The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-07-31
BY MRS. c. O. ROBINSON
Times Hobby Editor
The gladiolus. 4 floral queen,
In natures fairest coiors clad.
With stately beauty. season through.
Has made the flower garden glad

/ A THOUGH Africa and Indiana
L n are thousands of miles apart,
the gladiolus is a native of South
Africa. and Indiana is famed for
its culture. Originating in the
land of the bushmen and the Boer,
its native name means Painted
Lady"--a perfect description of this
stately beauty, whose colors are of
every shade and tint, in unparalleled
variety.
Botanists who have endeavored TO
trace the origin Of the glad are
inclined to believe that the Phoe-
nicians. most far-ranging of early
explorers, brought the first bulbs TO
Europe. History tells us that Gre
clan ladies included these lovely,
colored flowers in their gardens ana
the Romans surely cultivated them.
as the name ''gladiolus' is the Latin
for little sword"
The American Gladiolus Society
approves the use of the word glad
iolus for both singular and plural.
Official sterilization OF its pronun-
citation would be welcome also.
The gladioluS has lent itself read
lily TO development, and for that
reason has afforded interesting ex-
perimentation by the amateur as
well as the professional. Because il
was hybridized easily, gorgeous low
ers have been produced, which show
a wonderful variety in color.
The first important hybrid called
"Ghent,' was introduced in 1851 bv
Lewis Van Houtle of Belgium. From
this start all the best moderns have
been developed.
IE1RST gladioluS bulbs were i'm
Il ported into America in 1854 for
the Fairmont gardens, near Phila-
delphia, but the American hybirds
were not developed extensively until
after the Civil war. AT the Phila-
delphla exposition in 1876. a total
OF 400 varieties was displayed
Today the American Gladiolus So
ciety lists 1000 varieties, registered.
with pedigreeS given. Claud Enslen
OF Marion entered the latest IN
diana registration, Irish Rose in
april 1888. 1t is an ashy rose color.
with creamy throat. striped in pur-
pie.
On Aug. and 6, the marble ball
room 1t the Marott hotel will house
the first exhibit OF the Gladiolus
society of Marion county. On Aug
10 and 20. the American GladioIus
Society will join with the Indiana
and Michigan societies to give a
show at LaPorte This is the first
national society show ever held in
Indiana. despite Hoosier leadership
in gladioluS culture.
A. E. Kunderd of Goshen has
worked and experimental with
''glads' for more than fifty years
and his name is known wherever
the flower is grown. His ruffled.
lacinated, and snapdragon types
are three Of his successes which
have made him world-famous.
II Asst year, after the American
II Gladiolus Society had conducted
a symposium TO determine the
twelve most popular varieties. Ros-
coe Huff Of Goshen. secretary of the
society, reported that the first three
places went TO Mr.. w. H. Phipps."
a La France pink. "Minuet." a Law
ender and "Marmora,7 a lavender
/ grey.
E. c. Earring is the president of
the Gladiolus society OF Marion
county, and grows "glads' extern
sively in his Sunny View Garden"
which represents not only his hobby.
but his business sideNne. His en-
thusiaSm for the flowers and the
club is so infectious that two Of his