162 THE FLORIST. 



the inside to be an exact counterpart of the outside — not as is com- 

 monly seen, very little ground-colour. The beam ought never to go 

 through to the top of the petal, but should stop short, tapering gra- 

 dually as it ascends from the base of the flower until it merges into 

 a small point into the feathering, and is completely lost amidst 

 the beautiful pencillings of the feather. Now it is by these national 

 meetings that an assimilation of ideas and a correctness of taste dif- 

 fuses itself amongst all Florists, and that harmony and good feeling 

 are engendered; aliases are likewise exposed, and there is an increase 

 in knowledge of every thing that relates to our favourite pursuit. 

 Each one has some favourite theme to relate as to his success in pro- 

 ducing fine specimens, and a large amount of information is obtained 

 highly beneficial to all. 



The season of 1853 has been probably one of the worst [The 

 southerns consider it one of the best. — Ed.] ever known by the 

 Tulip cultivator. An open winter seldom produces fine feathered 

 blooms; and it has been remarked that after a severe winter the 

 bloom is much better than if the season had been otherwise. But in 

 the present one we have had both combined. In the early part the 

 vegetation of the Tulip was rapid and nearly six weeks in advance, 

 thus making them more susceptible of severe weather ; in the latter 

 part we had frost intensely severe and of long duration, chilling and 

 stopping the circulation of the colours, which during the fine weather 

 had been brought into a state of activity, and then the frosty nights 

 congealing that which had risen towards the edges of the petals, thus 

 making blotches of colour, particularly the breeder or mother colour, 

 in nearly every petal which was checked by cold before it could be 

 condensed into the natural colouring. That such is the case will, I 

 think, admit of no doubt. 



It was owing to the severity of the season, as well as the cold 

 weather, that the national meeting was not so rich in blooms as was 

 anticipated. Few of the more northern exhibitors were in bloom 

 before the 30th day of May — ten days later than usual. The Derby 

 growers were in full bloom, whilst those of Nottingham had scarcely 

 one ; and this will partly account for the Derby growers being so 

 successful. Mr. Lawrence, of Hampton, had a very fine pan (all 

 pure) he had selected particularly for purity, and by this means he 

 did not obtain a position which his flowers merited. His Salvator 

 Rosa was a perfect gem ; and yet, strange to say, it never got a place 

 in the flamed byblcemen class ; whilst one was placed first with the 

 breeder out at the top of every petal, which all northerns consider a 

 defect, so much so as nearly to disqualify the bloom. Mr. Turner 

 had some fine blooms, as he took several premiers in the classes, 

 which is more complimentary to a grower than in taking a low 

 position in the pans, as the blooms have to compete with a much 

 larger number, all single specimens ; the like remark applies to 

 Mr. Edwards's blooms. Purity did not appear to be indispensable, 

 or else many pans would have been placed much lower, if not dis- 

 qualified. 



In Class A, the first pan ought to have been placed the second. 



