PETER HENDERSON & CO.— THE TULIP. 



THE TULIP. 



Deeming a history of this well-known favorite of sufficient interest to our patrons, we have 



made the following extract of its origin and culture from our new book, 



the " Handbook of Plants." 



Trxrp.v. The Tulip. Linn. Hexandria ■ Monogynia. 

 Nat. Ord. LiUacea. 

 The Tulip derives its name from the Persian word 

 Thoulyban, a turban: an Eastern head-dress, sometimes 

 made in the form of a well-shaped Tulip. Tulips are di- 

 vided into several classes, and of these we shall speak in 

 the order of their flowering. The single and double va- 

 rieties of the Due Van 1'hoL of which the type is Tu- 

 lipa suuveolens. (from the Latin suavis, sweet) are the 

 earliest and most suitable for pot culture or forcing. The 

 Due Vim Tlt'A was introduced into English gardens from 

 the South of Europe in 1603. The Single Early Tulip, 

 i Tulipa Gesnetiana,) the parent of our ordinary garden 

 varieties, is a native of Asia Minor, the Caucasus. Cala- 

 bria, and Central Italy. Conrad Gesner. a Swiss natural- 

 ist, in whose honor it was named, lirst made it known by 

 a description and drawing in April. 1559. He obtained 

 his specimen in a garden at Augsburg, where it was 

 grown from seed brought from Constantinople. It was 

 first flowered in England by Mr. James Garrett, an 

 apothecary, in 1577. Of this class of Early Single Tulips 

 there is almost an endless variety. They have received, 

 for more than two hundred years, all the care and atten- 

 tion that could possibly be bestowed on a plant, not only 

 by the Dutch florists, but by every skilled gardener 

 throughout the Old World. Late flowering, or Show Tu- 

 lips, of which so much has been said and written, have 

 been grown from seed by millions, the result of which 

 has been the acquisition of many superb varieties. There 

 is a singularity in Tulips which belongs to no other 

 flower. The seedlings generally, when they first bloom. 

 produce flowers without any stripes or markings, but 

 with a yellow base, the upright portion of the petals be- 

 ing self-colored, brown, red. purple, scarlet, or rose. In 

 this state, when they have been grown for years without 

 variation, they are called Breeders or Mother Tulips. 

 These aie planted every year until they break into 

 stripes, when, if the markings are fine, or different from 

 any known, they are named. It is often so many years 

 before they break, and the multiplication in the breeder 

 state is so rapid, that the border soon becomes filled with 

 this self-colored variety. Each person who has broken 

 one claims and has a perfect right to give it a name; but 

 much confusion naturally exists, because of the fact that 

 different names have been given to those that have 

 broken almost exactly alike. In a bed of a hundred 

 seedlings, it is not probable that any two will be very 

 nearly alike in their markings. This uncertainty adds 

 greatly to the charm of Tulip cultivation The hope of 

 something new in the markings and penciling is a suffi- 

 cient stimulant for the enthusiast to persevere in his la- 

 bor of love until he has found one worthy of a name. 

 One singular feature in the Tulip is, that after it breaks 



it ever remains the same. Show Tulips are divided into 

 three classes: 1. Bybleemen?. such as have a white 

 ground, variegated with purple, the edges well feathered, 

 the leaflets erect, and the whole forming a perfect cup. 

 2. Bizarres, having a yellow ground, variegated with 

 scarlet, purple, rose, or violet. 3. Hoses, with white 

 ground, variegated with rose-color, scarlet, or crimson. 

 Where Parrot Tulips originated we have not learned. 

 They are ignored by those florists who claim the right to 

 say what is and what is not beautiful. Not being bound 

 to observe the " laws " that regulate the form, shape, and 

 " perfect markings," we prize thJa class very highly, on 

 account of their singularly picturesque appearance. The 

 flowers are very large, and the colors exceedingly bril- 

 liant. They are uuequaled for groups in mixed borders, 

 or conspicuous places in front of shrubs. The varieties 

 of this class are limited, but they are. nevertheless, par- 

 ticularly beautiful. 



Culture of the Tulip. — The best soil for the culture 

 of the Tulip, is a rich, rather light, well-drained loam. A 

 bed of sufficient size for planting the bulbs should be dug 

 at least twelve inches deep. The Tulips should then be 

 planted six inches apart each way ; pressed deep enough 

 to keep them in their places, and covered with mould to 

 the depth of three inches on the sides of the bed, and 

 rive inches in the center. This precaution is necessary, 

 that water may not stand on the bed during the winter. 

 When the bed is planted and covered, it may be left to 

 the weather until the Tulips come up, or about the first 

 of March. A slight protection of litter is then required, 

 as ihe frost has a tendency to check the bloom. Our cli- 

 mate is so variable — cold at night and hot at mid-day — 

 that it will repay the cost to cover at night and remove in 

 the morning. Leaving them covered during the day has 

 a tendency to draw them up and otherwise weaken them. 

 When the flowers appear, if they are protected from the 

 sun by a light canvas, the period of bloom may be kept 

 up for three or four weeks. The colors are generally bet- 

 ter if not shaded at all. but in that case the bloom would 

 be soon over. Sometimes a single day's hot sun would 

 completely spoil them. When the flowers begin to facie, 

 they should be cut away and removed from the ted. As 

 soon as the stems of the Tulip turn yellow, and the leaves 

 begin to dry. they may be taken up and put in a cool, dry 

 place. When dry. thoroughly clean off the old skin and 



, dirt, and put in paper bags, ready for planting out again in 

 October. The Tulip is now extensively forced for cut 

 flowers during the winter and spring months. The 

 method of culture is identical with that of the Roman 

 Hyacinth and Paper Narcissus. The only important 

 point is to grow only the kinds known as Single Early, 

 such as •• Snow Flake," " Marechal Neil. ' " Rose 



i Queen,' - etc. 



