lo Sept., 1908.] 



Garden Notes. 



533 



GARDEN NOTES. 



/. Cronin, Principal, School of Horticulture , Burnley. 



The Tulip. 



Tulips are hardy bulbous perennial plants, the species of which are 

 found native in various parts of Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa. The 

 si>ecies are numerous and variable. Having been in' cultivation for centuries, 

 i,a;nd considered valuable plants for gardens, they have been hybridised 

 to a great degree by florists with the result that an almost endless number 

 of varieties including types of different form, colouring, and period of 

 'blooming have been raised. The tulip is undoubtedly one of the most 

 beautiful of bulbous plants, and although producing its flower in spring, 

 the season of plenty in the flower world here, is worthy 'of cultivation where 

 the soil and climatic conditions are favorable. They were very popular in 

 Victoria some years back, and were cultivated largely by gardeners, amateur 

 and professional ; but for a time, their popularity and cultivation decreased 

 until it became unprofitable for nurserymen to stock them. The result was 

 that a number of the finest varieties were lost, and sufficient inducement was 

 not forthcoming to cause the importation of either the older standard kinds 

 or the newer florists' varieties. Of late a number of gardeners have again 

 taken up their culture and some beds of fine varieties are grown in the 

 gardens at Toorak and other suburbs of Melbourne where gardening is a 

 special feature in most of the large plnrp';. 



SINGLE TULIPS. 



DOUBLE TULIPS. 



The types of tulips most largely grown in England at the present time 

 are the Gesneriana, the so-called May tulips, and the late flowering or 

 Darwin types, of each of which there are numerous varieties. Various 

 species are also cultivated to a large extent, as are the early flowering types, 

 though not so popular as formerly, and the double and parrot varieties. 



Soil — Propagation — Culture. 

 The most suitable s-oil is a naturally rich sandy loam that is thoroughly 

 drained. The plants thrive best in a cool situation that is protected from 



