198 DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF TULIPS. 



general character is flamed. The cup of this flower is rather long, 

 the stamens tinged a little, it is creamy at opening, and the colour of 

 the feathering almost black ; is much esteemed as a bed and stage 

 flower, and was introduced in 1T94. 



Imperatrice de Romaine (alias Duchesse de Modena). 

 This is a second row flamed Byhlomen, form good, bottom pure, 

 the colour a rosy one, is a steady marker, was introduced about 

 1808. 



Iphigenia, same as Rose Hebe, or Incomparable Hebe. 



Incomparable Verports. 



This is a beautiful class of Byblomens, whose form is exquisite, 

 said to have been raised by the individual whose name they bear. 

 Mr. Butler is of opinion that they were raised from the same pod of 

 seed which produced several varieties of breeders similar to each 

 other, and from this circumstance there are so many Incomparables 

 so much alike in colour and form, that they can scarcely be dis- 

 tinguished from each other. It is said, that there are 50 varieties of 

 this flower, but it would be difficult to produce one fifth of the 

 number. The Incomparable blooms from a small root, and rises 

 sufficiently for a first or second row, according to the size of the bulb. 

 There is also another class distinguished by the name of Voerhelm's 

 Incomparable, one of the most distinguished Dutch florists of his 

 day, and no doubt raised from the seed of the Verport breeder. This 

 variety ranks high as a stage flower, and is catalogued under various 

 names, as Haigh's, Grime's, and Rowbottom's, &c, though all the same 

 variety. It is also to be regretted that on the decease of the celebrated 

 florist, Mr. Clarke, of Croydon, his breeders should be dispersed into 

 a number of hands, and each person, without paying any attention to 

 those who have previously broken the same breeder, should give it 

 another name. Thus, for instance, Polyphemus has no less than 

 three or four different ones, Shakspeare two, cum multis aliis. I 

 am surprised that the London florists do not, at their meetings, reform 

 this crying abuse. As much as the northern florists are despised, 

 they rarely palm a flower upon the public under two names. It does 

 not argue much for their probity, for it is easy enough to distinguish 

 a Polyphemus breeder almost in any state, from its remarkable 





