138 A VISIT TO THE TULIP GARDENS AT HAARLEM. 



into the soil (if it may be so called). All flower gardens are ma- 

 nured in like manner — cow-dung being plentiful. 



It is a mistaken idea that the Dutch are great admirers of flowers. 

 This I do not consider to be the case, as they do not in the least seem 

 inclined to purchase new varieties at all from England. The answer 

 they make is "we cannot sell to Englishmen." Their trade is a 

 mere matter with them of pounds, shillings, and pence. Any one 

 presuming that they are extensive raisers of Tulips will be much 

 disappointed; I did not see a single seedling coming to maturity. 

 All they had in the way of breeders were blooming roots, and but 

 few good ones were to be seen. With Hyacinths it is far different ; 

 the little as well as the large cultivator devote a plot of ground to 

 seedlings, and a considerable quantity of seed is annually sown. 

 The seedling as well as the blooming roots of Hyacinths are gene- 

 rally grown in beds of thirty to one hundred yards long. One florist 

 told me of one who had no less than sixty thousand large and 

 small roots of the Bouquet tendre, or Waterloo. The reason is plain : 

 Hyacinths, &c, are in demand, whilst Tulips are not so, so that 

 they pay particular attention only to that which is likely to produce 

 most money. 



Each variety of Tulips is grown together in beds of twelve to fif- 

 teen yards long, and of some varieties (Ambassador d'Hollande par- 

 ticularly) ; it is not uncommon to see a large bed of them containing 

 at least one thousand bulbs, all in fine condition and of the best strain. 



There are few beds protected as they are in England. I only saw 

 four, and one of them contained a great number of common flowers, 

 such as Surpasse la Cantique, whilst the same individual had very 

 fine varieties growing in various beds unprotected. 



The Dutch are principally indebted to their neighbours for the 

 fine sorts they possess. They are not on the most friendly terms 

 with each other, and will not introduce you to any other collection, 

 unless it happens to belong to a relative or intimate friend, who has 

 what the other does not possess ; and after you have made your se- 

 lection from the previous one. It is extremely difficult for a stranger 

 to find out the various small collections, where he probably will get 

 them cheaper than in the large ones. In this I was particularly 

 fortunate, having letters of introduction to Englishmen who had been 

 resident there some years. 



