264 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



yellow eye. The most effective of the dark-flowered varieties of an 

 anterior date to the above is Henderson's V. Imperial Blue 

 Perfection ; but the most beautiiul is Williams's V. Blue Perfection, 

 which has finer flowers, but does not appear to bloom quite so 

 early in the spring or produce its flowers so continuously during 

 the summer months 33 Henderson's variety, which, by the way, 

 is only suitable for planting in masses. Amongst the yellow- 

 flowering varieties, V. lutea grandiflora, raised a few years since by 

 Mr. Tyerman, Curator of the Liverpool Botanic Gardens, still stands 

 pre-eminent; the flowers are large, of a rich golden yellow, and are 

 produced in the greatest possible profusion throughout the summer 

 and far into the autumn. Established plants will commence flower- 

 ing in February, and continue in bloom, more or less, until the 

 following autumn ; but when especially intended for summer 

 decoration, spring planting is desirable. The best yellow-flowered 

 bedding pansy with which I am acquainted, suitable for summer 

 bedding, is Pride of Pufford, a variety sent out by Mr. Cannell, of 

 Woolwich, in the early part of the present year. In growth it is 

 vigorous and wiry, and produces a succession of flowers from early 

 in the spring until the autumn. It is used very extensively at 

 Enville Hall, for bedding purposes, and enjoys a very high 

 reputation wherever it is grown. It is by no means expensive, for 

 when first sent out the price was only a few shillings per dozen. 

 Other good bedders, which however, are only suitable for spring 

 decoration, are Ware's Cloth of Gold, yellow; Downie's Imperial Blue, 

 deep purplish blue; Great Eastern, white; Hooper's Stmshine, 

 coppery orange, very distinct ; Hooper's Mrs. Shirley Hibherd, rosy 

 lilac. The Cliveden varieties, in the several colours of blue, white, 

 and yellow, are showy, but decidedly inferior to the above. 



EAELY TULIPS. 



fHESE beautiful and gaudy-coloured flowers are among 

 some of the most useful that can be found for the 

 decoration of the flower garden during the spring 

 months. That this is so, is proved by the fact that 

 they are so much in request for spring work in the 

 geometric garden. But their use is by no means limited to the flower 

 garden ; as for pot culture, scarcely anything else can compete with 

 them during winter. It is possible, by judicious planting, to get 

 the Early Single Van Thol in flower by the middle of November, 

 and even earlier ; then to succeed this well-known variety, there are 

 such precocious flowering kinds as Scarlet Van Thol, Golden Prince, 

 White Pottebalcker, 'Royal Standard, and others, all of which are 

 invaluable for growth in pots for the decoration of the conservatory, 

 and for windows. 



There are two distinct classes of tulips in our gardens : the one 

 represented by the early-flowering kinds now under notice; the 

 other by the late-flowering, or show tulips. The former we are 



