160 State Horticultural Society. 



gambling now became for the first time apparent. }.Iany individuals 

 grew suddenly rich. Everyone imagined that the passion for tulips 

 would last forever and that the wealthy from every part of the world 

 would send to Holland, and pay whatever prices were asked. People 

 of all grades converted their property into cash, and invested it in 

 flowers. 



At last the more prudent began to see that this folly could not 

 last forever. Many who, for a brief season, had emerged from the 

 humbler walks of life, were cast back into their original obscurity. 



Substantial merchants were reduced almost to beggary, and many 

 a representative of a noble line saw the fortunes of his house ruined 

 beyond redemption. 



The matter was finalh^ referred to the Provincial Council at the 

 Hague, and it was confidently expected that the wisdom of this body 

 would invent some measures by which credit should be restored. The 

 question was raised in Amsterdam, but the judges unanimouslv re- 

 fused to interfere, on the ground that debts contracted in gambling- 

 were no debts in lg.w. To find a remed}' was be3'0nd the power of the 

 government. 



Those who were unlucky enough to have had stores of tulips on 

 hands at the time of the sudden reaction were left to bear their ruin 

 as philosophically as they could; those who had made profits were 

 allowed to keep them ; but the commerce of the country suffered a 

 severe shock, from which it was many years ere it recovered. 



The example of the Dutch was imitated to some extent in Eng- 

 land. 



In the year 1636 tulips were publicly sold in the exchange of 

 London, and the jobbers exercised themselves to the utmost to raise 

 them to the fictitious value they had acquired in Amsterdam. In 

 Paris also the jobbers strove to creat a tulipomania. In both cities 

 they only partally succeeded. 



However, the force of example brought the flowers into grepJ 

 favor and amongst a certain class of people, tulips have ever since be^n 

 prized more highly than any other flowers. The Dutch are still notor- 

 ious for their partiality to them, and continue to pay higher prices for 

 them than any other people. As the rich Englishman boasts of his 

 fine race horses or his old pictures, so does the wealthy Dutchman 

 him of his tulips. 



We would not cultivate flowers for the profit solely Init for the 

 reason we feel they have their missions and preach wonderful ser- 

 mons of trust and confidence. 



When the way seems dark and the promises obscure lets turn to 



