New Britain herald., 1928-08-11

v
Is years ago was simply another
tough break to most passengers-te
William H. Carpenter of Plainville-
or Bill Carpenter las he is known to
his friends-it meant the dawning OF
hobby which he has followed ever
since and at the same time turned
into a lucrative business.
On that day Mr.. Carpenter. hav.
Ing nothing better to do, dropped
into one of the large department
stores IN Hartford. Stopping from
time to time to pass friendly word
with acquaintances, he finally
reached the seed department where
he noticed what at first glance
looked like small onion. The usual
odor associated with that vegetable
was lacking, however, and he jok-
ingly asked the clerk. DO you cook
those or eat them raw" Immedi-
ately the reply came back, You do
neither, you plant them" Mr.. Car
penter purchased half dozen of the
bulbs, which happened to be gladi-
olus. These he planted near the
veranda of his home and because of
the lack of sunlight, the plants grew
poorly, although they did bloom.
The next year they were planted in
the garden with astonishing results.
Having an appreciative eye for
beauty. the original half dozen were
augmented from time to time by
different varieties until today w. II.
Carpenter and Son have, adjoining
their beautiful home on Forestville
avenue, Plainville. more than one
million Towering bulbs planted over
two and one half acres of land.
A reporter had the pleasure of
spending over two hours with Bill
Carpenter Thursday afternoon. For
pehaps an hour they walked be-
tween a few hundred of the rows,
gazing at the beauty and magnifi-
cence of some of the rare blooms
With the critical eye of a newspa-
perman, he looked for a weed or
an irregularity in one of the rows,
but the search proved vain. The
rows We're as straight as if laid out
by a surveyor and the weeds We're
as scarce as orchids in the Arctic
wastes. The plants in each row were
supported on both sides by wires
strung from stakes at either end of
the row. The names of the 500 or
more varieties were placed on small
pegs. And such varieties-from the
gracocaphaelus. the original flower
from the South African jungles, 10
the latest specimens, many of which
were imported from all parts of the
world. The bulbs are planted SO as
to have blooms from the earliest
blooming period to frost time. Some
OF the plants at the present time are
but six or eight inches above the
ground, while thousands of others
are in full bloom.
All of the cultivating is done with
q motor cultivator. the rows being
separated a sufficient distance to
permit its operation between them.
Many Varieties and Names
Walking through the garden. at
tention is called to the varieties.
the names of which are given by
Mr.. Carpenter without hesitation
and without reference to the page
at the end of the rows. First the
reporter saw the Albania an at
tractive new glistening white, petals
broad, we'll round and .crimped on
edges. with very faint light pink
mottling which was scarcely notice
able. The flowers are we'll spaced
on a graceful stem and five or sir
open at the same time.
Then the Byron l.. Smith"
most refined lavender pink on white
ground, the color equal to a very
choice cattleya orchid. Next the
"Dr F. F.. Bennett flame orange
gladiolus, red spot with white strip
ed and penciled markings on low
er petals. This is considered the
most perfect red ever raised. The
flower was named in honor of the
st. Thomas president of the Ameri-
can Gladiolus society last year. The
"Dr. Nelson Shook" brought out in
1925, is a giant in plant and flower
OF deep tyrian rose. This flower was
awarded the first prize at the show
OF the American Gladiolus society in
Rochester in August, 1925.
The DIR. Van Fleet" is another
bloom of remarkable beauty and
size. 1t is a magnificent shade of
delicate rose pink, deeper at the !
edges of all petals. The throat of
the flower is of softest canary yell
low or cream tint beautifully |
blended.
EARLY Sunrise was another
bloom noticed for its remarkable
beauty having the colors of SUM-
rise before a storm. The elf" is
Of lemon yellow when in bud; fully
open the flowers are snow white
with notified and striped with ruby
lip; yellow speckled with ruby: the
flowers being five inches in diameter
and the spokes five feet high.
Fay Lanphier," named after Miss
America, is termed the latest and
The acme in gladioli culture. In
roloring 1t is coral luster with
cerise blending, distinct in type,
color and poise. 1t receives the
same award by judges as Miss Lam
phier did at Atlantic City. thus MAX
ing 1t the queen of beauty and
worthy of place in the finest COL
ections. Fern Kyle" is large ruff
led flower of creamy white color,
while "Flame" is flame orange
With yellow lip.
Golden Measure" is considered
,ne OF the best yellows, the flowers
being extraordinarily large. Gold"
while not as large a flower as
Golden Measure" is one of the
'ullest growing yellows in existence.
Geraldine Farrar." named after the
'peratic star. is clear deep sky blue,