling Champion 
and Color Champion tabulation herein. 
In ’47 we have further record of the 
following: Firsts at Ohio (Cleveland) in 
both open and R. I. section (33” head); 
three firsts Chagrin Falls, (Ohio) also R. I. 
section champion; firsts at Solon (Ohio), 
Conn.; Iowa (Ames); Ill. state; Ill. 
(Chicago); Western Mass.; Pa. state 
(Greenville); first and longest flowerhead 
(3634”) Winnipeg; first and longest head 
and 2nd day Grand Champion, East 
Liverpool (Ohio). 
We know the variety is a good forcer for 
we tried to exhibit bloom in the 10 day 
great Mid-America Industrial Exhibition 
in the world’s largest Auditorium (Cleve- 
land), late last May. Our friend Dr. 
Don Creager, known to gladiolus growers 
throughout the world, undertook to grow 
a dozen bulbs at Terra Ceia Island, Fla. 
Because of the very unusual cold weather 
encountered, these bulbs bloomed a couple 
weeks too late for the show. However, 
12 more bulbs were grown at the Cleve- 
land West Technical High School Green- 
house and on the opening day of the 
exhibition we had five spikes to exhibit 
and two days later the entire balance of 
the dozen. At the) end "of the, 10 ‘days 
five of the spikes were still very present- 
able, the others still blooming farther up 
the spike. 
The forcing expanded the plant at expense 
of the flowers which were six inches but 
the foliage was six feet high and the stems 
reese the spikes to tower from 7-71% feet 
tall. 
We reserve the right to limit quantity 
purchases should they impair many 
customer’s chances of getting a single bulb. 
Any size bulb, each $2.00 (no dozen rate) 
Blts each .25. 
““Mid-America is sure some glad, largzst I have ever seen. 
Nice color, too.” Bob White, Iowa. 
“Mid-America has immense florets and exceptionally good 
color.”” Bob Knopf, Oregon. 
“Extreme hot weather and drought but Mid-America from 
medium bulbs was tall, straight, 21 bud, 8 open, flowers 
immense, opening well in water.’”?” J. R. Welty, Ill. 
“When I first saw Mid-America at your place, fall ’46, I 
mentally reserved $10.00 for a bulb when it would be offered. 
Imagine my surprise when I find I am able to order 6 bulbs 
for $10.00.” Dr. W. S. Webb, W. Va. 
“In case you haven’t heard, someone entered Mid-America 
in the “‘Hall of Fame”’ at the Boston show (N. E. G. S.) and 
won second on it by public poll.’’ Harvey Stone, Mass. 
“If you can get bulbs of Mid-America by all means do so., 
I saw it take grand champion last summer against such glads 
as Sunspot, Spotlight, Lancasret, Leading Lady, Summer Gal 
and Silver Wings.”’ Ben Netzly, in December ’47 “Ill. 
Notebook.” 
“LIGHT RED: Mid-America by Knierim-Evans is the 
big noise here and introduced at a rate available to all. Huge 
without being coarse, has remarkably good attachment for 
such a large glad, seems quite healthy, produced bulblets at 
a great rate, is a very rich, clean medium-red self, opens 
enough and makes a very nicely proportioned, heavy stiff 
spike. One bulb of this will give you a start, and it is 
indeed extremely worthwhile in my opinion.”? Dr. J. F. Cason, 
Tenn. in December ’47 N. A. G. C. Bulletin. 
