Set of 3: 1991 Flowers Series

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Flower SHINGTON JAN 22 1991 20066 DC For U.S. addresses onl Flower Flower WASHING JAN 22 991 20066 For U.S. addresses only DC For U.S. addresses only F. ATNGTON JAN Flower 22 1991 20066 DC usaddresses only

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TULIP First Day of Issue: January 22, 1991 First Issue Location: Washington, D.C. Picture a stream of multihued Alpendoorn and scarlet Red Riding Hood tulips flanked by delicate, fringe-pet- aled Batterseas. The Dutch flowers are frequently over- looked by less practiced cultivators who seek longer- lived blooms. Yet planting a variety of tulips and carefully tending the flower bed can produce a riotous array of vivid blossoms which last well into June. Adding peat to soils with high clay or sand contents assists with drainage, while calcium and phosphorus provide nourishment to plant roots. Bulbs set eight to twelve inches below the surface require no yearly thinning or replanting, and leaves or peat moss make excellent mulch, protecting young bulbs during winter's icy sojourn. The first shoots of spring result in a flurry of activity as gardeners remove mulch, add essential elements to depleted soils, and clip drooping petals which rob bulbs of food for the coming year. The tulip, gracing the non-denominated “F” stamp issued in sheets by the United States Postal Service, will add glorious color to any garden. No. 91-1A ©1991 The Maximum Card Collection A division of Unicover Corporation . Cheyenne, WY 82008-0007 ® Original painting for the Maximum Card by Wang Zhenhua TULIP First Day of Issue: January 22, 1991 First Issue Location: Washington, D.C. Although it may seem hard to believe, the affordable and common tulip of today was once the most sought-after and expensive of all flowers. In the 1600s, speculators in Holland and nearby countries drove the price of tulip bulbs far beyond the reach of the average gardener. One would-be horticulturist gave four cows, eight hogs, a dozen sheep, a suit of clothes, a bed, two barrels of butter, one thousand pounds of cheese, two barrels of wine, four barrels of beer and a solid silver pitcher in return for a single tulip bulb. Today the tulip is far less dear, as evidenced by its presence in millions of gardens around the world. Developed in Turkey and Persia in the 13th century, the hardy tulip is a perennial, growing from a single bulb to bloom in early spring. Some one hundred species of tulip are known today, coming in dozens of shapes, sizes and colors. When the United States Postal Service decided to issue a coil of non-denominated "F" stamps, the tulip, favored by gardeners throughout the world, was a logical and most elegant choice. No. 91-2 ©1991 The Maximum Card Collection A division of Unicover Corporation . Cheyenne, WY 82008-0007 ® Original painting for the Maximum Card by Wang Zhenhua TULIP First Day of Issue: January 22, 1991 First Issue Location: Washington, D.C. A new tulip is cause for rejoicing among the gardening public, but few tulip aficionados realize that the hybridi- zation process which produces their prized bloom may span two decades. Modern master hybridizers create new blooms by selecting parent flowers with proven track records — flowers which display good color, interesting pattern, disease resistance and hardiness. Hybridizers then meticulously brush pollen from the chosen father across the female pistil. Within four months the resulting seed pod may yield two to three hundred seeds, which emerge the following year as grass-like seedlings. Care- fully nurtured for the next several years, the plants usually produce their first flowers in the fifth year. When enough new bulbs have been produced to satisfy projected demand, the new tulip is ready for sale. The United States Postal Service, issuing a booklet of non-denominated “F” stamps which depict the aristocratic tulip, honors this beloved favorite of gardeners throughout the world. No. 91-3 ©1991 The Maximum Card Collection A division of Unicover Corporation • Cheyenne, WY 82008-0007 ® Original painting for the Maximum Card by Wang Zhenhua