118 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ August, 
Some of the earliest sorts will begin to push 
up their flower-scapes during January, and 
these must be brought to the light and supplied 
with a little water. It must be remembered 
that at this stage of development, the scape is 
entirely supported by the bulb, which forms 
young roots as growth advances, consequently 
less water is required than at first sight might 
appear. When the plants are in full leaf, 
liquid manure may be given them, but at the 
flowering stage liquid manure would be poison 
to them. 
The thrips is the only formidable insect 
which preys upon these plants, but these may 
often be found in colonies on the under surface 
of the leaves during the summer months. The 
best and safest remedy is to fumigate with good 
tobacco-paper, which will require to be repeated 
thrice in succession at intervals of two or three 
days, in order to dislodge them. Gentle syring- 
ings and bedewings both morning and evening 
have a tendency to keep these and other insect 
pests under control, besides benefiting the 
plants in other waj^s. From the time the leaves 
are fully grown until they ripen off, the bulbs 
are the better for standing in the full sun¬ 
shine under glass.—B. S. Williams, Victoria 
Nursery , Upper Holloway. 
ON PERFECTION OF FORM IN 
THE TULIP. 
(Concluded from p. 98.) 
E have now to consider the form of 
the rim or margin of the cup or 
flower, and of course the form of 
the petals composing it. 
44 When viewed from above, the margin will 
generally be found circular in all well-formed 
flowers. When viewed horizontally, however, 
we have great diversity of forms, in consequence 
of the numberless varieties of angle and curve 
which the upper margins of the petals assume. 
It is, therefore, requisite to determine what is 
the most correct outline. 
44 Mr. Groom, when speaking of the petals, 
says, 4 The cup should consist of six petals, 
three outer and three inner, which should be 
placed alternately, and close to each other; 
they should be broad and round at the top, 
and smooth on the edge, and sufficiently wide 
to allow of the edges lying on each other when 
fully expanded, by which all quartering or 
opening between the petals will be avoided, 
that being a great objection.’ He further ob¬ 
serves, 4 The petals should be all level on the 
top, and not the three outer ones turning back 
from the others, nor the inner higher than the 
outer, which is not uncommonly the case, when 
the flower is a little past its prime.’ 
44 Mr. Slater fully concurs with this descrip¬ 
tion of the petals, and says, in reference to the 
point in question, 4 the top of each petal ought 
to be broad and well rounded and perfectly 
level.’ 
44 Both these authorities, therefore (if we 
may be allowed to correct a little blundering 
in the use of the terms round and level), are 
agreed that the upper margin of the petals 
should be round ; but whether tlii3 roundness 
should be half or any other definite portion of 
a circle, we are left to conjecture; and no 
reason is given why the round margin should 
be preferred to any other form. These descrip¬ 
tions, therefore, are so far unsatisfactory ; 
although, perhaps, Mr. Groom’s account of the 
petals is, in every other respect, as complete as 
we could desire. 
44 Mr. Glenny, and Mr. Wood (apparently in 
deference to Mr. Glenny’s opinion), on the other 
hand, prefer a level margin. The former 
observes, in reference to this point, that 4 the 
petals should be six in number, broad at the 
ends and smooth at the edges, that the divisions 
may be not conspicuous.’ In another place he 
says, 4 the divisions between the petals ’ are 
‘ scarcely to show indenture ;’ and in his Gar¬ 
den A Imanack , he further states, 4 where the 
petals meet is always indented; it is the worst 
fault; there are many varieties, but the less 
they indent the better.’ His diagrams, both in 
the Garden and Practical Florist and the Gar¬ 
den Almanack , accordingly represent straight- 
margined cups. 
44 Mr. Wood tells us that 4 well-formed 
flowers will have their six petals of the same 
size, obtuse, without notch, fringe, or serra- 
ture, narrowing towards the base, but even 
these of sufficient breadth to prevent the in¬ 
terstices from appearing.’ In the diagram 
which accompanies his remarks, the upper 
margin of the cup is represented so straight, or 
level, as scarcely to show any indentation where 
the petals intersect each other ; and in his 
figures of the petals singly, the upper part of 
the margin appears level, as if a portion had 
been cut off. 
44 To some persons the difference of opinion 
here observed may appear unimportant, and 
they may content themselves with believing it 
a mere matter of taste, on which each one may 
be allowed the free exercise of his own unbiassed 
judgment. But if we are to understand by the 
word taste 4 a relish for things intellectually 
approved,’ then it must be conceded that our 
taste for correct forms is (like every other faculty 
of the mind) capable of improvement; and 
that, in order to secure greater uniformity of 
opinion respecting them, it is only needful that 
truthful principles should be inculcated; for, 
says a distinguished writer, * the purest taste, 
and the most perfect, is doubtless that which 
presents us with truth displayed with sense and 
beauty.’ 
44 Hitherto no principles have been laid down 
for the guidance of our judgment, and, there- 
