following year.

_Gladiolus Princeps_, _Childsii x G. cruentus_, the finest scarlet
variety ever raised, was introduced in 1903.

_Gladiolus primulinus_ and hybrids were first publicly offered in 1909.

[Illustration: PRINCEPS]

CHAPTER II.

Hybridizing Gladiolus.

The gladiolus, owing to the large size of the blooms and its open
character, is one of the easiest plants to pollinate artificially.
Healthy vigorous plants should be selected for seed bearers, and the
bloom spike supported with a firm stake. The blooms should be visited in
early morning as they open, and the anthers removed before they have
shed pollen, with the fingers, or better with slender forceps, taking
care not to injure the style or the three-parted stigma, which will be
ready to receive pollen about midday in bright weather or late in the
afternoon, or even next day if cloudy or dull.

The blooms should, immediately after the anthers have been removed, be
covered with thin cheesecloth, or "bobinet," firmly tied or pinned in
such a manner as effectually to keep out bees and visiting insects.
Ordinary mosquito netting will not serve after it has been wet with dew
or rain, as the mesh becomes so loose that energetic little pollen
carrying bees force their way through, often entirely spoiling results.
The pollen-bearing blooms should be carefully selected to open the same
day and should be as well protected with muslin or fine netting as
possible to prevent robbery of pollen.

About noon, when the anthers are covered with dry-dust-like pollen they
can be pinched out with forceps and carried to the seed-bearing spikes
in a covered dish to protect from wind. The anthers may be taken
separately in the fingers, or with forceps, and lightly brushed over the
stigmas, which should be erect and open if they have reached the
receptive stage. One anther will usually suffice for a seed bloom if
pollen is abundant, but in some of the lighter-colored varieties it is
scantily produced and several may be needed. Occasionally the anther
valves do not open freely enough to permit the escape of pollen, which
may then be taken out with a narrow-bladed penknife, or better with a
little instrument made of a flattened pin fixed in a wooden handle.

The pollinated blooms should immediately be covered with the netting,
which should remain until they fade. If conveniences are at hand the
work may be rapidly accomplished--several hundred pollinations being
ma