Some Vuteresting Facts ou Bulb Vitality 
Previous Year’s Culture Important in Determining Spike Length 
One of the mysteries of glad culture has been why a variety which produced fine tall 
spikes when first introduced dwindled year by year in vigor until it produced spikes so 
stubby nearly everyone discarded it. Thus years ago the variety America created a sensa- 
tion when first introduced but soon disappeared from most lists. Probably nine out of 
ten plantings of Picardy have grown short. Why did an occasional planting retain the cap- 
acity to produce tall spikes while others lost it? 
It now appears that there is no real mystery involved after all. Tests indicate that it 
is simply a matter of the quality of culture a gladiolus is given. Inadequate fertility and 
drought are probably the two most common reasons bulbs deteriorate in vitality. Viruses 
are another reason but they may result from the preceding two. 
We have been fortunate in being located in a comparatively well-watered section of 
the corn belt which is also blessed with a black soil of unusual natural fertility. (One of 
the largest sweet corn and pea canneries in America is located near here. Canneries are 
necessarily located in areas of exceptional fertility and good rainfall.) However, even here 
occasional drought has marred the picture. As a result we resolved last spring to put all 
our plantings under irrigation. It was a fortunate decision as our area sustained a most 
unusual drought in 1948. It was a thrill to be able to turn on the “rain” whenever we 
needed it and the two pictures below attest the remarkable growth we secured on bulb- 
lets grown under our new irrigation system. All of our fields were generously irrigated. 
(Incidentally, vitality can be restored by good culture to a variety which has lost it, 
I am informed by those who have made this experiment.) 
Regarding fertility: we customarily add to the natural fertility of our black corn belt 
loam by plowing under every other year a crop of soy beans when they reach a height of 
about 30 inches. This seems to insure practically optimum fertility. By use of such fertiliza- 
tion, plus irrigation, and by discarding any variety that shows a tendency toward virus 
infection or disease, we believe we can insure our customers bulbs of top vitality from 
year to year. We have a beautiful crop of bulbs this year—the best we have ever had. 
Two Pictures of the Same Field Taken June 1 and September 15 Showing 

