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BARR’S BEAUTIFUL “ENGLISH AMATEUR” TULIPS. 
BARRS BEAUTIFUL “ENGLISH AMATEUR ” TULIPS. 
May-flowering. 
Awarded at the Temple Show, the Royal Horticultural Society’s Silver Cup, May 25th, 1893, 
and the R.H.S. Gilt Flora Medal, May 8 th, 1894. 
These beautiful Tulips in the South of England commence flowering according to the earliness or lateness 
of the season, from the first to the last week in May. Dr. Hogg can testify that if looked after they may be 
enjoyed for a month. The "English Tulip” is pre-eminently an amateur’s flower, and has been so for 
upwards of 300 years. London was at one time the centre of Amateur Tulip growers, Scotland then dividing 
the honour. The Amateur element at the present time is mainly centred in the Northern Counties of 
England where the greatest activity prevails in raising new varieties. The Home Counties are now reasserting 
their ancient position and have their annual Tulip shows. Amateurs who may be induced to take up Tulip 
culture will be pleased to read the following extract from the Manchester Guardian, 2nd June, 1892, from the 
pen of the late Mr. Samuel Barlow, one of the greatest authorities on “ English Amateur ” Tulips : — 
“ The best ‘ Amateur ’ Tulips known to exist, or that have ever existed, have been raised in England, 
principally in the Northern counties — Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Derbyshire. Over forty years ago the late 
Dr. Hardy, of Warrington, in a series of papers to the Midland Florist, completely settled all the points of 
excellence which go to make a first-class Florist Tulip, and his definitions have never since been disputed. 
Since then the cultivation of Florist Tulips has much improved, especially in the three counties named, although, 
singular to say, it has almost died out in the South of England, where, fifty years ago, the most enthusiastic 
Tulip growers made London their centre for exhibitions. There are distinct evidences now of a revival of 
interest in the. South of this grand old flower, and I hope that the Exhibitions of the Royal National Tulip 
Society will give additional stimulus to the cultivation and love for this fascinating flower.” 
Bards Prize Medals for the best Collection of “ English Amateur" Tulips will be awarded by the Southern 
Branch of the Royal National Tulip Society in London, Notice of date and place of meeting will be given in due 
time. 
The Southern Branch of the Royal National Tulip Society will offer Prizes for stands of 12 dissimilar 
flowers, 6, 3, and 2, also for the premier flower of the show. 
The Rev. Francis D. Horner, a most successful Amateur Tulip cultivator and raiser of new varieties, read 
a valuable paper on " English Amateur Tulips ’’ to the Fellows of the Royal Horticultural Society, April 19 , 
1892, and the same will be found in Vol. XV. of the "Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society,” page 99. 
We commend it for perusal by intending Amateur Tulip Cultivators. 
In the “Journal of Horticulture,” October 25th, 1894, commenced a series of articles on “ English Amateur 
'T ulips,” by Mr. James W. Bentley, Hon. Secretary to the Royal National Tulip Society, wherein he traces the 
history and introduction of this Tulip into Europe about the year 1550, and its rapid development by seeding 
into numerous varieties. In England it made its appearance about the year 1575, and quickly became popular 
in the neighbourhood of London, where it was extensively grown, so that in the year 1629, Parkinson, in his 
" Paradis! in Sole,” enumerates 140 varieties, and expresses the pride and delight of the amateur cultivators, 
and the almost impossible power of man in description to depict the beauty, variety, and distinctness of every 
flower. In those early days the Dutch were the principal raisers of new Tulips, but in these latter days the English 
hybridizers have so far surpassed them that the Dutch Florist Tulip is no longer to be found in an English Amateur’s 
collection. Mr. Bentley’s articles cover the entire field of all that relates to this wonderful flower, such as 
the properties that go to make an "English Amateur” Tulip, of which it may be said— 
“This is an art 
Which does mend Nature, change it rather, but 
The art itself is Nature.” — Shakespeare. 
Our Woodcuts represent the upper sections of Tulip petals. The one on the left shows what is termed 
a feathered flower, the 
colour being confined mainly 
to the edge of the petal. 
The right hand block re- 
presents a flamed flower, 
the colour runs round the 
edge of the petal, and in 
the centre the beam breaks 
into a flame. 
These Woodcuts re- 
present typical markings. 
But it is a well-known 
fact that these “ English 
Amateur ” Tulips frequently 
vary from one year to 
another, and a feathered 
flower will sometimes be- 
come flamed, and a flamed flower feathered. The colour will sometimes be heavier and sometimes lighter, 
this difference being often the result of culture. All this is fully discussed in Mr. Bentleys papers above referred to. 
Our Collection of "English Amateur" Tulips numbers above 450 varieties, of these 20,000 to 30,000 
bulbs will be planted this Autumn, and the flowers may be seen by visitors during May, 1896, at our Nurseries, 
Long Ditton, close to the Surbiton new Recreation Grounds, a few minutes’ walk from Surbiton Station, or by 
cab to Pound Farm Entrance of Nurseries (fare 1 /). 
(Barr and Son, 13 and 13 King Street, Covent Garden, 1895.) 
