
CYNTHIA, by Dr. Francis X. Graff 


A seedling cross of Pacifica and Crinkle Cream 
Cynthia won the champion seed- 
ling basket award at the Wis- 
consin seedling and recent In- 
troduction Show, early August 
1948, beginning a promising 
career for a handsome, out- 
standing early yellow gladiolus. 
The beautiful spikes which com- 
posed this basket were of a 
clear, medium shade of pure 
yellow (no green), all spikes hold- 
ing seven or more open florets. 
Any size Bulb, $5.00 
We 
around quality. 
Judging at the seed- 
ling shows has, there- 
fore, become a dif- 
ficult task, but after 
the judging is com- 
pleted, it is usually 
apparent that the 
judges have done a good job in ap- 
praising the seedlings before them. 
VARIETIES WHICH CAPTURED 
MY FANCY 
It does not always take a new 
variety to win top honors at a show, 
but it usually does take time, care, 
attention and a little knowledge to 
produce winning spikes. However, 
the new varieties are so greatly im- 
proved over most of the older ones 
that they capture the greater propor- 
tion of top honors. Such varieties as 
Elizabeth the Queen, Corona, Con- 
necticut Yankee are usually repre- 
sented on the table of champions, 
but they all need expert growing and 
more than ordinary care and atten- 
tion to get them there. In other 
words you are rewarded in growing 
The spikes of Cynthia attain a 
height of 55 inches, with an av- 
erage of 20 buds. The slightly 
recurved and somewhat frilled 
florets open wide, have good 
substance and good attach- 
ment. From what | have seen 
of this fine new yellow | believe 
it is going to fill a valuable need 
in this important color class. 
Opens well from bud. A doubly 
good variety because it is early. 
Any size Bulb and 5 Bulblets, $10.00 
CHAYNGR BOX 
many varieties in proportion to the 
love and care you give your flowers. 
There were several fine new reds at 
the shows this year. One of the best, 
particularly because it is early, is Red 
Cherry. This fine glad makes marvel- 
ous, large spikes with many florets 
open. | believe it is destined for 
great popularity, both for exhibition 
and commercial purposes. Red Wing 
comes a little later, a tall-growing, 
excellent deep red with many open. 
It is capable of winning Grand Cham- 
pionships. Another red which greatly 
ENB me was Poinciana. The first 
spike to open had six beautiful, large, 
rosy red florets open, deeply ruffled, 
on a sturdy spike. It is ruffled with 
a heavy mid-rib. Then there was the 
much talked about, high scoring 
Nancy, which is especially recom- 
mended for commercial growing. All 
four were good, each with some 
special recommendation to make it 
worth while. Other fine reds include 
Birch Red, Kenwood, Red Charm, 
Destiny, Dieppe, Pfitzers Century, 
and the black reds, Black Cherry, Paul 
Robeson. 
