first. It is not difficult to figure why this flower has become such a favorite with the public. Breed- 
ers who sensed the possibilities of improving the gladiolus have worked for a long time at evolving 
ever better and better types and varieties and, since the gladiolus is especially well adapted for 
breeding, most of the hybrids being fertile, the improvement in types as well as in colors has 
been truly sensational. So marked and so rapid has this improvement been that varieties that were 
considered the ultimate in all respects only a few decades ago have already passed into the discard 
because there are now better varieties to displace them. And the work of improving the gladiolus 
is proceeding at an ever increasing pace as more and more breeders devote their talents and time 
to it. In the light of what has been accomplished so far, speculation as to what can be expected in 
the future is extremely interesting. 
HOW ARE GLADIOLUS JUDGED? 
When it comes to judging any flower each individual will naturally follow the dictates of his 
own taste, which is all well and good, but when it comes to judging gladiolus or, for that matter, 
any other flower, at the shows where the various varieties compete for honors, endless confusion 
would result if each judge appraised the exhibits strictly in accordance with his own taste. It was 
therefore found necessary to formulate certain rules and to establish certain standards by which 
all entries are judged. These rules cover all important features such as color, form of floret, form 
of flowerhead, form of spike, and physique, and each of these subjects is subdivided so as to cover 
every type of variation. Entries are judged and graded by percentage points. Since it would be 
simply impossible to judge all colors in a single class, separate classes have been established for 
the various colors and each color class is judged separately. 
In appraising any gladiolus certain features, such as perfection of spike which naturally in- 
cludes proper spacing and facing, as well attachment of the florets, straight stem, and reasonable 
length of flowerhead, with an adequate number of buds, are important, as are the structure and 
texture of the florets - all these features are taken for granted. The most important quality of all 
is color for, after all, it is primarily the color which attracts and which holds attention. The color 
must appeal and please. Here the angle of personal taste is all-important since colors and tonés 
that are especially attractive to one person may be actually distasteful to others. Fortunately the 
range of colors in gladiolus is infinite - they cover all colors of the spectrum and all intermediate 
shades and tones - so that no one should have the least difficulty in finding the colors that he or 
she likes. Probably no other flower offers such a wide choice of colors as does the gladiolus. 
O 
JUST A LITTLE FRIENDLY ADVICE — 
If you want to experience a real thrill try some of the newer glads. 
If you do not care to invest too much money, get bulblets to start with - while this will mean 
waiting a year longer for results, the cost of bulblets is usually only one-tenth that of large bulbs. 
By all means take advantage of every opportunity to visit the glad shows for it is at the shows 
that you will see, not only a large selection of the newest varieties, but also well-grown specimens 
of all of the worthwhile varieties, old as well as new. The gladiolus shows are really schools or 
seminars for glad fans, - you will learn more about varieties from one visit than you would learn 
from years of just growing glads in your garden. 
If you are not a member of one or more gladiolus societies you are missing a lot. Membership 
in your local society affords an excellent opportunity for contact with other growers and for discus- 
sions of your problems with them, and membership in your state society broadens the scope. 
Everyone interested in gladiolus should join the larger societies, such as the New England Gladiolus 
Society or the North American Gladiolus Council. Membership fees are nominal and really insig- 
nificant when the benefits derived are considered. Each of these societies publishes information that 
is invaluable to growers, covering all that is new in the entire gladiolus field - information that 
no one interested in gladiolus can afford to miss. 
eo —- 0-2 + + 
If you are interested in entomology or in plant pathology, or if you are merely looking for an 
outlet for expending your pentup vim in useless labor then, by all means, buy your glad bulbs 
