84 BULBS 



different beds. Since then about 40 acres have been 

 devoted to the production of daffodil, tulip, hyacinth, 

 and other bulbs, and the firm now report : 



The result has surpassed our expectation. All bulbs grown in 

 Holland thrive splendidly at Rush, and in appearance and size are 

 equal to the best the Dutch produce. Our exhibits of the flowers 

 at the spring shows in London, Birmingham, Manchester and 

 elsewhere during the last three seasons have been awarded the 

 highest honours they could attain. 



It might be not unfairly claimed that this industry presents an 

 opportunity to the growers of spring flowers who take an interest 

 in the future prosperity of this part of the kingdom and their 

 number is legion to help, it may be in a small way, in the re- 

 generation of Ireland. 



We base our claim for recognition, however, on the sounder 

 commercial basis that our bulbs are equal, if not superior, to 

 those of the foreigners, and are sold at prices which are as low 

 as theirs. 



The favourable report presented by the growers is 

 confirmed in other directions. A writer in the Garden, 

 for instance, says of the Rush enterprise : 



Though I have seen tulips in Holland and in England, I never 

 saw them happier than upon this wind-swept shore. ... I never, 

 even in Holland, saw foliage so clean, strong, and healthy, nor 

 flowers so fresh and splendid in form and colour. Now that the 

 fact is accomplished, one wonders why bulb-culture was not tried 

 here long ago. 



The commercial possibilities of bulb-production were 

 thus dealt with in an article on the Rush experiments 

 published in the Irish Times of October 7, 1901 : 



The enormous quantities and the high values of choice bulbs 

 that may be grown on an acre of good and suitable land are 

 astonishing, and somewhat of a revelation to those not well versed 

 in intensive land-culture. Thus an imperial acre holds 250,906 

 roots or bulbs at 5 inches apart. In order to facilitate the 

 working, etc., paths or alleys are, of course, necessary, as well as 

 the bulbs, and so we will say 200,000 bulbs go to the acre. It is a 

 common or rather let us say an abundant flower root that is not 

 worth a penny, but many of the choicest kinds, as grown at Rush, 

 are worth from one shilling to as much as five pounds a root, and 

 if you want to grow some of the finest of Mr. Engleheart's new 



