34 ON THE PROPERTIES OF THE TULIP. 



round on the top, and quite smooth on their edges, and of sufficient 

 width to allow of their edges lying on each other when fully expanded ; 

 this will prevent any quarting, like Prince Leopold, which is de- 

 cidedly bad ; the petals should also he firm in texture, and have a 

 little swell outwards towards the lower part of the mid-rib of the petal, 

 which forms the shoulder, and is the cause of the flower retaining its 

 shape. The shape of the cup when fully expanded should be a semi- 

 oblate spheroid, the stalk being inserted in the pole, which pole 

 should be a little depressed ; this form I consider best for retaining 

 the beauty m all its stages : it must be understood that I am speaking 

 of a flower in full bloom, as the shape alters materially as it closes; 

 the petal ought to be level on the top, and not the inner three higher 

 than the outer, nor the outer ones turned back, which is the case with 

 some flowers, as Compt de Vergennes, and some others ; when a 

 flower has passed its prime it is not uncommon, I might almost say 

 general, for the three inner petals to become higher than the others, 

 which arises from the three outer being in the character of the calyx, 

 and the other the corrolla ; the colour of the ground should be quite 

 pure and rich, without stains or specks, whether white or yellow ; and 

 the base of the petals around the stamina must be quite clear ef any 

 stain or grease, otherwise it will have what we call a dirty bottom, 

 which every amateur dislikes, as nothing short of purity there will 

 satisfy him, it being impossible to remove that defect from a broken 

 flower, particularly if it should possess it when in a fine state ; it is 

 also desirable that the yellow ground should have the same intensity 

 of colour on the outside of the flower as on the inside, as some flowers, 

 being nearly white on the outside, are rendered defective by it, and 

 unfit for showing — certainly where they show in classes ; the Duke of 

 Clarence is an example : the white ground should have a thick fleshy 

 petal, and be quite pure outside ; indeed it is desirable that all flowers 

 should have a thick fleshy petal. Tricolors, I confess, I am not partial 

 to, although some of them are very handsome. The three principal 

 classes of the florists' Tulips are the Rose (red and white), the Byblo- 

 men (purple and dark on white), and Bizarres (various colours on 

 yellow) ; in each class the colour should be well defined and brilliant, 

 and free from the breeder colour, and not liable to flush, which is bad, 

 particularly if it arises from a delicacy of the vessels containing the 

 colouring matter, as it then becomes a character of the kind ; some 



