I88s.] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



121 



the difference of location has such an influence as to 

 prevent the flowering, and then at last sometimes 

 several years before the bulbs have reestablished 

 themselves, so as to become adapted to the new 

 mode of cultivation, and in consequence to flower 

 regularly every year, especially some sorts of the 

 Majus acantse section or the ajax have this par- 

 ticularity. Your correspondent can conclude from 

 this that if in retail there IS charged 25 cents per 

 bulb, it may be necessary to give a very much 

 inferior wholesale price for introduced ones. To 

 conclude about Narcissus, the sort your corres- 

 pondent names must be the Bulbocodium of the 



section (the Hoop Petticoat narciss),but 



it is very doubtful that it should be that sort, as 

 Bulbocodium always gives a small bulb. If your 

 correspondent will send us a few bulbs, as sample, 

 we shall plant them and try to bring them in 

 bloom and say what it is, after having flowered 

 them. 



The bulb of Sulphur Trumpet is much larger. 

 This is quite a different variety, belonging to the 

 Ajax section. There is a very small chance for it 

 to be this sulphur colored variety. True, if it was, 

 it would be of some value, as the true Sulphur 

 Trumpet is scarce at present. As for Bulbocodium 

 there is quite a sufficient stock of it in cultivation 

 in Europe at different stations at this moment to 

 secure a moderate wholesale price, and therefore 

 if a certain quantity is to be sold extra this can 

 only be done at a figure much beneath the usual 

 price, as people always prefer to buy what they 

 know to that of which they have no experience, 

 and only a very cheap price can induce them to 

 part from this rule. 



Collectors often suppose that all of the bulbs 

 of this or that sort which they send us are 

 salable at a good price. Leading firms are often 

 willing to give a good price if good things are 

 offered, especially new or rare ones in a quantity 

 in proportion to the number salable, and if they 

 are certain that the same article is not in every 

 one's hand or is not thrown on the auction mar- 

 ket a few weeks after they have bought it. This 

 is done too frequently, and the consequence is 

 that people are not so much inclined to buy the 

 first offered importation of bulbs as they perhaps 

 were in former times. 



There is in the bulb trade a number of anicles 

 which are salable in enormous masses, because 

 they are generally known and are favorites for 

 forcing purposes, for bouquets, etc., but it is 

 usually a long time before such things, when new, 

 become popular and salable in such masses. For 



this purpose better prices are had after their good 

 properties are more and more known. At present 

 Hyacinthus candicans has a general popularity, 

 and every year hundred thousands of bulbs find 

 their destination. When it was first published 

 in the " Refugium Botanicum Tonnares," in 1870, 

 it remained several years unobserved and un- 

 known. Our firm was one of those who pushed 

 it, but it required much trouble to bring it to 

 the well deserved popularity of the present mo- 

 ment. It was introduced in small numbers, and 

 the sale could be brought in proportion to the 

 multiplication. If in 1870 a large number had 

 been introduced at once, it is very doubtful if it 

 would have become' such a favorite. 



There is in bulbs, too, a maximum trade price 

 possible, and when the wholesale quotation sur- 

 passes that figure the sale goes back and this has 

 a bad influence for the future trade in such an ar- 

 ticle. The common single Due Van Tholl Tulip 

 is used in Germany very much for forcing, and 

 three bulbs in a pot can fetch there a price of six 

 American cents ; for such a price enormous lots 

 can be sold inbloomearly in autumn and at Christ- 

 mas. Now the Dutch wholesale price for the dry 

 bulbs some years ago has been for a long period two 

 dollars a hundred and more, to make profit with 

 bulbs bought at that rate a pot with three bulbs 

 had to be sold at least at twelve American cents, 

 a price much too high in comparison to that of 

 other flowers, ready at the same period ; the con- 

 sequence was that the demand of this article was 

 more and more reduced. At present the wholesale 

 price is much lower than before, and such as to 

 come to the old figure, which would permit a very 

 large sale ; but now the demand has not increased 

 in the same proportion. The forcing of the Van 

 Tholl is not so much practiced as before, other 

 varieties of tulips having partially taken its place, 

 among these the scarlet Due Van Tholl, not- 

 withstanding the common Van Tholl, is always 

 the best for very early forcing. 



From such examples it results that buyers of 

 imported bulbs, either gathered in the wild or 

 cultivated, can only buy a certain number at a 

 certain price. In proportion as the number of- 

 fered exceeds the immediate want, the price to 

 be paid must be lower, to make up by the differ- 

 ence the loss of interest occasioned by a longer 

 period of sale becoming necessary, or the culti- 

 vation covering some years; or if buyer wishes to 

 sell all within a short period, to pay extraordinary 

 costs necessary for advertising and publishing to 

 push the article. Then some articles of which the 



