JANUARY. 23 



twenty-eight bore one or more blossoms each. It had been raised 

 from a cutting put in in March last, and topped occasionally to keep 

 it dwarf. In conclusion, we should not forget to mention that Sir 

 W. J. Hooker of Kew communic ited a well-executed water-colour 

 drawing of the country where the Sikkim-Himalayan Rhododendrons 

 are found. In the foreground it represented Dr. Hooker, together 

 with his attendants, in the costume of the country, in the act of 

 receiving Rhododendron flow^ers from the natives. It will be recol- 

 lected that Dr. Hooker is now collecting these fine Rhododendrons, 

 which grow plentifully there, almost within the range of perpetual 

 snow. 



NOKTHERN TULIPS. 



I THINK I told you that I would give you some account of the Chel- 

 laston (or Swarkstone) Tulips ; and 1 will now endeavour to redeem 

 my promise, premising that if there ever was a gordian knot in this 

 class of flowers, it is amongst these, which would require even the 

 summary measures of an Alexander to disperse or disentangle them. 

 One serious drawback is, that the breeders have many of them been 

 sold out as mixtures, without name or number ; another is, that 

 though the breeders had a certain number on the raisers' bed, yet 

 they were altered. Some say, that as they broke or became rec- 

 tified, another number was given them ; if so, it was bad policy in 

 the raiser. 



It is also asserted by Mr. Gibbons, that they were originated 

 from Rose Vesta, a foul-cupped rose, and a bizarre known in the 

 neighbourhood of Derby as Count Villaflor. In the absence of any 

 other information, we must conclude that this is correct, though the 

 seedlings evince a much higher and better parentage. 



In bizarres there appears a scarcity ; though what few there are, 

 are good, with few exceptions. 



Pilot was broken first by Mr. John Spencer of Adholton, near 

 Nottingham ; at all events, he first' shewed it, and named it as 

 above ; and this title was adopted by the raiser. It is a flower of 

 good form and purity, being a shade more than half a globe when in 

 full bloom. In some situations the flame is apt to be light ; but I 

 have grown it in good style, when, take it all together, there were 

 few to beat it. It favours Captain White, or San Joz most, without 

 that incurving at the upper part of the petal, which detracts from 

 that fine old flower. 



Caliph was broken and named by Mr. J. F. Wood of the Cop- 

 pice, Nottingham ; it is a third-row flower, from a strong bulb ; 

 equally good in form with the preceding, but not quite so coarse or 

 heavy ; a very fine variety, pure, the flame reddish brown, but a very 

 distinct and attractive sort. 



Captain Sleigh I do not think much of; the beam is apt to run 

 through at the top of the petal, and is otherwise coarse, slightly 

 stained also at the base of the petals. 



