become exhausted, is to save the bulblets, however tiny they may be,
pack them in damp sand, and store them in a cool place over winter. In
the spring, peel them carefully, and plant according to the directions
given in the chapter on "Peeling Bulblets." Give good culture, and the
outcome will be a crop of blooming bulbs, and most likely a fair yield
of bulblets.

There is another difficulty that besets some lovers of this beautiful
flower who take pains to procure fine collections, and give them the
best of care, according to their knowledge. In a few years many of their
choice varieties seem to have dwindled away to almost nothing, or to
have disappeared entirely, while they have a burdensome surplus of some
others. They wonder why this is so, and some become convinced that the
gladiolus will in time revert to some original species. Nearly all such
cases may be accounted for by considering that some varieties multiply
very much faster than others, both by bulblets and the formation of new
bulbs. If one bulb produces a hundred bulblets, another ten, and another
one--or perhaps none,--it is easy to foresee what will happen in a few
years.

Another thing to be taken into account is that the grower sometimes
divides his treasures with his friends, and in so doing he is liable to
give away the one bulb that does not multiply, thus losing that variety
from his stock. He may dispose of a number in this way and, meanwhile,
those that increase rapidly are fast taking possession of his
collection. There are ways of guarding against this situation. First,
when varieties are found to have many bulblets, save only enough to keep
the stock in balance, and throw away the rest. By being watchful and
persevering in this course, much of the difficulty in question can be
avoided. Second, if some varieties get the start, and become too
numerous, mark them as they come into bloom, with cheap tags, or by some
other device, and take them up separately in the fall. Several varieties
can be "marked out" at the same time in this way.

[Illustration: MRS. F. PENDLETON]

CHAPTER XVIII.

Commencing in the Business.

If one desires to grow the gladiolus commercially, there are several
ways of making a beginning, and it is well to have a clearly defined
plan. The grower can enter upon the work with very little outlay by
commencing with seed. Only choice seed should be used. The first year's
product will average about the size of pea