1954 INTRODUCTIONS 
KING COTTON 
This lovely snow white glad is our headliner for 1954. An ideal commercial 
white that is of show-winning quality, as well. Much more beautiful than the 
older pure whites, it is just what the florists have been looking for. A seed- 
ling of White Cloud, King Cotton has inherited the snow white color of its 
parent, ruffling somewhat modified, but with more open at once and florets 
very tightly attached to the stem. It makes five-foot spikes consistently, and 
they are always graceful and straight, easy to cut. Seven to nine nicely frilled 
florets of 5%-inch size are open at a time on 24 to 26 inch flowerheads. Very 
weather-resistant, and opens and holds up well in water. Preliminary tests 
indicate that it will also be a good shipping variety. Makes lots of bulblets 
which germinate nearly 100%, making extra strong growth and fine bulbs. 
Early-midseason, about 80 days to bloom. We are more enthusiastic about 
the commercial possibilities of King Cotton than about any of our intro- 
ductions since Columbia. No bulbs of King Cotton have been sent out for trial, 
as we had intended to hold it another year or two for All-America Selections 
competition, but its rapid propagating habits, together with the fact that we 
have so many other outstanding seedlings coming on, induced us to release 
it as our featured 1954 introduction. Formerly seedling 213-2. Parentage: 
(Vesta x Myrna) x White Cloud. 500 class. Priced: Any size bulb, $3.00. One 
bulb and ten selected bulblets, $6.00. 
Growers’ Units: Unit “A”—1 L, 1 M, 2S, 40 bulblets, $17.50 
Unit “B”’—1 L, 2 M, 6S, 100 bulblets, $34.50 
Unit “C”—2 L, 4 M, 15 S, 225 bulblets, $67.50. 
DELIGHT 
A most attractive companion variety to King Cotton, though somewhat 
later blooming. A lovely clear light salmon pink with cream yellow center. 
Delight will open from six to eight large, exceptionally heavily ruffled, 
leathery textured flowers on straight, sturdy, 50-inch stems, long flower- 
heads. While very beautiful and refined, it is far from a delicate variety, as 
it can take any kind of weather and come up smiling. In fact, a couple of 
years ago it withstood a hail storm with very little floret damage while 
other varieties growing nearby were torn to shreds. Delight blooms in mid- 
season or a little later, about 95 days from planting. It is a good cut flower, 
opening well in water. A fast propagator and good bulblet germinator. Class 
430. Formerly seedling 534-1. Parentage: [Wings of Song x (Beacon x Star 
of Bethlehem) ] x Boise Belle. 
Prices, including growers’ Units, same as for King Cotton. 
1954 CO-INTRODUCTION 
CELESTIAL ROSE 
Just about the top new glad we had in our trial garden last summer was 
this Melk Bros. seedling number 48-10, now named Celestial Rose. Although 
introduced as a light rose, to us it seems more of a pure pink, a little more 
lively than Tivoli, one of its parents. A beautiful clear glistening color that 
blends nicely to a white throat. It opens up to eight large flowers on spikes 
that are tall and very uniform in growth. A good propagator and makes nice 
bulbs. Celestial Rose will surely be heard from at the shows in future 
years, and should become one of the top commercials. 
L $2.50, M $2.00. 
Units: 1 L,1M,1S, for $5.00. 
1 L,1M,1S, 10 bulblets, $7.50. 
5 L,5 M, 10S, 100 bulblets, $50.00. 
“Your bulbs have been the best quality and also the best surprise extras 
I get from any of the growers.” —Ohio. 
5 
