1873.] FLORIST FLOWERS. 499 



honour of being considered tlie gayest of gay flowers in the early times 

 of horticulture, when comparatively few of the grand tropical beauties 

 had been introduced which now adorn our plant-stoves and conserv- 

 atories. What wonder that this dazzling queen should captivate the 

 enthusiast, and that her attractive power should pervade and control 

 the desires of horticulturists to a great extent ; but that the rage to 

 possess certain varieties should run so high in some minds is, to say 

 the least, marvellous, if not an infatuation. 4G00 florins, a new car- 

 riage, and a pair of horses complete in harness, is certainly an extra- 

 vagant exchange for a single bulb. Nor do we think that person much 

 less affected with what has been termed the " Tulipomania " who gave 

 ten acres of land for a single root. Besides those quoted, the numbers 

 might be multiplied to a long figure, showing the rage that prevailed 

 for the possession of some varieties at one time. 



The Tulip, a native of the Levant, was first introduced into Europe 

 in 1559, and thence to England from Vienna some eighteen years after, 

 where its culture was most enthusiastically pursued for a long series of 

 years succeeding — the varieties meantime having swelled to an un- 

 known number. The late Tulip is ranked into three great divisions 

 or classes, which are determined under the following names — viz., 

 bybloemens, bizarres, and reds or roses. Bybloemens comprise white 

 grounds, marked with several shades of black, maroon, purple, or 

 violet ; roses exhibit on white grounds the various shades of red ; 

 while bizarres have yellow grounds marked with other colours. These 

 three classes are again divided into what are termed "feathered" and 

 *' flamed" flowers. Feathered, strictly speaking, are those flowers 

 which exhibit their secondary colours around the margin of the petals; 

 whilst those designated flamed are considered so either with or with- 

 out the feathered margin. What constitutes them flamed is the fact 

 that the markings take their rise lower down in the petal, and gener- 

 ally branch or break into ramifications as they proceed upwards. 



Propagation. — The Tulip is propagated by means of seed or by its 

 offsets. Of the former we do not intend to speak. From " four to 

 seven years" is a long time to wait to see them flower, and from ''four 

 to twenty years " rather long to wait to have it determined what are to 

 be their ultimate markings. 



Offsets shouid be planted as soon as separated from the mother 

 bulb, choosing a situation dry and warm. Either plant them in beds 

 or nursery-lines : First — after deeply digging the ground — drawing 

 out a deep furrow, into which put a body of old cow-manure and 

 fresh loam ; then overspread a layer of sandy soil, on which plant the 

 bulbs. Cover up with ordinary garden soil, allowing 2| inches of soil 

 above the bulbs. A border is perhaps the best place to plant into : if 



