The Gladiolus A Practical Treatise on the Culture of the Gladiolus   By: Matthew Crawford

A Practical Treatise on the Culture of the Gladiolus, with Notes on Its History, Storage, Diseases, etc.

by

MATTHEW CRAWFORD

With an appendix by Dr. W. Van Fleet 1911

Addenda by J. C. Vaughan 1921

[Illustration: DETROIT]

Chicago and New York Vaughan's Seed Store 1921

Copyright, 1911, by Vaughan's Seed Store Second Edition, with Addenda, Nov. 1921

CONTENTS

Chapter Page

Preface 1

I. History and Development 3

II. Habit of Growth 9

III. Soils and Preparation 12

IV. Time to Plant 15

V. Cultivation 19

VI. Digging and Curing 21

VII. Cleaning and Grading 25

VIII. Winter Storage 30

IX. Growing from Seed 33

X. Growing from Bulblets 37

XI. Peeling Bulblets 43

XII. Growing for Specific Purposes 47

XIII. Crossing or Hybridizing 54

XIV. Enemies and Diseases 57

XV. What Constitutes a Good Variety 60

XVI. How to Obtain a Choice Collection 62

XVII. How to Keep a Collection Vigorous and Well Balanced 64

XVIII. Commencing in the Business 67

Appendix 73 92

I. Garden History of the Gladiolus 73

II. Hybridizing Gladiolus 82

III. Special Care of Seedlings 85

IV. Gladiolus Species 89

Addenda 95 100

ILLUSTRATIONS

Page

Detroit Frontispiece

Schwaben 8

Charles L. Hutchinson and America 20

Halley, Cracker Jack and Gretchen Zang 32

Margaret 46

Europe, Sphinx and Attraction 56

Mrs. Frank Pendleton 66

Princeps 81

THE GLADIOLUS

[Illustration]

PREFACE

This little book is written with a view to being of service to those inexperienced admirers[A] of the gladiolus who wish to become better acquainted with its nature, and more familiar with the details of its cultivation. The language used is plain and easily understood, and the absence of technical terms, which might seem a fault to the skilled grower, will probably enhance the value of the work to the learner, for whom it is prepared. While it is written from the view point of the commercial grower, the interests of the amateur are kept in mind throughout, and the instructions are as carefully adapted to the management of a little garden as to that of an extensive field.