Evening star., 1927-04-13
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEH ELL.

! Cornell University has long been q
center OF gladiolus activity. The work
carried on there by various scientists
/ has helped forward this flower 10 It's
present popularity, and Prof. Beal has
been one of the most ardent workers
! II is not for nothing then that TINS
new book is called The Gladiolus ana
Its Culture" since the cultural ana
! technical side constitutes such large
/ part of the work.
| Prof Begl says that the best Ter
tiliZer to use on most soils Is i good
( complete potato fertilizer at the rate
of 900 pounds per acre if broadcast
ar ; pounds per hundred feet Of row.
lie states that the practice on the
trial grounds of Cornell has been TO
supplement- the Autumn application Of
.2rnva~d manure with bone meal i'll
the bottom of the furroW at the rate of
pounds per hundred feet of row.
This fertilizer requires from four
20 six weeks in moist soil to become
soluble and therefore beneficial to
plants" saws the writer. consequent
, ~ it does little good to apply bone meal
late in the season.
The author believes that placing the
Nona moal at the bottom of the fur
row and then placing inches Of soil
{ L.
better practice than scattering tine
bone meal right at the base OF the
bulbs.
x
"Di%Gine anu Curing" is an interest
12 chapter TO the amateur. since it
yes the latest me-hoGs 10. these oper-
a,Uns. about which the home gardener
ts often in doubt.
The amateur is frequently puzzled
about when TO dig his giadious
corms,' writes Prof. BeaI 1T will
be found that the corms are ready to
dig as soon as the foliage turns a vel
/ lowish green, which occurs. under
normal weather conditions. usually
within four TO six weeks after bloom
ing.
THE work may be delayed if freez-
ing week (weather?) is not imminent
but digging should never be delayed
until the plants become dead ripe.
The latter condition should not be
permitted to occur for the following
reasons tirst--many Of the tops will
be broken off at the surface SO that
it will be difficult to locate the corms.
Second-the corms and cormels sep
arate easily SO that it is difficult TO
save the stock on the other hand
the late planted and late blooming
stock must be dug with the foliage in
a green condition if the corms are
10 be saved from freezing. In the
latter case necessity compels the lift
ing Of the corms If they are to be
saved from freezing.
1.-The corms may be lifted with the
tops on and the tops cut off as the
cOrmS are harvested or the tops may
be cut off before lifting. In the first
case the plants are all laid with tops
in one direction SO as to facilitate the
cutting of the tops with a pair of
pruning shears or knife and the corms
together with the cormels, if any,
are thrown into baskets
The old method Of harvesting the
corms with the tops on and remov-
ing the entire plants to the drying
shed where they are kept for a short
time before cutting off the tops is an
obsolete method even when harvest
ing a small number of corms.
Prof. Beal selects the following
dozen good varieties at moderate cost:
Alice Tiplady, Baron Hulot. Crimson
Glow. Europa. Golden Measure,
Herada, Marshal Foch, Mrs. DR.. Nor
ton, Mrs. Frank Pendleton. Panama.
Peace and Rose Ash
He gives another selection, as fol-
lows: Attraction, Anna Eberius, A.
w. Hunt, Byron l.. Smith. Evelyn
Kirkland. Gold, HALEY. Muriel, Prince
OF Wales, Sweet Lavender and War.