432 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ June 9, 1892. 
steadfast endeavour to have the best flowers, and how, year by 
year, he is getting nearer to the accomplishment of his object. 
Not having followed the progress of events year by year I cannot 
say what the earlier stages have been ; but it is hard to imagine 
a more wonderful sight than the Tulips now present when viewed 
collectively, or mors superb quality when taken individually. 
With a few exceptions, mostly of foreign extraction judging by 
their names, and which are marked for discardure, they are 
remarkable for stout and perfectly disposed petals, and clean, 
evenly marked white or golden base. They are arranged in 
rows of seven across the bed, the number of each row being 
marked on a raised ledge, and the names of the varieties entered 
in a book. 
No more beautiful hostages to fortune have been given than 
the splendid B zarres, which are distinguished by their groundwork 
of yellow. Without, the flowers are flamed or feathered with many 
hues ; within, they bear the mark of a stainless reputation in the 
circle of gold at the base. We take them for special consideration 
in our first journey down the bed. There is George Hayward, a 
splendid example of a grand variety, and near it is Victor Emmanuel, 
less known, but having a beautiful rounded petal and a perfect 
base. Sir J. Paxton, recognisable by its perfect cup shape, is 
represented by three strains—Mellor’s, Bentley’s, and Hardy’s—and 
is a fine Tulip. Golden Ring is a well-formed flower, but the base 
is not clean—ergo, it has to go. We sympathise with it in its 
banishment from a noble throng, and pass on to Colbert, somewhat 
small, but very bright, which the Novice specially admires. His 
taste is not to be questioned, for it is a beautiful flower. The 
Doctor outside the bed then directs our attention to two others 
within it—Dr. Horner, dwarf, perfect in form and having an 
excellent base ; and Dr. Dalton, a bright and very attractive 
flower. Prince of Wales and Dr. Hardy (Doctor No. 4, they are 
evidently a Tulip family) follow, and near them is the beautiful 
Storer’s No. 4, which affords a lesson in itself, throwing two broken 
and one breeder flowers. Vivid has a beautiful base and is very 
bright in tone, while in Criterion we see a beautiful crimson self of 
which one flower has broken into a rich purple with golden flames. 
Glory of Stakehill is small but very neat in form. Masterpiece 
follows it. It breaks in many ways, sometimes being splendidly 
marked and at others ragged, but is a noble fellow at his best. 
Ariosto is rich in colour, but was not perfectly broken. Pilot 
strikes everyone as a splendid variety. It combines fine habit with 
faultless shape, magnificent base, and rich lustrous colour. It is 
one of the gems of the collection. Lastly, there is Ajax, a fine 
flower, but which has hardly defied the lightning as successfully as 
the others, the colour being rather low. 
We retrace our steps and in a second survey take the Byblcemens, 
which are violet or purple on a white ground. Duchess of Suther- 
land is a neat flower, and so is Lord Denman, who, however, is 
inclined to hang his head more than would have been approved by 
the learned judge whose name he bears. The colour of Don Carlos 
is like the value of Spanish money, rather low, but Friar Tuck has 
a fine base and stands firmer in the Doctor’s estimation than 
the original Friar did under the heavy hand of Richard. Mrs. 
Jackson possesses beautiful form, and Anastasius is a grand flower, 
finely formed, substantial, and of a rich plum colour. La Vraie 
Noire is an attractive light flower of the type of Lord Denman. 
Glory of Walworth combines perfect shape with a fine base, 
and Adonis is equal’y noteworthy in the latter respect. Queen of 
May, though imperfectly broken, displays a splendid base, and so 
does Bessie, but she is given to turning back her petals. Triomphe 
de Lille stands out as one of the few good foreigners. Maid of 
Orleans, Everard, Mrs. Pickersgill, Juno, and Alice Maud all 
awaken admiration, and to finish with there are the two magnifi¬ 
cent varieties Sarah Headly and Storer’s No. 2. In the estimation 
of many the latter is the pick of the Byblcemens. It is an im¬ 
proved Lord Denman, beautifully cupped, with substantial petals 
and a perfect base. 
The Rose section, which have rose, scarlet, or crimson on a 
white ground, embrace some brilliant flowers. Madame St. Arnaud 
and Mrs. Lea are two varieties both remarkable for beauty of base. 
Pretiy Jane is equally good and exhibits great beauty of colouring. 
Lizzie Watkins is also a fine flower. Apollo is magnificent, and 
may be classed as one of the elect. So may Modesty, a flower of 
beautiful form. Crown Prince, La Sultane, and Gill’s Industry 
are a trio of charming varieties ; and last of all there is a glorious 
Rose named Annie McGregor. It is represented both in breeder 
and broken forms, and it is hard to say which is the more beautiful. 
In every respect it is a perfect flower. 
There are other beds than this and other flowers than those 
named, but all cannot be named. One thing is clear, the Doctor 
will spare no trouble to have a perfect colLction, and he has 
already got so far that his work must, it would seem, be nearly 
done. The flowers linger in my thoughts when his beautiful 
garden is far behind, and their flaming glory is revived in the 
ruddy glow of the sunset from the forest’s brow, but do not fade, 
like the latter, as the shades of evening steal over the hillsides. 
May their bright influences spread far and wide. 
Here the Novice steps in and asks. Who is to spread them ? 
Amateur florists are proverbially kind and willing to help each 
other, but for obvious reasons they cannot spread their cherished 
gems far and wide. Not until characteristic forms of English 
Tulips are recognised in commerce will they be generally 
obtainable. For a long time it seemed as if they would have no 
trade home ; but a colony, and not a small one, was formed at 
Kelso by Messrs. Stuart & Mein, and another is now established 
at Long Ditton in Messrs. Barr & Son’s grounds of Daffodil 
fame. If Mr. William Barr can do for and with these Tulips 
a tithe of what the energetic and devoted head of the firm did 
for the Daffodil, he will make himself a name that will not soon 
be forgotten. The young fancier is enthusiastic, diligent, and 
careful, as was evident when note was taken on a sultry day of 
5000 or 6000 individual blooms, under the cool guidance of a 
veteran. As of some varieties there are several bulbs, mayhap 
the time is not far distant when at least a few may be “ offered,” 
not at prohibitive prices. What are sold as florists’ varieties 
must be clear, distinct, and correct ; and this is evidently the 
object, for all that departed from the standard type were marked 
to go in mixture. These may be distributed as decorative 
varieties for garden embellishment, and some of them may, and 
it is hoped will, create a desire for something better, brighter, 
clearer, and more refined. 
It may appear a bold assertion, but it is all the same accurate 
that the most perfect forms of florists’ Tulips can only, as a rule, 
be found in Biitain. The “Amateurs’” Tulips of the Continent, 
though effective enough in the mass, will not bear examination 
when viewed from the florist’s standard. They are either defective 
in form, substance, or the running of the colours down to the 
base. The clean spotless basal disc which no stripe should pierce, 
is rarely to be found in the continentals, and they are thus 
devoid of one of the chief points of merit, or what may be fairly 
described as the hall-mark of excellence. Having regard to the 
defects of so many imported feathered and flamed varieties, it 
seems desirable that the truest and highest types should have a 
distinguishing term ; and as undoubtedly these are “ quite English 
you know,” it is only just and fair that they should be recognised 
as “English Tulips.” 
TOP HEAT, GLAZED POTS, AND ARTIFICIAL 
MANURE. 
Since the appearance of your article under the above heading on 
page 333, March 31st, 1892, I have had many letters and requests for 
further information. 
1, Top Heat.—The pipes for affording top heat in my house were put 
in at the time of building by Messrs. Foster & Pearson of Nottingham, 
and it being, I understood, the first arrangement of the kind by them, 
I gave my instructions as follows :—The flow pipe to run along in 
front of the house inside, opposite the gutter, and the return along the 
purline; a valve to be provided on both flow and return. Should the 
wish be only to keep frost out of the house, turn the top heat on only. 
I never turn my top heat off in the winter completely, and when I turn 
on the heat to a house always turn the top heat on full, regulating the 
body heat of the house by the other valves. 
2, Glazed Pots.—Any potters who will take the trouble to make 
glazed pots can do so easily. The glaze should be on the whole outer 
surface, and about 1 inch returned on the top inside. 
3, Artificial Manure.—The wholesale chemists, Messrs. Richardson 
and Co., Leicester, make me the artificial manure, and they have called 
my attention to the fact that all the ingredients, some very material, 
are not given in the article above referred to. As to price, I do not 
think that I am at liberty to answer that question, as a considerable 
reduction is made to me, for I have, as a general practitioner in a 
country practice of thirty years standing, had to dispense medicine at 
home ; but on application at the above address the price and tins are 
sold with a measure for the powder to the gallon of water. Artificial 
manure must always be used with care, and only when the plants are in 
rapid growth.—C. J., Waldronhyrst, Croydon. 
DOUBLE IVY-LEAF PELARGONIUMS. 
I WAS surprised to hear that the blooms of this section do not keep 
well when cut. I find them quite the opposite to this, and look upon 
them as first rate for that purpose, either at home or for sending away. 
Like everything else they need gathering and packing properly. But 
the point which I most wish to refer to respecting the merits of Ivy- 
leaf Pelargoniums is their adaptability for covering back walls of green¬ 
houses, where it is at times difficult to get some plants to succeed owing 
to the absence of full light from the roof above, which is very often 
