692 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
July 2, 1887. 
traditions of Chiswick than for all the associa¬ 
tions of the city of London. Then Professor 
Foster, who, perhaps, represents the scientists, 
would like the habitation for the Society to 
be on the Thames Embankment. That is 
about as wise a suggestion as was the original 
one—of the move from Chiswick to South 
Kensington. Ten thousand pounds would be 
needed as much for that home as for the city 
habitation, and can the worthy Professor find 
another body of credulous debenture-holders 
to provide the money 1 The suggestion is too 
absurd and wild, and we trust the Council will 
waste no time over what must end in failure. 
The Lindley Library hangs like a dead weight 
round the Society’s neck. Its present habi¬ 
tation will soon be pulled down, and somewhere 
it must go. With all due respect to excellent 
men, we think this Library is a nuisance to 
the Society, and that it should be handed 
over to the Linnsean Society, to which it is 
more properly allied. Failing that, would it 
not even be better to add it to some public 
library, where it would be accessible to anyone 1 
That the Society should be compelled to build 
a habitation on purpose for this white elephant 
does seem monstrous ; because, as circumstances 
have shown, it is- comparatively useless, and, 
besides, is not the Society’s property. Perhaps 
the authorities of the Imperial Institute may 
be induced to find space for it in that huge 
building when erected. 
Practically the state of the case of the 
Society just now is this :—It must become 
either a mere city appanage, the pet scheme 
of rich men, or it must strive to become what 
it never yet has been—a National Horticul¬ 
tural Society. If the former, its career and 
end will hardly concern gardeners; if the latter, 
then we think its best habitation is at Chis¬ 
wick, where it will have general horticultural 
surroundings. The Society, we beg leave to 
state, is not a scientific one; it is one for the 
promotion of practical horticulture. If it has 
no farther uses in that direction let it expire, 
but if the horticulturalists of the kingdom 
believe that the Eoyal Horticultural Society 
can accomplish great and good works for 
horticulture in the kingdom, then, by all 
means, let them mature their wishes ere it be 
too late. - — , 
The Strawberry F£te at Chiswick will take 
place on Saturday next. 
The secretary of the North Lonsdale Eose Society 
requests us to state that the annual exhibition will be 
held at Ulverston on July 23rd, and not the 22nd, as 
previously announced. 
We understand that during the six weeks the Eoyal 
Jubilee Exhibition at Manchester has been open, 
the attendance of visitors has been larger than went to 
Kensington during the corresponding period last year. 
We are pleased to hear it is a success in every sense of 
the word. 
From all quarters come lamentable accounts of the 
present condition of the crops owing to the drought 
and heat. Strawberries especially, which promised an 
abundant yield, are suffering seriously for the want of 
rain. Farmers in many districts are greatly incon¬ 
venienced through the want of water and grass for 
their stock. 
The annual festival of the Gardeners’ Eoyal 
Benevolent Institution, held on Wednesday evening 
last, was an unqualified success. Baron Ferdinand de 
Eothschild proved an admirable chairman, and his 
eloquent appeal on behalf of the institution was ably 
supported by Sir Eobert Peel, Bart., Mr. Christopher 
Sykes, M.P., Mr. Sherwood, Major Lambert, Mr. B. 
S. Williams, and the treasurer, Mr. Harry Yeitch. 
Notwithstanding “these radical times,” Mr. Cutler 
was able to make the gratifying announcement that 
the result of the Jubilee collection amounted to the 
handsome sum of about £1,460. We hope to allude to 
the subject more fully in our next. 
In another column we give a report of an important 
meeting of the trade called to discuss the question of 
the Eating of Nurseries. The subject is an im¬ 
portant one to every nurseryman and market gardener, 
and it is hoped that all will join heartily in backing up 
the action taken in the matter by the Nursery and 
Seed Trade Association. The secretary, Mr. Goodchild, 
25, Old Jewry, E.C., will be glad to furnish any 
information on the subject. 
-->*<-- 
ON TULIPS.* 
The Tulip derives its name from the Persian word 
thoulyban, turban, the eastern headdress, much worn 
in Turkey, Persia, and other eastern countries. In 
Turkey the Tulip is named tubile.nl , also because of its 
resemblance in shape to the headdress there in use. 
The Tulip is a bulbous plant, throwing up a single 
stem of from 4 ins. to 36 ins., forming its single bloom at 
the top, consisting of six petals forming a cup-shaped 
flower, with its functions for fructification by seed in 
the centre of the cup. Tulips are divided into various 
classes, according to their time of blooming and the 
different characters and nature of the colouring of each 
individual class when in bloom. From a book published 
in the Dutch language, printed in Antwerp in the year 
1644, by Eembertis Dodoneus, a botanist of that time, 
it is mentioned that the Tulip in former ages was 
known by the name of Pythion, and that at that time 
the wild Tulip was eaten and used for thickening 
milk. 
It further appears that the first Tulips were imported 
into Holland in the year 1522 by Augerius Gislenius, 
Squire of Busbecq, who was born as Commines, in 
French Flandres, and died at St. Germain, near Eouen, 
October 28th, 1592. This gentleman, having traveEed 
through a good portion of Asia, brought the Tulip into 
Holland, having collected it in Persia. The first Tulip 
was seen in bloom in Amsterdam in the garden of an 
apothecary, where it was greatly admired by the public; 
but Carolus Clusius, a botanist at Utrecht, was the 
first who occupied himself with the growing and dis¬ 
tribution of Tulips. This gentleman distributed the 
Tulips all over Holland, and created a taste for them 
among the public, which led at the time to the neglect 
of all other flowers. Already at that time the Tulips 
were sold at pretty high prices, although not equal to 
the prices in the speculative days later on. At the 
above date Tulips were known only in two wild-growing 
sorts, distinguished by the names of large and small, 
the latter being self-coloured, viz., yellow, and this is 
probably the original sort from which our many early 
varieties have sprung up. 
As regards the edible property of our present Tulip 
bulbs, I cannot say anything either in their favour or 
otherwise, as I have never tried them, and I have only 
heard of one grower in our neighbourhood who has 
tried them, and that was at the time when the “ Due 
van Thol ” varieties were so abundant that they could 
not be sold. He declared that he could not eat them ; 
but, perhaps, he did not have the proper recipe for 
their preparation and cooking. Very possibly these 
bulbs may possess valuable culinary properties, and if 
prepared carefully under the supervision of some 
domestic botanist, may lead, perhaps, to a splendid 
addition to our cookery, and produce a delicious dish 
hitherto unknown. I can very well understand that, 
when Tulips were only grown in very limited quantities, 
there must have been little inducement to prepare 
Tulips for the table, even if their delicacy should have 
been ever so great ; but at the present day, when they 
are grown by millions and can be procured at a small 
price, a Tulip dish might not prove such a very costly 
or difficult delicacy to bring on the table, in case such 
may be found desirable. 
The classes in which the Tulips are divided are named 
as follows :— a. The single early Tulips, b. The double 
early and double late Tulips, c. The Garden or single 
late Tulips (fancy Tulips), Tulipes d’Amateurs, cl. The 
Parrot Tulips, e. The Botanical Tulips. The early 
Tulips are again divided according to their time of 
flowering, of which the single early Due van Thol 
(Tulipa suaveolens) in various colours are the very 
earliest, and are, therefore, most esteemed for early 
forcing in pots or vases for indoor decorations. With 
proper treatment these can be had in bloom by 
Christmas or even earlier. They can be had in the 
following different colours, viz., brilliant scarlet, red 
with golden yellow border, vermilion, crimsoD, red 
laced with gold, pure white, yellow, rose, purple, rose 
* A paper by Mr. Polman Mooy, Haarlem, read at a meeting 
of the Horticultural Club, on June 14tli, 1SS7. 
spotted, orange and violet. When the above-named 
Due van Thol Tulips are planted in pots or vases, they 
prove a very beautiful and very early indoor decoration 
at a season when blooming plants are generally very 
scarce indeed. 
The somewhat later-blooming race of single early 
Tulips comprises at the present date a most numerous 
variety of colours, from pure white up to the most 
intense scarlet, and they are highly ornamental if 
planted in beds in the autum,n ; when early in spring 
they make a most pleasing and effective show. Their 
beauty for this purpose has become so highly 
appreciated, and has become so much in favour with 
the general public throughout the civilised world, that 
thousands (even millions) of bulbs are now sent all 
over the world, to satisfy the increasing taste for these 
garden decorations in early spring. These early Tulips 
are the more valuable and appreciated because they 
bloom very early in spring, almost immediately after 
the severity of the winter has left us, and thus fill up 
the period between winter and summer planting, which, 
without them, would have to be left without any floral 
garden decoration. At the time when the Tulips have 
finished blooming, and can be taken up, it is just the 
proper time when summer plants should be inserted. 
The Tulips for garden decoration should be planted in 
October or November, and should be somewhat pro¬ 
tected against the severity of winter with covering 
material, such as straw, reeds, or leaves, which, 
however, should be removed immediately when milder 
weather sets in, as otherwise the Tulips get drawn up, 
and are consequently weakened. 
The early Tulip sorts which, for the purpose of 
bedding out, are most suitable, and bloom pretty well 
at the same time together, are the following :— 
Scarlet, crimson and vermilion. —Yermilion Brilliant, 
Eembrandt, Belle Alliance, Artus, Brutus and Crimson 
King. 
Yellow. —Chrysolora, Canary-bird, King of Yellows, 
Pottebakker and Yellow Prince. 
White and rosy white. — Pax alba, Pottebakker, 
Snowball and Queen Victoria. 
Rosy red, of various shades. —Proserpine, Adeline, 
Cramoisie pourpre and Epaminondas. 
Violet shades. —Wouwerman, Yander Neer, Paulus 
Potter, Moliere and President Lincoln. 
Rose and white, or pink. — Eose luisante, Cottage 
Maid, Eose Gris de Lin, Eosamundi and Princess Mary 
Anne. 
Red and Yellow bordered. —Keizerskroon, Duchess 
of Parma and Leonardo di Yinci. 
Variegated. —Belle Alliance rectified, scarlet and 
gold ; Bride of Haarlem, cherry and white ; Duchess 
of Austria, orange and red ; Globe de Eigaut, white 
and violet; Golden Standard, gold and scarlet; and 
Silver Standard, white and red flamed. 
Sweet-scented Tulips. —Tulipa Florentina, Bizard 
Pronkert, Prince of Austria and Yellow Prince. 
The above-named and many more sorts are also much 
used for forcing in pots. By planting three to four 
bulbs in a moderate-sized pot they will do very nicely 
in a room, and their gradual development during winter 
is a daily pleasure for any admirer of nature. These 
roots can also be grown in water like a Hyacinth, in 
which style they look very showy among other flowers 
or plants. Of the class of single early Tulips there is 
a most numerous variety in almost all shades of colours, 
and although fifty years ago a good many varieties 
existed, during the last fifty years the most striking 
and most beautiful sorts, now so much in esteem, have 
been raised and brought into use—nay, the sorts of 
these last years’ raising are certainly very great improve¬ 
ments upon the older varieties. 
During the last few years a little collection has been 
formed of Tulips with variegated foliage, of which some 
are very conspicuous and decorative indeed. It appears 
that this class is not so much known, but some of them 
are very recommendable for decorative purposes. The 
Yellow Prince, with variegated foliage, is indeed a real 
beauty, while Purple Crown and Silver standard, La 
Precieuse, &c., all with variegated foliage, are also very 
fine. This class has an important advantage over the 
others, because they are decorative independent of the 
flower, and, therefore, their decorative property lasts 
longer and begins earlier than all others. 
The double early Tulips now in cultivation are not so 
numerous in variety as the single, but some of them are 
indeed very beautiful and highly attractive by the very 
large size of their Bose-shaped flowers, and also by their 
