ON THE CUliTIVATION OF TULIPS. 121 



Any one may try this witli the common Turk's-cap Lily, by digging 

 some up in the aulumn, breaking them up, and planting again in the 

 open ground without any particular care. 



Cauxatioxs may be easily raised by pipings ; take three joints, pull 

 off the lower leaves, and cut close to the joint, and then cut through 

 the middle for about a quarter of an inch, and keep the sides separate 

 by a little earth, and plant under a handlight. 



Gloxinias may be raised from single leaves cut off at any part of the 

 stalk, and kept in a bottle of water ; but a very much better way when 

 tlie opportunity offers, is to take a good large cutting of two or three 

 joints which will flower in the course of the summer as well as the old 

 plant. This latter plan is equally applicable to the Achimenes. 



The Ehythrixa ought to be much more generally cultivated than 

 it is. My method for propagation is as follows : — I take up the old 

 plants out of the garden in October or November, pot them, and as 

 winter advances cut them down to within six inches or so of the pot ; 

 water once or twice during the winter ; in the spring cut them still 

 lower, and place in the melon-pit, and try to make them throw up from 

 underneath, by rubbing off the buds from the upper stem as they 

 appear ; then when the young shoots have grown up to eight or ten 

 Indies, whicli will be early in June, I turn tlie plant out of the pot, 

 and let it fall on the ground so as to shake off all the earth, and the 

 root being divided with a strong knife ; potted again, and put into a 

 frame for ten days or a fortnight, by which time they are good plants, 

 well rooted. 



ON THE CULTIVATION OF TULIPS. 



IN LETTERS TO A PKIEND. 



Letter V. 



Dear Sik, — In accordance with your request, I now continue my 

 coiimnmications on this subject. You will bear in mind that my last was 

 in answer to your question, if I had ever made any experiments in the 

 cultivation of Tulips, and concluded with a list of Byblomens that had 

 gained piizes during the last three years in the north. Your next 

 question shall now liave my attention, viz., are tliey raising seedlings 

 in tiie north that are likely to become standard flowers with culti- 

 vators ? This is the most difficult question I have had to answer ; my 

 means of gaining information has not been so extensive as I could wish, 

 still it is a subject tliat has engaged my attention, and the information 

 I iia\e gained is at your service. 



It appears there has been a person in the north, who has gained con- 

 siderable notoriety, and may be called the Clarke of the north ; he has 

 raised a large quantity of seedlings ; they are liere called " The Cliel- 

 lestan Seedlings ;" they have been dispersed into a great many grower's 

 hands; they were let out under numbers in tlie breeder state. These 

 numbers have got changed, which has caused considerable confusion, 

 and I mucii fear that, like Clarke's breeders, they will be brokeq under 

 many names. 



