The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-22
OLADr0LI AND DAH1IAs.


G'aoioli and dahlias are everybody's
flowers, because any one with n few
square feet Of garden plot can grow
them. They can be planted next to the
foundation of the house or in borders
! along the fence. They grow we'll In any
soil and produce better results with neg
lect than any flowers ! can think of Just
| now. No especial preparation Of the
soil Is necessary for fairly good results.
No spraying. no bug or disease fighting
| to be kept up all summer. Beautiful
stately gladiol and dahlias, from the
| formal show types to the wonderful
chrysanthemum like cactus and decora-
tive types, the beautiful little pompons,
he peony lowered. duplex century, coll
lerette and wonderful single types in a
great range Of colors. reds Of all shades,
whites. yellows and some practically
black. making splendid contrast, when
the cut flowers are used for decorative
purposes
Both gladioli and dahlias keep A
! long time when cut Gladloi cut
just rs the buds are breaking will open
out fully when kept in water.
Years ago at my old home, acres OF
gladioli and 'dahiias we're grown.
Every new variety produced in Europe
was imported and tested and thousands
| of seedlings We're raised every year.
| Only chose OF greater merit than any OF
the older varieties were offered for sale.
Travellers crossing the state would stop
! on at Rochester on their Journey TO
see the fields of flowers and many
foreign visitors We're entertained every
season.
In addition 10 the great fields Of
gladioli and dahlias were acres Of
annual phloN, verbenas and asters,
where the ground was literally carpeted
with flowers Of gorgeous colprs. II was
there that many of the leading seeds
men and florists OF the present day
received their first inspiration and as
slstance.
often wondered. as the number
OF the cultivated acres was In
creased what became OF all the
bulbs Of gladion and tuhers Of
dahlias raised every year, particularly
as the expense 81 operation az that
time made the price high. Others have
taken up the work on both continents
and great improvements IN varieties have
been made. The method Of cultivation
and the quantities produced have so
reduced the cost that any one and every
on. can now have a good bed of these
two plants, So easy to buy and cultivate.
Where "A few g.adioll and dahlias were
formerly planted. large beds and borders
are now made OF them.
Both gladioli and dahlias should have
fun exposure 10 the sun. Both are
slugularlv free from disease and insect
nests and VIII even survive outright
n. glect,
No plants, however, respond more
| uuickly to careful treatment. Both Ike
a rich sandy loam. II the soil : heavy
or stiff. work in sand. If possible. At
my Old home wherc The gladot were
produced by the hundred thousands the
finest in the world. they were grown on
stiff clay soil, well drained. The dahlias
were grown on another farm about
eight miles distant, on sandy loan.
If the soil is light and sandy, TO spade
| in n liberal amount OF well rotted manure
in the autumn is the customary rule.
and | may add that this Is the proper
thing to do anyway, no matter what
the character OF the soil. II the bed
was not prepared last fall, give 1t lib
eral dressing OF manure or commercial
fertilizer and spade this In as dec as
you can, fifteen inches at least.
In selecting gladiolus bulbs purchasers
are often deceived in believing that
. large bulbs must he best, while, as a
\ matter of fact. small bulbs properly
grown. dried and stored will produce
. much larger flowers than largo bulbs