a full time or part time flower business. Last summer many of the large 
flower markets were glutted with gladiolus, but usually the good spikes 
of the better new varieties were sold, while the old-timers with their 
poorer colors and other faults were often dumped. 
There is a very definite and growing demand for the smaller flowered 
varieties, including the 300 (medium) class and the 100 and 200 groups 
commonly known as miniatures. These are much more useful for table 
arrangements and bouquets for the modern small home or apartment than 
most of the large and giant varieties. Until the last year or two we our- 
selves had never seen much that interested us in the little fellows, but 
with the introduction of several new ones with clearer color, better spac- 
ing and facing, and lovely ruffling, we can’t help but like them. We are 
speaking here especially of the 100 and 200 sizes, for the medium sized 
(300) glads have been among our favorites for years, being large enough 
for all floral use. 
Quite a lot is being said and written nowadays about prices on new 
varieties. Some are defending the $5, $10, and $15 introductory prices often 
asked by hybridizers or introducers, while others feel that $1 or $2 is 
enough for even the finest new glad. Personally, we feel that a lot depends 
on circumstances. As long as the price of a new variety is in fair relation 
to the amount of stock in existence, no one should get seriously hurt, 
whether he buys the first season or waits a year or two. Only a few will 
buy a $10.00 bulb the year of introduction—these people can afford to 
gamble a little, and if it is a real good one they will come out ahead. 
Provided, of course, that the $10 price reflects a limited amount of stock 
propagated, not tens or hundreds of thousands of bulbs as occasionally has 
happened. Most hybridists, if they put out their own seedlings, have a lim- 
ited growing space, and with hundreds or thousands of separate lots of 
seedlings on test, simply don’t have the time or space to propagate a large 
stock before introduction. A $5.00 or $10.00 price tag on a new variety 
does not mean that the introducer is going to get rich on sales. He would 
probably be better off if he could propagate his seedling for a couple more 
years and sell it for a dollar or two, but if he is doing large scale crossing 
this may not be possible. Most of our own named seedlings have been 
introduced in the $2-$4 range, usually with a comparatively small stock on 
hand, altho with four or five years of testing behind them. 
Most commercial growers find it necessary to spend several hundred 
to several thousand dollars each year for advertising. We do too, but we 
have found that the most effective advertising of all doesn’t cost us a cent. 
We refer of course to the “word of mouth” advertising spread by a host 
of satisfied customers. Most of our buyers send us repeat orders, year after 
year. A great many write us enthusiastic letters about the high quality of 
our bulbs and the fine flowers they were able to grow from them. We 
appreciate this confidence, and realize that only a continuing careful atten- 
tion to all phases of the bulb business can merit such confidence. For this 
reason too, we try to be perfectly frank and as accurate as possible with 
variety descriptions. If we have found that a certain variety makes a 
large percentage of crooked stems, or has some other serious fault, we 
would rather tell our customers than to have them find it out later. Of 
course glads vary a great deal with differing soils and climates—some that 
are fine here are not so good elsewhere, and vice versa. 
We are often asked for a list of the best ten or best dozen glads. This 
is hard for us to do—we like them all. But we finally were able to put 
together a list of 25 favorites, in alphabetical order—not in order of pref- 
erence. Nearly all color classes are included: 
Aureole Folklore Pactolus Silver Wings 
Blue Boy Hearts Desire Red Cherry Skylark 
Boise Belle La Valle Redowa Spic & Span 
Burma Mighty Monarch Red Wing Stormy Weather 
Connie G. October Sunshine Seashell Sun Spot 
Dieppe Orchid Marvel Sherwood White Goddess 
Evangeline 
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