JULY. 155 



for years, being freer from blight and canker, with a thorough de- 

 velopment of a larger amount of varieties than ordinary. At one 

 time doubts and fears were rife in consequence of the adverse (to 

 vegetation generally) early spring ; these were, however, soon dis- 

 pelled, and as growth proceeded, every assurance was afforded of a 

 fine and vigorous though somewhat late bloom. There are those 

 even among whom we may term gardeners, both professional and 

 amateur, who have never beheld the massive and varied charms of a 

 well-appointed Tulip-bed ; the amount of flower, the regularity and 

 evenness of the head of bloom, their diversity, yet orderly and sys- 

 tematic arrangement, are but a few of the features to which many 

 well versed in horticulture and floriculture are entire strangers ; their 

 comparison with houses of Pelargoniums, Azaleas, or even miscel- 

 laneous collections of greenhouse plants, must prove altogether unfa- 

 vourable to the latter ; their unconstrained natural forms realise fully 

 the free-and-easy system now so much urged by our highest authorities; 

 few sticks or stays are there to be found even in a bed containing 

 perhaps from a thousand to eighteen hundred blooms. Then, again, 

 colour is to be found of the brightest tones: snowy whiteness ; yellows, 

 from pale lemon to the deepest shade observable in our field But- 

 tercups. Nor is their glossiness of surface less remarkable ; from the 

 most cheerful tint of pale lilac may be regularly and progressively 

 traced the deepest glossy maroon, even approaching the blackness of 

 polished ebony ; then bright pale pink graduating into the deepest 

 and most dense cherry-red, — and in all there is substance, texture, 

 surface, and purity, which we may look for in vain as belonging to 

 any one family in the whole range of Florists' flowers. Then, again, 

 as to the diversity of their markings, they intimately blend the en- 

 tire range of the classes pertaining to the Picotee as regards the fea- 

 ther, whether light, medium, or heavy-edged; and the flamed flowers 

 rival the bizarres, and surpass the flakes of our Carnations, charm- 

 ing though they be. 



Like the Dahlia, the Tulip lacks perfume ; nevertheless, discuss 

 its qualities, and it will be found to hold in combination as many 

 attractive and valuable features as belong to any gem similarly cir- 

 cumstanced in the whole wreath of Flora's garland. On the score 

 of cultivation, none hardier in constitution, or easier of treatment, 

 exists ; we would have every establishment claiming floricultural 

 perfection incomplete that did not own its Tulip-bed, and which 

 failed to consider it in the same ratio of desirableness with its pine- 

 tums, vineries, aquariums, terraces, conservatories, and fountains ; 

 yet such is not the case, nor can it be in the present state of affairs. 

 The time is, however, we hope, at hand, when floriculture will take 

 a place in the "world of flowers," which will command attention 

 even from the few who are now indifferent to the pursuit, and in- 

 sensible to its pleasures. But to our task. 



Mr. Groom of Clapham Rise, Surrey, we believe claims to have 

 the longest bed in cultivation, being '235 rows, each of seven bulbs ; 

 these, with here and there a bulb in the same hole, made up little 

 short of 2000 blooms ; while the out-beds contain perhaps twenty 



