from your dime or department store: they will give you an excellent opportunity to learn all about 
thrips, as well as many of the gladiolus diseases, in the shortest time - but don't expect to see 
much bloom. If, on the other hand, you wish to grow gladiolus for bloom, then buy them from a 
reputable grower or dealer. I have, for years, inspected the glad stock offered by dime and de- 
partment stores and I can truthfully state that I have seldom seen any bulbs there that should not 
have been consigned to the furnace. . 
THRIPS — 
The control of this perennial nuisance has been made much easier through the discovery of the 
new insecticide DDT, which is not only highly effective but inexpensive, as well. By far the best 
results are obtained when it is used as a dust on the corms during the drying process and during 
winter storage. When digging your bulbs just apply a generous layer of DDT dust to the bottom 
of each tray used to receive the bulbs and also dust each layer of bulbs - allow the dust to remain 
or the bulbs until cleaning time. After the stock has been cleaned, again apply the dust in suffi- 
cient amount to insure that each bulb is well coated with it. This treatment will positively kill all 
thrips on the stock. 
DDT can also be used, in the form of either the powder or as a spray, for treating growing 
stock. The secret of success in treating growing stock is to start early - when the plants are 6” 
high - and to repeat the treatment at short enough intervals to insure constant coating with the 
insecticide - 7-10 days apart will do nicely unless heavy rains have washed off the DDT, in which 
case extra spraying or dusting is advisable. Whether spray or dust is used, the application should 
be thorough, so as to insure complete covering of the foliage. Treatment is, of course, discontinued 
when the spikes near the blooming stage. 
WEED CONTROL — 
The new compound, 2-4 D, now obtainable under different names everywhere, has lightened 
the tedious task of weeding very materially. Best results are claimed when 2-4 D is used as a 
pre-emergence spray, immediately after stock has been planted, but it may also be applied in the 
form of a spray to growing stock, apparently without harmful results. Since this compound is still 
very new it is well to use it cautiously until we know more about it; in any event, the instructions 
of the manufacturer should be very carefully followed. 
PATRICIAN — A REAL LAVENDER 
Patrician is a true aristocrat among glads and one that we are especially proud of. It is the 
product of a long line of crosses extending over many years and it has not only fulfilled but ex- 
ceeded our most extravagant expectations. 
Lavender has long been one of the especially favored colors in glads and many breeders 
have devoted much time and effort in attempts to produce better varieties in this class, with the 
results in attempts to produce better varieties in this class, with the results that there are now a 
number of much improved varieties of so-called lavenders. I say so-called advisedly. The term 
lavender is being used rather loosely at present, being applied to any tint that is the result of a 
combination of pink and light blue. Of course, each individual has a perfect right to interpret as 
lavender any combination of the two component tints, with the result that the majority of the so- 
called lavenders of to-day are in truth orchids, rather than true lavenders. 
My own interpretation of the term lavender, - and one which I believe to be the correct one - 
is a light color tone produced by the blending of light blue and pink in such proportions that the 
blue factor definitely dominates. Where the pink factor dominates the color should not be called 
lavender at all, but rather orchid - or rose, depending upon the proportion of blue in the combina- 
iion. I trust that before long the term lavender will be more accurately defined than it is at the 
present time and that its use will be limited to such varieties as are actually true lavender, not 
to every blend of pink and blue, as it is at present. If this is done it will be found that the list of 
orchids and light rose tints will be a rather large one, and that the list of real lavenders will be 
a very small one. 
