See uO alo OF DISTINCTION 3 
FOREWORD 
I take pleasure in presenting my 1951 catalog for your approval and consideration. 
From the cut-flower growers viewpoint, 1950 was a season such as one often dreams of 
but rarely experiences. In my many years of growing, I have never had such uniform 
quality of blooms. Appraisals were naturally more difficult to make as many varieties, 
overlooked in past years, fairly outdid themselves in a season of abundant moisture and 
cool temperature. This unmistakedly proves what I have so often emphasized in the past, 
that it is impossible to honestly judge a glad by one season’s trial, or even in one’s own 
garden over a period of years. Perhaps our neighbor’s soil may be more to its liking. 
One of the bright events of the season was the Central International Gladiolus Show, 
held in our own state at Madison. Besides the beautiful array of bloom which filled the 
acre floor space, it was in reality a mid-summer gladiolus conference, visitors from some 
15 states from New York to California being present, as well as several from Canada. In 
addition to the privilege of viewing the latest glad creations, it afforded opportunity to 
make new acquaintances and renew old ones. And with the host of glad lovers who 
annually make their visit to our garden, it gives an added pleasurable compensation to 
that of earning a livelihood. 
The cold late Spring, extending even into the Summer, resulted in later blooming of 
early varieties, naturally causing an oversupply of cut-flowers during the usual August 
peak at the wholesale markets. It was, however, noticeably evident that growers of quality 
spikes of the newer and better commercial varieties were able to maintain a price com- 
mensurate with quality, and one affording a fair margin of profit. The wise grower will 
profit by their example in planning for his next season’s planting. 
One of the problems confronting the cataloger each season is that of deciding which 
varieties must be discarded. With the new array of talent coming up each year, it is quite 
evident that no one cataloger can even begin to grow or list them all, consequently many 
of the older worthwhile varieties must be sacrificed as demand falls off. I hesitate, how- 
ever, to even think of the time that my favorite LEADING LADY will suffer this fate, for 
even as whites are my personal favorites, LEADING LADY still remains the Queen of 
my garden. Some report a tendency towards a percentage of short spikes. This condition 
occurs in many varieties; I believe selection is going to be necessary to keep up the quality 
of many leading commercial varieties of today. The other white sports of PICARDY all 
rate excellent, SILVER WINGS being a bit whiter, SNOW FLURRY smaller of floret but 
more ruffled while MORNING STAR rates the distinction of being the largest of this group. 
The one white to challenge LEADING LADY commercially may be the Canadian variety 
FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE. From all size bulbs, this glad produces tall rangy spikes 
and is a consistent performer. Propagation and germination are excellent also. LADY 
ANNE has a creamy yellow throat that adds to its attractiveness. It grows tall and large; 
earliness gives it added commercial value. Its contemporary TEXAS appears to perform 
better from the smaller size bulbs. Most of the so-called whites have in reality a cream 
tone but two new ones have recently appeared that are snowy white, with no trace of 
throat marking and in addition possess the virtue of size and height. Both NEWPORT 
WHITE and SILVER COURT are great glads and save for earliness should rapidly displace 
the older ANNAMAE. The ruffled whites compensate in their chaste beauty for what 
they may lack in commercial attributes. WHITE CHRISTMAS leads my own list of favor- 
ites; a faint glow of pink may at times show in the florets. The individual florets of 
WHITE WINGS give it strong competition tho as with many Australian varieties it has a 
tendency to fall over in the row. WHITE GODDESS and WHITE MAGIC complete a 
strong quartet of ruffled whites. The exhibitors have a choice between several good 
blotched varieties. WHITE CHALLENGE is one of the finest and has many championships 
to its credit. The blotch is pale pink whereas WAX MODEL has a more rosy lavender 
throat. MISS ALBERTA has lightly frilled pure white florets, set off by a clear lavender 
blotch on the lower petals near the throat. I consider this 1950 release a good florist glad 
and unexcelled for basket work, tho it grows to but moderate height. 
If there is a cream glad lovelier than ORIENTAL PEARL, I have yet to grow it. Ad- 
mittedly it has its faults but it is the one glad that can be well grown under ordinary 
growing conditions and the size champion of this group. LEADING LIGHT is a very deep 
cream, producing long spikes and opening many beautifully ruffled florets. It is a most 
vigorous grower. Probably in no class has there been such rapid advancement in the 
past decade as in yellow varieties and this especially holds true in the more recent years. 
Today the exhibitor can put yellow entries on the show table comparing favorably with 
other color classes. Size honors of the season would probably have to go to GARDEN 
