136 THE FLORIST. 



THE NEW TULIP " MAGNIFICENT." 



Considering The Florist the best medium to convey information to 

 the floricultural public upon some of our favourite flowers, a desire 

 and anxiety to do justice to the splendid Tulip in question induces 

 me to contribute this paper. The accompanying sketches* are made 

 from recollection, and it will be seen have no claim whatever to 

 commendation ; they are only sent as rough copies of the original, 

 to give some idea of the colour and other properties of this variety. 

 The principal difficulty lies in producing colours to vie with the 

 brilliancy of the flower itself. It is here that my slight knowledge 

 in art must be manifest. It has been admitted by some of our most 

 competent judges to be unique, and different from any other Rose 

 Tulip yet produced : it may be hoped the present season will afford 

 many an opportunity of seeing the flower, and judging for themselves 

 of its merits. The impression it invariably leaves on the mind will 

 often recur to the memory when Tulips become the subject of dis- 

 cussion, more especially in their time of bloom. 



It was during the month of May, 1848, that I first saw the 

 flower in a collection belonging to Mr. Holmes : the feathered va- 

 riety attracted my notice most ; but he had others broke with flame 

 and feather, all of them superb. These were grown near London, and 

 therefore not quite so fine as those grown farther in the country. I 

 afterwards saw it at Mr. Headley's, a gentleman possessing the most 

 accurate judgment, and one of the best collections in this country. 

 With him it was most beautiful. I will here attempt to give some 

 description of this gem of the Tulip-bed. The form or outline will 

 rank with our most established favourites, and may be called almost 

 faultless. The substance of the petal exceedingly good and broad ; 

 the base or bottom perfectly clean and pure ; the markings of the 

 petals partake of feather, flame and feather, sometimes ribbed and 

 feather, and of the brightest scarlet carmine. The white is of a re- 

 markably pearly transparency seldom met with. It will take its place 

 in the Tulip-bed about the third row ; and it must ere long become 

 a universal favourite with amateurs and others. While upon this 

 Tulip, I think it necessary to mention the circumstance of there 

 being another distinct break of this flower, having a tinge of straw- 

 colour, but soon bleaching to a very pure white. The first-named 

 variety must be the one most coveted. 



It is to Mr. George Haward the Tulip Fancy is indebted for this 

 fine flower. It was raised by him from seed saved from some Rose- 

 Tulip, probably Rose Brilliant ; but of this he is not quite certain. 

 They were carefully attended to ; and the year previous to their 

 blooming he requested Mr. Milner, a neighbour, to take charge of 



* With the above paper S. S. obligingly forwarded two drawings of dif- 

 ferent breaks of the Tulip, Haward's Magnificent, which was figured in Vol. I. 

 We hope our Note-book of the present season will afford our Tulip-loving 

 readers some information upon a variety that is claiming so much attention. — 

 Editor. 



