GLADIOLUS (diminutive of gladius, a sword; referring to the shape of the leaves). Corn Flag. ORD. Irideae. This genus contains about ninety species of so-called "bulbous" plants, many of which are amongst the most popular of outdoor summer and autumn-flowering subjects. The geographical distribution is Central Europe, the Mediterranean region, West Asia and Africa-the headquarters of the genus being South Africa. The flowers are secund, spiked, borne on tall scapes, the colours being very varied; the perianth is sub-bilabiate, with a short curved tube. The leaves are all equitant and sword-shaped; and the corms have netted fibrous coats. Original species have long since been superseded by the very numerous and beautiful hybrids that are in cultivation. Many of the former are, however, very ornamental, and well worthy of retaining for pot culture in cool houses, or for mixed flower borders, in summer. Improvement in the Gladiolus is wholly due to the efforts of hybridisers, who took it in hand, first in France, some fifty years ago, and afterwards in this country, about the middle of the present century. Varieties that were subsequently, and those which are still annually, obtained, represent an extreme diversity in the colouring of the flowers. Some are pure white, others range from that colour to deep crimson, and include yellowish and purple shades, many being beautifully flaked and marked. Gladioli are propagated by seeds, which ripen and germinate pretty freely; and by numerous large and small bulbils, usually termed "spawn," that are found round the old corms, or on the ends of the roots, in autumn. Seeds should be sown early in March, preferably in large pans or pots, where the young plants may be thinned and allowed to remain for the first season. The pans should first be placed in heat, and, as the seedlings appear, a light position and more air should be given, in order to gradually harden off for placing outside all the summer. If well attended to when growing, and afterwards thorougly ripened in autumn, the young corms may be stored like larger ones, and many of them will flower the second year. For increasing stock of any one or more varieties, the small corms should be separated from those intended for flowering, and planted from 4in. to 6in. apart, in a warm border, about the middle of March. If watered, and allowed to grow for the summer, many of them will become large enough to flower the following year. Cultivation. A deep rich soil, and a sheltered, sunny position, are requisite for attaining the best results. Plenty of manure may be intermixed with the soil, in the autumn, when trenching and other preparations for Gladioli should be commenced; but none should be applied in a fresh state at planting time, as it tends to cause decay in the corms, if coming in contact with them before growth commences. Brenchleyensis is an old sort, but still one of the best and most extensively grown. It increases rapidly and is of a good constitution, succeeding with telling effect when planted either in a bed or in small groups of about half-a-dozen, in various parts of mixed flower borders or shrubberies. If the planting of a portion is commenced early in March, and continued at intervals till the end of May, the flowering period may be similarly prolonged until late in the autumn. The corms should be inserted about 3in. deep, and 1ft. apart, if in beds; and a circular group may consist of four or five, in a space of 1ft. diameter. Each plant will require a stake before the flowering season arrives, to prevent injury from rough winds. In hot weather, plenty of water must be given, and a mulching of short manure is always beneficial as a preventative of undue evaporation. Before the appearance of severe frost, the corms should be lifted, with their tops intact, and laid in a cool, dry shed, to become ripened, when the tops may be cut off close down, and the corms placed in paper bags, until planting time. This specially refers to the South African species, and to all the finer hybrids; except in very dry sandy soils, it would be unwise to leave the corms of these in the ground throughout the winter. The South European species do not need any such attention. The large and small ones are best separated when storing; and the bags should be labelled according to the size or the variety contained in each. Culture in Pots. Large-flowering Gladioli succeed in pots, if desired for summer or autumn decoration of greenhouses, &c. One large corm is sufficient for a 7in. pot, and successional batches may be inserted in rich soil, and grown in a frame where plenty of air can be admitted, or in a sheltered position outside. GLADIOLUS Colvillei and its white form, known as "The Bride," are amongst the most beautiful for pot culture. They succeed admirably, and may be had in full beauty in April and May, if gently forced. The corms are small, and do not require much root space. About five of them should be placed in a 5in. or 6in. pot, in autumn, and either covered for a time with ashes outside, as ordinary bulbs are, or placed in a cold frame from the first. When roots are formed, and growth begins, a few pots at a time should be successionally placed in a temperature of about 55deg. Each strong corm will produce two or more flower scapes, and, when these appear, a little higher temperature may be given, always selecting a situation exposed to light, and applying plenty of water to the roots. Later batches come on all right in a cold frame. GLADIOLUS Colvillei and GLADIOLUS Colvillei alba succeed equally well with the larger-flowered varieties, when planted outside in summer. Any Gladiolus flowers expand well in water when they are far enough advanced to begin opening naturally. With a system specially adopted by exhibitors, the whole of the flowers in a spike are secured at one time by placing the latter in water at a certain stage, and encouraging the flowers to expand slowly in a cool place.