^ JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COffAGE  dAkvENER. 
39G 
limited,  I  own,  lead  me  to  the  conclusion  that  it  was  adopted  from  the 
Homans.  It  was  the  flower  of  that  people,  and  among  the  many  marks 
of  affection  and  regard  for  it,  the  warriors  who  had  distinguished  them¬ 
selves  by  gallantry  were  allowed  to  wear  it  on  their  shields.  This,  in  a 
warlike  age,  would  bring  it  under  the  prominent  notice  of  the  natives  of 
Britain  in  the  first  centuries  of  the  Christian  era,  and  from  this  distin¬ 
guished  exhibition  of  it  the  emblem  was  probably  adopted.  Let  me 
say,  in  conclusion,  that  there  must  be  many  lovers  of  Eoses  with 
antiquarian  tastes  possessing  wider  opportunities  and  more  leisure  than 
I  can  claim  who  may  be  rewarded  by  a  closer  and  more  extended 
research. — William  Paul,  Paul’s  Royal  Nurseries,  Waltham  Cross. 
- 4*^ - 
Aitiidst  tl|e  Talips. 
The  Chiswick  Trials. 
Ix  the  course  of  a  few  more  weeks  the  few  enthusiasts  in  florist’s 
Tulips  will  be  glorying  or  despairing  amidst  the  flowers  of  the  year. 
It  seems  to  many  of  us  a  matter  for  regret  that  such  magnificent  flowers 
as  these  should  be  getting  deeper  and  deeper  into  a  slough  of  despond 
as  at  present  appears  to  be  the  case,  and  it  will  require  the  strenuous 
efforts  of  a  number  of  experts  to  bring  the  flower  back  again  to  its 
former  glory.  As  the  florist’s  Tulip  is  produced  by  the  chief  of  the 
remaining  enthusiasts  it  is  a  flower  that  is  quite  perfect  in  its  superb 
beauty,  but  unfortunately  it  is  not  given  to  everyone  of  us  to  be  able 
to  reach  the  acme  of  perfection.  There  are  several  things  that  militate 
against  success  in  their  culture,  consequently  the  grower  of  more 
limited  means  and  time  forswears  his  allegiance  to  the  florist’s  Tulips 
and  devotes  his  energies  to  the  ordinary  single  and  double  varieties. 
These  formerly  came  to  us  exclusively  from  Holland,  but  during 
recent  years  at  Eush  in  Ireland  Messrs.  Hogg  &  Eobertson  of  Dublin 
have  been  experimentalising  in  the  production  of  Tulips  for  sale,  and 
with  the  most  gratifying  results.  The  flowers  that  have  been  shown 
from  these  Irish  grown  bulbs  have  invariably  been  splendid  in  colour, 
form,  and  size. 
Needless  to  say  there  are  many  scores  of  varieties  of  the  so-called 
Dutch  Tulips,  many  of  which  are  really  not  worth  growing  as 
thoroughly  distinct  varieties.  This  season  the  Eoyal  Horticultural 
Society  has  conducted  a  trial  of  single  and  double  Tulips  in  the  much 
belittled  Chiswick  .Gardens.  The  bulbs  were  planted  in  the  beds  in  the 
square  near  the  majority  of  the  houses,  and  afurther  trial  of  practically  the 
same  varieties  was  made  in  the  beds  flanking  the  centre  walk.  It  was 
curious  as  well  as  instructive  to  observe  how  very  differently  bulbs  from 
the  same  source  behaved  in  the  two  positions,  and  some  varieties  that 
in  the  square  were  well  nigh  failures  were  excellent  in  the  main  walk. 
In  other  instances  the  flowers  were  of  about  equal  excellence  in  each 
instance,  and,  perhaps,  it  is  needless  to  add  others  were  decidedly  the 
reverse.  It  has  been  a  most  interesting  trial,  and  has  taught  good 
lessons  as  to  what  Tulips  are  suitable  and  vice  versa,  for  the  soil  of 
Chiswick.  It  may  be  said  to  have  done  more  than  this,  however,  for  it  is 
safe  to  assume  that  the  variety  which  succeeds  at  Chiswick  will  luxuriate 
in  gardens  that  are  more  favourably  situated  in  respect  of  soil  and 
atmospheric  conditions. 
It  was  on  one  day  during  the  latter  half  of  last  week  that  this  visit 
was  paid,  and  it  was  considered  particularly  fortunate  that  on  the  day 
immediately  preceding  the  Floral  Committee  of  the  Eoyal  Horticultural 
Society  had  inspected  the  collection,  and  from  Mr.  S.  T.  Wright,  the 
admirable  superintendent,  the  names  of  the  varieties  that  had  been 
honoured  with  three  marks  were  received.  There  were  seventeen 
varieties  recognised  on  the  occasion  noted,  and  these  included  new  and 
old,  single  and  double  varieties.  The  majority  of  these  are  known  by 
every  gardener,  and  probably  find  a  place  in  nineteen  out  of  every 
twenty  gardens  where  Tulips  are  grown.  They,  as  a  matter  of  fact 
are  acknowledged  standard  varieties  that  may  be  relied  upon  to  produce 
excellent  flowers  almost,  if  not  quite,  every  season.  It  may,  however, 
prove  of  service  if  the  whole  of  the  three-mark  sorts  are  mentioned  in 
these  notes,  with  brief  descriptions  to  such  as  may  possibly  not  be 
generally  known.  A  few  are  of  such  conspicuous  excellence  that  they 
must  eventually  become  universal  favourites,  and  wilt  continue  so  until 
raisers  provide  others  that  are  in  some  way  superior  for  the  adornment 
of  our  gardens  and  our  greenhouses. 
To  select  one  variety  of  any  plant  and  say  that  it  is  the  very  best 
is  usually  a  distinctly  risky  proceeding,  but  it  may  be  ventured  upon 
with  the  Tulips,  putting  Maes  in  the  position  of  honour.  This  is 
done  because  the  writer  is  convinced  that  the  opinion  would  be 
supported  by  the  vast  majority  of  people  who  visited  the  Chiswick 
collection.  To  all  intents  and  purposes  it  is  a  perfect  single  Tulip, 
and  one  which  must  eventually  find  its  place  in  gardens  where 
these  bulbous  plants  are  largely  used  for  bedding  purposes.  The 
plant  comes  about  midway  between  the  very  tall  and  the  very  dwarf 
varieties  in  height,  and  is  particularly  sturdy  in  its  handsome  leafage. 
The  flower  is  of  the  largest  size,  ranking  in  this  respect  with 
Proserpine  and  Keizers  Kroon  ;  the  petals  are  of  remarkable  substance 
and  of  the  richest  crimson  colour ;  in  form  the  flower  is  practically 
faultless.  Between  Ophir  d’Or  and  Mon  Tresor  there  is  very  little  to 
choose  in  point  of  actual  merit,  both  occupying  the  front  rank 
amongst  yellows.  The  Dutch  growers,  it  is  said,  do  not  recognise  any 
dissimilarity,  but  the  flowers  were  distinct  at  Chiswick  both  in  form 
and  very  slightly  in  colour.  Each  is  superb,  and  may  well  be  grown 
both  in  pots  and  in  the  beds.  The  trio  named  received  the  dis¬ 
tinguishing  three  marks  on  the  occasion  of  a  previous  visit  by  the 
committee. 
Let  us  now  turn  for  a  brief  space  to  the  seventeen  selected  at  the 
last  inspection.  The  majority  of  these  are,  as  has  been  said,  known 
to  every  grower,  and  included  Joost  Van  Vondel,  Joost  Van  Vondel 
white,  a  superb  variety  ;  Cottage  Maid,  Le  Eeine,  La  Belle  Alliance, 
Thomas  Moore,  and  Duchesse  de  Parma,  singles  ;  and  Tournesol  and 
Imperator  Eubrorum  doubles.  These,  it  will  be  conceded,  are  all 
excellent  varieties,  as  is  proved  by  the  number  of  years  they  have 
remained  in  high  favour  with  growers  who  are  ever  keen  enough  to 
discard  old  sorts  when  new  ones  of  distinctly  superior  merit  are 
brought  to  their  notice. 
The  remaining  eight  varieties  were  again  comprised  largely  of 
singles,  El  Toreador  being  the  only  double.  This  is  a  magnificent 
Tulip  with  grandly  built  flowers  of  a  peculiar  colour  that  may 
perhaps  be  most  easily  described  as  delicate  plum  in  the  body  with 
edges  of  pale  orange ;  it  is  undoubtedly  one  of  the  best  varieties  in 
trial,  and  ought  to  attain  to  a  great  popularity.  Single  pure  white 
Tulips  of  perfect  form  are  by  no  means  numerous,  hence  the  appre¬ 
ciation  that  was  accorded  to  David  Tenier,  which  in  the  Chiswick 
collection  is  unrivalled.  Pink  Beauty  is  slightly  misnamed,  and  might 
preferably  have  been  designated  Eose  Beauly,  as  there  is  no  pink  in  its 
flowers.  It  is  really  rose  and  white,  and  is  strikingly  effective.  A 
delicately  beautiful  flower  is  Queen  of  the  Netherlands,  which  is  soft 
blush,  and  is  thus  in  direct  contrast  to  Dussart,  as  this  is  a  glowing 
plum  crimson ;  it  is  a  most  attractive  Tulip.  Amiral  Eenier,  white 
and  red,  is  very  distinct,  and  will  find  many  admirers,  as  also  will 
Hector,  a  beautifully  formed  flower,  which  is  exactly  the  colour  of 
Pond’s  Seedling  Plum,  and  has  yellow  edges.  Last  of  all  comes  Grand 
Due  de  Eussie,  a  fine  variety  with  purple  flaked  flowers. 
It  must  not  be  inferred  that  these  are  the  only  Tulips  of  premier 
quality  that  have  been  grown  at  Chiswick  this  year.  Such  is  by  no 
means  the  case,  as  several  indispensable  varieties,  of  which  we  may 
quote  Vermilion  Brilliant,  Keizers  Kroon,  and  Proserpine  as  examples, 
were  seen  in  splendid  form.  Those  named  have  been  chosen  simply 
as  illustrative  of  the  fact  that  the  Floral  Committee  on  its  most  recent 
visit  was  desirous  of  recognising  both  old  and  new  sorts  that  at  the 
moment  of  inspection  were  considered  sufficiently  meritorious. — ■ 
F.  W.  H. 
- - 
Tl|e  Embankment  Gardens. 
The  provisions  that  are  made  by  the  London  County  Council  for  the 
delectation  of  the  public  in  various  parts  of  the  metropolis  are  a  never 
failing  source  of  delight  to  visitors.  Go  we  north,  south,  east,  or  west 
there  are  parks  and  gardens  in  which  bedding  is  carried  out  in  splendid 
style ;  while  even  in  the  heart  of  London  we  find  some  peculiarly 
beautiful  grounds.  Amongst  the  most  centrally  situated  are  the 
Victoria  Embankment  Gardens,  which  strike  at  right  and  left  angles 
from  Charing  Cross  Railway  Bridge.  These  grounds  are  not  very 
extensive  as  compared  with  the  great  parks,  but  they  comprise  within 
their  limited  boundaries  such  beds  of  Dutch  Tulips  as  would  be  a  credit 
to  any  place  in  or  out  of  London. 
It  need  scarcely  be  said  that  the  difficulties  in  growing  satisfactory 
plants  on  this  particular  portion  of  our  noble  Boulevard  are  by  no  means 
limited  in  number.  Trains  are  constantly  crossing  and  recrossing  the 
river,  and  they  give  forth  innumerable  atoms  of  burning  dust,  which 
