31 MARCH 1950, Page 14

In the Garden

All gardeners are flooded with catalogues, many of them illustrated in most gorgeous colour. One claims that its bulbs and the rest are cheaper because the expense of coloured pictures has been forgone. This hails from South Lincolnshire which now becomes a real rival to Holland on the eastern edge of that shallow valley which we call the North Sea. Even the Lincolnshire nurserymen still import and sell Dutch bulbs, which retain their leadership ; but the Spalding neighbourhood is almost as well worth a visit in tulip time as even Haarlem. The 'Wash and the Zuider Zee are near akin, and some day the•first also will perhaps be reclaimed. Much of it is ready, quite ready. W. BEACH THOMAS.