in the morning and place them in a cool place deep in water for a few 
hours. They continue to open out better if the spikes are occasionally 
cut back an inch or so on the slant, and given fresh water. The tip of the 
spikes may be cut short and put in shallow bowls and thus make a beautiful 
center piece for the table. 
10. DIGGING. It is better to dig while the foliage is green, as one 
can then determine the diseased plants and throw them out. The bulbs 
also lift out of the ground better than when the tops have died. Cut the 
tops off immediately when dug as close to the bulb as is possible. Let the 
bulbs dry in shallow boxes, not over three inches deep, in an airy, cool 
place, then remove the old bulbs, roots and bulblets. This we call “cleaning.” 
11. STORAGE CARE. Storage care is about the most important part 
of producing healthy, disease-free glads. The bulbs should be thoroughly 
dried as rapidly as possible after digging. Within four to six weeks they 
should be cleaned. By that we mean, the old bulbs are removed, the dirt 
sifted out, and the bulblets taken care of. When cleaned they are then 
ready for the winter storage. The storage should have ventilation to prevent 
mildewing and the development of diseases. There are several serious 
diseases which develop largely in storage conditions if they are not right. 
Air circulation has much to do with the suppression of disease. The tem- 
perature should be as nearly 35 to 40 degrees as is possible, altho they 
will keep nicely in much higher temperatures. They must be protected 
against the temperature dropping below 32 degrees, as freezing destroys 
the eyes, and causes the bulb to soften and rot. Too high temperatures 
are not good as they hasten sprouting, and often dries the bulbs until they 
are as hard as tho petrified. If the temperatures are likely to be above 
the 50’s they should be dusted with DDT of 5% strength. Dust the boxes 
or trays thoroughly, and leave it on all season until planting time. This 
is for the control and suppression of thrips, which become active and mul- 
tiply in temperatures above high fifties. Some advocate the use of Naptha- 
lene flakes, as we all did once upon a time. However, DDT is fully as 
effective, if not more so, than the flakes, minus the dangers which attend 
the use of Napthalene. 
12. FURTHER CHEMICAL ATTENTIONS. (1) At Planting Time. 
Every bulb and bulblet planted should be treated at the time of planting. 
Such treatments should be designed to resist or defeat the development 
of disease and thrips. There are many recommended treatments, and 
there are numerous scientists experimenting widely in an effort to know 
more about gladiolus pests, and their control. The simplest treatment, 
most available and usable by the amateur and back-door gardner is Lysol. 
Mix it at the rate of 1% tablespoonsful to the gallon of water, and leave 
the bulbs in it from three to six hours. 
(2) In The Field. The only way to be sure that thrips will not damage 
your flowers is to dust or spray the growing plants with 5% DDT. Begin 
application when the plants are about six inches tall, and repeat every ten 
days or two weeks, and oftener if rains come sooner and wash the powder 
off, or thrips damage becomes evident. With DDT there is little like'ihood 
of other insect damage. 
PERENNIAL QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 
1. Do glads change color? I have been asked this yuestion thru the 
years, and hundreds of times. Once upon a time I replied with positive- 
ness, NO. Then came a woman who defied my opinion, and said she knew 
they did. Since then I have been less positive, and have replied, “I don’t 
know, I have never seen it happen, and I know of no other commercial 
grower who has seen it happen.” Now I am prepared to become positive 
once more. In 1946 I planted bulblets and harvested unbloomed bulbs, 
called planting stock. In 1947 I selected No. 4 bulbs from about fifty of 
these varieties, either fifty or a hundred of a variety, and planted them 
for special observation. The bulbs dug from this planting were continued 
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