GLADIOLUS SEED 
In 1950 our most successful seed cross was COLUMBIA x BOISE BELLE, 
which gave us an unusually large number of superior selections out of only 
a few hundred seeds planted. For beauty of form and color, for intense 
ruffling and heavy substance, and for size and number open, these seedlings 
surpassed those of almost any other cross we have ever made. 
Last summer we really went “all out” in repeating this cross, brushing 
Boise Belle pollen generously over a long row of Columbia which all came 
into bloom about the same time. Due to the work involved we used no pro- 
tection and no tags on this particular cross, so it is possible that we may 
have gathered some open-pollinated Columbia seed pods along with the 
others. However, these also could give some very fine seedlings, since Colum- 
bia is proving to be one of the best parent varieties we have used in our 
eighteen years of hybridizing. 
We have quite a good supply of this seed—more than we want to plant, 
and we will share some of it with our customers who are interested in raising 
glads from seed. This is the only named-cross seed offering we are making 
this year, and we expect the demand to be heavy. Please order early. 
Prices: COLUMBIA x BOISE BELLE, 50 seeds, $3.25 
100 seeds, $6.00 
We also have some seed from a grand mixture of odd-lot named crosses 
and open-pollinated seed from good parent varieties in nearly all color classes, 
including many dark ones and smokies as well as lighter shades. You could 
get some mighty interesting seedlings out of this mixture, and it is a bargain 
at these prices: 
MIXED GLADIOLUS SEED: 125 seeds, $3.00 
250 seeds, $5.00 
Again this year, as a service to our customers, we are enclosing a 
coupon with special subscription offer to the fine monthly All-Garden 
magazine, POPULAR GARDENING. There are interesting articles on 
Glads in many of the winter and spring numbers and again in the 
summer at Show time. And since most glad fans raise other flowers 
too, you are sure to find many interesting and profitable articles in 
each issue. You will ike POPULAR GARDENING, we feel sure. 
GROWING GLADS FROM SEEDS 
Gladiolus seeds may be planted during the fall or winter in flats or pots 
indoors. The more common practice, however, is to plant them outdoors in 
the spring. Do not plant until the ground is fairly warm; the middle or latter 
part of April is all right, or even up to mid-May in northern sections. In 
the southern states, or if a greenhouse, hot bed or coldframe is available, 
planting can be done much earlier. 
Plant the seeds in a shallow trench in well-prepared ground (no fertilizer 
is needed in good garden soil), and cover them with about a half-inch of soil, 
or a mixture of soil and peat moss. Though not every seed will germinate, 
do not plant too thickly; two or three seeds per square inch will give them 
room to develop properly. If burlap or newspapers are used to cover the 
newly-planted seed bed, be sure to remove them after 18 or 20 days, by which 
time the sprouts will begin breaking through the surface. 
Until the young seedlings are well established it is important not to let 
the seed bed dry out at any time; in fact during most of the growing season 
it should be kept on the damp side, though not too wet. At digging time 
usually in September or October, the seedling bulbs are handled the same as 
any other glad bulbs, although their small size makes the drying and cleaning 
process easier. Most seedling bulbs will run sizes 4, 5, and 6, with a few 
larger and some smaller ones, from an average outdoor planting, 
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