664 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
June 16, 1888. 
FLORICULTURE. 
The Royal National Tulip Society. 
It is some thirty-eight years since this society was 
formed, and it has held an exhibition every year since, 
either in Manchester, Birmingham, or elsewhere ; but 
of late years it has taken place at Manchester, the 
Manchester Botanical and Horticultural Society con¬ 
tributing the sum of £10 towards the prize fund. The 
worthy president of the society, Mr. Samuel Barlow, of 
Stakehill House, Castleton, said that the present had 
proved one of the most awkward seasons for the Tulip 
since the society was established. During the three 
weeks previous there had been remarkable alternations 
of weather—one day hot, sunny, and growing : another 
day dull, a very low temperature, biting winds, and 
frost. All the calculations of the grower appeared to 
be upset; the weather could not be controlled, nor its 
changes adequately guarded against, and amid such 
unkindly influences how could the flowers come out in 
desirable characters ? Mr. Barlow appeared to be quite 
within the truth when he said that he had more bad 
flowers this season than in any previous year ; and the 
same could be said in some measure of all the col¬ 
lections. But no adversity appears to damp the ardour 
or lessen the enthusiasm of a Tulip cultivator ; and on 
the occasion of the Tulip show, held in the Botanic 
Gardens on Saturday, June 9th, none appeared to be 
in a doleful mood, and each one showed his best. It is 
worthy of note that on this occasion that somewhat 
restricted class, the feathered byblcemens, appeared to 
shape best; and one variety, named King of the 
Universe, raised by Mr. Dymock, of Stockport, was 
selected as the premier feathered bloom in the entire 
exhibition. 
It is full of interest to watch the staging of the 
flowers. There is apparently not much to do, but it is 
done slowly, and with due solemnity. A stand of six 
or twelve blooms is called a “pan,” an old term that 
is much used by exhibitors in the north. A “pan” 
flower means a Tulip that is worthy to appear in a 
collection of dissimilar varieties. The largest number 
shown is twelve, and they have to be dissimilar, and 
comprise two of each division ; that is to say, two 
feathered and also two flamed bizarres, and the same 
of roses and bybloemens, whilst the grower of the 
largest collection sometimes finds it difficult to get two 
dissimilar-feathered bybloemens. 
Not a few of the northern Tulip cultivators are 
elderly men of the artisan and factory-hand class, and 
without that education which their children have the 
good fortune to receive. In naming their flowers, some 
grotesque attempts at spelling are met with, and any¬ 
one who ventures to report a Tulip show needs to have 
some elementary knowledge of the flowers. “Hand 
Drune ’’ is their rendering of Andromeda, “ Pickerun ” 
means Mrs. Pickerill, “ Haglia ” is Aglaia, and so on; 
the names being fearfully and wonderfully rendered. 
This is a defect that will cease as soon as the younger 
generation mounts up into the ranks of the Tulip 
growers and exhibitors. A good deal of the staging is 
done in a rough and ready fashion, but the exhibitors 
think only of their flowers, and very little of the stands 
which contain them. The visitor cannot fail to 
perceive the general enthusiasm and hearty interest 
which prevail, and this is more than a set-off against 
imperfections of spelling and arrangement. The judges 
are invariably selected from old growers, and they go 
about their work in the most deliberate and methodical 
fashion. It is interesting to stand by and listen to the 
terms they employ as they criticise the merits of the 
flowers they have to select for prizes. They would be 
as unintelligible to the novice as a foreign language 
for the first time. 
The “ Pan ” Classes. 
On this occasion there were five stands of twelve 
Tulips, dissimilar, two of each class, and this number, 
although the Rev. F. D. Horner, of Kirby Lonsdale, 
and Mr. James Thurston, of Cardiff, were unable to 
compete through their flowers being past their best. 
Mr. Alderman Woolley, Stockport, an old exhibitor, 
was placed first with bizarres, feathered, Sir Sidney 
Smith and Sir J. Paxton ; flamed, Sir Joseph Paxton 
and Dr. Hardy ; roses, feathered, Heroine and Mabel ; 
flamed, Triomphe Royal and Mabel ; byblcemens, 
feathered, seedling, which were said to be Dymock’s 
King of the Universe and Janette ; flamed, Walker’s 
Duchess of Sutherland and Chancellor. Mr. J. H. 
Wood, Roy ton, was second with bizarres, feathered, 
Sir. J. Paxton and Masterpiece; flamed, the same 
varieties ; roses, feathered, Modesty and Mabel ; 
flamed, Mabel and Lady Catherine Gordon ; 
byblcemens, feathered, Bessie and Talisman ; flamed, 
Friar Tuck and Talisman. Third, Samuel Barlow, 
Esq., J.P., with bizarres, feathered, General Grant 
and Sir J. Paxton ; flamed, Ajax and a seedling which 
broke in a mixed bed ; roses, feathered. Modesty and 
Mabel ; flamed, Annie McGregor and Madame St. 
Arnaud ; byblcemens, feathered, Friar Tuck and Pegg’s 
Seedling, a very promising addition to this class ; 
flamed, Friar Tuck and Adonis. 
With six dissimilar Tulips Mr. J. H. Wood was 
first, having bizarres, feathered, Masterpiece, and 
flamed, Sir Joseph Paxton ; roses, feathered, Modesty, 
and flamed, Mabel ; byblcemens, feathered, Talisman, 
and flamed, Duchess of Sutherland. Second, Mr. W. 
Kitchen, Stockport, with bizarres, feathered, Master¬ 
piece, and flamed, San Josef ; roses, feathered, Julia 
Farnese, and flamed, Celestial ; byblcemens, feathered, 
Bienfait, and flamed, Lord Denman. Third, Mr. 
Alderman Woolley. A similar class is provided for 
those growers who subscribe only half-a-guinea per 
annum, and here Mr. Isaac Hesford was first with 
bizarres, feathered, Sir J. Paxton, and flamed, the same ; 
roses, feathered, Industry, and flamed, Mabel ; byblce¬ 
mens, feathered, Mrs. Pickerill, and flamed, Talisman. 
Second, Mr. E. H. Schofield, with bizarres, feathered, 
Masterpiece, and flamed, Sir J. Paxton ; roses, feathered, 
Heroine, and flamed, Aglaia ; byblcemens, feathered, 
Duchess of Sutherland, and Geo. Edward. Third, 
Mr. Thomas Simpson. 
Feathered and Flamed Flowers. 
Then came one of the most pleasing features of all— 
that for three dissimilar feathered flowers, one of each 
class. Here Mr. Alderman Woolley was first with 
bizarre, Typo ; rose, Alice ; and byblcemen, Adonis. 
Second, Mr. Isaac Hesford, with bizarre, Sulphur ; 
rose, Mrs. Collier ; and bybloemen, Sylvester. Third, 
Mr. E. H. Schofield, with bizarre, Waterloo ; rose, 
Modesty ; and byblcemen, Mary. The following class 
was for three flamed Tulips, for which Mr. A. Fearnley, 
Lowton, was first with bizarre, Sir J. Paxton ; rose, 
Mabel; and bybloemen, Maid of Orleans. Second, 
Mr. A. Kitchen, with bizarre, Sir J. Paxton ; rose, 
Mabel ; and bybloemen, Lord Denman. Third, Mr. 
J. H. Wood, with bizarre, Sir J. Paxton ; rose, Aglaia ; 
and bybloemen, Lord Denman. There was also a class 
for one feathered and one flamed flower, and here Mr. 
Thomas Simpson was first with feathered, Sir J. Paxton, 
and flamed, ditto. Second, Mr. W. Dymock, with 
byblcEmen, feathered, John Hart, and flamed, Sir. J. 
Paxton. Third, Mr. J. H. Wood, with bizarre, 
feathered, Masterpiece, and flamed, Dr. Hardy. There 
was a similar class for maiden growers—a maiden 
grower being one who has not previously won the 
amount of his annual subscription in prize-money. 
Here Mr. Thomas Holden was the only exhibitor, 
having flamed ros 1 , unknown, and feathered bybloe¬ 
men, Mrs. Jackson. 
Single Blooms. 
In the classes for single blooms the best feathered 
bizarres were Lord Lilford, Duke of Devonshire, Sir 
J. Paxton, Masterpiece, General Grant, Sulphur, and 
Richard Yates. The best feathered roses: Lizzie, 
Heroine, Modesty, Mrs. Lea, Mabel and Andromeda. 
The best feathered byblcemens : King of the Universe, 
Fanny, Violet Amiable, John Hart, William Bentley, 
and Lady Denman. The best flamed bizarres were Sir 
J. Paxton, Dr. Hardy, Duke of Devonshire, Garibaldi, 
Excelsior, Masterpiece and Ajax. The best flamed 
roses, Annie McGregor, Madame St. Arnaud, Mabel, 
Lady Catherine Gordon, Aglaia, and Lady Crewe. 
The best flamed byblcemens : Adonis, Talisman, King 
of the Universe, Chancellor, Duchess of Sutherland, 
and Lord Denman. The premier feathered Tulip, 
selected from the whole show, was byblcemen, King of 
the Universe, shown by Mr. Alderman Woolley, who 
also had the best flamed bizarre, Sir J. Paxton. 
Breeders or Seedlings. 
Now' I come to the breeder or seedling Tulips, which I 
always admire for their beauty. It is not so fully 
known as it should be, that almost without exception 
seedling Tulips take the self or breeder form for a time 
before they break into character, but the class to which 
they belong can always be distinguished. Thus the 
bizarre breeders always have a yellow base, the rose 
and byblcemen breeders a white base, but the colour of 
the flower decides the class to which it belongs— i.e., 
whether a bybloemen or a rose. And it i 3 another 
curious physiological fact in connection with this 
fascinating flower, that when a breeder Tulip breaks 
into character, it rarely grows so tall as when it was in 
the self-coloured state. Some of the rose and byblcemen 
breeders are exquisitely beautiful, and it does happen 
that a delightful breeder breaks into a flower that is 
practically worthless. 
The best stand of six breeders came from S. Barlow, 
Esq., who had some medium-sized flowers of great 
beauty ; the stand consisting of bizarres ; seedlings ; 
roses, Mrs. Barlow and Miss B. Coutts ; byblcemens, 
Glory of Stakehill and George Hardwick. Second, 
Mr. W. Kitchen, with bizarres, seedlings, and Sir J. 
Paxton. Third, Mr. J. H. "Wood, with bizarres, Lord 
Delamere and Sir J. Paxton ; roses, Miss B. Coutts 
and Mabel ; bybloemens, Alice Grey and Glory of 
Stakehill. Mr. Barlow also had the best stand of 
three breeders, one of each class, staging bizarre, 
Hepworth’s 29/6 ; rose, Miss B. Coutts ; bybloemen, 
Glory of Stakehill. Second, Mr. W. Kitchen, with 
bizarre, Sir J. Paxton ; rose, Annie McGregor ; and 
bybloemen, Adonis. Third, Mr. J. H. Wood, with 
bizarre, Horatio ; roses, Annie McGregor and Nimbus. 
The best breeder Tulips in the classes for single blooms 
were, bizarres, Sulphur, Dr. Hardy, Richard Yates, 
"William Lea, Sir J. Paxton, and Horatio. The best 
rose breeders, Mabel, Annie McGregor, Miss B. Coutts, 
and Burlington. The best bybloemen breeders, Mrs. 
Hardwick, Talisman, Fanny, Martin’s 117, Alice Grey, 
and Glory' of Stakehill. The premium breeder was 
bybloemen, Glory of Stakehill, shown by Mr. Isaac 
Hesford. A First Class Certificate of Merit was 
awarded to feathered bybloemen, Dymock’s King of the 
Universe, a large flower, forming a fine addition to 
this class. 
The usual luncheon was held after the show, the 
president, Mr. Samuel Barlow, in the chair, and Mr. 
James Bentley, the hon. secretary, in the vice-chair. 
The prize money awarded that day was paid, and a 
subscription was started towards a prize list in 1889. 
The chairman strongly impressed upon the exhibitors 
present the necessity for endeavouring to induce others 
to take up the culture of the Tulip, and so continue 
the annual show. It is reported that some of the 
Reading men who cultivate Auriculas, Carnations and 
Picotees so well, are disposed to take up the Tulip. 
Let us hope it is so, as it might lead to its extended 
culture in the south, and the re-establishment of an 
annual exhibition in London, or its neighbourhood, or 
some other suitable centre. 
Tulip Show at Butley. 
We learn from a local paper that uninterruptedly for 
sixty-three years a Tulip show has annually been held 
at the “Orange Tree” Inn, Butley, near Macclesfield. 
Probably it is one of the oldest shows of Tulips in the 
kingdom. It is somewhat singular that an exhibition 
of this kind should have found a home and taken such 
deep root in a place so sparsely populated. From long 
distances the lovers of the old Dutch flower once a year 
make the delightfully rural hostelry' of Miss Kitchen 
their rendezvous. The gathering is not exclusively 
confined to growers, for there are others who look upon 
their annual visit to Butley as an important event in 
the round of daily life. Cultivators have sobered down 
immensely since the time when fabulous prices were 
given for a single bulb of a special kind. The Tulip, 
gay as it still looks, has fallen from its high position, 
and ranks now commonly with hundreds of other 
flowers whose worth intrinsically may be reckoned by a 
few pence ; but it has its ardent admirers still. To 
these the show at Butley means a great deal. Stock- 
port, Marple, and the neighbouring district were well 
represented on Friday, June 8th, when the sixty-third 
annual exhibition was held at the “Orange Tree” Inn. 
The backward season has been against growers, but 
notwithstanding this drawback, there was a capital 
show. 
The judges were Mr. J. Oldham, Mottram-in-Long- 
dendale; and Mr. J. "Woodhead, Stalybridge; the 
principal awards they made being as follows :— A 
premier prize of a Silver Cup was given for the best pan 
of six flowers—namrly, one feathered and one flamed 
bizarre, one feathered and one flamed bybloemen, and 
one feathered and one flamed rose, and this was won by 
Mr. Joshua Hague, Touchstone Inn, Stockport, with 
Charles X., Paxton, King of the Universe, Selby, Mrs. 
Lea, and Mabel. Feathered bizarres: 1, Mr. R. 
Chadwick, with Paul Pry. Feathered bybloemens : 1, 
Mr. Joshua Hague, with John Hart. Feathered roses : 
1, Mr. W. Dymock, with Lizzie. Feathered bizarres: 
1, Mr. Thomas Oldfield, with Sans Josef. Flamed 
byblcemens : 1 and 2, Miss Kitchen, with Denman. 
Flamed roses : 1, Mr. "VY. Kitchen, with Clio. Bizarre 
breeders : 1, Mr. Joshua Hague, with John Wilkinson. 
Bybloemen breeders: 1, Mr. Joshua Hague, with Brides- 
