REMARKS ON THE TXJIilP. 308 



hard to regain her sway, that nine-tenths of the seedlings are more like 

 the original flower than like the improved one. The vigilance of the 

 florist is obliged to step in ; he destroys all that go back a single step, 

 and retains only those which maintain their improvement. Let him 

 save seed from the whole collection, bad and good, and his relaxation 

 this one season is fatal. They will nearly all be degenerated, as we 

 thoughtlessly call it, meaning, however, they will have gone back 

 to their original state. It would seem as if it were designed for an 

 important lesson. Assiduity, skill, and perseverance, are rewarded by 

 the accomplishment of great objects. After they have been accom- 

 plished for the benefit of all who desire to enjoy them, they are pre- 

 served to the careful and lost to the idle man. IS'obody can look m ith 

 indifference on these things ; they may be idle, careless, vicious, and 

 not look at all ; but if they do look, they must see in them the language 

 of a monitor. No matter to what flower we turn, wherever there has 

 been attained the greatest alteration from Nature, there will be found 

 the necessity of exercising the greatest vigilance. The finest Pansy, 

 Pink, Carnation, Picotee, Tulip, Auricula, Eanunculus, Polyanthus, 

 anything greatly improved by culture, may be placed side by side, and 

 left a season or two, and nobody would know them again ; and, sup- 

 posing there were none but them to show what had been done, it would 

 take many years to recover the loss and retrograde movement of two 

 neglected seasons. — Horticultural Magazine. 



REMARKS ON THE TULIP. 



BY MR. JOHN SLATER, FLORIST, CHEETHA3I HLLL, MANCHESTER. 



What measures shall I take with my Tulips? This is an important 

 question with Tulip growers, and I have no doubt that it has often 

 suggested itself to the amateur during the present disastrous season. 

 The oldest grower does not remember one so unfavourable, and we 

 have some growers in our neiglibourhood fifty years old ; manj^ col- 

 lections are reduced to one-half, and how to manage the remaining 

 portion is the subject of tiiis article. There are but a few who have 

 been fortunate, altliough I am one of the number, having had only 

 twelve roots which died down in the best beds, containing 199 rows; 

 my greatest loss has been in seedlings. The subject has occupied my 

 attention daily, lest disaster should fall to my lot next season ; and, 

 after much consideration, I am convinced that the greater the change 

 of soil the better M'oukl be the cliance of success. Since last April I 

 have been busy preparing for next planting season. Some will say, 

 how is this to be done ? I am not in a ueighbouriiood wiiere soil may 

 be obtained. Money in most instances will, however, purciiase it, and 

 what is 20*. or AOs. to secure your roots? The plan I propose to put 

 into execution is as follows: — being so fortunate as to have five dif- 

 ferent qualities of rotten grassy turf, 1 intend to jiut luider tiiem tliree 

 inches deep of soil such as I have never used l)efore for growing 

 Tulips, to mix tlie other four together to cover with, and the soil at 

 the top I sliall put at least two feet deep ; this, I am convinced, is the 



