JULY. 163 



The Sir Sidney Smith, or Magnum Bonum as it was labelled, was 

 bad, as well as the Maid of Orleans ; whilst the second pan only con- 

 tained one bad flower, Lord Milton, flamed bizarre, which was green 

 round the base where the beaming commences. There was one pan 

 which contained two Abbott's Gem; but this was afterwards dis- 

 qualified. Judges ought to be careful, at a meeting like a national 

 one, to see, after they have placed them, if any pan contains two 

 varieties the same, although labelled different. The Rev. T. Cres- 

 well's pan was placed third ; but it was much superior to the one 

 placed second. The classes were in some particular instances badly 

 placed ; for instance, in the feathered bizarre class, was placed sixth 

 a Due de Savoy; a variety almost extinct in the north. It was green 

 at the base in three petals, and the yellow at the base was cloudy ; 

 other discrepancies might be cited. 



Blooms, considering the season, were very good. Sixteen hundred 

 were paid for, although there were not so many [Twelve hundred. — 

 Ed.] staged. 



Amongst the novelties were Nymph, a feathered rose, placed 

 third, the base being in a cloudy white. Gibbon's Salvator Rosa (why 

 not have chosen some other name, as we have already Hooker's and 

 Brown's?) is a very striking flower ; but it will not bear scrutiny, 

 having what is termed a grizzly feather, i. e. an alternate feather of the 

 breeder colour and one of the proper colour, which has always been 

 considered a very serious drawback upon all Tulips. Lord Denman 

 has a very cloudy base, tun-dish in shape, but a most excellent 

 marker; the top of the bloom very even and well rounded; and had 

 it purity, with a better form at the base, it would stand second to 

 none. Spencer's First-Rate is a very promising variety. 



Amongst the seedlings which had never obtained a prize, Slater's 

 Earl Richmond, a feathered bizarre of extreme purity, from an offset 

 bloom, was placed first ; Tariff (Mart's), a flamed bizarre, second; 

 colours very striking, having a good yellow ground, pure base, but 

 long in the cup, yet, from its colours, it will be cultivated, although 

 it was rather grizzly upon the feather; Queen Victoria, a feathered 

 byblcemen, raised by Mr. Jackson of Belvoir, the raiser of Lady 

 Clifton, was considered by all to be a very first-rate variety; Lady 

 Clifton (Rose) was placed sixth. This cannot be the one so highly 

 praised, as it is long- cupped and impure at the base, and flamed, 

 whilst the other is stated to be pure and short-cupped. If this is the 

 case, two varieties have been made into one, and some confusion will 

 consequently arise from it. Amongst the seedling breeders few were 

 of that character to merit notice except the first, which was chal- 

 lenged by more than one to be Duke of Hamilton, which is well 

 known for its character, and has been in cultivation upwards of 

 twelve years. Another seedling, Slater's Marius, took a seventh 

 prize in the classes ; but as this is the only good break, much cannot 

 be said in its favour, although it possesses every other requisite. 



In breaking up the pans of twelves into sixes, the parties em- 

 ployed for that purpose could not have understood their task, or 

 Mr. Lawrence, Edwards, Turner, Thoniilev, and others, would have 



