FIVE MINUTES ADYJCE TO A YOUNG TUL1P-GROWF.R. 107 



I now proceed to the amateur who is desirous of selecting the 

 broken varieties. Form and bottom must be the basis, but there is 

 a great difference to be met with in the same variety, of which some 

 strains are worthless ; one good strain is worth more than twenty of 

 an inferior one, as you can rarely or ever get a good bloom, and your 

 trouble goes for nothing. If possible, make your selection in bloom, 

 and note down the row, and the first, secoud, or so on, flower in that 

 row, and the last week in June or the first in July go and take them 

 up. Do not, if you can by any means avoid it, take them up in 

 bloom, as probably a year or two may elapse before they will regain 

 their original strength and beauty. This caution is particularly ne- 

 cessary, as it is the practice of some who call themselves respectable 

 florists, who send out those that are but partly broken or a strain 

 worthless. It is correct to name, and that is all. I have experienced 

 this treatment on many occasions, and I would rather give 20s. for 

 one of a good strain than have the other given. If you attend to this, 

 you will in time have a first-rate collection of winning varieties. You 

 must not expect to get a fine collection, even if you have plenty of 

 money, in a season; you must patiently cull the best on sale, and when 

 obtained, retain them until you have duplicates to dispose of. I know 

 many growers who have travelled twenty miles for a small offset from 

 a particular strain, and think themselves fortunate if they can obtain 

 it. Roots can be purchased in fine condition out of bloom from 

 honourable parties, but what I have said is the most satisfactory to 

 the buyer and the seller. 



Your Tulips having been entered in a book, it is necessary that 

 you should correct it, as follows : — 



First Row. 



1. Catalina, v. g., means very good. 



2. San Joe, dirty ; that is, too much colour in it. 



3. Camuse de Croix, R. ; means that it is in a fair state. 



4. Louis XVI., good flamed ; that it is in a flamed state. 



5. Pholyphemus, wrong; supposed Charbonnier. 



6. Bacchus, ***; that is, extra fine. One of the pan flowers. 

 1. David, **; that is, fine. One of the pan flowers. 



Second Row. 



1. Bienfait, * * *, won the third prize — put down the place. 



2. Lady Crewe, good. 



