probably, before May. Your request will be filed and list sent when ready. In this we 
expect to list about 300 varieties, ranging in price from 35c to about $15.00 each. 
Gladiolus 
Culture: Glads planted Nov. 15 to Mar. 1 in Southern California and thruout the 
south (a little later in Northern California and early as possible in spring in the east) 
are reasonably sure to escape the attack of thrips. Our Glad bulbs are especially grown 
for this purpose, matured early and dug in August. But if you plant recently dug bulbs 
you will gain nothing; they will continue their rest of three months before starting. 
Thrips are very small insects that suck the juices from the plant. They cause the 
flowers to wither or appear burned, and appear only after weather becomes warm. 
To avoid the damage they do, three measures are effective: Plant early; plant clean, 
treated bulbs; keep them reasonably moist, never allowed to dry out. 
Altho no thrips have been planted with the bulbs a few thrips may have wintered in 
protected places near the field or garden. They may come in from nearby plantings. 
We therefore begin to dust with D.D.T. when plants are about 8” tall. Any hand duster 
will do. We use a powder containing 5% D.D.T., 45% Sulphur and 50% inert 
ingredients. Dust in early morning when the plants are moist with dew. That will cause 
the powder to stick and remain effective for a week or two. Four to six dustings before 
flowering will control thrips tho in a field where various sizes have been planted and 
where flowering lasts for several weeks we consider it advisable to dust again once or 
more, the next morning after flowers are cut. We have not seen flowers or buds damaged 
by D.D.T. This powder can be had most anywhere under any one of several trade names. 
Treating Bulbs. We have recommended various dips and treatments for bulbs but 
have rejected all when we later found that some injuries resulted to the bulbs. Now 
we dust our bulbs with the same D.D.T. powder. It keeps aphis and mealy bugs away 
and kills the thrips. 
Naphthalein flakes sprinkled in the bulb containers which are then covered and 
allowed to remain about three weeks, will usually kill all thrips. But too long an exposure 
results in a little damage to the bulbs. 
The bulbs we sell you have been treated with D.D.T. Plant large bulbs 4” or 5” 
deep; small 3”; bulblets 2”. Twice their diameter apart. One can plant two rows, 
staggered in a 4” wide furrow or closer in a single row. Rows about 20” apart. Alkaline 
soils produce poor Glads. Soil should be neutral to mildly acid. Leaf mould or peat added 
is useful. Domestic peat is often harmful because alkaline. Use no fresh manure, but well 
rotted manure is good. Top mulch of leaf mould or imported peat is good. 
Keep Glads growing with plenty of water and best culture for about two months 
after flowering. It is best to dig bulbs in the south, and necessary in the north. 
Sizes and Prices. L. means “large,” size 1 and 2, 144”-1'%"” (or more) in diameter. 
M. is “medium” and includes No. 3 and 4 sizes, 34” to 144” diam. S. means “small,” 
under #4” diam. Large and medium bulbs give good long spikes. Small bulbs usually 
bloom in most varieties and when planted early, given good culture and plenty of 
water they usually make fairly long spikes. Early planted bulblets often flower. Large 
bulbs bloom earlier and throw more and longer spikes. Prices are for one bulb as 
elsewhere in this catalog. A dozen, all of one sort, costs ten times the price of one unless 
otherwise stated. Six are sold at dozen rate. Don’t forget Sales Tax in California. 
Substitution. If you order early there is likely to be no substitution, but when out 
of a variety we send another as nearly like it as possible and of equal or greater value. 
If you do not approve this, request no substitution. 
We are offering many of the newer and better varieties that have been increased 
to a quantity where they can be sold at medium prices. A few of the older ones, still 
desirable, are retained. 
The varieties April and Butterscotch are new southern California originations and 
are very outstanding. They are offered at a very low price in view of the fact that this 
is their first season before the public and of their high merit and desirability. 
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