1950 Report VALLEEVUE TEST GARDEN | 7 
GLADIOLUS TRIALS 
The Valleevue Trial Gardens tested 485 varieties of gladiolus during the 
past season, well over twice as many as in 1949. 
About 100 standard and best previously tested varieties were grown alongside 
for comparison purposes, including Boldface, Circe, Conn. Yankee, Cotillion, Evan- 
geline, Firebrand, Florence Nightingale, Leading Lady, Mid-America, Mighty 
Monarch, Patrol, Polynesie, Prof. Goudriaan, Ravel, Red Charm, Salman’s Glory, 
Strathnaver, Sun Spot, Tivoli, White Goddess, World Beater, Etc. 
The pages for recording data on each variety provide 109 blanks, most of 
which ultimately get answered. 28 deal with name, source, stock, soil, fertilizer, 
etc., 57 deal with foliage, flower head, stem, floret, etc., 15 deal with color, 3 with 
propagation, 3 with disease resistance tests by U. S. Dept. of Agriculture at Belts- 
ville, Maryland, and 3 deal with ratings. 
Some light should be given on the enormity of the task the Trial Garden has 
in fulfilling its obligations to those who submit material each season. Further 
memos have been kept to check the various man-hours required to grow these 
plants, tabulate their characteristics, and judge them and prepare the records for 
printing to apprise the industry, its members submitting varieties for trial and 
the public interested in gladiolus. Over 2500 man-hours were required. Plainly, it 
is an enormous task and the expense likely well beyond the means of any gladiolus 
society. The volunteer contribution of much time by various members of the 
Ohio State Gladiolus Society is deeply appreciated. 
Varieties from 59 hybridizers in the United States, Canada, Australia, New 
Zealand, Germany, Holland and England were rated for color value, exhibition 
and commercial value. 
In checking over the varieties submitted, certain colors predominate, indicating 
present trends in hybridization. There were 48 yellow, 45 lavender, 41 light pink 
but only 6 light violet, 4 deep violet, 2 smoky and 2 A.O.C. (any other color). The 
yellow group had in it the finest yellows ever displayed. They certainly spell doom 
for many of our present yellows. 
Of the 485 varieties tested, a total of 55 rated at least one A, 13 or more of 
them secured A or AA in both Exhibition and Commercial, 27 of them one A and 
one B, the remaining 15 secured one A and one C. Further, 31 rated BB, 54 Rated 
one B, the other a C or D, and the entire balance of 345 rated assorted Cs and Ds. 
The ratings of these 345 are not published but are supplied to the parties interested. 
They contain the names of many currently well publicized sorts. 
To a very limited extent, where it is known that unhealthy bulbs were supplied 
or the hybridizer feels that the performance was inconsistent due to condition on 
arrival of stocks supplied, a further test will be made if a new stock of sound bulbs 
is supplied. However if the rating appears based substantially on low color value, 
a further test would be close to hopeless. 
Gladiolus persist because they are beautiful. Since a variety with an unattrac- 
tive color is relatively worthless, regardless of how many other growing and exhibit- 
ing characteristics are good, the first fundamental in rating gladiolus is its color 
appeal. If it fails there, our advice is to abandon it, the sooner the better, and try 
again. Fortunately the color of a gladiolus is relatively stable, regardless of the 
geographical location where bloomed. The season was relatively cool, with plenty 
of soil moisture, included a hot spell and a wet, soggy, watersoaking spell, all of 
which gave wide opportunity to check for inclement weather damage to color and 
petal substance. 
Several of the foremost color judges in America live close by, all members 
of the Ohio Gladiolus Society which is currently foremost in influencing exhibition 
judges to give full measure of consideration of the scoring points awarded to color. 
With color relatively stable, though variably subject to damage by adverse weather, 
with competent judges, this Test Garden is able, on one year test in one location, 
to give relatively accurate color ratings. 
We recognize pitfalls in our endeavor to render commercial ratings from per- 
formance in one geographical location of only 6 large and 6 medium bulbs (and 25 
bulblets for test for disease resistance in Maryland). However again we are 
fortunate in having large acreage of gladiolus in this vicinity growing many of 
these varieties in all sizes in quantity both for cut flowers and for bulb production. 
Our observation of their performance adds to our total information. 
