TULIPA 



THE BULB BOOK 



TULIPA 



shades. *Couronne imperiale, Glori- 

 osa, Hercules, Mariage de mafille. 



II. DARWIN TULIPS. 



This name was first given to an 

 apparently new race of Tulips in the 

 year 1889 just eighty years after 

 the birth of the famous naturalist, 

 and no doubt in compliment to him, 

 as showing the mysterious powers of 

 the laws of evolution. These Darwin 

 Tulips are really self-coloured forms 

 of T. Gesneriana, and may be placed 

 in the same category as the " Breeder " 

 or "Mother" Tulips from which the 

 " Florists' " Tulips eventually break or 

 rectify. The fiowers are large and 

 deeply cup-shaped, and are borne on 

 stout and sturdy stems 1^ to 2 ft. or 

 more high. The blossoms appear in 

 May and last into June, and when 

 the bulbs have been planted in bold 

 masses, there is nothing so effective 

 in the garden in the early summer 

 than the Darwin Tulips. As cut 

 flowers they are also excellent, lasting 

 several days fresh in water. As to 

 colours, all shades except real blue 

 and yellow are represented, from 

 creamy- white through shades of pink, 

 rose, cerise, scarlet, vermilion, maroon, 

 mauve, apricot, to deep purple and 

 violet, and almost glossy purple-black. 

 The predominating colour is usually 

 toned down or up with shades of 

 another, the edges of the petals being 

 often paler in colour. There are many 

 varieties with names of more or less 

 fleeting popularity, but the older 

 ones are constantly dropping out, 

 being replaced by new ones. To 

 secure a collection of modern varieties, 

 the reader is therefore advised to 

 consult a current bulb catalogue. 



What are now known as "Rem- 

 brandt" Tulips are broken or 

 rectified Darwin Tulips, somewhat 

 resembling the Bybloemens. The 

 petals, however, are not so feathered 



and finely striped, but the combination 

 of colours is very charming. Names, 

 of course, have been given to some 

 of the best, but they are likely to 

 be of only fleeting interest. The 

 reader should therefore consult a 

 current bulb catalogue for the latest 

 developments. 



FORCING TULIPS. During the win- 

 ter months several varieties of Tulip 

 are forced into early blossom in hot- 

 houses and warm greenhouses. The 

 bulbs are potted up in the autumn, 

 or placed in boxes, and covered with 

 a few inches of soil. About the end 

 of November some of the earlier 

 kinds, like the Scarlet Due Van Thol, 

 are first brought in to the heated 

 houses, but after Christmas until the 

 end of February and March, other 

 varieties are also used. Besides the 

 Due Van Thol, other sorts for forcing 

 are : Canary Bird, Chrysolora, 

 Duchess of Parma, Golden Prince, 

 Joost van Vondel, La Reine, Potte- 

 bakker, Rose Gris de Lin, amongst 

 the singles, and La Candeur, Murillo, 

 Rex Rubrorwm, etc., amongst the 

 doubles. 



III. FLORISTS' OR ENGLISH TULIPS. 



What are technically known as 

 "Florists'" Tulips are quite distinct 

 in a way from the other groups, such 

 as the Bedding, the Darwin, and the 

 Parrot Tulips. The bulbs are much 

 dearer, and are grown only by a small 

 but enthusiastic band composing the 

 National Tulip Society. Many years 

 ago the Florists' Tulip was very 

 popular in England, "and almost 

 every village had its Tulip Society. 

 Now, however, there are very few 

 who retain the old love for producing 

 this particular class of Tulip, and 

 they are mostly confined to Lan- 

 cashire, Yorkshire, and Notts." 



The late Rev. F. D. Homer, a 

 successful and enthusiastic cultivator, 



440 



