Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-19
MOST SATISFACTORY
OF GARDEN BULBS

There are still people who do not
know the joy of growing the gladiolus.
Yet this is by all odds the most salts
factory garden bulb. Gl1dioli will grow
for anybody in almost any soil. They
require no petting, come in a wonder
full variety of cOlorings, and are
| scarcely excelled for cutting.
1t is only of late years that the value
of the gladiOlus as a cut flower has
been appreciated. but now thousands
| of blossoms are sent to the great met
{, ropolitan hotels to be used on the din
| ing tables. They last for at least a
week and often for ten days. If cut. as
they should be, when the first flower at
the bottom Of the spike opens. One day
one the blossoms unfold until the one
at the top of the spike reveals its
beauty of form and color. The flower
spikes are easy to handle, and when
properly packed may be shipped safe
~ hundreds of miles
The value of the gladiOlus both as a
garden and a cut flower has been rec
ognized by a number of thrifty grow
ers who are raising it just as ordinary
farmers raise corn and potatoes. One
man in New York state has several
! hundred acres given over entirely to
| gladiOli Another man, employed in
/ the city until his health broke down.
now has a fourishing gladiOlus farm
near Boston and is making money rap
| idly. So great is the demand for both
!; flowers and bulbs that almost any man
| or woman living near a large city or
| summer resort can turn many a penny
| by cultivating these flowers with an
eye to profit. Half an acre of blossoms
beside a main travelled road is sure to
attract the attention OF motorists. who
will buy the flowers by the armful and
leave orders for bulbs to be delivered
in the spring. There is pin money and
\ n fnp he
have a little land available and are
not afraid to handle a spade
The hybridizers have been busy pro-
ducing new forms the past few years
ties. many Of them Of great size and
most exquisitely colored. II paintings
are made up to the first of June at in
| tervals of ten days. there will be a
The culture is of the simplest kind
and no special preparation of the
ground is needed. A deep sandy loan
is preferred by the bulbs, but is not
indispensable. A soil which is stiff
and heavy with clay may be lightened
up by spading in sand. leaf mold and
coal ashes. Well rotted manure dug
into the soil is a help. but fresh ma
nure should be avoided. When rotted
manure Is not at hand. pulyerized
sheep manure may be substituted, or
a complete garden fertilizer may be
| raked into the soil after 1t has been
spaded up and worked over little
| Four inches is about the right dcpth
for the bulbs if the soil is light: two
inches is deep enough il the soil lis
heavy. IT is very effective plan To
mass large numbers OF the flowers. in
which case the bulbs should be planted
about six inches apart. In the home
garden the bulbs may be placed ten
inches apart at the first planting. and
another lot of bulbs planted bel . ecu
them two weeks later When the now-
ers are desired for cutting rather than
TO make gorgeous show In the gar
zen, the bulbs may be planted In row !
TWO feet apart and cultivated with the
wheel hoe just like the crop. I'm the
vegetable garden. The Howers look
well among other plants IN a perennial
garden. and II is good plan to grow
'them mat way when only - few bulbs
are purchased
| In the fall, before heavy frosta come
the bulbs must be dug and allowed 70
DRY. after which they may be put into
paper bagr. and hung 10 the cellar
iaiters until next spring care being
.aken not to bruisc them Many
bullets viii be found clinging to me
parent bulb. and IL they are removed
ana kept In a dry place. they. too. ma,
be planted out and in three years viii
give flowers, so that IL Is easy to ac,
cumulate large stock from a yer,
small beginning.