THE GARDENING WORLD. 
May 18, 1907. 
MAY-FLOWERING 
Tulips 
L _s_ For the Garden. 
As a factor in maintaining the bright¬ 
ness of our flower gardens at that inter¬ 
mediate time when the last early bulbs— 
Hyacinths, Narcissi, etc.— are going out 
of bloom, and the summer herbaceous 
plants have not yet come on, the so-called 
May-flowering varieties of Tulips and 
Tulip species will be found very valuable. 
English “Cottage” and “Florist” Tulips, 
Darwin Tulips, which section contains in 
addition the pretty variegated Rembrandt 
varieties, Parrot or Dragon Tulips, a 
laciniated type, will all prove charming 
subjects for beds and borders. They are 
all particularly graceful in form and 
habit of growth, the long stems rendering 
them also useful for cutting. Their foli¬ 
age, unlike that of many bulbous plants, 
is not at all unsightly when the flowering 
season is past; indeed, the waxy-grey 
green leaves may often form a good set¬ 
ting to the young growths of herbaceous 
perennials, or to bedding-out plants. 
Where treated as permanent subjects 
for the flower-border, May-flowering 
Tulips will be found excellent, as with 
few exceptions they are quite hardy and 
are free-bloomers. They will flourish in 
any ordinary garden soil, but this is best 
when it is of a loamy nature, enriched 
with old stable manure and with a sprink¬ 
ling of quick-lime dug in while fresh. A 
moderately warm and sheltered aspect is 
desirable. Planting should be done dur¬ 
ing the late autumn, choosing a time when 
the weather is favourable and the soil in 
a nice friable condition. For making the 
holes, a trowel may be used in preference 
to a dibber, as, except in the case of very 
light soils, the latter is apt to cake the soil 
surrounding the bulb. The Tulips should 
be put in four inches deep and as many 
inches apart, giving a sprinkling of sharp 
silver sand at the base of each bulb. The 
best colour effects will be obtained by the 
use of bold clumps and masses. Beauti¬ 
ful harmonies and contrasts can be 
brought about by judicious selection and 
arrangement, as the range of colours is 
very extensive. 
The following short list has in it some 
effective and not too costly varieties : —- 
Cottage Tulips. —Acuminata, Gesne- 
riana spathulata, Bouton d’or, Picotee, 
Rosalind, and Sylvestris. 
Darwin Tulips.— Circe, General Koh¬ 
ler, Glow, Loveliness, Queen of Roses, and 
the Sultan. 
Parrot Tulips.- —Coffee Colour, Crim¬ 
son Beauty, Fire King, Large Yellow, 
Markgraaf Van Baden, and Perfecta. 
Special mention must be made of the 
English Florist Tulips, whose progress 
and developments have engaged so large 
a share of attention on the part of all 
lovers of this flower. These are divided 
into sections according to their types and 
colours, such sections being known respec¬ 
tively as Bizarres, Bvbloemen, and Roses. 
Especially interesting are the “flamed” 
and “feathered” sorts, while attractive 
contrasts to them are formed by the varie¬ 
ties known as “seifs.” The Bizarres em¬ 
brace the following colours: self shades 
of scarlet, crimson, maroon, and chest¬ 
nut; also flakings of orange, scarlet, 
crimson, brown, and black, on a yellow 
ground. The Bybloemen contain self 
shades of purple and lilac, with a white 
centre; also flakings of purple and lilac 
oni a white ground. The Roses consist 
chiefly of pink and rose-scarlet, with 
flaked varieties of these colours on a pure 
white ground. 
As a concluding note to the above re¬ 
marks on May Tulips, I would add a sug¬ 
gestion to the effect that these bulbs, in¬ 
cluding also the Tulip species, which pro¬ 
duce flowers of a wilder habit, remarkable 
for their gorgeous hues, will be found de¬ 
lightful for naturalising in grass and for 
grouping together on mounds and in dells 
of the wild garden. 
Helen Colt, A.R.H.S. 
+ - 
To Keep Away Flies. 
“To keep flies out of a room,” advises 
a contemporary, “plant Mignonette in 
boxes on the window-sill. It will keep flies 
from a room as effectively as wire 
screens.” Will it? They are sanguine 
people who think it will. 
-- Q. W. - 
Prize Competitions. 
CENERAL CONDITIONS.— Competitors must 
write on one side of the paper only. Regular 
paid contributors to THE GARDENING 
WORLD or other gardening journals are de¬ 
barred from entering, but occasional con¬ 
tributors may compete. The name and ad¬ 
dress of the competitor must appear on each 
article sent for competition. The Editor’s 
decision is final, and he reserves the right 
to reproduce, in any way,i any article or photo¬ 
graph sent for competition. The conditions 
applying to each competition should be care¬ 
fully read. 
WEEKLY 
PRIZES. 
A PRIZE OFTEN SHILLINGS will be given 
for the best paragraph or short article on any 
gardening subject, such as hints of practical 
interest to gardeners, notes on the propaga¬ 
tion or cultivation of flowers, fruits or vege¬ 
tables, eradication of pests, etc. The para¬ 
graph or article must not exceed a column, but 
value rather than length will be considered in 
making *he award. Mark envelopes “ Oom- 
petitiTn,” and post not later than the Monday 
folk wing date of issue. Entries received later 
than Tuesday (first post) will be left over until 
t> ie following week. 
Two prizes of 2s. 6d. will be awarded each 
week for the two best letters, not exceeding 
150 words, on any interesting gardening sub¬ 
ject. 
RESULTS OF 
LAST WEEK’S 
COMPETITIONS. 
Some of the best papers in this competition 
are too long, and we desire readers to keep 
within a column. 
The prize in the Readers’ Competition was 
awarded to “ Amateur ” for his article on 
“Steam in Greenhouses,” page 318. 
In the Prize Letter Competition a prize was 
awarded to “A.E.Y.” for his article on 
“ Aquilegias in Pots ”; and another to “ G. 
Waller” for his article on “Dwarf Beans for 
Early Use,” page 316. 
Caladiums 
/ Hints. 
Caladiums are now recognised as among 
the most beautiful of all foliage plants 
and in my opinion, rightly so. The won¬ 
derful colourings which can be attained 
by good culture is, of course, the result oj 
this, and they are plants deserving o: 
much wider cultivation than they, art 
given. Any amateur who has a smai 
heated greenhouse can grow them as wei 
as those who command better means. jj 
February or March is a- good time ii 
which to start them into growth, and th 
tubers should be potted up in a mixtur 
of peat, fibrous loam and leaf soil, with 
good dash of silver sand and half an inc 
of charcoal, all thoroughly mixed togethei 
Have clean pots very carefully crocked 
and a piece of rough turf placed over th 
crocks to allow of good drainage. I hav 
found them start away much freer 
plunged in a mild bottom heat. P t 
them fairly firm, just covering the tubers 
and damping the pots over with a fine-ros. 
can. 
As soon as signs of growth are appa 
rent, give them a good soaking with lukf 
warm water, which should suffice for som 
time. When the first leaves appear, th 
plants should be shaded from very brigl 
sunshine, as they are apt to scald. Th 
house they are growing in should be kej 
moist at all times, but do not syringe th 
plants overhead too heavily, as the watt 
marks the foliage and renders it ui 
sightly. Weak manure water may b 
given as a stimulant about twice a wee! 
when the pots .are full of roots, and 
extra large specimens are desired, the 
should be potted on into eight or nine inc 
pots, using the same compost, but in 
rougher state.. CaladSurms enjoy plent 
of heat and moisture, both at the root 
and overhead, but greatly resent a stag 
nant soil. Charcoal is a great aid to thei 
successful culture, as it keeps the soi 
from becoming sour. 
When the foliage shows signs of deca) 
the plants should be gradually dried oil 
and the dead leaves removed. After the 
have quite died down, the pots may b 
laid on their sides under the stages, am 
allowed to become quite dry. During 
winter they should be examined occasion 
ally, and if found to Be shrivelling, giv 
them a good soaking, and lay them dowi 
again. A temperature of from 50 to 6c 
degrees during the winter months nil 
keep them sound ; if warmer, they an 
liable to dry rot. 
R. Thatcher. 
-4-F4- 
Examination for Gardeners. 
Of the 59 candidates who went up fo 
the second Royal Horticultural Society’ 
examination for employees in the publi 
parks, 51 passed. Of this number 5 
were in the employment of the Londo 
County Council and 48 of them passed 
three in the first class, 17 in the second 
and 28 in the third. Success in this ex 
amination of under gardeners in the em 
ploy of the Council carries with it an ad 
vance in wages. 
