TU LIPA. 



294 



TULIPA. 



these there are twelve other species, 

 quite distinct* The garden varieties 

 of T. Gesneriana are divided into 

 four classes, the first containing the 

 Bizarres, which have a yellow ground 

 shaded with dark-brownish red or 

 purple, and which are subdivided 

 into the flaked, in which the dark co- 

 lour is in a broad stripe or band, rising 

 from the bottom of the petal ; and the 

 feathered, in which the dark colour 

 forms a marginal edging to the pe- 

 tals, descending into them in various 

 little delicate feathery veins. The 

 second class contains the Byblcemens, 

 which are white shaded with violet 

 or dark purple, and which are also 

 subdivided into flaked and feathered. 

 The third class are called Roses, and 

 they have white grounds shaded with 

 Rose colour or Cherry red, and they 

 also are divided into flaked and 

 feathered ; and the fourth class are 

 the selfs, which are white or yellow 

 without any dark colour. Besides 

 these there are what are called breed- 

 ers, which are of a dingy crimson, 

 and which are seedling Tulips before 

 they have shown any variety of co- 

 lour ; parrot Tulips, which are sup- 

 posed to be a variety of T. sylvestris ; 

 and double Tulips, which are not 

 valued by florists at all. All seed- 

 ling Tulips when they first flower, 

 are what are called breeders, and of a 

 dull uniform colour ; and to make 

 them break, that is to produce the 

 brilliant and distinct colours which 

 constitute the beauty of a florist's 

 flower, a variety of expedients are re- 

 sorted to. At one time they are 

 grown in poor soil and only allowed 

 water enough to keep them living ; 

 and then they are suddenly trans- 

 ported to the richest soil, abounding 

 in food and moisture ; and sometimes 

 they are sent into the country, 

 twenty or thirty miles from the place 

 where they were grown, to try the 

 effect of change of air. Seedling Tu- 



lips are generally five years before 

 they flower. In addition to the 

 kinds already enumerated, the French 

 have what they eall Baguettes, which 

 are very tall-stemmed Tulips, the 

 flowers of which are white, striped 

 with dark-brownish red ; Baguettes 

 Rigauds, which resemble the others, 

 but have shorter stems and larger 

 flowers ; and Flamands, which have 

 a white ground and broad dark red 

 stripes. The Dutch have also a kind 

 which they call the Incomparable 

 Verport, which is white, feathered 

 with bright shining brown. All flo- 

 rist's Tulips ought to have cup-shaped 

 flowers, round at the base ; the 

 ground colour inside the flower ought 

 to be quite clear and bright in the 

 centre ; and all the marks ought to 

 appear sharply cut and distinct. 



The culture of the Tulip as a flo- 

 rist's flower, requires constant atten- 

 tion. A bed about four feet wide, 

 and of any convenient length, should 

 be dug out to the depth of two feet, 

 and a stratum of fresh turfy loam 

 should be laid, and on this there 

 should be a layer of rotten cowdung, 

 and on that a layer of loam mixed 

 with an equal quantity of sand. The 

 surface of the bed should be slightly 

 raised in the middle, and the tallest 

 Tulips should be planted along it ; 

 the lower-growing ones being ranged 

 on each side, so as to make the flow- 

 ers form a gentle curve to the sides 

 of the bed. The Tulips should be 

 seven inches apart every way ; and 

 should be planted two or three inches 

 deep ; and the bed should be pro- 

 tected by half-hoops placed over it at 

 regular distances, over which mats 

 should be strained ; the covering be- 

 ing so contrived as to be removed or 

 opened at pleasure. When the Tulips 

 are nearly arrived at their full height, 

 the hoops and mats should be re- 

 moved, and a path being made round 

 the bed, a canvas awning, supported 



