CARE AND CULTURE 
(Complete planting instructions will be included with each order) 
SOIL AND FERTILIZER ; 
Glads do well on most any soil if they are planted in the open garden where there is 
plenty of sunshine. You may work well rotted manure into the soil in the Spring by 
putting it into the bottom of your planting trench, then covering with an inch of soil; 
then planting your bulbs. Vigoro is also good. Two or three applications of commercial 
fertilizer may be made on the surface along the rows during the growing season before 
the plants bloom. Any fertilizer should be kept from direct contact with the bulb or 
foliage. If you wish to grow immense spikes, you must fertilize heavily; your plants 
must also have at least an inch of water every three or four days. 
PLANTING 
Work soil to a depth of eight inches, or ten inches will be better. Large bulbs should 
be covered with about six inches of soil. The deeper planting helps keep them upright 
when blooming. Smaller bulbs should be planted not less than two inches. You may 
regulate your distance apart in the row by the space you have. Plant rows anywhere 
from 2 ft. to 3 ft. apart. Plant in rows from two to six inches apart, depending on space 
and number of bulbs. They do well planted close together, but require more water. 
DIGGING AND STORAGE 
Our early stock is taken up in early October. The bulbs should be taken up within 
six weeks to two months after blooming but before the tops begin to get brown. Even if 
the tops are green, bulbs should be taken up before the ground freezes deeply. After 
digging, cut off the tops close to bulb and put in screen bottomed trays to cure. They 
should have plenty of ventilation while curing and must not be put in containers more 
than three or four inches deep. At this time Napthalene flakes (procured from your 
druggist) may be safely scattered on the bulbs which are dormant. Use at the rate of an 
ordinary handful per 100 bulbs. A little more or less won’t do any harm and it will drive 
away any thrip that may be harboring an idea of wintering on your bulbs. By the time 
you are ready to clean the bulbs most of the flakes will have evaporated. A note of 
warning! DO NOT use them in the Spring when the root nodules appear at the base of 
the bulb, as they are harmful and prevent normal growth of the plant. Use them right 
after digging or early winter. Stir them every few days and keep dry. In four weeks 
they will be cured so that old bulbs may be removed from the bottoms. They may then 
be placed in storage. Proving very effective as a thrip control in storage is a light dust- 
ing of 5% DDT powder. This is very good if the bulbs do not have to be handled during 
storage as DDT powder is poisonous. 
The storage temperature is best at 45 to 50 degrees. Your storage room should be 
dry, cool and ventilated and as near uniform as possible as to temperature. It is well to 
look at your bulbs every two or three weeks. If they show signs of too much moisture 
or look mouldy, dry them out and give better ventilation. Keep them in small containers 
and spread thin. 
THRIP AND DISEASE CONTROL 
With the advent of D.D.T. as a dust or spray for thrip on gladiolus the problem has 
become of minor importance. A few dustings or sprayings after the plants are about 
8-10 inches high will eliminate all trouble from that source. 
DDT Spray 
2 rounded teaspoonfuls DDT (50% wettable). I teaspoonful Dreft. 2 gallons of 
pate Spray every 8-10 days till glads begin to bloom. 
ust 
__ Use 3 or 5% dust. Preferably use a dust also containing a good fungicide. Dust 
lightly every 8-10 days till glads begin to bloom. 
BULB DIPS 
As a disease preventative for bulbs. We recommend this as a precaution both for 
your old bulbs and new bulbs no matter where obtained. 
Dips for Control of Thrips and Disease 
BICHLORIDE of MERCURY — 1 oz. Bichloride of Mercury. 7 gallons of water. 
Soak 10 to 12 hours immediately preceding planting. Plant wet. Must be used in an 
earthen or wooden container. 
LYSOL — 1 tablespoonful of Lysol. 1 gallon of water. Soak 4 to 6 hours im- 
mediately preceding planting. 
NEW improved Ceresan — 1 oz. of N. I. Ceresan. 3 gallons of water. Weigh care- 
fully and leave bubs in solution 15 minutes. Do not leave bulbs in solution over 20 
minutes and be sure to plant immediately after dipping. 
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