78 THE FLORIST. 



of your readers may be induced to try the experiment of English- 

 grown bulbs. And more especially in the case of seedlings, I should 

 expect much in the general improvement of the flower from the 



severer taste of English breeders. 



Iota. 



ON RAISING TULIPS FROM SEED. 



BY MR. JOHN SLATER, FLORIST, CHEETAM-HILL, NEAR MANCHESTER. 



The raising of Tulips from seed has been on the increase for these 

 last few years, and it may not be uninteresting to know by what 

 means the best success is to be attained. I have, on many occasions, 

 given information to the public on this point; and yet I find, after 

 twelve years' practice, that every new year yields me some fresh 

 piece of information. It is only after years of indefatigable and 

 careful attention that success can be expected. I, like many others, 

 sowed seed, no matter from what, or how bad the shape and bottom 

 of the Tulip from which it was obtained ; and the consequences 

 were, I had a great many useless seedlings. In my fourth year of 

 taking seed I selected Catafalque breeder (commonly called, by way 

 of distinction, Old Dutch) and Duchess of Newcastle breeder, without 

 any crossing ; and from these I had a few very choice breeders, some 

 of which have not yet broken into colour. The next year I crossed 

 Duchess of Newcastle breeder with Catalani, and with improved 

 results. Next season the same was repeated ; and in the following 

 year I crossed Polyphemus breeder with San Joe and Min' d'Or, self 

 yellow, keeping each crossing separate. This I have followed up to 

 the present time ; and the results have proved the utility of the cross. 

 Sixteen of the Polyphemus seedlings were planted out in the bloom- 

 ing bed in the autumn of 1847 ; ten of these bloomed in 1848, and 

 not one of them turned out bad. These were named instead of 

 being numbered, the former being the surer way of obviating mis- 

 takes in nomenclature. It is remarkable that one-half the seedlings 

 took after one parent, and the other half after the other, both in bud 

 and foliage, but very distinct in the ground-colour from either 

 parent. All seedling breeders take after the parents more or less, 

 and it is absolutely necessary to select one for fertilising possessing 

 good form and pure base. By strict observance of this point success 

 is certain ; many think it unnecessary to be so careful, but I would 

 remind such, that seedlings of all kinds have a tendency to degene- 

 rate, and that therefore the best parents should be chosen. 



Crossing. — This, from my not having a knowledge of botany, has 

 been all chance work up to the year 1847, when I discovered the 

 stigma at the top of the pericarpium, presenting a small hole in the 

 centre, which, for size, would scarcely admit the point of a pin. This 

 generally opens as soon as the flower expands, and the flower will 

 fertilise itself with its own pollen if not done artificially. To prevent 



