THE FLORIST 



AND HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



THE TULIP. 



In drawing the attention of your readers to this class of flowers, I would 

 not wish, in this utilitarian age, to advocate the extravagant " Tulipomania," 

 which raged with such epidemic force in Europe some two centuries ago, 

 neither do I expect to establish so much enthusiasm, as is practised at the 

 present day amongst the florists of Britain, but we may indulge more freely 

 in the cultivation of this gorgeous flower, without intrenching upon the 

 more needful necessities of existing society. Take it in all its variety, or 

 the different modes of culture, and we have an acceptable subject, one wor- 

 thy of our most careful attention. As a prize flower, it excels most others 

 in its nobleness, beautiful texture, and feathery stripes, besides which there 

 are several other species and varieties, that are equally interesting in a 

 general sense. 



The word Tulip is derived from Thoulybun, its Persian name, in which 

 country it is abundant, and where it is considered an emblem of perfect love. 

 Chardin says, " When a young man presents one to his mistress, he gives 

 her to understand, by the general color of the flower, that his body is on 

 fire with her beauty, and by the black base of it, that his heart is burned to 

 a coal," and this reminds me of a witty anecdote relating to our present 

 subject. A lady and gentleman being in company in the garden, she asked 

 him which flower he preferred, roses or tulips. Why, madam, he replied, if 

 I may choose, I should prefer your "two lips" to all the roses in the 

 world. 



Our present genus forms the type of the natural order Tulipaeese, and 

 belongs to the class Hexandria, and order Monagynia of Linnaeus. Its 

 geographical range is confined to the continent of Europe, and adjacent 

 isles. The Tulipa Gesneriana, which is the one from which all the prize 

 varieties have emanated, is a native of the Levant, but is found plentiful in 

 Persia and common in Syria. The T. suaveolens is a native of Southern 

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