Chapter 19

Garden History of the Gladiolus.

The gladiolus is horticulturally the most important member of the Iridacæ or great Iris family and has long been the most popular of all summer-flowering bulbous plants, ranking in general usefulness even such prime favorites as the dahlia, the canna and the lily. Almost one hundred and fifty species have been from time to time described by botanists, but only a fraction of the number has thus far proved of value in breeding and development work. Fourteen or more species are natives of Southern Europe and Western Asia, but these have always been of minor importance as garden plants.

The headquarters of the genus is South Africa, centering in Cape Colony and Natal, though there have been recent finds of value on the mountains of tropical Africa and in Madagascar. The European and Asiatic species run to purple and lilac in coloring, though white varieties occur in cultivation. Flowers and plants are rather small, rendering them most useful for pot or frame culture and for naturalizing in protected borders where the deeply planted corns can be kept from the effects of frost. The most attractive of these northern kinds are _G. crispiflorus_, _G. atroviolaceus_, _G. Byzantinus_ and _G. communis_. The latter has been offered in this country as the "hardy" gladiolus, but it will not endure severe freezing. These species hybridize together when opportunity presents, but do not readily interbreed with the African kinds and have rarely developed garden forms superior to the respective wild types. The blooming time is early spring.

Another series of early-blooming, small-flowered species is represented by _G. blandus_, flesh colored, _G. Watsonius_, scarlet, _G. alatus_, yellow and red, and _G. tristis_, pale yellow, sweet scented. All are native to the Cape of Good Hope and can endure little cold. They are admirably suited for window and greenhouse culture and are interesting subjects for interbreeding, though no startling results should be expected. The winter-blooming varieties grown by florists, such as the _Bride_, _Delicatissima_, and _Peach Blossom_, belong to the hybrid section known as _Gladiolus Colvillii_, which is, without doubt, a hybrid between _G. cardinalis_ and _G. tristis_. The corms of these early-blooming species are less resistant than those of the summer-blooming kinds and can rarely be kept over winter in good condition. The species in this class are many, several are fragrant, and all are worth growing by the specialist for their individual charm, but few are likely to attain commercial importance in this country for a considerable time.

Summer Blooming Species.

Our popular garden and commercial varieties are, with scarcely an exception, developments of strong-growing and relatively late-blooming species found wild in South Africa. The chief of these is _G. psittacinus_, native of Natal, but cultivated in Europe since 1830. It is a striking and robust species with hooded, narrow, red-and-yellow flowers, borne in a scattering manner on a tall fleshy scape or spike. Eleven years later a seedling appeared in the famous Van Houtte Nurseries, Ghent, Belgium, thought to be a hybrid between _psittacinus_ and _G. cardinalis_, the latter a tall scarlet flowered species or variety of uncertain origin, known to have been cultivated as early as 1785. The Van Houtte seedling, named _Gandavensis_ in honor of the city of its origin, was so superior to _psittacinus_ as to cause the latter to at once go out of cultivation.

_Gandavensis_ made a great sensation in its time and is still the best representative of the old-time gaudy red-and-yellow garden gladiolus, or corn flag. It was eagerly welcomed by breeders of the day, among others the accomplished French hybridizer, Mons. Souchet, of Fontainebleu, who really laid the foundation of the modern _Gandavensis_ strain, the basis of all that is best in the summer-blooming section. The predominating types of the finest _Gandavensis_ varieties, however, retain few of the characteristics of _psittacinus_. The erect, fleshy stem, capable of absorbing sufficient water, when the spike is cut, to develop all blooms, and the strong upright growth have been preserved as indispensable features, but the flowers have been marvelously improved in respect to form, color, size, arrangement and finish, as the result of interbreeding with every procurable species or variety of sufficiently distinct character, and constant seeding selection. The most popular varieties of the day, such as May, Augusta, and Shakespeare, have little resemblance to _psittacinus_ and practically none to _cardinalis_, but exhibit strongly the main characteristics of _G. oppositiflorus_, an old white-and-rose, many-flowered species, often thought to have been the real parent of _Gandavensis_, instead of _cardinalis_. The writer's experience is that present-day authentic hybrids of _psittacinus_ and _cardinalis_ do not resemble _Gandavensis_, while the issue of _psittacinus_ x _oppositiflorus_ closely reproduces _Gandavensis_ as it is found in old gardens. Varied and beautiful as the _Gandavensis_ hybrids or "French seedlings" of the last generation were--and some have never been excelled--intense and pleasing shades of red were strangely lacking, when the predominance of _psittacinus_ blood in the strain is considered.

It was not until 1878 that Victor Lemoine, Nancy, France, produced, by crossing the finest _Gandavensis_ varieties with _G. purpureo-auratus_, an important race now widely known as _Lemoinei_, that possessed the rich and intense shades of red, purple, and yellow so ardently desired by fanciers. Some of the richest coloring in the floral kingdom is found among the _Lemoinei_ varieties, now wonderfully developed by consistent breeding. The hooded form of _purpureo-auratus_ blooms, however, is often retained, and the stems usually have the wiry texture of the species rendering the development of the flowers, after cutting, less perfect than the _Gandavensis_.

The next great improvement in garden gladioli was brought about by Max Leichtlin, Baden Baden, Germany, who extensively hybridized the best _Gandavensis_ varieties with _G. Saundersii_, then a newly introduced species characterized by large widely opened scarlet flowers speckled with white on the lower divisions. The resulting seedlings, without doubt the finest strain of modern times, were bought by V. H. Hallock and Son, Queens, N. Y., then the most extensive American bulb growers, and for many years the stock was worked up by them in the most painstaking manner. Before dissemination it was sold to J. L. Childs, Floral Park, N. Y., who introduced it to general cultivation under the name of _Childsii_. The true _Leichtlin Saundersii_ hybrids are characterized by gigantic growth and very large richly colored well-opened blooms with beautifully spotted and variegated throats. Shades of red predominated at first, but light colors have since been developed in a very satisfactory manner. The only just criticism of this strain is that some kinds lack substance of petal and are not as lasting as _Gandavensis_ varieties under similar trying conditions.

Lemoine soon afterwards produced a fine large flowered and brilliantly colored race by crossing _Lemoinei_ hybrids with _Saundersii_. This race was named _Nanceianus_ and comprises many truly beautiful varieties, few, however, possessing the vigor of the _Leichtlin_ hybrids.

The next break of importance, also the work of Lemoine, came with the use of _G. papilio_, pale lilac, blotched and overlaid with dull red. In many of its hybrids the primitive colors have separated, resulting in an attractive series of rich purple and heliotrope blues, quite new to the genus. True bright blues, free from red and purple tones, have not yet been obtained, but the blue kinds--issue of _Papilio_ and the _Lemoine_ varieties--are unique and desirable acquisitions.

_Gladiolus cruentus_, blood red and white, pollenized with a selected _Childsii_ variety resulted in the magnificent scarlet hybrid _Princeps_, acknowledged the first of its color yet produced. The latest species of importance to be widely used is _G. Primulinus_, recently found in the Zambesi Valley, South Africa. It is a vigorous species with narrow blooms, pure bright yellow in color. The hybrids largely partake of this coloring, and it appears only a matter of time when good self-yellow varieties, comparable in size and finish to the best red and pink kinds will be bred.

Minor Species.

A number of hybrids of _G. dracocephalus_, _G. Cooperi_ and _G. Quartinanus_ have been offered of late years. These species are closely allied to _Psittacinus_, but yellow, green and purplish shades, oddly marked and striped, appear in the offspring. Some are curious and attractive, but possess little value from the standpoint of the commercial grower. _G. Quartinanus_ is a very late bloomer and may produce varieties extremely useful for mild climates where the seasons are sufficiently long to form bulb development. _G. Eckloni_ is a rare species with small whitish blooms, minutely dotted with black purple. The hybrids have mostly purple or red ground colors flecked with darker shades. They are exceedingly attractive, but do not increase with sufficient rapidity to possess great value. _G. vitatus_, an early blooming, dwarf species, has yielded some charming porcelain and salmon colored garden varieties, of rather small size, however. _G. Leichtlini_, scarlet and yellow, allied to _Saundersii_, when crossed with _cruentus_, is a striking brilliant crimson hybrid of much vigor, but when blended with other species entirely loses its individuality. The list may be extended, but enough has been said to indicate the great possibilities inherent to the use of wild species as a means of adding attractive new features to highly developed garden strains.

Summary.

The gladiolus, in its European species at least, has been in garden cultivation for quite 400 years.

The African forms first found their way to Europe about 1745 and new ones have since been constantly added. The genus now numbers almost 150 species.

_The first_ marked improvement, from the garden standpoint, came with the introduction from Holland, about 1785, of _G. cardinalis_, one of the reputed parents of _G. Gandavensis_. The true origin of _Cardinalis_ has never been ascertained.

In 1840 _G. Gandavensis_ was raised in Belgium from seed of _G. psittacinus_, an African species supposed to be pollinated with _Cardinalis_, but more, likely with _G. oppositiflorus_, which the progeny of _Gandavensis_ more closely resembles.

From 1845 until 1880 _Gandavensis_ seedlings or "French Hybrids" held full sway in gardens. More than 400 varieties have been named, comprising some of the most highly prized of all garden kinds.

Lemoine introduced in 1878 his justly celebrated hybrids between Gandavensis and _G. purpureo-auratus_, known as _Lemoinei_.

The _Nanceianus_ strain, crosses between _Lemoinei_ and _G. Saundersii_, was introduced in 1889.

_Childsii_, originated by Max Leichtlin, Germany, was first disseminated in 1893. It consists of hybrids of _G. Saundersii_ pollinated with the finest Gandavensis varieties.

Lemoine's New Blue was first exhibited at the Chicago Exposition 1893 and placed on sale the 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.