JULY. 161 



more vigour, and will also afford you the advantage of giving it ano- 

 ther shift when growing ; whereas by potting it in a large pot at 

 first, the mould becomes unkind and sour before the roots reach the 

 outside, and failure is often the result. 



It will be found of the greatest advantage to the well-doing of 

 the plant to give it proper time for rest, placing it, as before men- 

 tioned, in an intermediate house, which should range from 45° to 

 50°, and as it gradually ripens its growth, regulate the watering 

 until it is withheld altogether for at least six weeks before the time 

 arrives for potting it for the next season's growth. It is a tuberous 

 rooted plant, much resembling that of the Dahlia, and consequently 

 it is a very strong feeder. While growing supply it liberally with 

 heat, moisture, and liquid manure ; and there need be no fears enter- 

 tained but that it will be brought to bloom in great perfection. 



I may here remark that I never would allow the plant to remain 

 in the same soil over two years, as the mould becomes exhausted 

 and unkind ; shake it clean out of the soil and start it again the same 

 way by which a young plant should be started. It has then the advan- 

 tage of fresh soil every time it is shifted, which will cause it to throw 

 out in abundance young and vigorous roots. It will also be found 

 that too much shading is injurious to its blooming. I have seen very 

 large strong plants that never could be brought into bloom, but were 

 kept continually growing from no other cause than being too much 

 shaded. 



Camden Nursery, Camberwell. W. Barnes. 



THE LATE NATIONAL TULIP MEETING AT NOTTINGHAM. 



There cannot be two opinions as to the benefits that will be derived 

 from the gathering together of Florists from all parts of the United 

 Kingdom, for the purpose of competing with each other in a friendly 

 spirit, as we have long misunderstood each other as to what consti- 

 tute the properties of the Tulip ; one portion advocating size and 

 purity, others making marking a sine qua non — shape and purity out 

 of question ; another class, in advance of their brethren, wish to see 

 a large flower well-formed, pure in every respect, likewise regularity 

 of marking, whether the flower be a flame or a feather. Again, 

 others differ as to the beam in a flamed flower, whether there ought 

 to be any feather in the bloom or not. In this particular the leading 

 southern growers agree with the northerns. Mr. Lawrence's defi- 

 nition of a flamed flower is in perfect unison with what has been 

 recognised in Lancashire for upwards of a century ; and that being 

 the case, I think that a flamed flower to be perfect must have both 

 beam and feather ; and, moreover, the beam should be full of small 

 branches striking into the feather, so as to have as much branching 

 as possible, yet the ground-colour to shew between each branch ; and 



NEW SERIES, VOL. III. NO. XXXI. P 



