April.] FLOWER-GARDEN. 343 
Common tulips will require no other care, in the borders, &c. 
than keeping them free from weeds. 
v3 description of the properties of a fine Variegated Late Tulip. 
The stem should be strong, elastic, and erect, and about thirty 
inches above the surface of the bed. 
The flower should be large and composed of six petals; these 
should proceed a little horizontally at first, and then turn upwards, 
forming almost a perfect cup, with a round bottom, rather wider at 
the top. 
The three exterior petals, should be somewhat larger than the 
three interior ones, and broader at their base: all the petals should 
have perfectly entire edges, free from notch or serrature; the top 
of each, should be broad and well rounded; the groundcolour of 
the flower, at the bottom of the cup, ought to be a clear white, or 
yellow; and the various rich coloured stripes, which are the prin- 
cipal ornament of a fine Tulip, should be regular, bold, and distinct 
on the margin, and terminate in fine broken points, elegantly fea- 
thered or pencilled. 
The center of each leaf or petal, should contain one or more bold 
blotches, or stripes, intermixed with small portions of the ori- 
ginal or breeder colour, abruptly broken into many irregular obtuse 
points. Some florists are of opinion, that the central stripes, or 
blotches, do not contribute to the beauty and elegance of the Tulip, 
unless confined to a narrow stripe, exactly down the center, and 
that they should be perfectly free from any remains of the original 
breeder colour: it is certain that such appear very beautiful and 
delicate, especially, when they have a regular narrow feathering at 
the edge; but the greatest connoisseurs in this flower, unanimously 
agree, that it denotes superiority, when the Tulip abounds with rich 
colouring, distributed in a distinct and regular manner throughout 
the flower, except in the bottom of the cup; which, it cannot be dis- 
puted, should be clear, of a bright white, or yellow, free from stain 
or tinge, in order to constitute what is considered 2L/terfect flower. 
Tulips are divided into two classes, viz. early and late blowers. 
The late, are infinitely the finest and most valuable, and are of course 
entitled to the principal attention of the curious. They are divided 
into six distinct families, or rather divisions of the same family, viz. 
1. Prima Baguet's, which are tall; the colours, brown on white. 
2. Baguet Rigaut^s^ these are not so tall; and have strong stems 
and large cups: the colours as before. 
3.' Incomparable VerfiorCs, The characteristics of these are, the 
form of the cups, which are very handsome; the colours a shining 
brown on white. 
4. Bybloemen's. These have a white ground, with a variety of 
colours. 
5. Bizards. The colours of these, are on a yellow ground, various, 
and consisting, in the whole, of three or more. 
