174 THE TULIP. 



their notice. To such I can with truth say, that I 

 have always been a great admirer of the Tulip, and 

 that I esteem it the masterpiece of perfection,, and 

 one of the greatest ornaments of the garden. Many 

 a poor florist may be justly lavish in its praise, with- 

 out ever having it in his power to gratify his wish 

 with the possession of it. A moderate collection of 

 choice Tulips, of those beautiful, those exquisitely 

 beautiful flowers, which are the pride and boast of 

 every amateur who grows them, could not be pur- 

 chased for a sum much less than one thousand 

 pounds, at the usual catalogue prices, nor obtained 

 and got together till after years of patient search and 

 unwearied labour. 



The high prices that have for many years been 

 affixed to Tulips in the printed catalogues of our 

 florists are so deterring and repulsive of the fancy, 

 that persons with a taste and fondness for this flower 

 are afraid to indulge and enter into it. Those prices 

 are generally rated nearly one-half higher than they 

 may be bought at, both here and in Holland; this 

 has a bad effect, and wears the appearance of impo- 



