My Open Book

Florida Glads – The question is asked: “Why don’t we get from Florida growers the fine Gladiolus varieties that we grow in the North?”

With two fine spikes of PICARDY in front of me on my desk as I write, both from Florida, with five open five-inch blooms on each spike, I will not admit the charge to be entirely sound. The Florida-grown variety is equal to any commercial stock of the North, some varieties prove poor keepers after shipping, a fault of it not confined to Florida by any means.

In spite of all of this, and it is not bad, there are grounds for the complaint that at one time the offerings from the South lack variety.

In this matter of varieties shipped from the South, the writer is probably as interested as the enquirer, since he has been haunting the markets for good varieties the past three years, from February to April, to get material for crossing on his little, winter-growing Sweetglads. The assortment of varieties has usually been quite restricted, and sometimes disappointing, specially when one considers the large exhibition sorts.

But we would not expect commercial growers to stock the newest and most expensive, even if it would grow well in the South, which it may not. Many fine northern varieties have failed to produce good commercial spikes during a Florida winter, and many others have proven poor shippers, on the long journey to the market, and during the still longer tarrying in the shops.

But the Florida growers are learning how to handle many kinds very well, as I have already cited. They must not be cut in too tight bud, nor kept too cold in transit. A shipment of over-chilled spikes never does open properly on arrival. And occasional Florida freezes do severe damage to blooms, some of the injury not being detected until the stalks are already shipped. The Prims in general are proving poor shippers, as was to be anticipated. Commercial growers and florists both learned this years ago, and much to their regret, for the Prims are fine for really discriminating decorative use. The further fact that they are good growers in the short winter days, both outdoors in Florida and in greenhouses north, make them more attractive at this season.

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