FLORICULTURAL GLEANINGS. 81 



played in his " Descriptive Catalogue ; " and though we may differ in 

 some minor points, the great mass of information it contains must be 

 a decided boon to the purchasing amateur. I myself have acted 

 upon it, and have added considerably to my stock of feathered varie- 

 ties this last autumn, and trust they will turn out according to the 

 descriptions given. But the remarks embodied in his descriptions 

 afford another proof of the great difference of taste which prevails in 

 the different localities, and prove that the stained-bottom varieties, in 

 the Yorkshire districts at least, are yet allowed to win. This is evi- 

 dent from the descriptions of Coggeshall Hero, La Belle Narene, 

 Louis XVI., Red Rover, Reine de Tulips, Lady Wilmott, &c, which 

 are described as " fine," or " excellent " show flowers, while at the 

 same time their bottoms are admitted to be stained. This is much 

 to be regretted, as many of the clean-bottomed flowers are now quite 

 reasonable, and not at all out of the reach of even the humble amateur. 

 Our competitors here will buy no varieties at all without they have 

 perfectly pure bottoms, for the very powerful reason, that they know 

 they would avail them nothing at the Northumbrian exhibitions ; and 

 they who are induced to begin " the fancy," for the sake of a little 

 friendly competition, have far less trouble and far more pleasure in 

 attending to a small, but select, collection of clean varieties, than they 

 would have in growing a larger collection, which would afford no 

 gratification to the scrutinising eyes of the connoisseur. 



I beg to apologize for having trespassed so long on your space with 

 this, perhaps diffusive, article ; but as it is a favourite subject with 

 me, and as I have not been troublesome of late, perhaps you will 

 bear with me. I have expressed my opinions freely, not with the 

 intention of provoking controversy, but merely to advocate what I 

 consider the best shape for the Tulip, viz. : two-thirds of a hollow 

 ball; and trusting that the inquiry will not be uninteresting to many 

 of the readers of the Cabinet, I shall now close this paper, and 



" Resign my weaiy e^es to the kind nurse of men." 



