118 DUTCH BULBS AND GARDENS 



This, then, above all things strikes one, a grower 

 is a man steeped in his work ; he lives in the midst 

 of it, he rises with it, and goes to bed with it. On 

 his few holidays he goes to see the achievements of 

 others in it, or, better still, the working of nature. 

 He goes to see other things too, no doubt, he has 

 other interests pictures, or music, or literature, or 

 languages he is no narrow uncultivated man ; but 

 his work stands first, a long, long way first, he and 

 it are curiously and indissolubly one. So for this 

 reason I say at the last, as I said at the first, 

 those who would see and know the bulb gardens 

 of Holland should also know the men who for 

 generations have grown the bulbs, and loved and 

 understood them. 



