September  18,  1902.  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  A  VI)  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
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coloured  with  some  shade  C 
of  purple,  which  is  best 
liked  approaching  in 
colour  to  blue  or  black ;  | 
and  the  Bizarres  are 
yellow"  ground  flowers,  i 
coloured  with  some  shade  ^ 
of  scarlet,  brow  n  or  black. 
The  combinations  most 
esteemed  are  scarlet  on  I 
gold  ground ;  black  on  f 
gold  ground  ;  and  black  on 
clear  lemon  ground. 
Each  of  these  three 
el  asses  is  subdivided  into 
three  sub-classes  called 
breeders,  feathered 
flowers,  ^  and  flamed 
flowers.  The  breeders  are 
the  seedling  form  of  the 
Tulip;  they  are  self 
colours  of  some  shade  of 
pink,  rose,  or  scarlet  in 
the  Roses;  purple,  lilac, 
or  lavender,  in  the 
Bybloemens;  and  scarlet, 
orange,  or  brown  in  the 
Bizarres. 
Many  of  the  breeders 
fire  very  beautiful  flowers, 
and  are  deservedly  grown 
for  themselves  alone;  but 
their  chief  interest  lies 
in  a  most  remarkable 
capacity  they  possess  for 
what  is  technically  called 
“  breaking,”  or  changing 
from  a  self  colour,  into 
beautiful  variegations. 
These  changes  take  twc 
principal  forms  known  as 
feathered,  and  flamed. 
A  feathered  flower  has  the  petals  delicately  edged  with  colour, 
and  a  flamed  flower  has,  in  addition  to  the  feather  on  the  edge  of 
the  petal,  a  beam,  of  colour  up  the  centre  with  graceful  and 
distinct  branchings,  uniting  the  beam  to  the  feathering.  It  is 
in  the  beauty  and  perfection  of  these  markings,  combined  with 
good  shape  and  perfect  purity  of  base,  and  filaments,  that  the 
merits  of  a  good  Tulip  lie;  but  the  full  understanding  of  these 
matters  cannot  be  got  by  reading  about  them,  and  is  only 
attained  by  study  of  the  flow  ers  and  intercourse  with  growers  of 
experience. 
Double  Tulip  Murillo.  (See  page  273.) 
Bizarres,  flamed  :  Sir  Joseph  Paxton,  Dr.  Hardy,  Samuel 
Barlowr,  Lord  Stanley,  Prince  of  Wales. — J.  W.  Bentley,  Hon. 
Sec.,  Royal  National  Tulip  Society. 
Potting  Bulbs. 
Many  excellent  breeders  never  break  well,  that  is,  they  do 
not  change  into  either  of  the  two  desired  forms.  Others  break 
into  good  feathered  flowers,  but  are  of  no  value  when  flamed. 
Others  are  only  good  when  flamed,  while  a  few"  are  excellent  in 
nil  three  states.  Breeders  of  all  varieties  often  break  badly,  that 
is,  in  a  nondescript  fashion,  and  should  be  discarded,  as  it  is  but 
rarely  the  produce  of  a  bad  break  ever  blooms  well,  consequently 
.good  breaks  and  the  offsets  from  them  are  known  as  good 
strains.” 
It  follows  from  this,  that  the  name  alone  of  a  variety  is  no 
indication  of  its  value  as  a  show  flower,  and  care  should  always 
be  taken  to  obtain  bulbs  from  growers  who  know  the  points  of 
the  flower  as  understood  in  this  country. 
And  now,  having  given  some  idea  of  this  beautiful  and  fascinat¬ 
ing  flower,  let  me  assure  any  lover  of  flowers  that  he  or  she 
would  be  immensely  delighted  with  a  bed  of  well-grown  English 
Tulips,  for  there  is  no  sight  more  gorgeous  and  glorious  in  the 
mass,  as  there  is  no  flower  more  dainty  or  refined  when  examined 
minutely.  The  planting  season  is  rapidly  approaching,  and  as 
a  guide  to  anyone  wishful  to  start  growing,  I  append  a  list  of 
the  best  varieties  in  commerce. 
Rose  Breeders:  Mrs.  Barlow",  Miss  Burdett  Coutts,  Rose  Hill, 
Annie  McGregor,  Mabel,  Lady  Grosvenor. 
Byblcemen  Breeders:  Talisman,  Adonis,  Glory  of  Stakehill, 
Elizabeth  Phgg,  Beauty  of  Litchurch. 
Bizarre  Breeders:  Sir  Joseph  Paxton,  Dr.  Hardy,  Goldfinder, 
Alfred  Lloyd,  Sulphur,  William  Lee. 
Roses,  feathered:  Modesty,  Heroine,  Mrs.  Collier,  Comte  de 
Vergennes,  Industry,  Mrs.  Atkin. 
Byblcemens,  feathered  :.  .Bessie,  Elizabeth  Pegg,  Adonis, 
V inverse,  Stockport,  W.  Parkinson,  Guido. 
Bizarres,  feathered:  Sir  Joseph  Paxton,  Masterpiece,  Lord 
Stanley,  William  Annibal,  Garibaldi,  William  Wilson,  Lord  F. 
X  'avendish. 
Roses,  flamed:  Annie  McGregor,  Mabel,  Mdme.  St.  Arnaud, 
Triomphe'Royale,  Aglaia. 
Bybliemens,  flamed:  Talisman,  Adonis,  Duchess  of  Suther¬ 
land,  Queen  of  tke  May,  Chancellor. 
During  this  month  a  number  of  bulbs  ought  to  be  potted  for 
winter  flowering;  indeed,  to  have  a  portion  in  bloom  at  Christmas 
it  is  necessary  to  pot  at  once.  The  bulbs,  which  should  be  dealt 
with  at  once  are  Roman  and  Italian  Hyacinths,  Roman  Nar¬ 
cissus  and  Paper  White  Polyantha  Narcissus,  also  Due  Van  Tliol 
Tulips.  These' can  readily  be  had  in  bloom  at  Christmas  by  pot¬ 
ting  them  during  this  month.  There  is  a  large  demand  for  these 
bulbs,  hence  it  is  desirable  to  obtain  the  supply  early. 
In  potting  Roman  Hyacinths,  Italian  Hyacinths,  and  Narcissi, 
four  or  five  bulbs  wilL  be  required  for  a  5  or  6in  pot.  See  that  the 
pots  are  clean  and  drained  with  a  few  potsherds  at  the  bottom, 
covering  with  a  little  rough  material.  Mix  up  a  compost  with 
loam,  leaf  soil,  and  sand.  Half  fill  the  pots  with  soil,  and  then 
plaoe  in  the  bulbs  closely  together.  Cover  with  soil,  just  leaving 
the  tips  level  with  the  surface.  Water  the"  pots  with  a  rosed 
watering  can,  and  allow  them  to  drain  for  a  day. 
After  this  stand  the  pots  in  a  shady  position  under  a  wall, 
and  cover  with  ashes  a  few  inches  above  the  surface.  They  may 
remain  until  top  growth  commences  and  has  pushed  an  inch  or 
more.  The  Narcissi  will  have  made  top  growth  and  filled  the 
pots 'with  roots  in  less  than  a  month,  while  the  Hyacinths  take 
longer  and  can  generally  remain  six  w-eeks.  The  object  of  cover¬ 
ing  the  pots  with  fine  ashes  is  to  encourage  root  growth  before 
top  growth,  and  thus  ensure  the  plants  doing  well,  and  coming 
rapidly  into  bloom. 
After  they  are  brought  out  of  ashes  inure  them  gradually  to 
the  light!  and  keep  in  a  cool  frame  until  necessary  to  encourage 
the  flowering,  which  may  be  accelerated  by  gentle  heat,  but  when 
the  bulbs  are  started  early  they  can  be  brought  into  flower  with¬ 
out  a  temperature  higher  than  the  greenhouse.  No  water  is 
required  during  the  time  the  pots  are  plunged,  but  after  they  are 
exposed  the  soil  must  be  kept  uniformly  moist.  Treat  Tulips  the 
same.  . 
Freesias  ought  to  be  potted  now,  and  they  will  bloom  m 
January  or  February.  It  is  not  necessary  to  pot  these  bulbs  in 
too  large  pots.  They  are  small,  and  a  number  can  be  placed  in 
a  5in  pot,  giving  each  an  inch  space.  Place  in  a  cool  frame,  and 
do  not  plunge  the  pots  under  ashes.- — S. 
