I4O NEW ZEALAND GARDENING. 



it should be a beam, or bold mark down the centre, but not 

 to reach the bottom, or near the bottom of the cup ; the 

 mark or beam must be similar in all the six petals. 8. 

 Flowers not feathered, and with a flame only, must have no 

 marks on the edges of the flower. None of the colour must 

 break through to the edge. The colour may be in any form 

 not in blotches, so that it may be perfectly uniform in all the 

 petals, and does not go too near the bottom. 9. The colour, 

 whatever it be, must be dense and decided. Whether it be 

 delicate and light, or bright, or dark, it must be distinct in 

 its outline, and not shaded or flushed, or broken. 10. The 

 height of a Tulip should be from eighteen to thirty-six inches; 

 the shortest is proper for the outside row in a bed, and the 

 tallest for the highest row. n. The purity of the white, 

 and the brightness of the yellow ground colours should be 

 permanent, that is to say, should continue until the petals 

 actually fall. 



Early in March is a good time for preparing the Tulip bed. 



Situation. The aspect should be open to the north, but 

 well sheltered from high winds. If hedges of laurel or 

 Cupressus macrocarpa surround the garden, the beds must 

 be sufficiently removed from them to allow of a free cir- 

 culation of air and sunlight. A six-foot paling fence is 

 perhaps preferable, although not so sightly. 



Manure and Soil. A rich deep soil is necessary, yet it 

 must not be over rich. Procure some one-year-old cow 

 manure and mix it well with the soil, adding some sharp 

 sand and well-decomposed hotbed manure. Mix the top 

 surface with a considerable quantity of sharp sand ; this will 

 cause the bulbs to come out of the soil at taking-up time, 

 clean, and of a bright brown colour. 



Shelter for the Flower before and when in Bloom. Where 

 the collection is small, hoops, either of wood or iron, with 

 scrim covers to be thrown over the hoops, which ought to be 

 high enough to keep the covering clear of the flowers, will 

 do. On all favourable occasions remove the coverings 

 entirely, and let the Tulips have the benefit of fine weather 

 and gentle rains. If the Spring is unusually forward and 

 warm, so as to bring the flowers on too early, retard them by 

 putting on the covers only on the side exposed to the heat 



