HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 197 



the sun, water freely when in active growth, and give once a week a little 

 diluted guano, at the rate of one ounce to a gallon of water. 



Culture in glasses. — The time recommended for pot culture will also 

 apply to this, choose the strongest bulbs, and after filling each glass with 

 rain water, place a root on the top of each, so that it may just touch the 

 water but not more, place in a cool dark cellar, and remove for succession 

 as advised above. When the plants are in active growth, the water will 

 require to be changed occasionally, and if a few drops of clear diluted guano 

 be dropped into each fresh supply, the flowers will be finer, and the foliage 

 much darker colored. 



Propagation. — The Tulip is only propagated from offsets, and by seed. 

 Generally, there is one or more offsets to each root after blooming, but when 

 it is desirable to increase faster, the bulb before being planted should have 

 two or three incisions cut up perpendicularly from and through the root end, 

 about one-fourth the length of the bulb, and be allowed to dry for two or 

 three days. This is only advisable in extreme cases, and ought not to be 

 resorted to in very choice sorts, unless from duplicate stock, as it destroys 

 the bloom for the season, and there may be danger of loosing the root 

 altogether, if not carefully done. To propagate from seed: When the 

 seed vessel turns brown, the seeds are ripe. To have the least shadow of a 

 chance for superior prize flowers from seed, it is requisite to choose from 

 none but what are first rate, and generally it is best to save from the. most 

 promising breeders, as they produce the most healthy and best marked off- 

 spring. The seed may be sowed as soon as ripe, or kept in the pod till the 

 following March, sow in a cold frame and cover lightly, using a light base 

 mixed with a portion of vegetable mould. During growth, shade in bright 

 sunshine and admit air freely at all times after the plants are well started. 

 When ripened off, take up the small bulbs in the same way as blooming stock, 

 and keep in a very dry cool room, mixed with a small portion of dry earth. 

 In future seasons use the same treatment as for flowering bulbs, with the ex- 

 ception of shading at blooming time. It takes from four to five years before 

 these seedling bulbs will bloom, and after this they will be only what are 

 called "breeders" that is, having one color with an indistinct feathery 

 marking ; however, in this state the forms " bottom," and other good pro- 

 perties may be seen, so that the spurious ones can be destroyed. Various 

 methods are practised to "break" the colors, such as planting in other kinds 

 of soil, mixing a quantity of lime rubbish with the earth, and growing at a 

 distance from where raised, sometimes one and at other times another, has 

 the desired effect, but whoever wishes to raise fine seedling tulips must have 



