TULIP. 145 



or bright yellow, and the authors and stigma black, 

 or very dark, it is accounted a breeder of first- 

 rate qualities; and the bulb of such a breeder is 

 planted deeper than usual in a sheltered and sunny 

 situation, and the greatest care taken to prevent 

 its leaves from being injured by wind or hail : the 

 stem is tied to a stake, the corolla is protected from 

 the scorching rays of the sun as well as from the 

 rain, and the perfecting of the capsule encouraged ; 

 the seeds are carefully gathered when ripe, and 

 from these seeds, in a course of years, many fine 

 varieties of variegated flowers are expected, par- 

 taking of the fundamental good properties of the 

 breeder. 



These brilliant hues are all distinct and clean, 

 No kindred tint, no blending streaks between ; 

 This is no shaded run-off. 



When the self-colour of the petals of a breeder 

 begins to break, the bulb is regarded as past its 

 highest vigour; no judicious florist, therefore, ever 

 sows the seeds of variegated, or aged Tulips, but, 

 on the contrary, the capsules of these are cut off 

 as soon as the flowers have wholly decayed, to 

 prevent an unnecessary expenditure of the juices of 

 the bulbs. 



The Tulip was regarded as a sovereign amongst 

 the flowers of the English gardens about the begin- 

 ning of the eighteenth century ; but when America 



vol. i. Ir 



