19G THE FLOEIST AND POMOLOGIST. [September, 



few can fail to look upon with pleasure. Tlie body of the tree generally grows as 

 straight as an arrow, and in order to make a handsome tree, its branches should 

 start out just above the browsing line of cattle ; they grow in a horizontal direc- 

 tion, as if trained for the purpose, and the leader grows in proper proportion to its 

 branches, which gradually taper from the bottom towards the top, in such a 

 regular manner as to give it a cone-shaped outline, its diameter through the 

 lower branches being generally about equal to its height. 



I am not able to speak of the value of its timber commercially, although, 

 from the fine grain and hardness of the wood, as well as from its clear and 

 sound appearance, my impression is that it will be quite equal if not superior in 

 usefulness to most of its class. — Thomas Eecoed, Vinters Pari:. 



THE POINTS OF PERFECTION IN TULIPS. 



|S promised in my paper on the Tulip at p. 114, I now proceed to give my 

 individual opinion as to what constitutes a first-class Tulip. In doing 

 this, I trust it may be fully understood that I have no desire to set myself 

 uj) as knowing more of this matter than my brother florists, for others 

 who may have had the same amount of practice and of opportunitj'', should have 

 acquired as clear an insight into the question as I can possibly have done. At 

 the same time, we have amongst us individuals who are somewhat opiniated, 

 and who cannot, or will not, be persuaded to abandon their old notions. These 

 matters, however, I leave for the present, and proceed with the object I have in 

 view, viz., to state what I consider to be the properties requisite to make up a 

 first-class or model Tulip, fit for the exhibition table. 



1. I say that the flower should be oi fine for m^ that is, when suflficiently open 

 for exhibition it should be of the form of half a hollow ball, and quite even. 



2. The flowers should be stout of substance, with rounded and smooth-edged 

 petals. 



3. The base of the petals and the stamens should be perfectly 2mre and 

 unstained, and the stamens bold and strong, carrying jet black anthers. 



4. The marking should be clear and definite^he the colour what it may. In a 

 feathered flower, whether it be a flamed or pencilled feather, the colouring round 

 the edging of the petals should be solid, the ground-colour not breaking through 

 to the edge ; it should also be a little more dense or solid at the top of the 

 petal, a thread of colour running round the edge of the petal to the base. The 

 same points are requisite in a flamed flower, with the addition of what is called 

 a beam of solid colouring, which should extend down the centre of the petal from 

 the top nearly to the base, leaving a space of ground-colour at the base of the cup 

 not less than the size of a sixpence, quite clean and pure. From this beam fine 

 pencilled streaks of colouring should branch out, reaching nearly to the feathering 

 at the edge of the petals, which feathering must be solid and unbroken, such as we 

 get in a perfectly feathered flower, 



5. The ground-colour should be clear ; 1 look upou this as one of the most 



