GREETINGS and BEST WISHES - - 
HERE WE ARE again, with another growing season gone, glads all harvested, cured 
and ready to clean, and getting ready for a big shipping season. Right at this time, 
I want to thank all of you who ordered bulbs or bulblets from me this past season, 
and I hope they grew well, and performed well for you, so that I will hear from you 
again this season. 
Contrary to 1949, this year of 1950 was entirely different. After a long wet mild 
winter, spring dragged along much later than usual and we did not get any glads 
planted until about the first week in May. It did not actually warm up until almost 
Decoration Day, and so we were almost 3 weeks later than usual. 
In my private Trail Garden, I gre wsomething more than 400 of the recent, and 1950 
introductions, along with over 100 seedlings which were sent in for trial. In this 
way, and by growing them right alongside of the older proven varieties, can we 
determine the true value of these new things. Some leeway must be given to those 
varieties, which come from distant points, for most growers will agree that 
climatic conditions have a varying effect on the performance of a glad. 
I Keep a large notebook at hand, and each morning from the time the glads start to 
bloom, I walk through the garden, and evaluate every new and recent variety as it 
blooms. Sometimes the first spike does not come up to expectations, but the second 
spike may prove the variety to be up to its advertised merits. It usually requires 
two seasons of growing in your own soil, to properly evaluate a glad, which has come 
from some distance, and so we do not condemn them the first season, and neither 
should anyone else. Just remember that even if you were moved from your present 
location, to a point 500 miles distant, you too, might not adjust yourself to your usual 
standard, for at least 3 or 4 months. 
As advertised, here is a running account of my experience with the new and recent 
introductions, as they performed for me, under ordinary field conditions, just good 
agriculture, no special treatment, and only top-dressed once, with a 4-12-8 commercial 
fertilizer, which was broadcast over the entire field, and not side dressed. 
With spring weather prevailing throughout the winter months, loads of rain, floods, 
etc., and continued cold weather, planting did not get under way, until May 3rd. We 
normally get started to plant in early April. However,even with the late cool spring, 
the first spikes were cut on July 7th, which after ali was only about a week later 
than usual. Rhett Eutler, Hunrezs, Gold Dust, first to bloom, with Concord, Ethel 
Cave Cole, Snow Princess, and Blue Beauty follow:ng them closely. Just how any 
commercial cut-flower grower can afford to be without Rhett Butler amazes me, 
for it is always FIRST. Always straight, always good, opens well in water, tall, 
clean, brilliant scarlet, that the florists all love, makes it the finest early commercial 
in commerce. 
The usual surprises are of course occuring. Citation, (supposed to be a_90-day glad) 
has two spikes with 8 open, and they are tall, straight and beautiful. Florence 
Nightingale, the wonder white that will eventually replace every other commercial 
white, all in spike, and will come in with Snow Princess. If you are not growing 
Forence in quantity, you are missing the greatest white that has been introduced to 
date. Gaylore, another marvellous workhorse, is in spike., 66 days from planting, 
and here is another glad that every commercial grower should have. 
Firmament is in spike and looks like it would replace Blue Beauty because it appears 
to be perfectly healthy and somewhat taller and earlier. 
Here are some proven varieties which I honesty believe you should have if you are 
growing for the cut-flower market. I have dozens of testimonials from growers in 
all sections of this country and Canada who are growing these varieties in quantities 
and swear by them. Most of them are good exhibition flowers too, but they serve as 
commercials perfectly. 
