266 The American Flower Garden 



may be lifted and replanted in an out-of-the-way corner to mature 

 when their place in the beds is wanted for summer bloomers 

 like asters and heliotrope. As has been pointed out, the bedding 

 system means constant work, which spells expense. It implies 

 skilled gardeners if a pyrotechnic display of flowers is to be kept 

 up in the same beds of a large garden from frost to frost. Many 

 gardeners, however, use companion crops of early tulips and some 

 pretty shallow-rooted annual or perennial like forget-me-not in 

 alternate rows. Masses of little turquoise-blue flowers overspread 

 the withering tulips while the bulbs are ripening undisturbed 

 below. 



It was a happy day for gardeners when, in 1559, the showy 

 late tulip was brought from Persia to Constantinople, from whence 

 it was introduced throughout Europe. Innumerable beautiful 

 varieties have arisen from the original form. Tulip seed produces 

 only self-coloured flowers ; but after seven to ten years of cultivation 

 or, rarely, even longer, a wonderful change comes over them. 

 Suddenly they assume entirely new colours which may be solid, or 

 striped, or flamed, or feathered. Now the tulips are said to be 

 rectified. For the most part they are as variegated as Harlequin. 

 The pencillings of a flamed tulip extend from the margin of the 

 petal to its base; in a feathered tulip the markings do not extend 

 so far. However much we may admire the delicate shadings and 

 traceries of an individual flower and each rectified one is a 

 special study --the self-coloured ones are more effective for 

 massing. Large May tulips are better for hardy borders than the 

 small early ones, not only because they are more effective, but 

 because they may be left undisturbed in the ground for four or 

 five years without deteriorating. And they furnish better cut 

 flowers, for their stems are long and strong. 



