SEPTEMBER. 19l 



results may be apparent each season. I have as yet never fallen in 

 with a single "reserved bed expressly for seeding; and further, I venture 

 to ask you to give us the result of your experience on the subject. I 

 know the practice full well to be to cull at the fag-end of the blooming 

 season such seed-pods as may have been produced, perhaps from mal- 

 formed flowers or blooms but half-matured, and at a time when the 

 plants are in the last stage of decay, when the reverse should have 

 been the order adopted. Here, at the opening of the present month, 

 September, let me urge that a few of the best blooms be marked and 

 set aside for seeding; that attention be bestowed upon them until 

 ripe, and that such varieties be selected as are constitutionally 

 "hale and hearty," of generous blooming propensities, and materially 

 certain ; and, finally, avoid most studiously the saving of seed from 

 plants that have bloomed any later than the first, or at furthest 

 second week in September. J. Edwards. 



NATIONAL TULIP-MEETING AT BIRMINGHAM. 



Having been requested to offer a few remarks on this gathering in 

 your journal, perhaps you will be kind enough to insert the following 

 brief commentary on the Tulips exhibited. 



The Gold Medal was awarded to Mr. Houghton, whose stand, 

 with the exception of Captain White (which was not pure at the 

 base), was as near perfection as possible ; it was as far before the 

 others as Mr. Sanders' stand at the Amateur Society's Exhibition at 

 Kennington : this will give the London " Fancy" an idea that it was 

 worth looking at. With the exception of " Coupe d'Hebe," they 

 are well known and duly appreciated in the south as well as by the 

 northern and midland growers, therefore they may be passed ; but I 

 must say something about the Novelty. The editor of the Mid- 

 land Florist says it was the worst flower in the stand. Upon this 

 I must join issue : it was good in shape, with perfectly pure white 

 ground, and feathering of good quality ; therefore it must at least 

 stand before the Captain. Alas, there was a break in the feather ; 

 but I would sacrifice continuous feathering to purity, or even to the 

 quality of feather ; but let me have two flowers equal in other 

 points, and the unbroken feather has it. I do not like giving an 

 opinion on seeing one bloom ; but if I had my choice of all the 

 Tulips in the Townhall, that would be my pick. 



Mr. Godfrey took First Cup with some good flowers unequal in 

 size : Captain White not pure. Van Amburgh creamy. I never 

 thought, after finding the Captain was not immaculate, that this 

 stand stood the least chance with Mr. Houghton's. 



Mr. Turner was next. His flowers were well matched, but no- 

 thing particular about them except Polyphemus, which was very 

 green and dingy at the bottom of the flame, which I consider quite as 

 bad a fault as the bottom of the Captain Whites. These flowers 

 were rather stale. 



