THE ARISTOCRAT OF THE BULB GARDENS 95 



Seeing the admiration of these connoisseurs of 

 the past for streaked tulips it is surprising we hear 

 little or nothing of the Parrot (Tulipa turcica). 

 In some form it must have been in existence 

 at the time of the mania, for Parkinson, writ- 

 ing earlier, mentions among his "mean flowering 

 tulips" something which appears to be it. It is 

 classed as a subdivision of the "Yellow Fool's 

 Coat " tulip, and is described as "of a paler or 

 yellowish green passed with yellow and called the 

 Parret, with white edges." 



Striped or streaky flowers appear always to 

 have been the florist's ambition. Nature, in the 

 general way, is not much addicted to the unaided 

 production thereof ; probably it is for that reason 

 that growers have always regarded them as choice. 

 As far back as Shakespeare's time pied or striped 

 flowers would seem to have been the choicest ; 

 "the favourite flowers o' the season," Perdita 

 says, "are our carnations and streaked gilly'vors." 

 The taste of the general public on the subject 

 may vary a Perdita of to-day would not feel 

 it necessary, as Shakespeare's Perdita did, to 

 apologise for not growing the admired streaked 

 gillyflowers; but the taste of the florist is more 

 faithful, he knows the art of the thing. It is 



