ON florists' flowers. 



75 



border of Violas in the spring. Seedlings may be treated in 

 the same manner as named varieties. The Viola is still one 

 of the best plants for bedding-out purposes, and lines or masses 

 of colour, according to the taste of the owner, may be planted, 

 and the effect is very good indeed. 



Varieties. — The following is a selected list of the best 

 varieties : Amy Barr, Blanche, Britannia, Charm, Councillor 

 Waters, Devonshire Cream, Duchess of Fife, Florizel, Formid- 

 able, George Lord, Goldfinch, John Quarton, John Shires, 

 Kitty Hay, Magnificent, Mary Stuart, Mrs. J. Donnelly, Mrs. 

 R. Hare, Niphetos, Pembroke, Rover, Stephen, William Neil, 

 and Wm. Haigs. 



The Garden Tulip {Tidipa Gesneriand). 



" The Tulip asketh a rich soil and the careful hand of the 

 gardener." This fine old garden flower has a history of its own 

 both in Britain and on the Continent of Europe. Most gardeners 

 have read of the Tulip mania in Holland, so long ago as the 

 years 1634-37. It was nothing more than a speculation, which 

 made an old writer exclaim, "Great is the folly of mankind." 

 Beckmann, in his interesting book, " The History of Inventions 

 and Discoveries," gives a full account of this gambling traffic, 

 as he calls it. He says, " During the time of the Tulipomania 

 a speculator often offered and paid large sums for a root which 

 he never received, and never wished to receive. Another sold 

 roots which he never possessed or delivered. Oft did a noble- 

 man purchase of a chimney-sweep Tulips to the amount of two- 

 thousand florins, and sell them at the same time to a farmer, 

 and neither the nobleman, chimney-sweep, nor farmer had roots 

 in their possession, or wished to possess them. Before the Tulip 

 season was over more roots were sold, purchased, bespoke, and 

 proniised to be delivered, than in all probability was to be 

 found in the gardens of Holland. And when Semper Augustus 

 was not to be had, which happened twice, no variety, perhaps, 

 was oftener purchased and sold." 



Persons who dealt in flowers in this way could not have any 

 real love for them as objects of beauty, and a source of pure 

 delight to the cultivator. Some of us are old enough to 

 remember the time when bulbs of Tulips were sold at very high 

 prices. As late as the year 1854, Mr. Groom, of Clapham Rise, 

 published a catalogue of Tulips. Three varieties in his list were 

 priced at one-hundred guineas per bulb. They were Miss Eliza 



