TULIP. 289 
them to do it. Last year we had a proposition to fur- 
nish about one hundred thousand bulbs for public parks; 
the list includcd more than a dozen named sorts; we 
presented the same to tho dealers in Holland, who said 
they could not furnish the list, and would not try, 
because others would substitute the same colors for a 
much less price, and would get the order; at the same 
time the bulbs would not give satisfaction, because there 
would be no uniformity in the period of flowering. The 
result was as they stated ; cheaper sorts were used, and 
the desired effect of masses of color in contrast was lost. 
In the public parks, as well as in the flower garden, 
the early forms have a decided advantage over the late 
flowering sorts, as they are gone in time to have their 
places filled with bedding plants, which last until killed 
by frost. The late tulips would not be done flowering 
until the season is too far advanced to put in many sorts 
of bedding plants, with a fair prospect of success. 
The relative difference between the early and late 
sorts of Tulips is truthfully stated by Shirley Hibbard, 
an acknowledged authority, as follows: ‘‘The Tulips 
to which the florists give attention now are late Tulips 
exclusively; they can see no merit in the early ones, and 
from their point of view, there can be no question as to 
the soundness of their choice. The early Tulips give us 
none of the rare pencilings of flames and feathers; the 
pure white basis proper toa Tulip of high breeding, is 
unknown amongst them; and the short Tozza- form, 
smooth and evenly expanded, like Hebe’s cup, they can- 
not show, consequently, the early Tulips have been 
thrown out of the select catalogue, and the lovers of gay 
flowers, who care little for fanciful markings that are 
very costly, but care much for abundant color at a low 
price, may be fully gratified, and, after all, may still 
congratulate themselves that the cheap early Tulips were, 
once upon a time, valued above rubies, and that only 
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