We have done some experimenting, observing and thinking about the rather numer- 
ous color sports in Glads and here record our thoughts on the subject. The changes in 
color and form of Gladiolus florets seem to stem from natural forces in the environment. 
We note that nearly all color sports of Glads are of some lighter shade than the original 
from which the sport is derived; it appears that some deep colored pigment drops out 
to unmask the lighter pigments. No doubt there are times when the lighter colored 
pigments may drop out but such would not change the dominent color which masks any 
lighter colors that may be present. For example we have a color sport of Elizabeth the 
Queen in which the pink pigment has dropped out; the remaining color is blue gray 
lavender without a trace of pink. Now if something would happen to take out the gray 
pigment we would have left a nice light blue Elizabeth the Queen. Most stocks of Corona 
have a good percentage of plants which produce cream colored flowers without the 
pink halo margins. We believe these pale colored flowers are the result of failure or 
loss of the pink pigment character. In 1944 we segregated from such a mixed stock of 
Corona, three plants of the deep colored type with pink halo, and now after three bloom- 
ing seasons all of this stock has bloomed true to color. Another season we may offer 
for sale some of this selection with the deep rose pink halo. 
Plant physiologists have demonstrated that special enzymes produce particular 
pigments. Enzymes are responsible for all growth processes; they are special chemical 
compounds, biological catalysts or accelerators, each of which arise from particular 
genes in the chromosomes of the plant cells. The chromosome structure may be com- 
pared to a double string of beads lying side by side, and in corn plants at least, the 
beads or genes number several hundred. In the case of sex cells, after fertilization the 
chromosomes go through a definite maturation process in which the gene beads of both 
parents are shifted and intermixed. Thus we get new and distinct varieties of plants 
from the seeds of a hybrid plant like the Gladiolus. There are chromosomes in all the 
somatic cells also, and it is from these that the enzyme actions originate and carry on 
growth processes. Let us confine our attention to somatic cells which may propagate 
new plants asexually, or what we call bulblet production in Glads. Normally the bulb- 
lets will sprout in proper season and grow into new plants which are identical to the 
mother plants. While this process is fairly stable and may be carried on year after year 
without change, there is evidence that hybrid plants like the Gladiolus are not nearly 
so stable as well fixed species. However, there are forces in nature which may at times 
upset the delicate balance of enzyme development in somatic cells. We have pointed out 
how enzymes are responsible for all growth processes; and there are many kinds of 
enzymes, each having a particular function to perform in the miracle we call growth. 
Now we will narrow the field to pigment enzymes which produce color in florets of Glads. 
Each color pigment is the product of one particular enzyme. We will say that when a 
particular flower spike appears with a color pigment missing, something has happened 
to that particular pigment enzyme. The best known factors in the natural environment 
which are known to affect enzymes, are (1) short wave lengths of radiant energy; (2) 
longer waves of radiant energy which produce what we call heat; and (3) low tempera- 
tures of freezing intensity. We suggest that at times young bulbs and cormels when 
exposed to extremes of temperature may have some enzymatic determiners affected, in 
fact eliminated. In this way particular pigment enzymes may be destroyed, and so an 
occasional plant may turn up with a pigment shortage. 
Another suggestion, who knows, perhaps some of the growth enzymes which con- 
trol vigor or elongation of plants may be eliminated by extreme conditions of heat or 
cold; and bulbs thus affected may produce the shorter plants we sometimes find in a 
stock of older varieties. Damage to growth enzymes could produce shorter plants and 
give a stunted growth that some people blame on virus infections, but where color of 
foliage and flower seem normal. Of course we recognize that sunted plants also result 
from moisture shortage and disease such as root rots, but these causes are of temporary 
nature. On the other extreme, we call attention to rare changes in growth habits of a 
known variety where exceptional vigor appears suddenly in one plant; it towers above 
the ordinary run with elongated flowerhead. Selection and segregation of such excep- 
tional plants may result in improved stocks of particular varieties. The Brandon selec- 
tion of Picardy is a good illustration and there are others. In such cases there must 
occur favorable changes in enzyme activity which promotes more vigorous growth. 
In this category we have our own selection of Elizabeth the Queen, descended from 
bulblets produced by our Champion spike of 1943. Each year since this selected stock 
has produced division winners in one or more shows. The past year, 1947, the Grand 
Champion single spike of the lowa Show was Elizabeth the Queen grown and exhibited 
by Mrs. Etta Feye, and the bulb came from our selected strain. This was a magnificent 
spike with 30 inch flowerhead, 22 buds and ten florets open. Yes, grown a lot better 
than we have been able to do. Now we have increased this selection of Elizabeth the 
Queen to the point where we might part with a few bulbs at $1.00 per each. 
