446 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
May  14,  1896. 
ENGLISH  AND  OTHER  TULIPS. 
It  ia  now  many  years  since  fabulous  sums  of  money  changed  hands 
for  one  Tulip  bulb  ;  when,  in  fact,  the  Tulip  mania  raged  the  most 
fiercely,  but  with  the  passing  years  have  come  many  changes,  and  it 
will  be  safe  to  say  that  these  have  been  for  the  better  in  the  matter  of 
price.  Specialists  in  these  flowers  now  are  just  as  keen  in  seeing  merits 
and  demerits  in  them,  equally  as  enthusiastic  in  singing  their  praises, 
and  probably  as  skilful  in  the  growing  of  the  plants,  but  they  are  too 
matter  of  fact — too  careful,  if  you  choose,  but  really  too  attached  to  the 
flowers  as  such,  than  to  degrade  them  as  dice  in  a  gambling  game 
in  the  lust  for  gold,  as  in  the  bad  old  days  of  the  past,  and  thus 
fabulous  prices  are  gone  for  ever.  No,  the  Tulip  fancier  of  to-day, 
though  always  ready — nay,  eager — to  purchase,  wants  to  see  value 
for  his  money  ere  he  parts  with  it.  Then  will  he  treasure  the  bulbs  as  a 
precious  possession,  because  of  the  beauty  locked  up  in  them,  and  will 
possibly,  as  was  recorded  awhile  back  in  the  Journal,  of  one  grower,  take 
them  to  the  seaside  every  year  for  the  benefit  of  their  health.  All 
fanciers  do  not  go  so  far  as  that,  but  everyone  worthy  the  name  does  all 
that  can  be  done  to  provide  year  by  year  such  a  display  as  will  bring 
all  the  others  to  see,  to  admire,  and  to  criticise  the  beds  and  their 
occupants.  _ 
It  is  a  curious  fact,  too,  in  regard  to  these  flowers  that  they  possess 
some  attribute  peculiarly  their  own,  which  secures  to  them  the  con¬ 
tinued  favour  of  anyone  who  has  commenced  their  culture.  It  is  rare 
indeed  that  one  hears  of  a  secession  from  the  ranks  of  the  Tulip  brigade ; 
on  the  contrary,  they  cling  to  their  culture  as  they  would  cling  to  life 
itself.  What  it  really  is  that  holds  them  together  in  such  a  decisive 
manner  is  hard  —  perhaps  impossible  to  say.  Other  flowers  have 
enthusiasts  and  votaries  larger  in  numbers,  but  many  keep  falling  off 
and  “  taking  up  ”  some  plant  of  an  entirely  different  nature.  This,  as 
has  been  said,  iB  seldom  the  case  with  English  Tulips  ;  in  fact, 
accessions  to  the  ranks  are  now  of  more  frequent  occurrence,  and  it  is 
anticipated  by  many  people  who  are  well  qualified  to  form  an  opinion 
that  the  rise  in  their  popularity  will  be  more  rapid  in  the  future  than  it 
has  been  in  the  recent  past.  However,  this  remains  to  be  proved,  but 
no  reason  can  be  adduced  against  it,  provided  a  person  has  time  at 
disposal  that  can  be  devoted  to  them,  for  like  all  other  plants,  they  are 
incessant  almost  in  their  demands  on  the  grower’s  attention. 
One  essential  towards  this  extension  is  education.  Many  people 
know  the  Dutch  Tulip  because  it  is  cheap,  abundant,  and  conspicuous  in 
nearly  every  park  and  garden  in  the  country.  But  how  often  does  one 
see  in  the  ordinary  walks  of  life  a  bed  of  really  good  English  varieties  ? 
The  writer  would  venture  to  answer  the  question  he  has  propounded  by 
the  aid  of  three  little  words,  which  are,  Seldom  or  never.  Here,  then,  we 
see  the  necessity  of  education,  for  unless  people  are  familiarised  with 
them,  and  their  superb  beauty  is  brought  forcibly  before  them,  and  the 
flowers  are  understood,  it  cannot  be  expected  thal  they  will  embark  in 
their  culture.  Some  who  know  them  may  say  that  they  can  be  seen  at 
the  shows,  the  Temple  next  Tuesday,  Wednesday,  and  Thursday  for 
example,  but  one  could  with  equal  truth  retort  that  everybody  does  not 
and  cannot  go  to  shows.  No,  that  is  not  sufficient.  They  must  be 
grown  in  our  parks  and  our  public  gardens,  and  he  would  be  a  benefactor 
who  would  induce  the  powers  that  be  to  utilise  them— by  them  1  mean 
the  true  English  varieties,  and  not  alone  the  so-called  florists’  varieties 
which  emanate  from  the  land  of  dykes. 
There  is  a  man,  however,  known  through  the  length  and  breadth  of 
the  horticultural  world  who  is  doing  his  best  to  popularise  these  most 
beautiful  flowers.  Every  year  may  be  seen  in  his  nurseries,  in  his  shop 
windows,  and  under  his  name  at  various  floral  exhibitions,  flowers  of 
English  Tulips — perfect  in  shape,  size,  and  colour.  Most  readers  will 
before  now  have  recognised  the  man,  but,  if  only  as  a  matter  of  form, 
the  name — Mr.  Peter  Barr — is  given,  who, it  must  in  justice  be  recorded, 
is  ably  assisted  by  his  son,  Mr.  William  Barr,  in  this  and  other  good 
work.  If  anyone  be  desirous  of  taking  a  lesson  in  these  plants  he  should 
choose  the  first  sunny  day  after  seeing  the  notes,  and  wend  his  way, 
as  many  have  done  before  him,  to  Messrs.  Barr  &  Son’s,  Long  Ditton 
Nurseries,  and  thoroughly  examine  the  varieties  there  grown.  It  will 
be  a  long  task,  but  if  conscientiously  carried  out  the  germs  of  the 
Tulip  fancy  may  be  implanted,  and  time,  with  favouring  opportunities, 
will  do  the  rest  in  adding  to  the  at  present  limited  family  of  Tuliparians. 
To  go  over  the  whole  of  this  magnificent  collection,  examine  every 
individual  variety,  and  make  copious  notes  would  be  a  stupendous  work, 
but  it  would  be  a  labour  of  love,  of  which  the  true  Tulip  fancier  would 
appreciate  and  take  the  greatest  possible  advantage.  For  the  purposes 
of  these  remarks,  however,  it  must  suffice  if  a  few  in  each  section  are 
mentioned,  but  they  can  be  taken  as  of  the  best  quality  and  truly  repre¬ 
sentative  of  the  whole.  It  may  be  well  before  really  commencing,  to 
call  to  the  minds  of  readers  the  differences  in  the  three  sections,  which 
will  be  taken  alphabetically.  _ 
First,  then,  we  have  bizarres,  the  colours  comprising  oraDge,  scarlet, 
crimson,  and  many  shades  of  black  and  brown  on  a  lemon  or  a  yellow 
ground.  Each  flower  must  poseess  a  stainless  or  yellow  base.  Byblcemens 
are  black,  violet,  purple,  pale  lilac,  and  lavender  on  a  clear  white 
ground.  Roses  include  pink,  rose,  scarlet,  and  crimson  on  a  pure  white 
ground.  The  base  in  the  case  of  both  the  second  and  third  named  must 
be  pure  white.  This  gives  briefly  the  necessary  colours  in  the  rectified 
stage  of  each  section.  _ 
But  before  the  rectified  Tulip  can  be  an  established  fact  we  must 
have  the  breeder,  in  which  the  colour  is  absolutely  unbroken,  such  as  a 
red  with  a  pure  yellow  base  in  the  bizarres,  a  violet  with  a  white  base 
in  byblcemens,  and  a  rose  with  a  white  base  in  the  roses.  However, 
perfection  cannot  be  even  approached,  either  in  the  breeder  or  the 
rectified  stage,  unless  the  flower  is  of  good  shape,  with  overlapping  and 
rounded  petals  ;  while  for  the  latter  the  flamings  or  featherings,  as  the 
case  may  be,  must  come  regularly,  and  not  be  scattered  promiscuously 
over  the  surface  of  the  flower.  But  let  us  now  turn  to  the  varieties, 
taking  the  sections  in  the  order  that  they  have  already  been  placed. 
First,  then,  let  us  look  over  the  bizarre  breeders.  Stooping  to  get 
beneath  the  awning  of  canvas  that  protects  the  flowers  we  are  at  once 
confronted  with  a  variety  named  Sulphur.  It  is  a  handsome  flower  of 
beautiful  shape,  of  a  peculiar  shade  of  olive  in  colour,  and  almost 
as  sweet  as  a  Rose.  Totally  distinct  are  the  magnificent  flowers  of  Sir 
Joseph  Paxton,  which  is  one  of  the  very  front  rank.  The  colour  is  dark 
brown.  Deep  yellowish  buff  is  the  shade  characteristic  of  John  Heap, 
while  the  glorious  Goldfinder  is  very  bright  red  with  a  perfect  yellow 
base.  Yellowish  brown  and  a  clear  shining  brown  are  the  colours  of 
Masterpiece  and  Lord  Frederick  CavendiBh  respectively.  Six  breeders 
have  been  mentioned  ;  so  we  will  now  choose  a  like  number  of  rectified 
bizarres. 
Worthy  in  every  respect  of  the  great  name  they  bear  are  the 
examples  of  Sir  Joseph  Paxton.  The  shining  crimson-black  featherings 
in  the  one  stock  and  flamings  in  the  other  are  of  exquisite  beauty,  as 
accentuated  by  the  pale  yellow  ground  and  immaculate  base.  Entirely 
distinct  by  reason  of  the  glowing  crimson  on  the  golden  ground  is  the 
more  conspicuous  and  rarer,  but  not  more  beautiful,  Samuel  Barlow. 
Colbert,  chocolate  on  gold,  and  Dr.  Hutcheon,  a  somewhat  deeper 
shade  of  the  same  hue  on  pure  yellow,  are  both  deserving  of  close 
attention.  For  a  variety  of  very  low  price  on  account  of  its  abundance, 
and  not,  as  might  be  supposed,  of  any  decided  inferiority,  Caliph  will 
be  difficult  to  improve  upon.  The  ground  and  the  base  are  Boft  lemon, 
while  the  markings — variegations  as  they  are  sometimes  termed — are 
maroon-black.  With  its  large,  handsome  flowers  George  Hayward 
secures  much  admiration.  The  hue  is  deep  crimson  on  clear  gold. 
Passing  now  to  the  bybloemens  in  the  breeder  stage,  we  must  bear  in 
mind  that  here  the  ground  and  basal  colour  must  be  white.  Of  peculiar 
colour  is  Talisman,  with  its  shapely  upstanding  flowers,  and  its  clear 
white  base.  Possibly  deep  slate  will  best  convey  an  idea  of  the  shade. 
The  glowing  beauty  of  the  pale  purple  Miss  Hardy  enforces  many 
expressions  of  approbation,  and  many  people  regard  it  as  the  doyenne 
of  the  section.  A  conspicuous  flower  is  Ashmole’s  No.  114,  which  is  a 
pleasing  heliotrope  in  colour,  while  the  large  reddish  purple  Glory  of 
Stakehill  is  superb.  Adonis,  rich  violet ;  and  Chancellor,  slaty  purple, 
are  both  varieties  of  proved  merit,  and  their  mention  must  carry  us  on 
to  the  rectified  byblcemens.  _ 
As  Talisman  was  accorded  the  premier  position  in  the  breeder 
paragraph  it  shall  have  the  same  place  in  this  one.  There  are  two 
strains  at  Long  Ditton,  the  one  being  in  the  intense  violet  markings 
infinitely  superior  to  the  other.  The  deep  crimson  black  on  the  clear 
white  ground  renders  Queen  of  May  very  attractive.  The  black  on 
white  feathering  of  Adonis  places  it  in  an  almost  unrivalled  position, 
approached  only  by  the  massive  Glory  of  Stakehill,  which  in  this  as  iu 
the  breeder  state  is  far  above  ordinary  merit.  The  name  of  Friar  Tuck 
implies  something  pleasant,  and  such  is  the  flower.  The  markings  of 
purple  are  very  fine  indeed.  Cheap,  but  not  to  be  despised  for  this  reason, 
is  Lord  Denman,  for  it  possesses  undoubted  merits.  The  colour  is  a 
distinct  shade  of  puce  violet.  _ _ 
Of  all  the  English  Tulips  those  included  in  the  rose  section  may, 
perhaps,  be  designated  the  most  popular.  The  colours  are  so  varied, 
clear  or  soft,  delicate  or  glowing,  while  the  form  and  contour  of 
some  of  the  varieties  are  well  nigh,  if  not  quite,  perfect.  Of  the 
seifs  or  breeders,  the  soft  rose-hued,  shapely  blooms  of  Mabel  are 
always  admired,  though  not  more  than  are  those  of  Annie  MacGregor. 
Rosy  scarlet  is  the  colour  of  this.  The  dazzling  cerise  of  Industry,  the 
clear  pink  of  Lady  Burdett  Coutts,  the  carmine-rose  of  Rose  Hill,  also 
a  noble  example  sent  by  Mr.  Bennett  Poe,  lend  additional  charms  to 
the  collection.  The  shape  of  each  leaves  little  to  be  desired,  and 
the  base  of  the  blooms  is  clear  white. 
With  the  rectified  forms  of  the  rose  section  we  shall  bring  these 
brief  notes  to  a  close,  and,  if  only  for  consistency  sake,  they  will 
be  confined  to  half  a  dozen.  There  are  several  strains  of  Mabel, 
but  the  superb  markings  of  one  place  it  high  above  the  others.  The 
shade  of  rose  in  this  variety  is  very  pleasing.  Annie  MacGregor, 
bright  rosy  scarlet  on  pure  white,  is  one  of  the  choicest  and  the  most 
largely  grown.  Aglaia,  soft  rose,  must  not  be  overlooked.  Then  there 
are  the  cerise  and  white  Industry,  the  scarlet  and  white  Lord  Derby, 
